The Way of Kings

The Stormlight Archive, Book 1

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

Length: 45 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

From number one New York Times best-selling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of the Stormlight Archive, begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the 10 consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where 10 armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of more than 10 years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.

Strength before weakness.

Journey before destination.

And return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.

Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson:

The Cosmere

The Stormlight Archive:

• The Way of Kings
• Words of Radiance
• Edgedancer (Novella)
• Oathbringer

The Mistborn trilogy:

• Mistborn: The Final Empire
• The Well of Ascension
• The Hero of Ages

Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series:

• Alloy of Law
• Shadows of Self
• Bands of Mourning

Collection:

• Arcanum Unbounded

Other Cosmere novels:

• Elantris
• Warbreaker

The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series:

• Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
• The Scrivener's Bones
• The Knights of Crystallia
• The Shattered Lens
• The Dark Talent

The Rithmatist series:

• The Rithmatist

Other books by Brandon Sanderson:

• The Reckoners
• Steelheart
• Firefight
• Calamity

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2010 Dragonsteel Entertaiment, LLC (P)2010 Macmillan Audio

Fantastic Fantasy!!!!

This book is my absolute favorite back I have ever read! I particularly like listening to this audiobook that is so brilliantly read/acted! Well worth the time :)

amazing book

absolutely loved it, the book is amazing and the performances brought it to life in a way that just reading it never could

Fantastic! No complains, a credit very well spent.

An incredibly original world, with mysteries hinted at through lore and legend. Never talks down to the reader, respects your attention and intelligence.

Great way to spend your time

It seem like a very long novel, and it is but once your start and immerse in this world the time flies and you going to be grateful for all the details the author gave to his readers.

good story

I'd rather they stick to one reader than switching readers for different chapters. overall still a good story.

Awesome story

I loved the story, even though it was a long book, it felt as if it ended far too quickly. Michael Kramer does an excellent job of making the characters come alive. Kate Reading still does a job good too, however, she uses different pronunciations of words than Michael does. It is hard to follow some of the character names when she reads them. But overall, still an excellent story and I strongly recommend it.

Do not listen to this if you have important things to do

I could not stop listening, which meant this book occupied a lot of my thoughts for the time I was listening. I love the commentary Sanderson weaves into his storyline about death, grief, human connection, truth, and morality. This book has led me to seeing my life in a new perspective.

read once, listened once. even better the 2nd time

everything about this story is great. I read it once years ago but with the third book being released I decided to listen to the first two again. I had an issue with one aspect of how the 2nd book ended but now having listened to the first again I have an easier time accepting what I had an issue with. This is easily one of the best books i have ever read. Brandon Sanderson is a fantastic author of whom I've read many of his published works, and the narrator's are both well chosen and skilled. 100% recommend this story if you're looking for a fiction that has a truly unique world with its own floral and fauna, multiple main characters and multiple story arches all happening at once.

A+ Story

Throughly enjoyed the story, characters, and worldbuilding. Struggled initially with the narrator because of how monotone his voice is.

great read

was slow to start, but half way thru became quite enthralling. the narrator's were great.