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

Absolutely Stunning

Audiobooks get me through my hour drives to and from work. The fact that these books and narrators can transport me to a world of fantasy to escape the hustle and bustle of life even mid commute is astonishing.

Incredible!

How Brandon is able to create this is truly awe inspiring. Can’t wait to start book 2

Get ready for a long road, adventure awaits

While certainly not what call “fast paced, edge of your seat, story telling,” the author purposely seems to leave some parts of the story dragging so the reader/listener is left with enough time to grow into this work and the world at large only to realize as the pace picks up, the stakes get bigger and the blades a little closer to your favorite character’s throat, that much like a frog in a pot of boiling water, you’re already in too deep to ever leave now. And like a rolling storm, you hear the final notes of what’s coming next as the author finishes this story with a visit of thunder only fantasy can offer

Loved it

It’s a long book but it’s well worth the time to read it. The narration was very well done.

Good characters, brilliant world

I struggled to pace myself with this. I spent far too many sleepless nights just to listen to one more chapter.

Amazing work!

An amazing amount of the writer’s craft and tons of developmental research had to have happened to create this literary giant. Very good, involved work of alternate existence!!

Great

Great writing. Just missing something within the performance. The characters are all around fantastic! Love Sanderson

Excellent high fantasty novel!

Great audiobook readers and excellent and captivating story. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. It fkits between many different viewpoints if different characters so it takes a bit of getting used to at first, but every storyline is really interesting. It's my favorite type of storytelling. I have a feeling the unreliable narrative style will be very important in further books when more is revealed

Changes?

There were some wording differences. I’m guess the book had a new edit out after the recording of the audiobook.

This book is a masterpiece

I am blown away by the detail the thought provoking concepts along with how full and mysterious this world is ! This audio version was well done as well the voice actors were great! This story telling pulled me in so much i gave up on any other forms of entertainment for the duration of listening to this book. If your on the fence about giving this book a shot we’ll all i can say is i wish i were you starting it from the beginning and that’s actually what im going to do right now. Just want to make sure i didn’t miss anything before i start the next one :) Thank you Brandon Sanderson holy crap!