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

The best series I have ever read

These books changed my outlook on life. The character growth and development is wonderfully told. The story itself is amazing and the narrators bring the words to life. Read this book!

Great world building

So many forget that a world, especially one in fiction, is a very diverse place. Brandon nails it.

Great listen

Good stuff. Book was entertaining and narrator was on point with the style of book.

Everyone said it was going to be good

It was, I enjoyed it very much. I’m starting words of radiance right away. I need to know what happens.

the journey is long, but the destination rocks!

The first half wasn't as efficiently written as I would have liked. However, the last few hours had me yelling at the wall and left me so excited for the following books in the series. I do love the themes of morality and ethics within every pov character.

I have now listened to this book twice. First listen: 4 stars. Second listen: 5 stars. During my first listen, my expectation was that this would be a more epic version of The Eye of the World and feel more like an adventure or quest fantasy. I think this made it difficult to enjoy the first half of the book. I kept waiting for characters to physically move to different environments and have more world building in line with LOTR or WOT.

During the second listen, I was happy to stay grounded in the Shattered Plains for the majority of the novel and how it differs from Tolkien and R. Jordan, from whom Sanderson is heavily influenced.

Overall Amazing

Once I started the Way of Kings, I couldn't put it down. From how the story was told and the characters were fleshed out, the book is extremely well done. Some of the Shallan segments were challenging for me to get through because of the pacing differences between her and the other characters, but her trials are very different so I can see why this is necessary.
Overall, everything ties together and creates an amazing experience.

You’re going to love it!

Brandon Sanderson has crafted a creative audio “page turner!” Great story and through character development. Really enjoyed this listening experience.

I recommend this to everyone

This is my favorite book/series of all time. A unique and masterfully written story that goes to places rarely explored by authors due to the level of complexity to balance fun and excitement with becoming hokey or cheesy. The characters, environment, story all tie together perfectly in a truly beautiful world. I have personally recommended or bought this for a few dozen people I enjoy it that much. Bridge 4 for life!

one of the best fantasy novels I have listen to

this book slaps. it has some of the most enjoyable and interesting world building and chapters I have read

Hella good stuff.

I’ve become somewhat of a fanatic. I was looking for something new to read and I had always been at least passively familiar with Brandon Sanderson having completed the Wheel of Time series. I went to his website, trying to decide where I should start. Stormlight archive was described as his big epic and it appealed most to me via the descriptions. I read the first few chapters of the way of kings on the site and was impressed enough to buy a box set of all the hardcover books of this series currently out. I read Way of Kings, then listened to it to make sure I missed nothing. Some people complain that this book is bogged down in world building, this is true but it is a fascinating world he has created. I’m hooked and will continue reading and listening.