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

Outstanding

Without a doubt one of the greatest fantasy books ever written. I initially read in 2010, but it was even better the second time around. If you haven’t read this in a decade, treat yourself to a reread.

Another tale

Great story it brought me into a different world and then submerged me onto another world. It was layer after layer and I loved it of course I like this winter very much and I read all his books many times over

Lots of fun

I enjoyed this a lot. Well done and readers did a great job. I look forward to more.

Fascinating and Cohesive World

Lovely book! I really enjoy how the deferent elements of the world work together (ex. almost all animals+plants can retract so they can survive the frequent, violent storms).

character development

A soon to be masterpiece. The depth of it is perfect as well as pacing.

A true modern fantasy classic

Easily one of the best books I have ever read, Sanderson creates a new world entirely and places in it characters that you can’t help but feel passionate about.

Satisfying Themes!

I loved this book. The themes explored about the nature of mankind, what drives our behavior, and what truly matters are such a delight when combined with the detailed and fascinating world, and characters that really resonated with me.

I am so excited for book 2!

My only hang up is that it took me longer than usual to get used to the reader, as his inflections are unusual during narrative sections. I found it less prominent during dialogue. Eventually i stopped noticing altogether, however, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

great character building

amazing introduction into the storm light archive with great character building and multiple points of view.

Idk how it's gonna get better from here?

I was very skeptical. 500pgs in and i still wasnt sure of the plot. It is very plodding in the beginning. There is an immense amount of story to set before the avalanche of action at the end. But I can not stress enough you well be rewarded for your time.

ALL I CAN SAY: OMG

Brandon Sanderson you have truly outdone yourself. i remember reading this book when I was… 9, and i didn’t remember a single detail. Nothing about anything. I didn’t get the emotional depth of the books, and now that i am a sophisticated teenager (15) i can truly say it was very very very very good. The names of all the Heralds and timeline might confuse me a little, but overall, this book is fantastic. Love.