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

Simply awesome!

Listened to this every day on the way to work over a month and a half. Amazing story and amazing performance! Downloading book 2 now and can't wait to start it. The only oddity in performance lies near the end of the book when the female reader pronounces one of the names different from the other. Took a couple minutes to figure out who she was talking about. Otherwise...flawless!

good

good male narrator and female but they didnt pronounce some of the words the same

Worth every one of the many minutes it took.

The book started slow, and the only reason I stayed with it was because I have never read anything of Brandon Sanderson that I did not like. My patience was well rewarded. As always, Sanderson managed to surprise me. The characters are well developed, the alternate universe is astonishingly rich and self consistent, and the story is intricate and thought provoking. In spite of the fact that it put my life on hold for many hours, I am eager for more.

Book one of a masterpiece

Would you consider the audio edition of The Way of Kings to be better than the print version?

Yes, both because of the talent of Kate Reading & Michael Kramer, and the ability for Brandon Sanderson to write works that adapt well to spoken word.

What other book might you compare The Way of Kings to and why?

The Way of Kings - and the entire Stormlight Archive - is very similar to the Wheel of Time series - similar level of technology, evil-has-been-asleep-and-is-rising, extremely long story arc, etc.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was definitely when Kaladin faced the storm, strung up by his ankles, with Syl protecting him from the debris.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cannot say I had an extreme reaction to this book. There were several times I became frustrated with the decisions the characters made, or the situations they were about to be in - and would stop listening for a while - but no, no 'extreme' reactions.

Any additional comments?

Continued Cosmere Excellence from Brandon.

loved it

Brandon Sanderson is a fantastic writer. This book was slow to start but in the later half it became worth it

Will be the greatest contemporary fantasy series

I am not capable of explaining how good this book was with the words currently available to me in the English language. I bet German would be able to properly express its awesomeness. If you even have a minor liking for fantasy books, you will love this and unlike other authors who wont be named, Sanderson actually finishes his series. Stormlight 4 is out in November and I am counting down the days.

Picks up light as it goes on...

Michael Kramer and Kate Redding do an excellent job narrating this book. The book itself was a slog to start through, but ended up picking up in pace to a satisfying ending that leads well into the next book. I'll continue the series.

Simply the best.

Best high fantasy novel I've read in years. Game of Thrones, eat your heart out, you've been dethroned.

Good book...slow start

was quite draggy in the beginning but ended it very well leaving me to need the next book.

A great new epic adventure to get lost in.

I was already a fan of Brandon Sanderson, but this is some of his best work in my opinion.

This book reminds me of some of the good t.v. shows out there where we visit with each character and their individual storylines until we build up to a point, and then switch. I don't mind this, I love it actually because it keeps the storyline moving, while keeping you interested in coming back to each of the characters. It might be frustrating for some people because Brandon creates his world in an alien landscape and culture, and there are a lot of characters, but that's what I like. There's depth and a reason for everything in his writing.

I like the "intro's" into each chapter. In the audio version it can be a little confusing, but in the end when they are brought into the story, it's a great lightbulb moment.

I've now listened to this audiobook 2 or 3 times. I just can't wait until the next in the series comes out.