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

A slow burn

This is undoubtedly an epic book. It is well written, thoroughly thought out,smart and has a real greatness to it. However, it is more of a slow burn and a set up to the massive world building. I was kind of bored throughout the first 2/3 of the book. I just don’t care about the characters enough to find it interesting. Especially Shallan, she is just insufferable. The last 10 chapters made up for it though! I am super excited to continue the series.
Performance wise, the audiobook is excellently narrated (I did listen to the same duo read all the Wheel of Time, which was finished by Mr Sanderson so I had to remind myself several times that I was not listening to that series)

Epic High Fantasy

A fluid detailed plot, masterful storytelling and memorable characters and dialogue. Detailed and fresh world building.

Awesome.

Great audiobook. Everything was perfect except the lady narrator mispronouncing names, that was annoying. Other than that, it was amazing.

the way of kings.

the storm light archives is on point can't wait for rhythm of War to come out in November

Best book I've listened to

Absolutely perfect. The story, the way of writing and the narration. Loved the whole experience.

The peak of Literary masterpieces!

Hundreds of books read through out my life. This is hands down the best form of art, literary or otherwise, I have ever experienced. There are no words to accurately depict the experience of submerging into this world. I am Oh so glad to have lived to this day and I pray to the All Mighty to let me live to see it through.

Aweome

Loved it. Michael Kramer and Kate Reading are amazing. extremely talented. Good story, well paced. Good listen!

great story, wonderful characters

It took me a few chapters to get into it, but once I did, it was a wonderful book!

45 hours! Worth every minute

I loved this tale. It was captivating. Highly recommend. This is an epic story of honor and bravery.

Awesome, and very long.

Having the dual narrators was neat, but was a little challenging that they pronounced some words, including some names, differently.