The Way of Kings

The Stormlight Archive, Book 1

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

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

©2010 Dragonsteel Entertaiment, LLC (P)2010 Macmillan Audio

brilliant!

The Way of Kings is Sanderson's greatest work to date. the characters, the world, the story are all masterfully written, and truly comes to life with the reading of Micheal Kramer and Kate Reading. getting those two to narrate the book was a truly brilliant decision on the part of the publisher.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. from beginning to end, despite the book's length, it held my interest like few books I've read recently. There really aren't any truly slow periods. there are periods without action, or without exposition, or without drama, but there is never a scene that feels unnecessary. Normaly, i only listen to books when I am at work, but this one pulled me in so completely that i listened to it every free moment, and it even kept me up into the wee hours of the morning, unable to tear myself away. the last five or six hours were, hands down, the most riveting fiction I have ever encountered, and far beyond what one might expect from merely the first book of what is planned as a ten book series. Where the Wheel of time starts at a slow burn with The Eye of the World, The Way of Kings hits the ground running.

The Stormlight Archive is the new face of epic fantasy, like the Wheel of Time was before it. Sanderson has truly come into his own on this one.

Sanderson & Kramer brilliant. Reading unlistenable

I'll get this out of the way because it pains me to write this - I tried many times to wrap my head around Kate Reading's phonation and cadence but it was so unnatural that it routinely broke immersion. She intonates words the way an early computer speech program would. It may seem pedantic if you're just reading reviews but if you listen you will see what I mean.

Overall the entire story and the chapters read by Kramer are truly phenomenal. My favourite work of Sanderson thus far.

The best fantasy novel I've read in a good while

The Way of Kings contains Lightsabre like greatswords, spacemarine armor and a magic system very similar to the Mistborn trilogy, then why should you bother with this book? You have to, because despite some of its comic book like qualities it is a still a fantasy masterpiece, at least the beginning of one. No orcs or elves, no Katanas or thieves guilds, but a new world, a world of mystery, magic and ancient history. This is fantasy as it was intended to be, harsh, desperate, and honorable men all in a world unlike any other. This is also one of those books that are even better in audio format. Michal Kramer especially is magnificent. Personally I find that with this book Brandon Sanderson finally proves that he is not only worthy of finishing Robert Jordans Wheel of Time series, he is a notch above. I find myself wishing he would leave off the WoT series and continue this instead. Ten books are daunting and I would like to listen to and read them as soon as possible and may the Storm take Rand al???Thor.

Storming long book!

I wrote a really long review on Amazon, so I won't take the time here. All I can say is that The Way of Kings is a good book... not great, but good. It is a decent beginning to what seems to be a very promising series, though I felt it was way too slow for a first book. It read more like a middle book in a series, when the readers would be more interested in tons of extra info. Michael Kramer is a great reader as ever, and all I can say is thank goodness Kate Reading doesn't read much of it. I never minded her reading The Wheel of Time books, but in Kings she mispronounces names, or at least pronounces them differently than Kramer. They really should have gotten together to figure out how to pronounce names.
Get this book. It's certainly worth a credit. Brandon is becoming a great writer. Just know that very little happens until the last 3-4 hours of the book.

masterpiece? not too fast

I'm still unsure what I think. I waited and waited to read this book and I finally started. I'm not sure of what I was expecting but when I completed the book, it wasn't totally what I wanted. not sure if my expectations were too high, but, while the story was engaging and interesting, I was left still waiting for the AHA moment that, I felt, never came. it never came after 45 hours.

The foundation of a good story to come.

Where does The Way of Kings rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book ranks in the top 30% of the books that I have read.

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

I cannot copare this book to any other, other than to say that this book is unique like all the stories of Sandersons.

What does Kate Reading and Michael Kramer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

They both bring subtle inflections the each character. So much so, that you know who is talking even before you pick-up where they left off.

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

The book made me laugh L.O.L. on many occasions. It also was able to surprise me which only happens every once and a while.

Any additional comments?

Way of Kings moves slow which is nice, as it gives you time to get familiar with all the P.O.V. that are paralleling in the story. Keep turning pages and by the middle you will have character you feel sorry for, respect, want to be, wish you had as a best friend, and want to die slow. I believe this book is a solid foundation to a great story.

Great story

This book starts really slow. Do not give up on it to soon. Have way in you will be hooked. Multiple characters and storylines will keep you entertained.

Sanderson At His Best!

Any additional comments?

There is nothing I did not LOVE about this book and cannot wait for more! Like so much of Sanderson's work it is a fresh take on fantasy.

Amazing. Better than, "The Name Of the Wind!"

Greatest book I have ever read... I loved this book so much. I can't believe a book this remarkable exists. The way everything is described is incredible. I am starting the second one this very second.

Complex but worth it

This was a complex story woven through many smaller stories intertwined with one another. I had a little trouble getting into the beginning but it became clear why it was important later in the story. I'm heading off now to get the second book. My only issue was that different narrators (I have the audio version) pronounced some of the names differently. It took me a moment to realize who the person was that was being referenced.