![]() I wasn’t even a quarter of the way into this book before I realized I was beginning something impressive. ![]() In essence, Sanderson has just begun the next Wheel of Time-like series. It is, in every sense of the word, an epic beginning to what I can only guess (and hope) will be an epic story told over, apparently, ten books with the second one nowhere near being published. Thankfully, now I don’t have to wonder what it’s like any longer, for ironically, the man who is finishing Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series has given me the chance to wait a decade or more for a new series to fill out.īrandon Sanderson, heir apparent to the Robert Jordan throne, has just released ‘The Way of Kings’, his first book in The Stormlight Archive series. I wonder what it would have been like to begin the journey that followed. I also sometimes regret not being a big reader (or in my case, being able to read) when Eye of the World came out. I sometimes wonder whether people who started reading that book knew exactly what they were getting themselves in for whether they knew that twenty years later the series still will not have finished and would, in fact, have to be finished by another author. On the 15th of January, 1990, a book entitled ‘The Eye of the World’ was released into stores by an author by the name of Robert Jordan. It is a unique experience that you should not miss out on, but only if you have done some prior preparation. If you are an epic fantasy enthusiast and you have not read this book, finish whatever book you are currently reading and make this your next book. Read Warbreaker first (it is available as a free download from Sanderson's website). Read one of his shorter works first like The Emperor's Soul. So should you read The Way of Kings? It is a daunting proposition, and honestly, I would not recommend it if you are new to fantasy or new to Brandon Sanderson. The density of material that Sanderson communicates in these 1,000 pages is immense, the learning curve is steep, but the pay-off is deeply satisfying. ![]() In short, there is magic, there are swords, there are battles, there are assassins, there are giant crustaceans, there is the threat of the voidbringers who will destroy the entire world, and there are the connections between the world of Roshar, the world of Scadriel (Mistborn), the world of Sel (Elantris) and the world of Nalthis (Warbreaker). The reason is that there is so much going on that you can't really describe it without making this review at least triple the size. ![]() You probably noticed that both Josh and I are very vague in our description of what this book is about. I know so much more than I did before, and it has made me realize just how little I know. If you loved this book and you thought you knew exactly what was going on, I implore you to read the book again and see if you change your mind. The knowledge you gain during your first read in the latter parts of the book, like knowing how long it takes to summon a shardblade, will actually reveal hidden secrets about different characters during your re-read of the early parts of the book. I am still trying to process the amount of information I learned during my re-read of The Way of Kings. You would also be familiar with Kelsier and his favourite saying - "Every secret has a secret." The Way of Kings is no different, with seemingly random sentences scattered through the book meaning absolutely nothing unless you know the context to which they apply. If you have read the Mistborn series, you will know how things Sanderson briefly mentions in the first chapter of the first book are actually key parts of the mysteries unveiled in the final book. The Way of Kings is very much a journey of discovery, and the more carefully you read it, the more you will learn. Each one has their own story to tell (which could probably be told in their own novel), with each story slowly helping to unveil the mysteries and secrets that define the world of Roshar. The Way of Kings follows the stories of three primary protagonists: Kaladin, Dallinar and Shallan. I am completing this review after my second read through of The Way of Kings, and given that Josh has already reviewed this story (please see below) I will try to keep things short and to the point. But I'm going to recommend that you do read it anyway, that way you can join the rest of us in speculating about what might come next. This 1000 page door stopper is a large undertaking for many readers, and with the second book not even out yet I can understand why people would be hesitant to read this book just yet. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson is the first volume in a projected ten book epic fantasy series, set on the world of Roshar where constant storms have caused the ecology to evolve into something resembling a rock pool or a coral reef.
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