The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson
The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson
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The Way of Kings
Book One of the Stormlight Archive

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Narrator: Michael Kramer, Kate Reading

Unabridged: 45 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/31/2010


Synopsis

From #1 New York Times bestselling 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 ten 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 ten 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 over ten 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

About Brandon Sanderson

American author, Brandon Sanderson, writes of epic fantasy and science fiction. His best known works include Cosmere, a fictional universe in which most of his novels are set. They include, the Mistborn series, and the Stormlight Archive, and also finishing The Wheel of Time, that was Robert Jordan's high fantasy novel (that he began writing before his untimely death). He also made popular the terms "hard and soft magic systems" in his Sanderson's Laws of Magic. The media company, DMG Entertainment has rights to the production movie of the Cosmere universe series.

Sanderson graduated from Brigham Young University. He began studies in biochemistry, to become a doctor, but after a two year break to do mission work for his church, he decided he wanted to write, and changed majors to English Literature. He took a night job at a local hotel in Provo, Utah while at BYU, so he could write while working. His roommate during that time was Ken Jennings, who ten years later had a 74-game winning streak on Jeopardy. After graduation from BYU, Sanderson married Emily Bushman, a fellow English major who later became his business manager.

Sanderson sold his first book to Moshe Feder at Tor in 2003. He had almost given up after submitting his manuscript a year and one half earlier. That first novel was Elantris, and over the next few years, Tor also published the Mistborn Trilogy, The Alloy of Law, Warbreaker, and The Way of Kings, the first in the ten-volume series, The Stormlight Archive. The second in that series was Words of Radiance. Other volumes continue in the works. Sanderson's acclaimed Infinity Blade: Awakening was an ebook best seller for Epic Games, accompanying their popular iOS video game series.

Sanderson, his wife, Emily, and their three sons live in American Fork, Utah.


Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by Chad on 2013-09-10 15:11:33

I dont normally write reviews but this book was worth it! The characters and world building are supreme and you get a sense of being there and are engaged right away.I love the deep morality and choices that the characters are faced with in their life. Our actions are what define us as people and Brandon displays that extremely well.Even with all the character development, there isnt boring set up or history although that is included what Brandon has done in his masterful way is woven that history into the action. Which does tend to have you jumping back and forth in time a bit, but it is always to set something up to provide much valued insight into the character.You find yourself very engaged with the characters and this is a huge book 36 CDs but Ive never been bored for a moment and actually look forward to my long commute because of this book. Having the same narrators as The Wheel of Time series was a wonderful surprise. I loved ALL of those books and I listened to them all via audio so these are old familiar voices that breath life into this book.I will eagerly await the next book!

Goodreads review by Petrik on January 30, 2023

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: [URL not allowed] Incredible, impressive or fantastic, all these words are an understatement to the quality this book holds. The Way of Kings is the beginning of a masterpiece series in epic fantasy. It is now my life goal and a new addit......more

Goodreads review by Felicia on October 08, 2010

WOW. Ok, so I actually cried during this book (it was a stressful day, but I'm usually not a weeper). This book captures the epic grandiosity and scope that I remember as a kid reading Eddings and Feist and Jordan. I didn't know what was going on all the time, but I was keenly aware of the great plo......more

Goodreads review by Kogiopsis on November 03, 2020

Watch this space for an updated 2020 review! You may, however, be watching until after Rhythm of War comes out. For my original review circa 2011, check out the comments here.......more

Goodreads review by Regan on June 09, 2023

ugh omg......more

Goodreads review by Emily on July 27, 2020

Me? Giving a Brandon Sanderson's book 5 stars? sHoCkIng......more


Quotes

“[Michael Kramer] does justice to the text and makes it come alive…In fact, the narration adds a new dimension to the novel in a way which an ordinary paperback simply cannot match.” —SFCrowsNest.com

“Just the thing to accompany you on that cross-country drive you've always been planning.” —SFReviews.net

“Perfect entertainment for fantasy fans on a long car trip!” —BookLoons.com


Awards

  • Locus Awards - Nominee