The Way of Kings
The first book of the breathtaking epic Stormlight Archive from the worldwide fantasy sensation
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4.7 • 588 Ratings
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- £9.99
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- £9.99
Publisher Description
'I loved this book. What else is there to say?' Patrick Rothfuss
According to mythology mankind used to live in The Tranquiline Halls. Heaven. But then the Voidbringers assaulted and captured heaven, casting out God and men. Men took root on Roshar, the world of storms. And the Voidbringers followed...
They came against man ten thousand times. To help them cope, the Almighty gave men powerful suits of armor and mystical weapons, known as Shardblades. Led by ten angelic Heralds and ten orders of knights known as Radiants, mankind finally won.
Or so the legends say. Today, the only remnants of those supposed battles are the Shardblades, the possession of which makes a man nearly invincible on the battlefield. The entire world is at war with itself - and has been for centuries since the Radiants turned against mankind. Kings strive to win more Shardblades, each secretly wishing to be the one who will finally unite all of mankind under a single throne.
On a world scoured down to the rock by terrifying hurricanes that blow through every few day a young spearman forced into the army of a Shardbearer, led to war against an enemy he doesn't understand and doesn't really want to fight.
What happened deep in mankind's past?
Why did the Radiants turn against mankind, and what happened to the magic they used to wield?
Readers absolutely love The Way of Kings:
'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' Novel Notions
'It's multi-POV, action-packed, heartfelt, exciting, thrilling, and I am running out of adjectives' Goodreads Reviewer, Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'The story is mind-blowing, the ideas and thoughts create a world that is believable and intriguing. A strong tale with a well fleshed out world and multidimensional characters that are easy to care about' Goodreads Reviewer, Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'The Way of Kings is a huge opening act to The Stormlight Archive which took every single one of these elements of a good fantasy story and elevated the art of storytelling to a different league' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Brandon Sanderson is probably the most gifted storyteller of his generation. He's a silent force that strikes you when you least expect it, and with The Way of Kings he introduces a series that will change the history of Fantasy' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'I've been struck speechless. I've loved Sanderson's books in the past, but this one completely blew me away. I really wish I could give The Way of Kings a sixth star' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This massive tome is the first of a 10-part epic fantasy series from relative newcomer Sanderson (Mistborn), best known for his efforts to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. In a storm-swept world where history has dwindled into myth, self-serving aristocrats squabble over mystical weapons that render their bearers immune to mundane attacks. The ambitious scholar Shallan learns unexpected truths about the present, the virtuous aristocrat Dalinar reclaims the lost past, and the bitter and broken slave Kaladin gains unwanted power. Race-related plot themes may raise some eyebrows, and there's no hope for anything resembling a conclusion in this introductory volume, but Sanderson's fondness for misleading the reader and his talent for feeding out revelations and action scenes at just the right pace will keep epic fantasy fans intrigued and hoping for redemptive future installments.
Customer Reviews
Great start, can't wait for the others
I wouldn't say it was a book for beginners but its a fantastically well thought out novel. Every detail of the world from the plants and animals to the characters has been painstakingly researched and greatly presented. I have read the Mistborn series and while i thought they were really good this blows it out of the water.
It's a long read at over 1000 pages but well worth it if your looking for a serious new fantasy to get your teeth into. It hasceverything you'd want from a fantasy novel: Knights, wars, magic, other races and lots of political intrigue.
I can't wait for the next one.
Outstanding
Before this, regarding fantasy, for me there was nothing I enjoyed more than Robin Hobbs Liveship series. After this first book, I think this may be my new favourite series.
Outstanding
Utterly compelling.