The Way of Kings

This was my first introduction to Sanderson’s work, and I knew within a few pages that we were going to be a good fit. I’d just gotten off of reading through Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, and the “multiple POVs” angle of the book was a big pull for me.

The frankly bizarre world of the book (and the series of which this is book 1, The Stormlight Archive) was so full of strange creatures and patterns–so studded with interesting, resourceful characters–that I couldn’t put it down over the course of days to finish it.

While of a lot of this story is pretty standard fantasy fare (politics, magic, medieval setting, etc.), the amount of detail available is astounding. To be fair it's a very long book and it's hard to tie everything together, but that's part of the fun. There's also a tremendous amount of originality in the magic system. Add in the numerous plot twists and character surprises - all of which are thoroughly believable - and you've got a fantastic read. If I had to pick a minor quibble, it's a very dense story. It's easy to forget details that are more… show more.

This book epitomizes what I want in a book! The worldbuilding has a degree of depth, breadth, and imagination that has kept me coming back for multiple rereads. While the world is fascinating, and the magic system is evocative and intriguing, they are not what put this story at the top of my reading list. 

Character. I love it when there is a full cast of complex characters to get lost in, and Sanderson can (and does) teach a master class on how to write unforgettable characters. The character motivations, the “Why” behind what they are doing, is so profoundly… show more.

I’m always ready for immersive world-building; nobody does it better than Brandon Sanderson. This book effortlessly blends its people, world, and magic so they combine to advance the plot and explore each character’s internal struggle.

It’s easy to forget that war is hell when you’re reading a fantasy novel full of enchanted swords, invulnerable armor, and overpowering magicians. This book explores the trauma of battle through the eyes of a disgraced former soldier turned slave, the haunted war hero who united his brother’s kingdom, and an assassin who’s rapidly losing faith in his cause. 

I love this book because of its characters. As we learn about the world and its magic, they struggle against their own demons.

I also enjoyed the believable and fantastic magic system. It makes you want to try to predict its secrets. Throughout the story, you delve deeper into the lore while rooting for the characters as they combat their specific demons.

I found the payoffs to be well worth the wait, and I still tear up thinking about my favorite parts. 

I loved The Way of Kings because it was an epic fantasy that didn’t quite start out as one.

I found the characters intriguing, the world-building immaculately detailed, and I connected to even the side characters. I liked the way I was thinking one thing about a character, but the author sort of flipped it, and you went along with the story. It all comes together, and the adventure is so worth the long read! It really didn’t even.

For me, a book that holds my attention so well and makes me dream about the world despite all the… show more.

What fantasy recommendation would be complete without Brandon Sanderson?

It took me a while to get through this series but well worth the thick books! Sanderson creates such lush world building and intense characters that it’s hard not to get swept up into the story. I like his unique magic system and has the feel of an old-world epic fantasy.

The Way of Kings is the first in the series, not yet finished, and the characters are so well drawn and relatable you can’t help but get invested in their struggles. 

I'm not going to lie, I feel dirty even comparing my novel to this masterpiece. Yes, I say masterpiece because I myself have a bridge four tattoo. That’s how obsessed I am with this book and series!

The only reason I would compare my book to this is the following. Both are large casts and diverse perspectives. Both focus on regular people awakening to new powers and learning how to use them. Both books have guardians to help them learn their powers. Finally, both focus on working together despite differences for the greater good of saving the world.

Oh, and… show more.

It’s unspoken, but Way of Kings is filled with morally grey characters. We begin with an assassin who hates killing and move on to meet many others.

The best part is that we fall in love with the characters first. They amaze us in their courage and skills, and only later we learn who they really are:

They’re not good people. They’re totally broken, haunted by the things they’d done. 

Many recommend this book for the magic system, for the epic world building, for the wisdom that we can take home after we’re done, but I recommend it for the… show more.

Sanderson is famous for his complex inter-series world building, but I personally love The Way of Kings for an entirely different reason: the realistic way Sanderson writes traumatized characters. A brick of a book, TWoK is narrated from various points of view, the most compelling one being that of Kaladin, a young enslaved surgeon racked by survivor‘s guilt. Kal has my respect because he keeps fighting for a future in which he might actually succeed at protecting his loved ones. If that’s not a truly magical feat of imagination trumping a torturous reality, I don’t know what is.