Synopsis:
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.

Review:
Get ready, because this is a 1000 page book, and this review is likely to reflect that. Now that everyone has their popcorn, I’ll start by saying one of my favourite things about this book is that while it shifts character perspective, there was never a character that I disliked/dreaded getting to “their” part. All of the characters had depth and personality and while you might not feel the same for any two characters, it’s interesting how many have aligned ideals which often leaves you wishing they might meet each other.

This book deals with many layers of complexities. At war, people change, and people have to face that change head on and sometimes that means looking into yourself and trying to figure out your own purpose and what makes you tick. While the introspection might look different for everyone, it’s a layer of realness that resonates. Respect is a large part of this book; who has it, why they have it, if they should have it. Respect, once freely given in youth, is often needed to be earned by keeping one’s word to adults who are wary of the world- letting your actions speak for you.

I love how each of the different groups of people have different abilities, skill sets, and cultures that revere certain things. It is quite interesting learning more about a soldier having a talent beyond merely fight technique, just as it was interesting to see what Jasnah was truly searching for. I quite enjoyed the shifts in perspective between all of the different characters of different races and backgrounds while attempting to figure out what means the most to each individual.

Between the codes and intelligent people within this story there are so many good suggestions/ideals/notations about life and living, but I will try to include a few.
“Worry just wastes time. It was hard advice to follow.” (Chapter 10)
“People are discord,” Syl said. (Chapter 17)
“You have to learn when to care… and when to let go…” (Chapter 20)

It is very difficult to sum up one’s thoughts on such a large book, but I will finish by saying that this book is full of all of the best parts of fantasy; there’s adventure, there are stakes, there’s deception, uncertainty, betrayal. I highly recommend this novel.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯