The Way of Kings is an expansive fantasy tale written by Brandon Sanderson. It centers around a small of characters whose lives are inexorably connected by a fate unknown. Each character holds a key to unlocking the mysteries of the past and ushering in a new era for the world. A world that has been besot by war and unrest. A world that may not last much longer if the forces that led to its upheaval in the past are not discovered and resisted.

Our first important character is Kaladan, a young man who was once a proud warrior but has been enslaved. His efforts to save those around him have only led to destruction and death for everyone he’s cared about but somehow he still lives. As he discovers who he is he has to wrestle with the uncertainty of his choices and whether he is the reason for so much loss. Should he just give up or should he continue to lead those around him even if it means certain death? He is accompanied by a strange spren named Syl who is a small sprite-like creature who takes the shape of a young woman when she isn’t flitting around like the wind. She doesn’t remember why she can talk or why she is linked to Kaladan. Is she the reason for all his troubles or is she the key to his salvation?

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The next character whose life is intertwined with the fate of the world is Shallan. She is a young woman with a talent for still-life charcoal sketches who has made her way to Kharbranth, the city of learning, to hopefully become the ward of Jasnah, a brash woman who stopped believing in the gods and is now searching for clues as to why her father, the former king, was assassinated. Shallan has a secret agenda and if Jasnah takes her in she plans on stealing Jasnah’s soulcasting device to save her destitute family back home. Soulcasting is a kind of magic that allows the wielder to change one material into another. From wood to food or stone to smoke. Soulcasting is a coveted and dangerous power and Shallan is willing to do anything to obtain this power but in so doing she might lose everything. Is the risk worth the reward?

Dalinar Kholin is a beast of a warrior and a veteran of many wars. The latest war is in the Shattered Plains, where he leads his army against the Parshendi, a group of savage killers who sing to each other behind bodies that can grow stone-like armor. The Parshendi are not human and as we learn more about them we discover that they might not be the unsophisticated brutes that we once thought. Dalinar fights along with many other Brightlords and Highprinces who don’t work together for the riches in the Shattered Plains but they all fight for vengeance over the death of their assassinated king and for their new king. Dalinar becomes more and more conflicted about this war and wishes to unite the Princes and Lords to finally win the war but in so doing he puts a target on himself. He sees visions of the past and whether he is going mad or not he will see his mission through to save his kingdom and family.

Dalinar and Sadeas, another Highprince, wield Shardblades. They are magical swords made from mist and steel and they appear in their hands after ten heartbeats. Shardblades are a coveted and godlike weapon that can slice through inorganic material like a hot knife through butter and when these blades touch living material it doesn’t so much as cut but it instead just kills. Shardbearer is an army to themself. If the shard bearer also wears the Shardplate armor, a gem-infused set of impenetrable armor that gives the wearer strength and speed, then they become a formidable force in the battles they undertake. Dalinar and Sadeas are old friends but now seem to be working at odds toward the same goal of protecting the King and saving the realm. Will they work together and unite the Highprinces or will their differences drive them apart? Will Dalinar’s honor stay true or will Sadeas’ ruthlessness win the day?

Zseth is truthless. Zseth is helpless. Zseth is a slave to powerful men who wield him like a storm of destruction. He has the power to manipulate gravity itself and wields a Shardblade to boot. His skills were used to kill King Gaviliar and are now being used to create a path of destruction across the world. Whoever holds the oathstone is his master and he obeys them no matter the cost to his soul. His white robes are known throughout the kingdoms as a symbol of his unstoppable power to kill. He longs for an enemy that might finally be able to stop him but until then he will continue to use his immense power to kill those his masters wish.

The Way of Kings is immense and enthralling. Not since Dune have I been so enticed by a world with such a rich history to discover. There are so many questions to answer and so much under the surface that I can’t wait to learn more about the world Brandon Sanderson has created here. Bit by bit the world is illuminated and as the world expands shadows are cast creating more mysteries to uncover. It is like a puzzle where the closer you get to completing it the more pieces show up in the box.

One thing The Way of Kings has that Dune doesn’t is an infinitely more comprehensive text. I loved Dune but it was very difficult to comprehend line by line. When reading the Dune books I found myself just continuing to read even if I didn’t fully understand everything and after a while, it started to make sense. It was like a kaleidoscope of images and words that only worked as a larger piece but Brandon Sanderson’s writing is much more grounded and accessible. The Way of Kings is complex in its world-building but its writing is plain. It isn’t boring but it isn’t immensely dense or complicated either. There are some made-up words but they are not hard to understand in context and I didn’t feel like I had to push myself to keep going in the hope that it would work out, it just works like a modern fantasy should work.

The Way of Kings is not a casual reading experience but it is enjoyable and action-packed. The characters are well-developed and relatable driving me to want to learn more. It progresses somewhat slowly at first but continues to pick up steam as it moves along continuously toward an epic and climactic finale which is also a cliffhanger. There are more books in the series and I have Words of Radiance, the next one, ready to go. I’m planning on diving into it as soon as I get through some of the Court of Thorns and Roses books by Sarah J. Maas. I loved her Throne of Glass series and want to try out more of her books.

I highly recommend The Way of Kings to anyone who wants to dive into a sophisticated and expansive Fantasy series in the same vein as Dune or Game of Thrones. Its world and history are unique and everything has an internal logic that makes it easy to immerse one’s self in it. Go get yours today!

Book Review: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

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