The Way of Kings Book Review

Title: The Way of Kings
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Published: 2010
Pages: 1,252
Goodreads Rating: 4.64
My Rating: 10/10

“Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination.”

The Way of Kings is the beginning of a 10-book series in epic fantasy by Brandon Sanderson. Filled with stories of life and death, love and hate, bravery and cowardice, trust and betrayal, they are all woven together into a beautiful masterpiece. 

World Building: Sanderson excels at world building and his detailed development of the planet Roshar and its part in his Cosmere universe is elegant. Roshar is a land of storms with its own history, weather patterns, creatures, races, and cultures. It is home to spirit-like creatures called spren, giant crustaceans called greatshells, and a magic system tied to orders of Knights Radiant. The planet of Roshar is only one in Sanderson’s Cosmere and each of his book series features another planet within his universe. 

Character Development: The Way of Kings is a heavily character-driven book and is told from the perspective of multiple POVs. Sanderson’s character development throughout the book is equally satisfying and frustrating as he highlights the conflict and struggles that define each character. That conflicted behavior is something shared by many of the main characters including Kaladin, Dalinar, Shallan, and Szeth. What I appreciate about Sanderson’s books is that his characters who struggle with a mental illness or disorder are not defined by it. Rather it is a part of their whole being. 

Climax: Just as you think that his writing couldn’t get better, you reach the last 200 pages where you realize that he has been setting up dominoes that only start to fall towards the end of the book. Intense battle scenes, immense discoveries, essential achievements, and truly jaw-dropping moments make up the last couple hundred pages of The Way of Kings.

If you are interested in world building, dynamic characters, epic fantasy and a serious commitment to a 10-book series, this is the perfect book for you. Dive into the Cosmere and learn about Roshar and all it has to offer. You will not be disappointed.