Reviews
Sanderson melds complex, believable characters, a marvelous world and thoughtful, ironic humor into an extraordinary and highly entertaining story., Praise for Brandon Sanderson and the Stormlight Archive Over 10 million copies sold! "One of the genre's most beloved authors."-- TIME "Sanderson raises the genre stakes... A fan favorite."-- The New York Times "[Sanderson] is not a brilliant writer of epic fantasy, he's simply a brilliant writer. Period."-- Patrick Rothfuss, #1 New York Times bestselling author "The genre's most popular writer... easily one of the most successful and prolific fantasy writers of the century so far."-- Esquire "Epic in every sense."-- The Guardian on The Way of Kings "Sanderson is a master of many aspects of the fantasy genre: epic world-building, coherent systems of magic and unforgettable character development. All those are in peak form in his masterwork, The Way of Kings ."-- Paste Magazine , "The 50 Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far)" "Absolutely revels in its fantasy world, one of actual gods, bizarre magic, knights with superpowers, spirits and sorcery, monsters, demons, and magic sword[s] called Shardblades. It embraces the fantastic, and does so with an astonishing amount of creativity . . . Words of Radiance is a must-read."-- io9 on Words of Radiance "Excellent . . . cranks up the level of intrigue to dizzying extremes...Sanderson's experiment is working, and he gets better with every book. The journey will be worth it. Yes, you should buy this book. Yes, this is a series worth following to the end."-- Reactor on Words of Radiance, This very superior stand-alone fantasy proves, among other things, that Sanderson was a good choice to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga. Sanderson is clearly a master of large-scale stories, splendidly depicting worlds as well as strong female characters., "Sanderson melds complex, believable characters, a marvelous world and thoughtful, ironic humor into an extraordinary and highly entertaining story."- Publishers Weekly , starred review on Warbreaker "An exceptional tale of magic, mystery, and the politics of divinity. Warbreaker might even take your breath away!"-Michael Moorcock "Sanderson is an evil genius. There is simply no other way to describe what he's managed to pull off in this transcendent final volume in his Mistborn trilogy."-RT BOOK REVIEWS, Gold Medal, top pick! on The Hero of Ages "This very superior stand-alone fantasy proves, among other things, that Sanderson was a good choice to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga. Sanderson is clearly a master of large-scale stories, splendidly depicting worlds as well as strong female characters."- Booklist on Warbreaker "Sanderson again demonstrates his capacity for handling large and complex themes while creating believable characters…. [ Warbreaker ] is essential reading for fantasy fans."- Library Journal , starred review, Praise for Brandon Sanderson and the Stormlight Archive Over 10 million Stormlight Archive books sold! "One of the genre's most beloved authors."-- TIME "Sanderson raises the genre stakes... A fan favorite."-- The New York Times "[Sanderson] is not a brilliant writer of epic fantasy, he's simply a brilliant writer. Period."-- Patrick Rothfuss, #1 New York Times bestselling author "The genre's most popular writer... easily one of the most successful and prolific fantasy writers of the century so far."-- Esquire "Epic in every sense."-- The Guardian on The Way of Kings "Sanderson is a master of many aspects of the fantasy genre: epic world-building, coherent systems of magic and unforgettable character development. All those are in peak form in his masterwork, The Way of Kings ."-- Paste Magazine , "The 50 Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far)" "Absolutely revels in its fantasy world, one of actual gods, bizarre magic, knights with superpowers, spirits and sorcery, monsters, demons, and magic sword[s] called Shardblades. It embraces the fantastic, and does so with an astonishing amount of creativity . . . Words of Radiance is a must-read."-- io9 on Words of Radiance "Excellent . . . cranks up the level of intrigue to dizzying extremes...Sanderson's experiment is working, and he gets better with every book. The journey will be worth it. Yes, you should buy this book. Yes, this is a series worth following to the end."-- Reactor on Words of Radiance, An exceptional tale of magic, mystery, and the politics of divinity. Warbreaker might even take your breath away!, Sanderson is an evil genius. There is simply no other way to describe what he's managed to pull off in this transcendent final volume in his Mistborn trilogy., "Sanderson melds complex, believable characters, a marvelous world and thoughtful, ironic humor into an extraordinary and highly entertaining story."-Publishers Weekly, starred review onWarbreaker "An exceptional tale of magic, mystery, and the politics of divinity.Warbreakermight even take your breath away!"-Michael Moorcock "Sanderson is an evil genius. There is simply no other way to describe what he's managed to pull off in this transcendent final volume in his Mistborn trilogy."-RT BOOK REVIEWS, Gold Medal, top pick! onThe Hero of Ages "This very superior stand-alone fantasy proves, among other things, that Sanderson was a good choice to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga. Sanderson is clearly a master of large-scale stories, splendidly depicting worlds as well as strong female characters."-BooklistonWarbreaker "Sanderson again demonstrates his capacity for handling large and complex themes while creating believable characters…. [Warbreaker] is essential reading for fantasy fans."-Library Journal, starred review, Sanderson again demonstrates his capacity for handling large and complex themes while creating believable characters.... [ Warbreaker ] is essential reading for fantasy fans., "Sanderson melds complex, believable characters, a marvelous world and thoughtful, ironic humor into an extraordinary and highly entertaining story." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review on Warbreaker "An exceptional tale of magic, mystery, and the politics of divinity. Warbreaker might even take your breath away!" -- Michael Moorcock "Sanderson is an evil genius. There is simply no other way to describe what he's managed to pull off in this transcendent final volume in his Mistborn trilogy." -- RT BOOK REVIEWS, Gold Medal, top pick! on The Hero of Ages "This very superior stand-alone fantasy proves, among other things, that Sanderson was a good choice to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga. Sanderson is clearly a master of large-scale stories, splendidly depicting worlds as well as strong female characters." -- Booklist on Warbreaker "Sanderson again demonstrates his capacity for handling large and complex themes while creating believable characters.... [ Warbreaker ] is essential reading for fantasy fans." -- Library Journal, starred review
Synopsis
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings , Book One of the Stormlight Archive, begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion. 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. Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson The Cosmere The Stormlight Archive The Way of Kings Words of Radiance Edgedancer (novella) Oathbringer Dawnshard (novella) Rhythm of War The Mistborn Saga The Original Trilogy Mistborn The Well of Ascension The Hero of Ages Wax and Wayne The Alloy of Law Shadows of Self The Bands of Mourning The Lost Metal Other Cosmere novels Elantris Warbreaker Tress of the Emerald Sea Yumi and the Nightmare Painter The Sunlit Man Collection Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians The Scrivener''s Bones The Knights of Crystallia The Shattered Lens The Dark Talent Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians (with Janci Patterson) Other novels The Rithmatist Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds The Frugal Wizard''s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England Other books by Brandon Sanderson The Reckoners Steelheart Firefight Calamity Skyward Skyward Starsight Cytonic Skyward Flight (with Janci Patterson) Defiant, From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings , Book One of the Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion. 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. Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson The Cosmere The Stormlight Archive The Way of Kings Words of Radiance Edgedancer (Novella) Oathbringer The Mistborn trilogy Mistborn: The Final Empire The Well of Ascension The Hero of Ages Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series Alloy of Law Shadows of Self Bands of Mourning Collection Arcanum Unbounded Other Cosmere novels Elantris Warbreaker The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians The Scrivener's Bones The Knights of Crystallia The Shattered Lens The Dark Talent The Rithmatist series The Rithmatist Other books by Brandon Sanderson The Reckoners Steelheart Firefight Calamity, A new epic fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author chosen to complete Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time® Series
