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adventurous
challenging
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of those books where you realise as you read it that this is going to be one of the classics. It’s slow moving, but the pace suits the world and the characters. And the world is so unique, with all the parts making perfect sense. Of course, this is a Sanderson book, so this should probably be a given. I strongly suspect the man writes books in order to share his worldbuilding.
Regarding prose and pacing, this is also typical Sanderson. The prose is there to tell a story, it’s nothing fancy. But with a story like this, it fits, somehow. The setting and the prose together gives it somewhat of an anime feel. Likewise, it’s a typically paced Sanderson novel, with a whirlwind of an ending, where everything slots into meticulously crafted places.
This is a good story, with interesting ideas, and one you should probably read. Just note that Kaladin is very depressed, and this comes across very realistically on page. If you’re prone to depression yourself, you might benefit from knowing that in advance.
Regarding prose and pacing, this is also typical Sanderson. The prose is there to tell a story, it’s nothing fancy. But with a story like this, it fits, somehow. The setting and the prose together gives it somewhat of an anime feel. Likewise, it’s a typically paced Sanderson novel, with a whirlwind of an ending, where everything slots into meticulously crafted places.
This is a good story, with interesting ideas, and one you should probably read. Just note that Kaladin is very depressed, and this comes across very realistically on page. If you’re prone to depression yourself, you might benefit from knowing that in advance.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Classism
Minor: Child death
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did it! I finally finished it! Wow, what a ride that was.
I kept telling myself I would take a break after completing The Way of Kings. Did I listen to myself? Did I take a break? Absolutely not. I've already started Words of Radiance.
Damn you Sanderson and your amazing genius mind!
Edit: More in depth thoughts:
I kept telling myself I would take a break after completing The Way of Kings. Did I listen to myself? Did I take a break? Absolutely not. I've already started Words of Radiance.
Damn you Sanderson and your amazing genius mind!
Edit: More in depth thoughts:
"Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination."
This is such an amazing start to a new high fantasy series that not only has amazing characters, but a world I haven't seen before. I loved how harsh the world was from the land to the living conditions, to the class hierarchy to the characters.
Kaladin needs to be protected at all costs. I loved him from the very beginning and loved seeing his journey throughout the story. I felt his pain as he doubted himself and fell into despair. But what prevailed was his strong heart and thirst to protect his fellow men. I literally can't wait to see how he develops further. I think it's going to be juicy.
Dalinar, oh my Dalinar, how I wish I could be half as good as you. I will admit it took me a while to get in the groove with Dalinar and Adolin's POVs, and I think that mainly came down to the longer chapters (I'm a fan of shorter ones). But once I got into the rhythm, their chapters started to compel me deeper into this rich, vast world and the politics.
Shallan & Jasnah's stories are only getting started and I feel they're going to be so important moving into Words of Radiance. I personally found their conversations very intriguing and loved the philosophy behind their discussions and how it related to the world building. They are two very smart ladies and I loved feeling like a fly on the wall to integral exchanges.
Like Shallan & Jasnah, Szeth will play a larger role in Words of Radiance I'm sure. I can't wait to see more of him and how Sanderson will integrate him deeper within the story. But I feel like his story may break my heart... Please Sanderson, don't do it!
I don't know what possessed me for this to be the first Sanderson book I picked up, but I'm so glad I did. I have a feeling this series will stay with me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Slavery, War
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book. Some POVs felt a bit boring until it got to the end, but one POV in particular has me speeding through it. That one POV was 5 stars for me, because it made me feel so many things. I'd give it 4.5 overall. I got through it way faster than I thought I would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Slavery, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, War
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Medical content, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
i cried
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Medical content, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Incest, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Classism
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Here I am, reviewing The Way of Kings.
There you are, reading this review. Now, I urge you to read The Way of Kings, or re-read it if you haven't already.
This is the longest book I have ever read, but I'm not the type to get easily intimidated by a book's size so I saw this as a bit of a challenge. It's also my 7th Sanderson book. I loved this book.
I think the strongest aspect of this 1100 page behemoth is the character work. This book mainly looks at Kaladin, a young man turned slave, turned bridgeman. It sounds kind of boring or stupid at first but Kaladin's job (minor spoiler) is basically to carry a huge bridge, with the rest of his bridge crew, and haul it over plateaus / chasms in a landscape known as the shattered plains. These bridges allow the armies and cavalry to travel between plains. Not only this, the bridgemen are expected to run headlong at severe arrow-fire, unshielded and unprotected - it's a bloodbath, but the men are treated as disposable.
Through Kaladin's job, he experiences some sever trauma and suffers with depression and suicidal thoughts. His character was so compelling and the struggle of the bridgemen to just stay alive when everyone wants them dead is so heartbreaking. I found myself shedding a tear at one point in Kaladin's backstory when he volunteers to join the army with his brother Tien.
Syl is also incredibly fascinating and I love her relationship with Kaladin, almost like his mini therapist. Bridge Four is amazing. (Honestly I need to come up with some more adjectives and ways to describe books.)
The magic system is expansive and epic (although a bit confusing - I think so far I still prefer allomancy) and some of the concepts are so strange and original. For example, grass and plants in Roshar kind of shrink into the ground when they are stepped on - it's very weird. It's also weird that class is basically defined by the colour of your eyes, it's quite a prevalent theme in the book is that people will discriminate people for all sorts of stupid reasons if possible.
I enjoyed Shallan's chapters, although I wasn't a huge fan of her at first.
I didn't really like Dalinar though. I find him so boring for most of the book until the Sanderlanche of the last 10% of the book. His chapters are just dull and tedious, and it took me ages to get through Part 2, whereas the Parts with just Kaladin and Shallan didn't take me long at all. I think I disliked Dalinar potentially because of how we see Kaladin struggling and Dalinar's high society is basically the cause of Kaladin's suffering. I also feel like the battle scenes with the Parshendi in Dalinar's perspective are just boring because with Shardplate Dalinar can basically just mow them down with a single sweep, they don't really provide much of a threat until the end obviously yet we see Kaladin's men constantly shot down by Parshendi. I feel like a lot of time is spent showing us how wonderful Shardplate / blades are and I cared more about Kaladin's stormlight magic. I hated Elhokar so much as well, he is so stupid and annoying, honestly I'm hoping someone assassinates this dude. Not a huge fan of Adolin either.
Some of the plot twists were a bit obvious like the realisation that Kaladin is unintentionally using stormlight but I kind of feel like this was a bit intentional. Some of the twists like Amaram having betrayed and stolen Kaladin's Shardblade, Dalinar buying the bridgemen by giving Oathbringer to Sadeas, Sadeas betraying Dalinar (I loudly said, 'You dick Sadeas' but also I feel like this wasn't that surprising because I don't think you really trust Sadeas right from the start) and Tien being conscripted into the war by Roshone and Kaladin following.
I enjoyed the Interludes quite a lot, as well as the humour from Wit. I enjoyed the pervasive theme of wit, and what makes someone witty or intelligent. Also Hoid is just so confusing like who's side is he on? Is he even on a side?
I kind of feel like not much actually happened for a book that is so long in some ways, but I still really enjoyed it. Maybe I didn't feel as surprised by things because of all the damn spoilers I'm always seeing in like memes and shit. Anyways, 4 stars because I can't get over how bored I was with some of Dalinar's chapters.
There you are, reading this review. Now, I urge you to read The Way of Kings, or re-read it if you haven't already.
This is the longest book I have ever read, but I'm not the type to get easily intimidated by a book's size so I saw this as a bit of a challenge. It's also my 7th Sanderson book. I loved this book.
I think the strongest aspect of this 1100 page behemoth is the character work. This book mainly looks at Kaladin, a young man turned slave, turned bridgeman. It sounds kind of boring or stupid at first but Kaladin's job (minor spoiler) is basically to carry a huge bridge, with the rest of his bridge crew, and haul it over plateaus / chasms in a landscape known as the shattered plains. These bridges allow the armies and cavalry to travel between plains. Not only this, the bridgemen are expected to run headlong at severe arrow-fire, unshielded and unprotected - it's a bloodbath, but the men are treated as disposable.
Through Kaladin's job, he experiences some sever trauma and suffers with depression and suicidal thoughts. His character was so compelling and the struggle of the bridgemen to just stay alive when everyone wants them dead is so heartbreaking. I found myself shedding a tear at one point in Kaladin's backstory
Syl is also incredibly fascinating and I love her relationship with Kaladin, almost like his mini therapist. Bridge Four is amazing. (Honestly I need to come up with some more adjectives and ways to describe books.)
The magic system is expansive and epic (although a bit confusing - I think so far I still prefer allomancy) and some of the concepts are so strange and original. For example, grass and plants in Roshar kind of shrink into the ground when they are stepped on - it's very weird. It's also weird that class is basically defined by the colour of your eyes, it's quite a prevalent theme in the book is that people will discriminate people for all sorts of stupid reasons if possible.
I enjoyed Shallan's chapters, although I wasn't a huge fan of her at first.
I didn't really like Dalinar though. I find him so boring for most of the book until the Sanderlanche of the last 10% of the book. His chapters are just dull and tedious, and it took me ages to get through Part 2, whereas the Parts with just Kaladin and Shallan didn't take me long at all. I think I disliked Dalinar potentially because of how we see Kaladin struggling and Dalinar's high society is basically the cause of Kaladin's suffering. I also feel like the battle scenes with the Parshendi in Dalinar's perspective are just boring because with Shardplate Dalinar can basically just mow them down with a single sweep, they don't really provide much of a threat
Some of the plot twists were a bit obvious
I enjoyed the Interludes quite a lot, as well as the humour from Wit. I enjoyed the pervasive theme of wit, and what makes someone witty or intelligent. Also Hoid is just so confusing like who's side is he on? Is he even on a side?
I kind of feel like not much actually happened for a book that is so long in some ways, but I still really enjoyed it. Maybe I didn't feel as surprised by things because of all the damn spoilers I'm always seeing in like memes and shit. Anyways, 4 stars because I can't get over how bored I was with some of Dalinar's chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, War
Moderate: Child death, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Cursing, Gore, Misogyny, Rape
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's a medium paced story, but in a slow build way. So much happens in the means of character development while the plot is slowly filled with world building and setting groundwork to take off during part 3.
I loved it, but this is probably not one to begin reading Sanderson with.
I loved it, but this is probably not one to begin reading Sanderson with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first re-read of this series, and it was well worth the wait and time it took to read.
The world building is so detailed and fully realised, from the terrain, to cultures, legends, history, religion and beyond. The magic we discover together alongside the characters, that what was the stuff of Myth is now present and here in the flesh.
And all of it is interwoveninks together and compliments each other.
Our 3 main protagonists I find engaging and become emotionally attached to. Even within the re-read I felt the tension and the emotional pain and eleation was as intense.
Kaladin the soldier come slave, we not only wonder and fund out how he became a slave and so beaten down by the world, we watch him constantly battle mental health and not give into despair. We see him try and salvage something worthwhile despite being constantly beaten back and we see the human life and soul being with every drop of sweat abd blood he gives.
Shallon the young artist of scholarly ambition, attempting to help and restore her family whilst keeping so many secrets. She is alone in a strange new city and must relie on her self and wits alone.
Dalinar a legend of battle and warfare, now must play court politics fighting against petty power squabbles of his supposed high-princes in arms. He must protect his nephew the King, win the war to avenge his brother and try and keep together the Kingdom he helped conquer. All whilst suffering visions, which cause him to question himself. What do they mean? What must he do about them? Or has his mind broken at last?
I loved being right at the start of this incredible journey, where the plot interweave everything in a typical Sanderson way of twists turns and satisfactory highly pay off.
The world building is so detailed and fully realised, from the terrain, to cultures, legends, history, religion and beyond. The magic we discover together alongside the characters, that what was the stuff of Myth is now present and here in the flesh.
And all of it is interwoveninks together and compliments each other.
Our 3 main protagonists I find engaging and become emotionally attached to. Even within the re-read I felt the tension and the emotional pain and eleation was as intense.
Kaladin the soldier come slave, we not only wonder and fund out how he became a slave and so beaten down by the world, we watch him constantly battle mental health and not give into despair. We see him try and salvage something worthwhile despite being constantly beaten back and we see the human life and soul being with every drop of sweat abd blood he gives.
Shallon the young artist of scholarly ambition, attempting to help and restore her family whilst keeping so many secrets. She is alone in a strange new city and must relie on her self and wits alone.
Dalinar a legend of battle and warfare, now must play court politics fighting against petty power squabbles of his supposed high-princes in arms. He must protect his nephew the King, win the war to avenge his brother and try and keep together the Kingdom he helped conquer. All whilst suffering visions, which cause him to question himself. What do they mean? What must he do about them? Or has his mind broken at last?
I loved being right at the start of this incredible journey, where the plot interweave everything in a typical Sanderson way of twists turns and satisfactory highly pay off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism