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A review by alanadcr
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Straight fantasy is not my usual genre. I dabble occasionally, but I don't usually seek it out. This is a book my husband have been asking me to read since it was published. This chonker was his pick for our little bookclub/buddy reads.
This isn't my first introduction to Sanderson's work so it comes as no surprise that the world building it top notch and incredibly intricate. Politics, history, and culture, all of it was crafted with care. Unfortunately, this also means the book felt incredibly slow at times. Kaladin's chapters are the most interesting as they typically have a tense atmosphere with the potential for danger.
I really didn't care for Shallan. I know that Sanderson has set her up for decent character development but I really had to drag myself through her chapters and my spouse received a fair amount of whiny texts. It's a shame because I found Jasnah interesting. The Kholin POVs (Adolin and Dalinar) I'm fairly neutral about. Adolin's personal arc is lackluster but hopefully the future is more compelling. Kaladin's chapters were the most enjoyable for me. He has a few tortured hero moments, but the secondary characters around him were my favorite. It helps that his chapters had the most action that snagged my attention and didn't let go.
I will probably pick up the rest of the series at my leisure when I am feeling like tackling another chonker. With the bulk of the world-building done in The Way of Kings, I suspect the rest of the series will feel more engaging and quick.
>>I do need to note that I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. The narrators did a phenomenal job! I couldn't recommend audio more for this series (assuming the narrators are the same throughout the series)
This isn't my first introduction to Sanderson's work so it comes as no surprise that the world building it top notch and incredibly intricate. Politics, history, and culture, all of it was crafted with care. Unfortunately, this also means the book felt incredibly slow at times. Kaladin's chapters are the most interesting as they typically have a tense atmosphere with the potential for danger.
I really didn't care for Shallan. I know that Sanderson has set her up for decent character development but I really had to drag myself through her chapters and my spouse received a fair amount of whiny texts. It's a shame because I found Jasnah interesting. The Kholin POVs (Adolin and Dalinar) I'm fairly neutral about. Adolin's personal arc is lackluster but hopefully the future is more compelling. Kaladin's chapters were the most enjoyable for me. He has a few tortured hero moments, but the secondary characters around him were my favorite. It helps that his chapters had the most action that snagged my attention and didn't let go.
I will probably pick up the rest of the series at my leisure when I am feeling like tackling another chonker. With the bulk of the world-building done in The Way of Kings, I suspect the rest of the series will feel more engaging and quick.
>>I do need to note that I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. The narrators did a phenomenal job! I couldn't recommend audio more for this series (assuming the narrators are the same throughout the series)