The Fantasy Review’s guide on what you should know before reading The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.
Before diving into Brandon Sanderson‘s epic fantasy series The Stormlight Archive, with its first book, The Way of Kings, there are a few things you might wish to know first.
Check out: our review of The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.
It’s a Massive Undertaking
The Way of Kings is a hefty book with over 1000 pages and it is only the first in a planned 10-book series. So, be prepared for a long-term commitment.
Sanderson’s world-building is expansive, with hundreds of character and place names to remember and organise in your mind while reading The Stormlight Archive. His writing style is easy to read, however, making this potentially overwhelming task much more achievable.
Complex World and Magic System
The Way of Kings is told from multiple perspectives, primarily following three main characters: Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar. Each has their own distinct storyline that gradually intertwines with the others before the essential “Sanderlanche” at the end of the book.
The setting is the world of Roshar. This incredible secondary world has its own fascinating ecology, cultures, and magic systems. Pay attention to details about Stormlight, Shardblades, and Shardplate – these are fundamental to understanding the world and its magic, linking the history of the world with its magic system.
The Way of Kings opens to some slow pacing. Sure, the prologue and initial chapters are interesting and well-written, but Sanderson takes his time establishing the world, characters, and plot.
This is a big book and Sanderson is setting the stage for an epic tale, so this takes time. Trust that the seemingly disparate threads will come together and blow you away in the final third of the book!
Part of a Larger Universe: The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive is part of Sanderson’s larger Cosmere universe. While it’s not necessary to have read his other works, there are subtle connections for those familiar with his other books.
I would, however, recommend that The Way of Kings not be your first experience of Brandon Sanderson’s work. Unless you have read plenty of fantasy books before, this is just too big and complex for a beginner.
If you are newer to reading fantasy and want to start with Brandon Sanderson, try the Mistborn trilogy, Elantris, or Warbreaker. If you are set on The Way of Kings, you might want to read Warbreaker first anyway – no spoilers, but you won’t regret it!
