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The Way of Kings

The Stormlight Archive, Book 1

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The Way of Kings

Written by: Brandon Sanderson
Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
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About this listen

From number one New York Times best-selling 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 10 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 10 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 more than 10 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
©2010 Dragonsteel Entertaiment, LLC (P)2010 Macmillan Audio
Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fiction Military Fantasy Royalty War King Young Adult Adventure
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What listeners say about The Way of Kings

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

:)

it took a certain time to get into the story, but once i did, i couldn't stop

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Story is great - female narrator poor

I really liked this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. The female narrator is really irritating. She has a computer generated quality to her voice and has a weird up take to the end of her sentences that make them sound like questions. She also pronounced one of the lead character's name differently from the other narrator which at first made me wonder who she was talking about. In spite of that I did enjoy the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best fantasy book I've read in a long time

As the title says - I would strongly recommend to anyone who likes fantasy. fantastic world building.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

my first audiobook

thoroughly enjoyed this. first by this author. great story.
I was drawn in to each character and felt my heart race everytime one hot into trouble.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

slow burn but worth the wait

this book is amazing. If you like epic fantasy this is one you can't miss.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another 10/10 from Sanderson

Truly an incredible book. The story is very well told, and moves along naturally. The characters, even the secondary and tertiary ones (Kalidan's crew, Dalinar's sons, etc) are very well developed and it was a joy seeing them grow and change. And as always with Sanderson, the magic system blows my mind. Will be starting book two immediately.

10/10

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

good stuff

good book. good storytelling. good throughout but really picks up at the end. highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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I liked it

I liked it a lot. I had to buy extra credits to get the rest of the series. I'm not going to sit here and tell you what you'll like. but I liked it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Everything in this series is 5 stars without a doubt. No credit will be wasted on this fantastic series and great narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best book I've ever read

Absolutely love this book and this author. Will wait patiently on the rest of the books. Brandon also writes 10x faster then the other authors so no need to stress over how many years until next book.

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