The Way of Kings
| The Way of Kings> | |||||
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| Released | August 31, 2010 | ||||
| Publisher | Tor books | ||||
| ISBN | 978-0765326355 | ||||
The Way of Kings is an epic fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson. It is the first volume in a planned ten volume series called The Stormlight Archive.
It has three main characters and several minor characters, many of whom are explored through Interludes.
The Way of Kings also has a series of Epigraphs, which give hints of foreshadowing and information about the Cosmere.
Summary
The book is set on Roshar and follows the stories of Kaladin, Dalinar Kholin, and Shallan Davar. There are also several minor characters who receive viewpoints; Szeth, Adolin Kholin, Wit, and Navani Kholin in the main text, and several others in the Interludes.
Kaladin
Kaladin is the focus character of the novel. At the beginning of his story, he is a squadleader in Amaram's army. His storyline then cuts to his time as a slave. As a slave in Sadeas's army, he is placed in Bridge Four, and made to run headlong into enemy fire with the rest of his bridgecrew to give the army a way to cross the chasms. After a period of despair, Kaladin works to improve the life of his bridgecrew, and figure out how to escape the trappings of the army.
Kaladin faces the internal struggles of his inability to save those around him and his distrust of any lighteyes, both of which are resolved with the climax of the novel.
As the focus character of The Way of Kings, Kaladin's past is viewed through the use of flashbacks. The flashbacks show his childhood and his surgeon apprenticeship under his father, as well as how he joins the army and why he became a slave.
Dalinar
Dalinar Kholin's story centers around the politics of the Alethi nobility.
Following his brother Gavilar's assassination, Dalinar took his last words to heart, and began following the Alethi Codes of War and the teachings of the Way of Kings, a book written by Nohadon. He is plagued by visions of the past during every highstorm, and has a strong sense that the war on the Shattered Plains is not what the king needs to be focused on, but rather uniting the Alethi highprinces completely. Following the betrayal by Sadeas, he finally drops politics and embracing the Blackthorn, realizing that he must force the highprinces to unite and finish the war quickly, so they may focus on the Desolation to come.
Shallan
Shallan Davar becomes the ward of the rather infamous scholar Jasnah, in the hopes of stealing her Soulcaster. Her story is a mostly an internal conflict between continuing her wardship, which she loves, and stealing the fabrial to help her family. As her conflict progresses, Shallan begins to draw mysterious spren when she's not paying attention, and she believes she is going mad. Things come to a head when her love interest Kabsal is caught trying to poison Jasnah, and Shallan's theft is revealed. She confronts Jasnah, who can also see the spren and can Soulcast without the use of a fabrial, and she reveals that she is researching the Voidbringers.
Szeth
Szeth's story is told through the Interludes. A Truthless of Shinovar, he is first introduced when he famously assassinates King Gavilar of Alethkar. Known as the Assassin in White, he goes through several masters before getting orders to assassinate several highranking people by a mysterious master. Hating himself, he murders the people on his list until he gets to King Taravangian, who turns out to be the man holding his oathstone.
Magic System
Roshar has several magic systems. Most of these are used by the Knights Radiant orders, with some of these powers including Soulcasting and Surgebinding. Independent of the Radiant orders is the Old Magic.
The Ten Essences have not been elaborated on much in the book, though they have something to do with Soulcasting.