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The Way of Kings

By: Brandon Sanderson
Narrated by: Michael Kramer, Kate Reading
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Publisher's summary

The groundbreaking first book of an epic series that has changed the face of fantasy. The Way of Kings begins The Stormlight Archive.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.
Return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.

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 ten 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 ten 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.



Other books by Brandon Sanderson

The Cosmere

The Stormlight Archive
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer
Rhythm of War
Wind and Truth

The Mistborn Saga
Mistborn
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
The Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
The Bands of Mourning
The Lost Metal

©2010 Dragonsteel Entertainment LLC (P)2011 Orion Publishing Group Limited
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What listeners say about The Way of Kings

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    5 out of 5 stars

amazing.

slow and a bit of a confusing start, but then everything starts coming together, creating a rich and compelling story.

highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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highly recommended

Great characters. Great world building. Great story. I'm excited to start the next book in the series straight away.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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great book!

I loved the book, can't wait to get started on the next one.
Just buy it and listen.

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

Great book

What does Michael Kramer and Kate Reading bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Love being able to read a book while riding my bike and running!

Any additional comments?

I wish the 2 reading it would coordinate, and decide how to pronounce names etc, so that we dnt get some anoyingly silly name in the end when Kate pronounce Sadius all wrong, when we have just heard throughout the whole book so far how Michael pronounce it other way. Luckily this was only one chapter in this book taht she had to speak his name, but i fear Ill end up correcting her a lot in book 2 now ><

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

Great Story, Dragging

Dragging sometimes, story was good overall. Pace picked up at around 2 hours near the end.

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

Great Fantasy!

An very compelling and rich universe with great depth! Truly enjoyed it!
Exciting to find out how the multiple characters will interact onwards!

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

it takes awhile to get used to the narrator.

i loved the story. it starts off really slow and the narrator has a very odd high ending tone in mid sentence everytime. it was so annoying that i almost gave up on the book multiple times. as story evolved, it got interesting, characters became more interesting. im glad i kept up with it as i just found out that it is the first of a very long series. its worth it. but i had to speed up the narrator to be able to stand it.

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

A must read...

Brandon Sanderson has created a beautiful high fantasy world that has made me want more. It's been a long time since I have seen such a rich universe along with a great story. Highly recommend it.

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

good story

First this is a good story.
second its really annoying the switch between the readers, its not necessary and ruined what was a good production

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

just epic

this is already a Timeless classic. bringing together a gripping Story, genuine characters and some of the greatest philosophical questions that haunt humanity.

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