Book review: The Way of Kings Part 2 - Brandon Sanderson

Series: The Stormlight archives, book 1
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 544
Published: UK Gollancz June 2011

Released in two volumes due to size of book. 

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.It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain.  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. Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. 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. 

My thoughts:

This is then part 2 of book 1. I reviewed part 1 a few days ago. The book is over a 1000 pages long so this paperback release was published as two parts. 

I liked part 1 and it helped build the world. Part 2 was excellent. At times it had me almost biting my nails when it got really intense. I did not feel like looking at the end because I wanted to savor every moment even if it meant reading for hours until my eyes were bleeding. Yes you get the point, I did not want to put down this book. It really helped making Sanderson one of my fav fantasy authors.

I have said it before and I will say it anything, he is a master worldbuilder. And at the end of the book he shook the foundations of everything I thought I knew. I gasped for air and could not believe what I just read. It was so good, just read the book and we will talk.

Kaladin, oh poor Kaladin, he still carry bridges for the army. They are nothing more than cannon fodder. They die like flies but he is a shining beacon. He helps his men survive and he will help his crew escape. He is a true leader and hero, and I love him to pieces. His story is the best and it also have me aching since his fate is so cruel, but he does not give up. Dalinar then, he becomes more and more intriguing. He has these visions of times long gone and everyone thinks he is insane. I do wonder why things are happening to him. Kaladin's power I have figured out but Dalinar, oh yes I wonder about that old bear. The third big character is Shallan, I found a new respect for her too. She does redeem herself at the end of this book. She too sees things, all around her, but why? Something is happening to all 3 of them that will change this world. Since the end seems to be coming, the bad guys are coming back.

This was a great start to this fantasy series. It has everything, politics, magic, war, great characters, questions and a world created so well.

Conclusion:

I recommend this to all fantasy fans. Do not get scared by the size of the book, when you well get started you will not be able to put it down. Amazing start and I can't wait for book 2 and more of this great story. Hurry up and go and read it.

Rating:
Recommened

Cover:

Meh

Review: The Way of Kings Part 1 - Brandon Sanderson

Series: The Stormlight archive 1
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 608
Published: May 2011 Gollancz

According to mythology mankind used to live in The Tranquiline Halls. Heaven. But then the Voidbringers assaulted and captured heaven, casting out God and men. Men took root on Roshar, the world of storms. And the Voidbringers followed . They came against man ten thousand times. To help them cope, the Almighty gave men powerful suits of armor and mystical weapons, known as Shardblades. Led by ten angelic Heralds and ten orders of knights known as Radiants, mankind finally won.  Today, the only remnants of those supposed battles are the Shardblades, the possession of which makes a man nearly invincible on the battlefield. The entire world is at war with itself. Kings strive to win more Shardblades, each secretly wishing to be the one who will finally unite all of mankind under a single throne. On a world scoured down to the rock by terrifying hurricanes that blow through every few days is a young spearman ,forced into the army of a Shardbearer, led to war against an enemy he doesn't understand and doesn't really want to fight.

My thoughts:

The publisher published the paperback in 2 books since this is one HUGE book. And it was much nicer reading it like this, instead of holding a 1000 page brick.

This book, how to describe it? So much is going on and if I would say anything negative about it it would be that is just is too well imagined. There is a lot to keep track of and know. I have read anything fantasy to be used to it but sure sometimes I wished there would be some more explanations at the back of the book. I like to look things up. Don't get scared now, at least he did not introduce a 1000 different characters like some authors do.

The book was mostly about 3 characters. Kaladin who was my favourite and his parts where the ones I wanted to skip forward to and read. He is a soldier and then a slave fighting a war that does not make sense. He is honourable and wants to protect his men, and I fell at once. Then there is Shallan  is a woman and women on this world are the scholars. Men are the soldiers and do not even know how to write (loved that, so interesting). She was, well I guess I liked her, she had goals of her own and spent time studying in a city far away from battles and such. But in the end I do not have any particular feelings for her or her teacher Josnah. The last one is Dalinar, a prince fighting in the war, and he has these strange visions. I can see things getting interesting there and I kept hoping he would run into Kaladin and buy that poor man. Then there was a few authors too, like the assassin who kills the king in the first chapter. So yes there is a lot of things going on, I could not begin to explain since this series will go on for 10 books or so I have heard....a lot more will happen.

Sanderson is quite the master when he builds truly complex systems of magic. They just have to be read about to understand. And the world is fascinating, a world of rocks, almost no soil and winds that sweep across the world and kill those not inside. He is a master world builder.

What more to say, great book. It is about a war and revenge, and finding new means to get more power. War, I like it, mystical pasts, magic and a fight for something that I do not know why about yet. And yes I really liked Kaladin's parts.

Conclusion:

This is fantasy when it is at its best. When I finished I wanted more at once. I think this is the start to a great new epic series and I will continue to read, and so should all of you :)

Rating:

Recommended

Cover:

Bleh

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