The Way of Kings
With 'Words of Radiance' out, I realized I needed a reread to get all of the characters and events straight.
'The Way of Kings' is the first installment of a projected ten book epic fantasy saga by powerhouse professional* writer Brandon Sanderson. Most fantasy novels have such an aura of cheese around them I can't bring myself to invest increasingly valuable time with them - but Sanderson's tasteful completion of 'The Wheel of Time' peaked my interest.
The setting, the continent of Roshar, possesses a sense of history and culture, which is to be expected, but what I felt set Roshar apart from most fantasy settings is the approach Sanderson took towards an alien culture and a foreign biology. Sanderson doesn't trifle with the usual stands of iron oaks and medieval castles (and 'inspiration' from historical events as plot) to set a scene. Sanderson crosses boundaries and treats his fantasy world the way the best science fiction authors do: as a thought experiment. How would our world look if it was beset by fierce unpredictable storms that could toss boulders, what species would survive, and in what forms and how would people adapt? That is just one of the aspects of Roshar that Sanderson has set into place, a foundation that he builds his nations, religions and people onto.
Sanderson takes many of the stock characters of fantasy: the determined princess, the fallen knight, the old warhorse, and the chosen-one and twists them enough to give them new meaning and prevents events from becoming too predictable. I enjoyed his use of epigraphs from fictional in-world texts before each chapter a la Dune and the illustrations coming from characters' own hands or future scholars. This being my second read, a few flaws came out - the boredom of invincibility being one - but all in all I was really taken in.
In part because of that, Shallan, as the most vulnerable of the protagonists, remains my favorite. A lifestyle of scholarship and jam-dates doesn't hurt either. Could have used a lot less of her wit though. Wit, on the other hand....hooked.
*Thank you for keeping your self-imposed deadlines!
Stormlight Archive
Next: 'Words of Radiance'
