So if you're the kind of reader that needs that distinction, don't give up, b/c, man alive, you will get it. About female characters I'll say only this: When you insist on copying female characters you created in Elantris and Warbreaker, and simply paste them from next series to next - I will call you on it. Sarene, Siri, Vivenna, Shallan and Jasnah are all one and the same character. Kalak is one of ten Heralds of the Almighty. His viewpoint chapter is the prelude which takes place 4,500 years before the events of the first chapter. Sanderson, Brandon (28 February 2013). "The Title for Brandon Sanderson's Second Stormlight Archive Book Has Been Revealed". Tor.com.

In 2011, it won the David Gemmell Legend Award for best novel. [9] The unabridged audiobook is read by narrator team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. Some people shy away from that sort of thing, and being the kind of person that I am, I view that as its own tragedy. Suffice it to say that if you are a character-driven reader, you will leave this world with a much expanded family. Fulton, Ben (August 27, 2010). "Author Brandon Sanderson's real-life fantasy". The Salt Lake Tribune . Retrieved April 29, 2017. Szeth - Okay, call my weird, but Szeth’s chapters, as few as there were, were my absolute favorite. Szeth is still a very mysterious man, but he wields a Shardblade and knows how to use it to its full abilities. He is known to the world as the Assassin in White and is one of the most feared assassins in the world. From his perspective we get to see the guilt and pain from what he is being forced to do, but who and why he is being forced to repent for his past sins, is a constant mystery. Also, the epilogue chapter of this book, which is in Szeth’s perspective, actually blew my mind. Taravangian: the king of Kharbranth. He employed Szeth to kill a great number of leaders around the world, following the Diagram, a master plan to prepare the world for the Last Desolation, made by himself.At times, it seems to me that to be human is to want that which we cannot have. For some, this is power. For me, it is peace."

Ishikk is a fisherman from the Purelake. He is approached by three strangers, who he calls Grump, Thinker and Blunt. They are using him as an agent to find a man named Hoid. Kaladin: A darkeyes from the nation of Alethkar, who is forced to serve on a bridge crew in the army of Highprince Torol Sadeas. Formerly an apprentice learning surgery from his father and a member of the army of Brightlord Amaram, he hates lighteyes because of Amaram. Amaram betrayed Kaladin, by first causing the death of his brother, Tien, and after Kaladin saves him from a man in Shardplate, forcibly takes the Shards for himself, killing all of Kaladin's close friends in the process. Kaladin is able to use Stormlight to heal himself and make himself stronger and faster than any normal human being. He is accompanied by an Honorspren named Sylphrena, or Syl for short. She came to him because of his innate honor and kindness in the face of the evil and betrayal that seem to surround him. Kaladin's connection with Syl is what gives him his power with Stormlight; it also gives Syl the level of sentience she possesses.Sanderson, Brandon (2017-10-05). "Introduction to the Cosmere | Brandon Sanderson". brandonsanderson.com . Retrieved 2019-07-28. And yes, I’m ashamed of this as well, because it took me two reads to realize similarities between Peter Pan and Tinkerbelle and Kaladin and Syl. If it's been done before, I haven't read it, and like Wit said, it's novelty we humans appreciate most.

I’m not trying to challenge anyone’s opinion or common sense when I say that by all measures of literature in history of mankind – and what paved the way for books, movies, songs we today call classics to be considered as such because of their unique quality – The Way of Kings (as well as its far worse sequel: Words of Radiance) is one of the worst books ever written. Axies the Collector is a Siah Aimian engaged in a quest to catalog all the different varieties of spren on Roshar. He is virtually immortal due to an interaction with magic. 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.

Adolin - But speaking of crushes, apparently, I just love the entire Kholin family! Adolin is Dalinar’s oldest son, cousin to Jasnah and Elhokar, Brightlord of Alethkar, has a very short temper, and is a bit of a flirt. His mother, the one that is passed away and that Dalinar cannot remember, passed down to him full Shardplate, and he won his own Shardblade in a duel. Oh, he loves to duel, too! Adolin is an amazing fighter, who wants to follow in his father’s footsteps, but he is your typical young twenty-year-old that is trying to figure life out, while being constantly reminded that he doesn’t know it all, even though he thinks he does. Adolin loves his family deeply, wants to do what is right, and he just completely won me over. I truly love his character. I don’t know,” Teft grumbled. “But I’ve never liked them. They seem to be able to talk to each other, without making any sounds. I don’t like the way they look.” Sanderson does have a slower story pacing than some other authors out there but it is always building until those final moments when everything comes together and blows up spectacularly...totally worth it.

Obviously, I can’t tell you anything about the story but I’ll tell you this, The Way of Kings is the beginning of tales that will remain inside your mind palace. It’s a heavily character driven book filled with tales of life & death, love & hate, bravery & cowardice, hope & despair, trust & betrayal, faith & atheism. Basically, all elements required for a great story are here, told from multiple POV. Sometimes the prize is not worth the costs. The means by which we achieve victory are as important as the victory itself.” After the hunt, Dalinar speaks with Adolin about his time with Gavilar long before his death. Before he died, his brother directed Dalinar to an ancient tome called "The Way of Kings", which leads Dalinar to start questioning the warlike and competitive Alethkar way of life. He also begins to experience visions in which he sees the ancient Knights Radiant and receives a cryptic word to unite his allies. For Dalinar, these visions cast doubt on the mistaken history of the Radiants and begin to reveal the truth about the Voidbringers and the current state of the world. All of these events make Dalinar reluctant to fight in battle. Dalinar's conviction is questioned by those closest to him, casting heavy doubt on his sanity and bringing into question his claim to leadership. In the political unrest of the age, perceived weakness is caused by others attempting to eliminate him. Having no other options to uncover his visions, Dalinar plans to abdicate his war position to Adolin. In Kholinar, Hoid waits for an event to happen, distracting himself by talking to some guards who are confused by him but reluctant to remove him since he has the appearance of a lighteyes. As Hoid speak, a darkeyes Shardbearer breaks through Kholinar's gates, stunning the guards. The Shardbearer identifies himself as Talenel’Elin or Talenel, a Herald who disappeared along with the others thousands of years earlier (during the events of the prologue) and whom the Vorins now remember as gods. He announces that the Everstorm is coming, before collapsing on the ground along with his Honorblade. Having witnessed this event, Hoid worries that the warning has come too late.

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The Way of Kings Wins the David Gemmell Legend Award". 22 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2014-01-02 . Retrieved 2014-01-01.