REVIEW: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

[Fair Warning: I spoil plot points like it’s going out of style.]

The Epic Fantasy Series is not my cup of tea: For instance, I burned out on book four of the Wheel of Time. But, I really liked Brandon Sanderson’s Final Empire and Warbreaker, so I approached the 1001-page Way of Kings—book one of a projected ten-book series—with excitement, fear, and trembling.

Kings starts slowly. Or, more precisely, the book begins with an over-abundance of slop in the main storyline of suicidal but up-and-coming-storm-savior-man Kaladin. Shallan’s narrative—one of three-ish major threads—starts with five to seven reminders that she is exceedingly witty and a description of a city.

But, I settled into the story by page 150. Sure, Kaladin’s life as the lowest of the low in a cutthroat army isn’t enrapturing, and Shallan, while still exceedingly witty, pursues a hopelessly impractical and convoluted plan to save her family house. But, I was enjoying it—and continued to do so for 850 pages.

 

I am not saying I loved Kings.

There is The Glaring Error: that Sanderson says his prose is “utilitarian,” and yet Kings is twice as long as it should be. He indulges in repetitive descriptions of fantasy culture and fashion (Thaylen eyebrows, anyone? Safehand gloves?). His characters have the same conversations, and he trips up perfectly good dialogue with parallel inner-talk and too much tagging. His Cool Magic Fight Scenes are really long. There are only so many ways you can describe death-by-Shardblade.

Still, style and prose play sideshow to the story, right?

Except the story and characters didn’t do it for me either. For example, the characters in Dalinar's storyline felt stock and unsurprising: Dalinar is the good but conscience-stricken warrior who "copes" with society; his nephew, Elhokar, is the young, inept king; Sadeas is the attractive but honey-tongued politician. Kaladin’s flashbacks are (I think) written out to make it believable that Kaladin would give up a Shardblade and Plate (magical super weapons), but Young Kaladin feels flat and unsympathetic, and I still found the Shardblade-give-up unbelievable.

In fact, a lot of Kaladin’s plot bothered me. I liked that his arc is often psychological as he wavers between depression and determination; this felt real, because people in low places are often emotionally unstable. But, I didn’t like that, after 900 pages as an army rat, he has only managed to—

a)      Make some friends.

b)      Learn he has magic.

c)      Save the life of the king’s uncle and get a raise.

This is where I don’t get on with the Epic Fantasy Series. I understand that EFS is about the hero overcoming all obstacles and coming to terms with who he is. But, Kings seems painfully slow and unrewarding, especially because Kaladin is the central-hero-man who saves the world and, therefore, can’t die or lose or quit. True crisis and resolution become tricky, no?

(Though, on the topic of rewarding, Sanderson should receive many, many kudos for getting Dalinar and Navani together by the end of book one. Best Sanderson couple yet. … Moment of silence for Lightsong and Brushweaver.)

I think I would’ve had more patience with the book if it had felt fresh, new.

(This is your cue to say) Wait.

What about the Twenty New Magic Systems? What about Roshar, the well-developed, lobster-infested, spren-spewing world?

And, what about Kaladin, whose personality and character arc are eerily similar to Raodin’s from Elantris. What of Shallan, who is eerily similar to Sarene? What of the Lashings magic, which is Allomantic Pushing and Pulling? What of something as random as Dalinar’s inspiring blue uniform, which is Elend’s inspiring white uniform? The Parshmen are Terrismen. The Almighty is dead; Preservation is dead.

I am profoundly impressed that Sanderson wrote three nearly 1000-page epics in the last two years. And, I appreciate that he wants to get WoT out as fast as possible without losing hold of his own career and books and fans.

But, I believe fans will thank him if he takes time with his art. Lets things simmer before serving. Gets refreshed and refocused between books.

Or, at least, I’ll thank him. I really liked Final Empire. Lightsong is one of my favorite fantasy characters. Please don’t lower the bar, Sanderson.