This was the longest, most novel, and the most brain-stretching book I read this year:
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archives 1)
I’ve been reading longer books this year, and this one was long. With over 1100 pages worth of space to paint, this book has amazing depth. The author uses progressive disclosure to open the onion layers of the characters, the world, and the plot. Ironically, it takes the whole book just to set up the scary truths that I suppose are explored in the rest of the series. There are three main story arcs that all tie in together at the end of the book: 1- Kaladin is a surgeon, slave, soldier, and leader of men. 2- Dalinar is the Blackthorn, warlord, shard plate and shard blade wielder, father, high prince, and visionary. 3- Jasnah is a researcher, magician, teacher, philosopher, and historian. Kaladin grows up studying under his father as a surgeon, goes to war to protect his brother, and ends up betrayed into slavery where he gets sold onto Bridge 4. As a bridge runner in the war, Kaladin is supposed to be expendable, hopeless, and broken, but he fights against the status quo, becomes bridge leader, and ends up uniting the men on his bridge into a cohesive fighting unit. Dalinar is mired in politics, trying to save the kingdom from ruin, learning from visions he doesn’t understand about events and powers that only legends can explain. As a high prince, and uncle to the king, Dalinar is the type of strong, disciplined leader that I would want to fight for, but chaos and greed threaten to undermine him at every turn. Eventually, he is betrayed and left for dead in battle surrounded by enemies and abandoned by all except his men, and Bridge 4. Jasnah is highly educated and esteemed by some and hated by others because of the religious and philosophical views she holds. Through her interactions with a young seeker Shallan, who becomes Jasnah’s ward (student) the reader learns about the research Jasnah is doing, her skill in magic and how magic works, and ultimately, the doom approaching. The book is a fantastic leadership fable showing both small-group leadership development through Kaladin and large-scale tactical/political leadership through Dalinar. Other big questions are explored: Can you save lives through violence? What type of leaders are men drawn to, loyal to, and willing to die for? Can you learn how to approach the future by studying the past? What happens when religion becomes a source of power and control rather than a path to answers for seekers? Who is the Almighty? The story is clever, well-written, engaging, layered, nuanced, and balanced. I’ve tried to summarize the major parts of the story because there isn’t room for all the other characters, side stories, quirks, and jokes that add richness to the full story. Thanks, Lucas, for talking me past the scary length of this book. On a side note, this book hits all seven inescapable themes.
This is for leaders, fighters, and anyone who likes fantasy.
(Rated PG, Score 10/10, hardback, 1000p., audiobook read by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer)
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