The Way of Kings, pt. 2 by Brandon Sanderson

“For the substance of our existence is not in the achievement, but in the method.”

Few people other than Brandon Sanderson could write an epic fantasy story quite like this one.

The most common mistake writers make when writing large stories about war is that they forget to focus on the small details. By writing epic stories, they tend to get lost in the scope of the conflict and forget the most important thing that makes authentic war stories compelling: human struggle.

There is no shortage of struggle in this book, whether it be physical or mental, and that is what brings this story alive.

The Way of Kings stretches across the expanse of Roshar, connecting many different characters’ stories without the reader being aware of it. Dalinar’s story focuses on the physical war the Alethi fight against the Parshendi and how furtive political games inadvertently keep extending the war to the benefit of only a few. Shallan’s story as an apprentice scholar explores the subculture of this fictional world; their customs, traditions, religion, and how normal people go about their lives. Kaladin’s perspective (who is definitely my favorite and can in a way be seen as the focal point of the story) explores the miserable, expendable lives of slaves in an army from which they have no escape.

As I mentioned in my review for part one of this book, this story majorly benefits from Brando Sando’s simple writing style. I have seen quite a few reviews condemning his writing style as boring or something similar but Sanderson’s messages were still able to leave a hefty impact on me as a reader and also helped me to become more immersed in the story. Purple prose would only have weighed the story down and I’m glad for its absence.

The characters were the best part of this book, though the story is nothing to dismiss either.

I’ll be honest, Kaladin and Dalinar didn’t strike me as interesting at first glance. Both seemed righteous and boring, typical fantasy heroes. But as the story progresses and their characters are tested again and again by terrible events, it becomes hard to dismiss them as average. Both make their values and beliefs clear at the start and though a weaker character would have been broken within the first few chapters, their unwavering strength keeps them alive to fight another day.

Not only did I like them, but I admire these two characters so much. They are not perfect by any means and Sanderson writes about their struggles in such depth that their fight to keep their humanity and still survive evokes nothing short of awe in a reader. Their dedication in keeping to their values and not straying from their moral path, no matter what, can only be admired.

Another reason why Brandon Sanderson is currently one of my favorite authors: I LOVE how his stories evolve. While some stories’ tension go up and down, and have some slower parts, Sanderson’s stories just keep building and building on momentum. There is no slowing down because everything that happens is integral to the story and can’t be dismissed as unimportant.

I loved how I was piecing together the mystery of Kaladin’s abilities along with him, how I was trying to spot clues and foreshadowing before the end. There aren’t words to describe the chaos and amazement that overwhelmed my brain during the last few pages as the whole story started to come together. And trust me, if you look carefully enough, there is NO shortage of foreshadowing. Subtle, but ever intriguing.

To anyone wondering if they should tackle this beast of a book (let’s not lie, this bulky book is terrifying), if you’re afraid of reading this only because of the page count, do yourself a favour and buy the version that is split into two parts!

I’ll be honest now: yes, like most epic fantasy, this book is on the more difficult side to read. The first 200 pages are pure information being forced on your brain and this turns a lot of people away. My advice is to skim those first hundred pages and try to ignore the load of worldbuilding information being unloaded onto you because once you get past the first few chapters, you’ll have an amazing story waiting for you!