Book recommendation: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

The Way of Kings is a fantasy novel written by American author, Brandon Sanderson, and is the first book in The Stormlight Archives series. Brendon Sanderson is best known for his Mistborn series and his work in finishing Robert Jordan's epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time.

If you enjoyed George RR Martin’s, A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series, this will be right up your alley. In much the same way as A Song of Ice and Fire, the tale starts off without the real evil revealing itself. We know that it must eventually be faced and overcome but typical concerns of humanity get in the way. This monster of a book clocks in at around a thousand pages, and is the first tome of a planned ten. The second book, Winds of Radiance, was released in 2014 and I'm eagerly awaiting the third book, Oathbringer, which is scheduled for release on November 14, 2017.

Set in Roshar, a world of stone and storms, The Way of Kings is essentially told from the point of view of 3 characters. Dalinar, the brother of the assassinated king and uncle to the new king. Kaladin, the slave with a unique past sold into service of the army of High Prince Sadeas. Shallan, the daughter of a disgraced and impoverished house, looking for a way to save her family. While the first book mainly focuses on its lead character, Kaladin, each main character in the story will have its own dedicated book later on in the series.

I highly recommend giving this one a read if you are a fan of epic fantasy. For some, the intimidation of a thousand plus page book might be too much but I believe this book serves as a great introduction to newcomers of the genre.

Let me know what you are reading in the comments below!