Reviewed by Tom Han, Teen Advisory Council

The Way of Kings by experienced fantasy author Brandon Sanderson is the first book of the epic, ten novel Stormlight Archives series. It’s set in the unique, magical world of Roshar with its own vibrant culture, people, and history. The novel follows three main characters and their individual, seemingly separate stories. Kaladin was a gallant soldier who was betrayed by his comrades and sold into slavery; Shallan is a noble scholar who must steal a magical relic to save her family; and Dalinar is a renowned “Highprince” who begins to receive disturbing visions and prophecies. Each character is related to and impacted by the main conflict in the novel: The War of Reckoning. After the former king of Alethkar, Gavilar, was assassinated by the Parshendi people, the ten princedoms of Alethkar unite to wage a war of vengeance and punishment against the Parshendi on the Shattered Plains. The war shapes the stories of all three main characters and slowly ties their lives together as the story progresses.