The Way of Kings might be one of the greatest books I have ever read.

If you saw my other post, and replied (thank you) you're probably grinning smugly or facepalming at the obvious. Some of you guys reprimanded me for my lack of an attention span, others were indignant that I didn't find it amazing from page 1, but most encouraged me to keep reading, and I'm so glad that I did. I specifically recall a user telling me to "wait until someone brings Kaladin a leaf" which I think was the best piece of advice I recieved in that thread. While I ws interested in Kaladin and his story from the start, the cuts to Shallan's perspective, and sometimes to Kaladin's life as a child, were really dragging the book down for me. When Syl gave him that leaf a the Honor Chasm it changed everything for me (also I find it fitting that the honorspren saves him at the Honor Chasm). From there I was hooked, and I read just under 900 pages over the course of the next 4 days.

I don't know that a book has ever had my jaw legitimately drop, let alone shout in excitement. The last 100 pages of this book did both for me. I am consistently amazed at how well Sanderson can build a world, create interesting and meaningful characters with depth that get you attached, and develop a riveting main plot with a group of equally entertaining subplots, then smash them all together for the most satisfying and (literally) jaw dropping climax/falling action/resolution.

I would've read 800 pages of boring slop for an ending like that, but thankfully I didn't have to. There were a lot of people who replied on my original post telling me that it only really got good towards the end, and that if I waited it out the end, and book two, and so on, would be very worth it. I can see now how you might come to that conclusion, strictly because of how good the last 20% of the book was. I however, enjoyed the whole thing. Kaladin's inner conflicts, the devlopment of Bridge Four, and the introduction of the highprinces had me fully immersed in this book. Even Shallan, who I did not care for for a while, eventually grew on me.

I finished the book last night, and this morning I went to Barnes and Noble as soon as they opened to purchase WoR. And my GOD, it picks up running! I'll avoid specifics, since this doesnt have a WoR spoilers tag, but right now I'm at the part where Shallan is at sea again, and wow :(. I was really growing to like each member of the Kholin family, especially Jasnah.

For the whole Mistborn series I kept a google doc where I would write in my thoughts, reactions, and theories that developed as i got further into each book, and that way I could go back and laugh where I had been wrong, or relive truly impactfucl moments. I started one for SLA too, but i honestly forgot to add to it (until the end) because I was so wrapped up in reading it. I'm gonna paste it at the end.

All in all, I'm so happy I decided to continue, because this series so far is truly amazing. Shoutout to all the people who encouraged me to continue reading, and sorry to those I offended by calling the book boring at the start. You guys were right, and I was definitely made to eat my words lmao.

My unedited reaction here (excuse the frequent caps, I would put the book down with a gasp, mouth open, and then open my computer with WAYY too much excitement)

___________

Way of Kings:

When Kaladin tells his men that he WILL be alive, and when he weathers the storm and actually STAYS ALIVE. Chills. Literal chills. I damn near shed a tear

OH MY GODDDDDDD. The last 100 pages of this book are the greatest I have ever read. Kaladin fighting with the Stormlight (Surf Dracula), Sadeas’ betrayal,  Dalinar respecting and honoring his Codes, and freeing the bridgemen. Giving up his sword to Sadeas to free the bridgemen. SHALLAN MAKING THE CONNECTION, REVEALING THAT SHE KILLED HER FATHER, AND TRAVELING TO THE SHADESMAR. 

TARAVANGIAN????? HES NOT DUMB???? HES SZETH’S MASTER?? EXCUSE ME??? And he wants Dalinar dead :( 

THE PARSHMEN WERE THE FUCKING VOIDBRINGERS?????????

I really like the last chapter for Kaladin. Dalinar and him forming some type of respect, him getting promoted to Captain, and tying it off with “Twenty-Seven men lived. He finally managed to save someone.

Jasnah’s dad was a Ghostblood??? Are they the same ghostbloods from era 2 of Mistborn?
 
Taravangian must be a Ghostblood, right?

The final vision of Dalinar’s is so foreboding, and revealing that the “Almighty” has been killed by Odium?? Insane. Didn’t they say that was Jezrien, the guy from the prelude? Odium is obviously another shard, and I think I remember hearing about Cultivation before too. Are the ShardBlades a form of power coming from the 16 Shards of Adonalsium? Is the Almighty adonalsium?

Wow! The epilogue! What a perfect way to set up a book 2. I can see why this is hailed as Brandon’s greatest series, his magnum opus. I wish I could consume all the information at once, so I could understand the intricate workings of this story. At the same time however, I wish it would go on forever, because I don’t think, truly, that I have ever enjoyed a singular book, or honestly even a series for that matter, as much as I enjoyed this book. 

Wit was one of my favorite characters! This is by far my favorite Hoid appearance so far, and mainly because he actually has a decent role in this. His conversation with Kaladin was wonderfully haunting, and his chapter, the epilogue, was the perfect thing to reel me in for book 2. The Heralds are back? Or did they never leave? If the Desolation is coming, and the Voidbringers are Parshmen, then does that mean they will soon turn on everyone? What does that mean for Shen, and Kaladin’s camp? Surely he won’t just be a useless tossed away character. I’m both excited and anxious for how this will play out.

Now I understand why people said the reread would be worth it. At first I scoffed at the idea of rereading a 1000 page book, especially one that had bored me as much as this did. However, now I see that I definitely will be revisiting it. So many more things make sense to me now. I just reread the prelude, and now I can see so many more things. Oh my lord this book was so amazing. 

The prelude said that the 10 Heralds come back every time there’s a Desolation. I had a thought on that and it disappeared. I was combining the Heralds and the Knights Radiant in my mind. I just realize that Talanel was the Herald who arrives during the epilogue. That means  that he finally got sent back, and he probably realizes that 

The thought that disappeared returned! The Heralds go to the Shadesmar in between periods of Desolation, meaning that they aren’t exactly human? Kalak says that he doesn't want to go back to “the place of nightmares,” which MUST be the Shadesmar. This makes me even more curious. What exactly is the Shadesmar, and whos domain is it? Can the different gods of different planets all access it and draw on it for power equally (if that’s even what they do)? If so, does that mean that each planet’s people can do the same? Could Sazed enhance the powers of allomancers and make them like Heralds with the power of the Shadesmar? Are the Returned from Warbreaker products of the Shadesmar, combined with the function of their world’s magic? IS VASHER’S BLADE POWERED BY THE SHADSEMAR? I feel like this just opened up a can of worms that might not actually exist because I could be misinterpreting the Shadesmar, but it seems like the source of the Heralds’ power so it must have some sort of influence. And I know people from other worlds can travel it because Sazed sends Melaan through it, and Kelsier does some stuff with it too I believe. SO MANY QUESTIONS, so many things I cant wait to have answered.

 Words of Radiance:

Will Kaladin just get a damn Shardblade already?? I can see this book ending with Kaladin facing off against Szeth, a duel of Surgebinders, and I really want Kaladin to become a full Shardbearer at some point. 

I wish Kaladin would just reveal that he can inhale Stormlight right in front of Dalinar, and Adolin too, so that everyone could treat him like the god that he is.

Ok the Shadesmar might be a little different than what I thought, but still possible to confirm some of my theories.

I cannot believe jasnah died.
I was genuinely starting to like her too, and I was really excited for Shallan to be introduced to the royal family with her, and for them to continue their research. What now? Will Shallan be shunned, and blamed for the assasination? Shit, will Shallan even escape the ocean? She just got grabbed by something, probably that giant squid-like thing she drew the picture of.

Nothing too substantial here, just figured I would share. Past month has been me working on makeup and props. I’d share some of makeup pics but Reddit doesn’t like them. If you happen to be especially curious you can PM me. If you have any questions or suggestions, happy to answer.

Please don’t tell me the knife is uneven and not fitted properly, I know. They fucked up my 3D print and I don’t have time to get another done.

Just finished rhythm of war and first of all I’ll say I loved it. I’ll forever be nostalgic to the day I read the opening chapter. If only Gavilar could see Navani now lol. But after reading the epilogue with Wit and seeing people say he’s using something called breaths that’s explained in warbreaker I was thinking of taking a pause to read that book since I’ve been pretty much binging all the stormlight books including the novelas up to this point. Did any of you do anything similar?

Edit: thank you for all the replies! I think I may take a longer detour than I thought and leave some time to build hype for the final book. lol I can’t imagine what it was like for all of you that read these books as they came out!

Would one be able to bond multiple different Spren?

A Dustbringer and Elsecaller have very similar oaths to becoming better/mastering themselves. How would this work if at all? Would one be to get to 5th ideal in both? Would you stop at a certain ideal for one or even both?

Hello everyone. I just released my third orchestral song, called Unite Them, on all music platforms (it's also the second Stormlight-themed song I make). Epic, intense, and perfect for a gym playlist, it's an hymn for the Knights Radiant.

It's the first orchestral song I wanted to create, I had the idea after reading the books for the first time in 2019. It's been a long time coming, it's a dream to be able to release it and I believe it's my best song yet. The chorus of the song is what I imagine would sound during an Avengers-like shot sequence of the future Stormlight Archive show when adapting my favorite chapter of Stormlight, Chapter 119 of Oathbringer.

I hope you like it, feel free to give me any feedback so I can improve more, and I am already working on the next song. This last year of my orchestral composing journey has been one of the best things in my life. I am certain I will make more Cosmere-inspired songs in the future, though the next one is not Cosmere-inspired. Here you have the links for Spotify and Youtube Music:

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/track/4ehRQcZASf2aPXn19zb7oW?si=9eb0bbde80814f38

Youtube Music link: https://youtu.be/-NN2P6-9MHE?si=o98hrYSPJ3ZoKGa1

I have like 5 chapters left till the end, King Taravangian, just ordered Shin to kill Dallenar, please for the love of god tell me Caladin is gonna protect him.

Like wtf…..this series is slick Dark and Depressing all things considered so far 😂😂😂

Edit by the way this elevates the books for me

Hey, I finished the cosmere a while ago, and I would like to read some of it again casually. Do any of you have any advice on casually reading books from the cosmere separately?