Before getting into this series, I heard a great deal about Brandon Sanderson. I heard from some that he wrote more for YA than Adult—and his writing was well thought-out but with cheesy underlying tones to it. To others, Sanderson was the best fantasy author they’d read. With that, I researched what his fans thought his best series was, and landed on the first book of The Stormlight Archive, that being The Way of Kings.
This series has a lot going for it, and a lot not. It dives into a world filled with complex, dynamic characters that are only somewhat predictable. It has a unique magic system, thoroughly explained and intertwined with the lore that you learn as you progress through the series. Each system, from magical to environmental, is logical and deliberate.
However, many of the various struggles make you think “Ok we get it you’re sad.” Despite this, Sanderson makes the books entertaining and not too ‘eye-rolly.’ I’ve found there’s a certain degree of plot armor that supersedes your worries for the characters; in spite of this, tragic, plot-twisty events are still surprising, intentional, and built up to. Disclaimer: I am only about halfway through the 4th book and the 5th is yet to be published, so many more characters have the chance to die.
One more thing: each book in the 5 book series is over 1000 pages and a bit of a slog to get through. Keep that in mind if you get bored quickly or can’t get through long passages.
I heavily recommend this series, and I would be lying if I said I read it instead of doing homework or working on college applications many days. Hopefully, The Stormlight Archive enraptures you as it did me. 🙃