The Way of Kings
(Stormlight Archive 1)
by Brandon Sanderson
(Stormlight Archive 1)
by Brandon Sanderson
fantasy
copyright 2010
read in September 2016
read in September 2016
rated 8/10: really quite good
I'm thinking, This book is familiar...?! Then I remember, I've read book two of this series. At last I'll find out what went before! I also seem to remember that I enjoyed book two. Even without having read book one.
So I start with positive expectations...
(btw: I have not re-read my review of book two. I prefer to review each book on my immediate impressions. On my own, just this book, immediate impressions.)
And this is, indeed, a good book.
Some fantasy is a standard work of fiction set in a world which is almost our own. The fantasy allows the writer to add swords and, perhaps, sorcery to a story set in a not-the-present timeline. Easy enough. Just needs an excellent story to make it zing.
Sanderson has created an entirely new world. There's one small area which is almost Earth-like, a pastoral oddity in a very odd world. The rest of this world is really, really odd !
The world -- land, plants, animals and people -- is absolutely unique. (Okay. Unique within my own limited range of reading. Unique enough for me.)
On top of that, both characters and plot are good. I like the characters. They have enough depth for me to wonder what they will do next... If only I could remember more from book two !
And the plot... Well... There are several threads and I can follow each one. Because I like the characters, the plot engages me. Because the world is unique, many of the plot developments are unexpected... Yet, once developed, they are almost expected because of the logical consistency of this world.
It's really quite good. Good enough that I now want to re-read book two. While my memory of this book is fresh enough that I remember what happened :-)
(And now, time to re-read my review of book two...)
===
04oct16:
Oh, and one other point that I forgot when writing the review:
On the cover of the book it clearly states, "Book One" and "Part One". No confusion. If you like this book, you know there are more. That the story will not really end on the last page of this book.
More importantly: The author and publisher are convinced that you will like this book. That you will like it enough to buy it -- even though you already know that it is only "part one". They are convinced that you will not be disappointed, that you will willingly buy "part one", that you will be willing to then buy part two.
Yes, they are correct.
Honesty in publishing.
And a very good book.
On the cover of the book it clearly states, "Book One" and "Part One". No confusion. If you like this book, you know there are more. That the story will not really end on the last page of this book.
More importantly: The author and publisher are convinced that you will like this book. That you will like it enough to buy it -- even though you already know that it is only "part one". They are convinced that you will not be disappointed, that you will willingly buy "part one", that you will be willing to then buy part two.
Yes, they are correct.
Honesty in publishing.
And a very good book.
====
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
====
"I'm leaving my body to science fiction" … per Ginger Meggs
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