You’ve probably seen the "doorstoppers" on the bookstore shelves. Thousands of pages. Tiny font. Maps that look like they belong in a history textbook.
Honestly, jumping into Brandon Sanderson the Way of Kings series—officially known as The Stormlight Archive—feels less like starting a book and more like moving to a different planet. It’s intimidating.
Some people think it’s just another generic "chosen one" story with swords and magic. They’re wrong. Others think you need a PhD in "Sanderson Lore" to understand what’s happening. Also wrong.
Basically, this series is a massive, messy, beautiful exploration of what happens when broken people are given the power of gods. It’s about a world called Roshar, where hurricanes (Highstorms) happen every few days and the grass literally hides in the ground when you walk past it.
Why the "Way of Kings" series isn't what you expect
Most epic fantasy relies on the "Middle Ages with Magic" trope. You know the one. Knights, castles, maybe a dragon if the budget allows.
Roshar is weird. It’s a rocky, storm-lashed wasteland where soil is a luxury and "chull" (giant crustaceans) are used as cattle. People don't use coins; they use "spheres" filled with glowing stormlight that doubles as a light source and a currency.
It’s alien. It’s fresh.
But the real heart of the series isn't the weird crabs or the glowing rocks. It’s the characters. Sanderson focuses on three main threads in the first book:
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- Kaladin Stormblessed: A surgeon-turned-soldier who was betrayed and sold into slavery. He’s assigned to "Bridge Four," a group of expendables meant to carry heavy wooden bridges across chasms while being shot at by enemy archers. He’s struggling with crippling depression, or "the wretch," as he calls it.
- Shallan Davar: A minor noblewoman with a secret. She’s trying to steal a magical artifact from a world-renowned scholar to save her family from bankruptcy. She’s witty, anxious, and deeply traumatized.
- Dalinar Kholin: A highprince and legendary general who starts having visions during the Highstorms. Everyone thinks he’s going crazy, including himself.
The real order of the Stormlight Archive
If you’re looking for Brandon Sanderson the Way of Kings series, you need to know that The Way of Kings is just the first course. The series is planned for ten books, split into two five-book arcs.
As of late 2024, the first "era" is complete with the release of Wind and Truth.
Here is the actual reading order if you want the full experience:
- The Way of Kings (Book 1): The setup. It’s slow, but the payoff is legendary.
- Words of Radiance (Book 2): Widely considered one of the best sequels in fantasy history.
- Edgedancer (Novella 2.5): A side story about a character named Lift. Don't skip it; it explains why some characters suddenly change positions later.
- Oathbringer (Book 3): This one is a beast. It focuses heavily on Dalinar's past.
- Dawnshard (Novella 3.5): A deep dive into the world's lore and some truly weird magic.
- Rhythm of War (Book 4): A bit more "scientific" as the characters start to figure out how the magic actually works.
- Wind and Truth (Book 5): The big finale for the first set of characters.
What most people get wrong about the magic
In many books, magic is "soft." It’s mysterious and happens whenever the plot needs it to. Sanderson doesn’t play that way. He writes "Hard Magic."
The magic system in the Brandon Sanderson the Way of Kings series is called Surgebinding. It’s basically physics on steroids. To use it, you need "Stormlight," which is harvested from the storms.
If you’re a Windrunner like Kaladin, you don't just "fly." You "lash" yourself to a different direction. You change which way gravity pulls you. If you lash yourself toward the sky, you fall upward.
It’s logical. It has rules. It has limits.
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But the catch—and this is the part people miss—is the "Nahel Bond." You can't just find a magic wand. You have to bond with a "spren," which are spirits that represent concepts like honor, lies, or cultivation.
The magic is tied to your morality. To get stronger, you have to swear Oaths.
- "Life before death."
- "Strength before weakness."
- "Journey before destination."
If you break your word, you lose your power. In a world of politicians and betrayals, that’s a heavy price to pay.
Is the series actually finished?
This is the big question.
Sanderson is famous for being a writing machine. While writers like George R.R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss have left fans waiting for decades, Sanderson publishes at a pace that is frankly terrifying.
The fifth book, Wind and Truth, effectively ends the story for the current main cast. There will be a time jump of about 10 to 15 years before Book 6.
So, if you start now, you aren't getting stuck in a "dead" series. You’re getting a complete, five-book epic that functions as a finished story, with more coming down the road.
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Why everyone talks about "The Cosmere"
You don’t need to know this to enjoy the books, but it helps. Brandon Sanderson the Way of Kings series is part of a shared universe called the Cosmere.
It’s like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but for books.
Characters from other series, like Mistborn or Warbreaker, occasionally pop up in the background of Roshar. There’s a guy named Hoid who appears in almost every book Sanderson writes. In the Way of Kings, he’s the "King’s Wit."
If you see someone using magic that doesn't involve glowing light or gravity, they might be from another planet. It adds a layer of "Easter egg" hunting for the hardcore fans, but the main plot always stands on its own.
Actionable steps for the new reader
If you’re ready to dive in, don't just buy the first book and hope for the best.
- Pace yourself: The Way of Kings is over 1,000 pages. The first 300 pages are world-building. It feels like a lot of names and places, but keep going. The "Sanderson Avalanche" (the massive climax at the end of his books) is worth the climb.
- Check the art: The physical books (and the PDFs attached to the audiobooks) are full of sketches by the character Shallan. They explain the biology and geography of the world. Don't ignore them.
- Avoid the Wiki: Seriously. The Coppermind (the fan wiki) is a spoiler minefield. Even searching a character's name can reveal if they die or turn evil.
- Listen to the audiobook: If 1,000 pages is too much to carry, Michael Kramer and Kate Reading do an incredible job narrating. They are the "voices" of the series for most fans.
Start with The Way of Kings. It’s a commitment, but it’s one of the few series that actually lives up to the hype. By the time you reach the end of the first book and Kaladin makes his big choice on the Shattered Plains, you’ll understand why people won't stop talking about it.
Once you finish the first book, track down the novella Edgedancer before moving to book three, as it bridges a significant character gap that the main novels gloss over.