The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

[Yoadm]

Bump

Just finished the book, and though throughout most of the book I was a bit underwhelmed (it's still a page turner), the last 150 pages blew me through the roof.

Im practically brimming with questions. Can this thread be turned into a spoiler thread, or should a new one be created?

[delete this account pls]

I think spoilers are OK by this stage, but just in case, you can put any questions in spoiler tags like this; [ spoiler ]Shallan has a penis! [ /spoiler ] (remove the spaces, obviously)

[Kosciuszko]

Shallan has a Shardblade. And that's not a joke :D

The above isn't so much a spoiler but something for those that may have missed it. But its true. And why I really wanna know about Shallan and her past, though a lot can be guessed just from reading it.

[The Anti-Targ]

I'll give this a go from the library. But a 10-volume set is gonna be a long hard slog given only the first book has been published. Not sure I've got it in me to start down the road of another mega series before it's finished. WoT and ASOIAF were/are enough.

[delete this account pls]

Shallan has a Shardblade. And that's not a joke :D

The above isn't so much a spoiler but something for those that may have missed it. But its true. And why I really wanna know about Shallan and her past, though a lot can be guessed just from reading it.

I actually forgot about that with all the big climactic reveals going on at the end there. So what do you think, her father was a shardbearer and she claimed it when she killed him, maybe?

[Kosciuszko]

I actually forgot about that with all the big climactic reveals going on at the end there. So what do you think, her father was a shardbearer and she claimed it when she killed him, maybe?

I actually think so, yeah. They talk about how he slowly built power and he had dealings with those people and now, for whatever reason, they're after Shallan for something. I think they gave him the Shardblade and now they want it back. In all the Kaladin stuff you forget that her plot's brewing and it promises to be much more awesome, IMO.

[Gormenghast]

I'll give this a go from the library. But a 10-volume set is gonna be a long hard slog given only the first book has been published. Not sure I've got it in me to start down the road of another mega series before it's finished. WoT and ASOIAF were/are enough.

I think the problem, more than being unfinished, is that it's a book to recommend only to someone who enjoys the genre and wants to read more.

It's a good book, but on its own it lacks a kind of "specialty" that would make someone read it in place of many other books. It doesn't do anything particularly original or too great. It lacks something really distinctive that makes it stand out on its own.

But then it would be the same if the WoT was published today.

[Talyn]

I actually think so, yeah. They talk about how he slowly built power and he had dealings with those people and now, for whatever reason, they're after Shallan for something. I think they gave him the Shardblade and now they want it back. In all the Kaladin stuff you forget that her plot's brewing and it promises to be much more awesome, IMO.

Except that it was stated that it was a Soulcaster that was borrowed and leant out. I would think that it would be much more valuable that a shard blade.

[Kosciuszko]

Except that it was stated that it was a Soulcaster that was borrowed and leant out. I would think that it would be much more valuable that a shard blade.

Was it only the Soulcaster? I've not read it since the release if I'm honest, though I'm thinking of going through it once more as I forget stuff like this. Well then. I'm not sure how a fairly minor figure gets a Shardblade beyond it being an heirloom of an old House. Though I'd think he'd have lost it in a battle by now then... but, eh. Who knows?

[Talyn]

Was it only the Soulcaster? I've not read it since the release if I'm honest, though I'm thinking of going through it once more as I forget stuff like this. Well then. I'm not sure how a fairly minor figure gets a Shardblade beyond it being an heirloom of an old House. Though I'd think he'd have lost it in a battle by now then... but, eh. Who knows?

I think that it was only the Soulcaster. I can't remember what was said about the sword but I believe that it belongs to the family.

The thing that I am interested in is how the soulcaster got broken. I seem to remember that it was cut by a shardblade but only her father could use the sword while he was alive and she has said that she killed her father.

[Yoadm]

I actually think so, yeah. They talk about how he slowly built power and he had dealings with those people and now, for whatever reason, they're after Shallan for something. I think they gave him the Shardblade and now they want it back. In all the Kaladin stuff you forget that her plot's brewing and it promises to be much more awesome, IMO.

Umm, where exactly does she claim to have a Shardblade?

Furthermore,

Anyone know the identity of Wit? More importantly, who was the half-dead herald who appeared in the end?

[delete this account pls]

I think that it was only the Soulcaster. I can't remember what was said about the sword but I believe that it belongs to the family.

The thing that I am interested in is how the soulcaster got broken. I seem to remember that it was cut by a shardblade but only her father could use the sword while he was alive and she has said that she killed her father.

The Ghostblood agents harrassing Shallan's family never specified what they wanted back - it was just assumed they meant the Soulcaster. I'm guessing Shallan's brothers aren't aware that she possesses a Shardblade. it's possible she did get the blade from somewhere else as well, but I'm pretty sure her father wasn't a known Shardbearer.

Umm, where exactly does she claim to have a Shardblade?

During Jasnal's little philosphical demonstration/slaughter, Shallan prepares to summon a Shardblade to defend herself.

Anyone know the identity of Wit? More importantly, who was the half-dead herald who appeared in the end?

I think Wit is Jezrien, from the prologue, and I assume the other Herald is Kalak.

[Yoadm]

I think Wit is Jezrien, from the prologue, and I assume the other Herald is Kalak.

Problem is that,

From the prologue, Jezrien and Kalak left, leaving only Taln.. thus it baffles me who the new guy with the shardblade who fell dead on the last page is... and if the 'god' who was supposedly killed by odium (?) has anything to do with the Heralds.

[Bronn is God]

Does this book get thoroughly better? I am halfway through, dont really care about anything and want to quit while I am ahead - especially if this is going to turn into super shardbearer saves the universe from evil voidbringers.

[Tes'thesula]

During Jasnal's little philosphical demonstration/slaughter, Shallan prepares to summon a Shardblade to defend herself.

Could you spell this out, because I really missed it, and even went back to read that scene again.

[AverageGuy]

Anyone know the identity of Wit? More importantly, who was the half-dead herald who appeared in the end?

My spoiler has a couple things you won't have gotten from TWOK itself.

Wit's Hoid, a character from multiple Sanderson books. Sanderson has a shared cosmology-- all of his books take place in the same universe, each planet seems to have its own god or gods that was once a piece of a greater god. If the power of one of these gods (called a Shard) is unclaimed, regular humans can take it, i.e. the Lord Ruler in the Mistborn trilogy. I'm guessing the Highstorms represent an unclaimed Shard and Odium is a claimed one. Anyway, Wit/Hoid tends to show up whenever something weird's going on with the Shards. He may be a Shard himself since he seems to jump between planets.

I assumed the half-dead herald was the tenth herald, the one who went back when the other nine broke their oaths. There are hints that another devastation is on the way, and they always came back before the next one. As it seems that there's about to be another, the last Herald returned, but for some reason he died. That's my theory anyway.

Bronn, it doesn't turn into super-Shardbearer vs. Voidbringers. But if you're thoroughly uninterested, no reason to keep reading.

[Migey]

Im wondering.

The first book was Kaladin centric, both stated by Sanderson, and made evident by the flashback chapters belonging to him. He has stated each of the main characters will get several books centric to them, but does this mean 3 for each, and 1 for szeth?

And ifso, will be interesting to see which is szeths... tenth?

Also wondering if Brandon will be able to finish the series in the estimated 13/15 years... Also, im curious to see how he will incorporate and reference his other works through the idea of them all being in the same Sanderverse. (If nothing else, its original).

Bronn - If your halfway through, i suggest you keep going - it gets better, and the ending is brilliant. Shallan stops trying to be witty, and her plot becomes interesting at the end. Kaladin and Dalinars endings are also interesting.

I also think Brandon has become alot more subtle as a writer when he wants to be. Sometimes too subtle - things which are meant to be important can be very easily missed. For example, there are many hints, some slightly more obvious then others, about Dalinars character - which actually show hes not quite as 2D a character as he first seems.

He still has flaws of course, and while i cant blame him for following his religious views in his writing, i do think his refusal to use sex or swearing in his books can be a bit... jarring. Although its less obvious then it was in Mistborn.

[AverageGuy]

Also wondering if Brandon will be able to finish the series in the estimated 13/15 years...

I doubt it. A ten book series is a beast, and he'll probably run into some problem that'll slow him down eventually. At least he'll probably finish it. But at this point, I'm pretty philosophical about getting endings to a series. Like Kierkegaard's knight of faith, I can hope without expectation.

[Kosciuszko]

Could you spell this out, because I really missed it, and even went back to read that scene again.

Sure thing. Basically, remember how you summon the Shardblade? You hold out your hand, wait 10 heartbeats, and then it comes. She did this, explicitly, during the book. Only once. But the Soulcaster has been cut by a Shardblade, etc. Its almost explicit that she has one, just doesn't come out and say it.

[Talyn]

The Ghostblood agents harrassing Shallan's family never specified what they wanted back - it was just assumed they meant the Soulcaster. I'm guessing Shallan's brothers aren't aware that she possesses a Shardblade. it's possible she did get the blade from somewhere else as well, but I'm pretty sure her father wasn't a known Shardbearer.

This is taken from the book when she is comunicating with her family.

some men visited here claiming to be friends of our father. In private with me, they implied they knew of Father’s Soulcaster and suggested strongly that I was to return it to them.

During Jasnal's little philosphical demonstration/slaughter, Shallan prepares to summon a Shardblade to defend herself.

I read that passage and I couldn't see any evidence of it. Actually I believe it comes up when she is running from the unseen creatures that she draws in the library.

She screamed then, jumping to her feet on her bed, dropping the pad, backing against the wall. Before she could consciously think of what she was doing, she was struggling with her sleeve, trying to get the Soulcaster out. It was the only thing she had resembling a weapon. No, that was stupid. She didn’t know how to use it. She was helpless. Except… Storms! she thought, frantic. I can’t use that. I promised myself. She began the process anyway. Ten heartbeats, to bring forth the fruit of her sin, the proceeds of her most horrific act.