Just like in Elantris, Sanderson builds a fantastically intricate universe and brings together an original, unexpected cast of characters in the Stormlight Archive. He has a light touch with scenic detail and can capture a unusual idea down on paper without slowly the plot. Odd elements of the story, like the highstorms and parshmen, fit seamlessly into the dialogue and required no excess explanation as the POV shifted from character to character. However, I had the same problem with this book that I had with Elantris: the main character Kaladin--there are other "main" characters, but Kaladin takes up more chapters than the others--wastes so much of his time pontificating to the side characters that it takes half the novel to get his storyline off the ground. Even Jasnah, who isn't a POV character, spends paragraph upon paragraph condescending to the other characters about philosophical penance. While it takes time to explain a world this meticulously-crafted, and as a reader I need to know the groundwork for further books, talking bogged down the overall tone of the book. Everyone was serious, even the Wit. For a world where, according to Dalinar, everybody takes things too lightly, nobody tells any jokes. It's what had me putting it down so often. Length isn't a deterrent in books but, when the material gets this dense and has no comic relief, it can be a factor. Sanderson, as usual, brings a gigantic amount of world-building into this story, and it really pays off. He Follows two characters mainly, but isn't afraid to jump around to other, smaller stories of people in far off lands. It's a very well done book that had a complex magic system in place and really keeps your entertained the whole way though. The only caution is that it starts off pretty complex. Because the world Sanderson built is very large and detailed, it's easy to get lost as to what's going on. If you keep reading through the confusion however, the book reveals more and more about the world and those questions you had originally get answered.
What do You think about The Way Of Kings (2010)?
Fantastic! Took a while to get going but got better by the page!
—Belle
