The first book of the Stormlight Archive (written by Brandon Sanderson) packs a lot in the first few chapters. Its infamous “Prelude” followed by a Prologue sets the stage for this dense reading journey. Despite Graphic Audio’s track record for Sanderson’s work like the Mistborn series, “Warbreaker” and “Elantris” — “The Way of Kings” seems almost anti-novel in the way it’s adapted. For a company whose tagline is “a movie in your mind,” some works don’t benefit from this treatment.
Novels vs Films
Like the Lord of the Rings film trilogy compared to the books, sometimes story elements get lost in translation. Part of it is the line delivery on dialogue. Two people reading can have different voices in their heads. Graphic Audio’s version takes that choice out of the individual’s hands. For me, audiobook narrator Michael Kramer was the voice of Kelsier in the Mistborn trilogy until discovering Graphic Audio. Now, when I want to re-experience the stories in that series, they are my preferred way.
In one of Sanderson’s many lectures on YouTube, he talks about fight scenes and how you shouldn’t try to copy films. Use the strengths of your medium to tell a story visual media can’t. With so many storylines concluding and starting up within moments of each other, it’s hard to really grasp the world and some of the minor characters. Something which I imagine reading the book doesn’t have.
Moon and Star
Kaito is the son of the Shogun, heir to the Minamoto clan, and the future leader of Jakai. At least, that’s what he's been lead to believe.
A Feudal Lord is dead. The Minamoto can no longer stand by while their enemies build alliances and craft weapons for a singular purpose. War. Kaito must exchange comfort for the ability to stay alive after a bounty for his death forces him to leave home. Accompanied by no one but his father’s childhood friend, Kaito ventures to his birthplace to try and prevent a war between the two parts of his life. A story filled with survival, magic, romance, and more––the first book in The Jakai Chronicles promises everything you love about mind-blowing twists and revelations, combined with intrigue—all wrapped up in one thrilling adventure.
See Through the Lies and Survive
Kaito is the son of the Shogun, heir to the Minamoto clan, and the future leader of Jakai. At least, that’s what he’s known his whole life. A feudal lord is dead. The Minamoto can no longer stand by while their enemies build alliances and craft weapons for a singular purpose. Kaito must exchange comfort for the ability to stay alive after a bounty for his death forces him to leave home. Accompanied by no one but his father’s childhood friend, Kaito ventures to his birthplace to try and prevent a war between the two parts of his life. A story filled with survival, magic, romance, and more—the first book in The Jakai Chronicles promises everything you love about mind-blowing twists and revelations, combined with intrigue—all wrapped up in one thrilling adventure.
The Magical Rule of Three and the Plotting Philosophy of Brandon Sanderson
Plots in books are about a sense of progression. A writer can make a million years pass in one sentence. Conversely, they can make one second last five pages. Sanderson uses the word “sense” precisely for that reason. Time is an illusion. Philosophy and physics aside, Sanderson’s plots open and close in an unexpected way for those who haven’t read Tolkien or the fantasy of the 1980s-90s. Even earlier works like Mistborn and Warbreaker have a plot that is unlike the Stormlight Archive. The key difference is that those books are shorter. Look no further than “The Way of Kings” Graphic Audio version having 5 parts to tell the story, with each one more than 5 hours long.
Trying to distill the entire book is hard, but at its core “The Way of Kings” is an underdog sports story in an epic fantasy. The protagonist of this plotline is Kaladin and the “sport” is unique to the world of Roshar not because of cultural and societal norms like the Super Bowl, but due to the geography of the world. There are chasms everywhere and large bridges (needing people to operate), which in turn allows others to cross. There are two other characters with their own story arcs. One completes halfway through the story. The other is one of political intrigue and court politics. Out of the three storylines, the scholarly plot was the most engaging. Through it, the individual learns about the world and the people.
Characters and Roles
While enjoying the plot of Shallan and Jasnah the most, I found the character of Kaladin the most interesting. He’s a surgeon in the middle of a war, torn between saving lives and taking them. It takes a while to get his motivations down and it changes between his youth and his present. “The Way of Kings” story has something for everyone.
8.5 out of 10 Stars
Next Time
Discover more from Audio Drama Reviews
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.