What do you think?
Rate this book
The Stormlight Archive #1-3
The Stormlight Archive Series 6 Books Collection Set
From Book 1:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, Book One of the Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.
Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.
It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.
One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.
Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.
Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.
The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.
Speak again the ancient oaths:
Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.
and return to men the Shards they once bore.
The Knights Radiant must stand again.
Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson
The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer (forthcoming)
The Mistborn saga
Mistborn: The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
Bands of Mourning
Collection
Arcanum Unbounded
Other Cosmere Titles
Elantris
Warbreaker
The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Scrivener's Bones
The Knights of Crystallia
The Shattered Lens
The Dark Talent
Rithmatist
&l
Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
About the author
Brandon Sanderson
331 books230k followersI’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, comes out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that will see the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Secret Project Four (with its official title reveal coming October 2023). These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. The third era of Mistborn is slated to be written after the first arc of the Stormlight Archive wraps up.
In November 2020 we saw the release of Rhythm of War—the fourth massive book in the New York Times #1 bestselling Stormlight Archive series that began with The Way of Kings—and Dawnshard (book 3.5), a novella set in the same world that bridges the gaps between the main releases. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. The fifth volume, Wind and Truth, is set for release in fall 2024.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, and various novellas available on Amazon, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, come out in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the Legion series, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart,The Emperor’s Soul, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, comes out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that will see the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Secret Project Four (with its official title reveal coming October 2023). These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. The third era of Mistborn is slated to be written after the first arc of the Stormlight Archive wraps up.
In November 2020 we saw the release of Rhythm of War—the fourth massive book in the New York Times #1 bestselling Stormlight Archive series that began with The Way of Kings—and Dawnshard (book 3.5), a novella set in the same world that bridges the gaps between the main releases. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. The fifth volume, Wind and Truth, is set for release in fall 2024.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, and various novellas available on Amazon, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, come out in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the Legion series, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart,The Emperor’s Soul, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 23, 2022
I really enjoyed this series! It took me awhile to get through it due to a lot of things going on with work at the time/it being slow at points. I love a good fantasy world, and this hits all the marks and then some. I do worry that the hype surrounding it may cause the series to fall short of your expectations, but I suppose that is the case with anything. Def worth getting the entire series at once!!
September 20, 2020
The Stormlight Archive
A massive read (of about 4000pages & 300+ chapters),but honestly once the line of fantasy set in, the story draws you in like a leaf in a whirlwind!
Beautiful and thorough portrayl of emotions and relationships along with breathtaking action sequences, keeping up the elements of mystery throughout..it is a GEM of a series!
Good books have a satisfying climax, but these books provided jaw dropping sequences at the end of ALMOST every chapter, building up to a GRAND climax.
It simply is EPIC.
@brandsanderson Dear favourite, you're a master weaver of words, of emotions, of storming amazing fantasy environments and ofcourse the wild,epic action sequences. Take a bow..🙏
A massive read (of about 4000pages & 300+ chapters),but honestly once the line of fantasy set in, the story draws you in like a leaf in a whirlwind!
Beautiful and thorough portrayl of emotions and relationships along with breathtaking action sequences, keeping up the elements of mystery throughout..it is a GEM of a series!
Good books have a satisfying climax, but these books provided jaw dropping sequences at the end of ALMOST every chapter, building up to a GRAND climax.
It simply is EPIC.
@brandsanderson Dear favourite, you're a master weaver of words, of emotions, of storming amazing fantasy environments and ofcourse the wild,epic action sequences. Take a bow..🙏
September 20, 2023
Absolutely essential reading for the fan of science/fantasy. This was the first series that I read of Sanderson's Cosmere, and it is without a doubt a work of a living legend. Sanderson has proved to be one of fantasy's most productive and prolific writers ever. His 'Stormlight Archive' Series is among the highest reaching fantasy epics ever. A true work of art that will persist across time.
December 31, 2020
I finished it!!! Started Oct 17th. I did read other things between but I was determined to make it.
I’ve heard so much raving about this series my expectations were high. I had read Mistborn trilogy earlier this year and adored it. All the book tubers and others seemed to say this was even better.
Well, unpopular opinion time: I liked Mistborn better. Now. Let me say, I REALLY enjoyed reading this series. But, there were some slow parts. Adored Kal. Favorite character hands down. I loved how this whole thing wove together. I love how it built up. So much care and thought and planning clearly went into it. The backstory and side stories. Maybe all 3 were overwhelming together? Maybe pushing myself to finish 12/31 was too much? There were times in the last book I felt like: what am I reading? I would get lost.
But when this series was good. Damn was it good. It was definitely the 3rd book that started losing me. I think I would give 4 stars each to 1 and 3. Then I would give 5 stars to book 2. I gobbled book 2 up. It felt the most readable to me. So I feel 4 for the trilogy is fair.
I am going to take a good break before going into 4. See if some distance makes me fonder.
As mentioned Kal is the man. Love his character. The other characters were all very well written but I didn’t find myself attached to them as much.
The creativity. The twists and turns. All great.
I’ve heard so much raving about this series my expectations were high. I had read Mistborn trilogy earlier this year and adored it. All the book tubers and others seemed to say this was even better.
Well, unpopular opinion time: I liked Mistborn better. Now. Let me say, I REALLY enjoyed reading this series. But, there were some slow parts. Adored Kal. Favorite character hands down. I loved how this whole thing wove together. I love how it built up. So much care and thought and planning clearly went into it. The backstory and side stories. Maybe all 3 were overwhelming together? Maybe pushing myself to finish 12/31 was too much? There were times in the last book I felt like: what am I reading? I would get lost.
But when this series was good. Damn was it good. It was definitely the 3rd book that started losing me. I think I would give 4 stars each to 1 and 3. Then I would give 5 stars to book 2. I gobbled book 2 up. It felt the most readable to me. So I feel 4 for the trilogy is fair.
I am going to take a good break before going into 4. See if some distance makes me fonder.
As mentioned Kal is the man. Love his character. The other characters were all very well written but I didn’t find myself attached to them as much.
The creativity. The twists and turns. All great.
December 14, 2019
Worth the read! Just want the rest to come out now!
April 24, 2019
I just was scrolling through my books and I realized I hadn't reviewed these books. First things first. THEY ARE FREAKING LONG!!!! All of it is necessary, but it is still a lot of book that I was hauling around. I liked some of the characters, I liked Szeth at the beginning and the end, but not in the middle. I liked Kaladin when he wasn't being stupid and taking everything as his fault. I sort of liked Adolin because he is trusting. I HATED Shallan. I don't know why. She just got on my nerves. Her multiple personalities were strange and I didn't like any of them. I really liked Syl. She was just so supportive and she never gave up on Kaladin. I liked Lopen and Rock especially out of Kaladin's men because they were really funny. I just think that there needs to be a better ending, and, I am not gonna lie, the middle of any of the books is the dark and dreary waste of the books. IT IS SOOOOOOOOOO LONG!!! I recommend to anyone who has lots of free time, unlike me. I spent so much time reading these books that I just felt like I was wasting time, even though I enjoyed them.
February 15, 2023
Re-Read
This was my first full re-read. I honestly think I enjoyed them even more. I even re-read Edgedancer between WOR and Oathbringer. I am going to continue this by re-reading Dawnshard next. Then ROW. If I live long enough I intend to do the same with Mistborn Era's 1 and 2. Elantris, Emperor's Soul, Warbreaker Arcanum Unbounded... All of it. Because of everything I saw in the re-read that I missed the first time through.
This was my first full re-read. I honestly think I enjoyed them even more. I even re-read Edgedancer between WOR and Oathbringer. I am going to continue this by re-reading Dawnshard next. Then ROW. If I live long enough I intend to do the same with Mistborn Era's 1 and 2. Elantris, Emperor's Soul, Warbreaker Arcanum Unbounded... All of it. Because of everything I saw in the re-read that I missed the first time through.
March 12, 2018
As a whole this series is GREAT. Nice character development, creates a full lush world for them to inhabit, and a great storyline. Couldn't ask for more from fiction/fantasy! Storms they are good books.
February 13, 2020
Would have been 4 or even 5 stars if it was a lot shorter. Love the set pieces and many of the ideas on which the world was based. But by the end there were way too many plots and the ending felt largely unresolved
February 12, 2023
I have friends who loved this book. I did not. So bored. The entire time. Character development goes no where and poorly structured. Action scenes poorly written if not skipped entirely. Plot takes 1.5 books to understand. Just not my style at all.
October 15, 2021
The world building is 5 stars but the writing holds this series back. Sanderson just writes too much. Each book is is 1000-1500 pages long and there is no justification in the story for these lengths. Consider how much story, character development, and world building is in lotr which is the length of one book in this series. Sanderson just over explains everything, often explaining the same thing multiple times. There are also scenes that are completely unnecessary to the plot. For example, when Shallan and Adolin are on their date in the cafe they go to separate rooms when the storm comes in. Adolin then runs into the guys he will be dueling later and Sadeas. Through this interaction the reader learns absolutely nothing and Adolin learns nothing useful either. Sadeas informs him he quit is post as minister of whatever but this never affects the plot which also means the whole chapter we got from Sadeas' pov was also worthless. There are a lot of fight scenes that are long but have no actual consequences. These novels could probably be half the size and would actually be so much better. Dialogue can sometimes be bad and out of character. Sometimes it feels like Sanderson is directly telling the reader what we are supposed to be thinking about something through cringe dialogue. This is Sanderson's main fault. He doesn't seem to trust the reader to learn and make connections on their own which leads to him overexplaining and the overbearing length. I actually regret spending so much time reading these.
Characters
Kaladin started off good but he gets no development until the last pages of the 4th book. His I have to save everyone spiel gets annoying fast. He is also over powered and gets a lot of fight scenes that are pointless.
Shallan also started good but became unlikeable. Her multiple personality thing is just off putting for some reason.
Jasnah is an awfully written character. She was one of the most interesting in the beginning but dies but didn't. When she comes back she does absolutely nothing because her purpose was replaced by her mom who is a good character.
Dalinar is the only character I actually like. He is complex and has excellent development.
The villains are intriguing. They seem complex, not evil.
Characters
Kaladin started off good but he gets no development until the last pages of the 4th book. His I have to save everyone spiel gets annoying fast. He is also over powered and gets a lot of fight scenes that are pointless.
Shallan also started good but became unlikeable. Her multiple personality thing is just off putting for some reason.
Jasnah is an awfully written character. She was one of the most interesting in the beginning but dies but didn't. When she comes back she does absolutely nothing because her purpose was replaced by her mom who is a good character.
Dalinar is the only character I actually like. He is complex and has excellent development.
The villains are intriguing. They seem complex, not evil.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2021
Absolutely masterful…
The fantasy genre is vast and voluminous. Read within it long enough and you fall into a rhythm of “pretty good” without much variance up or down. This series has shattered that run for me and become an outstanding outlier in an otherwise statistical trend of “pretty good” reads. From character development to realms to plot lines to underlying messages to flora and fauna descriptions and on and on - this series is EXCELLENT start to “finish.” As a writer, Sanderson is the quintessential blend of art, science, history, and math. Literally, some of the absolute best. writing. ever.
The fantasy genre is vast and voluminous. Read within it long enough and you fall into a rhythm of “pretty good” without much variance up or down. This series has shattered that run for me and become an outstanding outlier in an otherwise statistical trend of “pretty good” reads. From character development to realms to plot lines to underlying messages to flora and fauna descriptions and on and on - this series is EXCELLENT start to “finish.” As a writer, Sanderson is the quintessential blend of art, science, history, and math. Literally, some of the absolute best. writing. ever.
August 1, 2022
One of the best story i’ve read
I love stories. From games, movies, novels to manga, I enjoy them mostly for the story. And for me, this series delivers one of the best stories I’ve read. The world-building is so robust, and the char development is a rollercoaster of emotion. With the cast of many lovable characters, I recommend this book to everyone who loves stories. And for me personally, it inspires me, the story resonates deeply with my heart and made me want to do better.
I love stories. From games, movies, novels to manga, I enjoy them mostly for the story. And for me, this series delivers one of the best stories I’ve read. The world-building is so robust, and the char development is a rollercoaster of emotion. With the cast of many lovable characters, I recommend this book to everyone who loves stories. And for me personally, it inspires me, the story resonates deeply with my heart and made me want to do better.
September 1, 2023
Whew, this was alot. I purchase the three-in-one because based on the reviews and the buzz I thought for sure I would love it. While the plot is interesting, it takes WAY, to long to start dissecting the central mystery of it all. These are HUGE books and the plot goes at an absolute snails pace. Yes, the characters are incredibly fleshed out and for those who love details, this is the series for you. Unfortunately, I do not see myself continuing with the series. Far too much work, for not enough payoff. Sorry Sanderson, I tried.
June 25, 2021
I think the books were really well written. During my time of reading, I had a fairly busy life where I planned out half an hour a day to read. Because the stormlight archives are a complete different world with a lot of extraodinary occurences (e.g. spren), it sometimes really took effort to get into it.
Nonetheless I enjoyed my time reading it and for people that want to emerge themselves completely into a new fantasy world, this would be a great read.
Nonetheless I enjoyed my time reading it and for people that want to emerge themselves completely into a new fantasy world, this would be a great read.
January 25, 2023
A very good series a new favorite!
This book, this story is so full of wisdom and I don’t think I’ve ever screenshot pages of a fantasy book before as reference and inspiration at least not to this level. This story and title were so powerful and engaging. I loved the flawed characters each one having their own very unique and relatable struggles. Extremely well written, looking forward to reading more Brandon Sanderson. One of my favorite series I’ve ever read.
This book, this story is so full of wisdom and I don’t think I’ve ever screenshot pages of a fantasy book before as reference and inspiration at least not to this level. This story and title were so powerful and engaging. I loved the flawed characters each one having their own very unique and relatable struggles. Extremely well written, looking forward to reading more Brandon Sanderson. One of my favorite series I’ve ever read.
December 18, 2023
I do not read as fast as I used to so these 3 took almost a year to finish. While at times I was annoyed by the direction he went in certain chapters, it was more to me wanting to get back to certain characters than it was that the sections were not enjoyable. Some of the interludes though seem to take very long to connect, if at all. Overall a fantastic read and I look forward to the future of this series.
August 12, 2021
The Stormlight Archive series is world building at it's best. The characters are well written and I am truly invested in their growth and the outcome of the story. The bonds forged and relationships between characters are gripping. Chapters are from point of view of both sides of the conflict and gives an interesting look at how each side views their actions in terms of right and wrong.
October 18, 2021
Piacevolissimo da leggere, divertente, mai troppo prolisso e con personaggi ben caratterizzati e con uno spessore che ti permette di farti coinvolgere dalle loro vicende.
Unica pecca, in alcuni casi, quelli che avrebbero dovuto essere dei colpi di scena vengono trattati quasi con distacco, senza enfasi facendoli passare quasi inosservati.
Per il resto 3800 pagine consigliatissime.
Unica pecca, in alcuni casi, quelli che avrebbero dovuto essere dei colpi di scena vengono trattati quasi con distacco, senza enfasi facendoli passare quasi inosservati.
Per il resto 3800 pagine consigliatissime.
October 25, 2021
It's not just another epic fantasy, Sanderson knows how to world build like any other and to say that the character are fully rounded would be an understatement. The complexity of emotions as well as the themes tackles is inspiring, you'll get drawn in in seconds and you'll read thousands of pages without even noticing!
December 26, 2022
Good but meandering
Ya, I mean, it’s good reading most of the time. But it’s kind of stretching on without a sense of where it’s going or why. And not in the suspenseful way. More in the, “okay, seriously, let’s just wrap this up” kind of way. It’s still 4/5 because I mean it’s an incredible story. But, ya, like, I’m getting a tad tired.
Ya, I mean, it’s good reading most of the time. But it’s kind of stretching on without a sense of where it’s going or why. And not in the suspenseful way. More in the, “okay, seriously, let’s just wrap this up” kind of way. It’s still 4/5 because I mean it’s an incredible story. But, ya, like, I’m getting a tad tired.
March 26, 2019
A thoroughly engrossing read
Step into the world that Brandon Sanderson has created and you are part of the lives of these characters who become your friends. Their world transports you and carries you away. A must read for all fantasy lovers!
Step into the world that Brandon Sanderson has created and you are part of the lives of these characters who become your friends. Their world transports you and carries you away. A must read for all fantasy lovers!
February 9, 2020
Amazing, epic, wonderful!!!
The story, character development, world building mixed with the inner struggles we all face in some way or another will have you hooked. Brandon Sanderson is a master storyteller. Get ready to lose sleep after you start this series!
The story, character development, world building mixed with the inner struggles we all face in some way or another will have you hooked. Brandon Sanderson is a master storyteller. Get ready to lose sleep after you start this series!
October 20, 2020
Unique fantasy setting
A fantastic fantasy epic that separates itself from the established Tolkien esque fantasy genre.
Well written characters, each with strengths and weaknesses, fighting a battle against the odds.
A fantastic fantasy epic that separates itself from the established Tolkien esque fantasy genre.
Well written characters, each with strengths and weaknesses, fighting a battle against the odds.
December 17, 2020
Hands down one of the best series I've read
Awesome book great story found my self completely compelled to keep reading before bed and kept reading in the bathroom and got yelled at more then once to hurry up
Awesome book great story found my self completely compelled to keep reading before bed and kept reading in the bathroom and got yelled at more then once to hurry up
June 9, 2022
Such a good series, but at times the graphic violence was just too much and I had to skip ahead. I get that the whole story arc of these characters is steeped in the violent culture that they are part of, but at times it was just...eww.
August 23, 2022
Had to re-read this epic before I move onto Rhythm of War. The climax chapters really play out in my head as a movie. Brandon Sanderson has easily etched himself in the history of fantasy giants with the likes of GRRM and JRRT
June 29, 2023
This series was THICK. In the best way. Layer upon layers. Brandons’s mind is HUGE!! Lots of world building and deep characters. Had me smiling so many times. Finished the trilogy and felt like I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to come new friends I made along the way.
Read
October 13, 2023My go to after Wheel of Time
I was sad once I finished the Wheel of Time series. I wasn't sure what to read as it was a new genre for me. I decided to give Brandon Sanderson a try. This has been a great series. I look forward to reading more of his work.
I was sad once I finished the Wheel of Time series. I wasn't sure what to read as it was a new genre for me. I decided to give Brandon Sanderson a try. This has been a great series. I look forward to reading more of his work.
April 12, 2018
Amazing writing and an amazing story. I can’t tell you how many times I have read each book, but I know it is more than 3.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews