#THE WAY OF KINGS BY BRANDON SANDERSON

[betterbooksandthings]

"Sure, a monarchy may not be the best form of government, but the best fantasy royalty sometimes makes you believe they’ve gotten it right.

And there is something about fantasy that makes rulers more believable. Sure, fantasy books do have democracies, but the influence of historic monarchies in mythology and folklore has played a role in the current popularity of rulers in fantasy. It’s a genre where we are still processing the implications of empire and monarchy and a ruling class — albeit one with dragons, fairies, and/or magic.

In fantasy worlds that contain royal government structures, there will always be the ones we root to keep the thrones and the ones we root to lose them. The following list is a mix of fantasy worlds where characters are often still finding the path to the throne. Sometimes, royals are usurping the throne or just waiting their turn in the line of succession. Either way, they are using their political power to help the people even when it risks their safety. It makes sense that readers are more likely to root for a member of the ruling class with access to unlimited privilege if that person is very good at their job."

[onlycosmere]

[knight--error]

One of my favorite parts of The Stormlight Archive, especially The Way of Kings, is how Sanderson introduces this deeply alien landscape to us. He does so mostly by not introducing things specifically, only narrating as if the viewpoint character were looking at normal stuff that everyone sees all the time—which, to them, they are! Sanderson also often uses one-off names for things, like I think he uses the word "chull" before he actually describes one, and leaves you, the reader, to make your assumptions on what those words could mean. Often you assume you're in "rabbits are called 'glips'" territory, where normal things are called by a fantastical name just for flavor.

The reason why I like this is that you get some moments that are... the closest feeling I can compare it to is "dawning horror," when you realize your assumptions are wrong. Like I heard about "songlings," and I assumed, "Ah, yes, birds!" And then I heard about axehounds and I assumed, "Ah, dogs :)"

And then you actually encounter songlings in the text and. Oh. They're cricket-crab things. Uh.

And then Sanderson actually shows you an axehound and it's even worse, it's a crab-dog!

After that you're left sweating. What else is actually crab? Are the horses secretly crabs? They keep mentioning hogs, but we never see a hog described, are they actually crabs??

But the answer is no. They're just pigs. Brilliant.

[emily-e-draws]

sylphrena!💙 this has been in my wips for too long.. I’m always meaning to do more cosmere art but I’ve gotta catch up on the books first 😭 most of the way through rhythm of war rn, I’m nearly there!!

[fippydarkpaw]

[hauntedfarfalle]

so I started the stormlight archive

[stargirl-lina]

some kaladin sketches i made while reading the way of kings

[rosewaterfish]

Those Kings sure did go Ways huh. Anyway Stormlight Archive good.

[thekinglemingle]

Everyone always talks about "You Cannot Have My Pain," and with good reason, but I think this is my favourite Dalinar moment

[wafflelovingbatgirl]

Gossip ladies are a closeup in an rpg Kickstarter image depicting an Alethi party.

[ldy-lilith]

Kaladin Stormblessed. Our favorite bridge boy A bit tired...Maybe he needs a hug

[lonely-kolibri]

I'm rereading stormlight before 5 comes, with that comes the urge to paint kaladin

[liviiblahblah]

"Nonsense! You cannot hold me back if he says the words!"

[lamaery]

List Some time ago a friend on discord approached me with a prompt for a Szeth moment from Way of Kings. Mainly him getting the list with all the kings and head of states to assassinate. Image Description: Loose digital painting in a fairly monochrome set of blues, greys and violets with black as the dark colours for the shadows and a pale violet blue as the highlights, We see Szeth standing alone in a room in front of a table. His form is silhouetted by the Nomon's light falling through a window near the ceiling. He stands straight and very still, Jezrien's blade in one hand a piece of paper in the other, which he gazes down towards, although his profile is so shadowed that it is hard to read his expression. On the table before him the moonlight reflects off a plate and the bulky and gruesome form of a decapitated head. Soft wisps of stormlight waft from Szeth's hands and head. Leaving him a forlorn figure in the moonlight and its shadows.(edited)

[bluntandsaucy]

"Tell the men to come out after the storm. Tell them to look up at me tied here. Tell them I’ll open my eyes and look back at them, and they’ll know that I survived."

he is so jesus coded

[sauriodesu]