The Way of Kings, a Review

Beginning a ten book series can be daunting.  It takes a kind of commitment that many of us just don't have the time for.  It takes effort to stick with a single story for a decade, gobbling up installments every year or so.  We're an impatient people, by and large, and waiting is something we loathe.  Just look at the vitriol surrounding GRRM's prolonged release of A Dance with Dragons.

Nevertheless, Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings, Book One of The Stormlight Archive, delivers such an impressive story that it's impossible to resist.  The hardcover spans over one thousand pages, but it's populated with beautiful internal artwork that goes right along with the story, not to mention the mesmerizing cover art.  

TWoK is difficult to summarize succinctly.  Roshar is a land wracked and ravaged by storms.  These storms are ferocious and lethal, with winds and rain strong enough that to be caught out in them is to die.  In part, these storms have shaped the geography, ecology, and sociology of the ten countries that make up Roshar.  Some animals have developed rock-shells for protection.  In some lands, the grass even recedes.  The creatures and places of Roshar are as much a story as the main characters.  It's obvious Sanderson has labored and put thought into his grand epic, and the thrill of experiencing these unusual settings is absolutely delightful.

But more than this, tWoK is a tight focused tale centering on a trio of characters.  Kaladin, this novel's major POV character, has wanted to fight in the war on the Shattered Plains for years, and he's finally found himself there, though as a branded member of a bridge crew.  Bridgemen are lower than slaves, especially the bridgemen of Sadeas' warcamp.  To be a bridgeman is to have a death sentence.  Dalinar Kholin, brother to the murdered king that started the war and uncle to the reigning king, is a man of honor and does thing the Old Ways.  He will not let himself get entangled in the squabble of politics and quests for power, much to the chagrin of the other generals, and insists on doing things Right.  But when Dalinar begins having vicious dreams during the highstorms, rumors circulate the warcamps that the Blackthorn is  losing his mind.  And Dalinar can't help but wonder the same.  The third major player is Shallan, a girl who's family is plunged into impossible debt after the patriarch dies.  Shallan decides to seek out Jasnah, the king's heretic sister, and steal her Soulcaster.  She'll use the money to free her family, and possibly survive the quarreling houses.  But the more Shallan learns about Jasnah, the more she begins to question her motives.

These three characters are the major players of tWoK, but they are by far not the only ones.  Sanderson has crafted a dramatis personae filled with memorable characters, from the enigmatic Szeth-son-son-Vallano, a Truthless Shin and an angst-driven assassin, to the equally enigmatic Wit, who I'll keep silent about, to Adolin, Dalinar's up-and-coming heir apparent and established warrior on the Plains.  Each person has a wealth of information and life in them, and I eagerly look forward to seeing them all develop over the course of the series.

Brandon Sanderson is widely known for his unique magic systems, and tWoK does not fail here.  In fact, if you've read any other Sanderson, you'll certainly notice some similarities between the magic systems, but also some very original concepts, too.  As this is Book One, there was a lot introduced, but also a lot of mystery left behind the magics waiting to be revealed.

I could go on and on about this book, and I really haven't scratched the surface.  The Way of Kings is a solid first novel for a series.  It wraps up a lot of things, not leaving too many cliff hangers, but not enough to lull the excitement, either.  The stories about these characters--all of them, not just the three primaries--are amazing.  Sanderson knows how to turn a phrase, as well as keep the reader turning pages, and the plot never dies down during this massive read.  If you want a completely different epic fantasy, one that leaves you eager for the next volume and filled with a sense of wonder and awe, then I heartily recommend The Way of Kings.  I'm invested for the duration of the series, and I cannot wait to see where Sanderson takes us.

The Way of Kings Group Read: Conclusion

Here we are at the end of the group read.  Well, the relative end.  This was my first experience with a group read, and I enjoyed it quite a bit, though it also caused some undue stress, too.  Perhaps if the tome wasn't so massive that stress part wouldn't be there.  With a twelve-week old daughter in the house, reading was often pushed aside to bedtime throughout the week and a two/three hour stint on the weekend.  Even so, I felt like I was spending too much time in Sanderson's world and not enough in my own, and I think the pace of this group read was too rigorous for me, though honestly the natural breaks in the book made for perfect discussion sections.

Anyway, this week's questions are brought by Suey of It's All About Books.  Like every week, you can also check the main read along page for other blog links.

In addition to the supplied questions, I've thrown up a few of my own at the end, musing aloud.  There are also some supplemental links for any that are interested in such things.

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It seems like every main character had a little wrap up chapter in this section, with each section ending on a bit of a cliff hanger. What do you think? Do you appreciate these cliff hangers or do they make you crazy? Did you predict some of them, or have no idea they were coming? Did one of them stand out as most surprising?

There were enough conclusions to leave me satisfied, and enough cliffhangers to leave me eager.  Cliffhangers don't bother me, and even less so when I think on how productive and meticulous Sanderson is.  

I loved Dalinar's ending to his visions.  He learned that God had been killed, for crying out loud!  What does this mean to the religious people?  And as for the Voidbringers being parshmen and Parshendi... holy cow.  I knew there was something about the parshmen, but I couldn't quite figure out what.  The King's horrible acts were also surprising, though his motivation uninspired.  I did love how it was his notes we'd been reading.  Out of everything, I'm surprised Dalinar is still alive, though there was no doubt that he was on a collision course with Szeth.

Did the book leave you with an overall satisfied feeling, or are you left with too many unanswered questions? If so, what are some of the questions bothering you the most?

I guess I kind of answered this above.  What are the implications of God being dead?  Does that mean that Jasnah's atheism is correct, but also incorrect, too?  And what's the deal with Shadesmar?  (See my thoughts on this at the bottom.)  I'm also wondering why Syl dislikes the Shardblades and how the blades differ from the Dawnshards/Honorblades.  And where the heck is Gaz?

After I finished the book, I immediately re-read the Prelude, and everything made more sense this time around. 

What did you think of the book ending with a Wit chapter? Did you understand what he was trying to say? What does this chapter mean in relation to the rest of the series?

As I've mentioned before, the Hoid phenomenon is of particular fascination.  Thus, I was on edge throughout the entire chapter.  He basically seemed to be speaking in prophecy, telling the men to be ready for the Everstorm (or whatever it's called).  I did find his speech slightly confusing, though, and I'm not sure I fully understand his logical conclusion.  I'm sure he'll show up in latter books.

If someone asked you what this book is about... how would you answer them? In just two or three sentences!

The Way of Kings is a Brandon Sanderson novel.  If you read a lot of fantasy, then you know who Sanderson is.  If not, then you need to get your hands on everything this man's written.  Then I would punch the person in the face for their ignorance...

The Way of Kings is an epic tale that's unlike any epic fantasy you've ever read.  Magic is returning to the world, but with it comes terrible dangers that threaten the very existence of everyone in Roshar.  If you want a story with realistic characters in an unforgettable setting, then this book is for you.

And finally (even though I suspect I know everyone’s answer) will you be reading the rest of this series? Will you be there the day it comes out? Or just whenever? Will you be recommending this to others?

Absolutely.  I'll probably pre-order the Kindle edition and dive in as soon as I can.  Then I'll likely pick up the beautiful hardcovers (when they're cheaper) throw them on the shelf just for completionist's sake.

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Brandon Sanderson has just uploaded the images from the books onto his website.  Looking at these images makes me wonder the significance of the maps, as well as the grids of glyphpairs.  There's no doubt Sanderson has painstakingly crafted a purposeful geography for Roshar, so I've been thinking about them.  What do you all make of the maps/grids?

I'm guessing Shadesmar is the mirror opposite of Roshar.  This makes sense considering symmetry is such an important part (and holy attribute) of Vorinism.  If Roshar exists, then there must be an opposite realm, too, so maybe Shadesmar is un-Roshar?  I'm particularly interested in the names on the Shadesmar map.  The Seas of "Regret, Souls, and Lost Lights."  (Notice that the physical location of these Seas directly correlate to the landmasses of Roshar.  So where there's land in Roshar, there's water in Shadesmar, and we keep the balance.)

I'm equally intrigued about the Nexuses of Truth, Transition, and Imagination.  A nexus is "A connection or series of connections linking two or more things."  Considering what happened with Shallan, she told a Truth and then boom, she was in Shadesmar.  Maybe these three nexuses are the ways into Shadesmar and the ways to Soulcasting.

As for the grids, they must represent the magic system somehow.  Certain glyphpairs stand for certain powers, such as Lashing.  We don't know which ones are what.  What I'm wondering is how the two grids (assuming there are two distinct grids) are related.

Keeping symmetry in mind, I find the existence of a safehand being covered oddly disturbing.  If every woman must keep her safehand covered (look at the illustration of the woman surrounding the maps), then no woman dresses symmetrically.  Does this strike you as peculiar?

I think I may be reading too much into this one, but it still seems odd.  I mean, for the most part, I assume nearly everybody dresses symmetrically (including us!), and throwing on one glove just throws the whole thing out of balance.  It probably doesn't mean anything, but it's just odd considering the Alethi culture.

Brandon did a Q&A session on Goodreads back last year after the book was released.  Reading through the questions generate some avenues of discussion.  Some of my favorites:

• Does the scene where Shallan is counting heartbeats mean what I think it means?
• "It means what you think it means."
• What happened to Gaz? After some character development he just vanishes in chapter 59 without further explanation. Will he be back on the next books?
• "I'm planning for you to find out what happened to Gaz. There are sufficient clues that you can guess."
• Will there be flashbacks for a different character in this next book?
• "Yes.  Each book will explore a different character in flashbacks, though Kaladin will also end up getting another book with flashbacks of his sometime down the line." 

Final thoughts.  If you've not read the Mistborn series, then I think you are missing out here.  There are events of such magnitude that happen between the books that I cannot help but see their relation to one another.  Any of you read the Mistborn trilogy?  If not, I think you should before then next installment comes out for the Stormlight Archive.  Sanderson's not worldbuilding, he's universebuilding...

The Way of Kings Group Read: Week Four

The questions this week come from Kailana (her blog here).  The main blog link is here.
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Lord have mercy what an amazing read this part was.  It took everything in my power to stop at the beginning of Part Five and not look ahead.  Of course, I'll probably finish the book tonight, but that's okay...

One thing that I have thinking about during the course of this book is what Brandon Sanderson is trying to say about religion. Jasnah is an atheist. Shallan believes, but is still trying to find herself. Dalinar believes strongly in the ‘Old Ways’. What do you think of this idea?

Religion is a common theme in all of Sanderson's fantasy novels, and it seems like I remember hearing Brandon mention something about how this is an important topic to him in an interview of old.  For tWoK, I'm digging the religious tones.  I love how vague everything is.  The arguments between Jasnah and Shallan were both sound and logical, leaving the Almighty's existence up in the air.  But there is so much more than Vorinism in Roshar, and it seems that these other "religions" have some credence to them, too.  Our minds are inclined to thinking in absolutes and exclusions--there's either one thing or another, but not both--but this doesn't seem the case in Roshar.  And that makes for some excellent plot elements.

The relationship between siblings is an important part of this book. Adolin has always been at the forefront of Dalinar’s two sons, but Renarin is important, too. What did you think of the two brothers? Going back a generation, what do think of Dalinar and our glimpses of his brother? Then there is Kaladin who joins the war to protect his brother and fails. And Jasnah whose brother is King. Or Shallan who puts herself in a dangerous situation to help her brothers out following her fathers’ death. What do you think of these relationships? Did any stick out for you?

Renarin and Adolin are the two that stick out the most.  Both are young and malleable, and I'm intrigued at where they will end up.  Somehow I don't see Renarin staying a sickly, weak lad throughout the whole series.  (In honesty, for some reason I was expecting him to play a trump card after Dalinar's return and somehow be working with Sadeas, and I'm glad that didn't turn out.)  I do love the brothers theme this book has, though, because I have a younger brother, and our relationship is strong, but it could definitely be stronger.  So I enjoy reading the emotions and whatnot felt by these characters relating to their siblings.

Kaladin has been included in every section. Why do you think this was? Did you wish to have a break from him, or did you enjoy knowing he would be explored with every section?

I'm assuming it's because Kaladin is the central hero of the series(?), but it could just be that he had more ground he needed to cover in tWoK and won't be as prevalent in subsequent novels. Even so, his parts were definitely the most exciting, and I'm glad he's been in every section.

One of my favourite characters in the book is Syl. What do you think of her and her development throughout the course of this book?

Agreed.  Syl's development has been fascinating.  The fact that she knows so much stuff and yet cannot remember makes for good storytelling.  And there's no doubt that the spren are heavily involved in the magics and whatnot of Roshar.  It'll be cool to learn more about these quasi-visible creatures and how they fit into the big picture.

And, the big question, what do you think is going to happen in the last section? Any predictions?

This was why I stopped reading before the final section.  I enjoy postulating.  Looking back on the last two week's discussion, I assumed Dalinar would die.  Now I'm no longer certain of this.  Possibly some point down the road he will, but I was honestly expecting it here in the opening volume.  (I'm glad I'm wrong... so far.)  Even so, knowing that Szeth has a hit list of high names, Dalinar could very well be a target on that list, and I wouldn't be too shocked if he dies in the last part, especially since we know Szeth is in the final part.  

I'm hoping Shallan continues her stay with Jasnah, but who knows what'll happen there.  And as for Kaladin and his men, I don't think they'll be staying with Dalinar's troops for too long.  (Well, maybe some bridgemen will, but surely Kaladin will go off for some sort of adventure.)

I can't wait to finish the last forty pages or so and see what kind of cliffhanger Sanderson's gonna leave us with.

The Way of Kings Group Read: Week Three

Forgive me for the lack of introduction, but let's jump straight to the root of the matter.  If you'd like to read more responses to this week's questions, head to the main Group Read site (here).  This week's questions come from Memory.

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"Books can store information better than we can--what we do that books cannot is interpret." (Page 462)

"He couldn't know how long it lasted; time had no meaning in this place of fury and tumult." (Page 520)

"Was it possible to do something horrible in the name of accomplishing something wonderful?" (Page 532)*

"It might be religion, but it still has to make sense." (Page 635)

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Part III reunites us with Shallan, who we haven't seen for a few hundred pages, and separates us from Dalinar and Adolin for a few hundred more. How do you feel about leaving characters behind for such long stretches? Did you lose any of your connection to them during the break?

The splitting of the characters is slightly frustrating, but not to the point where it's detrimental to my enjoyment of the story.  I say frustrating because I'd like to stick with the characters longer and follow their story, but then at the same time, there's likely little-or-nothing going on with them at the times Sanderson gives us different POVs.  Maybe he's just cutting out the redundant fluff that doesn't really add to the main story when he omits POVs?

So far, how would you compare this to other epic fantasies you've read? Does it remind you of any other series?

Compared with other epic fantasies I've read, Sanderson's world and tale is definitely fresh and unique.  It defies many traditional cliches, but at the same time it resonates with the general "feeling" epic fantasy gives off.  Oddly enough, the other books it reminds me of are also by Brandon Sanderson: Mistborn, Elantris, and Warbreaker.  Nothing major really connects these, but the way Lashing works instantly brings to mind Vin Pushing and Pulling in Mistborn.  The Shardblades remind me of the fascinating sword Nightblood in Warbreaker.  And the glyphs (and symbolheads?) are bringing back imagery from Elantris and the language used there.  I think this is more than mere coincidence, but I can't say why exactly.

How do you feel about the masculine and feminine arts? If you're female, do you think you'd be content to stick to scholarly pursuits, or would you rather do something physical, like go to war? If you're male, would you be willing to forgo learning to read, even if there were women around to read to you? What about the food? Does the spicy for men and sweet for women restriction fit your own tastes?

I love this part of the Alethi culture.  It's reminiscent of our culture's history, but it's vastly different, too.  Sexism doesn't seem to exist for the people, and yet to our liberated 21st century American minds, the whole thing screams its wrongness. 

I say that I would be willing to shirk the soldiering life for a scholarly one, but I'm unsure whether or not I really would.  It would have to depend on which nahn I was in, whether or not I was a lighteyes or darkeyes, and whether or not I wanted glory (which I can't see myself wanting) or simplicity.  An ardent's life sounds appetizing, but I'm not sure how sinister these people are yet.  I do find the dissolution of the masculine/feminine arts in the ardentia an interesting fact.

I picture a lot of the food like Indian foods.  Curried, heavily spiced, and naan for bread.  As it just so happens, I love Indian food, so this works for me.  (Of course, I also love ice cream and chocolate chip cookies, and I would be sad not have these.)

Oh, I also think it's pretty clever that the women write their own subtext after a man's dictation.  This opens the doors for all kinds of disagreements in the texts.  (And I think it's obvious now that these opening bits of the chapters are coming from books Shallan/Jasnah/Someone is researching, and could very well be their own notes?  I'm not sure if the death-quotes fit this category, but they could... The letter for Part Two doesn't, though, unless it's something one of them read?)

What do you think of the flashbacks to Kaladin's childhood?

At first I didn't care too much for them, but as they've progressed, I grew more and more intrigued.  I love that Kaladin is a surgeon, trained in healing arts with a healer's mindset, and yet he's a renown warrior.

When I was reading the last few flashbacks, as time was drawing closer to the present, I kept waiting to see what would happen to Tien.  It's amazing that Sanderson's not told exactly what went down, but we've enough of an idea that Tien's death utterly changed the young healer-soldier.  And then when Kaladin faced down the Shardbearer!  Breathtaking.  I can't believe we've gone this long into the novel and just now found this out, but it's omission from Kaladin's thoughts imply truly how much he hates the lighteyes.

Do you have any theories yet as to where the story is headed? What do you most want to see in the last quarter of the book?

I've got theories a-plenty.  Dalinar will die.  I just don't see him living.  Adolin will step into his place, possibly, or the young Kholin will have to leave the Shattered Plains for some reason.  Dalinar's death could come by Szeth's hand (which seems possible), or it could come from Sadeas (which seems possible).  Kaladin and his men will rise up, but like the times before, many of them will die, but Kaladin will escape.  He may get some Shards by the end, and surely he'll end up working alongside Adolin at some point, where his opinions of lighteyes will have to change.  Shallan will tell Jasnah about her visions before she leaves and the woman will allow Shallan to stay on because of her sight into whatever the symbolheads are.  I have no clue about them, other than they're somehow connected to Soulcasting.

Odium reigns.  This Odium must be the series' main antagonist, but I don't see it as a Dark Lord archetype, though I could be wrong.  Odium may be using Szeth's new masters to accomplish its chaos and destruction of Roshar.

I am eager to see more Szeth, of course, but even more so eager to find out more about the symbolheads and about Kaladin's apparent use of Stormlight.  Sadly, I don't think we'll get much more of Shallan until possibly the final part of the book.  Kal, though.  That'll be fun.

Miscellaneous thoughts:  Kabsal's poisoning was an unexpected twist.  Who was he working with?  The deathspren are slightly terrifying.  And what the heck's going on with these bridgemen?  Teft and his mysterious knowledge of what Kaladin is.  Sigzil (I think that's who it was) and his aversion to Worldsingers?  And the one-armed crazy-happy Lopen?  Jeez!  Kaladin Stormblessed, indeed.  Oh, and Kal's surviving the storm was rather exciting, too, I might add.

I'm really enjoying The Way of Kings.  The book keeps me interested, and I really feel like we've only got the faintest notions of what's ahead of us.  I see nine more books of great storytelling and beautiful worldbuilding.
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*I've noticed that this theme crops up in an awful lot of books and movies, and I suppose it's because it makes for compelling characters.

The Way of Kings Group Read: Week Two

Very little in the way of an intro for this week.  Carl, one of the best spoken gents on the internet, as well as proprietor of Stainless Steel Droppings, has taken helm of this week's questions.  You can follow his blog here.  Also feel free to check out the Read Along headquarters to see more responses.

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"Kaladin was like a moldy crust on a starving man's plate; not the first bite, but still doomed." (Page 263)

"A man's emotions are what define him, and control is the hallmark of true strength.  To lack feeling is to be dead, but to act on every feeling s to be a child." (Page 377)

In a recent interview Brandon Sanderson mentioned that the interludes are meant to show us parts of the larger world since much of the action is focused in one or two places. What do you think of the first two sets of interludes? Any characters or situations stand out to you?

Szeth the Truthless is definitely one of the most interesting characters so far.  His powers are fascinating, but the mystery that surrounds him--what exactly is a Truthless?  why is he in the state he's in?  who's he gonna kill next?--is pure brilliant.  I feel quite sympathetic for him, but I'm not exactly sure why.

I'm equally fascinated by Hoid, a man who's only barely been mentioned thus far, during the first Interlude.  Hoid is a unique character in Sanderson's cosmere, as he (or a man named Hoid) has appeared in all of Sanderson's original fantasy novels so far.  Sanderson has hinted that his books all share the same universe, and I suppose that this Hoid is somehow more important than we currently know.

In small increments Brandon Sanderson is revealing the geology and ecology of Roshar. What are your thoughts on what has been revealed thus far?

The Shattered Plains are mesmerizing.  I love the plateaus and how the armies cross them (bridges, poles, or jumping).  The chasms make peril imminent for anyone forgetful or clumsy, even posing dangers to Shardbearers.  This is a brilliant setting for the novel, methinks.

In particular I'm intrigued by the highstorms and the crem that falls with the rain.  Professionally, I work with rainfall and flooding, and the fact that rain in Roshar is poisonous and heavily polluted is another brilliant world-feature of Way of Kings.  I can imagine the stalactites forming on unkempt houses, or worse, sticking to a condemned man forced to weather a highstorm. 

Other than that, there are so many minor tweaks that make Roshar what it is that I'm sure I keep forgetting things, picturing an Earth-like world as opposed to the one the story's actually in.  Multiple moons.  Rockbuds.  Strange grass.  Orange, blue, and purple wine!  Craziness.

This second section of The Way of Kings featured two distinct story lines, those of Dalinar and of Kaladin. How do you feel this section of the book compares with the first section and what are your thoughts on either or both of these story lines?

No cabe duda, the second section blew the first one out of the water.  The fight with the chasmfiend was thrilling (no pun intended).  The politics of the warcamp intriguing.  The visions of Dalinar baffling.  And Kaladin's renewed zeal encouraging.  Dalinar, and indirectly, Adolin, show one side of the war effort, and Kaladin shows the polar opposite.  This dichotomy is well played and very informative to the reader. 

In particular, Dalinar's visions make him another sympathetic character, though less so that Szeth.  Sadly, I don't see him lasting much longer.  His age (and his decision to abdicate to Adolin) all but beg someone to assassinate or duel him.

I also really liked Kal's flashback scenes.  I love that he's a trained surgeon and that he's a gifted warrior.  Again, the conflicting views and motives make for great storytelling.

In the interview set out earlier in the week Sanderson talked about the Stormlight Archive being a series about the return of magic. What are your thoughts on this, particularly in relation to the visions Dalinar is having during the highstorms?

I like this approach to fantasy.  Typically we see magic dying off and leaving the lands, often relegated to arcane sciences and superstition.  Here, magic definitely has birthed mythology, but also religion.  The Heralds and the Radiants and Voidbringers are definitely magical, but so are the Shards and Soulcasting.  People understand that these things are mystical, and while they're not prevalent, they're at least present.

Sanderson has an open door for where he can go with the return of magic.  Perhaps more and more people will start having visions (like Dalinar, though to me he seems chosen for a reason), or more Shards will be found or the plethora of gemhearts will lead to more Soulcasters.  Dalinar's visions must be foreshadowing, and if that's the shape of things to come, the rest of the book/series will be phenomenal.

There has been a change in this second section of the nature of the quotes prior to the beginning of each chapter. What are your thoughts on the opening lines featured in both sections of the book to this point?

I think everyone must have forgot about the pre-chapter quotes last week.  I meant to say something, but it slipped my mind.  Book One's quotes have me perplexed.  Who is keeping these things recorded?  Do all men and women get some sort of erratic "vision" when they die?  Are they somehow related to the spren?  Soulcasting?  This, coupled with Kaladin hearing a dying bridgeman's last words, have me eager to find out the importance of these quotes.

Book Two's pre-quotes were in the form of a letter.  I wasn't as intrigued by them, though they did offer some insight (albeit obfuscated and minuscule) to the world.  I particularly liked the section written to the immortal recipient.

These quotes and letter will undoubtedly be important to the Stormlight Archive, I'm just not sure if we'll find out their significance in The Way of Kings.

In the questions for these first two sections we've talked about characters and the story lines and the world that Sanderson has created, but there are a lot of interesting flourishes and touches to The Way of Kings thus far (shardplate, spren, the actual "Way of Kings" book, highstorms, etc.). Talk about some of the non-character/non-setting things that you are finding either fascinating or annoying (or both) in the book thus far.

Like last week, the spren are still holding my attention.  I cannot dismiss their importance in the grand scheme of things.  Syl's fluttering insights and fuzzy memories seem to point to something, but what that something is I can't grasp.

I'm also very curious to learn more about Dalinar's purging of his wife's memory from his mind.  How is this possible?  And what implications does this have for the rest of the world?  And, dang it, are the spren somehow involved here?

On spren, Axies the Collector and his hunt to find all the spren just whets my appetite.  Does this Axies know Hoid?  Are there beings that are charged to observe things throughout the worlds and archive them or something? 

The Way of Kings Group Read: Week One

I bought Brandon Sanderson's Way of Kings the week it came out, nigh on a year ago.  The man writes excellent fantasy novels, with captivating characters, fascinating magic systems, and a well-paced plot.  But for some reason, I never started the tome.  Other books kept cropping up or something else came along that prevented me.

Now, though, with the help of a few other bloggers, I've joined in on a group read.  Together, we'll explore Sanderson's seminal volume of The Stormlight Archive, and each week those of us participating will discuss what we've read, as well as any thoughts/theories we may have.  If you want to get in on this group-read, it's not too late.  Just head here and get yourself started.

Ibeeeg (of Polishing Mud Balls) has put together this weeks round of questions.  The main group read-along blog, Polishing Mud Balls Read-Along Page, is here.  Follow it for the rest of the bloggers taking part of this epic undertaking.  Now, without further ado...

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Before I started reading The Way of Kings, I did have some thoughts on how I would like this story; did you? If you did, how is The Way of Kings actually comparing to those thoughts?

I had no fears of Sanderson letting me down.  Everything of his that I've read--the Mistborn trilogy, Warbreaker, and Elantris--has been highly enjoyable.  I remember Sanderson saying that The Stormlight Archive is his baby, that it's the story he's worked on the longest and has planned out for years.  I was also intrigued by the up-front clarification that this is a ten volume series.  If it's ten books each a thousand pages, that's quite an adventure that I could not afford to pass up.  Plus, with Sanderson's killer work ethic and expediency at book releases, the time expected to wait between novels isn't too long.  There was no way I'd miss this journey.

What do you think of the pace of this story? so far. And what do you think of the prose? Do you think the prose is too descriptive? Not descriptive enough? Give me your thoughts on the writing thus far.

The pacing has been quick.  Very quick.  The opening scene of the battle was breathtaking, and most of Kaladin's stuff has been so far, too.  Shallan's scenes are more like a pot that's simmering, a bit slower, but definitely filled with enough to keep me curious.

The prose is lean, but not too much.  Sanderson's descriptions are perfect for setting the tone that he's portraying.  In battle, there's little description.  In the lull times of traveling, there's more.  For me, it's a perfect balance of a high, epic fantasy with the brisk pace of something lower.

What was your favorite part of this first section?

My favorite part so far (I'm up to 14% complete on my Kindle, or around pg 150) is either Kaladin's labor of carrying the bridge or the curious breaking of the Oathpact at the "Prelude" of the book.  I felt like the bridge carrying ordeal was a grueling and horrifying experience, and the fact that Kaladin couldn't even see as he ran most of the way was wonderful.  And yet I keep thinking back to the Prelude, curious from the characters and the plethora of questions unanswered.

Which character(s) do you find most interesting and why?

I'm really digging the spren.  Fearspren.  Windspren.  Flamespren.  Creationspren.  Anticipationspren.  Logicspren.  So many different spren, and how they just appear at different events (whether seen or not) is just plain cool.

I'm also curious to see how Shallan will accomplish her goal of stealing the Soulcaster.  Surely she and Kaladin are on a destination to meet.  In all of Sanderson's works, his female protagonists are always characters I rally for.  As of yet, I'm not necessarily pulling for Shallan, but I'm intrigued by her ambition (and her Memory magic(?)).

I also hope to see more of Szeth-son-son-Vallano.  His assassination of the king in the prologue was awesome, and I don't think I fully understand the aftermath of the murder and the king's last words.

Kaladin, though, is definitely the most interesting person to read about right now.  He seems like a genuine, stand-up kind of guy, and I'm assuming he'll be the series' hero.  We'll see.

All right, what I really want to know is... what do you think of this book overall? so far. Are you finding the story easy to follow? Are you fascinated, interested? Is the book holding your attention? Are you Bored? Indifferent? Please share your overall thoughts.

Overall, I'm very pleased so far with the read.  The story is fascinating and complex, and I think it'll be a book that I can re-read as the series progresses through the years and take away completely different thoughts.  The unique environments and creatures are interesting; the magic, while currently vague, is nonetheless exciting.  I've stayed up late reading quite a few nights already.  I suppose the easiest way for me to say this is that I've put off reading GRRM's Dance with Dragons until September just so I could read Sanderson's work (and blog with a few others, too).  If I weren't enjoying the book, I'd pick up Dance without a second thought.  As it is, I've not even touched it.

Beautiful Orthanc

Being in the realms of Middle Earth of late, (I've been re-reading The Fellowship of the Ring and spent all day Saturday watching Jackson's extended versions of the three films) I decided to draw a picture of Orthanc.  The drawing took some time to do, being that I did it using MSPaint.  The piece is called "Beautiful Orthanc," representing a time when Isengard had not yet fallen to Saruman's treachery.

If you are familiar with Tolkien famed illustrator Alan Lee, then you're familiar with the piece I used to base my drawing on.  Lee's illustration, of course, is of fallen Isengard, destroyed by the enraged Ents.

Orthanc, by Alan Lee

I am nearly finished with The Fellowship re-read, and I'm greatly enjoying it.  I've only read it once before, back a year or so before the film was released, and at the time I was young and mostly new to fantasy, so it's almost like I'm reading it for the first time.  I'll hold off lauding Tolkien now, as I'll likely do a book review, if only for completionist's sakes.

Now, to finish before Sanderson's The Way of Kings finds its way into my hands.

Three Quick Things, or Links Links Links!

One.  Brandon Sanderson and Tor are hosting a giveaway contest for his next book, the highly anticipated The Way of Kings, on GoodReads.  There are 40 ARCs up for grabs.  You can read all about it from Sanderson here, or go straight to the entry form here.  Tor also announced the book tour for this one, which you can find here.  If any of these cities were close, I'd definitely go.  I'm very excited about this book.  Oh, and in case you didn't know, Tor has up the prelude, prologue, and first three chapters of The Way of Kings on their website (here).  It's worth the read.  (You'll need to join Tor.com, but that's free, and it entitles you to the awesome stuff generally found there.)

Two.  It's no secret that I'm a Harry Potter fan.  Watching the previews to the final movie gave me chill bumps the first time.  It's so much darker than the previous ones.  I can't wait until November.  The 3-D thing kind of saddens me, but I suppose I'll watch this one in 3-D.  You can watch the video below, if you've not seen the preview yet.  I kind of want to re-read The Deathly Hallows before then.  Hopefully I'll find the time.



Three.  My all-time favorite singer-songwriter, acoustic mellow, bluegrassy folk artist has released his eleventh studio album, 4th of July.  I'm talking about Joe Purdy.  I've mentioned him plenty here on the blog.  Anyway, like all his other albums, the new one is up on his website, available now for purchase or free streaming.  Definitely check it out.  The guy never disappoints.  I've got all of his albums, and I'll be getting this one as soon as I get home from work today.

Home Made Animated Video, Mortal Kombat, Fallout 3, and Free Brandon Sanderson

Disclaimer: The thoughts and opinions of this post in no way reflect the thoughts and opinions of the site but are the sole property and ideals of the author.  Please direct all concerns to the appropriate places.

I recently found this awesome website that lets you animate and create your own movies.  It's pretty simple, too, so I made one.  Give it a watch and enjoy.  The script is a little weak, but I think it's a tad humorous.  Good enough for a spur of the moment kind of thing.  You can check out the site here.



Remember those Mortal Kombat movies?  I try not to, but they're there, taking up useless brain space.  The Geeks of Doom put up this amazing discovery of what a Mortal Kombat movie should be, complete with a dark and gritty trailer.  Check out the article and watch the video here.  The embed is too big to post.

Looks pretty cool to me.  Too bad the likelihood of it actually being developed is rather low, but if it ever did, I'd definitely watch it.  I have too many fond memories of playing MK.  I've played practically every one of them up to Deception, and most of them have always been enjoyable.  Sigh.  They just don't make wantonly violent games like they used to.

"I don't want to set the world on fire..."  Clint and I started a new game of Fallout 3 last night.  I haven't played in a long time (and never on my PS3), so it was fun to start.  I transferred my saved game file from William's system and the thing loaded right up on my system.  I really wasn't expecting that.  However, I didn't unlock any of the trophies I was supposed to unlock from when I started a new game, so I'm wondering if the transfer has anything to do with it.  Anyway, the last time I played through Fallout I ended up being the Scourge of Humanity, but that was the plan all along.  I just couldn't help myself when it came to Megaton's fate...  So this time I'm on a path of righteousness, trying to do things good for the most part.  So far, so good.  Of course, I only just started last night and I've still not beat Heavy Rain (which will happen either this weekend or next week while Keisha is gone), so I have a long road ahead of me.

I think my friend Adam is going to hang out with me this weekend.  Maybe we can get in some disc golf or tennis if it doesn't rain.  I still don't have internet connection at home (it's been gone since 5/26), but that's supposed to be remedied by this weekend or next.

Ooh.  I think my Firefly blu-ray should be arriving today...

Finally, Pat from the Hotlist posted up a link that Tor.com is offering the Prelude, Prologue, and first three chapters of Brandon Sanderson's epic work The Way of Kings.  Read 'em all right here and get excited with me.  I can't wait for this series.

A Little Bit of Everything

Egads, man!  It’s not like I’m trying to go all random on you, but it just happens, y’know?  Like rain.  It just happens.  Just every once in a while my brain kicks in all random-like and stuff.  But what do you expect?  My blog’s not called Rememorandom for nothing.  First off, there’s an artist who’s captured my heart.  Ever wondered what STAR WARS would look like in a steampunk setting?  Yeah, me neither, but this guy did, and it’s awesome.

If you click on that picture or the link above you can find out more about the designer, and other works he’s done.  For those nerds out there, you’ll enjoy, as the man did some DC and Marvel characters, too.  I really like the Obi-Wan, the Stormtrooper, and Grand Moff Tarkin.  All are awesome, though.
Ever just have one of those days when a song plays over and over and over and over in your head, always the same line.  No?  Ok.  Never mind then.

Me and Alex have been working on making our own music, writing our own songs and stuff.  We’ve got one demo out right now, based on Isaiah 57:14-21.  Maybe we’ll get a finished product over the next week or two and I’ll post it up here.  I find it easier to write poetry as opposed to songs, usually, but I’m trying.
Speaking of poetry, how about I post up “isabella’s secret pt.1”?  Y’know, so you won’t think I’m all bent on dark stuff.  Cause “see the man” was dark, dude.  Dark as the outer darkness of space.  This one has a different tone.

"jetson mancer" or "isabella's secret pt. 1"

jetson mancer
was a dancer
that's how he spent his nights.
making money
with his honey
isabella poorsight.

he was comely
she was homely
but soon the two were wed.
'ere long he'd cheat
and oft repeat
with women in his bed.

isabella
had one fella
that was jetson mancer
she could not see
the treachery
and sadly got the cancer

If you’re interested, between those two poems you should be able to piece together what’s coming in Part 2.
You guys and gals wanna see the homemade muffins I made?  And by homemade I mean homemade.  From scratch.  No boxes and such rubbish.  I found the recipe from a new blogger’s site here, thought it looked good, and decided to make ‘em.  The recipe was pretty simple and it made one dozen like it was supposed to, but I lost two due to crumbling.  I guess I didn’t let them sit long enough in the trusty Pampered Chef stoneware muffin tin.  Anyway, this is how they turned out.  Rather tasty and fancy, if you ask me.  Check out the blog and the recipe if’n you’re hankering for something delicious.










The cold spell’s sitting strong here in Kentucky.  Heck, in most of the US it’s cold.  I guess that’s why it’s called winter?  It snowed somewhere between two to four inches last night, but thankfully most of the roads were navigable.

I got an email from the library letting me know that the complete series of Firefly is now available to me.  As a Buffy and Dr. Horrible fan, I just had to get it and watch it, especially since it’s got a huge following.
Another new blog I’ve started following is The Sound and the Fury of Kristopher A. Denby.  Mr. Denby shares his thoughts and ideas on various things one typically shares their thoughts and ideas on, like music, books, movies, politics, etc., but I really like his opinions.  Plus, he must have some Celtic heritage or something, and that’s a doubleplus in my book.  That, and he loved The Name of the Wind, so that sealed the deal.  (There’s a review on that book from 12/20/2009.)

There’s not much left to add.  Brandon Sanderson is doing a Q&A over at Goodreads on the Fantasy Book Club about Warbreaker.  I’m currently using 443 MB (5%) of my 7409 MB Gmail space.  Reading about the atomic bomb’s effects on Japan are heartbreaking.  I didn’t even think The Blind Side looked good, but I guess since it’s a “true” story and stuff it must be?  Why’s it making so much money?  I’m so excited for Lost’s final season to start up in February.

Yeah.  That’s about it.  Maybe something else tomorrow?  Maybe, possibly, even some musing.  People say she’s crazy she got diamonds on the soles of her shoes…

My Reading List: 2009 Edition

It’s the time of the year where Top 10 lists and Favorite lists are popping up, and this is certainly true in the blogosphere. In many ways, this will look very similar to any other favorite list you may look at, but this is the only one that reflects my personal opinion.

I thought I read more books than I did during this past year. In total I’ve read 55 books, but there may be some that I have forgotten, as I didn’t start my list until halfway through the year. I did not include a few books in my stats (children’s books). If you’re interested in the complete breakdown of data and to see every book I’ve read this year, follow the link here. Otherwise, the data in this post may suffice for general perusal.

Data

Oldest Story: The Shadow Over Innsmouth, by H.P. Lovecraft, published in 1936
Number of Audio Books Read: 7
Number of Library Books Read: 33
Number of Read Books Published in 2009: 8
Number of Books Forsaken: 1 (Dan Simmons The Terror)
Number of Different Series: 15
Number of Different Series Finished: 6
Total Number of Books Provided by Publishers: 7
Most Popular Author: Brian Vaughan (Y: The Last Man series)
Most Popular Publisher Read: Vertigo

As you can tell, I’ve read quite a few graphic novels. I’m not really sure how to approach this method of storytelling. Graphic novels aren’t technically a genre, but a medium. So If I charted the technical genre breakdown it would look something like this. While I really enjoy graphic novels, are they on the same level as a traditional novel? Furthermore, how many reads do they count as, especially if they’re a collection of trade collections (I’m looking at you Absolute Sandman)? For me and for my data, I counted one book as having one cover and back, regardless of how many individual comics were inside.

Even this second graph isn’t without flaws. It’s too difficult to keep books restricted to one genre, as many of them cross several genres. Is Star Wars fantasy or sci-fi, or is it simply a genre by itself? Is an alternate history book with magic fantasy, historical fiction, or mystery? There are too many discrepancies with limiting myself to one genre, but I have tried to appropriate my reads the best way I could.

Favorites

Below are my favorite ten reads from the past year, with links to my reviews. They aren't really in order of my liking, as each one has its own merits and awesomeness. Some reviews are combined for the entire series (Mistborn, Sandman), while others are typical reviews. All are spoiler-free.

1. Mistborn: Hero of Ages, by Brandon Sanderson
2. Absolute Sandman Volume 4, by Neil Gaiman
3. Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson
4. The First Law: Last Argument of Kings, by Joe Abercrombie
5. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
6. The Book Thief, by Mark Zusak
7. Mistborn: Well of Ascension, by Brandon Sanderson
8. The First Law: Before They Are Hanged, by Joe Abercrombie
9. The First Law: The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie
10. Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson

Out of these books listed, only one of them was actually published in 2009. While I’m sure there were a lot of new and exciting books released this past year, I spent much of the year reading older books and finishing college. I did want to read Best Served Cold, by Joe Abercrombie, but I didn’t get around to it. I also intended to read Bill Willingham’s Peter & Max, as well as Fables Volume 12, neither of which made it onto my reading pile this year. And I have Ken Scholes Lamentation (thanks Krista) to read, but no time for it, either. I started Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker just a few days ago, but I won’t have it done before the end of the year. Once again, to see all the books I read this year, follow this link to the Google Document.

Overall I felt that this was a great reading year for me. I discovered both Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie, two bright and shining voices for the world of fantasy. Mistborn was hands-down the most exciting fantasy book series I read, and I’ve found myself recommending it to many different people. I literally tore through the concluding volume of the series. And Abercormbie’s First Law books were fast-paced and terribly fun. Two books outside the typical genre—Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and The Book Thief—even made it onto my top ten favorite reads, and both of them were superb. I’m still excited about Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and I hope to see more from Susanna Clarke on this story. The Book Thief was definitely the most emotional, heartfelt story I read, and I likely will revisit those pages, too, one day.

For 2010 I’m looking forward to another good year of reading. I fully intend on reading through the Wheel of Time novels, hopefully getting caught up before Sanderson & Jordan’s next installment comes out. I hope The Wise Man’s Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss, comes out next year, as well as George R. R. Martin’s antepenultimate ASOIAF novel, A Dance With Dragons. Who knows, maybe Sanderson will release his new work, too, and my brain will explode. I hope to read some more steampunk books, and maybe find another alternate history or two, as well. I also plan on reading The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, and hopefully a few other “Classics,” like 100 Years of Solitude, Crime & Punishment, and Alice in Wonderland. And there’s still Jim Butcher to get into… Sigh. Too many books to read.

Writing Wednesdays tomorrow. Another sort of year end conclusion post coming Thursday. Remember to visit your public library and to frequent local used bookstores. Just give ‘em a wink and tell ‘em I sent ya.

Warbreaker, a review (spoiler-free)

It is no secret that I am a Brandon Sanderson fan. I loved his Mistborn series, and his standalone Elantris was also a thrill-ride. I may be a bit unfair towards Sanderson, but I’ve set the bar high for him and his work, and somehow he still manages to come through.

Warbreaker is an interesting and highly entertaining tale that I can easily recommend for the hardcore fantasy buff, the fledgling bird in the genre, or anyone looking for a story that’ll keep you turning the pages. Vivenna is a beautiful, proper princess that has been engaged to the God King of Hallandren since infancy. This marriage is to end the growing tensions between the small nation of Idris and the pagan lands of Hallandren. Siri, the youngest daughter of the Idris royal family, is an obstinate trouble maker, spending her time doing whatever she pleases. Soon the time comes for Vivenna to be off to T’Telir and wed the vile God King, but not everything goes as planned…

Lightsong the Bold is a Returned god of Hallandren. He spends his days idly drinking and eating, getting into verbal conundrums, and trying to convince his high priest Llarimar that he is not a god. Despite his attempts, the people still worship him, petitioning to him and offering him elaborate gifts in hope of receiving a blessing. Something happens in the Court of Gods and Lightsong becomes fascinated, searching for clues, and stumbling into something greater…

Vasher is a mysterious and powerful figure. A strong Awakener, he never lacks Breath. His black sword, Nightblood, is even more mysterious than he is. Vasher’s intentions are only known to him, but it’s clear that he’s after something grand…

The weaving of characters, ethnicity, and religion throughout this book was gracefully done and masterfully written. The religious system involving colors was unique and completely believable. Like metals were to Mistborn, colors are to Warbreaker, and I found this fascinating.

Though I really enjoyed the book, there were parts that I found tedious and eye-rolling. For the most part, I did not like the character Lightsong. His constant banter and flippant mannerisms had me bored from early on, and I wish this character would have been developed a bit differently. Sure, some of it was funny, and most of it was very clever, but I grew bored of constantly listening to him whine/speak.

In the end, Warbreaker was a great book to read and finish off the year with. By the time I reached the end, I really wanted more pages to read, and that is a good thing. While not up to par with Mistborn (few things are), it was better in some ways than Elantris and worse in others. (That is not to say that Elantris is bad by any means.) If you’re looking for a thought-provoking, entertaining fantasy novel, Brandon Sanderson’s Warbreaker is it.

Random Bits and Pieces

6 Christmases, 2 funerals
1 banjo
Star Wars Clone Wars Season One
Lost Season 5
An awesome Beatles book
2 re-mastered Beatles albums (Sgt. Peppers & Abbey Road)
Candy, clothes, and gift-cards
Lots of Star Wars stuff
Lost 1 game of chess to Todd
End of the Year Favorites tomorrow

Weekend Special: Current thoughts on Warbreaker

This post will definitely contain spoilers.  If you’ve not read Brandon Sanderson’s Warbreaker I would strongly urge you to skip this post. 

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I am currently on Chapter 36.  Wow.  That’s really about all I can say right now, especially considering the events that just happened in the previous chapter.  All along I’ve really liked the mercenaries, but I honestly have to say I suspected something like this.  Definitely not exactly like what happened, but that they were more sinister than they appeared.  I still wonder about Denth’s past.  I’m looking forward to Vivenna learning how to use her Breath.

I’m really curious to learn more about Vasher, too.  There have been only a few short pages devoted to him and it’s driving me crazy.  Is he bad?  Is he good?  Is he apathetic?  What the heck’s up with that sword?  All in due time I’ll find out, I suppose.

I really like the turn of events for Siri and Susebron.  I find their relationship sweet and enjoyable, and I’ve laughed a bit, too, at the God Kings’ naïveté.  I’m not sure what will happen to Susebron and I don’t know how to guess.  Hopefully he doesn’t die.

Lightsong is still getting on my nerves, though not as much as earlier in the book.  I still think his character is really weak and annoying.  His quest to learn more about his past is slightly interesting, but his involvement with Blushweaver is eye-rolling.  So is Blushweaver, for that matter.  I’m sure the Returned will play a crucial part in whatever is going to happen, but so far I could care less for any of them.  If Lightsong would just stop acting like an immature, flippant, uncaring person then I’d be happy.

I like the mystery and secrecy with all the priests and servants, too.  Not sure really what’s going to happen with them or who to trust, but I pretty much don’t trust Scoot.  Surely he can’t care about Lightsong.

Anyway, these are my thoughts.  If you’ve read the book, chime in.  If not, I hope you didn’t read this post and that you aren’t reading this paragraph.

Weekend Special #5

Back in July I started a Weekend Special post series. The purpose was to generate book discussion, or to share your thoughts/musings on whatever you're currently reading, writing, or working on. Of course, this also allowed you to see what other people were reading/writing/working on, thus giving you a chance to comment, too, if you so chose. So, in remembrance of that old time, I give you another Weekend Special.

Feel free to add your own current thoughts. And remember, if you're posting a spoiler, please mark it appropriately.

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I'm currently reading Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker. I've had this book setting on my shelf for a very long time, just waiting patiently to get to it. I'm on page 171. These are my current thoughts. (Beware, if you've not read the book, you may wish to not read my thoughts, as they could possibly contain spoilers.)

Vahr: I know very, very little of him still. The prologue was very exciting, and Nightblood has me intrigued. The last thing I read of him was that he was spying on Vivenna at the Court of Gods. I suspect the sword is somehow related to the Colors and the religions, possibly as an anathema or a talisman.

Siri: I feel a bit sorry for her, but I think she's headstrong and smart. I suspect she'll get involved with Lightsong somehow, or that the servants will involve her in their plots.

Vivenna: She definitely loves her country and her sister, though her formality and training puts her at a disadvantage to Siri. She'll likely cause problems in T'Telir.

Lightsong: His flippant and carefree ways are slightly aggravating, yet I can tell he has a heart. Perhaps he will eventually sacrifice himself to heal someone (maybe even Siri or Vivenna?), as it's evident he has problems with his deification. I hope he eventually gets serious, or I fear I may tire of his character.

Susebron, the God King: I am most intrigued by this mysterious figure. He's present on nearly every page, yet Sanderson has barely described him at all. I want to learn more about him. Is he more than what everyone says he is? Is he a Lifeless? Does he care about Siri? I am eager to find out more about him.

So far, I really like the way religion is a playing factor in the world. Of course, I expected this beautiful, logical system from Sanderson. I particularly like how well, how colorful, Sanderson's writing is, and his descriptions of colors are fresh and simple. I like the concept of Breath, and I look forward to discovering more benefits of the Heightening stages.

So, truly, I've not said much. I've voiced a few of my suspicions and a few of my impressions, but I've said nothing of substance. All in all, I'm looking forward to reading more of this book and seeing if Sanderson can keep up his awesome reputation. (I'm sure he won't disappoint.)

The First Law: The Blade Itself Review (spoiler free)

I finished reading The Blade Itself last night. The novel had a lot of hype and acclaim, and so I was expecting great things from it. Fortunately, I was not mislead, and I closed the book with a profound sense of excitement and curiosity.

The Blade Itself is the first book of The First Law trilogy. Written by UK author Joe Abercrombie, the book is a realistic, brutal and bloody look at the fantastic. The book starts with Logen Ninefingers fleeing from a group of Flatheads, and I was hooked from the get-go. Logen gets separated from his travelling group and each assumes the other died. He continues on his own. The next character introduced is Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta, a crippled torturer with a dark past. The torture scenes from this book are bloody, but deeply enjoyable. Glokta is charged with getting to the bottom of a conspiracy by any means he sees fit. Enter Bayaz, the First of the Magi. He's a name everyone in the Union knows, but he's a legend, not a real person. Or is he? Finally, Jezal dan Luthar is a Captain in the army, born of high and noble blood, and training for the annual Contest, dreaming of glory and honor.

There are more characters in the novel, making fun and entertaining chapters to read and reflect on. Dogman. Ferro. West. Too many to write on, but they all have a roll to play in the plot. By the end of the novel it almost feels like this book is just an introduction or prologue to what is to come.

Abercrombie hints at magic, but nothing too deep. He writes of the First Law and the Second Law. He talks about the Shanka and the Eaters, never fully describing them, which is unsettling and immensely entertaining.

The writing style reminds me of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The use of profanity and vulgar words are frequent, but not over-the-top and do not detract from the story. Keeping the "magic" as a mystery is also like GRRM.

My favorite character is probably Glokta, but I'm equally intrigued by Logen. I can't wait to see where this story is going, especially for these two. Hopefully I'll get my copy of Before They Are Hanged soon. Overall, The Blade Itself is another reminder why the fantasy genre does not have to be boring and cliche. People like Joe Abercrombie, Pat Rothfuss, and Brandon Sanderson are breaking boundaries and re-defining the field. I can recommend this book easily to you, but be warned, it's brutal and will hook you in, kind of like the way a torturer's blade may pull your intestines out and have you screaming for more.