Sick Week Reading: The Way of Kings

After my busy time last month finishing up Starship Pinafore and then heading into a tour of Irish folk music, I thought I should I take a little sabbatical, and rest for a week before moving on to some new projects. After some further thought, I decided I would follow Placido Domingo’s mantra instead, “When I rest, I rust!”, and just keep plowing along.

Well, my body decided differently for me. This week I came down with my first cold for a long time, and it’s knocked me down pretty badly. I’ve been on a forced break(although I think it was probably a good idea in the first place). It’s hard to not practice, and I keep staring over at the piano longingly, but I’m letting my voice take it easy while I ride this cold out. In my next post, I’ll talk about the new project I’m working on (and hopefully get some video footage up as well!). Today, I’ll be a little divergent, and talk about one of my other great passions: reading.

As those of you who are close with me know, I am an avid reader. Ever since I got my Kindle, this addiction to reading has only become more intense. Recently, I even discovered an ingenious way to read my Kindle in the bath. Yes, I’m that obsessed.

One of my favourite genres is fantasy literature, and lately I’ve been reading a lot by a relatively new writer on the scene, Brandon Sanderson. I was first introduced to him when he took over The Wheel of Time series after its original author, Robert Jordan, passed away. I was instantly hooked. Sanderson not only took over a huge series with a massive fan following with great elegance, he also, in my opinion, elevated the series even higher with his fast, energetic prose. I could not put these books down (and that’s a bit of a problem when the books exceed 1,000 pages each).

A couple weeks ago I picked up one of his newest books, The Way of Kings. It’s meant to be the first book in a new series (I believe there are a planned 10 entires, over all). The story is captivating right off the bat. The prologue to the book is one of the most exciting introductions to a story that I’ve read in a long time. I don’t want to give anything away, but Sanderson proves how masterful he is at writing captivating action in these first few pages.

The next thing worth mentioning is the incredibly original world that Sanderson has created. The environment is almost a character in itself. Brutal storms that occur regularly have caused this world to evolve much differently than our own - plants hide inside rockbuds, and even water collects a stony sediment that has to be drained out before drinking.

The circumstances surrounding the main characters at the beginning of the book match this as well. Kaladin, a former warrior who has been doomed to slavery, faces an upward battle at the beginning of the novel (and actually, throughout most of it). Shallan, the other major character we’re first introduced to, is also overcoming some incredible burdens to attempt to aid her ailing family. It’s tough at first to endure these characters’ hardships, and I think that is also a testament to Sanderson’s writing. I felt for both of them right away, and my need for things to get better for them kept me hooked. Things get even more interesting when we are introduced to Dalinar, a high prince whose recent visions are causing him to doubt how both himself and his society at large function.

The book only got more compelling as I kept reading. The real climax of the book is almost 200 pages long (the book itself weighs in at over 1,000), and I ended up awake past 2:00 am one night, unable to put the book down until it was finished. The fact that Sanderson could keep that level of intensity throughout so many pages shows again what a talented writer he is. And the ending was incredibly satisfying. Most of the plot lines were resolved, but enough was left open to keep me anxiously awaiting the next book.

Although I’ve been sick and unable to practice, it was pretty great getting to indulge in my other passion this week. I highly recommend checking out The Way of Kings if you’re interested in a new fantasy series that is way different than anything you’ve read before.

I will be back in the practice room soon, and be posting here with some more news and videos. I hope April is treating you all well!