The Way of Kings Pt. 1: What's with that beginning?

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson is a book not for the faint of heart with the total page count sitting at 1,280 pages. Categorized as an epic, high-fantasy novel, it is the first of the ten book series, The Stormlight Archive. Because it is such a large book, many fans of the series hesitate to suggest it as the first of Sanderson’s books to read, preferring to recommend Mistborn, Elantris, or Warbreaker because readers become engaged with it more quickly and they are not nearly as long. Yet, most people I have talked with about Sanderson’s works agree that The Stormlight Archive is his magnum opus. So, why do people not recommend it first? Well, the beginning of the book is vastly different from other high fantasy novels in that it has four different beginnings: a prelude to the series, a prologue for the book, a chapter from the point of view of a side character, and then a chapter from the main character’s point of view. 

Why would Sanderson start his book in such a complicated way? I believe that each chapter presents a view of the fantasy world, Roshar, from differing degrees that zoom in the more it progresses and prepares the reader for what is to come structurally. 

The Prelude

In the prelude to the series, written in limited third-person following a man named Kalak, readers see that a difficult battle has just concluded between three different species of people. Kalak and another man, Jezrien, speak of returning to a place of endless torment now that the battle had finished. Yet, they are abandoning a contract of sorts because they cannot endure that torture anymore (Sanderson 15-18). To a reader unfamiliar with the series, this section is very confusing. Worldbuilding descriptions, terms—such as "thunderclast,' "Dustbringer" (15), and "cycle of Desolations" (17)— and the situation is not explained in the prelude as readers are treated as an insider to the story. When a reader is treated as an insider to the story, the narrator of the story does not explain the things of the fictional world because it is assumed that the reader is already familiar with the world or will discover the world as they are reading.

However, what the prelude provides for new readers is the tone and type of story they are about to read. The tone is straightforward and serious, displaying the adult fantasy genre by beginning with the bloody aftermath of a war. Kalak describes the horrific scene: "Moans of pain, cries of grief. They did not seem like the sounds of victory. Smoke curled from the occasional patches of growth or heaps of burning corpses" (15). The display of war and death clearly sets this book forward as one that will be exploring adult themes and topics. Additionally, that the prelude does not explain what is going on or the unfamiliar terms, suggests that the reader will be required to figure out the world and perhaps some plot elements for themselves as they continue reading; a quality commonly found in adult, high fantasy novels.

As for the type of story, new readers come to quickly understand that the issues that the characters are facing in the prelude seem to be on an entire world scale rather than an individual scale. Both Kalak and Jezrien use language, specifically the phrase "this time" (15, 16) that imply they have been fighting for millennia, that something is going on in this fantasy world to keep them fighting despite their pain and agony. Such phrasing suggests that whatever these two characters are facing affects all of this fantasy world. Then, readers can conclude that the story they are about to read will be about the entire world rather than just one character's experience in it. Even the fact that the prelude is only a few pages seems to suggest that we are getting a small glimpse into a large world problem that will be explored later in the book and series. And, as readers come to this conclusion, they will expect to see many points of view of the world, effectively teeing up the change in perspective in the prologue.

Summary

The prelude, while confusing for new readers, effectively sets up the tone and type of story that The Way of Kings will be in only a few pages.The high fantasy book is a popular one despite its unconventional beginning as many returning readers find value in the prelude after understanding the story better, and Sanderson himself thought it was important enough to put in the book. However, for us creative writers, what can we take away from the prelude?

Just as was discussed earlier, whether you are including a prelude for your series or simply a prologue for the book, the first few pages will need to display the tone and type of story you have written. That can be accomplished with the language, topics/themes, and whether you are treating your reader as an insider or outsider to the world you have created. If you have a moment, review the three-and-a-half pages and write down every thought or question you have while reading. Use your collected reader responses to determine what information is valuable and needed to understand the beginning and what you feel will be forthcoming as you keep reading. I believe you will find that the essentials are there as well as crumbs to keep readers wanting more.

A word of caution though: yes, the prelude to the Stormlight Archive is confusing to new readers (that is why many suggest to skip it and begin reading in chapter two), yet, while reading, it feels like the the author is withholding information that will be revealed later rather than keeping his readers in the dark for dramatic affect because he himself does not know the answers. Everything within the prelude makes sense and is consistent with other descriptions, terms, and plot elements described later in the book and the series. Sanderson was clearly very prepared with an outline for his story before writing the prelude. Be aware of where your story is going, what it needs, and how the prelude can support it rather than hinder it. Perhaps consider writing the prelude after you have finished writing your novel.