The Way of Kings - A Spoiler-Free & Spoiler Review | 2 To Ramble #28

[@jimwilcken7168]

When I finished this book I texted my brother saying that I just read a thousand pages, basically nothing happened, and somehow I absolutely loved it.

[@2ToRamble]

😂

[@jamesalexander958]

I just finished it, and I agree about nothing happening. I don't know how it's enjoyable. The middle 800 pages felt like I was reading the same thing over and over

[@juancamilocalvache451]

I don't have the feeling that nothing happend My feeling is "A lot of things Happend and this was just the freacking introduction".

[@TheParaxore]

I felt like a ton happened as far as character progression was concerned.

[@jamesmontgomery7074]

This is how I always describe "The First Law" books. It's like Seinfeld. Nothing important happens it's just a view into the lives of some of the most entertaining characters fantasy has on offer.

[@xeno5217]

My shout moment was when dalinar saw kaladin and Bridge 4 fighting and holding off the army and him saying "that's the most admirable thing I've ever seen." Finally giving them recognition and value. Teared the fuck up mid battle

[@chmrz]

"Dalinar gaped, lowering oathbringer with numb arms. That little force of bridgemen held the bridgehead, fighting desperately against the parshendi or trying to force them back. It was the most amazing, most glorious thing Dalinar had ever seen"

[@Kvh47]

@@chmrz literal goosebumps when I read that. best part of the whole book.

[@PokeJoshNY]

Just finished the book for the first time, I shouted both when Kaladin spoke the second ideal and when Dalinar traded Oathbringer for the bridgemen

[@Akwyndor]

"Storm it, we have to go back." I stood up and shouted, "Yeah!". I almost threw the book because of the emotion.

[@ettuShaggy]

Just finished my first reading of The Way of Kings! It was so good. The first thing I did was come back to this video to watch the spoiler section!

[@2ToRamble]

Hell yea - welcome to the journey!

[@GenericName0042]

53:31 For the worldbuilding, the thing is, there IS a history for it. However, there's two things to consider: 1) a lot of knowledge had been lost through the Desolations, which set humanity back thousands of years. 2) A lot of it simply isn't relevant to characters to just...tell the audience. The safe-hand thing IS actually explained, but only to Kaladin, briefly, because the other characters (Shallan, Dalinar, Adolin, Navani) already KNOW it. They don't HAVE to have it explained to them. Like...I know I personally don't go around thinking about the history of the sandwich, I just eat a sandwich. The characters aren't going to be thinking about aspects of the world every time they appear. In that, I think the book is actually MORE realistic for it, because all of that history is in the background, except for when characters are trying to find things out.

[@GetmanTheGod]

I don’t get the Shallan hate. I loved her in this book. In fact there was a moment during one of the parts that I was like, “I wonder what Shallans up to”

[@2ToRamble]

Fair!!

[@Jaminri]

I think the history question is answered in later books and maybe even addressed in this one. The desolations were coming more and more often and so they lost progress. After the final desolation they were finally able to begin progressing again, but at that point they were basically back to the Stone Age. Look at real human history. The Stone Age lasted 2 million years and we have no written record of it. The Bronze Age finally started 5,000 years ago and even that we barely have fragments of. It’s mostly just artifacts we use to reconstruct that time with some basic written records like hieroglyphs.

[@seani5428]

thank you for saying this, when he was talking about how there's gaps in the history i was screaming "BECAUSE OF THE DESOLATIONS"

[@my_username_was_already_taken]

Also like Austin was trying to point out, there was the Sunmaker conquest, the Hierocracy, the Shin Invasion. Only one of them is really talked about in the first 2 books, because it was relevant to be introduced, but I think it'd unfair to criticize the first book on a 4000 year history gap when there's already SO MUCH of the current world that readers need to learn about, AND the flashbacks from thousands of years ago. To try and inform readers about all of the history that happens between 4500 years ago and present day, seems like a bit much to ask.

[@jamessullivan1227]

Solid podcast. Love the passion. I recently finished the first three books and glad I found your channel. Cabbage!

[@patrickfitzgerald4005]

Yeah I don’t get this history guy, the false desolation, the heralds and what the been doing the three Illuminati esque cults, the sun maker the hierocracy. Where the unmade are, reading the letters and other content in the chapter starts

[@CoffeeMan678]

the point of the book where i loved the most (didn’t stand up and cheered but teared up in joy) was when Dhalinar gave up his shard blade for Sadeas’ bridge man. I loved it cause it was the first time Kaladin ever saw a light eyes fight for him. it was an incredible moment

[@Yanman93]

"Why do Vorin women have their 'safehand' covered?" This was raised in the video, as an argument that a few things in this world are not explained, and don't seem to make sense, but are just thrown at you. Am reading Words of Radiance at the moment, and Shallan gives the answer to that (page 365): Tyn: It's just a hand, Shallan. [..] That hand looks exactly like your other hand. Shallan: A lot of women have breasts that aren't much more pronounced than male ones. That doesn't make it right for them to go out wearing no shirt, like a man would! Our society has some norms that "we just do", and we don't necessarily understand their origin. You may consider something "indecent", but that doesn't make it objectively indecent. For example, something one culture considers incident, another doesn't. I agree however that ideally in the world of Roshar we'd like an explanation from a culture's POV on some of the cultural norms, but we have to remember that, even in real life, not always do we have an explanation about why we do things the way we do. "It's just is".

[@gazelkaxd]

There is a reason behind this traditions but im not sure if it was hinted in books or it's info from interview

[@sheronimakaroni3426]

i dont think its good answer on that question lol

[@nogoodhandlesavailable]

I enjoy it when things just are in stories. It makes them somewhat more authentic.

[@carlsczepanski]

​@sheronimakaroni3426 it is though. It may be randomly decided or there may be some reverence to the hand based on something in the forgotten histories. In the US, it used to be very slutty to show your ankles. It then switched to the knees where courtesans would put red powder on their knees. Now it's mainly like the breasts. In Middle Easter countries, women wear hijabs. Propriety changes in society and is sometimes weird. Stormlight is no different.

[@Jo-Heike]

I don't thing this is an argument for Roshar's world building being better, I think this is an argument for Earth's World Building being bad, I mean, if a women have breasts not looking that differently from male ones why can't she show them (at least in Western Culture, been to Africa).

[@bubsyoutube]

You guys put me on WOK. Saw a vid of y’all saying WOR was the highest rated on Goodreads. Had to check it out…now my life is high fantasy. Finished all the Stormlight, Mistborn Era 1, Warbreaker, and now on Tress…I am a changed man from Sanderson and y’all were the catalyst. Thank you thank you

[@2ToRamble]

Lets go! Love to hear it, fantastic that Sanderson hooked you. Same exact thing for us 🤝

[@crash3s693]

Guys... really. Sanderson's world building is shallow? That is way, way beyond absurd. Sanderson's world is built with so many layers and intricacy... I am not aware of any other author that is comparable in that regard. There are plenty of reasons given why the cultures on Roshar are the way they are. Much of the Alethi culture is a result of the religious schism that was the recreance and how that event is remembered. It resulted in a very strict societal structure with a rigid class system and very defined roles for each member in that society. To nitpick that the genesis of a specific social norm like the "safehand" is not explicitly explained is silly. The real point is that it (and the strict roles of men and women) fit exceptionally well to a society of that nature. I would argue that the somewhat arbitrary nature of this social construct (safehand) was very much intended by Sanderson. The comparison with Tolkien is very funny. In the Lord of the Rings practically NOTHING is explained. Hobbits just are the way they are, same for Orcs, same for Elves and so on. While Tolkien's world was created with a lot of originality, at the same time it is very, very simplistic. There is good, there is bad, and very little in between. And no, having separate works of literature (the Silmarillion for one) does not compensate for that. There is a reason that all that exposition is not done in the LOTR and the same is true for Sanderson's work. Your basic argument that Sanderson is using relatively straightforward prose so the world building is also rather simple makes no sense at all. Those are two different topics. I have the feeling that your objection to the worldbuilding is mostly rooted _in the way_ the world is explained, and how organic that feels to you (and this is an argument I can somehow follow), but again, that is not really the wordlbuilding itself, that is about how you feel it is communicated to you.

[@hitsduda]

When i got to the point that he said “shallow” i about fell off my chair lol good lord such a wild take

[@scottbruckner4653]

I'm gonna be real chief. when I have my copy of the stormlight worldbook in my mitts, I'm going to pour over it to make sense of the shit I've read so far.

[@th3_patch]

The book took a lot out of me to read and listen. However, I slowly fell in love with these characters and would constantly think about reading the next chapter. Dalinar was my favorite character throughout and I yelled "Let's Go!" when Kaladin leaped off the bridge. Great review guys!

[@brettmurray2473]

Very similar story to you guys. This is where my fire for reading was rekindled. Now I have the leather bound and 2 shelves full of read and unread books. Never looking back, it is still to this date the most I've connected to a book. Everything about it hit me at the perfect time.

[@2ToRamble]

Amazing!!

[@rhettdw144]

This sanderlanche is definitely my favorite in all of stormlight, thanks again for putting me onto the books!

[@2ToRamble]

❤️

[@gawys28]

Left guy's analysis about the world and cultures is probably the most interesting thing i've heard a person say about stormlight

[@jonsadenwasser4246]

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SHALLOW?!” - This was a perfect layup for Richie to go out and say “In the sha shallow…” ugh

[@connorslocum9327]

Read First Law now, the way Abercrombie flips fantasy tropes around is siiick.

[@2ToRamble]

This is absolutely on the to be read list - it will be read, we promise! Most likely going to have an episode on it as well 👍

[@miklein01]

My CABAGES!!!!

[@farazr2]

I agree with the guy on the left on his critiques. The words in the book felt secondary to the plot rather than part of it. There were so many instances of repetition throughout the work that felt redundant, and the specific prose in many instances felt lacking. Many characters winced and regarded each other. Similarly, the world-building was either a litany of facts and terms put into your face, or just chalked up to lost history. Overall the work was still very enjoyable, binged it in a few days. But not a definite recommend to everyone for me, 9/10.

[@jazduh4638]

I did the exact same thing I would count how many pages or chapters until the next chapter about kaladin but I loved the books and read them all so fast. I stood up out of my chair and cheered during the duel in the second book

[@kate3082]

Cabbage 🤙 I would probably rate prose and dialogue separately so I don't know how to feel about that, but your worldbuilding interlude had me cackling. This must be the first time I heard someone call Sanderson's worldbuilding shallow 😱Richard really woke up and chose violence and I can respect that 😂

[@Akwyndor]

I had this book on my shelf for over a year. I don't remember why I bought it to begin with. Couldn't bring myself to start reading again after waiting for over a decade for TWOW to come out. Finally started reading it after a crazy storm took out my power for a few days. I think that this book helped lead me away from the brink. Almost done with Rhythm, then going back to the beginning of the Cosmere with Elantris.

[@MrDman60644]

I started this video a month ago, when i started the way of kings. Today i came back to this after finishing the book. I fell out of reading when i was in high school (about a decade ago now), and i have found my passion reignited with the way of kings. I can see why Sanderson is held in such high reguard now. Im so excited to start words of radiance now, and i am swearing to myself i will be caught up by the time the fifth book is out and i cant wait to experience it with you guys, who kept me going with all the high praise you guys give this series. Best moment for me? "One more thing, im bangin your mom"😂😂

[@2ToRamble]

That is a top tier Stormlight moment 😂

[@philm.pinyan811]

I incorporated some of the Rambler review scale into my own review system, which contains a category weight aspect, and this is the score I came up with: Setting- 8 World (Lore)- 6 Character- 7.5 Plot- 9 Mechanics- 6 Emotional Impact- 10 Final Score: 7.92 Great discussion on this one, guys! Your perspectives are insightful.

[@chloefoster2429]

Found you on tiktok like 2-3 months ago and have read mistborn era 1 and stormlight books 1-2. Loving all the cabbage

[@2ToRamble]

❤️

[@brunaportela4234]

the one on the right really represents me, he reacts the exact same way I do when someone says stuff like "sanderson's writing is not flowery enough" or like "you could cut out some chapters in TWOK and it wouldn't matter".

[@malcolmhodnett8874]

Those world building critiques sound more like nitpicks. Canonically the history of the world is fractured due to the desolations and we would only learn more as the characters we follow learn more but they haven’t yet

[@anndroid5147]

Maybe it's just the artist in me but Shalan being a living camera hooked me. She takes photos so much like a modern camera right up to catching spectres in her drawings without even realizing it! I feel like that ability plays into her powers a bit, and it definitely seems more than just photographic memory. I just finished the first book,so... onward!

[@timsteinhiser713]

Cabbage I agree with you guys on various points and just like you this is what got me back into the fantasy genre.

[@storky1456]

One thing that's really interesting listening to the audiobook and hearing people say different characters names who read the paperback and comparing the translations is pretty great

[@2ToRamble]

We are so bad at pronounciations 🥸

[@storky1456]

@@2ToRamble nah you guys are great, keep up the great work

[@2ToRamble]

@@storky1456 ah appreciate it!

[@xamsenoor1351]

@@storky1456saDAYus

[@Lezzyboy87]

The lack of tech progress is a story point though, hence the quick technical advances in mistborn

[@ASHLEY.397]

Cabbage! You guys are becoming my new favourite Book tube reviewer

[@2ToRamble]

Thankyou 😄😄

[@zachskii]

Been waiting for this one. Great work guys! Currently on the last 100 pages of Words of Radiance. The journey has been incredible!

[@2ToRamble]

Awesome. Let us know what you think of the book. We will be continuing the reviews for the whole series.

[@absolutedesi5899]

As a character I like Dalinar, but his overall plotline in WoK felt a little boring. But he has one of the best character moments. The part where he takes a warhammer and starts doing the slave work while thinking to himself is one of the most epic moments and it does not have any fighting at all, whenever I think about that part, Dalinar's theme instantly starts playing in my head

[@2ToRamble]

I (Austin) forgot about that moment! There’s so much to love in Stormlight - Is Kal your favorite overall?

[@johnnymcjohnson1373]

7:24 I’m about half way through WoK rn. I don’t agree with the criticisms. I wouldn’t say there’s too much exposition or not enough action, however it does feel a bit meandering at this point, all the plot threads and characters are super intriguing and I’m enjoying reading it but there’s very little overarching plot to grasp onto so far, like there’s no real goal yet other than the characters personal current struggles; Kaladin wants to save his bridge crew, Dalinar wants to find out why his brother was killed and unite Alethkhar, Shallan wants to save her family. All of those perspectives are fun to read but I have moments where I’m like ok but why are we learning about these characters?

[@DerekAGilbert]

It’s interesting to only have listened to the book and heard the narrators pronunciation of names, and then hear the way others pronounce the names in their head. Just finished the book yesterday. Great review thank you.

[@WraithGamingonYT]

LETS GOOOOO!!! My Week is finally compete!!!

[@2ToRamble]

You have a very short and early week sir.

[@tristanwood8696]

you kept talking about 4,000 years ago but that was the end of the last desolation the first destination was about 10,000 years ago and in between now and the last destination the recreance happened which reset Society again. the first book also talks about how the Church change and destroyed a lot of histories to match their beliefs before they were deposed from power.

[@FalsePositiveMinecraft]

I'm only 1 minute into this episode, and I already relate. I've always loved fantasy, but when I was younger I used to love reading and writing. In the last 2 years I decided to take it up again, and I started with The Way of Kings. I've read the first 3 books in the Stormlight Archive, it is indeed my favourite series of all time thus far. I definitely attribute my continued reading adventures to it. So excited to hear you guys ramble about these books as I don't really have a friend group or anything else to share my love of this series with. EDIT: Cabbage

[@2ToRamble]

Ahhh glad you’re here! Series is amazing - journey before destination, cheers!

[@isadoratoledo822]

Thank you Austin for being as shocked and protective of the story as I was watching! I felt represented 😂

[@2ToRamble]

😁😂

[@LeonC0704]

on the world building aspect... I get what Austin is saying. but Game of Thrones is a great example of this. You are also focused on the specific characters, and you still get a ton of the deep history. InTWOK, Jasnah was THE PERFECT character to do the heavy lift with the worldbuilding. When she is teaching Shallan, she could have quoted past events and wars, etc. in order to show that history, but it didn't happen

[@1ts7ust7osh]

If they adapt Sanderson I'd want an animation like gibli movies for books like tress and the emperors soul

[@megamcee]

Cabbage indeed. I do get the points that were brought up, even if I haven't read Tolkien to compare Brandon's writing to

[@Jay100.]

I don’t know how I’d live with myself if I hadn’t picked up a Sanderson book back in 2020. I read mistborn first and my life was forever changed.

[@kwanzafrank2902]

The first law is amazing, only book series that can hold a candle to A song of Ice and fire

[@2ToRamble]

A First Law review seems inevitable!

[@kwanzafrank2902]

@@2ToRamble no clear protagonist, every single character is gray, and the world is so gray that the story being told doesn't really need a protagonist

[@lukasa6374]

Rating dialogue really depends on what you want from it. Readability and nice one liners like in stormlight or more flowery deeper dialogue like the way of the wind or the prince of nothing

[@nancyhinkul]

Just finished the book and came back for spoiler part. It was absolutely amazing, I loved every single page (it was my first book by Sanderson)

[@BadTakeRisan]

I just read this book and I finally get the hype / love ppl have for fantasy. I've read some good fantasy before that I've enjoyed but they never clicked like this did. Shout out to Sando for such an interesting book. Shallan was definitely dragging down the rating tho. I agree with Rich there. It didn't help that her chapters were so long in the middle. But man, the Kaladin/Dalinar chapters were perfect! And that ending GODDAMN. All three POVs had satisfying conclusions / cliffhangers. I'm actually looking forward to Shallan's upcoming story arc now. Hell of a book. 8/10!

[@alicepina1012]

I read recently, and I can't wait to read the next ones, in my country they are still translating the books and I am super excited to read every single thing in this series. And about the last part of the book, I also cheered out loud hahaha and got chills all over my body. Loving your guys videos.

[@2ToRamble]

Thanks a ton!

[@jakewoods5325]

Dialog, i see both sides of the coin. There's a time and place to be fancy and poetic in my opinion, perhaps when a character is reading something dated and historic within the story so it feels that way to the characters, maybe when a character is telling a story and being Witty. To me the direct dialog between characters makes the people and conversations feel real, because to us people dont actually talk that way, so it actually keeps us, the reader there with the character. Some small side characters do feel a bit similar, and some interludes do feel odd to me pertaining to this story directly, but i think they're going to be very necessary to the overall story throughout the series

[@b3n835]

That's crazy I was a huge reader growing up and way of kings got me back into reading as well! I'm caught up on cosmere and on book 12 of wheel of time

[@brendandangelo715]

Way of Kings is my third favorite Stormlight Book... I think? I'd rate them 4>3>1>2. I seem to be alone in not liking book 2 :-/ EDIT: The way I read the big gap in history is that... they were in a literal dark age and all the history has been completely forgotten. The world had been so devastated that until only a thousand years ago things hadn't gotten better at all.

[@2ToRamble]

Oh that is uncommon, but we respect it !

[@KyleBotha-zh3ve]

I have just finished this book and OMG I absolutely loved it!!! Thank you

[@guilleyo161]

Am I really the only one that finds kaladin whining tedious? Yes, bridgemen have it hard. You don't need to tell me every paragraph. Also, the Tien flashback didn't do it for me. Loved the book tho.

[@BIGDORF]

Cabbage!!! Richard’s story is the same as mine, I walked into Barnes and noble, picked out this book, and the rest is history! Got me back into reading and it was such a fantastic choice. Can’t wait for Wind and Truth!

[@rodrigo3732]

Agreed with basically everything. Book 2 is my favorite so far. I am halfway through oathbringer and honestly i am not liking it as much. The Dalinar flashbacks are great, but i am finding the present story a bit slow. Lets see if the later half of it pays off, cause i heard book 3 is a lot of peoples favorite.

[@2ToRamble]

It is BOTH of our favorites - I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! But let us know after you finish the read. We’re curious!

[@ZachTaylorReads]

Push through Oathbringer! The ending is classic Sanderson Avalanche!

[@MrChria5k]

Cabbage!! Finished this book last week and I still can't get it out of my head. Currently binge-reading warbreaker so I can go into book 2 ASAP. Awesome discussion guys, the world building part was really hilarious 😂

[@2ToRamble]

Thanks for watching 😁. Enjoy your Stormlight journey!

[@dark_xcaliber_7183]

Cabbage was great. 1:13:38 glad you made it😂

[@holdenpop12]

I did make it to the end #cabbage, and I love the passion 😂 I just finished this book last night, and it really was epic just like everyone has said. Dalinar is the absolute man! SPOILER My fist pumping moment was definitely when Dalinar gave up is blade for all the Bridgemen. “Strength does not make one capable of rule, it makes one capable of service”. Truly was great to see him both live up to his morals/ideals, while not being selfish as he knows he can be. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@vednair7951]

Was in a reading slump for a while, this book and wanting to watch this review made me finally put in the time to read. - cabbage

[@briannak.wealder3556]

7 month late cabbage! XD I'm catching up on all the vids on your channel since I've discovered it. ;D

[@2ToRamble]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@haabjosh]

I just finished TWOK and came here with the exact same energy Austin is carrying. Richie, how DARE you have a negative thing to say about this book 😂 also, cabbage, of course.

[@2ToRamble]

You tell him 😂😂

[@LuzzyStef]

Cabbage for real you guys are great all around good discussion I see your point of view how it’s only an eight but I also empathise with “cool guy” because I could tell for him it’s perfect it’s like a crush there is nothing wrong with it (also for me) and then bald guy it’s a good book but he doesn’t agree with you fully and your so enthusiastic so he’s trying to bring it down a bit

[@mix-jk3ys]

So true about shallan chapters. i was okay with her in the first chapters, then came part 3, where kaladin chapters were really good, and shallan was still thinking, should she steal or no and kaladin was judged by the damn storm thank god she was poisoned so we can finally have interesting thing in her story then there came her last chapters which were good but yah overall her chapters were the most boring i wish if they were shorter i understood in the end if the book that her importance is for the next book but still for that book she was boring and kaladin past was boring it was too damn long and not necessary

[@toledodiazkatyaandrea6148]

I LITERALLY JUST FINISHED THE BOOK AND CAME TO THIS VIDEO, can’t wait to hear your opinion guys!

[@2ToRamble]

WOO

[@davidhayes6491]

I'd read Way of Kings so long ago, that listening to the spoiler talk portion of their video actually felt like spoilers. I so need to read it again before going on to book two. But, I agree - slow burn. Great World. Great characters. Great Sanderslide. Must read recommendation.

[@2ToRamble]

Oh definitely - So many details get lost with time - Im forgetting a bunch as well which on th bright side makes a reread so mich more enjoyable

[@MrGryndor]

Do not agree with Kaladin and depression . I would say its more trauma and survival anxiety than depression. Of course someone being an bridgeman would think their life is worthless. Kaladins story is more like having the strength of doing what is needed while exhausted and being a guiding light. The only reason Kaladin had that was because of his special abilities.

[@Kat-gp6gj]

Which book are you up to? Because his depression is less obvious in the first book because of his shitty situation, but it becomes a lot more apparent later on.

[@MrGryndor]

@@Kat-gp6gj They are talking about the first book. Once again its not depression. They misrepresent both the book and the mental disorder. Going so far to mention its clinical depression. Once he have a stable life and this trauma will haunt him for life. I might agree with the statement. But its not true for the first book. And therefore said in bad taste.

[@Clockwork0nions]

Coming to the series and this review way late, but on the subject of length I definitely agree that Way of Kings is too long. The first thing I said to my wife after reading it was "this could have been about 300 pages shorter".

[@theuntimelyhippo7232]

I just finished The Way of Kings for the first time 3 days ago. I’m curious at the history thing. I wonder if vorinism struck what ever happened from the radiants leaving to present day and Mabey even re-wrote some of history to reflect what we see in the way of kings, for example light eyes being superior to dark eyes, everyone accepts it. But the in universe way of kings suggest the opposite, or atleast that light and dark eyes are more equal. Especially in the epilogue when we find out Taln is a dark eyes. We believe the radiants betrayed mankind but we don’t know why just the vorinism says so

[@houstonnoah9954]

I’ve been watching your guises videos for a while now now I really enjoy your content and your perspective on things also cabbage

[@2ToRamble]

Thanks so freaking much much

[@sallbanjoman1790]

all hail the cabbage, and i am very new to the channel!

[@CurieBohr]

Great video to watch while sipping hot cabbage soup.

[@2ToRamble]

🫡🫡

[@smith8672]

I dropped name of the winds because I started reading the way of kings. Was close to the end of it but bridge 4 sucked me in. Now I'm looking to buy basically all his books starting with mistborn

[@Jo-Heike]

I don't feel like the world building is shallow, I feel like someone made a deliberate effort to obfuscate history, particularly in regards to the heralds, I also feel like a lot of history was either not written down, or was destroyed/lost. I feel like the next part of my comment touches more on stuff revealed in book 2. Another important aspect is that the final desolation was supposedly the worst, and came just a short time after another one, and each desolation knocked technology and culture back to the stone, or bronze age, only the heralds bringing knowledge of technology with them, and the humans being able to become radiants made them able to fight back the voidbringers, and barely so, and even after they got pusshed back there's still remnants, evil spren, the nine, and all that. There was also the false desolation, not to mention waves of conquest, including Shin invasions, the Church trying to take over the continent, and the Sun Bringer. We're also following some of the most warlike people on the planet, you have to ask yourself what would they prioritize writing about as a culture.

[@kaneframe5357]

The Shallan philosophy chapter(Jasnah kills 4 goons) and the Wandersail chapters are underrated in my opinion.

[@thewingedserpent5823]

if the portrayal of depression with Kaladin impresses you then I would want you to check our March comes in like a lion. It's a Manga about a boy who plays shogi but the shogi is really just a tool to explore characters and it's not a shogi manga the way Slam Dunk would be a Basketball Manga. I like to think of it as a Manga about how different people deal with the shit that life throws at them and it's beautiful. You could also watch the anime instead of the Manga because it's amazing too.

[@Antondepadua]

I freaking love this book so much. I'm starting WoR today!

[@2ToRamble]

Woo!

[@drunken_eagle4119]

Just started my reading journey really enjoy yalls videos. Oh and cabbage.

[@2ToRamble]

Thanks so much - journey before destination!

[@kylebuonomo2557]

Man I held off reading this book for so long mostly just cause I felt like I wasn’t prepared, but I just couldn’t stop when I started 🦦 I enjoyed dalinar a lot but honestly none of the plot lines felt as entertaining and grounded as kaladins so I was counting the pages to his chapters every time 😭

[@julianmeza8061]

Please do a Words of Radiance pod cast we are waiting! Stormlight is going to blow up y’all need to be ready!!

[@2ToRamble]

You commented at the perfect time! Words of Radiance podcast is coming out next Monday

[@samuelhartman6086]

Just finished TWoK 20 min ago…. Wow!

[@2ToRamble]

Yep. Yep. Yep.

[@sideshowb.a.b.s.8913]

This was also the book that got me back into reading

[@2ToRamble]

🤝

[@Jo-Heike]

The Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific, and is the deepest point on the surface of Earth, but I can't comment on average ocean depth in either ocean. Edit: Cabbage.

[@davehaynes9136]

Im halfway through the book. This is my 3rd time trying to get through it. Its soooo slow compared to The Mistborn Trilogy. I keep waiting for something to happen. I met Sanderson at a Con this year. He signed my copy. So Im committed to finishing it, but its a tough read

[@2ToRamble]

If you get to finishing we’re super curious to see if it pays off for ya!

[@tuckerrogers9598]

Not my Cabbages!!!!! Really enjoying you guys. Keep it up!!!

[@2ToRamble]

😁 thank you!!

[@dominick4687]

How ironic that Sanderson liked Rings of Power

[@piirns]

Cabbage. But one thing I wanted to mention was the pronunciation of Jasnah’s name, I think it is something like “yas-nah” at least going by how it is pronounced in the audiobooks. 29:41

[@2ToRamble]

Youre right, we were very bad at pronouncing here!

[@montanafisher8996]

I know this video is so old, but i will say that the lack of history for the last 4,500 years is that The Heirocracy went through and re-wrote history, unless you're referring to scripts outside of Vorin Doctrine, which are viewed as heresy, lunacy, or something of the like to our main cast. The same thing happened in Europe several times, and between desolations and the dissolution of the Heirocracy, the loss of knowledge is explained CABBAGE

[@XBullitt16X]

way of kings is my favourite of the stormlight archive so far, but I would agree the worldbuilding is ok, but for sure could be better.

[@christopherdyer2046]

Cant wait for the book 4 deep dive sooo much of that book satisfied in me questions and concerns in ways i wouldnt expect and added new things i need to know more about

[@2ToRamble]

I can't wait as well. I (Richard) personally loved the greater detail of mechanics in the magic system the 4th book brought. Navani quickly becoming a favorite.

[@gwennakeckler1021]

Cabbage 😂 can’t believe you’re hating on Brandon Sanderson’s world building Richard

[@2ToRamble]

😂 Say it louder!

[@makarivannikov1068]

Cabbage. I just read way of kings. Its my first Sanderson book outside the mistborn series. And i loved it. Its so long but i enjoyed every page. My favorite character is Dalinar he is so awesome, so cool. I don't have a problem with world building, i think its great for ONE BOOK. And chapters with Shallan were the least interesting, but they are still great chapters. So right now Way of Kings is my most favorite book.

[@2ToRamble]

Well said!

[@IzzyZil20]

Way of Kings is one of my favorite fantasy books of all time and the sequel is even better

[@emileerowlex]

just finished this book and loved it so much!! Only thing to fill the void until we get Red God😰

[@mattlobenhofer2955]

Cabbage and the first video of yours I’ve seen. Looking forward to checking out your other stuff too!

[@2ToRamble]

Thanks a bunch!

[@austonhavok9011]

Been waiting to watch this video for a month while I read the book all for me to click on it and hear Rich say the worldbuilding is shallow. Insane.

[@2ToRamble]

You tell him 😤

[@jackmoorhead5871]

You guys are the best.

[@brendenmcevoy8114]

2 years later and I say cabbage baby. This book kicks ass.

[@2ToRamble]

🔥

[@achaes1371]

I've listened to this book on audible 4 times. Love it

[@iviwarkivi2579]

Cabbage!!! Loved the rant y’all

[@2ToRamble]

🙏

[@jonathancody4003]

This was a fun review.

[@jbukenya80]

I just finished the Wheel of Time series and needed to jump into another series ASAP. I was introduced to Sanderson's writing of the last 2-3books of WOT. So jumped onto this series. So now I am on like chapter 42 of WOK. Baby, I can't stand Dalinar's damn nephew King. I just can't stand his lil' punk a$$. I do enjoy the story line and the prose of writing.

[@2ToRamble]

😆 - definitely need an update when you finish the book. Need to see your reaction to a certain scene!