The Way Of Shadows Brent Weeks Book Review

June 6, 2012

You ever read a book with a WONDERFUL and I mean that with zero sarcasm friend full of intention to joint review the book, but it turns out you are both BIG procrastinators and two years later there is still no review written of the book you read together? Now, I’d just skip reviewing The Way Of Shadows by Brent Weeks, but friends I want to continue this trilogy someday and I am not just going to randomly put up a review for book two without book one to preface it, that’s just weird. So, anyways we decided to read The Way Of Shadows together because I was intimidated by it’s size, but because I ordered the boxed trilogy in one of those Amazon clicking frenzies, but also, the concept is wicked cool and I am always down for epic fantasy.

The Way Of Shadows Brent Weeks Book Cover

The Way Of Shadows

Bear with me and the fact that I don’t have perfect memory recall – because I read The Way Of Shadows two years ago, I am not going into crazy detail mainly because I don’t remember them all. Also, I kind of failed at detailed goodreads updates. The main character of this book is Azoth, a street urchin who lives in a super gritty world on the streets. By a stroke of luck and risk, he ends up apprenticing under Durzo Blint who is a Da Vinci among assassins. Azoth then becomes Kylar Stern and a bad ass in his own right. Of course, lots of other stuff happens, but this is pretty much the main gist.

Friends, I tore through Brent Weeks’ 645 page book in four days – note that is four work days which is kind of a minor miracle. But there were SO many elements I loved — like the gritty and brutal world that Weeks created. Seriously, I LOVE reading about fantasy characters with hard knock lives and how they rise above it. I also LOVED reading about the assassin magic and the training. Kylar Stern totally puts forth the effort to be a bad ass, and I like that kind of perseverance.

Seriously, I can’t believe I just wrote a review for a book I read SO long ago, but friends, The Way Of Shadows by Brent Weeks, first of the Night Angel Trilogy was totally my thing. If you are into long, epic, gritty doorstopper fantasy like I am, you may like this book as well.

Disclosure: I purchased my copy.

Other reviews of The Way Of Shadows by Brent Weeks:

Lit Addicted Brit – “A gritty start to what I know will be a trilogy that I can’t wait to carry on with!”

On A Pale Star – “The plot never feels like it is dragging”

Walker Of Worlds – “There is a lot of grey in this book, in the story and the characters”

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.
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About April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Comments

  1. Jenny says
    June 6, 2012 at 1:29 am

    Oh! I loved this trilogy. A lot! You should totally finish it sooner rather than later. Vi Sovari is amazeballs. I don’t remember if she’s around much in the first book, but she’s completely badass.

  2. Lauren @ Story Bound says
    June 6, 2012 at 7:24 am

    Sounds good! I’m always up for some epic fantasy!

  3. Liesel Hill says
    June 6, 2012 at 8:09 am

    Thanks so much for reviewing this, even a long time after! I’ll definitely get this one. Not only do I LOOOVE epic fantasy, but I’m struggling with a character I’m hoping to write soon that might just be an assassin. Just saying. 😀 I’d love to see how a different author/series handled it. Thanks again!

  4. Lydia/The Lost Entwife says
    June 6, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    Okay, now I’m going to have to check these out. And that’s the last thing I need, another 645 page book. I blame you for making this look so interesting!

  5. Alex/AnimeGirl says
    June 6, 2012 at 10:00 pm

    Wow!! That’s a really massive book!! It sounds pretty good but massive!! And I totally get you on the procrastinating front! I’m very guilty of it 😀

  6. Meghan says
    June 11, 2012 at 11:01 am

    If you decided to write this review two years after you’d read the book, it must be pretty awesome. Adding it to my tbr.

Trackbacks

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    January 6, 2017 at 6:00 am

    […] world building is one thing which sucked me into Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. It reminded me of The Way Of Shadows with how gritty it is. The Red Church which hosts the assassin school uses what’s called […]