DeVaughn’s Reviews > The Way of Kings > Status Update

Ooh, I hear this one is amazing!! I read my first Sanderson this summer and it was good.

So far, it is VERY intriguing. I've never read *high fantasy* (unless you can count Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles), so I'm learning how to read this genre as I go, but so far, it is intense and very broad. Which was your first Sanderson read?

I read The Emperor's Soul, it was short and a little less mature than a lot of his stuff but a good intro to his work, I was told! I haven't read a ton of high fantasy, but I'm trying to catch up this year, mostly with Lord of the Rings. I have a friend who says that Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories" is a perfect explanation of the worthiness of fantasy, but I haven't read it myself. I guess we shall see!

I had to read "On Fairy Stories" in both my Fantasy Lit and my LOTR/HP classes in university; it was definitely Dr. Sherman's opinion (and possibly mine as well now that I've read it) that the essay is seminal to the study of fantasy literature.

I am profoundly jealous that you got to take those classes, they sound awesome! I shall certainly have to read On Fairy Stories then!

The Fantasy Lit class was fun (I'd already read everything that was to be discussed, so I was in it only for the analysis and discussion). The LOTR/HP class, though, was a bust, only because the prof was unwilling to listen to hear differing opinions. You can actually watch the lectures: he recorded them all. Just search up Dr. Ted Sherman on YouTube and look for those classes among the playlists on his channel. If you watch the right playlist, you might just hear me talking ad nauseam.