The Way of Kings is an epic fantasy novel written by American author Brandon Sanderson and the first book in The Stormlight Archive series. The novel was published on August 31, 2010, by Tor Books. The Way of Kings consists of one prelude, one prologue, 75 chapters, an epilogue, and nine interludes. It was followed by Words of Radiance in 2014, Oathbringer in 2017, Rhythm of War in 2020 and Wind and Truth in 2024. A leatherbound edition was released in 2021.

The story rotates between the points of view of Kaladin, Shallan Davar, Dalinar Kholin, Adolin Kholin, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, and several other minor characters, who lead seemingly unconnected lives. In 2011, it won the David Gemmell Legend Award for best novel. The unabridged audiobook is read by narrator team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.

The backstory of the novel revolves around recurring disasters known as Desolations, where monstrous Voidbringers ravage the world and human survival hangs in the balance. To counter the threat, the Knights Radiant (so named for their glowing aura and eyes) battle against the Voidbringers using magical armor and swords known as Shardplate and Shardblades, as well as magical powers. The most recent Desolation, which occurred thousands of years before the main events of the novel, was believed to be the final one, and has become a subject of myth and legend. The Knights Radiant discarded armor and swords which remain as some of the most priceless heirlooms.

The magic of the world is based on "stormlight" from recurring, hurricane force magically powered storms known as highstorms. Commonplace gemstones infused with stormlight are used as mundane currency in merchant transactions, as well as interior lighting at night in wealthy houses and palaces. Many artifacts are powered by stormlight, such as one that convert matter into another form, like stone into grain. Nobility is also based on eye color, blue eyes being seen as the purest royalty due to the association with the legendary Knights Radiant, who had glowing eyes.

The world itself has flora and fauna which have adapted to the common and extremely powerful highstorms. Most animal life is based on crustaceans, many of which can burrow into the ground to survive a highstorm. Plant life is also mobile, in that it retracts into the ground to survive highstorms. Because all highstorms come from the eastern ocean and travel west, the western side of rocks and mountains harbor plant and animal life.

Spirits called spren populate the world and appear in response to the emotions of people and the environment. High wind will have windspren in the form of ribbons of light that flow with the wind and can change their shapes. Suffering from pain will cause red painspren to appear around the wound, and giving a noble, heartfelt speech or completing a hard task will have gloryspren of golden, twinkling lights form a halo around the head of the speaker. Spren are so common that many people pay no attention to them and there are believed to be thousands of types.

4500 years ago ten immortal warriors known as the Heralds were in an ancient agreement to do eternal battle against their greatest enemy, known as the Voidbringers, presumably for the sake of humanity. They would reconstitute into a place of fire and ruin when they died and would eventually be called to battle again. As the battle ended, Nine Heralds abandoned their agreement and gave up their Honorblades, leaving only a single Herald, Taln, to defend the realm.

So far in the future, the Heralds' battle has been distorted from reality, and the Heralds are now worshipped as gods.