The Way of Kings

Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of Kings. Book 1 of The Stormlight Archive. 2010. 1007p. ISBN 9780765326355.

In this sweeping fantasy epic, Alethela, the most powerful kingdom on the continent is at war with the Parshendi, a nation of strange folks from the Shattered Plains of the Unclaimed Lands. Six years ago, Galivar, king of the newly united kingdom of Alethela, met the Parshendi on the Shattered Plains during a hunting expedition. Similar in many ways to the Alethela's servant race of Parshmen, but bigger and stronger, they sponsored the assassination of the king and claimed responsibility. In response, the ten High Princes led their armies to the Shattered Plains and have been besieging the Parshendi ever since, fighting them on plateaus as each side seek to acquire the valuable gem hearts out of giant chasmfiends. 

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin is brother to the former king, and commands the most disciplined and trained Alethela army. Whispers around the ten war camps talk of his slowly dropping into madness, for every time one of the devastating storm that flows on the continent from east to west he sees visions of the past. Slow to attack, Dalinar has fallen behind in the assaults on the Parshendi, but the visions are telling him he must unite the warring factions in the face of the Devastation that is to come. The storms have become more frequent and more violent.

Kaladin, who was the son of a surgeon, followed his younger brother to war when he was forcibly enrolled in the military so he could protect him. He failed his mission, but soon became an extraordinary squad leader. Slayer of a Shardbearer, a strange armor and weapon from ancient Knight Radiants who once fought against the Devastation, he was sentenced to become a slave so that the Brightlord he served under could claim the armor and weapon for his own. Kaladin finds himself a lowly bridgeman, condemned to serve on Bridge Four's crew. The bridge crews move Brightlord Sadeas' mobile bridges from one plateau to another, so that his army can travel and confront the Parshendi. The death rate of bridgemen is 100%. Against all odds, Kaladin survives, and begins training his own crew of bridgemen to be better than the rest, to increase their own odds of survival. With a windspren named Syl, who seems to encourage him, Kaladin searches for a way out, while he ponders why everything he touches eventually fails.

Shallan hopes to save her family's estate by stealing the Soulcaster worn by a famous scholar, Jasnah, who happens to be the daughter of the former king and niece of Dalinar. But Shallan also hopes to become a scholar, and as she trains under Jasnah, bidding her time to complete the steal, she discovers that the scholar has been studying the Voidbringers, who have been responsible for the last Desolations and the many crumblings of human civilizations. 

With a mysterious Truthless assassin on the loose, and with conspiracy and treachery abounding, it will take more than luck to discover the threat faced by the continent of Roshar.