The Way of Shadows (Night Angel, #1)

by Brent Weeks

From NYT bestselling author Brent Weeks comes the first novel in his breakout fantasy trilogy in which a young boy trains under the city's most legendary and feared assassin, Durzo Blint.

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art -- and he is the city's most accomplished artist.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly -- and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins' world of dangerous politics and strange magics -- and cultivate a flair for death.

• ISBN10: 0316033677
• ISBN13: 9780316033671
• Publish Date: 1 October 2008 (first published 1 January 2008)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Little, Brown & Company
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 688
• Language: English

Reviews

[moraa]

Dying well is easy, it only takes a moment of courage. It’s living well that I couldn’t do. What’s death compared to that.

2.5 stars

I have no introduction because we’re not going to beat about the bush for this one.

NICE THINGS:

1. Plot
-well-knit, if I ever needed a phrase to describe it.
-I’m a fan of intrigue and scheming and moving pieces on the board (I’ve said this before) and Weeks did that really well in this (well enough that I had to reread certain passages)
-I liked it a lot, no complaints here

NOT SO NICE THINGS:

2. Cover
-*pinches eyebrows*
-*sighs*

3. Writing
-I’ve only read the first book in the Lightbringer series (and I’ve sang praise for it) but I know what you can do, Weeks. We both know.
-And because that was published after this, I will refrain from comparison.
-But the flashback sequences (I didn’t even think how Rat died was important, good grief) and the jumping back and forth between POVs…
-where’s Nysos, god of the night, when you need things to disappear?

4. Points of view
-almost every character I met had a POV scene not long after.
-characters whose POVs were unnecessary: everyone except Kylar Stern, Doll Girl, Durzo Blint, Mrs K, Jarl and Logan Gyre because that man literally carried this entire book on his shoulders (but I digress)
-still, this already seems like a lot.

5. Character arcs
-big cast=fewer rounded-out arcs (more often than not)
-characters with good arcs: Logan Gyre, Jarl, Kylar Stern.
-notice how Mrs K and Doll Girl – the only women on the previous list – are missing from this one? yeah me too

-Also, the whole Acaeleus Thorne storyline was unnecessary (why couldn’t Durzo just be a good assassin? Did he have to be immortal? Did he have to have some mysterious powers? Did he have to possess some pearl-like thing?)
(I don’t know how to describe a ka’kari or what it does, sorry)

-The Godking Ursuul

*takes deep breath*

I needed a showdown to save this book, to boost interest and get me through, I don’t know, the last 300 pages?! But no, Ursuul didn’t march to war and chose strategy instead.

I don’t mind a bit of strategy but if the other team is using slightly similar strategy too (i.e. they’re on an even plane) then I get agitated, who’s going to make the dumb moves? Who’s going to say fuck it and charge into battle? Someone needed to because I needed that rush.

Instead we got pages and pages of build up and very little pay off.

-Kylar Stern x Durzo Blint
A collaboration (without collaboration)

We got scenes of them fighting (all those learning montages you tuck away in your mind for future reference on how strong a character should be) we got those.

But where was the downtime? What do they do when they’re no assassin jobs? Does someone have a garden? Does someone love to brew tea? Do we have a painter or a reader or a philosopher in our midst?

I wanted a “dynamic duo” kind of friendship between these two and I wanted to see the “just hanging around scenes” (it would have done more for the emotional bond, I think)

Because spoiler alert! he dies in the end! We didn’t have much time to begin with

(also, don't get me started on the "philosophy scenes")

-To Dorian, Solon and Feir, the true triumphant trio (in my eyes): I am truly sorry I won’t get to find out more about you.

6. Themes
-I'm none the wiser after a period of reflection, I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to take away from this.

In conclusion, this book was right up my alley (I have no problem with assassin fantasy and would actually like to explore the sub-genre more) but I didn’t like this enough to continue with the series.

[dandyserendipity]

Dark & gritty. Assassin's, apprentice's & princes. Magic.

[Kate (Blogging with Dragons)]

I had trouble getting into this book. It took me until I was about 40% of the way through (according to my kindle) to get interested. Watching main character Kylar grow into adulthood was boring, but as he got older and became ensnared in politics, romance, and a war--things definitely got more interesting! But what I most enjoyed about the book was the relationship between main character Kylar and his master Durzo. I don't think there are many books or even movies that handle an assassin being taught his craft. It was refreshing to see something other than the cliche of the main character becoming as assassin in order to avenge his family or his master--but perhaps I've played a few too many Assassin's Creed games.
However, that doesn't mean other parts of the book aren't trite. The friendship between Kylar and Logan was very reminiscent of King Arthur and Lancelot. Like those legendary characters, I feel that the friendship can't possibly end well for Week's characters. However I'm indifferent to whether or not their friendship deteriorates and what that might mean for their country at war. All in all, an enjoyable read, but I won't be rushing out to buy the other two installments of the trilogy.

[leahrosereads]

I "read" this for the first time on Audible :). It's a great story to listen to, and the narrator does an excellent job. However, I did pick up the books to read after getting the audio version, because I wanted to have a physical copy of this book.

It's dark, gritty, and has an amazing (anti?)hero, Kylar, that I just fell in love with. Even though he's a wetboy and a killer, he's a good guy. His past is painful, and it made me want to seem him succeed even more.

I just loved this trilogy.

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

I finished the first book in the Night Angel Trilogy, The Way of Shadows and I found it a little difficult to get into. I’ve never really read much fantasy, nor do I really read newer books, so this was completely difficult to get into. Not to say it wasn’t an enjoyable book, it just was a fun and pointless book. I know reading is supposed to be fine but normally I read to learn or expand my horizons. So when I read a book for fun, I feel like I’m missing out on something. The book follows the journey of a guild rat trying to become a wetboy. For those who aren’t too sure what a wetboy is; it’s an assassin; I think the word comes from the term Wet works which the Russians used to refer to a contract kill. The book follows the journey of this wetboy and his consistent struggle with the idea that ‘you have no friends, only targets’. I’m not sure if I will read the rest of the books, simply because it felt mindless to me.

[wyvernfriend]

Durzo Blint is an accomplished assassin, using magic and skill to hunt his targets. Azoth is a guild rat, abused and tormented he seeks a way out before he is broken. He has to turn his back on his past and embrace a new life, full of intrigue and danger.

Yes, it is a debut novel, yes there are moments where it falls down and bit and drags along or makes leaps that have you re-reading the last couple of pages but it lost me sleep!