 First edition | |
| Author | Brent Weeks |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Illustrator: Calvin Chu Design: Peter Cotton |
| Language | English |
| Series | Night Angel |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Orbit |
| Publication date | October 2008 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback, paperback, and mass paperback) |
| Pages | 688 |
| ISBN | 0-316-03367-7 |
| OCLC | 225870139 |
| Followed by | Shadow's Edge |
The Way of Shadows is a 2008 fantasy novel written by Brent Weeks and the first novel in the Night Angel series.
Setting
The novel is set in Cenaria City, capital of the Kingdom of Cenaria on the continent of Midcyru. Beginning in the Warrens—a lawless slum district—the story expands into the East Side, where the wealthy and middle class reside.
Though Cenaria operates under the guise of a monarchy, true power lies with the Sa'Kage (Lords of the Shadows), a council of criminal masterminds
Plot
The Way of Shadows follows Azoth, a street child who becomes apprenticed to Durzo Blint, the city's premier wetboy—an assassin with supernatural abilities. Assuming the new identity of Kylar Stern, he undergoes years of rigorous training in both combat and magic, particularly concerning a powerful artifact called the ka'kari.
As Kylar masters his craft, he becomes embroiled in a complex political conspiracy involving the criminal Sa'kage organization and a looming foreign invasion. While protecting his childhood friend Elene and navigating court intrigue, he must reconcile his assassin's duties with his moral compass. The narrative culminates in Kylar confronting crucial decisions about power, loyalty, and identity that will affect both his life and the kingdom's fate.
Publication
The entire Night Angel trilogy was published as mass market paperback volumes in October 2008. Since its debut, the trilogy has been printed in more than 14 languages, and has more than one million copies in print. The Way of Shadows was also published as a graphic novel by Yen Press, adapted by Andrew McDonald and Ivan Brandon. Orbit Books published a hardcover 10th Anniversary Edition of the trilogy in November 2018.
Awards and nominations
- 2009: David Gemmell Legend Award (Finalist)
References
- "THE NIGHT ANGEL TRILOGY – LIMITED EDITION HARDCOVER". www.orbitbooks.net. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
- "2009 David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy". www.isfdb.org. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- "David Gemmell Legend Award". Worlds Without End. Archived from the original on 2024-06-07. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
External links
- Official website
- The Way of Shadows title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- The Way of Shadows at Hachette Book Group