What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Way of Kings
Brandon Sanderson · Book · 2014
If you loved The Way of Kings, start with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (George R. R. Martin, 2026) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Way of Kings across media.
What hooked you in The Way of Kings was the way massive, world-altering political and ecological stakes collide with the personal journeys of broken individuals.
Films on the same thread
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Peter Jackson · Film · 2003
Shares a thread with The Way of Kings: Epic Fantasy.
The Way of Kings shares the epic scope of this film, where the weight of ancient orders and the struggle for hope against darkness define the characters' heroic arcs.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Peter Jackson · Film · 2002
Shares a thread with The Way of Kings: Epic Fantasy.
Much like the shifting tides of war in The Way of Kings, this film captures the desperate perseverance of individuals caught within a larger, crumbling world of encroaching shadows.
The Lion King
Film · 1994
Shares a thread with The Way of Kings: Epic fantasy.
The Way of Kings mirrors this story through the lens of a young prince grappling with the heavy mantle of leadership, legacy, and the tragic consequences of deep-seated political betrayal.
How to Train Your Dragon
Dean DeBlois · Film · 2025
Explores: Bridging the Divide, Acceptance of the Other, Challenging Tradition.
The Way of Kings explores the necessity of challenging tradition, a theme echoed here as an outsider defies cultural norms to form a life-changing bond that alters their entire society.
Series on the same thread
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
George R. R. Martin · Series · 2026
Shares 2 threads with The Way of Kings: Political Intrigue, High Fantasy.
Fans of The Way of Kings will appreciate this focus on the internal honor and knightly codes that guide a wandering protagonist through a landscape defined by historical, dynastic tension.
Game of Thrones
David Benioff · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with The Way of Kings: High Fantasy.
The Way of Kings features a similarly grim, militaristic setting where noble houses vie for supremacy while an ancient, forgotten threat rises in the periphery of their fractured world.
House of the Dragon
George R. R. Martin · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with The Way of Kings: High Fantasy.
The Way of Kings explores the slow decline of great powers, a central conflict here as this dynasty faces the internal fractures that precede a catastrophic and inevitable civil war.
The Last Kingdom
Stephen Butchard · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with The Way of Kings: political intrigue.
The Way of Kings highlights the struggle for identity amidst war, which resonates in this narrative of a warrior navigating the clash of cultures and the burden of fate.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Realignment
The Realignment · Podcast · 2026
Explores: institutional change, populism, technological disruption.
The Way of Kings depicts world-building through systemic change, and this podcast offers a real-world perspective on the same institutional shifts and technological disruptions that redefine modern political landscapes.
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
The Way of Kings examines how history shapes the present, and this historical analysis provides the same deep dive into the cyclical nature of power, revolution, and societal collapse.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Way of Kings set on a planet with a unique environment?
Yes, The Way of Kings is set on the world of Roshar. This planet is defined by frequent, powerful storms that have forced the ecology and civilization to adapt. Trees, animals, and cities have all evolved or been constructed to survive the intense, rocky landscape.
How do the storms in The Way of Kings impact the lives of people?
In The Way of Kings, the uncanny tempests are so frequent and powerful that they dictate where people live. Cities are built only in locations where the topography provides natural shelter from the storms, as the rocky terrain offers little protection on its own.
What happened to the ten consecrated orders mentioned in The Way of Kings?
The Way of Kings refers to the ten consecrated orders that once existed on Roshar. The history of the world is shaped by the fact that it has been centuries since these orders fell, leaving their legacy as a central mystery within the narrative.
Does the environment in The Way of Kings affect how plants grow?
Yes, the environment of Roshar in The Way of Kings is hostile to plant life. Because the land is primarily rocky and lacks soil, the vegetation has adapted to the severe weather by retracting into the ground whenever the frequent, powerful storms arrive.