The Way of Shadows

**The Way of Shadows** is a 2008 fantasy novel by Brent Weeks and the first book in his Night Angel Trilogy. It tells the story of Azoth, a street urchin who becomes the apprentice of Durzo Blint, the most notorious assassin in the city of Cenaria. As Azoth learns the art of killing, he must also deal with the dangers of a corrupt society, a looming war, and a dark prophecy.

## Plot summary

Azoth is a guild rat, a member of a gang of orphans who survive by stealing and begging in the slums of Cenaria. He lives in constant fear of his abusive guild leader, Rat, who beats him regularly. He dreams of escaping his miserable life by becoming an assassin like Durzo Blint, whom he admires from afar. One night, he witnesses Durzo kill a nobleman with ease and decides to approach him for an apprenticeship. Durzo initially rejects him, but after Azoth proves his determination by killing Rat, he agrees to take him under his wing.

Durzo gives Azoth a new name, Kylar Stern, and a new identity as his servant. He also gives him a Ka'kari, a magical artifact that grants him enhanced abilities and immortality. Kylar begins his training in combat, stealth, and disguise, as well as learning about the politics and history of Cenaria and its neighboring kingdoms. He also befriends Logan Gyre, the heir of one of the most powerful noble families in Cenaria, and Elene Cromwyll, a former guild rat who works as a maid for Logan's mother, Catrinna Gyre.

Meanwhile, Cenaria is facing a threat from Khalidor, a brutal empire that seeks to conquer the world under the rule of the Godking Garoth Ursuul. Garoth is aided by his son Neph Dada, a powerful wetboy who is Durzo's former apprentice and enemy. Garoth also has a secret weapon: the Viridians, a race of green-skinned warriors who can shapeshift into animals and are loyal to him.

Durzo then reveals that he has been working for King Aleine Gunder IX, the weak and puppet ruler of Cenaria, to prevent Garoth's invasion. He says that he has planted explosives in the palace to kill Garoth and his army when they arrive. However, he also says that he has rigged the explosives to kill everyone in the palace, including Logan and Elene, whom Kylar loves. He says that this is necessary to save Cenaria and the world from Garoth's tyranny.

Kylar is torn between his loyalty to Durzo and his love for Logan and Elene. He decides to betray Durzo and stop his plan. He fights his way through the palace, killing Neph Dada along the way. He reaches Durzo and confronts him on the roof. They have a fierce duel, during which Durzo admits that he loves Kylar as well. Kylar manages to stab Durzo in the heart with his own sword, which contains his ka'kari. Durzo dies in Kylar's arms, telling him that he is proud of him.

Kylar then leaves the city with Elene, who has confessed her love for him. He tells her that he loves her too, but that he can never be with her. He says that he is the Night Angel and that he has a duty to the world. He kisses her goodbye and disappears into the night.

## NOtable Characters

* **Azoth/Kylar Stern**: The protagonist of the novel. A former guild rat who becomes Durzo Blint's apprentice and later the Night Angel.
* **Durzo Blint/Acaelus Thorne**: The most famous and feared wetboy in Cenaria. Kylar's master and mentor. An immortal who has lived for centuries and has a mysterious past.
* **Logan Gyre**: The heir of House Gyre, one of the most powerful noble families in Cenaria. Kylar's best friend and ally. A skilled swordsman and a charismatic leader.
* **Elene Cromwyll**: A former guild rat who works as a maid for Lady Gyre. Kylar's childhood friend and love interest. A kind and devout girl who follows the faith of Cen.
* **Neph Dada**: A wetboy who works for Garoth Ursuul. Durzo's former apprentice and enemy. A cruel and sadistic killer who enjoys torturing his victims.
* **Garoth Ursuul**: The Godking of Khalidor. A ruthless tyrant who seeks to conquer the world with his army of Viridians and his dark magic.
* **King Aleine Gunder IX**: The king of Cenaria City. A weak and puppet ruler who is controlled by his nobles and his mistress, Queen Jenine.
* **Momma K**: The leader of the Sa'kage, the criminal underworld of Cenaria. A former wetboy and Durzo's lover. A cunning and influential woman who has connections in every level of society.

## Themes and motifs

* **Assassination**: The novel explores the morality and consequences of killing for a living, as well as the skills and techniques involved in the profession.
* **Identity**: The novel examines how characters change their names, appearances, and personalities to suit their roles and goals, as well as how they cope with their pasts and futures.
* **Magic**: The novel features a complex magic system based on colors, metals, and emotions, as well as various magical artifacts, creatures, and phenomena.
* **War**: The novel depicts the causes and effects of war, both on a personal and a political level, as well as the strategies and tactics used in warfare.
* **Prophecy**: The novel incorporates elements of prophecy, destiny, and fate, as well as how characters react to them.

## World-building

The novel is set in Midcyru, a continent that consists of several kingdoms, such as Cenaria, Khalidor, Ceura, Tyrea, Sethia, Ladeshia, Midcyru Proper, etc. Each kingdom has its own culture, history, religion, politics, etc.

The main setting of the novel is Cenaria City, the capital of Cenaria. It is divided into two parts: the Warrens, where the poor and the criminals live; and the Nobles' Quarter, where the rich and the powerful live. The city is ruled by King Aleine Gunder IX, but he is largely influenced by his nobles and his mistress, Queen Jenine. The city also has a secret power: the Sa'kagé, a criminal organization that controls everything from gambling to prostitution to smuggling.

The main magic system in the novel is based on colors. Each color has its own properties and effects on people's emotions and abilities. For example, red enhances strength and anger; blue enhances intelligence and calmness; green enhances creativity and joy; etc. People who can use magic are called mages or drafters. They can split light into different colors using their eyes (called luxin) or using special glasses (called spectacles). They can then shape the colors into solid forms (called luxin) or use them to enhance their senses or skills.

There are also other types of magic in the novel, such as:

* The ka'kari: A rare and powerful artifact that grants its user immortality and various abilities depending on its color. There are seven ka'kari in existence: black (absorbs all magic), white (reflects all magic), silver (controls metal), red (controls fire), blue (controls water), green (controls plants), yellow (controls light).

## Reception

The Way of Shadows received mostly positive reviews from critics and readers. It was praised for its original and dark take on the assassin genre, its fast-paced and action-packed plot, its complex and flawed characters, and its intricate magic system. Some of the criticisms were directed at its excessive violence and gore, its lack of humor and romance, its confusing and abrupt ending, and its derivative elements from other fantasy works.

The book has a rating of 4.15 out of 5 on Goodreads, based on 164,906 ratings and 5,839 reviews. It also has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon, based on 1,944 ratings and 1,052 reviews. It was nominated for the David Gemmell Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2009.

Some of the notable reviews are:

* "The Way of Shadows is a superb example of how to write a good old-fashioned page-turner that is also a cracking good read." - [SFX Magazine]
* "A riveting debut novel... The Way of Shadows is a dark tale that will appeal to fans of George R.R. Martin and Steven Erikson." - [Fantasy Book Critic]
* "The Way of Shadows is a brutal, bloody, dark fantasy that doesn't pull any punches... Brent Weeks has created an impressive debut that will leave you wanting more." - [SF Site]
* "The Way of Shadows is a disappointing mishmash of clichés, stereotypes, and borrowed ideas... Brent Weeks fails to deliver anything original or compelling in his first novel." - [Strange Horizons]

## Trivia

* The Way of Shadows was originally titled The Perfect Shadow, but it was changed to avoid confusion with another book by the same name.
* The Way of Shadows was inspired by Brent Weeks' fascination with ninjas and assassins since he was a child.
* The Way of Shadows contains several references and homages to other fantasy works, such as The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, The Belgariad, The Chronicles of Amber, etc.

## Gallery

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 an assassin who can use magic