The Way of Shadows By Brent Weeks - A Book for Older Teen Boys

I am a fan of dark fantasy fiction and this cover was what sold me on this book. It looked like the kind of story I'd like to read and was a trilogy. I purchased the trilogy as audiobooks from audible.com and have listened to the series twice already.


 In the first novel we are introduced to Azoth a homeless street kid trying to survive in a cruel, dangerous world where death is around every corner. He is a scared little boy who wants to find safety in being strong and feared by those around him. In his world, men like Durzo Blint are respected, feared, and strong.

Durzo Blint is a Wet Boy, the ultimate assassin and Azoth wants to be just like him.


First book in the trilogy, The Way of Shadows
Second book in the trilogy, Shadow's Edge
Third book in the trilogy, Beyond the Shadows

From the Author's Website: 

The perfect killer has no friends. Only targets.For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art. And he is the city’s most accomplished artist, his talents required from alleyway to courtly boudoir. 

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he’s grown up in the slums, and learned the hard way 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.

A book for older teen boys and 20 something men. 

I like how this book is from the viewpoint of characters that are considered immoral in their career choices and yet are shown to be moral in their own way. In most cases more moral than those who should be moral and kind. Characters have an internal struggle between what they want and what they must do to survive.

If you are looking to buy a gift for a boy who has strict parents or Christian parents, this is NOT the book to buy. There is swearing, adult content, violence, and immoral choices. I am not the kind of parent who protects her children from taboo subjects and uncomfortable relationship conversations and as I was listening to the book I did not feel that the content was appropriate for my 13 year old daughter to hear.

I would say it's a new adult series and not a YA series because of the adult content, especially in the other two books.

As a start to a dark fantasy trilogy, The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks is a good read. I listened to it twice and probably will listen to it again. I liked the character Durzo Blint and if I was a young woman I'd probably fall in love with the character Kylar. My favourite character was Mama K though, with her strength, class, and independence. I can identify with her hardened heart and the pain she keeps hidden from the man she loves.

Shannon Peel is the author of THIRTEEN, a coming of age story about a boy, his single mom, a cop, and an invading army all set in modern day Canada.  What if you woke up one morning to the sounds of gunfire? What would you do? Could you survive without power, communications, or transportation? Shannon Peel asks these questions in her debut novel, THIRTEEN.

Click to find out more about her book for boys.  

Click to find out about Thirteen