The way of kings

I can understand why this is one of the most popular fantasy series in the world.

The Way of Kings is a worldbuilding masterpiece. Its characters are rich and internally complex, their stories are fascinating, and their motivations compelling (even when you disagree with them). The single exception to this is the Shallan arc.

This is not because Shallan is a bad character, but because she's a decent character surrounded by great ones, and because it takes too long for her arc to connect to the main story.

I highly, highly recommend reading this book, and most of this author's other works.