The Way of AWESOMENESS!!!

Eleven year-old street thief, Azoth, has aspirations to be something more than just a petty criminal. He wants to be a Wetboy - an elite group of ninja-like assassins that can use magic. To accomplish this, Azoth decides to apprentice with Durzo Blint, the city's most notorious and dangerous Wetboy. Reluctant to take an apprentice, Blint challenges Azoth to prove he can be a Wetboy by killing the abusive leader of Azoth's thieves’ guild, Rat - a sociopath with a sick interest in young boys. Azoth kills Rat, proving to Durzo that he can kill and thus begins his Wetboy training. The Way of Shadows hooked me from the first chapter, and I quickly became emotionally invested in the story. Brent Week's characters are complex people with believable struggles and varied outlooks. With plenty of action, and superb storytelling, The Way of Shadows feels like a melding of Wizard's First Rule, Mistborn, and Nolan’s Batman. Be warned, however, for this book has a gritty edge that at times is very disturbing and is full of adult content. While there are not really any actual sex scenes, the story is full of sexual references and inferences, and Week's has a weird habit of dropping the F-bomb, so much so that it detracted from the story. If you have a strong stomach, and aren't offended by strong language, then this book is a must-read. A- for The Way of Shadows!