Reviews

The Hero of Ages, Part 3 by Brandon Sanderson, Nathanial Perry

the_nekomancer's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

fableheaven's review against another edition

5.0

This is brilliant.

erebus53's review against another edition

4.0

This is a review for parts 1, 2 and 3 of the GraphicAudio version of The Hero of Ages, book #3 of Mistborn.
CW: earthquakes, eugenics, sadism, ultra-violence

This third part of the saga deftly provides backstory (retcon?) for some of the most irritating "flaws" that I found in the earlier books; an explanation as to how plants exist without flowers and why people aren't just all dead because of toxic pollution. Some of the stuff about genetics is a little problematic.. talking about "better" races and things always gets my hackles up. There is some real philosophical silliness, as the characters struggle to find absolute Truth, and religious Faith in a world where the audience has absolute proof of divinity. (I could quote Douglas Adams..)

This story arc gets bleak. There is environmental ruin, and yet more lore as more secrets of the past are uncovered ("there is always another secret"). The world building is pretty cool. At no point of the story do I ever deviate from the conviction that this should be a video game. The rules for the magic forces are a lot clearer than in many stories that I have seen. It's not science fiction, it is mystical fiction.. but the theories are fairly internally consistent. Right up to the end of the book you are still trying to figure out how any of this will possibly be salvageable.

So if you like fluffing about in politics, ethics, and religious philosophy, sprinkled with a touch of battle, and cinematic-style ultra-violence (and some soft-serve romance for padding) then this could be your bag. I do have a soft spot for prophecy stories, but it's the world building and character interplay that's holding it together for me, along with the odd, cute little reveal that ties sub-plots together in pleasing ways. I'm still not sold on the tiresome combat stuff, but as a whole... the world is more-ish.

lethologica_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

kadu_1516's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

phoebejeziel's review

5.0

SO. MUCH. CRYING.

Heart breaking.

Perfect.

Hero Of Ages Full Review

vintaer's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0