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webz 's review for:
The Hero of Ages
by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.25 stars. This book was great. I do feel a bit of emotion because I did cry at the end seeing Vin and Elend’s bodies holding hands. It felt like a good kind of cry though as they are finally at rest. This book reminded me of how much I normally enjoy Sanderson’s works. Oathbringer just was not it for me but Mistborn is still amazing as a series even with the middle book being a bit too slow paced to me. So onto random thoughts:
Getting back into this book felt like getting back to a familiar and well loved story. I didn’t realize I felt that was about the Mistborn series but I now know I do. The fight scene at the beginning was really satisfying just because of how epic it felt.
Towards the end of the story, around 70 percent, the book started to feel like a warm hug. This is what I am used to reading from Sanderson.
One question I have is Marsh dead? Will he appear in the next part of this series despite it being set 300 years in the future or will he more appear in the novellas surrounding this series? What happened to him? Now that Ruin the person (not the power) doesn’t exist, maybe he will finally be free to just live as a person not controlled by Ruin.
Also, I do find it pretty satisfying that Sazed ends up being the new god of this world. I love his character so that is fine by me. Of course none of the main characters survive (although Sazed is probably considered a main character at this point) but that is what it is. At least it is nice to hear they are happy in the afterlife. Would have been nice to hear about Tindwyl in the afterlife but I am sure she is happy and fine too.
I like that in the end Spook actually was essentially chosen by Kelsier which was definitely Spook’s wish.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
Again, Elend felt a health respect for these simple skaa. Though he lent them bravery, the determination was their own. These were good people.
Page 241
Vin:
“Change is looming. Eventually no one, including Yomen, will be able to ignore it. You hate change. I hate it too. But things can’t stay the same—and that’s well, for when nothing changes in your life, it’s as good as being dead.” She turned to leave.
“They say you’ll stop the ash,” the old man said quietly from behind. “Turn the sun yellow again. They call you Heir or the Survivor. Hero of Ages.” Vin turned her head to look through the traitorous mist toward the man with his pipe and closed book. “Yes,” she said.
“Seems like quite the destiny to live up to.”
“It’s either that or give up.”
Page 271
“Have fun dancing with our enemies,” Ham said…
Page 526
“Faith,” Spook said, “means that it doesn’t matter what happens. You can trust that somebody is watching. Trust that somebody will make it all right.”
…
“It means that there will always be a way”
Page 679
Sazed:
To believe, it seemed, one has to <i>want</i> to believe. It was a conundrum, one Sazed had wrestled with. He wanted someone, something, to force him to have faith. He wanted to have to believe because of the proof shown to him.
…
Was it chance? Was it providence?
In the end, that was up for him to decide.
…
He would believe. Not because something had been proven to him beyond his ability to deny. But because he chose to.
Page 711
<i>
In Ruin’s moment of triumph, when he’s always assumed the kandra would be his on a whim, the vast majority of them immediately switched sides and left him unable to seize his prize.
They were of Preservation all along. </i>
I did cry at the end seeing Vin and Elend’s bodies holding hands. It felt like a good kind of cry though as they are finally at rest.
All in all, this was a great book. I would definitely call it Nobledark (which I am all for when it comes to a fantasy subgenre) and I am really happy with the feeling it left me with. I want more in this world and honestly from this author. This was a ride and it was great to finally get to the end of it after putting this book off for a bit over a year! I definitely highly recommend the Mistborn series, I really don’t think you will be disappointed reading it.
Edit: So I just watched a short on Brandon saying how grimdark is not his thing and that he tried to write grimdark and it turned into him writing of an assassin who finds hope and love. Haha, Vin has made me be way more open to assassin characters honestly. Anyways, that is all.
Getting back into this book felt like getting back to a familiar and well loved story. I didn’t realize I felt that was about the Mistborn series but I now know I do. The fight scene at the beginning was really satisfying just because of how epic it felt.
Towards the end of the story, around 70 percent, the book started to feel like a warm hug. This is what I am used to reading from Sanderson.
One question I have
Also, I do find it pretty satisfying that Sazed ends up being the new god of this world. I love his character so that is fine by me. Of course none of the main characters survive (although Sazed is probably considered a main character at this point) but that is what it is. At least it is nice to hear they are happy in the afterlife. Would have been nice to hear about Tindwyl in the afterlife but I am sure she is happy and fine too.
I like that in the end Spook actually was essentially chosen by Kelsier which was definitely Spook’s wish.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
Again, Elend felt a health respect for these simple skaa. Though he lent them bravery, the determination was their own. These were good people.
Page 241
Vin:
“Change is looming. Eventually no one, including Yomen, will be able to ignore it. You hate change. I hate it too. But things can’t stay the same—and that’s well, for when nothing changes in your life, it’s as good as being dead.” She turned to leave.
“They say you’ll stop the ash,” the old man said quietly from behind. “Turn the sun yellow again. They call you Heir or the Survivor. Hero of Ages.” Vin turned her head to look through the traitorous mist toward the man with his pipe and closed book. “Yes,” she said.
“Seems like quite the destiny to live up to.”
“It’s either that or give up.”
Page 271
“Have fun dancing with our enemies,” Ham said…
Page 526
“Faith,” Spook said, “means that it doesn’t matter what happens. You can trust that somebody is watching. Trust that somebody will make it all right.”
…
“It means that there will always be a way”
Page 679
Sazed:
To believe, it seemed, one has to <i>want</i> to believe. It was a conundrum, one Sazed had wrestled with. He wanted someone, something, to force him to have faith. He wanted to have to believe because of the proof shown to him.
…
Was it chance? Was it providence?
In the end, that was up for him to decide.
…
He would believe. Not because something had been proven to him beyond his ability to deny. But because he chose to.
Page 711
In Ruin’s moment of triumph, when he’s always assumed the kandra would be his on a whim, the vast majority of them immediately switched sides and left him unable to seize his prize.
They were of Preservation all along. </i>
I did cry at the end seeing Vin and Elend’s bodies holding hands. It felt like a good kind of cry though as they are finally at rest.
All in all, this was a great book. I would definitely call it Nobledark (which I am all for when it comes to a fantasy subgenre) and I am really happy with the feeling it left me with. I want more in this world and honestly from this author. This was a ride and it was great to finally get to the end of it after putting this book off for a bit over a year! I definitely highly recommend the Mistborn series, I really don’t think you will be disappointed reading it.
Edit: So I just watched a short on Brandon saying how grimdark is not his thing and that he tried to write grimdark and it turned into him writing of an assassin who finds hope and love. Haha, Vin has made me be way more open to assassin characters honestly. Anyways, that is all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, War
Minor: Torture, Grief, Fire/Fire injury