Title: The Hero of Ages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Series: Mistborn #3
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 556
Published: 2008, Tor Books
My Grade: 5 out of 5

GOODREADS’ DESCRIPTION

“Description contains spoilers for previous book in the series”

Who is the Hero of Ages?

To end the Final Empire and restore freedom, Vin killed the Lord Ruler. But as a result, the Deepness—the lethal form of the ubiquitous mists—is back, along with increasingly heavy ashfalls and ever more powerful earthquakes. Humanity appears to be doomed.

Having escaped death at the climax of The Well of Ascension only by becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will allow him to save the world. Vin is consumed with guilt at having been tricked into releasing the mystic force known as Ruin from the Well. Ruin wants to end the world, and its near omniscience and ability to warp reality make stopping it seem impossible. Vin can’t even discuss it with Elend lest Ruin learn their plans!

MY REVIEW

It’s impressive that Brandon Sanderson manages to write a trilogy where all the books are so completely different, yet still hang together and continues the story flawlessly. Where the first one introduces this world of the Final Empire in a very captivating way, the second offers a story that takes a 180 turn when it comes to content and the third is just miserable and hopeless all the way through. Like how will Vin and Elend fix this?? I was prepared for a sad ending. And it kinda was. But I also felt satisfied with it. And it was a happy ending. I don’t think I was very excited to start the next trilogy that takes place 300 years later, but now I am. I want to know what will happen in the future.

I can’t really write anything without spoiling and I’m trying to keep all my reviews spoiling. At the end of book one, you think there shouldn’t be any more books. At the end of book two, you rethink the whole series so far. And at the end of book three you understand the whole picture and want to know what happens next.

I did find it a bit confusing with two very similar story arcs going parallel. But that was about it.

Sanderson is great at revealing things after a while without you having any clue about what will come. You get surprised all the time, because information comes from nowhere but it totally makes sense once you get it. It’s really a delight! 5 out of 5, highly recommend! 😊 

Title: The Well of Ascension
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Series: Mistborn #2
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 578
Published: 2007, Tor Books
My Grade: 5 out of 5

GOODREADS’ DESCRIPTION

“Description contains spoilers for previous book in the series”

The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler—the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years—has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.

Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.

As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

MY REVIEW

The Well of Ascension was different in so many ways from The Final Empire. Well, not in writing really, it is the amazing same, not when it comes to world building either. But content-wise, focus of the story and pace differ a lot.

After finishing The Final Empire and that incredible ending, I just had to know what happened next. Yes, you learned what happened next, them trying to figure out how to rule a kingdom while being under siege from not one, not two, but three armies. What disappointed me a little bit honestly, was that we didn’t get to learn anything of the lord ruler. The first 90% of the book was all about politics, not much action. Things still happened, the story went on, it was easy to follow (not like some other fantasy that focuses on politics, George RR Martin for example). It was captivating and on a good enough level of complicated. One thing Sanderson managed to keep interesting was situations where you as a reader could be certain of the outcome, but somehow he managed to make the opposite and super u likely outcome seem logical. It’s like he’s manipulating us with his writing. It’s amazing!

Sure, war is something happening, but as soon as that 90% part of the story was over, it was like a new book. Those last pages and how it all ended. It was even worse than the ending of The Final Empire. The ending made you rethink the whole first book. That’s a feat!

I cannot say anything else than that Sanderson is my new favorite author. This was the second book of a trilogy, the pace is supposed to be naturally slower. But it builds up suspense, you never know which direction the story is going which the ending clearly show. For a “journey” mid book, it’s good. It’s really good! Easy 5 out of 5. Please read this series if you haven’t already! It kind of feels like I’m the last one to find out about this amazing author, haha!