The Hero of Ages | Brandon Sanderson (9.5/10)
'I am, unfortunately, the Hero of Ages.'
You know, I had a review planned. I had a very well versed format I was going to adapt. Things I was going to write, like chapters in a book. Halfway through the book, that changed. 80% through the book, it took a shape of its own, one I was kind of hesitant to write about. But then came the final part.
Trust.
And I guess that pretty much sums up this book, and my experience with it. It was a thing of beauty, the way the story flowed. I had my doubts about where the plot would go. And for the most parts I was right. Though I will admit, those two deaths at the end . . .
For a long, long time I despaired about fantasy books being too lenient to their characters, being too forgiving. You know what they say, seek and ye shall find, one of little faith. In a way, this book taught me more about religion, about the very essence of there being so many, about the importance of having faith. Especially when things seem dire.
I had things planned, thought that I would need to say. But, after turning the last page, I found that there is nothing much to say. Safe: this book did something, fixed something in me that I didn't even know needed fixing - the passion and urge to read. To actually live in a world. I think somewhere along the way, with books becoming more and more about just furthering the plot, they seem to lose their humanity, their very essence somewhere in between. This book made me feel as full of hope and wonder as a certain fifth episode had done last december.
Did I think it was perfect? Absolutely not. Did I feel the ending a bit rushed, yet strangely at the same time, not? Yeah. It was a bit all over the place and the pacing was a bit odd, even if it all tied perfectly towards the end. In a way, the parts of Sazed needed to play out as they did, for the Hero of Ages to appear. But it still felt a bit . . . disjointed.
And do I still think the first book was better? Absolutely. Not by the country mile, or anything crazy. Just a little bit more . . . cohesive. Though when looking at it from a whole trilogy sort of way, this one was far tightly packed.
I guess what I am trying to say is this: I came a bit hesitant, like the first bud blooming to a sky previously drenched in rain. And as I closed the final page, and beheld the sun in an everlasting blue sky, I smiled a little thing of relief and hope. For a better tomorrow.
So, if for no other reason than this: thank you for reminding me again what a joy it is to immerse myself enough into a world to want to devour it front to back, and come out the other side much better for it. It’s been a wild ride, and though I know not whether I will continue with era 2 as of now, the journey this trilogy took me in, will remain with me awhile.
And that is after all what it means to have read a good book.