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Legion #1.5
Stephen Leeds: Death and Faxes
From #1 New York Times Bestselling, Hugo Award-winning author, Brandon Sanderson, and co-authors Max Epstein, David Pace, and Michael Harkins comes an audio-first techno-thriller addition to the universe of Stephen (Legion) Leeds.
Stephen Leeds is perfectly sane. It’s his hallucinations who are all quite mad.
A one-man team of experts, Stephen Leeds is a genius of unparalleled mental capabilities who can learn new skills or master entire scholarly disciplines in mere hours. However, these skills come at a price. Stephen must compartmentalize his brain, with each of his new skill sets being held by an “aspect”—a hallucination his mind creates with their own fully-developed personality, life, and limitations. Without these aspects, and the delicate construct of reality they provide for him, Stephen is unable to control his mind and engage with the real world.
So when an unprecedented Internal Revenue Service data breach stumps the FBI, Stephen is brought in to investigate. With the help of his aspects, he must uncover the connection between millions of stolen tax returns, a mysterious hacker named Enoch, a strange, cutting-edge technology that uses soundwaves to transfer data, and a nearly extinct Mesopotamian religion which once rivaled Christianity. What Leeds discovers along the way will reveal the devastating consequences of this new technology, test the limits of his aspects, and lead him face to face with a man hell-bent on vengeance, for which no cost is too high.
Stephen Leeds: Death and Faxes is a new entry in Brandon Sanderson’s Stephen Leeds saga and chronologically takes place between the novellas Legion and Legion: Lies of the Beholder.
Stephen Leeds is perfectly sane. It’s his hallucinations who are all quite mad.
A one-man team of experts, Stephen Leeds is a genius of unparalleled mental capabilities who can learn new skills or master entire scholarly disciplines in mere hours. However, these skills come at a price. Stephen must compartmentalize his brain, with each of his new skill sets being held by an “aspect”—a hallucination his mind creates with their own fully-developed personality, life, and limitations. Without these aspects, and the delicate construct of reality they provide for him, Stephen is unable to control his mind and engage with the real world.
So when an unprecedented Internal Revenue Service data breach stumps the FBI, Stephen is brought in to investigate. With the help of his aspects, he must uncover the connection between millions of stolen tax returns, a mysterious hacker named Enoch, a strange, cutting-edge technology that uses soundwaves to transfer data, and a nearly extinct Mesopotamian religion which once rivaled Christianity. What Leeds discovers along the way will reveal the devastating consequences of this new technology, test the limits of his aspects, and lead him face to face with a man hell-bent on vengeance, for which no cost is too high.
Stephen Leeds: Death and Faxes is a new entry in Brandon Sanderson’s Stephen Leeds saga and chronologically takes place between the novellas Legion and Legion: Lies of the Beholder.
6 pages, Audiobook
Published June 7, 2022
13 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Sanderson
471 books279k followersI’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.
The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.
During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.
During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
March 31, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐
This was a letdown for me. Despite having high hopes, this novella felt boring and repetitive from start to finish. I struggled to connect with any of the characters, as the emotional stakes seemed surface-level at best. Leeds' experiences, especially dealing with his hallucinations in mundane situations, were expressed so many times that it felt like a drag rather than an insightful exploration of his character.
Oliver Wyman’s narration was decent, but he struggled with some of the accents, and the lack of difference between the characters themselves made it hard to stay engaged. This might not be an issue for those familiar with the series, but as a first-time reader of the Legion series, it left me feeling disconnected.
The overemphasis on mundane struggles, like Leeds being forced to fly economy and not having empty seats for his hallucinations, felt like filler. It happened multiple times in such a short book, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes each time. Honestly, this book just felt like a waste of my time, especially after the enjoyment I found in The Original, which Sanderson coauthored. I’m giving this one 2 stars. A definite no for me.
This was a letdown for me. Despite having high hopes, this novella felt boring and repetitive from start to finish. I struggled to connect with any of the characters, as the emotional stakes seemed surface-level at best. Leeds' experiences, especially dealing with his hallucinations in mundane situations, were expressed so many times that it felt like a drag rather than an insightful exploration of his character.
Oliver Wyman’s narration was decent, but he struggled with some of the accents, and the lack of difference between the characters themselves made it hard to stay engaged. This might not be an issue for those familiar with the series, but as a first-time reader of the Legion series, it left me feeling disconnected.
The overemphasis on mundane struggles, like Leeds being forced to fly economy and not having empty seats for his hallucinations, felt like filler. It happened multiple times in such a short book, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes each time. Honestly, this book just felt like a waste of my time, especially after the enjoyment I found in The Original, which Sanderson coauthored. I’m giving this one 2 stars. A definite no for me.
June 24, 2022
Although still a great story, you can tell this was not written by Sanderson and it therefore lacks the Sanderson touch that automatically makes any of his books five-star reads. The romance felt off and unnecessary, and the new characters weren’t as well developed or interesting.
July 16, 2023
'Stephen Leeds: Death and Faxes' (Legion #2.5) by Brandon Sanderson, Max Epstein, David Pace, and Michael Harkins | Narrated by Oliver Wyman.
Rating: 3.25/5.
Review:
As an avid fan of Brandon Sanderson's Legion books, I had wanted to read his newly released 'Death and Faxes' story. Unfortunately, due to the book's audio-exclusive status, I wasn't able to consume it at the time of its release. However, since I recently finished a reread of the original three Legion novellas, I decided to finally give this story a listen [yes, it is still an audio-exclusive story at the time of writing this review].
Unfortunately, I found out that this story is not my cup of tea. I loved the Legion novellas that were written by Sanderson, but this story didn't live up to the high standards set by the original trilogy. Sanderson's Legion novellas were short and crisp, often quick-paced with a balance of sufficient excitement and great detailing. This book, though, felt a little drawn out and lacked all the excitement and wonder that is typically present in the Legion novellas.
While the new co-authors did a great job of capturing Stephen's aspects to perfection, most of the newly introduced characters felt too one-dimensional, underdeveloped, and underutilized. Evelyn, who suspiciously swooped in at every moment whenever Stephen was in trouble, made me believe that the co-authors had some nefarious twist planned out for her (believe me, some of her actions and interactions seem far too suspicious). Instead, she was just introduced to read like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope. Stephen's eagerness to include her in his life seemed far too sudden and out of character. The romantic tension felt off and unnecessary and eventually didn't lead to anything substantial.
I wasn't greatly satisfied with how the book ended, too. Evelyn accidentally bumps into the table, causing the amulet to shatter – what did I even listen to? At least give her some agency and let her destroy it on purpose! That would have added something to her character development. Anyway, it is my headcanon that she lied to Stephen about accidentally shattering the amulet – instead, she bagged it for the government's secret research purpose. That seems far better and more sinister than someone accidentally swooping in and saving the day.
Although the book felt padded with scenes that don't contribute to the main plot or Stephen's character journey, the central mystery was intriguing. The amulet and its scientific implications did seem a bit far-fetched, but even in the original trilogy, the science-fiction elements of the story were a bit too fantastical (although genetic splicing for curing diseases and the use of VR for incarceration is within the realms of possibilities as per the current scientific advancements). With the third Legion novella having established links to yet another Sanderson short story 'Perfect State', I have grown to accept that the far-fetched science elements due exist in Stephen's world due to WODE's interference.
Overall, while I liked certain aspects of this book, I didn’t end up loving it. And since I just finished rereading the Legion novellas, this new story just fell flat for me. It has an interesting premise, though; I just wish that the co-authors could have done better. I'm sure the story would have worked well had it been exclusively written by Brandon and not merely been supervised by him as other co-authors wrote in his world. Anyway, since I know that Brandon Sanderson wants to dedicate more of his writing time to the Cosmere projects and the newer non-Cosmere works, I do really respect his efforts to bring in new authors to give us more stories set in his earlier non-Cosmere series in a way that these new stories stay true to the spirit of the original source material.
My name is Stephen Leeds, and I am perfectly sane. My hallucinations, however, are all quite mad.
Rating: 3.25/5.
Review:
As an avid fan of Brandon Sanderson's Legion books, I had wanted to read his newly released 'Death and Faxes' story. Unfortunately, due to the book's audio-exclusive status, I wasn't able to consume it at the time of its release. However, since I recently finished a reread of the original three Legion novellas, I decided to finally give this story a listen [yes, it is still an audio-exclusive story at the time of writing this review].
Unfortunately, I found out that this story is not my cup of tea. I loved the Legion novellas that were written by Sanderson, but this story didn't live up to the high standards set by the original trilogy. Sanderson's Legion novellas were short and crisp, often quick-paced with a balance of sufficient excitement and great detailing. This book, though, felt a little drawn out and lacked all the excitement and wonder that is typically present in the Legion novellas.
While the new co-authors did a great job of capturing Stephen's aspects to perfection, most of the newly introduced characters felt too one-dimensional, underdeveloped, and underutilized. Evelyn, who suspiciously swooped in at every moment whenever Stephen was in trouble, made me believe that the co-authors had some nefarious twist planned out for her (believe me, some of her actions and interactions seem far too suspicious). Instead, she was just introduced to read like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope. Stephen's eagerness to include her in his life seemed far too sudden and out of character. The romantic tension felt off and unnecessary and eventually didn't lead to anything substantial.
I wasn't greatly satisfied with how the book ended, too. Evelyn accidentally bumps into the table, causing the amulet to shatter – what did I even listen to? At least give her some agency and let her destroy it on purpose! That would have added something to her character development. Anyway, it is my headcanon that she lied to Stephen about accidentally shattering the amulet – instead, she bagged it for the government's secret research purpose. That seems far better and more sinister than someone accidentally swooping in and saving the day.
Although the book felt padded with scenes that don't contribute to the main plot or Stephen's character journey, the central mystery was intriguing. The amulet and its scientific implications did seem a bit far-fetched, but even in the original trilogy, the science-fiction elements of the story were a bit too fantastical (although genetic splicing for curing diseases and the use of VR for incarceration is within the realms of possibilities as per the current scientific advancements). With the third Legion novella having established links to yet another Sanderson short story 'Perfect State', I have grown to accept that the far-fetched science elements due exist in Stephen's world due to WODE's interference.
Overall, while I liked certain aspects of this book, I didn’t end up loving it. And since I just finished rereading the Legion novellas, this new story just fell flat for me. It has an interesting premise, though; I just wish that the co-authors could have done better. I'm sure the story would have worked well had it been exclusively written by Brandon and not merely been supervised by him as other co-authors wrote in his world. Anyway, since I know that Brandon Sanderson wants to dedicate more of his writing time to the Cosmere projects and the newer non-Cosmere works, I do really respect his efforts to bring in new authors to give us more stories set in his earlier non-Cosmere series in a way that these new stories stay true to the spirit of the original source material.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2022
This story was not my cup of tea. I loved the Legion books that followed Stephen Leeds but this story did not live up to the previous books. The scenes felt detached and didn't flow well. There were scenes where we were following the case and then it would spin off to how Leeds tries to fit in the world with his aspects. Both topics are interesting but it felt abrupt when the attention shifted. The "romance" that was developed was pretty rough as well. I am not sure I would recommend this book. Other books done in the past by other authors under Sanderson were pretty good but this one fell short.
December 15, 2023
Definity not the best one of this series, good one nonetheless.
June 15, 2022
Me ha encantado, deseando escuchar más entregas. Y eso que estaba un poco suspicaz por retomar la serie con audiolibros como si fueran mini series: pero el formato es súper acertado. Si os gustan las novellas anteriores no dudéis en escuchar el nuevo misterio en el que se embarca Stephen.
October 7, 2023
This was rough and clearly not written by Brandon and he just licensed his characters to adapt them into an inferior story. Plot was nonsensical and didn't feel like the same character.
November 29, 2022
I was so excited for another adventure with Stephen Leeds and his entourage of aspects, especially after their devastating deaths at the end of Stephen Leeds #3! Sadly, though, I felt that the writing and characters in this novella fell a little flat. Usually, the novellas are quick-paced and somehow find the perfect balance of exciting and detailed – DaF, though, felt a little drawn out. The entire beginning with Audrey's birthday and spring cleaning and the doctor felt unnecessary to the plot and those plot elements were never revisited. I did like that it touched on Stephen's past and his father – the letter at the end was a nice touch. There's usually a mind-blow moment at the end of every Stephen Leeds story that just wasn't here at the end of this one. While I know that the goal wasn't to get you to read the next story, the ending felt a little contrived and perfectly wrapped up.
My other issue with the novel was that most of the characters were extremely 1-dimensional. I will say the new co-authors did a good job of capturing the aspects, but everyone else wasn't so great. The FBI agent, Evelyn, read like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, existing only to swoop in whenever Stephen was in trouble and otherwise only existed to flatter his ego. His eagerness to accept her into his life when he normally avoids spending time with anyone with a pulse also seemed out of character. There was so much more potential for her character to have an interesting back story or a personal connection to the murders – like if her mother had brain cancer and was also secretly a Iranian refugee, for example. And her "accidentally" bumping into the table, causing the amulet to shatter, which didn't lead to any sort of consequence for her but rather caused her to save the day? At least have her destroy it on purpose!
Overall, I'm glad I read this because Stephen Leeds was the gateway into all Brandon Sanderson for me, but because I *just* reread all of Legion, DaF fell flat for me. I wouldn't have minded waiting longer to revisit the Stephen Leeds universe for a novella written purely by Sanderson, though I do really respect and commend his efforts to bring in other authors to share in his limelight.
–––––
Synopsis for future Donna:
In Death and Faxes, we find Stephen dealing with the loss of his father. Though he was not close to the man, his death has upset his delicate mental balance, and he finds himself unable to focus. After discovering that he unwittingly bought a plethora of unneeded supplies for a household of 50, he decides to do some spring cleaning. He unexpectedly gets a consult from Quantico, who wants him to investigate a major security breach exposing thousands of IRS tax returns. Stephen and an FBI agent, Evelyn, visit the the government office where the breach occurred, where Chin discovers that a fax machine was partially responsible. When trying to investigate further, Chin accidentally reproduces a strange sound from the machine that causes Stephen and his aspects to become fuzzy and forgetful. Strangely, all of the government agents present at the time of the attack remember nothing of the entire day.
Once they get home, Stephen gets in trouble with Audrey because he forgot to book her the caterer and DJ she wanted for her birthday party; Ivy diffuses the situation by suggesting they all go out for dinner instead. At dinner, Stephen discovers that someone hacked his bank accounts to withdraw $800,000 and max out his credit cards, in addition to gaining access to all of their files. He freezes his accounts while Chin investigates the matter further. Suddenly, Stephen's aspects all blink out of existence and then blink back in a comatose state, causing Stephen to believe it was due to the strange sound they heard at the IRS office. Chin was able to trace the cloud servers of the IRS to an IP address in Maryland belonging to a hacker called Enoch.
Chin and Audrey subsequently discover that a subset of the compromised tax returns all belong to Iranians in the country, and further narrow the suspect list down to one in particular, who works as a professional hacker. They decide to visit the man, Farhad, at his home in Maryland, only to discover that he has been murdered. Just prior to arriving at his home, they hear the strange fax machine noise once again, which causes them to all feel woozy and sleepy. In his home, they find a series of religious texts belonging to an ancient religion, Manichaeism, and a mysterious picture of a group of Iranians, including Farhad. We then learn that Farhad had been in the US witness protection program and suffered from brain cancer.
Stephen and his aspects then decide to visit Miriam, one of the women in the mysterious picture who was assumed to be Farhad's partner. She, too, was in the witness protection program and revealed that when the Manichaeists fled Iran, they vowed to never see each other again or reveal each others' identities to protect one another; they knew that Enoch would come. Furthermore, she revealed that Enoch was after an amulet. When the entourage gets back to Quantico, Evelyn shows them an old video of Enoch getting interrogated.
Stephen calls his friend Yolchae who points him to a soil company in Boston that is secretly studying sound. There, they meet another Manichaeist scientist, Davood, who reveals that the amulet can allow the user to share the consciousness of whomever it is used on when the soundwaves are combined with intense light. Coincidentally, Davood also has brain cancer. Enoch calls Stephen and Davood during their visit and attacks them using the sound frequency. Stephen ends up in the hospital and when he awakes, Evelyn is there to take him home. However, all the aspects on the mission (J.C., Tobias, Ivy, and Kalyani) are comatose. Arnaud figures out how to cure Stephen and the other aspects using a modified version of the sound frequency and Evelyn helps Stephen with the execution, thereby accidentally sharing in his memory of leaving home as a teenager. From there, Stephen searches the IRS files for an individual who has high medical bills and locate the prophet, Baraz, in Midland, TX.
In Texas, Stephen arrives to find Baraz dead. Enoch rushes in and captures Stephen. He attempts to use the amulet on him but his efforts are thwarted by the glasses Arnaud developed to absorb the amulet's light frequency and ear plugs designed to filter out the deleterious high-frequency sounds. Just as Stephen escapes, Evelyn shows up with a SWAT team who arrests Enoch. Evelyn "accidentally" breaks the amulet in the process.
My other issue with the novel was that most of the characters were extremely 1-dimensional. I will say the new co-authors did a good job of capturing the aspects, but everyone else wasn't so great. The FBI agent, Evelyn, read like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, existing only to swoop in whenever Stephen was in trouble and otherwise only existed to flatter his ego. His eagerness to accept her into his life when he normally avoids spending time with anyone with a pulse also seemed out of character. There was so much more potential for her character to have an interesting back story or a personal connection to the murders – like if her mother had brain cancer and was also secretly a Iranian refugee, for example. And her "accidentally" bumping into the table, causing the amulet to shatter, which didn't lead to any sort of consequence for her but rather caused her to save the day? At least have her destroy it on purpose!
Overall, I'm glad I read this because Stephen Leeds was the gateway into all Brandon Sanderson for me, but because I *just* reread all of Legion, DaF fell flat for me. I wouldn't have minded waiting longer to revisit the Stephen Leeds universe for a novella written purely by Sanderson, though I do really respect and commend his efforts to bring in other authors to share in his limelight.
–––––
Synopsis for future Donna:
In Death and Faxes, we find Stephen dealing with the loss of his father. Though he was not close to the man, his death has upset his delicate mental balance, and he finds himself unable to focus. After discovering that he unwittingly bought a plethora of unneeded supplies for a household of 50, he decides to do some spring cleaning. He unexpectedly gets a consult from Quantico, who wants him to investigate a major security breach exposing thousands of IRS tax returns. Stephen and an FBI agent, Evelyn, visit the the government office where the breach occurred, where Chin discovers that a fax machine was partially responsible. When trying to investigate further, Chin accidentally reproduces a strange sound from the machine that causes Stephen and his aspects to become fuzzy and forgetful. Strangely, all of the government agents present at the time of the attack remember nothing of the entire day.
Once they get home, Stephen gets in trouble with Audrey because he forgot to book her the caterer and DJ she wanted for her birthday party; Ivy diffuses the situation by suggesting they all go out for dinner instead. At dinner, Stephen discovers that someone hacked his bank accounts to withdraw $800,000 and max out his credit cards, in addition to gaining access to all of their files. He freezes his accounts while Chin investigates the matter further. Suddenly, Stephen's aspects all blink out of existence and then blink back in a comatose state, causing Stephen to believe it was due to the strange sound they heard at the IRS office. Chin was able to trace the cloud servers of the IRS to an IP address in Maryland belonging to a hacker called Enoch.
Chin and Audrey subsequently discover that a subset of the compromised tax returns all belong to Iranians in the country, and further narrow the suspect list down to one in particular, who works as a professional hacker. They decide to visit the man, Farhad, at his home in Maryland, only to discover that he has been murdered. Just prior to arriving at his home, they hear the strange fax machine noise once again, which causes them to all feel woozy and sleepy. In his home, they find a series of religious texts belonging to an ancient religion, Manichaeism, and a mysterious picture of a group of Iranians, including Farhad. We then learn that Farhad had been in the US witness protection program and suffered from brain cancer.
Stephen and his aspects then decide to visit Miriam, one of the women in the mysterious picture who was assumed to be Farhad's partner. She, too, was in the witness protection program and revealed that when the Manichaeists fled Iran, they vowed to never see each other again or reveal each others' identities to protect one another; they knew that Enoch would come. Furthermore, she revealed that Enoch was after an amulet. When the entourage gets back to Quantico, Evelyn shows them an old video of Enoch getting interrogated.
Stephen calls his friend Yolchae who points him to a soil company in Boston that is secretly studying sound. There, they meet another Manichaeist scientist, Davood, who reveals that the amulet can allow the user to share the consciousness of whomever it is used on when the soundwaves are combined with intense light. Coincidentally, Davood also has brain cancer. Enoch calls Stephen and Davood during their visit and attacks them using the sound frequency. Stephen ends up in the hospital and when he awakes, Evelyn is there to take him home. However, all the aspects on the mission (J.C., Tobias, Ivy, and Kalyani) are comatose. Arnaud figures out how to cure Stephen and the other aspects using a modified version of the sound frequency and Evelyn helps Stephen with the execution, thereby accidentally sharing in his memory of leaving home as a teenager. From there, Stephen searches the IRS files for an individual who has high medical bills and locate the prophet, Baraz, in Midland, TX.
In Texas, Stephen arrives to find Baraz dead. Enoch rushes in and captures Stephen. He attempts to use the amulet on him but his efforts are thwarted by the glasses Arnaud developed to absorb the amulet's light frequency and ear plugs designed to filter out the deleterious high-frequency sounds. Just as Stephen escapes, Evelyn shows up with a SWAT team who arrests Enoch. Evelyn "accidentally" breaks the amulet in the process.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2022
More like 3.5 rounded up.
Quick side note. I LOVE the Legion series. Perhaps this is just me but Legion is my favourite Sanderson story. Not Mistborn or else. I love Sanderson for Legion.
I encountered this instalment accidentally since it is only available via audio and I wasn't looking there. Really not a fan of this 'exclusive audio-only stuff'. I much rather there was a kindle version and an audio version. Anyways, I bumped into it and devoured it immediately.
As other reviewers note, you can spot Sanderson did not really write it. More like very very very high-quality fan fiction. Fan fiction under supervision. So it will scratch an itch but it is missing that special quality that made prior instalments enchanting for me. So if you are new to Legion, do NOT start here.
On the other hand, the book is saved by the amazing character (plus his aspects) that Stephen Leeds is and a reasonable storyline that characteristically mixes mystical and technology to keep you invested. Those two components were just fantastic.
Some other considerations to note: I wasn't well impressed with the audiobook narrator nor the heavy-handed use of themes of grief and loss. Both chipped away stars from my score.
If you have enjoyed this, you will love the true Legion bundle: Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds.
You may also want to check out other short-form stories that are thematically related:
- The Dispatcher or
- Snapshot
Quick side note. I LOVE the Legion series. Perhaps this is just me but Legion is my favourite Sanderson story. Not Mistborn or else. I love Sanderson for Legion.
I encountered this instalment accidentally since it is only available via audio and I wasn't looking there. Really not a fan of this 'exclusive audio-only stuff'. I much rather there was a kindle version and an audio version. Anyways, I bumped into it and devoured it immediately.
As other reviewers note, you can spot Sanderson did not really write it. More like very very very high-quality fan fiction. Fan fiction under supervision. So it will scratch an itch but it is missing that special quality that made prior instalments enchanting for me. So if you are new to Legion, do NOT start here.
On the other hand, the book is saved by the amazing character (plus his aspects) that Stephen Leeds is and a reasonable storyline that characteristically mixes mystical and technology to keep you invested. Those two components were just fantastic.
Some other considerations to note: I wasn't well impressed with the audiobook narrator nor the heavy-handed use of themes of grief and loss. Both chipped away stars from my score.
If you have enjoyed this, you will love the true Legion bundle: Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds.
You may also want to check out other short-form stories that are thematically related:
- The Dispatcher or
- Snapshot
March 6, 2023
March 2023
Audiobook edition
1.3x speed 4h 33m
This one was a nice little surprise as I didn't know it was out. Was a little disappointed there wasn't a kindle edition, but I'm finding I can multitask with an audiobook which although longer can be better.
A new case for Stephen that sounds horrific. I can't deal with dripping taps let alone loud sounds that mess with memory. I liked Evelyn so I hope the two keep in contact. I liked that Stephen was directly affected by the case. That his bank account was collateral damage sucked. What happened to his aspects was interesting. I am curious about the whole J.C take over thing. That was cool. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I wouldn't mind more Leeds adventures.
Audiobook edition
1.3x speed 4h 33m
This one was a nice little surprise as I didn't know it was out. Was a little disappointed there wasn't a kindle edition, but I'm finding I can multitask with an audiobook which although longer can be better.
A new case for Stephen that sounds horrific. I can't deal with dripping taps let alone loud sounds that mess with memory. I liked Evelyn so I hope the two keep in contact. I liked that Stephen was directly affected by the case. That his bank account was collateral damage sucked. What happened to his aspects was interesting. I am curious about the whole J.C take over thing. That was cool. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I wouldn't mind more Leeds adventures.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2023
DNF @ 64%
Sanderson himself clearly did not write this intermediate novella. I am deeply saddened that he signed off on it to be published. It is NOT GOOD. Just stick with the ones that he clearly co-authored, #1-3, The Many Lives, Skin Deep, etc.
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
Sanderson himself clearly did not write this intermediate novella. I am deeply saddened that he signed off on it to be published. It is NOT GOOD. Just stick with the ones that he clearly co-authored, #1-3, The Many Lives, Skin Deep, etc.
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
July 22, 2022
This was a great addition to the Stephen Leeds world!
September 22, 2025
I love this character and the way he experiences things.
August 5, 2022
I recently found a couple of Brandon Sanderson short stories that I either didn't know about or maybe they were in my MASSIVE TBR file. At this point, I'm not really sure. Anyway, after reading and listening to Snapshot and Legion, I realized that there were actually more stories out in the Legion world - so I went and found them. While I was looking into that, I found this one - which I THINK is the latest entry into this world and may only be available on Audible. Don't quote me on that, but I think that is the case. Anyway, I was on a roll, so it was a no brainer to hit the "buy" button.
I have to admit, my feelings for this series were seemingly going in the wrong direction. I REALLY liked the first one. The second one was still good, but maybe not as good as the first and the third one, well....let's just say I liked it the least. But, since I had already hit the button, I decided to just go for it.
Honestly, I'm glad I did. It is odd in the fact that THIS story is actually in a different time placement. In other words, it occurs after the first book and BEFORE the second. I think I saw it labeled as Book 1.5. I do not usually like reading books out of order, but since I had already made the mistake and didn't really have a choice, I thought" oh well".
I enjoyed this story more than the last one. It took us back to the stronger relationships that Stephen has with his aspects, and it FELT more like the atmosphere of the first book. I read later that there were several collaborators on this book, but I still felt like the flow and the content were told in a way that kept and held my interest.
I liked the story; I LOVE the characters and I would gladly be willing to read anything else that comes out from this world.
I would call that a win :)
I have to admit, my feelings for this series were seemingly going in the wrong direction. I REALLY liked the first one. The second one was still good, but maybe not as good as the first and the third one, well....let's just say I liked it the least. But, since I had already hit the button, I decided to just go for it.
Honestly, I'm glad I did. It is odd in the fact that THIS story is actually in a different time placement. In other words, it occurs after the first book and BEFORE the second. I think I saw it labeled as Book 1.5. I do not usually like reading books out of order, but since I had already made the mistake and didn't really have a choice, I thought" oh well".
I enjoyed this story more than the last one. It took us back to the stronger relationships that Stephen has with his aspects, and it FELT more like the atmosphere of the first book. I read later that there were several collaborators on this book, but I still felt like the flow and the content were told in a way that kept and held my interest.
I liked the story; I LOVE the characters and I would gladly be willing to read anything else that comes out from this world.
I would call that a win :)
June 14, 2023
I fine additon to the Legion series. I’m wondering how this will play out in the next two books that were published before it but is placed later in the story chronologically. I love how religion, science and science fiction comes together in this story. **spoiler** And how I’m never sure about Evelyn, even right at the end. It was never revealed were she lived, I think, a revelation that rocked one of the aspects and made Stephen pass out. A longer story and this could have pushed five stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2023
Although I really enjoy following Stephen Leeds and his complex mental state, his character couldn't undergo major development, as this story is set between books that have already been published. The story also couldn't grab me like the previous ones did. Maybe should have just left the Stephen Leeds universe with the original trilogy.
July 2, 2022
Another beautifully strange creation from Brandon Sanderson, aided by co-writers Max Epstein, David Pace, and Michael Harkins.
It’s a man who’s crazy imaginary friends help him be the master of incredible skills.
I find it amazing that the well-written main character becomes so totally believable!
It’s a man who’s crazy imaginary friends help him be the master of incredible skills.
I find it amazing that the well-written main character becomes so totally believable!
August 19, 2023
This was a fun enough journey with Stephen Leeds and his aspects, but it was more of a side quest. It didn't really have much to expand on Stephen's overall story arc.
January 16, 2024
01/15/2024 Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
3.5 Stars
🤩 Happy to have a new Leeds story. I didn't think there would be any after the collection was printed.
Currently on Audible Plus
3.5 Stars
🤩 Happy to have a new Leeds story. I didn't think there would be any after the collection was printed.
July 4, 2023
Though not as solid as the Legion stories Sanderson wrote alone, this is still a fun, twisty adventure with the great cast of characters that captures the voice of the original books.
September 8, 2023
Had way too much filler, and not really any appeal as the others in the series do. Sadness
November 6, 2023
Good narrator (this is an audiobook-only release) really helped with immersion.
A decent "episode" of a detective story.
A decent "episode" of a detective story.
October 6, 2023
The use of fax machines is +1 point. This was definitely the best Steven Leeds story though.
November 24, 2023
[Disclaimer: I am Facebook friends with the first credited author of this book.]
This audiobook production is set within Brandon Sanderson's existing Stephen Leeds / Legion trilogy, and an afterword makes it clear that he really only licensed out the characters and series premise to the other three writers listed on the cover. The result is a pale imitation of what made the earlier books work -- to the extent that they do; I have mixed opinions on those original novellas myself -- with a drearily slow investigation and a love interest so poorly written that I was erroneously convinced she would turn out to be a villain in disguise, especially after the protagonist immediately starts referring to the hacker he's tracking as a man, despite not having any evidence as to the suspect's actual identity. The tech-thriller genre and the concept of the hero hallucinating imaginary subject matter experts are inherited, but not taken anywhere new or interesting this time.
My ratings for the associated Sanderson stories have ranged from two stars to four, and since this volume is unequivocally worse than all of them, I suppose I have no choice but to give it my lowest possible score in turn. That's an unfortunate surprise, as I've liked some of the author's previous co-written ventures, like Sunreach with Janci Patterson or Dark One: Forgotten with Dan Wells, although I now suspect those were truer collaborations than this. Still, it's certainly given me pause about jumping on any future titles just because they carry Sanderson's name on the front. It hurts me to say this about one of my favorite novelists, but he's really damaged his brand for me here.
[Content warning for gun violence, torture, and gore.]
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This audiobook production is set within Brandon Sanderson's existing Stephen Leeds / Legion trilogy, and an afterword makes it clear that he really only licensed out the characters and series premise to the other three writers listed on the cover. The result is a pale imitation of what made the earlier books work -- to the extent that they do; I have mixed opinions on those original novellas myself -- with a drearily slow investigation and a love interest so poorly written that I was erroneously convinced she would turn out to be a villain in disguise, especially after the protagonist immediately starts referring to the hacker he's tracking as a man, despite not having any evidence as to the suspect's actual identity. The tech-thriller genre and the concept of the hero hallucinating imaginary subject matter experts are inherited, but not taken anywhere new or interesting this time.
My ratings for the associated Sanderson stories have ranged from two stars to four, and since this volume is unequivocally worse than all of them, I suppose I have no choice but to give it my lowest possible score in turn. That's an unfortunate surprise, as I've liked some of the author's previous co-written ventures, like Sunreach with Janci Patterson or Dark One: Forgotten with Dan Wells, although I now suspect those were truer collaborations than this. Still, it's certainly given me pause about jumping on any future titles just because they carry Sanderson's name on the front. It hurts me to say this about one of my favorite novelists, but he's really damaged his brand for me here.
[Content warning for gun violence, torture, and gore.]
Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
https://patreon.com/lesserjoke
--Follow along on Goodreads here!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...
--Or click here to browse through all my previous reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog
November 24, 2023
The case that finds Stephen Leeds in this audio-only entry in the Legion series is rather more mundane – and initially less personal – than the cases he solved in the three novellas that make up Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds; Legion, Skin Deep and Lies of the Beholder.
Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is left up to the reader – or in this case listener – to judge.
The title gives a hint, as it’s both a play on the saying about the inevitability of ‘death and taxes’ as well as a mystery that begins with a very high-tech application of a rather old technology. A massive data breach at an IRS datacenter has been perpetrated by using the still-functioning fax machines as both a backdoor into the once-believed secure system AND a method of transmitting sound waves that can either soothe or destroy.
Those sound waves certainly soothed the IRS staff into an entire afternoon of hazy dreaming that allowed the hack to take place while the entire staff was quite literally blissfully unaware – and unremembering.
That’s not the case when Stephen Leeds is finally called in. With the help of his ‘aspects’, his mental projections of the many facets of his strange genius, he was able to determine both when and how the hack took place.
Which is when the mysterious hacker struck directly at Stephen and his abilities for the first, but absolutely not the last, time, rendering his aspects comatose and taking Stephen himself nearly to the edge of collapse.
It’s only the beginning, because Stephen is determined to get to the bottom of this case, following a trail of victims around the country even as the structure of his increasingly fragile mental landscape falls into tatters.
While a seemingly omniscient enemy waits in the shadows of cyberspace, blocking Stephen’s every avenue to both resolution and escape.
Except one, hidden in the very place that the hacker has done his best to destroy. Inside Stephen Leeds’ own mind.
Escape Rating B-: I have mixed feelings about this one, and I’m not even sure if I can completely articulate why. But I’m certainly going to try.
I picked this up because I loved this series as it originally stood, which may be part of the problem. Initially, the Legion series was really a single story broken up into three parts that were published as separate novellas. It may not have been intended that way when the first book, Legion, was published 2012, but by the time the third book, Lies of the Beholder, came out in 2018 it seemed as if the trilogy told a complete story that came to a satisfying ending for the whole thing – even if, or especially because – it was a bit of a mind screw at the end.
So I wasn’t expecting to see Stephen Leeds again when I found this audio-only entry in the series. An entry that doesn’t occur AFTER Lies of the Beholder, but instead between the first book, Legion, and the second book, Skin Deep. So it took a bit of mental adjustment on my part to get back into the world of ten years ago and back into what was then still an incomplete story.
In other words, Stephen Leeds had himself and the aspects of his genius a bit better figured out by the end of the final book, so it was weird to see him back to a more uncertain state of himself. A combination of angst, uncertainty and even impostor syndrome that felt like it pervaded this book even more than in the stories published previously.
At the same time, it also seemed as if that very angst and uncertainty was an intent of the mysterious hacker, and it’s a part of Stephen’s perspective that didn’t get fully resolved at the end.
One of the things that struck me about Death and Faxes, and it’s the impression I’m left with now that I’ve finished, is that Stephen doesn’t feel quite like himself in this story – although his aspects are very well drawn. As this production was a cooperative effort rather than just a single writer, it may be that the characterization felt a bit off because this time around it ironically came from more than one mind – just as Stephen’s genius often appears to.
Also, Leeds just plain angsts a LOT in this story, even more than in the other parts of the series, and that angst dragged the resolution of the mystery out even more than the hacker’s admitted genius and manipulation did. This was a case where I would have gladly switched to text, just to get on with it, if there had been one, but there isn’t.
So, a whole lot of mixed feelings, leaving me with the conclusion that fans of the series, like me, will probably enjoy the trip down memory lane to visit Stephen and his aspects again. (However, the comment in the blurb about Stephen being perfectly sane but his hallucinations all being quite mad isn’t merely a bit off – it’s completely wrong. A fair number of his aspects are quirky and/or eccentric, but none of them are actually ‘mad’, and neither is Stephen Leeds. His coping mechanism is just eccentric and sometimes expensive, but works for him and does no harm to anyone else. There are worse ways to get by.)
If you’ve enjoyed the previous entries in the series, Death and Faxes is an interesting but not 100% successful addition to Leeds’ story. And if you’ve listened to any of the other books in the series, that this production is voiced by Oliver Wyman, the same actor who worked on the rest of the series, helps carry the listener along into accepting this later work as part of the whole.
But if the description of Stephen Leeds’ genius and methods of coping with it sound like fun but you’ve not met him before, it would be better to start your acquaintance with the first exploration of Stephen’s journey in Legion.
Originally published at Reading Reality
Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is left up to the reader – or in this case listener – to judge.
The title gives a hint, as it’s both a play on the saying about the inevitability of ‘death and taxes’ as well as a mystery that begins with a very high-tech application of a rather old technology. A massive data breach at an IRS datacenter has been perpetrated by using the still-functioning fax machines as both a backdoor into the once-believed secure system AND a method of transmitting sound waves that can either soothe or destroy.
Those sound waves certainly soothed the IRS staff into an entire afternoon of hazy dreaming that allowed the hack to take place while the entire staff was quite literally blissfully unaware – and unremembering.
That’s not the case when Stephen Leeds is finally called in. With the help of his ‘aspects’, his mental projections of the many facets of his strange genius, he was able to determine both when and how the hack took place.
Which is when the mysterious hacker struck directly at Stephen and his abilities for the first, but absolutely not the last, time, rendering his aspects comatose and taking Stephen himself nearly to the edge of collapse.
It’s only the beginning, because Stephen is determined to get to the bottom of this case, following a trail of victims around the country even as the structure of his increasingly fragile mental landscape falls into tatters.
While a seemingly omniscient enemy waits in the shadows of cyberspace, blocking Stephen’s every avenue to both resolution and escape.
Except one, hidden in the very place that the hacker has done his best to destroy. Inside Stephen Leeds’ own mind.
Escape Rating B-: I have mixed feelings about this one, and I’m not even sure if I can completely articulate why. But I’m certainly going to try.
I picked this up because I loved this series as it originally stood, which may be part of the problem. Initially, the Legion series was really a single story broken up into three parts that were published as separate novellas. It may not have been intended that way when the first book, Legion, was published 2012, but by the time the third book, Lies of the Beholder, came out in 2018 it seemed as if the trilogy told a complete story that came to a satisfying ending for the whole thing – even if, or especially because – it was a bit of a mind screw at the end.
So I wasn’t expecting to see Stephen Leeds again when I found this audio-only entry in the series. An entry that doesn’t occur AFTER Lies of the Beholder, but instead between the first book, Legion, and the second book, Skin Deep. So it took a bit of mental adjustment on my part to get back into the world of ten years ago and back into what was then still an incomplete story.
In other words, Stephen Leeds had himself and the aspects of his genius a bit better figured out by the end of the final book, so it was weird to see him back to a more uncertain state of himself. A combination of angst, uncertainty and even impostor syndrome that felt like it pervaded this book even more than in the stories published previously.
At the same time, it also seemed as if that very angst and uncertainty was an intent of the mysterious hacker, and it’s a part of Stephen’s perspective that didn’t get fully resolved at the end.
One of the things that struck me about Death and Faxes, and it’s the impression I’m left with now that I’ve finished, is that Stephen doesn’t feel quite like himself in this story – although his aspects are very well drawn. As this production was a cooperative effort rather than just a single writer, it may be that the characterization felt a bit off because this time around it ironically came from more than one mind – just as Stephen’s genius often appears to.
Also, Leeds just plain angsts a LOT in this story, even more than in the other parts of the series, and that angst dragged the resolution of the mystery out even more than the hacker’s admitted genius and manipulation did. This was a case where I would have gladly switched to text, just to get on with it, if there had been one, but there isn’t.
So, a whole lot of mixed feelings, leaving me with the conclusion that fans of the series, like me, will probably enjoy the trip down memory lane to visit Stephen and his aspects again. (However, the comment in the blurb about Stephen being perfectly sane but his hallucinations all being quite mad isn’t merely a bit off – it’s completely wrong. A fair number of his aspects are quirky and/or eccentric, but none of them are actually ‘mad’, and neither is Stephen Leeds. His coping mechanism is just eccentric and sometimes expensive, but works for him and does no harm to anyone else. There are worse ways to get by.)
If you’ve enjoyed the previous entries in the series, Death and Faxes is an interesting but not 100% successful addition to Leeds’ story. And if you’ve listened to any of the other books in the series, that this production is voiced by Oliver Wyman, the same actor who worked on the rest of the series, helps carry the listener along into accepting this later work as part of the whole.
But if the description of Stephen Leeds’ genius and methods of coping with it sound like fun but you’ve not met him before, it would be better to start your acquaintance with the first exploration of Stephen’s journey in Legion.
Originally published at Reading Reality
October 5, 2023
Claramente não é escrito pelo Brandon e achei algumas atitudes dos personagens e desenvolvimento do roteiro fora do esperado, mas no geral é divertido e equivalente a um episódio de série de investigação ou filme similar.
February 13, 2024
I had only listened to the original Stephen Leeds story several years ago, but generally remembered it favorably. Now, the opportunity to listen to the others has come along and I expected to enjoy them as well. However, after this, I'm skeptical about proceeding.
The story itself is is pretty hackneyed and pulpy. Something that I would have expected out of the 1940's or 50's. But, that's not enough to condemn this book for even such simple tales can be told in an entertaining way.
No, the real sin of this one is its active assault on the reader's ability to suspend disbelief. The premise that Stephen Leeds has 40+ experts in various things living in his head, not as alternate personalities, but as "aspects" that visibly manifest to him and interact with him is an intriguing one and seemed to work in the original short story.
However, here, this collection of authors can't make up their mind about how this really works and are constantly tripping over themselves through the narrative. The aspects know they're not real, yet they suffer pain when someone sits in their seat on a place because of Leeds' perception of them sitting in the seat and a real person "sitting on top of them". They're all in his head, but Leeds' has to talk out loud in order for the aspects to hear him. Any knowledge that the aspects have are a result of Leeds' having to do the reading and studying, yet he doesn't understand any of what he's reading? He get's woken up from sleep by one of his aspects having made a discovery from their research...which means he couldn't have been able to sleep since the aspect would have needed him to be doing that reading. There are occasions in the book where Leeds mentions being exhausted by all the time he had to spend giving his aspects turns doing their research as though he's aware of what is going on, yet other times it seems like Leeds personality turns off and one of the other aspects is operating the body - as you would expect a multiple personality disorder to operate.
The piles of contradictions, especially compounded by the internal monologues by Leeds and the character's narratives - for example, he looks into the room where his computer expert lives (and he apparently has a separate room at his home for each of his aspects to live in?) to see him working away at a computer....is utterly baffling since it can only be some kind of screen saver in Leeds mind since Leeds isn't physically at the computer himself reading whatever is on the screen.
Unfortunately, what could have been an interesting adventure is completely undermined by the continuous assault by the writing to be able to buy into any narrative logic of how Stephen Leeds really works.
I'm probably going to have to revisit the first story again with fresh eyes to see if I just managed to gloss over all this back then or if the aspects were just used in a more narratively consistent way. However, I'm really hesitant to invest any time in the other stories.
The story itself is is pretty hackneyed and pulpy. Something that I would have expected out of the 1940's or 50's. But, that's not enough to condemn this book for even such simple tales can be told in an entertaining way.
No, the real sin of this one is its active assault on the reader's ability to suspend disbelief. The premise that Stephen Leeds has 40+ experts in various things living in his head, not as alternate personalities, but as "aspects" that visibly manifest to him and interact with him is an intriguing one and seemed to work in the original short story.
However, here, this collection of authors can't make up their mind about how this really works and are constantly tripping over themselves through the narrative. The aspects know they're not real, yet they suffer pain when someone sits in their seat on a place because of Leeds' perception of them sitting in the seat and a real person "sitting on top of them". They're all in his head, but Leeds' has to talk out loud in order for the aspects to hear him. Any knowledge that the aspects have are a result of Leeds' having to do the reading and studying, yet he doesn't understand any of what he's reading? He get's woken up from sleep by one of his aspects having made a discovery from their research...which means he couldn't have been able to sleep since the aspect would have needed him to be doing that reading. There are occasions in the book where Leeds mentions being exhausted by all the time he had to spend giving his aspects turns doing their research as though he's aware of what is going on, yet other times it seems like Leeds personality turns off and one of the other aspects is operating the body - as you would expect a multiple personality disorder to operate.
The piles of contradictions, especially compounded by the internal monologues by Leeds and the character's narratives - for example, he looks into the room where his computer expert lives (and he apparently has a separate room at his home for each of his aspects to live in?) to see him working away at a computer....is utterly baffling since it can only be some kind of screen saver in Leeds mind since Leeds isn't physically at the computer himself reading whatever is on the screen.
Unfortunately, what could have been an interesting adventure is completely undermined by the continuous assault by the writing to be able to buy into any narrative logic of how Stephen Leeds really works.
I'm probably going to have to revisit the first story again with fresh eyes to see if I just managed to gloss over all this back then or if the aspects were just used in a more narratively consistent way. However, I'm really hesitant to invest any time in the other stories.
July 27, 2025
I felt meh about this book. That rating might not be completely fair. I didn't realize this book was part of a series, so I jumped in without first getting the foundation for the universe.
This character's superpower and curse is that he is a combination schizophrenic split-personality. Instead of manifesting the personalities he experiences them as characters within his world. He is also self-aware that other people do not experience these persons -- aspects -- as he sees them.
Ok. So I find this McGuffin or conceit a bit tedious. The Stephen Leeds character assumes all sorts of knowledge and abilities via these "aspects" without having to work it. E.g., you need super hacking skills, then call upon your hacking personality. Oh, you need physical powers, so call upon your special forces personality. Etc. Etc. But it's not like he every trains, studies, or works out. I guess you have to assume he does this off-screen. Also - every challenge just gets solved with another personality. Oh - and also he's super wealthy - so there isn't any monetary obstacles either. Ok, so yeah, as I write this I feel the annoyance.
I give Sanderson credit for creativity. This scenario works fine in this short book. However, I was surprised to discover that a whole series has evolved around this character. Hmm. I would have preferred he develop the Rhythmatist universe. I enjoyed that project more - although it had issues too.
I think the biggest problem I had with this book was the dialogue style. I didn't notice this in Sanderson's other works. Maybe because this book employees lots of dialogue among the split personalities it's more obvious. Sanderson uses "he said" "she said" dialogue tags an awful lot. I'd prefer that the speaker's point of view be more organic without requiring such identifiers.
This character's superpower and curse is that he is a combination schizophrenic split-personality. Instead of manifesting the personalities he experiences them as characters within his world. He is also self-aware that other people do not experience these persons -- aspects -- as he sees them.
Ok. So I find this McGuffin or conceit a bit tedious. The Stephen Leeds character assumes all sorts of knowledge and abilities via these "aspects" without having to work it. E.g., you need super hacking skills, then call upon your hacking personality. Oh, you need physical powers, so call upon your special forces personality. Etc. Etc. But it's not like he every trains, studies, or works out. I guess you have to assume he does this off-screen. Also - every challenge just gets solved with another personality. Oh - and also he's super wealthy - so there isn't any monetary obstacles either. Ok, so yeah, as I write this I feel the annoyance.
I give Sanderson credit for creativity. This scenario works fine in this short book. However, I was surprised to discover that a whole series has evolved around this character. Hmm. I would have preferred he develop the Rhythmatist universe. I enjoyed that project more - although it had issues too.
I think the biggest problem I had with this book was the dialogue style. I didn't notice this in Sanderson's other works. Maybe because this book employees lots of dialogue among the split personalities it's more obvious. Sanderson uses "he said" "she said" dialogue tags an awful lot. I'd prefer that the speaker's point of view be more organic without requiring such identifiers.
August 18, 2022
More Stephen Leeds stories are always welcome. Enough so that I wouldn't mind a bunch of short stories, Sherlock style, with different cases that are solved.
This book is not that, nor is it written by Sanderson. Which is a let down, of sorts, but not necessarily bad. The writing style is a bit different and the author has tried to keep the tone the same as the previous books. It mostly hits, but there are some misses.
The story itself is about mysterious data breaches, memory loss and some weird deaths. A mystery that our dear Leeds has to solve.
I have some problems with the story, compared to earlier ones. One of them is the somewhat supernatural part in it. The other is that pace seems a bit off at times and that things more happen to Leeds and that he just bearly manages to "hold on" instead of driving the story forward.
At least compared to what I would have wanted.
Overall the story is nice and it keeps up with previous entries into the world and mind of Stephen Leeds. Sadly it did not expand that much on his mind, abilities or anything else, in a very meaningful way.
This book is not that, nor is it written by Sanderson. Which is a let down, of sorts, but not necessarily bad. The writing style is a bit different and the author has tried to keep the tone the same as the previous books. It mostly hits, but there are some misses.
The story itself is about mysterious data breaches, memory loss and some weird deaths. A mystery that our dear Leeds has to solve.
I have some problems with the story, compared to earlier ones. One of them is the somewhat supernatural part in it. The other is that pace seems a bit off at times and that things more happen to Leeds and that he just bearly manages to "hold on" instead of driving the story forward.
At least compared to what I would have wanted.
Overall the story is nice and it keeps up with previous entries into the world and mind of Stephen Leeds. Sadly it did not expand that much on his mind, abilities or anything else, in a very meaningful way.
January 30, 2023
I love this series. Stephen Leeds is the result of Sanderson's imagination -usually dedicated to worldbuilding- set loose upon a character. The result is endearing chaos.
And now, here I go being overly particular...
This particular book fell just a bit short of the mark set by the other books. It seemed to have a slightly different tone than the rest of the series.
Stephen, normally so impressive for his ability to juggle his brokenness with his efficiency, seemed weakened. And I wasn't a huge fan of how his successes seemed to depend on someone showing up just in time.
We've seen Stephen broken before. But I felt that this book dwelt on his brokenness too much, and didn't show him getting back up quite enough.
But then, I also realize that this was the exact purpose of this book.
And I enjoyed reading it, regardless of how much I am currently enjoying tearing it apart.
And now, here I go being overly particular...
This particular book fell just a bit short of the mark set by the other books. It seemed to have a slightly different tone than the rest of the series.
Stephen, normally so impressive for his ability to juggle his brokenness with his efficiency, seemed weakened. And I wasn't a huge fan of how his successes seemed to depend on someone showing up just in time.
We've seen Stephen broken before. But I felt that this book dwelt on his brokenness too much, and didn't show him getting back up quite enough.
But then, I also realize that this was the exact purpose of this book.
And I enjoyed reading it, regardless of how much I am currently enjoying tearing it apart.
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