Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson starting December 6, 2021.

Thank you :)

Having read the first two books earlier this year, I'll see if I can fit this one in, 'cause I'd like to finish the trilogy.

I've started this a little early, glad I did, didn't realise it was such a bloody big book!

My copy is certainly bigger than the final empire but forty pages shorter than well of ascension. Still quite big

I started a bit early and wow- those opening scenes have me excited to squeeze this in with all my other reads.

That prologue was gut wrenching Especially as I was thinking about this character before starting. And so far I have no major complaints, though I see certain facts about the world being casually thrown into the text between action scenes.

Well, still not a lot happening again I see, though the Prologue was interesting and didn't expect to see Tensoon again...

Up to Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[I don't know what Spook was thinking being rash like that?!! Doesn't make sense, he's not a fighter! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19 (view spoiler)[ So what the hell was going on there?? Was Spook hallucinating, did he imagine seeing Kelsier? Or Kelsier's helping from the other side somehow? It all seems very convenient; Spook wishing he had other powers in order to fight and now suddenly he gets pewter.. and how did he get one more metal? (hide spoiler)]

until chapter 11
(view spoiler)[ I'm enjoying this more than well of ascension. Poor Marsh being controlled by than creature, Ruin. I am loving the epigraphs, my favourites from the whole trilogy. Those little bits of information about how rashek messed up the world with the power is awesome

About elend being a super powerful mistborn as its stated that he has poor control over Iron I'm more comfortable with it, though I still would have liked that he had not gained powers but if he hadn't he would have died like in five seconds so at least this way he lives

Another pleasant surprise is TeenSoon. I'm also enjoying his chapters as they give more insight into the kandra society (hide spoiler)]

@Paula (view spoiler)[ Yeah, Marsh's arc is definitely interesting, to realise he's not evil/ hasn't been turned to the other side. I wonder if or how he'll free himself...

The epigraphs- I have a sneaky suspicion that it's (view spoiler)[Vin (hide spoiler)] who's written them.

Elend- Not gonna lie, I found it a little hard to believe that he's transformed into this hard man when we didn't get to see it happen... he just doesn't have the same weight as someone like Kaladin... (hide spoiler)]

I had other books to occupy my time. And it looks like I‘ll be reading three Sanderson novels this month. By now, I anticipate the draw and then pages of nothing seeming to happen and then the grand finale. This seems to be his writing style and I can’t be bothered to keep complaining about it.

I‘m curious how certain new metals are causally mentioned - makes me feel like I missed an interlude or novella to account for the new shift. I will press on and hope things get explained later.

Beena
(view spoiler)[ yeah, I agree about the epigraphs

between elend and kaladin obviously kaladin is better. At first I agree that it was quite a shock seeing elend so changed from that towns chief point of view, but then from his pov we see him a bit more like his past self. But, yes, I would have liked to see the gradual change too (hide spoiler)]

June, nice! What other sanderson books are you reading? My favourite is still Stormlight archives

I know! I was also surprised by the casual mentions and questioning my memory of the second book

Paula wrote: "June, nice! What other sanderson books are you reading? My favourite is still Stormlight archives

I know! I was also surprised by the casual mentions and questioning my memory of the second book"

I finished Skyward yesterday and to read Starsight next week.

Read up to chapter 19 (view spoiler)[ Is everyone about to become a Mistborn all of a sudden? I feel like everything is being thrown out for plot conveniences But I will trust the other readers who love this. (hide spoiler)]
My fav atm are Marsh and TenSoon. (view spoiler)[ Though Human is interesting, I feel like we could see more interaction. Vin seems to collect the outsiders. It is interesting to see her viewpoint on events. (hide spoiler)]

By now, I anticipate the draw and then pages of nothing seeming to happen and then the grand finale. This seems to be his writing style and I can’t be bothered to keep complaining about it.

I guess because I started with Stormlight which is full throttle, my expectations were high for everything else. But what you said does seem to be the case for most of the rest of his work, I just thought that given that Mistborn is one of his main series, it would've been a lot more action packed than this.

The new metals also caught me by surprise; the fact that they were talking about them as if we're supposed to know what they do.

Chapter 29 (view spoiler)[Pfffftttt, as if Vin's gonna be more concerned about not having a dress for the ball, when she's got the responsibility of saving the world! Absolutely idiotic. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 30 (view spoiler)[ Tbf, I quite liked that little throwback to the balls, it's like they've come full circle. What did annoy me was Vin fretting about her motives for going/ wearing a dress; freaking eye-roll inducing, just get on with it!! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 32 (view spoiler)[ What is Preservation?? I feel like I'm missing something completely here...
Elend was waaaay too lax with Yomen, why the hell did he suddenly feel like he could be informal and the guy would come round?! Should've taken the more authoritative approach, what a waste of time.
The fact that they finally got to to have their dance was nice, but the whole book thing was incredibly cheesy. I feel like Sando was trying so hard to make it cute and funny and instead he just ruined the moment for me. And what kind of impression does it make on the people, they're there to intimidate and show how powerful they are and he pulls that shit?! Ugh. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 35(view spoiler)[ No idea what the hell is going on, but I'm a bit concerned that that's not really Kelsier that's talking to him... And now he suddenly knows how to take the lead etc.. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 37 (view spoiler)[What the shit??!! That's seriously fucked up!! Oh my god, they were originally human!! But how do they manage to transform into those monsters?! Wow, was not expecting that!! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 38- (view spoiler)[Spook's earned a reputation quite quickly hasn't he, it's not like he's done a lot. I am enjoying his chapters it just all seems so overblown. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 41- (view spoiler)[On one hand I want spook to be that guy, the hero. On the other, where is it going, if he somehow succeeds the survivor? I thought Vin and Elend were meant to be the main leaders. Also he's not had fight training in allomancy so those scenes don't quite sit right, like he needs to make more mistakes.. (hide spoiler)]

until chapter 29
(view spoiler)[ I agree that spook getting powers was very strange. And seeing a shadow man just like vin. Are they the same Person? And is he really kelsier? How? And if vin sensed bad intentions in the shadow how could it be kelsier since he was like a father to her?

Tensoon is also one of my favorite characters, June. I wish he could see more of Humans interactions with vin. I guess she will learn more of the koloss through him just like she learned from oreseur/Tenson

Haha, yeah, the part when vin was worried because she had no dresses i took it more as a nudge towards old valette and was funny for me

It's also interesting that hoid appears and how vin didn't talk with him. I would have liked to see their interactions. I wonder what he was doing (hide spoiler)]

@Paula (view spoiler)[ Yeah I thought that too about Hoid. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 45 (view spoiler)[ Reen's voice was Ruin all along?? Now that was interesting. I didn't really believe she was seeing Reen either. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 46 (view spoiler)[ Could it be Ruin appearing to Spook, talking in Kelsier's voice as he did with Reen? But then the voice/apparition appears to be helping him, surely it would be against him.. And shouldn't Preservation be some sort of sentient being if it's Ruin's opposite? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 52 (view spoiler)[ How does Tensoon know about Ruin? He wasn't with Vin when she released him or afterwards... that doesn't make sense.
Also find it a bit distasteful that Kelsier's bones got used like that- I know Kelsier asked OreSeur to imitate him in the first place, but this seemed different, digging up his bones after he's been laid to rest. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 53 (view spoiler)[ What a ridiculous chapter; Spook wanting love life advice from the Kelsier apparition, revealing all that info to Beldre about how the crew really are- he doesn't know her, he doesn't know he can trust her. And then confiding all that stuff about himself, like she's gonna feel sorry for him or something or grow closer to him. Just NO.

And since when did Spook become a Lord??! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 55 (view spoiler)[ The mists not actually killing people- so what are they dying/getting ill from? But Vin can sense a malevolence in the mists, so what's that about? So many questions...

Also it was interesting to find that stuff out, but the interaction that they had was rather ridiculous, just the mist spirit waving it's arms about to Elend's questions lol. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 56 (view spoiler)[Ha, was going to say that I thought that mist spirit was that little sliver of Preservation and that's why it was helping them in my last spoiler but this next chapter confirmed it straight away.

Bit worried by Spook, def think that's Ruin speaking to him and wanting to cause chaos. Also Sazed should have asked him properly what was going on with him and stepped up to do what he was supposed to do. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 71 (view spoiler)[ Something just clicked for me; But, he was a force- his influence is everywhere. Some of it perhaps, concentrated into that pool. The rest is elsewhere and everywhere. That's why Vin can draw on the mists, because they're of Preservation and it gives her power. Should've realised with the knowledge that Preservation created the mists to find Allomancers. (hide spoiler)]

Beena
(view spoiler)[wasn't preservation mentioned in stormlight? I think it's one of those gods that gives powers to the knights, or something. My memory of stormlight is quite fuzzy with the huge amounts of information in it

Yeah, elend was in the dance and he transformed into old elend, which was bad for the impression he wanted to cause the other people, but I guess he felt nostalgic and that feeling won over his common sense. You hace a point of the impression of the book thing on the people but I liked that throwback

I'm also concerned with spooks inner kelsier. But if it's ruin what is his main goal?

The new magic system is intriguing. It makes me wonder what happened to Zane. He also had a metal rod in his chest (hide spoiler)]

I'm liking the book but as its not very fast paced I'm also in no hurry to pick up and finish it. But at least I'm liking it more than the second one. I've heard the ending of this one is awesome so I hope that's true

until chapter 41
Beena
(view spoiler)[I know! I just love how the kandra, koloss, and the inquisitors all tie together. Its incredible. And incredible horrifying. The ramifications of the new powers are astonishing. They can even intensify some natural abilities kind of like a mistborn, and it's really cool

Spooks chapters are my least favorite. He is just not very interesting for me to follow and now that he wants to be a second kelsier is even worse. No one can be a second kelsier for me, he is unique. And the way 'kelsier' keeps telling him to kill people I don't think the real kelsier would have said that. At the end he softened a bit towards killing. I agree with how great he seems to pick up allomancy. He should be more unable to control it. He is not vin who burned the metals all her life without realising it (hide spoiler)]

@Paula (view spoiler)[ RE Spook- Yeah agreed, I didn't like that he was trying to be like Kelsier and it was the same sort of arc too. I was enjoying his bits at first but towards the end I went off him. (hide spoiler)]

Finished the other day, not a lot to say really, apart from (view spoiler)[ the use of Sazed's religions in the end was a nice touch. Clever. I did think Vin would've done something more as well, once she sucked Preservation's power in. And what happened to Tensoon? His ending was a bit abrupt.

I did actually guess that Vin might have had a tiny bit of metal piercing her and that's why Ruin was able to get to her but doubted myself for a minute afterwards lol. (hide spoiler)]

It was ok overall, didn't suck like the last one, but also didn't grip me either.

Don't forget to sign up for the 2022 competition, if you want to... deadline is tomorrow, before Jenna makes teams :D

I didn't follow discussion much... but if/when anyone continues with Era 2, I'll do a re-read...

Era 2 is more fun, in general... first entry especially, before Sanderson plotted out a trilogy (which is why the 2nd Era has 4 books, not 3... and 4th book is coming out next year!!!)

Anyway... it's got a Weird Western vibe... and I think it's a ton of fun... when you guys get around to it... obviously (I think), some of the long-lived characters will be explored more in Era 2...

Wax & Wayne are the best... Top Tier Bromance... up there with Royce & Hadrian from the Riyria series...

Ha, thanks for the sign up reminder, only just seen it now, I had to work up to christmas eve and it was a bit of nightmare, then we went to see fam for christmas and boxing day, so I didn't log on again for a while... I did see the sign up a little before hand but just didn't get a chance to do it.

Glad to hear that Era 2's better. I haven't decided yet if I'm gonna continue with it next year... I'm contemplating just waiting for the whole of the Mistborn series to be completed and then reading it all at once...

Hi All! Would this group be interested in reading Era 2 to time with book 4's release in November? That would be one book a month in August, Sept, Oct and then the new release in Nov.

I have only three chapters left and I'm sad. Literally only 39 pages left. I'll read them tomorrow because I don't want it to end
(view spoiler)[Reens voice being Ruin has made me want to reread the entire trilogy. So awesome

I don't mind Tensoon using kelsiers bones, after all kelsier wouldn't mind

Spook revealing everything to Beldre was stupid. I think sazed calls him lord but elend didn't give him the title

The mist spirit basically dancing to be understood was funny but then in the next epigraph it made me sad when it said that after that he died

You guessed how vin used her mist power earlier than I did. With so much information I get distracted. But I did guessed that Ruin working though her earring was what was preventing her to draw in the mists so that's something

the one sided fight between vin and the inquisitors was glorious. For once it was them who were scared. And i loved the scene where she shoot up above the mists and saw all of luthadel so calm

and vin becoming God was so great. I loved seeing how Ruin and her are fighting to influence the world bit by bit and how she made the same mistakes as the lord ruler and she just panicked and moved the earth so it was night. But that makes me think does the planet only have a continent? Because if not she has condemned half the world to awful heat (hide spoiler)]

I'm definitely continuing with mistborn era 2, so those dates work well with me, especially since the books are shorter

@Paula: (view spoiler)[You learn a bit more about Preservation in Secret History, after reading the first 3 Wax & Wayne books…

And Scadriel’s population all lives at the north pole right now, if I remember correctly… so Vin just moved it back to the equator with a natural Earth wobble?… that sounds right… (hide spoiler)]

@Paula - Great! I'm going to request threads for the 22nd of each month.

Thanks Narilka!

Iain(view spoiler)[So I can't read secret history yet? I was planning to but thanks for the heads up

haha, natural earth wobble. More like spinning it like a spinning top (hide spoiler)]

Thanks for asking Narilka, I think I'm gonna stop here for now and try out some other stuff this year. :)

Sadly I'm thinking I'm not a Sanderson fan after this trilogy. I gave the first one 4 stars but then 2 stars and down to 1 star. So I'm in the minority with this one. Shame. I doubt I'll read any more of his stuff.

Noooo! Please give The Way of Kings a go, Stormlight is supposed to be his best work and having read some of his other books now, I can see a VAST difference. I agree though, I wasn't a fan of this trilogy either.

Ah OK. I'll give Stormlight a go then, see what happens.

Yesss, thank youuu :D Ah, that was easy! Haha

Hahaha!