Book Review: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

Book #89 of 2021:

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn #3)

This closing volume to the original Mistborn trilogy is another outstanding adventure by the standards of the epic fantasy genre at large, but I think it’s perhaps just a minor step down from the first two books. The malevolent force called Ruin and his vampiric power of hemalurgy get a great showcase in the battle for the fate of the world, and it’s thrilling how the reader’s new knowledge of them recasts and lends greater depth to previous events as well — to say nothing of the clear connections with the wider cosmere canon. Yet at the same time, the novel spends a little too much energy on explaining all these revelations, which sometimes makes it feel more like a very interesting encyclopedia entry or writer Q&A than a specific plot we’re following in the moment. It doesn’t help that the big allomantic action sequences are starting to seem a bit rote by this point either, now that the protagonists are so skilled that they’re regularly ripping through entire armies with ease.

When the characters emerge from the lore surprises and combat scenes, they’re as engaging as ever, and I particularly love both Spook’s heroic arc and the respect and care with which author Brandon Sanderson approaches Sazed’s depression. (He improves further on matters of mental health representation in his later series The Stormlight Archive, but I had forgotten or never realized the early appearance here.) And the worldbuilding remains an incredible achievement that adds an immersive lived-in quality to everything, even while the show-versus-tell balance of this element is growing somewhat skewed.

Finally, the text absolutely nails the apocalyptic atmosphere of this climactic showdown, gradually raising the stakes of the threat until we can truly believe that all life on Scadrial might be wiped out. And thanks to the skill that Sanderson has brought to establishing this setting and the fierce personalities who populate it, that’s a danger with real bite throughout. Although I may take issue with some of the pacing, it’s hard to argue against the overall effectiveness of this finale as a capstone and sendoff to the phenomenal story he’s been telling all along.

[Content warning for gore. And disclaimer: I’m Facebook friends with the author.]

This title: ★★★★☆

Overall series: ★★★★★

Volumes ranked: 1 > 2 > 3

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