Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 09/02/2022
Cover:
This cover is easily my favourite of the trilogy! The simple illustration pairs well with the plain blue, black, and white design used for the trilogy. It is also a lovely close-up of Vin’s face which makes me like it more.
Writing:
If there were any doubts in my mind about Brandon Sanderson’s ability to create a deep and complex world, this book erased them all. His writing is just as vivid and effortless as ever, with every word coming to life in my mind. I was also amazed by how much depth Brandon adds to the world and characters of the Final Empire. This information is gradually introduced through multiple points of view, so it is not overwhelming. However, I was frustrated by the constant repetition of information from this book and the two previous books. While I appreciate that this is done to tie things together from across the trilogy, it does make the story less engaging.
If you give up what you want most for what you think you should want more, you’ll end up miserable.
Storyline:
It is now a year after the events of the preceding book, and the Final Empire is falling apart. The stakes are high as the crew faces a race against time to prevent the end of the world. My main issue was with the pace of the storyline, which remained painfully slow for most of the story. The crew spends a lot of time waiting, and only a few ploys are set in motion. The focus is put on the fears and insecurities of each character as they encounter different challenges. However, these internal conflicts quickly become tedious as they are frequently repeated.
The storyline also suffers from very few action scenes. The few moments of action are filled with concepts that are now familiar and do not contribute anything new or surprising. What did surprise me were the numerous twists revealed throughout the story. These were skilfully used to pull together events from the trilogy for a compelling, well-thought-out storyline.
Main character:
It was so satisfying to observe the strength and confidence shown by Vin and Elend in this book. Both characters have come a long way from who they were at the start of the trilogy. Whilst they do continue to grow and evolve in this story, the development is limited as their internal conflicts have already been explored at length in previous books.
Secondary characters:
I must first gush about how much I loved the focus Spook’s character receives. His narrative is fascinating and refreshing, as he only plays a minor role in the series before this. I also loved the focus on Tensun and Sazed in this story. These three narratives proved to be a nice respite from the over-familiar narratives of Vin and Elend. I enjoyed observing their growth and increasing self-confidence throughout the story.
Romance:
Vin and Elend’s ability to show their love for each other is my favourite thing about their relationship. Their communication and understanding of each other have also improved significantly, making their relationship stronger. We also have the development of two other relationships in this story, but they are not explored much.
For every Push, there is a Pull. A consequence.
All things considered, I cannot deny that ‘The Hero of Ages‘ gives a great conclusion that perfectly ties together everything in this trilogy. Despite this, my final rating is a little low since I struggled with the lack of activity and repetition of information in the middle part of the story.
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
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[…] In short, I had high hopes and expectations for this sequel, but I was disappointed. While I enjoyed the political aspects of the previous book, I was underwhelmed and bored by the various power struggles in this book. The rest of the storyline dragged as numerous POVs and tangents were explored. Even the romance aspect failed to keep me interested as it seemed too forced and angsty. Those looking for a similar read would like The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson. […]