I finished The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson, the third book in the Mistborn trilogy! It takes me a long time to read a book, usually a year for a novel, so finishing a trilogy is a monumental achievement for me.
Here are my bite-size, spoiler-free thoughts on the series. The first book, The Final Empire, is a masterpiece—the twists are brilliant—and it can stand alone just fine. The second book cannot stand alone. It mainly sets up the third. Sanderson knows how to start stories, and he knows how to finish them masterfully; it’s the middles that are lacking. He could have cut a hundred and fifty pages out of the second and third books, and they would’ve been much better, but the conclusion of the series almost makes it all worth it. I’m glad I read it. At first glance, it seems like generic, dystopian fantasy if such a thing exists, but it turns out to be a unique, thought-provoking story.
You might be wondering why it takes me so long to read a novel. There are two reasons. First, I’m dyslexic. I read well compared to an average tv watcher. Compared to an avid reader, though, I’m as slow as a caterpillar walking backward. Not only do I read slower, I also can’t read as much. Reading takes more effort for someone with dyslexia than for a normal person.
All that said, the second reason is even more impactful: the time I have for reading is usually also the time I have for writing. If I have to choose between the two, I’m going to choose writing. I’m trying to get in the habit of bringing a book with me. Sometimes I have a chance to read when or where I don’t have the same chance to write. There’s no conflict of interest in that case. I’m much better at tuning out distractions while reading than while writing.
