785 pages
Published Oct. 13, 2008 by Tor Books.
This book is not only the third book in a trilogy, but it’s Act Three of the the three-act structure for the Mistborn Trilogy—it’s the part of the story where the heroes have discovered that what they thought was the problem all along was not the true danger, and now they’re fighting for not only their own survival but that of the world they live in. The mists are killing people and staying out much longer than they should. The Ashmounts are spewing more and more choking ash into the sky, burying the crops that everyone needs to eat to live. And Ruin, the creature Vin was tricked into freeing from its prison of a millennium, is loose to wreak havoc upon the land. Life under the Lord Ruler is starting to look like paradise in comparison.
While the first book in the trilogy turned the standard fantasy story on …
This book is not only the third book in a trilogy, but it’s Act Three of the the three-act structure for the Mistborn Trilogy—it’s the part of the story where the heroes have discovered that what they thought was the problem all along was not the true danger, and now they’re fighting for not only their own survival but that of the world they live in. The mists are killing people and staying out much longer than they should. The Ashmounts are spewing more and more choking ash into the sky, burying the crops that everyone needs to eat to live. And Ruin, the creature Vin was tricked into freeing from its prison of a millennium, is loose to wreak havoc upon the land. Life under the Lord Ruler is starting to look like paradise in comparison.
While the first book in the trilogy turned the standard fantasy story on its head, this volume (perhaps inevitably?) returns in a way to the tropes the first volume was a reaction against. Yet in this case the enemy is not a human or humanlike Dark Lord, but something more like a force of nature—entropy itself given a will and a guiding personality in the form of Ruin.
Ultimately, the book is about how the characters we have grown to love from the previous volumes—Vin, Elend, Sazed, TenSoon, Spook, Marsh, and others—find the courage and faith to fight on in the face of overwhelming odds, just as Kelsier taught them when he plotted the downfall of the Final Empire.
A deeply satisfying end to a pretty good trilogy. The ending is a bit too pat, but the journey was exciting. Also, I am happy that my favorite character ended up being the most important!
やっと「即位の泉」や「時代の勇士」に関わる質問が明白になるかと思いきや、また新しい何かが現れます。自分はその展開を察知しませんでした。それにミストスピリットの生体もまだ未明です。知りたくてなりません！
主人公の周りにいる人物が続々と殺害されますが、全滅しなくて「生き残り」は次巻でどうするか楽しみにしています。
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it in English or Japanese. The series is 素晴らしい！
This was a very satisfying conclusion to the Mistborn trilogy. All the details of the previous book snapped into place, actions and characters made more sense. I think it's a great third book that makes you go back and think about the previous two in a new light and with a newly expanded perspective. I really liked how Sanderson used the excerpts at the beginning of the chapters throughout the series, but in Hero of Ages they managed to explain a lot of the cosmic goings-on without seeming out of place. It was a good trick of exposition to fill that stuff in without hammering the reader over the head with world-building knowledge. I also really enjoyed how willing Sanderson was to take dramatic turns with his characters, giving Spook, Elend, Vin, Sazed, TenSoon, and even Marsh satisfying arcs that fit with their characters but didn't edge too far into …
This was a very satisfying conclusion to the Mistborn trilogy. All the details of the previous book snapped into place, actions and characters made more sense. I think it's a great third book that makes you go back and think about the previous two in a new light and with a newly expanded perspective. I really liked how Sanderson used the excerpts at the beginning of the chapters throughout the series, but in Hero of Ages they managed to explain a lot of the cosmic goings-on without seeming out of place. It was a good trick of exposition to fill that stuff in without hammering the reader over the head with world-building knowledge. I also really enjoyed how willing Sanderson was to take dramatic turns with his characters, giving Spook, Elend, Vin, Sazed, TenSoon, and even Marsh satisfying arcs that fit with their characters but didn't edge too far into predictability. Even having read the synopses before hand, I was almost surprised going through, but it didn't feel particularly forced (well maybe Sazed a little, but he's a good dude I'll cut him some slack).
I probably would have given the book five stars just for fulfilling my desires to deliver me more Mistborn content, but I think the pacing was a bit off. The "Sanderson avalanche" is definitely a thing, but it was more noticeable in Hero of Ages. For a book that's over 700 pages, all the action of the finale shouldn't be packed into 50 odd pages at the end. It wasn't bad by any means, but I think a more experienced writer (or a post-WoT Sanderson) would trim the middle segments a bit and draw out the ending another 50 pages. It's really a cosmic-scale conflict at the end and it deserves a bigger chunk of the book.
All in all, I really loved this series. I have Alloy of Law waiting on my table, and plan to dive headlong into Sanderson again once I've cleared my reading list a little more. I'm a convert.
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Third book of the Mistborn trilogy. It takes place a year or so after the events of the second book and... well, the world needs to be saved, essentially, if it's even possible. Great ending to a great series. All ends are tied, the whole series is consistent and fascinating (I really, really love the magic system) and the crescendo from the start to the end of the trilogy is directed with a master's hand. I had a very hard time letting go of this book ("another chapter tonight? that's not reasonable... last one, promise! okay, THIS ONE is the last one, promise!"). The ending is epic, grandiose and moving (it's quite rare that a book brings tears to my eyes). There's a Mistborn #4 that takes place 300 years later, it just landed on my "to-read" list.
2022 Re-read: If this book could get more than five stars it would deserve it.
"That's a pleasant sentiment, I think," Sazed said. Completely false, of course.
Hero of Ages is a magnificent read and enough time had passed that most of the story felt new and unfamiliar. The Sanderlanche is epic because it has to conclude the book, and the Mistborn Era 1 series; the first (and currently only) time a Sanderson Cosmere series has come to an end.
I loved the revelations of why historical events were they way they were, how there were enough clues to point the reader in one direction but then were taken in a different and even more appropriate conclusion.
Love this book and this series, I'm happy to re-read it and will probably be just as happy when I read this book again a few years down the road.
2018 Re-read …
2022 Re-read: If this book could get more than five stars it would deserve it.
"That's a pleasant sentiment, I think," Sazed said. Completely false, of course.
Hero of Ages is a magnificent read and enough time had passed that most of the story felt new and unfamiliar. The Sanderlanche is epic because it has to conclude the book, and the Mistborn Era 1 series; the first (and currently only) time a Sanderson Cosmere series has come to an end.
I loved the revelations of why historical events were they way they were, how there were enough clues to point the reader in one direction but then were taken in a different and even more appropriate conclusion.
Love this book and this series, I'm happy to re-read it and will probably be just as happy when I read this book again a few years down the road.
2018 Re-read: Charging ahead with re-reading the first Era Mistborn series.
...the winning side wasn't always the right side.
This series was better on the re-read. The struggles with faith, religion and belief was a thread under this final story and is a significant element. Having more knowledge of the Cosmere made me appreciate how much was introduced in this series. There were references to the Realms, some hints at Shards, but seeing the clues for something bigger was a nice pay off.
An excellent story, great character arcs (and for some you'd never think could be redeemed) and still a solid five star rating.
And is an ending always bad? it asked. Must not all things, even worlds, someday end?
In a word, this book, and series, was spectacular. The Hero of Ages beautifully connects the dots from the first two books while expanding on the mythology and helping you learn more about legends that were discussed in The Final Empire. The Hero of Ages did a fantastic job focusing on current events, elaborating on Hemalurgy, connecting the dots and being an entertaining read. My only regret is that the second Mistborn trilogy is not completed yet, however Mistborn #1-3 was a great series and I would recommend it for all fans of the fantasy genre.
Good book. Does a great job of putting together all of the pieces from the previous two books. And without miring itself in recreating the movie "Pretty Woman" for some character like he did on the first books. Clearly, Sanderson put a ridiculous amount of effort into the details of the magic system he uses in the Mistborn series. Because of how the magic works, I can't help but think that Mistborn would make for a good videogame.
In summary... Lots of action. Plenty of hacked off Coloss body parts. And the fairly major, yet well-thought-out and interesting, focus on made-up religions would, no doubt, tick off the nutjobs who thought Harry Potter was an evil devil book written by Satan.
I was quite pleased with this final book in the Mistborn trilogy. Sanderson manages to pull together all the threads and conclude the novel in an extremely satisfying way, even if it may be a little tragic.
As this book delves deep into the metaphysical struggle that is occurring in the world of the Mistborn novels, it's easy to identify the influence of Mormonism in aspects of the book's internal theology, particularly the end of the book. I have to admit that for a small while I was a little worried that Sazed's search for faith was going to end up being a religious pitch. That didn't turn out to be the case, so I'm a little confused why some people think this is an issue. Honestly, who cares where an author gets their ideas, so long as it provides a satisfying story?
I loved the puzzle of trying to …
I was quite pleased with this final book in the Mistborn trilogy. Sanderson manages to pull together all the threads and conclude the novel in an extremely satisfying way, even if it may be a little tragic.
As this book delves deep into the metaphysical struggle that is occurring in the world of the Mistborn novels, it's easy to identify the influence of Mormonism in aspects of the book's internal theology, particularly the end of the book. I have to admit that for a small while I was a little worried that Sazed's search for faith was going to end up being a religious pitch. That didn't turn out to be the case, so I'm a little confused why some people think this is an issue. Honestly, who cares where an author gets their ideas, so long as it provides a satisfying story?
I loved the puzzle of trying to determine who the Hero of Ages was from the text that appears at the beginning of each chapter. Although, the reveal of the third art, Hemalurgy gets its first explanation in these passages, which almost seems a bit like a cheat, but ultimately played out well in the story.
I really enjoyed the conclusion to this series, and while more books are welcome, I am content with how the story concluded.
