Publisher: Hachette UK

The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Published by Hachette UK on March 30, 2010
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 800
four-half-stars

The original Mistborn trilogy has earned a spot in my favorite fantasy series of all time. The second and third entries in the series continue to expand Brandon Sanderson’s brilliant world. These two books contain loveable characters, twists upon twists, heartbreaking losses, and a highly satisfying ending. Be warned this review has spoilers for the first Mistborn book, The Final Empire. Feel free to check out my spoiler free review of The Final Empire here.

The Well of Ascension has less action compared to The Final Empire, which was essentially a heist story. The sequel digs into the politics of the world. The Final Empire ended with Vin killing the Lord Ruler. Elend now takes control of Luthadel, the capital of The Final Empire. Elend finds himself torn between building a utopic government and doing whatever is necessary to keep control over Luthadel. Multiple factions, one led by his own father, place a siege on Luthadel. They are hoping to overthrow Elend to secure the valuable store of atrium that is rumored to be hidden there. In the meantime, Vin starts hearing mysterious thumping, that only she can detect, and a rival Mistborn is stalking her at night. The Well of Ascension also expands the world of the kandra, introducing an excellent character. And Sazed, (my favorite!) gets a love interest. The second novel concludes with an excellent trope-busting twist. After that ending I was scrambling to find a copy of The Hero of Ages as soon as possible.

I love when fantasy books get political. Fantasy authors, please do not gloss over why leaders make their decisions. I really enjoy the thought process behind political maneuvers, which Sanderson delivers in The Well of Ascension. Once Elend takes on the leadership position, he becomes more likeable. Elend certainly makes mistakes as a leader, even if his intensions are well-meaning. But Elend quickly learns from these mistakes, all while trying to uphold a fair and just government. Sanderson somehow got me to root for a straight male protagonist, which is rare for me in fantasy. And I cannot hype the twist at the end of The Well of Ascension enough! This is my favorite twist of the whole trilogy. Sanderson manages to offer an unexpected new take on the “chosen one” trope.

I will not say too much about the plot of The Hero of Ages, to avoid spoiling events in The Well of Ascension. Every character that survives the first two books gets their time to shine in the final installment. Especially one previously minor character. The ending is spectacular. The conclusion is epic, brutal, and beautifully wraps up the trilogy.

For me, The Hero of Ages, is the weakest entry in the trilogy, but the ending is everything! Sanderson is not afraid to kill off any of his characters, which is essential for me in fantasy. If there is an ongoing war or extreme danger, then some main characters need to die to keep the stakes high. Maybe I’m a bit twisted, but the pain of a loveable character dying feels so good! I really enjoyed Sanderson’s use of religion in all three books. Religion ended up playing a significant role in the final pages, and I appreciated the overall message. After finishing my fist three Brandon Sanderson books, I am impressed with his storytelling skills. Sanderson planned out these novels well in advance. Hints and clues are dropped early on, yet the twists never seemed obvious or predictable. All of Sanderson’s foreshadowing gives Mistborn great rereading potential. I am looking forward to continuing my way through Sanderson’s bibliography. I plan to stick to just the Cosmere universe for now.

four-half-stars

The Night Watchman

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Published by Hachette UK on March 5, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Indigenous, Literary, Magical Realism
Pages: 464

Like many people I’ve been frustrated with the US government’s inability to pass common-sense gun control laws. I was in desperate need of an uplifting story where characters successfully take on Washington. In Louise Erdrich’s The Night Watchman the Chippewa tribe works to stop a bill that would take away their land and identity in the 1950s. This is an excellent piece of historical fiction told from multiple perspectives.

This story is fictional, but in the preface Erdrich explains that the character of Thomas Wazhashk is based her grandfather. The Chippewa live on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota.  In 1953 Congress is about to pass a “termination” bill that would result in the US claiming Native American land and forcing the occupants to relocate to the cities. The bill not only steals Native American land but also attempts to whitewash the Native Americans, essentially eradicating them. Thomas Wazhashk is a council member of the Chippewa that works as a night watchman at the local jewel-bearing plant near the reservation. During the long nights working alone at the plant Thomas writes correspondence to politicians in hopes of stopping the passing of the termination bill. Erdrich’s story has chapters told from perspectives of many people living on the reservation. Pixie Paranteau (she prefers Patrice) is a young woman working at the jewel bearing plant.  Patrice makes a trip to Minneapolis to search for her missing sister Vera. The antagonist of the story is Senator Arthur V Watkins (who interrogated Erdrich’s grandfather in real life) who is the strongest supporter of the termination bill. Erdrich also weaves supernatural elements into the plot (who doesn’t love some magical realism).

My favorite part of the novel were the loveable characters. I think it’s always refreshing to read a book with characters that I’m invested in and that are believable. One theme I picked up on was the younger Chippewa embraced their heritage to varying degrees. Pixie learned the Chippewa language and many of the skills passed down from elder family members.  While her sister Vera wanted to escape the reservation and go to the city dressing to pass as a white woman. Even though Pixie shows interest in learning about her heritage she insists everyone call her Patrice, a more American name. Erdrich succeeds in educating the reader about the time period and the politics of the termination effort. For me, the best historical fiction strikes a balance between engaging story with dynamic characters and educating the reader about the time. In this respect Louise Erdrich knocks it out of the park!

In the spirit of Louise Erdrich’s grandfather’s tenacity for change I’d like to challenge you to take action to advocate for a political issue you’re passionate about. I’ve added some helpful links below for organizations that are working to prevent gun violence (the issue I’m currently fired up about). 

https://www.everytown.org/      The largest gun violence prevention organization in America

https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/      A non-profit organization whose mission is to end school and create a culture that prevents violence

https://www.commoncause.org/              A helpful website that helps you determine which politicians represent your geographic region at every level of government