Author: Jon Moss

Book Review: The Warded Man by Brett (4 Stars)

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

4 out of 5 stars

Fantasy Book Club April 2010 Selection

Read from March 31 to April 04, 2010,

I devoured this book, ravenous as a coreling in the night. Excellent world building, great character development, driving plot and riveting action. I’m panting and sweating just thinking about the last desperate battle.

Some of my favorite bits of the world building include a post apocalyptic setting, almost an alternate history of our own reality, where humanity is facing extinction from supernatural elements (demons) holding people hostage with terror as they roam the nights freely; ward magic lost in the mist of time and only rediscovered sparingly and with great difficulty; and, the presence of religious and racial prejudices dividing rather than unifying at the expense humanity’s survival.

About two-thirds finished, I yearned to give a five star rating because I became so invested in the characters I wept for their pain, misadventures, obsessions and short-sightedness. But the characters I loved were abandoned, left behind, or symbolically sacrificed and reborn into even more crazed incarnations.

The healing of mind and soul attempted during the last few chapters stretch my believability nearly to the breaking point and left me wishing that men really could walk in a woman’s shoes (or her body) before assuming we overcome, endure or recover like men. Without spoiling, I can’t convey how soured I became with the author for that one pivotal event.

Notwithstanding the sour taste in my mouth for that plot point, I couldn’t put this book down or turn pages fast enough. I plan to seek out the sequel, The Desert Spear, when I return this book to the library tomorrow.

Book Review: Well of Ascension by Sanderson (4 Stars)

Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

4 out of 5 stars

Read in October 2008

I read Well of Ascension immediately on the heels of Mistborn The Final Empire, which was a relief and a race. I wanted to finish the second book since the third book was “in the mail” to me, signed by the author.

While not as riveting as the first book of the series, I enjoyed the continued struggles of Vin and Elend, as they pick up the pieces after shattering the Lord Ruler’s Empire. Most of the characters from the first book are present, except for Kelsier, of course, who sacrificed himself at the end of the first book to become a martyr and start a religion which would give hope to the skaa.

Vin barely sleeps as she guards Elend from assassination attempts. Elend has his hands full crafting a democratic government and a siege by two hostile armies. Sazed returns to his calling and strives to teach the skaa relevant religions but soon stumbles upon the returning horrors of the Mists. Vin, Elend, Sazed and others finally find the Well of Ascension, but with no time to spare, have they done the right thing?

Since this is the second book of the series, it carries on the story, but must leave us with something to hope for in the final installment. A very enjoyable work and I highly recommend it to all lovers of fantasy.

Book Review: Hero of Ages by Sanderson (4 Stars)

Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

4 out of 5 stars

Read in November 2008

Warning: Spoilers

Strangely, this third and final book of the Mistborn trilogy was more depressing and tragic to me than the middle one, The Well of Ascension. It was also disturbing on a theological front for me.

It’s been a year since Elend and Vin were married and they are still struggling to hold their new empire together. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that nothing they are doing will stop the inevitable – the world is dying, ending, destroying itself. Sazed has lost all faith. Where he used to preach and believe in all religions, he has spent the year studying and dismissing all the religions in his research as false.

Meanwhile, even in the face of Sazed’s crisis of faith, we actually meet and get confirmation of two deities locked in a futile struggle. They are Ruin and Preservation. I long suspected, even back in the first book, that the voices in people’s heads where not internal memories or insanity, but an external force pressuring them emotionally and psychologically into actions that met it’s ends.

The one pleasant surprise was learning the true origins of the kandra.

It was a compelling story and I read it almost non-stop for three days. I was very saddened by the fates of the main characters – nearly all of whom don’t make it to the end credits. Even though we lose so many, there is hope and a resurrection of sorts in the end.

Back to my theological concerns – I could see increasing influence of Mormonism throughout this book. It’s subtle, but the Mormon worldview fits.

In the end, Sazed was raised to godhood, but limited in his knowledge and by the laws of the universe. Even with his metalminds, he was not omniscient.

He was always one of my favorite characters and Feurchemy was the essence of Balance so he was the perfect mediator for the elemental forces of Ruin and Preservation.

Since there are still two Alomantic metals undiscovered and Spook has been left in charge with the blessing of Sazed, I imagine we will have more opportunities to visit the newly rejuvenated world of the Mistborn.