FIRST THREE CHAPTERS | Discussion

[Jay]

We're now on the final book in this trilogy; a fact that honestly is quite sad. I don't want this series to end! Fortunately there is the secondary Wax & Wayne series which takes place 300 years after this one, though I'll miss the characters we've grown to love.

After reading the first three chapters, it's evident that The Hero of Ages is off to a very strong start! Let's discuss some of what's happened:

Prologue

"Marsh struggled to kill himself"
"... three years imprisoned in his own thoughts."
- Poor Marsh :( I mean, I wouldn't mind if he did kill himself (as horrible as that sounds), this Inquisitor that he's become is most likely going to cause us more trouble. I feel bad though, being stuck in this body that no longer is yours to control.
-So in this prologue we gain insight to a magic system we haven't heard of yet: Hemalurgy. Apparently it requires a metal spike to be driven through someone's heart.

Chapter One
- The book opens several months after the events that ended the last book. This 'thing' that Vin has unleashed on the world is known as Ruin. Hordes of Koloss, as well as the killer mist, have been devastating villages; villages such as Fatren. We see a powerful allowmancer arrive in Fatren, who of course is revealed to be Elend. You can see how Elend's grown, not only in his new allomantic abilities, but in his position as empower. He basically gives the people of Fatren no other option but to pledge allegiance to him, this forcefulness is pretty much needed considering the state the world is in. I can't wait to see Elend grow more in his power and contribute to the badass fighting scenes alongside Vin.

Chapter Two

- YES! OreSeu- *ahem*, I mean, Tensoon! (He will always be OreSeur to me). So glad we get his perspective so early on into the book! Wow he's not having a fun time though. His form is lacking bone structure and sensory organs, he's basically just a pile of sludge. Ughhh and the pain of being lifted by those hooks! Poor Kandra :( I hope he gets a merciful judgment! And by this I mean, outlaw him from Kandra society so he can go and live his life with Vin and Elend, with no need for a contract ;)
Or just send him on over to Canada and he'll be my personal Kandra buddy! ^_^

Chapter Three
- LET THE KOLOSS HIT THE FLOOOOOR. No seriously though, bravo to Elend and Vin fighting off them blue bastards. It's interesting to not that after Vin took down that thirteen foot one, the other Koloss hesitated. Do they actually have the emotion to be fearful??? Interesting...


- All this Koloss-killing draws in the Steel Inquisitor into battle, whom was leading this particular band of cobalt steroid-enhanced giants. Erggh it sucks that the Inquisitor was smart enough to go into battle with a metal plate to protect the spike on his back.


Let me know your thoughts on these first three chapters! Next discussion will be for the end of Part One!

[Dimitris]

Could this series get any better? Apparently yes! I don't know if it's the story, the fact that a good writer gets better and better with each new book... the fact is that these first 3 chapters stunned me! He grabs you by the throat from page one, from the prologue even. The characters are the ones you know but they are so evolved, even more complex, you can sense the effect of time and experiences on them. Wow.

I'm so happy to meet my dear Ore'Seur again (yes, he'll always be Ore'seur and he's coming to Greece, thank you very much, there's no discussion here!) Again I will marvel at mr. Sanderson's writing skills, as he makes you see things from this imprisoned, broken sludge's point of view, feel his anguish, his dispair, sense - and believe - how he starts forming first an ear canal, then a tongue... building on knowledge from the previous books. Amazing.

What on earth possesed our Kandra to reveal all he did to his people? These creatures are too honest for their own good...

I must know what is this Presence and Blessing he's feeling that sets him apart from other Kandra of different generations. Generations of Kandra? Everything has so much depth in this universe! Is it something divine that's comforting him in there? Something from the Well? His creator (Father!) is long dead.

I also must know about this Hemalurgy dark procedure! So is this how new Inquisitors are made? The new candidate (even a Terrisman?) must be tied over an older Inquisitor and then pierced throught the heart by a special nail that must reach through and out of his body and "unite" him to the body under him by piercing it too? What sweet horror! So therefore those remaining Inquisitors can make new ones on their own, their number hasn't necessarily stopped with the death of the Lord Ruler? This is major... Why are they using the Koloss to annihilate the countryside and kill every remaining Skaa? What does this grant them? Do they answer to anyone now or act in a way they think the Lord Ruler would have approved of?

I didn't quite get what's the power compelling Marsh... It's this Ruin? But wasn't it playing with his mind since book 2, before Vin unleashed it? This Ruin, it is not "complete"? Did it write that? Something that is "hidden" is still needed to make it full? (last page of the Prologue) Oh, Vin really made a wrong move. I liked the fact that the Well was opened, what would be the point to go over 1000 pages to find it but not "ascend" it, but I don't like the direction things are going, towards the conclusion that the Lord Ruler is the one who was doing things right all along, protecting them all from this Ruin, and our heros messed up everything... I hope there will come a twist...

Finally... these darn opening paragraphs in italics! I'm SO confused! :) Who is this speaking now? Did we just get the explanation for the creation of the Ash mountains? The (old?) Hero of Ages had attained such strength that he moved the entire bloody planet (I'm not British) closer to the (their?) Sun, in an attempt to use its heat to disperse the Mists? But it didn't work? Jay, did you read all this or is my translation doing its things? (eh, this third volume is translated to Greek by a different person than the other two and it shows, badly...)

Where is all this new information coming from? And why is Elend even stronger than Vin or Kelsier?

(OK, I'll stop asking these impossible to answer questions now, hahaha!)

[Jay]

Dimitris wrote: "Could this series get any better? Apparently yes! I don't know if it's the story, the fact that a good writer gets better and better with each new book... the fact is that these first 3 chapters st..."

Definitely in agreement! We've seen these characters and Sanderson's writing grow, and the first three chapters of this book are testament to that.

I love how Sanderson gives us these odd perspectives, from in-human creatures such as Marsh (inquisitor) and Ore'Seur (Kandra). It lets us learn so much more about these different beings and their cultures, and I love it.
I want to know about this presence Ore'Seur feels as well!
Hemalurgy is so creepy O_O I'm thinking the Inquisitors are going to be taking on Ruin as their leader now? I still can't wait to learn more about this mysterious evil force that was released from the Well. But what are the Inquisitors goal i wonder? Is it as simple as world domination? Maybe they think everyone needs to become Inquisitors?

Hmm well I guess the answer comes down to what you pointed out at the end of the prologue. Ruin is not yet complete. It needs something to make it full, and the Inquisitors have the job of finding that something.


“There's always another secret." -Kelsier

^ So true! I look forward to what else is going to be revealed in this third book!

The very first line in Italics: "I am unfortunately, the hero of ages."
So I guess this is coming from the Lord Ruler? At least, I would assume so? Thanks for reminding me about these! I completely forgot to mention it this time around, when it's one of the most interesting things! YES, the hero of ages moved the entire bloody planet closer to the sun to try and disperse the mists! :O This is insane!! I love how Sanderson gives us this information through these mysterious passages, with Vin and the main cast discovering some document later on that clarifies where this writing is coming from. Perhaps Rashek had a personal diary?

Idk what's up with Elend being more stronger (or at least having a stronger Push) than Vin and Kelsier. I find this a bit silly. Not every protagonist has to have a unique advantage ;)

You should definitely read the passage in italics for chapter 4 if you haven't already, it's really interesting!

[Dimitris]

I will read it, yes! I realize now I've been "holding back" on purpose. I could easily finish it in three days but don't want it to end!
Very interesting idea that the Iron Inquisitors are now obeying the Ruin! Makes sense.

PS: I've been thinking so much about these passages in italics... You think it's the Lord Ruler's thoughts? Meaning Rashek, the one who killed Alenti 1000 years ago? But in the following Chapter 4 italics he says: "I believe this is what happened to Rashek", no? He can't be talking about himself like that?... Unless he considers Rashek no longer himself, like a former person he left behind. Plus, we went through his entire diary in the Final Empire, these can't be further thoughts. Where are they coming from? Oh! Maybe they can be passages that were suppressed/altered by that force?! We'll see. :)

[Jay]

Dimitris wrote: "I will read it, yes! I realize now I've been "holding back" on purpose. I could easily finish it in three days but don't want it to end!
Very interesting idea that the Iron Inquisitors are now obe..."

Yesss I think I'd be able to read it all in 3 days as well, and while I wish I could say I'm holding back because I don't want it to end, the truth is I've just been reaaalllly busy with college :( It sucks because I start to forget things if time goes by in between reading. I got some stuff out of the way though, so I will try to put more focus into reading this book, I'm really excited to see what happens ^_^

Hmmm yeah it looks like it actually can't be Rashek's thoughts. I look forewordto discovering who is writing it!
“There's always another secret." -Kelsier

[Dimitris]

I just read your newly posted analysis of Part One (wow, what detail!) I was exited to read the ending, when you realized too that the omniscient narrator (if he can be described as such) in italics couldn't possibly be someone from Rashek's time but rather is someone from our crew! I'm thinking: Sazed! (also cause I'm hoping he recovers from the disgusting thing he's become lately...)

PS: I'm in the middle of Part Four right now (sorry, I couldn't wait anymore, hehehe!) and there are only Five Parts till the VERY END, I think I'll finish it pretty soon - it's divine! - but I have scribbled down my initial reactions after each Part in three sheets of paper, so I'll be able to honestly contribute some things to the discussions as they come up. But yes, hurry up, it's horrible to be forgetting things in between reading sessions. This Trilogy is complicated enough without this. University be damned, Mistborn is more important! ;)

[Jay]

Dimitris wrote: "I just read your newly posted analysis of Part One (wow, what detail!) I was exited to read the ending, when you realized too that the omniscient narrator (if he can be described as such) in italic..."

Ooooh yes, it probably is Sazed!!

Oh good! I'm glad you went ahead and read more, because I didn't want to feel like I was holding anyone back ^_^ Now that I got 90% of what I needed to get done for college, I can focus a lot more on reading :D This books is amazing so far!