Favorite Brandon Sanderson Books: A Critical Reappraisal

As I sit down to write about my favorite Brandon Sanderson books, a particular novel keeps creeping into my mind – not because it's my absolute favorite, but because it's the one that soured my taste for his work. The Well of Ascension, the second installment in the Mistborn series, left a bad impression on me, and it's taken years to shake off the feeling.

Now, I'm not going to sugarcoat my opinions or pretend like I didn't have issues with The Well of Ascension. Zane, one of the main antagonists, is a despicable villain who deserves every ounce of criticism he receives. Similarly, Elend and the remaining members of Kelsier's crew from the first novel don't exactly cover themselves in glory either. And poor Vin, who has just defeated the Lord Ruler after a thousand years of oppression, finds herself reunited with her loved one only to become an angsty teenage brat in her early twenties. It's a frustrating and unsatisfying development that left me feeling underwhelmed.

Despite my reservations about The Well of Ascension, I still hold Brandon Sanderson in high regard as a fantasy author. His first two novels, Elantris and Mistborn: The Final Empire, are some of my all-time favorite fantasy books. However, the disappointing experience with The Well of Ascension has led me to approach his subsequent works with a healthy dose of skepticism.

This got me thinking – perhaps it's unfair to judge an author based on just one book? After all, authors have bad days and off-issues just like anyone else. Maybe I should give Brandon Sanderson another chance, but only after he proves himself capable of writing something as compelling and memorable as his earlier works.

As I reflect on my favorite Brandon Sanderson books, I realize that even a single negative experience can color one's perception of an author's entire body of work. But perhaps it's time for me to reevaluate and give him another shot – after all, every author deserves a second chance to redeem themselves.

Favorite brandon sanderson books