REVIEW: Sixth of the Dusk and Mitosis by Brandon Sanderson (Novellas)

Back to the many worlds of Brandon Sanderson. I'm still trying to stay on top of everything Sanderson writes. But he seems to write quicker than I read which is jsut downright bizarre! I don't read that slowly do I?! Anyway, I'm currently ploughing through the huge pile of books on my shelves so Part 2 of Stormlight Archive is still a wee while away from being attacked.

In the meantime, I managed to crack through a few novellas and short stories. Sixth of the Dusk is a new short novella taking place somewhere undefined in the Cosmere.  Mitosis is a follow up to Book 1 of the Reckoners Series (Steelheart) whilst Defending Elysium is a short story from 2008 (Sanderson believes it is one of the best he has ever written).

I decided not to review Defending Elysium as my review would possibly be longer than the story - but I urge you to go to Brandon's website and enjoy it. It's a very good short story, deep, intriguing and engaging.

*SPOILER ALERT*

On to the novellas then, first up is our return to the city of Newcago.

Mitosis

Set in the aftermath of the climactic battle which brought about the end of Steelheart in the book of the same name. The residents of Newcago are still unsure. Has the threat of the Epics disappeared? Or is this merely a lull before another tries to take the place of the deposed dictator? One such Epic, Mitosis, comes looking for David, to find out what really happened in that final duel.

You can definitely tell that the Reckoners series is pitched at a Young Adult audience rather than your fully fledged fantasy fan. It's not that the stories are bad, they are just more simplistic. Even in Steelheart, solutions became apparent much more readily and the huge sweeping arcs that are present in Mistborn and Way of Kings simply don't exist. This isn't a bad story at all, and it whets the appetite nicely for the second full length Reckoners story in the new year.

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5

Following hot on the heels of Mitosis is a new novella. 

Sixth of the Dusk

Set somewhere in the Cosmere it tells the story of a young guide dealing with the changing face of his world through technology and expansion. The world is a harsh place, that can kill you at a moments notice. Birds called Aviar possess unique powers that shape the way the population lives. 

Sixth of the Dusk is intriguing. It is definitely merely a taster of something much bigger to come and it is very hard to get a proper handle on it. Some of the concepts are fascinating, the hints to the wider world made me crack through this in only a few minutes and I found myself slightly disappointed it had finished. I don't really want to review this standalone story, other than to say I really hope Sanderson is planning on expanding this world much much further.

Verdict: Reserved until later!

Still got a couple of books to review, plus my 19th European Capital (Riga). Could be a busy weekend for me. Time for a bit of Narnia then back onto it.

Till next time,
DT