On the week of Thanksgiving, my friend and I visited the library nearby and put together a Library book haul video. I felt like a kid again, if measured by how excited I was to visit the library. You see, I hadn't had a library card in a very long time. I'd moved around too much.
On this book haul, I came across Brandon Sanderson's section, which was disappointingly small; I'll have to order more through their inter-library loan system. I'd had a few people recommend I read his books, so I figured I'd give one a try.
I unwittingly chose the second in a series, but I don't even mind. Legion: Skin Deep was totally worth the random read and has most definitely piqued my interest in checking out book 1, Legion and book 3, Legion: Lies of the Beholder.
*SPOILERS below*
We start off with out main character, Stephen, on a date, which is a simple, yet interesting introduction. To round out the interesting, we start by listening to what seems like commentary on the date, like a gossip circle right there on the date with him. See, Stephen has what he calls 'aspects' which others suspect is a whole heap of crazy. These aspects are the key to Stephen's professional skills, but he and his doctors are equally baffled. These characters, if you will, who are possibly hallucinations, possibly Interdimensional Time Rangers, seem to me to be like walking hard drives. He skims a file full of paperwork and an aspect knows it back to front. His aspects each have their own areas of expertise, but they are limited to what Stephen knows or has looked at. If he can't see it, they can't see it.
I find this concept incredibly interesting on a psychological level (as did all the doctors and medical journals in his life), which I suppose was Mr Sanderson's goal. Stephen is intriguing because not only is he far from a supposed "normal", but also because he's completely okay with it. He actively works toward maintaining his own version of balance and control, meticulously noting changes and nuances. He does not deny their existence, he does not hide it, though he also doesn't announce it. He uses the aspects like an external hard drive of saved files.
The irony is, Stephen just happens to be working on a case to find a dead body, the corpse of a man who was developing a way to store data within the cells of the body. In essence, a person could store their photos, documents, and who knows what else in a single cell in the thumb, for instance. So not only is that a fascinating yet terrifying thought, but I have to admit the goal of that project seems remarkably similar to the ability Stephen seems to have naturally.
What I loved so much about the aspects themselves is that I didn't need a whole lot of time with them to see a fully fleshed out and singular personality in each of them. Ivy and J.C. and Tobias and Audrey are just as real as Stephen and Zen and Dion, especially to a reader. I suspect and hope that the other books highlight some of Stephen's other aspects.
As Stephen and his many aspects dodge a CDC quarantine and an assassin with a butler and the corpse's teenage brother in tow, I couldn't take a breath for a second. When things seemed like they'd settle down for a bit, the action picked back up again with another twist. The ride was pretty great, I have to admit. I kept asking questions, kept trying to figure Stephen and his aspects out. ooo! I so want to read the other books!
Reading this book without the first one didn't seem to matter much. It's possible that if I had read book one, I might have more understanding of Stephen and his aspects, but I didn't seem to need it to read, understand and ultimately enjoy this one. Either way, I do plan to find the other two books in the series, read them and more Brandon Sanderson. I think there's a lot I have to learn from him, especially with regards to character development.
I *was* able to acquire my library card and I couldn't have been happier! Many more trips in my future... 😉📚😁
Comentarios