tanjagnz's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this novella trilogy. There's something about the trope of a character who hallucinates, knows they're hallucinating, and is able to use their hallucinations in a functional, constructive way that really appeals to me (maybe because the line between hallucinating and working with subpersonalities/aspects, or hell, working with spirit guides, feels so fuzzy to me and I want to believe it's possible to do so constructively).
I loved it in Eric McCormack's TV series, Perception, and I loved it here. And now that I've finished the book, I really want to find more stories that use the trope to see how different people's takes on the idea go.
I know several people weren't keen on the sci-fi/fantasy McGuffin in the first book (a camera that allegedly takes pictures of the past), but for me, that was just window dressing - the real focus was on Stephen Leeds and his cast of hallucinated characters. So yes - I'll happily give this an 8/10.
I loved it in Eric McCormack's TV series, Perception, and I loved it here. And now that I've finished the book, I really want to find more stories that use the trope to see how different people's takes on the idea go.
I know several people weren't keen on the sci-fi/fantasy McGuffin in the first book (a camera that allegedly takes pictures of the past), but for me, that was just window dressing - the real focus was on Stephen Leeds and his cast of hallucinated characters. So yes - I'll happily give this an 8/10.
voxon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mattpfarr's review against another edition
4.0
Having read Sanderson's fantasy novels, I was not sure what to expect from this. Honestly, it is very different from his other work that I've read. A lot more humor present. But I really enjoyed the stories of Stephen Leeds and his aspects. The first two books felt very episodic, while they definitely flowed, I really just enjoyed the idea of getting into each of their adventures together. I would be totally happy to have a long line of episodic style books each covering different adventures. The finale was of course very different and also very powerful.
Overall, the idea of the aspects and how they are essentially containers for his great knowledge was very cool. It almost felt fantastical in a sense although I don't think it is. I think it did a good job of balancing the aspects as fleshed out while also holding back as they are actually just a part of Leeds himself. Difficult balance but well executed. I cared about the aspects even though they were not real.
As a writer myself, the ending was really emotional and powerful. I did not see that coming at all, and it was very cool to see how he went with it. I think Sanderson is done with Leeds and his aspects but I would love to read more if he ever pens some more. It would make a great tv series too!
Overall, the idea of the aspects and how they are essentially containers for his great knowledge was very cool. It almost felt fantastical in a sense although I don't think it is. I think it did a good job of balancing the aspects as fleshed out while also holding back as they are actually just a part of Leeds himself. Difficult balance but well executed. I cared about the aspects even though they were not real.
As a writer myself, the ending was really emotional and powerful. I did not see that coming at all, and it was very cool to see how he went with it. I think Sanderson is done with Leeds and his aspects but I would love to read more if he ever pens some more. It would make a great tv series too!
beeboisourgod's review against another edition
5.0
I admit, when I first added a different edition of this book to my to-be-read list about 2 or 3 years ago, it's because I thought it was related to Marvel's Legion, which I had just started watching online; turns out there's no connection, but that's okay because this was actually 10 times BETTER. And that's saying something. For those who know me and know or don't know how I review things, I am stingy with my stars, especially when it comes to 5 stars, I'm a veritable Scrooge hoarding them like gold. But like the ghosts of Christmas, I was visited by the aspects of Steven Leeds and was utterly compelled to be a more generous person and give all my stars away, so here they are: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars, 5 glorious, glimmering gold stars.
I think I'm in love with this book, with the concept, with the characters, with everything, but it's like a more subtle, subdued kind of love, somehow soft and yet so, so powerful. I don't know how to describe it, usually with stand-alones or prolific or older/well-known authors I tend to be utterly indifferent, their books are quick reads but nothing that really stays with me or my memory in the long run. Legion, however, will hopefully stay with me for a long time. I can't help but look at it in awe and silent admiration, and it has just gained permanent and prominent residence on my bookshelf. Honestly, if you asked me to describe my dream book at this point? I would simply point to this one.
Of course at first, when I learned it was three novellas instead of a full novel, I was worried because I thought I was going to be disappointed in how short the stories were, but turns out I had nothing to fear because they all connected in the end and followed a linear character arc/progression/development that perfectly tied up the big picture, and yet they still managed to all be indelibly unique and endlessly intriguing in their own right. I would watch a show of this Legion, someone please get on making that, it's a perfect set up for one, with three wonderfully peculiar cases and one big character study that's utterly fascinating and unlike anything else I've ever read. I'm just having a great time closing my eyes and picturing it already.
But I think what it really succeeds at is balance. Balance of humour, of drama, of excitement and thrills and banter and fun and weirdness/science-fiction and just actual science and reality. My descriptions of it may be all over the place, but Legion's structure is not, it's a solid, well written and well executed amalgamation of everything I look for in a novel. It has heart, humour and mystery; it has a distinctive, new and eccentric premise; and it has just a taste of sci-fi that's not too overwhelming and still fits neatly into the real world. But most importantly, it has an undeniably lovable and diverse cast of characters that you can't help but root for. I loved Steven and I loved each and every one of his aspects, (and J.C. and Ivy, I knew it, guys, I knew it!). They're easily some of the best characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading about, the way they interacted, the way they spoke, the way they did everything, each their own individual personality, and yet parts of a whole. That ending even left me a little misty eyed.
So just, well done, really well done. I truly wish their was more to read because I'm going to miss everyone in this.
I think I'm in love with this book, with the concept, with the characters, with everything, but it's like a more subtle, subdued kind of love, somehow soft and yet so, so powerful. I don't know how to describe it, usually with stand-alones or prolific or older/well-known authors I tend to be utterly indifferent, their books are quick reads but nothing that really stays with me or my memory in the long run. Legion, however, will hopefully stay with me for a long time. I can't help but look at it in awe and silent admiration, and it has just gained permanent and prominent residence on my bookshelf. Honestly, if you asked me to describe my dream book at this point? I would simply point to this one.
Of course at first, when I learned it was three novellas instead of a full novel, I was worried because I thought I was going to be disappointed in how short the stories were, but turns out I had nothing to fear because they all connected in the end and followed a linear character arc/progression/development that perfectly tied up the big picture, and yet they still managed to all be indelibly unique and endlessly intriguing in their own right. I would watch a show of this Legion, someone please get on making that, it's a perfect set up for one, with three wonderfully peculiar cases and one big character study that's utterly fascinating and unlike anything else I've ever read. I'm just having a great time closing my eyes and picturing it already.
But I think what it really succeeds at is balance. Balance of humour, of drama, of excitement and thrills and banter and fun and weirdness/science-fiction and just actual science and reality. My descriptions of it may be all over the place, but Legion's structure is not, it's a solid, well written and well executed amalgamation of everything I look for in a novel. It has heart, humour and mystery; it has a distinctive, new and eccentric premise; and it has just a taste of sci-fi that's not too overwhelming and still fits neatly into the real world. But most importantly, it has an undeniably lovable and diverse cast of characters that you can't help but root for. I loved Steven and I loved each and every one of his aspects, (and J.C. and Ivy, I knew it, guys, I knew it!). They're easily some of the best characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading about, the way they interacted, the way they spoke, the way they did everything, each their own individual personality, and yet parts of a whole. That ending even left me a little misty eyed.
Spoiler
I'm a sucker for books that end on a note of hope and end with the character writing the first line of said book.So just, well done, really well done. I truly wish their was more to read because I'm going to miss everyone in this.
zamallama's review
4.0
This was not at all what I expected it to be, but in the best way. It was fun but thought provoking. Lots of commentary about what makes a person ‘crazy’ and what the future of technology could look like.
scottwasalreadytaken's review against another edition
4.0
Sanderson. Not his best, but even his worst is still great. Enjoyed the 1st two in this trilogy better than the 3rd and conclusion. Kinda shallow and a bit too hypothetical for my general taste (as in: the original premise was good, but it got chased down a rabbit hole that lead to some sketchy hypotheticals that felt too thin to be really building an engaging story around).
danidavar's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 ⭐️
Stephen Leeds no es una persona, digamos... normal. Tiene la capacidad de proyectar en su percepción del mundo personas solo reales para él, y por tanto imaginarias, que denomina “aspectos”. Éstos disponen cada uno de conocimientos muy particulares, que le permitirán ser un especialista en, literalmente, cualquier ámbito del conocimiento.
La idea de los tres relatos que conforman este libro me parece absolutamente increíble (como prácticamente todo lo que desarrolla Brandon Sanderson). Sin embargo, me entristece porque me da la sensación de que se ha quedado corto. ¿Por qué escribir tres relatos, cada uno de unas 120 paginas, pudiendo haber escrito una saga entera? Y no es que la historia o los personajes lleguen a quedarse cortos; justo al contrario, dan para mucho más.
Nunca he sido muy fanático de las historias cortas, por eso creo que mi puntuación ha sido bastante baja para ser un libro de Sanderson. Sin embargo, reitero que la idea de los poderes del protagonista me parece sublime y, en sí, los relatos son muy entretenidos, ligeros y rápidos de leer. ¡Por eso lo recomiendo!
Expectativa: 4⭐️
Realidad: 3,5⭐️
Stephen Leeds no es una persona, digamos... normal. Tiene la capacidad de proyectar en su percepción del mundo personas solo reales para él, y por tanto imaginarias, que denomina “aspectos”. Éstos disponen cada uno de conocimientos muy particulares, que le permitirán ser un especialista en, literalmente, cualquier ámbito del conocimiento.
La idea de los tres relatos que conforman este libro me parece absolutamente increíble (como prácticamente todo lo que desarrolla Brandon Sanderson). Sin embargo, me entristece porque me da la sensación de que se ha quedado corto. ¿Por qué escribir tres relatos, cada uno de unas 120 paginas, pudiendo haber escrito una saga entera? Y no es que la historia o los personajes lleguen a quedarse cortos; justo al contrario, dan para mucho más.
Nunca he sido muy fanático de las historias cortas, por eso creo que mi puntuación ha sido bastante baja para ser un libro de Sanderson. Sin embargo, reitero que la idea de los poderes del protagonista me parece sublime y, en sí, los relatos son muy entretenidos, ligeros y rápidos de leer. ¡Por eso lo recomiendo!
Expectativa: 4⭐️
Realidad: 3,5⭐️
coboshimself_'s review against another edition
4.0
"All the things that matter I'm life are the things that you can't measure..."
My 50th book of 2018 and just two days before the New Year's. Challenge complete!
My 50th book of 2018 and just two days before the New Year's. Challenge complete!