And these discussions fit surprisingly well given the subject matter. The intersection of psychology, philosophy and religion is prominently discussed in Sanderson’s novellas, not unlike many of his novels. While mostly satisfying, answering questions posed back in the first novella, it feels rushed, reading more like the epilogue to a story rather than a fully fleshed out story on its own. The final novella, "Lies of the Beholder," suffers from its length more than its predecessors. Stephen’s story feels more like an action adventure in the vein of "Mission Impossible" than a study of the mind like Christopher Nolan’s "Inception," though there are moments where it seems to want to be the latter. Such an interesting premise deserves deep exploration, but the stories never have enough breath to truly flesh out the themes and world as much as the reader may want. But the nature of their shorter length has its limits - and they’re noticeable. Stephen is forced to confront his mental state at each turn, exposing the brilliance of his mind while chipping away at his sanity.īound together, the three novellas feel like a television show, with each story the episode of a series. In the first two novellas, Stephen is hired to track down and retrieve stolen property - a camera with spectacular abilities and a corpse modified to act as a storage device. It also makes him a great detective and a little bit insane.
Interacting with and summoning these hallucinations makes Stephen an expert on just about any subject. They only exist inside his mind as hallucinations.
Others include a handwriting expert, a language interpreter and a physicist, among many (dozens of) others.Įxcept none of Stephen’s experts are real.
Among his confidants is his therapist, a woman with a gift for reading people and catching them in their lies an ex-Navy seal who’s trained Stephen to escape from and defend himself in tight situations the history buff who proves to be a trove of knowledge on nearly every subject. Stephen Leeds is a private detective with a legion of experts at his disposal. It’s the third and final novella, "Lies of the Beholder," they’ll be most interested in, as it completes Stephen's story and caps the trilogy with a satisfying, albeit quick, resolution. Loyal Sanderfans may have already read the first two novellas included in the book, "Legion" and "Skin Deep," both published in 20, respectively. Like the mind of its titular hero, Sanderson’s latest book is fragmented - one story told in three novellas. In "Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds," Brandon Sanderson steps away from the massive tomes he’s known for writing and embraces the much smaller novella, offering short, punchy and thoughtful adventures from the life and mind of one of his most brilliant (and maybe craziest) characters. " LEGION: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds," Brandon Sanderson, Tor Books, 340 pages
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