I finally found time to read the book, starting yesterday afternoon and finishing sometime in the early morning hours. I wanted to share a little bit of my experience but am afraid that my words will sound contrived, please do not take them as such.
To say that I was surprised with how emotionally vested I became with this series is an understatement. I can remember crying only a few times in my adult life; when my grandfather passed, when my son was born and at various times throughout this book.
I fully understand that these are fictional characters in a work of fantasy but my journey with them was more than that of a spectator leafing through the pages of a book; I developed an emotional connection just as I would with family or friend. I tried to internalize these emotions as best I could but they still found ways to bubble to the surface.
My son (Alex, 2 years old) takes a bath every night just before bed, I read him a book or two and then tuck him in. Last night, of course, I was reading Mistborn 3 and was just finishing a section about Spook that was particularly emotional to me. Alex walked up to my chair wearing his pajamas and asks "Are you ok Daddy?", patting my leg to console me. I didn't even realize I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I didn't answer but instead picked him up in a hug and carried him to his room for book time.
Obviously, I was able to experience the full gamut of emotions reading these books, from excitement, joy to sadness. That was not the last time I cried either, but stands out to me because of it's importance. In the coming years, I will still be able to enjoy your books, reading new ones as they come, experiencing old ones again and again.
I simply wanted to say Thank You Brandon. Not because you wrote an exceptional series, but because in 13 years or so I will be watching my son while he reads and when he gets to Spooks chapter, pat him on the leg and ask "Are you ok Alex?".
