Elantris
Elantris is a high fantasy novel by one of my favorite authors, Brandon Sanderson. It is his first published book and part of a larger universe called the Cosmere, which includes most of Brandon's fantasy novels. I enjoyed reading it and can’t wait to dive into more of the Cosmere.
The story is set in the city Elantris of the kingdom of Arelon, where Elantrians possess the magic of AonDor, making them vital to the kingdom's prosperity. However, a mysterious event called the Reod curses the power, transforming the Elantrians into demons and breaking the magic. The city of Elantris is abandoned, and the Elantrians are forced to be trapped inside.
The book's magic system is fascinating, based on a power called Dor that is present everywhere, similar to the Force in Star Wars. However, the power can only be accessed using fundamental mathematical symbols called Aons. Different Aons are used for various purposes, such as creating light or traveling long distances. Since the Reod destroyed the power of AonDor, Elantrians cannot use this magic, and the city is abandoned. One of the main characters, Raoden, embarks on a quest to restore the power of Elantris.
The story is told from the perspectives of three main characters: Raoden, Sarene, and Hrathen. Raoden is the crown prince of Arelon, who transforms into a demonic Elantrian. His father, the king, throws him into Elantris and leaks the news of his death to the kingdom. Elantris is in pieces and is ruled by three Gangs. Raoden brings them together before embarking on the quest of studying ancient texts and artifacts to try to figure out what went wrong with AonDor and how it can be restored. His dedication and determination in this regard are impressive, and he does eventually make progress in uncovering the secrets of the AonDor. Sarene is Raoden's wife, although they never met as it is an arranged marriage and Raoden became an Elantrian days before their official wedding ceremony. She is skilled in politics and tasked with keeping the country together after Raoden's "death." Hrathen is a priest of Shu-Dereth, a religion from the country Fjorden that seeks to conquer the world. Hrathen's goal is to convert the people of Arelon to his religion, or Fjorden will conquer the kingdom through war.
The best character in the book is Hrathen. He is a cunning and logical political opponent of Sarene, who has an edge in terms of numbers over him. Most of the nobility supports Sarene during the political turmoil, but Hrathen makes up for it with his crazy plans and the influence he builds on the public through his lectures and sermons. He knows how to control the masses, speaking to their brains and hearts when needed. Although cunning and deceitful, Hrathen does not have evil in his heart. He is trying to convert the people of Arelon to prevent Fjorden armies from massacring them, wanting a change of power with minimal bloodshed. However, Sarene, unaware of the potential attack, keeps ruining his plans.
Overall, this book is fantastic. I enjoyed the book's love for mathematics and geometry, as the magic system uses a lot of math and art. The back and forth between Hrathen and Sarene, as they struggle to take power over the unstable country, is also a highlight of the book.
