Legion

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Length: 2 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Brandon Sanderson is one of the most significant fantasists to enter the field in a good many years. His ambitious, multi-volume epics (Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive) and his stellar continuation of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series have earned both critical acclaim and a substantial popular following. In Legion, a distinctly contemporary novella filled with suspense, humor, and an endless flow of invention, Sanderson reveals a startling new facet of his singular narrative talent, read by Audie Award-winning narrator Oliver Wyman.

Stephen Leeds, AKA 'Legion,' is a man whose unique mental condition allows him to generate a multitude of personae: hallucinatory entities with a wide variety of personal characteristics and a vast array of highly specialized skills. As the story begins, Leeds and his 'aspects' are drawn into the search for the missing Balubal Razon, inventor of a camera whose astonishing properties could alter our understanding of human history and change the very structure of society. The action ranges from the familiar environs of America to the ancient, divided city of Jerusalem. Along the way, Sanderson touches on a formidable assortment of complex questions: the nature of time, the mysteries of the human mind, the potential uses of technology, and the volatile connection between politics and faith. Resonant, intelligent, and thoroughly absorbing, Legion is a provocative entertainment from a writer of great originality and seemingly limitless gifts.

©2012 Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Very cool to have one narrator do every voice

Very interesting story, but being a big fan of Sanderson, I can't help wanting more! A short story is a short story though and while this plot was pretty interesting, it was not the amazing fantasy world I had come to expect from Brandon. That being said, it is still a very fun plot and made me begin to question what insanity really is.

Would highly recommend it none-the-less, the narrator's performance is awesome.

Engaging concept, enjoyed it, love to hear more!

Where does Legion rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

top 20%

What did you like best about this story?

the premise, the framework of the story

Which character – as performed by Oliver Wyman – was your favorite?

all were distinct & interesting

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

no

Any additional comments?

A Short Story Reminiscent of Asimov

Any additional comments?

This is a great short story that reminded me a lot of some of the shorts by Asimov that got me back into reading Scifi/Fantasy during/after college (example: The Last Question). Unlike some of the other scifi space operas i've read lately, this book leaves you with a lot to think about it and i love those kind of stories. I normally want as much out of a story as possible but in this case, i'm glad the story was only 2 hours long, it was perfect! The narration took a bit to get used to but by the time you get to the meat of the story, the narrator hits his groove. Its not expensive and its extremely well written so give it a shot. You won't be disappointed.

Short and Sweet

What made the experience of listening to Legion the most enjoyable?

I'm a huge fan of Sanderson, but I was a bit Skeptical coming into such a short novella. After a slightly slow start it developed into quite a nice little listen.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I can't say that I could pick a favorite character, but each one of them (aspect) was enjoyable.

Any additional comments?

With a lot of fantasy/sci-fi the world building and info laying can take hundreds of pages. In this novella, Sanderson takes a complicated idea and boils it down into an enjoyable and crafty experience in a very short period of time.

And how can you beat the price of free? I would have been willing to pay up to $5 for this 2 hour title. Sanderson shines again.

Unrealized Potential

There are two really great ideas in Legion. 1) A freelance investigator aided by his multiple personalities, each with specific talents and knowledge. And 2) a camera that can take still photos of any moment in history. Fun stuff, especially with the imaginary characters being so fully drawn. Problem is, in this brief two-hour novella, there is a very short, straight line from start to finish. There are no plot complications.

There is so much potential for fleshing this out, especially via the still moments from history and their ramifications. Unfortunately, the author wrote this quickly (on a flight home from France) and despite recognizing the possibilities of expanding the story, felt that he didn't have the time due to his other ongoing (prolific) writing. That's a shame, as this could have been a marvelous full length novel.

Oliver Wyman's narration gets full marks. He does the voices of the imaginary characters well, and consistently.

Great Psychology & Great Characters

Stephen Leeds has some sort of mental condition that allows him to see and communicate with hallucinations. Each hallucination, or aspects as he calls them, have a particular skill that helps him to solve problems. In LEGION, a novella, Stephen is approached by woman who is after a missing inventor who created a camera of remarkable ability. Stephen accepts the case and begins to unravel the mystery behind the inventor and the camera’s disappearance, using his aspects to help him learn specialized knowledge and linguistics along the way.

I really enjoyed this read. I’m currently in a Master’s program for General Psychology, and this story brought up all kinds of questions having to do with his condition. Sanderson did a great job presenting interesting characters that kept me hooked into the story to its conclusion. This is a good story for anyone who is interested in a modern setting book with some fantastical or sci-fi elements.

Interesting concept. Kept my attention.

Any additional comments?

Striking how he can portray a mentally ill person as acting on a higher level then most of us. Good read.

I hope this is a teaser

If you could sum up Legion in three words, what would they be?

I want more.

Any additional comments?

I hope this is just a prelude to a new series with this char. Very interesting. Certainly want more of this.

Great story with totally unexpected twists to it.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Brandon Sanderson writes a story with a totally new twist. The main character is not crazy, but his hallucinations are! This would make an excellent movie. The story was short and sweet, fast paced and unexpected. If you like to be surprised, then you should listen to this.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Legion?

When you find out why JC (a Navy Seal and one of the main character's hallucinations) was in the entire story!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Definitely a refreshing listen. Not like any other story I've read or heard.

Impressed - I'll be back for more

I downloaded this "freebie", and I LOVED it. I'm not really a sci-fi kind of person, but this wasn't really a sci-fi kind of book, either. It was a really good mystery/detective novel. The main character just happens to have a whole bunch of personalities, each of which has a different essential skill used to solve the case.

It's a short story, well narrated, with excellent characterization. I'm sincerely hoping to see more "episodes" with the same characters by Sanderson.