I found this volume at a recent bookshop's sale, where the owners were selling their old stock. There was no indication on the back cover that the stories were part of a series, so I decided to take the book with me (read: buy it). And what a gem this is!

Two independent short stories: Legion, which seems to exist in a separate version (see here), and The Emperor's Soul, of which there's also a separate version (see here). The latter is a stand-alone story set in Sel, the world in which [b:Elantris: Definitive Tenth Anniversary Edition|31929501|Elantris Definitive Tenth Anniversary Edition (Elantris, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474294557s/31929501.jpg|2908871] also is part of. I've yet to read this one, as well as [b:The Hope of Elantris|10852065|The Hope of Elantris (Elantris, #1.5)|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498083522s/10852065.jpg|15766814] and his [b:Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set|6604209|Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set (Mistborn, #1-3)|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1257442247s/6604209.jpg|6798109].

Legion is about Stephen Leeds (his full name, Legion being his nickname), who suffers from schizophrenia. He considers himself sane, but his hallucinations absolutely not. However, his hallucinations lead lives of their own, as if they are real people, who live in the same house as Stephen. And they sort of do, since Stephen lives in a big house, with enough rooms to house each of his hallucinations. Even when going on a trip of ordering something, it'll be for five people.

I like how each hallucination has an own personality: J.C. (a former SEAL, very passionate about guns), Ivy, Tobias, Monica, ... One has an interest in history, another in psychology, ... All aspects of Stephen's personality that help him through life.

While he's mocked for his "illness", there's one organisation/company that's willing to hire his services. Especially to investigate the disappearance of Balubal Razon, inventor of a camera that can take pictures of the past. One has to be on location to take such a picture, of course. After examining some evidence (certain photos of historical figures which nowadays can easily be Photoshopped to look authentic), it's clear that Razon fled to Jerusalem to prove that Christianity (and other religions?) was a human invention. However, upon travelling to Jerusalem, the fellowship takes up 4 more places in the plane and travels onwards with two cars; yep, Stephen's hallucinations also need an own ride, as strange as it may be. Shortly after, and especially after asking tourists and locals if they've seen Razon and his camera, our crew gets captured by a radical spin-off of an Islamic rebel group of the Philippines. The same people who captured Razon, so they could obtain the secret of the device for themselves and their own evil purposes. But as you can imagine, not all went according to plan. But all's well that ends well. Sort of. And perhaps for the betterment of humanity.

Sanderson has a very fluent style, which allows for a quick read, and yet feel really drawn into the story. It's not really fantasy or science fiction per se, more like a detective story with a sniff of the aforementioned genres. This is short enough to be very enjoyable, but I certainly wouldn't mind it being turned into a full-blown novel. I also found it quite original in how he used schizophrenia to create such an exciting story.

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The Emperor's Soul takes place in an Asian setting. The Emperor Ashravan's wife, the Empress, was murdered. This led to a period of mourning for the Emperor, but one he didn't/couldn't get out of. This has an impact on his psyche, his mental health. The regular healers were found neither worthy nor skilled enough to heal the Emperor. That's where Shai, a Forger, comes in. She was previously captured for stealing and forging the Moon Scepter, a very important and expensive painting. She's offered freedom if she can manage to create (forge) a new soul for the grieving Emperor. The population is kept at bay with excuses, so as not to cause chaos. But the arbiters, whom you could consider the real leaders, like the government, have their own reasons for helping the Emperor through a forger. They want to influence him. So Shai is provided an offer, but not the proper amount of time for this project. All has to be done in three months; a normal period is at least one year, if not two.

Shai works with soul stamps (which she's also made for herself, to be able to transform as circumstances demand it; but hers were taken from her when she was caught), which she has to create and carve herself, based on the info she gets about the Emperor: official and non-official. Obviously, not all goes well. She's put under guard (24/24), doesn't get to leave, doesn't get much sleep (as she only has three months to fulfil the task), but is also chained to her room through a blood seal, put there by a Bloodsealer as a sort of detection system, which has to be renewed each day. When she would try to escape, he would know and send his demons to catch her. There's also captain Zu, who hates her guts very badly. He's the type that will execute orders, but doesn't really think things through.

Of course, with all these regular Big-Brother-is-watching-you type of visits, blocks and shackles, it's not easy to also plot your escape. But Shai seems to have enough time and energy to spend time working on a new soul for the Emperor and renewing/restoring the state of her room (walls repainted, window glass repaired, etc.). How Sanderson described the magic system, the political struggles, the difference in beliefs / spirituality (how each thing and person has a soul, which also explains why certain forgings/improvements work like it was originally meant to be), and so on... Marvellous how open-minded Sanderson is in using this theme in his stories.

Like all good stories, all's well that ends well (not in the least because Shai added a more personal touch to the Emperor's soul stamps), and that not every human being is corrupted by the (political) system, that some still do value integrity and authenticity - I'm looking at you, Gaotona. Something our present world needs very badly.

Another very worthwhile story, without the smallest doubt. I'll put Elantris a bit higher on my TBR-pile. ( )

Genial. Creo que es un buen punto de partida para quien esté pensando en empezar a leer a Sanderson. La segunda historia ha sido mi favorita; la ambientación y el concepto detrás de los sellos y las falsificaciones me ha parecido muy original. ( )

4 stars because of the 2 stories:
Legion for me is a plain 3-star - interesting idea, but it didn't really grab me.
Emperor's Soul is a full 5- star - amazing concept, compelling characters, and a full story in just over 100 pages! ( )

I liked these two, wanted more of The Emperor's Soul. I'd read a book that expanded more of the forging.

Stephen Leeds aka 'Legion' has generated a multitude of personalities, it allows him to investigate things and when he's faced with a mystery of a man who seems to be able to photograph the past, who has stolen the prototype and headed for Jerusalem. It's interesting and I liked how the character knew reality and his hallucinations. Probably 3.5 star stuff.

The emperor's Soul really appealed to me, plays with the concept of forging as faking and forging as in metal-forging or creating it uses carved seals to fix the forgery. This involves a talented forger who is hired to fix a new soul into the Emperor, as he lost consciousness with the attempted assasination and has not regained proper consciousness. She has to try to create a facsimile of the emperor during his 100 days of mourning for his wife. She also wants to survive.

Interesting. probably 4.5 out of 5 for me. ( )