2007  AML Award: Novel Honorable Mention

Presented to:
Brandon Sanderson

For:
The Well of Ascension

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In fantasy literature, the trilogy format—one large story broken into three volumes--often leads to what’s known as the “middle novel problem,” in which the second volume lags in pacing and plot development compared to the other two and is usually branded “boring.” Brandon Sanderson deserves recognition for conquering this problem with The Well of Ascension, book two of his fantasy trilogy, The Final Empire. While this novel is still very much a part of the larger story, it is also interesting enough to stand on its own, and its ending provides both plot resolution for this single volume and a terrifying cliffhanger of an ending to impel the reader on to the final episode. It is a remarkable accomplishment and advancement for fantasy literature that we hope will serve as inspiration for future authors.

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