The Final Empire
Synopsis
For a thousand years, the ash fell, and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years, the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. The Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror for a thousand years, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a scarred, heartbroken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.
Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers and relishes a high-stakes challenge. Then Kelsier reveals his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.
But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets. She will have to learn trust if Kel is to help her master powers, which she never dreamed of.
Review
I consistently heard people raving about Mistborn on TikTok. I had not heard of Brandon Sanderson before, which seemed a crime as a life-long fantasy lover. So I decided to see if my library had a copy of the first book. It did. I began reading.
I get it.
If you are a fantasy lover, you need to read these books!
It took me some time to get into the story and the characters. There is a lot of world-building in the Final Empire, but it’s all essential. It makes the world feel whole, complete and authentic. But there is a lot, and I found it challenging to get through at times. But as you move further through the series, it becomes obvious why it was there and the point of it. There isn’t a single drop of unnecessary information within the story.
The magic system was something that I would always hear about, how cool and unique it is. And I am inclined to agree. Allomancy is intriguing, fascinating, and a type of magic that I have never read before.
The whole setting and situation are fascinating. Brandon Sanderson is so good at weaving a tale and sending you in one direction, thinking that this particular thing will happen and then twisting and changing it at the last moment. It keeps you drawn in and thinking about the story, even after it’s finished.
All the characters are engaging and whole with their own backgrounds, stories, strengths and weaknesses. You quickly bring them in as your friends, join them on their adventures, root for them, or hate them.
The Final Empire is an excellent beginning to a remarkable trilogy. I highly recommend diving in and giving it ago. Working through world-building is well worth it.
The Well of Ascension
Synopsis
The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler—the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years—has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too. Now, the awesome task of building a new world has been left to Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman, she loves.
As Kelsier's protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler, Vin is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely and seem to harbour a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.
Stopping assassins may keep Vin's Mistborn skills sharp, but it's the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn't run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier's crew must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won't get easier with three armies - one composed of ferocious giants - now vying to conquer the city and no sign of the Lord Ruler's hidden cache of atium.
As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.
Review
I enjoyed The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson so much more than I did The Final Empire. With almost all the world-building completed, the story could keep moving forward and thus was much more enjoyable.
Sanderson's writing keeps you drawn into the story and questioning everything. While Vin and the others are all questioning who they can trust, so are you. You never have any more information than any of the characters. This makes it hard to predict where the story is going to go. This means that you are consistently thrown down paths that you weren’t expecting or didn’t even know were there.
The world that occupies the Mistborn Trilogy is exciting and complete. It is so full of history, religion etc that it is easy to believe it is a real place. The characters are the same. They are realistic and relatable while also being interesting in a way that keeps you reading and wanting to know more about them.
If you are a lover of fantasy, then you very much need to read Mistborn. There are elements throughout that everyone will enjoy. And if you struggled to get through the Final Empire, I highly suggest attempting to continue reading it. You won’t regret it.
The Hero of Ages
Synopsis
Who is the Hero of Ages?
To end the Final Empire and restore freedom, Vin killed the Lord Ruler. But as a result, the Deepness—the lethal form of the ubiquitous mists—is back, along with increasingly heavy ashfalls and ever more powerful earthquakes. Humanity appears to be doomed.
Having escaped death at the climax of The Well of Ascension only by becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will allow him to save the world. Vin is consumed with guilt at having been tricked into releasing the mystic force known as Ruin from the Well. Ruin wants to end the world, and its near omniscience and ability to warp reality make stopping it seem impossible. Vin can't even discuss it with Elend lest Ruin learns their plans!
Review
The Mistborn trilogy is a long one, containing three long epic fantasy books. But it’s so worth it.
I get it. Why everyone loves Mistborn and Brandon Sanderson’s writing, it did take me the whole trilogy to get it. But I do now.
Every element of The Hero of Ages and Mistborn is woven perfectly, with each piece of information leading to another and to key events. The world is consuming in its reality, filled with many different religions, cultures, and histories. Never mind the settings and characters.
The Magic, Allomancy, Feruchemy and Hemalurgy are so unique and fascinating. They are also so well thought out that it’s hard not to believe they are real.
The story itself twists and turns in ways you don’t expect. Sanderson leads you down one path where you become convinced that one thing will happen, then he throws a spanner in the works, and something completely unexpected goes down instead. And you fall for it every time.
If you love fantasy, as a reader or writer, and you haven’t read these, then I very much suggest giving them a go. You won’t regret it.
What Brandon Sanderson books should I read next?
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