Review of Mistborn: The Final Empire

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Rating: 5/5 scrolls!

Amazon Summary

 For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the “Sliver of Infinity,” reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken 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 all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal 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, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

Lord Ruler, this book is fantastic! First, I would like to praise Sanderson for making his magic system so believable. He makes Allomancy (the process of burning metals one has ingested to gain certain abilities) and Feruchemy (wearing certain metals will store certain abilities) seem like science only the genetically gifted can use. I always tip my hat to authors who can make something like magic seem so believable. Plus, the magic is very cool. It almost reads like a video game at times.

The magic system isn't the only amazing thing about this book. Sanderson has created a wonderful crew of characters who not only grow as individuals, but they also grow together. Vin starts out as an abused, scared street urchin. By the end of the book, she is a powerful Mistborn ready to face the Lord Ruler by herself. You know this girl is going places. Most importantly, she learns to trust people and even love. Kelsier, the charismatic leader, was one of my favorite characters. You never know what he is really planning throughout the entire book. We also get to see the other members of the crew begin to care for people instead of just earning coin. And I can't forget to mention Sazed the Terrisman who uses Feruchemy. He is assigned to be Vin's steward while she infiltrates the nobility and really helps guide her and help her grow as a human being. I loved learning about him and his people. You really do grow attached to these characters and want them to succeed.

 One of the main themes is about oppression and equality. The Skaa are slaves deemed less than human by the Lord Ruler and the nobility. Throughout the novel, we see people figuring out that there really is no difference between the Skaa and that they should be treated as equals. Now that I think about it, the Skaa go through a huge transformation as well. I'm always a sucker for a story that is about over throwing the government.

So, basically this book is amazing and you should read it now. I won't say that the ending is surprising. Sanderson gives plenty of clues throughout the book. If you enjoy gritty settings, fantastic magic systems, and a story about rebellion then this is definitely the book for you. If you've read the book then please let me know what you thought in the comments section.

Okay, so I'm going to segue into the next book that I'm reading. I was going to read the next book in the Mistborn series, but my 2014 resolution was to read more books outside of my comfort zone. Therefore, I'm going to read a mystery novel with a little bit of romance in the mix. I am totally going out my comfort zone here. I normally stick to dragons or ray guns, but I figured I should try other genres too. You never know what you're missing! So, my next book will be Deanna Raybour's Silent in the Grave. Wish me luck!