Who Would Like This Book:
This book is a fantastic blend of original world-building and an addictive, well-crafted magic system (Allomancy) that feels fresh and logical. The plot starts off as a heist/rebellion against a dark lord, with a diverse cast of complex characters who grow on you as the pages turn. Vin, a tough yet vulnerable street urchin, and Kelsier, a charismatic mastermind, make the perfect mentor-protégé duo. You’ll love this if you enjoy epic fantasy with political intrigue, found family dynamics, and plenty of action (with some mind-blowing twists). Great for fans of unique magic systems, character-driven stories, and anyone craving hope in the face of impossible odds!
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers felt the book started off slow, with a lot of world-building and magical rules to track - which can be overwhelming at first. The writing style is straightforward and somewhat plain, which might leave you wishing for more lyrical prose. A few found the dialogue or romance to be a bit clunky or lacking in chemistry. If you prefer tight pacing, flowery language, or want a cast filled with strong female leads, this may not tick every box for you.
About:
'The Final Empire' in the 'Mistborn' series by Brandon Sanderson follows the story of Vin, a young thief with extraordinary abilities, as she becomes involved in a plot to overthrow the immortal emperor. Set in a world plagued by slavery, crime, and political corruption, the story unfolds with intricate magical systems and complex characters facing moral dilemmas and making compromises. The rebellion to dethrone the seemingly unkillable Lord Ruler and free the oppressed Skaa forms the central conflict, providing a mix of action, intrigue, and character development.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of oppression, violence, and some instances of abuse, particularly in Vin's backstory.
From The Publisher:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a heist story of political intrigue and magical, martial-arts action.
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.
This saga dares to ask a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails?
Ratings (1165)
Incredible (326) | |
Loved It (471) | |
Liked It (213) | |
It Was OK (101) | |
Did Not Like (34) | |
Hated It (20) |
Reader Stats (2240):
Read It (1185) | |
Currently Reading (32) | |
Want To Read (720) | |
Did Not Finish (36) | |
Not Interested (267) |
29 comment(s)
Just the right amount of world-building for a trilogy. Loved following some of its mysteries to their revelations and the rest while remaining unknown serve only as a reminder that this is a series. Sometimes the book feels childish/YA but don't let that fools you, the end is worth it.
Men rarely see their own actions as unjustified.
Don’t think quite so highly of yourself, young man. Those soldiers got themselves killed. You might have been their motivation, but you didn’t make the choice for them.
It felt like reading a manual on elements. I don’t need to know what every window looks like. It was ok, but would’ve been better edited down.
I can definitely see why this book is so popular. It's kind of hard to pin down. It's not quite epic fantasy, but the lore and world-building are incredibly intricate and thorough. It's a heist story, but the treasure is an empire, not gold. It has so many elements I love: found family, main characters with incredible powers (that actually take time to master!), excellent characterization and dialogue, a well-devised and easy-to-follow magic system, and hope. One of my favorite parts is how Vin's entire worldview gets flipped and she comes out stronger and better for it.
The twists in general were quite good. Even that little shock near the end made perfect sense, and the fact that it was so jarring worked perfectly. That was how it should have felt. It was pretty clear to see where Sanderson was laying down pieces for the puzzle, but not what all of them meant, so the reveals were still satisfying.
As for things I wasn't a huge fan of:
For starters, it was slowww. Yes, the plot was intricate and required a lot of weaving, but after a while some of it started to feel a little repetitive. So much politicking. So much introspection. The writing style was kind of clunky at points. (What does Sanderson have against saying "today" or "tonight"? It's always "this day" or "this night"???) Some of that is down to personal taste, though, and nothing against the book itself.
As a stand-alone, I was satisfied, but I don't think I'll read the rest of the series.
I would definitely recommend it. For all the darkness, this is a story about hope and light and the future. It isn't grimdark (finally!), and the characters are worth it.
3.5
branderson im ready
What a fantastic read, really enjoyed this, the story was addicting, characters I loved and basically one of my favourite books this year!
Was a bit worried going in to the book as I haven't read many fantasy and the praise for this series is so huge. But I ended up actually liking the first book, liked the adventure. Even though it's a big book I absolutely flew through this
The Magic system is very creative
Characters: 6
Atmosphere: 10
Writing: 7
Plot: 7
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 10
Enjoyment: 9
Avg: 8.14 = 4 Stars
[b:The Well of Ascension|68429|The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1619538925l/68429._SY75_.jpg|2120474] ★★★☆☆
[b:The Hero of Ages|2767793|The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628563911l/2767793._SY75_.jpg|2793516] ★★★★☆
Slow plot, boring
This really should be a 4 1/2. I got it as an audiobook and shamefully neglected my family while listening to it all weekend; it had that can’t put down thing. But… I feel like the magical system, while novel, is a bit contrived and that some of the characters make naïve, even foolish choices that A) they should be smarter than and B) should come back to bite them and don’t. Still, it’s the most fun I’ve had with a book in a while. I can’t wait for volumess two and three to be delivered in paper form today – it was frustrating that I can’t listen as fast as I can read.
What can you read after
The Final Empire?
About the Author:
Brandon Sanderson grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He lives in Utah with his wife and children and teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University. He is the author of such bestsellers as the Mistborn® trilogy and its sequels, The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, and The Bands of Mourning; the Stormlight Archive novels The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance; and other novels, including The Rithmatist and Steelheart. In 2013, he won a Hugo Award for Best Novella for The Emperor's Soul, set in the world of his acclaimed first novel, Elantris. Additionally, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time® sequence.
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