I finally did it. I have finally entered the vast and much recommended works by Brandon Sanderson, and have dipped my toe into what I know will soon be a deep dive into the Cosmere novels. And without a doubt I can say I am very excited for this long ride.
Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first entry within the Mistborn trilogy, and works very well as both a standalone novel, but also as a story that has far-reaching consequences that just begs for a sequel or two. It takes place in a world where a hero of prophecy has failed, and evil now runs the world; an evil in the form of an immortal emperor, The Lord Ruler. It is a world of bigoted oppression, despair, and a depressing lack of hope. However, there are few who seek to change things, and that is where our story begins.
Going into this, my knowledge of the novel could be summed up as so: a bunch of people willingly feast on all sorts of metal in order to do wizardly stuff in their mission to overthrow some immortal man who has survived beheadings, a flaying, and many other attempts on his life…in no way did I ever stand a chance of not reading this book with a concept like that.
Mistborn is a refreshing sort of fantasy novel, as it does not rely on overdone systems of magic and the races/creatures are all alive with a sense of freshness. Brandon Sanderson has so far earned his deserved hype in my eyes, and I hope he can continue to do so as I continue my venture into the Cosmere works.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT **************************************************************
This novel reminded me of a lot of fragments of various different pieces of media, and I loved it. I was not expecting a Jane Austen-esque component to this novel, but the parallels to those types of novels were strong in the ballroom scenes, and the political maneuvering. Having spent a lot of time not entirely enthralled in the typical political and social scenes in other books, I was glad Mistborn kept my attention in these scenes through the use of the snarky and smart character of Vin, along with the idea of Allomancy being a tool of persuasion.
Another odd connection my brain made was to the world of the game Bioshock Infinite (obviously, this novel predates that), as I constantly found the Steel inquisitors appearing like the Handymen in that game. Maybe I’m way off base with that, but I thought it was a nice connection and increased my fear of these mysterious soldiers.
Also, I could not help but picture Sazed alongside my depiction of Varys from ASOIAF/GOT, but I think that mainly is due to the somewhat trope of ‘eunuchs are evil’ and the fact that Varys is also known for his large avenues of intelligence. However, thankfully, we get no backstabbing from Sazed, and I loved his character and the whole concept of the Keepers
There were many characters I loved in this book. The smartass comments of Breeze and Ham, the seemingly jovial and carefree nature of Kelsier, along with many other character interactions. That being said, it was a sharp shock when Kelsier died, but not completely unexpected given how reckless he was. It quickly became bittersweet as his whole plan came to light and his death resulted in an eventual victory, so my feelings were somewhat spared.
"I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try. I am hope" -Kelsier
I really love most covers of this book, with only a few exceptions. The one I got when I picked up the thrifted paperback box set (see first image) is nice as it shows a gritty and dark image of Vin, and I think the overall colouring helps portray the mood of the story and the mist-covered streets at night, where a lot of the action takes place. My first choice, however, would have to be this image above, as I love the animated feature of it and the flowing motion it shows. The movements of Vin and Kelsier are all very fast paced, with the constant Pushing and Pulling, shifting direction every few seconds to adjust. In that respect, this cover is very fitting, and helps portay that aspect of the story.
I am glad I got a somewhat clean ending to this novel, but I am not blind to the fact that I am lucky enough to have two more books in store for me. I know legitimately NOTHING about the rest of this series, so I am beyond excited to see how this world continues to be built. I am mainly hope to learn more about the rest of the metals (hopefully there are a decent handful left), the hero who failed thousands of years ago, the ominous threat left about by The Lord Ruler, and so much more. Oh fantasy series, how I love and hate your mysteriousness!
Speaking of mysteriousness, I’ve always been a fan of fantasy stories that slowly ease readers into the world and how it works, even if in cases it can seem intimidating (Here’s looking at you Malazan series; one day I will cross the rest of your books off my TBR list). Allomancy is not explained in depth immediately, and we only learn about it at the same pace that Vin does, which is a satisfying investment. Similarly, mysterious truths of things like the hero of the prophecy, the Steel Inquisitors, and many other elements of the world are earned by the reader, not given. If something is needed to understand what’s going on, the information will be given or hinted at.
If there had to be an issue that I had to find with this book that is worth mentioning, it would be the book’s desire to turn against the trope of the “hero of prophecy”, while also complying with it. Vin can be seen as a typical fantasy character: rough upbringing, impoverished, no idea of her true power, stronger then those who have trained longer then her, etc. While it is not done in a horrid way in this novel, I do hope this fact is justified by the events of the next two books. Sanderson did well in other aspects of keeping this novel unique, so I can’t be too nitpicky about this.
Overall, Mistborn: The Final Empire is a captivating story of rebellion, mystery, and fighting against all odds. I really loved the system of Allomancy, and how Sanderson slowly trickled information about it, making it an understanding readers had to work for, much like Vin herself.
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