Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson

Mar 29, 2013 Jon added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ebooks, fiction, signed, read-in-my-40s, favorites, loved-it

5 stars. Due to the acquisition of GoodReads by Amazon on March 28, 2013 and my existing and continuing boycott of all things Amazon, the review I wrote after reading this book has been relocated to my blog and can be found in its entirety by following this link: http://bit.ly/16nfa4B

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Apr 25, 2012 Palice Pottle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy Lovers

Recommended to Palice Pottle by: Anila

Shelves: characters-like-no-other, oooooh-the-cover-so-beautiful, very-interesting, you-must-read, now-she-knows-how-to-kick-butt, i-was-entertained, awesomeness, beautiful, absolute-favorites-forever-and-ever, love-love-the-female-character, this-book-broke-me

4.7

Edit: After reading the second one, I feel the need to bump this up from 4.5 to 4.7. Don't ask questions.

This is a world where you wake up to ash falling from the sky, and go to bed with your doors and windows closed, hiding from the swirling mists outside.

When a book starts with ash falling from the sky, you simply have to read on to find out why.

I really don't know what to say about this book. That's usually the case when I like something too much. I don't know where to start.

When I firs...more

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May 02, 2013 StoryTellerShannon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-scifi, books-reviewed

This is a promising series which unfortunately closes up so many loose ends that the reader will probably wonder if the author painted himself into a corner. Almost all of the big obstacles to the success of the heroes get resolved at the very end and only minor conflicts are left. In essence, the author has to start all over again which seems like an extra chore when writing a long fantasy series.

The tale focuses upon a group of sophisticated rogues who are going to pull off the ultimate heist...more This is a promising series which unfortunately closes up so many loose ends that the reader will probably wonder if the author painted himself into a corner. Almost all of the big obstacles to the success of the heroes get resolved at the very end and only minor conflicts are left. In essence, the author has to start all over again which seems like an extra chore when writing a long fantasy series.

The tale focuses upon a group of sophisticated rogues who are going to pull off the ultimate heist in a dystopian fantasy world namely slay the evil ruler, wipe out his many minions and resources and then make off with all of the treasury funds. Oh, yeah, they're going to rule the capitol city, too. The problem here is that the peasants who they want to revolt against the empire are underfed and magically reduced in any emotions that might make them feel like rebelling. Additionally, most of the people with magical powers are nobles and they side with the evil ruler. Semi powerful types are known as Misted and full fledged magical types are Mistborn. The only way to get this power is to have noble blood in you so as a result there are a tiny minority of peasants who have these powers but don't know it or come into it over time. Of course, any such children found out by the evil empire are put to death in order to control the playing field.

Speaking of the magic that was probably the most intriguing part of the book for those who have read a lot of fantasy and get the same magic systems over and over. Magic is fueled by trace minerals that are ingested by those with the power. A Misted can only ingest one type of metal but a Mistborn can take as many trace minerals as desired (there are a standard 8 with some surprises). Mistborn are rare even in the nobility and as a result are highly prized by the powerful.

Anyway, said thieving crew go about dismantling the capitol city and while certain parts of it made enough sense other parts did not. I will detail this more in the spoilers section at the very bottom. Definite pet peeve for me. I hate it when the good people go up against a more powerful evil and do things that just don't come across as believable.

Vin, the abused poor teenage girl, was my favorite viewpoint character as well as her love interest. The love story between them was actually well done. Kelsier, the soul bruised leader of the rebellion, was somewhat interesting and his crew varied from generic fantasy archetypes that needed some life breathed into them to some somewhat good sub characters.

STORY/PLOTTING: B minus to B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; FANTASY SETUP/MYTHOLOGY/HISTORY/LANDS: B; MAGIC SYSTEM: B plus to A minus; WRITING STYLE: B minus to B; ACTION SCENES: B to B plus; WHEN READ: February to April 2012; OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.

(view spoiler)[

SPOILERS:

THE BAD

(1) so first off Kelsier destroying the Lord Ruler's mines was a bit too easy. I get that he had been down there but he went down there in one evening and figured out how to destroy/delay their resources. If the Lord Ruler is like a God who is supposed to be intelligent and has a ton of advisors around him and this empire has been going on for quite some time why is that nobody created any contingency plans or a simple means to make sure nobody did such a thing to economically topple their empire? This was one guy who crawled down into an unguarded hole and destroyed the special resources and nobody ever thought that maybe they should collapse/seal those fissures or posted guards 24/7? Derp, derp, derp!; (2) Kelsier and Vin break in with their trusty servant (Sazed) and deal with the Steel Inquisitors and pretty much come out alive. I had thought that maybe they would be fearful enough but like most fantasy authors they just aren't willing to show the heroes get seriously beat up or killed. After their first tangle I didn't really worry about them when they dealt with future opponents. In essence the Steel Inquisitors just became straw knights that were easily tossed aside.; (3) The Lord Ruler showing up and slaying Kelsier and then Kelsier showing up later was a total fantasy cheat. It would have had a lot more impact if the dude stayed dead. Take a lesson from A GAME OF THRONES. Jesus Christ. (4) I feel that a capitol city in the empire should have had more magic and such at its disposal to have caught this thieving crew. For the most part the empire was slow on the reply and the heroes were for the most part steps ahead of them. One would think that an empire with unlimited resources in comparison to the thieving crew would have had better people on hand. If not, just hire the thieving crew. Half of them were doing it for the money anyway. Oh, wait, then there would be no story. Anyway, this should have been made more believable.; and (5) Overall it felt like a big cheat. This Dark Lord is ruling, yes, and the world is in chaos but he seemed too easily displaced. And if that group could do it why didn't a previous group do it before? The Lord Ruler was considered something of a deity and could not be defeated and yet he was pushed aside with ease at the end. I get the author wanted his heroes to win the good fight but the execution was questionably delivered.

THE GOOD

The magic system known as Allomancy was done well. It wasn't detailed too much in my opinion to drag everything down and there's a chart in back for people who missed things.; (2) There was an interesting resource control system in which those with the Allomancy powers could mate with the peasants but had to kill them afterwards because children not controlled by the empire was undesirable; (3) The memoirs of the Lord Ruler were somewhat interesting but there could have been a lot more there and the ball was dropped a bit.; (4) The servant guy, Sazed, was well done. He revealed some back histories which gave the world flavor.; (5) The love story between Vin and Elend Venture was well done. In some instances I found myself enjoying those chapters more than the unbelievable “destroy the empire and we can do it because we're the heroes” tale.; (6) I liked the soother guy, “Breeze”, even though he was a generic archetype of sorts. (7) Some of the action fights were well done even though I stopped really worrying about Kelsier after he came back from the dead. What a cheat. (8) The demonstration of Allomancy tied into several action scenes was particularly well done.; (9) The idea of a dark ruler having won and polluted the empire with falling ashes and a beaten down peasantry was well done. The decadent nobility attending balls at the different noble houses gave the drab peasantry lifestyle a nice contrast.; (10) the kid rogue of the crew (who was hardly known) had a strange accent that mixed words around on the page. I thought this was a nice touch dealing with different dialects of the same language.

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Jun 08, 2012 Kay rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: sauron and all lords dark and immortal

Shelves: apocadystopia, fantasy, quite-the-romantic, power-games

Actual rating is 3.5 to 3.75 .

When I think back on this book, the first thing that comes to mind is amazing magic system and thorough world building. Usually, I tend to see magic and world building as spices that enhance plot and characterization. Without it, the story could turn out to be bland and tasteless, but the story itself would still exist.

Well, in this case, without the magic system and world building, there would be no story.

STORY SYNOPSIS

Imagine a post-apocalyptic medieval world,...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Jonathan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-challenge, personal-favourites, want, favourite-series, fantasy, brandon-sanderson

It is official. After having read Elantris and this first Mistborn novel (plus his work on the Wheel of Time) Brandon Sanderson is one of the best currently living fantasy authors around.

Mistborn delves into political intrigue, into religion, into the masks people use to hide who they truly are, into superstition and into everyday human emotions. In many ways Mistborn addresses very deep philosophical issues while also being very entertaining. And that in my eyes is the mark of a great writer:...more
It is official. After having read Elantris and this first Mistborn novel (plus his work on the Wheel of Time) Brandon Sanderson is one of the best currently living fantasy authors around.

Mistborn delves into political intrigue, into religion, into the masks people use to hide who they truly are, into superstition and into everyday human emotions. In many ways Mistborn addresses very deep philosophical issues while also being very entertaining. And that in my eyes is the mark of a great writer: a man or woman capable of creating an enjoyable story full of hidden depth.

If you enjoyed Elantris you would enjoy this novel. There is a strong female character, little reliance on cliches and sound plotting and storytelling. The world building is incredibly memorable revealing Sanderson's incredible work ethic as he spares no liberties in layering his world with minutiae as well as a plethora of grand ideas. This is a living and breathing world written in a style that I very much enjoyed. The writing was literary in some aspects, poetic in others and all around a gentle narrative that could be grasped by any fantasy lover as something slightly more fresh.

The magic system was very entertaining and the action derived from it exciting. However I still have a question. Like with many unique magic systems who was it that discovered they could digest metal and 'burn' it to induce specific results? Not only that they could only digest specific metals and perform such acts and the pewter has to be made a special way. Still I'm not complaining. It is simply a question that made me wonder.

This is a grand imaginative tale. If you enjoy fantasy but have had enough of elves, dragons and dwarves (yes we all love Tolkien but sometimes authors need to break a little away from what other people have already written) read this. It will be something a little different centering on humans in a fantastical devastated land.

Add-on June 15th 2012:

After a little more thought I decided that I'd post a little additional information. Some people argue that Sanderson's work is cliché and long-winded. I can see the long-winded nature of his work in places but if we are talking cliché he uses far less clichés than other works of fiction.

My argument will remain (until someone convinces me otherwise) that the use of cliché is not necessarily bad writing. It is in fact a persuasive technique used to familiarise the audience with what you are writing. Yes an overworking of cliché may be bad but to use cliché here and there I do not agree is poor writing. My argument I back up with the fact that there are no truly original works of fiction anymore.

I think most of the original plots were used up by the time Shakespeare came along. I mean I'm certain I could find a way in which any contemporary work of fiction imitates Shakespeare - who in turn imitated the stories of the Greek and Roman bards. This is of course a subjective argument and will remain so.(less)

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Nov 17, 2011 Cassy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: physical-own, 2011, fiction-scifi-fantasy-paranormal, region-elsewhere, event-met-author

When someone asked Brandon how many magic systems he had created, he replied more than we realized. The astute audience member then asked how many magic systems we could expect to read about one day. To which Brandon responded, “Only the good ones.”

And the magic in Mistborn is good. Really good. Admittedly, I am picky about my magic. It should require effort and time to master. I need limitations and give-and-take. Make it interesting. I’d like a clear methodology and maybe a dash of whimsy. I e...more When someone asked Brandon how many magic systems he had created, he replied more than we realized. The astute audience member then asked how many magic systems we could expect to read about one day. To which Brandon responded, “Only the good ones.”

And the magic in Mistborn is good. Really good. Admittedly, I am picky about my magic. It should require effort and time to master. I need limitations and give-and-take. Make it interesting. I’d like a clear methodology and maybe a dash of whimsy. I expect serious reflection on how the magic would affect society. No blatant wish-fulfillment please.

The Allomancy and Feruchemy in Mistborn are all these things. They are gritty, unique, rule-bound, and just plain awesome. And the magic system is backed up by a touchable world, solid plot, and nice cast of characters. The book was slated for five stars right up until the end, which I thought was rushed. All in all, I am impressed and looking forward to be next two books in the trilogy.

Let’s get back to the event with Brandon hosted by my favorite independent bookstore, Murder by the Book. I left work early in anticipation of a spilling-into-the-parking-lot crowd reminiscent of their event with Patrick Rothfuss earlier this year. Instead, there was a more “modest” turnout of 200 fans. One couple wore their version of a Mistborn cloak. The guy sitting next to me had a t-shirt with a quote from the book: there is always another secret. Sigh. I was with my people, the dorky fantasy readers.

Although Brandon was there promoting his new release, The Alloy of Law, I still gathered some tidbits about this book. He talked about having three “try-outs” for Vin’s character before he settled on the right personality. I was surprised when he described Kelsier as two steps away from being a full-out psychopath as I had a kinder opinion. The movie rights have been purchased. He has provided feedback on three scripts so far.

Regarding the world of Mistborn, this may be common knowledge, but it was news to me: he has always envisioned nine books set in this world. This Mistborn trilogy set in the past. A second trilogy that is more of an urban fantasy set in a 21st century. And last, a trilogy set in the distant future for his take on science-fiction. (The Alloy of Law is meant as a quick, in-between novel.)

Brandon’s ambition is not limited to this world. If you really love one of his different worlds, rest assured. He probably has plans to write at least one more book there (including a sequel to Elantris). As Brandon detailed his long-term writing plans, two similarly prolific authors came to mind: Cherie Priest and Kevin J. Anderson. I hope Brandon is not willing to sacrifice quality for quantity as they have. Given the amazing feat of this book, there are grounds for optimism.(less)

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Dec 18, 2008 Josh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of fantasy

Shelves: fantasy

After many failed attempts at starting up various fantasy series, Brandon Sanderson has delivered something refreshing and vastly entertaining. This is very nearly a five star novel, though there are a few simple discrepencies that keep Mistborn from being great.

Pros:
- I was immideately pulled in by the bizarre world environment here. The idea of a land completely covered in ash at all times is strange and interesting.
- The "magic" system, if it can be called that, is unique and a breath of f...more After many failed attempts at starting up various fantasy series, Brandon Sanderson has delivered something refreshing and vastly entertaining. This is very nearly a five star novel, though there are a few simple discrepencies that keep Mistborn from being great.

Pros:
- I was immideately pulled in by the bizarre world environment here. The idea of a land completely covered in ash at all times is strange and interesting.
- The "magic" system, if it can be called that, is unique and a breath of fresh air. For me, a lot of fantasy is ruined by overuse of magic and lack of explanation about how magic works. His use of metals and Allomancy is genius and it's apparent that Sanderson invested a lot of time into this system. It's fun and believable.
- Sanderson displays great world-building talents in Mistborn. Not only to we have a strange backdrop in the environment, but good history to fill it with. The mists and the Mistwraiths are weird and different.
- There is no lack of action here. While I might have liked a little more description on the larger battle scenes, the Allomancy battles were just plain fun to read. With the characters using their abilities to push themselves through the air and hurl large metal objects, it was almost as if they were battling superheroes, and strangely enough this really works. He paid great attention to the rules and science of the Allomancy he created and applied them to these battle scenes well.

Cons:
-Characterization could use a little work. While Vin, Kelsier, Elend and Sazed were descriptive characters, a lot of the others on the crew (Dockson, Clubs, Breeze, Yeden) felt a little too cookie cutter and I found it hard to remember exactly what those characters did and what their individual roles were.
- Some of the dialogue is a little too typical as with many other fantasy books. This is one aspect that I rarely find to my liking in fantasy -as few authors seem to do it very well- and it isn't so bad here, but a lot of the conversations seemed a little unbelieveable. There were a lot sappy moments between the characters, some of which I find hard to swallow. (Perhaps I've become spoiled by Martin and Hobb, where distrust and hate between a lot of the characters make dialogue and character drama more believable.)

The flaws with Mistborn were hardly enough to keep me from thourougly enjoying it. Every great fantasy author has their strengths, and Sanderson's are apparent. This book is unique with a lot of great ideas. The only thing that's very typical is the tyrannical Lord Ruler and his thousand-year reign, but the author handles it very well and shows that cliche isn't always a bad thing. And the conclusion to Mistorn was fantastic. All of the plot threads were handled well and in clever ways, the action and final confrontations were great.

I will look forward to reading whatever else Sanderson has to offer. Read it, enjoy it and tell others. Good fantasy in a sea of mediocre deserves praise.
(less)

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Apr 23, 2009 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: brandon-sanderson, scifi-fan-group

It reminds me of Ocean's Eleven meets The Italian Job, but set in Mordor after Sauron has ruled for 1000 years or so. In many fantasy stories, a dark lord is rising and it is up to our heroes to defeat him before that happens. In this, the Dark Lord is already set in place as the status quo and the heroes have to motivate others to want a change.....Yet there is a noble class of The Lord Ruler's flunkies who will need to be scammed and robbed along the way, to finance this big revolt.....I love...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Janina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, on-my-shelf, read-in-2011, favourite-characters, want-to-go-there, best-of-2011, better-than-expected, series-in-progress

"But you can't kill me, Lord Tyrant. I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try. I am hope."

This book has been sitting on my shelf for ages, feeling neglected and collecting dust. I’ve noticed that I’m always a little hesitant to pick up epic fantasy novels, just because sometimes, they tend to be a bit long-winded, harder to get into than my beloved YA books and – let’s face it – especially first books in trilogies are sometimes boring at the beginning...more "But you can't kill me, Lord Tyrant. I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try. I am hope."

This book has been sitting on my shelf for ages, feeling neglected and collecting dust. I’ve noticed that I’m always a little hesitant to pick up epic fantasy novels, just because sometimes, they tend to be a bit long-winded, harder to get into than my beloved YA books and – let’s face it – especially first books in trilogies are sometimes boring at the beginning. All the world building, introduction of the characters … can drag on a little.

Not at all the case in this one. The world Brandon Sanderson has created definitely is a complex one, but also one I found utterly fascinating and interesting. The city of Luthadel – and the whole Final Empire – is a bleak and cruel place. All green has vanished from the earth; ash falls from the sky and the population suffers under the reign of the Lord Ruler and his Inquisitors. The god-like emperor has claimed the throne one thousand years ago, and since then, the common people (called skaa) have been enslaved, bereft of joy and willpower. Rape and murder at the hands of noblemen are not uncommon and overlooked by the authorities as long as the mess is cleaned up afterwards. All in all, this makes for a setting that is not always easy to stomach: A world with almost no hope left.
But there are still people who have not given up. A group of thieves plans their greatest coup: The overthrow of the empire, the liberation of the skaa population and, last but not least, the death of the Lord Ruler …

The first instalment of Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy follows exactly these thieves. And they make for great characters. To be honest, Mistborn is among the most character-driven epic fantasy novels I have read in a while. Characters to laugh and suffer with, characters that grow and change, characters I thought about a lot (also: characters I desperately hoped wouldn’t die at the end … Yes, Mr. Sanderson, I am still a bit mad about that!).
Additionally, Mistborn has one of the most original magic concepts I ever read about and offers interesting observations about the workings of religion and society.
What makes people believe and how can you give hope to those who have been oppressed for ages, those whose rebellions have failed every single time? Can you make them stand up again? Or are they really lost? What makes a society and its economy thrive and what, on the other hand, can destroy it?
All those aspects are interwoven in a story not only full of suspense, intrigue and fight, but also of friendship, trust and love.

A great novel, totally worth every single one of its 647 pages! Never found it boring or slow and certainly won’t forget it anytime soon. I really don’t know why I didn’t read it earlier.

#1 TBR Pile Reduction Challenge (Thank you for picking this one for me, Olivia! Probably might have missed out on this great piece of fantasy for months to come otherwise.)(less)

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Jun 19, 2011 Michael Ramm rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: epic fantasy lovers

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, kindle, month-trilogy, april2011, re-read

WOW! That is all that I can say about Mistborn: The Final Empire. It is my first book from Brandon Sanderson, and I can tell you that it will not be my last.

The world of Mistborn is centered around the city of Luthdel. It is where the dreaded Lord Ruler rules the world with an iron fist. The world is separated by the nobility and the skaa, the common folk of the world. The city is home to a cast of characters that is as diverse a group as the Fellowship in Tolkien's classic.

From the beginning we...more WOW! That is all that I can say about Mistborn: The Final Empire. It is my first book from Brandon Sanderson, and I can tell you that it will not be my last.

The world of Mistborn is centered around the city of Luthdel. It is where the dreaded Lord Ruler rules the world with an iron fist. The world is separated by the nobility and the skaa, the common folk of the world. The city is home to a cast of characters that is as diverse a group as the Fellowship in Tolkien's classic.

From the beginning we are introduced to Kelsier, though we don't know that. He is the charismatic, inspirational, motivational, and physical leader that brings his band together for the greater good of the skaa. Next we are introduced to Vin, a teenager who knows nothing else but abuse and thieving. She has had a hard past of abuse from everyone in her life. She expects it and sometimes relishes it as a sign of things being ok in her life. Kelsier recruits Vin into his crew for her special abilities, that he himself also has. They are both Allomantics, those who can summon magic from the ingestion and 'burning' of certain metals.

Allomancy and Feruchemy are the basis of the magic system in Luthadel. It is an original concept that Sanderson has devised. Allomancy involves ingesting certain metals and 'burning' them to summon magical powers that each specific metals allow. Feruchemy is the storing of certain traits in the metals attached to the body to gain specific effects from each metal. I love this system because the magic available to the user is not infinite. While Allomancers are burning metals, they can burn them out and then loose the use of that metals effects. So there is a cat-and-mouse game with regards to the use of Allomancy.

The Final Empire watches the growth of Vin from a very shy introvert to a confident powerful woman through the inclusion in Kelsier's gang and the plan that he has for the Lord Ruler. This is very much a coming of age book that follows Vin's path fighting the demon's of her past which include her crazy mother, noble father and abusive brother to a trusting member who starts to put her friends before her own needs.(less)

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May 03, 2013 Benjamin Duffy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, fantasy-sci-fi

I can't remember being this violently conflicted about a book in quite some time. There are some areas where it's just so well done, with the author absolutely nailing it, and then others where I found myself grinding my teeth in frustration. I'm going to abandon my usual practice of writing short, pithy reviews and just drunkenly ramble on a few things here. (Still no spoilers, though.) That OK with y'all?

Language. About two and a half chapters into this book, I found myself asking, "Why does t...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Judah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Lies of Locke Lamorra

Shelves: general-fantasy

Despite the claims of "turns the genre on it's head," etc, etc, I didn't come away feeling like the author had done that myself.

That being said, it *is* an enjoyable read, the characters are interesting enough (though a few come across as "and this is our lovable rogue" and "this is our evil dark haired beauty," etc, etc) and the writing style works well.

Nothing groundbreaking, but you more than likely won't be kicking yourself for wasting your time reading it if you're willing to settle for "ju...more

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Dec 15, 2009 Fani rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy, audiobooks, 2009-purchase, keepers-non-romance

There isn't much to say, since so many people have already commented on this book. I will just repeat a line I read in someone else's review: this book has the feeling of Ocean's Eleven or The Italian Job, rather than Lord of the Rings.

There are slivers of humor throughout, a delightful young heroine, a wise but also gentle leader and ... a young, naive hero who surprisingly the heroine has to protect rather than the other way around. The system of magic is unique and described extensively. The...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Anila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bucket-books, clone-the-guy-i-want-one, fangirl-alert, reviewed, favorite-2011-reads

Note to self: You are no longer allowed to bring books this good on family road trips. It makes you antisocial. You ignore the great views outside the car. You resent being torn away from the book to spend time with family, and when you are you babble incessantly about how awesome it is and how everyone would like it and how cool the magic is and how great the characters and on and on and on until your family is probably sick of you. And then, even after an eight-mile hike in the desert when you...more

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Jan 11, 2009 Sandi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Sandi by: Fantasy Book Club January Selection

Shelves: fantasy, 2009

"Mistborn: The Final Empire" is the best book I've read in 2009. Okay, it's the first book I've finished in 2009. However, I am not exaggerating in saying that it was an incredible read. Brandon Sanderson has created one of the most vivid societies I have ever encountered in fantasy. The characters really came alive for me and there weren't so many of them that I couldn't keep track of who's-who. Most of the story takes place in one city and some of its outlying areas. No map needed. It is a fin...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Jocelyn rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

Recommended to Jocelyn by: Jonathan

Shelves: can-t-wait, could-ve-improved, favorites, not-bad, unforgettably-awesome, 4-star-rating

Time for a replacement. Old review makes me shudder. I'll be rereading this anyway, since it's the best book of the trilogy, and The Hero of Ages was such a chore to read.

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Feb 14, 2008 Femmy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, for-recs-fantasy

Do you know that old fantasy cliché, where the protagonist is a farm boy with hidden abilities, who is destined to defeat the great villain and save the whole world from destruction? Well, in this series Brandon Sanderson has taken that cliché and given it an imaginative twist, which results in this fantastic first installment of the Mistborn trilogy.

(But take my advice. If you ever decide to buy this book, do not read the blurb! Reading it will be more exciting if you don’t know what the twist...more Do you know that old fantasy cliché, where the protagonist is a farm boy with hidden abilities, who is destined to defeat the great villain and save the whole world from destruction? Well, in this series Brandon Sanderson has taken that cliché and given it an imaginative twist, which results in this fantastic first installment of the Mistborn trilogy.

(But take my advice. If you ever decide to buy this book, do not read the blurb! Reading it will be more exciting if you don’t know what the twist is, with an added element of mystery about an unidentified writer of a diary that is excerpted in the beginning of each chapter.)

The story itself is set in a kingdom where ash falls instead of rain, the mist rules the night, and the Lord Ruler and the nobility enslave the skaa. It is in the skaa slums that our story really begins, as a thieving crew concocts a grand plan to steal the expensive, magical metal called atium from the palace of the Lord Ruler himself. Yup, unlike adventure or political intrigue stories that usually permeate the fantasy genre, this book has the feel of a heist movie. Think Ocean’s Eleven meets The Lord of the Rings . It’s very refreshing, and I enjoy reading as the crew execute their plans and troubleshoot as unexpected plot twists throw them some tricky problems.

At the heart of the thieving crew are Vin, a girl with an abusive past, and Kelsier, the mastermind who leads this crew. They are both Mistborns, people who can practice Allomancy, a way to manipulate metals to do magic. I just love it when an author takes time to create a unique magic system that has logical and consistent rules. It results in magical battles that are quite fun to read.

As an added bonus, there's romance in the air!

So, this book has everything that I look for in a fantasy book. A unique world, a fresh twist on the genre, great plot, interesting characters, a cool magic system, and a little bit of romance. Can’t wait until the second book comes out in paperback!(less)

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Feb 05, 2010 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, own, highly-recommended

Sometimes, I just crave a good epic fantasy. I mean, worldbuilding and magics, and loads of characters, good guys, bad guys, I just eat that shit up. Of course, it took one of my friends becoming a fan of Brandon Sanderson on facebook for me to actually pick up and read my copy of Mistborn: The Final Empire. Thank goodness. Honestly I don't know why I didn't pick up Mistborn sooner, especially because I was dancing around the room with pure joy after finishing the book. What? You don't dance lik...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Micheline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Micheline by: Anne

Shelves: magic-witches-wizards, fantasy, favorites, kick-ass-female, adult

Imagine a world where the bad guy wins. Where thousands of years have passed under the oppressive rule of an evil immortal and god-like tyrant. This is the world we are introduced to in Mistborn. The world is bleak, dreary and more often then not, cruel. The Lord Ruler, as he's known has ruled with an iron fist for what seems like an eternity. There is an elite sector of society that he allows to thrive but the rest; called the skaa are poor, oppressed, tortured slaves that must do the Lord Rule...more Imagine a world where the bad guy wins. Where thousands of years have passed under the oppressive rule of an evil immortal and god-like tyrant. This is the world we are introduced to in Mistborn. The world is bleak, dreary and more often then not, cruel. The Lord Ruler, as he's known has ruled with an iron fist for what seems like an eternity. There is an elite sector of society that he allows to thrive but the rest; called the skaa are poor, oppressed, tortured slaves that must do the Lord Ruler's bidding. The skaa have long given up hope and live each day in fear and suffering. This is the world presented to us by Brandon Sanderson at the beginning of Mistborn. And believe me when I say Sanderson throws you into the thick of it things from the start. The first 50 pages or so almost felt a bit overwhelming because everything was happening so fast and I didn't fully understand how the world functions or the new terminology being thrown at me. But I think it was meant to feel that way. Because when the explanations do start coming(after about 50 pages or so), you can fully appreciate the depth of imaginings and intelligence that it took to make this story come together.

The story features the shared narrative of both protagonists Kelsier and Vin. But fear not, this is not done in the same vein as the trendy shared narratives featuring both sides of a romantic relationship that have seen an emergence in YA fiction of late. No this is done out of necessity to move the story along. Initially we meet Kelsier, a man hell-bent on revenge on the Lord Ruler and his final empire who begins causing trouble from the word go. But Kelsier is no simple trouble maker; he has a plan. And as he begins recruiting players to put his plan in motion, they discover Vin. Vin is a poor abused teenage skaa girl who has powers she doesn't fully understand; powers that lead to her discovery by Kelsier and his crew...powers that Kelsier knows because he has them too. You see, both Kelsier and Vin are Mistborn. A Mistborn has the ability to draw power from various metals by ingesting them and 'burning' them to release their inherent powers, each different metal granting a different power or ability. There are Mistings who can only 'burn' one of the 8 major metals and then there are Mistborns who can burn all 8 major metals separately or all at the same time! For example, burning Pewter enhances physical strength, while burning Tin enhances one's senses. It's much more detailed and nuanced than what I've hinted at in this review though. The magical system is unlike any I've ever read about, it's intricate, inventive and wholly unique. Truly it was remarkable to discover and behold, but that's not the half of it. This entire world functions on a highly developed system in which both the magic within the world and the infrastructure of the world itself run on METAL. You see the Lord Ruler also controls the distribution of metal amongst his people, thereby controlling the economy and the politics within with metal.

Now, while the magic and world building rightfully deserve to be praised, another highlight is the character evolution; especially Vin. Her progress from paranoid, terrified street urchin to fully fledged Mistborn is done to perfection. Nothing ever feels forced or rushed, and why should it, at around 650 pages there's more than enough time to do things thoroughly. We learn about her tragic history while she simultaneously begins to let go of her past, bit by bit and embrace who she is meant to become. I absolutely LOVED Vin! With everything she's been through, she managed to keep her will to survive and despite her bleak outlook on things, she's open to learning and harnessing her powers. With the help of Kelsier, and a host of varied and likable secondary characters they embark on an improbable and unlikely partnership. Kelsier himself is instantly endearing as he fills the role of Survivor, Rebel, Mentor and friend. Every scene he's in is compelling and he's able to bring a lightness and even humor in the darkest of times. And like I mentioned, the narratives go back and forth between Vin and Kelsier so each offers unique insight into their characters and how they perceive the other...and all this was flawlessly executed. I honestly can't say enough!

As I mentioned, the book is no quick read at over 600 pages, I never felt it dragged or went to any unnecessary detours or details. At one point about halfway through, Vin does succumb to an injury, and her Mistborn training did stall a bit, but at that moment she was also tasked with impersonating nobility to gather valuable information for Kelsier and their crew. And while I will admit I missed her Mistborn activities, it was a necessary deviation and one that provided it's own intrigue. We gain unique insight into how the nobility functions and we have an opportunity for a little bit of a romantic side-story to develop. I found everything about this world absorbing: the politics, the magic, the meetings with the crew to discuss the rebel crew's agenda...it all had it's purpose and was written simply and with just enough detail to keep in interesting, but never too much where you feel sidetracked! The ending is satisfying and wraps the major plot point nicely, while leaving enough things unanswered for the story to continue. I am honestly at a loss for as to how I am only discovering Brandon Sanderson now. I've already ordered the two sequels to Mistborn and I've definitely added his other novels to my 'to-read' list. HIGHLY recommended to any fans of adult high fantasy coming from a more current author, and fans of book such as Lord of the Rings.(less)

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Dec 28, 2012 Glaiza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

What struck me the most about this book is how every action had resonance and impact - emotionally and politically. The world-building down to the characters who live in this world are connected in a logical way. I understand why so many people reference Sanderson's world building as a good example for unique fantasy but I also admire the rendering of the characterization.

Each character felt so real and genuine in their individual pursuits. Whether a character was a thief, a skaa slave or a nob...more

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Mar 12, 2011 Lyndsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-high-fantasy, 3rd-person-limited, pov-alternating, escapism, reviewed-2011, reviewed-4-stars, my-top-fantasy

So I'm taking a short departure from my evil ADD reviews infused with countless images and my odd sense of humor to take an in depth look at this this breathtaking book.

Books are about one of two things for me. Escapism or experiencing. I either want a book to make me close my eyes and completely take me out of this world OR open my eyes and force me to see things in a different light, think about and savor every second of this life. If it doesn't do at least one of those, it isn't doing it's jo...more

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Nov 10, 2009 Shellie (Layers of Thought) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasty lovers

Recommended to Shellie (Layers of Thought) by: Beyond Reality Group

Shelves: spec-fic-fant-epic-or-high, read-in-2009, element-strong-or-dark-female-chara, favorites, age-young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Actually 4.5 stars.

Basic Plot Summary: (may include spoilers for some readers however the middle and ending are not revealed)

Mistborn is the first book in a fantasy trilogy. It is a tale which takes place within an elaborate fantasy world. In it lives Vin, a 16 year old girl who is a member of a group of semi-heartless thieves. The abusive leader of this band is using her for her ability to persuade their victims remotely. This betters his chances of pilfering and cheating this wealthy subjugati...more Actually 4.5 stars.

Basic Plot Summary: (may include spoilers for some readers however the middle and ending are not revealed)

Mistborn is the first book in a fantasy trilogy. It is a tale which takes place within an elaborate fantasy world. In it lives Vin, a 16 year old girl who is a member of a group of semi-heartless thieves. The abusive leader of this band is using her for her ability to persuade their victims remotely. This betters his chances of pilfering and cheating this wealthy subjugating elite class. This elite class have little compassion for their slaves whom are called the Skaa, of which Vin and the thieves are a member.

This fantasy realm in which they live is constantly being rained upon by ash, plants have evolved to have brown leaves, and the sky is orange and red. At night the land is cloaked in a mist, which has mythical stories surrounding it and monsters stalking within it, holding the natives in fear. The kingdom is also dominated by an evil king called The Lord Ruler who is considered a god and is reputedly immortal. His kingdom is tightly ruled, controlled to his advantage, and is surrounded and protected by some very powerful, scary, and dangerous classes - the Ministry and Steel Inquisitors.

Kelsier enters the story and saves Vin from a botched attempt at one of the band’s robberies, and consequently from their abuse. He is a noble thief. A Skaa of a more “elite nature”. A rebel leader whom has a gift which lends him 11 special powers involving the use of metals which is called Allomancy.

As the story evolves and becomes more complicated, a plan for Kelsier and his band of thieves to overthrow this evil king develops. The group creates an elaborate scheme in which to evoke revenge and to return the planet back to “equilibrium”. Vin is to play a key role. She will also find out who she is in the process.

My Thoughts:

I loved this fantasy, and rate it as a highly recommended - 4.5 stars. The writing is accessible, it flows, and is highly addictive.

Sanderson has created a complex yet relate-able world with interesting and like-able characters (my favorite is Saze) and some amazing “bad guys” (remember the steel inquisitors – very cool.) There are also some important messages within the book one where he addresses the social and culture importance and significance of religion. He does this while supporting a perspective of acceptance and diversity – a great message. There is also a science fiction element to the book due to Allomancy but I would never the less categorize Mistborn as a fantasy.

Mistborn has a strong female character (yeah!), some violence, and a light touch of romance. Even though classified as an adult book I would recommend it for advanced young adult readers interested in the genre because it has a “coming of age” feel to it.

I am really, really, looking forward to the second and third of the series as well as his other books but am told that this book can be read as a stand alone.(less)

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Dec 24, 2008 Jeanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 23, 2012 Nermin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fantasy lovers

Recommended to Nermin by: GR friends

Shelves: owned, fantasy, series

I had to read 200 or more pages before finally getting 'into' this book. But I couldn't put it down after that. It is a wonderful, sad and sometimes funny novel. Sanderson seems to be full of original and creative ideas. I really liked the magic system in The Final Empire. Definitely going to read the other books in Mistborn series.

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Feb 14, 2009 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

This is one of my all time favorite books - It is the ONLY one I'm adding to my shelf that I read before joining GoodReads. (Though I finished it fairly recently.

What I liked most about this book.

1 - Good Characters, Good Plot, Interesting Magic System

2 - I liked the whole "bad guy won" and changed the world bad thing

3 - I thought the villians were convincing and imposing

4 - I really loved the end it was fast paced had had some twists I did not expect

5 - I really liked the way this was a complet...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Ali rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolute-favorites, fantasy, land-of-far-far-away

Epic. That is all.

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Sep 19, 2012 Hanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, shelf-a-ton-13, fantasy-aficionados-100

Yesterday 1.30am:
Whoooaa, I'm finished. I understand now why everyone wanted me to read this book. But i'm still too overwhelmed to write a decent review, so that'll need to wait a little longer

Today:
When i joined Goodreads and started browsing the fantasy shelves, it became very clear that i had to put Mistborn on my ASAP reading list. So I finally started, and I can assure you, I had expectations as high as the Eiffel tower. And yet, after 200 pages it became clear that it was even better tha...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Maya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-fantasy-reads, political-fantasy

This was so close to a perfect reading experience. It was only towards the end that 2, 3 little things made me go "hmph", but it is most definitely one of the best works of fantasy I have read, ever. It deserves a full 5 stars.

Mistborn is an extremely impressive work. The characters are amazing. Kelsier is charmingly sarcastic and Vin a kickass heroine, but the whole cast is so complex and individual, they feel like they could walk off the page at any moment. The dialogues are clever and well-wr...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Moira rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Skvělý příběh. Vše důležité hezky vyvážené a propletené, psáno poutavě a děj je skvělý. Není jednoduchý, je elegantně zamotaný. Kniha je geniální (nebo alespoň jedna z postav je x)), postavy různorodé a úžasně vykreslené, příběh sám o sobě mě bavil i při druhém čtení. Není to čistých pět, ale přesto je to kniha dost dobrá proto, abych ji řadila mezi ta nejlepší dílka fantastiky, ke kterým jsem se zatím dostala. Doporučuju všemi dvaceti, blázni! ;))

27.8.2012:
Knihu jsem hodně dlouho odkládala, něj...more Skvělý příběh. Vše důležité hezky vyvážené a propletené, psáno poutavě a děj je skvělý. Není jednoduchý, je elegantně zamotaný. Kniha je geniální (nebo alespoň jedna z postav je x)), postavy různorodé a úžasně vykreslené, příběh sám o sobě mě bavil i při druhém čtení. Není to čistých pět, ale přesto je to kniha dost dobrá proto, abych ji řadila mezi ta nejlepší dílka fantastiky, ke kterým jsem se zatím dostala. Doporučuju všemi dvaceti, blázni! ;))

27.8.2012:
Knihu jsem hodně dlouho odkládala, nějak mi nevoněl ani název, ani obálka. Navíc mám tak nějak vsugerováno, že dobré knihy mají pevnou vazbu. Blbost, minimálně půlka mých srdcovek jsou paperbacky, ale přesto... Pro Mistborn je paperback málo.
Ke knize jsem se dostala jen tak náhodou, protože jsem neměla co číst. A byla více než překvapená! Příběh, který se přede mnou rozehrál, byl nejen neuvěřitelně originální a nápaditý, ale taky zábavný, strhující, překvapivý a všechna podobná superlativa, který bych mohla vysypat z rukávu a stále nebyla dost spokojená!

Dostaneme se do říše, který je svým způsobem prokletá. Velký Pan Vládce, živoucí bůh, vládne železnou rukou a všechny skaaty, národ lidí, kteří nepatří mezi "vyvolené", nechává otročit svým aristokratům. Na této myšlence celý příběh stojí: Skaati se chtějí osvobodit. Už jen toto samo o sobě je dost zajímavé. Avšak autor si vykreslil zajímavé magické pozadí. Někdy strašně dávno se svět změnil, pokřivil. Sopky stále chrlí popel, stal se všudypřítomným a na světě se nenachází snad ani jedna zelená rostlina. Vlastně ano, někde ano. Ve sklenících. Které jsou přirozeně vlastnictvím pouze aristokratů a obyčejní skaati si ani nepamatují, že kdysi byl svět zelený, obloha modrá a slunce oslepující a zlaté. Zeptejte se jich. Řeknou vám, že je to pohádka.
A každý večer přichází děsivá, všudypřítoná mlha, do které se prostí lidé bojí chodit. Máme zde i magii, dalo by se říct. Někteří lidé, Mistingové, mají vrozenou schopnost. Dokáží pálit různé kovy. A když kov spálí, získají nadpřirozené schopnosti. Obrovskou sílu. Zbystřené smysly. Schopnost působit na emoce, tahat za kovy... Vše je podáno a popsáno tak dobře, že mi to přijde jen přirozené. :)
Každý Misting, který má alespoň jednoho šlechtického rodiče, jednu schopnost spalování kovu má. Mistingové se rodí jen výjimečně. A ještě méně se rodí Mistborni. Lidé, kteří dokáží pálit všech osm známých kovů.

Pokud jde o kulisy, dávám knize pět z pěti hvězdiček. Historie, geografie, popisy jsou úžasné.
Postavy jsou také perfektní. Děj se rozehraje hned z pohledů několika postav. Pestrých, různorodých, charakterů, které si zamilujete. A příběh sám?
Bavila jsem se. Více než dost. Autor se nezdržel u něčeho jednoduchého, on hned ze začátku nasadil nejvyšší laťku. A pak skládal složitou, promyšlenou mozaiku. Mnohdy jsem nevěřícně zírala, co si to zase postavy vymyslely. Mnohdy jsem jen nevěřícně zírala, co si to vymyslel autor. Příběh není jednoduchý, je správně složitý a zamotaný a autor nám vše odhaluje pomalounku, po kouscích, které nás jen napínají více a více. Až pak vyrukuje s výsledkem. A vy spadnete ze židle.

Knihu doporučuji všemi dvaceti! Každý, komu klasická fantasy aspoň vzdáleně něco říká, to připisuju jako povinnou položku četby! Postavy, děj, kulisy i nápad... to vše mě strašně oslovilo a byla bych ráda, kdyby jste to v knize našli i vy. :)(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Lee Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't know why, but I was reluctant to read this book at first. My first book by the author was the Way of Kings, and after a slow and twisted start, it turned out to be an absolutely fantastic book to begin his new series...I loved it...especially the world and characters he created. I guess the synopsis of what the book was about did not interest me, but once I started it, I was disappointed I did not read it sooner. The magic system is amazing...where he finds this stuff I could not begin t...more

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