From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)

Brandon Sanderson

Start date: February 21, 2018

Finish date: March 10, 2018

Discussion: Book Discussions

Discussion leader: Tanya (Novel Paperbacks)

Why we're reading this: Group Contemporary Novel discussion February 2018
#43 on NPR's Top 100 SF/F novels of all time (2011 poll)…more
[close] Group Contemporary Novel discussion February 2018
#43 on NPR's Top 100 SF/F novels of all time (2011 poll) http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/1390858...
#20 on Locus Magazines Best Fantasy novels of the 21th century http://www.locusmag.com/2012/AllCentu...
Secondary July Read 2012

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What Members Thought

Jan 16, 2018 Jason Koivu rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, fantasy

Now that's an epic!

It's been a long time since I've read such a large book by an author I've never read before. There's uncertainty in doing that. You don't know if the author is someone who will pay-off such an investment of time. However, I've read enough reviews by you swell people here on the Interbone to feel confident that Brandon Sanderson can and will deliver the goods.

And he does with The Final Empire, the first book in his Mistborn series. I'm not a huge fan of epic fantasy, sure I lo ...more

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Aug 04, 2018 Vanessa Gayle ⚔️ Fangirl Faction rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio, reviewed, own-ebook-read, adult, wish-list-physical, fantasy, favorites

This review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Wowza! A lot of times the hype surrounding a book is just that. Hype. It doesn't always add up to be as great as the hype proclaims. I've never been so thrilled to have my skepticism dashed. I had heard so many wonderful things about this series prior to reading this book, and I am SO glad that they are founded.

The world building in this book is truly incredible. I can only hope that the well that Sanderson fishes his ideas from never runs This review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Wowza! A lot of times the hype surrounding a book is just that. Hype. It doesn't always add up to be as great as the hype proclaims. I've never been so thrilled to have my skepticism dashed. I had heard so many wonderful things about this series prior to reading this book, and I am SO glad that they are founded.

The world building in this book is truly incredible. I can only hope that the well that Sanderson fishes his ideas from never runs dry. This world was bold and completely original. This book was a breath of fresh air. Everything was incredibly detailed and well thought out. The way that the world was so meticulously melded is genius.

The character development in this book is just as awesome as the world building. Sanderson writes his characters with room to grow. The pacing of the character development is perfect. The reader can get to know the characters fairly quickly while building upon that to witness them grow and change. Details about the characters are given sparingly so that the development feels completely natural, all while creating a build up and want for more knowledge of the characters.

This plot is pretty epic. There are so many creative elements involved that it will blow your mind. When everything comes together at the end you will be in awe of all the masterfully crafted details and the way that they all interweave.

While I mainly read young adult fantasy, this book was still easy to pick up and get into. It did have a different vibe in general, but not in a bad way. I latched on to the story by simply reading the prologue. I don't think that this book would be hard for another fan of young adult books to enjoy. Sanderson makes it pretty easy to fall into the story.

I also have to add that I read the first six chapters of this book on ebook, and then I switched to audiobook. I quite enjoyed the audiobook version. I think that I will get the next book in the series on audiobook as well. If audiobook is your jam then I would recommend giving this book a shot on audio.

Overall, this book stands out like a shiny, sparkling unicorn in the herd of horses that the fantasy genre can sometimes be. And not just on the outside. On the inside, this book has plenty of shiny unicorn magic. I highly recommend this book, and I cannot wait to continue this series!

More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction ...more

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Jun 24, 2019 Linda Garcia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Amazingly written. I couldn't stop reading. I'm excited to read the rest of the series as well as other books written by the author ...more

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Sep 30, 2013 Alan rated it really liked it

I wasn't to sure on this at the start. But as the story develops we are left with one of the best fantasy stories I have ever read. The imaginative magic system, the setting, the characters and the twists and turns in the plot were all excellent. I did feel at times the book seemed a little padded, hence the 4, but none of it is filler for fillers sake and adds depth. I would recommwnd this to anyone looking for a refreshing take on the fantasy genre. ...more

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