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Casey's Reviews > Mistborn Trilogy
Mistborn Trilogy (Mistborn, #1-3)
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by
I'm reading the Mistborn trilogy as a set, and I'll review each book.
Final Empire
Plot Summary
The Lord Ruler continues his centuries long reign over a feudal-like society. The skaa (peasants; serfs) work miserable lives under nobles. Dangerous mists descend every night, and there are tales of strange and violent creatures that lurk in them.
There's magic in this world, allomancy, and it's based on metals. For those that can use magic, they generally have one talent of allomancy. However, those who can access all of them are referred to as mistborn, and are powerful and coveted assassins.
Vin, a teenager surviving as part of a thieving crew, meets Kelsier, a powerful mistborn. He accepts her into his crew of men attempting to overthrew the Lord Ruler and change the world. Vin covertly moves among the nobles, while at night learning allomancy.
Positives
+Main female character that isn't a one-dimensional whiny teen
+Intriguing backstory to the main villain
+Cool magic system
Negatives
+Supporting characters weren't too interesting
+Long
+Vin's plot elements often felt out of place with the larger narrative
Mistborn is a very well known fantasy series. It's one of the highest rated fantasy series on Goodreads. However, I'm not exactly sure why it gets such high marks?
The magic system, which I won't attempt to describe, is original and entertaining.
Vin, is a decent heroine, even though there is such a huge gap of adult female characters outside of the nobility. I liked how she was anxious and paranoid. She's not perfect, but her imperfections can also be strengths at certain times. I also liked how she slipped into a new life, and was almost forgetting how things used to be - that's very relatable as one's life conditions improve.
My main gripe is that Final Empire is too long. Many of the conversations among the supporting characters - Ham, Breeze, Dockson, Clubs - felt repetitive. Each character kept saying their stock phrases, it was so predictable what each strategy session would be. Every time, Dockson would complain about cost or supplies.
I don't mind reading strategy scenes. I don't need action all the time, but those strategy scenes were not so great. I enjoyed all of Vin's nobility and dance scenes, even though they felt kind of secondhand filler. Her parts felt like a different book at times.
Kelsier was very middle of the road for me. At times he seemed conceited, other times really caring. I couldn't make up my mind whether I liked him or not.
I suppose this book is really accessible to a wide range of fantasy fans? There's nothing in it that's controversial; most people can get behind the idea that oppressing people is bad.
My Thoughts on the Ending
(view spoiler)
The Well of Ascension
Plot Summary
After the ending of book one, the characters find themselves in a precarious position of power. They're challenged by at least two armies, and there's rumors the mists have become dangerous once again. It's hard to give a summary of this book without spoiling it. Suffice to say, Vin explores more of her powers, finds a rival, and tries to make sense of the Lord Ruler.
Positives
+Vin is no longer reliant on the group, and is more independent
+Zane is a strong foil against Vin
+Twists about the Lord Ruler's intentions
+Mystery about the "mole"
Negatives
+Never connected with Elend as a character
+Tepid romance
+Obligators still seem secondary
I wrongly guessed the core mystery of the possible mole in the group. I was fairly confident it was: (view spoiler)
Elend's struggles in his new position weren't very interesting to me. I never got very excited to read his parts. I enjoyed Vin and Sazed, and probably between the two of them, I liked Sazed a bit more.
Vin definitely experiences some relationship challenges. I never felt convinced of the chemistry between her and Elend. However, I like that Vin is a dynamic character and is constantly maturing.
This book very much read like a middle book with a lot of waiting around. Considering they are waiting out a siege, there wasn't much else they could do.
I don't think this series is really gripping me. Near the end it got interesting, but I found myself not super interested in the middle part of the book. There's something about the setting that's not described enough. I think I don't have a good idea of what the city of Luthadel actually looks and feels like through descriptions?
My Thoughts on the Ending
The destruction of the battle and Vin's choice seemed fitting for the ending of a middle book of a trilogy. I knew things weren't going to be solved. (view spoiler) In regards to the kandra: (view spoiler)
The Hero of Ages
Plot Summary
Our heroes continue to deal with the fallout of their actions in book one and two. More is revealed about the origins of the mist, creatures of the Lord Ruler's creation, and the evil force that is trying to influence Vin and others. Battles continue to occur across the land as new leaders rise in the power vacuum. It's a race to figure out the mysteries of the world before it may be destroyed.
Vin has a smaller role in the third book, as there are multiple other characters that have a key role to play. Hard to give a summary without spoiling the previous books!
Positives
+Kandra pov
Negatives
+Slow
+Too much world-building explanation
+Less focus on Vin
I really struggled with the third book. It was mind-numbingly slow and repetitive.
One character, (view spoiler) is the epitome of a nerd's dream come true. (view spoiler) I was annoyed how this character was more powerful than Vin. What's the point of having a chosen one? I guess it does turn the trope somewhat, but it's something that is introduced so off hand, and it's not until the ending that the reason is revealed.
The explanation of world-building was way overdone. Many chapters have multiple paragraphs of explanations about how something works or the history of the very story we are reading. It was so tiresome.
Almost all of Sazed's pov chapters were the same. Depressed and conversations with Breeze. The best chapters were TenSoon's, the kandra. Other than that, I could barely care what everyone was up to. There wasn't a strong enough story to hold this long book together. The characters didn't have a well-roundness of emotion - just one or two emotions they clung to as their quintessential traits.
If you really enjoy world-building, then you'll likely love this series. But I was looking for more with the characters and plot, and I wasn't getting it.
I am surprised by all the love for this series. Certainly, everyone has their own tastes, and what one person enjoys I might not. I guess this series is just vanilla enough that it's not too polarizing?
Two stars may be a harsh rating, but I really didn't enjoy the third book. Take this whole series, cut the pages down by 60%, tighten the plot, leave some of the world-building as a mystery, and I would have enjoyed this more.
My Thoughts on the Ending
(view spoiler)
I don't think the ending to the trilogy was enough pay-off for the amount of pages I had to read.
Final Empire
Plot Summary
The Lord Ruler continues his centuries long reign over a feudal-like society. The skaa (peasants; serfs) work miserable lives under nobles. Dangerous mists descend every night, and there are tales of strange and violent creatures that lurk in them.
There's magic in this world, allomancy, and it's based on metals. For those that can use magic, they generally have one talent of allomancy. However, those who can access all of them are referred to as mistborn, and are powerful and coveted assassins.
Vin, a teenager surviving as part of a thieving crew, meets Kelsier, a powerful mistborn. He accepts her into his crew of men attempting to overthrew the Lord Ruler and change the world. Vin covertly moves among the nobles, while at night learning allomancy.
Positives
+Main female character that isn't a one-dimensional whiny teen
+Intriguing backstory to the main villain
+Cool magic system
Negatives
+Supporting characters weren't too interesting
+Long
+Vin's plot elements often felt out of place with the larger narrative
Mistborn is a very well known fantasy series. It's one of the highest rated fantasy series on Goodreads. However, I'm not exactly sure why it gets such high marks?
The magic system, which I won't attempt to describe, is original and entertaining.
Vin, is a decent heroine, even though there is such a huge gap of adult female characters outside of the nobility. I liked how she was anxious and paranoid. She's not perfect, but her imperfections can also be strengths at certain times. I also liked how she slipped into a new life, and was almost forgetting how things used to be - that's very relatable as one's life conditions improve.
My main gripe is that Final Empire is too long. Many of the conversations among the supporting characters - Ham, Breeze, Dockson, Clubs - felt repetitive. Each character kept saying their stock phrases, it was so predictable what each strategy session would be. Every time, Dockson would complain about cost or supplies.
I don't mind reading strategy scenes. I don't need action all the time, but those strategy scenes were not so great. I enjoyed all of Vin's nobility and dance scenes, even though they felt kind of secondhand filler. Her parts felt like a different book at times.
Kelsier was very middle of the road for me. At times he seemed conceited, other times really caring. I couldn't make up my mind whether I liked him or not.
I suppose this book is really accessible to a wide range of fantasy fans? There's nothing in it that's controversial; most people can get behind the idea that oppressing people is bad.
My Thoughts on the Ending
(view spoiler)
The Well of Ascension
Plot Summary
After the ending of book one, the characters find themselves in a precarious position of power. They're challenged by at least two armies, and there's rumors the mists have become dangerous once again. It's hard to give a summary of this book without spoiling it. Suffice to say, Vin explores more of her powers, finds a rival, and tries to make sense of the Lord Ruler.
Positives
+Vin is no longer reliant on the group, and is more independent
+Zane is a strong foil against Vin
+Twists about the Lord Ruler's intentions
+Mystery about the "mole"
Negatives
+Never connected with Elend as a character
+Tepid romance
+Obligators still seem secondary
I wrongly guessed the core mystery of the possible mole in the group. I was fairly confident it was: (view spoiler)
Elend's struggles in his new position weren't very interesting to me. I never got very excited to read his parts. I enjoyed Vin and Sazed, and probably between the two of them, I liked Sazed a bit more.
Vin definitely experiences some relationship challenges. I never felt convinced of the chemistry between her and Elend. However, I like that Vin is a dynamic character and is constantly maturing.
This book very much read like a middle book with a lot of waiting around. Considering they are waiting out a siege, there wasn't much else they could do.
I don't think this series is really gripping me. Near the end it got interesting, but I found myself not super interested in the middle part of the book. There's something about the setting that's not described enough. I think I don't have a good idea of what the city of Luthadel actually looks and feels like through descriptions?
My Thoughts on the Ending
The destruction of the battle and Vin's choice seemed fitting for the ending of a middle book of a trilogy. I knew things weren't going to be solved. (view spoiler) In regards to the kandra: (view spoiler)
The Hero of Ages
Plot Summary
Our heroes continue to deal with the fallout of their actions in book one and two. More is revealed about the origins of the mist, creatures of the Lord Ruler's creation, and the evil force that is trying to influence Vin and others. Battles continue to occur across the land as new leaders rise in the power vacuum. It's a race to figure out the mysteries of the world before it may be destroyed.
Vin has a smaller role in the third book, as there are multiple other characters that have a key role to play. Hard to give a summary without spoiling the previous books!
Positives
+Kandra pov
Negatives
+Slow
+Too much world-building explanation
+Less focus on Vin
I really struggled with the third book. It was mind-numbingly slow and repetitive.
One character, (view spoiler) is the epitome of a nerd's dream come true. (view spoiler) I was annoyed how this character was more powerful than Vin. What's the point of having a chosen one? I guess it does turn the trope somewhat, but it's something that is introduced so off hand, and it's not until the ending that the reason is revealed.
The explanation of world-building was way overdone. Many chapters have multiple paragraphs of explanations about how something works or the history of the very story we are reading. It was so tiresome.
Almost all of Sazed's pov chapters were the same. Depressed and conversations with Breeze. The best chapters were TenSoon's, the kandra. Other than that, I could barely care what everyone was up to. There wasn't a strong enough story to hold this long book together. The characters didn't have a well-roundness of emotion - just one or two emotions they clung to as their quintessential traits.
If you really enjoy world-building, then you'll likely love this series. But I was looking for more with the characters and plot, and I wasn't getting it.
I am surprised by all the love for this series. Certainly, everyone has their own tastes, and what one person enjoys I might not. I guess this series is just vanilla enough that it's not too polarizing?
Two stars may be a harsh rating, but I really didn't enjoy the third book. Take this whole series, cut the pages down by 60%, tighten the plot, leave some of the world-building as a mystery, and I would have enjoyed this more.
My Thoughts on the Ending
(view spoiler)
I don't think the ending to the trilogy was enough pay-off for the amount of pages I had to read.
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