Book Review – Mistborn: The Final Empire

So I just finished Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. And let me say, this is why I read books. It truly was amazing. I cannot say anything bad about the book whatsoever. So let me give a few highlights. But before the highlights, let me give a brief summary.

This will be a spoiler-free review, so don’t worry about having it spoiled.

Mistborn takes place in the Final Empire, but most of the book takes place in the city of Luthadel, which is the capital of the Final Empire. There are two main characters who we are introduced to: Vin, the ska (peasant) girl who has an uncanny ability to use allomancy (magic), and Kelsier who is a Mistborn (someone who can use all aspects of allomancy). Vin joins Kelsier’s thieving crew whose services are bought to help the Ska rebellion overthrow the Final Empire and the Lord Ruler himself. The book has a great Fantasy feel to it and it also feels like a heist at times.

So, here are some of my highlights from the book:

1. The Magic – The Magic was truly an awesome feature. It was complex but introduced in a way that didn’t make it confusing to the readers. Its components were slowly introduced one by one and were demonstrated. May I say, it is a much better magic system than that of, say, Harry Potter. This is because there is an explanation of how it works.

2. The Characters – At the start of the book, you don’t really know how it’s going to go or who the main characters will be. But after the first couple of chapters, it becomes clear. Vin was a great character who demonstrated lots of believable growth. One of my biggest pet peeves as a reader is when a character does something that says they’ve changed and there has been no build-up or demonstration of the character changing, they just changed all a sudden. Vin’s growth as a character was very believable. You also grow close to the crew of the book. The other main character, Kelsier, is a very interesting character to get to know. Kelsier was my personal favorite. His style was fun and his motivations were very believable. As you read the book, be prepared to grow close to the characters. Sanderson does not skimp out on character, that’s a fact.

3. The Setting – The Final Empire is a very great setting. Plus, I can’t really compare it to any other fantasy setting, and I’ve read quite a few fantasy books. The book takes place mostly in Luthadel, but some scenes take place in a city outside Luthadel and farther to the north. It is definitely one of the most original settings I’ve read in a while.

4. The Villain – The Lord Ruler. Sounds ominous, doesn’t it? Well, it is. He is a very convincing villain, and he isn’t even in but a few scenes! Though, his presence hangs over the book like a cloud. There are also several lesser villains that are just as terrifying.

These were just a couple of highlights I had. There are plenty for sure. So do yourself a favor, go read the book! Then come back and comment on your favorite part!

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