Mistborn: The Final Empire - the novel that would catapult Brandon Sanderson into fantasy author celebrity status (which in hindsight is one level above a HIVE blogger's celebrity status ๐).
This book's significance cannot be understated, as it ushered in a wave of fantasy that is only getting bigger and bigger. ๐ค
That wave is the Cosmere, which might one day reach the pedigree of Tolkein's or Martin's works ๐ฑ. In no way am I saying Mistborn is another The Fellowship of the Ring or A Game of Thrones. It's a beast of its own, and we will compile its goods and bads respectfully.
This is of course ๐ข SPOILER FREE ๐ข. Although, as always, it's written with the longtime reader in mind. ๐
Note: All quotations in this article are excerpts from Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn", 2006.
I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan. I say that up-front since I am going to be pretty critical. ๐ And yet, I consider Mistborn one of my favorite books of all time. I love it so much I've detached myself from the feelings it evokes and analyzed it in a more streamlined/editorial/writer's group sort of way. โ๏ธ
Publishers label the book as adult fiction, but in actuality, it shares many elements with YA fiction. This is all well and good but I fear it has skewed the perspective of this book. For instance, you know what you're getting when you read A Game of Thrones, not so much here. ๐
And this is just one little thing. As much as I love this book (and I do, a lot) it's a total mess in execution. We will explore all these ideas in detail, but for now, let's talk about some positives. ๐
โBelief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days...What is belief - what is faith - if you don't continue in it after failure?...Anyone can believe in someone or something that always succeeds...But failure...ah, now, that is hard to believe in, certainly and truly. Difficult enough to have value. Sometimes we just have to wait long enough...then we find out why exactly it was that we kept believing...There's always another secret.โ
I instantly fell in love with this book. Just read the first paragraph:
Ash fell from the sky.
Lord Tresting frowned, glancing up at the ruddy midday sky as his servants scuttled forward, opening a parasol over Tresting and his distinguished guest. Ashfalls werenโt that uncommon in the Final Empire, but Tresting had hoped to avoid getting soot stains on his ๏ฌne new suit coat and red vest, which had just arrived via canal boat from Luthadel itself. Fortunately, there wasnโt much wind; the parasol would likely be effective.
So much is set up here. The world, this character, slavery and ash falling from the sky?? I'm not quite sure why this beginning grabbed me so fully (it captivated my attention from the start). Or a more apt question would be how. Since I kind of know the why: I could visualize the scene perfectly. Black ash falling against a red-tinted sky? And this was normal in their world? So much so that he has a parasol to ward off the ashโโโ
That blew me away. For lack of a better word - it was cool,
This entire world blew me away. I remember devouring this book. At the time I mostly read YA fiction, and if there's a book to transition YA readers to adult readers - it's ๐ฏ this one.
โจ If there's one thing this book gets right, it's the world and the magic within. โจ
Its visuals are stunning, coupled with the magic system and endearing characters, and you have one of my favorite books. ๐
FYI: The Victorian setting also works really well. An ever-present mist at night also gives the setting that extra oomf. I'm telling you, this series as a whole has some of the most captivating visuals.
"There's always another secret."
Let's go back to the first paragraph of the novel. Its writing is decent, more than passable. But nothing special right? It's not a Patrick Rothfuss paragraph, but what is? That doesn't matter - author intent plays a huge role in all of this. ๐
Brandon's style is intentional... well boring. It's simple and unpoetic. Devoid of deeper meaning. What you read is what you get. Is that a bad thingโ
It's a preference, through and through. Sanderson wants you to only focus on the plot and characters and his sneaky (not so sneaky once you learn his trick ๐) foreshadowing. He doesn't want any distractions for the reader. Nothing will steal your attention from what's really important: the story.
This is a philosophy. Perhaps he could do the same thing with slightly more flowery prose - but it's a philosophy. ๐
All of that is well and good, but what irks me is the constant repetition of cadence and an overreliance on repetition. ๐ This has plagued Brandon's writing till this day as he seems to have little confidence in reader comprehension. This again boils down to a philosophy that lets nothing slip through the cracks. The reader must always have all pertinent information. ๐ค
To give him credit, Sanderson has tried to keep to his style while still evolving the meaningfulness of his prose. His latest books are much better written, and I can't wait to see how much he improves in the future.
โ...Do you stop loving someone just because they betray you? I don't think so. That's what makes the betrayal hurt so muchโpain, frustration, anger... and I still loved her. I still do.โ
Brandon Sanderson is renowned for his magic systems.
What drew me to his writing in the first place - apart from the breathtaking visuals - was that everything was planned and accounted for. ๐ฎ
He writes fantasy books with sci-fi principles. There's always a detailed answer for any question you might have. This magic system in particular concerns ingesting pieces of metal to gain different magical powers. And he somehow makes that bizarre concept not only work - but truly enhance the mysticism of the world. ๐คค
Which, bearing his writing style in mind, is truly an accomplishment.
It's not just the magic, either. You might think something is a plot hole, but newsflash kid - Brando Sando don't do plot holes. ๐ Yea, you might have to read a different book to get your answer (more often than not you do not), but it's there. It exists. Everything makes sense in the context of the world. ๐
For this to work you must trust the author. And I guess what I'm saying is you should do just that with Brandon.
โIโve always been very confident in my immaturity.โ
The characters are great. I'll say the main character Vin is probably my favorite character. Full stop. In any medium. That's a bold statement but it might actually be true. ๐ And it's not because she's this onion with all these nuances around her. She is flawed, and cool, and Vin. And if I divulge more it would come too close to spoiler territory, so let's just leave it at that. ๐
Sanderson also gave the rest of the cast enough characterization to make them likable. Apart from Vin, Sazed and Kelsier are the clear standouts.
This book is also rich in Cosmere significance. Those that know, know. ๐
โYou should try not to talk so much, friend. You'll sound far less stupid that way."
The ending is also pretty neat. Its culmination after culmination. And even though this book is the first of a trilogy - which in turn is the first trilogy of a series ๐จ - you could still read it, be satisfied, and never read another Sanderson book again.
One last quick aside before the end about the book's name:
It was first published as Mistborn: The Final Empire. however, the publisher soon rebranded the book to just "Mistborn". The reason being too many people might think the book is the last part of a series and not its beginning. I personally like Mistborn way more than Final Empire - so I'm happy that they changed it. ๐
If you want to jump into the world of adult fantasy, and don't know where to start, then Mistborn is a sure bet. More experienced readers of the genre on the other hand might find it so-so.
As the years have gone by, my feelings towards Mistborn's "craftsmanship" have dwindled. But my feelings when I think about the setting (ash falling against a red sky, misty night in a Victorian setting), and i think about Vin, and I can't help but smile. ๐
Brandon knows how to pace his stories, and knows how to give you a satisfactory character arc. What he does, he does really well, just a matter of whether he suits your reading preferences.
โHow do you 'accidentally' kill a noble man in his own mansion?"
"With a knife in the chest. Or, rather, a pair of knives in the chest...โ
Not sure if that's the quote I wanna end it on. ๐ Eh, we're gonna roll with it. ๐
Thanks for reading my review of Mistborn: The Final Empire! I love the Cosmere and look forward to talking about it more with all of you. ๐
This book holds a special place in my heart because it sent me down a path I'm still treading in adult fantasy. If you haven't read it, I hope my review convinces you to rectify that decision. ๐
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Obligatory Shout-out to the ๐PIZZA๐ gang, ๐ค gang. ๐ค
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Stay safe and have a great weekend everyone! ๐
PS: I know the thumbnail sucks, ok? Give me a break, they can't all be winners. ๐