Title: The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Gollancz
Release Date: October 1st, 2009
Standalone/Series: First book in the Mistborn trilogy.
Genre: Fantasy – Adult
Goodreads link
My rating in stars: 4,5 stars
My rating in words: Loved this book
What it’s about:
What if the prophesied hero had failed to defeat the Dark Lord?
For a thousand years the ash fell. For a thousand years, the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years, the Lord Ruler reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Every attempted revolt has failed miserably.
Yet somehow hope survives. A new kind of uprising is being planned, one that depends on the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind and the courage of an unlikely heroine, a Skaa street urchin, who must learn to master Allomancy, the power of a mistborn.
My thoughts:
“The mists rule the night… The Lord Ruler owns the world.”
I am so happy that I decided to read this book, even though I was a bit intimidated by it at first. I have to admit the first 100 or so pages were a bit of a struggle because the world felt so big and complex and I didn’t really connect with the characters yet. But then, slowly, this story really grips you and doesn’t let you go. It was so worth the read.
The world, the plotline and the magic system really make this book what it is. It is spectacular, interesting and original. It was a bit of Oceans’ 11 meets Extraordinary Gentlemen meets Lord of the Rings.
The characters and their development was one of the best I ever read. Vin and Kelsier were great as main protagonists. I really enjoyed their relationship and how they changed eachother for the better. I also adored the crew. I felt a bit like Vin concerning them: hesitant at first, waiting to see what would happen, but then growing to love and trust them all. I loved Elend as well, and appreciated that there was just a dash of romance because even though it was not at all crucial to the story I am still a romantic and I thought the romantic scenes really added to the overall story and character development instead of distracting from it.
Overall it was an amazing story that was satisfying on its own but still leaves so much more to explore in the rest of the trilogy.
Favorite quotes:
“Belief 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.”
“Marsh: Our best efforts were never even a mild annoyance to the Lord Ruler.”
Kelsier: Ah, but being an annoyance is something that I am very good at. In fact, I’m far more than just a ‘mild’ annoyance–people tell me I can be downright frustrating. Might as well use this talent for the cause of good, eh?”
“My behavior is nonetheless, deplorable. Unfortunately, I’m quite prone to such bouts of deplorability–take for instance, my fondness for reading books at the dinner table.”
“You said their prayer – is this the religion you believe in, then?”
“I believe in them all.”
Vin frowned. “None of them contradict each other?”
Sazed smiled. “Oh, often and frequently they do. But, I respect the truths behind them all.”