Reivew: Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson

Within the last decade, Brandon Sanderson has become a household name in fantasy. Even if you haven't read him, chances are you've heard of him. He's Robert Jordan's literary heir and has been tasked with finishing the Wheel of Time series*. He's one of those authors that dutiful little fantasy fanboys and fangirls are supposed to have read. All the hoopla and expectation started when he wrote Elantris and the Mistborn trilogy.

I've intended to read Mistborn: The Final Empire for years. I mean, who hasn't? When I first heard the premise of the series, I was wide-eyed and giddy. Mistborn takes place in a world where the hero failed a thousand years ago, and the only people able to save the world from the Big Bad are a crew of thieves. I love fantasy. I love heists and altruistic thieves. And I love turning tropes on their heads. Mistborn gave me all of this and more.

Just a few days ago, I finally finished the first book of series--also of the the same name. I am now more wide-eyed and giddy than when I heard the premise. Because Mistborn does more than just weave these ideas together into a compelling story, it creates one of the most intriguing fantasy worlds I've ever read.

Synopsis:

Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mistborn. 

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.     

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot. 

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

How can you resist a set-up like that? First, let's talk about the world. The world of the Final Empire is bleak. The skaa are slaves. Ash constantly falls. The plants have turned brown and the sun red. And the feared mists come at night. All because the Hero of Ages failed a thousand years ago. The setting of the Final Empire pops into the reader's imagination fully formed and continues to unfold and expand with every page with impressive verisimilitude. The first lines of Mistborn establishes this world better than any other fantasy book I can remember.

"Ash fell from the sky. Lord Tresting frowned, glacing up at the ruddy midday sky as his servants scuttled forward, opening a parasol over Tresting and his distinguished guest. Ashfalls weren't uncommon in the Final Empire, but Tresting had hoped to avoid getting soot stains on his fine new suit coat and red vest, which had just arrived via canal boat from Luthadel itself."

Sanderson doesn't waste time with pages of description, as can be a pitfall of the genre, but like Aton Chekov he provides a sentence or two that grounds the scene with compelling imagery. As I read, at times, I could feel ash sticking to my lashes, staining my clothes, or the mists chilling and dampening my skin. Near the end of the book, there is a scene that takes place in a square. I won't say more than that, but that image, as the ash fell lightly, has seared itself into my memory. It is one of many unforgettable images. His setting and descriptions never get in the way of the story. Instead, he unassumingly paints a vivid and depressing world that envelops you.

The world-building that Sanderson achieves in Mistborn staggers the imagination. From the Terrismen to the Steel Inquisitors to the kandra to the mists to the koloss to the Pits of Hathsin to Feruchemy and Allomancy, the breadth and depth of this world left me breathless with envy.

Allomancy is probably the down-right coolest magic system I've encountered in fantasy in its originality and development. At its most basic, Allomancy is the ability to burn certain metals that have been ingested. All Allomantic metals are paired with a base metal and its corresponding alloy. By burning these metals, the Allomancer gains certain abilities. For example, burning pewter enables the Allomancer to gain increased physical prowess in strength, stamina, dexterity, speed, and agility.

There are two basic kinds of Allomancers. The first, Mistings, are Allomancers who can only burn one type of metal. For instance, a Misting who can burn pewter is called a Thug or a Pewterarm. These aren't uncommon within the nobility or even within the skaa population. Though its illegal to allow half-breeds to live, there a quite a few skaa with some noble blood in their lineage. The other kind of Allomancer is extremely rare. They are the Mistborn. Mistborn can burn all of the Allomantic metals. Because of this, they are highly sought after and are very dangerous.

The plot, the world, and the magic of Mistborn are well conceived and beautifully executed. It is a rich story and a rich world. What makes this story shine, like any good story, however, are its characters. The two main characters of Mistborn are Kellsier, the charismatic leader of the crew, and Vin, a teenage girl thief with untold potential. Those might seem like stereotypical characters, but their backstories and development defies such simplistic categorization. Vin is a powerful, vulnerable girl who struggles against the lessons of her past. Kel is a man who smiles all the time, because his life has been defined by tragedy. Vin is a skeptic yearning for faith. Kel is a vengeful savior.

Beyond Vin and Kel, you easily find yourself falling in love with the crew that Kel assembles, Ham the Thug philosopher, Breeze the good-hearted wastrel, Dockson the back-alley administrator, Clubs the curmudgeonly caregiver, and Spook the tongue-tied spy. While the twists of the story leave you wanting to know what comes next, the real reason you keep reading is to see what will happen to these characters. Will Vin learn that trust and survival aren't mutually exclusive? What happened to Kel in the Pits of Hathsin? Can Kel really kill a god?

I've barely scratched the surface of Mistborn in this review, because I don't want to ruin the amazing twists that Sanderson planned. Mistborn is a story of contradictions and upending tropes. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written, compelling story. Whether you're a fantasy fan or not, I would encourage you to give Sanderson a chance. You won't be disappointed.

Back to reading the next book in the series for me. Once I finish, I'll be reviewing Well of Ascension as well.


*I gave up on the Wheel of Time series in high school. If you know me, you've heard me rant about WoT. Based on the quality of Mistborn, however, I might actually return to the Wheel of Time series, just to read more of Sanderson's writing.