Review: Mistborn: The Final Empire
Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first novel of Brandon Sanderson’s freshly completed Mistborn trilogy. Sanderson is probably most famous, at the moment, for being the author chosen to finish Robert Jordan’s mammoth Wheel of Time series, but he has been extremely busy over the last few years, establishing himself in the fantasy genre with the stand-alone novel Elantris, the recently published Mistborn trilogy, and the ongoing Alcatraz novels (a young adult series, only two of an expected five novels have been published at present). In many ways, the first book of the Mistborn trilogy reads less like an epic fantasy novel, and more like a heist story; while reading, I was reminded of Danny Ocean and his band of desperate misfits trying to pull off an impossible escapade. This unique flavor, along with Brandon Sanderson’s impressive talent for world-building, ensure that Mistborn: The Final Empire is a satisfying read that will leave you hungry for the next novel in the series.
The first installment of the Mistborn trilogy may tip the scales with a hefty 650 pages, but I still hesitate to call it epic fantasy. With a handful of characters and only one country (only one city, really), you’ll never find yourself thumbing back to the index to remember what someone’s sister is called or what the customs are in such-and-such a place. That said, Brandon Sanderson clearly spent a lot of time on the creation of this world, Scadriel. But instead of a myriad assortment of countries and cultures and a cast of hundreds, Sanderson’s attention has gone to the history of Scadriel, and the intricate systems of magic used by its inhabitants. The Final Empire begins with the premise that a prophesied hero attempted to save the world a millenia ago. Something, however, went horribly wrong, leaving the world a blasted and desolate place, black ash falling from always-burning volcanoes and thick mists blanketing the night sky, completely hiding the stars. There is only one country, an immense empire, and the bulk of the population are slaves, living under the thumb of the tyrannical Lord Ruler and his nobles.
In large part, the poor are controlled by Allomancy, the hereditary magic used by the nobility. Allomancy is an intricate system of magic in which ingesting certain metals and alloys allows the manipulation of very specific elements in the world around. Eating steel gives the ability to push metal objects away from the user (known as a Coinshot), using tin sharpens the senses (a Tineye), while burning brass allows the damping of emotions in others (a Soother). Sanderson introduces a total of ten metals, and there is a complex system of rules in place that governs their use and limitations. The novel doesn’t spend a lot of time explaining all of the functions of Allomancy to start with, and some readers may find themselves baffled by all the details they’ll need to remember, but I imagine other readers (such as Wheel of Time fans) are going to absolutely love tracking all of these same details. Ultimately, this depends on each reader’s preference; myself, I was immediately absorbed by the dystopic world described by Sanderson, and fascinated by the complexities of Allomancy (not even mentioning Feruchemy, or other types of magic only hinted at in the first novel).
Fascinating worlds aren’t nearly as interesting when the characters are unforgivably boring. Thankfully, the crew of outlaws that form the core of the novel are great. From the philosophically inclined Ham (a Pewterarm) to the grumpy veteran Clubs (a Smoker) to the awkward and unintelligible Spook (a Tineye), the thieving crew is a fascinating cast of characters, and each one gets their time to shine. They are led by a powerful Mistborn, Kelsier, who has the deadly ability to use all of the metals in conjunction, instead of being limited to only one. The narrative follows Kelsier occasionally, but the bulk of the story involves Vin, a teenage thief plucked from the streets by Kelsier when he witnesses her potential as a Mistborn. The Final Empire tracks Vin as she transforms from street urchin to courtly lady to something else entirely, guided by Kelsier’s impressive knowledge of Allomancy, and in all other things, Sazed, a protective scholar from an almost extinct race with the power to permanently preserve their memories. One of the best things about each of these characters is that they never feel anything less than completely real, even in their flaws: Breeze is sympathetic, but arrogant and obnoxious, Vin’s brutal upbringing in a gang of street hoodlums has trained her to absolutely never trust anyone other than herself, while Kelsier, a natural leader and a bold visionary, is often thoughtless, cruel, and foolish. Every person feels authentic and unique.
The Final Empire starts on the slower side, but while the beginning is light on action sequences, I never felt that Sanderson’s writing was even remotely boring. Kelsier’s motley bunch is attempting to pull off a simple heist, but this is an operation of epic proportions: overthrow the empire’s entire government. This small band of thieves and rogues faces off against one of the most powerful Allomancers ever born, backed up by several noble families, a massive army, and the unstoppable Steel Inquisitors (who are some of the most frightening and implacable antagonists I’ve witnessed in some time). The plot twists and turns repeatedly, and for every secret I guessed ahead of time, two more surprised me when they revealed themselves. This novel is an exciting read, meticulous, action-packed, and filled with characters that you can’t help but cheer for. Ultimately, The Final Empire isn’t afraid to make you ponder the nature of leadership, the order of society, and what truly defines heroism, long after this book has joined the others on the bookshelf.
Plot: 8
Characters: 9
Action: 8
Writing: 7.5
Overall (not an average): 8/10