Review: Mistborn: The Well of Ascension

Posted by james m. toburen in Fantasy

Brandon Sanderson’s sequel to The Final Empire, Mistborn: The Well of Ascension has big shoes to fill. The first novel in the Mistborn trilogy was a fun, exciting, and meticulously written fantasy tale that documented a thieving crew’s attempt to overthrow their tyrannical government, led by the near-omnipotent Lord Ruler. Without spoiling too much of the story from the first novel, their plan was more successful than they could have anticipated, leaving the surprised crew-members as the leaders of an uncertain kingdom. Led by Elend Venture, a sympathetic member of the former nobility, the city of Luthadel is the center of a new democratic kingdom, but this new government is fragile and untested, and three separate armies are marching on the capital, eager to undo everything they’ve accomplished. Where The Final Empire was a heist novel, a bunch of outlaws trying to pull off the impossible job, The Well of Ascension instead is a desperate battle for survival against increasingly impossible odds; the sequel is similar in tone and feel to the first novel, with backroom conversations between conspirators interrupted by the magical battles of the Mistborn, but this continuation of the Mistborn franchise has definitely escalated in regards to the challenges faced by the characters.

The scope of Sanderson’s world-building is further revealed in The Well of Ascension. Elements only briefly mentioned or introduced in The Final Empire are explored in more depth, prime examples being the mysterious shapeshifters known as the kandra and the horrifyingly brutish koloss. The magical system of Allomancy is also expounded on, as Vin searches for additional elements to fuel her powers. Feruchemy, the Terris art of storing attributes within metal reservoirs, is also developed further, especially now that Sazed is one of the major characters. In addition, a third form of magic is hinted at, something dark and bloody (Marsh, a spy who managed to infiltrate the Ministry, described it as “messy”). All of these are connected somehow, but Sanderson keeps the answers tantalizingly out of reach, daring the reader to turn the page and see if another precious bit of information will be revealed, perhaps make sense of the increasingly complex. As I mentioned in my review of The Final Empire, I think it is a matter of personal preference as to whether fitting together the puzzle pieces of Scadriel’s magic will be satisfying or frustrating; I loved the questions posed by this book, and spent a lot of time trying to solve the various riddles.

The narrative of The Final Empire followed Vin and Kelsier, Kelsier’s story providing an overview of the entire plot while Vin’s rise from the gutter was a traditional bildungsroman, with Vin mastering both the magical potential of her Allomancy and the maturity and trust necessary to put her damaged childhood behind her. In Well of Ascension, the story now follows Vin and Elend, and the roles have certainly changed. While Vin is mastering her growing powers, the newly-crowned Elend is trying to navigate the deep waters of politics and leadership, all while defending his city from three invading armies capable of destroying everything he has worked for. Meanwhile Sazed, the Terrisman scholar who originally helped guide Vin’s education, is traveling the countryside, disseminating the centuries of knowledge his people have acquired, when he discovers harbingers of a greater threat facing the world than mere armies. The Deepness, an unidentified destructive force from a thousand years ago, may be returning, and The Lord Ruler’s efforts to defeat it (along with his motivations) are gradually revealed, though many questions are still unanswered. Each of these three narratives feels unique and distinct: Elend’s personal growth into an effective leader, Sazed’s scholarly pursuit of a killing force known only in legend, and Vin’s battles with other Allomancers and her own undefined identity. Sanderson weaves these threads together, effectively balancing the tension and pacing.

The Final Empire, despite some intense moments, had a mostly upbeat core; in contrast, The Well of Ascension is significantly grimmer, and this dark mood is both pervasive and unrelenting. Instead of con jobs, spying, and noble intrigues, the sequel is filled with violent siege warfare and the threat of complete extinction. Several of the characters don’t survive the novel, and their deaths are painful and tragic, as they should be. Sanderson’s writing style, while not exceptional, is well able to convey the more brooding story line, and he never fails to allow each character room to explore and mature. In addition, the protagonists’ arcs play on complex ambiguities that will raise more questions than they answer: Vin is both responsible for the newly found freedom of the empire and an uncertain teenage girl prone to violent outbursts with lethal consequences, Elend Venture is trapped between his desire to rule in a perfectly democratic manner and his growing recognition of the fact that absolute ruthlessness is the only way to solve the most difficult problems, and Sazed is trying to fulfill his lifelong calling (passing on his accumulated knowledge of the world’s forgotten religions), but struggling with a populace too desperate and apathetic to care, all while battling with his own failing certainty in the wisdom of faith. Other characters play important parts, especially Spook and Breeze (respectively, a Tineye and a master Soother from the first novel), and it’s nice to see that their lives are not merely convenient to the plot, but also important to themselves. Brandon Sanderson has a knack for writing believable characters, and he’s able to squeeze every drop from them, especially those who don’t get as much time to shine as the main protagonists.

As I mentioned earlier, Mistborn: The Well of Ascension had some big shoes to fill after the success of The Final Empire, and it has succeeded admirably. Rather than attempt to repeat the unique “Ocean’s Eleven” structure that made the first novel so refreshing, Brandon Sanderson has moved the storytelling forward in a logical procession, even if it means the second novel in the trilogy is a significantly different experience than the opening. But the author’s gamble has paid off, as this is a fantastic read, slightly less fun and a little more knuckle-whitening, but entertaining nonetheless. The first novel was a bit more capable of standing on its own, as the climax, while raising new questions, mostly resolved the storyline, but the finale of Well of Ascension makes it clear that the action is only escalating from this point. This is a good thing. With marvelous characters, a fascinating history, and overlapping magical architectures that continue to mystify and amaze, the middle segment of Mistborn is a satisfying experience that will leave you eager for the final installment.

Plot: 8.5
Characters: 9
Action: 8
Writing: 7.5

Overall (not an average): 8.5/10