Brandon Sanderson is known throughout the literary community for his ability to create inspiring and action packed stories filled with never ending plot twists that keep his readers forever on their toes. His complex plot lines and oftentimes inspiring tales of adventure allow readers to connect to these otherwise otherworldly heroes. From the creator of “The Stormlight Archives” and co-author of “The Wheel of Time”, Sanderson’s “Mistborn” trilogy is no exception to his pattern of writing and storytelling.
With an explosively fast paced high fantasy story along with science fiction aspects sprinkled around, the first book in the series, “The Final Empire” is a tale like no other– a tale where the dark lord of every other story won in the end. The story is set in a world struggling after a millenia under an oppressive hand of the ‘Lord Ruler’, a self proclaimed God of their world with power to back it up. In his final empire, a race of humans, called Skaa, are treated as slaves rather than people, while those named ‘Noble’ enjoy lavish parties and deal with complicated politics. With the force of obligations as well as monstrous and inhuman inquisitors keeping everything the way it has been for hundreds of years, any kind of rebellion has been only scarce and often a poor attempt. With a red sun, ash falling more common than rain, paranormal mists invading at night and are gone by day, and green plants being unfathomable by the common folk, the world seems lost of any hope of better days.
The story follows a 16 year old half Skaa half Noble girl named Vin. She has lived a life away from the hard labor most of her people endure by being raised by her brother, Reen, in thieving crews who steal from the nobles. Her life has been a far cry from easy though, but she is a far cry from weak. Vin has a strange power that allows her to shift people’s emotions which she calls ‘luck’. This power has aided in thieving schemes Vin has taken part of, and made her a sort of ‘good luck’ charm to her thieving crew leaders. Little does she know, this power is actually called alomancy, and she can do much more than simply shift emotions.
After being recruited by another powerful allomancer and rebellious leader of an infamous thieving crew named Kelsier, Vin’s world is forever expanded in more ways than she could have ever imagined. Because Kelsier plans to do something unfathomable by the people of their world. Because Kelsier plans to take on the biggest heist their world has ever known. He plans to steal from the Lord Ruler himself, and it is unlike anything history has ever seen before.
Vin’s character throughout the story is by far the more complex than most other female main characters, or female characters in general. She is not portrayed as this invincible girl boss who has no weakness or no fears, and can do anything she sets her mind to. But nor is she a damsel in distress, a delicate teenage girl who needs support in every decision she makes (particularly from a big, strong man). Of course, Vin does have her own strengths she got from her upbringing as a street urchin, and she learns how to hone her lethal skills as an allomancer, taught to her by Kelsier, that make her a formidable foe. But throughout the book, the reader is introduced to Vin’s insecurities along with her strengths. It almost highlights her flaws and imperfections, but creates them in a way that makes them a part of her personality and characteristics.
The sheer amount of world building in “Mistborn” that this book masterfully creates to the complex characters it contains adds even more to the epic tale inside. Once the book seems to be going in one direction it completely twists around and goes another way, never being predictable in any and all of its beautiful aspects. To say that this book is a bumpy roller coaster of inconveniences for the main characters is the greatest understatement to be said. Every chapter had me sitting on the edge of my seat. From a spark turned inferno of a rebellion, a forbidden romance, and tragic deaths, a person could never be unsatisfied at any point in this intricate story.
This book is a 10 out of 10 for me. The characters were all unique and complex with relatable characteristics. Their complexity and interactions with each other truly make them memorable to anyone. There is a person in this book for everyone to be in love with. The story is ever changing, and the plot is one crafted with the end of the end in mind from the beginning.
