Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Overview
The Mistborn Trilogy is about a street urchin named Vin who is chosen to be a part of a thieving crew that plans to overthrow the government by killing the their emperor who calls himself the Lord Ruler. Since the Lord Ruler is basically a god, what they have planned is pretty much impossible, and they know it. Yet, they aren’t entirely defenseless. Vin, along with most of the members on her crew, are allomancers, beings with extraordinary powers fulled by ingesting metals. And they have Kelsier. Kelsier is the mastermind behind it all and a driving force of power, anger, and relentless optimism. With Kelsier as their fearless leader they plan to do what has never been done before.
The Plot
Wow, so this plot, like all Sanderson novels, is intricate. Like The Stormlight Archive (see my review for Way of Kings), The Mistborn Trilogy has many story lines going on at the same time, and a lot of characters to keep track of. The Final Empire was probably the most enjoyable in the series to read. It had a great build up and surprising twist-ending. The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages were a little tougher to get through. This doesn’t mean they were badly written, there was just a lot more tension, and it felt like a roller coaster that was going down at a hundred miles an hour the entire time with no breaks. I think it depends on the person whether this is a good thing or not. Personally I think it’s good to give characters a few successes here and there and allow them time to enjoy them before tearing everything apart again. However, the way Sanderson wrote these books is realistic to the situation they are in. If this story were happening in real life, it would be a non-stop downward roller coaster, and my, is it exciting! All in all, intricate plot, surprising twists, endless action.
The Writing Style
Honestly, I forgot I was reading most of the time, so it’s hard to critique the writing style, and that’s a really good compliment to give. I was seriously so engrossed in the story, I didn’t even think to admire how it was written.
The Characters
I always save the best on for last… 🙂 This story has FABULOUS characters! They are all completely unique and distinctly themselves. Each character is well rounded and goes through their own journey of growth, pain, and self-discovery. Kelsier is obviously everyone’s favorite. He is such a refreshing character. Most masterminds in fantasy novels are endlessly sober and so determined in their goal that they kind of lose their personality. This is not so with Kelsier. He is always cracking jokes and encouraging others to look on the bright side of things. Yet, he is incredibly dangerous and vengeful. It’s an interesting combination that I thoroughly enjoyed. Vin is a character that I liked from the start. Her character development is incredible. There are so many sides to her that she has a hard time reconciling with, but above all, she is determined. It’s so fun to see her transform from an untrusting street urchin to a woman who would do anything for those she loves. And we can’t forget Elend. I’m sorry, but I just love Elend! His transformation throughout the series might be even more dramatic than Vin’s. If I could, I would go on and on about Elend and how good and sweet and genuine he is, but I only have so much space… All in all, FANTASTIC characterization.
Overall
I would recommend The Mistborn Trilogy to anyone who likes fantasy. It has such a unique and intricate magic system that fantasy enthusiasts would just eat up. I didn’t mention this earlier, but the world-building is also really great (though I would say, there were times when certain descriptions were repeated so often that I found myself checking out, because it was information that had already been stated a billion times). Anyway, if you like fantasy, intricate plots, and incredible characters, definitely check this series out!