This is a book that I've read multiple times and realized that I've never reviewed. So here I am, finally posting my review. Also, I really find it valuable to reread this entire series before diving into the new Wax and Wayne books, so that is my ultimate goal in picking Mistborn back up again. I always forget how Sanderson manipulates the magic system for the Alloy of Law, so I always have to review.
When God is also the Emperor, few in the Final Empire dare to resist. Even the rebellion against him has never gained much traction. Kelsier, the most ambitious thief of all time, and the Survivor of the Pits of Hathsin concocts a wild plan to overthrow the Lord Ruler and the Final Empire. He assembles his team of half noble, half skaa Mistings, recruiting Vin a full Mistborn to help him as well. Through Kelsier, Vin realizes her full potential, understanding the mystical powers the seemed to give her "luck." Can they overthrow the Lord Ruler and his Empire?
First of all, this is my favorite book in this first trilogy. I do love the others, but this one is my ultimate favorite. I love the introduction of Vin, and her role as Valette Renoux. I also enjoyed the beginnings of Vin's and Elend Venture's relationship, something that morphs over the series. I also love Kelsier. Sanderson did an amazing job of writing a charismatic character that could be very unlikeable on the surface. Kelsier is full of himself, and basically props himself up as a deity by the end of the novel. Some of that reputation just feels icky - he's so stuck up and sure of himself that at points, he's difficult to like. This is reflected in how the other characters (like Ham) react to his status among the skaa and the soldiers fighting in the rebellion. I think Sanderson is able to temper Kelsier's arrogance with his sense of humor, the way Ham and Dockson seem to react to Kelsier's status, and Kelsier's own perspective chapters throughout the story. In all, Sanderson takes a character that could have easily been really obnoxious and turns him into a hero. Kelsier is so obviously flawed - he's arrogant, overly self-confident, and he seems to have an agenda that no one else in the book can quite figure out. He sets himself up as a symbol of hope for people that have been beaten down for a thousand years, and some of that arrogance seems to be going to his head. However, as the story progresses, we see that all of that was quite necessary. The people needed his charisma to rise up. This plan would have failed if not for Vin and her discovery of the Lord Ruler's secret. This element raises the stakes of the story and pulls readers in.
The characters in this story are all so entertaining. I love Ham and his philosophical questions. I love Breeze and his subtle manipulation of everyone around him. Lestibournes/Spook has the greatest dialect. I love Elend's sardonic, self-effacing sense of humor, and Vin's conflicts as she tries to figure herself out. I love Sazed and his attempt to convert the others to some ancient, extinct religion, the knowledge of which he has carefully memorized and studied. The characters of this book all have their own arcs, and those arcs clearly continue beyond The Final Empire. I appreciate the depths to all of the cast of characters.
The magic systems in this novel are also really well written. In reality, this world runs on three different magic systems: Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. This book introduces Feruchemy and Hemalurgy, but doesn't really discuss it. It does go into depth about Allomancy, and I think this is a good foundation for the start of the series. It does get a little burdensome to remember all of the metals and what they do, but I think by the end of Vin's training sections, we have a good grasp of the system. I love to see it at work, and as the series goes on, some of that explanation takes a back seat. However, I do love that while this system exists, the characters don't know everything about it. Kelsier seems quite confident that while burning copper, no one can sense your Allomancy. However, Vin discovers that she and the Lord Ruler can pierce copper clouds (i.e. sense Allomantic pulses despite the burning of copper), showing that not all is known about Allomancy. Sanderson also points out that some of the metal pairings seem illogical. I don't know that this is ever entirely resolved, and that bothers me somewhat. Overall, however, I do love the magic systems in this series.
Sanderson is a master of character rotations, and I love the way he focuses in on different characters. I think that seeing things from Kelsier's point of view is vital to the success of this story. However, I also must place the caveat that I think the character rotations in this novel are a great deal more clumsy than in Sanderson's other works. I like the structure of those rotations in Stormlight Archive and Elantris much better. Mistborn does not follow an order. The chapters just occasionally switch perspectives from Vin to Kelsier (mostly). I like the insight to the other characters, I just wish it were more structured and less random feeling.
Overall, I rate this book PG-13: violence, some minor discussion of sexual assault/rape
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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