Mistborn trilogy, by Brandon Sanderson

I’ve read a lot of fantasy over the years, and while I thoroughly enjoy the
genre, I will admit that some of the concepts have become overused. The
cliches can still be done well, and make for fun reads, but the characters, the
creatures, the magic systems, and the societies can all start to seem basically
alike. The stories that enthralled me when I first started reading fantasy
literature are no longer as new and exciting as they once were, and I find I
have to look harder for a book that really intrigues and surprises me.
Sanderson’s first novel, Elantris, fit the bill. It was a stand alone work,
with an original idea and a unique plotline. Now, when a book by a previously
unknown author is well-received (as Elantris was), the usual response is the
quick creation of a sequel, with the same characters, or, at the very least,
the same setting.

I imagine Sanderson must pride himself on being unpredictable. The first thing
he did was start an unrelated trilogy, on an entirely new world with entirely
new characters. Enter Mistborn, a trilogy featuring works titled The Final
Empire, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages (Before you get engrossed
in this series, be aware that the third novel isn’t due out until late spring
of 2008).

According to legend, the Lord Ruler saved the land from the “Deepness” (an
unknown entity or force, presumably malevolent in nature) over a thousand
years ago. After his triumph, he established his own empire, but one where
half the population, those known as the skaa, lived as slaves to the nobility.
The Lord Ruler gave his early supporters (the future nobility) the power of
Allomancy, which allowed them to manipulate the magical forces inherent in a
set of metals and alloys. If an Allomancer swallows a small amount of a
metal, he or she can “burn” that metal to produce a magical result. Tin
sharpens the senses, pewter increases physical strength, iron allows a user to
push off of a source of nearby metal, etc… Most Allomancers can only use one
metal, but a rare few, the Mistborn, can use all of them.

Even though the Lord Ruler forbade interbreeding between the nobility and the
skaa, a few half-breeds were born—skaa with Allomantic abilities. One such
individual is Vin, a street rat struggling to survive in a hostile and
dangerous environment. She doesn’t recognize her own latent abilities, until
Kelsier, a powerful Mistborn leading an underground skaa rebellion, takes her
under his wing. After years of relying only on herself, Vin is suddenly part
of a group of talented conspirators, and she must play a part in bringing
about the downfall of the immortal Lord Ruler. The scenario may seem straightforward, but the Mistborn trilogy is full of surprises, and the plot of The Final Empire is neither predictable nor disappointing.

After the final confrontation with the Lord Ruler at the end of book one, The Well of Ascension continues the rebels’ story. A revolution has begun, and now the survivors must find a way to persevere in the face of new challenges, ones brought on by their very own actions. The second novel has as good a plotline as the first, and I found the characters to be more interesting and developed. Unlike the first book, the second leaves the reader hanging (always a frustrating experience), but I anticipate that the finale will be worth the wait.

Check the WRL catalog for The Final Empire.

Check the WRL catalog for The Well of Ascension.