The Final Empire

I enjoyed this first Mistborn book quite a lot. Brandon Sanderson has created a very interesting world where the Skaa are repressed by the Emperor (who is acclaimed a god) and the hierarchy of noblemen, inquisitors, and obligators. The magic system has good logic and a good economic basis. The world-building is well done.

Not discussing specifics about the plot, but I did enjoy how uncertainty and layered aims were preserved until the end of the story. The secrets within secrets of Kelsier is great foreshadowing.

There are two areas where I think it could have been improved:

(1) Vin doesn't seem like a girl sometimes. Also, she is the only feminine character besides the rivals for Venture, so she is very much in masculine roles.
(2) I don't like the 3rd person omniscient pov that sometimes borders on head hopping. Why introduce tension and distrust if you are just going to unmake it a few pages later?

Still, this is a very good beginning to the series. I am looking forward to the other books.

I really wish Goodreads had half stars, because I would give this book a solid 4.5. It's not quite a 5 for me, and I can't quite point my finger on it why not. Good things first, this is paced very well, and once the rebellion gets rolling, you really want to keep going and find out what's going on. Very action-packed. Allomancy and Feruchemy as magic systems are definitely unique and very interesting, and I think Sanderson does an excellent job describing the usage in sequences packed full of action.

I enjoyed the characters, in particular Kelsier, Sazed and Vin, and the rest of the crew. I will admit to shedding a few tears even when Kelsier died his martyr's death.

And yet my only concern is that as a huge fan of epic fantasy a la Martin and Williams, the novel felt just a little bit down to earth, the scope of whole background of the Hero of Ages and the Deepness, and the devastation of the planet never once fully taking hold on me. It was the story of a rebellion, and I hope that ultimately, it will be a story about the world once I have read all books.

Still, definitely one of the better fantasy books I have read in recent years.