Book 39: Mistborn Book 1 of Mistborn Trilogy
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy (Book club)
Pages: 647
Release date: 2006
EDIT! I read this book a few months ago, but had the chance to reread it since my book club read the book. I really enjoyed it a second time, and thought the chraracterization was amazing and still was awed by the uniqueness of the magic.
The Skinny. a mist-haunted, ash-ridden world, pits Kelsier, "the Survivor of Hathsin," against the immortal Lord Ruler's 1,000-year domination of both the Great Houses and their serflike "skaa." Through Allomancy acquired in the Ruler's most hellish prison, Kelsier can "burn" 10 metals internally, fueling superhuman powers he uses to assemble rebels in a loose plan to destroy the nobility, the empire and the Lord Ruler himself. Kelsier uses Vin, a street urchin with the same Mistborn powers Kelsier possesses, to infiltrate the Great Houses' society, where she falls in love with philosopher prince Elend Venture. This mystico-metallurgical fantasy combines Vin's coming-of-age-in-magic and its well-worn theme of revolt against oppression with copious mutilations, a large-scale cast of thieves, cutthroats, conniving nobles and exotic mutants
What worked: Just about everything. I have to admit that this is the best book I have in a long, long time. Maybe one of my favorites of all time. The characters are great, especially in how they interact with each other. The rapport and the trust they have in each other blew me away. Vin and Kelsier were awesome, not to mention Breeze, Ham, Dockson, and Sazed. Just the dialogue itself was enough to really keep me interested in it. Very clever and even funny at times. Amazing interaction how Vin learned how to trust and care for people and how hard that was for her.
The storytelling was amazing. Twists and turns abound and a very clever plotline. Especially the ending, which I won't ruin for those of you that may read it. But a lot of thought had to have went in to how the "heroes' could accomplish their goal of trying to bring down the Lord Ruler.
The magic was so different. It was called Allomancy, which dealt with metals that were taken and each one had a different ability. For example: Tin enhances the senses. Brass soothes emotion. Steel pushes nearby metals. Copper would hide anyone that was actually using Allomancy. It was a very interesting and unique take on magic, and I fell in love with it and what people could accomplish while using it. Very cool
What did not work: Not much. Maybe the fact that the "evil" was called Lord Ruler. Yet, it did not feel trite.
Favorite quotes: 1 Sazed shook his head. "Men are more resilient than that, I think. Our belief is often stronger when it should be weakest. That is the nature of hope."
2. "Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think. What is belief--what is faith--if you don't continue in it after failure?"
3. She looked up at Sazed, who smiled at her. "Sometimes we have wait long enough, Mistress," he said. Then we find out why exactly it was that we kept believing."
Rating. 10.0 out of 10. This book was just about perfect. Action. Intrigue. Politics.
Book 3. Warbreaker
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 592
Release date: 2009
What worked: The way Sanderson tells a story is so different from just about every other fantasy author. He is not content with just telling you a story, he make you become a part of it and then hits you with things you do no expect. I love that about the way he writes. I also enjoyed how things are always wht they seem and people are not always what they seem. Lightsong was funny in the sense that he did not actually want to do anything, and he was a god. He was lazy. The magic in this world, was interesting as well. That is something else he does, he does not use the normal conventions of what magic usually is. He creates his own rules. The writing style was easy and quick to read. The sisters were so different, but in an interseting way.
What did not work. Once you got into the story it did slow down from time to time. The plot itself was not as good as his previous novels. Good, but not AS good. I would love more about the magic. He gave you just enough to be familiar with it, but not enough to really undersand it. That would have been nice.
Rating. 7.5 out of 10. I definately enjoyed this, but it was not written as well as his previous novels. Definately set you up for a sequal. :)
- Mood:
tired - Music:The War of Flowers by Tad Williams
So a few things goin on in my life right now.
-Some work related drama where my company through me under the bus. I really like my job and the people I work with, but feel like it is going to be long time until i can trust the people WAY above me again. I am not someone that takes things too personally, but what they did to me was wrong.
-not reading as much lately, since I have not had things I just WANT to read. Although I did finish reading the book for the game Mutant City Blues, and am going to finish reading Mouse Guard. I did finish Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson and will have a review of that tonight.
-It has now been 7 months since me and my ex broke up. Seems like so much longer. I hope she is doing ok, and i plan on contacting her to see how she is. Not sure how receptive she will be to me, but that is ok.
-My book club is coming up on its 5 year anniversary, this December. We are trying to think of fun things to go in NYC area. If you can think of anything that "pops" let me know.
-Here is how you know that the dating world has changed because of online/phone type things. I met someone last week and we have been talking since then via chatting/text/phone. It dawned on me last night as I called her and was leaving her a message, that I had not ONE TIME said her actual name to her. Only me, but to be fair she had not done the same. It was a very funny moment.
-Also I am from the South (via Oklahoma) and dating etiquette is different there. Another funny thing is that in the six years that i have lived in NYC, and Astoria primarily, I have not dated anyone outside of my neighborhood. So, when I was planning a date this weekend, I was a bit confused about whether I was supposed to pick her up still, and obviously take her home at the end of the date. I know what etiquette dictates, but it still made me stop and wonder if there was an aspect of this I was missing. She laughed about as well, so it is all good.
-I really want to start writing again. It has been about a year since I have done much of that. Lord knows our game design isn't really going anywhere, although I hope for that to change soon. But I am just not having that creative outlet I enjoy having. Need to get off my ass and get into something.
That is all for now. :)
stacey
- Mood: tired
- Music:U2
Book 23. The Hero of Ages. The Mistborn. Book 3.
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 724
Release date: 2008
What worked: The characterization by Sanderson is amazing. I love, love, LOVE Vin. She has been a great character since the first book and I have truly enjoyed watching her grow as a character. Add that with other great characters of Sazed, Breeze, Elend, and especially Spook. It was masterfully written. Getting to see Spook become a more permanent character was a lot of fun. I especially loved how Ruin had convinced him that Kelsier was still alive and was manipulating him. That was great stuff.
The plot was excellent as well. Ruin vs Preservation. Two sides of the same coin. One trying to destroy the world, the other trying to find a way to save it. Both using people to their own ends.
I also love it when characters you care about die. I know that may sound odd, but it gives a book much more realism to me.
Just the way the story tied itself up. The explanation of how everyone was tied to what the Lord Ruler did in the past. Damn this was a good book. The small lines in the front of each chapter that helped to tell the story in a different way.
What did not work. Not much, it was that good.
Favorite quotes: "As it was, the corpse was left alone to be buried in ash. The world was dying. Its gods had to die with it."
"How did one prepare for the end of the world itself?
Rating. 10 out of 10. This is one of the best series I have ever read. The last book did a great job of everything I love in a book. Good story, great characters, amazing setting, and amazing writing. Sanderson is someone to watch.
- Mood:
happy - Music:The Ferryman by Christopher Golden
Book 13. The Well of Ascension. Book 2 of The Mistborn.
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 763
Release date: 2007
What worked: A very good second novel to the Mistborn. Vin is growing up even faster, but with that comes a different set of problems. Her feelings for Elend and her still uncertainty of her place in the world. The survivors of the previous novel come together again and you get to see small differences in how they are now. Again the characterization in this novel is superb. Sprinkled in with a few new characters, and definately new enemies. Vin is still very enjoyable to read and I always love a good, strong, female character. The world is very intersting as the mist starts to be more important to the plot. The plot is very good as well, with a bit more political intrigue than the last one. The Kandra were very interesting. Decent twist at the end.
What did not work: Whole sections with Sazed were not always interesting. Most of them were, but it was a big dry at times. The story did miss a central character from the first one. I don't want to give away who that is, but it was a bit more difficult for Vin to try to push the story along. She did it, but it wasn't as smooth as the first one. Trying to have three different groups attack the city at the same time did seem a bit unbalanced at times.
Favorite quotes: I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted.
Rating. 8.5 out of 10. A solid second novel in the series. Not as good as the first, but the bar was very high for that. I am really looking forward to reading the third book.
- Mood: thankful
Book 12: Mistborn Book 1 of Mistborn
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 647
Release date: 2006
What worked: Just about everything. I have to admit that this is the best book I have in a long, long time. Maybe one of my favorites of all time. The characters are great, especially in how they interatct with each other. The rapport and the trust they have in each other blew me away. Vin and Kelsier were awesome, not to mention Breeze, Ham, Dockson, and Sazed. Just the dialogue itself was enough to really keep me interested in it. Very clever and even funny at times. Amazing interaction how Vin learned how to trust and care for people and how hard that was for her.
The storytelling was amazing. Twists and turns abound and a very clever plotline. Especially the ending, which I won't ruin for those of you that may read it. But a lot of thought had to have went in to how the "heroes' could accomplish their goal of trying to bring down the Lord Ruler.
The magic was so different. It was callled Allomancy, which dealt with metals that were taken and each one had a different ability. For example: Tin enhances the senses. Brass soothes emotion. Steel pushes nearby metals. Copper would hide anyone that was actually using Allomancy. It was a very intersting and unique take on magic, and I fell in love with it and what people could accomplish while using it. Very cool
What did not work: Not much. Maybe the fact that the "evil" was called Lord Ruler. Yet, it did not feel trite.
Favorite quotes: 1 Sazed shook his head. "Men are more resilient than that, I think. Our belief is often stronger when it should be weakest. That is the nature of hope."
2. "Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think. What is belief--what is faith--if you don't continue in it after failure?"
3. She looked up at Sazed, who smiled at her. "Sometimes we have wait long enough, Mistress," he said. Then we find out why exactly it was that we kept believing."
Rating. 10.0 out of 10. This book was just about perfect. Action. Intrigue. Politics.
- Mood: ecstatic
- Music:The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Book 8. Elantris
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Sci-fi
Pages: 622
Release date: 2005
One note. Brandon Sanderson is finishing the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. So it was important to me as to whether he could write or not. :)
What it is about: Until 10 years ago, Elantris was the capital of Arelon, inhabited by ordinary humans transformed into magic-using demigods by the Shaod. But the magic failed, Elantris started to rot, and its inhabitants turned into powerless wrecks. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives in Kae, the new capital, close enough to Elantris to constantly remind of faded glory, prepared for a marriage to ally Teod and Arelon against the religious imperialists of Fjordell. But, she is told, her fiance, Prince Raoden, is dead. She and a recently arrived high priest of Fjordell, Hrathen, clash. Sarene tries to retain the freedom of Teod and Arelon, Hrathen tries to incite the populace to convert so that Fjordell can take over. Neither suspects the truth about Raoden. Taken by the Shaod, he struggles to unite the crippled Elantrians and discover why the magic failed. The unrest comes to a head as governments topple, the Elantrians' secrets are revealed, and Fjordell's forces arrive.
What worked: For a debut novel, this was masterfully written. A story from three different perspectives that intertwine with each other. That is not easy to do and he nails it. Each chapter was a different character and it was always sequential. The characters were well written and definately had their faults. I especially enjoy reading the perspective from someone that is considered the "enemy". It was a nice change of pace and brought different sub-plots to the book.
A few suprises in the end also really helped sell this novel. The plot kept twisting and turning and was very well paced. The setting was good because of how Elantris was once a "city of the gods", and now people get sent their when they become afflicted with the curse. A condition known as the Shaod. It was more like a prison than anything else.
What did not work: It was confusing at times when they started talking about the Aons. It felt like you were supposed to have some knowledge of it before hand.
Best quote: "So, using his pride like a shield against despair, dejection, and--most importantly--self pity, Raodan raised his head to stare damnation in the eyes".
Rating. 9.0 out of 10
- Mood: cheerful
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