The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
After enjoying Warbreaker a couple of years ago, I knew that the Mistborn Trilogy would be my next Sanderson read. I was able to pick up the complete trilogy at a second hand book sale and I have really been looking forward to reading this series that I have heard so many good things about. The autumn term is always harder for me to find time to read, but I was taking every spare moment I did to read the first Mistborn instalment, The Final Empire. I found it to be an absorbing read, with characters that I was really invested in and turns in the narrative that I was not expecting.
The main narrative of The Final Empire follows Vin, a young girl who has been living on the street since she was a child and working as part of a group of thieves. Under the oppressive dictatorship of an immortal being, Vin meets the mysterious Kelsier and his group who are planning to overthrow the Lord Ruler. With Kelsier as her mentor, Vin discovers how to use her ability to draw on the properties of metals as a Mistborn and finds herself becoming more and more involved in the planned revolution. However, it is a revolution that will cost those involved more than anyone but Kelsier expected, and Vin will find herself having to make some difficult choices as their plans reach their conclusion.
Although the narrative perspective moved between Vin and Kelsier, there is little doubt that Vin is the protagonist of The Final Empire as the reader spends the most time in her perspective and seeing her developing thoughts on the situation around her. Although the reader is allowed some insight into Kelsier’s thought process and motivations, there are still many elements of his plan that is left hidden even to the reader. Serving as both the main protagonist and the reader’s stand-in as she is introduced to the true reality of the world around her, Vin is an easy character to connect and sympathise with as she navigates her abilities, politics, and whether or not to trust the people around her.
From reading Warbreaker, I knew to expect an engaging narrative with turns that would take me by surprise, but I was not expecting to enjoy the backstory of The Final Empire as much as I did. The excerpts at the beginning of every chapter became increasingly fascinating as the narrative continued, and the revelation of the Lord Ruler’s true identity was shocking as a result of those excerpts. As someone who is not usually as invested in the worldbuilding as I am in the characters, I was not expecting to find the history of the Final Empire so intriguing, but I found myself wanting to learn more and more about it as the main action of the narrative began to come together. I am looking forward to spending more time in this world as the narrative continues in the rest of the trilogy.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read, and one that I think I enjoyed more than Warbreaker. The characters felt distinctive, with Vin being a strong protagonist in what is almost a coming-of-age narrative for her. The history of the Final Empire was intriguing, and I really enjoyed learning more about how this dictatorship came to be. Although The Final Empire is the first instalment in a trilogy, I would also say that it works well as a standalone narrative, coming to a conclusion in its own right, and I would therefore recommend it even to someone who is uncertain about whether or not to commit to a trilogy. This is a great read for those interested in Fantasy, and particularly those who have an interest in fantasy worlds and worldbuilding. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the Mistborn trilogy before too long.
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