A review by bookish_benny
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

5.0

So this book has been on my shelf for about a year and for some unknown reason, I kept putting it off. I knew it would be good, I’ve heard the hype and it’s a Sanderson so epic is what I expected.

It took me longer to read than I expected but then I have been working and the book is 650 pages long.

This story is so good. If we start with characters, I thought that Vin was brilliant, Kelsier spectacular, Sazed interesting, Ham, Breeze and Docks funny, Marsh mysterious, Clubs distanced and the Lord Ruler calculating.

I liked how the characters interacted with each other and the dialogue sections between the characters were the best parts of the book apart from the Allomancy. Through Sanderson’s dialogue you really got to hear the characters voices and get behind their individual goals. Kelsier wanted to kill the Lord Ruler to avenge his wife, Sazed wanted to document everything, Vin wanted to belong and the others each wanted to be where Kelsier was.

The Skaa are an interesting bunch and I pictured them like slaves of old, beaten down mentally and physically, believing they had no way out they became subservient to their masters.

The magic system in this book was brilliant. The idea that there are metals you can drink and ‘burn’ to get various effects is a very original idea. I loved the idea of a Mistborn and a Misting and found Kelsier to be a folk hero akin to Robin Hood. The Tineye and Pewterarms were my favourite types of Misting but anytime the allomancy was written about I was hooked. Especially if this involved fighting because the fight scenes were written very well and the details put in between punches and kicks didn’t take away from the action but lent it credence.

I want to see more Feruchemy in the next books since this was focused on less than Allomancy. I thought it was a great idea and to have both of them together in the book was a brave and smart choice. The two styles of ‘magic’ could have proved confusing but Brandon’s method of implementing them both carefully makes it a smart choice since it pays off well.

The worldbuilding was a little lacking for me. Kredik Shaw was well done as were the balls and plantations but I just wanted a bit more. With that being said there are another five books so will forgive this from my review since it was good enough and I expect more will follow.

I’ve given this five out of five. It’s an excellent story that needs to read by anyone interested in Fantasy. Yes it’s a big book but it’s worth it. Everything ties together and even when there isn’t much action going on and it’s political balls or dialogue, it’s written well and always keeps you interested.

Can not wait to read the others in the Cosmere!