Mistborn: The Final Empire Review

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

4.25 Stars

I realize this is a ridiculous number for a rating and that I should only be going by increments of 0.5 but it's the only number that fit this book on a scale of five. Mistborn was one of the better fantasy novels I have ever read. Do not be scared away by the fact that there are three books in this story (and then 4 books after that with a different protagonist, I assume, for the true Mistborn believers). This book had everything you could possibly want in a fantasy novel, so it easily stands alone. This is not a novel where tension is building and a rebellion is growing and the novel ends with a battle left unresolved. Just when you think a turn of events was so great that the book could not possibly contain anymore action, you get even more and finally are left satisfying ending.

The high rating for this book comes from the detailed new world and the completely original system of magic for the fantasy novel's time. Sure, the tyrant leader of the empire was referred to as "The Lord Ruler," but with all the metals and powers and name connections we had to remember, I was happy that Sanderson cut us a break. However, the system really wasn't that hard to get down. I appreciated the time Sanderson spent getting his system clear through Vin's lessons of the many uses of each of her individual powers.

Sanderson spent so much time getting the magic just right and the world so vivid, that Vin's love story seemed a bit abrupt. With all the trust issues she had, it doesn't make much sense for Vin to let her guard down especially romantically with someone who came from the complete opposite lifestyle as her. Mistborn loses some stars for the forced relationship, but once it was there, it was endearing, and Sanderson's effort bumped the score up a notch.

A quick warning. Kelsier is an adoringly reckless genius, but he smiles. A LOT. It does fit his personality, but I don't see the need to continue to let us know that he is smiling when he doesn't appear to ever stop. However, this one quirk does not overshadow the rest of the story. It's a good one. Read it.

Inferno Review

Pretty top notch things have been happening, which is why I have been the world's biggest slacker for the past month. But now that I am a college grad, started my dream job, and got home from a trip to Italy, things are looking up. So if you like reading my stuff (and you are the world's classiest champ if you do) then you should be hearing a lot more from me. 

I just started a job as an acquisitions editor for a publishing house. So now I'm getting paid to be judgmental (and to read all day which is better than great). So now I'll share some judgments here, too, about books I've read. I promise I'll never reveal any spoilers so they all will be safe to read.

Inferno by Dan Brown

4 Stars

Dan Brown is an incredible story-teller, which is why you can read his 400-500 page books in a few days. They play better in your mind than the movies do on the screen. This book was not his best. (The Da Vinci Code will probably always hold the title for that one.) The confusion and lack of purpose at the beginning makes it drag slightly more than I am used to with Brown, but once you start getting clues from events that happened before the narration started, it picks right back up again.

I loved this book, but I'm not sure if it was because the story rivaled that of Angles and Demons of if it was because I got to visit everywhere Langdon went in Italy a week later. (If you are going to Florence or Venice anytime soon, READ THIS BOOK.)

My biggest problem with Brown's books are his cliches. Aside from the cliche phrases that the characters use a bit too much, Robert Langdon being a tall, handsome, mature, and wise hero with one "fatal" flaw off being claustrophobic is too big of a cliche for a rounded protagonist.

However, this book was worth the read. Dan Brown is so good at throwing surprises at you at the very last minute, making you think that it could not possibly make sense by the time you get to the end, and then revealing all the turn of events in a whole new way. Well done, Brown. You did it again.

And here's a little trinket for your time:

Just laxing on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.