Type of read:
Action/Adventure Fantasy
Plot Summary:
The entire series starts when a chosen hero sets out to defeat an evil...and fails. What happens now? Well, an evil called the Lord Ruler, oppresses the world for a thousand years. That's when a mismatched band of thieves takes it upon themselves to overthrow the Lord Ruler and free the world. But what if the Lord Ruler is the least of their worries..?
Strengths:
The biggest strength is the author himself. Brandon Sanderson is well know for his world building. Not only does he set all three books in a different world, he creates a new magic system, a different religion and mythology and makes it all believable. The characters, while not wholly good or completely bad, are people you can root for. The plot twists and turns. There always seems to be a spin that you're not expecting. (sorry if that's a spoiler!)
The most interesting aspect of the book is the magic system. There are limits and rules to the system. The hero can't just go out and defeat the bad guy because he's stronger. The hero has to be clever and resourceful to defeat evil. There are a select few who can ingest metals and then "burn" them to enhance their abilities. Each metal grants a different ability. For example Iron pulls on nearby metal and steel pushes on nearby metal and brass can sooth emotions and zinc riots them. (confused? just read the book! Sanderson explains it WAY better than I can) People with the ability to burn metals can either burn one metal, or all of them. Those who can burn all of the metals are called Mistborns (hence the name...)
Weaknesses:
This is an epic fantasy. While the action is fantastic and clever, there are parts in the series where the author has to slow down and explain things or character build. This isn't always a bad thing, and those of you who are fans of epic fantasy expect this and even welcome it. But there are others that find it tedious to slow down the story in order to explain the rules of the world. (Not me Brandon! Please send me an autographed book..)
Opinion and Recommendation:
I am a big fan of Brandon Sanderson. He is a master world builder and is very inventive when it comes to new magic systems. The books are not very long, but remember that it is still considered an epic, so take your time reading it. Enjoy the journey! The entire series is worth buying. Just go find the entire box set and buy it! Trust me on this.
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