Audiobook Review: Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

*** This is a sequel to a larger series so if you haven't read the Mistborn trilogy or The Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self you should probably do that first. Read those reviews if you need encouragement. ***

Title: The Bands of Mourning Series: Mistborn #6 (Wax and Wayne #3) Written by: Brandon Sanderson Published: January 26, 2016 by Tor (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The #1 New York Times bestselling author returns to the world of Mistborn with the follow-up to Shadows of Self.  With The Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self, Brandon Sanderson surprised readers with a New York Times bestselling spinoff of his Mistborn books, set after the action of the trilogy, in a period corresponding to late 19th-century America.  Now, with The Bands of Mourning, Sanderson continues the story. The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metalminds owned by the Lord Ruler, said to grant anyone who wears them the powers that the Lord Ruler had at his command. Hardly anyone thinks they really exist. A kandra researcher has returned to Elendel with images that seem to depict the Bands, as well as writings in a language that no one can read. Waxillium Ladrian is recruited to travel south to the city of New Seran to investigate. Along the way he discovers hints that point to the true goals of his uncle Edwarn and the shadowy organization known as The Set.

*incoherant babbling* Boom. Review done. You're welcome. Just kidding. Obviously you can see that I actually did babble by the length of this review. But honestly that's kind of all I should say to you about this book. Well that and it's the next book in the Mistborn series. That should be enough encouragement. But I will attempt to write a normal review so bear with me.

In Shadows of Self, Brandon Sanderson takes us deeper into the world of Mistborn. And you probably already know how much I love this world. In this one he once again builds out the magical system with more explanations of Allomancy, Feruchemy, and even a little Hemalurgy. I love seeing these systems at work and learning about them because they are so unique and complex. I love that it combines an innate ability to do the thing along with the need for the metals to burn. It's probably no surprise that there was a lot of talk about Feruchemy with the title and synopsis being what it is but there was just general explanations of all different kinds of metallurgy which is always cool. There was also more exploration of the larger planet of Scadrial in this book. We are taken even further out of Elendel with this book which was awesome and we even get to learn about some of the other countries within this world which was incredibly fascinating and brought up all kinds of crazy implications for future books within this series and with future series.

But that's what is so cool about this book as well. The incredible amount of foresight and plotting that Sanderson does within these books. I have always been blown away with the way that these Mistborn books are plotted. Each book has it's own individual plot development but there is also a larger plot for the series and even now larger plot from the original trilogy and future trilogies. The cool thing about this series is that it is going to be a quadrilogy of trilogies. We are constantly taken into the future. This is kind of a transitional series between the medieval original trilogy and a more modern era trilogy. It's kind of got this Western/steampunk vibe which I love. But the even cooler thing here is that you can see how or why the technology would develop in the future at the same time there are references and implications that directly relate to characters and moments from the original trilogy. There's a lot of references to characters in the original trilogy here and their exploits are part of the mythology of the world which I love.

Speaking of characters though, wow do I love the characters in this book. It's got serious squad goals you guys. There are some that I instantly fell in love with from their first appearance like Wayne whose effervescent humor and scrappy fighting make him so fun or Wax whose resourcefulness and mystery solving skills make him a great hero. Then there are other characters who have really grown on me, like Steris who was much more involved in this book and despite what she might think made a great addition to the team. She's surprisingly snarky and her compulsive desire to plan and prepare makes her so fun and interesting. She's a great foil for some of the other characters. As a whole this crew works so well together. I love seeing them attempt to solve the mysteries and get themselves out of these impossible situations. And of course the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job creating these characters. He perfectly captures Wayne's humor and scheming, MeLaan's haughty yet vulgar attitude, Steris's indignance and preparedness, Marasi's yearning and intelligence, and Wax's serious and toughness. The characters definitely come to life and the audio helped make that happen.

This series is just so addicting and fast-paced. I'm not the kind of reader who wants to savor a book or series that they love. I'm voracious about my reading. If I love something I want to read it as quickly as possible and that was definitely the case here. I just powered through it, taking less than two days to read it. And yes, the fact that I listened to the audio while at work helped with that but seriously, it was just so engaging. There is so much action and adventure here as well as so much mystery. I wanted to uncover the next secret, to find out what was going to happen next, to see how the characters were going to get out of this dilemma. And Sanderson delivered with the twists and turns. There were tons of surprises as usual and hugely climactic ending that had me on the edge of my seat. Plus that prologue. *inaudibly screams*

I give The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson 10 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Is there any doubt of that? I am such a huge fan of this series, as I am sure you know. If you enjoy the Mistborn books then you will love this one as well. It's a great further development of the series and I cannot wait to read The Lost Metal. And if you haven't read the Mistborn series, you need to sort out your priorities. It's one of my all-time favorite fantasy series. It's amazing!

Have you read The Bands of Mourning? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson

*** This is the second in a series that is really the fifth book in a series. If you haven't read Mistborn proceed with caution. Also what is taking you so long? It is seriously flawless. Read this review and then read the series****

Title: Shadows of Self Series: Mistborn #5 (Wax and Wayne #2) Author: Brandon Sanderson (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Shadows of Self shows Mistborn’s society evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy grows, democracy contends with corruption, and religion becomes a growing cultural force, with four faiths competing for converts.  This bustling, optimistic, but still shaky society now faces its first instance of terrorism, crimes intended to stir up labor strife and religious conflict. Wax and Wayne, assisted by the lovely, brilliant Marasi, must unravel the conspiracy before civil strife stops Scadrial’s progress in its tracks.   Shadows of Self will give fans of The Alloy of Law everything they’ve been hoping for and, this being a Brandon Sanderson book, more, much more.

I'm not sure I can effectively articulate just how brilliant this book was. Last year was my year of Sanderson. I read eight of his books in 2014, including the Mistborn series, and loved them all. I mean I talk about Mistborn all the time it makes practically all me Top Ten lists and they're probably my most photographed books on my Instagram. So it should come as no surprise that the next book in this series was one of my most anticipated books of the year. And once again Brandon Sanderson blew me away with the world, the plot development, the themes, and the characters.

Starting this book was like returning to something so familiar and so different and unique at the same time. That can best be explained by my feelings of the characters of this book. One of the reasons I love the Mistborn series and Sanderson in general is that he is so brilliant at creating complex and likable characters. And quickly into reading I was reminded just how much I love the characters here. I absolutely adore Wax and Wayne. They are the perfect team. They are both intelligent, resourceful, great at solving mysteries, and tough in the face of danger but their personalities could not be more different. Wax a little serious and sullen while Wayne is funny and effervescent. They play off of each other and make the other person better. Marasi is also back and it seems like some of her quirkiness is gone but I still really liked her. She was off-set a lot by a new female character who is really interesting and adds a lot to their team of crime fighters. But what I also loved about Shadows of Self is that there was so many references to characters from the first series. This book definitely felt like it was bridging the gap between the old and the new with what we learned about the connection between the characters we know and love from both series. We learned so much more about all of both casts and how they are connected. The cameos and references to characters in the first series really added a lot to my enjoyment of it.

But that's what Sanderson does, he builds on what is already there and establishing something better. Especially with the world building. I love series where there is a history and a mythology as the basic for the world. What's so interesting here is that mythology is the previous series which I read and loved. It makes for almost an immersive experience. It's like you're a character too or at very least you have the same knowledge of the world as they do. It sounds like such a weird thing to say but it felt like this book was written for fans of the first series. Plus I have I have always loved the magical system here. The fact that it combines a hereditary ability and something physical, plus the variety of powers, and the fact their basically like superpowers. And here Sanderson once again gave me that magic and more. With every book he builds more and more on the established world. Sometimes he does it by adding something that better explains or develops a concept and sometimes it's elaborating and explaining things that have been there. Here we got to learn a lot more about Feruchemy and Hemalurgy. We also get to spend more time learning about some of the other creatures and cultures found within this world. With some series I when I'm finished reading it I spend hours, maybe days, falling down the internet rabbit hole that is theories and explanations about characters, events, and parts of the world. That is exactly what happened here. I was looking things and people up because I needed to know more, to find out more. I didn't think this world could get more interesting and complex but it continues to blow me away with just how intricate and interesting it is.

But the thing about the world that is the most interesting is the combination of religion and political intrigue. The way that the first book ended completely changed the world. It established two new religions, a new government, it shattered the old order. Now after years of relative prosperity and peace that is changing. So in this book there is a lot of discussion about power and control but from so many different angles. It's such a complex story. Sanderson has been the kind of fantasy writer who makes me think about human nature while entertaining me at the same time and he once again proved that with Shadows of Self. But I think my favorite part of that discussion is that it included references to characters from the first series. There were a few subtle ones in The Alloy of Law but here a few characters were a big part of the plot.

Speaking of that plot what an absolutely fantastic one. The first book in this series was much more of a standard mystery/heist kind of story. And while Shadows of Self had those elements it felt a little bit more like a traditional kind of fantasy. But of course it had tons of mystery. Sanderson has always been the kind of author who shocks me with his plot twists. I try to figure it out but I never do completely. Here I thought I had it. I was so proud of myself for solving the mystery but as our Sanderson Army shirts say, "there's always another secret." And so I once again found myself getting to the climax and being completely floored by the big reveal. But things were so perfectly paced here. It all built to that conclusion slowly but purposefully revealing the next piece of the puzzle to get you to the climax. But along the way of course there was tons of action and adventure to keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat.

Sanderson once again created a book that left me blown away with characters to fall in love with, a complex world with a great magical system and themes about humanity, plus a plot full of mystery and adventure. I am now in desperate need of the next book and falling more and more in love with this series which I never thought possible.

I give Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson 10 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Mistborn fans will not be disappointed. This is an amazing and brilliant continuation of the series that we know and love. I can't wait to see where things go in the next two books but I know one thing for sure, I am once again hopelessly in love with the magic, mystery, and creativity that is a Brandon Sanderson book.

Have you read Shadows of Self? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: More From Brandon Sanderson and the Mistborn series

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Shadows of Self
Series: Mistborn #5 (Wax and Wayne #2)

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Published: October 6, 2015 by Tor Books (Macmillan)

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Synopsis: With The Alloy of Law, Brandon Sanderson surprised readers with a New York Times bestselling spinoff of his Mistborn books, set after the action of the trilogy, in a period corresponding to late 19th-century America.

The trilogy’s heroes are now figures of myth and legend, even objects of religious veneration. They are succeeded by wonderful new characters, chief among them Waxillium Ladrian, known as Wax, hereditary Lord of House Ladrian but also, until recently, a lawman in the ungoverned frontier region known as the Roughs. There he worked with his eccentric but effective buddy, Wayne. They are “twinborn,” meaning they are able to use both Allomantic and Feruchemical magic.

Shadows of Self shows Mistborn’s society evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy grows, democracy contends with corruption, and religion becomes a growing cultural force, with four faiths competing for converts.

This bustling, optimistic, but still shaky society now faces its first instance of terrorism, crimes intended to stir up labor strife and religious conflict. Wax and Wayne, assisted by the lovely, brilliant Marasi, must unravel the conspiracy before civil strife stops Scadrial’s progress in its tracks.  

Shadows of Self will give fans of The Alloy of Law everything they’ve been hoping for and, this being a Brandon Sanderson book, more, much more 

Title: Bands of Mourning

Series: Mistborn #6 (Wax and Wayne #3)

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Published: January 26, 2016 by Tor Books (Macmillan)

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Synopsis: Not yet released but it's the final book in this trilogy so it's going to be epic. That's really all you need to know. Well that and it's Brandon Sanderson which makes it even more epic.

Why I'm Waiting 

I mean this should be obvious if you follow this blog in any way. I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan. I was a little late to the party but I got my spot on the bandwagon and read eight of his books last year. Among them the first Mistborn trilogy and The Alloy of Law, the first book in a new series that took places in a Wild West style steampunkesque world. It was also much more of a mystery than the first series and I totally loved it. There were train robberies and roguish lawmen and comic relief. There was everything that I love.

There was also more Allomancy and Feruchemy. Sanderson does such a brilliant job creating complex and fascinating magical systems and these are two of my absolute favorites. I thought it was cool in Mistborn but then he made it even better with more metals and Twinborns. I really cannot wait to learn more about this world and experience two more "Sanderson plot twists"

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting for Shadows of Self and Bands of Mourning with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

Title: The Alloy of Law Series: Mistborn #4 (Wax and Wayne #1) Author: Brandon Sanderson (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Fresh from the success of The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson, best known for completing Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time®, takes a break to return to the world of the bestselling Mistborn series. Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.  Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.  One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

This was my final read of 2014 and the way I concluded my self-proclaimed "year of Sanderson." It was a great way to conclude the year, that's for sure. Like all of Sanderson's books it had a complex and interesting world, likable characters, and an exciting plot. But what struck me so much was how it took something that was already established, the Mistborn trilogy, and changed it in a way that made it feel completely fresh.

The Alloy of Law takes place in the same world as the Mistborn trilogy, but I'm not sure if I would call it a sequel however.  Sure it takes place after The Hero of Ages, but 300 years later. And yes, it does elude to and is influenced by moments and characters from the previous series, but the book is about brand new and unique characters. And yes, it uses the magical systems from the previous books, but it changes and develops them as well. On the whole this book feels like a fresh and exciting turn for a series that I love.

Brandon Sanderson once again proves that he is the master at creating a unique and entertaining magical system. And by that I mean that the magic within this series is so freaking cool! What I loved in the Mistborn series is that the magic is both internal and external. With both Allomancy and Feruchemy you have to have the inherited ability to burn metals and the metals to burn/or use, one without the other will not work. In The Alloy of Law those were of course the same prevailing magical systems but they were both expanded and developed to something even more creative. I didn't think Sanderson could make them any cooler but he succeeded in doing just that. From the use of new metals that give the person amazing abilities to the existence of Twinborns who can do both, the magical system in The Alloy of Law was completely fantastic! Sanderson took the magical system from the previous series and made it different and more interesting.

But Sanderson also made the setting of this book different and more exciting. The world of the Mistborn series was a vivid Medieval style society. Not at all surprising for a High Fantasy. But what Sanderson does is develop his society into something new and different. As if following our own history, the world of Mistborn becomes like the Old West of the 19th century. So we now get a more modernized world with technology and cultural advancements. That's right friends, Allomancy in the Old West! I want to compare it to Steampunk because that is the closest comparison but it's not really like that, it's something all it's own. And while it is something utterly unique it also made perfectly logical sense. Allomancy perfectly lends it self to this kind of setting and Sanderson does an amazing job of portraying to the reader how what happened in the previous series that led to things being this way. It's like that the previous series was an origin story or a mythology. The characters that I learned to know and love have become legends and heroes. It was so much fun, completely unique, and so interesting!

Plus that new setting led to a really cool and interesting plot. I've never been a big fan of Westerns. I don't dislike them, I'm just often disappointed by them, especially with books. But The Alloy of Law is a fantastic Western. But that is probably because for me it read more like a mystery or heist story, which I always love. Sanderson always does a great job of infusing his books with mysteries and big reveals but in The Alloy of Law it felt more like a traditional mystery or procedural. The bulk of the plot was about solving the mystery and we were along for the ride as the characters hunted for clues and attempted to find out who was behind the crime. And while it was less complex and much less of a mind fuck than the two previous books it was still full or surprises. And action. It was so full of action. Between the allomantic battles to the thrilling escapes this book was a quick and exciting read that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

And once again Sanderson created a host of likable and complex characters that it is easy to connect with. While I did miss the characters from the previous books, the subtle references to them satiated me enough to not miss them too much. Plus in The Alloy of Law I found a group of characters that were just as fantastic. Waxilium and Wayne are the perfect team and the perfect foils. They are both smart, resourceful, and tough but Wax is the more serious one while Wayne brings the humor. Alone they are interesting but together they are fantastic! They have some amazing banter and they work so well together. They have this total Holmes and Watson vibe and I loved it. But there also some really great secondary characters. There's Marasi, an amazing strong female character who is intelligent tough. But my personal favorite character, besides Wayne, was Ranette, who is another amazing female character and while she had a tiny role she made a big impact. I mean her inventions? Ah-mazing! And then of course there was the antagonist who was terrifying and complex. I have always loved the characters that Sanderson creates and that was no different in The Alloy of Law. The characters were interesting and likable and I can't wait to see how they develop with the series.

Fans of the Mistborn trilogy will really enjoy this continuation of the series. It's creative and interesting and is unlike anything I have ever read, and I mean that in the best possible way. Sanderson takes something that we know and love and succeeds in making it better with the development of an engrossing world, a thrilling plot full of mystery, and great characters.

I give The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy! Fans of Mistborn and members of the Sanderson Army should definitely check out this book. And with two more books in the series coming out soon, including Shadows of Self coming this fall, this is the perfect opportunity. If you haven't read the Mistborn series then get on that so you can check this book out. It's truly fantastic.

Have you read The Alloy of Law? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Feature and Follow Friday #48 - Book Recommendation

A weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read & Parajunkee's View

How it Works: 

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you visit the blogs of our illustrious hosts and leave your name on the post using using the linky tools, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

This Week's Question: 

What books would you give to newbies in your favorite genre? (Ex. I'm a newbie to high fantasy and EVERYONE said to ease into it with Throne of Glass series) - suggested by Take Me Away 

This Week's Answer: 

So my two favorite genres are Historical Fiction and Fantasy. I feel like I talk about HF a lot. I did a Top Ten Tuesday a few months ago where I recommended HF books based on your other reading tastes so if you are interested in that you can check it out [HERE]

As for Fantasy I would recommend The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising). I think a lot of people don't like fantasy because the authors can overwhelm you with world-building and there's either too much or it's confusing. Leigh creates and interesting and fantastical world but she builds it slowly and definitely shows instead of tells.

And... it's not a genre (though it is Fantasy) but there is a lot of talk about Brandon Sanderson in the blogosphere these days and a lot of people are reading him for the first time. I've suggested first Sanderson reads to a few people but if you like Fantasy already check out Mistborn (it's flawless) but if you like Dystopian then check out Steelheart (it's amazing). ALSO... if you're just getting into audiobooks, Steelheart is a brilliant audiobook and you should start there!

Okay, that's it, I'm done. I have recommended enough books to you. But seriously, read Brandon Sanderson! He's my newest auto-buy author, he's brilliant. And there is a whole community of Sanderson fans that will support you through the feels and gush about him with you!

And remember this is a blog hop so take a look around and if you like what you see give me a follow and leave me a comment so I can follow back. I am indifferent to the manner in which you follow so pick your poison: GFC, Bloglovin, and/or Twitter.

Thanks for dropping by, Happy FF and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Title: The Well of Ascension Series: Mistborn #2 Author: The Well of Ascension Published: 2007 by Tor (Macmillan) Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler – the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years – has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves. As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her. Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal. As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

*** This is the second book in a trilogy and therefore it may have spoilers for the first book Mistborn: The Final Empire. If you haven't read that books DO IT then come back ***

This is quite a hard review to write. What do I say about this book? How can explain it's brilliance without giving away spoilers? How can I convince you to read this series? All I can say is that this book shook me to my very core. It was so brilliant and wonderful and the perfect sequel to Mistborn.

Everything that was so fantastic in Mistborn was just as, if not even more, fantastic in The Well of Ascension. This is now my third book by Brandon Sanderson and I have noticed that he does a few things really well, things that I love when reading fantasy. He writes books with likable and complex characters with creative and compelling worlds and The Well of Ascension was no exception.

First the characters. Some returning favorites from Mistborn: The Final Empire are back and being just as fabulous. Vin is back being amazingly badass at allomancy. In this book she has some truly incredible battles that are both thrilling and unsettling. But the great thing about Vin is that she's not just this heartless warrior. She's still coming to terms with her power, what she is capable of, and how she should use it. She's the perfect combination of tough yet vulnerable. Her biggest vulnerabilities may come in the form of Elend. Vin and Elend are seriously my new favorite OTP and they have some amazing swoonworthy moments in this book. Their relationship caused me to cry tears of sadness and joy at times. I just love them both so much, together and apart. And Elend is another likable and complex character. His development in this book was truly fantastic and he has caused me to lose my ability to even.

But it's not just these two main characters who are amazing and complex. The book is full of secondary characters who walk the line between good and evil making them compelling to read about. Sometimes I really hate when books change perspectives because it can make things needlessly complicated, created dramatic irony which is often annoying, or I lose track of my favorite characters. But with this series it works. The opportunity to spend time in the heads of characters like Sazed, Breeze, Straff Venture, and new characters like Zane and Allriane added an interesting dimension to the book and made it feel more full-bodied than complicated.

But that seems to be the watchword (phrase) for The Well of Ascension full-bodied but not complicated and nothing proves this point more than the world-building. In Mistborn: The Final Empire we were introduced to the world of The Final Empire. It's history, it's myths and legends, and it's magic. This series is like a masterclass in world-building. So many Sci-Fi/Fantasy writers can take a cue from Sanderson in how to develop and expand a world, prove our perceptions false, and still not lose the truth in the previous work. In The Well of Ascension, everything we thought we knew, everything we thought made sense is proven to be even more complex and more than once we are proven wrong about what we thought was true. If this doesn't make sense then you're not alone. It sounds so contradictory to me and I can't really accurately explain it. Just know that Sanderson's not reinventing the wheel here, he's just adding three more and an engine.

However that just may be because this magical systems and mythologies are so enthralling. Like all good magic it has rules and guidelines and we are constantly learning more about them in the show not tell style. In Misborn we learn about Allomancy. In The Well of Ascension we not only learn more about Allomancy but we also learn tons about Feruchemy. Both are unique and interesting magical systems that allow people to do different things mentally, emotionally, and physically to themselves and others. But Sanderson also takes the larger mythology and history of the world and expands on it by teaching us more by breaking down our thoughts on the subject. This is a fantasy world like no other I have ever experiences before and it is brilliant and entertaining.

And equally brilliant and entertaining, is the plot of this book. In Mistborn the characters tore down a society and now they have to rebuild it. This therefore leads to an incredible amount of political intrigue and war, the combination of the two is what I love in my High Fantasy. And while this was quite a long book (though nowhere near as long as some of his other works) and it did have a few lulls in the plot, it was quite entertaining from beginning to end. Things in The Well of Ascension slowly build to a thrilling conclusion that is full of incredible twists along the way. And when everything was all over the final twist left me so shocked that I'm still not sure if I understand what happened. I am sure however that I absolutely adored this book and I cannot wait to read the final book in the trilogy. And while I am excited to read it, I am incredibly anxious as to what will happen. What will Sanderson do to my feels?

I give The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson 9.5 (really 9.75) out of 10

Fantasy fans should definitely check out this series. I would especially recommend it to anyone who enjoys the A Song of Ice and Fire series or anyone who is looking for a series with a unique and compelling magical world and a plot full of surprising plot twists.

Have you read The Well of Ascension? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING! 

Book Review: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Title: Mistborn: The Final Empire Series: Mistborn #1 Author: Brandon Sanderson Published: 2006 by Tor Books (Macmillan) Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with color once more? In Brandon Sanderson's intriguing tale of love, loss, despair and hope, a new kind of magic enters the stage - Allomancy, a magic of the metals.

This is one of the most highly recommended books I have ever come across. It is almost impossible ti find a person who has read this book who thinks "meh, it's alright." This book is beloved! So many book blogger friends have recommended this series. Having read my first Brandon Sanderson recently (Steelheart) and being completely blown away by the world, characters, and plot on top of being recommended it so many times I caved and decided to read it and my adult book(s) for High Fantasy month.

This book was not at all a disappointment. I saw almost instantly why everyone loves this series. I am incapable of describing or explaining exactly why this book is so fantastic. I wouldn't be able to do it justice and that's not fair to you or this book. It is without a doubt one of the most creative and enthralling books that I have read.

The world of Mistborn is both frustratingly complicated and entertainingly complex. From the history and mythology to the magical system I spent a lot time being equal parts blown away by how cool and badass Allomancy is and confused by how complex it was. What I really liked about Allomancy is that usually in Fantasy novels the magical system is either something internal like being able to do spells or something external like being able to control the elements but with Allomancy it was both. To do Allomancy not only do have to have the innate or inherited ability but you also had to have the physical metals to burn. It combined both an internal and external ability. I'm always searching for a unique magical system and I have found it here in Mistborn.

But I have also found some amazing characters. I was instantly attached to Vin and her strength but also her vulnerability. Throughout the novel she developed into an amazing and truly kickass female character. I also fell instantly in love with Elend Venture. He was wry, anti-social, and snarky but with a heart of gold. Vin said it best when she described him as "a bit annoying in a pleasant sort of way." Seriously this ship! It it my new favorite OTP (fingers crossed). I love the banter between the two of them and how they seem like total opposites but they work so well together. But I would be completely remiss in this review if I didn't mention Kelsier. Not only was he this badass Allomancer who continued to impress me with his ability to fight but his determination and strong leadership were easy to root for. And those three are just the tip of the iceberg. The book is full of interesting and complex characters that were so entertaining to read about and you grew so attached to in such a short spa of time. That is the brilliance of Brandon Sanderson and his characters.

Finally the plot of this book is exactly what I adore in High Fantasy. As a fan of the genre I can usually categorize or even pigeonhole books into one subgenre but the best kinds of books defy all of that. Mistborn is one of those books. Of course it had thrilling action scenes with allomantic battles that had me enthralled and entertained with so much magic and amazing fantastical elements (see section on Allomancy). But it was also full of mystery. There were mind-blowing twists that caught me completely off guard and even some revelations that I was able to solve around the same time as the characters, which are both my favorite type of mysteries and revelations in the books I read. And it had political intrigue with characters who were plotting and scheming for themselves and the betterment of others. And don't get me started on the heart-wrenching feels. Everything throughout the book built to something truly amazing. Every time I thought it couldn't get any crazier, I was proven wrong. Mistborn kept me entertained and surprised to the very last page.

I give Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson a 10 out of 10

Mistborn is a must read for Fantasy fans! It is A Song of Ice and Fire with less death and debauchery. It is unique and entertaining with a magical system unlike anything else, fantastic characters you can't help but love, and an amazing plot full of action, mystery, and political intrigue. I have fallen for the series and I am officially declaring my allegiance to the Sanderson Army!

Have you read Mistborn? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!