I sit down to write this review and realize this is quite the task. How does a person "review" Brandon Sanderson? What can I say about him that hasn't already? I am certainly late to the Sanderson party. Here is the advantage: I didn't have to wait for each book to be released. I was able to read The Mistborn Trilogy back to back. So, here we go.
This series came highly recommended to me in several of the groups I am part of on Facebook. I am usually wary of buying series books all at once. I fear that if I don't like the first, I won't continue reading and will have wasted my money. I received the Mistborn Trilogy as a gift for Christmas. It was a gamble that paid off.
Brandon Sanderson was a new author to me. As I said, he came widely recommended by multiple people. Sanderson states he is a writer of epic fantasy. I believe that he means that in literary terms. I will take it to mean more so in terms of impressive and outstanding.
The story told in this trilogy is the age-old story of good versus evil. It is a story of faith, love, human endeavor to live, and of sacrifice. The story starts in the first book as one of a heist and to overthrow a tyrant. As the story progresses, new layers reveal the overarching plot. I think of it like a camera focusing on a very narrow point in the first book. As the books progress, the view of the overall is brought more into focus. The picture clarifies. Realization dawns. There is more here than meets the eye.
In the first book, Keisler is introduced, who leads the crew. He says something that Sanderson follows throughout the series. "There is always another secret." Every book reveals more secrets. More layers revealed. With each revelation, there is the "Aha" moment. With each of those moments comes the question: "What next?"
The first two books leave you satisfied at the end yet feeling hungry for more. I am by no means saying that a person could stop after each book and not continue. There is a satisfaction in time well spent, and you got more than you bargained. The depth of each book stands on its own but adds to the overall story. Consider each book as a component of a delicious meal. Each dish satisfies you and makes you ready for the next.
Brandon Sanderson is a master of plot-twisting and revealing secrets. As the third book came to a close, every detail revealed in the other two came into focus and how they added to the overall story. When I thought I had everything figured out, the plot twisted. I didn't know what I thought I knew. As the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, I became increasingly amazed at the skill Brandon Sanderson wields in his writing. It all made sense. It also showed how far in advanced planning. There is a continuity book to book. Masterful.
I don't think I have the words or the skill to describe what I devoured. The world built in this series is complex and wonderful. Yet, each time I closed the book, I felt I was leaving a place that I knew intimately. The same is with the characters. They became friends easily missed when the book was closed. I found myself cheering for them. I felt what they felt. I hated to shut the pages.
As I said in the open, reviewing this trilogy is daunting at best. There is mastery of skill shown in these books that I believe is very rare in the world. There are tons of excellent authors out there. Sanderson, though, is in a class all his own. I am looking forward to the next book I will read from him. I know I will be immersed in a new world that will feel old and familiar. I will find characters that quickly become friends. I will hate to close the pages. I recommend you take the time to sit down at the feast called The Mistborn Trilogy and enjoy every delectable bite. You won't be disappointed.
Larry