Emperor Elend Venture and his wife Vin, a half-skaa former street urchin, think they are fulfilling the prophecy of the Hero of Ages, the savior of the Terris people, who is foretold to give up power at the Well of Asension. Unfortunately, the Terris prophecies were altered by a force name Ruin that wants to destroy the world, and now Elend and Vin have set him free. In this conclusion of the Mistborn trilogy, Elend and Vin seek to save the world, unravel the truth, and prepare to battle a god.
Sanderson’s magical systems, internal consistency, and intricate plot reveals are top notch. I love his endings, and the conclusion to the Mistborn trilogy is adequately epic, dramatic, satisfying, and it ties the entire three-book story up very well. The lethal mists have returned, the ash falls constantly from the sky, and ever more powerful earthquakes foreshadow humanity’s doom. The series is big and deep, and I have a high respect of it’s grand follow-through.
There’s a strong focus on political fanaticism, and the explanations that tie all the small threads together are mostly religious. I think I like these motives, but Sanderson’s identity as a Mormon makes me feel a little weird about it. Vin, Elend, and Sazed’s characters fought so long in the first and second volumes, that all their doubting in this volume is depressing and quite honestly, a little boring. They find faith in themselves and their gods in the end, but it’s the lesser characters like Tensoon, Spook, and Hu-man carry the story to it’s big conclusion.
Highly recommended for fans of epic fantasy who love intricate magical systems, action-fueled adventure, and definitive endings!
“Elend smiled. “Oh, come on. You have to admit that you’re unusual, Vin. You’re like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin, and a cat. Plus, you’ve mangaged – in our short three years together – to kill not only my god, but my father, my brother, and my fiancée. That’s kind of like a homicidal hat trick.”