The Final Empire Take #2
I am so proud of myself for rereading this. Can’t you tell, I spent a total of 5 days rereading it and it was worth all that time I spent on it 😀 – it was not THAT much, let’s be fair.
May contain spoilers! Read at your own risk!
I generally don’t do rereads – I have this overall dislike towards them, but I will reread a book if that process of rereading serves a purpose. I have recently taken to rereading The Lies of Locke Lamora so I can start off and then continue on properly with the series; in this case, however, I’ve reread The Final Empire so I can get myself to read the Well of Ascension.
I have never come to understand WHY the hell I haven’t picked up the Well of Ascension. Maybe it was because the other character’s dynamic with Kelsier worked well and it felt awkward to not have him in the picture. Maybe it’s because I’ve forgotten most of the things that happened in the first book when I finally decided to pick Well of Ascension up. Maybe it’s just too damn big! Regardless this brings into mind one idea – I should stop putting an enormous amount of books between the installments of a series and/or read everything in one go. I did that with ACOTAR, my brain hasn’t melted. So yes, I might do that.
Anyway, rereading The Final Empire was a very fun experience for me, mostly because it contained things I knew about and liked, but also because I wanted to have the reading experience aided by Graphic Audio audiobook. This is the 3rd Sanderson book I have read in this format and I cannot praise enough Brandon Sanderson’s decision to let the people from Graphic Audio to adapt his work. Unlike the other unknown authors who have contract with the audiobook company, Sanderson is a really well known author and these audiobooks enhance his already good writing and engaging stories. This is a deal that Sanderson knew would work to his benefit and because of that he is an excellent opportunist. Though I still prefer the Way of Kings audiobook and its narrator – and the fact that they included Vasher’s voice actor in there >( -, this one was really well done as well.
There’s a fair few things to say about this book after a second reread. I am not going to enter a full discussion of characters, plot, setting, magic system and writing like I did in my other review though these have certainly benefited from my reading this book with the Graphic Audio audiobook on at all times. No. Instead I think I am going to talk about the things I had experienced this time around.
First of is the invigorating sense of happiness I felt reading this book. I was so happy reading The Final Empire from start to finish that I couldn’t contain the giddiness I was smiling every bit of the way – unless the situation had me feeling otherwise, but it still got a reaction from me. If there is person that would come to me and say that in order to save my life from a zombie apocalypse I would have to reread a book, I think this would be it. It seemed so… fresh when I reread it. Like the little details that had not picked up in my second reading had indeed become clear.
Subtle indication that there might be a bigger plot than the self sustaining overthrowing of the Lord Ruler, things that concerned the Deepness, Vin’s ability to pierce copperclouds, the fact that she is different than other Mistborn all point towards the idea that something bigger is going on and – like I said in my previous review – I know this for a fact. I know what character dies, I know the big reveal at the end, I know what this bigger picture is… And I’m not even mad that I know these things, I just need to read these books to find out HOW they happen. That’s what pressing me to keep reading.
I’ve talked about most the important characters in my first review, Kelsier and Vin, and a little bit about Elend. But I haven’t really touched about the other characters.
Truthfully in this second reading of this novel I have come to differentiate between them a bit better now and I could really see their distinct personalities.
Ham and Breeze were hilarious together. I laughed everytime they started bantering and I have to say that the voice I myself had given Breeze is exactly like the voice used by the Graphic Audio team; very befitting his Allomantic power. I never saw him as middle-aged or portly, just in his mid thirties and sharply dressed ;P Ham was a crack and only NOW I started to understand why the other crew members were so quick to shut him up when he started to philosophize. He’s so nice a character and he likes Vin so I like him ^_^
Spook was SO adorable! I really like how shy he is around Vin and Vin is so hilariously oblivious as to why XD Oh… I am kind of sad that she chose to be with Elend, she and Spook would have made a pretty cute couple, imho. Well in any case, I still ship them… for one kiss, at the very least 😀
Dockson. I am still not really sure what to think about Dockson. I can now make a distinction of him from Clubs, whereas previously I couldn’t, but he is… well, there are some parts of his personality that are still elusive to me, particularly his past. I know he is good as a bureaucrat and he is very organized and he is a former plantation skaa. But unfortunately that’s pretty much kinna it. I hope we get more of him in the next books, I’d really like that.
Now Sazed is a whole different story. It was only until this second reading that I realized just how much I liked his character. He is always so calm, he never raises his voice, he never has strong emotions, but he always seems to be calmly smiling, being a good watchful guarding for Vin. I liked their dynamic together and him coming to save her from the dungeons of the Inquisition at the end made my heart fill with joy. It was so heartwarming that scene :3 I would really like to see what happens to him in the Well of Ascension and how his character evolves from then on.
Most people don’t seem to approve of all the attention Sanderson put into Vin’s going to the different balls and how much she liked it, but I think it helped build her character, helped build her relationship with Elend, helped better understand what her interest is, and also, most importantly, get the reader familiarized more with Vin, so when the time comes for Kel to die, the reader would have something to look forward to. That part with Kelsier dying… that part still hit me pretty hard 😦 It was so sad, and also the fact that, even before it happened, he came to realize the fact that in order for his plans to overthrow the Final Empire to succeed he would HAVE to die.
This book, courtesy of Ham, I believe, presents some interesting ideas of morality, identity and self discovery. Kelsier’s killing of noblemen and people allied with the Lord Ruler isn’t shrugged off as being something that needed to happen. Vin doesn’t know how what to think of herself anymore because she is basically three different people and she still has to figure out who she is comfortable being. And also Kelsier’s ability to relent for Vin when she tries to convince him that not all noblemen are worthy of death. These are all things that the author addresses and makes the reader think. 🙂
What else can I talk about…. *thinking* Ah yes…
You know, a few weeks ago I found out about a news that is straight up infuriating. WHY in the BLOODY SEVEN HELLS IS NAME OF THE WIND GIVEN A TV ADAPTATION AND NEVER ONE OF SANDERSON’S BOOKS!!!!?
I mean really! Why? Because Hollywood doesn’t have the budget for a Mistborn or Stormlight Archive adaptation? And Name of the Wind would be a safer option? OH PLEASE! Fuck you, Hollywood. I read about this news as i was reading the first 30 % of this book let me tell you I may have damaged a bit of the underlying muscle tissue when I slammed my fist into the wall.
*calms down*
It isn’t really nice to end a review mad so I am going to say this. Hollywood, get your shit together. I expect a TV adaptation of Mistborn or the Stormlight Archive in the next few years, got it?
Let’s Rate This – 9.4 / 10
Setting and Atmosphere – 9
Magic System – 10
Plot – 9
Main Characters – 10
Secondary Characters – 9
Antagonists – 8
Writing – 10
Enjoyability – 10
This has been a really rewarding experience for me… I really needed it in order to get into Well of Ascension 🙂 And now that I have the entire box set with the BEAUTIFUL UK covers, I probably will… not this year, I think though.
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