Title:
Series: Mistborn Book 2
Author (s): Brandon Sanderson
Genres: Fantasy
Publisher/Year: Tor/2008
-Webpage: Brandon Sanderson: The Official Site
-Blog: Brandon Sanderson Blog

Synopsis: Elend Venture, the scholarly new Lord Ruler of Luthadel, clings to power while Luthadel's aristocrats and merchants grumble and two enemy armies—one led by Elend's father, Lord Straff—camp outside the city gates. Fortunately, Elend can rely on help from his lover and unofficial court assassin, the young allomancer Vin, but her magical metal-using ability makes her a target. An orphan of decidedly low origins, Vin is also having trouble adapting to her position as royal consort, especially since the underclass skaa, newly freed by Elend, look to her as their protector. Meanwhile, the ancient evil known as the Deepness is rising once again.

Review: Please refer to my review of the first book in the trilogy, Well of Ascension picks up one year after the events of the first book, there will be spoilers in this review for that.

This book took control of my brain, or more specifically one character did. That of Elend's warlord wanna be king father Straff Venture. The man is a menace. I wanted to strangle him nearly every time he was mentioned or appeared. He is the foremost 'enemy' that the new ruler has to deal with. Not the only enemy, but certainly the most dangerous. With few exceptions he is a master manipulator (unfortunately those exceptions prove to be his downfall).

Like the first book each chapter begins with an excerpt from an ages dead person closely tied in with the Heroes of Ages mythos and the origins of the Lord Ruler's hold over the Final Empire. This time we see events from a Terrisman's viewpoint--that of the man who originally claimed Alendi as the Hero of Ages. Things are not so simple and quick readers will catch what the underlying issue is that caused the world so much grievance.

Compared to the first book this one has a great deal more action (though the first is no small amount). Vin is definitely coming into her own as a powerful Mistborn to be feared and respected--barely noticing as she surpasses even Kelsier in what she can accomplish--and with the city under siege from several enemies (within and without) she has plenty to keep her occupied. I liked her in this book better then the first. Though she spends a good deal of the book unsure of herself and her place, Vin remains certain of one thing: Elend was a good man who deserved to live.

Sanderson delves deeper also into what it means to overthrow a millennium long government--good or bad, evil or not the Lord Ruler was able to keep his people fed and sheltered from the cold. The skaa, the former slave class, struggles with the fact that they are free, but starving and Elend struggles with the moral choice: Is it better to have freedom and struggle to survive, or to be oppressed and have a chance to live?

I hope, mightily, that more is given about what really is the difference between the 'nobles' and the 'skaa' in the final book. The Lord Ruler's religion stated that the nobles were noble because they aided him in his quest. Since the Lord Ruler wasn't the Hero of Ages, and was in fact surrounded by Terrismen (the people who he was practically wiping out of existence) what was the truth?

Another thoroughly enthralling read, I'm going to see if I can take the third book, The Hero of Ages, out from the library since I really don't think I want to wait for the mass market paperback.