Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

26 reviews

seanml's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An enjoyable fantasy novel, and one that I understand the immense popularity of. Sanderson's writing feels fast paced and easily followable. The world is fleshed out and of course there is the magic system, which is the series' principal selling point. Much of the plot focuses on the interactions of this magic system though, and sometimes entire scenes will be dedicated to explaining why a sudden plan works. It means most of the plot is airtight, but the trade-off is that other things don't get the same attention. The setting is a familiar one that we've all seen before - the elite rule over the inferior masses, and only the special few can save them. It's a recognizable structure, but that doesn't at all mean it's bad or poorly done. I liked all of the characters, though I can't say I loved any one. Hopefully the sequels can fix that! 8/10.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Gore, Grief, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Body horror, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Genocide, Mental illness, Blood, and War

Minor: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Stalking

kaimetcalfe's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Torture, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit

siglerbooknook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is a reread, and it's still a favorite. Brandon Sanderson has such a unique, beautiful way of telling a story. The details twist together so well. The ending is so satisfying. Characters feel like real people you could meet. Everything has a purpose. Definitely worth the read 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, and Slavery

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Genocide, Rape, Death, Alcohol, Classism, Sexual assault, and Torture

headinthepages's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Abandonment, Vomit, Body horror, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, War, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Grief, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Slavery, Child death, Infidelity, and Medical trauma

dragonbornsandwaffles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

It lulls for the first third of the book or so while he's worldbuilding, but once things started to pick up, I quickly couldn't put it down. It's a very intense gritty fantasy (see content warnings for details - it's...a lot), and the characterization is so good that they feel like old friends. It does have a shock twist at the end, so if you don't like those, I'd stay away. It made me absolutely bawl like a baby for a good hour after I finished it. Fantastic book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Murder, Gore, Police brutality, Grief, Genocide, Violence, Abandonment, Death, Body horror, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, and Racism

Minor: Alcohol, Racial slurs, Rape, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Addiction, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Vomit, Torture, Cannibalism, Confinement, and Stalking

angstifies's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this book was great, but very much not extraordinary or “life changing” like i was constantly told it would be. 

i loved the world building, the magic system, and how the plot developed; but i did not connect much with the characters, and i wished the side characters had been more “flashed out”, and i also can’t say that i was very invested in the story for the first half of the novel. 

the latter 50% of the book however was amazing! it was much more interesting and i was truly pulled into the story. 

i know this was one of Sanderson’s first published works so i wasn’t too surprised at the slightly weak writing, but the dialogue made me cringe several times, and the lack of female characters & a terrible forced straight romance (that was unbearable for me and had absolutely ZERO chemistry + why is a 21yo dude not leaving this 16yo girl alone???) bothered me. 

don’t know if i’ll be reading the sequels of this specific series but i’ll definitely be checking out Brandon Sanderson’s other books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Death, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Child death, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, War, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, and Suicide

handful_of_frogs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, War, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

smol_bunny's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse

boglord's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, and Genocide

Moderate: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death and Vomit

kirbylover16's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

After years of people telling me to read a Brandon Sanderson book and the whole Kickstarter fiasco, I have finally got around to it. Thus this is my first book ever by Sanderson; I don't know how this book score could change based on the rest of the series or the rest of the Cosmere. (yet) My overall feeling is mixed. It was a good read, and I did relate to the main character, Vin. Most of my problems are just nitpicks and my preferences for faster, more romantic, and shorter stories. However, the plot suffers from a very repetitive and slow style that can really be insufferable.
Vin is practically illiterate, as are most skaa, and it comes off quirky? Especially with Vin and Spook, and that rubs me wrong. The whole free will theme and religious tones are huge turnoffs. (apparently, Sanderson is a Mormon) Vin's mentor Kelsior is supposed to be charming, but he's not. He got worse as the story goes. Maybe I'm biased tho? Every mentor, grandfather/or father figure in media tends to be manipulative.

his fight dragged on way too long. When Vin and Elend showed up, I thought it would finally end, but nope it dragged some more.

I am more invested in all the other characters. Which there are too many. I kept going back and forth on if I liked Sazed but I think I warmed up to him. 
 What made me want to read this book was the idea that the prophetic hero fails and the evil rules, but that's all in the background. The bad guy won centuries ago! We slowly get the hero's journal, but the story would be the same without it. (shorter at least) The better description is a magical heist with politics and slavery thrown in. I enjoyed the romance and sexual tension, but I don't think he met latter.

even tho there are not many interactions between Elend and Vin or Spook. The sexual tension I meant with Ham and Bree. Perhaps he realized that in the editing phase, and that's why towards the end, they make Ham have an off-scene wife and kids he hasn't seen in months. :(

The world-building is the best part of the book. For example, the different ways metal and magic interact, the flying by dropping coins, and people looking like hellraisers walking around. The last 20% is fantastic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Abandonment, and Body horror

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

There isn't really any sex/skin, just one brief kiss described, some mentions of rape, whore houses, and underage sex. Vin does run around in boys' clothes and in her undergarments. Mostly for comic effect. Also, mental health/postpartum depression/suicide as Vin's mother kills her baby sibling and herself. Oh, and lots of murder, which we get to see very graphically. A shocking amount of beheading.