Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

200 reviews

latashman's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Loved Vin as a main character. Kel (did audiobook, don't know how to spell) was a little bit of a narcissist that you played with the emotions of characters and the reader. I thought this was a great heist book with a little political intrigue mixed in. Looking forward to seeing how the Ska build back up the empire and if they will make changes for the better. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Body horror, Classism, Genocide, Slavery, Colonisation, and Sexual assault

bricehartwich's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Slavery

Moderate: War

Minor: Physical abuse

wsteen's review

adventurous mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse

mae_is_trying's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Racism, Rape, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Torture, and War

mallorypen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Okay, so I liked it ... but that first third of the book was a CHORE to get through. I understand why there was so much exposition - there was a fairly complicated magic system to explain, as well as a need to set the class system and history of the Lord Ruler - but by the forgotten gods it took a looooong time.

That said, once the plot really started to get going after the end of Part 1, this was a fantastic political thriller and mystery. Vyn as a protagonist was NOT a Mary Sue - which was great - and I got so frustrated with her lack of empathy in some situations, her selfishness in others, and her decision-making pretty much across the board. I don't know if I liked her character (and I'm pretty tired of the Chosen One trope) but I did root for her. Her inner monologues were ... a bit wooden, for my tastes, but they got the job done.

Once we got into the story and the others were able to develop their personalities a little more, I generally liked all the various members of the crew. They all became distinct from one another, and

when the Ska rebellion leader died after making his terrible decision with the army, I was sad for his death. When Marsh was thought to have been killed by the Inquisitors, I was sad for his death, too.

And Sayzid? He was the best character out of them all.

I agree wholeheartedly with the general consensus that Brandon Sanderson writes a FABULOUS fight scene. The action is written so clearly, and even with a complex magic system making up 80% of the sequences, I really felt like I was there in the moment fighting alongside the characters.

I'd also posit that Brandon Sanderson writes a mean twist. <spoilers> Marsh actually being alive, and having gone through the process to be an Inquisitor ... I totally didn't see that coming. Or, Kelcier's overarching plot to make himself a legend and then let himself be killed? Mind. Blown.

A few things that gave me pause:

• A white CIS man writing a female protagonist who comes from an enslaved people subjected to torture and subjugation for a thousand years ... I don't know. It hit me in a weird spot how similar some things were between the nobility/Ska and white/Black people; the abuses felt VERY familiar and I'm not sure how I feel about it coming from who wrote it. I don't know. It will take further rumination on how exactly it bothers me.
• The instalove between Ellend and Vyn. Tired, boring, blegh. Why did we need a romance, here?

Anyways. I will read the next two books, but I will be giving myself a break.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, Slavery, Sexual violence, War, Murder, and Violence

peasandpancakes's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I LOVED this book! It immediately grabbed me. The way you’re introduced to the magic system is very well paced. It had some nice world building, but action was properly spaced as well. Near the end it got so tense that my smart watch told me that I needed to relax because my stress was unusually high 😅 Can’t wait to read the other mistborn books!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Death

Minor: Racism, Torture, War, and Slavery

bel017's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Murder, and Slavery

Moderate: Death, Rape, Violence, Body horror, and Child abuse

schoha01's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Grief, Murder, Confinement, Genocide, Stalking, Blood, Body horror, and Emotional abuse

jonwood's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense medium-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

4.0

Really enjoyed this. It's the best first book in a fantasy series I've read, as it gets the plot moving (driven by characters) fairly straightaway and acts as its own self-contain story (sure, there are a few threads to yes-and to in the future). Gripping adventure as characters look to see if they can make a difference. I might actually read book 2 less than a year from now.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Grief, Death, Classism, Violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Torture

Minor: Sexual assault

mads_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring sad slow-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

3.0

Does not pass The Bechdel Test

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, Slavery, Police brutality, Physical abuse, War, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Violence, Torture, Child death, Ableism, and Abandonment

Minor: Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Genocide, Mental illness, Sexism, War, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, and Toxic friendship