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A review by river24
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5/5
WHAT. THE. HELL. I can honestly say I did not expect any of that to happen. This was just incredible.
Where to start? I've written down notes but I genuinely don't think I can ever put into words and explain the rollercoaster ride I just went on. Honestly just read it, ignore this review and just go read it (come back and read my review after). Only kidding, but in all honesty I can only sit here and process it right now, I'm in awe. I think that's the best way of putting it, I am in complete and utter awe of what Sanderson has done. This was the start of my Sanderson journey and I anticipated greatness after all that I'd heard, but I never expected something this great, I never expected something this huge. You can feel the enormity of the book whilst reading, the expansive world, the brilliant characters, the scope is so large. You know, as you're reading, that you're achieving something enormous.
Let's begin with the world-building. Brandon Sanderson was rumoured to be the king of world-building, I heard it whispered in fantasy corners and screamed from far-away rooftops, and my god were they all right. I've never experienced world-building quite like this, it had so much depth and intricacies, whilst also being very unique. We're allowed to explore the world so vividly and feel its movements all around us. It was, to put it all into one word, phenomenal.
The magic system was what struck me instantly–and I think most people–as mind-blowing. It's so incredibly unique and resides on its own pedestal high above any other. You can see how much thought is put into this world and this story to craft something so spell-binding. The magic system always makes sense, it's got hard limitations and rules that make it very clear, whilst also keeping an air of mystery around it all (mystery that only increases). Every choice that Sanderson made (not only in regards to the magic system or even the world-building, but to the entire story) was smart and calculated and each one was impressive. The magic system in itself was probably the first–but by no means the only time–where I thought, genius!
Witnessing fight scenes and the abilities of magic always had me hooked, you could see every action in Sanderson's clear-voiced writing style (which I'll come to later) and I always searched every description for hidden secrets. There is so much depth to everything that he writes, to every choice that he takes–I know I've said it a thousand times, but that doesn't make it any less true.
The landscape of the world-building was also incredibly interesting. There were many aspects that surprised and intrigued me. I also loved that most of these were of importance to the plot as well, foreshadowing really was hidden in every nook and cranny.
The mists were a beautiful, mysterious thing to add, they set the scene for our world perfectly. Their innate nature to shelter and to hide drew on similar feelings within, one of our main protagonist's, Vin. They felt sentient, too, and I'm certain there's more to them to discover in the next books. As with every aspect of this book, they were explored intricately and I loved the legends and stories that bred fear about them, I loved the rumoured monsters that lived inside of them.
Another feature of the world that set the stage for our story was the ash-stained world. This instantly drew us lines between the common people in their blackened clothes and the nobility in their pristine ones, this was a very smart way to create another line between them, I thought. But more than that, the ash-coloured landscape incapsulated the grey, barren, hopelessness of the world well. This is a world that has not been saved, that much is clear from the start.
The city of Luthadel was a city devoid of hope, but still alive, its heart still beating, its people still going through the daily motions of the lives they resigned themselves to, these lives that could barely be called lives that they were made to feel they deserved.
Not only this compelled me, the layout and structure of Luthadel also interested me a lot. It was a huge city thrumming with life and possibility laying inside great, looming walls, under the ever-watchful eye of the Lord Ruler in the Kredik Shaw. The Kredik Shaw, the Hill of a Thousand Spires is intriguing for a multitude of reasons, however my intrigue was caught by its literal structure. Perhaps this isn't as interesting to others, you may even view it as mundane, but this palace and its spires painted an incredible portrait in my mind and I think it's so unique.
I won't go too much into other aspects that caught my attention for fear of spoilers, but one other that I couldn't stop thinking about was the Pits of Hathsin and every interaction we had with them throughout the story. I still can't stop thinking about it.
I can't expand on every aspect of the world-building (as much as I would like to) because we would be here forever, however the last aspects I thought incredible were the court and its inevitable court politics, and the intricate empire and government that consisted of terrifying people.
I always adore court politics and so I thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses we got into the lives of the nobility and all their secret schemes, however this was a sub-plot, not a main focus of ours.
The empire and all its lands remained quite foreign to us, but purposefully so. We perceive the empire as the Lord Ruler wants us to perceive it, as every other member of the empire could possibly perceive it. This is something forced upon us, along with everyone else, until we're allowed a little room for growth, until our tiny seedling yearning for more information of this world is allowed to see sunlight.
The most interesting, spine-chilling part of the Final Empire is its Steel Inquisitors. They were so intriguing and haunting. I go between calling them monsters and creatures in this review, however neither of those descriptors are accurate. Ultimately they are still human. I don't want to go into them too much (again for fear of spoilers) however I think an important part of remembering the events of this book is to remember that just because something is unknown that does not make it monstrous, actions make it monstrous, and that ultimately all the monstrosities of this story were human. I would go into more depth, but I want this review to be accessible to those who haven't yet read it.
The characters of this story were fascinating. They all had much more spirit and humour than I assumed they would and it only added to the story. Our ragtag team share laughter and joy and so we do alongside them. These moments of joy only make the painful ones that much more painful (something Sanderson is definitely aware of!) The most heart-warming/heart-wrenching aspect of following this team is seeing them grow together and learning to trust and find comfort in one another. They're all complex and opinionated and brilliant; no one falls into the background forgotten, they all have their part to play. There are lots of different relationships and dynamics between them and every single one is warm and engaging. They all have histories and pasts we read on to unravel and the absorbing possibilities of so many futures. And not one of them is invincible.
This is a great feat that Sanderson achieves that many authors struggle with. He limits his characters. They're not super-human, they're not all-powerful, they're not invincible. They can't do everything so their tasks get shared, they can't fight lots of foes and survive so they hurt, and so on. He sets out all his cards on the table and shows us how he will realistically win the game. It's a refreshing experience to have their wins and losses feel so natural and for the twists and turns to be well foreshadowed and, above all, make sense.
Kelsier was my favourite character right from the very beginning. He's reckless and impulsive, but smart and courageous, he's an amazing character and part of that is because he is flawed. His charisma and purposeful joy elevates and encourages those around him constantly, you could always feel his presence. He was always something palpable, even when not in a scene, the other characters carried his spark. It was unquestionably his fire, born through pain and grief, that started everything. His character is complex, yet also simple, he's a man who's found a purpose and that purpose is everything. His bravado inspires the impossible and he gives purpose to those around him, too. One of my favourite scenes is a lesson he teaches Vin (an emotional one) where he confides that, you don't stop loving someone just because they hurt you. It's a beautiful conversation and I absolutely adored Kelsier and Vin's relationship. He teaches her to love and to trust and that it's okay to do those things, even if you get hurt in the end. It's better to have loved and to have lost and all that. Kelsier's entire backstory was so compelling and added so much to his character when you understand all that he's been through. Learning about Mare, too, was heart-breaking. Ultimately it's his bravery (and the foolishness that comes with) that makes him. He's determined and strong and he understands he's not invincible, but that he can become immortal through what he leaves behind.
Vin is another incredible protagonist. She's stubborn and strong, very similar to Kelsier in a lot of ways, but also very different. She's entirely her own person, she's had a hard life and is still discovering who she is and what to make of herself. She realises she's only ever lived hidden in the shadows, always wearing a disguise, not wanting to be seen, not wanting to be hurt, but Kelsier drops into her life and–as is his way–creates havoc and in doing so shows her a whole new world. Not only does he show her the world of allomancy, but also a world where people trust one another and where they even permit themselves to love. I know I've mentioned this already, but it feels right to reiterate when talking about Vin as she's the character most impacted by this. This questions her perspective of the world–this shallow pit of a world frothing with evil her brother has taught her will never change–and forces her to confront his voice in her head. She peeks around every corner just waiting for the next betrayal, never allowing herself to know people, but Kelsier and the rest change everything. She has amazing character growth and forms a truly brave heart. She's a survivor and that is one of the main aspects that links her with the rest of the characters, I'd say it's the main aspect that links them all. What is so interesting about Vin is that she's still compassionate and kind even after all that she's gone through, she still finds it in herself to feel for others. She's clever and unbreakable and once she's got a goal in mind she won't let it go.
Another of my favourite characters (there are so many good ones) was Sazed. Sazed is incredibly caring and loving, his compassion extends to so many and his heart is a pure one. He's extremely intelligent and stores so much knowledge of long-forgotten histories, cultures and religions. This is the factor that is the most interesting about him, the burden of the weight he must carry, the burden of remembering so much that is forgotten. He is strong in his soul, but he is also pained, he has lost much of his own culture and his search brings only small rewards, however he's a persistent optimist and a very humble hero. His duty and his care reach insurmountable heights, but what he carries with him is knowledge for long after he's gone.
I won't go into every character, but just know that they're all incredible and so much fun to read about.
Sanderson's writing is brilliant. He crafts beautiful descriptions and riveting dialogue, whilst still explaining his world naturally and precisely. His writing style is very accessible and not as heavy as some other adult fantasy works, so it's perfect for anyone, even if you haven't read much fantasy before. All his descriptions are so vivid and alive, I could see so clearly the scenes playing out in my mind as though I were there watching them. I could see Kelsier leaping across rooftops in the mist; I could feel every surge of happiness, fear and grief; I could see everything. It was all so dynamic and I was always fully immersed in the world.
One choice I adored was the passages written before each chapter. Now, again, I can't go into this too much because of spoilers, however I will say that once I realised what it was I couldn't stop thinking about it for a single moment. It made the story so much more complex and increased my already flaring intrigue tenfold. I always wanted to know more and more and more and couldn't put this book down.
There were so many plot twists and, as I said previously, they were all foreshadowed immensely well and all felt natural to the plot, whilst still being incredibly shocking. I was gasping and crying and my mouth was constantly hung agape by the end. Every twist and turn was satisfying and there truly were so many of them!
My favourite aspect of this book (and this is saying a lot because I absolutely adored every single thing in it) was the theme of hope. The themes of hope and resilience hit the hardest for me and every moment hung with anticipation as I tried to figure out what story Sanderson would be telling.
The Skaa people are a people who have been beaten down their entire lives, made to feel worthless and hopeless and afraid, resigned to the fact that this is all they could ever be. Finding that hope inside of them, finding a reason and the strength to fight was powerful. It was inspiring to read. Them finding something to live for despite the darkness of their lives and the perceived uselessness of their resistance was incredible.
What I loved the most was the message that hope can never die. No matter how tired, no matter how beaten, no matter how exhausted you are, hope prevails. Hope is something that can preserve us and we can also preserve it. It inspires us, even if we die there is the hope that we have changed something, that we have fought for something worth fighting for, that we will be remembered. We can leave behind a part of ourselves with our hope. I wrote down a note that I feel is appropriate here, hope can never die and with hope as something to preserve us we cannot be forgotten. It gives us courage and strength and no matter what it will be there, even if we forget it for a time.
Other themes that prevail throughout this book were those of being remembered and being forgotten. We see it in the cultures that have been wiped out and the religions that have been extinguished. We see it in the sole few carriers of that knowledge and their memory. We see it again in this drive of hope. We see it in legends and stories. We see it in how the world remembers.
What the erasure of these civilisations shows us is that every empire can someday be forgotten and this too is a message of hope. The empire that stands now may not stand forever, in fact it is proof that it will not stand forever, that every empire can fall and thus be forgotten. It shows us our insignificance, that every person can be forgotten, but it also shows us the opposite, that every person can be remembered. The distinction between these two fates comes down to what you leave behind. Give people the desire to remember you, fuel them, inspire them. People will not, centuries later, remember those that they hated or those that they feared, they will remember the goodness that replaced those things, they will remember the hope they were given instead.
I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try. I am hope.
We also walk the lurching line of mortality and learn that mortality is a fickle thing, even for a god, even for the noble and even for the monstrous. But nothing can last forever and, as I mentioned before, every empire must fall. The Earth is littered with the ruins of empires that believed they were eternal. -Camille Paglia.
Alongside that, we also walk the line of morality. The morality in this book is complex, our main characters do morally corrupt things with a basis of good intentions, but then we also have that motivation questioned, too. Can going against the hero or a god ever be perceived as good? It's interesting how we step around the cracks of this matter and how all players are heavily dusted in grey (not just because of the ash) instead of either black or white. There is not simply good and evil, but there are still goods and evils. The line between hero and villain has been thoroughly blurred. Another interesting part of this conversation is where do the people driven to immorality by the world lie, where do the people lie corrupted by power? Who is the one who draws this black and white line of good and evil and why does it swerve around certain people?
This story starts as a heist, but it becomes something so much more important. It becomes something revolutionary. I had an amazing time reading this, every second was filled with action and intrigue and fun! The ending left me broken and lost (all in the best way possible) and with so many more questions, I cannot wait to pick up the next one. I think all I can really say now is thank you Brandon Sanderson! Thank you!
WHAT. THE. HELL. I can honestly say I did not expect any of that to happen. This was just incredible.
Where to start? I've written down notes but I genuinely don't think I can ever put into words and explain the rollercoaster ride I just went on. Honestly just read it, ignore this review and just go read it (come back and read my review after). Only kidding, but in all honesty I can only sit here and process it right now, I'm in awe. I think that's the best way of putting it, I am in complete and utter awe of what Sanderson has done. This was the start of my Sanderson journey and I anticipated greatness after all that I'd heard, but I never expected something this great, I never expected something this huge. You can feel the enormity of the book whilst reading, the expansive world, the brilliant characters, the scope is so large. You know, as you're reading, that you're achieving something enormous.
Let's begin with the world-building. Brandon Sanderson was rumoured to be the king of world-building, I heard it whispered in fantasy corners and screamed from far-away rooftops, and my god were they all right. I've never experienced world-building quite like this, it had so much depth and intricacies, whilst also being very unique. We're allowed to explore the world so vividly and feel its movements all around us. It was, to put it all into one word, phenomenal.
The magic system was what struck me instantly–and I think most people–as mind-blowing. It's so incredibly unique and resides on its own pedestal high above any other. You can see how much thought is put into this world and this story to craft something so spell-binding. The magic system always makes sense, it's got hard limitations and rules that make it very clear, whilst also keeping an air of mystery around it all (mystery that only increases). Every choice that Sanderson made (not only in regards to the magic system or even the world-building, but to the entire story) was smart and calculated and each one was impressive. The magic system in itself was probably the first–but by no means the only time–where I thought, genius!
Witnessing fight scenes and the abilities of magic always had me hooked, you could see every action in Sanderson's clear-voiced writing style (which I'll come to later) and I always searched every description for hidden secrets. There is so much depth to everything that he writes, to every choice that he takes–I know I've said it a thousand times, but that doesn't make it any less true.
The landscape of the world-building was also incredibly interesting. There were many aspects that surprised and intrigued me. I also loved that most of these were of importance to the plot as well, foreshadowing really was hidden in every nook and cranny.
The mists were a beautiful, mysterious thing to add, they set the scene for our world perfectly. Their innate nature to shelter and to hide drew on similar feelings within, one of our main protagonist's, Vin. They felt sentient, too, and I'm certain there's more to them to discover in the next books. As with every aspect of this book, they were explored intricately and I loved the legends and stories that bred fear about them, I loved the rumoured monsters that lived inside of them.
Another feature of the world that set the stage for our story was the ash-stained world. This instantly drew us lines between the common people in their blackened clothes and the nobility in their pristine ones, this was a very smart way to create another line between them, I thought. But more than that, the ash-coloured landscape incapsulated the grey, barren, hopelessness of the world well. This is a world that has not been saved, that much is clear from the start.
The city of Luthadel was a city devoid of hope, but still alive, its heart still beating, its people still going through the daily motions of the lives they resigned themselves to, these lives that could barely be called lives that they were made to feel they deserved.
Not only this compelled me, the layout and structure of Luthadel also interested me a lot. It was a huge city thrumming with life and possibility laying inside great, looming walls, under the ever-watchful eye of the Lord Ruler in the Kredik Shaw. The Kredik Shaw, the Hill of a Thousand Spires is intriguing for a multitude of reasons, however my intrigue was caught by its literal structure. Perhaps this isn't as interesting to others, you may even view it as mundane, but this palace and its spires painted an incredible portrait in my mind and I think it's so unique.
I won't go too much into other aspects that caught my attention for fear of spoilers, but one other that I couldn't stop thinking about was the Pits of Hathsin and every interaction we had with them throughout the story. I still can't stop thinking about it.
I can't expand on every aspect of the world-building (as much as I would like to) because we would be here forever, however the last aspects I thought incredible were the court and its inevitable court politics, and the intricate empire and government that consisted of terrifying people.
I always adore court politics and so I thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses we got into the lives of the nobility and all their secret schemes, however this was a sub-plot, not a main focus of ours.
The empire and all its lands remained quite foreign to us, but purposefully so. We perceive the empire as the Lord Ruler wants us to perceive it, as every other member of the empire could possibly perceive it. This is something forced upon us, along with everyone else, until we're allowed a little room for growth, until our tiny seedling yearning for more information of this world is allowed to see sunlight.
The most interesting, spine-chilling part of the Final Empire is its Steel Inquisitors. They were so intriguing and haunting. I go between calling them monsters and creatures in this review, however neither of those descriptors are accurate. Ultimately they are still human. I don't want to go into them too much (again for fear of spoilers) however I think an important part of remembering the events of this book is to remember that just because something is unknown that does not make it monstrous, actions make it monstrous, and that ultimately all the monstrosities of this story were human. I would go into more depth, but I want this review to be accessible to those who haven't yet read it.
The characters of this story were fascinating. They all had much more spirit and humour than I assumed they would and it only added to the story. Our ragtag team share laughter and joy and so we do alongside them. These moments of joy only make the painful ones that much more painful (something Sanderson is definitely aware of!) The most heart-warming/heart-wrenching aspect of following this team is seeing them grow together and learning to trust and find comfort in one another. They're all complex and opinionated and brilliant; no one falls into the background forgotten, they all have their part to play. There are lots of different relationships and dynamics between them and every single one is warm and engaging. They all have histories and pasts we read on to unravel and the absorbing possibilities of so many futures. And not one of them is invincible.
This is a great feat that Sanderson achieves that many authors struggle with. He limits his characters. They're not super-human, they're not all-powerful, they're not invincible. They can't do everything so their tasks get shared, they can't fight lots of foes and survive so they hurt, and so on. He sets out all his cards on the table and shows us how he will realistically win the game. It's a refreshing experience to have their wins and losses feel so natural and for the twists and turns to be well foreshadowed and, above all, make sense.
Kelsier was my favourite character right from the very beginning. He's reckless and impulsive, but smart and courageous, he's an amazing character and part of that is because he is flawed. His charisma and purposeful joy elevates and encourages those around him constantly, you could always feel his presence. He was always something palpable, even when not in a scene, the other characters carried his spark. It was unquestionably his fire, born through pain and grief, that started everything. His character is complex, yet also simple, he's a man who's found a purpose and that purpose is everything. His bravado inspires the impossible and he gives purpose to those around him, too. One of my favourite scenes is a lesson he teaches Vin (an emotional one) where he confides that, you don't stop loving someone just because they hurt you. It's a beautiful conversation and I absolutely adored Kelsier and Vin's relationship. He teaches her to love and to trust and that it's okay to do those things, even if you get hurt in the end. It's better to have loved and to have lost and all that. Kelsier's entire backstory was so compelling and added so much to his character when you understand all that he's been through. Learning about Mare, too, was heart-breaking. Ultimately it's his bravery (and the foolishness that comes with) that makes him. He's determined and strong and he understands he's not invincible, but that he can become immortal through what he leaves behind.
Vin is another incredible protagonist. She's stubborn and strong, very similar to Kelsier in a lot of ways, but also very different. She's entirely her own person, she's had a hard life and is still discovering who she is and what to make of herself. She realises she's only ever lived hidden in the shadows, always wearing a disguise, not wanting to be seen, not wanting to be hurt, but Kelsier drops into her life and–as is his way–creates havoc and in doing so shows her a whole new world. Not only does he show her the world of allomancy, but also a world where people trust one another and where they even permit themselves to love. I know I've mentioned this already, but it feels right to reiterate when talking about Vin as she's the character most impacted by this. This questions her perspective of the world–this shallow pit of a world frothing with evil her brother has taught her will never change–and forces her to confront his voice in her head. She peeks around every corner just waiting for the next betrayal, never allowing herself to know people, but Kelsier and the rest change everything. She has amazing character growth and forms a truly brave heart. She's a survivor and that is one of the main aspects that links her with the rest of the characters, I'd say it's the main aspect that links them all. What is so interesting about Vin is that she's still compassionate and kind even after all that she's gone through, she still finds it in herself to feel for others. She's clever and unbreakable and once she's got a goal in mind she won't let it go.
Another of my favourite characters (there are so many good ones) was Sazed. Sazed is incredibly caring and loving, his compassion extends to so many and his heart is a pure one. He's extremely intelligent and stores so much knowledge of long-forgotten histories, cultures and religions. This is the factor that is the most interesting about him, the burden of the weight he must carry, the burden of remembering so much that is forgotten. He is strong in his soul, but he is also pained, he has lost much of his own culture and his search brings only small rewards, however he's a persistent optimist and a very humble hero. His duty and his care reach insurmountable heights, but what he carries with him is knowledge for long after he's gone.
I won't go into every character, but just know that they're all incredible and so much fun to read about.
Sanderson's writing is brilliant. He crafts beautiful descriptions and riveting dialogue, whilst still explaining his world naturally and precisely. His writing style is very accessible and not as heavy as some other adult fantasy works, so it's perfect for anyone, even if you haven't read much fantasy before. All his descriptions are so vivid and alive, I could see so clearly the scenes playing out in my mind as though I were there watching them. I could see Kelsier leaping across rooftops in the mist; I could feel every surge of happiness, fear and grief; I could see everything. It was all so dynamic and I was always fully immersed in the world.
One choice I adored was the passages written before each chapter. Now, again, I can't go into this too much because of spoilers, however I will say that once I realised what it was I couldn't stop thinking about it for a single moment. It made the story so much more complex and increased my already flaring intrigue tenfold. I always wanted to know more and more and more and couldn't put this book down.
There were so many plot twists and, as I said previously, they were all foreshadowed immensely well and all felt natural to the plot, whilst still being incredibly shocking. I was gasping and crying and my mouth was constantly hung agape by the end. Every twist and turn was satisfying and there truly were so many of them!
My favourite aspect of this book (and this is saying a lot because I absolutely adored every single thing in it) was the theme of hope. The themes of hope and resilience hit the hardest for me and every moment hung with anticipation as I tried to figure out what story Sanderson would be telling.
The Skaa people are a people who have been beaten down their entire lives, made to feel worthless and hopeless and afraid, resigned to the fact that this is all they could ever be. Finding that hope inside of them, finding a reason and the strength to fight was powerful. It was inspiring to read. Them finding something to live for despite the darkness of their lives and the perceived uselessness of their resistance was incredible.
What I loved the most was the message that hope can never die. No matter how tired, no matter how beaten, no matter how exhausted you are, hope prevails. Hope is something that can preserve us and we can also preserve it. It inspires us, even if we die there is the hope that we have changed something, that we have fought for something worth fighting for, that we will be remembered. We can leave behind a part of ourselves with our hope. I wrote down a note that I feel is appropriate here, hope can never die and with hope as something to preserve us we cannot be forgotten. It gives us courage and strength and no matter what it will be there, even if we forget it for a time.
Other themes that prevail throughout this book were those of being remembered and being forgotten. We see it in the cultures that have been wiped out and the religions that have been extinguished. We see it in the sole few carriers of that knowledge and their memory. We see it again in this drive of hope. We see it in legends and stories. We see it in how the world remembers.
What the erasure of these civilisations shows us is that every empire can someday be forgotten and this too is a message of hope. The empire that stands now may not stand forever, in fact it is proof that it will not stand forever, that every empire can fall and thus be forgotten. It shows us our insignificance, that every person can be forgotten, but it also shows us the opposite, that every person can be remembered. The distinction between these two fates comes down to what you leave behind. Give people the desire to remember you, fuel them, inspire them. People will not, centuries later, remember those that they hated or those that they feared, they will remember the goodness that replaced those things, they will remember the hope they were given instead.
I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try. I am hope.
We also walk the lurching line of mortality and learn that mortality is a fickle thing, even for a god, even for the noble and even for the monstrous. But nothing can last forever and, as I mentioned before, every empire must fall. The Earth is littered with the ruins of empires that believed they were eternal. -Camille Paglia.
Alongside that, we also walk the line of morality. The morality in this book is complex, our main characters do morally corrupt things with a basis of good intentions, but then we also have that motivation questioned, too. Can going against the hero or a god ever be perceived as good? It's interesting how we step around the cracks of this matter and how all players are heavily dusted in grey (not just because of the ash) instead of either black or white. There is not simply good and evil, but there are still goods and evils. The line between hero and villain has been thoroughly blurred. Another interesting part of this conversation is where do the people driven to immorality by the world lie, where do the people lie corrupted by power? Who is the one who draws this black and white line of good and evil and why does it swerve around certain people?
This story starts as a heist, but it becomes something so much more important. It becomes something revolutionary. I had an amazing time reading this, every second was filled with action and intrigue and fun! The ending left me broken and lost (all in the best way possible) and with so many more questions, I cannot wait to pick up the next one. I think all I can really say now is thank you Brandon Sanderson! Thank you!