Book 2, The Well of Ascension: Mistborn

Very slow plot throughout most of the book. I did not like it as much as the first in the series. I can't understand why everyone else rated this book so highly. I'm debating whether or not to continue to the third book.

This had everything I loved about the first book but (minor spoilers ahead) Vin now has a boyfriend who is a king, a magic talking dog, and secret powers that make her more powerful than any other mistborn. This trilogy is just the best. Can't wait to read the third book!

My husband and I started a tradition a while back that when we make road trips we read to each other to help the time fly. Mistborn is our first series. Well of Ascension holds up to Mistborn which we both loved. Highly, highly recommend.

Sanderson likes to "change the rules" at the end of his books, I'm noticing. They don't exactly contradict so much as make you call much of what you think you know into question. When nearing the end of this book, I re-read the opening and was prepared for what was coming.

Still enjoyed seeing it unfold.

Great book - HOWEVER !! the author has made a grave error in the structure of this 2nd and even worse 3rd book - instead of starting with a introduction explaining to those who have not read the first book what so far happened he spends aprox 12 -15 % of the 2nd book explaining events of the first and more than twice that in the 3rd book - explaining the first and 2nd book - WHY ???

what a senseless destruction of good reading material

I love the Mistborn series! I've been writing and reading fantasy novels for years and this is one of my all time favorites. Great story telling and wonderful characters. It's one of those series that is so good that you are sad when you come to the end of the final book. I look forward to reading other books by Brandon - he's a very talented writer with a great imagination.

First review of the Mistborn Trilogy. I didn't like this book as well as the first. After the original Mistborn left the reader anxiously awaiting to see how Luthadel proceeds without The Lord Ruler, The Well of Ascension drags the trilogy along, but does at times include exciting battles and revelations. I am looking forward to finishing the trilogy, but I plan to wait awhile to proceed anticipating a slow start again in book 3.

Sanderson's books continue to be among the best fantasy books we've ever read. The second book was yet better than the first book. We are now on to the third one. We recommend the series highly. It is an exceptional piece of literary work.

The underlying system of Allomancy is clever and well thought out. The plot and characters are good, and the writing style is clean, if a bit repetitive. The reader doesn't get to connect the dots, it's all explained along the way.

The first book was a decent start to this series, but this book was far better. The strong female lead is absolutely incredible, the details are well thought out and written, and when you think that you have the plot figured out, Sanderson proves you wrong. This book placed the series on my list of fantasy favorites.

Sanderson has a profound gift of being able to immerse a reader in the imagery of his writing. I was immediately drawn into the world and characters in this series. It's been two months since I started reading Sanderson's work and I am already my fifth book. I started with the Mistborn trilogy, then The Way of Kings, and am half way through Words of Radiance.

After book one, I was totally addicted to the series and for sure I enjoyed this one even more. There are so many things happening in the same time yet never confusing. 2nd book continues great story, brings us great battles but also drives us into the mind of the, once oppressed, ska population and their leaders.
Those who enjoyed the first book, will have hard time putting this book down once they start reading.

After finishing the series, I would have to say that this one was the weakest of the three. That isn't to say that it isn't a enjoyable read, it is just that it isn't on the same level as the first and third. If you enjoyed the first book, I would recommend continuing on through the entire series. The best part of the second book is the evolution that you get to see in Elend.

The Well of Ascension, book 2 of the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, is a very solid entry into modern fantasy. It is slightly slower of pace then book 1 (The Final Empire); however, it's characterization is more thorough, and definitively more solid: Elend, Vin, Sazed, Breeze, OreSuer... are all expanded upon.

Could the book, then, be shorter (as it's basically a build up to a battle for the city of Luthadel) ? Perhaps. It certainly *is* slow during the first section, but it builds momentum until it literally roared through the final section (Snow and Ash).

It may not be the best fantasy book of 2007 (hello "Reaper's Gale" by Steven Erikson), but it is a good read, and a nice extension of a very good series.

I look forward to book 3.

Action thriller with a strong heroine. Unique concept for an alternate universe. Engaging characters, a smart heroine. Wrestles with larger themes of ethics and government. Excellent story arc and hard choices for many of the characters. Great heart pounding action scenes.

Ouch - that hurt. Finishing this book was like taking a knife wound. I didn't want it to end there. But the good news for me is that Book 3 is out. In fact, I already read the prologue...

Anyway, back to Book 2. I didn't like it quite as much as Mistborn: The Final Empire, but still liked it enough for 5 stars. This book simply rocks!

The pace is somewhat slow, but that's necessary for the character building and development that Sanderson is accomplishing. But then when the action kicks in, it's like watching X-Men.

This wasn't a caper saga like the first book, but rather a world-building exercise where Sanderson moves the players on his gameboard around. There are new characters and old alike, new mysteries and old ones seen in a new light. New revelations and surprises abound.

Because this book is the bridge of the trilogy, I like to think of The Well of Ascension as:

The Final Empire Strikes Back

Sanderson does it again. This is the second of Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy and the crew is now left to deal with the aftermath of the rebellion against the god-like Lord Ruler from the first book. There are many good elements to the story, character development, intrigue, and a constant sense of dread and despair for the odds pitted against our heroes. Truly wonderful writing and a definite good read. Highly recommend.

Continues to amaze. Expands on characters we had little insight into before while still building on others we know well. In love with so many of the characters. Story builds further, looking forward to the finale.

Anytime I'm reading fantasy for review, I take copious notes. In fact, most of the time, my review is pretty much written by the time I finish the book, I just need to make slight alterations to account for any last minute goings on.

And I like that, b/c your average fantasy is 2 - 3x longer than any other book. Trying to go back after the fact and recall all the key details would be a nightmare.

BUT.

Brandon Sanderson has consistently thwarted me in this area. And by consistently, I mean every, single time.

Why do you hate me, Mr. Sanderson? WHY?!

If I were to rate a Sanderson book---any Sanderson book---prior to the last 20%, almost all of them would hover around the 3.0 star range.

But unlike most books that benefit from higher ratings b/c OMG, THAT ENDING!, my experience with Sanderson has been very different.

Yes, there is definitely an element of OMG and FEELS overwhelming your brain stem, making you instantly forget whatever had you feeling so MEH for the majority of the book, but that's only one small aspect of the turnaround. I'll get to the greater part in a minute.

I've called Sanderson a master of misdirection several times, but I'm finding it to be especially true in this first MISTBORN trilogy.

You know what happened last time . . . This time . . . it wasn't quite as drastic, but it had a greater impact on my overall reaction to the book.

B/c initially, I didn't much like this one.

We know from THE FINAL EMPIRE that the Well of Ascension is where the s*** went down. The Lord Ruler traveled to the mountains of Terris as prophecy dictated to seize its power and defeat the Deepness . . .

A power that wasn't meant to be contained but released, and in selfishly keeping that power to serve his own purposes, the Lord Ruler became the new Evil.

With his death, the Deepness is returning.

His ominous last words proved truthful, and whatever had been holding it back is now absent. Strange shapes take insubstantial form and stalk the Mist by night, and by day . . . no longer banished by light, the Mist attacks and kills defenseless villagers.

And Vin is drawn by a distant thrumming, a constant drum beat in the distance that only she can hear . . . calling her to the Well.

You'd think that a journey across a land filled with various and dangerous threats would make for an excellent second installment, and it would have . . . if the book had been about a journey across a land filled with various and dangerous threats.

But it wasn't.

It was about about a city besieged by not one, not two, but THREE armies, one full of the remnants of one of the Lord Ruler's monstrous creations.

It was about a naive manboy who needed to lose the boy and become a king. It was about a insecure girl who loves Manboy, but thinks he deserves far better than she. It was about grasping factions in a fledgling government and political scheming and backstabbing, and while that may sound marvelous in theory . . .

After roughly 600 pages, it's dreadfully dull.

Especially after an action-packed first installment, which brings up another complaint . . .

This is the second time I've encountered a lackluster sequel in a Sanderson series, so while I'm not 100% that it's a pattern, it is 2:2 which dramatically increases the likelihood . . .

It goes like this:

Book 1 - first 80% can be slow and consists primarily of misdirection, false trails, etc. leading to the brilliant chaos of the last 20%. World-building and character development are typically enough to keep you engaged.

Book 2 - favors political scheming over action, lots of agonizing(ly boring) soul searching, angst-fueled love triangle, and above all else, miscommunication and refusal to confront emotional problems directly.

If this is a pattern, Mr. Sanderson, you need to break it.

Sooners rather than laters, baby.

But despite my annoyance with the lack of progress towards the ultimate goal being somewhat neutralized by last minute revelations (which, by the way, is as frustrating as it is gratifying), those revelations cannot mitigate how completely over I was the Vin/Elend relationship drama.

Part of me feels like it would've been more honest to call this book: I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH, HE'S GOING TO LEAVE ME, WHEN WILL HE LEAVE ME?, HE'S GOING TO LEAVE ME.

Long, I know. Probably one of the many reasons they went with something else. But it would have been more accurate than THE WELL OF ASCENSION.

And as I said, this is the second time Sanderson has done this to us.

I'm baffled. This kind of teen-angsty melodrama has no place in adult high fantasy.

NONE.

But, also again, a handful of new characters (Zane and Tindwyl) and careful threading of impossible-to-detect-foundations for later plot twists kept it from being a total loss. (view spoiler) <------If there had been just slightly less drama, those things alone would have made this a strong 4.0 star read for me. BUT. Drama.

Recommended with qualifications. Book 3 is up next, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Brandon Sanderson mixes mesmerizing intrigue with extraordinary characterization and compelling subplots to flesh out this world with a story that brings a vast range of emotions and to the reader over and over. No modern day fantasy writer can come close to matching him or the terrific saga he has set forward in the first two books of the Mistborn Trilogy.

In my opinion the series just goes downhill after the first book. 4 stars for the first, 3 for this one, and 2 for the 3rd. The metaphorical shark was jumped, and then jumped again, and then jumped in reverse.

Sanderson shows his readers that his writing only becomes better as his story progresses. While some may find this addition somewhat slower and more conflicted than its predecessor, Sanderson sets the stage for a grand and diabolical production that the reader had no idea was even in town.

With more mystery and rising stakes, Well of Ascension has me asking for book 3 of the Mistborn Trilogy

Takes a long time to develop, but the ending wraps everything together in a beautiful and powerful way. My first thoughts of the book were this story is not as strong as the first Mistborn book, but by the end I found myself thinking maybe I enjoyed this one more. I look forward to reading this one again and see everything through a new lens. This book series is incredible so far.

Kudos to Brandon Sanderson. I am currently looking for more series he has written. He is imaginative and his use of common medals in providing powers and special features to the person ingesting them was a very creative, unique idea. I am fascinated by the details and character development he spent so much time on. He is a gifted writer.

This series will be the next mind-blowing movie series or TV maxi-series. The magic is solid and logical. The depth of character development rivals even Rothfuss on some levels and that's very high praise because almost no one else has approached Rothfuss in those areas.

The mistborn series is a great read. I particularly love the idea of the different magic system that is used in this book (i.e. ingestion of metals) to create and make use of particular powers of the main characters. It is definitely quite different. I have also really enjoyed the development of the main characters from the down trodden and criminal to hero's. Maybe it is an australian trait - we have always loved barracking for the underdog and have always believed that even though a little naughty there is a redeeming feature/character trait in us all.

I have read most of Sandersons books and have found that his characters are developed, real and interesting.

This is not my favorite Sanderson. This series doesn't quite have the same get up and go that Way of Kings does but once the story starts rolling it is fun and adventurous. There are a lot of characters to love which is fun. It is decent fantasy. Not the best but certainly not the worst.

The first book of the series was outstanding, and the second one had very high standards to try to reach. I believe it has reached and surpassed those standards. Absolutely amazing story and character development and scenes. Of course, I missed Kelsier and his dynamic with Vin, but it still had fabulous interactions and growth between characters.

This trilogy has the most epic come together ending I have ever read in my life. An entire week of my life was spent thinking of ways I could squeeze in a few more minutes reading this this book. Amazing.

Even better than the first. This series just keeps on getting better and better. The character development is amazing and you get really invested and attached to the characters. So many plot twists and surprises. A must read.

This is a book to read leisurely. The final section creates a mystery where you want to find out how it'll be solved.
Some sentences in here are gems! Here's an example from page 696:

"She caught one of the spikes at the top of the palace, spinning in the night, looking out over the darkening city."

The character building in this book took me by surprise. Learned to really like Elend and his principles. I'm was not prepared for what happened in the last few chapters though. I look forward to what happens in the third book.

If you loved Brandon Sanderson's first novel of the mist born series then you will love this one. There are so many twists and turns that you don't no what's going to happen next.overall this is a heart wrenching tale full of friendship and adventure.a must read for fans of fantasy and dystopia.