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Mistborn Trilogy Review and my thoughts on Brandon Sanderson
#booktube #mistborn #cosmere
The Mistborn Trilogy is the perfect starting point for anyone wanting to jump into the Cosmere. In this video I go over my thoughts about my first taste of Sanderson and the Cosmere with all three Mistorn novels. This Mistborn review is spoiler free!
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Buy the Mistborn Trilogy here! amzn.to/3ckECz6
Super late comment, just stumbled on your video after reading Mistborn, and I'm glad I finally found someone with enough balls to say mistborn was alright, but far from great. You got yourself another sub
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
Hey I'm glad to hear it!
@Glock19Atlanta
2 жыл бұрын
Completely agree. ❤️
@1888CHAD8881
2 жыл бұрын
Any books like this that you recommend?
The YA feel of Sanderson's books completely throw me off. I put down the Mistborn series in book 2. I put down Stormlight Archives mid way through Oathbringer because I felt like the YA aspects were coming through again way too strongly. I think Sanderson's character work is some of the weakest among the major Fantasy authors, and to me character development is the most important aspect of a good novel. Thanks for your review. Good stuff.
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
My pleasure!
I’ve watched a bunch of mistborn reviews and you’re the only one I’ve heard say the dialogue is bad. THANK YOU. I thought I was taking crazy pills. A+ review. Very fair and I completely agree that he’s got a ways to go before he’s compared to Tolkien. That being said, I just finished the way of kings. I could not put that book down. I loved it.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I like to be balanced and see everything from both sides. I too finished TWOK recently and LOVED it
Sanderson is a McAuthor who writes McEpics for McReaders. Super sized Happy Reads.
@fromheaventoearth5779
Жыл бұрын
Yes! holy shit, yes!
So, interestingly, in the Sanderson novel I just read, I felt there was a simplicity to the prose that surprised me a bit because he is so well-liked. The prose was very accessible, not fancy or flashy at all. I gave the novella four out of five because the prose didn’t wow me, but the story line was definitely well thought out and cohesive.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah I was a bit shocked as well by the simplicity of his prose. I will say I think there's some merit to that approach though. It opens up your work to a very large amount of people and can be digested by anyone so I can kind of understand it. It more so bothered me because I've heard him referred to as the Tolkien of this generation and I just don't see it personally. Cohesive is the PERFECT way to describe his plot. He's definitely an ace in that department!
@gamgam7979
Ай бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork He has said before that he makes an effort to write "glass", rather than stained glass, or a painting, or something else. He wants to give access to viewpoints and stories, which he uses to spark emotion within himself and others. Also, he's made an effort after the pandemic to improve his prose, which can be seen throughout his secret projects which are much more allegorical, flowery, and generally well written, (even if he sort of cops out by literally making them stories told by a specific bard-like character).
You're one of the very few semi-critical book-tubers of Mistborn I've found which I appreciate. I finished Era 1 and was left feeling nothing. There were moments in all three books which moved me deeply, but were ultimately farts in the wind. Everything that happens feels too convenient, drawn out or boringly ethereal. You claimed in your Way of Kings review that Sanderson improves, so I'll give that one last shot. I just wish these books vibed with me like it did with seemingly everyone else.
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah was disappointed with these books. I loved the first 3 Stormlight books, however book 4 has really tempered my expectations. Sanderson is never going to be my favorite author but he has his moments
@humanfirst11
2 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork who's your favourite author/s ?
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
@@humanfirst11 there are a lot but I love GRRM and Robin Hobb the most
After reading Name of the Wind I went to Brandon Sanderson and I was amazed with Mistborn. It was very simple. Surface level worldbuilding. Repetitive descriptors. A little too videogamey. Not enough depth. I am truly confused as to why people recommend the Mistborn trilogy so highly. Just my honest opinion.
I think I will disagree with you, in my opinion there is no love triangle in Well of Ascension, here I explain the reasons why I think it is not like this: 1) Vin and Zane's relationship is above all a relationship of interest: Zane needs Vin to save him from his prisons: his father and his madness; and Vin needs to convince Zane to go over to Elend's side, betray his father and thereby obtain a second Mitsborn to protect the Kingdom of Luthadel (which is understandable that Vin seeks this out considering the desperate situation of the Kingdom), and later, that Zane help her to be the Hero of the Ages. In short, Vin herself was seeking Zane's help because she personally felt overwhelmed by the events of Book 2. Objectives that they achieve in a certain sense, since Zane achieves his freedom through the death at the hands of Vin and Vin thanks to his fights with Zane she managed to perfect herself as an assassin and Mitsborn, and managed to defeat the army of Cett, so technically both managed to achieve their interests. 2) Vin at that time from Book 2 is without atium, while Zane is with a lot of that metal (remember how powerful that metal is). In other words, it is understandable that Vin plans to go with Zane so that he does not get angry with her and do something wrong to her or your loved ones (more with Zane's unpredictable nature, making it difficult for Vin to interpret what to expect from Zane), since if she dies , Elend and the band will follow after her, which Vin obviously does not want because of the deep and intense love that the girl has for her loved one and her family. In conclusion, Vin was looking to go with Zane to protect his own moved ones. 3) Vin has a longing for Kelsier, so she seeks to replace that loss through Zane on a psychological and emotional level due to the great similarity that Zane and Kelsier have. Which is understandable, if one loses someone he loved a lot, the individual's mind will inertia search for an emotional replacement. 4) Vin cannot be classified as hormonal because she never flirt with Zane (since Vin knows how dangerous he is and she does not seek to risk his life in vain), it is Zane who He harasses and court Vin and looks for her all the time, so the hormonal one is Zane. Vin would be the rational one, even when Zane grabs her hand to take her away, she rejects Him two times. 5) How ca you say that there is a love triangle if Vin literally spends a good time of the book thinking how much she loves Elend with all his soul, how much she wants him to kiss and embrace her, how much she wants the best for him, how much she wants to be useful to his cause. In addition, Vin thinks of a moment that she wishes to be with Elend because he represents peace and happiness for her. 6)And lastly, she has an absolute fear of death, including the deaths she herself causes, and Vin thought perhaps Zane could help her overcome his terror of death and become a more effective Mitsborn, especially considering who are in the middle of a siege. But hey, this is just my personal opinion (based on things I read from the book). Greetings. You do a Interesting video and have a peculiar perspective of the trilogy.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Hey thank you so much for this comment. I love hearing different opinions from my own and it always let's me walk away with another perspective. Your point to Zane and Kelsier and what they mean to Vin was a very good point and I hadn't considered it that way. While reading over your comment I think i'll have to re-read Mistborn one day. Have you read Stormlight? I just finished book 2 and I am in love with it.
@oscarveron1386
4 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork Yes , Stormlight Archive is a great series, I so excited for Rhythms of War and have more theoried about that future book. I am happy for the importance that secondary characters are acquiring or will be acquiring in Oathbringer and in the following books.
@oscarveron1386
4 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork And Words of Radiance is a beautiful book.
@somekidwithaphone3345
3 жыл бұрын
TRUER
Even tho I disagree with you on a couple of things, I loved your review of mistborn. Brandon Sanderson is my fav author. The criticism about romance and YAish moments are definitely fair. You weren't one of those people who personally didn't like something about the trilogy and immediately called it and Brandon Sanderson trash. You get mad respect for that. You've got yourself a new follower/subscriber.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching and I appreciate those kind words! I have so much respect for Sanderson and his ability to craft a story and more importantly end it. I think he's great and can't wait to see how he's grown in Stormlight!!
That is completely how I feel about him! So much criticism I can relate to, but man his plotting was overwhelming to me. And the more I'm getting into the cosmere universe, the more respect I have for his work as an author
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
I’ve definitely changed my tune a bit! If you wanna hear my more recent thoughts on him and the cosmere, check out my way of kings review!
Once again. I completely agree. The character building really wasn't there for me. I almost didn't finish it. But like you said he always managed to pull me back in. Except that I did like where the last book went. I was lucky enough to start with stormlight . However that meant I went with big expectations and was kind of let down by mystborn . I'm nervous to start the second era. I tend to not be a fan of steam punk or ya have you covered those?
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
I haven’t and have only read the Alloy of Law and I thought it was pretty mediocre, borderline bad
I'm currently reading another earlier book of his and noticing some of the issues that make me think I should be more discerning in which Sanderson books I pick to read. Thank you for your honest but also respectful and multifaceted review!
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
I appreciate it!
I just dropped the first book after 120 pages. I finished the First Law trilogy before Mistborn, and I really didn't feel any sense of mystery regarding the world. Which is not entirely the book's problem, but it felt like it was really flat, probably because of the lack of descriptions how the environment looked like. I really wanted to love this, but I felt like reading YA. I also got Way of Kings and I hope this one will be a better fit for me. Thanks for your reviews, I really find them to be one of the best on the internet!
@thefantasynuttwork
10 ай бұрын
Thank you so much
This review made me appreciate your opinions for other books drastically! Not many people criticize Mistborn the way you did, so I was glad to find someone with the same thoughts. Specifically, about the YA aspects in book 2. It was a huge turnoff, even though book 2 was my favorite. I give Mistborn maybe 3 stars. Then, to see your different opinion of Sanderson for The Way of Kings was exactly how I felt as well. Thanks for your work on this channel! I value your opinion highly. Please keep it up.
@thefantasynuttwork
11 ай бұрын
I’m really glad you enjoy it!
So I'm around 200 pages into Final Empire. Its good but can't say I'm hooked
I agree with everything you said. I am actually struggling reading book 2 (Mistborn) Sanderson writes bad books with Amazing endings and connecting many books with cool endings to each other makes you believe he writes pieces of art. I don't want to go through reading 5 books while suffering to finally like him. If i can't love the author reading one of his most famous trilogies, I ain't buying more books from that author. I wanna spend my time enjoying the read, not yawning through 400 pages to get something good in the other last 200.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 ай бұрын
Book 2 is one of my least favorite books ever lol but book 2 of stormlight I adore. Such a rollercoaster with him for me
We have exactly the same tastes... almost, because I couldn't read the second book of Mistborn, I just put it down, a few hours ago.. I don't know, maybe I like swords too much and I don't like YA.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
Well of Ascension was an absolute chore for me to get through. I do however think the ending was great, but the other 90% was ugh
@blueeyed5074
3 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork Maybe I will pick it up again after a few weeks...but it is a chore.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
@@blueeyed5074 I wouldn't blame you for stopping, I kinda wish I had
Would love to hear your thoughts on the “Red rising” books. Absolutely phenomenal work, not a boring moment, pure thrilling entertainment....can’t even compare him to any other other! People complain that the first book is “slow”....not sure what’s “action packed” then. Anyway, would love to hear what you think 🤔
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
I'll be reading Red Rising this year 😬
@YaFeya13
3 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork oh, I’m so jealous of anyone experiencing it for the first time 😩 Enjoy 😊
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
@@YaFeya13 thanks, I'm excited!
Yeah great video. Book 1 was a 5/5 for me, Book 2 a 1/5 and book 3 a 3/5 (everybody was hyping it to be the best book, but naah). I'm going to read Stormlight Archives next, hopefully it's a lot better.
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
I found stormlight to be much much better, at least the first 3 entries
Excellent review. Subscribed.
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
Hello! Thanks for sharing your unpopular opinion, I’m currently half way through the 1st book and the pacing is all over the shop for me and I can’t fully grasp the magic system. I haven’t connected with the characters and I feel the book leans more to ya like u mentioned. I’ve already made up my mind that I won’t be continuing the series, but I’ll give stormlight archive a go. I’m the empress of ‘unpopular opinions’ so let me say I LOVED ‘Warbreaker’!!! And can’t wait for the companion. Have u read it?
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
Yup! I have a review for warbreaker actually 😁
@proseandcons7730
2 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork fantastic! I have checked it out already ;) I’m curious, what Brandon Sanderson book is your absolute fave?
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
@@proseandcons7730 words of radiance for sure
Thanks for capturing what I felt about the series as well. I thought I was the crazy one when I only saw rave reviews about this thing. I feel like he is too in love with the magic system. The story would grind to a halt with pages & pages of explaining how the magic system works and then re-explaining the magic system again during the fight scenes. It felt like I was reading a textbook about someone's made up version of Chemistry & Physics during those parts. Like when I am reading an action scene where the main character could die I really don't care about which metal he/she is burning lol. I tried to get through it but DNF'd it when the YA feeling started becoming more prominent. I was afraid of reading the stormlight archive (due to my worries about it being obsessed with the magic system as well) but finished Way of Kings and part way into Words of Radiance and loving it so far. They have none of the problems of Mistborn and I have already become so invested in this series.
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
Yeah I really love Stormlight thankfully lol
You touched on a lot of my problems with Sanderson. I agree that he has some of the best endings and was able to pull the rug out from under me 3 times. Interestingly enough, the 3rd was my favorite and I found the first 2 books quite a slog to get through. I think I found the 3rd the most engaging because I found the kandra fascinating and was very interested in TenSoon and I wish we got more of him. Elend and Sazed were some of my favorite characters as well. Unfortunately I found Vin to be quite insufferable-like you I just didn’t really buy the whole damaged goods, I felt her story was cliche, boring, and not very relatable. You also touched on many of my criticisms of Sanderson’s prose: cringe, YA, repetitive, and almost blunt to the point of dumbing it down. Like you I don’t need everything to be some Shakespearean over the top flowery language, but it really just felt like I was being told things rather than shown. Just compare this to Simmons in Hyperion or Herbert in Dune and Sanderson’s prose falls apart. Additionally, I felt the action scenes were way too drawn out-the gore was awesome and well done, but I don’t need to read a 40 page battle sequence. Ultimately, I think Sanderson has some great ideas, but for everything he did in the trilogy that I loved, he had 100 other things that made me cringe. For example: count how many times ‘maladroitly’ is used in the trilogy. Multiple times during the same fight sequences and even multiple times on a page! It isn’t even a good word! It is one of those pretentious words that someone uses to showboat and sticks out like a sore thumb. Every time I would be pulled immediately out of it and say “Stop it Brandon!”
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
Great comment! Have you tried Way of Kings?
@benwillingham6823
Жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork Not yet! I do own it though and it is on my to read list for this year. I’ll probably wait to watch your review until I finish, but I watched your Hyperion review today and really enjoyed your take there too. Will definitely be subscribing.
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
@@benwillingham6823 awesome! I enjoyed TWOK a lot which was a shock for me haha
"He's a safe author." And that's something that makes authors shit.
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
Hahaha
Thoughful analysis. I'm only just past page 200 of the first book, but so far I largely agree with you. Simplicity in prose can be a great boon, rather than a drawback, but the prose in Mistborn isn't skillful enough for that. How does a great of the literary world get away with writing things like "entering the entryway"? But I loved the perspective shifting of the prologue and all the hints he's been dropping to Kelsier's background. Unlike some other authors (coughKevinKwan), I can see why people eat his stuff up.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the comment! While the prose remains straight forward and basic I will say Sanderson improved a lot by the time he wrote Stormlight. So if Mistborn ends up not being your thing make sure to give him another shot if you feel like it haha
Almost done with the stormlight archives I can't wait to start on mistborn era 1 and mistborn era 2
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
I hope you enjoy it!
Mistborn feels joyless, but I like Brandon Sanderson and respect his output
I know you reviewed this some time ago, but i wonder what you thought about the action and the flow of it? :D
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
Sando writes great action scenes IMO
Basic is the best way to describe him as an author. I cannot understand the appeal of his books.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
Very accessible at least 😁
I’ve just read the first Mistborn book and you captured my feelings perfectly. There’s a lot to like and the good stuff is very good, but some creaky writing too. Your point about the robotic prose is made worse by his bizarre adjective choices. He must use ‘Maladroitly’ ten times in the book, without using ‘clumsily’ once. It stands out like a sore thumb. Sanderson needs a Thesaurus, or stronger editor! I still plan to read the rest of the trilogy. I’ll just have to hold my nose through the YA romance cringe.
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah very much the same experience for me, however I did like his Stormlight books a lot more
Speaking of the he said, she said stuff. Have you checked out John Scalzi’s Redshirts. I quit at chapter 2. Your head would explode. It was so bad. This was a very thoughtful review. How nice that the squirrel wanted to get involved. 😂
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
I cannot wait for Mr Squirrel to be back into the wild where he belongs hahah. I may have to check out Redshirt's for a solid cringe or two! Thank you so much for checking out the video!
Trivia: how many times is the magic system explained in the first 3 books? Bonus Trivia: how many times does Kelsier smile?
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
Ahahaha
I enjoy Sanderson's writing, but I never feel very drawn to his characters. So many other authors create characters I care so much more about. I am always surprised by the number of readers who think he is the be all, end all of fantasy writers. Just found your channel and am enjoying your videos. Totally agree with your Faithful & the Fallen raves
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
I think you and I have similar opinions on Sanderson then! I really appreciate the comment and you taking time to watch through the channel. I cannot wait to read the sequel trilogy for faithful and the fallen!!
@illinirick1
4 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork You will love the sequel trilogy. The battle scenes in that trilogy prove that Gwynne is one of the best at writing action scenes
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
@@illinirick1 good to know, thank you!!
I had all the complaints you had. I hear stormlight archive improves upon the things I disliked so I hope that is the case, as I really like what he does well, but really dislike some things as well.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
I’m about to finish up the 4th Stormlight book and think it’s way better than Mistborn. He’s not the most prolific writer but he has improved quite a bit. I’d recommend checking out my Way of Kings no spoiler review to hear my updated thoughts on Sanderson as an author. Thanks for watching :-)
@JamesI88
3 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork just after I commented i saw the other videos😁. Glad to hear he improves so much, I'd like to also enjoy what everybody else seems to love
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
@@JamesI88 life’s all about finding things to get excited about :-)
After I finish The Once and Future King, I plan on starting Mistborn.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
It's definitely fun!
@benjaminmolina3456
4 жыл бұрын
The Fantasy Nuttwork i’ve heard it is. Then I want to move onto Elantris, but getting into Stormlight is a big investment.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
@@benjaminmolina3456 Yes it is, and the series not being finished also keeps me from starting Stormlight
@benjaminmolina3456
4 жыл бұрын
The Fantasy Nuttwork yep, i don’t want another A Song of Ice and Fire situation on my hands. I started buying the Malazan books, heard real good stuff about that series.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
@@benjaminmolina3456 Funny you mention it, I was considering startin Malazan!
Great review! I agree with you on pretty much everything. P.s. you're like a younger more handsome version of Jack Randall from Outlander 😂
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Haha hey I'll take that compliment! Thank you so much for watching!
Random question but what is your ethnic background? I have a feeling you are a white Asian mix ?also love your videos as well !
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
Just white with a small portion of native american, like very small haha
@irishknight6893
2 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork nice nice! One of my best friends from Alaska is mostly white (Scandinavian) with some native(Eskimo)! I’m obviously irish with danish Norwegian lol
@fromheaventoearth5779
Жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork The Native American is probably the "asian" he's picking up (I believe they are central asian??) and now that you mention it I believe I see what he means.
I read the first two books and it's not for me. The dialogue: Too much talking. There's little to no subtext, and characters just talk and talk. Except for the action, it's just dialogue The endings: They didn't hit for me. For instance, book two she just kills the antogonist in one blow, missing out on all kinds of interesting character interactions Characters: Good concepts, but they feel shallow. In comparison, the book I just finished, First Law, I was hooked by Login within the first couple scenes he was in because every decision he made tells you something profound about his character
I'm halfway thru The Final Empire and FORCING myself to keep going. New to fantasy and I started with GoT and Joe Abercrombie. Love those. This Sanderson stuff is full of tropes and why a lot of people are turned off by the genre, in my opinion. Is Way of Kings better? Why does everyone like this guy so much? What am I missing? It's just sooo boring.
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
So I wasn't a huge fan of this trilogy but I really, really liked Way of Kings. To be clear, Way of Kings has a slow and steady pace for the first portion of the book but the ending is just great. I also think Sanderson does better in longer books. If you are more of a fan of Abercrombie and Martin (I am as well) I'd suggest checking out Daniel Abraham, Robin Hobb, and maybe also Richard K Morgan. If you get to read any of those let me know. I hope you don't give up on the genre, a similar thing happened to me when I got back into the genre with Wheel of Time. Lots of people said it was amazing and the best thing I'll ever read and turns out...I don't like it. I was very disenfranchised with the genre for a bit but thankfully I've kept reading and have found so many favorites now. I hope your reading journey improves from here!
@Richie_P
2 жыл бұрын
I just finished The Hero of Ages (book 3 of the trilogy) today, and I really had to force myself to slog through that one. I actually enjoyed The FInal Empire, so that's saying something. I hate to be a downer, but I would only recommend the rest of the trilogy to somebody who loved The Final Empire. If your already not liking it, you'll find a whole new level of boring when you are in the middle of The Hero of Ages.
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
@@Richie_P I concur
I had very similar feelings about this trilogy. The first 2/3rds of book 2 made me almost quit on the series. The ending of that book was good tho.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah Sanderson writes amazing climaxes no doubt
Mistborn was great, it actually lead me to creating my channel earlier this year. Sanderson is so great with the hidden foreshadowing and teasing things to come. I love/hated the ending of the trilogy personally, there were a few choices made that just kinda made me go, ugh really? Overall I loved those books though and Allomancy is just so freaking cool.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Definitely a super refined and well thought out magic system. I am not a massive fan of God's in my fantasy and I felt like Mistborn had enough human elements where it could have done without the whole deity stuff near the end of the 3rd book
@alexnieves
4 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork Totally agree. I then read Secret History and it made it even worse. I think having the Gods hands in everything takes away from the overall story and what the characters went through.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
@@alexnieves that is exactly my opinion as well!
Dostoevsky, Steinbeck, Tolkien.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Dostoevsky, Steinbeck, Sanderson?? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Definitely agree with your opinion in Book 2. Vin and Elend's relationship was so cringy and insufferable in my opinion.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
I thought it would be an unpopular opinion but the more I talk to people I think that's the general consensus. Thanks for watching!
@philip3321
4 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork I must ask why you found Elend a compelling character? I've only began reading the 3rd book, it took about a month for my frustrations on the 2nd book to die down. In my opinion in the 2nd book, the way Elend developed as a character felt so unorganic, forced, and undeserved where he gets trained by Tindwyl, he literally just bosses people around and not to mention how he ends up becoming a Mistborn and survived a fatal injury thanks to consuming a rock if I remember correctly, added more to my aggravation. I also believed he didn't deserve to have been made the King in the end of the 1st book, despite his knowledge with books and the speech he gave and him being of high noble status since he was notorious for being irresponsible, so that broke my immersion completely when I found out in the 2nd book that he wasn't just a figurehead but was really the King, making the calls, creating laws, and running things. That blew my mind and it was just a downward cycle to continually loathing Elend's character.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
@@philip3321 So I think your take on Elend is actually probably more spot on with the common consensus for those who did not enjoy Mistborn or more specifically book 2. For me Elend's character had many phases and while all your criticism is absolutely valid, I found it entertaining to read. I should have stated better that he wasn't a well thought out or even well crafted character but he was much different than others I've read. When reading book 2 and 3 and seeing him become a Mistborn I at the time loved it but thinking back on the series I don't think I do. Like you said, in book 2 he became an unworthy king that was in way over his head and then just kind of becomes a bad ass? You've kind of opened my eyes to how egregious that is lol. I appreciate the question and conversation!!
@philip3321
4 жыл бұрын
@@thefantasynuttwork Wow thanks for the response! I just have one last question, what did you think of Zane as a character? I too find love triangles kind of like a red flag to something eventually annoying, but I liked Zane and some of the things he said in the book I felt were quite profound. To just name two of them, "A man was not defined by his flaws, but by how he overcame them." and the line where he criticized Vin's relationship with Elend by saying and I quote " 'He loves you?' Zane asked. 'Or he loves having you?' ". And from this line I began to believe that Vin's relationship with Elend would ultimately fail in the end which could potentially lead to individual growth for Vin and Elend. Like relationships in real life, not everything works out, especially when both partners don't have experience ever being in a relationship before, but both partners could potentially grow from it even if the relationship fails.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
@@philip3321 I like the idea of Zane and thought he really enhanced the story but unfortunately it was tied in with the love triangle. It felt like the typical YA angle of our female protagonist falling for the "bad boy" and just yuck. As far as the character himself I thought he was pretty enjoyable and if they could have just had him there as Elends half brother it would have been honestly better. His ending was also excellent in my opinion!! Probably the best part of the book with the revelation that comes with the voice in his head and how much it makes sense once we learn more about what's going on.
The book (final empire) was so juvenile, tacky and poor in execution, with two-dimensional cardboard and stereotype characters, the world building is a mess, and feels shallow, almost synthetic. The plot twists are super obvious. They “big plan” is drawn out on a blackboard, and then the rest of the book plays out almost exactly like that. Vin is a very poorly written character, who has trust issues, which is force fed to us by Sanderson and it’s her entire persona. She doesn’t trust anyone, except when she falls in love with the enemy after one meeting, and fully trusts him right away. Is the author a 13-year-old girl? It feels at like he is mocking the reader’s intelligence. How this book has such a high rating on Goodreads and gets so much praise on booktube to me is baffling. It makes me question the credibility of the reviewers. I would usually say they should read more, but these people seem to be reading two books a week. Maybe they just lack critical thinking skills. Or maybe the bar is just super low these days.
I've never read YA or fantasy. I'm trying to read Mistborn. My eyes roll over, and the cringe never stops.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
Book two, IMO, is as cringey as it gets
Everyone always talks about mistborn or stormlight but his Reckoners series is amazing too.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
I'll have to give it a peek!
Sarcasm.. At least he finishes a series :P
@thefantasynuttwork
2 жыл бұрын
I'll take an unfinished series over this trilogy 😂
Good review. Sums up my feelings about Brandon Sanderson's work and this series. Great at ending his stories and interesting magic systems but the characters can read like corny YA. Wish I stopped at first Misborn in era one and took it as a standalone. Stormlight Archives is much better and mostly improved character work but romances still read as bad YA.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Glad I am not the only one. I think I can get through bad romance if the characters are a little bit refined. So you would definitely recommend Stormlight then? Also thanks for watching!
@andrewhanson405
4 жыл бұрын
Maybe wait it out a bit. It's a 10 book series and book 4 isn't out until November. Book 3 Oathbringer had some good material with the character Dalinar Kholin but felt a little sloggy compared to the first two books. It also had a huge focus on a budding romance that kept making me cringe and taking me out of the story. The series is 10 books but broken down in 5s, so the first major arc complets in book 5. Might as well wait and see how people feel after this milestone is completed.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Okay wow, thanks for the information! It may be an issue for me if the romance is a huge chunk because well, I can't stand bad romance haha. I think I may wait to see the reaction that book 4 gets before I dive in, 10 book is a lot at 1200 pages a book. I appreciate the input!
@andrewhanson405
4 жыл бұрын
No problem. This is looking like a promising booktube channel keep it up.
I just finished the first Mistborn book and i am not going to buy the rest. Kinda hated it to be honest, i don't understand why he's so hyped, i really wanted to like the book but it was pretty boring in my opinion. Lifeless characters, heavy magic system, a bit too much
@thefantasynuttwork
Жыл бұрын
Yeah I don’t think it’s great
Sanderson IS the G. O. A. T.! Life before death Strength before weakness Journey before destination BRIDGE FOUR!!
Yeah I totally agree on so many points here. I’ve read The Final Empire, Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, and Skyward. I think Final Empire was the worst of the ones I read. His dialogue and prose are just so cringe worthy for me. He always has side characters that are supposed to be “comic relief,” and I just do not find them funny. If anything they just annoy me. Particularly when characters get in arguments or spats of any kind, it always comes across so childish? WoK and WoR are definitely better, but they weren’t good enough for me to want to continue the time investment of the Stormlight Archive. I actually thought his strongest book I’ve read was Skyward. His prose worked better in a YA novel, and when characters did and said cringe stuff, it made more sense because they were an appropriate age to be that cringe. Overall I just think the things he does well are not that important to me as a reader. I don’t really care if your magic system is a fine tuned science or abracadabra (okay, a little bit more than abracadabra but still). I would much rather have strong characterization and believable dialogue than a cool magic system. And the endings are definitely epic, but the journey there is too full of tedium and eye rolling for me. Great video! Really enjoying the content you are doing and am so glad I discovered this channel.
@thefantasynuttwork
4 жыл бұрын
Can't tell you how much I appreciate that and the time you've taken to comment with great detail. I think Sanderson is definitely a great modern author but you hit the nail on the head: his strong suits are not my cup of tea for fantasy. I prefer super complex characters and natural thought provoking dialogue. I will say I think his handling of plot is quite impressive and I've noticed myself wanting to try to Stormlight Archive more and more which is strange because I was so lukewarm on Mistborn
You just sold me on your channel and opinion on books. Everything you said about the Mistborn trilogy, I agree with - poor prose, terrible dialogue, and characters that don't feel fleshed out. I've just read Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, and I've totally changed my mind. His writing improved so much, that I've been wondering if I was overreacting to the Mistborn series. Gotta do a reread at some point. Interestingly enough, I didn't like the way the whole trilogy ended, that whole "god" thing. The rest of the story felt so grounded, somehow, that the supernatural element didn't make sense. As opposed to the Stormlight Archive, where there's spirits (spren) from the start, and the visions, and the Vorin religion, etc. My first Sanderson book was Elantris - which I actually like a lot, compared to Mistborn trilogy. Has a great build-up and payoff, wonderful ending. Recommend. Regardless - definitely going to sub to your channel now, and take any of your recommendations seriously! If you'd like any animation/design help - eg., want some sort of intro/title card thing, lmk as well, happy to give you a couple hours of my time.
@thefantasynuttwork
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the comment! I appreciate the well thought out response. I am a huge fan of Stormlight and it changed my opinion on Sanderson as well. Elantris is my next cosmere book actually, I'm excited for it! If you haven't read Emperor's Soul I would highly suggest it, it's his Hugo winner and I believe it takes place in the same setting as Elantris
He needs a better editor.
Mistborn is not YA it’s good for anyone as long as they don’t care about violence are you saying just because vin and elend love each other it’s ya what?
@pinkajou656
3 жыл бұрын
Okay, he did NOT say the BOOK was YA, he was comparing the DIALOGUE in a specific section to the kind of dialogue commonly seen in YA. Nothing else.