Mistborn: Well of Ascension (spoiler free review) by Brandon Sanderson

[@MattsFantasyBookReviews]

Yes, I realize my beard around my mouth is red. If you must know... The night I filmed this, my 1st grade son had a homework assignment to cut out a stencil of his hand then have my wife kiss it with lipstick and bring it in. (If you've ever read the kids book "the kissing hand" you'll know what's up). Except my wife was out with her friends that night, so my daughter had to put lipstick on me so I could do it. She got a big kick out of this. Later we went to chic fil a, and we ordered food and sat down, where my kids both confessed that they have been secretly not telling me that I forgot to take it off. Thank GOD I didn't run into anyone I know, because rumors would have been flying around town. Also fun fact...lipstick isn't that easy to get off, even with water and soap. And fun fact #2, it's damn near impossible to get out of a beard. Kids man...

[@narek23]

that is hilarious, you are a great dad :)

[@valliyarnl]

This is actually so wholesome

[@IbbyMelbourne]

This video made me realize something really weird. As prolific as sanderson is, Stormlight has really been the only grand epic fantasy series in the Cosmere for the last 15 years. Mistborn era 1 was published in the 2000s.

[@liamtreat5194]

Though Stormlight started only two years after era 1, and its kinda been the majority of Cosmere output since.

[@IbbyMelbourne]

@@liamtreat5194 yeah, it's been Stormlight and standalones since like 2010. Wax & Wayne wasn't supposed to ever be grand or epic. Sando really only has two epic fantasy series, even though I always associate him with being a prolific master of the genre

[@pedrofernandes7288]

​@@IbbyMelbourneThe man published two epic fantasy series, a few standalones during that time, finished the WoT series, wrote 4 books for Era 2 and the 4 secret projects tied to the cosmere with Isles of the Emberdark. Ah and other series like the reckoneres and cytoverse. He wrote some stuff

[@irat913]

@@IbbyMelbourne i mean, era 3 and the elantris sequels are coming pretty soon

[@Endorphins89]

Vin is a teenager to be fair. So romance wise that checks out

[@vallano8970]

The people in these comments have literally no idea what a love triangle is. Vin never "liked" "loved" or even CONSIDERED liking Zane. She was simply compelled but the IDEA that zane represented. Running from her responsibilities, giving into her insecurities that she isnt right for Elend, etc. It was even the same thing for Zane towards he. He was just more delulu And when you look at it the way it was literally written, it's brilliant. Zane is a representation of what Vin COULD have become if she hadn't had Kelsier, Sazed, etc, or hell, even her brother. Nothing more, nothing less. This is honestly really enlightening as to the level of comprehension readers have. If you saw Zane as simply a "forced love triangle," no offense, but im really questioning your intelligence.

[@Drisurk]

This book had so many amazing scenes and twists! Vin head butting the Thug, Elend taking on the small koloss, finding out who the spy was and of course that crazy ending with the words written in steel! Can’t wait to see what this last book holds in store!

[@assassin415]

i always tell people i freaking loved well of ascension and they look at me like im crazy

[@jordendarrett1725]

For real. I always liked book 2 more than 1. The Final Empire was great but book 2 builds on it so much.

[@xd-id2qi]

I think you are. I hated this book so good damn much the ending was one of the worst I have ever read.

[@michaelmurphy2924]

The ending was good. But, the first 3/4 of the book was fairly boring.

[@TalkingTorah613]

‘he ate my horse’ fav line in the book. maybe series. obviously this makes no sense unless you read it

[@karabomasibi2331]

Our boy really grew up in this book. I liked Elend in book1 but I LOVED him and his journey to King_hood

[@CinematicGalaxy]

Great review! I read Mistborn for the first time starting with The Final Empire back in November of 2022, and finished The Hero of Ages last October. Aside from Secret History, it's the only Sanderson I've read thus far, and I liked each book progressively more. I found that liking Well more than Final Empire is not a widely-shared opinion within the fanbase, but I also like Vin more than Kelsier so maybe that has something to do with it. I didn't even hate Zane, although I agree that he wasn't the best-written character, either.

[@jgwashere53]

I started Mistborn after reading all that is available of Stormlight. Personally, I really liked it but I didn't love it. I read the 2nd and loved it then read the 3rd and loved it more. But the first one didnt hit me as much as the others and when reading SA.

[@aarondavid826]

I'm halfway through this series and this is my first fantasy series that i have picked without there being a show or movie i loved first. While it's no LoTR or GoT i am enjoying and am looking to getting into other fantasy series. i love the artwork of misborn, wish i new did the covers.

[@valliyarnl]

Yes!! Zane was sooooo annoying. But overall I agree that Well is much better than Final Empire. The battle is fantastic, the politics, the plot twists! Amazing. Curious to see how Hero holds up 😊

[@NotVoxed]

guys read the third book before judging zane, while reading the 2nd book I kinda hated zane as well but after finishing the final book the way he acted made a lot of sense

[@DallasfanTen]

In my first read through, I enjoyed the second way more than the first book.

[@procrastinatingperfectioni278]

I'm very stubborn and have read a few of his books and two series. But there is something that I can't put my finger on about his writing not being that good. It would be unfair to say they are boring but maybe bland is a better description. It's not the world that is bland it's just the slow character development that takes so long and is obvious.

[@eternal_napalm6442]

I just got done reading the Well of Ascension for the first time a few months ago, and I think 4 and a half as well. Great political machinations and new characters. Really enjoyed Sazed's chapters and his internal conflict.

[@mtverv]

I disagree with you quite a bit on this actually. The only things I really agree on are Zane and somewhat the romances, though honestly my issue with the romances is Zane’s entrance and the attempted forced love triangle. Elend and Vin complement each other very well as people especially Elend’s patience and steadfastness which Vin desperately needs. Tyndwyl and Sazed are awesome and I love them lol. It’s the political maneuvering and everything that distracts from the Main Story and Mysteries that causes the issues. This combined with Zane makes this by far the lowest quality Mistborn book in my opinion and that’s all 7 Mistborn books not just Era 1…

[@Journeyman2585]

Glad you enjoyed it the second time through! I was very curious what your score for this one would be after The Final Empire kinda pooped the bed.

[@fishingfitness]

I personally did not love yumi but I do think that is his best romance by a long shot

[@MsBalhara]

When are you reading the 3rd mistborn book??

[@MattsFantasyBookReviews]

Probably next month

[@Endorphins89]

Better than book 1? Hmmmm that’s a tough call

[@ladymairreads]

Damn I wanna reread and see if my opinion changes in this now

[@maengo4]

Glad you’re back onboard the Mistborn train! The only reason Well of Ascension wasn’t five stars for me during my reread was because of Zane and the love triangle thing

[@emosongsandreadalongs]

Agreed, Zane felt like an odd deviation in the story to me

[@NeolwA]

True but the ending made me gave it a 5 star anyway

[@rishabhtomar8413]

It might be just me but I think its the worst book in the whole of the cosmere. Following are the reasons:- 1) Elend Venture first and foremost is single-handedly the least interesting character I've ever read. Its not that he makes bad choices or anything its about how he is presented because in the first he is so insignificant he is just the guy vin liked but in the second one he is the front man which is just dumb, he is like oh the lordruler is dead and my father fled might as well be king and write the constitution. The thing that pisses me off the most is that he is more than once compared to kelsier and vin at some point says that he is better than kelsier which is... Like what?!. I mean the man liberated the slaves (sacrifices himself in the process), man came back from the literal hell of the universe doesn't stand against this son of a wealthy merchant one of the reason of whose being kind, good or just a positive character in general is that daddy made him lose is virginity to skaa slave. And in this one his pov is more than vin and sazed's combined which amounts to more than 50% of the book in which all he does is meeting and political menuvering which suprise doesn't matter in the end anyway as the city gets invaded. I was so glad when he died I was literally like thank you God I don't have to read another page of his shit but now he is Mistborn ladies and gentlemen. A F**k you in the face. He ruined the book for me because most part of the book is that I had to read about a character who didn't matter much at first and then whatever he did didn't matter at all. 2) Dead of Dickson and clubs FAR better charcters than elend, so much we could've been explored about them but they died. 3 and 4 are totally on me most people might not agree with them(because they are event I have seen take place in Better settings) 3) Vin's action sequence, in the final fight vin is described to be swinging a sword which bigger than her in size and whenever I hear a hero carrying sword bigger in size than them my mind goes to Berserk lengendary Manga created by the late lenge Miur Kentaro. 4) The Ending this will only make sense if you've seen the eye of the world First book in the wheel of time series by Robert Jordan in which at the end hero stumbles upon a pool of pure power but instead of taking the power they release it but the dark lord gets released instead. So, reason 3 and 4 just didn't felt original to me that is why they are mentioned. In conclusion, the has some good parts but the bad is so grand in scale it just overshadows the good. Hence,. Making it the worst of the cosmere even people say that the worst is Elantris which is still better than this. It's one thing reading a story and not liking it but it's entirely another thing of a good stories continuation messing up the entire thing mostly done by just one character. P.S I am a non-native English speaker.

[@noname3609]

Awesome,my least favourite mistborn book but that ending!!! 😮

[@Gruso57]

This was the weakest of the 3 imo. The goofy love triangle and military planning was really bad. The end was great but the rest weighed it down.

[@tonkabeanicecream5698]

Awesome collection behind you!

[@shadowoflugia]

I’m glad you had a better time with this book the second time around! Although I’m currently in the middle of Stormlight, I honestly don’t feel the need to reread this trilogy even though I don’t remember much about it but I loved it when I read it like 12 years ago lol.

[@akellerhouse83]

I started to comment almost this same thing! I'm not in the middle of Stormlight though. I love Sanderson but I have no desire to re-read Mistborn. Lol

[@shadowoflugia]

@@akellerhouse83 good to know I’m not alone lol! Like literally, one time was enough 🤣 also I have no desire to read the second Mistborn series ever 😅

[@jedthefroggy]

Sup

[@dilbophagginz]

How is a 3 1/2 out of 5 not liking the book? That's a 7/10, which should be a very positive score.

[@MattsFantasyBookReviews]

It's not a 7/10 because you can't give 0 stars, at least on any ratings apps. So the worst score anyone can ever give anything is 1 star, which would be equivalent to 2/10, so it throws everything out of whack. For me, the system is simple. 5 stars = loved. 4 stars = liked. 3 stars = meh. 2 stars = not like. 1 star = hated.

[@dilbophagginz]

@@MattsFantasyBookReviews got it, makes sense 👍