The Well of Ascension is the thrilling continuation of the events from Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. This fantasy novel immerses readers in an even darker world, where the mists become an enemy, and Vin and her allies struggle to determine which threat to face first.
Book Review: The Well of Ascension
- Author: Brandon Sanderson
- Series: Mistborn (Era 1)
- Publisher: Tor Books
- Page Count: 590 pages, Hardcover
- First published August 21, 2007
- ISBN: 9780765316882 (ISBN10: 0765316889)
- ASIN: 0765316889
- Available in eBook Format (ePub): Yes
Plot
A year after the events of Mistborn: The Final Empire, we return to the besieged city of Luthadel. Elend Venture is now king, but outside the capital’s walls, not one, but three armies are waiting to claim the Lord Ruler’s atium for themselves. Much of the plot revolves around this looming threat and how Vin, Elend, and Kelsier’s crew must do everything in their power to prevent the city from falling. Meanwhile, internal conflicts and political tension are slowly tearing Luthadel apart.
The Well of Ascension focuses heavily on character development. Sanderson achieves this with fewer battle scenes, instead placing greater emphasis on relationships, personal struggles, and the psychological growth of his characters.
My Thoughts on The Well of Ascension
The pacing of The Well of Ascension is significantly slower than that of the first book, but the trade-off is a more expansive world and an even more intricate magic system. Sanderson methodically unveils the mysteries surrounding the prophecy and fills in the missing pieces about the second type of magic—Feruchemy. The novel delves deeper into the history and secrets of beings like koloss and kandra, tying everything together into a grander picture. This is yet another testament to Sanderson’s mastery in crafting detailed, immersive worlds.
I love how Elend’s character has grown compared to The Final Empire. The uncertain bookworm is gone, and in his place stands a ruler worthy of the throne. I also appreciate Vin’s transformation. She has always struggled with her past and her inability to trust others. Sanderson takes the reader through her entire journey, allowing us to track the precise moments that shape her into who she becomes. Have I mentioned before that he is a virtuoso when it comes to character development?
Final Rating
Being familiar with Sanderson’s work, I knew to expect something dramatic by the end. And, of course, I wasn’t wrong. Seven hundred pages of mounting tension, only to culminate in yet another shocking conclusion. It’s just like when you defeat the evil ruler and wonder why there’s a sequel instead of a happy ending—only to realize that things are not as they seemed. Sanderson excels at these twists, and that’s exactly why I’m such a fan.
Upon rereading The Well of Ascension, I’m raising my initial rating. If, on my first read, I felt that the lack of constant action was a downside, I now see the full purpose behind the novel’s structure. I’ve diligently taken notes on the world, the magic, and the metals, and I can’t wait to uncover the final missing piece—Hemalurgy.
“Description contains spoilers for previous book in the series”
The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler—the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years—has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.
As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.
Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.
As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.
