Three Armies at their gates, Two Mistborn fighting in their walls, One Traitor in their midst….No Hope for Survival

It’s been a year since Kelsier death, a year since Vin killed the Lord Ruler, a year since the Final Empire fell. In a year, things have only gotten worse. Luthadiel, now under the rule of King Elend Venture – Vin’s sorta, kinda, boyfriend – whose leadership is under question. Facing a challenge for his throne from the assembly of nobles, merchants and Skaa that form his city council, it’s more than just the armies at his gates that worry him.

Though Elend fears his father, Staff Venture, an opposing King with his own Mistborn agent – one far more dangerous than Vin due to his insanity – is deadly in his own right, it is The Mists that prove to be most dangerous. Rumours persist that the once harmless vapour is now killing strangers out beyond the city walls.

As if this wasn’t enough, the signs are once again present – The Hero of Ages could once again be returning? Or, is this all just a ruse? Is there a larger player making moves behind the scenes? The Mists moves, the armies draw in close and the battle to come will be the most epic yet in the second Mistborn Era 1 novel.

Off the bat I have to say I didn’t quite enjoy this as much as the first novel. However, I found it to be overall to be a fantastic novel, thrilling from the start to the end. The central plot point of the siege kept a high level of tension throughout the story, a sense that – at any point (though most Sanderson fans will know the best action is reserved for the last hundred pages) all hell can break loose.

It perhaps felt a little strange to turn so quickly away from the roots of the characters of the series who predominantly have backgrounds in thievery, mischief and stealth. In the first book, they were unseen revolutionaries crafting a plot to assassinate the Lord Ruler in the manner of a grand heist.

Now in book two Sanderson takes the idea of defending a siege and makes it into a battle of politics. Less bloody, yet no less dangerous. We see this primarily through the perspective of Elend, along with members of Kelsiers crew and Vin who has become the Heir to Kelsiers religion of The Survivor.

Elend is a naive change from our former protagonist and rebel leader – though what he lacks in leadership skills he makes up for in intelligence. It’s masterfully done, how Sanderson has removed such a violent and cutthroat maniac and replaced him with an intelligent and fiercely honourable aristocrat. The differences between Kelsier and Elend are as clear as night and day.

Surely he should remove from the story, in fact it was Elend’s perspective I wound up enjoying the most. Witnessing his change from idealist to realist to leader is a journey this novel provides with a well timed place.

Vin on the other hand, whilst no less intriguing than her previous outing, ofttimes feels as though she’s an emulsion of Kelsier – though this feels very intentional as the young Mistborn is struggling to find her place in this new society. Is she a hero? A knife to be wielded? Or something else? It’s Vin’s perspective that builds on the the mythology of the world, as her discussions with the Sandra OreSour and the Tallisman and Feuramancer Sazed see the secrets of the buried past revealed and the true test of our heroes set in motion.

Whilst it’s a lesser novel compared to its prequel, it’s no less a great novel that refused to let me put it down from start to finish.