The Well of Ascension
Ratings1,674
Average rating4.3
So I was slightly spoiled for some of the things that happened in this book but I have to say it was absolutely incredible, like omg. I thought it would have middle book syndrome but it was really good and I finished this a lot quicker than I did the first one, also Zane if you were real I think the vans warped tour would have fixed you. The last two parts of the book are so good, and a lot of the new characters are really well written, I'm excited to read the hero of ages
Easy to read filled with action am not sure if i should be excited about the twist at the end or not but overall , good book
The character building and world building that Brandon Sanderson can achieve is incredible. This one wasn't quite as good as the first one for me, but still incredible and I'm excited to finish out the trilogy with The Hero of Ages.
Through Kelsier’s guidance, Vin has become a skilled Mistborn. After the events of the previous novel, the Skaa now view her as a God. Uncomfortable with being the face of a new religion, Vin must learn to deal with the attention her position has attracted. But this isn’t the only challenge Vin will face. Outside forces are setting their eyes on Luthadel to claim the hidden cache of atium from the Lord Ruler. When the sieges begin, Vin and the crew must quickly learn how to face these new threats or risk losing everything they’ve worked for.
Brandon Sanderson has the capability to create such complex characters and relationships. The entire crew, how they operate and Vin learning her place in the new world order was so well done. And when Vin encounters Zane, possibly the only other Mistborn who could understand her, the intricate dance of untrust and seeking acceptance will keep readers engaged. The reader is also allowed to see through Zane’s eyes and his twisted view of Vin. As the two meet time and again, the emotional tension between the two escalates, and the way they see each other in such different lights is fascinating.
While the relationships based on rivalry and friendship are well fleshed out, the romantic relationships aren’t given as much depth. Given Vin’s background, she struggles with connections. Vin does show how she feels inadequate for her romantic interest, yet her romantic feelings are rarely shown. Small gestures or body language would have added an extra depth of layer to her attraction. Instead, it feels immature and undiscovered. I’m hoping after the events of book two, the third installment will develop her love and trust in the person she desires.
Despite some hiccups with the emotional side of romance, The Well of Ascension is just as developed and intricate as book one. Instead of one central threat, the crew must fend off various enemies from outside their city, as well as within. And woven within the struggles, are twists and turns readers will never see coming. Right up until the final page, Sanderson keeps the reveals rolling and sets up what promises to be an epic conclusion.
Originally posted at www.behindthepages.org.
an awesome revisit to my favorite characters. doesn't quite reach the mark as final empire did imo but still had several great moments! itching to continue with the third.
4.7
El camino que tomó este libro desde el primero ha sido en subida...
Creo que al ser un tipo de historia muy consumible, se ha hecho fácil de llevar. Las dosis de drama fue mayor y no digamos la problemática. Me ha gustado.
Had started this last year but had given up 70% of my way in. Although the story was intriguing, the writing felt too regimented, colouring in numbers. Had made my way through the first book with hopes of continuing here but alas
Then at the start of this year started with its audiobook and surprise surprise, it is a much better experience now! Turns out when you're looking for beautiful prose when the writer has his full focus on the plot and characters, reading it feels tedious, at least for me. In the audio, there's no need to highlight a sentence so the story flows much better and GraphicAudio does a good job of bringing the book to life.
Hopefully this continues and I “read” more sequels of this story.
What can I say? Turmoil, twists, drama, and ideals pushed to their limits. Somehow even better than the last.
4.50/5.00
After reading The Well of Ascension, I realize that I have prematurely judged Brandon Sanderson, the Lord Ruler himself. I tired to scale him against others and this is a mistake. The Cosmere is a new chapter in the realm of fantasy literature, and this book, is its herald. The book continues seamlessly from its predecessor, the writing better, the story more character focused. And yet, the book entirely unpredictable. The mystery of this incredible world is exciting. The plot twist and turns, the lore amazes, the story leads with brilliance.
Brandon Sanderson is not a poet, but a brilliant storyteller.
I'd like to believe that being a king or an emperor is simple. To be fit for kingship, all you have to do is draw a sword from a stone or demonstrate your ability as an emperor by marching across a three-mile bridge wearing Alexander the Great's armor. In Brandon Sanderson's “The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2),” Elvis (I'm changing the character's name as to not spoil anything from the first book) is a new king. And it is anything but easy. He'll have to have ‘a little less conversation' with his enemies, put up with a ‘hound dog' that watches over his beloved, and be a voice of reason for his people, most of whom are ‘living in the ghetto'. He must do all this without getting ‘all shook up' with his other duties. Basically, ‘it's now or never!' (I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it with the name.)
|| “A good king is one who is trusted by his people—and one who deserves that trust.”
Okay, so the book is more Attack of the Clones and less Empire Strikes Back, if you get my drift. (I told myself I would not mention Star Wars in this review, but here we are.) It is strong in its politics, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. For me, at least. Basically, Elvis is trying to be a shining light to Lutadel by setting up a new government that is run by the people, for the people. The land is stricken by the events of the last book, and it's up to Elvis to quell the ‘suspicious minds' of the people and its enemies. (I swear that's the last one.) Along the way, a few armies appear on the kingdom's doorstop looking to conquer, but Vin, our favorite allomancer, might have something to say about that.
|| “Those who take lightly promises they make to those they love are people who find little lasting satisfaction in life.”
I thought this was a strong book in the series. It checks all the fantasy boxes you come to enjoy from the author while tossing in a bit of extra lore and some exciting twists. The new metals (more on that later) and the semi-interesting love triangle hamper it a bit, but in the end, it's a satisfying tale.
One of my favorite characters is OreSeur. He is part of a race of people called Kandra who can imitate a being by eating them after they pass on. (Gross, I know, but fun!) After the bones and flesh are consumed, they eat, smell, act, and talk just like their predecessors. It's sort of like a conglomeration of ideas from Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Thing. The Kandra are subservient to their contracted master and are very protective of their special abilities and their past. Vin has a contract in place at the beginning of the book, and she makes her Kandra take on the appearance of a wolfhound. (I don't know why, but I pictured it looking like some sort of weird beast-folk being from Dr. Moreau's island.) The banter between Vin and Onseur is top-tier! Remember the wit, jest, and meaningful convo's with Kaladin and Slyphrena in The Stormlight Archive? Yeah, it's sort of like that.
|| “Perhaps it is also time to learn of other truths, other ways”
Let's do the checkmark thing again. (Work with me here, there is ALOT to unpack in this book.)
I think you will dig this book if you like......
✔ Politics – Quite a bit of base-line politics. King's rulings are in question; King questions if he is right for the position; King is often challenged because of his inexperience. (It's a fun and clever dynamic.)
✔ A teeny tiny bit of romance – I mean a MINUSCULE amount. The slightest of slight, itsy bitsy, infinitesimal, mini, etc. Girl likes boy(s), Boy likes Girl, Girl snuggles with Boy, Boy thinks Girl is attractive in a unique way, Girl wants to be held by Boy, Girl questions relationship with Boy. Girl straddles Boy at one point. (Oh là là, spicy!) I'm making fun, but it's pretty standard fare. Nothing too heavy-handed, just the right amount to keep you interested.
✔ Familiar-y fantasy lore - A hierarchy of magic users, an ancient power, a hero's quest. Basically, all the good stuff.
✔ Magic System - The new metals do not make a whole lot of sense, to be honest, but their action/reactionary visuals are just pure eye candy.
✔ Fantastical Creatures Koloss and Mistwraiths. Say no more.
|| “If you perpetuate the dreams of the past, you stifle your own dreams of the future.”
** Okay, this is where the nitpicks section begins, so advert your eyes if you would rather not read me rant a bit about some of my personal misgivings and/or wants.**
Remember when you watched The Matrix for the first time and you were like, “Whoa! The fight scenes were just mind-blowing. When you started the sequel, you said to yourself, “How could the fight scenes get any better?”, Then the scene where Neo fights 100's of agents scrambled your brain. Well, the battle sequences in this book never really reached those heights for me. They were serviceable, but I just thought there would be a little extra oomph (scientific book term) added to the allomancy system. A few coins are thrown; there are some reactionary moments that were intriguing, but it was really hard for me not to be sort of bored. (The last battle not withstanding) At one point, as I was reading a fight sequence and my eyes started to glaze a bit, I pictured Vin as Trinity and started to develop some of my own battle sequences. I know, “What a mind job.”
Let's talk about the bite-sized attempts at democracy. Just give me an all-out, detailed take on the kingship. Human rights, fundamental freedoms, separation of powers, accountability, etc. I know this is an extreme nitpick, but the stakes seemed to warrant a more detailed sense of the divisionary process. The pieces fit well, but did the recurring issues with the crown make me care as much as Elvis did? Not so much.
This book was a fun and enchanting sequel. It was easy to read, easy to get attached to certain characters, and it had enough twists to make you want to keep learning more about the world. Was it as good as the first? I think so. I also champion a book that dives knee-deep into the overarching story as the climax looms. It's so much better than just having a battle to “find out who wins.” This happens all too often in the last third of both books and movies.
Last note: I nominate this book series to add to your reading repertoire.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm eyeing the third book with as much anticipation as Indy eyes an idol. I must get to it.
Amazing book, however a little slower than the first book. The ending however was mindblowing and a solid 5 out of 5. I'd rather give this 4.5 stars but hey..
Anyways, really looking forward to part 3.
I was worried this would have the “middle book syndrome” but I believe this to be an even better book than the first one. Although that could be because it's been awhile since I read The Final Empire. This book had an awesome mystery twist in there that completely bamboozled me. Vin and Elend are becoming some of my favorite characters in all literature and Oreseur is an awesome side character. I also thought the big beasties, Koloss, were pretty interesting and unique. Sanderson can write very well and it's a shame his new writing is almost all corny YA :/
Mistborn II : The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Lord Ruler ! The ending was one of the most satisfying “what the actual f***?” moments in recent memory. I didn't see the ending coming..not at all. Although I loved the political tension of the majority of the book, the final act was a true “Sander-lanche”in every possible way. I loved it more than the first book. I'll give it 5/5 ⭐ easily.
This was long and complex and hard going but I just did not want to stop reading. I cried.
Reseña en español ‘El Pozo de la Ascensión': https://youtu.be/h7dPinMjlQc
O busca “Morporkiano” en el buscador de Youtube.
I really liked this one. I think it may be also attributed to the quality of the audiobook I listened to (Graphic Audio Production). I liked how the suspense was kept there all the time without being ridiculous. The twists were smart and actually also surprising from time to time. Strong characters to which you can get really to like (or hate or decide for yourself). The only caveat maybe was how some characters were rescued or how one-dimensional was the Venture family head ;) 4.5 stars