Sanderson: Mistborn #2

The second book of Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" series, The Well of Ascension, continues the story of Vin, who is a tiny bit older now. Forces are surrounding the city of Luthadel, and Vin must work with Kelsier's team to protect the city.

It's impossible to say too much more without spoiling the first book, but I can say this much: While in the first book Vin was in training, she is much more refined in this book. That is, she has much more control of her powers, but there is so much more to learn. And she feels something calling for her -- the Well of Ascension, where it's prophesied that the Hero of Ages will save the world. We also learn a lot more about the mistwraiths, who were mainly mentioned in passing in the first book.

Even though I enjoyed reading most of the book, there did seem to be a 100-page stretch of reading where nothing much seemed to be happening. I'm not sure if it's the usual curse of the "middle" book, or if it was just boring setup of the craziness that happens the second half of the book.

Just like in the first book, I was pleasantly surprised with the progression of events. It remains difficult to predict, and the characters always remain constant. That's something I didn't mention in the first book review: I'm impressed with the characters. There are many of them, most of which are believable. It makes for a rich reading experience.

At the book's end, I sat thinking about it over and over -- trying to figure it all out.

So, if you haven't tried these book yet, give them a try -- it's an excellent fantasy series.