Mistborn: The Final Empire

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Mistborn: The Final Empire>
Mistborn Final Empire.jpg
Mistborn Era 1
Precedes The Well of Ascension
Setting Scadrial, Cosmere
Released July 17, 2006
Publisher Tor books
ISBN ISBN 0-7653-1178-X
Page Count 541
Word Count 210,103
Annotations Portal

Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first volume of the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. It is set on Scadrial and features the magic of Allomancy, Hemalurgy, and Feruchemy.

SummaryEdit

Vin is a street urchin, who was saved by her brother Reen from her mother, who killed her baby sister at the same time she pierced Vin's ear, and gave her an earring. She lived with Reen for a while, while he taught her how to survive on the streets. She eventually winds up in Camon's crew. Camon is a criminal gang leader, who uses Vin for her Allomantic abilities. She is then taken into a group of thieves led by Kelsier.[1] They are intent on overthrowing the Lord Ruler, a god-like tyrant who has ruled for a thousand years. The band of thieves are promised the cache of the Lord Ruler's atium, an Allomantic metal that allows Allomancers to see a few seconds into the future, as reward for their contributions.[2] The group is hounded by Steel Inquisitors, intent on stopping their plans from succeeding.

Kelsier uses Vin to infiltrate the parties of the noblemen, gaining information and spreading disorder. She is originally terrified of these parties, but eventually succeeds in becoming skilled at manipulating people. She meets Elend Venture, a nobleman/scholar, who also opposes the Lord Ruler.

Kelsier is a Mistborn, utilizing the powers of Allomancy to fight against The Lord Ruler. He trains Vin, who he discovers is a Mistborn like himself. He has discovered the Eleventh Metal, which he claims is going to be used to defeat the Lord Ruler, and spreads this knowledge to the skaa.[3] This encourages their revolt, and their deifying of him. Kelsier sacrifices himself fighting The Lord Ruler,[4] but a kandra named OreSeur steals his bones and impersonates him,[5] giving him the illusion of immortality in the minds of the skaa.

After his sacrifice, he leaves Vin the Eleventh Metal, which he never discovered how to use. Vin confronts the Lord Ruler, burning the metal as she does so. She sees an alternate past, and finds out that he is not Alendi, the prophesied savior of mankind, but Rashek, a Terris packman and a Feruchemist. Using this knowledge, Vin separates him from his metalminds, causing him to age rapidly and die.[6]

Main CharactersEdit

Vin
Mistborn, discovered by Marsh and Kelsier. She was trained by Kelsier as a Mistborn, and becomes incredibly skilled at using all 10 metals. She is notable for having an exceptionally strong ability to burn bronze, including the ability to pierce copperclouds. She is often plagued by the voice of her brother, Reen, who taught her how to survive on the streets. She is skilled at surviving in harsh situations, and throughout the course of the books, becomes skilled at manipulating lords. She becomes romantically involved with Elend Venture while disguised as a noblewoman.
Kelsier
Kelsier is a Mistborn who is skilled at theft and conning. He is a visionary who plans the seemingly impossible, his plans often succeeding. He was sent to work in the Pits of Hathsin, which are a mine for atium where the most dangerous criminals are sent to mine for the rest of their lives. He is the only known survivor of the pits of Hathsin, giving him the name 'Survivor'. He has long horizontal scars on his wrists from digging in the pits. He gathered a group of Mistings with a variety of skills intent on stealing the Lord Ruler's cache of Atium. He also planned on leading the skaa in revolt against the Lord Ruler. He is able to use all the metals skillfully, but is especially skilled at steel (Pushing), and iron (Pulling). He rescues Vin from the streets, taking her into his group. His former wife was Mare, until she died in the pits of Hathsin.
Elend Venture
Son of Straff Venture, a nobleman with high ideals intent on a new form of democratic government. He was born into one of the most powerful noble houses at the time, but is not interested in the monarchical system of government. He is an intellectual, and loves to read. He read books such as the Book of the False Dawn that criticize the Lord Ruler.
Breeze
A very skilled Soother, Soothes the emotions of everyone around him, often without thought. Believed to be one of the more powerful Soothers in the final empire. He is a nobleman, and despite his involvement in the rebellion, prefers more relaxing jobs, such as being around during a con to Soothe people's emotions.
Spook
A young Tineye, speaks often in street slang and is sometimes incomprehensible. Spook is just a nickname, his actual name is Lestibournes, which is street slang for "I've been abandoned." He is Clubs' nephew.
Marsh
Kelsier's brother, also a Seeker. Infiltrates the Steel Ministry, but is turned into a Steel Inquisitor through Hemalurgy.
Sazed
Kelsier's Terrisman steward, and also a Feruchemist, played a crucial part in the downfall of the Final Empire. He specialized in religions and mythology, and he would preach a different one to the crew members at every opportunity. He contains all this detailed information in his copperminds. Because he is a terrisman steward, he is a eunuch, and submissive by nature although apparently he is considered a rebel among other terrismen.
Hammond
A Pewterarm, or thug, who works in Kelsier's gang. He is an excellent soldier, and is strong even without burning pewter. Unlike most pewterarms, he loves to discuss philosophy.
Clubs
The Smoker of Kelsier's crew, able to burn copper to hide Allomancers around him. The crew uses his shop as a secret base of operations in Luthadel. He is usually grim and pessimistic.
OreSeur
Impersonating Lord Renoux, OreSeur is a mysterious kandra who has a contract with Kelsier.

SettingEdit

MagicEdit

Allomancy
Allomancy is one of the three Metallic Arts on Scadrial. At the time of the events of Mistborn: The Final Empire, only eight basic allomantic metals are known, with gold (allows user to see into their possible past) and atium (allows people to see a few seconds into their future) being referred to as 'Higher Metals'. The eight basic metals are iron, steel, tin, pewter, zinc, brass, copper, and bronze.[7] By the end of the novel, aluminum is introduced as another Allomantic metal.
Feruchemy
Feruchemy is a Metallic art used by Sazed, and other Terris Keepers. It uses the same metals as Allomancy to store physical and mental attributes for later use. You can only draw from your metalminds as much as you put in previously. While you are storing an attribute for later use, you have less of that attribute at that current time. For example, when you are storing speed, you will move incredibly slowly.
Hemalurgy
Hemalurgy is the final of the three Metallic Arts. Very little is known about Hemalurgy during the time of Mistborn: The Final Empire, due to the restrictions on knowledge set in place by the Lord Ruler. It is used by the Inquisitors, and has to do with the many spikes driven through their bodies.

Cover GalleryEdit

Interior ArtEdit

Statistical AnalysisEdit

Mistborn: The Final Empire consists of one prologue, thirty-eight chapters, and one epilogue, reaching a total 210,103 word count. There are seven different unique point-of-view characters in a total of 74 POVs.

Word Count 210,103
Page Count 541 Tor hardback
Chapter Count 38 Including prologue and epilogue.
PoV Characters 7
PoV Count 74

NotesEdit

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