Book Review: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

This book review of The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson is part of my Cosmere Reading Quest.

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It’s been a long time coming. Everyone talks so highly of Brandon Sanderson and his Cosmere universe. I’ve been so excited to get started digging into this world. I’ve tried to temper my expectations – I’ve been let down before. But let me just start by saying this – The Final Empire is absolutely one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a really long time. Fantasy has really become one of my favorite genres – I’ve loved Abercrombie’s books and Tolkien and Lewis have long been favorites as well. The Final Empire did not disappoint.

I’d heard all the buzz about Sanderson’s magic systems and world-building, but it’s easy to be skeptical when everyone is saying how “groundbreaking” a book is. I’ve read some hyped-up fantasy books that just didn’t live up to the excitement. But The Final Empire? Well, it deserves the praise. I’m giving this one 4 out of 5 stars, and here’s why.

Plot Summary

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson establishes a unique world where ash mysteriously constantly falls from the sky. And a tyrannical, immortal ruler – The Lord Ruler – has been in control for over a thousand years. This mysterious ruler holds all the power, keeping the skaa—an oppressed underclass—subjugated, while nobility live in total luxury.

Meet Vin: A Tough, Street-Smart Heroine

In this setting, we meet Vin. Vin is a tough, street-wise heroine. She’s seen it all—from betrayal, hardships, and more than her fair share of pain. Through all of that, trust has been hard to come by, making her very wary of others, doing her best just to survive in a world that is not aligned in her favor.

Kelsier: The Charismatic Mentor

But Vin’s world changes when Kelsier, a highly likable and equally mysterious Allomancer, finds her. Kelsier is a former prisoner, imprisoned by the Lord Ruler’s empire for a long time. Ready for revenge, he has a plan to bring down the oppressive Lord Ruler and his regime. Kelsier believes Vin has potential to help him achieve this goal.

Vin’s Journey: Unlocking Power and Purpose

Kelsier takes Vin under his wing to train her in the secrets of Allomancy (a magic where you burn metals to gain certain abilities). As they work together, Vin becomes increasingly confident in her powers. She starts to realize she has a much bigger role to play in the fight to defeat the Lord Ruler than she ever probably imagined.

Balancing Action with Character Development

The story balances action with deep character development, particularly Vin’s journey from a frightened girl to a powerful, self-assured leader. The world-building is rich, with a unique magic system tied to metals, and the plot is full of twists that keep you turning the pages. While it occasionally slows for world-building and exposition, it’s an incredibly strong start to an epic fantasy series that’s as emotional as it is thrilling.

My Review

A Fresh and Unique Magic System

The first thing that jumps out to me in Final Empire is without question the magic system. In epic fantasy, the magic system is usually a huge part of the story. But sometimes, to me at least, it can feel like magic is just there as a backdrop — something the characters pull out whenever they need a quick fix. That’s definitely not the case here. In The Final Empire, magic isn’t just a plot device—it’s a living, breathing part of the world itself.

The magic system in Mistborn is called Allomancy, and it’s one of the most original magic systems I’ve ever come across. Basically, certain people in this world can “burn” different metals to gain unique powers. For example, if you burn iron, you can pull yourself toward metal objects. If you burn pewter, you get superhuman strength. There’s a whole bunch of metals with different effects, and each one feels like it opens up a new layer of possibilities.

What I really loved about the magic system is that it didn’t feel like a quick fix whenever the plot needed it. The magic felt earned. The characters actually had to struggle, train, and push themselves to unlock their full abilities. It made their growth feel real and earned, like they weren’t just waiting for some magic to swoop in and save them.

The world-building around the magic system really blew me away. It’s not just that the magic is cool—it’s how Sanderson ties the different metals to the plot and the world’s history. You can tell he’s put a lot of thought into it, and it gives the whole story this depth that’s hard to ignore. It definitely made me even more excited to see where the series goes next.

Complex Characters with Real Stakes

In a lot of fantasy, especially with big, epic plots, it’s easy for the characters to get lost in all the world-building and action. But in The Final Empire, the characters really stand out.

Vin is one of the most relatable and well-developed characters I’ve come across in a while. She starts off the story as a street kid, struggling to get by and unsure of who she even is. But as the book goes on, you really see her grow. She’s a bit of an underdog at first, and I found myself rooting for her from the very beginning. The best part is, her growth feels earned. It’s not a “magical hero’s journey” where everything just magically falls into place. Vin really has to struggle, question herself, and learn from her mistakes. It makes her journey feel so much more real, even though the story takes place in this epic world of steel and magic.

Then there’s Kelsier—he’s the charismatic, cocky leader of the crew trying to take down the ruling class. He’s one of those characters you can’t help but like, even though he’s far from perfect. Kelsier could’ve easily been just another ‘too-good-to-be-true’ hero, but Sanderson gives him enough depth to make him feel real. He’s got this larger-than-life energy, but he’s also hiding some deep wounds. His character is full of contradictions, and that made him all the more interesting to me. I loved seeing the way his motivations played out in the story.

The supporting characters are just as well-crafted. Each has their own motivations and backstory that tie into the larger plot. I won’t spoil anything, but the relationships between the characters, especially the way they build trust and loyalty, are one of the emotional cores of the book. Sanderson does a fantastic job of showing how the characters’ personal struggles and the stakes of the story are intertwined.

A Gripping Plot with High Stakes

In terms of the plot, Sanderson knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. Without giving anything away, the book centers on a heist—well, kind of a heist, but not in the typical sense. The team is working to overthrow the oppressive ruling class, which is made up of immortal aristocrats who control the world with their powers. There’s a lot of political intrigue, strategy, and action. Sanderson does an excellent job of layering tension into every scene, whether it’s a quiet conversation or a big, explosive moment. The pacing was perfect, to me. I just kept turning pages, eager to find out what would happen next. What really kept me hooked, though, was how the plot kept throwing curveballs—just when I thought I had things figured out, there was always a twist I didn’t see coming. I love that Sanderson always kept me guessing. 

The tension between the characters and the powers they’re up against always felt palpable. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the way the stakes escalate in this book is a masterclass in keeping readers invested. It’s not just about defeating Steel Inquisitors and the Lord Ruler—Vin, Kelsier, and others deal with real moral dilemmas and personal sacrifices. There’s just a lot of moments that made me really stop and think about what’s worth fighting for.

With that said, while the plot certainly kept me hooked, there were a few spots where the pacing slowed down. There’s quite a lot of set up with the magic system early on and sometimes I felt like the story lingered a bit more than it needed to. Same with some of the politics. I think in most of those instances I just found myself itching to get back to the action. But let me be clear – these moments were rare, and didn’t in anyway take away from how much I enjoyed the book overall.

Some Small Critiques

As much as I loved The Final Empire, I’ll admit that it’s not perfect. A small gripe for me was that there are a few characters who, while interesting, don’t get as much development as I would’ve liked. Sazed and Elend Venture felt this way to me. But, I’ll assume that since this is a trilogy, I just need to be a little more patient! I’m hoping that as the series progresses, we get to learn more about them, but for now, it left me with a few questions.

Parting Thoughts

The Final Empire is such a strong start to what looks like it’s going to be an incredible series. Honestly, I’m so excited to see where Sanderson takes this story next. The magic system is really unique, the characters are complex and engaging, and the plot moves at such a good pace—it all comes together in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish. Sure, there are a few small things that bothered me here and there (I wanted to know more about Sazed!), but nothing that took away from my overall enjoyment.

My take is, if you’re into epic fantasy that’s rich with well-rounded characters, an awesome, unique magic system that feels really well thought out, and a plot full of twists and surprises, I definitely recommend checking out The Final Empire. While I absolutely loved it, I’m giving it 4 stars because, there’s a part of me that feels like the story still has so much more to reveal. It’s a great beginning, and I’m excited to keep going on this journey through Mistborn and ultimately the rest of Sanderson’s Cosmere universe.

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Other Books You Might Enjoy

• Book review: Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
• Book review: Sandman Book 1 by Neil Gaiman

About the Author

Brandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author who’s made a name for himself with his complex worlds and inventive magic systems. Born in 1975 in Nebraska, he started writing while studying at Brigham Young University. His Mistborn series launched him to the top of the fantasy genre. With its gripping storylines, Mistborn cemented his reputation as one of the strongest voices in modern fantasy. One of his career highlights was finishing Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. A task that earned him significant respect in the fantasy world. Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series has been hugely popular. It is praised for its complex characters and massive scope. He’s won the Hugo Award and the David Gemmell Legend Award. His books have sold millions of copies worldwide. Readers love how detailed and ambitious his stories are and there’s no denying his impact on the genre.