Mistborn: The Final Empire Reread Part 1
Entry posted by leinton
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Greetings, Mistborn lovers, people of Scadrial, and 17th Sharders, and welcome to the Mistborn Reread! I am your host, Kevin Fanshier, known as Leinton (one day I'll figure out how to capitalize the "L" in my name)here on the forum. I had been planning on doing this for a while, and now that I officially have too much free time, I am using this as an excuse to eat that free time. And to reread Mistborn.
There WILL be spoilers for all three books throughout the reread. This is not for people who don't know how the series ends. If you don't know, please leave before the epicness is revealed. If you want to read alongside someone else's notes, may I suggest Brandon's annotations? Any and all spoilers in the annotations are covered up, and they are free on his website of www.brandonsanderson.com. These will be referenced in my reread from time to time, by the way.
There will also be slight spoilers of other books in the series. I will cover these up, because they are not necessary for the majority of the reread. It looks like there is a spoiler thing I can use for that, so I'll be trying that out. If it fails, then I'll figure something else out. These spoilers will be noted before they happen, though. Most of these will be for general cosmere (cosmere is not capitalized, correct? I'm pretty sure I remember Peter saying that) theorizing on my part. Please don't comment on these where people can see it, though. Not everyone is as insane as us 17th Sharders.
Format: I'm going to quote the epigraph word for word, unless I find one that's super long. Then I will give a summary (sometimes brief, but it's hard to condense Brandon's chapters all that much. His books are long because he puts a LOT of stuff in them), and then I'll give commentary. This format is partially based off of the Wheel of Time reread, so it might be familiar to some of you.
Without further delay, I give you... the reread of Mistborn: The Final Empire. Today, I will be doing the prologue up to chapter 4. I think I'm going to stick with five chapters a week, painful as it is to read that slowly.
Prologue
Epigraph: "Sometimes, I worry that I'm not the hero everyone thinks I am.
The philosphers assure me that this is the time, that the signs have been met. But I still wonder if they have the wrong man. So many people depend on me. They say I will hold the future of the entire world on my arms.
What would they think if they knew that their champion-- the Hero of Ages, their savior-- doubted himself? Perhaps they wouldn't be shocked at all. In a way, this is what worries me most. Maybe, in their hearts, they wonder-- just as I do.
When they see me, do they see a liar?"
What happens: Lord Tresting is watching his skaa work in the fields with a new suit and a guest, both of whom arrived in a canal earlier that day. They are being protected from an ashfall by a parasol, and discussing how lazy the skaa are. Tresting complains that his skaa are lazy, and his guest, an obligator who is a full Prelan, mentions that his skaa are much harder workers than the city skaa of Luthadel. He asks Tresting how many he loses a month, who replies about half a dozen, some to beatings and some to exhaustion. Tresting also mentions that his skaa never run away, since he executes their families if they do.
The obligator says that he will bring Tresting's business proposal to Lord Venture, and that Lord Venture would have a good report from the obligator. He then says he will leave later in the day, but also mentions that there is another reason he is there. The Steel Inquisition has heard rumors that Tresting likes to “dally” with his skaa women, but he reassures Tresting that from what he's seen, Tresting does indeed follow the law and that “you always clean up after your messes,” saying that if there had been any real concern, a Steel Inquisitor would have come instead. Tresting shivers, thinking about the stories he's heard about the “inhuman creatures.”
The obligator (dammit Brandon, can't you have given him a name? I hate calling him “the obligator”) then tells Tresting that if he keeps this up, it's possible that he could go far in Luthadel, which pleases Tresting to no end. As he is silently cheering to himself, he notices one of the skaa looking up at him defiantly. He calls up his taskmaster and is about to order the skaa beaten when the skaa vanishes. Unwilling to let the obligator know that there had been such a brazen skaa, he simply tells the taskmaster to work the skaa in that area harder.
Kelsier reminisces about days from a thousand years ago, days barely even remembered in stories. He then enters a skaa hovel, bring about a silence which he quickly broke. One of the skaa elders, Tepper, gets angry at Kelsier for avoiding work. Kelsier says he is not meant for field work, showing of the scars that lined his hands and arms. He mentions that while he could have indeed gotten the skaa near him beaten for avoiding work, they could have been beaten for a multitude of reasons. He then turns to leave, opening the doors and letting the mists in. Due to the fear of the skaa, he closes the door, keeping the mists out, but mentioning that the mists are nothing to be afraid of.
He then tells the skaa about stories from the north, about a place where life was bearable for skaa. Tepper calls him a liar, naming him the Survivor, a trouble maker who was going to eat their food. Kelsier responds by opening a sack of nobleman's food that he had stolen earlier in the day. Despite Teeper's fear of being found out, the rest of the skaa quickly divide the food among themselves. The eldest of the elders, Mennis, begins talking with Kelsier, trying to convince Kelsier that there was no point in stirring up trouble, and that a rebellion was hopeless. He also mentions that he has seen Kelsier's scars before, on a man who died in the Pits of Hathsin. He then asks how Kelsier can smile so much, who replies that it is his personal battle against the Lord Ruler. Mennis begins to respond, but then they hear a high pitched scream.
Kelsier begins burning tin, and realizes it is two women screaming, one moving away. The skaa mention that it was a curse for a skaa to have pretty daughters. Kelsier asks if Tresting ever returns the girls, who says no, he always obeys the law and has them killed. In a rage, Kelsier leaves to save the girl.
We then get a viewpoint from Mennis, mentioning how hard it was to get up each day. He eventually succeeds, realizing that the skaa needed him this day, as Kelsier had not returned the previous night.
Leaning on another skaa named Shum, he realizes that he smells smoke. He then sees a group of skaa gathering. Walking over to it, he sees that in the center of the group is Jess with her daughter, explaining how she had come back the previous night and how she can't have been a mistwraith.
Mennis walked past and saw that the manor house had burned down. Jess's daughter explained that Kelsier had killed everyone in the manor, then saved her, and threw a torch into the manor. Mennis realizes that the skaa must flee to the rebellion to survive. Although reluctant at first, Tepper begins gathering the skaa while Mennis silently curses Kelsier
Commentary: Wow, Brandon sure knows how to pack a lot of information into a single chapter, doesn't he? I feel like I didn't summarize but rather repeated Tresting's viewpoint. So much information in such a short chapter.
In this reread, as in my last reread, the first thing that caught my eye was the epigraph. We're already foreshadowing the final chapter of the final book. “I will hold the future of the world upon my arms.” Kind of insane foreshadowing.
It's also our first impression of the noblemen and the skaa. Noblemen are horrible, racist bastards who put themselves over the skaa, rape them, then murder them afterward, just because they MIGHT give birth to kids with allomancy. That was a habbit that was hard to get over later in the book, once we meet Elend.
On the other hand, we get the skaa, who are portrayed as timid weaklings who will go wherever you push them. All of the skaa, other than Kelsier, are quite annoying to me in this chapter. Even Mennis. I don't like it when people have given up and tell other people to give up, no matter what's going on. The skaa are filled with hopelessness and apathy, and not much else other than fear. This was even harder to get over, once we get into Vin's viewpoint. As a matter of fact, early Vin makes this even worse to me.
Kelsier's allomancy so early surprised me in my first read through. I also remember that, fresh out of the Wheel of Time, that I thought that the reason his senses were enhanced was because he was holding on the magic system, like with channeling. I'm very grateful that wasn't the case. But in any case, I'm used to magic being introduced more slowly. Yet, I find myself preferring this method. It's a great hook, knowing that a single man with an unknown magic can destroy a manor filled with two dozen soldiers and several others.
The introduction of the mists this early was definitely a nice touch. I found myself wondering what was their deal immediately, a question I never really stopped asking myself until the end of the trilogy.
I don't really have much to say about Mennis leading his people to the caves. I didn't think that he would ever be back, and even knowing he will be back, he's still not very important to the scheme of things in my mind. It was obvious that he would lead them; unlike Tepper, he at least has some potential as a true leader, even if he's given up.
About Kelsier; he's instantly likeable as a character to me. It was hard when I realized he more plays the part of a wise old man than the hero. Not that I dislike Vin, she's one of my favorite heroes of all time. It's just, I wish Kelsier was a hero in a different story.
And one last thing; the setting. Brandon mentions this in his annotations, but basically, this world's atmosphere is kind of messed up. Which I personally think is awesome, being a meteorology nerd. The sun is red rather than yellow. Ash fills the sky. To deal with this, plants are brown rather than green. I would imagine that the lungs of animals are also more powerful and/or resistant to ash.
Beyond that, we have rural peasants who have no idea what technology is, and a nobleman who has a pocket watch. Brandon definitely succeeded in making this book feel like it's not set in any particular time. It feels more like it's out of time to me. It's an interesting setting that's very different from fantasy, and Brandon wanted us to know from the beginning: this is not an ordinary fantasy. It's not set in a medieval setting with magic added into the mix. It is unique.
Like I said... a lot jammed into this prologue.
Chapter 1
Epigraph: "I consider myself a man of principle. But, what man does not? Even the cutthroat, I have noticed, considers his actions 'moral' after a fashion.
Perhaps another person, reading of my life, would name me a religious tyrant. He could call me arrogant. What is to make that man's opinion any less valid than my own?
I guess it all comes down to one fact: In the end, I'm the one with the armies."
What happens: The chapter starts again with falling ash, Vin watching the ashfall from a watch-hole that she was hiding in. She thinks about how nice it would be to be ash, or the wind, or the mists. Something that was free, and merely existed.
She thinks about her brother, and how he said that everyone would betray her, and then betrayed her himself. She was in the watch-hole to hide from people for that very reason; Vin has a strong fear of being betrayed. She expects it at all times. She hears her brother's voice telling her that ruthlessness was “the very most practical of emotions.” People didn't betray each other in the slums because they weren't friends, they betrayed them because that was how they stayed alive.
Ulef finds her and tells her Camon has been looking for her, she needs to come out, and Camon is angry. Vin reluctantly leaves and thinks about the plan for the job they are about to pull off. It's complex, but with a huge pay off. If they didn't succeed... bad things happen. While walking to find Camon, she sees skaa in the streets who are too weak to work. Then she thinks to herself that she will never be free.
When she makes it to Camon, he slaps her around for being late and missing. Vin knows that showing any signs of rebellion would be a huge mistake at this point, so simply takes the blow. She thinks that Camon is likely mad at something else and taking his anger out on her. He goes to strike her again, but Vin uses her “Luck” on him. He calms down.
Vin notes that Camon is dressed extravagantly. He is ready to play the part of a nobleman, which he is accomplished at. The room, however, was not as impressive. It was a suite, but not a lavish one, as the nobleman Camon was impersonating was supposedly on the verge of bankruptcy. Camon snapped at some other members in the crew, and Vin notes how the room was like an audience chamber. Two others were in the room, who were going to play Camon's manservants.
Another crew leader, Theron, walks into the room, asking if there's a problem. Camon assures him that there isn't. Theron then sees Vin, and asks who she is and what she is doing there. Camon says don't worry about it, we need her, but it's none of your business. Theron looks Vin up and down, and Vin grows worried that he might rape her, but he eventually passes over her, as she apparently does not look tempting. He tells Camon the obligator is nearly here, and then leaves the room at Camon's asking (ordering).
Vin stays silent for a bit, then realizes something doesn't feel right. She tells Camon that the servants are too fancy, and they need to get less fancy. Camon almost attacks Vin, but settles for merely squeezing her where the shoulder meets the neck. Camon waits a bit before doing anything, but eventually takes Vin's advice and tells the servants to dress is skaa clothing and to find six others.
The obligator comes in shortly after, and Camon rises in his presence. One of the servant's acts as a piece of furniture for the obligator, staying put and holding up a tray for him with food and drink. They exchange pleasantries, ending with the obligator saying that he will not be accepting their request. Noticing that he still came, Camon noted (as did Vin) that they were still willing to negotiate. Camon gave them an even better deal, and states that since this would be their only job for a long while, the obligators would get the very best service possible.
The obligator is impressed by the idea, but still uncertain. Vin uses her luck on him, calming his emotions, until he eventually says he will take the proposal to the council.
Commentary: A lot less information being dumped on us in this chapter. First of all, this epigraph, while relatively unimportant to the plot (though it does tell us a lot about the personality of Alendi), is awesome.
Second of all, I love how Vin has like... two lines. It really says a lot about her character. She's very careful and very quiet. I noted in the last chapter how we get the impression that the skaa are very subdued and apathetic, and we get that a lot in Vin. Even with Camon and Theron, this is how I view the skaa who aren't main characters; just a bunch of Vins.
So I don't think that Vin is currently wearing her earring, so I'm unsure if Reen's voice in this chapter is a memory or Ruin. I'm going to lean toward memory; even without Ruin's influence, Reen's training for her would have been strong. I could be wrong, though. I seem to recall, however, that she puts the earring on in a few chapters. At Kelsier's request, I believe.
Camon is a bastard. First of all, he's lying when he says he doesn't know why he keeps Vin around. He's not a good man in his heart, he's not doing it for her. He knows she's an allomancer, though he thinks she's either a Soother or a Rioter most likely. He knows that she is the reason his deals go over so well, but he beats her down, making her work to be important, because as Vin said, making oneself important is a key to survival in the underworld.
What Camon does is truly disgusting. It is an effective way to control people, though; make them feel like no one wants them. If Vin knew how allomancy worked, even with only brass, she would have control over who she worked with. However, thinking that she would get nowhere in the world of thieves without Camon, she forces herself to stay with him. Because Camon has made her truly believe in her core that she is useless without him. It truly is a horrible thing, but as Vin said, it's a part of survival.
This scam is an interesting one. Usually, to get a job other people want, you want to prove that you are in the best position to do the job right. In this case, however, they win by proving that they'll be the most focused on the job. Not that they have the capability to do the best job, but that they will do the best job. It's an interesting tactic, and I'm unsure if it would work or not.
Finally, I'm pretty sure I remember that all obligators can sense when their emotions are being tampered with due to allomancy. So it's highly unlikely that this obligator meant to take this job on, but instead is going to be like “THEY HAS A SOOTHER ZOMG LETS GET SOME INQUISITORS ON THE DOUBLE” to this council. Sneaky, sneaky obligators.
Chapter 2
Epigraph: “If men read these words, let them know that power is a heavy burden. Seek not to be bound by its chains. The Terris prophecies say that I will have the power to save the world.
They hint, however, that I will have the power to destroy it as well.”
What happens: Kelsier is in the city of Luthadel, noting how ugly it is. Squat looking buildings, ash covering everything, very little open space except around the Great Houses, and Kredik Shaw. An ashfall begins, giving him an excuse to put up his hood, which is comforting even though he's certain no one would recognize him after three years.
Dockson approaches him, wearing aristocratic clothing, similar to Kelsier. Kelsier notes that neither of them are nobles in actuality, though he is a half-blood, which is worse than being a skaa. The two of them start talking, Kelsier saying he was late due to his killing of Tresting. Dox notes that Kell must be insane, and Dox himself must be insane for signing up to do another job with him.
Dox says that he's gotten boring, which Kelsier promises to fix. They mention a meeting that will start in the evening, and Kelsier asks who will be coming. Dox says that Breeze and Ham, obviously. Traps is dead, so not him. Kelsier suggests bringing Clubs as a replacement, and Dox says that Clubs has a Tineye cousin that they could invite, which Kelsier approves. Kelsier says that Yeden will definitely be there, which Dox states is a good thing, seeing as Yeden is the one who is going to pay for it.
Kelsier asks about Marsh, and Dox says that Marsh isn't too thrilled with Kelsier or Yeden right now, so it's unlikely he'll show. Kelsier says that he'll deal with Marsh. The two of them note how insane this job is, how fantastic it is, and then Dox says he wants to show Kelsier something
Vin sits in the shadows of the safehouse, not wanting to use her “Luck” to keep them men's hands off of her. She thinks about all the beatings she's endured over the years, mostly abuse from her brother Reen. She thinks about how each beating taught her how to look small and obedient, to keep her from receiving more beatings. It also makes her stronger
Eventually, Camon looks over to her and tells her that it's time, which confuses Vin. They go to the Canton of Finance, where Vin realizes that Camon is betraying Theron. The original plan was to have the “guards” on the boats turn on the obligators and steal their money. Instead, Camon was going to talk them into a down payment and run, leaving Theron to deal with the mess. Vin's feels uncomfortable at the betrayal, but tells herself that she sees it all the time, and that it shouldn't bother her.
They meet with High Prelan Arriev, who tells them that Prelan Laird is indisposed, and that he wants Camon to convince him that this is the right choice. Camon goes over his arguments, but Arriev seems disappointed. Vin holds back at first on using her “Luck” but eventually does so. Immediately, Arriev says that he is going to accept the offer. He gives them the down payment, but Vin is uncomfortable with a happy obligator. But nothing happens to them as they leave.
In the same waiting room before Camon and Vin met the obligator, Kelsier and Dox were munching on cakes. After Camon and Vin left, they left as well, and watched Camon's group leave a while later. Kelsier finds out how Dox learned about Vin through Kelsier's brother Marsh, and Kelsier says that Vin is definitely at least a Misting, and if Marsh says she's more, then she is. Kelsier notes that he's surprised that Vin would use emotional allomancy on an obligator, saying that it's likely that she's doing in unconsciously, using trace minerals in the water.
A High Prelan comes out of the Canton building suddenly, followed by an Inquisitor. Kelsier and Dox instantly become nervous, though Kelsier says that the creature can't be after him; he's not burning anything. He says it's more likely that Vin got noticed by an obligator earlier. The two of them decide to save Camon's crew. Dox will deal with the tails that the Ministry set on the crew, and Kelsier will diver the Inquisitor. The chapter ends with Kelsier pulling on the Inquisitor's emotions after Dox was safely on his way.
Commentary: Yet another excellent foreshadowing in the epigraph. Holding Preservation and Ruin's powers at the same time was definitely foreshadowed in just the second chapter of the first book. Not that very many people likely caught that.
Meeting Dox: I love Dox. He's one of the only important characters that isn't an allomancer or a feruchemist, and unlike Elend, he always stays a normal person. Yet despite that, he's still as baddass as Ham or Breeze, if in a different way. Of course, no one's as baddass as Vin or Kelsier, but they're the heroes, so that makes sense.
Also, Kelsier and Dox meeting covertly to plan a heist definitely does exactly what Brandon says he wanted it to do. This book is a book about thieves. It isn't really even an epic fantasy, unlike the other two books in the series and the other Adonalsium books. Despite that, it's still one of the best books he's written, even for someone like me who highly prefers epics to any other story telling style. Also, the two of them laughing about how insane they are is really funny to me for some reason, and always has been.
Also, in case you're wondering, I call Kelsier by his full name rather than Kell because I like French-sounding names. Dockson's name is boring, so I go with Dox for simplicity. Besides, apparently “Dox” came before “Dockson.”
Vin's fist scene in this is kind of boring every time I read through it. It's important for Vin's character to show how she deals with everything, but compared to everything else, it's quite bland. This gets better instantly as the reader realizes that Camon is going to enter the lion's domain and swindle his closest ally.
Camon is right in doing this move, in my opinion, though he should realize that bringing Vin to screw with people's emotions is a bad idea. A lot of risk is involved with banditry, particularly if all the bandits are expecting to betray each other. However, Camon's plan is much simpler, and involves very little risk on his part of being caught. If he succeeds in getting the money, then Theron is screwed, both financially and due to his being chased by the Ministry. Of course, as already said, using Vin was a stupid idea. Though maybe he's too dumb to realize that?
Vin has excellent instincts, as can be expected of someone who spent her entire life being beaten. We know very little about Reen, but I find myself wondering if he actually did all this horrible stuff to Vin to prepare her for life as a thief. Unlike Camon, we find out later that Reen died protecting Vin. So, he at least cared for her. Not that it makes his actions any more forgivable, just more understandable.
Again, Dox is a baddass. He's no allomancer, but he's going to take care of at least two Ministry tails. Oh, and meeting an Inquisitor was fun. The description of the Inquisitor is quite excellent, and even having read and reread Mistborn many many times, I still get chills reading about the nails in the eyes. I think I get more chills now that I know where they come from.
There's something I find interesting about Vin. I don't think we truly meet Vin until Hero of Ages, and this chapter is one of the reasons I think this. Vin is very hardened, but she still cringes at betrayal. It reminds me of a close friend of mine who cringes at emotional outbursts that she makes, despite her very logical view of the world. Vin thinks that she's hard enough to simply see betrayal as something new, but she isn't.
Chapter 3
Epigraph: “We arrived in Terris earlier this week, and, I have to say, I find the countryside beautiful. The great mountains to the north-- with their bald snowcaps and forested mantles-- stand like watchful gods over this land of green fertility. My own lands to the south are mostly flat; I think that they might look less dreary if there were a few mountains to vary the terrain.
The people here are mostly herdsmen-- though timber harvesters and farmers are not uncommon. It is a pastoral land, certainly. It seems odd that a place so remarkably agrarian could have produced the prophecies and theologies upon which the entire world now relies.”
What happens: Camon counts his money for everyone to see, while Vin feels uncomfortable. She feels that the prelan they dealt with was too smart to have fallen so easily for their trick. She continues worrying, until eventually she finds Ulev, the closest thing she has to a friend, and asks if he'd leave with her. He says he will, and Vin asks him to stay while she gets some things. She goes and gets her stuff, including an earring she was given by her mother. She put the earring on, and went to get Ulev, but realized he wasn't where she left him, but instead with Camon.
Camon erupts in a rage, and Vin tries to make a run for it. She's hit in the back with a stool, and weakened though she is, she feels a sudden strength enter her. Camon makes it over to her and begins to beat her and yell at her, despite her using her “Luck” on him. She eventually runs out of “Luck” and realizes that Camon is going to kill her.
The door slams open, revealing someone she's never seen before. He gives her a sympathetic look, and suddenly Camon goes flying across the room. She also feels her pain returning again, her sudden reserve of strength gone. Disoriented, she tries to think of a way to flee, when she's suddenly at peace. While the logical (and paranoid) side of her still is screaming to get away, she can't manage to get any emotion up to match her thoughts. She realizes this must be what “Luck” feels like.
Camon recognizes the invader as Kelsier, as well as another invader standing behind him as Dockson, and greets them both, but still finds himself flying across the room again. Kelsier tells the crew that Camon screwed up, and that there had been two ministry scouts, a high ranking prelan, and an Inquisitor on the way there. The two of them dealt with these people, and demanded payment.
Milev, Camon's second, gives Kelsier the three thousand boxings that Camon had got from the previous heist. Kelsier accepts that, and says to screw Camon's life over. Milev says that he'll make him a beggar, and make sure that life would suck for him. Kelsier says to keep him alive. He then says that he wants to use the base as a meeting place for a job he was planning, and gives Mileve several hundred boxings to see it done. He then says for everyone except Vin to get out, and that included the people in the spy-holes. He also warns them not to betray him. Milev does as asked.
Vin watches as Kelsier suddenly begins laughing, and Dox grumbles about Kelsier's new fame. They then raid the winery, which Dox says is sucky, and try to get Vin to cheer up. She eventually asks for ale, and they start asking her about her “Luck” and allomancy. Kelsier eventually gets her to drink an alcoholic solution with the two emotional allomantic metals. She successfully uses both, and Kelsier says that's excellent. He then explains that Mistings are people, almost always nobility, who can use a single allomantic metal. He then goes to say that Vin and him are much cooler than that though, because they can use all of the metals. That makes them Mistborn. And because neither is a noble, they don't have to follow any silly rules. Oh, and Vin mentions that her father is a high prelan.
Commentary: This chapter was relatively easy to condense down, compared to previous chapters. Yay!
The epigraph is slightly less interesting than the previous chapter's, but it's still really cool. He mentions Terris, which is important.
I'm surprised that in a den full of thieves, Vin is the only one with this sense of unease. At the very least, Camon should have realized that the obligator gave in too easily. Yes, Vin is paranoid, but I would be in that situation as well, I think. And I'm definitely not paranoid in general. Nor do I have underworld instincts. It should not be that easy to scam a businessman of that magnitude; if it were, he wouldn't be that important.
Her trusting of Ulev is where we see a small bit of who Vin really is, I think. Sure, she gives logical reasoning, but in the end, Vin is not a solitary person by nature. It's been forced on her, and she's come to accept it over the years. However, alone time for her means “no one is in my immediate vicinity, but if I need help, I can still get to them quickly”. The truth is, Vin is terrified of the idea of being alone, as many of us are. But she has herself convinced that she needs Ulev for other reasons. In the end, this is why Vin is my official favorite hero. She's very real. If you look at other heroes from other fantasies (Frodo, Rand, Tannis, Shae, etc), they're all very... bland characters. A blank slate that all of us can relate to on some level. (And yes, I realize Rand grows into an excellent character. It takes him four very long books, though.) Brandon is excellent at making real protagonists. Raoden is another good example, though he's still not quite as real as Vin feels. He's too much of an optimist. Vin has lots of room to grow, but it's much more believable growth. She has her strengths, her weaknesses, and most importantly, delusions about herself.
Now we see Kelsier's scary side. For the most part, Kelsier plays the role of Brandon's optimistic hero. Raoden, Kelsier, and Siri are all very similar characters. However, unlike the other two, Kelsier has this... cruel side to him. He's no simple optimist, like Raoden, nor is he naive, like Siri. He has this edge to him, and it's set off by other people's cruelty. Brandon has said that depsite Kelsier's laughing after this, his beating down of Camon is no act. I'll get more into this when we see how Kelsier reacts to nobility.
So, apparently Mistings didn't exist in Mistborn Prime. Brandon took the concept of having specialists in a heist one step further; have someone who can only do this task. If it weren't for Snapping, allomancy would be my favorite magic system of all time. The idea of “all or just one” is really cool. After much careful deliberation, I still think I would want to be a Slider. Too bad we won't see one of those until later this year. (I think... Brandon did say there would be a bendalloy Misting in Alloy of Law, did he not?)
Vin's not being too paranoid in this scene with Kelsier and Dox, in my opinion. Though, she should realize that if they wanted to kill her or do unspeakable things to her, they wouldn't need to rely on poison. Kelsier has already proven he can throw a fat man across a room without any effort. But still, don't accept drinks from strangers, kids! Bad idea! Vin's in the right here.
The last thing I want to say, another reason I love Vin. Vin is a short, skinny girl who is not imposing in anyway. She looks younger than she is, and she probably could pass as a gray man from Wheel of Time with how easy your eyes pass over her. And yet, she's this baddass magical person that everyone should be envious of. Oh, also, I really like her picture on the cover. So. Awesome.
Chapter 4
Epigraph: “Apparently, the next stage of my quest will takes us up into the highlands of Terris. This is said to be a cold, unforgivable place-- a land where the mountains themselves are made of ice.
Our normal attendants will not do for such a trip. We should probably hire some Terris packmen to carry our gear.”
What happens: Ulef and several other crew members start talking about Kelsier and the legends surrounding him. While Vin half listens, she thinks about what Kelsier has told her. She also thinks about how she'd prefer to be alone, and how loneliness was a part of her life. She had no friends, not even Ulef. Then she hears “Reen's” voice in her head, talking about betrayal and all that jazz. The rest of the crew thinks Vin has been chosen as twixt, which is a representative between a lesser thieving crew, such as Milev's crew, and a much cooler thieving crew like Kelsier's. But Vin thinks that she's been invited to join Kelsier's crew, though she's unsure why. Eating her up even more is the seeming trust between Kelsier and Dox. It confuses her to the point where she asks Ulef about Kelsier, who says that he was the best crewleader in Luthadel, but was betrayed, and then captured by the Lord Ruler himself.
Milev eventually tells everyone to leave, and almost immediately, Vin sees Breeze and Ham come in, though she learns their names by listening to their conversation. They talk a bit with Vin, who suddenly feels like she likes them, and rushes off to get Breeze something to drink. Ham speaks to Breeze in a bit of a warning tone, and Vin realizes that her emotions were tampered with. She learns the difference between Pushing and Pulling emotions (Pushing means Soothing, Pulling means Rioting), and accuses Breeze of controlling her. Breeze denies this, saying he merely used an unnatural form of “encouragement”. Ham and Breeze argue about this for some time, and Vin eventually asks what Ham's job is. He says that he's a Thug, and it's his job to provide general security, saying that he leads a group of other thugs.
Eventually, Clubs comes in. Vin can't place his age. Ham and Breeze note that they'll miss Traps, but Ham also says that Clubs is very good. Vin asks them what he does, and Breeze says that as a Smoker, it will be Clubs' job to keep the Steel Inquisitors from finding them. Clubs sits in a corner, throwing glares at anyone who so much as glances in his direction. Ham and Breeze begin talking about Kelsier's mystery job, and who's missing. Yeden comes in, and Vin notices that he doesn't seem happy to be there, and no one seems happy that he is there, and wonders why everyone is so tense with. She does note that he's not as grumpy as Clubs, though. Eventually, Dox and Kelsier come in. Kelsier say's he's late due to trying to talk with his brother, who won't be joining them tonight, but will eventually. No one seems to believe him, and Vin wonders if there is a problem between the brothers.
Kelsier then says that Yeden is their new employer. Everyone is shocked, and wonder what the skaa rebellion wants with them. Vin realizes why there's the tension suddenly. Skaa thieving crews and the skaa rebellion don't exactly get along. Ham asks what they're going to be doing, and Kelsier says that they're going to overthrow the Final Empire. Everyone goes quiet at this, thinking that it has to be a joke. The silence is broken by Yeden, who notes that it does indeed sound silly when said aloud. Kelsier says that it may sound impossible, but that they are known for taking impossible tasks and making them possible. Breeze says that he normally would agree with Kelsier, but that this time he has to agree with Yeden. Kelsier gives a speech about why they can succeed. The two of them argue about the skaa rebellions of the past, but Kelsier eventually notes that there has never been a success, because the rebellion has always lacked good planning. He thinks that as thieves, they can set up a situation in which Yeden can lead an army into Luthadel and take it over. When the crew finds out how much they're getting paid, however, they say that it's unlikely that's enough money for it. Kelsier then says that if they succeed, they'll get half of the Lord Ruler's Atium stash. That gets even Vin's attention.
Kelsier outlines his plan. First, they get an army for Yeden. Then, they neutralize the Luthadel Garrison somehow, and then throw the city into chaos. Then, Yeden marches his army into the city. They then find the Atium reserves, rob them, get the Lord Ruler out of the city somehow, and leave Yeden with the city of Luthadel, and the Lord Ruler without an army. Yeden says that he doesn't mind them not helping once the city is his; this act is more about the message than the outcome anyway. They want to achieve what no skaa rebellion in the past has achieved.
Kelsier notes that beyond the message, it will also leave the Lord Ruler cripple financially. Ham asks about the koloss, but Kelsier says that the Lord Ruler wouldn't risk setting the koloss on the city. Then Clubs, forgotten by everyone, mentions the Inquisitors. Kelsier says that they will need a plan for dealing with the Inquisitors, and that he has a few ideas for that. Without the atium, the Lord Ruler loses. But then Breeze and Ham mention that he could just mine some more; after all, no one knows where he gets the metal. Kelsier then smiles and says that it's the Pits of Hathsin, and that's why no one ever survives. Except him. He then gives a rousing speech as to why they can do this. Ham says he doesn't know about the plan, but that he'll join any job with Kelsier. Breeze says he won't be swayed so easily, but Kelsier tells him to think of the challenge. Breeze accepts, of course.
Clubs then says they're all insane, and no prize is worth this, and leaves. Yeden asks why they're letting him leave, and Kelsier says that he can't kill someone at meetings. If he did that, no one would come to his meetings anymore. And Dox also says that they didn't invite anyone who would betray them anyway. Vin doesn't believe that can possibly be true. The remaining crew accepts the plan. Yeden asks if they'd give the money that he payed back if he tried to back out, and Ham chuckles at that. Kelsier then asks Vin if she's in. She says she is. Everyone asks who she is, and Kelsier says that his brother caught her Soothing his emotions a while back. Ham says that it's great to have another Soother, but Kelsier then says that it seems she can also Riot people's emotions as well. Silence greets this, and they laugh about treating her like a twixt this entire time when she was a Mistborn. Everyone seems heartened by the idea of having a second Mistborn on the crew.
Kelsier then goes over some final details about things that they'll need to discuss, such as how to create chaos, and then warns them that if he gets the chance, he's going to try and kill the Lord Ruler. Everyone tells him he's insane. The Lord Ruler is the Sliver of Infinity. Vin, who is an excellent judge of character, judges that Kelsier is officially insane. Kelsier says that with the right metal, the eleventh metal, the Lord Ruler can be killed. He just needs to figure out how it works. He tells them not to worry about it, though. It's his job alone, and they can deal with the Lord Ruler another way if killing him proves impossible. Vins realizes that though she's allied with a madman, it's for the best, as she can learn allomancy.
Commentary: Man, I love this chapter. To start things off, we see Ulef and a few of his “friends” (not sure if they're friends or not, judging from what we've seen about crews) talking about Kelsier as though he were a legend. I love the idea that he... where is it? Oh, here we go. AHEM:
“'I heard he got [the scars on his arms] fighting one of the monsters that guards the Pits,' Ulef said. 'He reached into its mouth and strangled it from the inside. The teeth scraped his arms.'”
Yay random stories that make no sense!
Breeze and Ham are obviously wonderful. I love the general idea of the characters. It's like R2D2 and C3PO, except much more awesome. We already see them arguing philosophy here with whether or not Breeze is controlling Vin, or is merely offering encouragement. What are your opinions on this? I tend to agree with Breeze, personally. We have seen many people not do what a Soother/Rioter wants, and we've also seen plenty of people (in the real world as well) do what a normal person wants, simply because they're offered the right encouragement. However, I like to think that if I were a Soother, I would not use my powers on friends. It's a bad idea. If you want friends, you should trust them. Discuss, should this interest you.
Clubs is such an awesome character. He's not an average badass character, like Aragorn. He's gruff, he's annoying and grating, but you also know that he's awesome. Once you get to know him. That's what Kelsier seems to think, at least. I agree with him. Clubs is awesome. I will fight anyone who disagrees with me because that means you are WRONG on the INTERNET. And that is the greatest of sins, my friends.
I love how Vin's mindset is entirely on “who's getting betrayed and when?” We also get some of Ruin in this chapter. Sneaky little (okay, can a Shard be called little?) bastard. Vin's confusion as to why Kelsier doesn't just betray Yeden, seeing as he's been paid upfront, shows just how singleminded she is. It's hard to not feel sympathetic toward her because of this. I don't think she gets over this until Elend comes back. And even then, we see remnants of this in Well of Ascension.
Oh wow, I skipped the epigraph. Silly me. Anyway, now we know that Alendi has Terris packmen. Soon, we will find out that the Lord Ruler doesn't like Terrismen. This is not a connection that I feel that I should have made, but apparently if I had been paying close enough attention, I could have made it. There are no Terris noblemen. I should have realized Feruchemy would be important to the final outcome of both this book and Hero of Ages. Even if I never could have figured out the why, I should have figured out the fact. Oh well. I have better chances with Stormlight Archive. At least I can reread the books millions of times over before we get book 10.
About the job. The plan has one major flaw in it. If Kelsier can't kill the Lord Ruler, then what do they do? They should know that not all of his power comes from his money and armies. The Lord Ruler is, by himself, a freaking Sliver of Infinity. I will go into more detail about this at the end of this commentary, where I will hide it from the eyes of those who have not read more cosmere books, but come on. It's freaking obvious that he's their god for a reason. He's super ultra powerful. Okay. Done ranting. My point is, unless they can deny him his metals, then they need to kill him. And the plan revolves around them throwing him out of the city. Silly thieves.
Kelsier is right to not kill people who leave his meetings. Reputation is a big thing in his world, and if he gains the reputation of a murderer, then no one will come to his meetings. In that case, he would not get jobs, and he's starve. He's smart with the way he works. He only invites people who won't betray him.
Okay, slight cosmere spoiler time. Highlight if you want to read this. However, there is stuff in here about Elantris, Warbreaker, and Way of Kings.
I don't think we yet have a working definition of what a Sliver is. We do know, however, that the Lord Ruler (No, not you, Chaos) is one. Vin also becomes one when she takes the Well of Ascension. I think Sliver of Infinity is incorrect, though. They are a Sliver of Preservation only. I don't think that counts as a Sliver of Infinity. What do I know, though?
What we do know about Slivers I have stated. We also know about Splinters, such as the Returned on Nalthis (Warbreaker). We also know that Aona and Skai, the shardholders on Sel (Elantris) have been killed, and that which they held (as of yet unnamed Shards) have been Splintered, likely into the Seons and Skaze (unconfirmed). I don't know if Slivers and Splinters are similar, nor do I think we as a fanbase are supposed to know yet. Point is, the Lord Ruler is a Sliver. He's not lying when he says that he's a piece of God.
Please don't discuss anything here in the comments. My blog is expecting people who have read Mistborn, not all of the cosmere. Go theorize about this stuff in the forum. I'm simply putting my thoughts down here.
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