Unsure about Mistborn

[crazed2insanity]

So I just started Mistborn but I have to say I'm not as impressed by the writing style. Maybe it's because it isn't a first person narrative like Reckoners and legion, or it could be in part due to the narrator ( I listen to audiobooks due to a lengthy work commute) but it just seems more crude. Like there's less flow? Anyone else feel this way?

[Redbird he/him]

I did not notice anything of the sort, but I read it first, if that makes any difference.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Redbird

[Shardlet he/him]

I don't mind 1st person narrative, but I greatly prefer the 3rd person style Brandon uses in most of his books (including Mistborn) over any other writing style.  But, you have your preferences and I have mine.  The only style I will unequivocably call evil and disgusting is first person present tense!  Uggh!!  I put down Hunger games before I got to the third page.  I'll take the movie over the book on that one anyday.

[Guest]

So I just started Mistborn but I have to say I'm not as impressed by the writing style. Maybe it's because it isn't a first person narrative like Reckoners and legion, or it could be in part due to the narrator ( I listen to audiobooks due to a lengthy work commute) but it just seems more crude. Like there's less flow? Anyone else feel this way?

I noticed this too when I first started reading Mistborn. The first few pages (probably up until chapter two or three) really weren't gripping to me. It gets better, though. Much better. Brandon's writing style also changes from series to series slightly.

[Guest]

There's a TON of exposition he has to get out of the way before he can even let the main characters have a conversation together, so it's strange, dull, weird, slow, and repetitive. In particular, he has to CONSTANTLY point out the presence of the Ash and the color of the Plants, because otherwise your mind forgets.

It's also a very crude world he's describing, so the actions and descriptions are necessarily crude. Particularly at the beginning, before you meet high society.

All of that said, the story is well worth the assault of explanations the book opens with, but may not be a good option if you're driving on your commute because of the level of focus required to absorb all of it.

[spencer12347 he/him]

I had the same problem. It wasn't till I got past part 1 that i really started to get into it. 

[Fatel28]

This was the case for me as well, its a little boring and sometimes its hard to find motivation to read, While reading book two at one point I just.. stopped reading it for a week because it lost its grip on me, but once I started reading it again and finished the trilogy, it was so worth it. Great trilogy. I have yet to read Alloy of law because I'm going to wait for the next books to read in succession.

[Teegs]

Shardlet - Agreed about Hunger Games. I just couldn't stand the way it was written.

 

I have problems with 1st person narratives because typically the characters are written in an omniscient manner where every perception they have is perfect every time and that just grates on me. The power of first person writing is that the reader shouldn't be able to trust the person's perceptions. I think a lot of authors don't take enough advantage of that ability.

 

Its actually a problem I had with Firefight. David was constantly disregarding logic, following his "hunches" and generally being an unruly teen. It would have been nice to see him get it wrong. Don't get me wrong though, I'm anxiously waiting for Calamity, but I prefer the 3rd person generally speaking.

[Adamir he/him]

You dislike Mistborn? HERETIC!

 

Okay, seriously now, I think I can understand what you mean, but the trilogy is worth it if you can look past that.

[XenosHg]

Coming from another point of perspective, after reading Warbreaker, Elantris and Mistborn trilogy, Reckoners' first person narrator is shocking. The books are shorter and might be easier, but it doesnt mean they are worse - just, a bit different tones of good.

The author himself points out that his writing style includes much lore from the start and fast resolutions near the same % towards the end - it's just easier to feel slow in the book 2 times longer.

[WindrunnerRadiant he/him]

You definitely get a feeling of slow at the beginning. I took me twice as long to read as most books, just because at the beginning I put it down more often. It definitely sinks its teeth into you eventually though. Especially once you start to really understand a bit more about the world, their society, and their powers.

[wills1422 he/him]

I felt the same way when beginning to read this book. But before you know it you'll be halfway into The Hero of Ages and you will have no idea how you read all of that so fast 

[derrickthewhite]

Mistborn starts slower than a lot of brandon's other books, including some of the cosmere stuff, like warbreaker or elantris.  Just keep in mind that a lot of the fun in this series is in the twists -- which don't show up until late in the book for obvious reasons. Yes, there are a lot of twists. No you will not see them coming. If you avoid spoilers on anything, avoid them on this series. Its really good. trust us on this one. 

[Colours]

That's odd, I never got the impression that it was moving slowly.  I guess I was busy pondering the world and examining all the characters.

 

Or maybe it's just that I read most of it in one sitting. Or because you can control how quickly you read something when you're reading it yourself, but not when you're listening to an audiobook. I wonder if there's a sort of inherent optimal pace to read various chunks of writing at, and if you try to make the reading speed constant across every passage, it doesn't work quite as well?

[InstantWalrus]

Personally im more invested in interesting worlds and enjoy the world building parts of books best.

 

So i found the beginning of the first book great, rather than focusing on character relationships in the beginning (which is why pilot episodes of tv shows generaly suck) i was instead pulled into an interesting world.

 

However i dont like the other two books in the trilogy, i kinda feel they jump the shark (or shard if you will) in the first book

[mullman]

I had a very similar problem. I didn't get hooked on Mistborn until about halfway through, but after that I plowed through the other books like nobody's business.

[Shadowspren he/him]

 The first few pages (probably up until chapter two or three) really weren't gripping to me. It gets better, though. Much better. 

Pretty much, everyone that I get to read Mistborn quits after only reading the first few pages because it is too boring... but everyone I know that gets past the beginning it gets REALLY good

 

Once you get past the "boring" part you can just let your imagination run wild... you won't be dissapointed