Mistborn: The Final Empire ~ 4.5 stars

Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first book in an epic fantasy trilogy by the same name, written by Brandon Sanderson. Normally I find epic fantasies to be a little too mature and just plain long for my tastes, but Mistborn was different. It wasn’t as mature as some I’ve read, and the first book was under 700 pages long, whereas most epic fantasy books that I’ve read approach 1,000 pages. With those two things going for it, as well as a plot and theme that were just plain awesome, Mistborn turned out to be the first epic I have really, really enjoyed.

The story centers around Vin, a skaa and a street urchin living with a crew of thieves in Luthadel, the capitol city of Luthadel. The skaa are the common people of the Final Empire, the peasants, the servants, the slaves, the ones who do the manual labor. They are treated like property by the noblemen, who relax in their opulent homes and casually execute any skaa who looks at them the wrong way. Vin has learned to distrust noblemen and everyone else. Then she falls in with a skaa named Kelsier, and slowly her shell of outer toughness begins to crack.

Kelsier is a man who has seen and experienced much. The scars on his arms mark him as the Survivor of what should have been a death sentence, and he has already tried once to defeat the Lord Ruler who has governed the Final Empire with a will of iron for a thousand years. Besides just being a visionary and a bold thinker, Kelsier has another advantage on his side. He is what is called a Mistborn, a person able to use Allomancy. Allomancy is the ability to harness certain powers through ingesting or “burning” metals. Unlike most of his crew, who can access one of the powers, Kelsier can use them all. And so can Vin.

When she joins his crew, Kelsier is preparing a skaa rebellion — one that he intends to be the largest skaa revolt in the history of the Final Empire. And this rebellion he intends to be a success. As he teaches Vin to use her powers, he and his friends begin the work of rousing the skaa and preparing them to fight the trained soldiers of the Lord Ruler and his ruthless killing machines, the Inquisitors. But rousing the skaa is no easy task. After a thousand years of subjection, most have forgotten what it is to feel any hope of freedom, and they have been beaten down and cowed for so long many do not dare raise their heads. Is being a Mistborn enough to accomplish all that needs to be done?

I enjoyed this book a LOT. As I said before, most epic fantasies that I’ve read have had too much mature content for my tastes. Although Mistborn does have some, it was mostly in a referring-to sort of way, and there was only a little. I was also really happy with the magic and world of Mistborn. There was detail, but not an overwhelming abundance. Brandon Sanderson is very good at creating unique systems of magic and describing them well. He also explained enough of the world for the book to make sense, but left plenty of questions unanswered. I still want to know what the kandra and koloss are, and there’s a lot I don’t know about the Lord Ruler. I am very much looking forward to reading the next two books in this trilogy.

I was also really impressed by the characters in this book. It was the characters who made Mistborn so appealing to me, actually, particularly Kelsier. It was hard not to get caught up in his vision just reading the book. And his character has many layers that are slowly peeled back as the book progresses. Vin’s character also goes through some changes as she goes from a timid, fearful, and very stubborn girl to a confident, brave, and very stubborn young woman with incredible powers. I can honestly say there was nothing I did not like about Kelsier and Vin, and Kelsier’s group of friends and allies were no less intriguing and well-written.

The theme of this book was really, really captivating, though, and is another big reason of why I was so impressed by Mistborn. In this book Brandon Sanderson brings up a very interesting question, especially when relating to books and stories, and that is: what if the good guys don’t always win? What if the bad guys come out on top? On the basis of that question alone, you can expect to find a very interesting story, but Brandon Sanderson also told a story with amazing characters, an intriguing world, and all those other things that make a book great. And for a final point in its favor, this book is less than 700 pages long, even though it’s definitely an epic. If you’re in the mood for a good, well-written fantasy but don’t have 36 consecutive hours to devote to just reading, Mistborn: The Final Empire is definitely one I’d suggest. In fact, I’d suggest the entire Mistborn trilogy, though I haven’t gotten around to reading anything but the first book yet. It was that good.

Dragon Slippers (series review) ~ 4 stars

     The Dragon Slippers trilogy by Jessica Day George consists of Dragon Slippers, Dragon Flight, and Dragon Spear. It's the story of an unlikely heroine who uses her dauntless spirit, courage, and embroidery skills(!) to save her country, save her friends, and save the dragons.

     Creel has never been what you might call a damsel-in-distress. After her aunt tried to foist her off on the local dragon in hopes that some prince would rescue her, Creel set off on her own to make her fortune as a dressmaker. Wearing a pair of slippers given to her by a dragon, she soon finds a job and seems about to realize her dreams. She even strikes up an unlikely friendship with Luka, prince of Feravel, as well as befriending another dragon named Shardas. When the normally peaceful and solitary dragons suddenly attack the people of Feravel, Creel is the only one who believes that they might have been forced to attack. Together, she and Luka discover that not only are Creel's slippers far from ordinary, but that the dragons are being controlled by a foreign princess who intends to conquer Feravel. It will be up to Creel to rescue her friends and point out the person who is really behind the Dragon Wars.

     Dragon Slippers happens to be my favorite of this trilogy. Creel is just getting started on her dressmaking business, and she still has a lot to figure out about dragons. I liked the atmosphere of Feravel, and in this book, you get to find out a lot about Creel and what she's like. In the other books, there's more focus on action and on dragons - and while I love dragons, I really liked Creel. Also, since the romance with Luka is just beginning and Creel's two friends Alli and Marta are more involved in this book, we get more interaction with people in this book.

     In Dragon Flight, everything has just returned to normal, and the humans are beginning to get used to living side by side with dragons again. Creel divides her time between her new dressmaking shop, her reward for ending the Dragon Wars, and spending time with her friend Shardas and his mate Velika, who were both wounded during the war. Then the neighboring country of Citatie declares war on Feravel, and Prince Luka learns that Citatie intends to use dragons in their impeding invasion. Creel, Feravel's resident expert on dragons, is sent to Citatie to find out what she can about this invasion force. Once there, she discovers to her horror that not only are the dragons enslaved and alchemically controlled by the king of Citatie, but that the king of Citatie is being controlled himself - by a white dragon. Before the two countries go to war, which would certainly result in Feravel being destroyed, Creel has to find a way to free the enslaved dragons and defeat the white dragon, who is none other than the brother of Shardas. The fate of dragons and of Feravel hangs in the balance.

     This book definitely concentrated on dragons quite a lot, as well as the strange culture of Citatie. I enjoyed this book because this time, although alchemy was used again, the villain wasn't a person. It was another dragon, and so this was more of a dragon civil war than a war between humans. That aspect lends a voice to this book that is different from the previous one. I really liked this book, but not quite as much as I liked Dragon Slippers.

     Peace between humans and dragons has been restored as Dragon Spear begins. The dragons have flown away to remote islands overseas where they no longer pose a threat to the human kingdoms, even if someone were to find a way to control them again. Creel and Luka, soon to be married, fly to these islands to visit their friends, and arrive just as Velika, Shardas' mate and the queen of the dragons, is kidnapped by rogue dragons. These dragons keep humans as slaves and believe they are the chosen followers of the true dragon queen. Though they consider Velika a pretender, their own queen has died and their eggs are poisoned by the fumes of the volcanic island where they live. Desperate, they have kidnapped the pregnant Velika and intend to raise one of her hatchlings as their new queen. Somehow Creel, Luka, and Shardas will have to find a way to rescue Velika and her eggs, and time is running short. The volcano is about to explode and when it does, no one on the island will survive - not the rogue dragons or their human slaves.

     As different as Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight were from each other, Dragon Spear is even more different from each of them. I actually like that, because although I get the same characters back each time, I don't have to read a repeat of the last book. Every time I get something fresh. Dragon Spear was definitely a book about the dragons - only three humans really have any significant roles in the book: Creel, Luka, and Creel's brother  Hogan. But as far as dragons are concerned, a lot of the ones from the first two books have returned once again, and some new ones are introduced. I also liked getting a little bit of the background story of the dragons - where they came from, how they governed themselves, what things had happened in their past.

     This trilogy was a real gem. For those who like books about dragons but are having a hard time finding a good dragon book that they haven't already read, this is one to try out. I also want to point out that it's not just a dragon book, it's also a very good story as far as plot, setting, and characters go. Even if you're not one of those people who comb the library and bookstore for the latest books with dragons on the cover, this is a trilogy worth adding to your summer reading list.

     I've reviewed another series by Jessica Day George, the Castle Glower series. Dragon Slippers is more complex and detailed than that one, aimed at a slightly higher reading level, but both of them are definitely Jessica Day George series. She always has characters who aren't just characters, they're individuals. They always have plenty of attitude and spice, which keep the story moving even if it isn't action-packed. Also, I like her romances because for one thing, they never dominate the entire story, they just provide another layer to the plot. And for another thing, the guy character in the romance isn't just there to be the other half, he's a person with as much personality as the girl character. That's something that's missing in quite a lot of books, so its one of the reasons I like her romances.

     Another thing I like about Jessica Day George's books is that she adds that little extra touch to make her characters and her stories definitely different from the books they share the shelf-space at the library with. Yes, there are dragons, a country in peril, wars, and even a romance with a prince. But don't forget that Creel makes dresses for a living. That's her special skill. And actually, her talent for dressmaking and embroidery remains a constant and important feature of each of the books, so you never forget that she's more than just a friend of dragons. In other words, this is definitely a trilogy worth reading, especially for the dragon-loving readers out there.

Link to author website: http://jessicadaygeorge.blogspot.com/

The Glass Sentence ~ 3 stars

     The Glass Sentence, by S.E. Grove, is a book that I've had on my read-and-review booklist for a month or two now. I saw it on Amazon and the little blurb about it there looked promising - some pirates, some sailing, a lot of maps, some sort of intricate setting, that kind of thing. It looked like it was going to be a really sweet story, a really interesting beginning to what could be a very interesting trilogy. When I saw that the library had gotten it, I was very excited and of course checked it out.

     The story began fairly interestingly, introducing a world that has been torn and fragmented by the Great Disruption, a devastating event which caused the Ages of the world to fluctuate and change so that all over the world people are trapped in different Ages. New Occident, previously known as the American Colonies, is home to Shadrack Elli, a world-renowned cartologist, a man who makes it is business to map the world and the Ages in it. Living with him in their home in Boston is his niece Sophia Tims. Sophia is effectively an orphan after her parents disappeared on an expedition when she was three. Raised by Shadrack, Sophia has learned a lot about maps, mapmaking, and knows more than most thirteen-year-olds about the Great Disruption and its effects. 

     When her uncle Shadrack is kidnapped by a cult seeking the location of a legendary map called the carta mayor, a map that is said to chart all the Ages of the world, Sophia is the only one who begin the search for him. Helped by Theo, a refugee from the Baldlands, Sophia sets out on a quest to track down her uncle. Along the way they are pursued by his kidnappers, because Shadrack has entrusted her with a valuable map that is key to finding the location of the carta mayor. 

     With this kind of plot, the story sounded good - very good, in fact. I was very, very excited to read it, and maybe my high expectations are part of why I was so disappointed by this book. From the moment Sophia left Boston, I grew more and more confused as to where she was, and even more importantly, what she was doing there. With all the things going on - being attacked by Sandmen, throwing in with gentlemen pirates, and running across Theo's enemies - it was hard to keep track of the main thread of the story and the reason Sophia was going where she was going. Also, because of the Ages being all mixed up and varying from place to place, the world was fractured and cultures in these different Ages were vastly different. Normally this would make for an incredibly rich setting for the story to take place in, but I felt like there was so much extra detail thrown in that the story would occasionally be derailed when some new fact of the particular Age they were in had to be explained. The story would have been simpler and easier to read if some of those extra things had been pulled out and saved for a moment when they would really be important and not just peripheral information.

     The other thing that really disappointed me in this book was the lack of a good villain. Blanca, the mysterious woman who has Shadrack kidnapped, lacked real power. Sure, when she was first introduced into the story, I expected her to be a truly terrifying villain who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted - unlimited power and control of the carta mayor. Not so. Although Blanca seemed like she would be a thoroughly heartless villain, all of her casual acts of cruelty that would have made her seem truly evil never really had that effect because Shadrack never seemed to feel really afraid. He was too much like a robot in my mind, barely touched by his emotions and forever thinking about everything without really feeling anything. S.E. Grove set her up to be a magnificent example of pure villainy, but she tore her down just as quickly by failing to make the characters react as if she were really that terrible. Because of this, Blanca never manages to be the villain who would have made the book really stand out.

     However, the part about the Great Disruption and the maps was very good, the maps in particular. S.E. Grove definitely used her imagination in concocting this setting and the numerous details of Shadrack's trade. All the different kinds of maps - glass maps, metal maps, sand maps, even water maps - add such a unique dimension to the story. Also the emphasis that everyone in this world places on time. Since the Great Disruption, time and how it is measured has become a very important part of everyone's life. That's not a concept that I've seen discussed in a lot of books, and it adds a whole new dimension to The Glass Sentence. I can definitely say that the maps and the issue of time were my favorite parts of this book.

     I also admire what S.E. Grove did with Sophia. She has no internal clock, and she finds it very hard to keep track of time. For her, hours can pass by in a matter of seconds, while a minute or two can drag on forever. In order to keep track of her own memories and life story, she has to map the events of her days, giving her a record of what has happened. In fact, its the fact that time has no hold on Sophia that makes it possible for her to do what has to be done to save the carta mayor from Blanca's clutches and keep the Ages of the world from colliding and destroying each other. 

     In the end, I give this book three stars because although it could have been really good, the lack of a strong villain character and my difficulty in keeping track of where things were taking place made this book less satisfying than I expected. However, I won't judge it too harshly, since it's just the first book of a new trilogy, called The Mapmakers Trilogy. A first book is only intended to start setting up the bigger story, so although I wasn't entirely happy with this first book, some of the issues I had with The Glass Sentence will most likely be resolved and dealt with in the two books to come. It's at least worth 3 stars, and I would definitely point you toward this book if you're interested in quest stories, imaginative settings, and fictional imaginings of the world.

The Books of Umber: Happenstance Found ~ 4 stars

I found P.W. Catanese's first book of The Books of Umber by chance. Part of the reason I checked it out from the library was the fact that Brandon Mull, the author of the Fablehaven series and The Beyonders series, had reviewed it. Our blog's motto is 'Never judge books-or people-by their covers', and I often stick to that rule. But this time I broke it. It just looks so cool!

I know I stay within my book genre preferences. I rarely ever venture out for something new. But going from author to similar author hasn't disappointed me yet, and Brandon Mull's name on this book's cover gained it access to my bookshelf. And gladly so! I was thoroughly pleased by this book. The characters were believable and relatable, though there was some tough love thrown in the mix.

Literally.

On the subject of romance, there is only about 5% out of the 100% goodness in here, and what is mentioned leaves you wanting to hear more. Yes, I said it. More romance. More details, specifically. I love the way Catanese adds mystery to the story. Every hint is subtle, but has a nuclear bomb impact on the reader. That, in my experience, is hard to pull off.

The book begins with a young boy, just awaking, blindfolded, and seemingly alone in a dark environment. As he searches his mind he finds that he has no memory of his past, nor his present, and then someone speaks. And Catanese whisks you away into a world full of mystery and adventure! The boy Happenstance (nicknamed Hap) meets Lord Umber, Sophie, and Oates first thing after he wakes and starts a voyage across the sea on a giant whale-like friend, Boroon, captained by Nima, a part fish, part human young lady. The best bits of the book are the tiny details, and so without giving way and telling the whole story, I cannot say much else.

I will say that Umber is easily my favorite character. His boisterous mood swings, playful attitude, and fun-loving nature catch my attention. But then there are also Sophie, Lady Truden, Happenstance, Balfour...And so the rest are all equals.

I rated this book a four because it held all I was looking for, but it added a sort of cliffhanger at the end, and I know that the next books will continue the mystery. I am trying to leave higher ratings for the future, in other words.