Amy B. (BaileysBooks) reviewed on 2/28/2015 + 491 more book reviews

This is Book 2 of the Final Empire trilogy.

I will admit that this second book did have a slower start, but it made up for it in the end. In a sense, this was a typical bridge book that was slower on action and heavier on character development. Elend was a particularly painful character to watch in this book, but Sanderson made him completely believable with his naive philosophical leadership style and his need for personal growth. Vin's struggle to figure out who (or what) she is supposed to be was starting to get annoying, and I was relieved that at least a small part of her indecision was alleviated by the end of this book. The political intrigue continues in this book as well, both in the new government of Luthadel and in the military campaign that is pounding at its gates.

Despite the slower start, I found this book hard to put down once I finally did get into it. Sanderson continues to lead the plot in a direction that I did not expect, and he is setting the stage for an incredible conclusion.

Note: While all of Brandon Sanderson's books take place on different planets at different points in time, they are all tied together in a fictional universe that he calls the Cosmere. One common thread throughout all of the books is a character that makes a named or cameo appearance in every single book. When named, he is called Hoid. His overall story arc is still a mystery, but he is obviously important. In The Well of Ascension, he makes two unnamed (and easy to miss) appearances on page 719 and 746 of the mass market paperback.

Recommended Sanderson reading order (should you be interested): Elantris > Mistborn 1-3 > The Emperor's Soul > Warbreaker > Stormlight Archives 1-2 > Alloy of Law trilogy (Alloy of Law + Shadows of Self + Bands of Mourning)

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