The Final Empire v Sunnybank

Book: The Final Empire
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Gollancz
Published: 2006

This was the first Sanderson book I read &, like so many others, I was hooked on his books from then on. His writing style is extremely accessible & his plots drive forward at a near-perfect pace. Combined with his prodigious output it is no little wonder that he has become such a titan of the fantasy genre. While I think the trend is for fans to pick his Stormlight Archive as their favourite of his series, for me it is Mistborn.

There is a reason why Sanderson books regularly top sff popularity polls. The Cosmere has the same consistent quality as the MCU does. Each book is written in an accessible style & has a plot that is tight & engaging.

The Lord Ruler has been in charge for a millennium with no signs of his tyrannical reign ending. The world is covered in ash & is split into two castes, a nobility & the subservient Skaa. Kelsier, the Survivor of Hathsin, is a Skaa who wants to change things. He is also a Mistborn, able to ‘burn’ all the metals that give Allomancers different powers depending on what metal is ingested.

Kelsier isn’t the protagonist of this story though. That is Vin, a street urchin, who it turns out is also Mistborn (I don’t think that is a spoiler but I haven’t read it in a while). She is recruited to Kelsier’s crew of revolutionaries & is sent undercover to spy on the nobility. What she finds is the world is not as clear cut as she thought. There are sympathetic nobles who also want to see a fairer world, & the question of whether Kelsier’s violent revolution is the best solution is inevitably raised.

Throw in some badass fight scenes using super cool ‘magic’, a major plotline that is in essence a good old fashioned heist, & a well-executed look at power relations (even if I disagree with the conclusions), & you’ve got a brilliant start to a brilliant series.

Beer: Sunnybank
Brewery: Amity Brew Co.
Style: APA
Strength: 6.0%

Really freaking good beer that. Don’t drink if you are particularly thirsty because you could easily gulp this one down at speed despite its strength. Perfect midway between malty and bitter, with a smooth mouthfeel.