Author Topic: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS  (Read 20016 times)

Archon

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Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« on: July 27, 2006, 01:28:59 AM »
      I just finished. Amazing book, EUOL. I think it ranks as the second best book I have ever read, right after the Lord of the Rings. And never have I been so tempted to replace LOTR as my #1. Your characters were very well developed, but, at the same time, so was the milieu. I like the fact that you fully describe your magic system so that it is understood what the limitations are. It makes the fights more exciting when a person uses the known rules in unexpected ways, like Kelsier spinning the bars to deflect the arrows by Pushing on one side, and Pulling the other. Speaking of which, Kelsier is going to be sorely missed in the next book. He was definitely a personal favorite.

Anyway, congratulations EUOL, on having written such an extraordinary book.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2006, 01:29:20 AM by Archon »
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demented_yam

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2006, 10:23:51 AM »
It was just as good the second time.  ;D

Ruthie

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2006, 12:54:37 AM »
Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I just finished a few hours ago, and that's about all that is running through my mind.

Thoughts:

1) This needs to become a movie, soon, and Summer Glau needs to play Vin.

2) I totally guessed that the Lord Ruler was the Terrisman guy about 2/3 of the way through. I wasn't sure I was right, but everything fit. I felt so awesome when the big reveal happened. :) I even guessed that Feruchemy had something to do with how he was living so long, but I didn't put together the Allomancy part.

3) Capitalizing Push and Pull was a bit disorienting sometimes, but I guess I got used to it.

4) Marsh as an Inquisitor =  ;D 8) ;D

Once again, an awesome magic system and an awesome plot. Two thumbs way up.

Edit: When will the sequel be out?
« Last Edit: July 30, 2006, 12:56:55 AM by Ruthie »

fuzzyoctopus

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2006, 01:31:16 AM »
Quote

4) Marsh as an Inquisitor =  ;D 8) ;D


Awesome, yet totally totally creepy, if you ask me.  :)
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EUOL

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2006, 03:30:25 AM »
Marsh has a large part to play in things to come, so you'll get more on the ramifications of that event, I promise you.
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The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2006, 12:30:26 PM »
RAMIFICATIONS I TELL YOU!

neiana

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2006, 10:17:57 PM »
I just finished as well.  I, too, had considered the Lord Ruler fella to be a Terrisman, but not necessarily the one it ended up being, and only then once we saw he was sitting in that hidden room...

Most of the characters were absolutely beautiful to read.  I wasn't as entertained by Kelsier was I was with the rest of the crew, however.

Honestly the biggest secret I half-expected was Marsh being alive, but that was "soothed" so-to-speak by the note.  Although, Kelsier dying was pretty easily read in chapters previous, but I had expected him to put up at least a fight.

Well anyway, I loved it dearly an eagerly anticipate watching the new Hero of Ages defeating the Darkness.   ;D

The Lost One

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2006, 12:28:12 AM »
Finally finished. It is a pretty complete novel. I was a little surprise by Kelsier's character. I wasn't surprised that he died but I was surprised how powerful his is right before he dies. He takes out the mines pretty easily when earlier it seems like he would need more help. It seems like Kelsier and Vin's powers fluctuated to fit the story, rather being consistent.

Overall, it was a satisfying book and I look forward to reading next one. The magic system is clever.
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demented_yam

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2006, 01:17:11 AM »
Quote
Finally finished. It is a pretty complete novel. I was a little surprise by Kelsier's character. I wasn't surprised that he died but I was surprised how powerful his is right before he dies. He takes out the mines pretty easily when earlier it seems like he would need more help. It seems like Kelsier and Vin's powers fluctuated to fit the story, rather being consistent.

Overall, it was a satisfying book and I look forward to reading next one. The magic system is clever.


why would the mines be harder to break into?

you can't guard it with mistborn or allomancers: they'd destroy the crystals.

you can't guard it with the anti-allomantic soldiers (can't remember their names), because if you station enough of them there to be effective, it'd be kinda hard to keep the place a secret. (well, keep the 'mines' part a secret, anyway)

and you can't station a large army there for the same reason.


basically, the only people he had to kill were the guards that were supposed to watch over the prisoners.

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2006, 09:24:20 AM »
I think he means doing the actual destroying, rather than just getting in and out.

Ho3wever, I read a manuscript some 2 or 3 years ago, so maybe I'm missing some details.

The Lost One

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2006, 10:38:23 AM »
Quote
Posted by: demented_yam Posted on: Aug 3rd, 2006, 10:17pm

why would the mines be harder to break into?

you can't guard it with mistborn or allomancers: they'd destroy the crystals.

you can't guard it with the anti-allomantic soldiers (can't remember their names), because if you station enough of them there to be effective, it'd be kinda hard to keep the place a secret. (well, keep the 'mines' part a secret, anyway)

and you can't station a large army there for the same reason.  


Notice that Kelsier doesn't destroy any crystals until he is inside the mine. Thus, outside the mine could presumably been guarded by allomancers. It would have made sense to have at least some allomancers from the ministry supervising the mines. This could been both discrete and provided more protection (and order) than simply having a few guards.

More importantly, the reader is lead to believe taking the mines would be significant (thus the need to raise an army and send part of them to capture the mine). Why didn't Kelsier destroy the mines earlier if he could do it all by himself? Why bother to plan sending troops their when he could have simply destroyed it and use the troop elsewhere?

I felt like more of an explanation was needed to let the readers know that Kelsier was still functioning within previously defined limits and had not suddenly become all powerful to advance the plot line.
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Archon

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2006, 02:40:45 PM »
Allomancers couldn't guard the outside even, because of the risk of using allomancy near the mines. There could have been haze killers, which is probably why Kelsier didn't want to go take the mine earlier. Also, it is possible that earlier on in the story he wanted to take the mine without destroying it. In that case, going alone wouldn't have worked. I can't check my facts because I don't have my copy on me right now, but I would expect that was why. Also, it is probable that some of the guards of the mine were drawn away from the mine by the army's attack, so that would be another contributing factor.
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The Lost One

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2006, 12:20:33 AM »
Archon, you explanation is reasonable but such an explanation was not given in the book. This is the problem. I don't like having to fill in too many gaps when I'm reading a book.
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Predak

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2006, 01:13:56 AM »
When I found out about Marsh I had the same reaction as that dude in Les Miserables. ("I knew it. I knew it! I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!") It was a clever bit of foreshadowing when Spook tells Vin that Marsh's nickname was "Ironeyes."

demented_yam

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Re: Mistborn reactions - SPOILERS
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2006, 02:30:30 AM »
Quote
Archon, you explanation is reasonable but such an explanation was not given in the book. This is the problem. I don't like having to fill in too many gaps when I'm reading a book.



him going after the mines was more of an emotional moment than a plot-intensive moment.

what he did is more important than how he did it.