Hardcover, 240 pages
English language
Published Sept. 20, 2022 by Tor Books.
Mistborn: Secret History is a companion story to the original Mistborn trilogy. As such, it contains HUGE SPOILERS for the books Mistborn (The Final Empire), The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages. It also contains very minor spoilers for the book The Bands of Mourning. Mistborn: Secret History builds upon the characterization, events, and worldbuilding of the original trilogy. Reading it without that background will be a confusing process at best. In short, this isn't the place to start your journey into Mistborn (though if you have read the trilogy - but it has been a while - you should be just fine, so long as you remember the characters and the general plot of the books). Saying anything more here risks revealing too much. Even knowledge of this story's existence is, in a way, a spoiler. There's always another secret.
Really good book. Don't stop even if you find it uninteresting in the first few chapters.
The first three quarters of this book dragged a bit - explaining the same concepts over & over, and talking about lame politics a little too much. The last quarter was good, and did a great job of tying everything up at the end - so much so that I almost wonder what's left to write about for the next few books. Overall, the book kind of seemed like a fantasy version of the third Hunger Games book (if that book hadn't been completely awful).
very nice fantasy story with a twist that sets it apart from other classic fantasy novels.
interesting magic system.
I love the idea of using liquidized metals as a source of magic. A very unique world and a wonderful heroine. Couldn't stop reading once I started that trilogy.
A refreshing and original fantasy world, with an interesting, different magical system and likeable characters. I read this 650 page paperback in just two nights - liked the detailed world, the unusual details in how magic works, and in particular some of the plot twists that I didn't see coming. I'm glad to see there have been sequels written and I'll definitely be following up on those later!
I was really impressed by this book. The characters are vividly drawn, and the story is wonderful. The world-building that Sanderson has done is exceptional, both in its scope and his attention to detail. I've heard people compare it to a cross between Mieville's Perdido Street Station and George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, and that's fairly accurate as things go. It conveys quite clearly the complexity, strangeness and oppression of Mieville's works, while maintaining the gritty, political, and character-driven work of Martin.
It's forced me to ask the question of whether I'd put it on the same level as my some of my favorite works of epic fantasy, such as Rothfuss' Name of the Wind, or even George R.R. Martin's work. The answer is that I'm not sure, but its so damn close that the distinction barely matters.
I cannot wait to read the next …
I was really impressed by this book. The characters are vividly drawn, and the story is wonderful. The world-building that Sanderson has done is exceptional, both in its scope and his attention to detail. I've heard people compare it to a cross between Mieville's Perdido Street Station and George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, and that's fairly accurate as things go. It conveys quite clearly the complexity, strangeness and oppression of Mieville's works, while maintaining the gritty, political, and character-driven work of Martin.
It's forced me to ask the question of whether I'd put it on the same level as my some of my favorite works of epic fantasy, such as Rothfuss' Name of the Wind, or even George R.R. Martin's work. The answer is that I'm not sure, but its so damn close that the distinction barely matters.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I took a break to process the book I had just finished, and to jot down my thoughts in this review. I now intend to go immediately go back to my Kindle and start reading the second book in the series: The Well of Ascension.
