An apocalyptic ending that seals Sanderson's reputation. All of the foreshadowing is resolved, unstoppable forces meet immovable objects and we actually get a result more nuanced than "goodies win, baddies lose", we get an actual synthesis of competing forces which alone makes this series stand out.

Given my current non-fiction reading, I found myself reading many of the character groupings as analogies for neurodiverse groups. Allomancers are a minority of the total population, have a spread of abilities that aren't revealed until they've suffered some sort of trauma, but that gives them access to advantages with the right support. Some have increased physical sensitivity, some are more emotionally sensitive, etc. They're even more frequently identified among the upper classes even though they are just as prevalent among society at large. Feruchemists have special interests they are deeply knowledgeable in, tend to be blunt and interested in the truth, but are forced to present a servile mask and hide their differences.

One sight disappointment is that Vin seems to be the only woman of interest in the planet, even the promising Allriane gets sidelined in this book. This seems to be something Sanderson is working on though as TWoK has more substantial women in it and this is still an issue for much of the genre at large. There's also some weird eugenics stuff in the lore that doesn't seem to amount to anything, and it's not clear if it's there as colour or critique but at least Vin didn't turn out to be Rashek's daughter all along.

If you want something poetic and flowery, this probably isn't for you, but if you want lore, intricate plotting and action sequences, well you've probably already read this by now