Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Mistborn Read-Along: Chapter 7 through Chapter 15

the cover from the Nook version of the trilogy
I'm still greatly enjoying my Mistborn read. The story is really compelling and I have no idea which direction it's heading in. I'm sure that I will read the two remaining books in the trilogy before the summer is out!

The questions for this week come from TBM -

Please note that this post may contain spoilers.

1. The nobility, the skaa, and the Lord Ruler have integral roles in the novel and yet we haven’t really interacted with them much. Do you think there is a reason for this? Have you formed an opinion about them?

I'm not sure that the nobility or the skaa will have an integral role in the story -- especially since Kelsier's plan seems to be more about some mysterious "other" motivation than the skaa rebellion. I do think that there is a reason we haven't seen the Lord Ruler yet. I think it's all about fearing what you don't know. Although, based on what he did or had done to Kell the first time they met, it sounds like he's still very much in power and will be quite menacing and scary when we finally get to see him.

2. Religion plays a vital role in the story. What is your opinion about the role of religion under the Lord Ruler? What do you think of Sazed's role as a Keeper.

I think that the role of Keeper is a fascinating one. The fact that Sazed not only remembers every religion that existed before the Lord Ruler but also believes them all is as bewildering to me as it is to Vin. It makes sense that the Lord Ruler would have the most control over the world by combining government with a compulsory religion. This makes him the one and only authority figure. It will be interesting if he is indeed overthrown what will happen with religion going forward and what role the Keepers will play.

3. Are you for/against/or ambivalent about Kelsier’s plan to overthrow the Lord Ruler? Do you think his heart is in the right place or is it just revenge?

I'm sure it's a mixture of revenge and something else that we don't know about yet. I don't think he necessarily cares at all for the skaa other than disliking seeing anyone giving up on their lives. I can't say I'm against the plan except that I think there will be a lot of casualties tied to it. But I do think that the misery of everyone in this world means that the overthrow must happen.

4. Vin and Kelsier are the main characters of the novel, yet there are many characters. Is there a certain character who intrigues you more than the others?


Elend Venture is probably the most intriguing character right now. I can't wait to see if he's really rebelling against the nobility or if he's onto Vin's deception from the start, especially since Vin seemed to have an instant connection with him. I also enjoy Breeze for some strange reason. I know he's cocky and he drives Vin crazy but maybe he's working some of his magic on me!

Until next week,
K

8 comments:

  1. I love Breeze. He's so cynical and awesome. :D I was also intrigued by Elend instantly and wondered what his role would ultimately be.

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  2. I liked how Sazed remembered and believed in every religion... it's like he sees all of them as different ways of understanding and experiencing life and gives them each a great degree of respect. I also think there's a lot more to Sazed than meets the eye.

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  3. I liked how Sazed remembered and believed in every religion... it's like he sees all of them as different ways of understanding and experiencing life and gives them each a great degree of respect. I also think there's a lot more to Sazed than meets the eye.

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  4. I'll be curious to see how much the skaa, as a people group, become involved in the story. I do believe we will continue to see individual skaa step up and do their part, but I'm not sure if/how Sanderson may do the bigger picture stuff. Guess we will see though, won't we? :)

    The Keepers are an awesome idea, aren't they? I was instantly taken with that part of the story.

    I would think there is a little bit of caring for the skaa, if only because he is a mixed breed himself. But I also believe there is a great deal of self-interest behind Kelsier's actions. Whether or not these two ideas find a balance or not, or which wins out, will be interesting to see.

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  5. Amanda - I love books with good characters!

    Books - Yes, I like that he respects the religions too. He's not just an encyclopedia -- he's thoughtful about everything.

    Carl - That's what I'm thinking too. I think the skaa might just be individual contributors in this story. And I have a feeling Kelsier will be a mystery for a while!

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  6. The keepers are a great addition to the story. I'm really enjoying reading about Sazed - I think he's a great character.
    I thought Vin came on quite a bit as well in this last instalment. I really enjoyed her interaction with Elend and can't wait to see how that develops.
    I'm really enjoying Sanderson's writing - i didn't really know what to expect but so far I think he's doing a great job and the bonus in all this is we don't have to wait 12 months for the next instalment!
    Lynn :D

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  7. I like your theory that the Skaa and the nobility may not have a prominent role in the novel due to Kelsier's mysterious motivation. I hadn't thought of that.

    That would be interesting if Elend had already figured out Vin.

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  8. Lynn - I really like that there is the hope that some things that were lost could be restored. Usually, they are lost for good and a civilization has to start over from scratch. I think this is the Keepers' true power.

    tbm - I am really interested, since this is a three book series, how many people are woven in and out of the story.

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