Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I recently finished reading the Mistborn trilogy, and learnt what an amazing writer Brandon Sanderson is. I've read some good fantasy books, but this is far above that. The ending of the third book captivated me so well, and was poetic, heartfelt and really just overall a beautiful way to wrap everything up.

So, how does this relate to rangering? While Sanderson doesn't use the specific term, I thought of the Mistborn as being his equivalent. They wear cloaks and are trained in the art of stealth, commonly being used by the noble houses for clandestine missions. I thought it quite interesting that they used the mist to hide themselves, much like how the Rangers from Rangers Apprentice use the shadows to their advantage. Quite a lot of the book is dedicated to the more subtle side of things, rather than being filled up with an overload of full-on action sequences.

To sum it all up, I highly urge everyone to go out and at least buy the first book in the trilogy, The Final Empire. Even if you find that it's not for you, the first book makes for a great read by itself and answers enough questions that there is no obligation to read the rest.

Thank you for the recommendation!

After years of you guys recommending Ranger's Apprentice, I finally read one last year. If this gets the same love, I might have to actually give it a go.

Thank you for recomandation... i just finished the second book and right now im reading the rhirt one.

Its great to read new style of fantasy for me.. no elfs no dwarfs but great characters and supercool powers i wish i have roght now

Damnit I want to be a mistborn

I've been wanting to read these, but with funds being limited and projects needing done long...well, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. one day though. which reminds me, there's a series I started but have fallen behind on that seems quasi Rangerish, if anyone else has read it please weigh in... Kristin Britain's Green Rider series has some elements that remind me of Rangers. Perhaps I should make a separate post about it.

A very interesting series. I had a hard time finishing it, as it was pretty depressing at parts, but that's not to knock the quality at all. I LOVE the "hard fantasy" aspect, and was very intrigued by the Kandra as a race, too. All around I give it a thumbs up.

I just finished the third book.. I must say it again great series. but for me its the end of stories about mistborns. The new trilogy with guns and steampunk its nothing for me but i love the first 3 books again thanks for recomandation

SierraStrider wrote: I LOVE the "hard fantasy" aspect, and was very intrigued by the Kandra as a race, too.

The way the Kandra were developed throughout the whole series was extremely well put together.

That's good to hear! Thanks for the recommendation! I am always on the lookout for new fantasy, but I am extremely wary of most books people recommend to me, because I don't care much for typical "Sword and Sorcery" fare. Tolkien is one thing, but all the stuff out there teeming with wizards and dragons and fantasy races, and the books that are like 90% devoted to describing the specifics of an explicit "magic system"... these just don't interest me. I much prefer fantasy that reads more like historical fiction, which is why I enjoy A Song of Ice and Fire (dragons notwithstanding), and also the Ranger's Apprentice novels. So when someone talks "hard fantasy"... it really piques my interest!

I hear you Manv.. I actually LOVE the "sword and sorcery" setting... but can't stand most fantasy. It's just so rarely well done.

I've been toying with reading ASOIAF: from what I've seen of the show the machinations of the various houses is quite interesting, and GRRM seems to have a pretty darn good handle on the realities of medieval-ish life most authors flub. So it's a fascinating setting! On the other hand, all the gratuitous voyeurism and nihlistic luxuriating-in-depravity of the show was just never something I wanted in my head.

Are the books better on that score?

Haha... yeah, I mean, I can't argue with that really. Unfortunately, the answer there is largely "no." In many ways the books are far more gratuitously sexual and violent than the show - however, I have always felt that Martin's fixation on these themes is intended to evoke the brutal realities of a medieval-esque world where rape, torture, murder, etc. were far more common than they are today. I don't believe he glorifies any of these things, but they are certainly present in large doses. The so-called "Red Wedding" scene is one of the most horrific things I have ever read and very nearly caused me to stop reading the series in a rage. And yet... they are incredibly well crafted, and they draw me in too forcefully to put down. I have to know how it will all end... even if that ending will probably be gut-wrenchingly awful on some level.

So yeah... I mean... it's not for everyone.

Well drat.

It's well crafted, certainly. And all the deep family lore of all those houses, it's certainly something that could draw me in. Bother.
Westeros really strikes me as a sort of inverse Middle earth: one literary world was born in torment, and at its center is steadfast nobility, sacrifice, and enduring hope.
The other born in a time of unprecedented time of peace and plenty- and tromps through pain and cruelty for titillation.

The human soul is a fickle one, terrified in the night, bored during the day.

Anyhow, sorry for the derail. What was that about Mistborn?

Hah, I actually have to say, that is a pretty astute judgement of the two works, and seems largely accurate to my mind. Well said!

Elleth wrote:Well drat.

It's well crafted, certainly. And all the deep family lore of all those houses, it's certainly something that could draw me in. Bother.
Westeros really strikes me as a sort of inverse Middle earth: one literary world was born in torment, and at its center is steadfast nobility, sacrifice, and enduring hope.
The other born in a time of unprecedented time of peace and plenty- and tromps through pain and cruelty for titillation.

The human soul is a fickle one, terrified in the night, bored during the day.

Anyhow, sorry for the derail. What was that about Mistborn?