So today we finish the final chapters in Book Two of Sanderson’s Mistborn series.  The previous week’s discussions have been hosted by Carl, Grace, Sue and Adam and their posts can be read as follows:

1. Carl – part one
2. Grace – part two
3. Sue – part three
4. Adam – part four

If you haven’t read the Well of Ascension the above discussions and next few chapters will contain spoilers so be aware!

I find it amazing how Sanderson seems to have managed to pack so much into these final few chapters.  Sometimes I feel like the end of a book can have a rushed feel as though the author was in a hurry to finish.  Not so here.  We started the final chapters with Vin and Elend newly married and leaving the City under the premise of searching for the Well of Ascension.  The remainder of the crew were left behind at Luthadel to figure out how to hold the City against what seemed like an impossible threat from the Koloss and Straff’s armies.  There were a few surprises here – firstly that Tindwyl refused to go along with the party leaving and secondly Allrianne who seemed to be using this as a way of returning to her father to try and persuade him to help Luthadel (or to help Breezy!)  I can’t help feeling now, given the eventual outcome that Sazed’s idea to send Vin and Elend away, whilst made with the best intentions, was a poor decision.  The eventual war that the Koloss raged on the City was horrible and it was pretty grim reading about all the casualties not to mention it all seemed so overwhelming and helpless.  I suppose a part of me can’t help wondering if Sazed made this decision also as a way of trying to save Tindwyl and yet in the end it seems like if Vin had been in the City from the beginning the deaths of so many may have been avoided.  Hindsight hey!   How did you feel about Sazed and the rest of the Crew planning to remove Vin and Elend from the City?  Also, what did you make of Sazed actually getting involved in the fighting and no longer just standing back and witnessing events?  It seems to me he did a remarkable job with very little resources.

Then we had Vin’s return and her discovery about the Koloss – I did think it was a pretty cool moment when Sazed, who finally thought his end had arrived, watched as the Koloss who approached went quiet and parted and Vin stepped out from amongst them!  This tiny young girl stepping out of the middle of this group of huge monsters.  On reflection I wonder why The Lord Ruler created the Koloss and the Kandra.  He built in his little failsafes to keep them under control but given how he controlled the Skaa anyway he didn’t seem to need either as an army?  In fact he didn’t seem to use them at all.  Perhaps he created them by accident or just as experimentation that went wrong.

The final chapters seemed to reveal quite a bit and yet still leave so many unanswered questions.  What was going on with Marsh – was he hearing the same voices that Zane had heard, or more to the point has he now been taken over by something – and is that something the same thing that has now been released from the Well?

What is this entity that has been released and why was it trapped there in the first place, and by who?

What was this mist creature – I can understand the reason why it attacked Elend at the end but who or what is it?

What was this piece of metal that Elend swallowed at the end that seemed to turn him into a mistborn – is that where the whole allomancy ‘thing’ began.  Would this metal work on everyone?

And, why are the Steel Inquisitors now attacking the Terris people?

Oh dear, so many questions!  I think I’ve finished the book with more queries than I started!!

Finally, how much did you enjoy this book and how does it compare to book number one?