This second installment of the famed Mistborn series is very different from the first. Like broccoli and peas, they taste similar but you can tell right away that they're different stories entirely. I'm astounded at the length of story Sanderson is able to pack into each of his books. Just like the first book, this one constantly had me wondering how in the world there's going to be another entire book to continue the story after this one. The plot is epic in scale but certainly not as fast paced as book #1. A large majority of the plot shows the struggles that come with managing a fledgling empire... the political scheming, lawmaking, and all the trouble that goes along with it take center stage which causes the plot to lag just a bit for the first two thirds or so. The character work is where Sanderson really shines - as always! Vin, Elend, and the rest of the crew reveal deeper layers than ever before and these characters felt so real and so alive it really shows an astonishing ability on Sanderson's part. The heroes, villains, and the "in-betweens" all drew me in and made me want to know more about them. All in all, this was a masterful continuation of an intensely nuanced story of struggle, conflict, and ultimately, hope.