Mistborn is THE classic Sanderson fantasy series, and while this second book isn't mind-blowing as a standalone book, I would say that it advances the story in a compelling way, that really gets you excited for the events in the third and final book of the trilogy. The main characters really grow throughout the book, and the premise of Vin and Elend trying to "rebuild" the Final Empire from the ashes of the Lord Ruler is a fascinating concept that Sanderson really fleshes out in detail. 

I do have a couple of gripes with this book (and honestly, for the series as a whole). First, I'm not totally satisfied with the way Book 2 handled some of the aspects of romance between the characters. Similarly, I felt that the pacing of the story suffered a bit from "second book syndrome," even though the story really picked up towards the end. I also felt that this book was heavy on dialogue and philosophy, and quite light on action, which is quite different than Book 1 (while is chock-full of epic allomantic action!).

Overall, this is a solid continuation of the story that Book 1, a classic, sets up. Anyone who felt compelled to read (and finish reading) Mistborn Book 1 should definitely continue on with the rest of the trilogy, especially because Book 2 provides exciting setup for the last book in the trilogy!