For anyone curious about Brandon Sanderson’s extensive body of work (encompassing several in-progress series, along with standalone novels and novellas, comics and short fiction), The Mistborn series is an excellent place to get started. Set on the planet of Scadrial, it’s part of Sanderson’s wider Cosmere universe, which is so intricately plotted and filled with so many Easter eggs that it puts the MCU to shame. But while his heavier books such as The Stormlight Archive can take a while to get into, the Mistborn books are perfect for beginners, introducing readers to the best aspects of his work—detailed world-building, unique hard magic systems, and memorable characters, all rendered in lucid and accessible prose.
So, if you’re keen to begin your Cosmere journey but you’re not sure where to start, our Mistborn guide should help you out. Fair warning: there are some spoilers for events in the later books, so read at your own risk!
Mistborn: Era One
The ongoing Mistborn series all take place on the planet of Scadrial and are divided into different eras, separated by technological advances. The first set of books form a neat trilogy and are set in a high-fantasy world where two opposing forces—Preservation and Ruin—are at war. The novels explore themes of power, sacrifice, rebellions and survival at any cost, introducing characters who learn to overthrow an oppressive regime, rebuild society from scratch, and contend with cataclysmic powers that may even wipe out civilization.
The books also feature unique magical creatures, such as the shapeshifting “kandra” and the brutish “koloss.” They also introduce three different kinds of magic systems or the “Metallic Arts,” all based on the manipulation of metals. These include:
- Allomancy where users ingest and “burn” metals to enhance certain physical or mental abilities; a person who can burn only one metal is called a Misting, while someone who can access the powers of all metals is called a Mistborn.
- Feruchemy where instead of ingesting the metal, the substance is worn or carried as storage, and its power is harnessed by contact with the user’s skin.
- Hemalurgy, the least known of the Metallic Arts, which allows the transfer of Allomantic or Feruchemical powers from one person to another, through a net loss of power.
Now, to dive into the individual books of the first era. (Note: There will be some spoilers.)
The Era One Books
Mistborn: The Final Empire
The Final Empire (2006): The first book in the trilogy unfolds in a dystopian world plagued by mist, ashfall and scant vegetation, ruled by the infamous Lord Ruler. His allies are the nobility and vested with Allomantic powers who enslave the poverty-stricken peasants or the “skaa”. The story follows the charismatic Kelsier, a Mistborn and half-skaa thief who assembles a motley crew to overthrow the Lord Ruler’s fascist regime. He also trains and inspires Vin, a street urchin and fellow Mistborn, to effectively use her magical powers.
The Well of Ascension
The Well of Ascension (2007): Overthrowing a 1,000-year-long dictatorship might be fun, but rebuilding society after centuries of technological progress have been stalled definitely isn’t. Vin, the aristocrat Elend, and their friends find themselves soon threatened by a three-way war. While the Terrispeople Sazed and Tindwyl debate about religion and philosophy and train Elend to be a just ruler, Vin is determined to discover the rest of Lord Ruler’s secrets and is pulled closer and closer to the Well of Ascension that houses the weakened body of Ruin.
The Hero of Ages
The Hero of Ages (2008): In this epic finale, Ruin is once again let loose upon the world and Vin ascends to godhood with the aid of Preservation to prevent Scadrial from getting destroyed—at a very high cost. Sazed, who has been heartbroken and disillusioned by his faith, finally understands his role as the “Hero of Ages”, chronicling history and embracing a new version of himself.
Mistborn: Secret History
This short, extremely-gripping novella must ONLY be read after you finish reading the trilogy (unless you don’t mind spoilers)—though ideally it’s best read after Bands of Mourning (details below).
Although at the end of The Final Empire we witness the Lord Ruler publicly murdering Kelsier, we later learn in Secret History that Kelsier not only survived the attack as a “Cognitive Shadow” anchored to Ruin, but that he’s also been working behind-the-scenes in The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages to help Vin, Elend and Sazed to restore order in Scadrial.
Mistborn: Era Two
The second set of four books take place 341 years after the events of the original trilogy, where technology on Scadrial has progressed to be analogous to the early 20th century. These four books are comparatively shorter, packed with action, set in a Wild West sort of world, and introduce the concept of “Twinborn” referring to people who have both Allomatic and Feruchemical powers.
The Era Two books are also called the Wax and Wayne novels, named after its two main protagonists—Waxillium Ladrian, a deputy man who investigates a series of kidnappings and killings, who is aided by Wayne, his partner-in-crime and old friend—as they try to defeat a criminal organisation called The Set.
The Era Two Books
The Alloy of Law
The Alloy of Law (2011): The first book in the second phase of Mistborn introduced readers to Wax, Wayne and Marasi as they track down Miles Hundredlives who is behind the kidnappings of several women and is connected to The Set.
Shadows of Self
Shadows of Self (2015): In the second book in the Wax & Wayne Series, Harmony directly contacts Wax to inform that the murderer they are looking for is a rogue and insane kandra—a magical, nearly immortal shapeshifter. Wax and Wayne actually have a history with this particular kandra, though they never could have imagined the truth behind the shapeshifter's identity.
The Bands of Mourning
The Bands of Mourning (2016): In the much-awaited third book, we learn more about Kelsier’s behind-the-scenes shenanigans over the years (included the making and hiding of the titular artifact that Wax and his group now search for). At the same time, Wax and Wayne continue to struggle against the Set, who are yet to be defeated and still conceal some secrets.
The Lost Metal
The Lost Metal (2022): Finally, The Lost Metal delivers a satisfying and thrilling conclusion, as Wax is once again called upon by Harmony to save the day, dismantle the Set, and reckon with both new gods and off-world forces.
What’s Next for Mistborn and the Cosmere?
As of now, eight books (the original trilogy, the Kelsier novella and the four Wax and Wayne novels) and a few stray short stories have been released in the Mistborn series. The first book in Mistborn: Era Three is slated to come out after the fifth Stormlight Archives book and Elantris sequels, sometime in the 2020s. Given Sanderson’s prolific creative output, we’re sure that the Mistborn series will expand in no time, and if you’re in the mood for immersive and intricately-plotted fantasy, you’re in for a long and entertaining ride.
