Full Book Review of Mistborn Book One by Brandon Sanderson
Check out my full review of Mistborn, the first book in the Mistborn series, and the starting point of the Brandon Sanderson universe. This book is popular within the fantasy world, and for good reason. Read all about it below with or without spoilers, including book recommendations to read next.
Here’s a short synopsis of the book:
“Once, a hero arose to save the world. He failed.
Ever since, the world has been a wasteland of ash and mist controlled by the immortal emperor known as the Lord Ruler.
But hope survives. A new uprising is forming, one built around the ultimate caper, the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind, and the determination of an unlikely heroine: a street urchin who must learn to master the power of a Mistborn.“
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Full Book Review Without Spoilers
The first book of the Mistborn series is the perfect way to jump into the fantasy world of Brandon Sanderson. There’s action scenes, great characters, and one of the most unique magic systems I’ve read. If you’re looking for a well written, high fantasy series that you can really dive into, I recommend this one.
As a fantasy reader, I’m late to the world of Brandon Sanderson and the Mistborn series. But I’m glad I finally got around to reading these because I love an epic fantasy series with lots of books and background information out there. Once you’re through this trilogy, there’s still tons to read like the second Mistborn series and the Stormlight Archive.
The beginning of the book is a little slow as Sanderson sets up the world, but the entire book as a whole is a very enjoyable read if you like fantasy. This book combines a heist story with the best criminal crew with magical powers. There’s a great balance of unique ideas and common fantasy elements that make this book a classic.
Characters
The main protagonists, Vin and Kelsier, are both fun to read about, but different enough to give some variety. Both make compelling characters to like but in different ways. There’s so many likable minor characters in the book that are part of Kelsier’s crew that you’re bound to find someone you really like.
Plot
The beginning of the book can feel a little slow, but that’s because Sanderson is weaving such an intricate plot. By the end you see all the small details (especially the history and prophecy pieces) come together. The plot in the second half of the book really moves along at a good pace that makes the book hard to put down.
Writing
Sanderson’s writing is really great for the world building and cast of characters in an epic fantasy like this. It is a slow build up, but Sanderson really knows how to write a crazy ending with plot twists and nice surprises.
Full Book Review With Spoilers
You’ve been warned that from here on out there will be spoilers.
This fantasy novel was just what I was looking for when I wanted something with multiple books that had a lot of good world building and an in depth plot. The ending of the book was especially well written, and I immediately wanted to start the next book. The twist that the Lord Ruler wasn’t actually the ‘Hero of Ages’ was a nice twist.
While the heist part of the story is entertaining, the bigger problems in the final empire make for a more compelling read. At it’s core, the basic plot of the book is common amongst fantasy- the bad guy who unfairly rules the world with absolute power must be defeated. But Sanderson writes this book in such a way that makes it so much more interesting than that.
I also really enjoyed the characters in the book like Sazed, Ham, and Kelsier. Vin’s character also came such a long way in the book that you were really rooting for her in the end. I also liked the Elend Venture aspect with Vin, and that the romantic relationships didn’t take up a big part of the plot.
Pros of the Book
One of the main pros of this book is that the plot begins as a heist story to pull you in, but then evolves into a saving the world plot. It’s the ultimate long shot at the end, but beginning with a heist makes it seem more doable at the beginning. It pulls both you and the characters into the bigger end goal.
Another one of the pros of the book are the characters we meet throughout the book. Many give us nice surprises or we get to see a lot of character development for just one book. And that Vin is an interesting character to read about as the main character.
Cons of the Book
The biggest con of the book is how slow the beginning is. The main story is laid out over the first half of the book, and then most of the revealing and action happens towards the end. At the end, you realize you needed all the beginning details, but it does seem long to get through when you first read.
Conclusion
Overall, I highly recommend this book and this series if you like traditional fantasy. It’s an enjoyable read that easily pulls you into the complex world that Sanderson has built. Push through the beginning if you find it slow at first, you’ll be glad you did by the end.
You can find the book here.
I have a full summary of the book here if you need a refresher on any of the main points.
Rating- 4.5 out of 5 stars
This was a fantasy book that was enjoyable to read and really pulled me in. The fictional characters made me keep reading, and I was truly invested in their success by the end of the book. I had no doubts that I wanted to move onto the next book and finish the whole series when I finished this first book.
Here’s how I rate all my books: My Rating System
Who Would Enjoy Reading?
If you like a fantasy series to really commit to with multiple books and lots of background information out there, this is a great book. It may not be as trendy as the ones you see on social media, but this has a well written plot with great characters.
What to Read After Mistborn
There’s tons of great fantasy books out there to read next! Sanderson has more in this series or in his other series you can try if you like his writing. Or try one of these other fantasy series.
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
This is the second book in the Mistborn series. So if you liked the first one, continue on with this one! You can find the book here.
This is my full book review and book summary.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This is another epic fantasy with some great characters and a unique magic system (and one of my favorite books). Although, this series is not completed. You can find it here.
Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Another great fantasy series you can start is The Wheel of Time series. The first novel, Eye of the World, is the opening to a new fantasy world. You can find it here.
I also have a review and summary of this book.
