Summary

  • Sanderson's Mistborn series offer seven high-quality fantasy novels, also part of a shared universe concept called the Cosmere.
  • The Wax & Wayne series introduces new elements like 19th-century technology, providing fresh dynamics to the Mistborn magic system.
  • Each Mistborn installment has its strengths and weaknesses, with notable highlights in character chemistry and captivating mysteries.

Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series includes some of the most prestigious fantasy novels of the 21st century, though they vary in quality. For nearly two decades, Brandon Sanderson has established one of the most ambitious projects ever conceived in the fantasy/sci-fi genre, known as the Cosmere, a shared universe that connects his various book series and stand-alone installments. Given that Mistborn is the ideal starting point for the Cosmere, they're naturally some of his most beloved works.

Brandon Sanderson's books have been consistently enjoyable, with every addition to the Mistborn series mixing meaningful character work with general accessibility. The first three novels in the series were released between 2006 and 2008, establishing an original trilogy centered around Vin, Elend, and Sazed. After a 300-year time jump, the Mistborn story and the Cosmere events on the planet Scadrial pick up in the Wax & Wayne series, covering four novels between 2011 and 2022. With seven novels out, there's still more Mistborn to come, though the current series offers plenty to discuss.

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7 The Alloy Of Law

Book 1 of the Wax & Wayne series

Mistborn Era 2 The Alloy of Law Brandon Sanderson

2011's The Alloy of Law is, by all means, an exciting action-focused fantasy novel that does well to establish the new setting and characters of Wax & Wayne. The Wax and Wayne duo have fantastic chemistry, demonstrating some of the best humor in Sanderson's books, and the novel shows glimpses of the engaging development to come. However, at 332 pages, The Alloy of Law is the shortest installment of the saga and suffers from that reduced length, and characters don't offer the same depth as other books, where readers are allowed more time to connect with them.

The atypical diversion from classic fantasy to 19th-century technology could seem off-putting to lovers of the original trilogy's magical medieval environment. However, the addition of firearms and electricity complements Sanderson's iconic Mistborn magic system instead.

The novel impressively handles the 300-year jump from the first Mistborn series to Era 2, immediately enveloping readers in the more-developed Scadrial. The atypical diversion from classic fantasy to 19th-century technology could seem off-putting to lovers of the original trilogy's magical medieval environment. However, the addition of firearms and electricity complements Sanderson's iconic Mistborn magic system instead. The book's most significant weakness is its length, but it's entertaining enough to get audiences hooked for the next volume.

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6 Shadows Of Self

Book 2 of the Wax & Wayne series

Mistborn Era 2 Shadows Of Self Brandon Sanderson

Treating The Alloy of Law as a launch-off point, Shadows of Self dives deeper into the world established in the Wax & Wayne series. The novel feels far more extensive than its predecessor in terms of characters and plot, with the additional pages doing wonders. Like the original Mistborn novel, Shadows of Self captivates with a thought-provoking mystery that prompts both its characters and audiences to engage with psychological complexity. Wax and Steris's chemistry is a standout highlight for the novel, further developing its characters as some of the Cosmere's best.

5 The Well Of Ascension

Book 2 of the original Mistborn trilogy

The Well of Ascension Cover Art showing Vin flying through the air with a Koloss sword

The original Mistborn trilogy is fantastic for its overarching narrative, and in that sense, The Well of Ascension is an essential piece of the grander project. Unfortunately, book 2 takes a bit of a dip in quality from the maturity of the first novel. Starting with the positive takeaways, Vin and OreSeur's relationship in book 2 is stellar, as is the tense war situation with multiple armies posted outside Luthadel. The most significant drawback of The Well of Ascension is Zane Venture, as the attempted love triangle feels off-putting compared to the well-written character dynamics in The Final Empire.

4 The Bands Of Mourning

Book 3 of the Wax & Wayne series

Mistborn Era 2 The Bands of Mourning Brandon Sanderson

While The Well of Ascension suffers as a middle book, The Bands of Mourning demonstrates how to excellently build toward a series conclusion without sacrificing its individuality.

The Wax & Wayne series keeps improving, with The Bands of Mourning perfectly capturing the essence of the Mistborn saga. The action is phenomenal, and again, the novel's central mystery is a notable highlight. Wax and Wayne may be the titular characters in the series, but Sterris and Marasi truly shine throughout as well, particularly in The Bands of Mourning, where they have some of their best moments. While The Well of Ascension suffers as a middle book, The Bands of Mourning demonstrates how to excellently build toward a series conclusion without sacrificing its individuality.

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3 The Lost Metal

Book 4 of the Wax & Wayne series

The Lost Metal Cover

Out of the Wax & Wayne series, The Lost Metal is Brandon Sanderson's most outstanding accomplishment, with possibly the best world-building since the original Mistborn novel. The ties connecting The Lost Metal to Brandon Sanderson's non-Mistborn books help sell it as a must-read for the grander Cosmere experience. As the conclusion to its Mistborn era, The Lost Metal perfectly culminates its character arcs in a way that's both hopeful and bittersweet, similar to The Hero of Ages. Sanderson is consistently incredible with resolution.

2 The Hero Of Ages

Book 3 of the original Mistborn trilogy

Fantasy endings are difficult to pull off, and Brandon Sanderson concludes the original Mistborn trilogy with sensitivity and grace. The Hero of Ages has the Mistborn saga's highest rating on Goodreads, with 4.53/5 stars, affirming the positive effects of Sanderson's evocative, bittersweet ending. While the ending is undeniably powerful, book 3 falls slightly short of The Final Empire in overall quality due to the book's pacing and individual story. Some positives throughout include Marsh's arc, Sazed's reveal as the titular hero, and Vin and Elend's final dance together.

The Hero of Ages is a fantastic novel and one of Sanderson's best, but much of its effect comes from the final act. Before that, the narratives in Fadrex and Urteau are interesting but lack the riveting appeal of book 1's heist conflict in Luthadel. While Ruin is the trilogy's overall antagonist, he also isn't as compelling or complex as The Lord Ruler in The Final Empire. Still, a ton happens in the novel's final act, with many central characters coming to heart-breaking, premature ends that leave The Hero of Ages in readers' hearts long after completion.

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1 The Final Empire

Book 1 of the original Mistborn trilogy

Brandon Sanderson's first Mistborn book is still the best, standing out as the most complete, individual reading experience in the Mistborn saga while also establishing precedence for a larger epic saga. The Final Empire drops readers in a harsh environment with an exciting premise: a rebellion to overthrow a tyrannical, immortal ruler. But as the story develops, there's much more than what meets the eye, with Alendi's logbook revealing critical information about The Lord Ruler's past. For starters, The Lord Ruler is a phenomenal fantasy villain and one of the best in the overall Cosmere.

The heroes of Mistborn establish an alluring paradigm, with Kelsier fulfilling the archetype of a classical fantasy protagonist, only to perish and leave the true heroism to Vin, a more unique lead for the genre.

Of course, The Final Empire does more than just establish its villain. The heroes of Mistborn establish an alluring paradigm, with Kelsier fulfilling the archetype of a classical fantasy protagonist, only to perish and leave the true heroism to Vin, a more unique lead for the genre. Vin's introversion makes her easy to relate to and engage with, and her relationship with Elend is always wholesome. Not to mention, Kelsier's crew makes for a fantastic, lovable supporting cast that contributes to the first Mistborn novel being such a beloved piece of fantasy literature.