Mistborn, or the Mistborn series, is a fantasy novel from Brandon Sanderson. As I finally found some time to read the third book of the series, I feel I have reached the point at which I can write a little about those three books.

It is annoyingly hard to talk about a complete story arc without spoilers, but I promise to try, and not reveal stuff you’d rather read from the original author than a random website. For instance I am avoiding reviews the fourth book. Although its story is set 300 years after the first three tomes, I guess I just want to enjoy reading it, if or when I get the chance: few fantasy authors care to evolve their creation this far, which makes me, at the very least, curious.

A few words about the author

Sanderson is well known by fans of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time because he completed the series when its original author passed. On the other hand, he is quite prolific himself, if you have a look at its current bibliography.

I stopped reading The Wheel of time a long time ago, because I lost interest in the story. However, I had read a few things about M. Sanderson online, and randomly grabbed his Steelheart book. I wish I could recommend it, but nope I will not.

To be honest, I do not know why I started with the Mistborn series after the previous fail… But it was a good idea.

Why read it?

Now, why would you be interested in this?

• the magic system is good,
• the dialogues are great,
• the characters are all quite loveable (except the boring Elend),
• the world has been ruled for a thousand years by LOTR’s Saurons cousin,
• ash falling from the sky?

Book 1: The Final Empire

The first book is a quick read, and if you can avoid to devour it in one sitting, good for you. I think it is the lightest of the three ; although it features large doses of drama, it is balanced by the characters’ apparent detachment with respect to their goals.

Still, I do not think the characters under-developed… Well, not all of them anyway (Ham, Clubs, who are those guys?). Most characters gained a lot more credibility with the second book. After flirting with Sanderson’s other series, The Reckoners, I can not tell if it is entirely intentional: here’s a first story, lot of action, a few characters, and we will slow down in the second book.

Book 2: The Well of Ascension

The second book is interesting because the world has changed a lot, and the new balance of powers could have been a good excuse for more political games, but (sadly?) this is not A Game of Throns. :)

The romantic story is as boring as the poor Elend.

Book 3: the Hero of Ages