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Book Reviews of Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1)

Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1)
Mistborn - Mistborn, Bk 1
Author: Brandon Sanderson
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ISBN-13: 9780765311788
ISBN-10: 076531178X
Publication Date: 7/25/2006
Pages: 544
Rating:
  • Currently 4.6/5 Stars.
 33

4.6 stars, based on 33 ratings
Publisher: Tor Books
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

22 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

Arelsea1990 avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 25 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I started this book expecting yet another, slightly above average, cliché fantasy novel. It surprised and delighted me far beyond my expectation. Mistborn: The Final Empire is an amazingly crafted, beautifully detailed novel of epic proportions. The book begins with a small act of rebellion and soon builds to an extremely intense story, including a surprising number of different elements and many twists and turns. The magic powers especially caught my attention, a new and extremely interesting system involving metals and magical mists. All told, this book, the first in a trilogy, was excellent, and I hope the rest of the series is as good. Highly recommended!
reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoy Brandon Sanderson's novels, but I don't love them. Mistborn is a good story with interesting characters. I especially liked the fact that Mistborn's protagonist is female, something that's still too uncommon in fantasy and science fiction novels. Mistborn's system of allomancy is creative and unique. Sanderson writes simply, concisely, and directly. As a result, the book has good pacing and the story moves along at a good clip. But his writing style creates two problems. First, his books read as though they're written for a junior high audience. I would compare Sanderson to John Scalzi; they both are direct and to the point. But only Sanderson's books feel like they're a bit beneath you. Second, the climactic scenes always feel rushed and not that climactic. In Mistborn, the tension never builds to the point where you feel like something really BIG just happened. Most of the key events are over before you realize it and the importance barely has a chance to sink in. It keeps Sanderson's books from being as good as they could be.
Harpua avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
What a great book, one of the best I've read in a long time. If you enjoy political intrigue in your fantasy, then this is the book for you. There is really not a lot of action, but Sanderson has a way of making the story feel "action filled". Characters are well fleshed out and I felt deeply about the characters. The book started out a bit slow, but really it was necessary to the story and all makes sense come the end. I knew exactly how this was going to end, but I didn't know how we would get there. There were enough twists and mysteries that I didn't have figured out so the ending stayed enjoyable. Even though this is the first book of a trilogy, things wrapped up nicely and this book really feels like a standalone. I definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 215 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The first in the Mistborn trilogy. Slaves are provoked to rebel against their God/Lord Ruler in this epic fantasy novel. I enjoyed the subplots and subcharacter much more than I did the main character, Vin. The author tries, but fails a bit to convey the feelings/emotions of a young adult female. She seemed bit hollow to me. The other cast of characters really draw you into the story making you cheer for them and hope that they succeed in their mission of rebellion. I will definitely be reading the 2nd book to see where this story goes.
jaguerns avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 32 more book reviews
One of the best fantasy books that I have ever read! No wonder this author is so highly recommended...very enthralling.

In Mistborn, Brandon Sanderson creates a world where the seemingly immortal Lord Ruler is tyrant, oppressing the common people who must scrape out a life from the beneath the ever-falling ash. Royal-born citizens have strange abilities using certain metals. But there are those not born into wealth that have these powers. They seek something more: an existence not overshadowed by the Lord Ruler. And really, I just can't do the storyline justice so please find a copy (or borrow mine) and read it for yourself.

Some of the plot twists you see coming but others are surprising. Two things I hate in books: 1) predictability and 2) happily ever after endings. This book has neither. I am really looking forward to the second in the series!
tarheelcoin avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 84 more book reviews
Completely enthralling book - well written, with vivid characters that you care about, lots of action, a great story. Once you pick this book up, good luck in putting it down again! Highly recommended.
excelsior88 avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
This story seemed real. Sanderson is a master at creating characters that think and act like normal people. The heroine, Vin, is a troubled 16 year old girl. She's been horrendously abused all her life and doesn't know how to trust anyone. As the story progresses, she slowly learns that there are people who won't betray her, and that she can even trust them with her life.
bandita avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
Beautiful, heartbreaking, intelligent, and uplifiting! Join the downtrodden slaves of the Final Empire as they struggle to overthrow the tyrranical Lord Ruler.
kkslover9 avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 26 more book reviews
Wow. This turned out as good as everyone says! I feel like that rarely happens for me, so this was exciting. The action could be a bit overwhelming with all the allomancy, but it got a lot easier as everything went on. The book was long enough that I got to understand the metals.

All the character's were pretty well done. I love Vin. At first, her personality seemed off, but I think that was partially intentional and, later, her character flows flawlessly. Kell, I also liked, though not as much. I dunno he was really amazing, but it became kind of unbelievable at the end, though I was more than willing to ignore such a tiny misgiving. The addition of the third POV at the end was interesting. When I saw it, I was kind of upset, but the parts were short enough and the POV interesting enough that it actually worked out quite well.

Overall, a very awesome book. Totally lived up to expectations. I can't wait to continue the series!
ophelia99 avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 2527 more book reviews
Prior to reading this book I had read Sanderson's books Elantris and Warbreaker and loved them both. I was super excited to get started on this series. This book was everything I had hoped it would be and more. A wonderful epic fantasy, with a creative magic system, and characters you can really love.

This book goes between two main characters. The first is Kelsier, a member of the oppressed Skaa race who has escaped horrible punishment at the hand of the Lord Ruler and is determined to lead a rebellion to overthrow the Final Empire. The second is Vin, a skaa who is part of the thieving group. Vin gets entangled in Kelsier's scheme and finds out that she has powers of a Mistborn.

The setting for this book is pretty bleak. The Final Empire is located in a place where ash constantly rains down on the landscape and fields and forests are yellow and dying. The skaa is a race of serf-like humans who slave for the ruling class and are kept complacent through cruelty and Soothing by Mistlings.

The magic system is very creative, Sanderson has created a system where Mistlings or Mistborn swallow different metallic elements and can burn them to create various affects. He explains the complicated system in a way that is interesting and easy to understand; and shows creativity and flexibility to the magic system that makes it work in a wide variety of circumstances.

The plot is very complex, but not overwhelmingly so. Sanderson keeps the cast of characters manageable and makes characters easy to recognize. The characters are complex with rich histories and conflicted personalities but they are all somewhat lovable. A lot of the characters are grey in morale; they are thieves but they work for a cause, they try to do right but people suffer from their actions.

I loved these characters; especially Vin. Vin changes so much throughout the book. She starts out as a lowly thief eking out a living and ends up a power to be reckoned with. Kelsier is a force to be dealt with on his own; his character has a powerful personality that you love at times and dislike at others. This really is the place where Sanderson is exceptional; he creates a wonderful world but his characters are awesome. They bring humor and softness to a world that would be plain without them; these are some of the best characters in epic fantasy that I have read about for a while.

Overall I was very impressed, nothing to complain about...I loved it. The characters are entertaining and well done, the plot intriguing, the magic system creative. Sanderson has built a world and characters that you want to read about and turned them into a story that is very hard to put down. I am very eager to read the next book in this series "The Well of Ascension".
BaileysBooks avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 491 more book reviews
This is Book 1 of the Final Empire trilogy.

This book was my first experience with Brandon Sanderson, and I can say without doubt that it will not be my last. I was very pleased with the character development, the concept of the plot, the pacing of the story, and the description of the magic system. Sanderson has managed to create something with a depth and originality that was surprisingly refreshing, even when it dealt with a world that was hopelessly dark and oppressive.

I lost a lot of sleep while I was reading this book, because "just one more chapter" happened at the end of every chapter (especially in the last third of the book), and I had a very hard time putting it down. Without hesitation, I would recommend this book and I truly look forward to what the rest of the series will bring.

Note: While all of Brandon Sanderson's books take place on different planets at different points in time, they are all tied together in a fictional universe that he calls the Cosmere. One common thread throughout all of the books is a character that makes a named or cameo appearance in every single book. When named, he is called Hoid. His overall story arc is still a mystery, but he is obviously important. In Mistborn, he makes an appearance on page 314 of the mass market paperback.

Recommended Sanderson reading order (should you be interested): Elantris > Mistborn 1-3 > The Emperor's Soul > Warbreaker > Stormlight Archives 1-2 > Alloy of Law trilogy (Alloy of Law + Shadows of Self + Bands of Mourning)
cloverluv avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 129 more book reviews
âMistbornâ
By
Brandon Sanderson

Vin, a skaa street urchin, struggles every day just to survive. These are dark days for the Final Empireâ¦if you're a skaa that is. Oppressed for years by the noblemen of the Final Empire, which is ruled over with an iron fist by the âLord Ruler,â the skaa work as slaves every day, sweeping the streets, working in the mills, mines, and fields.
There are a lucky few like Vin who have some talent. Talent earns them places with the many numerous skaa thieving crews, groups of men who make small-time raids on the noblemen of the
Empire. Dragged there by her abusive brother, Vin remained to pay off her and her brother's debt to the Crew Chief after he ran away and left her.
One day however, after a raid gone wrong, Vin meets up with Kelsier, a handsome, scheming Crew Chief who just happens to be an Allomancer. And not just any Allomancer, a Mistborn.
Allomancers use metals such as Iron, Tin, and Pewter to enhance their bodily powers. Most Allomancers can only use one metal, but a select few, Mistborn, can use all of the 10 metals. Once Vin finds out that she is in fact a Mistborn as well, Kelsier offers her a chance to become a member of his crew. This crew however, isn't just going to âpull a job,â they're going to pull the biggest job in the history of the final empireâ¦
âLord Rulerâ¦â That's what I have to say about âMistborn!â It was SO GOOD! The first installment to the Mistborn series is one not to be missed! Sanderson has such a good balance of good, evil, action, drama, politics, scheming, backstabbing, mysteryâ¦you name it, âMistbornâ has it all!
Though the language in âMistbornâ took some getting used to, it wasn't the usual boring âcourt battlesâ that a lot of fantasy is famous for. I understood all of the politics and actually wanted more, surprising even myself.
The only downside is, I fail to see how the second book in the series (âWell of Ascensionâ) could possibly live up to the greatness of âMistborn.â I'll definitely be there to give it a shot however.
In summary, âMistbornâ was a refreshing book in a world of sub-standard fantasy littering most of the genre nowadays. If you need a little excitement on your bookshelf pick up âMistbornâ !
Four and ¼ stars.
reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 496 more book reviews
I am not a fantasy reader and even I liked this first book in the series. You must read until page 50 before it to gets interesting, so hang in there. The second half of the book was hard for me to put down. Very well done Mr. Sanderson.
DragonBreath avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on
Mistborn is the story of a street urchin named Vin, who has learned to use "Luck", as she calls it, to influence people's emotions. Unfortunately, since she has not had any training in the use of Allomancy (the bigger classification of powers that Luck falls under), she gets the attention of the wrong people- the Inquisitors, who are responsible for destroying any non-nobility who has the use of Allomantic skills. Fortunately, the leaders of a rebellion against the Inquisitors and the Lord Ruler have also noticed Vin's skill.

The rebellion takes Vin under their wings, teaches her how to use not just Luck, but all of her Allomantic powers, which she had not yet discovered within herself until this point. Learning Allomancy, court intrigue, and politics becomes Vin's way of life as the rebellion pushes on.

I loved this book, and had a hard time setting it down. The characters were very believable, and the world that Sanderson creates is filled with interesting characters. Before each chapter is a paragraph or two of some unknown person's thoughts, which provides a bit of background for the book. I look forward to reading the rest in this series, as I've become quite fond of the characters, and I want to see how their lives turn out. And I want to see what happens to the rebellion.
VCD3 avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 196 more book reviews
I enjoyed it greatly but have just come off of a couple of multiple-book series and want to get back to just reading individual books .... have too many back up on me after a series of 4 and a series of 5. I don't think I'll continue on with this series but only for that reason. I may get back to it in the years to come.
ophelia99 avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 2527 more book reviews
Prior to reading this book I had read Sanderson's books Elantris and Warbreaker and loved them both. I was super excited to get started on this series. This book was everything I had hoped it would be and more. A wonderful epic fantasy, with a creative magic system, and characters you can really love.

This book goes between two main characters. The first is Kelsier, a member of the oppressed Skaa race who has escaped horrible punishment at the hand of the Lord Ruler and is determined to lead a rebellion to overthrow the Final Empire. The second is Vin, a skaa who is part of the thieving group. Vin gets entangled in Kelsier's scheme and finds out that she has powers of a Mistborn.

The setting for this book is pretty bleak. The Final Empire is located in a place where ash constantly rains down on the landscape and fields and forests are yellow and dying. The skaa is a race of serf-like humans who slave for the ruling class and are kept complacent through cruelty and Soothing by Mistlings.

The magic system is very creative, Sanderson has created a system where Mistlings or Mistborn swallow different metallic elements and can burn them to create various affects. He explains the complicated system in a way that is interesting and easy to understand; and shows creativity and flexibility to the magic system that makes it work in a wide variety of circumstances.

The plot is very complex, but not overwhelmingly so. Sanderson keeps the cast of characters manageable and makes characters easy to recognize. The characters are complex with rich histories and conflicted personalities but they are all somewhat lovable. A lot of the characters are grey in morale; they are thieves but they work for a cause, they try to do right but people suffer from their actions.

I loved these characters; especially Vin. Vin changes so much throughout the book. She starts out as a lowly thief eking out a living and ends up a power to be reckoned with. Kelsier is a force to be dealt with on his own; his character has a powerful personality that you love at times and dislike at others. This really is the place where Sanderson is exceptional; he creates a wonderful world but his characters are awesome. They bring humor and softness to a world that would be plain without them; these are some of the best characters in epic fantasy that I have read about for a while.

Overall I was very impressed, nothing to complain about...I loved it. The characters are entertaining and well done, the plot intriguing, the magic system creative. Sanderson has built a world and characters that you want to read about and turned them into a story that is very hard to put down. I am very eager to read the next book in this series "The Well of Ascension".
reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this series. Anyone who liked Robert Jordan's series will like this series.
reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on
Meh. paper thin plot devices, cardboard characters, flimsy dialogue. I don't see how anyone can fawn after Sanderson. I feel like through the muddle, he has some original ideas but he can't manage to pour them onto the pages, much less into a plot. The "Hero" of legend was uninspiring, the ultimate caper was bland and overwrought, the "criminal masterminds" were neither masterminds nor much of any respectable sort of criminal, and the heroine was too whiney or introspective, neither of which drove the plot.

The main baddies - the Lord Ruler and the Inquisitors - had a few moments where they sparkled, mostly because they were more or less unstoppable, but even then that left you to wonder how anyone could survive confronting them.

And in the end, the story brought up too many questions left unanswered, but not compelling enough for me to care picking up the next book. Meh, I say. Meh.

The plot devices - starting a war, the "nobles", and the ascendance to god-hood - were barely credible.

As for political intrigue (and witty dialogue)? Try this on:

--"If you destroy the nobility, you won't be able to hold on for very long," Elend said. "We control the economy - the Empire will collapse without us." - Uhh, isn't that the point of a rebellion? To kick the oppressors out and start from scratch, even if the price of bread climbs a few sheckles? But when questioned, Elend replies, "You must hear me out... I've studied these things; I know what I'm talking about." Oh, well, with a compelling argument like that, who can argue with him? I mean, he's {finger quotes] learn-ed [finger quotes], right. Okay, Nobles, have your way with us, you know better. We won't overthrow you after all, even though you've raped and slaughtered and degraded our people. The economy *IS* that important, more so than the rights of our people. Human decency be damned. Carry on.

This guy teaches writing? Ugh.

If you want a good read, try George R.R. Martin or Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora. Locke is loaded with cunning dialogue, blood and guts, plot twists, and world building that will leave you breathless.

But Sanderson? How did the world lose the coin toss that allowed him to follow in Robert Jordan's footsteps? Save yourself the trouble and don't waste your time with Mistborn. More like, Stillborn...
reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on
Great book, loved it. was exciting and captivating all the way through!
nrlymrtl avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 297 more book reviews
This book was wicked fun from beginning to the end. The premise of a small rebel group wanting to overthrow the ruling regime probably seems simple, maybe even overused. However, it gets complicatedly good quick. Each character has a backstory, some of which we learn throughout the tale. Each has his and her own reasons for following Kelsier on his mad quest. The bad guys are not fumbling idiots either, but rather skilled, deadly, and mysterious. A side romance adds a few complications to the master plan, but played well for the reader.
excelsior88 avatar reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
This story seemed real. Sanderson is a master at creating characters that think and act like normal people. The heroine, Vin, is a troubled 16 year old girl. She's been horrendously abused all her life and doesn't know how to trust anyone. As the story progresses, she slowly learns that there are people who won't betray her, and that she can even trust them with her life.
reviewed Mistborn (Mistborn, Bk 1) on + 39 more book reviews
Good fantasy is hard to find. Ever since Lord of the Rings Ive been searching for something that created as satisfying and engaging of a world.
Mistborn isnt that. But it certainly contains an interesting enough mythology and premise to engage my attention. The plot contains enough twists and turns to be moderately satisfying. I doubt I will continue reading the series, however. So I give this book a moderated recommendation.