mistborn

Mistborn is a series of fantasy novels by Brandon Sanderson, set on the ash-covered world of Scadrial. The story centers on people who access magical powers by manipulating metals. Mistborn are individuals who can burn all the metals to gain a broad range of abilities, while Mistings have access to only one metal. The series blends political rebellion, intrigue, and a rigorously defined magic system.

The original trilogy—The Final Empire (2006), The Well of Ascension (2007), and The Hero of Ages (2008)—follows Vin, a gifted street urchin, and Kelsier, a charismatic leader, as they challenge the centuries-long tyranny of the Lord Ruler and seek to reshape their world. Themes include power, trust, and the costs of revolution, culminating in a cosmically anchored resolution.

Sanderson builds a tripartite magic system around Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. Allomancy uses ingested metals to grant abilities; Feruchemy stores attributes in metals to be drawn later; Hemalurgy creates powers by transferring them via metal spikes. These systems interact with social structures, religion, and the ruling class’s control of magic and resources.

After the original trilogy, Sanderson returned to Scadrial with a second era: Alloy of Law (2011), Shadows of Self (2015), Bands of Mourning (2016), and The Lost Metal (2022). These novels shift to a late industrial, Western-influenced setting, combining fantasy with detective fiction and political intrigue while expanding the lore of Allomancy and its related disciplines.

Mistborn has been widely praised for its inventive magic systems, world-building, and plot pacing. Rights for screen adaptation have been optioned multiple times, but as of now no feature film or series has been released.