Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson is a high stakes high fantasy novel about revenge and revolution. After being sentenced to die by the Lord Ruler, our protagonist, Kelsier, swears revenge and seeks to destroy both the Lord Ruler and his entire kingdom. Kelsier is also a Mistborn, a rare being capable of controlling the magical metallic elements of this world. The novel follows his plan and attempts at overthrowing the tyrannical government of this fantasy world by recruiting a team of criminals and other “allomancers.” The secondary protagonist of the novel is Vin, a mistrustful young girl who is also a Mistborn and recruited by Kelsier for his epic plan.
The setup and style of the novel are interesting because each chapter starts with journal-like passages but it is unclear who is the narrator of these passages until further in. After these minute sections, the story progresses by following either Kelsier or Vin, our main protagonists, in their own plotlines. These sections serve as an omen throughout the novel, creating an unsettling atmosphere lurking over the main plot.
While revenge and retribution are a common theme throughout many high fantasy novels, Mistborn differs from these novels by shying away from stereotypical fantasy tropes and creating its own path and legacy. It is a tale of prophecy and determination and how the characters manipulate the story for their own personal gain. While we root for our protagonists, we understand that they are not morally the best people, which makes the story more interesting to read.
Sanderson has a talent for making intricate plotlines and creative worldbuilding palatable to those who, like me, have not picked up a fantasy book in years. While the story is compelling and stimulating, Sanderson writes in a way that doesn’t confuse you and instead grabs your attention and does not let it go. He also knows how to create interesting characters that you want to root for despite how wrong their actions may be. He is also incredibly adept at writing a satisfying ending. This book is part of a trilogy with many spin-offs attached to the series. Although I have not started the sequel yet, the ending to Mistborn leaves you wanting more, and luckily, there is a plethora of novels to pick up afterward. The story is expertly crafted, and Sanderson’s writing style allows you to grasp what is happening, which is especially important in a high fantasy novel.
This may not be the right book for those who prefer novels more grounded in reality or those who find any and all fantasy books too complicated, but I do think that this novel is worth a try. While the story may sound like many other common high fantasy novels, Sanderson is able to turn a classic plotline into something completely different. He is able to come up with a remarkable world in this novel and creates a unique magic system. He utilizes many different tricks and twists during the second half which leads to a gratifying climax and paves the way for the sequel.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy or is interested in picking up a book in that genre. Fantasy novels are not usually my cup of tea, especially high-fantasy ones. It is difficult to read about and process different stories with their own intricate and complicated world-building and storylines, but I think fantasy is a genre that needs to be explored at the bare minimum. Mistborn is my recommendation for this reason. While still being a complex story, Sanderson’s prose makes it easy to comprehend, and the story itself makes it worth the read.
