That's it: I just put down the last book to the (original) Mistborn triology by Brandon Sanderson, and I have to talk about it to somebody, convince them to pick up the first book and prompty start reading. This series has been stuck in my mind ever since I first started reading The Final Empire, and for good reason; it was intimidating at first because all three books are 600-700+ pages long, but it all seemed to go by so fast. I could not read any of the three books fast enough.
The Mistborn trilogy is a fantasy series first written in 2006, and focuses on a group of thieves with truly unique powers trying to overthrow the tyrannical government led by their God. And that's just the first book. The next few books have to deal with certain consequences, and you will be kept on your toes the entire time.
And because this book has been on my mind for so long, that's where this article comes into play: Here are five, non-spoiler reasons to start reading this.
1. Are you looking for a full fledged lady protagonist?
While you will be in the minds of all of the main characters, you spend most of your time with a 16 year old girl named Vin who grew up on the streets. It's very obvious that Sanderson took his time in creating Vin and put his heart into her - she is affected by trauma, mental illness, abuse, and trust issues from her life on the streets, and when she meets her gang, it takes time for her to accept her place with them, unlearning a lot of what she thought she knew. From the beginning of The Final Empire through The Well of Ascension to The Hero of Ages, Vin develops into a new person, but never forgets who she once was. And this is only just a small context of what she goes through.
2. Do you want a series that actually leads somewhere?
Each book has its own goal to conquer; while both the first and second books are meant to lead into the next one, the last book, The Hero of Ages, wraps everything up in a nice little bow.
3. Do you like your perspective to be challenged?
This had to be one of my favorite aspects of the books - Sanderson doesn't shy away from hard topics like mental illness, religion, grief, love, leadership, death, and more; and he does it in a way that isn't forceful. Everything he discusses and does in the books has a purpose.
4. A unique magic system! World building!
Have you ever seen Avatar: The Last Airbender? It's like following a bunch of metal benders except they have to continually drink metals in order to draw upon their power. Oh, and the details are enough that you won't be overwhelmed but it's also almost like you're there with the characters...
5. Do you want to be led on an adventure?
The twists and turns of this series will leave you thinking that you know where things are headed... but in the end, you won't see any of it coming.
Bonus Reason: It is highly quotable. There are so many good lines in this series that just make you think and need to tell someone.
Just in general, it's a very pleasant read. I will leave this disclaimer by saying some of the details are extremely graphic, and in a violent way, not a sexual way. Let's just say the characters are not afraid to describe how to kill each other.
If you're looking for a new adult fantasy series to read, I highly recommend this one. Enjoy.
