From the Bookshelf of Beyond Reality…

Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)

Brandon Sanderson

Start date: August 1, 2009

Finish date: August 31, 2009

Discussion: Previous BotM--DISCUSSIONS

Discussion leader: Stefan

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 929 topics — 11,382 comments total

Previous BotM--DISCUSSIONS

The Ministry of Time (8/25): Finished Reading **Spoilers OK**
By Kathi , Moderator & Book Lover · 6 posts · 31 views

last updated Sep 09, 2025 11:32AM

Baking Bad (8/25): Finished Reading **Spoilers OK**
By Kathi , Moderator & Book Lover · 12 posts · 12 views

last updated Aug 18, 2025 03:09PM

showing 10 of 23 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jan 07, 2019 Carrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, fantasy, part-of-a-series, epic-fantasy, assassin

All the love, Mistborn you deserve all the love.

34 likes · Like · see review

Dec 18, 2008 Sandi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2009

"Mistborn: The Final Empire" is the best book I've read in 2009. Okay, it's the first book I've finished in 2009. However, I am not exaggerating in saying that it was an incredible read. Brandon Sanderson has created one of the most vivid societies I have ever encountered in fantasy. The characters really came alive for me and there weren't so many of them that I couldn't keep track of who's-who. Most of the story takes place in one city and some of its outlying areas. No map needed. It is a fin ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

May 30, 2009 Edward Butler rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Queasifying amalgam of bad theology, clichés, and preposterous action sequences, set in a bland, quasi-medieval monoculture. Don't believe the hype.

...more

17 likes · Like · see review

May 13, 2013 Oni rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I have a high hope on this novel, based on the review that I read (from trusted reviewer). So high is the hope, that I feel a bit cheated.

The book is following a story line of two protagonist: both of them are mistborn (you would have to read the book to understand the term). Together, they are the main figures in a rebellion attempt to overthrown a dictatorship, hence the title: The Final Empire.

The book is not bad, actually, but it just doesn't reach my expectation. It started with a heist sto I have a high hope on this novel, based on the review that I read (from trusted reviewer). So high is the hope, that I feel a bit cheated.

The book is following a story line of two protagonist: both of them are mistborn (you would have to read the book to understand the term). Together, they are the main figures in a rebellion attempt to overthrown a dictatorship, hence the title: The Final Empire.

The book is not bad, actually, but it just doesn't reach my expectation. It started with a heist story. But it felt short of the thrill if you compare it with The Lies of Locke Lamora. The heist is not that complicated, when one layer of lies is covered with another one, and maybe another one, just to play safe. It is as simple as playing magic trick, and the bad guys are just too easy to dupe.

The characters also also too linear. To compare with The Blade Itself, it looses in almost all aspect. The struggle of the main character is not really well-placed in the plot. The reaction of the character is too predictable.

The same thing also happened with the plot. The plot is already laid out since the beginning of the novel: to overthrow the evil empire. Well, it is a bit boring if you say that in the beginning. Maybe the author should include some personal mission, that everybody has their own mission in mind, while collaborating in the rebellion. It would make the story more interesting.

The best part of the book is the magic design. I will have to admit that Brandon Anderson is one of the best magic designer in the fantasy world. Maybe he spent too much time in designing the magic, that the plot seems to be lacking. The magic is so complicated that there are many pages dedicated to it, that it felt like a lecture. Maybe the author should leak it out bit by bit, or even confused the reader of how the magic actually works. It might make the story more interesting. This book will serve me as a reminder, when I write my fantasy novel, that magic design is important, but it is not everything. The plot is the king.

But I think the worst part of this novel, is the bad guy character. Not enough perspective is given for the bad guy, which is the evil king. To know something from his perspective might make the story more interesting.

Overall, actually it is not so bad, but having read it after reading The Blade Itself, the book indeed disappointed me. Maybe someone cast a Soothing while I read the book so that I didn't feel any emotion. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 21, 2008 Doug Sturtevant rated it it was amazing

Really fantastic read. Great world-building, great characters. Really interesting system of magic. This was the first book I've read by Sanderson and I have to say I am quite impressed. Looking forward to the second book in the series. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2010 Adrienne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, assassins-thieves-etc, owned

Set in a very unique world, this book kept my attention pretty well once the story got started. First, it's set hundreds of years after the hero failed to save the world, so it's not a pretty place to live what with ash falling from the sky and a huge class disparity. Second, I've never seen a magic system like the one presented here, where you have to eat metals to actually use magic. This made parts of the book very fresh. The characters were also quite sympathetic, so I found myself very inte Set in a very unique world, this book kept my attention pretty well once the story got started. First, it's set hundreds of years after the hero failed to save the world, so it's not a pretty place to live what with ash falling from the sky and a huge class disparity. Second, I've never seen a magic system like the one presented here, where you have to eat metals to actually use magic. This made parts of the book very fresh. The characters were also quite sympathetic, so I found myself very interested in what they were attempting to do, as we learned some of the back story along with them.

However, the world-building was too overt in some places. I felt like I was being hammered over the head with the fact that plants aren't green and they don't flower. Oh, and the sky is red. So here's my complaint: a character who grew up in this world wouldn't remark upon any of those things. For the most part, they don't, until it comes up -- very overtly -- in conversation. However, I thought that could have been woven into the story more subtly, with passing mentions that you don't necessarily pick up on (since apparently I now compare all world-building to the subtly in the Book of the New Sun and pretty much everything falls short). But nonetheless, this wasn't a big deal.

During the first part of the book my past wannabe-writer started to notice the purpose of scenes -- so I would say, "Oh, this fight scene is here so we can see what this magic system can do and "Oh, this training montage is here so we understand how the magic actually works" and such However, that stopped after the more expository first part of the book. Then we have untrained character who is super-powerful with magic but doesn't know how to use it. Yes, it is a fantasy novel, but that's getting old. However, these were not big gripes of mine either.

I also for the most part liked Elend, but I thought that (view spoiler)

I was unhappy with how atium (view spoiler)

Overall I enjoyed the story and the characters, and am planning on reading the next soon. ...more

Like · see review

Nov 04, 2009 Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides marked it as decided-not-to-read

Shelves: fantasy-fiction

Some of the sequels looked interesting in the bookstore, so I requested this from the library. Granted, I was only inclined to read, oh, two or three pages. "I'm cruel because I can be" isn't much of an interesting characterization. And "Oh look, it's another fantasy world with slavery" isn't that intriguing either. Maybe there's more to this but ... I am not persuaded. In case that isn't obvious. ...more

Like · see review

Mar 01, 2010 bsc rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, audiobook, read-2010

This was fine, it just wasn't what I was looking for. A Song of Ice and Fire really got me in the mood for some more epic, gritty, complex fantasy, and this was none of those things. I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would, though. I'm not sure when I'll get to the rest of the series, but it probably won't be soon. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review