Mistborn cover art

Mistborn

Mistborn, Book 1

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Mistborn

By: Brandon Sanderson
Narrated by: Michael Kramer
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £23.80

Buy Now for £23.80

About this listen

 THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON BEHIND THE COSMERE

****

What if the Dark Lord won?

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields.

But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on a criminal no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy - the magic that lies in all metals.

****

FANTASY DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN SANDERSON:

'Highly recommend to anyone hungry for a good read'
ROBIN HOBB

'Epic in every sense'
GUARDIAN

'Sanderson is the most immersive fantasy writer I've ever encountered'
BEN AARONOVITCH

'All the explosive action any adventure fan could want'
LOCUS©2006 Dragonsteel Entertainment LLC Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Historical Fiction
All stars
Most relevant
How Brandon Sanderson can write so many novels within so many series within such a short space of time when it takes the greats like George R R Martin 4-5 years per book is beyond me. On top of that, they are very well written.

Story – 4.5/5

If there is one thing that makes Brandon Sanderson stand out from other fantasy authors, it is his ability to invent a complex and innovative magic system that is easy for the audience to understand. In this case it is allomancy; the power to burn metals inside the body, with each metal providing a particular power. If you favour magic in fantasy stories, Mistborn provides one of the best kinds.

The character developments are also very nice, seeing the main character blossom from a timid, and untrusting child to one of the most powerful allomancers ever born was done gradual enough to make it believable and it kept the story ticking along at a very nice pace. Every one of the characters in the main circle of friends was detailed and likeable – which makes a huge change from most stories, where there is always an irritating character or two.

Although this story is part of a trilogy, it is excellent enough as a standalone novel, so if you don’t want to invest too much time or credits in a series, I would still highly recommend this. Although, I guarantee you will be left wanting more afterwards anyway ;-)

Performance – 4.5/5

Michael Kramer is one of the very best audiobook narrators out there – he portrays sadness, happiness, comedy, action and all other scene types masterfully and he makes the enjoyment of the story far easier than most narrators. His voice acting is also superb. Each character has a subtly distinctive voice, and you will definitely not be confused with who is who in a conversation.

This was my first Michael Kramer audiobook, and I was reluctant at first due to his southern USA accent. I am glad I delved in though, and I urge you all to give him a fair chance. If you are member, it is worth a go, even if you have to return it for a replacement later.

Overall – 4.5/5

Apologies for the star ratings not matching the written review, I am forced to round halves on Audible.

An excellent story with a unique magic system

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I really enjoyed this book, very high quality fantasy. Definately different and interesting and the characters really come to life, one always wants to listen to more ... and plenty long enough too.

Fantasy is a genre that can be a bit limited at times but this story and the series seem to be well balanced and offer something new and valuable.

Well worth exploring

Great!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy is an accomplished work of fantasy. This first book has an involving well-paced narrative that draws you in with likeable characters, enjoyable banter, and a plot that cracks along. Given that it's a first book in a trilogy it is also surprisingly self-contained, with a satisfying resolution all of its own.

Others have commented on the novel and well-thought through magic system developed in the book: Allomancy - based on consuming and burning metals. The good news is that Allomancy is more than an intriguing concept; because it is so well explained, and because we understand its limits, we understand what is happening when Allomancer's clash, appreciate the twists and thrills of the fight, and see the risks and the dangers. This enables Sanderson to build real dramatic tension in a way that is much harder when wizards are miracle wielding supermen - its a clever conceit, and the system just gets better and better in the later books as new aspects are revealed.

The narrator is excellent too, so this book is worth checking out all on its own. Original, clever and fun.

The trilogy it starts is also impressive. The second and third books are somewhat different to this one, slower with a weightier character, but they build to an audacious conclusion. The plot threads are complex, with twists and revelations throughout the whole trilogy as the full history and theology of the world, and their many interconnections, are exposed. He clearly thought this through!

Some of the other reviews have mentioned a simplistic style, with a lack of descriptive text and adjectives. Don't worry, this is known as good writing. It means that Sanderson uses the actions and thoughts of his characters to convey what is going on, without resorting to lazy tropes and unnecessary flowery language.

The Final Empire is a stand-out book, and the trilogy as a whole represents some of the best modern fantasy out there. Trust me, this one's a keeper.

Fantastic, and rather clever

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Narration was great.

Story got started really quick and was so interesting. Keeps you guessing till the end and the characters are created so well, i found my self thinking about the book throughout my day.

Great story all round!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Excellent I was hooked on this book and couldn't wait to download the sequel's to follow the story. Mr Sanderson has a wonderful Immagination and has the ability to place in the world he has created in the book. The whole Mistborn series was a joy to listern to and i am now listening to the Stormlight Archive which again is excellent. Michael Kramer is superb and he brings the characters to life with his style and voice's. If you like Fantasy you'll love this.

Excellent Fantasy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews