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Mistborn Reading Order.

Quick Answer

Start Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson with "The Lost Metal", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

A high fantasy series detailing the world Scadrial, centered around the metal-based magic Allomancy and Feruchemy, divided into different Eras.

Reader's Guide

This series spans 6 main titles released between 2022 and 2017. For the best experience, we recommend following the Publication Order below to preserve key plot reveals.

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Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "The Lost Metal"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

Community Consensus

Medium Debate

"The overwhelming consensus for new readers is to start with the Mistborn Era 1 trilogy (The Final Empire). This series is highly recommended because it is a complete story, easier to get into, and considered a more exciting introduction to Brandon Sanderson's writing style. Many users specifically advise against starting with Elantris (his first published novel) due to its comparative weakness, which might dissuade new readers. The Stormlight Archive is generally recommended later, often after reading Warbreaker, as it is complex and lengthy."

Key Reddit Advice

Start with Mistborn: The Final Empire. If planning to read everything, read in publication order, but be warned that this means starting with Elantris.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Mistborn conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for Mistborn. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "The Lost Metal" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "Mistborn" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Complete Series Reading Order

Language:

Publication Reading Order6 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
1

Untitled Mistborn 1 Of 2

Pub: 20104.5

A thrilling new entry into the Metallic Arts saga, promising high-stakes political conflict and deep exploration of the Cosmere's most resilient world.

2

Plot details hidden until you finish "Untitled Mistborn 1 Of 2".

Step into the ash-dusted world of Scadrial, harness the metallic arts of Allomancy and Feruchemy, and overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Lord Ruler.

3

Plot details hidden until you finish "Mistborn Adventure Game".

A grande aposta da fantasia mundial está de volta com a esperada Segunda Era de Mistborn Brandon Sanderson, um dos mais aclamados autores de fantasia da atualidade, está de volta com a aguardada Segunda Era de Mistborn. Cumprindo a sua promessa feita aos leitores, a LeYa publica simultaneamente os três volumes escritos da saga num maravilhoso box, com ilustrações de Marc Simonetti e capas que, assim como na Primeira Era, constroem juntas uma só imagem. Além dos volumes 4, 5 e 6, já finalizados pelo autor, o box traz um caderno exclusivo ocupando o espaço onde será inserido o sétimo e último volume, a ser lançado futuramente. A Segunda Era de Mistborn mostra o progresso de Scadrial, 300 anos após os acontecimentos da primeira saga, que apresentou ao público as aventuras protagonizadas por Vin, Elend, Kelsier e cia. Mas, a evolução do planeta está em risco, e caberá a Wax Ladrian, um raro Duplonato - ser que tem a capacidade de combinar os metais usando a alomancia e a feruquemia, lutar para garantir a harmonia conquistada a duras penas. Admirado por nomes do quilate de George R. R. Martin, a série confirma o talento de Sanderson na criação de universos e sistemas de magia consistentes, além da construção de histórias de tirar o fôlego, que nenhum fã do gênero pode pensar em perder.

4

Plot details hidden until you finish "Mistborn Segunda Era - Caixa Com Volumes 1 2 3 E Caderno".

This discounted ebundle Fantasy Firsts includes: The Way of Kings, Mistborn: The Final Empire, Rithmatist, Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians From #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Stormlight Archive and the Mistborn Saga, this bundle offers four entry points into the worlds of Brandon Sanderson. Mistborn: The Final Empire begins the Mistborn Saga, The Way of Kings the Stormlight Archive, Rithmatist, the first book in the duology, and Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians a series by the same name. Prepare yourself to be whisked away to the fantastical worlds of Brandon Sanderson. The Way of Kings — In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, Kaladin struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable. Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity. Mistborn: The Final Empire — Kelsier, a brilliant thief has turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler as the mark. Kel's plan is the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into the fold. But she will have to learn to trust if she is to master powers of which she never dreamed. The Rithmatist — Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the kidnapping of student Rithmatists, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever. Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians — On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry gets a bag of sand in the mail-his only inheritance from his father and mother. It is quickly stolen by the cult of Evil Librarians. Alcatraz must stop them, using the only weapon he has: an incredible talent for breaking things. Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson The Cosmere The Stormlight Archive The Way of Kings Words of Radiance Edgedancer (Novella) Oathbringer The Mistborn trilogy Mistborn: The Final Empire The Well of Ascension The Hero of Ages Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series Alloy of Law Shadows of Self Bands of Mourning Collection Arcanum Unbounded Other Cosmere novels Elantris Warbreaker The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians The Scrivener's Bones The Knights of Crystallia The Shattered Lens The Dark Talent The Rithmatist series The Rithmatist Other books by Brandon Sanderson The Reckoners Steelheart Firefight CalamityAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

5

The Lost Metal

Pub: 20224.48

Plot details hidden until you finish "Brandon Sanderson's Fantasy Firsts : (The Way Of Kings, Mistborn: The Final Empire, Rithmatist, Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians)".

Return to #1 New York Times bestseller Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn world of Scadrial as its second era, which began with The Alloy of Law, comes to its earth-shattering conclusion in The Lost Metal. For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the Set—with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders—since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner Wayne find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between Elendel and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate—whose corruption Wax and Steris have sought to expose—and Bilming is even more entangled.After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial’s god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn’t the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere—Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial...at any cost.Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.Other Tor books by Brandon SandersonThe CosmereThe Stormlight ArchiveThe Way of KingsWords of RadianceEdgedancer (novella)OathbringerDawnshard (novella)Rhythm of WarThe Mistborn SagaThe Original TrilogyMistbornThe Well of AscensionThe Hero of AgesWax and WayneThe Alloy of LawShadows of SelfThe Bands of MourningThe Lost MetalOther Cosmere novelsElantrisWarbreakerTress of the Emerald SeaYumi and the Nightmare PainterThe Sunlit ManCollectionArcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere CollectionThe Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians seriesAlcatraz vs. the Evil LibrariansThe Scrivener's BonesThe Knights of CrystalliaThe Shattered LensThe Dark TalentBastille vs. the Evil Librarians (with Janci Patterson)Other novelsThe RithmatistLegion: The Many Lives of Stephen LeedsThe Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval EnglandOther books by Brandon SandersonThe ReckonersSteelheartFirefightCalamitySkywardSkywardStarsightCytonicSkyward Flight (with Janci Patterson)DefiantAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Curation Note:This series, officially titled Wax and Wayne, takes place approximately 300 years after the events of Era One, showing a significant advancement in technology (the rail era). This structure replaced Sanderson's original plan for a 'trilogy of trilogies' with massive time jumps.

6

Plot details hidden until you finish "The Lost Metal".

LA SERIE DE FANTASÍA ÉPICA QUE HA CONQUISTADO EL MUNDO El imperio final,El pozo de la Ascensión y El héroe de las eras forman la primera trilogía de una de las series imprescindibles del Cosmere, el universo destinado a convertirse en la saga más extensa y fascinante jamás escrita en el ámbito de la fantasía épica. Su autor, Brandon Sanderson, es ya considerado el gran autor de fantasía del siglo XXI. Brandon Sanderson se ha consolidado como el gran renovador de la fantasía del siglo XXI y uno de los autores más más prolíficos del mundo. Ha logrado conquistar a trece millones de lectores, ser publicado en más de treinta países, ganar numerosos premios y convertirse en el heredero de todo un género.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the Mistborn series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read Mistborn?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "The Lost Metal" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Brandon Sanderson intended.

Can I read Mistborn books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the Mistborn universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.