Mistborn

Mistborn is the first book in a trilogy written by Brandon Sanderson. It takes place in a world where the Lord Ruler dominates. In this world, there is a power known as allomancy. Allomancy is the power that allows someone to swallow certain metals, and then burn them to give off a certain power. Iron pulls on any nearby metal, steel pushes. Tin enhances senses, pewter enhances physical ability. Brass soothes emotions, zinc riots them. Copper hides allomancy from other allomancers, and bronze reveals them. In this world, most of the nobility is granted the privilege of allomancy. If a person can use only 1 metal, they are called mistings. If they can use all the metals they are called mistborn. However, there are no allomancers that can use more than 1 metal unless they are mistborn.

The nobles rent skaa, or slaves, from the Lord Ruler. The nobles use the skaa for working in the fields, mining, or working in the forges. The sky is black and ash falls from the sky daily. At night, the mists approach. The Garrison is the Lord Rulers army, and is sent out when a major threat takes form. Obligators are the Lord Rulers police force. Their job is to hunt out the rebels and handle contracts and agreements with merchants and nobility. They have intricate tattoos around there eyes. They are vicious and show no mercy. Inquisitors are worse. They hunt down any skaa allomancers and kill them and all there family. They also act as the Lord Ruler’s advisors. They have metal spikes driven into there eyes and they wear black robes. The Lord Ruler gives them the power of a mistborn allowing them to control the central domain under his instruction.

In Luthadel, the capital of the central domain, a street urchin named Vin is discovered by a rebel team that is planning to overthrow the Final Empire. Kelslier, the team leader, discovers Vin’s ability as a mistborn and teaches her about trust and shows her that there is still good and hope left in the world. While in the rebel team, Vin trains as a mistborn, and quickly becomes one of the most effective members on the team. However, all the training in the world couldn’t prepare her for what was coming.

I loved this book, and recommend it to everyone. The author is a friend of my parents, and I didn’t realize how awesome his books were till I read this one. I’m already more than half way through the second book, The Well of Ascension. I’m sure that the third book will be the best. I can hardly wait for it to come out.