This was the first fantasy novel I read after finishing Erikson’s Malazan series and it was a really nice change of pace from the sheer size and scope of the Malazan. There is a lot in this novel that is formulaic (person finds out about special abilities, is uniquely good at them, has to save the day) but it’s just so done well and so damn interesting that the familiar tropes don’t matter. Sanderson outlines a complex but well thought out system of magic that the reader picks up fairly easily.

The characters are well developed, and the story comes together perfectly, with plenty of surprises along the way. The book is self-contained, but hints at bigger things to come.  I appreciated the unique twists on the typical hero’s journey trope Sanderson managed to throw into this story.  It’s the first Mistborn novel and for me it’s still the best.