Mistborn Reading Order: How to Read Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Series
Mistborn is Brandon Sanderson's most accessible entry into the Cosmere — and for many readers, it's where the obsession begins. The series currently spans two complete eras: Era 1, a heist-driven epic trilogy set in an ash-choked empire ruled by an immortal god-emperor, and Era 2, a Victorian-era mystery series set three centuries later in the same world. The reading order here matters because Era 2 builds directly on events from Era 1 and contains significant spoilers for the original trilogy. This guide walks you through every book in sequence, flags where to start, and explains how both eras connect to the broader Cosmere universe.
Quick Stats
Author
Brandon Sanderson
Books in Series
7 (Era 1 + Era 2)
Status
Era 1 & 2 Complete
Genre
Epic Fantasy
Best Starting Point
The Final Empire
The Complete Mistborn Reading Order
Start Here: Mistborn Era 1
- 1
The Final Empire
Mistborn #1
A crew of thieves attempts the impossible: topple an immortal god-emperor using a magic system powered by swallowed metal. One of the best heist fantasies ever written and the best starting point in all of Mistborn.
Note: Best starting point. Read this first.
- 2
The Well of Ascension
Mistborn #2
The empire has fallen — now the revolution must govern. Sanderson subverts every expectation of what a second book should be, deepening the world and forcing the cast into impossible political situations.
- 3
The Hero of Ages
Mistborn #3
The culmination of Era 1 delivers one of fantasy's most jaw-dropping reveals and a conclusion that reframes everything you thought you knew about the trilogy. The payoff is enormous.
Mistborn Era 2: The Wax and Wayne Series
- 4
The Alloy of Law
Mistborn Era 2 #1
Three hundred years after Era 1, the same magic meets a Victorian-era industrial city. A fresh, faster-paced entry that works as a palate cleanser after the density of the original trilogy.
- 5
Shadows of Self
Mistborn Era 2 #2
Wax and Wayne investigate a series of murders that threaten to ignite the city's political tensions. Darker and more emotionally complex than The Alloy of Law.
- 6
The Bands of Mourning
Mistborn Era 2 #3
A hunt for a legendary artifact takes the crew far beyond the Basin for the first time. The Era 2 plot kicks into high gear with major Cosmere implications.
- 7
The Lost Metal
Mistborn Era 2 #4
The conclusion of Era 2 — Wax faces a threat that connects directly to the larger Cosmere. Delivers a satisfying close to the Wax and Wayne saga with significant crossover payoffs.
Note: Era 3 is planned but not yet published.
Should You Read Era 1 Before Era 2?
Yes — always read Era 1 before Era 2. Era 2 is set 300 years after Era 1 and features an entirely new cast in a much-changed version of the same world. However, Era 2 assumes you know the outcome of Era 1, and the books contain direct spoilers for the original trilogy's biggest revelations. More than that, Era 2's emotional weight depends on understanding what the world used to be and what it cost to change it. Start with The Final Empire. Era 2 will be there when you finish.
How Does Mistborn Connect to the Cosmere?
Mistborn is set within Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere — an interconnected universe of planets where the same cosmic forces and entities (called Shards) exert influence across multiple worlds. You don't need to know any of this to enjoy Mistborn; the series works completely as a standalone experience. But if you read widely across the Cosmere, you will start to notice recurring characters, referenced events, and cosmological threads that tie the universes together.
The Lost Metal in particular has significant crossover content with other Cosmere titles, making it most rewarding after you've explored more of Sanderson's work. For a full roadmap of the Cosmere reading order, visit our Brandon Sanderson author page.