Mist, Magic & Momentum: A First-Time Reader’s Honest Take on Mistborn

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn delivers a unique magic system and compelling worldbuilding—but does the misty atmosphere fog up the story’s pacing?

This was my first foray into Brandon Sanderson’s universe, and overall, I really enjoyed the experience. A coworker who had read Mistborn: The Final Empire warned me ahead of time that Sanderson talks about the mist—a lot. And she was absolutely right. While I understand that the mist is an important atmospheric and symbolic element in the story, its constant presence became one of my biggest critiques.

Thoughts on the Mist Theme

At times, the repeated mentions of the mist felt unnecessary, almost like filler meant to remind the reader of its omnipresence. I often found myself thinking, “Okay, we get it—the mist is always there. Can we move on?” A member of my book club mentioned that the mist is explored more deeply in the second book, so perhaps there’s a greater payoff later on. Still, in this installment, the repetition didn’t add much and occasionally broke my immersion.

To be fair, I know worldbuilding is crucial in fantasy, and Sanderson does an excellent job laying the foundation of the Final Empire through the Aloan Sea, the oppressive caste system, and the enigmatic Lord Ruler. These details do enough to create a vivid setting, so the frequent reminders about the mist started to feel redundant. Maybe my coworker’s comments made me hyperaware of it, but I couldn’t ignore how often it popped up.

That said, I do plan to continue the trilogy—just give me time.

Early Chapters and Pacing Issues

Early on, I also found the pacing to be slow. The first few chapters, up until Vin is introduced (around Chapter 4 or 5), dragged for me. I love epic fantasy and enjoy immersing myself in new worlds, but this section was heavy on info-dumping. It felt like Kelsier was doing a lot of explaining—about the world, the Lord Ruler, the Skaa, and Allomancy—all at once. While informative, this weighed down the story and made it hard for several members of my book club (myself included) to stay engaged at first.

However, once Vin enters the narrative, the story picks up significantly. Her introduction shifts the pacing, and the world begins to come alive through her eyes. The exposition becomes more balanced, and we start to see deeper character development—especially with Kelsier and his motivations. I found this change in narrative rhythm refreshing and effective.

The magic system, Allomancy, was another highlight for me. The concept of burning metals to access magical abilities felt fresh, well-thought-out, and logically integrated into the world. Sanderson clearly put a lot of effort into making his magic system feel tangible and unique.

Analysis of Vin’s Character Development

As for Vin herself, I liked her character, though her development felt a bit flat at first. She begins as a blank slate, which makes sense given her traumatic upbringing and emotional isolation. Over time, under Kelsier’s mentorship, she begins to grow—learning to trust, connect, and even hope. Her emotional evolution was gradual but believable, and by the end of the book, I found myself truly invested in her arc.

Elend, her love interest, might not be a fan favorite, but I personally liked him. He’s undeniably naive, but his presence adds an interesting dimension to Vin’s journey and softens some of the story’s darker tones.

Final Thoughts

In the end, despite the rocky start and overuse of certain atmospheric elements, Mistborn: The Final Empire won me over. With its creative magic system, strong worldbuilding, and promising character arcs, it’s a debut that proves Sanderson’s potential—and makes me eager to see where the rest of the trilogy leads.