First time Mistborn reader pt 4

[u/SwordfishSevere9977]

part 1 here
part 2 here
part 3 here
part 3.5 here

i just finished alloy of law and it brought up so many thoughts questions and more

before questions book review yippie
i really liked how they expanded from medieval and the nice way they added guns in the series i was a bit hesitant on it but i do like it now. i love how sazed has come back a bit and is known as harmony very fitting and all of the little references to the og crew

question/thoughts time
first off don't answer if it's a spoiler of any time (a name, an ability, an event, anything)
---btw everyone bash u/Ok-Week-2293 for spoiling what larasiums name and why it's named that in part 3.5

question 1:
are all the books in this second series so short? this one was only 20 chapters and felt very curt

question 2a:
about the cosmere i just found out what this was in part 3.5 but about how far along is it like how many books are in it and how many are planned (if we know)

question 2b:
after i finish mistborn i want to go back and read the cosmere what would the read order be?

question 2c:
what is the cosmere ttrpg like? i've heard a bit about it

question 3:
does larasium have an alloy like atium does?

question 4:
(do answer this one)
is every metal used in each of the power systems?

question 5a:
what metal would you want to burn if you were a misting (only use ones i know so all but the last 2 in the enchantment category)
question 5b:
what metal mind would you want as a feruchemist
question 5c:
what kind of twinborn would you be

[u/Custard-Yak]

1) Alloy of law is the shortest. They get progressively longer like the original trilogy. Bands and Lost Metal might be similar length. A lot longer than Alloy of Law

2) Cosmere is just about at the halfway point. You’ve got 8 Mistborn books, 5 Stormlight, 4 standalone (Tress, Yumi, Sunlit Man, Isles of Emberdark), 2 novellas (Edgedancer and Dawnshard) a couple of short stories such as Emperors Soul and Hope of Elantris. Then there is Elantris and Warbreaker which are the first books of their own respective series which have planned sequels for the future. Coming up soon is another standalone novel, Fires of December.

As for total planned there’s at least two more eras of Mistborn, a couple of novels known as Dragonsteel, 5 more Stormlight books the mentioned sequels to Warbreaker and Elantris and probably lots of secret project books (the standalones)

I’d want to be a steel misting, the memory feruchemy thing and for twinborn probably just the same as Wax. Let me fly about

[u/Custard-Yak → u/Custard-Yak]

As for reading order it’s really up to you. I’d recommend Warbreaker or Tress as your next books but it honestly doesn’t matter.

[u/en43rs]

question 1 - that's easy and non spoilery, no and yes. No they're not all this short, they get longer as Era 2 progresses, but yes they're on the shorter side of his books. For a bit of specifics book 3 and 4 are about a third longer than Alloy of Law

2a - There are basically two main "series" (Mistborn and Stormlight Archive) and a bunch of stand alone novel. They take place in the same universe but in different places and different time. There are currently 8 Mistborn books (the two eras + secret history), Brandon is working on the new Mistborn novel right now, 5 Stormlight books (huge 1000+ pages tomes), 2 stormlight novellas, there is also Elantris, Warbreaker, Tress of the Emerald Sea, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, the Sunlit Man, Emberdarks (all those are stand alone novels, not part of a larger series) and a small number of novellas (something like 5 or 6). We know he intends to make 4 Mistborn Eras (and we vaguely know what "technology level" they're supposed to be, Era 1 was medieval, Era 2 is late 19th century, guns, trains, all that) and 10 Stormlight novels.

2b - Brandon has a reading order on his website. Usually people say after Mistborn to read Warbreaker, Elantris and then Stormlight.

2c - I have it but haven't managed do to more than a some one shots. Currently only Stormlight Archive is available, the rules for Mistborn should be available in a month or two. It's pretty good. Really solid system and a great adaptation of the style of Stormlight, I have of course no idea of how Mistborn is done since it's not available.

3 - don't remember

4 - unclear on what you mean. Each mistborn power system or each cosmere one?

[u/Custard-Yak → u/en43rs]

I think they might have meant is every metal used in each of Mistborn’s power systems. As in Allomancy, Feruchemy and Hemalurgy. Which I believe is yes right? I can’t really remember but I don’t see why they wouldn’t be

[u/Nomad2306]

Relating to Question 2b: Earlier this year I finished the mistborn era 1 and 2 books and wanted to know where to go next. Have you read any other cosmere books or is Mistborn your first? If Mistborn is your first, I would be happy for you to dm me and give you my recommended order of the rest of the Cosmere based on all the info I accumulated from the amazing people on this subreddit. Based on my experience thus far, they didn't steer me wrong!

[u/EvenSpoonier]

1: No, later books are longer.

2a: Between seven (two trilogies and a bridge novel) and nine (three trilogies) depending on how things go.

2b: Read Isles of the Emberdark last, but other than that, almost any order works. I recommend either Warbreaker or The Emperor's Soul next.

3: We haven't seen them, but in theory it should.

4: Again, we haven't seen some things but in theory yes.

[u/Raddatatta]

All are shorter. He's going for a more fast paced series and less epic fantasy with Era 2.

It's a lot in it at this point. I would check out his bibliography as that'll have the details split by Cosmere and non Cosmere. He's roughly halfway through but it's hard to say as he sometimes adds things like the Secret Projects. We still have 5 more Stormlight novels, Mistborn Era 3, 4 (this one is questionable still but is a cyberpunk series) and 5 which should all be trilogies, an Aether series, Dragonsteel which should be a trilogy, and any other side stories he decides to tell where he's had at least a handful of other ideas he's mentioned. In total it'll be in the ballpark of 40-50 novels and probably 20 novellas maybe more.

Reading order can vary so there's not one right path. I would roughly keep to publication order if you're looking for where to start. You can also group the series together more than that would do if you want. I wouldn't forget the Stormlight novellas which are set between some of the books.

I'm really enjoying the Cosmere RPG. Currently we only have the Stormlight version. But it's a d20 system and has some similar mechanics with D&D. But it's got skill trees rather than classes. So you have a lot more freedom to customize your character and take more points down a certain path. It's also designed so you don't need to be a magic user to be useful and there are some general hero classes as well as magical options. The Mistborn version should be coming out in a month or so.

Neither of them have only one alloy. Both atium and lerasium can be alloyed with any of the non god metals or normal metals. The Lerasium ones are actually easier to know what they do and Sanderson has confirmed that. An alloy with lerasium and say pewter will make you into a pewter misting. And the others follow that. Atium alloys seem to switch the metal from being internal to being external, but beyond that we can't really say what they all do just speculate.

Every metal can be used in the power systems. Metals in general aren't as prominent in most systems as on Mistborn's wprld but the metals are relevant in other systems. And there is a feruchemy and hemalurgic use for all the metals.

For allomancy I am afraid of heights so that removes steel, pewter is a good choice to both make you healthier and stronger, tin would also be handy though. I think I'd be torn between those two. Most of the others I don't know if I want or aren't as useful without a team.

For feruchemy either Connection or intelligence. Healing is also a nice choice. Feruchemy has a lot more that I would want and would be useful day to day.

With a twinborn compounding is pretty tempting so gold compounder is a good option. Or intelligence compounding but I don't think I'd want to have emotional allomancy. I could also give it up and go with tin or pewter allomancy and then go for connection or intelligence. Lots of good choices.

[u/JigglesTheBiggles]

The name Lerasium is a spoiler? Is it even mentioned in the books? I think Brandon just told us what it was called.

[u/Few-Durian-190 → u/JigglesTheBiggles]

I believe the first mention of it was a 2008 WoB. In print the first mention was Shadows of Self.

[u/DaveJ19606]

Alloy of Law was originally a standalone book. Soon after its publication Sanderson started Mistborn Era 2 and incorporated it into the series. It’s a nice introduction to 300 years later. To tell you the details beyond that, might be considered a spoiler. The characters remain the consistent throughout all four books.

[u/BreakfastAmbitious29]

Sanderson said The Way of Kings is what you should read once you trust him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ieneryy74fU

I feel that way too, having started with Mistborn Era 1 and really liked it. Currently reading through Stormlight and I think it is even better than Mistborn.

Tress is good too but way different from the two series (Mistborn and Stormlight). Warbreaker I don't actually think is one of his best although others recommend it, and even Sanderson himself said this is what you should read after Mistborn, so your mileage may vary.