Publication order

The Mistborn Saga books should be read in publication order, with supplementary works placed where they are most useful for context, by following this sequence:⁠[1-4]

Order Cover Title First published Notes
1 Book cover of Mistborn. Mistborn 2006⁠[15] Introduces Vin, Kelsier, Allomancy, and the Final Empire.
2 Book cover of The Well of Ascension. The Well of Ascension 2007⁠[16] Continues from the new political order after book one.
3 Book cover of The Hero of Ages. The Hero of Ages 2008⁠[17] Resolves the escalating world-ending conflict.
4 Book cover of The Alloy of Law. The Alloy of Law 2011⁠[18] Begins the Waxillium Ladrian sequence.
5 Book cover of Shadows of Self. Shadows of Self 2015⁠[19] Builds on Waxillium’s role, his past, and the city’s instability.
6 Book cover of The Bands of Mourning. The Bands of Mourning 2016⁠[20] Continues the Set conflict and expands the later-era world.
7 Book cover of Mistborn: Secret History. Mistborn: Secret History 2016⁠[21-22] Reframes events from the original trilogy.
8 Book cover of The Eleventh Metal not available. The Eleventh Metal 2016⁠[23] Kelsier prequel.
9 Book cover of Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania not available. Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania 2016⁠[23] Offers a side adventure from the later-era setting.
10 Book cover of The Lost Metal. The Lost Metal 2022⁠[24-26] Concludes the Waxillium-era conflict.
Publication order of The Mistborn Saga books.
Reading order of The Mistborn Saga books.

Chronological order

A strict internal chronology would place The Eleventh Metal before Mistborn, because it follows Kelsier before the first novel. Mistborn: Secret History overlaps with and follows events from the original trilogy, while Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania belongs to the later-era setting and is placed after The Alloy of Law.⁠[5-14]

This approach may interest rereaders and completionists, but it is not the best first path. The prequel and retrospective material depend on context supplied by the novels, so the publication order gives a clearer introduction to the world and its major revelations.⁠[5-14]

Alternatively, The Mistborn Saga books may be read in chronological order, by following this sequence:⁠[5-14]

Order Cover Title First published Notes
1 Book cover of The Eleventh Metal not available. The Eleventh Metal 2016⁠[23] Prequel to Mistborn; follows Kelsier’s training.
2 Book cover of Mistborn. Mistborn 2006⁠[15] Beginning of the original trilogy.
3 Book cover of The Well of Ascension. The Well of Ascension 2007⁠[16] Continues after Mistborn.
4 Book cover of The Hero of Ages. The Hero of Ages 2008⁠[17] Concludes the original trilogy.
5 Book cover of Mistborn: Secret History. Mistborn: Secret History 2016⁠[21-22] Overlaps with and follows events of the original trilogy.
6 Book cover of The Alloy of Law. The Alloy of Law 2011⁠[18] Begins the Waxillium-era storyline.
7 Book cover of Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania not available. Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania 2016⁠[23] Side adventure set during the later era.
8 Book cover of Shadows of Self. Shadows of Self 2015⁠[19] Continues the Waxillium-era storyline.
9 Book cover of The Bands of Mourning. The Bands of Mourning 2016⁠[20] Expands the later-era conflict.
10 Book cover of The Lost Metal. The Lost Metal 2022⁠[24-26] Concludes the Waxillium-era arc.
Chronological order of The Mistborn Saga books.
Chronological order of The Mistborn Saga books.

Works in sequence

The core reading experience consists of the main novels: the original trilogy (Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages) and the Waxillium-era sequence (The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, The Bands of Mourning, and The Lost Metal). These books carry the principal conflicts, major character developments, political changes, and later-world revelations.⁠[5-10]⁠[14]

The supplementary works—Mistborn: Secret History, The Eleventh Metal, and Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania—either expand or reframe the saga, but they are not the best starting path for a first-time reader. They may be skipped without losing the main story, though they are most useful after the reader understands the relevant characters, magic systems, and historical events.⁠[11-13]

1. Mistborn

Main bookRequired reading
Book cover of Mistborn.
Book cover of Mistborn.

Mistborn (2006)⁠[15] begins the saga in an ash-covered empire ruled by the immortal Lord Ruler. It introduces Vin, Kelsier, the skaa rebellion, Allomancy, Feruchemy, the Steel Ministry, and the political structure of the Final Empire.⁠[5]

As the opening book, it establishes the world, the central conflict, and the magical rules that later installments continue to develop.⁠[5]

2. The Well of Ascension

Main bookRequired reading
Book cover of The Well of Ascension.
Book cover of The Well of Ascension.

The Well of Ascension (2007)⁠[16] follows the consequences of the Final Empire’s collapse. Elend attempts to govern Luthadel while rival armies, internal political pressures, and strange changes in the mists threaten the fragile new order.⁠[6]

This book depends on the aftermath of Mistborn and shifts the series from rebellion to survival, leadership, and the return of older dangers.⁠[6]

3. The Hero of Ages

Main bookRequired reading
Book cover of The Hero of Ages.
Book cover of The Hero of Ages.

The Hero of Ages (2008)⁠[17] completes the original trilogy’s central arc. Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, TenSoon, and other surviving characters confront the effects of Ruin’s release while searching for answers in the Lord Ruler’s caches and the world’s history.⁠[7]

It should not be read before the previous two novels.⁠[7]

4. The Alloy of Law

Main bookRequired reading
Book cover of The Alloy of Law.
Book cover of The Alloy of Law.

The Alloy of Law (2011)⁠[18] moves the saga into a later period centered on Waxillium Ladrian, a former lawman from the Roughs who returns to Elendel as the head of House Ladrian. This novel introduces a more urban, investigative structure while retaining the same world and metal-based magic.⁠[8]

It begins the Waxillium-era storyline and serves as the entry point for that later arc.⁠[8]

5. Shadows of Self

Main bookRequired reading
Book cover of Shadows of Self.
Book cover of Shadows of Self.

Shadows of Self (2015)⁠[19] continues Waxillium’s story in Elendel, where political corruption, religious tension, and a kandra assassin converge. This novel draws on Waxillium’s past, his connection to Harmony, and the relationships established in The Alloy of Law.⁠[9]

It also expands the role of Marasi, Wayne, Steris, MeLaan, and the Set in the series.⁠[9]

6. The Bands of Mourning

Main bookRequired reading
Book cover of The Bands of Mourning.
Book cover of The Bands of Mourning.

The Bands of Mourning (2016)⁠[20] expands the Waxillium-era plot beyond Elendel through the search for a legendary metal artifact and the investigation of the Set’s ambitions. Waxillium, Steris, Marasi, Wayne, and MeLaan travel through new locations and encounter technology and powers outside their understanding.⁠[10]

This book builds on the conflicts and relationships from the previous two installments.⁠[10]

7. Mistborn: Secret History

NovellaOptional reading
Book cover of Mistborn: Secret History.
Book cover of Mistborn: Secret History.

Mistborn: Secret History (2016)⁠[21-22] revisits the original trilogy from Kelsier’s perspective after his death, following events in the Cognitive Realm alongside the developments in Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages. It provides additional insight into events that occur behind the scenes of the original trilogy.⁠[11]

It is not a starting point, because it depends on knowledge of the first trilogy and reveals the context behind events already established in the main novels.⁠[11]

8. The Eleventh Metal in Arcanum Unbounded

Short storyOptional reading
Book cover of The Eleventh Metal is not available.
Book cover of The Eleventh Metal is not available.

The Eleventh Metal, available in the short-story collection Arcanum Unbounded(2016),⁠[4]⁠[23] is a prequel set during Kelsier’s training under Gemmel. It shows Kelsier learning to use his Mistborn abilities in the ash-covered world of the Final Empire and clarifies part of his path before the rebellion in Mistborn.⁠[12]

Chronologically, it comes earlier, but it reads better as supplementary background after the reader already understands Kelsier’s role.⁠[12]

9. Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania in Arcanum Unbounded

Short storyOptional reading
Book cover of Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania is not available.
Book cover of Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania is not available.

Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania, also available in the short story collection Arcanum Unbounded (2016),⁠[4]⁠[23] is a later-era side adventure about Jak, an adventurer and Allomancer, among the koloss in the Roughs. It expands the world introduced in Waxillium’s sequence without carrying the central Waxillium plot.⁠[13]

Readers may leave it aside at first, then return to it for context on the era’s setting and legends.⁠[13]

10. The Lost Metal

Main bookRequired reading
Book cover of The Lost Metal.
Book cover of The Lost Metal.

The Lost Metal (2022)⁠[24-26] continues the Waxillium-era storyline after The Bands of Mourning. Waxillium, Wayne, Marasi, Steris, and their allies confront the Set’s plans, the threat of Autonomy, and the possibility of catastrophic destruction in Elendel.⁠[14]

This book depends on the relationships, political tensions, technological discoveries, and revelations established across the preceding Waxillium novels.⁠[14]

References

  1. THE MISTBORN® SAGA – THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY. Brandon Sanderson.
  2. THE MISTBORN® SAGA – THE WAX & WAYNE SERIES. Brandon Sanderson.
  3. Mistborn – The Eleventh Metal. Brandon Sanderson.
  4. COLLECTIONS. Brandon Sanderson.
  5. Mistborn. Tor Books. ISBN: 9780765311788.
  6. The Well of Ascension. Tor Books. ISBN: 9780765316882.
  7. The Hero of Ages. Tor Books. ISBN: 9780765316899.
  8. The Alloy of Law. Tor Books. ISBN: 9780765330420.
  9. Shadows of Self. Tor Books. ISBN: 9780765378552.
  10. The Bands of Mourning. Tor Books. ISBN: 9780765378576.
  11. Mistborn: Secret History. Orion Group Ltd. ISBN: 9781473225046.
  12. Arcanum Unbounded. Tor Fantasy. The Eleventh Metal. ISBN: 9780765391186.
  13. Arcanum Unbounded. Tor Fantasy. Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania. ISBN: 9780765391186.
  14. The Lost Metal. Tor Books. ISBN: 9780765391193.
  15. Mistborn. Macmillan Publishers.
  16. The Well of Ascension. Macmillan Publishers.
  17. The Hero of Ages. Macmillan Publishers.
  18. The Alloy of Law. Macmillan Publishers.
  19. Shadows of Self. Macmillan Publishers.
  20. The Bands of Mourning. Macmillan Publishers.
  21. Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson. The Orion Publishing Group.
  22. Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson. Hachette Australia.
  23. Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection. Macmillan Publishers.
  24. The Lost Metal. Macmillan Publishers.
  25. The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson. The Orion Publishing Group.
  26. The Lost Metal: A Mistborn Novel by Brandon Sanderson – Books. Hachette Australia.