Where Were You? Twenty Years of Mistborn

Ash fell from the sky. Two decades ago, this iconic line started the story that set the Cosmere in motion. The world of ashfalls and allomancers, of kandra and koloss—the world of Mistborn reaches its twentieth birthday on July 17th of this year. The journey has flown by, and no matter when you discovered Vin and Kelsier or Wax and Wayne, you’ve been a part of it. Now, to celebrate this milestone, here is a look at the history of Mistborn, and the ways that Brandon Sanderson’s first epic fantasy series brought us together.

1998 - Mistborn Origins

Brandon began writing in high school, and a number of his earliest works and trunk novels became foundational to the eventual final product: Mistborn. Brandon has shared a number of his inspirations that eventually mixed into the unique chemistry of the book, such as a foggy 1998 drive from Provo, UT, to Idaho Falls; Darth Maul and the theatrical release of The Phantom Menace; and the glowing stained glass of the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. at New Years Eve Y2K. They all worked together to spin Brandon’s creative energy toward the story of a desperate, ragtag crew deposing an immortal tyrant.

1999–2004: Mistborn Prime and Final Empire Prime

Before giving us the tale we have today, Brandon tried to tell the Mistborn story twice. The two novels that he eventually combined were Final Empire Prime and Mistborn Prime. The first provided characters like the Lord Ruler and Vin, while the other lent its setting and magic system. The fantasy industry wanted more George R. R. Martin, more dark and gritty fantasy but with a low page count, but Brandon’s story instead told of a grimdark assassin discovering hope and family. These stories aren't available for us to read today, but maybe someday Brandon will pull them out from the vault.

2004 - Elantris and Mistborn’s Publisher

Before Brandon was published, he wrote five novels and then Elantris, which was published first by TOR. Then he wrote another seven, and TOR picked up number thirteen, Mistborn in 2004.

July 17, 2006 - Mistborn is Published

Mistborn first hit store shelves on this day twenty years ago. Ebooks were a foreign concept, audiobooks came as tapes or discs, and Pluto was still classified as a planet. While both Elantris and Mistborn found audiences, Brandon hadn’t yet hit superstardom. But the captivating story of Vin and Kelsier’s heist against the Lord Ruler lit the spark.

2007–2008 - The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages are Published

Mistborn is a fantastic first book, but the sequels take every aspect of it and dial up the intensity. Every action has consequences, Mistborn powers are expanded on, and the Sanderlanche that has become one of Brandon’s hallmarks built cataclysmic momentum across three novels.

I remember bringing The Well of Ascension to Disneyland and reading in every line and at every meal until I finished it.  The rest of our time in California left me craving more until I finally got to read The Hero of Ages.

The Hero of Ages kept me awake night after night for “just one more chapter.” The full cast of the novel are given the chance to shine, with background characters rising to the same level of interest and power as Vin and Elend. The Cosmere’s biggest players appear for the first time, with the humans of the novel fighting both gods and monsters for the fate of their planet.

2011 - The Alloy of Law and the Eras of Scadrial

Brandon spent the years between 2008 and 2011 working on massive non-Mistborn projects like The Way of Kings and the conclusion of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. Then, with those monumental efforts complete, he turned back to Mistborn and the inhabitants of Scadrial. After the world-changing events of The Hero of Ages, the setting offered a playground of new possibilities.

The new story introduced a cast headed by Wax and Wayne, a buddy cop duo with twinborn abilities mixing feruchemy and allomancy. Wax and Wayne introduce us to the changes that have swept across their world since Vin and Kelsier first stepped into the mist.

This brings us to Brandon’s grand plan for the Mistborn series: a fantasy epic that tracks a magic world through multiple eras of history. The original Mistborn trilogy exists in a premodern time where society is held back from advancement. Then the inhabitants of Era 2 rapidly advance through the industrial revolution, with cars, trains, and firearms accompanying coinshots and tineyes on their adventures. Two more eras are coming, with the next book arriving in 2028. When the total planned scope of Scadrian history is complete, reaching from what is essentially the renaissance all the way to the space age, Mistborn will encompass 13 novels.

2013 - More Wax and Wayne

Fun fact: The Wax and Wayne series wasn’t a part of Brandon’s original outline for this epic fantasy saga. The Alloy of Law was an experiment, a breather after helping wrap up The Wheel of Time and starting the Stormlight Archive. Brandon enjoyed writing it so much that after the first installment, the one-off bloomed into a full series. The next two installments, Shadows of Self and The Bands of Mourning, add depth to the characters and expand on their histories and relationships. Shoutout to Shadows of Self for being one of the two Cosmere books that have brought me to tears.

2016 - The Mistborn Leatherbound Campaign

On the tenth anniversary of Mistborn’s release, Brandon and the team at Dragonsteel created a celebratory edition of the novel: the Mistborn leatherbound edition. With brand new maps, art pieces, two ink tones, a burgundy leather cover, and more, it is the definitive collector’s edition of the Cosmere’s cornerstone. Brandon also spends hours signing these books, giving each heirloom the author’s final touch.

2016 - Arcanum Unbounded

“There’s always another secret.” Arcanum Unbounded was an anthology of Cosmere stories from many of Brandon’s worlds. Scadrial makes the list, and three short stories set there expanded our knowledge of the misty realm. One story focuses on Kelsier’s early training as a Mistborn; one gives us a closer look at Allomancer Jak, a zany background character from Wax and Wayne’s era; and the final story, “Secret History,” provides an earth-shattering look at some of the major players on a mythological scale.

2021 - Kelsier in Fortnite

In the era and aftermath of the global pandemic, Epic Games introduced a new skin to Fortnite. The Survivor of Hathsin dropped into Tilted Towers, sweating on noobs to get the dub. With atium-enhanced reflexes, tineye sniper senses, and the pewter strength to play just one more game, Kelsier is a popular crossover who has been crankin’ 90s and slurpin’ chug jugs for the last five years.

2022 - The Lost Metal

The newest Mistborn story and the conclusion to the Wax and Wayne arc, The Lost Metal released in 2022. Wayne, having long played sidekick to Waxillium Ladrian, took center stage as one of the biggest players in this beloved novel. He became a favorite character across the fandom, with his antics, bravery, and fondness for hats keeping him close to readers’ hearts long after the final pages of the novel. For now, we’ll find solace in the knowledge that there is more Mistborn coming in the future, and that our favorite characters exist in memories and rereads, in the wind, the stars, and all endless things.

Last October, Dragonsteel unveiled the leatherbound edition of The Lost Metal, completing the current set of Mistborn novels. With more incredible art, a fantastic cover and feel, and other hallmarks of a collector’s edition, the full set looks incredible side by side.

2024 - Mistborn Deckbuilding Game and Brotherwise RPG

Brotherwise Games has brought several amazing Cosmere projects to life, with a few focusing on Mistborn. In 2024 they released the Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game, which pits players against one another or against the Lord Ruler in a contest to control the city of Luthadel using metalborn powers and dynamic character abilities. An expansion pack inspired by The Well of Ascension just released, adding more depth and content to the game. The cards also feature incredible art, giving us canonical depictions of Kelsier’s crew, the Lord Ruler, and Luthadel’s nobility. Who would have guessed that the Lord Ruler was good looking?

Later this year we'll also get a full Mistborn RPG, expanding Brotherwise's existing Cosmere RPG beyond the boundaries of the Stormlight Archive. The expansion will include brand new miniatures, a rules handbook, a world guide for Scadrial, and an era spanning adventure.

2026 - Apple TV and The Mistborn Movie

In January of this year, Brandon dropped the biggest news yet: After years of visits to Hollywood and adaptations that ended during development, he finally signed a deal with Apple TV to make the Mistborn movie. Brandon is writing the screenplay, and he has been bringing weekly updates to his YouTube channel along the way. He is also hunting for a producer. With the next steps clearly outlined, all we can do now is bide our time until more Mistborn news comes out.

2028 - Looking Forward

Brandon’s next Mistborn book release will be Ghostbloods in 2028. While we wait, the community that has grown around these books and worlds will continue to impress us with their enthusiasm and welcoming attitude. We can’t wait to see you at the next convention, or making even more positive impacts on social media. And of course, we’ll all meet up at the eventual movie premiere of Mistborn.

Where were you when it all began? When did you find Mistborn? And where are we going to see you next?