Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first book in the Mistborn series written by the acclaimed fantasy author, Brandon Sanderson. Set in a fresh and unique fantasy world without the usual fantasy tropes and overused creatures, it tells a tale that is part coming of age, part heist, and part fantasy. It follows a young orphan girl named Vin who is an incredibly realized and well written protagonist as she grows with her first family, a gang of thieves led by a cunning leader named Kelsier, who is a mistborn, an incredibly rare power that allows him to use all aspects of the fantastically realized metal-based magic system. The gang has an ultimate goal, to overthrow the immortal ruler who holds the people of the Empire in a brutal caste based system, where ultra-rich nobles control the majority as slaves.
The story starts slow, but gains momentum as it continues, before finishing with a cascade of stunning events. It keeps you engaged with brilliant action, character development, plot twists, and discovery as you learn more and more about the world, how it came to be, and the strange metal-based magic system that controls it. It works well as a standalone book, wrapping up the story nicely, but still leaves many burning questions unanswered for the two sequels.
Mistborn: The Final Empire is a unique fantasy book, one devoid of overused fantasy tropes, yet it still manages to tell a concise yet gripping story with a wonderfully realized magic system and characters. It is a perfect young adult novel, a 5/5 story that will leave you ready to start the next book.