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Mistborn [Dramatized Adaptation] #1, part 2

The Final Empire (2 of 3) [Dramatized Adaptation]

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Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mistborn.

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

6 pages, Audio CD

Published January 1, 2014

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461 people want to read

About the author

Brandon Sanderson

472 books279k followers
I’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.

The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.

During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.

Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.

November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.

Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.

I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.

Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!

Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.

I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.

Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.

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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Dani.
234 reviews5 followers
April 15, 2015

This is a review for the Graphic Audio version of the Mistborn Trilogy.

Review of The Final Empire
Review of The Well of Ascension


I listen to audiobooks all the time. I enjoy them a lot, even if I'm reading along, while listening. When I discovered that Graphic Audio produced these magnificent audios for the Mistborn Trilogy, I decided that I had to listen to them while reading my copies of the books.

For those who don't know what's the difference between Graphic Audio and common audiobook productions, the former has music, sound effects, and a whole cast (Yes! A narrator and one actor per character!)

The cast was great, they matched the character's voices I had imagined pretty well.

I can assure you, they are amazing. I can't explain it with words... just go and try them. They will change the way you think about audiobooks.
Profile Image for Karishma.
98 reviews10 followers
September 25, 2020
Absolutely fantastic - the book as well as the cast reading it!!
Profile Image for Milan Žila.
307 reviews12 followers
May 18, 2016
Wow, I am impressed. The world, the story, the Graphic Audio production. It all blends together to form a thrilling experience of listening to this book. I barely even noticed how the hours of content passed.
This audiobook can make you look forward to cleaning out the garage just so you have an excuse to listen to it :)
54 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2016
This book continues the story of the first but pushes every character to the next stage. Everybody shows character growth and the stakes get higher. The love triangle did get a little tiresome but that's my only real complaint. Everything you want in a sequel.
Profile Image for James York.
14 reviews
June 25, 2014
第一巻(上巻?)に比べては、ストーリーの進歩が若干遅い気がしますが、新しいキャラクターや「伝金術」のことが紹介されたり、十分新しいものに出会えて良かったと思います。
Profile Image for Jose.
258 reviews8 followers
February 13, 2018
If Fantasy is your thing. Then you gotta read this series. Just go do it, right now. You will thank me later.
Profile Image for Amy.
859 reviews96 followers
March 27, 2018
So amazing experience a favorite novel like this. I almost forgot how much I love these characters. The voice actors are fucking excellent. Onto Part 3!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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