The Fantasy 101 › Books Like

Books Like Mistborn

Sanderson, 2006 · #40 on the Epic Fantasy 101 Booklist · 84/120

Under an ash-choked sky ruled by a god-king for a thousand years, a street thief learns to burn metals for power. She joins a crew planning the impossible heist of the Final Empire.

Its strongest scores: structure and climax and fights. The five books below have the closest scores across all eleven criteria.

If you liked Mistborn, read:

1. Powder Mage

   McClellan, 2013 · #49 on the list · 80/120

   After a coup topples a king, a powder mage field marshal faces royalist plots, foreign armies and a god threatening to return.

   Close on mood, theme, creative details, real-world blend.

2. The Stormlight Archive

   Sanderson, 2010 · #39 on the list · 85/120

   On a storm-scoured world, a slave-soldier, a scholar and a guilt-ridden assassin take up the oaths of the broken Knights Radiant as an ancient enemy returns.

   Close on mood, theme, further reading, creative details.

3. Cradle

   Wight, 2016 · #65 on the list · 75/120

   Lindon is the weakest boy in a clan of martial artists, forbidden to learn their sacred art. He refuses to accept his fate and sets out to become the strongest.

   Close on mood, theme, further reading, creative details.

4. The Drenai Saga

   Gemmell, 1984 · #54 on the list · 79/120

   An aging axeman, Druss the Legend, and other heroes of the Drenai stand against impossible odds at fortresses like Dros Delnoch.

   Close on mood, theme, further reading, real-world blend.

5. Lightbringer

   Weeks, 2010 · #63 on the list · 76/120

   The Prism, who wields every color of light, hides a secret, while his newly discovered son must learn the magic and survive the war.

   Close on mood, theme, further reading, creative details.

How the scores work: each book is rated 1 to 10 on eleven criteria; real-world blend and climax and fights count double, for a maximum of 120. See the full Fantasy 101.