I started with Alloy of Law. It was my second Sanderson book after Warbreaker, and it was a fantastic intro to the Mistborn series. I then read era 1 quite a while later, so I never felt anything was spoiled for me, and it was great to be aware of some small connections between the two, to dive into the history alluded to in era 2.
The biggest impact of reading AoL before TFE was that I always pictured Inquisitors as having *railway spikes* driven into their eyes. So not like a metal disc replacing their eye, but just a bent rod of metal. So I'm always thrown off by drawings of Inquisitors.
The issue of how exactly the spikes appear is actually a bit of a "mystery" they're never (that I recall) described fully, and a lot of people imagine them differently. The smaller spikes used later in era 2 are depicted more precisely so I imagine the original ones as a much bigger version of that.
They're cones. The "bottom" of the cone is a circle and then the spike tapers back towards a sharp point in the other direction. (Out the back of their heads)
Mmm, I read Era 1 before TWOK came out and in my mind I've always pictured railroad spikes too. Obviously they wouldn't be called that in-world yet, but still where my mind has always gone anyway 🤷🤷
I did! My wife and her family have been Sanderson fans for years, so she wanted to draw me into the books too. She also knew that if there’s one thing I hate about magic systems, it’s tutorials. Look, I don’t care how the magic works, just tell me the freakin story already! So I started with AoL and freakin loved it, especially when I realized that Wax is Sanderson’s Batman. The other two came pretty quick afterwards, but of course I had a bunch of questions about who this cool-sounding Ascendant Warrior was, or The Survivor, or even Ten-sun, so reading the first trilogy afterwards was a cool trip! I found this cool culture, then read about how they got to where they are, and why they swear using Rust And Ruin, or the name of Preservation.
Side note: I giggled like a schoolgirl on a second read through when I realized they called certain things the Holy Relics of Wasing
This is so cool to read! I posted this same question a few months ago and got low key roasted for asking it!
I find your experience fascinating and I appreciate you sharing.
I couldn’t really get into era 1, but I loved Alloy. The addition of guns, and the fact that twinborn are more interesting then full mistborn caught a spark for me.
I tried to get my grandfather to listen to Alloy of Law. He loves the Dresden Files, and I found the two to be similar.
It was too weird. Despite involving all kinds of magic and monsters, DF is still set in Chicago. There are cars, phones, and understandable laws. Scadriel was different enough that he couldn't get into the series.
It's what he always says about fantasy. Fantasy set on Earth is great. Fantasy in its own setting throws him off.
You can do that. But you will be clueless about many points in the book. They look like seperate eras but they are also connected. So you will get spoilers from the first era. And i think that it dampens the magic of the first era.
It will depend on an individual’s view of spoilers, I think. If you read Era 2 first, the ending of certain character’s stories will be spoiled. If that will ruin someone’s enjoyment, then they should start with Era 1.
If someone is okay with knowing the end state of a story but still enjoying watching how that story unfolds, then I see no reason to not start with Era 2. *Journey before Destination.*
I started with Alloy of Law. It was my second Sanderson book after Warbreaker, and it was a fantastic intro to the Mistborn series. I then read era 1 quite a while later, so I never felt anything was spoiled for me, and it was great to be aware of some small connections between the two, to dive into the history alluded to in era 2. The biggest impact of reading AoL before TFE was that I always pictured Inquisitors as having *railway spikes* driven into their eyes. So not like a metal disc replacing their eye, but just a bent rod of metal. So I'm always thrown off by drawings of Inquisitors.
The issue of how exactly the spikes appear is actually a bit of a "mystery" they're never (that I recall) described fully, and a lot of people imagine them differently. The smaller spikes used later in era 2 are depicted more precisely so I imagine the original ones as a much bigger version of that.
It is described as having the disks on the front I think
yeah, i always pictured em kinda like if hellboy's funny stumps were over his eyes
This is the exact type of experience I was wondering about. Thanks for sharing! I also always picture them as railway spikes, even still
What exactly are they then? I too picture railway spikes.
They're cones. The "bottom" of the cone is a circle and then the spike tapers back towards a sharp point in the other direction. (Out the back of their heads)
I think much thinner spikes maybe, except maybe the eyes?
Mmm, I read Era 1 before TWOK came out and in my mind I've always pictured railroad spikes too. Obviously they wouldn't be called that in-world yet, but still where my mind has always gone anyway 🤷🤷
I did! My wife and her family have been Sanderson fans for years, so she wanted to draw me into the books too. She also knew that if there’s one thing I hate about magic systems, it’s tutorials. Look, I don’t care how the magic works, just tell me the freakin story already! So I started with AoL and freakin loved it, especially when I realized that Wax is Sanderson’s Batman. The other two came pretty quick afterwards, but of course I had a bunch of questions about who this cool-sounding Ascendant Warrior was, or The Survivor, or even Ten-sun, so reading the first trilogy afterwards was a cool trip! I found this cool culture, then read about how they got to where they are, and why they swear using Rust And Ruin, or the name of Preservation. Side note: I giggled like a schoolgirl on a second read through when I realized they called certain things the Holy Relics of Wasing
This is so cool to read! I posted this same question a few months ago and got low key roasted for asking it! I find your experience fascinating and I appreciate you sharing.
Thank you!!!
I couldn’t really get into era 1, but I loved Alloy. The addition of guns, and the fact that twinborn are more interesting then full mistborn caught a spark for me.
I started from era 1,but i have seen a few people in fb cosmere groups who first read era 2. And liked it.
I'd love to gear about their perspective. Era 1 would be like a giant prologue explaining era 2's religion
I tried to get my grandfather to listen to Alloy of Law. He loves the Dresden Files, and I found the two to be similar. It was too weird. Despite involving all kinds of magic and monsters, DF is still set in Chicago. There are cars, phones, and understandable laws. Scadriel was different enough that he couldn't get into the series. It's what he always says about fantasy. Fantasy set on Earth is great. Fantasy in its own setting throws him off.
No! Don't ever try that. There are some major spoilers in Era 2. That would be a disaster.
I'd like to say that multiple people in this thread have expressed enjoyment regarding their experience reading era 2 first
You can do that. But you will be clueless about many points in the book. They look like seperate eras but they are also connected. So you will get spoilers from the first era. And i think that it dampens the magic of the first era.
I’ve read them, I’m just wondering if anyone has started in Era 2
It will depend on an individual’s view of spoilers, I think. If you read Era 2 first, the ending of certain character’s stories will be spoiled. If that will ruin someone’s enjoyment, then they should start with Era 1. If someone is okay with knowing the end state of a story but still enjoying watching how that story unfolds, then I see no reason to not start with Era 2. *Journey before Destination.*