“What if the whole world were dead, blasted wasteland?”

This is the story of miscreants bonded together to overcome a common foe, “The Lord Ruler” who set out to save the world but instead became a world tyrant forcing slavery upon the general populace of Skaa. His reign of absolute power and ultimate terror gripped them for a thousand years while the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear with nothing but soup to eat, their strength and health deteriorating. Many were executed publicly for minor infractions and the frailty of old age.

Then when all hope was lost, there arose a champion, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa who escaped the Lord Ruler’s most hellish prison. A brilliant thief and natural leader, Kelsier sets out to form a “crew” to take on the immensely daunting task of defeating a godlike adversary.

A ragged little female named “Vin” joins the crew and begins discovering what powers she possesses as a Mistborn. This troubled orphan girl will eventually become a heroine after being taught how to manage her superpowers by Kelsier.

Apparently, the Mistborn operate primarily in the darkness and mist that comes every evening. “Burning” metals within themselves allows them to jump to great heights, operate at super-accelerated speeds, and have superhuman strength.

Other creature features come along and are explained as the story progresses. A surprisingly satisfying, single volume epic fantasy that invokes a complex, vibrant world, and a quick-moving, suspenseful, stunning story for fantasy readers and the world of fiction.