It started sometime in February or March of 2005. Holly, Heather, Brandon and I went to dinner at Macaroni Grill and were waiting for our orders. We all pulled out the provided crayons and started doodling on the paper tablecloth. Holly and Heather were drawing trees with strange curlicues, Brandon sketched symbols from his then-forthcoming novel Elantris, and I roughed out a few faces like I normally do in my sketchbook.

Brandon looked over at what I was drawing and said, “Hey, those are nice. You want to do the maps for my next book?”

I read an early version of Mistborn: the Final Empire, made hundreds of sketches, and turned in the final versions of the maps, symbols, and tables sometime in December of 2005.

Today is the release date for Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. Although I saw a copy of the finished book a few weeks ago, Saturday I was able to go to Brandon’s book signing and get one of my own.

Mistborn: the Final Empire

The symbols throughout the book are representations of the different Allomantic Metals. I went through probably a thousand little doodles before striking onto the look I was seeking for what I began calling the “Steel Alphabet.” I drew inspiration from some reference photos of old, bent-up, rusty nails.

Steel Alphabet

Most of the book takes place in the city of Luthadel, so the map of the city became the more complex and detailed of the maps. I chose to keep the world map relatively simple, leaving only the major landmarks and border delineations so the reader has a sense of direction and place. You wouldn’t be able to navigate by the world map, but I hope you’d be able to use the map of Luthadel to find your way to any of major Canton’s or to Kredik Shaw . . . if you were crazy enough to actually want to visit it.

Map of Luthadel, Mistborn, the Final EmpireWorld Map for Mistborn the Final Empire

I’ve updated the gallery with much of the artwork that is used in the book (and photographed in the pictures above). I’ll add more to the Mistborn Gallery as the year progresses. For now, I hope you will enjoy Mistborn Gallery #1.

I’ve focused a lot on the interior artwork in this post. Stripped of all the artwork altogether (and even of its beautiful cover by Jon Foster) Mistborn the Final Empire is one of the best books of fantasy I have ever read. If you love fantasy and haven’t checked this one out, go take a look. I think you’ll be surprised.

Thanks to Brandon and to Tor Books for allowing me to do something I’ve long dreamed of doing!