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The Lost Metal

The Lost Metal

A Mistborn Novel
Epic FantasyFantasy
Pages
688
Published
2022
Language
English

Synopsis

The Bands of Mourning's revelations have upended what the crew thought they knew about Scadrial's history and its threats. As Marasi pursues a conspiracy connecting the southern Malwish confederacy to Elendel's underworld, and Wax confronts a threat that draws in the full Cosmere, the final Era 2 volume closes out the stories of Wax, Wayne, Marasi, and Steris while bridging toward Mistborn Era 3, set in Scadrial's far future. The Lost Metal is the most overtly Cosmere-connected book in Era 2, with characters and elements from other Cosmere works appearing directly in the plot, and it ends with consequences that echo across the entire universe.

Prose complexity
6/10

Vibe

AdventurousTenseDarkEmotionalComplex
HeistSacrificeCourt IntrigueMorally GreyBetrayalFound Family

Genres

Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy Science Fiction Steampunk Adventure

About the author

B
Brandon Sanderson

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1975, Brandon Sanderson spent his early twenties working graveyard shifts at a hotel — writing novels at the front desk between guest check-ins. By the time his debut, Elantris, was published by Tor Books in 2005, he had completed thirteen novels in the drawer. His subsequent Mistborn trilogy and the ongoing Stormlight Archive series established him as the primary architect of the Cosmere, an interconnected fictional universe in which most of his fantasy series share...

Characters

Waxillium LadrianProtagonist

Facing a threat larger than any he has encountered, forced to reconcile his roles as constable, house lord, and agent of something larger.

Marasi ColmsProtagonist

Now taking a primary protagonist role alongside Wax, pursuing a conspiracy that connects Scadrial to the wider Cosmere.

Steris HarmsSupporting

Wax's wife whose preparation and practicality are tested by a situation that no amount of contingency planning could fully anticipate.

Wayne (Mistborn)Supporting

Wax's partner, whose arc in this volume closes the character threads running across all four Era 2 books.

Harmony (Mistborn)Supporting

The god of Scadrial — the merged consciousness of Ruin and Preservation — who is limited in direct action but whose presence shapes the book's stakes.

All characters in The Lost Metal

Frequently asked questions

  • Is The Lost Metal a good starting point for new Brandon Sanderson readers?

    The Lost Metal is the seventh book in the Mistborn series and the fourth in its Wax and Wayne subseries. New readers should begin with The Final Empire to fully appreciate the world-building and character development.

  • Does The Lost Metal connect to other Brandon Sanderson books?

    This novel is a significant entry in Sanderson's Cosmere universe, featuring explicit connections and character appearances that tie into the broader narrative of his other works, such as The Stormlight Archive and Elantris.

  • Do I need to read all three previous Era 2 books first?

    Yes. The Lost Metal is the fourth of four Era 2 books and resolves character arcs established across the entire sub-series.

  • Does The Lost Metal conclude the Wax and Wayne story arc?

    The Lost Metal provides a definitive conclusion to the story of Waxillium Ladrian and Wayne, resolving their personal journeys and the overarching plotlines of the Mistborn Era 2 series.

  • How Cosmere-connected is The Lost Metal?

    It is the most overtly connected Era 2 book, with elements from other Cosmere works appearing directly. Readers who have read Tress of the Emerald Sea and Mistborn Era 1 will find additional context, but the essential plot is followable without it.

  • Does The Lost Metal bridge to Mistborn Era 3?

    Yes — its ending is designed to set up the planned Era 3 Mistborn books, which will be set in Scadrial's sci-fi future rather than its current steampunk period.

  • Is Wayne's arc resolved in this book?
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