The Lost Metal
| <The Lost Metal | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
| Setting | Scadrial, Cosmere | ||||
| Released | Forthcoming (2022)[1] | ||||
| Publisher | Tor Books | ||||
The Lost Metal is the planned title for the fourth and final book set in Mistborn Era 2.[2][3]
Development
Following completion of The Alloy of Law Brandon plotted out three more books, following the same characters, to finish the story. Brandon began writing The Lost Metal in April 2021, after he finished Cytonic,[4] and completed the first draft on August 4, 2021.[5] The second draft will likely be done in mid-September, after which it will go to beta readers and Brandon's editor. Following that, Brandon will do one more substantive edit, likely when he needs a break from Stormlight 5; after some work on polish, continuity, and proofreading, the book should be turned in to Tor in summer 2022 for a November 2022 release, around when the first two Era 2 books are released in leatherbound.[6]
The book will include some information relevant to the broader cosmere, including the identity of Trell, the nature of trellium,[7] and some clues about Kelsier's plans,[8][9] but most of those elements are more foreshadowing for Mistborn Era 3[10] and the book will mostly focus on the characters of Wax, Wayne, Steris, and Marasi.[7][11] The book will likely begin with a Wayne flashback, rather than one of Wax.[1] At least very early in the development process, Brandon envisioned Wax having basically retired and the book opening with Wayne as Marasi's deputy.[12] It will almost certainly include a broadsheet, like the other books in Mistborn Era 2.[13]
The first draft of the book is about 149,000 words total.[6] Part One is about 30,000 words and has two separate narratives, each with two of the main characters, and alternates viewpoints between all four main characters. Part Two is about 45,000 words and brings all four of the main characters together, continuing to alternate viewpoints. In Part Three, the characters split again, with one on their own arc of about 30,000 words; two of them together for an arc of about 40,000 words; and Steris on her own for a short arc of about 10,000 words. Brandon wrote each of the arcs of Part Three separately from each other, which he found was a good approach as it essentially let him write the ending three times and he likes writing endings.[14] In total, Steris will have around seven or eight viewpoints.[15] The epilogue is a bit longer than normal, as it is the last book of Era 2 and Brandon wanted to linger with the characters and setting a little more.[6]
Pre-Publication Content
- At JordanCon in 2021, Brandon did a reading of the first draft of the prologue, a flashback to Wayne as a young child. It can be listened to and read here and was also sent out in Brandon's July 2021 newsletter.
- Brandon also mentioned at JordanCon that he thinks there is a mention of the Shard Whimsy in the book.[16]
Notes
- ↑ a b General Reddit 2020
— Arcanum - 2020-07-01# - ↑ State of the Sanderson 2014
— Brandon's website - 2014-12-18# - ↑ The Lost Metal Updates
— Arcanum - 2021-04-27# - ↑ Brandon's starting announcement
— Twitter - 2021-04-01# - ↑ Brandon's completion announcement
— Twitter - 2021-08-05# - ↑ a b c The Lost Metal Updates
— Arcanum - 2021-08-05# - ↑ a b Cosmere.es Interview
— Arcanum - 2021-04-22# - ↑ Skyward release party
— Arcanum - 2018-11-06# - ↑ Tel Aviv Signing
— Arcanum - 2019-10-18# - ↑ Arcanum Unbounded Seattle signing
— Arcanum - 2016-12-01# - ↑ YouTube Weekly Updates 2021
— Arcanum - 2021-03-08# - ↑ MisCon 2018
— Arcanum - 2018-05-26# - ↑ YouTube Livestream 24
— Arcanum - 2020-12-31# - ↑ YouTube Weekly Updates 2021
— Arcanum - 2021-07-06# - ↑ Miscellaneous 2021
— Arcanum - 2021-08-05# - ↑ JordanCon 2021
— Arcanum - 2021-07-17#