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The Lost Metal
Brandon Sanderson

The Lost Metal

Quick Answer

Read "The Lost Metal" as the 7th book in the Mistborn Era 2 (Wax & Wayne) sequence. This follows the recommended publication order to preserve character development.

Sequence Warning

⚠️ Do NOT read before "The Bands of Mourning" (Book 6)

❓ Can I skip this book?
❌ No — Required

This book is essential to the core narrative and character development.

Verdict Insight: As the 7th installment, this volume is critical for following the central narrative progression and plot development.

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2022507 pp
For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the Set―with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders―since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner Wayne find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between Elendel and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate―whose corruption Wax and Steris have sought to expose―and Bilming is even more entangled. After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial’s god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn’t the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere―Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial...at any cost. Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.

Series Order Complete! 🎉

You have reached the latest record for this series guide.

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for deep lore fans.

Order Confidence

high Confidence

Why this order?

Our team of curators analyzes publication history, author interviews, and internal narrative continuity to establish the definitive reading sequence. This ensures zero spoilers and maximum narrative impact.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Mistborn Era 2 (Wax & Wayne) conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip reading The Lost Metal?

This book is essential to the core narrative and character development.

Can I read The Lost Metal before The Bands of Mourning?

No. We recommend reading The Bands of Mourning first. The Lost Metal is the 7th book in the series and follows the core narrative established in earlier volumes.

Is The Lost Metal required reading for the Mistborn Era 2 (Wax & Wayne)?

Yes, it is a core installment in the series reading order and contains critical character development and plot progression.

What comes after The Lost Metal in the reading order?

Currently, The Lost Metal is the latest entry listed in our database for this series guide.