Now that Brandon Sanderson has shifted his focus to Era 3 of the Mistborn series, let’s take a look at what we can expect in the coming years.
The Mistborn saga takes place on the world of Scadrial, where the magic system is based on metals. The first trilogy, Mistborn, is a classic epic fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic land covered in ash. The second trilogy, often referred to as the Wax and Wayne series, is set several hundred years later, in a period reminiscent of the Wild West. By the end of Era 2, skyscrapers are rising into the sky and airships are floating above the cities.
What comes next is Ghostblood (Mistborn Era 3), which will be Sanderson’s primary focus over the next few years. He has stated that his goal is to write all three books of this era without any major breaks.
Plot of Ghostbloods (Mistborn Era 3)
The story will take place about 50 years after the end of Era 2. Sanderson has also promised that we’ll see some familiar faces in Ghostbloods. Some characters from Era 1 will reappear, alongside new protagonists. As the title suggests, the plot will center around the secretive organization known as the Ghostbloods and their actions on Scadrial, around five decades after the events of The Lost Metal.
We’ve already encountered members of this shadowy group in The Stormlight Archive and in The Lost Metal, the final book in Mistborn Era 2, where they became entangled with Wax and Wayne. The Ghostbloods are clearly key players in the larger Cosmere conflict, and it’s no surprise that Sanderson plans to give them a central role moving forward.
🚨 SPOILER ALERT
The Return of Characters from Mistborn Era 1
The most obvious returning character is Kelsier. He was killed by the Lord Ruler in the first book, The Final Empire, but in the novella Mistborn: Secret History (featured in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection), we learn that Kelsier’s spirit survived the clash and eventually managed to regain a physical form on Scadrial.
By the end of The Lost Metal and Wind and Truth, we see several characters have brief encounters with Kelsier, who now has a metal spike through one eye.
In Mistborn, these metal spikes (used in Hemalurgy) can grant people various abilities beyond their natural Allomantic or Feruchemical powers — including immortality. Since Kelsier is the leader of the Ghostbloods and bears a spike, it’s clear he will be a key figure in Mistborn Era 3.
When Can We Expect Mistborn Era 3?
Brandon Sanderson currently estimates that the first book in the new trilogy will be released in December 2028, with the second and third installments following in 2029 and 2030, respectively.
Read our reviews of the Mistborn series
