Mistborn’s Extensive Era 2 Still Doesn’t Compare To How Good The Original Trilogy Was

The second era of Mistborn may be an exciting and unique entry to the fantasy genre, but it falls slightly short of the original trilogy. Aside from the standalone Elantris, Mistborn is author Brandon Sanderson’s first extensive fantasy story and the perfect entry point to the Cosmere, his fantasy universe that connects his various series and novels. Nearly two decades after Mistborn: The Final Empire was published, Sanderson’s popularity continues to grow each year, with him releasing four books in 2023 via his record-breaking Kickstarter campaign. In 2024, fans eagerly await his fifth installment of The Stormlight Archive.

The next Mistborn book will be released in some years, but the seven current novels offer plenty to discuss in the meantime. The original trilogy is set in a relatively typical medieval fantasy setting, barring the unique environmental differences that distinguish each planet on the Cosmere. Rather than picking up in the same setting, Mistborn Era 2 has a 300-year time jump, with technological advancements impacting the world and its previously established magic system. This allows for a fresh story to take place in a world drastically altered and developed by events readers are already familiar with.

Mistborn Era 2 Puts A New Spin On The World (But The Original Trilogy Is Better)

Starting with what works well, the world-building in Mistborn Era 2 seamlessly transitions with its time jump and technological advancements. The “Acknowledgments” section of The Alloy of Law explains that Sanderson “wanted to move away from the idea of fantasy worlds as static places, where millennia would pass and technology would never change.” It’s hard to imagine this working in many fantasy series, but the shift establishes a new aesthetic that feels faithful to the original Mistborn trilogy’s world while offering new elements to play with.

Brandon Sanderson is widely praised for his complex, distinctive magic systems, and it’s often one of the first subjects of praise for Mistborn. The various uses of different metals across Allomancy, Hemalurgy, and Feruchemy seem convoluted, but they’re introduced at a steady pace that makes them easy to engage with. Suddenly factoring guns into such a system seems like it would be difficult, but Era 2 develops new fighting styles to accommodate for more advanced weaponry.

The world-building differences between eras can come down to the fantasy aesthetic preferences of the reader, as both work fluidly enough that it’s hard to state one works better than the other definitively. But as Brandon Sanderson says in his introduction to The Stormlight Archive, “But a great book for me isn’t about a magic, it’s about the people that the magic affects.​” At their core, Sanderson’s books are character-driven novels, and that’s where the original Mistborn books have the advantage.

Mistborn Era 1 Has Better Characters (But Era 2 Has Better Dynamics)

Despite bearing the often grueling burden of introducing audiences to the world of Scadrial, Mistborn: The Final Empire is still the best Mistborn book. Not only is it exhilarating as a heist action story or a mystery thriller at different times, but The Final Empire establishes characters that are accessible, meaningful, and ceaselessly compelling. Kelsier’s charisma explodes off the page, while Sazed’s wisdom and endearing nature make him the perfect supporting figure. Meanwhile, younger characters like Vin and Elend begin arcs that constantly tug at the heartstrings.

The external problems faced by fantasy characters can be challenging to connect with, but what makes Sanderson’s stories so relatable is that his heroes experience nuanced, modern internal struggles. Over three hefty novels, the Mistborn characters undergo subtle, realistic, and meaningful change. While the same can be said for Era 2, the individual character arcs aren’t as powerful, as the story focuses more on dynamics instead.

To clarify, Mistborn Era 1 has some excellent dynamics. Vin and Elend have beautiful chemistry, as do Kelsier and the thieving crew. However, Mistborn Era 2 is practically modeled after gunslinging “buddy cop” Westerns. Wax and Wayne are hilarious and fun to follow, which makes for a refreshing tone after the heavier material in the original trilogy, but they don’t feel as meaningful overall. Both sagas have their strengths and weaknesses, but the original Mistborn series takes the cake for character development.

Mistborn Era 1’s Extended Page Counts Allow For More Complex Narratives

A big reason the original Mistborn characters feel more meaningful is that audiences spend more time with them. The Alloy of Law is the shortest novel in the series, at 332 pages, and it’s the weakest in the seven-book saga. As proven by The Stormlight Archive, Sanderson prospers with an extended page count. Substantial use of longer page counts allows the audience to build a more meaningful connection, ultimately increasing the stakes during the climactic action.

The shorter page counts benefit Era 2’s tone shift but ultimately result in less complex narratives. Even with four books instead of three, the longer volumes in the original Mistborn series allow for in-depth isolated story arcs in each book. In total, Vin has roughly 100,000 more point-of-view chapter words than Wax, despite Era 1 covering a wider cast of characters. She’s one of Sanderson’s most beloved protagonists for good reason.

The Lord Ruler Is Still Mistborn’s Best Villain

Brandon Sanderson has created some masterful villains throughout the Cosmere, like Taravangian and Moash in The Stormlight Archive and Hrathen in Elantris. In Mistborn, The Lord Ruler is the standout antagonist despite barely being in the books. The character’s aura of mystery makes him so compelling, and discovering more about his past is a huge proponent of the original trilogy’s storytelling. Miles Hundredlives is engaging in Era 2, but Shards like Autonomy and Ruin don’t compare to the shockingly human qualities of The Lord Ruler.

Mistborn Era 3 Could Be Brandon Sanderson’s Best Saga Yet

Brandon Sanderson hasn’t even begun work on Mistborn Era 3 yet, but there’s enough information on the planned trilogy to suggest they could be fantastic. Mistborn Era 3 is intended to occur over fifty after Era 2, mirroring the real world’s 1980s early-computer technology. Like the original Mistborn trilogy, Era 3 will feature a female protagonist, who is currently planned to be a Terris woman computer programmer. This jump will push the Cosmere further into science fiction and likely pursue further connectivity between Sanderson’s worlds.

Brandon Sanderson is currently planning to start Mistborn Era 3 in early 2025, and the first installment won’t be released until all three books are entirely written. This is particularly exciting, as it’s the same manner in which he wrote the original trilogy and will allow for overarching fluidity. Not to mention, Era 3 will also return to the book-length of the Era 1 series. Sanderson has also mentioned being especially thrilled about book ten. This is all promising news for Mistborn and the Cosmere going forward.