Here’s the next installment in my, “Books Off the Shelf” series. As ever, So Many Books, So Little Time! I will attempt to give you an idea on some books you might enjoy or not enjoy quite as much without ruining it with too many spoilers.
The Alloy of Law: A Mistborn Novel By Brandon Sanderson Rating 9.5 out of 10 Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds. Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history--or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice. One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs. With Shadows of Self just coming out, I thought I should do a post on the book that came before it. The Alloy of Law takes place in the same universe as Sanderson’s famed Mist Born Trilogy, and in a way could be argued as the fourth book in the series with Shadows of Self releasing as the fifth book. In truth, though, The Alloy of Law is the first book of a new series in the same world, hundreds of years later in history. Reading the Mist Born books can be helpful to the story since there are some definite tie-ins. It’s not a necessity, however, in the same way it usually is in reading a series. Different characters. Different plot. All that to say, you should read the Mist Born Trilogy and reading it before you read Alloy of Law wouldn’t hurt, but Alloy of Law will still be a great read without having read the other three. In Alloy of Law, Sanderson again proves his incredible ability in building magic systems. In this case, Sanderson actually takes a fun and amazing system (multiple systems really) that he already designed for Mist Born and reinvents it. Again using the power of metals, He throws it in the blender, mixes it up, and comes up with another fascinating combination. Waxillium Ladrian, or Wax, as he’s known to his friends comes back to the city from the roughs to take over his family’s dealings after his uncle’s death. Nothing is as it seems in the city, however. As Wax confronts a danger from his past, he needs the skills he learned as a law man in the roughs more than ever. As Wax tries to uncover a plot against his family, his life, and his business, he is support by some really fun characters—his deputy from the roughs and a new investigative student. The supporting cast sprinkles in the perfect amount of comic relief and love interest. Moreover, Sanderson’s characters are deep and real, as ever. This is an awesome read, and I am really looking forward to reading Shadows of Self shortly. I’ll do a post on that as well after reading. For now, pick up a copy of The Alloy of Law. You won’t be disappointed. If you’ve read The Alloy of Law or any of Sanderson’s other work, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a message below. And if you have suggestions of books to review, please let me know. If it is Science Fiction or Fantasy, there is a good chance it is on my shelf or should be. If you would like to be the first to hear about other great books, feel free to sign up on the right. I’m also giving away the first two chapters of my newly-released novel, MIST FALCON. I’d love to send them your way, so do me a favor and sign up. |
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