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Shadows of Self (Mistborn #5)

Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)

4.3 · Rating details · 51,522 Ratings · 3,294 Reviews

Shadows of Self shows Mistborn’s society evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy grows, democracy contends with corruption, and religion becomes a growing cultural force, with four faiths competing for converts.

This bustling, optimistic, but still shaky society now faces its first instance of terrorism, crimes intended to stir up labor strife and religious confli ...more

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Paperback, 383 pages

Published October 6th 2016 by GOLLANCZ (first published October 6th 2015)

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Oct 21, 2017 ❄️Nani❄️ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: brandon-sanderson, adult-fantasy

4.75⭐

JUST HOLD THE FUCK UP. THAT ENDING! H... HOW!
Leave it to Sanderson to come out of the left field and soccer punch you right in the brain! That's right, you COULD get soccer punched in the brain. It's a risk one has to take when picking up his book.

Honestly, I'm very hesitant to say anything so as not to run the risk of spoiling too much as his renown lies in his unexpected plot twists and intriguing-as-hell narrative turns.
But what I CAN say is that the narrative begins and ends with a ban ...more

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Oct 08, 2014 Lindsey Rey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, fantasy, favorites

Sanderson is the very embodiment of magic, great writing, and amazing adventures. PERFECTION.

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Feb 11, 2017 Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: year-2017, audiobook, 5-star

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

Ya'll, my reviews for Mistborn are getting repetitive but in case you didn't already know I love this series with every chamber of my blackened heart.

This new series feels like a love letter to fans who adored the original trilogy.

There's so much here to love. These books are purely additive to the original, they're existence only enhances your experience as a reader and a fan.

I just can't even wrap my head around the idea that someone can have all of this magnificence ju ...more

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Oct 06, 2015 Robin (Bridge Four) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-5-stars, awesome-audio, chick-i-want-to-hang-out-with, book-boyfriend-material, bro-mantic, buddy-read, fantastic-fantasy, kick-ass-heroines, quit-crying-robin, super-sidekicks

Super fast re-read with some friends at Buddies Books and Baubles before Bands of Mourning.

Knowing the ending made certain parts of this book just heartbreaking. I love that almost every BS book I reread I enjoy just as much if not more the second time through. All the original Mistborn nostalgia was FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!

4.5 Faceless Immortal Stars

The Fan Girl Part of My Review
Deal with it he is like my FAVORITE fantasy author….but there will be a real review below this

I am in AWE yet again t ...more

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Jun 30, 2016 Bookdragon Sean rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-star-reads, fantasy, sci-fi

These new mistborn books are essentially crime-thrillers set in the same world a few hundred years later. They work so well. We have all the world building we’re used to, and the glorious action, but we also have the tension and mystery created by hunting down an unknown assailant, an unknown foe. The result is more of Sanderson’s excellence with a very cool twist.

Explosive plot

Sanderson’s writing is concise and quick. Wax’s story is easy to become engaged in. He begins by following a series These new mistborn books are essentially crime-thrillers set in the same world a few hundred years later. They work so well. We have all the world building we’re used to, and the glorious action, but we also have the tension and mystery created by hunting down an unknown assailant, an unknown foe. The result is more of Sanderson’s excellence with a very cool twist.

Explosive plot

Sanderson’s writing is concise and quick. Wax’s story is easy to become engaged in. He begins by following a series of clues that lead him to the corpse of the apparent criminal. But life is never that simple, murders are rarely that simple. Things become slightly more complex and murky. Elements of the original trilogy are brought in. Creatures that were supposedly mere legends are walking around killing people for undetermined reasons. This results in a rather strange case to solve because everything has become so devastatingly surreal. No one has heard from these creatures in centuries. Why are they back now? What do they want?

Wax and Wayne have their hands full. And to make the plot even better, and Wax’s life just that little bit harder, the God’s start talking to him. Yes, the God’s. He’s not gone insane; he has merely found a secret conduit that unlocks the third system of metal magic. So yes, it’s all perfectly normal. Well it isn’t. This may seem ordinary to returning readers. But for Wax, this sort of power is ancient myth; it is legend and fable. Its resurgence makes little sense to the established world that has formed his life. Something has been uprooted: change is coming.

It’s all about Wayne

The best thing about this book was the splitting of the point of views. Wax is a cool enough character, but Wayne steals the stage. He is more charismatic, adaptable and rounded. His past seems darker and his future more redemptive. All in all, he is the better written character of the two. I was glad he has more of his own narrative here. In the last book he had a minimalistic contribution. This time round the story was more dynamic and entertaining.

Moreover, Wayne is just a stronger person. I’d like to see him take the lead for a change or, at the very least, see more of his past. This is obviously Wax’s story, but I think a novella about Wayne would be rather perfect. I just prefer him. I think one day, when Wax finally loses it, he seems to becoming more and more unhinged, Wayne may have to put him down or at least pick him back up again. I think that would be a very strong ending to such a series. But I doubt that would happen. It would be too brutal.
...more

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Nov 02, 2016 ☽Luna☾ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: badassery, great-books, epic-fantasy, flintlock-fantasy, written-by-the-hand-of-god

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 5 Faceless Immortal Stars ★★★★★

"I'm not Harmony's hands," Wax whispered "I'm His sword."

*fan girl mode activated*

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Like seriously, smack my ass and call me sue, what DID I JUST READ OMG DYING & HYPERVENTILATING

description

Warning this review contains mass amounts of fan girling, word vomit & worship of Brandon Sanderson.

description

Okay let's be real this book is seriously awesome & I mean like the best shit ever. I honestly can't believe how long it took me to read this book, 6 months to be exact.. How ...more

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May 19, 2017 Kainat 《HUFFLEPUFF & PROUD》 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: brandon-sanderson

Wow, this was underwhelming... SAID NO ONE EVER!

Wtf was that Sanderson? Did I hurt you in your past life or something? Why are you doing this to me? 😭

If Wayne died at the end thinking about his favorite hat, I'm gonna cry like a mofo! I need someone to love me like he loves his hats 😂

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Sep 20, 2016 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-physical

4.5/5 Stars

I mentioned before in my Alloy of Law review that any Mistborn fans should definitely continue with Mistborn era 1.5 despite the fact it doesn't have the epic fantasy strength and grand scope like before. Well, I stand by my words and I continue to encourage you more to read them, especially after reading Shadows of Self, you'll realize even more just how damn great Sanderson is.

As its sequel, Shadows of Self improved A LOT upon the foundation laid down by Alloy of Law, whether it's i 4.5/5 Stars

I mentioned before in my Alloy of Law review that any Mistborn fans should definitely continue with Mistborn era 1.5 despite the fact it doesn't have the epic fantasy strength and grand scope like before. Well, I stand by my words and I continue to encourage you more to read them, especially after reading Shadows of Self, you'll realize even more just how damn great Sanderson is.

As its sequel, Shadows of Self improved A LOT upon the foundation laid down by Alloy of Law, whether it's in terms of characters, writings, world-building or plot, everything here is just enhanced to fully entertained you from beginning to the end of the book. I should mentioned this though, I will give this book a 4 star if I haven't read the original Mistborn trilogy (which baffles me why? if you're a lover of fantasy or books in general you really should read them.) as this time, there is a HUGE amount of information and elements expanded upon the aftermath of the original trilogy.

Now if you're like me who's a whore for nostalgia factors, you're definitely gonna love it. Even though it's tricky and dangerous sometimes to expand upon the prequel so much as some series tend to ruin themselves by milking them too much (I won't mentioned the name in case it could triggered anyone), Sanderson did it perfectly with much balance like Harmony. :p

The plot itself now goes into the direction of Mystery-Thriller set in a steampunk-western world, now imagine this. Sherlock Holmes combined with Mistborn elements, written by Brandon Sanderson, yeah you can probably already guess how great that sounds and well, that's basically Shadows of Self in general. The plots are very interesting it will keep you flipping through those pages (I finish the book in 3 days since I began despite having a full time job.)

Great characters and development are one of the greatest strength from the original trilogy and it continues its strength here. Wax and Wayne, Marasi and Steris are back in full throttle and their characters are explored more. Their history, relationships, interactions and development will make you care more about each and every one of them (I'm looking at you Steris, I can't believe I'm starting to like this OCD girl :D)

Writings are excellent as usual, it's one of the reason why I always praised Sanderson. Every words he crafted in all his works draws you towards the world in the book and make you feel as if you're really there.

Overall I give this book a 4.5/5. It's thrilling, it's fun and funny at times. Again, I can't stress this highly enough, please for any Mistborn fans, pick this series up, give this era a try at least until this book before dropping the series, you'll see why I adore it.

Note: for spoilers reason and for the sake of not ruin your experience, I didn't mention anything from the nostalgia factors other than they exists but trust me they are insanely good. ...more

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Feb 10, 2017 Celeste rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

Full(ish) review now posted!

Be forewarned. This is less of a review and more of a gush session over Sanderson’s craftsmanship in building the world of Scadrial in the Mistborn books.

I read Alloy of Law last year and, while I liked it, I didn’t feel driven to continue reading about the exploits of Wax and Wayne. I had no idea what I was missing. While I really enjoyed The Alloy of Law the second time I read it, Shadows of Self by far surpassed it. This is a book I feel is on par with the rest of Full(ish) review now posted!

Be forewarned. This is less of a review and more of a gush session over Sanderson’s craftsmanship in building the world of Scadrial in the Mistborn books.

I read Alloy of Law last year and, while I liked it, I didn’t feel driven to continue reading about the exploits of Wax and Wayne. I had no idea what I was missing. While I really enjoyed The Alloy of Law the second time I read it, Shadows of Self by far surpassed it. This is a book I feel is on par with the rest of Sanderson’s Cosmere fiction in terms of depth. As my lovely friend Mary said in her review, it felt like Sanderson wrote a love letter to the fans of his original Mistborn trilogy, and I loved it so much.

Returning to a world you love three hundred years after the events that drew you there the first time can be jarring, which I think unfairly influenced my view of The Alloy of Law the first time I read it. But, now that I’ve been in this brave new world built on the foundations of one I adore, I’m thrilled with what Sanderson has done here. Characters that we know and love from the original trilogy are now the figures of myth, with entire religions built around them, and it’s fascinating to read. It’s like visiting old friends, but now they’re deities instead of the humans you once laughed with. Also, there are some of these characters that live on in different ways, and getting to see them again was a lot of fun.

I don’t really know what to say here that wouldn’t be a spoiler. But I will say that I disagree with some readers who believe that Sanderson’s weakness is his characterization. While he obviously excels in his world-building and magic systems and plot twists, he’s no slouch when it comes to crafting characters, either. I connect with so many of his characters. The characters in this series, Wax and Wayne and Marasi and Steris, are no exception. Wayne was my absolute favorite in The Alloy of Law, and I still love him, but now he’s sharing that spotlight with Wax. And Steris is really growing on me. I think she might be the most honest character in the entire series. The ending wrecked me more than a little bit, but cemented my love for Steris. I’m really excited about this series. Time to dig into The Bands of Mourning!

Another buddy read with my darling dear!

For more of reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings ...more

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Oct 13, 2014 Sanaa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-read, read-books-i-own

[4.5 Stars] My emotions! I'll try to write a more coherent review when, "Ahhhhhh I loved it aahhhhhhh," isn't the only thing I can think of.

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Jul 17, 2013 Gavin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This was every bit as good as The Alloy of Law. The whole Mistborn series really is fantastic reading!

Wax, Wayne, and Marasi are back on the case of another mystery. This time they need to stop an assassin from killing the governor of Elendel. To complicate matters they also have to stop the civil unrest in Elendel from boiling over into a full blown riot.

The story was a ton of fun. The Wild West setting is still proving highly entertaining and the story was highly addictive and engaging. It wa ...more

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Aug 09, 2017 Kimi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: badass-heroine, fantasy, favorites, made-me-cry, smells-like-pain, crews

“I ain’t drunk,” Wayne said, sniffling. “I’m investigatin’ alternative states of sobriety.”

Sanderson has done it again. If you haven't read Mistborn yet, what are you doing with your life?

The Sanderson Avalanche
So If you're not familiar with Brandon Sanderson, there's this thing he does with pretty much all of his books called the 'Sanderson Avalanche' It usually starts at some point during the last 100 pages and it will blow your brains off.

Plot twist after plot twist after plot twist. And tr ...more

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Oct 03, 2016 Hasham Rasool rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: brandon-sanderson, fantasy, science-fiction, crime, favourites, fiction

'Shadows of Self' genres are fantasy, sci-fi, crime and mystery.

I really like 'The Alloy of Law' and 'Shadows of Self' but I think 'Shadows of Self' is a lot better than 'The Alloy of Law'.

I really like MeLaan.

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Oct 06, 2015 Eon ♒Windrunner♒ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A quick re-read before the release of The Bands of Mourning... 26 Jan 2016 update - just as good as the first time. No. No, it was better this time.

Wow. That was hectic. Another great story by a master of fantasy. The second book in this series is just as good if not better than the first.

You don’t need to think about this too much. This was written by Brandon Sanderson. Buy it. Read it. Bask in the glow.

The future of the city of Elendel is balancing on a knife’s edge. Someone or something is tr A quick re-read before the release of The Bands of Mourning... 26 Jan 2016 update - just as good as the first time. No. No, it was better this time.

Wow. That was hectic. Another great story by a master of fantasy. The second book in this series is just as good if not better than the first.

You don’t need to think about this too much. This was written by Brandon Sanderson. Buy it. Read it. Bask in the glow.

The future of the city of Elendel is balancing on a knife’s edge. Someone or something is trying very hard to push it over and start a revolution and Waxillium, Wayne and Marasi have to team up once again to stop a disaster. Unfortunately, this fight might just be out of their league, but when has that ever stopped them?

The story is filled with great action sequences and humour and never lets up till the end. As before, the banter between the characters is top notch and I even enjoyed Steris a lot more in this than the last book. She is starting to grow on me, even though I prefer Marasi & Wax together. Wayne is his brilliant, devil-may-care self with a brand of humour that is definitely unique and he still has an interesting affection for hats.

"“I need you to stay behind as we go into those slums,” Wayne said, determined to impress solemnity into his voice. “It’s not that I don’t want your help. I do. It’s just going to be too dangerous for you. You need to stay where I know you’re safe. No arguments. I’m sorry.” “Wayne,” Wax said, walking past. “Stop talking to your hat and get over here.”"

Brandon Sanderson has definitely upped the stakes with a few very interesting reveals in this one. Some of them are thought provoking while others are heart-wrenching. I found myself a bit subdued after the book’s climax, as I did not see that one coming. I did love that we got to see some of the old characters from the first trilogy though, and also the conversations with Harmony.

I leave you with my favourite quote in the book. It is one of the Guardian’s memories, about a person he loved.

"When she fought, she was the blade. When she loved, she was the kiss."

...more

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Oct 27, 2015 Liam Degnan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, read-twice

Me.

All day.

Every day.

Every time I read this book.

No matter how many times I read it.

I am not even lying when I say that the ending to this book touches me in my very soul.

It might be one of the slowest Mistborn books, but HOLY CRAP it's so good. And also completely necessary to truly appreciate the characters and the story to come.

I tend to not really leave reviews for Sanderson books. Sorry. It's not even worth wasting my time leaving a detailed review. Just please read these books if ...more

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Jul 12, 2014 Markus rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, cosmere, fantasy

"The days of heroes has passed. The stories of people breaking out of history belong to another world. We have reached an era of modernism, both louder and more silent at the same time."

"The days of heroes has passed. The stories of people breaking out of history belong to another world. We have reached an era of modernism, both louder and more silent at the same time.
An author like Sanderson doesn't write bad books, and I have enjoyed everything I've read by him. But I feel like every single M ...more

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Aug 30, 2015 Rebecca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: release-date-2015, steampunk, for-review, arc-publisher, reviewed, read-2015, on-shelf, little-or-no-romance, favourites-2015, exceeded-expectations

Actual Rating: 4.5

In a nutshell: Another awesome Mistborn novel with a twist I really didn't see coming. Wow!

The sad thing about this book is that I really wanted it once I started seeing it in bookstores but it was too expensive, then when I finally got a copy (thank you forever, Hachette Australia!) I fell into my worst reading slump of the year. It's not you, book, it's me and I'm so sorry that I put you through you that... I just got to a point where I had zero interest in reading so it took ...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, arcs-and-galleys, fantasy, magic, western, action-adventure

Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald

A lot of the books that I’m excited for in 2015 are actually releasing quite late this year, so as we sauntered into fall and said good bye to summer, I was getting ready to say hello to a couple of my most anticipated titles. Shadows of Self was most definitely near the top of that list. I’m a big fan of Brandon Sanderson, and I absolutely loved The Alloy of Law – probably more than all three books of the original Mistborn trilogy put together, so sm Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald

A lot of the books that I’m excited for in 2015 are actually releasing quite late this year, so as we sauntered into fall and said good bye to summer, I was getting ready to say hello to a couple of my most anticipated titles. Shadows of Self was most definitely near the top of that list. I’m a big fan of Brandon Sanderson, and I absolutely loved The Alloy of Law – probably more than all three books of the original Mistborn trilogy put together, so small wonder that I was really looking forward to this follow-up.

If there’s one thing I can never resist, it’s a good Fantasy meets Western setting. Three centuries after the events at the end of The Hero of Ages, the world of Mistborn has transformed into something altogether different. We’re on the cusp of an era similar to the industrial revolution, and all around are new inventions giving rise to mild hints of steampunk. On the outskirts of the built-up city of Elendel is a dusty, lawless territory known as the Roughs, where our protagonist Lord Waxillium Ladrian made his name as a lawman-for-hire.

Magic, however, is alive and well. Allomancy and Feruchemy are still around, though applied here in a different way which preserves the marvel of the original system while adding a whole new dimension to it at the same time. Characters from the original trilogy like Vin, Elend, Kelsier and Sazed are also now long gone but not lost, their names immortalized forever in history and religion. It’s therefore possible to read this subseries without having to start with the first three books, though the experience might be richer if you do because then you’ll understand all the references to these past people and events. And for those who enjoyed the original trilogy, The Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self will introduce you to a fresh start featuring great new characters in a dynamic world that evolves with time. You’ll still be getting all the good stuff, but these books are far from being just the same-old, same-old; they’re shorter, more lighthearted and fun in tone and style, and I found that the mix of old and new worked very well for me.

Shadows of Self continues the adventure by bringing back Waxillium and his good friend Wayne in a new mystery involving a hunt for an assassin. Nearly two decades have passed since Wax first started his youthful escapades into the Roughs, and he has recently returned to the city in order to take up the mantle of his lordship, which comes with a whole new set of responsibilities – including getting married. Wax and Wayne now use their allomantic powers to assist the constabulary of Elendel, working alongside the constable-general’s chief aide Marasi Harms, who is also the half-sister of Wax’s fiancée. Their latest case involves a massacre at an auction organized by the governor’s corrupt brother, whose body was found among the victims which included nobles as well the city’s most notorious crime lords.

It soon becomes clear that the governor himself is a target. And to make matters worse, Wax learns that the assassin they hunt may not be human at all, but a Faceless Immortal who calls herself Bleeder, a kandra that ingests the bones of other beings to take on their physical appearance and personality. What do you do when your quarry could be anyone?

Given how much I enjoyed The Alloy of Law, I was not surprised that I had a great time with this book too. Shadows of Self features a more complex plot, drawing heavily upon the world of Mistborn and its religious lore. The gods play a much bigger role in this one, with the stormy politics of the deities mirroring the political state of the mortal world. Just as the people of Elendel are sick and tired of the corruption in the government and in the nobility, not all kandra are content with Harmony’s rule. When both situations come to a boiling point, the results aren’t pretty. For readers though, it’s a tense race against time with Wax, Wayne and Marasi as they try to prevent the city from tearing itself apart, and the only way to stop the destruction is to catch Bleeder. For a supposedly insane killer, she proves to be much craftier than anyone could imagine.

Wax and Wayne are also as fantastic a duo as the synergy of their names imply (though in truth, any scene with Wayne in it is automatically awesome, even when he’s solo) and having Marasi back is great as well. It’s interesting to see the dynamics play out between them when they work together, and as always I love the humor and the snappy dialogue which is way more prominent here than in the original trilogy, and probably where the lighter “fluffier” feel of these books comes from. Each character also has his or her own strengths and foibles, and I thought this installment explored those traits and covered them remarkably well without taking away from the main story.

The most exciting moments came at the end for me, and I won’t lie, I was a bit of an emotional wreck after last few chapters. Strangely, I wouldn’t say the events leading up to the climax were entirely unpredictable, though the twists were a mix of “Okay, I saw that coming” along with “Wait, that wasn’t what I expected.” Either way, Sanderson knows how to deliver a conclusion, and it’s a jaw-dropping one that left me reeling from the impact. I’ve become deeply invested in Wax’s story over the course of these two novels, and the ending did not disappoint.

All told, this book sees Brandon Sanderson doing more of what he does best – telling captivating stories that delight and enchant. Shadows of Self is another great addition to the Mistborn sequence, and another fantastic book from an author well known for his creative world-building and ingenious magic systems. ...more

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Nov 09, 2016 Geek Furioso rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: awesome-magic, awesome-mc, awesome-world, fantasy, favorites, fuck-yea-books, god-tier-books, gods-everywhere, praise-the-san-derson, sherlock-and-watson-bromance

Damas y caballeros, Brandon Sanderson en su forma más pura.

Me niego a hablar en profundidad de este libro, porque eso implicaría hacer spoilers muy serios, pero he de decir que hacía tiempo que no disfrutaba así de un libro ni lo devoraba tan rápido. El mundo de Scadrial y la alomancia siguen siendo tan geniales como recordaba, pero además Sanderson ha logrado compensar su punto débil: los personajes. Wax, Wayne y Marasi son unos magníficos personajes para guiarnos por un mundo sumido en el prog ...more

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Nov 16, 2014 Kaitlin rated it liked it · review of another edition

Totally almost forgot to review this but better late than never so here goes!

I was very excited about the release of this book (although no where near as excited as I will be for Calamity or Stormlight #3) as I hadn't had any fresh Sanderson for a while and with this being the return to the Mistborn world I was hoping for a good story. This is certainly a likeable story, but for me I kind of hoped for a little more from Sanderson, and whilst I appreciate that this is a new 'era' of Mistborn, I Totally almost forgot to review this but better late than never so here goes!

I was very excited about the release of this book (although no where near as excited as I will be for Calamity or Stormlight #3) as I hadn't had any fresh Sanderson for a while and with this being the return to the Mistborn world I was hoping for a good story. This is certainly a likeable story, but for me I kind of hoped for a little more from Sanderson, and whilst I appreciate that this is a new 'era' of Mistborn, I kind of loved the big epic scale of the previous series and this doesn't really compare.

Let me begin this by saying I was excited for this, but not massively-hyper-dying-excited because I didn't 'love' the Alloy of Law, which is the introduction to these characters. I thought that Alloy of Law was fun and entertaining, but I didn't think it really captured my attention or interest as much as the original Mistborn trilogy despite bringing new ideas and magic to a world I already knew and loved.

My biggest complaints with this book are that I feel it's probably a bit too predictable (at least I worked out what the 'twist' was before it happened which was a little annoying) and it's a lot faster paced than many f Sanderson's other adult Cosmere books. I personally love to get deep into a world and story and really connect with the characters and what's happening with them, but in this book I just couldn't fully connect because I didn't want to be reading about these 'roguish' characters, I much preferred the original cast of characters. I think that because this is such a fast paced book and is filled with mystery elements and quick, funny conversation I just couldn't fully immerse myself like I did with the first series where the mystery is ongoing for all three books. I know that this is by no means the 'end' of the series and that there's still two books to go (which I will still buy of course) but this one just didn't pull me in as much as I wanted.

The story is once more focused on the characters of Wax and Wayne and I have to say that Wax is good, but Wayne is far superior as a character to me. He is funny, sarcastic and full of some hilarious punchlines and moments which kept me enjoying the book throughout. I do like Wax as a character, but he certainly seems a little too 'boring' in comparison with Wayne who was just on top form for most of this book.

I do appreciate what Sanderson is aiming for with this series in terms of following the progression of a world throughout time, but I just wish the books had stayed with a longer page length and been a little more through and developed. I think that the ideas Sanderson voices about Religion (there's A LOT of religion in this book btw) and the way that it's perceived and the way people think of it is interesting, but at points it did feel a little forced even for me (a long-term Sanderson fan and someone who likes to see religion and magic systems created by him).

On the whole the story is fun, but nothing more for me. However, I did read this with a lot of other people and they all seemed to love it so it may well be that this period of history just isn't working so well for me. I know Sanderson was prepared to lose some of his fans with this series as it was rather different, and I think maybe I am one of those who just doesn't like this anywhere near as much as the original, but I know a ton of people who do so it may well still be worth reading. I will say if you didn't care for the Alloy of Law then this is fairly similar in style etc so maybe not to read it if that's the case, but it's a fun story and although I had some frustration with parts of it it's not a poorly written or un-engaging story and I got through it in a day! :)
A 3* overall, fun, likeable, but by no means the best Sanderson I've read! ...more

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Oct 10, 2015 Mario rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

No, freedom was not lack of responsibilities—it was being able to do what was right, without having to worry if it was also wrong.

(view spoiler)

Now that I've gotten that out of my system, let's get on with the review (well I'm gonna call this review, even though I have no idea in what it will turn out to be).

This book. This damn book. After I've finished Alloy of Law I had very high expectation for this book, and now I can safely say that it exceeded every single ...more

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Jul 03, 2017 Caitlin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017-read, 5-stars, favorites

Brandon Sanderson is an evil genius. He likes to rip my heart out over and over again in his books and it's basically torture. However, I keep coming back for more.

Brandon's books have never let me down and every single time I am completely blown away by how incredible and twisted they are.

This book was definitely a step up from the last one and we got to hear about all of the characters from the original Mistborn trilogy which was so good! The return of two of those characters was amazing and ...more

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Dec 24, 2017 Warda rated it really liked it

[4.5]
I'm dead. That avalanche ending has worn me out to the fullest. I'm emotionally exhausted to the point I feel dead inside.

RTC. Or not.

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Mar 13, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it liked it · review of another edition

Okay 😏

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Oct 22, 2015 Franco Santos rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: brandon-sanderson, libros-en-digital, leídos-en-inglés

4.5

Fascinante. E intenso. Right in the feels...

Hay dos cosas que me gustaría resaltar. La primera es que Shadows of Self, para mi gusto, es muy superior a su predecesor. La segunda es que te odio, Sanderson. Dejaste mi mente estropeada, entumecida, en un vaivén entre la consciencia y la inconsciencia, y esta vez, no bastándote con eso, aplicaste una dosis de agua salada en mis córneas.

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Feb 25, 2015 JAIME rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: The entire world

Shelves: want-so-bad-it-hurts, favorites, read-2015, hoooooooow, the-year-of-sanderson

HOOOOOOOOOW?! Sanderson, you've bloody ruined me again! Oh, Harmony! Come at me Bands of Mourning!

RTC - as soon as I review

1. The Hero of Ages (view spoiler)
2. The Alloy of Law
3. ALL THE OTHER BOOKS I SAY I WILL REVIEW.

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Apr 23, 2017 Nafeeza rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, awesome-characters, best-bromance, fun-and-addictive, favorites

Oh Wax.

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Oct 07, 2015 TS Chan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: dr-reading-challenge, brandon-sanderson, re-read, audiobook, physical-owned

Jan 2016: Audiobook reread before release of Bands of Mourning.

Yep, still 4.5 stars rating after reread (rounded up because Sanderson-DUH!); only because it didn't feel as epic as the initial Mistborn trilogy. This is a very personal story that we have here in Shadows of Self (I guess that's kind of alluded to in the very title of the book), particularly for Wax. It started with a Prologue which is seemingly out of the left field but really fun, and as you progress towards the end you try to bra ...more

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Nov 27, 2013 Mike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, reviewed

Ah, it always feel good to slip back into the Cosmere. Be it with a novella, a reread of a past book, or a shiny new book. While Elantris was my first Sanderson book, Mistborn was the first I fell in love with, so this series will always have a special place in by book heart (which is much more literate than my regular heart). And even though we have left Vin and Elend and Kelsier and so many other beloved characters behind the more modern world we find ourselves in now is just as grand and wond ...more

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Jun 03, 2017 Mizuki rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, wish-i-could-write-like-this, great

4.75 stars.

I ordered The Bands of Mourning ASAP after finishing reading Shadows of Self.

What I like about this book:

(1) Solidly written characters.

Wayne is too endearing for words. Wax is doing great as well, and I really hope Marise will find herself a new love interest instead of pinning after Wax. I mean...it's pointless when the guy is still thinking about his dead wife.

(2) Confusing at times but interesting world building.

I'm glad to see more social and political textures of this fictional ...more

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About Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson

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Brandon’s major books for the second half of 2016 are The Dark Talent, the final volume in Alcatraz Smedry’s autobiographical account of his battle against the Evil Librarians who secretly rule our world, and Arcanum Unbounded, the collection of short fiction in the Cosmere universe that includes the Mistborn series and the Stormlight
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Quotes from Shadows of Self

“She had a way of pouring everything of herself into what she did. When she fought, she was the blade. When she loved, she was the kiss. In that regard, she was far more … human than any I have known.” — 50 likes

“Every man had to die. He’d always found it odd that so many died when they were old, as logic said that was the point in their lives when they’d had the most practice not dying.” — 35 likes

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