The Alloy of Law (Mistborn, #4) in 2015 Reading Challenge [Closed]

Dec 28, 2024 Mary Anne added it

Shelves: fiction, library, series, fantasy

4.5 STARS

How this book ended up on my TBR: I came to Brandon Sanderson via the initial Mistborn trilogy. I believe a friend's coworker gave me a collection of fantasy and scifi novels, and that must have included the trilogy, because I have no earthly idea how else I acquired it. I loved it and decided to return to the Mistborn series with this next book!

My very limited experience with the Mistborn series is that I experience something of a slow beginning, and suddenly I am terribly invested in 4.5 STARS

How this book ended up on my TBR: I came to Brandon Sanderson via the initial Mistborn trilogy. I believe a friend's coworker gave me a collection of fantasy and scifi novels, and that must have included the trilogy, because I have no earthly idea how else I acquired it. I loved it and decided to return to the Mistborn series with this next book!

My very limited experience with the Mistborn series is that I experience something of a slow beginning, and suddenly I am terribly invested in the book, such that I have difficulty putting it down. That was somewhat my experience with this book. I did worry that I'd have difficulty processing the world when I read the initial trilogy over two years ago, but it wasn't too hard for me to sink into this book and to not get too caught up in the different types of Allomancy. (There's a table near the end of the book, thankfully.)

While the world-building might be a little rushed (Sanderson seems to admit this is true, that this book is not officially part of the second trilogy, and it's significantly shorter than other books in the series), the action really moves along at a quick pace in this book, and that's something I really like about Sanderson's writing. He could get really hung up on the Allomancy and Feruchemy elements, but he doesn't. His explanations are brief and understandable in context, and then off you go. I also really liked the character development. The main character is Waxillium Ladrian, a descendent of one of the main families from the series. He leaves his family to pursue law enforcement in an area appropriately described as The Rough, giving the book more of a Western-style stage. He returns when two things happen: he accidentally kills his lover when trying to bring down a criminal, and the Ladrian estate requires him to take on the family mantle and fix his uncle's mess. Wax's friend and compatriot is Wayne, a once-criminal (minor) who partnered with Wax and joins him in Elendel (the major city in this book). Wax and Wayne's relationship is delightful. Their interactions are my favorite in the book; the relationship feels organic and lively. We also meet Steris and Marasi. Steris is from another important family, and her marriage with Wax would improve both of their situations. Marasi is interested in practicing law (as she does later on in the book) and aids in both the action and conversation with Wax and Wayne. All of the characters feel like they have some depth.

The plot is also interesting. Following with the Western theme, there are some train robberies (this being a few hundred years after the initial Mistborn trilogy ends), but things get more serious when the perpetrators (called The Vanishers) also begin to rob people on the train and kidnap women. Wax does not get personally involved until Steris is kidnapped and Marasi is almost kidnapped. There is some closure at the end of the book, but the door is wide open in terms of what the greater plot of this trilogy will be.

I did like the light mentions of characters from previous books, though they are now part of a religion (or several religions). There is mention of the Survivor (Kelsier) as well as other titles referring to Vin and Elend (and maybe Sazed?). Of course, this book makes me want to reread the original trilogy. Maybe I'll keep going forward with the timeline before going back again. I definitely plan on reading more of this series; I think I'll next read Secret History, which might confuse me further, but oh well!

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