The Alloy of Law: A Mistborn Novel

I really liked this book. I loved Mistborn, but I've never read a western so I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the three main characters and in my opinion reading the Mistborn trilogy isn't a prerequisite. You can read this one first it doesn't even spoil Mistborn if you read them after. This isn't exactly a negative but this is my least favorite of all of his endings. I foresaw the twist and while I didn't hate the deus ex machina during the fight I don't see why it was necessary. I definitely plan on reading the rest.

A good sequel to the original Mistborn series, it now centres around Waxillian (Wax) who has his life dramatically changed. A novel in a familiar setting but with some new rules, I found the book was hard to put down. It's a nice peek into the altered or restored world that the previous characters brought to the surviving people. If you like L.E. Modesitt, you will probably like this.

I like Sanderson, and I am enjoying watching him grow as an author (I REALLY enjoyed The Way of Kings, written just before this book). That said, this book feels sort of tacked on to the Mistborn Trilogy, undercutting what sparked my interest in Sanderson to begin with--his world building. Also, his characters in this book feel a little flatter than those in The Way of Kings, making this feel like something of a step backwards to me.

This book was enjoyable, but I recommend almost any of his other books over this one.

Brandon Sanderson never fails to baffle me; I have a hard time accepting that someone can write so many books so quickly yet have them come out as good or better than anyone else's. He's definitely a master of the craft.

The Mistborn Trilogy gripped me from the beginning. I was very please to come across Alloy of Law yesterday, and I finished reading it today - I had a very hard time putting it down.

I really can't recommend this book any more strongly. I love it.

After gobbling up the Mistborn Trilogy, I was eager for more. It took me a while to shift from the fantasy type world of Mistborn, to the western world of Alloy of Law, but Sanderson did a great job of tying the two together. After a few chapters I was hooked. According to the forward by Mr. Sanderson, this is not intended to be a series, but he sure set it up to be one in the Epilogue, and I say BRING IT ON! I thoroughly enjoyed this. For new readers, start with the Mistborn Trilogy though.

This was an interesting contrast to the Mistborn trilogy. This book is essentially a western set in the same world. It's well written and several of the characters are fun and memorable, but most aren't. The western/Sherlock Holmes vibe wasn't really my thing but I'll read the next books since I'm interested in where it goes.

Setting this next set of novels hundreds of years after the last trilogy was a brilliant move. I'm actually quite interested to see how these turn out.

The first book was well designed and the characters are memorable. But then, I expect that out of a Sanderson book.

If this turns out to be the last book of 2014 for me, then I chose wisely.

The first in a new Mistborn series. The setting is more Western than Fantasy, but it works incredibly well. There's the usual murder and mayhem, wicked allomancy battles and characters that are very enjoyable, and a great story that will obviously continue on in the next installments!
It's Sanderson, enough said!

Not quite as good as the original Mistborn trilogy in my opinion, but still a fantastic read. I enjoy all of Sanderson's stuff so not much of a surprise that I liked this one. I would definitely recommend to people that are familiar with Sanderson's work or the Mistborn trilogy.

Train robberies, shoot-outs, bandits and . . . allomancy? For someone not usually attracted to westerns (okay, never attracted) I LOVED Alloy of Law. Maybe it was Waxillium's internal conflict over responsibility vs respectability. Maybe it was a certain young lady's spunky attitude that made her the perfect love interest. Maybe it was Wax's best friend who had me laughing the entire way through. Whatever the reason, this was a fun romp that kept me turning pages late into the night. Alloy doesn't have the deep, emotional impact of the Mistborn trilogy but I didn't miss it in this setting. Great read!

This book is an interesting sequel to the mistborn trilogy. I like that the world is somewhat advanced from the Mistborn world and that the strife and struggles have been resolved. Of course, there are more struggles, but it's not the same kind of issue.

Great plot. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

The plot was thin and easily predictable and the characters were unbelievably obnoxious. Dialogue was terrible. Felt like it was written by a cheeky 7th grader. That said, the action and fight scenes were pretty cool and it reads super fast.

This book departs from the previous books about this world, in terms of landscape and type of characters. What stays the same is Sanderson's ability to show depth to each character, make them believable and keep the story exciting. I found it particularly interesting that the author set this book so much later in time than the last. This allowed development of myths about the previous characters, which were woven at important points in the story line. All the key elements are there. So, if you liked the other books, I think you will like this one, too!

500 years after the end of the Mistborn series, we have the same world, with the same allomancy, this time a lawman with two powers encounters a bad guy former colleague with very great powers. It is an 1880's industrial world at the age of steam and the emergence of electric lights. Weapons technology is the six-shooter, but allomancy provides very interesting and fun shoot-em-ups. Mix of magic and the wild west along with the mansions of 1880's industrialists. Clever idea, really.

But none of the character development of the Mistborn series. Fun read though.

I loved the mistborn trilogy, but this sequel was just okay. I thought the lead characters were boring and I'm just not into the western setting/feel. Also the story wasn't as intriguing though I love the way he expanded his excellent magic system. I won't be rereading this one but I still love Sanderson.

If you enjoyed the first trilogy, this book does a good job of continuing the storyline. Set three hundred years later, it does stand on its own but also smartly integrated references to the first trilogy. If you are a fan of Westerns or the combination of an industrial revolution and magic, this would be a good book. Wish it was longer. But really great character development.

This is a great follow-up to the Mistborn trilogy. Sanderson has done a great job building on the world he built in the first books, while also giving the world a centuries-later freshening. While the first book still stands alone as a masterpiece, this is a solid follow-up.

I wouldn't recommend dropping into the series from this book: read the Mistborn trilogy first.

Writing Style – 4.8/5

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson is a delightfully surprising melting pot of genres. For those who have not read Mistborn and are unfamiliar with The Alloy of Law, Sanderson made a bold (and brilliant) move to write an entirely new trilogy following the riveting Mistborn series. Instead of setting it in the immediate aftermath of its conclusion, he chose to create a story several hundred years into the future. The world is drastically different (thanks the climax of the Mistborn series). As much as I enjoyed the Mistborn series, I was that much more enraptured by this book. Sanderson’s wit and ingenuity shined.
The Characters – 5/5

I enjoyed the ensemble cast of the Mistborn series, but I loved the characters in The Alloy of Law. The protagonists are incredibly well-rounded, but perhaps the greatest surprise for me was in the depth of the antagonist. Some may disagree with me on this one, but I felt that Sanderson created one of the better antagonists that I have read in a long time.
The Plot – 4.9/5

Sanderson managed to take the incredibly unique magic system from the previous trilogy and perfect it in The Alloy of Law. He chose to “limit” the characters to at most two Allomantic powers, a brilliant move that created a more even playing field for the battle between opposing forces in the story. In many ways, it made Wax—the primary protagonist—that much more believable. Aside from the magic system, Sanderson brought his usual “A” game to the plot. It stands very much apart from the Mistborn series, but still feels comfortable to fans of the Final Empire.

Very different than the first mistborn novels but definitely an enjoyable ride. Looking forward to the next book oh for crying out loud I just wanted to leave a rating not write an essay. It's a good book. Fun read with a western flare. Just read it

As with Sanderson's works, Mistborn doesn't disappoint! It's nostalgic of the original Mistborn trilogy, with little easter eggs hidden throughout for those who have read the trilogy. The book can stand alone, though, and is very interesting despite the lack of the original characters from the trilogy.
The characters and relationships are well-developed, and Sanderson makes a smooth transition between the Medieval era and this shiny new Steampunk-like one.
I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is familiar with Sanderson's work, or who just have an interest in storybook magic!

The Mistborn series was some of the best high fantasy I've read, but oftentimes high fantasy leaves an unplundered treasure behind--a rich, fully developed world. Here Sanderson unpacks that treasure. What would happen in that same world 300 years later at the dawn of technology? So much fun!

I read this after finishing the Mistborn series. I wasn't expecting much (usually follow-ups to an epic trilogy are disappointing) so I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. The feel of the book is very different than the Mistborn series but still very well done and addictive. This book had plenty of humor and wit. I enjoyed the interactions between the main characters.

I hope Sanderson decides to turn these characters into a serial, like Sherlock Holmes.

I questioned how well the Mistborn rules were going to work in this setting. Sanderson answered: very well. Just couldn't get enough of this book and its creative use of the alloy magic. The characters were fun and the plot was completely engaging. It does slow down a bit too much in points and I found myself clicking through some of the narration. Even with that, I highly recommend this book (and am very hopeful for the planned sequel).

Wow, I liked the Mistborn Trilogy a lot, but this book was even better and exceeded my expectations. What a great idea- establish the universe, and then set a story 300 years in the future (don't want to spoil original books).

Sanderson really writes great, kinetic action scenes, and the characters and story move right along. I burned through this one, and can only hope that now that he is done with Jordan's books, that he concentrates on his on works even more.

I am really becoming an avid fan of Brandon Sanderson. His ability to tell a story and his writing style are truly unique and very enjoyable. The fact that he can move across periods in time seamlessly is extraordinary. This book had great characters and story and bringing the Mistborn world into the Western era was unexpected and just a fun ride for the imagination. Thank you for another wonderful book.

After reading the excellent Mistborn trilogy, I was looking forward to getting back into the Mistborn universe with this book. Unfortunately I didn't feel like it every really did. Sure, there are a few references to the trilogy and some of the magic, but no depth. It was one of those books where I kept waiting for the story to start and never really felt like it did. It felt shallow, rushed and incomplete.

This book has been labeled steam punk but I found to more of a western mystery with magic abilities. I was very drawn to the characters. The only thing that didn't seem to work was the time line. The majority of action happened in one day . It would have been more believable to have it be a week. Especially for the characters to develope the relationship they did and for the amount of information that was revealed in that time.

After finishing the the Mistborn trilogy, I figured I needed to read the follow up: The Alloy of Law. Like the other Mistborn books things really pick up in the final third of the book.

My biggest complaint about the book is that doesn't bring up much about the events in the original trilogy until the very end.

If you have read the first three books and want to have a new experience in the universe, I recommend reading the book.

This was a great follow-up to the Mistborn series. This takes place 300 years after the final showdown in "The Final Empire" and is very interesting to see the world after the sacrifices of the "crew". The only criticism I had with this book is that it felt unfinished, not sure if Mr. Sanderson is going to release another book in this series, I sure hope he does.

If you like the Mistborn novels this was a fantastic follow up. If you didn't read Mistborn, this gives a decent explanation of the world, but ultimately would recommend the original trilogy before starting this.

This book is fun.

Set in a budding industrial revolution within the Mistborn world, with a hero named Waxilliam, and a sidekick (Wayne) -- and a writer who is developing humor, wit, and style.

The result is a Western -- a Sherlock Holmesian -- a Victorian -- a fun book to read. Lighter in concept, true to Mistborn, but very different in style.

Waxilliam is the coolest guy with the dumbest name in recent literature.

Really good book with solid characters like, at least I have, come to expect from Brandon Sanderson. If you are a fan of the Mistborn trilogy, this is certainly worth reading. It took me longer to warm up to Wax and Wayne than Vin and Kelsier and Sazed but you'll be hooked nonetheless. And while you are at it, go ahead and buy the other two books, they only get better!

AoL was a good continuation from the original Mistborn trilogy. The fanservice and callbacks to OT characters/events felt like a bit much at some points, but was satisfying overall.

The subsequent books in the "Wax & Wayne" series are strong contenders for the best books in the Mistborn saga. Keep reading. You won't regret it.

As the opening to the series I found the development of characters and use of medals very interesting and creative. Brandon is a genius with concept development and always uses some unexpected turn in the plot line to change the focus of the story line. I love the series but was hooked after the first chapter. I was fascinated by the use of medals for power and how those powers were used for good or evil. it is a great read.

Great book. Love the authors style. I read this book a year after the mist born series which I loved, I found the book an excellent read, however the action scenes seemed a little too one sided, maybe because it had been awhile but the action seemed rushed. I like how it left it open for another series but I wonder if Sanderson will continue with this world. Worthy of 4 stars.

Brandon Sanderson can (generally) do no wrong. However, and very much unfortunately, this is one of those "generally" times. This book was originally envisioned as a novella and it gradually expanded into a short novel, and it shows. It feels rushed and lacking at times--the characters, while enjoyable at times, come across as awkward and their interactions forced; the world, which was so well realized in the original trilogy, is in desperate need of fleshing out (this takes place several hundred years after the events of the previous book, so a lot has obviously happened); and the secondary characters are barely noticeable. All in all, it feels like a second draft rather than complete novel, even--and I'm sorry for saying this, Mr. Sanderson--amateurish. Wax, the main hero, is fairly bland, and the love triangle between him, Steris, and Marasi does nothing for me. Marasi serves more as a plot device than an actual character--until the very end, that is. Thoughout the book she's just basically tagging along, acting as a love interest for Wax, but, at in the very end, her character comes alive. Again, all of is could have been prevented with a little more polishing because, just basing the few pages where she shines, Marasi could have been amazing.

I get the feeling that Sanderson was rushed to publish this, or was overworked at the time and didn't give it the proper time it needed to make the Alloy of Law on level with the original trilogy--this came out as Sanderson was in the process of completing the Wheel of Time series, so I'm assuming this is he main culprit. It's dissipointing, really, considering this book had just so much potential to be something amazing; its a classic case of what could have been, rather than what was.

With all that being said, this is not necessarily a bad book, it's actually rather fun, and that's why it's getting three stars rather than two. The action pieces are a blast, the antagonist is appropriately menacing, there's a nice twist at the end, the plot moves along nicely, and Wayne is one of the best characters Sanderson has ever written. It was just announced that the sequels will be coming out later next year and, hopefully, we'll get to see Wax, Wayne, and Marasi fully portrayed to their full potential.

A lighter read than the Mistborn trilogy proper, but just rollicking good fun. Plenty of great banter (which is very hard to do convincingly on the page so hats off to Mr Sanderson) and a page-turning plot. Plenty of scope to develop further, too, so here's hoping for a second trilogy!

I truly love the way Allomancy (which is one of the greatest fantasy inventions of all time!) has 'evolved' 300 years on from the days of Vin and Elend. It's basically a whole new ball game, but with a few familiar rules - fantastic.

As much as I loved "The Mistborn" Trilogy, I have to wonder the purpose of this book. It seemed to be a rambling repetition of the metallurgy we already knew of from the previous three books.

I tried tried to like the characters,but there wasn't enough time spent developing them. Instead Brandon chose to lecture us about the metals. Sorry mate, but that was a swing nd a miss after the trilogy.

As the opening to the series I found the development of characters and use of medals very interesting and creative. Brandon is a genius with concept development and always uses some unexpected turn in the plot line to change the focus of the story line. I love the series but was hooked after the first chapter. I was fascinated by the use of medals for power and how those powers were used for good or evil. it is a great read.

Great book. Love the authors style. I read this book a year after the mist born series which I loved, I found the book an excellent read, however the action scenes seemed a little too one sided, maybe because it had been awhile but the action seemed rushed. I like how it left it open for another series but I wonder if Sanderson will continue with this world. Worthy of 4 stars.

Brandon Sanderson can (generally) do no wrong. However, and very much unfortunately, this is one of those "generally" times. This book was originally envisioned as a novella and it gradually expanded into a short novel, and it shows. It feels rushed and lacking at times--the characters, while enjoyable at times, come across as awkward and their interactions forced; the world, which was so well realized in the original trilogy, is in desperate need of fleshing out (this takes place several hundred years after the events of the previous book, so a lot has obviously happened); and the secondary characters are barely noticeable. All in all, it feels like a second draft rather than complete novel, even--and I'm sorry for saying this, Mr. Sanderson--amateurish. Wax, the main hero, is fairly bland, and the love triangle between him, Steris, and Marasi does nothing for me. Marasi serves more as a plot device than an actual character--until the very end, that is. Thoughout the book she's just basically tagging along, acting as a love interest for Wax, but, at in the very end, her character comes alive. Again, all of is could have been prevented with a little more polishing because, just basing the few pages where she shines, Marasi could have been amazing.

I get the feeling that Sanderson was rushed to publish this, or was overworked at the time and didn't give it the proper time it needed to make the Alloy of Law on level with the original trilogy--this came out as Sanderson was in the process of completing the Wheel of Time series, so I'm assuming this is he main culprit. It's dissipointing, really, considering this book had just so much potential to be something amazing; its a classic case of what could have been, rather than what was.

With all that being said, this is not necessarily a bad book, it's actually rather fun, and that's why it's getting three stars rather than two. The action pieces are a blast, the antagonist is appropriately menacing, there's a nice twist at the end, the plot moves along nicely, and Wayne is one of the best characters Sanderson has ever written. It was just announced that the sequels will be coming out later next year and, hopefully, we'll get to see Wax, Wayne, and Marasi fully portrayed to their full potential.

A lighter read than the Mistborn trilogy proper, but just rollicking good fun. Plenty of great banter (which is very hard to do convincingly on the page so hats off to Mr Sanderson) and a page-turning plot. Plenty of scope to develop further, too, so here's hoping for a second trilogy!

I truly love the way Allomancy (which is one of the greatest fantasy inventions of all time!) has 'evolved' 300 years on from the days of Vin and Elend. It's basically a whole new ball game, but with a few familiar rules - fantastic.

As much as I loved "The Mistborn" Trilogy, I have to wonder the purpose of this book. It seemed to be a rambling repetition of the metallurgy we already knew of from the previous three books.

I tried tried to like the characters,but there wasn't enough time spent developing them. Instead Brandon chose to lecture us about the metals. Sorry mate, but that was a swing nd a miss after the trilogy.

I began with the stormlight archive and then read the mistborn trilogy. At first I didn't think Alloy of Law would be good as it is quite different but I enjoyed the humor and quick character development of this book. It feels like a short story though, if you've recently read the others.

I liked this even more than the first trilogy, and I'd enjoyed that quite a bit. It was interesting to see the magic system used in a somewhat higher technology setting (comparable to late 1800s or early 1900s America). Also, I enjoyed seeing in greater detail how Allomancy and Feruchemy interact, as well as new metals with new powers.

This was shorter and faster paced than the books of the original trilogy, to its benefit. I liked the main character and his companions, and kept eagerly turning the pages to find out what would happen to them next.

Enjoyable easy read in the same realm as the original trilogy. Explains one of the issues left open in the first series in a neat way. Not as "grand" as the original series as it does not deal with TEOTWAWKI rather how post mist born world develops and how those with more "lesser" superpowers cope but still a good read.
I would equate to Modesitt's Imager series as far as reabability and scope.

Loved this book. Sanderson's development of his Mistborn universe with this new trilogy is super exciting. Seeing his allomantic magic system transported to a western setting is fantastic. So much potential. Plowing through his second novel in this series now. Only sad thing is I only have one more book in the series after I finish number 2. :)