Shadows of Self: A Mistborn Novel

Sanderson does it again in a continually twisting, fast-paced story. The character development allows you to feel the characters more than before and one comes to enjoy their very human-ness in interactions with their own mythology... Quite awesome!

Eh...I LOVE, absolutely LOVE pretty much everything else Brandon Sanderson has ever written, especially the first three books in the Mistborn series. But these 4th and 5th installments set in the wild west, with characters that have clunky dialogue and thin character development read like they're written by someone else. Or by him on the side while he's focused on the other amazing series that I'm waiting on pins and needles for.

I'd skip these and just hold out for his other trilogies.

I’m a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson and of his Mistborn world. The original trilogy is one of my favorites, and I enjoyed “Alloy of Law” as well – even though it was a significant drop from the original three books. I have been eagerly awaiting the next release “Shadows of Self”. After finishing it, I’m somewhat disappointed. The truth is, I don’t think Wax and Wayne are big enough to carry the series on their own. They have their moments, sure……but this is not Vin or Kelsier. There is no Lord Ruler here or even a Sazed to really add the depth the series deserves.
I will give Sanderson props, because business did pick up at the end and he did a good job of tying this series back to the original three books. And that was needed because until the last quarter of the book, Shadows of Self was very forgettable. His decision to weave the Kandra and some of the lore from the first three stories really saved the book for me. Even with that though, I think “Shadows of Self” might be the weakest book I’ve read from Sanderson. I don’t know if it’s the more modern setting, or weaker main characters, or the feeling that there is really nothing critical at stake, but for whatever the reason, both of the Wayne and Wax books certainly feel inferior to me. I will continue to read the series because it’s Sanderson, but I think it’s time for me to lower my expectations for this storyline.

Great storyline, but if I could go back and do it again, I would reread the last book of the original Mistborn plot before reading this one. It would probably have helped in clarifying a lot of references while reading this one. But a fun story, well paced, and I can't wait for the next one!

in the sequel to Alloy of Law, Sanderson continues the story of Wax and Wayne, the two lawmen with extraordinary powers. But it is the subtleties and especially the humor that makes this book such a great read. It is fast paced, and written to the standards I now expect of Mr. Sanderson. The characters are flawed, funny, and very human. I stayed up all night reading it, and I don't regret that one bit!

I loved the Mistborn series...this book not so much. Placing the same type characters in a modern world just doesn't work for me. It removes so much of the fantasy that makes the predecessors so good. I sure hope Sanderson doesn't plan to continue to use a backdrop of a modern world or this will be the end of this series for me.

Incredible book. Much darker than most of Brandon Sanderson's others. There were absolutely tons of crazy references back to the original trilogy, which was excellent. The plot, too, was intricately woven with that of The Final Empire. Some amazing revelations were made, and some characters that may not have been your favorites before are becoming really interesting. There was real suspense, real terror, and a soul-grinding emotional climax for some of the characters. Absolutely fantastic!

3.5/5
Starting to get a bit bored with this series to be honest. I stuck through the first few books despite the slow first halves because of the epic endings, but even the great endings are not enough to make me want to continue. On a good note, there is a lot of character development and I loved references to the old characters like Vin, Elend, Sazed, and TenSoon. I'll probably end up reading the next book anyway because I am curious as to how the plot will continue to unfold.

It was good, but not as good as the original three. Also, I wished I had read the original three more recently, because this book relates back to the original three more than Alloy of Law, and I wished I could remember the details.

This was very convoluted and confusing even though I had read the previous book. Mr. Sanderson's machinations are beginning to resemble those of Mr. Webers "Safehold "series. I am seeing a pattern in the writing of Mr. Stirling, Mr.Weber and Mr. Sanderson. As their series' unfold , they either lose the sharp focus of the subject development or they are being paid by the word.

In my opinion this book is not worthy of original mistborn trilogy. It has an ok story and interesting world mechanics inherited from mistborn, but fails to deliver on story quality.

None of the heroes feels like a person, all of them are simply cliche archetypes and don't feel like a real persons. A trickster with predictable jokes, a strong women overlooked by men, a hero in depression, they're all boring.

I've read most of the Sanderdon books and their strong points always were epicness, "magic" mechanics etc. this time he decided to focus on heroes and unfortunately it didn't work.

On the other hand, the third part of the book with more action than heroes thoughts it even becomes exciting and really interesting.

The flow is extremely soft, and the head of the shower just doesn't seem wife enough. The fixtures itself is very limiting on the height, so this definately isn't for taller people (anyone over 5'6").

3-1/2 stars

As much as I love the characters in this series, I'm probably done with it at this point. In the fifth Mistborn installment, which is the second novel of the new generation, our story picks up about a year after the events in book #4 ended. Not much has changed during that time and Wax and his friends once again find themselves doing investigative work while chasing after a murderer.

The good: Oh, how I love Wax, Wayne, Marasi, and Milan. They're all great characters and the interaction between Wayne and Milan was especially entertaining. They had me laughing out loud a few times.

The bad: The religion. Sigh. This is what I didn't like about the original Mistborn series. It got too heavily religious at the end. Granted, it's based on fantasy religions but it's still involving higher powers with the ability to speak to humans and interfere. It just doesn't do it for me. This is not what I want from the fantasy genre.

The ugly: The newspaper sections. I see what Sanderson was trying to do and applaud his creativity, but it was forced and, frankly, took me away from the action in the story for too long. Since I was listening to the audio book it was especially painful because I could not fast forward through these parts that did nothing to carry the story forward.

The narrator was, once again, Michael Kramer and he really outdid himself this time. The section where Wayne and Milan were showing off their abilities to speak using different accents was nothing short of genius! What a talent to be able to change to different voices and dialects with such high skill. I wondered if Sanderson was thinking about how much work he was setting up for Kramer, knowing he would be reading the audio version. I'm sure Kramer's stellar work here is appreciated by the author. He has finally earned an A+ from me!

While I never really liked Brandon Sanderson’s first Mistborn trilogy very much, I enjoyed last years Shadows of Self enough that I was able to go back and reread the original trilogy and now can’t say why I disliked them so much. Shadows of Self ended up being one of my favorite release of last year and while it’s still only January, it’s already looking like that might be the case again with this newest Mistborn book.

The Bands of Mourning is a fast-paced and complex story that I found myself unable to put down from start to finish — I’m honestly a little surprised I wasn’t late to work the day I started reading it.

I don’t think I can properly say how much I enjoyed this book, I can’t count the number of times I found myself on my feet while reading it, pacing back and forth across my bedroom trying to process what I had just read, or wishing that I knew anyone else who had read it yet, just so I could talk to someone about it. While Brandon managed to answer most of the questions I had after finishing Shadows of Self last year, he somehow managed to leave me with twice as many following the end of Bands of Mourning, it drives me crazy he manages to do this every single book. I have so many new theories on the series and on the Cosmere in general following the completion of this book that I’m afraid the wait for the next in the series might actually kill me.

Great plot and amazing writing aside, I would say my favorite part of this book is the characters. Wax and Wayne are just fun to read about, especially when they are in scenes together, or when Wax is trying to get them out of whatever trouble Wayne has somehow managed to cause them. Even Steris and her cousin Marasi each managed to break out of their shell and manage to stand on their own and support Wax and Wayne in their adventure. One of the most interesting parts of this book was getting a deeper look into the personal history of Wax and Wayne — I hope this becomes a trend that we see more of in the next book.

The only real complaint I have about The Bands of Mourning is the same one I have about all of Brandon’s books, that it ended. I don’t know what I’m going to do, or what I’m going to read while I wait for the next book in the series to release.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read/listen to fantasy because I love the world building, the epic-ness of everything, the great battle scenes, and the characters. I always find the characters to be so full of life and passion, and their trials are never easy. Of course, they wouldn't be called trials if they were, but that isn't the point. The trials manage to catch our characters by surprise at times. They can be elbow deep in one trial and have truths revealed about previous trials that jeopardize their current path.

Sanderson does this flawlessly.

I didn't go into this book thinking I'd cry. In fact, I grab fantasy because no matter how involved they are, I'm not likely to shed a tear. And sometimes, it's that kind of buildup, that kind of magic, that catches me by surprise when the tears start to fall.

This is twice--minimum--that Sanderson has pulled tears from me. This is twice--minimum--that I have hurt for his characters. This is twice--minimum--that I have wished for the ability to go back in time to change things for those very characters who have me in tears now. Those same characters who are completely altered because of a few learned truths and revelations while in the middle of a near impossible trial.

Wax and Wayne are probably some of my favorite characters. There is chemistry, humor, love of brotherhood. There is something so real, so intricately woven, that Wax and Wayne are dependent upon each other, even when they believe they are not.

And the addition of Marasai and MeLaan (pardon my spelling, I listened to this awesomeness) that rounds out this little crew. Some could say a crew reminiscent of that of the Survivor. Each with their own strength, each with their own weakness, each with their own heart and mind. This crew will battle something big and I can't wait to see it happen. Not because I want to lose any of these members, but because Sanderson knows how to write a battle scene.

Can I say that I loved (view spoiler)

This is one of those rare times when I figured out something before it was actually revealed. I'm not sure why or what hit me to cause such a revelation within myself, but I did figure it out.
However, it was no less exciting or surprising when Wax and Wayne finally came to the same conclusion.

And what do I do now? The library has a waitlist 8 (I imagine this number was much more ridiculous when the book was released, but I didn't expect so many people to be listening to it now!) people deep and I need more Wax and Wayne. I need to know how Wax handles the aftermath of SoS. I need to know if he marries Steris. I need to know if something cool happens for Marasai. I also need to know what in the world is going on!

I Like Steris. I was told I would like her in the 3rd book, but at the first exchange in this book I completely approved of her character. She is practical, accepts the things she cannot change, and prepares for every inevitability, if possible. She's rather amazing.

The Prologue had me lost until I figured out it was in the past. I suppose it's good we see how Wax and Lessie met, but I still didn't care about her. Nothing was ever developed enough to actually make me care. And then the ending of the book... a turn I figured out a few minutes before Wax did, and he had to have it spelled out for him. Oh. Ow. What a mindf***.

This book was difficult to put down, it was that good. It's been awhile since I've felt that way. These characters are strong, the story line takes constant twists, and results are sometimes unexpected. And we are left with another mystery, so the next book is already on my shelf!

Shadows of Self is book five in the Mistborn series, but book two of the second era the series spans. The first three were cataloguing the end of the prior era, this one is more in the industrial revolution. Things like electricity and cars are new inventions, sharing space with horses, trains and, of course, more traditional allomantic modes of travel and entertainment. The mix is intriguing, but feels real and natural, a plausible world that supports the story without trying too much.

But the true strength of the Mistborn series, and this book in particular, is the cast of characters. I love how Wax, cool and powerful, is paired with Wayne, irreverent and chaotic, while Marasi just gets better and better, sleuthing and holding her own. And new character, MeLaan, I love her. I knew her already from having read book 6 first (don’t do that by the way; read them in order), but now I love her even more.

Yes, Shadows of Self features awesome characters in its own right, but I love that it doesn’t leave behind those from the original trilogy. Statues, lore, and kandra memories keep Vin, Elend, and Kelsier alive in tiny but meaningful ways. I thought it was interesting how average (well, sort of average) folks like Wax and the others recall the mythology, and how it’s impacted the steampunky modern Elendel.

As for the action, there’s a ton of it. And it’s mixed in with a fair share of intrigue. The bad guys are mysterious, evil, and really good at doing what they’re doing. Still, there seem to be a lot of coinshot chases, though I suppose that makes sense since Wax is a coinshot. I don’t mind, though. I think I’d be terrified and exhilarated, and it’s fun trying to picture it.

So, just in case you couldn’t tell by the tone of the review thus far, I loved this book. I would recommend Shadows of Self and the Mistborn series to fans of epic fantasy, action, magic, and humor. The world building and realistic, complex characters make it a joy to read, and likely reread.

I received the review copy of this book from the publisher. I wrote this review for the blog at Puretextuality.com.

I enjoy reading how the world of Scadrial has evolved along with technology, and how Allomancy and Feruchemistry are woven in. It's a steampunk meets western meets Sanderson. And it's fun.
There are great parallels to our society. With more mobility and transience comes less ownership and more instability.
"You had to adapt. Move. Change. That was good, but it could also threaten identity, connection, and sense of purpose." (middle of chapter 6)

It began with some of Wax and Wayne's history, which was fun. I'd love more of their back story! And it gave me a better perspective of the difference in age between the two. Wayne's immaturity is quite annoying though, given the fact that he's really not all that young.

And yet, his humor made me chuckle, even in the more sober and darker moments.

I find Stenis interesting, not boring; Marasi is fascinating and intriguing, especially with her detail to stats.
Wax's uncle is worse than I imagined.

Where coins were once used for Pushing, now bullets and their casings are. Yet they're still called Coinshots.

When Wayne first went to meet MeLaan, I was confused.

I really liked seeing more of kandra and their abilities - and limitations! MeLaan's explanation as to why hair is annoying was perfect. I also like how they're not this eerie unknown presence, like in the first trilogy.

That. Ending.
What the hell, Sanderson? What is that? Is that needed? Was that really needed.
*heartbroken*

Is there a typo on page 84 of the MMPB (towards the beginning of chapter 5)?:
"[...] treat every woman like she has an older brother what is stronger than you are?"
Should 'what' instead be that?

Shadows of Self (2015) is the fifth Fantasy novel in the Mistborn series, following The Alloy of Law. The initial volume in this sequence is Mistborn.

In the previous volume, Wax faced a serial killer in Weathering who was holding Lessie as a hostage. Lessie signaled him to shoot on the count of three and he fired at the man's head. Unfortunately, the killer turned aside just as he fired and the bullet hit Lessie.

Wax received a letter stating that his father and sister were dead. Now he was the Lord of Ladrian. He was rather bored with the social crowd and tired of trying to mend his own reputation.

Wax dropped off the balcony of his current host and started cruising the local area. He found a shootout between the local crooks and some constables and tried to help. He aimed at an outlaw, but just couldn't shoot. His memories of Lessie's death made him freeze.

His butler scolded him about interfering with the constables. He pointed out that Wax had other responsibilities now. The Ladrian holdings and people were depending upon him.

In this novel, Waxillium Ladrian is a lawman in Elendel. Wax is Twinborn, having both the Allomancy talent of Steel and the Feruchemy talent of Iron. He was married to Lessie, but now is engaged to Steris.

Wayne is Wax's assistant. He has a flexible view of property and a remarkable feel for accents. He is also Twinborn, having the Allomancy talent of Bendalloy and the Feruchemy talent of Gold.

Lord Harms is a nobleman of Elendel. He has two daughters: Steris is his legitimate daughter and Marasi is not.

Lessie was Wax's first love. She had been killed during a facedown with Bloody Tan.

Marksman is an Allomancer. He has been robbing banks and other businesses within Elendel.

Lord Winsting Innate is a crime lord in the Second Octant. He is also the brother of the Governor.

Harmony is the god of Preservation and Ruin. He uses the Faceless Ones as his messengers.

Bleeder is a kandra, a Faceless One. She is psychotic and her mind is inaccessible to Harmony.

In this story, Wax first met Lessie in the Roughs. She climbed into a saloon through a back window. She claimed to be a bounty hunter.

Seventeen years after her death, Wax is a Lawman within the city. He is a special constable and allowed to pursue lawbreakers through the streets. Now he is after Marksman.

Wax is sitting in the study reading a book and taking notes. Steris is talking about wedding invitations. Wax is somewhat aware of her comments, but not really paying attention.

Then Wayne rushes into the house and up to the study. He excitedly says that Marksman has robbed the First Union Bank. Wax grabs his hat and guns before following Wayne down the stairs.

He pauses on the doorsteps because of the motor car parked before the door. It is being driven by Marasi. Wax wishes for a horse and carriage, but gets into the car.

They see Marksman flying through the traffic. Wax jumps out of the car and gets on the roof. Marasi follows Marksman, but Wax flies after him. Wax shoots at Marksman and hits him in the shoulder. Now Marksman is leaving a trail of banknotes and blood.

He is heading for the Breakouts slum. Wax is right behind him when he sees Bloody Tan among the bystanders. He breaks off his pursuit of Marksman and goes after Bloody Tan. But the man has disappeared.

Wax and Wayne go into the Breakouts looking for Marksman. Despite Wax's order, Marasi follows them into the slum. Wax and Marasi asks a few dwellers about Marksman.

Wayne learns the slum dialect from a beggar and trades for his cap. Then he goes to sit on a doorstep across from Wax and Marasi. He talks to the slum dwellers in their own language.

When the slum dwellers depart, Wayne follows one to where Marksman is hiding. Wayne sets up a bubble of fast time extending into the building. He goes through a window and pulls Marksman out of the room.

Unfortunately, Marksman is shot with a crossbow bolt. Then the shooter gets behind them and Wayne shoots him in the head. Now there isn't anyone to question.

Later, Wax is called to the address of Lord Winsting. Someone has shot four people in the house and the rest killed each other. Winsting was killed in his safe room and his bodyguards were shot in the back.

This tale has Wax communicating with Harmony. He is told that Bleeder is planning on bringing down the government. She is rousing the commoners to cause riots. Harmony cannot take over her mind because she has removed one of the spikes that keep her sane.

Bleeder has anticipated everything Wax tries. The next installment in this sequence is The Bands of Mourning.

Highly recommended for Sanderson fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

Shadows of Self is a book that was not supposed to be but perhaps instead was meant to be. Brandon Sanderson has long voiced his plan to revisit the Mistborn universe with an urban fantasy featuring essentially contemporary technology. But the famously hardworking and productive Sanderson needed a “break” between long books and decided to pound out a short book. That short book turned into The Alloy of Law, and Sanderson liked what he had so much he decided to turn it into a trilogy. And it shows in that Shadows of Self is much more concerned with the broader Mistborn world (and the broader Cosmere) and in telling a big story than The Allow of Law. It is sometimes disjointed, but also combines fascinating temporal worldbuilding and kickass characters.

Shadows of Self finds former Roughs (think Wild West) still back in the city and acting as a semi-official constable (think Batman without a secret identity).

Wax is one of the most powerful lords in Elendel, can use his metal-based abilities to traverse the city in great leaps and turn coins into projectiles as deadly as the bullets from his gun, and wields his powers fighting crime as a semi-legal constable. So basically he’s Batman without a secret identity. He’s joined in crime fighting by Wayne—an irreverent conman who can slow down time and heal himself—and Marasi—a solicitor-turned-constable who wields the power of empirical research.

Marasi’s new role in the constabulary as aide to constable-general Aradel (the Gordon to Wax’s Batman) breaks her free of her sometimes third-wheel status in The Allow of Law. She works as an effective adjunct to Wax’s story and plays an important, independent role of her own. She remains adorable in her earnestness and data-geekery.

Wayne can be super annoying, and too many of his jokes I don’t find enjoyable (there were some pretty funny, implicitly dirty jokes in there—I don’t remember so many from the first book). We learn a bit more about his past though, and the parts dwelling on his mastery of disguise are a highlight.

Wax’s fiancée Steris has a very small role but steal every scene she is in because Sanderson imbues all of her scenes with a tremendous dry humor (and I greatly prefer that to his more usual witticisims). Aradel is another highlight.

This is indisputably Wax’s book (and series), though. All of the other characters are moving in his orbit, to their frequent chagrin. He does have a very particular set of skills. Skills he acquired as a lawman in the Roughs. Skills that make him a nightmare for criminals. But he is ill-prepared for what he is to face in Shadows of Self when he sees the face of Bloody Tan in a crowd while chasing down a robber. The same Bloody Tan Wax’s lover Lessie died bringing to justice. Meanwhile, the governor’s brother and half the criminal bosses in the city are killed at his mansion. Fiction is kind of all about heaping pain and conflict on your characters and Wax suffers more than any man should bear here.

Sanderson does something in Shadows of Self similar to what Larry Correia does with his Grimnoir Chronicles by introducing major new elements in the second book of the trilogy instead of really building off of the events of the first, with the idea presumably being to tie the two together and build off both in the final volume. (Cormac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy is an example that does this to an extreme, with the first two books entirely independent of each other.) He does tie back to the events of the first book (albeit really only to the events at one end).

Sanderson is known for his action scenes and his elaborate, rule-based magic systems. Shadows of Self features that, but to a lesser degree than The Alloy of Law. Instead we get characterization and lots and lots of worldbuilding. There are lots of callbacks and tie-ins with the original series. Sanderson does something really cool in exploring the ramifications of the monumental events of the original series three hundred years later. But he also keeps a light enough touch not to turn off readers (like me) who haven’t read the original series or readers not into that sort of thing. It also appears to have an important tie to the larger Cosmere.

Sanderson as always is adept at pacing, plot structure, and packing one hell of an emotional wallop.

Second in the Wax and Wayne subseries and fifth in the Mistborn science fiction series with this series revolving around Waxillium Ladrian, his friends, and his family and Wayne. It's been a year since The Alloy of Law , 4.

In 2015, Shadows of Self was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Fantasy.

My Take
This conspiracy is a blend of science fiction, detective work, and past history — theirs and ours (it's our Industrial Revolution all over again) — with the focus on the kandra about whom we learn so much.

Do NOT skip the prologue! It's a short tale of Wax's early days in the Roughs (17 years ago) when he first meets Lessie. Wax has obviously come a long way since then, lol. There was just too much to enjoy in the prologue from the truth about Destroyer, how long Wayne has been the way he is, and Wax's determination to garner a reputation, to have a “thing”. If it weren't Mistborn, I'd be thinking Wax has been watching too much Zorro what with his planning to jump from the second floor into Destroyer's saddle, *more laughter*

For all that I hated what Wax had to do in The Alloy of Law , I'm beginning to think Steris is perfect for him. She's a stoic who plans for every eventuality, so I think Wax will be a challenge for her and an unexpected relief for Wax.

I did love that scene in which Wax “drops in” on the governor and challenges his ability to protect himself. Do read the broadsides Sanderson sprinkles throughout the book. It brings that flavor of the Old West and pious hypocrisy in nicely.

We're learning more about the Wisdom of Wayne, lol. I much prefer Wayne's version of it to Edwarn's. Wait'll you read the scene in the bank. The lesson Edwarn tried to instill in the twelve-year-old Wax. The one that saw Jendel jump off a bridge. And Wayne's approach to life provides a nice counterpoint to the drama of Bleeder. Although, when I got right down to it, there really wasn't a lot of tension. Yes, drama existed, and I was dang curious to see how they'd figure it all out, but nope, not much real tension.

Back to Wayne with his theories on language (delicate doughnut??) and hats, his ability to blend, the extremes he'll go to get someone's goat, his straightforward approach to life — those poor maids! I am curious as to how he intends to get everyone drunk.

I do like the relationship Marasi has with Aradel. She speaks her mind, and Aradel accepts and appreciates it. Both can see where there is room for improvement in their society as well as within the constabulary. I do like these positive promises! On the other hand, some of Aradel's expectations leave Marasi's self-esteem in the dust.

What was that comment Bleeder made about not having killed Wax's father yet? His dad is dead. Then there's the revelation about Harmony pushing Bleeder too hard.

I really, really hate to say this, but Edwarn did give me something to think about. I still hate the man, but…dang…

It'll be interesting to see if anything changes for Wax, constabulary-wise. Seems he's not making himself at all popular with his freewheelin' actions.

There are opposing actions at the end. Ah, geez. Oh, man. The ending. That awful ending. Aradel has it so much better than Wax after those truths Wax learns, that break him. And there's the new conflict, that bloody cliffhanger Sanderson drops in.

The Story
Mistborn is evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy growing, democracy contending with corruption, and religion becoming a growing bone of contention.

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

Wax and Wayne, assisted by the lovely and brilliant Marasi, must unravel the conspiracy before civil strife stops Mistborn’s progress in its tracks.

The Characters
Lord Waxillium "Wax" Ladrian of House Ladrian, a.k.a., Dawnshot (his grandmother insists his name should have been Asinthew), had been a lawman in the wild Roughs until he was forced home by tragedy to save his house. He's also a Twinborn, a Coinshot who can Push off a dropped piece of metal and a Feruchemist who can use his metalminds to reduce his weight. Since events in The Alloy of Law , Wax has a special deputized forbearance in the constabulary. Destroyer was his placid horse in the Roughs. The earring Wax wears is a Hemalurgic spike that allows him to converse with his god. Vindication and Sterrion are the guns Ranette made for him. Darriance is the forbearing house butler. Hoid is the coachman.

Wayne became Wax's irreverent deputy when he was sixteen (he's a, supposedly, former thief) as well as a Twinborn who uses bendalloy to fuel his Allomancy as a Slider (create a bubble of compressed time around himself) with the Feruchemical ability to heal fast, a Bloodmaker. He's an observant cuss and can blend in anywhere. Ranette is a good friend, a Lurcher, and a gunsmith.

Steris, Lady Harms, is Wax's fiancée, the boring one. What a fascinating switch she proves! Wax suggests she invite Douglas Venture for his reliability, lol. Lord Jackstom Harms is her wealthy father. Lieutenant Marasi Colms, Lady Colms, is Steris' half-sister (and a bastard) who's in love with Wax and gave up her law career to become a constable, hugely disappointing her mother.

The City of Elendel is…
…the capital of Mistborn. Lord Replar Innate is the governor. Drim is a friend and his chief bodyguard and head of security. Lord Winsting Innate is the governor's corrupt, lazy brother, an Allomancer who can shape emotions, and the head of House Innate. Flog is his bodyguard. Blome tends bar.

Lord Stenet is into textiles; Lord Bookers and Lady Shayna are boring; the Lekals could be a power; Lady ZoBell is having a party; and, Donton is the secretary of education.

The constables are…
…divided into Octants. Constable-general Claude Aradel (who has no noble blood) who hired Marasi as his aide, commands in the Fourth Octant. Captain Reddi hates Marasi. Lieutenants Caberel, Mereline, and Taudr are other female constables. Lieutenants Ahlstrom and Javies (who will command a field team), Corporal Maindew, and Constables Terri and Miklin (who runs the records office) are under Aradel's command. Chip is a contract Coinshot.

The Breakouts is a slum where the people take care of each other. For a price. The Village is a Terris neighborhood where Elder Vwafendal, Wax's grandmother, lives. Razal is one of the troublemakers. Idashwy is a Terrismen Steelrunner who left the Village.

The Set is…
…a criminal organization with Edwarn Ladrian, Wax's uncle, a.k.a., Mister Suit, as one of its leaders. The Marksman is an Allomancer who robs the rich and is connected to the Set.

Other crooks in Elendel include Dowser Maline who runs smuggling ops; Lord Hughes Entrone, cousin and confidant to the head of House Entrone; Darm; Chip Erikell, a Third Octant smuggler; Isabaline Frellia; Lady Lentin; and, the Hammondeses.

Dims is the leader of a street gang who introduces Wayne to gum. The Cobblers are a rival street gang. Madam Penfor, a.k.a., the Tyrant of Pashadon, guards the gates. Allriandre is the daughter of the man Wayne shot. Clotilde. I think Tim Vashin invented the motorcar. Red is a boatman. Mirabell, a statistician and psychologist in the third century, wrote Mirabell's Rules which Marasi loves. Sophi Tarcsel is the daughter of Remington Tarcsel, the inventor of the incandescent light. Professor Hanlanaze is a mathematician whom Sophi sees as a thief. Rame Maldor wrote the paper on the Higgins effect. House Cett owns Ashweather Company, a taxi service using Barrington coaches. Chapaou drives coach sixteen. Other drivers include Jone and Forgeron. Johnst caused the flood.

The various religions include…
…Survivorists who believe in Kell; Father Bin was a Survivorist. The Pathians believe Harmony is their god but one whom they are forbidden to worship. Larkspur is a Pathian.

The kandra are…
…the Faceless Immortals who can take in the bones of the dead to mimic that person. The kandra had been created from mistwraiths by the Lord Ruler using Hemalurgy, and in their original form, they have emerald skeletons and transparent heads. Now they are considered the hands of Harmony. Their homeland is in the tunnels beneath the Fields of Rebirth in Elendel. TenSoon, the Guardian, is an Immortal who prefers the shape of a wolfhound. Paalm, a.k.a., Bleeder, is Third Generation Immortal and older than Harmony, and she's gone insane. Milan, a.k.a., MeLaan, is a kandra sent to help Wax.

Harmony, the Hero of Ages, who had been Sazed, now holds both Ruin and Preservation, the old world's former gods, to give himself balance. His name is also a form of expletive.

The Roughs are…
…the Wild West of Mistborn. Granite Joe was a notorious outlaw the naive Wax is hunting. Lessie is another bounty hunter whom Wax meets for the first time. The Boris brothers intend to kill Wax. Bloody Tan is the outlaw who caused Lessie to be killed. Ape Manton, the Dashir boys, Rick Stranger, and more are enemies whom Steris sorts by threat level. Jon Deadfinger was the lawman who had mentored Wax.

A Metalborn is a person born with one of the three Metallic Arts: Allomancy in which a person draws power from an external source; Feruchemy neither gains nor loses power but requires metal as a focus; and, Hemalurgy is a dark art that steals a Metalborn's Allomantic or Feruchemical abilities. When two spikes are in the body, Harmony can control them; with one spike, the person can do as they like with their powers. A Twinborn is a person born with an Allomantic power and a Feruchemical power. Aluminum cannot be affected by Allomantic power. Of the Metalborn, Soothers mellow out your emotions (Mistress Halex runs a Soothing parlor); Rioters rouse them up; Lurchers can pull iron to them; Steelrunners can store up speed; and, Coinshots Pull on metals.

Vin was the Ascendant Warrior, and Elend had been the Last Emperor. Ironeyes is Marsh; he gave Lestibournes' book to Wax. I think the Catacendre was the last battle in The Hero of Ages , 3, or it could have been the first three stories?? Kell was the Survivor. The Originators had included the Lord Mistborn (Hammond), Lady Truth, and Edgard Ladrian (Wax's ancestor). Kredik Shaw had been the Lord Ruler's palace.

A conner is a cop. Scadrial is the name of their planet. Expletives include Rust and Ruin , rusting , and Harmony.

The Cover and Title
The cover is gray, so depressing you'd think you were back in the ash. We're inside a house with huge windows with a belligerent looking Wax, staring off to the right in his black duster and black suit, pulling a steampunk-looking pistol from his holster while a focused Marasi stands behind him in her fitted black suit and white blouse, straggly hair hanging on both sides of her face, glaring off to the left.

The title is a reference to what Wax learns at the end, those Shadows of Self.

This is the 5th book in the Mistborn series overall and the second of the books featuring Wax and Wayne (which are set a few generations after the original Mistborn trilogy). I continue to struggle with this series a bit; I just don’t like the characters and setting as much as the original Mistborn series.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook is very well done. The narrator does a great job with character voices and emotion.

Despite my struggle with engaging with this world and characters I still think this is a well written western fantasy. I loved the magic systems throughout the book and enjoyed all the historical references to the original series.

There is quite a bit of intrigue and action throughout; the story is well paced and things are wrapped up nicely. I just constantly found myself drifting and losing interest in both the story and the characters. I had the same issue with Alloy of Law; so if you enjoyed Alloy of Law you will probably enjoy this book. If you didn’t enjoy Allow of Law I would skip this one.

Overall this is a decent continuation of the Wax and Wayne Mistborn books. I personally don’t enjoy these characters and the world as much as the original Mistborn trilogy. However, I know a lot of people really continue to love these books and they are well written. I won’t be reading the last book of this series because I just don’t care...however if you loved Alloy of Law I think you will enjoy this book as well.

This book was fantastic. There were some parts where I was a little bored thus 4 instead of 5 stars, but in general it was amazing. Great characters that I fell in love with in the last book I got to know and love even more. The story was awesome. I also really liked the city the story takes place in and getting to fly through it on adventures with the Wax the protagonist. Again Wayne was as charming as ever. A scoundrel you can't help but love. Without giving anything away I'll just say that the antagonist not only seems impossible to beat (not saying he/she is beat) but also turns out to have a huge twist on who they are that I didn't see coming. It was a well crafted story.

Brandon Sanderson has delivered another great book in the Mistborn series. However, this one suffers from itsy bitsy plot holes* that when put together make for an imperfect, yet enjoyable, story. I loved the twists at the end, especially the introduction of new hemalurgic creatures that proved the Steel Inquisitors weren't anywhere near the outer limits of his twisted imagination. I also like the way he humanized Steris. She doesn't have much "screen time" in this book, but all of the time we do get to spend with her really changes her into a fully realized three-dimensional character rather than just the shrew we met in the first book (although she did get a nice moment towards the end of that one). It would have been easy to go the expected route with the Wax/Steris/Marasi triangle, and I give kudos to Sanderson for not doing it. There's still no romance in this book but there IS unexpected tragedy, which genuinely pulled at my heartstrings in a way that no other book in this series has done so far. I was really genuinely moved by the main twist (which I will not spoil here). I was also glad that a moment I frankly didn't care for in the first Wax & Wayne book actually meant something much more than it appeared to mean in the first book. I didn't even mention it in my original review of that book because it wasn't a huge bother, but just the fact that Sanderson was able to take a worn and frankly annoying trope* and turn it on its head in such a heart-wrenching way is proof of his prowess as a writer. This is also an improvement on how he deals with the overall mythos of the Mistborn world. I didn't care for the introduction of "Ruin" and "Preservation" as antagonists and felt the story was best when characters were fighting other humans (albeit all-powerful, super evil humans) rather than ancient Gods of the Cosmere and other scifi mumbo jumbo. But this book handles the situation delicately and even though the enemy isn't human, at least the scale of action is on a human scale, along with the pain and devastation.

To be honest, this book is almost review proof. If you loved the first Wax & Wayne book, you're obviously going to read this. If you love the Mistborn series, you're obviously going to read this. Nothing I say will change that but if there's anyone out there considering reading this without having first read every other Mistborn book, I encourage you not to jump in with this one. It won't make a lick of sense and the stakes won't mean anything to you unless you have the full background of the previous stories.

Can't wait to crack open Bands of Mourning. It's sitting right next to my computer ready to be devoured the instant I click "submit" on this review.

*This will be detailed in the comments section to avoid spoilers.

SHADOWS OF SELF was one of my most-anticipated reads of the year. I fell in love with Brandon Sanderson’s work over my first read of MISTBORN, became obsessed with his Reckoners Trilogy, and really just can’t get enough of the Mistborn world. SHADOWS OF SELF definitely continued the wild ride in this incredible fantasy world and left me wanting even more!

One thing I noted in my read of THE ALLOY OF LAW was that it was hard for me to switch to a whole new cast of characters since it picks up a few hundred years after the first three Mistborn books. I was hoping to connect more to the characters in SHADOWS OF SELF and I definitely think I got there but I also feel like I’m still not as into them as I was with the characters of the original trilogy. I’m not sure if it’s Wax’s logical and law-abiding nature that’s throwing me off (I love emotional rogues) or the fact that there really isn’t a transition from old characters to new since this takes place so much further after the original timeline but I still wasn’t quite making it to the same level of love as I had with the first three books.

The character connection is really my only “complaint” about these books, though. I just adore Brandon Sanderson’s writing and I’m continuously amazed how things tie together. There are things that were present in the first three or four books that I got answers for in SHADOWS OF SELF and it’s a totally mind-blowing experience because I didn’t even know I was missing a piece of the puzzle until it was exposed. Sanderson is constantly expanding the world, coming up with new ways to build on previous events, adding more aspects to the rules of the magic system, and really just continuing to grow absolutely everything that he’s already established. I love that it all feels natural and whether that was the plan the whole time or he came up with this concepts as he went along, the books really do feel like one big giant piece.

The reveals at the end of the book, as always, were simply amazing. Again, pieces I didn’t even know I was missing popped up and all at once, everything clicked and I was presented with even more questions about everyone’s situation. Ties are made THE ALLOY OF LAW, the Mistborn trilogy, and even things that pre-date MISTBORN. The craftsmanship of these novels is simply remarkable and always leave me wanting more!

There was also a lot more connection to the original books in SHADOWS OF SELF as well which easily made me totally geek out. It was so exciting to see specific characters referenced by name, in specific places, and their legacies found within legends. I was so happy to see so much more of the original trilogy referenced because it really brought even more feelings to the surface.

It’s hard to really get into detail in a review when it’s the fifth book in a series but if you’re reading this review and you haven’t started on the Mistborn books yet, all I can tell you is DO IT. I find it hard to believe that someone can be disappointed with them because everything is just so well done. I’m constantly dying for more and I cannot wait to see how this trio of books closes out!

My review today is for Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson.

A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I read The Alloy of Law and was instantly a big fan. A awesome blend of western setting and fantasy. Fabulous magic system. Magnificent characters, the duo of Wax and Wayne is an instant classic. That being said Shadows of Self well…lets see…was even better!

I really enjoyed this book. I felt this book was more, complex somehow, a little deeper in it’s scope and vision. This one had a more grand purpose for the characters and the story as a whole. Its a little hard for me to describe. I guess it is a little more epic than the first book. That will happen we you are dealing with Faceless Immortal’s and the God’s themselves.

There was plenty of Allomancy and Feruchemy magic involved this time around as well, with something new from the Kandra Faceless Immortal. A very well done magic system, I am always amazed at the complexity Mr. Sanderson shows. The real stars of the show are the characters. Waxillium and good ol’ Wayne. I must say Wayne is one of my all time favorite characters, any scene with Wayne is must read! Marasi is also back to round out this dynamic trio. The word building is in depth and spectacular. There is much more of the history of the Mistborn world and its religious lore in this book. I felt like I had a pretty good grasp on this, but not having read the first trilogy may have put me at a disadvantage. I never felt lost but more back story from reading those books I am sure would have been even better. I have got to get to reading those books!

Overall this is another outstanding book by Brandon Sanderson. I have yet to read anything by him that is not outstanding. I am a big fan of this series and I am thrilled that The Bands of Mourning will be out very soon! I urge you all to read these books. You will not be disappointed.

As you know if you have read my reviews before I am not about long reviews with synopsis and spoilers. I just give my opinion on my experience with this book and you can take it from there. Now on to the next book.

4.5/5 STARS - mightythorjrs

Sanderson does it again! The Master of Magic and Twist Endings comes through in the Fifth book in his Mistborn Series.

In this episode, we find Wax, Wayne, and Marasi struggling to keep Elendel together as this time, Sanderson's heroes find themselves on the side of nobility during the attempted overthrow. It is interesting as they work with the Governor and the Police force to try and keep the city from ripping itself apart as an outsider continues to stir the pot, creating resentment and conflict between all the different factions in town.

As a major fan of Sanderson's, I read with a constant eye towards trying to figure out the big twist ending that is characteristic of every one of his books. This book does not disappoint! It is a classic Sanderson finish that will leave you shaking your head, and overjoyed when you find out the rest of the story is only a few short months away. Bands of Mourning comes out January 26th!

This wouldn't be a series where I would recommend starting in the middle. Alloy of Law, the book before this one, rebooted the series somewhat but you would be missing half the humor and references if you have read the original trilogy. Go back and get the box set of the original, actually, expand that to find everything that he has out there!!!

The second novel of the second phase of the Mistborn series - this novel has a lot of predecessors to live up to. That would be a daunting task for any author worth his/her salt, considering that science-fiction and fantasy readers are a discerning lot.

This being Brandon Sanderson, he carries on nonetheless - generating gems like Stormlight series, Elantris, Warbreaker, etc. and this!

Continuing the experiences of the legendary lawmen Wax and Wayne, post their return to Elendel, all the while discerning the pattern of the larger sequence of happenings between Harmony, Set, etc. while dealing with a crisis worthy of their legendary status.

The writing is fresh, the language is interesting, the magic is logical, the characters multi-dimensional, the wit sparkling, the interactions believable and the pace is crisp. Multi-layered and intelligent, and refreshing. And it's not just a straight good-vs-bad story - repercussions of existence of magic on the lives of people, on development, on society - the different shades of grey - the bigger picture due to small incidents - all are well interwoven into this story.

All in all, a worthy book to be a pride on any bookshelf...

Shadows of Self reads like a murder mystery, with small twists at about every one-third of the book, and a big twist at the end. The twist at the end was really good - I’d put it at the same level as Mistborn #2’s ending. There’s also some food for thought Cosmere-wise (regarding the larger world that Sanderson's books take place in).

Characters were mostly one-note, nothing much to talk about. Wayne was quite amusing; there was also a glimpse of something more, of some hidden layers. Steris was interesting but she’s barely around - I’d like to see her play a bigger role in the next 2 books.

Overall: Full marks for the plot, average for everything else - that brings it to 4 stars.

I do confess that my memory is not the best, and it was 3 years since I read book 4. But that is why this book was so good. It worked splendidly as a stand alone. And note, yes this is book 5, no this is not book 5. The first 3 books is a trilogy, book 4 and 5 takes place 300 years later and form their own series, and a continuation.

Wax, a nobleman, and former lawman in the wild west, is trying to keep his house together and investigate what's happening in the city. To help him he has Wayne (who is weird, and good), and Marise, a cop. The investigation does not keep them all together, they are out doing their own things.

I need to get back to that whole western comment. Yes this is fantasy, but society has evolved and they now have steam, guns and even electricity. And the outskirts are still a bit wild. And magic is still around too, but if you know Sanderson then you know his magic is always unique. That is why I am a Sandeson fangirl after all.

Back to the story. There is unrest in the city, people are upset, food is scarce, and someone is trying to start a rebellion. And we can't have society burn to ash again now can we?

Conclusion:
Good characters, a nice story and mystery, and as always, a awesome world and magic system. At least two more books are coming, and since a thing was mentioned at the end, oh it made me so very very curious. I will just wait for the next one then.

Returning to the world of Mistborn centuries after the original trilogy and the world's technology has finally evolved. Trains, guns and booze, everything you'd expect from a good western but with what we love from the Mistborn world, Allomancy and Feruchemy. Waxillium Ladrian left his privileged home in the city out into the wilds to serve as a lawman. After a traumatic experience and the death of his uncle, he returns home to take care of the family estate and business. But after a series of train robberies, Wax picks up his guns again.

My favorite part of this series is how it ties back in to the original trilogy. The religions of this time are based around the characters and ideas from those novels. Things we learned about allomancy, feruchemy, hemalurgy, and kandra. This is the world we know but evolved. It is really interesting to see how Sanderson did that.

Waximillium (Wax) and Wayne investigate a strange mass murder that leads them on a trail of intrigue to eventually the gods themselves. Years ago, Wax lost the love of his life, and suddenly he sees the man responsible for her death. But he’s supposed to be dead as well.

Shadows of Self is a solid, standalone story in Sanderson’s Mistborn universe. Sanderson does an incredible job of worldbuilding, and his novels never fail to impress. This latest Mistborn novel is full of suspense, mystery, magic, and mysticism. The story is riveting and the characters are vivid and engaging. And while there is a lot of story already set in this universe, this novel can still be fully appreciated if you’ve never read anything else in the saga. Though the magic/mysticism wont make as much sense. But there’s a nice, comprehensive glossary in the back, if you want to find out more about the laws of this unique fantasy world. Don’t miss this epic fantasy series.

Terribly boring story that I gave up on after 125 pages. If you can't hook me within that number of pages, experience tells me the rest of the book won't fare much better. I don't know what it is about Sanderson's books...some of them hook me right from the beginning, yet some of them not at all...seeming like another person entirely is writing them. There are times when Sanderson tries so hard to make a memorable, eccentric character he desperately wants us to love....but just completely turns me off. The prime example of that in this book was Wayne, who became incredibly annoying very quickly. Instead of coming off as a wry, casual cad (as I think Sanderson was intending), he comes off as childish, moronic or borderline mentally ill...hardly someone to root for or even care about. Even with the element of pathos Sanderson tried to graft onto Wayne, I just didn't care for the character. Add to that the dull minutia that Sanderson ladled onto the city, the society, and every character, and it became less about world building and more about wracking up page count (which is what brought down Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" saga....and ironically the series Sanderson was brought in to clean up and conclude). The Mistborn books have always been very uneven in quality (for whatever reason), and this book is the final straw for me. However this pseudo-Steampunk epic wraps up, I no longer care enough about any of these characters to find out.

Allow of law was great but this one got away from him. All of the promise and excitement of the first book is totally lost here, there is no fast paced excitement no intrigue. The true tragedy of Wax & Wayne is they are saddled with and bogged down by the baggage of the Mistborn universe. I loved the original Mistborn trilogy but that lore being forced upon these characters is a boot that just doesn't fit.

It does get moderately better with bands of morning, but I feel Brandon Completely missed an opportunity and should have either given these guys their own world or left Alloy of Law as a stand alone adventure

This is a good book. To some extent the rest of thoughts are superfluous, because this is a good book through and through. Exciting, interesting, with surprises until the end. I have only two complaints. Some of the characters are caricatures, uninteresting to say the least. Wayne is at the top of this list, used by Sanderson for occasional and uninteresting one-liners. The other complaint that brings this book down to 4 stars, in my humble opinion, is the world building. Sanderson has turned this series, to some extent, into historical fiction. Of course, the magic element persists, but I simple had the feeling too much in this book as though he had set the story in turn of the century America or England, rather than in a world unto itself. I must admit that I find such elements of so-called world building to be indicative of laziness and lack of imagination than anything else. In a world with Allomancers and the like, scientific and social changes still occur at precisely the rate and in the same order that they did in our world? One needs little imagination to conceive otherwise.

But these mar a book that is, at bottom, well plotted and exciting. If you enjoyed The Alloy of Law, you will enjoy Shadows of Self. I simply find both books inferior to the original Mistborn book, before it became an extended trilogy. On to The Bands of Mourning

Brandon Sanderson is one of the best authors I've ever read. He's very versatile, being able to write both books for both adults and teens, and he does a truly spectacular job fleshing out the world of each novel, of giving each character depth, of being able to write dialogue as if he is thinking from that person's point of view, regardless of which sex, and even human of not human. Each world has something different about it, something unique which gives it it's spark, gives it the magic.

I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed by any of his books. And this one is no exception. WIth Sanderson's books, it's not whether or not it's good or bad, it's simply the degree of how good it is. Was it good, or was it excellent.

The only issue I have with Mr Sanderson is that he takes some time to publish each novel, so as some reviewers have suggested, you might want to reread previous books in the series, to refresh your memory. I read hundreds of kindle books and this is one disadvantage of kindle books.- those indie kindle authors are in a race to publish as often as possible as possible to remain fresh in reader's minds, (Chris Nuttall is the leader I think- a new book every 3 to 6 weeks for the last few years- no joke)

Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did! Have a great day and thanks for reading!

A must! Go ahead! It only gets better!

What a ride!! Wayne is the funniest, most original hero I ever had the pleasure to "meet,". Even more than Deadpool ;)
I found every character to be exactly to my liking, and even though some say the story is less epic than the previous books, I didn't feel so. There were just enough epic stuff to entertain me. Last, though I did get the usual "book blues" when I finished it, it's the first time I got it because I related to a character, rather than the usual "uff, my book ended"

Sanderson has lost his mojo on this one. The first 2 books in this series with their complex, evolving characters and finely drawn consistent universe left me with high expectations. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. This is not really a continuation of the earlier books.The story is rather simplistic and the characters seem to be straight out of a comic book or an SF space opera. The only thing it has in common with the other 2 is the existence of the characters' "allomantic" abilities.

I enjoyed the predecessor to this book, Alloy of Law, but so loved the historically preceding series set in the same world that it felt somehow less than. To fully enjoy this new book however I recommend reading not only Alloy of Law, but the series that precedes it. Shadows of Self changed my mind.

This book is rich in characters that you can't help caring about with personalities so clearly drawn that they feel totally real. The quirky Wayne is one of the most original and somehow like able characters I have met in fiction. Wax's drive and pushiness are both admired and resented by those around him. Marasi continues to develop in new ways and the plot line is suspenseful and increasingly relentless.

The world feels like early 1900's Chicago with magic thrown in. The politics and the reactions of the general public ring so very true in a way only the best novels can capture. The interplay of religion, politics, spirituality, and the result of driving even good individuals to the breaking point are blended into a mix one can only pray for.... normally.

This a fine novel and a very enjoyable read to savor and someday soon read again.

I listened to the audio version, Sanderson is currently my favorite author. The mistborn series had made it to the top of my favorites list and I have read a LOT of fantasy (Zimmer Bradly, all of them(adore her Dark over books), Robin Hobb love them all, Raymond Feist, Brent Weeks, George Martin, and so many more I can't remember)I the listed names are favorites and I highly recommend them... But the Mistborn holds a special place for me. The Magic system is so truly unique, and Sanderson's charchter development is unrivaled. This next book in the series even beats out Alloy of Law in my opinion, with so many more tie ins to the first Mistborn Trilogy. For any fantasy fan the Mistborn books are a must, the newest release of Shadows of Self is an excellent continuation... if you liked Alloy of Law (and have read the first Mistborn books) this one is an absolute must read , again I thought it was even better than the first reboot.

I also appreciate that he always uses the same voice actors, after a few of his audio versions I fell in love with Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. I'm chewing through the wheel of time only because it has the same narrators, and Sanderson finished the series... it's slow to me, but the narrators make it worth it, as well as knowing at the end Brandon Sanderson wrote the last few books.

I can't speak highly enough of Sanderson

"Shadows of Self" is the 5th book in Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" series (the 2nd of the "Wax and Wayne" sub-series). The writing follows right in the footsteps of the previous book (with maybe a bit more tie-in to the original trilogy). So, if you enjoyed that, you'll enjoy this. I'm rating it at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.

The novels currently in Sanderson's "Mistborn" series are:

1, 2, and 3. Mistborn Trilogy
4. The Alloy of Law: A Mistborn Novel
5. Shadows of Self (Mistborn)

Seldom do you read a book so breathtaking, so intricate, so exhilarating as Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson. Geared for an adult audience, Sanderson sucked me into his novel through his authentic, lovable characters, meticulous world-building, and fast-paced plot. Part science fiction, part fantasy, and part steam-punk, I would definitely recommend this five-star book to teenagers and adults looking for an adventurous and exciting read.

I couldn’t put this book down. Right from the first chapter, I was hooked. The sequel to Alloy of Law, the book begins with a similar tone, light and fun, but turns darker and grittier. By then the plot had accelerated to a speed so fast that I was turning pages so quickly I hardly noticed the change in tone. Waxillium Ladrian, a lawman turned lord, lives capital city of Elendel, in the world of Scadrial. He works with his best friend, Wayne, and the beautiful constable, Marasi, to fight crime in the city. The novel begins with Wax, Wayne, and Marasi investigating a series of murders which happen around the city, at the direction of the god Harmony. The victims are seemingly random: minor politicians, religious figures, civilians. Waxillium is always a step behind, always grasping at straws to find out the murder’s motives and design. Throughout the pages a sense of incompletion grows. Something is missing, something big. In the usual Sanderson style, everything suddenly clicks into place during the climax, feeling like a punch to the gut. It was heartbreaking, thrilling, and terrible all at the same time. Readers will not be disappointed with this electrifying story line, which both resolves itself and leaves one wishing for the next installment.

However enticing this book is, be forewarned: it has elements that might bother some people. There are a lot of swear words (h*** and d***), some crude jokes, and violent imagery. For this reason I would recommend this book to mature teenagers and adults.

Something I loved about this story was the characters. They feel like old friends, but continue to learn and change like any human would. Throughout the story, intimate details and the inner struggles of each character are revealed, making them real. Wax struggles with the death of the love of his life, his soon-to-be arranged marriage, and the ever-changing concepts of law and justice. Wayne, hiding behind his hilarious and inane comments, carries around the guilt of past mistakes. Marasi tries to deal with the stigma of being one of few female constables and the sting of her rejected love for Waxillium. Sanderson’s characters seem like real people, someone to laugh, cry, and empathize with.

As in any Sanderson book, the world in which the characters live is beautifully crafted. Small details, from progressing technology, to the different aspects of developing culture, to religion, bring the novel to life. Broadsheet pages serve as interludes between chapters and intricate maps propel the terrain into the reader’s imagination. The world of Scadrial seems so real; so human. The authenticity and complexity of society, politics, ethics, and day-to-day life create a relatable yet intriguing world. Even more brilliant is the magic system, seamlessly integrated into the story and the lives of those on Scadrial. Completely unique, it is based on the idea that certain metals, when ingested or when piecing the skin, can enhance or draw upon an ability. Waxillium can store his physical weight in iron, and can ingest steel to “push” on nearby sources of metal, while Wayne can store physical health in gold, and can speed up time with bendalloy (377). Scadrial is an exciting, different world, contributing to the sheer wonderfulness of Shadows of Self.

Like any good book, this novel had layers. Waxillium struggles with his identity and his perception of justice. Who is he really? A lawman, enforcing justice for the greater good, or a lord confined to a life of responsibility? And what is justice? Something defined by a government or something intrinsic? Wax’s struggle resonated with me, and really made me think. Another theme throughout this book was the ability to choose. If a god knows everything, and places people accordingly, is there any aspect of choice? I came away believing that although bad things happen to the characters, they were able to make their own decisions. Perhaps the gods can guide individuals only if they let them. The deepness of this book sets it apart from the usual plot-driven science fiction.

Shadows of Self is a five-star novel that teens and adults looking for an exciting read will love. It is well-written, relatable, and thoroughly enjoyable. And who knows? Perhaps the reader of this book will join the legions of Brandon Sanderson fans who love the magic of his writing.

It's been a while since I've read a Mistborn novel, so it was quite a departure from the Stormlight Archive series. However, I must say, although it is a large departure from his epic series, I found this novel quite compelling. It moves much faster than the Stormlight series (being a third of the length) and seems more action and character focused. The novel reminds me of watching a season of Arrow, if Oliver Queen publicly declared himself as the hero.
I haven't read the other Mistborn novels in about three years, but I could really feel the sense of history instilled into this world from what came before. That being said, this novel also worked well on its own, and I was able to jump into the story despite it being nearly three years since I read The Alloy of Law.
I particularly enjoyed scenes from Wayne's point of view, as I was truly able to understand his unique, odd personality. His quirks made those rare moments when he had genuine, deep feelings all the more impactful, especially when he visited the girl whose father he killed.
As always, Mr. Sanderson provided a great twist at the end that I kind of saw coming. However, he then follows this twist (the kandra's identity), with an even greater twist that I was not expecting, going deeper than the first twist. I won't post spoilers here, but this twist left me feeling much as Wax did at the conclusion of the novel, though I look forward to the next one and seeing how he deals with this grim revelation.

I recommend this review to those who already read the book, as I am going to point out some specific moments of the plot.

I consider myself to be a rather rabid Brandon Sanderson's fan. I understand his flaws and his limitations as a writer, but I always end up enjoying his stories. More often than not I feel Sanderson out-thinking me when I try to predict the resolution of the plot in his books; unfortunately, this is not the case with Shadows of Self.

From the first act of the novel I was able to predict most of its ending, and although beautifully written, this one falls short in the pacing, character development, and overall enjoyment while reading. It feels like a story that is dragged out: a lot of running back and forth, poor character exploration and overused archetypes (even for Brandon Sanderson), weak jokes (Wayne's personality feels forced and one-dimensional, even when Sanderson tries to introduce some depth into the character's background story). Weak character's motives, and a story riddled with cliché plot moments. The worst of all was trying to expand upon his Cosmere universe by bending and breaking the rules of the magic system that made the Mistborn series so unique, for a scene that failed to deliver the "awesomeness" expected from the series. (Hemalurgy zombies, seriously?)

Overall, I finished the book with a bitter taste in my mouth. The problem with being such an excellent writer- one such as Brandon Sanderson- is setting the fans expectations high. While expecting more of the brilliantly paced The Alloy of Law, what I got was a book that felt like a parody of the series that came before it. Reused elements such as "who is the real Kandra killer?" - used in The Well of Ascension, a moment that was brilliantly done in the original trilogy, in this one felt rehashed and predictable. The main character's motivations felt flat, and the main villains' felt forced and convoluted (specially the reasoning behind the Set's actions).

Again, I am a big fan of Brandon Sanderson's work, however, this book feels more like a short, incomplete plot, quickly put together. Especially at the absurd price Tor is asking for it, I would not recommend it to anyone but the most loyal of his fans.

A worthy successor to the Mistborn trilogy. I enjoyed the Alloy of Law, but really got caught up with the sequel. And like most of Mr. Sanderson's books, this one has a very satisfying conclusion while taking the time to explore all the twists and turns that a reader would want to explore in this universe's characters, setting, and magic. My only complaint is that, because I read the prequel a year ago, I was lost in the beginning, and had to go to Wikipedia to recall what happened in the first novel and review the characters. Usually novels give enough information, but for me it wasn't enough. Then again, in this modern world, this is only a minor inconvenience. More, please!

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy about a world where powers come from ingesting metal ended with the destruction and rebuilding of that world with one of the characters becoming its god. The first tale of Waxillium Ladrian, a lawman from the rough who returns home to take up his position as a Lord of Elendel who apprehends criminals on the side. It’s a year later. He’s engaged to a lovely woman whose family has helped restore his family’s fortunes. Then the Governor’s brother is murdered while selling his vote on council to criminal elements (also murdered) A crazed immortal being who can assume the shape of anyone is responsible. Wax has to face these Shadows of Self (hard from Tor) with the help of his friends, his fiancee, and another of those immortal creatures sent to help. Exciting. Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press

This one’s a conspiracy thriller set in the world Brandon Sanderson created in his first novel Elantris. It’s not really an entry-level book, as it contains new words and terminology from page 1. But once you get started, the book catches you up. People in this world have super-powers and magic and alchemy that seasons the standard conspiracy bits.

Conveniently for me, there’s a table in the back that describes powers and magic and objects and metals and such. I did a lot of flipping.

The main characters are named Wax and Wayne, a pun that I find almost unforgivable, to the point of being mad at Sanderson for coming up with it. My rage grew white-hot as I progressed through the book. But then I thought: Could I have resisted such a pun if I came across the opportunity? And so, finding myself in Sanderson’s shoes, my anger subsided. You’ll have no such outrage if you find the Wax/Wayne pun tolerable, or if you love puns for some ungodly reason. It also helps that the book is pretty good. ( by Joe Crowe , http://www.RevolutionSF.com)

I've enjoyed many of Sanderson's novels, including the Mistborn Trilogy. This story started out pretty good, then wham - the next chapter is 17 years later and the story restarts. I just never got into this new main story line and found it difficult to care about the characters. For me it was an arduous read and I was glad when it was finally over. Overall the book was okay, but I'll pass on any further books in this series.

Having read the entire Mistborn series up until this book, the Stormlight series, and a number of Sanderson's short stories within the course of a few months, I can only say that the Wax & Wayne series compares unfavorably to the rest of Sanderson's work. The series reads a bit closer to fanfiction. The biggest issue is that the characters are annoying and hard to relate with. You get the feeling that Wax (and the rest of the main characters) views himself as this heroic figure who always does the right thing and has the correct moral compass. However, I felt that the Arandel really hit the nail on the head when he said that Wax created just as much trouble as he solved, was high-handed and self-centered, and generally lacked empathy for people other than himself. For example, Wax barges into crime scenes with no regard for the preservation of the scene and does whatever he wants with the evidence (ignoring how this will impact the other detective or prosecution). Wax also plays fast-and-loose with criminal procedure. I understand how in the Roughs he was the law and police, but as a deputized lawkeeper if he doesn't follow the law he is no better than the criminals he catches. I have no respect for his abuse of his position of power to get away with his criminal procedure breaches. I understand the need for character development, and that making Wax too perfect early on in a four-part book would be problematic, but I can't help but feel like Wax has become worse in the course of two books rather than better.

Secondly, and I have noticed this in other of Sanderson's books, Sanderson has this need to reward the main male character with a beautiful love interest or find someone to pair everyone up with. Romantic love is important, but it trivializes other relationships like mentorship, friendship, and respect for your colleagues. For example, Marasi is a bright and beautiful young woman with a great future before her. However, she just happens to fall in love with Wax, a significantly older gentleman. Why couldn't she become the daughter that Lessi and Wax never had and been his student? Why did she have to have feelings for Wax as opposed to Wax combating one-sided feelings for a Lessi-replacement? In fact, Steris actually seems like the more appropriate match for Wax, being able to support him from the shadows and handle the day-to-day aspect of his single-minded life.

Finally, I never understood why Sanderson always felt the need to make his characters so belligerent. For example, when someone tells Wayne not to stir up trouble because his "temper was short" that night, Wayne feels the need to make a pun about the size of that man's endowment. You would think that someone like Wayne who is supposed to be great at blending in would know how not to draw attention to himself when he was going to a bar to spy. It feels like Sanderson thought the line was clever and just put it in to give his character a semblance of wit.

That being said, the plot was interesting and the choice of villain was ingenious. The final plot twist was great even if it did smack a bit of deus ex machina. I also liked the attempts at world building and physics. It is interesting that Sanderson chooses to limit each person to two abilities each and the dynamics of only using two abilities. While Sanderson has to explain away some physics issues (such as how Sazed had to burn pewter to use his increased weight without hurting himself and how Sazed gained in size when using strength and how Wax does not grow larger when gaining weight and smaller when losing it) by adding extra abilities to some powers and narrating over other discrepancies, I do like the concept of fewer powers and more strategic uses of each.

I loved that Alloy of Law, at least seemingly, was a stand alone book in the new world created at the end of the Mistborn, which is why I was sorely disappointed to then find so much of Shadows of Self relying on the characters of the original trilogy. I found this book to limp along as well and take a very long time to get into any of the action. Once it did get into the action it was a flash in the pan.

As are most all of Sanderson's books, this was phenomenal. There is a little too much cursing for my liking but it's far better than most.
The plot ties in quite nicely though the characters are a little more happy go lucky than the original series. The original three mistborn were my favorite for their grimdark nature, I with this had had a little more of that to it.
We have the Reckoners for our cheesy comedy, he should lay it to rest in the mistborn, which I thought a should stay more mature(like the first three).

Thoroughly enjoyable plot, fantastic characters, and set in the Mistborn world...all I could want in a book. It didn't have the wow-factor that the original Mistborn trilogy had until the last fourth, where some things are revealed and an old character returns, but I still loved reading about Wax and Wayne and Marasi, and look forward to the next book!

Good continuation of the story line from Alloy of Law. More questions are answered about main characters and the plot and action continue to evolve. Brandon Sanderson continues to provide solid story telling and character development that have you invested in the worlds he creates. Definitely a worthwhile read.

I love Sanderson's books. Shadows of Self does not disappoint. He brings in elements of the original trilogy to answer--and ask--a myriad of questions. He touches on religion, the nature of free-will, and politics. His character development is spot on, as always. This is a must read if you're a fan of any of the cosmere books.

While most of the events in this book take place very close together, there still seems to be a drawn out feel to it. However, Sanderson lives up to the intense action, suspense, and twists that he usually does so well. Written in a academic lounge through the minds of various characters and surprising twists, the book held up to the quality of the original trio of mistborn books. I recommend this book if you invested this far in the series for a sharp plot, political undertones similar to the original book, and even a few familiar characters that you may recognize. Good luck and enjoy :)

This book was definitely more plot-driven. I liked the references to the other Mistborn novels and incorporation of characters from Well of Ascension and Hero of Ages. You really feel for Wax in this story. I'm sure Bands of Mourning won't disappoint.

I love the Mistborn world and where this new trilogy has gone. Book 2 was a little bit slow in the beginning, but it picked up nicely about half way through. And the twists and reveals at the end were perfect. It's a great addition to the Mistborn series.

I am very impressed with the plot complexity in the Mistborn series; Sanderson does an exceptional job coming up with a complex mystery that you get to work through over several books. For me, Shadows of Self seemed a bit too similar to some of the previous Mistborn novels, and, though it was going for that, it wasn't as compelling for me. I really did enjoy some twists right at the very end though, and am quite interested in seeing how they play out in the next book. Without those twists I probably wouldn't have been as into reading the next one.

Stating upfront that I'm a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson. I will always ready anything he has written. This book however did not impress me as much as his others. Some of the reveals came out of no where and I'm not sure where the series is heading. While I like it, I feel the original Mystborn novels were better.

This book continues the exploration of the epochs of the books world Scadriel. The mix of industrial revolution style changes and wild west mystique blend well. The expansion of the world, and the growth of the characters and the best of all the mentions of the previous characters from the Mistborn trilogy. The cosmology is intriguing, and the world is well built. A good read. Mr. Sanderson is exceedingly prolific, and is maintaining an astounding number of series simultaneously.

I love the original Mistborn series and I felt like the tone and feeling was different for this book, though I still appreciated it I do prefer the mood and I feel quality of writing in the original Mistborne series.

Still a fantastic read, a serious revealer at the end.

Thanks Brandon for a phenomenal adventure!

A fun, enjoyable continuation in the mistborn series. Furthers the plot, forces you to consider unexpected possibilities, and alludes to another stronger villain. Can't wait to read Bands of Mourning.

I'll admit that this one has some spectacular moments, particularly with Wayne. It's been a long time since I read the first Wax and Wayne book, and I recommend you go through it again if you haven't in a while because this one has a lot of back references I didn't get at first. Action, fun, suspense, and magic make this a very fun read.

This book is really entertaining and Sanderson is a master of combining comedy and action. Wax is the main character but Wayne is the star of this one. I laughed out loud many times during this one. Highly recommended.

This is a must read if you're a fan of Mistborn, of course. Make sure to have read Alloy of Law prior, since this is a sequel.

There are plenty of twists and turns. This one is also particularly dark compared to Alloy of Law, although Mistborn tends to be a bit dark. It's a relatively fast read but definitely worth it. It's just fantastic!

Great addition to Mistborn universe. Really enjoyed the western twist. Wild West with magic. Wish I didnt have to review a book to provide a star rating so the store can take this off my suggestions list and let their algorithm do its magic.

Wow, just...Wow! This was one of those books that, not only do I like, I will ponder for weeks--no, months--until the next book comes out, and even longer. I loved the first one. Wayne was hilarious, Wax was awesome, and the same is true in this book. Except this book had a powerful story, the stakes were higher, more was lost.

It's hard to talk about just how awesome this book is without spoiling some of it. So you'll just have to take my word on this. If you liked Mistborn or An Alloy of Law (basically any Sanderson books) you will love this.

I have to say that I'm pretty disappointed in this book. The original three Mistborn books were fantastic. I couldn't put them down. I even liked Alloy of Law. This book really let me down. I think the main issue is that Wax just isn't that great of a character. He's too perfect. There's really no thrills as you know he's capable in every single situation. I enjoyed the chapters about Wayne a lot more as he is more flawed and feels more detailed. And his problem solving was always enjoyable.

I also felt that the writing wasn't up to Brandon Sanderson's normal level. At points, I felt that it was tedious to get through his descriptions. It almost felt like he didn't have enough material to fill up an entire book, so he went overboard on his descriptions. I struggled through the vast majority of this book and only finished it because I wanted to know how it ended. The ending was interesting, and didn't see it coming, but that didn't save this book for me.

I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to buy Bands of Mourning yet as I'm not sure that this series of books is as good as other series by Sanderson like The Stormlight Archive, Mistborn and The Reckoners. I might wait for a while until the book is more properly priced at around $5 instead of $14.99.