The Bands of Mourning: A Mistborn Novel

Bands of Mourning is a good novel, but the problem is Sanderson writes exceptional novels, not good ones. Between the random MeLaan fanservice, blatantly obvious plot elements (eg, Telsin), and overall generic trope-ified nature it feels more like one of those series where a B-team comes in to create additional content, and never hits the quality level of the original author. The original Mistborn novels were unique in that they subverted tropes. Bands of Mourning does not. It panders to them. Overall, one of Sanderson's weaker novels.

After the somewhat weaker Shadows of Self, Bands of Mourning is, if not a return to form, at least a definite improvement. Alloy of Law had a certain charm to it that both of the subsequent books lacked, but by this third book we've weathered the most jarring elements of the change of direction for the series. Where the first book is a smaller scale more personal tale with some "big picture" hooks, the second one felt like a segue to an apocalyptic scenario. By this third one, we're well on our way to discovering how the fabric of the universe is in danger, and Sanderson is back in his element as he continues detailed and interesting world building.

In some way, of course, the only question is does Sanderson deliver on a solid third part? I think the answer is definitely yes. I mean, you'd only read this after the first two books, and so whether or not to read this is fairly straightforward. If you liked the series so far, read it. It's a mild improvement over the second one. If you didn't like the series, I doubt anything here will shock you into enjoyment.

One question I definitely have after reading this one is how many more books the series will take to finish. With the way it's building now, one book seems like it would feel rushed. But too many more and it will start to feel artificially stretched out.

Let me preface by saying that I have read everything by Brandon Sanderson and he is my favorite author!!! I was kind of disappointed with "Band of Mourning" because it was an average book that seem a little rushed. Don't get me wrong "Bands of Mourning" is a good book but not up to Brandon Sanderson's usual high standard of excellence. Some elements of the book seemed farfetched and not believable. A lot of complexity was added to the mistborn world that didn't add much to the plot in my opinion.

I still recommend you read this because the first two 'Wax/Wayne' books are great and I am sure the fourth and final book will be great as well. It is the high-expectation we all hold Brandon Sanderson that makes it a 3-Star Brandon Sanderson book.

I've enjoyed this latest book in the miss Bourne series. The last couple of books were just OK for me. I'm glad that it finally picked up pace became intriguing and introduce new elements that previously were lacking to make the story have more rich depth. I look forward to the finale.

I have been reading Sanderson since 2007. I have taken vacation days from work to read his new releases. This book, however, I found difficult to be interesting. I finally finished it and mostly just felt cheated.

I have to admit, I was kind of down on Brandon Sanderson's work for awhile after reading the final book in the Mistborn trilogy (this was a few years back). I kept thinking, ugh, another new metal (or alloy). So I stayed away from the Wax & Wayne books for a long time. Then I got offered this book to review and I decided to give Sanderson's world another chance. I read Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self immediately before Bands of Mourning, and I actually enjoyed all three quite a bit. (So much that I jumped right in and read Words of Radiance immediately after -- I guess I needed more of a Sanderson fix.)

So that is one point in this book's favor. After reading all three of the current Wax & Wayne books in a row (this being the third), I wanted to jump into the next one. Only, it's not even written yet so I have to wait awhile. For what it's worth, this is definitely not going to work as a standalone. You need to read the previous two Wax & Wayne books (titles in the previous paragraph) and it pays to have some knowledge of the Mistborn trilogy as well (it doesn't have to be in-depth knowledge; I read those books probably more than five years ago and I remembered and/or was reminded of enough over the course of reading to understand what was going on).

Anyway, like the other two Wax & Wayne books, this one was fairly short (I think just over 300 pages though I was reading it on Kindle so I'm not 100% sure) and very fast-paced. Definitely a quick read. And there weren't any slow parts. I think Sanderson's weakness is explaining background information; it can be painful to read (like in Alloy of Law when Wax is getting up to speed on the train robberies). But there just isn't much of that here, and the book is better because of it.

You'll meet much the same cast of characters here as in the previous books, with a few new ones and a few surprises. I think one of the strengths of this book is the character development. As an example, in Alloy of Law, I didn't care for Steris at all. But now I really like her. She has her strengths and they contribute uniquely to getting the "good guys" out of trouble a few times. And her strengths are developed in little bits of relevant plot detail over time. It's skillfully done. Wayne matures a bit as well (and does something surprising at the end of the book, but it really all makes sense in the end).

This book jettisons *some* of the YA feel of the previous two books. Sanderson gets a bit edgier with some of his language (can't repeat here for fear of the the store censors). Wayne doesn't do quite as many disguises and accents (which always felt a little childish to me). Anyway, I'm happy with the changes.

There are definitely repeated elements from other Sanderson books; I guess this ties in to the whole Cosmere thing (that I am not really following, like at all). The different combinations of allomantic and feruchemical abilities (these are types of magic if you're unfamiliar with these books) remind me a lot of the various combinations of attributes of the Knights Radiant from Words of Radiance. Steris and Wax spend a lot of time going over accounting ledgers in this book and that is something Shallan has to deal with in Words of Radiance. (Thank goodness there are no spren here...)

Another strength of this book for me (and for the others in the Wax & Wayne series) is the ending. I'm not going to drop any spoilers, but there was a revelation about one character (most definitely not out of nowhere -- there was support for it when the characters reflect on things later) that I didn't see coming. On the other hand, there are a lot of last-minute developments that Sanderson is going to have to tie up in the fourth Wax & Wayne book. If anyone can tie stuff up like that, it's Sanderson, but it is a lot of ground to cover.

Also, I know there's been a lot of discussion on the web about how Mistborn was set in a more traditional fantasy world, the Wax & Wayne books are supposed to be like steampunk, and then there will be another series in a science fiction setting. All along, the steampunk has pretty much been guns and a few small bits of technology (lights and trains and so forth). But there is a bigger steampunk element in this book and I do like the way it ties in with allomancy. Much better than gears and engines and such.

In the end, this was a pretty fun book. If you liked the previous two Wax & Wayne books, you will definitely like this. I think this was stronger than Shadows of Self, so if you were unsure whether to continue, know that the series gets better. 4.5 stars.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

I am so very disappointed in this book. The story was good, that is why I finished it, but I was very unhappy about all of the sexual content. Wayne, who was delightful in the first two books, can only think of perverted sexual desires and has one encounter. Ranette is homosexual. All if this is totally unnecessary to the storyline. Why have any of it in there? I have always trusted Brandon Sanderson to write exciting but clean books. Why he decided to vary with this one has been very distubing. I can no longer recommend him freely. It really ruined the book for me.I am very sad and disappointed.

I am blown away by all of the five-star reviews. This is far and away the worst of the "Mistborn" series for several reasons.

The plot was cluttered with so much extra crap that it felt like my grandmother's living room. There are like 500 different systems of magic, each one with its own obscure set of rules. It's totally impossible to get the hang of one system before another one is introduced.

It's hard to care about the many conspiracies mentioned because the author doesn't spend enough time on any of them to actually build a story arch.

And was anyone else wondering what happened to character development? The work of the first two novels in the series felt like it was thrown out the window. Why build romantic tension between Wax and Marasi for two full books if you were just going to pull the rug out from under it in the third book? Wax is sullen and uninteresting throughout. Wayne is still somewhat delightful, but he kind of felt a prop for the other characters to use at their leisure. The only character to get a bit of depth was Steris. But her development felt like too little too late to me.

I liked all the previous books. But this one felt like empty word salad to me.

I loved every single minute of this ride!

Wax and Wayne are back at it! And they've brought along Marasai, Sterris, and MeeLan.
Can I just say that if I had to live before electricity--and in a world where allomancy exists--I'd like to be friends with Wax and Wayne. A girl can hope, right?!

Every push, every pull, every speed bubble, every single word on every single page (or in this case every word spoken in my ear because...audio) held more depth, more meaning, more secrets than the one before it. You can never be too prepared when you surround yourself with Wax and Wayne, as Sterris proves time and time again.

And let's just talk about how incredibly fantastic Sterris is in this book! Can we?! Oh, that girl and her lists and her careful planning and her entire demeanor. She grows so much from Alloy of Law to Bands of Mourning. Alloy of Law Sterris would have never gone on this little expedition with Wax. Never.

But as Sterris has quickly learned, the safest place is closest to Wax. And that's where you'll find her.

Wayne is perfect. Again. As usual.
Marasai is still ambitious, determined, and she seems more sure of herself and her ability than ever before.
MeeLan is as interesting as the next Kandra. Or maybe she's just as interesting as TenSoon, but I love her. And I love how seamlessly she fits in with Wax, Wayne, and Marasai.

Bands of Mourning brings us new characters, new magic, new technology, and new possibilities. It's one hell of a ride and I am impatiently waiting for the next (and last) installment of Wax and Wayne.

**I listened to Michael Kramer narrate this and he did a stunning job. I knew when we were following Wax, Wayne, and Marasai. There was never any confusion and hearing his many accents for the different characters is always a treat.

Well, Brandon Sanderson has done it again! This is another great book that I thoroughly enjoyed. (Quick note: If you're like me you might have assumed that series would end with this (the third book), so you'll probably be pleasantly surprised to find out that he plans on writing one more!)

Bands of Mourning brings back all of our favorite characters from the last two books, but adds more action and twists than what we've seen thus far. Out of these last three "Mistborn" books I would have to say that this is my favorite. If you got a little tired when reading the last two-- don't give up! This one will make it worth it. It does start off a little bit slow, but continues to pick up speed as the story progresses.

It incorporates more technology than previously used, and even though I am a huge fan of allomancy I didn't find myself resentful of the use of technology and I actually think it adds to the story pretty well.

It is a little more crude than most (if not all) of his other books, but it's still much cleaner than most fantasy and if were I a parent I would still let my kids read it.

There were a few times where the characters and plot were a little too predictable or stupid, but this was definitely made up for by the real emotion that they showed in other parts and the plot twists that caught me completely off guard.

If you're new to the world of Brandon Sanderson, don't start with this book-- you should read all five "Mistorborn" books that come before this one. If that's too much-- at the very least go back and read the previous two ("Alloy of Law" and "Shadows of Self").

*Spoilers below

I actually really appreciated that Wax and Steris fall in love before their marriage. Too many times, characters in books experience the type of romance that must nearly always be a fantasy. In my experience, true love and respect often come slowly and softly. Sorry if you were on "team Marasi." :)

I also really liked how Wax and Marasi both got to experience the Bands of Mourning but then willingly gave them up-- and the story gets to continue with both of them pretty much as they were.

*End of spoilers

Overall, I really liked this book and would definitely recommend it! ( Please read the other one's first though--even if they're not as good.)

The first thing I have to say is that anyone who has read one of Sanderson's other Mistborn novel will 100% want to read The Bands of Mourning.

The Bands of Mourning may be, in my opinion, the second best Mistborn Novel Sanderson has written, short only to Mistborn itself (please note that I list the first Mistborn novel as one of my favorite books so this is tough competition to compare it to).
What makes The Bands of Mourning so great is the expansion of knowledge it offers both in the Cosmere as well as in Hemalurgy. Hemalurgy is the art that was used to create the Inquisitors in the Mistborn, and Sanderson himself mentions that Hemalurgy will be important to the world of the Cosmere and deals with the Spiritual Realm. As for the Cosmere, readers will be burning with new questions after reading Harmony's conversations with Wayne and following the actions of Suit and the Set, leaving readers just begging for more.

As for the characters, if MeLaan was my favorite new character introduced in Shadows of Self, Steris is my new favorite character in The Bands of Mourning, because of the amount of development and insight Sanderson offered her character in this book. That's not saying I don't love MeLaan, Wax, Wayne or any other main characters in The Bands of Mourning, in fact, Sanderson once again does a fantastic job developing Wax and Wayne's characters, building them them into more more complex characters.

All in all, between great character development, hidden gems in the Cosmere and superb action scenes The Bands of Mourning is a fantastic book that will leave readers begging for the next installment. Which is why readers will be positively gleeful in the extra novella that Sanderson posted (mentioned at the end of the book) to help readers cope with the end of such a great book and to help answer more questions raised by The Bands of Mourning.

Would give it 0 stars if I could. Couldn't finish reading the book as it was extremely boring and the characters were dull and unlikeable. I think Sanderson is better at writing standalone books versus stories spanning multiple books. The previous Mistborn trilogy is another example where the books got progressively worse and depressing. I didn't find the characters interesting and this is the first time that I haven't completed a book I started reading. It seems that Sanderson is also interested in eventually taking the Game of Thrones route and those of other recent fantasy writers in terms of sex and sexuality(lesbianism in this case). I guess Sanderson decided that his critics who accused him of being too prudish were right and he needed to up his game on that front. The book was a turd either way. I'm seriously wondering if I will even continue to patronize his books as I don't trust his ability to write a multi arc storyline. Not sure I will be purchasing Oathbringer as if it's not another turd, pretty sure that the final book in that series probably will.

Let me start by saying I missed reading book 5 (heck, I hardly realized book 5 was out before book 6 popped up), so I have only a vague idea of what happened and a not-so-vague idea that I should definitely read that one, and soon.

Anyhow, book 6 features the chaotic sleuthing of Waxillium Ladrian and his irreverent sidekick, Wayne, joined by Steris, Marasi, and MeLaan, all while a thickening plot by Wax’s nefarious uncle and a mysterious organization called The Set threaten the tenuous peace of the settled lands around Elendel.

There are so many things I love about this book. First of these, though, are the jovial humor and intrinsic likeability of the characters (at least of the good guys). Wayne’s very much my favorite character, though I had trouble remembering who he was at first (it’s been awhile since I’ve read The Alloy of Law). He’s the ultimate chaotic-good character: the rogue, the thief, but loyal and with an odd sense of right vs. wrong, also delightfully unpredictable. And of course, Wax. He’s really the star of the whole thing: the hero, fighting against all odds, figuring things out, sometimes too late to do anything about them, but always ready to act.

Then again, Marasi, Steris, and MeLaan definitely hold their own. Merasi’s much stronger and confident than I remember her being in The Allow of Law, and Steris is much more complex and interesting than she seems at first glance. Then there’s MeLaan, fascinating. These three, though not necessarily the focus of the book, are vital to it, and each display an admirable strength of character and will. So, yeah, the characters really bring this story to life, just as in all the previous books in this series.

And the action. Wow. The action draws the story along, promising one outcome, but often delivering another. I really had trouble putting this down. Each chapter melds into the next in a satisfying and infuriating way that kept me up way too late for several nights in a row. Totally worth it, though. Totally.

So, overall, I loved this story and would strongly recommend it to those who love action-packed adventure, fascinating and structured magic, and plenty of wit and humor. If you haven’t already read the other books in the series, I’d recommend picking up all six and reading them in order.

My homework is to go forth and read book 5. I would have done so first had I not had a review deadline that coincided with the release of book 6. Anyway, no regrets. None. One thing I love about Sanderson’s books is that they’re all immensely re-readable.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and wrote this review for the blog at PureTexuality.com.

Sixth in the Mistborn steampunk epic fantasy series (third in the Wax and Wayne and also known as the Alloy Era) revolving around Wax and Wayne, the white hat and his crazy sidekick.

My Take
It's all about duty. Duty to the family, duty to truth, duty to one's fellowman in an Old West-meets-Eastern-steampunk setting with Wax, Wayne, Steris, and Marasi off on a treasure hunt that includes train robbery, midnight escapes, rescues, red herrings, and more.

Sanderson uses third-person omniscient point-of-view, which is right handy for getting inside everyone's heads and emotions, as there is quite a huge jump in Steris', Marasi's, and Wax's character arcs. Sweet, even if Sanderson takes some weird swings to achieve enlightenment.

"And the power of not caring about what others think of you…

That Steris is something else. She's practical and no-nonsense — and so dutiful, right along with Wax, and my heart bled for her in that church. It's Wax who's kickin' and screamin' about the kick-off, er, the inciting incident, while Steris considers the realities and starts making a list, lol.

Poor Wax. Sanderson gives us a couple of chunks of back history on Wax's time in the Village and how he so badly wanted to fit in (as well as a peek in at his activities on the morning of his wedding), to be accepted. Except that need he had for the rules was there even then.

It just goes to show. Even a peace-loving people who pride themselves on their insight can be so very blind, so very gullible, and worried about what others think.

"You enjoy playing with people's perceptions of you, don't you? You seek to make them uncomfortable, so they'll be off balance."

With each book in the series, I'm impressed all over again with Sanderson's worldbuilding. Such an odd blend of our world, peoples, and history with his steampunk world of Edwardian-seeming mores and styles. It both parallels and swings off from our own. Although I do wish he provided better clarity on who's who, how, and what. I still get so confused over the "Ascendant Warrior" and "emperor" and all that. As for the characters…I'd've never thought of kandras. It takes you aback with that whole bone thing…ick… Of course, there is the funny side that'll take your mind off it:

"'She assumes,' Wax said, 'that our detective style isn't "normally" the punchy-punchy, stabby-stabby type.'

'To be fair,' Wayne said, 'it's usually a more shooty-shooty, whacky-whacky type.'"

Interesting bits of foreshadowing from Devlin Airs, and part of the rumbling Wax and company hear on their journey, some pertinent to this story, other bits that will carry over the series arc.

"The difference between 'good' and 'evil' is not found in the acts they are willing to commit — but merely in what 'name' they are willing to commit them in."

Then along comes that ending that blows everything up and opens humongous possibilities for storylines in the next installments.

The Story
The fear is that the Bands of Mourning, the Lord Ruler's metalminds, his bracers, will endow any person who wears them with all the powers of a Mistborn. A fear that intensifies when ReLuur staggers back into kandra civilization, missing his spike, babbling tales of bracers with possible proof of their existence.

The Characters
Lord Waxillium "Dawnshot" Ladrian is a Twinborn, a Feruchemist (he can make himself weigh more or less) and an Allomancer with a power of Steelpushing, who believes in the Pathian way. The first lord of House Ladrian was Breeze Ladrian, part of Kelsier's crew. Cob is Wax's coachman. Drewton is his valet. Darriance is the butler. Herve is a footman.

Lady Steris Harms is the bride-to-be with a need to plan anything to the nth degree. Landre is Steris' maid. Marasi, Lady Colms, is Steris' bastard half-sister who traded in being a lawyer to become a constable, who's hopelessly in love with Wax, and is obsessed with statistics. She has the Allomancy ability to slow down time, a Pulser.

Wayne has an absolute talent for disguise. He's also Wax's crazy sidekick of a deputy with a hatred of money but a love of things. He has an, unusual, way of paying for anything, for it depends on Wayne's value system. He's also 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. The unfriendly Ranette is a Lurcher and makes quality guns, including Wax's beloved Sterrions and Vindication. Wayne has a passion for her, but she already has a girlfriend. I think Edip is Wayne's mother.

Elendel is…
…the primary city of this world. Lord Drapen is the constable-general of the Sixth Octant. Lord Steming. Governor Aradel hired Marasi as a constable to spy on Wax. Ahlstrom Tower has a flat top. Constable-General Reddi works closely with Marasi. Old Dent is a fast food vendor. Migs, Slink, Drawers, and Guillian are part of a gang.

The Village is…
…a forested area within the city of Elendel with the Tin Gate its entrance into the city. Asinthew is Wax's name here, but he's still considered an outsider. Telsin is Wax's sister. Elder Vwafendal is their grandmother. Telsin's friends include the girls Kwashim and Idashwy and one boy, the Twinborn (a Coinshot) Forch. Master Tellingdwar teaches proper Terris attitudes and meditation. The Synod's Lodge is where the Terris offices are located.

The Basin is…
…the territories outside of Elendel.

Ironstand is…
…a town where the train stopped. Constable Matieu is the local police captain.

New Seran is…
…a town of gondolas that act as buses to haul the populace up and down its mountainous hills. The people who "count" (and are at the party) include Kelesina Shores (Burl is one of her servants); Lord Westweather Cett is heir to the house fortune; that insulting jerk, Lord Gave Entrone, is in textiles; his cousin Valette has married; Lady Felise Demoux and her nephew; Lord Severington is the mayor of Bilming and busy whipping up the populace of the Basin against Elendel; and, Devlin Airs buys information. Mr. Eriola is a banker. Dechamp is the night gravekeeper; Bilmy is the day man. Templeton Fig owns the cemetery; Destra is his wife. The hotel, the Copper Gate, is owned by Aunt Gin.

Sazed, a Terrisman, became Harmony, the Pathian god of this world, the Hero of Ages. Beliefs Reborn are from the Words of Founding. The Lord Mistborn was the Survivor of the Flames while Kelsier was the Survivor who inspired Survivorism, a religion that is about lasting as long as you can before you lose. Vin, the Ascendant Warrior who slew the Lord Ruler, and Elend Venture are buried in the Field of Rebirth in the center of Elendel. The Catacendre ended the World of Ash while Vin ended the Lord Ruler, Rashek.

The kandra are…
…creatures, Faceless Immortals, who carry out Harmony's wishes. To take on a shape, they must eat the bones of whoever they want to shift into. The spikes the kandra carry in their heads brought them to sapience and hold many memories. VenDell of the Sixth is sent to recruit Wax. MeLaan is a kandra who has helped Wax before. ReLuur, a Third Generation kandra, is an explorer and a genius who had been tracking the Bands of Mourning. Third Generation kandra are the parents of MeLaan's generation.

The Nightstreet Gang is…
…getting bolder. Donny is the leader.

Dulsing is…
…a cordoned-off territory in the countryside where the Set, a shadowy organization, is planning for the rebellion. "Sequence" is in charge. Edwarn, a.k.a., Mr. Suit, Wax's paternal uncle, is trying to breed Allomancers. Professor Irich has the rank of an Array and is dying. Lord Stanoux is an expert on ancient, anteverdant languages. Lady Stansi and Professor Javie will head up the engineers. Fed is one of the men.

Rust and Ruin, rusting, and Harmony are expletives. Lessie had been the woman Wax loved, killed, and could never forget. An evanoscope is an image projector. Think of the Roughs as the equivalent of our Old West; Weathering is a city out there. Ape Manton used to hunt Allomancers, including 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 and then "burns" the metal; Feruchemy uses metal as a focus — the metalminds — and stores the power to use when they want it; and, Hemalurgy, a dark art that steals a Metalborn's Allomantic or Feruchemical abilities to create a spike that enables a person to do as they like with those stolen powers. A Twinborn is a person born with an Allomantic power plus a Feruchemical power. Of the Metalborn, Lurchers can pull iron to them; Steelrunners can store up speed; and, Coinshots Pull on metals. A Crasher is a combination of Coinshot and Skimmer, I think. Mistings. Ferrings. Aluminum is Allomatically inert and had been rare. Investiture is the raw power of both Allomancy and Feruchemy and keyed to your soul. Identity is when this Investiture is keyed to an individual. A metalmind is an object that can be filled with power. A coppermind can be filled with memories.

The Wearers of Masks are… a spoiler

The Cover and Title
The cover is icy cold at the snow-laden mountain top temple with the curly-haired blonde Steris in her fur-trimmed cloak, standing at alert with the long-haired Wax in his black cravat, shirt, vest, and overcoat. The author's name is a blocky royal blue outlined in an icy white at the top while the title reverses the colors in a Gothic script-like serif at the bottom with the series information at the very bottom. There is a band of thin vertical lines at the very top and bottom that bring to mind the corrugation found at the end of duct pipes.

The title is the focus, the Lord Ruler's metalminds, the bracers that are The Bands of Mourning.

It always seems impossible to find a place to start when reviewing and discussing Brandon Sanderson’s books. I quickly became addicted to the Mistborn series in 2014 and it also opened the door for me to explore other fantasy books and also not limit myself to young adult. I do have to say thank GOODNESS that SHADOWS OF SELF and THE BANDS OF MOURNING were released so close together because the wait is always excruciating. (Seriously. I’m already dying for more.) I suppose the good news it that now I’m caught up on the Mistborn books and I can dive into another one of his series (I’m thinking THE WAY OF KINGS will be my next Sanderson read)!

THE BANDS OF MOURNING really had it all! One thing I kept saying about this new Wax & Wayne trilogy was that I just didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I had with the original Mistborn crew and things really clicked and solidified for me in this book! I had always enjoyed the characters but I felt like THE BANDS OF MOURNING really dug deeper into each character’s back story, emotions, and created strong bonds between each character as well. There were some sweet romantic moments, amazing bromances, and fantastic friendships that I grew to love even more and I loved how well these characters ended up working together. I love books with sort of a zany crew and Wax, Wayne, Steris, and Marasi certainly were an odd group to put together but they blend together so well to form this perfect unit! Wayne never ceases to crack me up and I love the way he plays off of the other characters.

Another thing I loved was how much this really tied into the original trilogy and even things that had happened prior to MISTBORN. There are some deeply-rooted secrets that get revealed and some incredibly world-building moments that always have me wondering how much Brandon Sanderson planned ahead of time and held back. The layers of this world keep on peeling back to reveal more and more and it’s simply stunning to see how much more there is to learn about Scadriel and the Cosmere. It’s also really fun to think about in terms of our world and reality — scientists, scholars, archaeologists, etc are always discovering new things about our history and the unknowns out there in space. It’s amazing to see those same concepts applied to a series! I feel like authors don’t normally go that far into developing a world (or in this case, universe) and I’m so floored with the things that Brandon Sanderson has crafted for the Cosmere.

As usual, Sanderson is the master of huge twists and shocking moments. Obviously I won’t go into detail so as not to spoil anything but the ending of THE BANDS OF MOURNING is packed full of action, answers to questions, and moments that had me gasping and/or crying. The ending was phenomenal and wait, did this book set it up for a fourth Wax & Wayne book? Needless to say, it kept me on the edge of my seat and cemented my love for this series even more!

While I never really liked Brandon Sanderson’s first Mistborn trilogy very much, I enjoyed last year’s 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 that 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. 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.

Bands of Mourning is the third book in Brandon Sanderson’s second MISTBORN series, following closely (well under a year) on the heels of the last installment Shadows of Self. Set several centuries after the original trilogy, this second one shows us a world still dealing with the ramifications of those events, but one that also, unlike a lot of fantasy worlds, has continued to progress technologically, as guns, trains, electricity, and a host of other inventions/discoveries continue to shape the culture. While Bands of Mourning has a few issues, fans of the series (I’m one) will find themselves mostly nicely rewarded as they reenter the world of Lawman and Lord Waxillium Ladrian.

There’s a lot to the plot, but basically this is an episodic quest tale, as Wax and his compatriots are recruited by a kandra (and I’d tell you what a kandra is here, but really, if you don’t know you shouldn’t be reading this book. Pick up the first MISTBORN book instead and check back in a few months once you’ve happily digested them all up to this point) to track down a long-thought mythical artifact, the titular Bands that would give their bearer unimaginable power. Wax being Wax, he of course is not going after the Bands for that power himself, but to keep it out of the hands of his Uncle Edwarn, a high figure in the sinister organization known as The Set.

The story begins with a flashback to Wax’s youth, giving us a glimpse into how/why he became the Lawman he did, as well as introducing his sister. Her absence in his current life has long festered in Wax, and she plays an important role in the book. After the flashback we present time arrives with a bang (literally — it’s a gunfight), with the timeline picking up not too long after the events of Shadows of Self. Wax is about to formalize his contract marriage to Steris — a marriage of calculation rather than love —but soon knowledge of the Bands’ possible existence, and of his uncle’s attempt to obtain them, has Wax and his group heading south from the capital city of Elendel toward New Sera, one of the outer cities.

The plot, as mentioned, is episodic in nature, with Wax and his band having a series of adventures in different settings as they track down the Bands’ hiding place. Being Wax, most of these adventures involve getting shot at. In fact, a running joke throughout the novel is the predilection for such mayhem anywhere Wax is, with his partner Wayne having a pet phrase — “Things explode around Wax” — and Steris (more than a little OCD) even providing a multi-page list of potential catastrophes to the manager of a hotel they stop at, including “Shoot-outs. Robbery. Hostage situation. Explosions . . . Koloss attack. [and] Cattle stampede through the lobby.” Steris does tell her the last is “highly unlikely,” though adding, “it never hurts to be prepared.”

Sanderson is having a lot of fun here, as he has throughout the entire series. And if some of the humor falls a bit flat or feels a little forced at times, or occasionally jars when conjoined with some epic violence, for the most part Bands of Mourning is a rollicking good time, albeit with moments of sadness and seriousness. This being a western setting, Sanderson even gives us a classic train robbery with horseback thieves and a tussle on top of a moving train. Tell me he’s not having a good time here.

As fun and often quick moving as the plot is, there were a few times, especially in the latter third, where the pace lagged a bit for me, more so than I can recall in any of the other MISTBORN books. And while I’ve said before that at times Sanderson can be a too much tell versus show author for me, that trait seemed to be even more noticeable here, with my noting several times some heavily expository writing passages/scenes. And, as I’ve pretty much always said in my reviews, stylistically Sanderson is highly efficient and effective, but that’s about it; you’ll not stop to linger over any of the prose just for the language itself.

Character-wise, one of my favorite aspects of this installment is the greater presence and development of Steris, a character who has mostly been on the sidelines. She fully comes into her own here and it’s a pleasure to see. Sometimes, thanks to her hyper-awareness, the transformation is a bit too on the nose, as per that tell versus show mentioned above, but generally it’s heartwarming to see her development. Based on prior events with those close to Wax, it’s also more than a little suspenseful, as one worries she’s being built up only to be taken away from us (I say neither yea nor nay to that). Other characters, such as Wayne and Marasi, are also given their due, each of them in some fashion having to discover ways to either right themselves in this world or find themselves in it. In fact, that sense of being a fish out of water is a running theme throughout, both with major and minor characters.

The major arc of the novel dealing with the Bands is resolved by the end, but other continuing narrative arcs continue onward. And in fact, Sanderson does a nice job of expanding his world greatly in the last part of this novel, and giving us too a vividly strong ending that opens things up as well. It’ll be interesting to see where things go from here. The first book, The Alloy of Law, remains my favorite in this newest trilogy, and Bands of Mourning may in fact be the weakest thanks to those pacing/expository issues, but really, those don’t diminish much at all the simple fun of this series. That isn’t to say Sanderson doesn’t raise serious issues; he does, the obligation of a nearly-omniscient god being one. But if you’re looking for a light, Indiana Jones-like romp through a 19th Century Western fantasy, Sanderson has you covered. In spades. Fans of the series, as I said earlier, will be pleased with this one. And if you started the first MISTBORN series and didn’t care for it, I’d suggest trying this one anyway as it has a different tone and style. Read the glossary/appendix at the back to get a sense of the magical system, and then sit back and enjoy the train ride . . .

originally appeared on fantasyliterature.com

I do love all his books (even if I wish he would focus on one series at a time cos right now I want more of this one, more of that one, that one, that one, that one ..you get the idea).

I also can't give this one the awesome review it deserves since all I want is to run around in a fan girl squeeeeeee. Ha, yes it is so hard to to tell you of its awesomeness.

I really do like Wax, he is so cool. He tries to be a Lord, but he has spent too much time in the Rough as a lawman. But then a Lord can be eccentric, but maybe not this much. But hey I love him.

I like his fiancee Seris because she is just so weird you know. She has a list for everything! And , Wayne, can't like or dislike him, he is a strange one. But a good sidekick to Wax. They all fit perfectly with each other. Oh and then there is the Kandra who joins them for this adventure, yeah, those are weird. You will see.

A fantasy western. A society that is moving forwards. A society with magic and we all know Sanderson has the best magic systems. You will not be disappointed.

Here they must find the Bands of Mourning. Wax wants to track down his uncle. And oh, oh there is something at the end, I was all whaaat? All the things we do not know. Love it.

But, do read the two previous books first, or just all of them. Yes, make that read every book he has written.

Another awesome book by Sanderson. He is always good, and he always surprises. He is a true master of his craft.

Turns out (not surprisingly), that when the Lord Ruler was killed no one really paid attention to where his metalminds went (other than to note they flew out the window). When the kandra come to Wax with tales of a missing kandra spike and the hunt for the Lord Ruler's legendary "bands of mourning," (which are said to be able to grant anyone the power of a mistborn and fullborn feruchemist), Wax refuses to have anything to do with finding them--until he finds out that his uncle is somehow involved. Meanwhile, yet another rebellion/civil war is brewing in the background.

This book answers so many questions that I've had since the first Mistborn trilogy!!! I can't remember when they're first mentioned (probably bk 3) but at some point Sazed divulged that when Rashek ascended and remade the world (and totally messed it up by bringing it too close to the sun) he transported a group of people to the south and did something to them that allowed them to survive in the harsh temperatures and then left them on the southern continent to live on their own (Saze said they became way more advanced than the people on the northern continent). This book FINALLY explains and elaborates on that and it also introduces a lot of cool technology (eras 3 and 4 are gonna be so awesome!). I think there's still one more book in this series but it was nice to get some resolution and see Wax finally appreciate Steris for how awesome she is.

There's also some stuff going on here with the mysterious "17th Shard" organization of worldhoppers--of course, not enough to tell you what's actually going on with them...but if you were wondering where that chick Iyatil in Words of Radiance (Stormlight Archive, The) was from this book gives you a big clue.

I am tempted to give this book 5 stars, but ultimately I was just too disappointed by the fact that it wasn't the last book, after all. I wasn't expecting a cliff hanger ending. I thought this would be a trilogy, like the original Mistborn trilogy was. (Spoiler alert!!) The end of the book also veers into the dreaded "Cosmere" in a huge way, introducing the equivalent of an alien spaceship and a bunch of alien characters who look human but wear masks on their faces for whatever reason (he never explains it). So not only will there be another book coming, but it's not written yet so I have to wait for it and based on other plot points in this book (which I won't spoil this time), the plot of the fourth (and final???) book will surely be about some kind of apocalypse and involve more battles against gods. Not my favorite thing in this series, by a long shot.

No my favorite things in this series are the main characters and the human moments they experience -- like Wayne's sexual encounters with a kandra, or Wax and Steris falling in love in a way that's realistic and touching and very mature. My favorite things are the "small" characters who only appear briefly in the books yet still manage to be fully fleshed out 3D people with obvious interior lives and motivations of their own going on. My favorite things are the humorous parts. This book is the funniest of the series so far. My favorite things are the amazing ways Sanderson is able to use his own magic system to astound and amaze, so just when I think I've got it figured out, he throws another ingenious, unexpected way to use it into the mix, and the game changes yet again. My favorite things are the action sequences. Oh MAN do we get some amazing ones in this novel! A gritty train heist is just the opening act. I won't spoil the others because some of them come out of nowhere. My favorite things are the realistic elements. For example, when Wax and Wayne are in a gun fight, there are real stakes involved. Wax is a great shot but he misses sometimes, and sometimes he misses when it counts. And he gets injured!!! I think he got shot in every fight scene and by the end of the book his multiple wounds have an impact on his performance and cause him actual pain, which he actually comments on. Usually in action sequences the hero miraculously escapes all harm, or gets some token wound and then forgets about it, going into the next battle 100% invincible again, as if nothing happened.

So as you can see, there's plenty to love about this book, and love it I did. It's not perfect. Some plot twists were rather obvious, particularly one where a person Wax rescues turns out to have been one of his main enemies all along. I saw his/her (to avoid a solid spoiler) betrayal coming from chapters away. What I didn't see coming was all the end of days stuff, or the fact that this book will be continued. On the one hand that's awesome. The more Wax & Wayne, the better. It's good to know I don't have to say goodbye yet. But on the other hand -- ugh. Oh well. Maybe I'll get interested in this Cosmere of Sanderson's, in spite of myself and actually be motivated to read some of his other work. We'll see. Either way, I'll surely be on board for the next adventure, and I'll try my best to keep an open mind.

I greatly admire contemporary fiction authors. Writing within the constraints they have has to be a challenging exercise at times. Writing sci-fi/fantasy, on the other hand, doesn't have many constraints, per se. The sci-fi/fantasy author has to be mindful of this freedom as it can affect the credibility of his story.

When a sci-fi/fantasy author has taken the time to thoughtfully and logically develop his world(s), his systems of technology and/or magic, and his characters, the result is something wonderful. Brandon Sanderson has done this (again) in book six of the Mistborn series, The Bands of Mourning.

The Bands of Mourning is a masterful blend of action, magic, technology, politics, philosophy, and even religion. Wax, the dogged investigator and main character, and his always comedic foil Wayne, combine for violent and wacky hijinks amidst a race to find an object of ultimate power. The supporting cast is fleshed out and varied, growing in size and complexity as the story proceeds.

There is no shortage of twists and surprises among the familiar plot lines. One of them gave me a fair case of literary whiplash, even though I should have seen it coming (I love it when authors do that). The action and pacing are second to none and the ending leaves a near-perfect balance between resolution and lead-up to the next book due in 2017.

The one thing I could fault The Bands of Mourning for is how it doesn't stand well alone. I highly recommend reading at least The Alloy of Law, if not also Mistborn: The Final Empire before reading Bands.

If it wasn't obvious by now, I'm a fan of Brandon Sanderson's work. There's probably some quibbles you can find, but for me, he is one of the best authors I've ever read. The Bands of Mourning easily gets 5 out of 5 stars.

This review was first published on my blog Courtney's Reads

If I could give this book more than five stars on any rating site that I use, I definitely would. It was brilliant. Since this is the third in a series (sixth, in some ways), I'm going to try and do my review a little differently. I'm going to focus on specific elements of the story as a whole that I think work really well.

The writing: Anyone who reads my reviews knows how much I love Brandon Sanderson's novels. And it's not just the stories and characters, but his writing in general. It gets better and better with every book. Sanderson is very dedicated to his writing and producing quality content and it really pays off.

Characters: I need a character driven story. A great plot is not even a necessity for me. As long as I connect with the characters and feel for them in some way, I'm going to enjoy the book. This series (including the original trilogy) has been filled with relatable characters that feel so real. Even Steris, who I have never really been able to connect with in the past, became someone that I was rooting for here. There is one section of the book, when she's talking, telling someone how she feels and what it's like to interact with other people, when I was like you're describing everything I feel! It was excellent. And of course Wax, Wayne, and Marasi were just as wonderful as in previous installments. If you want to laugh, just spend some time with Wayne. Even Wax can be funny, although it's more often things he's done that are entertaining.

Relationships: This series has a major focus on friendship and little on romance, which I really appreciate. The bond between Wax and Wayne in this series is amazing. Finding out more about their history as the story has progressed and seeing how they rely on each other is just...I don't even have words to describe it. It just works. And the rest of the friendships being developed are beautiful as well. Marasi with both Wax and Wayne. Steris and the group. The new characters that are introduced. There are just so many beautiful, heartwarming friendships here. And yes, there is a touch of romance. Not going to give any details, but I was happy with the romantic portions of this novel. They were adorable and sweet.

Story: This series is just one nestled within a much larger series (and connected with other series through the Cosmere) and this installment was mind blowing. Again, I don't want to talk too much about specifics because you really need to experience this for yourself. Just know that there are even more connections to the original trilogy and major hints as to what is coming for Scadrial. And I cannot wait!

Overall impressions: This book, and series in general, are kind of slow burners, but once they get going they really get going. There were certainly portions that I guessed correctly about, portions that were shocking, and portions that had me going what in the world did I just read!? So I'd say that overall it was a pretty brilliant installment. The wait for the final book is going to be somewhat painful, but it just gives me time to read the series again, so I can't be too hurt by it. This was definitely my favorite read of January and I think it's going to be hard for another book to top this for the year. Seriously, it was that good.

Brandon has an imagination. And he can articulate what he thinks, so all of us can share in the rather extraordinary worlds he creates in his mind. That is a singular talent. I've read just about every book he's published. For lots of reasons, including the one I just described. He may be--no he is--the best fantasy writer living today. He is prolific, yet maintains more than an acceptable quality in his writing. His worlds and magic are extraordinary in their variety and uniqueness His characters are just that. They are real characters that can be identified with. And he tells his stories without a scintilla of vulgarity, over-graphic violence, or sex. The Mistborn series keeps expanding in creative and interesting ways. Waxilliam and Wayne--aka Wax and Wa(y)ne (yes, I get it!)--are perfect examples of his semi-flawed characters who, nonetheless, are the kind of heroes you want to read about and be around. The mix of magic and reality here is a good blend too. There really is only one suggestion I would give that would pertain to all of the books he has written. Edit ruthlessly! I believe his books would be much stronger if he allowed that to happen.

There is a new book out that reminds me a bit of Brandon's work. It is not fantasy but rather reads like historical fiction concerning events that haven't happened--yet! The characters, the moral messages, and the uniqueness are all there too. SEALED UP (Sealed Up: The Course of Fate: Book One), a book about intriguing arcane millennial chronicles sealed up somewhere in Mesoamerica, I think, has the potential to become as fan-centered as Brandon's work. And its startling conclusion really gets one thinking about real-life ramifications if something like this happened. I suspect Brandon has been an inspiration to the author of that book.

Picking approximately six months off the events of the previous novel in this series, Bands of Mourning gives a fast-paced, excellent continuation to the second series of the Mistborn line. The original Mistborn (Vin and Elend series) reads like pure fantasy, while this series (Wax and Wayne series) reads more like a mix of science fiction and fantasy. And therein lies the charm. It brings an element of freshness, perspective and a new avenue to explore in a known, comfortable series, especially with the genius of Brandon behind it.

Before you read this book though, do obtain and read Alloys of Law and Shadows of Self to ensure that you have the complete knowledge of what is going on. However, reading of the original series is not required (though it is encouraged), as the relevant sections and information have been well woven into this series, for the ease of all readers - information to the new, without boring the old.

The character development in this series is amazing, especially of supporting characters like Steris and MeLaan - especially Steris is on her way to becoming the proper Planner foil to Wax's Impetuous Adventurer. Even Wayne becomes more mature here, in a surprising way, especially towards the end. Even Marasi surprises to no end, gaining further strength and insight.

The key strength of this book (and for the others in the Wax & Wayne series) is the ending. Am avoiding spoilers, but there was a revelation about one character (definitely not out of nowhere -- there was support for it when reflected on later) that we didn't see coming. To keep things fresh, there are a lot of last-minute developments that Sanderson is going to have to tie up in the fourth Wax & Wayne book. If anyone can tie stuff up like that, it's Sanderson, but it is a lot of ground to cover.

In conclusion, this is a pretty great book. If you liked the previous two Wax & Wayne books, you will definitely like this. I think this was stronger and less melancholy than Shadows of Self, so if you were unsure whether to continue, know that the series gets better.

STERIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love Steris I always have. And I really liked how her and Wax's relationship had progressed in Shadows of Self, but in this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's awesome! They are so cute together!!

Was this book about more than Wax and Steris? Who cares?!!

Just kidding. There are a lot of things I really liked about this book. Probably more than Shadows of Self.

It doesn't suffer from middle book syndrome AT ALL. (I wonder if it's because it was written first?) It's incredibly action-packed. Yes there is underlying philosophic rhetoric, like in all the Mistborn books, (this time focused on the evil Imperialism of the main city of Elendel over the outer settlements: Possible Revolution!!) but this book is more focused on the action. And the characters.

Because Dat Charachter Development though!!!

Steris just really rocks here. She goes from stuffy and practical to adventure-loving and practical. And she worries about how useful she is. And she just!! is so cute!!

And Wax has to deal with being betrayed by his God and all this stuff about duty vs. adventure and basically has an identity crisis.

And Marasi. I've never really clicked with her. She's a great character, I just don't like her that much. But she gets heaps of character development.

Wayne has a bigger role in Shadows of Self I think, but he also does some growing in this book.

We get to meet some new characters and there is a ton more world-building and the over-arching plot is just moving along. There were a lot of little twists, some I guessed, some I didn't.

I'm really excited to read the last book.

Especially because THAT ENDING THOUGH!!!! (With more Wax/Steris cuteness!!!!)

Okay, seriously though, I don't know why I am shipping this so hard, because it's not the central focus to the book by any means, but it was definitely my favorite part. (Yes, the romance, of all things was my favorite part of a Brandon Sanderson book, lol.)

Let me start off by saying I'm a huge fan of the previous 5 Mistborn books, as well as many of his other works. But as the plot progressed in book 6, I found myself questioning many of these new discoveries that the characters found. I found myself questioning the decisions many characters made. This book made me double check the listing here to make sure it wasn't fan fiction.

While Brandon's style and pace are excellent and entertaining, I felt like nitpicking fanboy before even getting halfway through the book, and that's out of character for me.

* HUGE ENDING SPOILERS AHEAD *

Some major gripes I had really had to do with the introduction of new civilizations, as well as how surprised the characters are by Telsin's betrayal and The Set's use of hemalurgy.

I find it hard to believe that these different civilizations went so long without any discovery, especially with hundreds of years of advanced technology on the newcomers side and thousands of years of all powerful mistborn, allomancers, inquisitors, and feruchemists in the "basin". When they first showed up, I thought "omg, not aliens!?" but afterwards, I kinda wished they were aliens.

This book also kept shoving Marasi and Wax's rediscovery of hemalurgy in the readers faces, yet Marasi and Wax are completely shocked and floored by the mere possibility that Suit and Telsin were allomancers via hemalurgy now. Ugh.

And speaking of Telsin, was anyone else screaming at their books about Wax's behaviour when it came to trusting her? "Don't give her a gun! Are you crazy?" or "She's faking it! She's up to no good!" we as readers are never given a single reason to trust Telsin. She was never even nice to Wax in the prologue. No bond there at all. And now we should believe that Wax will trust her immediately in the face of all her strange behaviour, never mind the fact that he was never even sure himself if she was actually the prisoner of his sworn enemy?

Don't get me started about Wax's death. Ugh. He was brain dead for most of the book anyways I guess.

Not only did I dislike this book, I hate myself for disliking it.

Because I'm forced into integer ratings, I've rated Brandon Sanderson's "The Bands of Mourning" (6th in his "Mistborn" series and 3rd in the "Wax and Wayne" sub-series) at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5. Really, though, the rating should be a bit lower than that (say 3-1/2 stars). As with everything Sanderson, it's an interesting book and continues the sub-series very nicely. But, I do have a couple of minor issues with it. First, the book could use some pruning. A few scenes go on just a bit too long and some of the scenes probably could have been removed. Second, the whole thing with Wax's sister, Telsin, is just obvious and silly. It makes you want to scream at Wax for being an idiot. And, third, I'm a bit perplexed over what Sanderson's done with Marasi. With the first book, she was a possible romantic interest with Wax. By this book, that's faded away almost entirely. Of course, that leaves Sanderson free to develop Wax's fiance, Steris. And, he's done an excellent job with her. All in all, it's still a good book. It just could have been better.

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)
6. The Bands of Mourning: A Mistborn Novel

I have read 9 other books by B. Sanderson and found them exciting, engaging, amusing, and insightful. This book felt like that worthy author took a vacation and let a high school intern take a crack at this writing stuff.

First, the crudeness. Endless jokes about penile length... is this funny? Am I supposed to snicker with the characters that a name is pronounced "ariola"? Am I amused that topless women are now a theme - in doodles, statues, and in person? No, no I am not.

Next, the powers. Egads. I remember reading an article about magic by Mr. Sanderson, in which he explained magic has to have a cost to be compelling. Apparently he forgot that tenet, because the heroes here have more mega-powers surging around than an episode of Dragonball Z, with zero consequences. You could pin an "S" and a cape on Wax with all the remarkable skills he has developed. I remember when the characters actually had to work hard to survive an attack by several villians. Now they sail through entire armies with hardly a thought. Frankly, it's boring.

Finally, the women. < warning: a bit spoiler-y in this section > Steris - if you can't win a man by being intelligent and well-informed, be the perfect Girl Friday secretary instead. Just keep selling yourself short and be woefully un-confident, and you'll eventually win the dregs of his affection. MeLaan - it's all about boobs, and boob envy by other women. Ranette - she is now revealed to the audience to be homosexual, but this was apparently known to the characters already. So why has Wayne been insisting she loves him? And why is Wayne constantly making menage a trois references? Even including incest?? I expected better perspectives on women from the author who created Vin and Sarene. <end spoilers>

Overall, I was so bitterly disappointed in the book, I don't even care what happens in the final installment. Mr. Sanderson, I hope this was a momentous, but temporary, lapse in judgment. I know you can write much, much better, so please do.

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.

It is always a thrill for me to read a book and think, wait...what? Being surprised by the flow of a book is a wonderful thing and I have found that one of the best authors for this experience is Brandon Sanderson. I have been more than rewarded by reading this series from the start and will continue to seek out books under his name as long as he continues to write them.

This book the latest in the Mistborn series is drawing the series closer to a conclusion. The things that happen, that take place through out the book are logical conclusions from what started at the beginning of the series, some are more surprising than others, but almost nothing goes quite the way you expect it to.

I have to say though that Wayne is fast becoming one of my all time favorite characters.

Sanderson is hands down, my #1 favorite author. I love everything this guy writes. I would read his grocery list and be entertained.

I first discovered this author with the Mistborn series. It immediately became my favorite books. Then I read Warbreaker, then that became my favorite. Then Stormlight Archive series, and THEY became my favorite... Then this Mistborn spin-off came out, and Wax became my new book-boyfriend (He's just so Indiana Jones-y. What hot-blooded female wouldn't crush on that?).

Seriously though. All his books and stories are highly engrossing, intelligent, with well fleshed-out and imaginative worlds and magic systems. You can't go wrong.

In this continuation of the Second Era mistborn series you see some added depth to nearly every character previously seen in it as well as some great new action and repartee between Wax and Wayne.

I would recommend this book and especially this series to anyone that likes, stampunk, western themed fantasy, and magic world's with a twist.

These books are fairly generally age appropriate to most with the greatest concern is some violence mostly with firearms. Still it is just about everything you might want in a novel; smart, funny, witty, and even touching, all wrapped around a magic, western, adventure plot that shouldn't be missed.

Definitely the best book so far in the second Mistborn series; had some of the flavor I enjoyed in the first series. But still not quite as good IMHO. Sure, in some ways it’s not fair to compare the two. They are coming from a different time and technological age, and some of the new characters are just plain original and intriguing. But there is no TenSoon, Kelsier, Vin, Breeze and Sazed. Well, technically there ARE some of those characters, but that’s not what I mean. I mean that the strength of characters that there were in the original, just isn’t the same. Don’t get me wrong; its good. I enjoyed reading this, and I look forward to the last book in this second series (I gave it 5-stars after all) . . . but I just can’t honestly credit it as highly as the original.

Just purchased this kindle version very excited to read the latest Sanderson book only to find there are pages missing. I have only read to page 135, but it doesn't exist... Nor does a section of 118 or 119.

So far the story is up to expectations but obviously missing pages is frustrating.

The book is excellent as always, except that the prologue, I think, is the only thing that Brandon Sanderson has ever published that goes to far, in terms of disturbing violence. This is despite the many other books he has written that masterfully inspire horror in readers. The prologue is not needed at all for you to understand the plot. It is only backstory for character development.

I will tell you what happens in the prologue so that you don't feel like you have to read it:

When Waxillium was a teenager, he lived in the Village (the Terris section of Elendel) for a short time, in order to connect with his Terris heritage.

One day a constable came to talk to Wax's grandmother (a respected elder of the Village) about a report of arson in the village. The constable wanted to take action, because, as he warned, arsonists often end up doing other, worse crimes in the future and/or using the arson to cover up evidence of worse crimes. Wax's grandmother refused to let the constabulary interfere, because the Village has a deal with Elendel that allows the village to be self-policing. The Terris people prided themselves on their lack of crime.

Later in his room, Wax noticed one of his teenage Terris friends, Forch (the arsonist), outside in the rain. He went to investigate and found Forch cutting open a young boy in a building that Forch meant to later burn down. Forch attacked Wax, and Wax managed to kill him with a bullet Wax stole from his grandmother (left by the constable as a warning).

The experience helped Wax realize that his destiny is fighting crime, away from the Village.

I will reread the Mistborn series many times, because I love it so much, except that I will never again read the prologue of this book.

I'm relatively easy to please, and greatly enjoyed the book.

I can understand people's critical reviews of the book, though. I think what really did it for me was that this book was kind of a gateway to open up things to the Cosmere (Sanderson's meta universe that many of his books are a part of) at large. We get a new dimension and a fresh angle on the magics found in Mistborn, and the implications for the Cosmere are staggering. Combine this with Mistborn: Secret History, and we get the most info about the Cosmere in a published work to date, and I thought that was a lot of fun and really enjoyed that aspect of things.

Overall, I thought the book was great, and I couldn't put it down, but it could be biased by my knowledge of the Cosmere and the intrigue with things related to that. Without that background, I can understand how someone could think parts of the plot were random or seemed overly/unnecessarily complex.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read all of the previous Mistborn series books and Bands of Mourning has me wanting to go back and read them again. My only complaint is that the language in this book is quite a bit edgier than is normal in a Brandon Sanderson novel. It was disappointing as I felt the book and characters really didn't need it. Prior to this, I would have recommended Brandon Sanderson to anyone without reservation. I cannot do the same for this one. The language doesn't ruin the book and when you read it, you will see that it probably doesn't warrant this much to be written about it. However, it is somewhat jarring considering other Sanderson books.
The plot of this book is fairly straightforward although there are a few surprises. Some of the "surprises" you see coming a mile away but the others are interesting. If you have not read the other books in the Mistborn series or at least the Wax and Wayne books, don't start here. The book requires some prior knowledge of the characters in order to understand what is going on. Overall another great Sanderson read with a few disappointing parts.

I was given an ARC of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I have been eyeing up Brandon Sanderson's books for quite some time but for one reason or another have never actually read one of his books., so I was excited by the opportunity afforded me by Netgalley to read this book and boy I wasn't disappointed. Brandon Sanderson has an absolutely fantastic imagination. To me Wax and his companions had unique abilities, who would believe that metal could be used in such a way!

Wax and his companions set off on a quest to find the Bands of Mourning, recover the missing spikes of Ruluur and on the way Wax hopes to rescue his sister from the evil clutches of his uncle who belongs to an evil set who wants to take over the Kingdom.

This book sent me on quite an adventure, whoosing me high up in the air, diving me deep into rivers, flying me in strange machines, having me dodging bullets, communicating with foreign folks, fighting in deep snow and dying. Had my heart pounding, my ire up and my wish for revenge ignited. Sheez and I never left my sofa!

From start to finish it was quite an adventure with twists and turns and plenty of action. My hands eagerly turning the pages waiting to find out what was to unfold on the next page.

Thank you for the opportunity of reading this book and now I must try and get all the books of Brandon Sanderson I have missed so I can continue with the adventure.

A book I would definitely recommend.

Sanderson has quite a way with characters. They are deep and unpredictable while keeping the action going and the plot twisting back and forth.
He also has a way with humor, using it to lighten the mood or as a contrast to the violence that surrounds Wax, Wayne and their cohorts.
The science can be a little heavy at times, as is the violence but the plot and action flow quickly in the well written narrative.
If you liked the other books in the series, you should really like this.
I'm looking forward to more in this world.

so I never do reviews because I'm notoriously lazy but I absolutely had to review this. First, a little about me to see if we jive up right? I'm what I'd call an Action/Nerd. I like sci-Fi but I want cool tech with spaceships and such. I like fantasy but there needs to be rules. You can't just whip out fire and shoot lightning from your fingers because "magic". The magic system is thorough but not too complex. If you're here, you've read the Mistborn series and if not, I should slap your face off. So you get the idea. So, it keeps in line with the the first two books of the series but adds a lot of spice and depth. Sanderson includes everything in this book. I can't wait for the next book. I'm going to have to go read Sanderson's other stuff. Read

With Sanderson's words and Kramer's voice, I fell comfortably back into the Cosmere, with this book. Several times I found myself being drawn back into the first 3 Mistborn books, with more than one "AHH" and "AHA!" moments. A lot of secrets, holes, and loose ends seem to start to pull together in this, the next to last, book.

My re-acquaintance with the characters was spontaneous and by the end of the book, my knowledge of the world Sanderson is building is several layers stronger.

From beginning to end, my presumptions and predictions were proven wrong, with a twist here or a lurch there. I simply could not stop listening to this book. By the last couple of chapters, I was literally listening with a clenched fist at my chest, and by the end, I was left with my mouth hanging open. My anticipation for the next Mistborn novel is almost too much to bear.

Brandon Sanderson will be the death of me.

Brandon Sanderson had me at the original premise. Now, with #6 of the Mistborn series, his characters keep getting better and better. There is not a single "good guy" that I dislike. They all seem to be growing into their parts. I hope they continue but I know the ones I loved in the 1st trilogy didn't but I don't miss them as much now.

Well now, this one was different. It almost felt as if I was reading Andy McDermott's hunt for Atlantis... Thus isn't a bad thing, but it didn't have the same grand scale that the other most born books had...

And what the hell. You ended the last book like this one was going to be a battle with a God. I was fully expecting trell to come up and bitchslap Wayne... But nooooooo.

Now I need to wait for another book.. Gah,

I really enjoyed my read through of Bands of Mourning. It was great in almost every way. I think Wax himself was the weakest aspect of the book. However, the other characters and revelations to the broader story more than made up for it.

Full review, with spoilers, at ReadingOverTheShoulder.com

I listened to this one as an audiobook. The plot was compelling as always and some of the character development surprised me in a good way. However I feel like Wayne was overdone this book. He was the comic relief in previous books, but I felt like he's gone too far now and has lost a lot of his appeal.

the book is awesome because of many reasons. But the most important one has to be the fact that sanderson tried something new, Sanderson always tries something new, but this time that something new is huge. There is great world building , great developments in magic systems and *ahem* dare I say it, more secrets revealed. The plot is great as usual, and the character development is great. Especially steris. She is one of my all time favorite female fantasy characters right now, and thats gonna stay that way unless sanderson screws up her character in the lost metal, which is highly unlikely.
in a single sentence, must read.

Sanderson has written a.humorous and interesting sequel. He adroitly plays with a hybrid of Wild West stereotypes and the Mistborn mythology. I smiled every time I picked up this book because I knew I would laugh at the highly developed idiosyncrasies of the characters, be amused by the creative use of the Mistborn talents and learn a little more about the deeper Mistborn back story. Sanderson has a few surprises and twists to keep it interesting. I appreciate his attention to some of the little details of metallurgy; he did some homework! I look forward to the next book.

As usual another one of Sanderson's books leaves you wanting more! However, I felt that this book did not have the same level of build up to the denouement like many of the others but still had a good ending. All the really good stuff happens in the Epilogue! I recommend reading "Mistborn Secret History" after Bands.

Wow! I read these books too fast but they're sooo full of depth and mystery. The world building that Brandon Sanderson does is epic! The story keeps getting bigger. Reminds me a little of the anime Gurren Lagann

It took me a little while to get fully engaged. Once I did Mr. Sanderson's usual clever writing style and unexpected plot twists took hold. The dialog banter between characters and the Mr. Spock like observations made by Wayne were very enjoyable. Sanderson's books are always a treat. They always leave me anxiously wishing for the next installment.

This is definitely my favorite of the Wax and Wayne books. AoL was a western, SoS a thriller, and Bands of Mourning is an Indiana Jones style journey of discovery with loads of fun and mischief. Seriously, jump on Mistborn.

The saga continues with this next book in the series. Very well done and a must read for any fan of the fantasy genre. Start from the beginning and enjoy. Interesting characters and full of excitement

As a fan of the Mistborn saga, I absolutely loved this book. The Bands of Mourning is full of surprises and twists, and leaves tremendous potential for the rest of the series. Sanderson, once again, at his best. Enjoy.

Always a great adventure with these characters. I love all of Sanderson's characters. They have depth, flaws, and struggles I can relate with. Still, they're not so gritty that I can't read the books with my kids. Can't wait for the next one.

As Brandon Sanderson has developed as an author, his characters continue to become more interesting. I love the interplay between the different characters, as well as the different quirks that they have. I would probably give this 4.5 stars (sometimes the plot drags a little), but I didn't have that option. This book is a joy to read and I look forward to the next in the series.

Brandon again does a good job obscuring the greater narrative keeping us turning page after page to find out what's next. This novel has fun light hearted moments and some tense situations mixed in. We find out more about some of our characters pasts and see the threat is far greater and different that we ever expected.

The story and quality of writing is on par with the original trilogy. If the three Wax and Wayne novels released, I'd rank this as equal to Alloy of Law, and certainly better than Bands of Mourning. The last book is going to be heartbreaking to see these characters go, but also enjoyable to see their storyline wrapped up. Too bad we have to wait until Oathbringer is done first...

A wonderful book. Mr. Sanderson is a genius at keeping the reader guessing. His talent at creating worlds and stories are so intriguing that he has become one of my favorite authors. Bands of Mourning has kept the pace in the Mistborn series and has created interest at the same time as perpuated the storyline in a rivoting fashion. Well done Mr. Sanderson, well done.

Sanderson always delivers, but I found that this book and the trilogy its a part of was much lighter than the initial Mistborn series. I couldn't really relate to any of the characters and Wax frequently annoyed me. If you're a fan of Sanderson: read it but keep in mind that its not his best work (for some context I loved Warbreaker, The Stormlight archives, and his YA Reckoners series immensely).

Like all of Sanderson's books, this one doesn't disappoint. It had a fantastic storyline, great character moments and a very satisfying ending. I felt like a lot more questions were answered in this book. I love how Brandon slowly reveals secrets to the Cosmere. He is crafting a fantastic universe. Can't wait for the next book!

There is a fantastic story I tell about meeting this man just after book 2 was released. As the owner of perhaps 1,000 books I can say with confidence that Brandon Sanderson is indeed already one of the greatest Fantasy authors I have ever read. His books remain on my top shelf next to Tolkien, Jordan, Brooks & Goodkind...

Brandon Sanderson continues to offer excellent quality, enjoyable books. I read Bands of Mourning through the night and like all of Sanderson's books, i finished it jumping all over my room in excitement. The sheer creativity he offers in every book, combined with a masterful skill at writing, makes him one of the best authors of our time.

The third book of the second series of the Mistbourne sends Lord Waxillium Landrian; his friend, companion and thief Wayne; his fiancee Steris; and his fellow constable Marasi to the outlying city of New Seran where revolution is brewing. Getting their they have to face a train robbery, and merely going to a Ball, gets Wax accused of murder. At the heart of the evil is his uncle who may have captured Wax’s sister Terris. There’s his secret base with a captured flying boat from the South and it’s masked crew who have been tortured. But the journey takes them high in the mountains where The Bands of Mourning (hard from Tor) of the Lord Ruler, killed before the world was remade, are hidden. This is a must for fans of Brandon Sanderson and his Mistborn tales. Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press