Review: Alloy of Law

Title: The Alloy of Law
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy, steampunk

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:In the three hundred years since the events of the Mistborn trilogy, science and technology have marched on. Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads, electric lighting, and even the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.
Yet even with these advances, the magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for those attempting to establish order and justice.
One is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax must now put away his guns and assume the duties incumbent upon the head of a noble house—until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

When I read the Mistborn trilogy, I fell in love with the cosmere and Sanderson's books. I was delighted to find out that there were even more Mistborn books set in time periods after the original trilogy. How brilliant is that? A world that evolves its magic and technology together; where characters we once knew and loved are now legends and gods of eras past.

The Alloy of Law is a sort of turn-of-the-century take on Mistborn. Scadrial now has streetlights, rail cars, and pistols. And along with pistols and railcars come good old fashioned rogues and shootouts. This book is immensely entertaining, especially thanks to the hilarious duo of Wax and Wayne (no pun intended? Knowing Sanderson, I doubt it...). Waxillium is a nobleman who wants nothing more than to get his hands dirty and actually defend the city instead of enjoying pointless parties with the rest of the nobility. He's a bit of an oddball in all circles, but no one can deny his sizeable inheritance. Wayne is more of a...free spirit. He is a charmer and loves a good joke, even when he's fighting for his life. A pretty young noblewoman, Marasi, also gets tangled up in their mess. She starts out as a pretty weak character but she grows so much and ends up being pretty badass by the end. I loved all of their friendly banter and camaraderie, and I can't get over how much Wayne loves his hat! It's a good hat, to be sure.

This book is part mystery, part fantasy, and part Western, and it's really hard to put down. I don't think I even need to recommend it because I'm sure all the Mistborn fans are already on top of it.

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