The Alloy of Law

A Western adventure set in the Mistborn universe

I was going to read all three Wax and Wayne novels. I really enjoyed the original three Mistborn novels, and Elantris and Warbreaker, and was hoping for more of the same fascinating fantasy. But this trilogy consists of Westerns set in the Mistborn universe, hundreds of years after the first trilogy. The first one, The Alloy of Law, was a lot of gunporn mixed with a lot of descriptions of superpowers and their usage, and a trope-ridden plot. Crusty, swaggering Western lawmen? Check. Wise-cracking buddies? Check. Heroes with superpowers? Check. Evil superpowered nemesis? Check. Plucky, competent young woman? Check. Said young woman pining for the hero she can't have? Check.

I mean, it's a fine read, if you enjoy novels in that vein -- but I decided that it was not engaging enough for me to read the sequels, Shadows of Self and The Bands of Mourning. I kind of feel as though Sanderson is phoning it in on this one (but bear in mind that "phoning it in" for Sanderson is "writing an excellent book" for most other authors). I'm going to give The Stormlight Archive novels a try instead.