libib

Original Impressions 11/10/14: Omg finally done! No offense, AoL. Finally finished reading during wedding time. It was fun and a lot lighter than the main Mistborn story line. Probably 4.25 stars? So not fair to this book that I barely got to read more than 5% at a time. Always want more and love the allusions to the original story line/time period! But of course, always want more of that.

Full review posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 12/26/14: Of course immediately after inhaling the first three books in the Mistborn series (grouped together as a trilogy since The Alloy of Law takes place three hundred years after THE HERO OF AGES and is really more of a spin-off), I had to start the next book in this series. I grew obsessed, craving for more, and couldn’t get Sanderson books off my mind. This was actually the shortest book of the series so far (at only 300+ pages versus the usual 500-700 (depending on what version you’re reading)) and yet it took me the longest to read. Part of it was that I started reading it before my wedding so for a good two and a half weeks after I started, I really read nothing at all. Another reason is that I was really pining more for the original characters and plot than the spin-off but nevertheless, I enjoyed THE ALLOY OF LAW very much!

Right away, THE ALLOY OF LAW has its definite differences. The feel is immediately much different with AOL taking place 300 years later and Sanderson creating a “Wild West with Allomancy” setting. I was a bit hesitant at first since I was so used to the absence of modern technology in this series and the reader stumbles upon a much more advanced Scadrial, following the descendants of some of the original characters. The other immediate difference is the absence of Mistborns and the notable introduction of “Twinborns” — people who possess both Allomantic and Feruchemical abilities. It actually created some very interesting ideas and possibilities and I loved how they played into the plot! I actually can’t wait to find out more about the history of Twinborns and how that came to be because Sanderson’s history and world building and backstories are always quite amazing!

I love the bromance between Wax and Wayne (although Wayne might be a more invested in this bromance than Waxillium… but I have hope for them to grow tighter once again!) and all of the difference that these two alone make in the tone of the book. Wayne is a bit more… wild. He’s got some wacky tendencies and the dynamic between Wayne and Wax had me cracking up. He definitely brought a much lighter sense to the book and a lot more comedic moments!

As usual, all of Sanderson’s characters are flawless. An unlikely duo (well, now that Waxillium has himself stuck up in the higher class), a damsel, a whip-smart female counterpart, and an indestructible villain. The combinations are just wonderful and as always, the characters keep the story moving and bring a few extra bonus ideas to the plot as well. Everything flowed so well in THE ALLOY OF LAW and it was really fun to watch this story unfold!

I’d say ultimately, I was hoping there would be more allusions to the original cast of characters in the first three books (what can I say? I’m greedy), but I have a VERY STRONG FEELING that we’ll be seeing a lot more of that as this collection of stories progresses! I’m also excited to see how this new trilogy connects and then even sets up for another collection of stories (I mean, Sanderson-permitting, of course. I’ve heard rumors.) because Brandon Sanderson seems to be a master at connecting things I didn’t even know were connected!