The Allow of Law (Mistborn #4, Wax and Wayne #1) by Brandon Sanderson • contains 332 pages • published November 8, 2011 by Gollancz, Orion Publishing Group • classified as Fantasy, General Fiction • obtained through purchase • read as paperback • shelve on Goodreads Synopsis:
In a world recovering only slowly from evil, a world where allomancers wield immense power through their ability to unleash the magic bound up in common metals someone who can burn metals that no-one has burned before can tip the balance...
Fantasy with a Fun Twist
I can’t think of another fantasy book I’ve read that was as much fun as The Alloy of Law. It made me chuckle a lot, particularly because of Wayne. He’s hilarious and makes the most inappropriate yet fitting comments. Some part nearly had me in stitches. At the same time, The Alloy of Law reads like a crime fantasy novel.
Crime and Action
The setting is an an alternate Wild West, so there’s a lot of action as well. Clearly, The Alloy of Law deflects from the original Mistborn trilogy. It’s not an epic fantasy novel and doesn’t try to be. Instead, you can tell that Brandon Sanderson meant for this book to be an experiment of sorts. The science and magic that uphold Elendel mirror that of the first three Mistborn books and builds upon them. The style of writing and the nature of the plot, however, offer a stark contrast.
Quite a Change
Initially, I was worried I wouldn’t be a fan of the changes. I absolutely adored the original cast of characters, and was blown away by the intricacy of culture, politics, religion, etc. The details made me feel like I knew their world. The Alloy of Law is much more plot-driven. While it tells an independent story, it can’t be read on its own. There would be too many unanswered questions hinging on the original world building. I needn’t have worried about not enjoying this book, though.
While The Alloy of Law is markedly different, it contains further exploration of the potential of allomancy and feruchemy. It does so in a way that allows readers to breathe with a shorter, more light-hearted book. Now, I wasn’t as wowed as I was by the previous three books, but it does retain the spark of the Mistborn series. As a bridging series within the larger Mistborn series then, Wax and Wayne is off to a solid start.
