The Alloy of Law (#1)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a heist story of political intrigue and magical, martial-arts action.
Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.
Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old 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 the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.
One such 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 has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, 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.
Reviews
“A fresh view of how a world can grow, building new dimensions into the best of the old. Sanderson continues to show that he is one of the best authors in the genre.”Library Journal, Starred Review
“Sanderson’s fresh ideas on the source and employment of magic are both arresting and original […] Think brisk. Think fun. Enjoy.”
“Rollicking adventure […] Part Sherlock Holmes, part X-Men, this exciting stand-alone adventure is full of close shaves, shootouts, and witty banter.”
“An engaging and fun romp of a read. The characters really shine in this book. “RT Book Reviews
“Sanderson creates a nice steampunk vibe while getting full use of his metal-based magical system and his pantheon of very involved gods. The book has some philosophical questions about society, wealth and crime, but it’s mostly a great action yarn.”
“Fans of high fantasy and adventure who can broaden their horizons to include a dash of actual (or at least psuedo-) science will find plenty to like here.”CNET
“Sanderson manages to blend familiar fantasy and action tropes into something that is new, exciting, and just plain fun, full of neat ideas, crackling dialogue, and a very big helping of dry with. It’s the start of a new series, of course, so things don’t quite end here-but I can’t wait to find out what happens next.”Black Gate
“[An] excellent blend of detective story, high fantasy, and western all rolled into an enjoyable tale of action and adventure.”
“A wonderful continuation of the storyline started in the original Mistborn trilogy. This book stands on its own and is a wonderful read that kept me reading well into the night. If you’ve read the series, then you’ll love this. If you haven’t, then I can almost guarantee you that you’ll want to after reading this.”
“A good entry point for new readers […] his shortest novel-length work, but still contains the hallmarks of his revious work — likeable/believable characters, layered plot, detailed magic, and genre savvy. I liked Alloy of Law a great deal, and will be eagerly waiting to see where he enxt takes the Mistborn saga.”
“A stand alone that can be read without the benefit of perusing the original trilogy though those who have not are missing a wonderful magical fantasy. Filled with amusing Rough frontier banter in a realm in which early twentieth century technology and science competes with magic, fans will enjoy this action adventure caper. Brandon Sanderson brilliantly provides a refreshing guns and sorcery thriller.”
“[Sanderson’s] impact on the fantasy genre has been intense and far-reaching […] a terrific writer.”January Magazine
“An enjoyable story and worth a read.”SF Site
“With plenty of drama, action, suspense and intrigue, THE ALLOY OF LAW was completely riveting and a fun mystery.”Sci Fi Chick
“A terrific story, a lot of action, some awesome banter and hilarious conversations and an exceptional magical system.”A Lot of Pages
“A puzzling mystery to solve, engaging banter, and seeds of romance. Delightful characters. Don’t miss!”BookLoons
Awards & Accolades
#7 New York Times Bestseller List
Winner Whitney Award: 2011 “Best Speculative Fiction”
FantasyLiterature.com: “Best SF/F of 2011”
January Magazine: “Best SF/F of 2011”
Goodreads Finalist: “Best Fantasy novel of 2011”
SF Book Club main selection