The world has changed much since the time of The Hero of Ages. Our beloved characters Elend, Vin, Sazed and Spook have become legendary figures, deities in their own right. This is Mistborn era two, and in this era railways form the staple for travel and trade, electricity lights up the streets, buildings reach new heights, and machinery and guns prevail. Progression has taken hold of Scadrial, all under the watchful eye of Harmony. There are some elements which are still recognisable though, the powers of Allomancy and Feruchemy still reside within many, although they are now used in fascinating new ways.

In what was once the lands of The Final Empire, two factions are born. In the city of Elendel, a city of wealth, politics and relative luxury, the citizens live under law and order, yet out in the Roughs criminals run amok. Our story centres on two daring lawmakers who have spent years attempting to bring the Roughs under some sense of justice. Lord Waxillium and Wayne, two very different people united in their purpose of catching criminals, their extraordinary abilities as Twinborns—those who can use both Allomancy and Feruchemy—and their adorable friendship. As Wax faces a tragedy, he vows to give up his lawmaking days and live the life of a noble in Elendel. However, when mysterious thefts and kidnappings start occurring within the city old sparks stir, and once Wayne returns reminding Wax that the life of an aristocrat is a boring one, they both set to solving the case. But have they taken on more than they alone can handle?

“Harmony protect us from small-minded men with too much power.”

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson is packed to the brim with comedic shenanigans, spectacular action sequences and heroic deeds aplenty. This may be the world of Mistborns on a smaller scale, but it remains a remarkable read. 

After I had finished the almost soul-destroying ending of The Hero of Ages I was eager to read more and wanted to start era two immediately. However, I hesitated after being warned that the tone and general feel of this trilogy is very different from era one. In some parts I agree, for example this novel is considerably shorter than most of Sanderson tomes, the narrative follows a much more simpler path and the world doesn’t feel as epic. Yet whilst some are put off by this, I found it a welcomed change. By now you should know I believe Sanderson is an absolute genius, often an evil genius, but a genius nonetheless. The Alloy of Law still holds his staple endearing characters with hidden traumas, the magic system is spectacularly cool and whilst the world has evolved in impressive ways there is so much that is still comfortingly familiar.

“The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. It is not how easily they jump at a noise or how quick they are to show emotion. It’s in how they make use of what life has shown them.”

I loved seeing how Elend, Vin, Sazed, and Spook had become religious figures from ancient times, studied and worshiped, how cities were named after them and how their legacy had shaped the attitudes within the world. I especially enjoyed learning that Spook’s eastern street slang dialect became known as High Imperial, which only a few elite could translate! There were so many connections to discover and I felt that Sanderson had built the perfect arch between both eras.

Sanderson is well known for creating stories filled with dark and sombre atmospheres, yet as I mentioned I was warned the tone of this novel is much more light-hearted. This mainly comes from the two main protagonists who rapidly became my beloved comedic duo—Wax and Wayne. Whilst Lord Waxillium tries to be the dutiful noble of House Ladrian, taking his uncle’s place after a fatal accident, we soon see him tire of the façade. Wax is a lawman, he may have had his confidence knocked by a past trauma, but the lifestyle never quite leaves him. Even when attending a formal dinner with his wife-to-be Steris (a marriage purely of political convenience) he plans defences and escape routes, and his distraction causes some hilarious conversations.

Then enter Wayne, a long-time friend of Wax and his partner in the Roughs. Wayne is full of banter, a master of disguises and fake accents, a man very attached to his lucky hat. Seriously, don’t ever steal his hat! From the moment Wayne sneaks into the formal dinner Wax and Steris attend and poses as a servant just to draw Wax back into the crime solving game, I instantly loved him. Wayne is more a man of action than one of preparation and planning, he teases Wax at every turn yet he relies on his friend’s masterminding skills. This is why they make the perfect duo, Batman and Robin if you will, their skills complement each other. Wayne may also have come from a traumatic background, but unlike Wax he doesn’t succumb to it and give up, and he won’t let his friend go down this path. There were moments where I felt emotional for both characters, but the humour didn’t allow me to dwell on this for long. Our characters could be facing such peril, but Wayne would still crack a joke or two.

“Only a hat?” he asked, aghast.

“Wayne’s a little attached to that hat,” Waxillium said. “He thinks it’s lucky.”

“It is lucky. I ain’t never died while wearing that hat.”

Marasi frowned. “I’m not sure I know how to respond.”

“That’s a common reaction to Wayne,” Waxillium said.

Joining these two in their capers is  Marasi. When we first meet Marasi she is a timid, quiet and subservient figure, a cousin to Steris, a woman to be seen but not heard. Yet as the novel progresses we quickly discover just how fantastic her character is. Marasi holds a deep passion for studying law, a path not many females would venture into, but her abilities for solving difficult mysteries will not be denied. Therefore what better way to get experience than by learning from the infamous lawmaker himself, Wax. Marasi shows she’s just as capable as the two men, and in some cases even better at uncovering what the others cannot see. Watching Marasi grow in confidence and stepping out of her comfort zones was fantastic to see.

“To be of use in even a single burst of flame and sound is worth more than a lifetime of achieving nothing.”

Another aspect of growth in The Alloy of Law lies within the evolving magic system. I honestly wondered how Sanderson would present his magic system, I feared it would be much of the same and would feel a touch stale, but wow did he make it so much more amazing! Allomancy and Feruchemy still work in the same rudimentary ways that they did in era one; burning metals and using copperminds to release or store powers. The characters could still use coins to push and pull projecting them into the air, or they could use Feruchemy to become heavier or lighter. However with the concept of Twinborns these powers could be joined together in extraordinary ways. Wax used his powers to shape the course of his bullets when firing at the enemy, and Wayne could use speed bubbles to speed up time for those inside his bubble, and use Feruchemy to heal. These made for some truly cinematic action scenes.

The Alloy of Law ended with some shocking twists showing once again that Sanderson can always take his readers by surprise. This is just the start of Wax and Wayne’s capers, and their charm and wit have left me longing for more.