The Bands of Mourning

This is the third book in a four book series, and although it has its own plot arc, its story is a continuation of a greater plot arc - if you haven't read Allow of Law or Shadows of Self, you really need to read those in order to follow the story. Also realize that there is still one more book in the series that Brandon hasn't even started writing yet, so although there is some closure for some things at the end of this book, it is not THE end. THIS is, however, what I was expecting when I first read the first Wax & Wayne novel, Alloy of Law. Although I enjoyed it, I asked, why would Scadrial, a world with powerful, remarkable magic, develop the exact same technologies that Earth did? Trains, steam power, electricity... Shouldn't the magic have some impact on industrialization? Finally, we see not only a continuation and further development of Wax's quest that was introduced in the first book, along with the humor and plot twists you expect from Brandon's novels, but also unique technological advances that specifically relate to the magic powers of the world - with fascinating implications for the future. The book is a satisfying and enjoyable continuation of the adventures of Wax and Wayne, along with several secondary characters they've picked up along the way. As with all of Brandon's books, it's a character-centric story, and you really get pulled into their plights and struggles. I laughed, I cried, I worried, I celebrated, and I didn't put the book down until I had finished. And now the long wait for the finale.

This work was a highly entertaining trip into the world of Wax and Wayne. There were entertaining moments in the book and characters with which the reader immediately empathizes. This was a great story to enjoy and relax.

3.5 Stars I just finished the book and I have so many mixed emotions. Throughout reading this book I thought it would be one of, if not, the best books he's ever written. It's great seeing Sandersons writing grow, and it really showed in this book with the characters. I liked The Alloy of Law, but some of the characters personalities (especially Wayne) felt a bit forced. I have felt this way about some of the characters in his other books as well, but they were never TOO bad. In Shadows of Self they got better, but the plot and twists was more of the highlight of that book, and not so much the side characters like Wayne, Marasi, and Steris. In this book however I found all the characters wonderful, but the plot......not so much. All the characters (especially Steris) were delightful to read and I must have laughed out loud at least 10 times while reading this. Their chemistry just worked so well together and I think this is the best Sanderson book to date character-wise. The plot itself though just never captured me. It was ultimately the characters and their interactions with each other than made me read this book so fast and not want to put it down. The plot was just.....boring and compared to Sandersons other books, which have spoiled me with their twists and explosive endings, it fell flat. -- SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT -- It's probably my fault a little bit that it fell flat for me, because seeing some of the early reviews got me REALLY excited. People talked about the cosmere getting tied together, about alien forces invading Scadrial, and all around just made it's scope seem big and epic. Well....none of that really happened. The plot was just a basic treasure hunt with a few obvious and meh twists (Wax's sister and the Spear) and a weak ending. Shadows of Self teased us with Trell and this book just teased more and never really answered much. I was also super excited to figure out what the void eyed demons were and then they just turned out to be people with masks from far away on Scadrial. I mean come on, I'm sure everyone who's read Stormlight got all excited like me and thought they would be some sort of minion of Odium, it turned out to be SUCH a let down. All in all i give this book 5 stars for the characters, and 3 stars for the plot. Another terrific book by Sanderson, but ultimately a little bit disappointing

It says I have to use at least twenty words. I could easily do this in less. As with both previous books in Era Two on my first reading I gave this book a four. After reading Era One and Era Two in succession I had to up the score. I am at this point completely caught up in all things Cosmere. If Brandon Sanderson wrote it, and it's a Cosmere story I have read it at least once. I started my Mistborn re-read while awaiting the release of the third Secret Project. Yum I and the Nightmare Painter. I had already read everything else when I finished Tress, wait... TOES?? I wonder if that is Cosmere relevant? Like are the Aethers in Tress like the individual toes, or toe jam left over from the Shattering of Adnalsium? Never mind, probably not. But I had already read TOES so I re-read Stormlight Archive in order... ALL THE WAY to ROW. Novellas included. I caught so much on that re-reading. So much I had overlooked before that I knew Mistborn had to follow. This time in rapid succession. My point is this. Upon my initial reading of this book... Yes. I was Cosmere aware. However having read EVERYTHING I am now Cosmere focused. And this title is jam packed with foreshadowing and Cosmere hints and knowledge. If you consider yourself a Worldsinger at all... You HAVE to revisit this work. It is a terrific read. I mean the book is just great. But with all of the Cosmereically pertinent information, this book isn't just a "must read". It is a 100% " MUST RE-READ"!

This story began with an incredibly complex story set in three parts... the original Mistborn Trilogy. Deep characters, complex (without being complicated) plotlines, and twists that keep most people (me included) guessing until the end. Skip 300 years, and you have the Wax and Wayne novels. I won't go into much detail on the previous two books, or this one (so no real spoilers), but the third of four books has, again, managed to surprise and keep me interested enough to read it through in one setting. Follow the group as they attempt to solve the mystery of an ancient ruin discovered by a now-mad Kandra, unearth an ancient artifact that could bring ruin or redemption to the world, and reconcile some serious emotional and psychological issues. The characters continue to grow and evolve, even through a third full-length novel. Honestly, I cannot praise this book enough, even though I'm not doing it justice. But without reading the other books, you really don't know what is happening, so I recommend, first: 1. Mistborn: The Final Empire 2. The Well of Ascension: Book Two of Mistborn 3. The Hero of Ages: Book Three of Mistborn 4. The Alloy of Law: A Mistborn Novel 5. Shadows of Self: A Mistborn Novel 6. The Bands of Mourning: A Mistborn Novel 7. Mistborn: Secret History* * - This is a novella that takes place between The Hero of Ages and The Alloy of Law... but contains spoilers that might give away some details in the later books as well. You can read it either between those two books, or the very end... but it also is a worthwhile read.

I expect excellence every time with Brandon Sanderson. Some how he never disappoints. The Bands of Mourning is no exception. This is a fast paced thrill ride. Even better is the amazing amount of depth the story has towards the end. The characters are so real and dear to me now. A huge plus for me is how more elements of Sanderson's Cosmere seem to be popping up more now in his latest books. It helps reward those he constantly follow his work. Yet I do not think it will alienate those who don't pay any attention to that side of things. I think the biggest accomplishment for this entry is how good of a character Steris. I cannot say I hated her character before but I certainly didn't enjoy her. In this book she shines. How Wax and Steris interact was such a pleasure. The budding love story there is actually touching. That is very rare in genre fiction like this. My only complaint I have with this one is that I saw a big plot twist coming. Sometimes that is okay. If the secret is so clever that I feel smart for having figured out before the characters in the book. This one seemed so obvious that I found it frustrating that Wax and company didn't see it coming. I never thought these Allow books were going to win me over the same way that Sanderson's other works have. I am glad I am wrong. The world of Mistborn is so fascinating. This entry into the Mistborn mythos is top notch. I will be sad to read the next and final chapter. Saying goodbye is never easy.

I will start this review out by emphatically stating that Branden Sanderson is easily my favorite author and anything he puts out is an automatic must read for me. Of all his works, I must say that the original Mistborn trilogy stands as a touchstone series for me, standing as one series that drew me into fantasy novels in the first place. The second set of Mistborn novels, take place almost three hundred years after the events in the first trilogy and they do something that most fantasy novels never even touch on, i.e allowing your society to progress out of the middle ages eventually into industrialization and examining how magic would fit in with a technologically advanced society. Likewise, whereas I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books of the new trilogy, I must say that the latest story in the trilogy, the Bands of Mourning while enjoyable, stands as a slight misstep for me, and unfortunately stands as my least favorite Sanderson work thus far for reasons I’ll quickly discuss below. For those new to the series, I’ll say that to get the most bang for your buck reading Bands of Mourning, you must have at least read the previous two works in the new trilogy, Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self. Likewise, whereas Alloy of Law could be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend that you read through the first Mistborn trilogy before jumping into either Shadows of Self or Bands of Mourning. For one, those original works are masterpieces, and second of all the latest two books in this series heavily reference the events of the first trilogy to the point that one will be lost if they haven’t read the first trilogy. Anyhow, Bands of Mourning takes place roughly six months after the tragic events of Shadows of Self, Wax our main protagonist is about to get married to his fiancé, the cold yet endearing Steris Harms, a union which throughout the series has been built more on political and financial necessity rather than love. Moments before his wedding, Wax, still getting over the events of the last novel is approached by two emissaries from Harmony, the god of Scadrial, with news that the legendary bands of Mourning, the metal minds worn by the Lord Ruler from the previous Mistborn Trilogy, have been found. These legendary items have always been more myth than reality, rumored to grant anyone who wore them all of the power that the Lord Ruler had at his command, and the two kandra emissaries have evidence that these items do indeed exist. Wax still ticked at Harmony from the events in Shadows of Self, declines the quest until he receives evidence that his Uncle, the leader of the criminal organization known as the Set is involved and is actively seeking the items as well. Sensing an opportunity to rescue his sister from his Uncle as well keep the bands out of criminal hands, Wax agrees and our heroes are off in a race to find the mythical bands of mourning. In typical Sanderson fashion, Bands of Mourning features crisp dialogue, dynamic action scenes and amazing world building. In Shadows of Self and now Bands of Mourning, Sanderson in my opinion does a great job referencing his previous trilogy while also allowing his new characters to operate in a new world with new challenges while not suffocating them with a been there done that storyline. The parallels between these trilogies are of course there, whereas in the previous trilogy Vin, Kelsier and Co where the revolutionaries fighting for freedom and the disruption of the status quo, in the latest trilogy Sanderson has flipped the script on its head, with our heroes serving as the forces of stability and the villains the source of change. It is implied in these new works that while society may not be as overly oppressive as the world under the Lord Ruler, the advent of progress, capitalism and a rigid class system are oppressing the common man as much as Lord Ruler and his minions in subtle and different ways. Our heroes in this trilogy are fighting for the reformed status quo whereas Vin, Elend and company where fighting to tear it all down, in a manner similar to Wax’s uncle in the new trilogy. Bands of Mourning was a good book and a worthy addition to the Mistborn saga. However, it fell down for me in a couple areas. Most notably I felt that a few of the action sequences, normally a strong suit of Sanderson’s, rang hollow and artificial in the book, devoid of tension, only serving as gee whiz ideas of Sanderson’s, almost as if he had in his mind certain ‘cool’ scenes and worked hard to include them in the novel. Without spoiling them, the scenes were all well written but they all dragged for me as nothing seemed really at stake in any of them. While most of the action scenes where amazing, I almost skipped the few that didn’t work as I already surmised there would be no real consequences from any of those scenes. Likewise, whereas I was literally laughing out loud at certain points in the previous Wax and Wayne novels, the humor in this new novel at times felt forced, a little too self-aware and dare I say it tiresome. In short, I would argue that the humor at times felt as if it were written more for the reader rather than the characters in the story. Wayne, arguably my favorite character from the first two novels, had his humor fall flat or feel forced throughout most of the novel which was disappointing. Maybe I am tired of the character so that is more a reflection of me rather than the author, I dunno. Likewise, there were certain parts of the novel, where it felt like Sanderson was playing too hard with the fourth wall, entire sections that were supposed to come across as jokes or comical where to ham fisted and in the context of the story for me just didn’t work. Without spoiling it, there was scene in a hotel lobby, that while painfully self-aware and funny in the context of the story didn’t do much for the plot or advance the story all that much. I realize I’m being picky, but that scene in particular almost took me out of the story which is something I’m not sure you want while reading a novel. Another gripe I had with the story centered on characterization. For those who have trudged through my reviews in the past, you know that I place a huge premium on characterization, and while the characterization for the majority of the characters was strong, it was also very weak with others. Steris for instance, has had one of the best arcs throughout the entire series. The reader has seen her grow from a cold, detached, very shallow individual to a very rich character that simply hides her insecurities and fear with routine and organization. Sanderson gives her some of the best scenes in the novel and he found a fantastic way to mold her quirks into adorable attributes. Like many of the other characters in the book, she also longs for adventure and excitement, but she hides it behind the curtain of decency and the expectations of the noble class. It’s been building over the last two books, but Steris really comes into her own in this last work, developing into a full three dimensional character and not simply a plot point. Whereas I commented on the forced humor in the work with some of the other characters, with Steris the humor feels genuine as they are all true to her character and who she is as a person. Well done. Marasi on the other hand for reasons, I am still trying to grasp felt flat for me throughout the entire novel. She was a great character in previous novels but I found her borderline boring in this novel which is a shame. She is now more accepted by Wax and Wayne as an able and competent partner, with Wax even going so far as to not second guess every suggestion she makes. Likewise she has a powerful scene near the end of the novel where she realizes how her hero worship of Wax has stunted her growth as a person, and that while she can never be Wax, she still can be as good if not better than him if she only accepts her strengths as opposed to trying to match the competencies with her hero. However, for some reason she didn’t ring for me in this novel and I am having a hard time figuring it out. She is still extremely smart and capable, and possesses a sharp mind and a strong will to do what is right. Sanderson gives her the opportunity to shine with some key scenes and gives her some key insights, however, these insights are almost always undercut by Wax who either has already figured out what Marasai just learned, or has a better understanding of the information that she was given. That being said, whereas before Marasi was only grudgingly accepted by Wax and those in the Constable service, she is now basically accepted by both, which takes away some of the inner and outer conflict present with the character. In many scenes she almost functions as simply another Wax stand in, losing a lot of her personality and character that endeared me to her in the first place. All in all, Bands of Mourning despite the small gripes I had with it is a good book. A constant theme throughout the book and the series as a whole is motion. The world is moving forward and many of the characters are changing with the times in accordance with this underlying theme. The novel does a great job of expanding the larger world of Scadrial, introducing new cities, locations, characters, technology and even continents. Also, it ends on one hell of a cliff hanger. Despite my nitpicks, I would still highly recommend Bands of Mourning, it’s a worthy addition to the Mistborn Saga.

It is the day of Wax and Steris's wedding, and he is not ready to remarry. The wounds of being forced to kill his first wife for the second time still haunts Wax. His marriage to Sterris is one of political and economic necessity. But Wax has promised to marry her, and he will grit his teeth and get through the ceremony. Of course, nothing ever goes right around Wax. When a kandra shows up needing Wax's help and the nearby water tower collapses and floods the church in the middle of the ceremony, another adventur has begun. In New Seran, a kandra has almost been killed after coming across the location of the Lord Rulers bracers, the Bands of Mourning. Reputed to be the source of the Lord Rulers inhuman powers, they are coveted by all, including Wax's devious uncle and the nefarious group he works for. Not wanting to help Harmony and the kandra after their betrayal, but unable to resist the urge to hunt his uncle down and recover his kidnap sister, Wax joins the group. Accompanied by his disreputable friend Wayne, the intrepid constable Marsai, his fiancee Steris, and the kandra MeLaan, Wax heads off on an adventure that will change everything for the people of Elendel. Bands of Mourning was a rollercoaster ride. Brandon weaves almost every pulp story in existence into this tale from Westerns (including a classic train robbery), detective story, and more (I don't want to spoil this one). Wax and his group have never faced such danger as they try to dicover what the mysterious Set, the shadowy organization bent seizing power in Elendel. The characters have grown and changed, but Steris really shines. In Alloy of Law I did not like her. I wanted Wax to end up with Marsai. But the last two books, especially this one, shows just how great a match she is for Wax. But there's more than just Wax's love life in this book. So much happens. Just when you thought you understood how Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy works, Brandon throws curve balls. MeLaan and Wayne continue to entertain, and it's great seeing how far Marsai has come from the first book where she blushed at everything (though she does have her occasional blush). The stakes only grow higher in this book, setting the stage for the final book in the Mistborn Era 2 series, The Last Metal. This book packed some emotional wallops. There were times I was at the edge of my seat, my stomach twisting in disbelief at what was happening. If you're a fan of Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn, and the Cosmere, you will eat this book up. And if you've never read Brandon Sanderson, you are missing out. Pick up the first Mistborn book (this is not the place to start) and fall in love with one of the modern masters of Fantasy.