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Book Review of Shadows of Self: A Mistborn Novel

Shadows of Self: A Mistborn Novel
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Leaving frontier lands, Waxillium Ladrian returns to where he was born to head his noble house. It's no surprise, though, that the novel starts with a frontier memory. As he said, âI never intended to be a lawman. I think I knew, deep down, that I couldn't change anything in Elendel. It was too big, the men in suits too crafty. Out in the Roughs, one man with a gun meant something. Here, it's hard to see him as anything other than a relic.â

A Twinborn, Wax can use both Alomancy and Feruchemy. With his eccentric and unpredictable partner, Wayne, the two become independent lawmen in Elendel besieged by terrorism and assassination. Assisted by Constable Marasi, they must find a way stop it while dealing with a corrupt ruling class. A shapeshifter is killing people. With the help of MeLaan, a kandra, Steris and Marasi, the groups looks for the killer. Wax finds that a Steelrunner (a Feruchemist who stores speed) committed the murders, but finding the only Steelrunner in the city, she has been murdered. The search continues.

The novel builds on Alloy of Law with communication between Wax and Harmony. Outstanding characters, excellent writing and intricate plots continue, not to mention elaborate world building. Wax is the Wild West gunslinger lawman we know so well. Wayne provides smile after smile with his comic antics while Steris provides serious depth into the scenarios encountered. Marasi with her thorough research and thought processes upholds Elendel law as she works confidently within the group. Of course, the characters have grown as with each book in the series.