Justin's Notes
Jan. 15, 2026
I forgot how much I enjoy the magic systems in the Mistborn world.
The Alloy of Law is the first book of the Wax and Wayne saga, a set of four books taking place 300 years after the end of the original Mistborn trilogy. Sanderson takes the familiar magic systems of Allomancy and Feruchemy and blends them into what feels like a late 19th to early 20th-century world. It follows Waxillium, a "twinborn" lawman who has a change of scenery going from hunting criminals in the Rough to taking over as a nobleman in his family's estate.
I will admit, at the start, it felt weird reading about the magic systems I knew from the original trilogy and blending them with guns, trains, and more modern technology. Once the action scenes began to happen though, it felt more and more like the Mistborn I enjoyed so much. Sanderson builds similar societal and political tensions you find in the first trilogy. He writes entertaining action scenes that I have a hard time putting down. I really enjoy his pacing, and I think his characters are fun, even if some of them feel a little predictable.
At the end of the day, it's just more Mistborn and more Sanderson. It is hard to write anything I haven't written before about his writing while reviewing this book. I believe it is the 8th book I have read of his. If you enjoy Sanderson, it's likely you have already read this or know enough about it. If you are a fantasy reader and somehow haven't tried Sanderson yet, or are a new fantasy reader trying out the genre, I would recommend starting with the original Mistborn trilogy. Don't start here.
