#I really think Marasi should have been working with a kandra

[puddlejumper38]

I'm rereading Lost Metal and honestly, why were the Ghostbloods even there?

The whole book has its scope problems, since our main characters are out of the wild west, but the Ghostbloods really don't help.

Marasi's character arc didn't need them - she was headed away from the police anyways.

They added cosmere lore that really pulled away from the plot and Kelsier was barely even involved. Why introduce them and his non-death only to not Do Anything With It? I feel like Secret History should have been introduced Post-TLM instead as a build up for era 3, which surely must actually be dealing with these elements (I mean, working title Ghostbloods).

It felt like a lot to introduce in the last book of a series when it wasn't plot relevant.

Did Marasi need the more powerful character to reach the endgame? Maybe, but here's the thing. Use the kandra. The kandra were a big deal in era 2, only seriously underused in this book. Pair a kandra with Marasi for the end scenes!

You need a more powerful character? Use Marsh, instead of removing him from play for reasons I no longer understand! I admit to bias here, but if Marasi needs more spotlight at the end remove Marsh by saying he can't sneak through the village. Marasi was the first person Marsh approached, I just feel like this would have made sense. Also, he could say something that would lead to the hint that Kelsier is alive and hence the Secret History drop post-TLM. (I accept that Bands of Mourning would need some editing to make this possible but I don't think it would actually change the plot much).

And, again, putting a kandra with Marasi in that village would make sense! Since blending in is kind of their thing!

I think Branderson had already mentally moved on to era 3 and it didn't benefit The Lost Metal at all.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Thoughts on Mistborn Era 2 (Wax & Wayne):

My main take on these was “ah, looks like Brandon’s taking some time off from his magnum opus to write pulp Western/detective/crime novels”, and I was very amused to look up Brandon’s comments and see a ton of interviews with him saying, “so, this is absolutely me having some fun writing pulp Western/crime novels”. It’s nice to have a writer who’s not too proud to - accurately - describe his own stuff as pulp yet still do a good job of it. They remind me a little of the Dresden Files in terms of the mystery aspects, the urban fantasy tone, the wit, the lack of diplomatic/political subtlety of the protagonists and, of course, the rampant property destruction. But Brandon’s a much more thoughtful author than Jim Butcher, and treats his female characters better.

On the topic of gratuitous property destruction: Wax, for goodness’ sakes, stop shooting the ground! That’s infrastructure, Wax! Fixing the streets takes work, Wax! You’re not a dusty dirt road in the middle of nowhere any more, Wax! Just drop a coin like they dud in the old days! Or a shell casing or bullet if you desperately need to be hardcore. But rampantly firing off weapons in urban areas just to get a base for your Allomancy is a terrible idea.

This was a wonderful follow-up to Mistborn because it was a lot lighter and the stakes were a lot lower, which is nice for a change. I was reading the intro to Elantris where it was talking about people in Brandon’s early writing group telling him he needed to raise the stakes, and personally, I like low stakes. Well of Ascension/Hero of Ages were a grind, much as I liked the ending, and I would be up for more stories like Dawnshard, with low stakes and the heroes resolving the plot by non-violent means.

Marasi and Steris are both very well-done characters - I was definitely shipping Wax/Marasi in the first book and had no expectations of the Wax/Steris engagement lasting, so I was quite surprised, but the switch was well done and I liked it. Marasi and Wax’s feelings were a crush/hero worship and a rebound, respectively. And it’s nice to see a relationship grow gradually like Wax and Steris’ did. What Brandon did with Steris, starting out with a portrayal readers are unlikely to lije and letting her grow on them, is risky (especially with female characters) because readers may hold to first impressions, but I thought it worked very well.

Wayne’s backstory and reaction to it hit hard and was one of the best elements in the series. Another entry in the diverse array of Sanderson redemption arcs. It’s interesting because Wayne both is and isn’t haunted by it - he takes it seriously, it affects him deeply, but he doesn’t habitually brood, and it doesn’t prevent him from being a generally lighthearted, funny, silly person most of the time.

Wayne is absolutely right about the value of certain goids being an arbitrary thing invented by rich people. I’ve had caviar, once (as a garnish on a nice pasta dish at a fancy restaurant). It tastes like nothing. Entirely nodescript. The sole purpose of caviar is to communicate “this dish is fancy (and so, by connection, is the person eating it)”.

I’m deeply protective of Sazed and get very affonted when characters criticize him. I think he’s done an excellent job. It’s hard to wrap my head around the sheer scale of Bleeder’s overreaction to the possibility of her boyfriend moving back to the city. Though on one level it makes sense in that the kandra are of Preservation: she is going to see maintwnance of an existing situation as inherently better and more desirable, even if a change could still turn out well and be something Wax enjoyed. And I don’t feel like Sazed telling him about Bleeder being Lessie would have helped anything - it just would have made the decision to kill her harder, not less necessary, because she was incredibly malicious, destructive, and dangerous and there was no other way of containing her.

The resolution of Shadows of Self is exactly the sort of thing I wanted to see, politically: the mass protests and risk of riot over poor wages, unemployment, and mustreatment of workers is resolved by a committment to address those problems, because the workers’ anger is legitimate and their cause is just.

I’m heartily frustrated by Wax, because it is his responsibility - it is literally his job, he has employees and a Senate seat! - to address the major political and economic problems of Elendel, and he neglects them. I don’t care if you’d rather be out shooting things! You have resposibilities! The workers in your factories are the source of the money and prestige that lets you engage in your gentleman-crimefighter hobby, and you owe it to them to see that the city operates in their interests. You can do far more good in that way than by shootin’ bad guys. Do. Your. Damn. Job. Steris seems to be nudging him in that direction, at least.

In general I’m impatient with a lot of the law-enforcement attitudes. Miles is a villain for whom I have absolutely no sympathy. Oh, so you’ve turned evil because, despite your 15 years of work in law enforcement, crime still exists? Yeah, maybe that’s because your belief that crime will stop existing if you shoot and/or hang enough people was never realistic. Likewise with Wax’s skepticism regarding Marasi’s ideas on how crime can be reduced through better urban planning and social policies - no, Wax, it won’t entirely eliminate crime, there will always be people who are just plain malicious, greedy, venal, or violent, but if you can reduce it by, say, 50-70% by better social policy, that would still be a good thing, right?

The period newspapers are great fun. I want a TenSoon plushie! Come on, Brandon, you’re musding out on a fantastic marketing opportunity! The one thing that bugged me was the ‘Pewternauts’ in The Bands of Mourning. In the first place, it’s a nonsensical name - real-world dreadnaughts, of which these are obviously supposed to be the equivalent, were called that because it literally meant ‘these having nothing they should fear’. The apex predator of military warships at the time, if you will. You can’t just create a random fantasy portmanteau amd pretend that it works - it’s like calling a scandal in a fantasy novel something-gate even though the Watergate scandal doesn’t exist in that world! Secondly, dreadnaughts were part of a massive military arms race in a world where European wars had been commonplace for centuries. The Elendel basin had never had a war in 300 years - these aren’t something that someone would invent just off the bat. Having similar technology to turn-of-the-century earth doesn’t mean it will be applied in the same ways, not with a completely different political context.

In general, New Seran’s complaints seemed overblown. Yes, the transit system treating Elendel as a hub and lacking effective connections between the outlying regions in aggravating. (It’s a provlem that plagues urban public transit systems even now - most routes are either local or feed into the city centre, with relatively few goung from one suburb to another, even as trans-suburban commuting vecomes more common.) But it’s not remotely the kind of thing you fight a war over! I feel like Brandon’s trying to recall the American Revolution, a bit, but the distances are so small (Elendel and New Seran are about as far apart as Ottawa and Toronto) as to make that ludicrous. What they really need is some kind of equivalent to a regional district authority, where representatives of multiple local governments can get together to work on issues of regional planning.

[bakechochin]

Book Reviews - Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning

Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning - Brandon Sanderson - For fuck’s sake fine, I’ll get back on the Mistborn train after a good few aeons of neglecting it -> My relationship with this series is similar to a friendship with a guy called Callum who I know through uni, in that both are great fucking fun in short bursts but the shit they try to pull tests the very boundaries of belief; it has however been just shy of a year since I’ve read any Mistborn books, so I figured I could go into this one with a mind clear of the bitterness I once held for the series - As it turns out, going in to this book fresh was a great idea, as all the good stuff that I liked from the previous books shone in this book, which can’t all be down to my own revitalised interest and therefore must in part be attributable to this book’s high quality -> The action in this book is bloody amazing, continuing to bring all I’d expect from the Mistborn series (i.e. high-intensity and fast paced set pieces, occasionally aboard trains, involving novel uses of radical metal magic), and of course the multiple character perspectives allows for lots of cool action stuff to be going on at the same time -> This of course gives the book a brilliant pace, with all the characters always doing something that will move the plot along; I remember in Shadows of Self, it took almost a hundred pages in for it to be revealed that kandra are back (which was a sizeable bloody portion of that book), but in this book it throws you right into the fray of things and the gang are off on their merry quest before you even know what’s happening - Whilst Alloy of Law was too focused on the industry elements, and Shadows of Self was too intensive with the high magic vibes, this book manages to create a far better balance between the two, with both the industry and the magic existing simultaneously without ridiculously overpowering the other, which made for a much better read - This is something that I have yet to praise the Mistborn series for, especially the Wax and Wayne books, but I absolutely love how the different character perspectives in these books allow to really capture the lives of people of both upper and lower classes, thereby really emphasising the life of the city as a whole (this shines particularly well in this book for that matter, being better able to capture the more ‘fun’ side of working class life as opposed to nothing but grim misery) - The characters continue to be pretty alright; Wax and Wayne are as great as ever and can always elicit a few sensible chuckles from me, Marasi continued to teeter precariously between relevant and irrelevant but was generally pleasant enough, and I was honestly quite glad to see Steris get more of a role in this book as I’ve always been oddly fond of her ridiculously comical stoicism - I am very glad that this book has finally made the Set, who previously seemed like just a bunch of boring businessmen, seem like a credible threat to our protagonist group of overpowered geezers, with some interesting advancements and a few rad twists - The ending to this piqued the everliving fuck out of my interest, and so now I’ve no choice but to wait until The Lost Metal comes out in paperback just to figure out what the fuck is going on - This was equally the case in Shadows of Self, but I really fucking love the inclusion of in-world broadsheet pages in this book; they were great for world building and look seriously fucking cool - Readers of the series may know that last book ended with shit hitting the fan, and I was expecting this to have a bigger impact on the beginning of this book than what the book actually provided; I’m not sure if I prefer the book’s commencing in media res, thereby bypassing what would have most likely been a good few pages of Wax moping and not being an especially engaging protagonist, when I was thinking that the catastrophic events that occurred in the previous book could allow for some interesting character study with Wax - At this point in the series I reckon I can say that Sanderson’s lack of forward planning with the Mistborn books is pretty fucking evident -> Both this book and Shadows of Self do pretty much the same exact thing; introduce some new previously unmentioned element right at the beginning (I mean technically Lessie was mentioned in Alloy of Law, but she was alive for all of twenty pages so she may as well not have been), which will obviously be the entire crux of the characters’ motivations for the book’s events (in the case of this book it’s the inclusion of Wax’s sister, who is, by the way, a pretty shitty character) -> I probably ought to cut Sanderson some slack, since he wrote Alloy of Law as a writing exercise for shits and grins and probably wasn’t anticipating to have to squeeze another three books out of what he set up in that one short book, but I’m still gonna complain about it because it is still a recurring issue that vexes me from book to book - Just as I was getting into this adventure to previously unseen lands that the book was setting up, all of a sudden Sanderson decided to dump a shit load of political exposition on my head, which I cannot say I appreciate (and not even the cool fun times politics from The Well of Ascension, but shit about taxation that is easy enough to get my head around but not stuff that I want to be dedicating reading time to when there’s Allomancy fight scenes to be had) -> There’s even talk amongst the characters along the lines of, ‘I’m sorry for not paying more attention to all the politics malarkey before now, it truly is important’, which seems to me like Sanderson subtly slagging me off for wanting to be exempt from this shit - Whilst I do enjoy seeing the wider world of Scadriel in the Mistborn universe, I can’t help feeling that though hype is built up about each new location, all the new cities seem really unimportant when they’re really just all copy-pastes of one another (same grandiose halls, same shifty nobles, same grubby plebs) and really only exist as the same backdrop for action set pieces with ostensibly raised stakes because they’re in a different location now -> I’m not saying that Sanderson should get rid of the journey aspect altogether, but I just think that more of an effort could have been put into differentiating one city to another - In order to keep the whole ‘friendship happy times’ vibe going with the main cast, Sanderson sacrifices the otherworldly allure that the kandra have; they used to be these mysterious unknowable creatures who wear the faces of humans, but now because all the characters need to banter with one another, all the kandra do is make ‘oh-so-funny’ blasé remarks about how morbid they are, which gets old really fucking quick -> Oh yeah, this shit is also applicable to traveller characters from mysterious long-lost kingdoms; Sanderson is just really good at ruining the allure and mystique of enigmatic characters and concepts - Now speaking as a person who writes book reviews that include at least one swear word every sentence, it can be surmised that I am a great advocate of the use of invective, and I take umbrage on this book’s flat-out refusal to incorporate curses and instead pussy-foot around with silly made-up swear words that lack the punchy impact necessary for a swear word to work - I noticed it once in Hero of Ages, but man Sanderson is really unsubtle with his incorporations of characters who are relevant to the entire Cosmere universe that he is creating (namely whoever the fuck Hoid is); my complaint is less that he’s trying to build this big expansive universe, because usually I love that shit, but more that if you’re going to make all these interlinking connections from all the different worlds, than maybe make the inclusion of Hoid actually mean something, instead of just being mentioned? -> Now obviously this matters very very very little on this book as a whole, so I suppose you can count this as just a minor and incredibly petty criticism against Sanderson’s works as a whole; I’m a great fan of petty criticisms - 7.5/10

I have a load of other book reviews on my blog, check that shit out.

[libralita]

Reread Review!

Title: Shadows of Self

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Summary:

Shadows of Self shows Mistborn’s society evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy grows, democracy contends with corruption, and religion becomes a growing cultural force, with four faiths competing for converts.

This bustling, optimistic, but still shaky society now faces its first instance of terrorism, crimes intended to stir up labor strife and religious conflict. Wax and Wayne, assisted by the lovely, brilliant Marasi, must unravel the conspiracy before civil strife stops Scadrial’s progress in its tracks.

Rating: ★★★★★

Original Review

Review:

I’m finally getting back to my Mistborn reread marathon now that school is out! I’m sad it took me this long. First of all if you haven’t read Bands of Mourning or Secret History then I recommend you read my original review because this reread review will have spoilers for those stories. I really enjoyed rereading this book, there was a lot of little secrets that I missed the first time and I wish it hadn’t taken me so long.

“‘Waxillium Ladrian,’ he said. ‘Lawman for hire.’ ‘You’re kidding. That’s how you introduce yourself?’ ‘Sure. Why not?’ She didn’t answer, instead looking away from her rifle, studying him for a few moments. Finally she said, ‘A cravat? Really?’ ‘It’s kind of my thing,’ Waxillium said. ‘The gentleman bounty hunter.’ ‘Why would a bounty hunter need a ‘thing’ in the first place?’ ‘It’s important to have a reputation,’”—Page 18

God this Prologue shows what a dork Wax is. Just everything Wax does is so adorable yet so cringy.

“In the middle distance, beyond the humble buildings, a few giraffes browed lazily, the only sign of animal life in the vast plain.”—Page 22

Giraffes!

“I couldn’t let it die, the book read. It’s not right. Hemalurgy is good now, I figure. Saze is both sides now, right? Ruin isn’t around anymore.”—Page 40

This is a bad idea, Spook.

“I can accept you for who you are, but I am under no illusions. Something will happen at our wedding. A villain will burst in, guns firing. Or we’ll discover explosives in the alter. Or Father Bin will inexplicably turn out to be an old enemy and attempt to murder you instead of performing the ceremony. It will happen.”—Steris, Pages 41-42

Steris, you’ve been reading too much Allomancer Jak.

“A lot could change in ten years though, and when Brettin had retired—soon after the execution of Miles Hundredlives almost a year ago—”—Page 69

Okay, so I googled it and apparently it’s MeLaan who replaced Brettin.

“Either this is a Feurchemist, or somebody figured out how to fire out of speed bubbles—which is somethin’ we’d really like to know how to do.”—Wayne, 75

I guess we’ll figure that out eventually.

“Ah, that, he thought, shaking it and hearing the pieces rattle inside. How long since this thing actually told time?”—Page 80

I bet Cadmium and Bendalloy Mistings are always too late or early because their watches are wrong. They probably waste their…time with watches. Get it?

“‘The Terris police themselves,’ another of the men said. ‘We have an arrangement.’”—Page 88

The Terris kind of remind me of Native Americans and their sanctuaries. I don’t know if that was Brandon’s intention but it’s interesting to watch.

“Nice chap. He would let Wayne bum rides in exchange for a story.”—Page 88

Worldhopper?

“He made his way up to the university gates, hands stuffed in his coat pockets. The etched letters over the top proclaimed, in High Imperial, WASING THE ALWAYS OF WANTING OF KNOWING. Deep words. He’d heard them interpreted as, ‘The eternal desire of a hungry soul is knowledge.’”—Page 89

I still can’t believe this.

“Allriandre” Is that just a combination between Allrianne and Beldre?

“You should not be defined by what you do, but by what you are.”—Page 98

Wow, granny is for segregation and for defining people by what they are rather than what they do. She’s really racist.

“She walked up to the cart owner with the high prices; the woman stood up stiffly, braids shaking, and shoved her hands into the pockets of her apron.”—Page 112

Khriss?

“Sophi Tarcsel. She’d been making an uproar, writing opinion pieces in the broadsheets about her father, who had supposedly been a great inventor—though Marasi had never heard or read his name before those articles”—Pages 119-120

Oh, hey, Sophi.

“We’re out of our depth, Wax thought, returning to the kitchen. We’ve crept into the realm of the gods. Harmony, Ironeyes, the Lord Mistborn.”—Page 126

Meh, it’s actually not that big of a deal.

“If you’re a Bloodmaker, you’ve got to heal a head wound right as it’s happening. Once a bloke is actually dead, no power—Allomantic or Feruchemical—is bringin’ ‘im back.”—Wayne, Page 127

Oh, how wrong you are, Wayne. People rarely stay dead in the Cosmere.

“‘Never touch the stuff myself,’ Wayne said. ‘Causes headaches. Hey, Hoid. Can I catch a ride up there with you?’ The new coachman shrugged, making room for Wayne on top of the carriage.”—Pages 130-131

What I would give to hear that conversation.

“‘Being God is more complex than a moral can comprehend?’ Wax said. ‘What a surprise.’ Harmony chuckled softly. Wait, Wax thought. Did I just get sarcastic with God Himself?”—Page 133

At least you didn’t punch him.

“You don’t explore, Harmony continued, ignoring Wax’s confusion. Why would you? You have everything you want here. You’ve barely progressed technologically from what I gave you in the books. Yet others, who were nearly destroyed.”—Page 134

The southerners!

“Finally, he said softly. ‘You are twelve years old, and you still speak of this? I expect such foolishness from your sister, but your father should have beaten it out of you by now.’”—Page 144

So Wax’s sister wanted to be a hero.

“‘I doubt that you care,’ Steris said, leaning in, ‘but I consider your motives to be irrelevant. You save lives. You…saved my life. My gratitude is not influenced by what was running through your head as you did so.’”—Page 148

God I love Steris.

“The third entry read, 8:17. Way into the building likely blocked by traffic. Lord Waxillium carries us up to the top floor by Allomancy, which is completely inappropriate and at the same time breathtaking.”—Page 149

Can you feel the love tonight?

“You are like a lion. Most days you’re only partially present, with me. Lounging, half asleep. You do what you must, you fulfill the needs of the house, but you don’t thrive. Then the prey appears. You wake. The burst of spend, the fury and power; the pounding, pulsing, rush of the hunt. This is the real you, Waxillium Ladrian.”—Steris, Page 151

Maybe my Lion King comparison wasn’t so off.

“‘Let me handle it next time,’ Steris said, guiding them around a pedestal displaying—oddly—nothing at all. The plaque read: ATIUM, THE LOST METAL.”—Page 161

Is it 2018, yet?

“Wax followed her down three steps, passing a display shining with nuggets of tin that rattled at his passing, alongside pictures of famous Tineyes, including several sketches of the Lord Mistborn—who had been a Tineye before the Catacendre.”—Page 162

First, I wonder if Mare has a picture. Second, okay so Sazed becoming Harmony is called the “Catacendre” there is no way I’ll be able to remember that.

“Funny, that Steris would remark on someone being boring… ‘You’re thinking,’ Steris said, ‘that it is ironic that I would note that someone is a bore—as I myself have a reputation for the same personality flaw.’”—Page 162

Steris, you are not a bore, you are absolute delight. If anyone says otherwise they can go sleep with Ironeyes.

Steris preparing witty banter and one-liners to amuse Wax is so freaking adorable. God, I love her so much.

“‘Lord Waxillium Ladrian,’ a feminine voice said. ‘I’ve heard about you. You’re more handsome than the stories say.’ He raised his eyebrows toward the speaker, a tall woman waiting to see the governor. Very tall—she had a few inches on him at least. With luscious lips and a large chest, she had creamy skin and hair the color of gunpowder, and she was wearing a red dress missing most of its top half.”—Page 165

MeLaan!

“That woman from before, the pretty one with the large eyes, stood nearby. Who else was suspiciously near? Bleeder won’t be someone I can spot easily, Wax thought. The Faceless Immortals have centuries of practice blending into human society.”—Page 169

Lol, you’d be surprised sometimes they’re super obvious.

“Sometimes he felt he could see her form in their patterns: slight of frame, short hair splayed out as she moved, mistcloak fluttering behind her.”—Page 178

Is Vin going to come back?

“He’d visited koloss camps in the Roughs, even been invited to join their numbers.”—Page 183

Fun and totally not surprising fact.

“By the way, technically I’m not supposed to kill people. I…uh…think I already broke that rule tonight. If we happen to survive, please don’t tell TenSoon that I murdered a bunch of people. It upsets him.”—MeLaan, Page 185

TenSoon! My puppy!

“Or, you know, advocate workers’ rights to bring down working hours, improve conditions, and meet a base minimum of pay.”—Page 217

Give it time.

“‘Inject that into a kandra,’ MeLaan said, ‘and the liquid inside will make her shape droop for a bit. The skin briefly goes clear, reveals who she really is.’ ‘Nifty,’ Wayne said. ‘One problem though,’ MeLaan said. ‘If you stick it into someone who isn’t a kandra, it will kill them.’”—Page 222

I forgot about this.

“‘Oh, yeah,’ MeLaan said, ‘because that makes sense. Worship the guy who died, rather than the one who saved the world.’ ‘The Survivor transcended death,’ Marasi said, looking back, hand on the door, but not entering. ‘He survived even being killed, adopting the mantle of the Ascendant during the time between Preservation’s death and Vin Ascension.’ Rust…was she arguing theology with a demigod. MeLaan, however, just cocked her head. ‘What, really?’ ‘Um…yes. Harmony wrote of it himself in the Words of Founding, MeLaan.’”—Page 237

This is why we reread because Brandon is a sneaky foreshadowing bastard.

“‘Thy snoring,’ MeLaan said, ‘is rather loud.’ ‘I…What?’ ‘It doth be like unto an hundred angry koloss,’ MeLaan said, ‘in the middle of a rockslide. Lo, and it doth come near to waking the dead.’ ‘Right…’ Aradel said. ‘Be on thy way, human,’ MeLaan said.”—Page 249

MeLaan, that was mean.

“That’s when I came upon a mountain pool of the most perfect blue, fed by the melting snows of the heights. Harmony, but I thought I’d reached Paradise.”—Page 256, Visitors from other Worlds

A southern attempting to go into/came out of a shardpool?

“You’d say, ‘What’s that, Kell?’ And they’d say, ‘That? That there’s the crapper.’ And you’d reply, ‘What do you do with it?’ And they’d say, ‘Well, Wayne, that’s where you put your crap.’”—Page 268

I’m 100% positive that Kell at some point would have this conversation but she you really be using his nickname like this? Isn’t that like using ‘god’ or ‘Jesus’?

“Next time, choose a body that’s been sitting around awhile, would you? Nice and aged is the best flavor for…”—MeLaan, Page 272

You mean rotten. This reminds me of the Vin-TenSoon conversation.

“The kandra are no longer trapped there. We move in society—we have homes, lives. If we want to meet up with others of our kind, we catch them at the pub.”—MeLaan, Page 274

My how things changed.

“Only instead of the Survivor, this time it had been induced by a psychotic murderer.”—Page 285

That’s debatable.

“‘Bother me? Why would it? Immortality is damn convenient.’ ‘Don’t know about that,’ Wayne said. ‘Seems to me that it would be nice to finally be done, you know? It’s like…like you’re running a race, and you don’t know quite where the end is, but you got an idea. An’ you only need to make it that far. I can do that, I figure. But you, you don’t have to end.’”—Page 295

Like…Fleet who was racing a highstorm…did Hoid tell you that story, Wayne? God, Wayne just seems more and more like a worldhopper.

“Hammond, the Lord Mistborn, Lady Truth,”—Page 304

Who’s Lady Truth? Beldre? Tindwyl?

“Others contained depictions of the rebuilding of the world, or other relics such as s replica of both Harmony’s Bands and the Bands of Mourning.”—Page 306

You’re a book too early.

“A wolfhound, easily the largest he had ever seen, of a mottled grey coloring. The pelt reminded him of the mists. ‘I’ve read about you,’ Wax said. ‘Thrilling,’ the kandra growled. ‘I’m so happy Sazed included me in his little book so that drunk people can curse by my name.’ ‘They…do that?’ ‘Yes.’ The wolfhound growled quietly in the back of his throat. ‘There are…stuffed toys too.’ ‘Oh yeah,’ Wax said. ‘Soonie cubs. I’ve seen those around.’”—Page 309

TenSoon, my puppy! You’ve returned! I want all the Soonie cubs.

“Wax stood up slowly. ‘It’s about Harmony,’ ‘Lawman?’ ‘She’s trying to bring down God Himself.’ ‘That’s insane.’”—Page 315

Is it? Is it really?

“For I too would pull a gun on Waxillium Ladrian were I to meet him in person!”—Page 321

Why is Jak so anti-Wax?

“The Lord Mistborn’s clasps of wasing” what on earth is that?

“‘You dug up her corpse?’ Wax asked in a pleading voice. He was having trouble seeing straight. ‘You monster. You dug up her corpse?’”—Page 353

Oh, my poor baby.

“‘She was sent to you long ago,’ TenSoon said, sitting back on his haunches. ‘The woman you knew as Lessie was always so one of us.’”—Page 365

My heart, it hurts.

“‘You don’t tie a belt, kandra,’ Aradel said. ‘You buckle it.’ ‘No, no.’ MeLaan said, pulling it tight. ‘I mean, in making a noose. People always talk about guys hanging themselves in their cells, but I’ll be damned if I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have killed even the most frail mortal. I’ve got it wrong somehow.’”—Page 372

God, I love MeLaan. I hope she’s in every Mistborn book.

“Another god, Marasi thought, standing in the darkness. Not Harmony, not Ruin, not Preservation.”—Page 375

Ahhhhhhh.

“The two of them remained there, not saying a word, though she did eventually rest her hand on top of his. The fire had felt cold to him, the air frozen, but that hand was warm. Finally, he turned to the side, rested his head on her shoulder, and wept.”—Page 376

Ugh my poor baby! But my ship is sailing.

[libralita]

Reread Review!

Title: The Bands of Mourning

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Summary: Now, with The Bands of Mourning, Sanderson continues the story. The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metalminds owned by the Lord Ruler, said to grant anyone who wears them the powers that the Lord Ruler had at his command. Hardly anyone thinks they really exist. A kandra researcher has returned to Elendel with images that seem to depict the Bands, as well as writings in a language that no one can read. Waxillium Ladrian is recruited to travel south to the city of New Seran to investigate. Along the way he discovers hints that point to the true goals of his uncle Edwarn and the shadowy organization known as The Set.

Rating: ★★★★★

Original Review

Review:

Besides Secret History, I’m finished rereading Mistborn! I liked this book a bit more on the second read through. I’ve decided to change the rating from a 4.5 to straight up 5 stars. I know such a big difference but it deserves it! Because I have my knowledge of the cosmere, things made a little more sense so I had a more pleasant experience. This is a reread review so there are spoilers for other books in the cosmere so I recommend reading my original review. I really loved this book and I can’t wait to reread Secret History!

“‘Could you…maybe order a few of the others to befriend me?’ he found himself asking, ashamed of how weak it sounded to say the words.”—Page 23

Wax, my poor child.

“‘I’m sure you did your best,’ Steris said, taking his arm. She was warm, and even trembling. Steris might be reserved, but unlike what some assumed, she wasn’t emotionless.”—Page 42

My cutie.

“‘I’m all right,’ he said to Steris through clenched teeth. ‘But God should have known not to come for me. Particularly not today.’ ‘Your life is…decidedly odd, Lord Waxillium.’ ‘I know,’ he said, moving again, stepping with her beside the last door before they entered the dome. ‘Ready?’ ‘Yes, thank you.’ Was she…teary-eyed? It was an expression of emotion he’d never seen from her. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Forgive me. It’s just…more wonderful than I’d imagined.’”—Page 47

First, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not really that strange. Second, Steris is such a sweetie, god I love her.

“‘For being nice. For being willing to subject yourself to, well, me. I understand that it is not a pleasant concept.’ ‘Steris…’ ‘Do not think me self-deprecating, Lord Waxillium,’ she said, sitting up and taking a deep breath, ‘and please do not assume I’m being morose. I am what I am, and I accept it. But I am under no illusions as to how my company is regarded. Thank you. For not making me as other have.’”—Pages 51-52

Steris, stop making my heart hurt. I would love your company.

Oh yeah, this is the book where I want to punch Wayne in the face for the wedding mishap.

“‘Now, what kinda talk is that?’ he demanded. ‘You’ve given up? Is that how the Ascendant Warrior was? Huh?’ ‘No, in fact,’ Marasi said. ‘She walked up to the man she wanted, slapped the book out of his hand, and kissed him.’”—Page 56

Pretty much, yeah.

‘See, there’s how it is!’ ‘Though the Ascendant Warrior also went on and murdered the woman Elend was planning to marry.’”—Page 56

Okay, to be fair Shan was trying to kill Elend in the first place. Also you forgot the part where she did it in her underwear. Or did history conveniently forget about that part?

‘Gruesome,’ Wayne said in an approving tone, then took another swig of sherry. ‘That’s not the half of it,’ Marasi said, leaning back on the counter, hands behind her. ‘You want gruesome? She also supposedly ripped out the Lord Ruler’s insides. I’ve seen it depicted in several illuminated manuscripts.’”—Page 56

That’s is just false, Marasi.

“Tell me, Miss Colms. What do you know about the nature of Investiture and Identity?”—Page 58

Ugh, fuck me. Investiture makes my head hurt.

“‘Image project,’ VenDell said. ‘They call it an evanoscope. By next year these will be commonplace, I should think.’ He paused. ‘Harmony implies that if we find this wondrous, it will really burn our metals when the images start moving.’ ‘Moving?’ Wax said, stepping forward. ‘How would they do that?’ ‘We don’t know,’ MeLaan said with a grimance. ‘He accidentally let it slip, but won’t say anything more.’ ‘How does God,’ Marasi asked, still staring at the image, ‘accidentally let something slip?’”—Page 63

Movies will be great! Sazed is a horrible liar.

Okay so Investiture is the raw power of Allomancy and Feruchemy. So each person has their special Investiture and that’s called “Identity” which is why Feruchemists can only use their metal minds.

“‘What is it about you,’ Wax said, ‘that makes me want to punch you, even when you’re saying something helpful?’ ‘None of us have been able to figure it out,’ MeLaan said, waving for Wayne to toss her a walnut. ‘One of the cosmere’s great mysteries.’”—Page 69

Haha. Also, ugh it’s so creepy how VenDell has Breeze’s hands. Why would Breeze give his hands to VenDell?

What are the Lady Mistborn’s knives and the Lance of the Fountains?

“‘There are four individuals,’ VenDell said, ‘who, to our knowledge, have held the power of Ascension. Rashek, the Survivor, the Ascendant Warrior, and Lord Harmony.’”—Page 70

More foreshadowing.

“‘Four hours?’ Steris said. ‘I need to send for the maids! And the valet! And…’ She raised a hand to her head, looking faint. ‘And I need to make a list.’”—Page 80

Oh Steris.

“He was completely shocked, then, when the page didn’t contain a historical description, but instead anatomy sketches. Along with long descriptions explaining…human reproduction?”—Page 103

Oh god my poor child. This is probably the most relatable scene ever. Like Steris just wanted to know how sex worked and she so worried she won’t be able to do it correct. My poor child, I just want to hug her.

“‘If it eases your mind,’ Wax said as she tucked the book into her suitcase, ‘we won’t need to be…involved with any real frequency, particularly once a child is provided. I don’t imagine your research will be necessary for more than a dozen or so occasions.’ As he said it she wilted, shoulders slumping, head bowing.”—Page 105

Well, that was the wrong thing to say. Steris is horny af and she wants her Wax.

“Wax crossed the train car, then sat next to her, resting his hand on hers. ‘I don’t like this talk from you. Or from me. It’s become a habit for us to pretend this relationship is nothing more than titles and money. But Steris, when Lessie died…’ He choked off, then took a deep breath before continuing. ‘Everyone wanted to talk to me. Speak to me. Blather about how they knew what I was feeling. But you just let me weep. Which was what I needed more than anything. Thank you.’”—Pages 105-106

Aw, I love these two so much.

“Steris’s teeth chattered audible, and he glanced at her as he finished winding, expecting to see her frightened and miserable. Instead, despite being dripping wet, she had a stupid grin on her face, eyes alight with excitement.”—Page 138

Steris, you dork, I love you.

I can’t believe MeLaan and Wayne had sex during the train attack.

“‘’Sides, I didn’t get to stomp none of them, on account of some untimely snogging.’ ‘At least it was a good snogging,’ MeLaan added. Then, to Marasi’s glare, she added, ‘What? It was. Poor guy hadn’t had a proper snog in years. Had a lot of pent-up energy.’ ‘You’re not even human,’ Marasi said. ‘You should be ashamed. Not to mention that you’re six hundred years old.’ ‘I’m young at heart. Really—I copied this one off a sixteen-year-old that I ate a few months back.’”—Page 151

You ever read something and you’re like “God, this is weird. And the fact this all makes sense to me, makes me weird”?

Guys, you’re so mean to Aunt Gin.

“‘She assumes’ Wax said, ‘that our detective style isn’t normally the punchy-punch, stabby-stabby type.’ ‘To be fair,’ Wayne said, ‘it’s usually a more shooty-shooty, whacky-whacky type.’”—Pages 168-169

You all need some rest.

‘Oh, my lord, I know it, I do.’ The beggar laughed. ‘I own the place, technically. Now, regarding those coins for old Hoid, my good lord…’ He pushed his hand forward farther, eyes staring sightlessly.”—Page 173

First, Hoid often pretends to be blind on Scadrial. Second, why were you drinking cologne, Hoid? Or did you just forget you were wearing it? Were you on a hot date or something? Third, Apparently Hoid has been to this estate multiple times. Forth, Hoid!

Where did Hoid get that storming coin? And why give it to Wax?

“‘Is your cousin well?’ ‘Valette? Most certainly. We are all please with her new marriage. I’m sorry your relationship didn’t work out, but the man who courted her after you was dreadful. When titles are part of a union, it’s always unpleasant to see what crawls out from the mists looking for a bone.’”—Page 188

Wax it’s time to punch this man in the face.

“However, as he did, a different woman slid into place and grasped his hand, towing him into the dancing and away from the perimeter. He was so surprised that he let it happen. ‘Excuse me?’ Wax said. ‘No excuses necessary,’ the woman said, ‘I won’t take but a moment of your time.’ She looked to be Terris, judging by her dark skin—though hers was darker than most he’d seen. Her hair was in tight braids, streaked with grey, and her face bore full, luscious lips. She took the lead in the dance, causing him to stumble.”—Page 190

Hello, Khriss!

“Infant mortality on Scadrial is not as bad as some regions, but still shockingly high.”—Khriss, Page 190

Wax, are you going to ask what the heck Scadrial is or at this point in time has Scadrial actually gotten it’s name? Also, why is infant mortality on Scadrial high? I mean I get that they’re in industrial revolution times so it’s not the greatest conditions in the world but Roshar is like…in a giant war.

“She produced a card and handed it toward him. ‘Please experiment with this further and send me word. Thank you. Now, if I can just figure out why there’s no redshift involved in speed bubbles…’”—Page 191

Wait, Khriss gave Wax her card? Bro! Call her! What’s redshift?

“‘To the Roughs,’ Devlin said, dismissive. ‘What’s beyond them, Waxillium? Beyond the deserts? Across the seas? Nobody cares.’”—Page 204

Chocolate.

“‘I know you, lawman,’ Devlin said. ‘And I can tell you, the group you chase, you don’t need to worry about them. They won’t be a danger for decades, perhaps centuries. You’re ignoring the bigger threat.’”—Page 206

So I guess in the next book the Set will not be completely taken care of and they’ll be around in Era 3 and 4. Also, I’m assuming the Devlin is a worldhopper.

“‘Were you ever insecure?’ Marasi asked. ‘Or did you always know what to do? Did you get jealous? Frightened? Angry?’”—Page 211

Ahahaha, yes, Vin was very much insecure, jealous, frightened and angry for a majority of her life. The concept of Marsh not beating Kell was foreign to her.

“…time to show those in Elendel that their tyranny is not only unjust, it is against the will of the Survivor, who died in the name of freedom…”—Lord Severington, Page 219

Yeah, I think Wax should be more concerned with this civil war that’s brewing. Perhaps New Seran is gathering up an army and will attack Elendel.

“Do Your Metal Tools Speak to You? Your neighbors probably don’t want to hear about it. But WE do! Visit 27 Ralen Place. Ask for K or N. Bring the talking metal with you.”—Page 225

I see Khriss and Nazh are looking Nightblood.

“A few more speeches like this one, and Severeington will have the entirety of the Basin whipped into a frenzy. Completely ignoring that Elendel has us outmanned and outgunned.”—Kelesina, Page 232

I guess Elendel does have an army of some sort.

“Wax dropped to the floor with a thump, leveling his gun at the people inside the room. ‘He’s right here.’”—Page 233

A bit overdramatic, wouldn’t you say?

“Steris grabbed him with, he noted, no small amount of eagerness. She really did enjoy this part.”—Page 240

My ship is being prepared to set sail.

“Wax looked down at her as she held to him while trying to stare in every direction at once. He suddenly found something burning in him, like a metal. A protectiveness for this woman in his arms, so full of logic and yet so full of wonder at the same time. And a powerful affection. So he let himself kiss her.”—Page 241

SAIL!

So, it’s all come full circle. Kell started out seeking the legendary atium to become rich beyond anyone’s wildest dreams and now people are search for a secret stash of Kell’s riches.

Wait a minute so you can use a speedbubble if you’re on something big enough and they’ll move with you. So that means when Scadrial invents airplanes, you’ll always want to travel with a Cadmium misting to make the time go by faster.

“‘It takes the metal one is burning,’ Wax said, ‘and somehow…extends it. You saw. It Pushed your metal away, as if a Coinshot were there near you. The cube used Allomancy.’”—Page 256

This is such a great, ‘holy shit’ moment because on the one hand this technology is cool and think of all the ways you could use it. On the other hand, holy shit the bad guys have this tech.

I love how Steris is like, “Wax, I’m crazy but I’m not that crazy”.

“‘I’ve got an idea,’ Marasi said. ‘How crazy is it?’ ‘Less crazy than tossing Wayne off a cliff.’ ‘Not a high bar, but all right. How do we start?’”—Page 273

Those two usually set a low bar in the sanity department.

‘My thigh,’ MeLaan said, twisting the doorknob with a click, then pushing the door open a crack. She nodded, standing up straight. ‘Your…what?’ Marasi asked. ‘You said my head might hold the key,’ MeLaan said, striding into the chamber beyond—a small, surprisingly well-furnished room. ‘It’s actually my thigh, right now. A kandra stores its cognitive system through its entire body, but my memories right now are in a solid metal compartment in my thigh. Safer that way. People aim for the head.’ ‘So what’s in your head?’ ‘Eyes, sensor apparatus,’ MeLaan said. ‘And an emergency canteen.’ ‘You’re kidding.’ ‘Nope,’”—Page 286

I…this book is weird.

“‘Please,’ he whispered, tears in his eyes.”—Page 294

My poor baby.

“‘Great Metallic One,’ the masked man said, glancing at Waxillium, ‘I, of course, wouldn’t dare give orders to one of your stature even if you wear your bare face out at all times. Who am I to judge? Even if you look equally crass as these others—even the cute one—I’m sure you’re not. But, if I may be so bold as to suggest—’ ‘What?’ Waxillium asked. ‘A little Push,’”—Pages 312-313

He is so cute.

“I found no trace of him, and though no one witnessed his fall, a young white-haired man was there and offered to tell me a story. I declined.”—Page 314

That was a mistake.

Allik Neverfar, I’ll need to remember that.

“‘North,’ Wax said, pointing. The little shelf at the front of the vehicle—like the dash of a motorcar—had a compass set into it. ‘If you head west first though, and find the river, we can—’ ‘No.’ Telsin seized Wax by the arm. ‘We need to talk.’”—Page 318

Don’t trust her!

‘The Sovereign was our king from three centuries ago. He told us he was your king first. And your god.’ ‘The Lord Ruler?’ Waxillium said. ‘He died.’ ‘Yes,’ Allik said. ‘He told us that too.’”—Page 325

King? I mean god, I’ll give you that but you didn’t rule over the people, Kell.

“‘I’m sorry, great Wise One,’ Allik said. ‘You are obviously very knowledgeable about this, and know things that none of us would ever think to try. How could we be so foolish as to not realize that we could simply—’ ‘Shut it,’ Waxillium growled.”—Page 328

I love Allik so much, he’s now my child.

“‘Deniers of masks? Like us?’ ‘No, no,’ Alliks said, laughing. ‘You’re just barbarians. The Deniers are really dangerous.’”—Page 329

I’ll add that to the things to be addressed in the future books.

“There were other groups though. One gave a mask to each child, and those only changed once, when they reached adulthood. Allik claimed that these people—called Hunters—even grew into their masks somehow, though Marasi found that difficult to believe.”—Page 332

I’m guessing that’s where that one woman is from that showed up in Words of Radiance.

Leras was Ati’s wife and sister according to the South’s religion.

“What kind of metal explodes if you put it in water?”—Marasi, Page 336

*Quick Google Search* Caesium?

“There are those from my lands who might find your Basin up here…tempting, with no defenses against attack from above.”—Allik, Page 336

Oh great so Elendel will have to deal with a civil war with New Seran and a hostile airships.

“‘Clever, but it won’t work on you.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because we’re in your lands,’ he said. The visitor always has to wear the medallion. It’s filled with Connection, yah? Blank Connection, to no place. But Connection can’t just be connected to nothing, so when you tap it, it reaches out and connects you to the place where you are. Makes your soul think you were raised in this place instead, so your language changes.’”—Page 338

So, it’s like rewriting the soul like in Emperor’s Soul.

“The Lord Ruler was run through with three spears, by the Lord Mistborn’s testimony. ‘Once stabbed by a beggar, for the poverty he brought. Once stabbed by a worker, for the slavery he enforced. Last stabbed by a prince, for the lords he corrupted.’ The spears didn’t hurt him.”—Marasi, Page 347

What?

“He wrapped the big spearhead, which was as large as his palm, with a handkerchief to keep it from freezing his fingers off,”—Page 348

So without that handkerchief Wayne would have the power of the bands of mourning. I don’t think anyone realizes how close the cosmere was to being completely destroyed that day.

“‘I have now been to hell,’ he said. ‘These mountain will rise all the way there for certain.’ ‘You think hell is in the sky?’ Steris asked, standing close to Wax, practically clinging to him.”—Page 349

First of all, aw Steris is staying close to Wax for warmth/comfort. Second, what is your version of hell? Is it like the Christian hell? Tell me!

“Waxillium sought justice. He had an open heart—he’d spared Wayne’s life all those years ago, after all—but in the end, he sough to uphold the law. That was shortsighted. Marasi wanted to create a world where law enforcement wouldn’t be needed. Was that why she was so annoyed with him lately?”—Page 354

That’s an impossible utopian world, Marasi.

Well, Steris, the way to become more useful is probably get a gun of some sort and be able to fire it.

“‘And then,’ Steris said softly, ‘perhaps I came along because of the way it feels…’ Marasi looked sharply back at her sister. ‘Like the whole world has been upended,’ Steris said, looking toward the ceiling. ‘Like the laws of nature and man no longer hold sway. They’re suddenly flexible, like a string given slack. We’re the spheres…I love the idea that I can break out of it all—the expectations, the way I’m regarded, the way I regard myself—and soar. ‘I saw it in his eyes, first. The hunger, that fire. And then I found it in myself. He’s a flame, Waxillium is, and fire can be shared. When I’m out here, when I’m with him, I burn, Marasi. It’s wonderful.’”—Page 356

My heart! That is so beautiful.

“‘You actually love him, don’t you?’ Marasi asked. ‘Well, love is a strong emotion, one that requires careful deliberation to—’ ‘Steris.’ ‘Yes.’”—Page 356

I love Steris and Wax so much.

“He looked at Wax and smiled. ‘Apparently these symbols spell out something the Lord Ruler would have understood.’”—Page 369

What? Survive? The trick is to never stop looking, there’s always another secret? I hate noblemen?

“Wax spun, whipping out his gun. He pointed it not at Edwarn, but at his sister.”—Page 373

Goddammit Telsin.

“Marasi turned to Steris, who was still dazed, eyes wide, still looking at the hole where Waxillium had fallen.”—Page 378

Oh god she thinks Wax is dead.

“Lady Sequence?” Lame.

“Beyond that hung a haze of red. All around, pressing in upon the world. He could feel it choking him, a miasma of dread and destruction.”—Page 393

Trell.

“‘I am sorry,’ Harmony said with a gentle voice, ‘for your pain. I am sorry for what you did, what we had to do. But I am not sorry for making you do what had to be done.’ Wax opened his eyes. ‘And when I hold back, staying my hand from protecting those below,’ Harmony said, ‘I must do it out of trust in what people can do on their own.’ He glanced toward the red haze. ‘And because I have other problems to occupy me.’”—Pages 394-395

This section always gets me for some reason.

“Even the most careful of the Series would be distressed by the prospect of being technologically outmaneuvered.”—Page 400

Suit, Sequence, Set, Series.

“At times this seemed to flicker, and for a moment he saw the radiance inside of each person and thing. It felt as if he might be able to move those too. An awed voice in the back of his mind whispered, They’re all the same. Metal, minds, men, all the same substance….”—Page 406

Interesting.

“‘Rusts!’ she said, looking at it. ‘What is this?’ It was sweet, thick, warm, chocolaty, and wonderful. ‘Choc,’ he said. ‘Sometimes it is a man’s only succor in this frozen, lonely world, yay?’ ‘You drink chocolate?’ ‘Sure. Don’t you?’”—Page 415

The people in the Basin are clearly the barbarians.

Malwish, that’s their name. I need to remember that.

“Aradel grunted. ‘Senate’s had my balls over the fire for two days straight, screaming about war and irresponsible leadership. As if I ever had any influence over you people.’”—Page 428

I love Aradel.

“‘I was wondering, Steris,’ Wax said, ‘fi you’d be willing to be my bride.’ ‘I’ve already agreed—’ ‘Yes, but last time I asked with an expectation of a contract,’ Wax said. ‘it was the lord of a house asking a woman of means for a union. Well, that requests stands, and thank you. But I’m asking again. It’s important to me. Will you be my bride? I want to be married to you. Right now, before the Survivor and that priest. Not because words on a paper say we have to, but because we want to.’ He took her by the hand, and spoke more softly. ‘I’m painfully tired of being alone, Steris. It’s time I admitted that. And you…well, you’re incredible. You truly are.’”—Page 431

This goddamn book keeps on making me cry.

“The Set had Faceless Immortals of its own.”—Page 434

So is Trell or the Set possessing people or is the beggar a kandra-like-being?

“Thank you for your service; it has been accepted. You will be allowed to serve in another Realm.”—The Set’s “Faceless Immortal”, Page 435

So is Suit being transported or killed?

“They’d stayed here in the penthouse through the honeymoon, rather than returning to the mansion.”—Page 435

That’s nice and all but quick question: What’s a moon?

“That arm…That arm. Lined with a network of scars layered atop one another, as if made by scarping the skin time and time again. The haunting word he’d spoke echoed in Wax’s mind. ‘Survive.’”—Page 437

God…I need the next book…