The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson: full disclosure I had no idea there was another book

The Bands of Mourning 

by 

Brandon Sanderson

              Wax still hasn’t managed to get married. Poor thing can’t go one day without getting shot at, blown up or (in this case) half-drowned. Other than Wax’s troublesome love life there’s also a healthy dose of rich, influential Illumanati-esque criminals going after the most powerful potential weapon in the universe. You guys remember the Lord Ruler from the first series? Do you remember his freaky bracelets that gave him the ability to live forever and have basically every power in the universe at his disposal? Welp those still exist for some bloody reason.

Yep, it’s good to be back. Spoilers obviously for every other book in the Mistborn series.

Characters

Waxillium: how is this character so awesome! He somehow manages to be both down to earth and realistic and at the same time a highly moral cowboy straight off the big screen! 

I love it! I have absolutely no reservations about rooting for him (because he’s clearly the good guy) but I never felt like he was too perfect to be interesting. Wax is awesome I demand at least ten more books about him please and thank you.

Wayne: what more can I even say about Wayne. He’s hilarious, the parts where he gets to narrate are one of the best in the story. While other characters are busy being heroic or awed by this and that Wayne is just off in the corner stealing stuff and being as normal as he can be while still being associated with crazy Wax. He even got a chance in this book to show a bit of a darker side 

which was simultaneously awesome and terrifying.

Marasai: shouts in joy because of character development. She’s so much more confident and capable in this book (as I predicted, yes I’m very proud of myself thanks for asking). Yes she does express frustration with Wax for not recognizing her talent and even mentions in passing that it would be easier if she weren’t in his shadow. Was it a bit frustrating? Maybe a bit but also completely understandable and I’m interested to see how it works itself out later. Special message to those who complained about Marasai being upttity in the goodreads comment section. Chill out she complained about twice at most. It could have been so much worse.

Steris: I think this lady is actually growing on me! Which is really exciting because characters usually have to work pretty hard to get off my bad lists. First impressions and all I’m sure you guys understand. But Steris not only got super funny in this book she started to remind me of Data from Star Trek the Next Generation. 

Which is a good thing. She planned for everything with an almost obsessive drive (she was quite good at predicting things too) which made her often the only one who was prepared at all. And can I just say I really liked her struggle between being likable, efficient and genuine. It was very sweet and completely relatable.

MeLaan: Still kicking butt. Although she's slightly less interesting this time around. Don’t get me wrong pulling various weapons out of your own skin is certainly cause for likability but she had a lot to compete with. Hey least favorite in this group of heroes is still pretty good.

Likes

Just got to say the I’m impressed he took a different route on the arranged marriage thing: Can you blame for assuming that Steris would be awful when she was first introduced? 

She was a control freak who was marrying Wax because it was an advantageous arrangement. Per all the other arranged marriages in books she should have been terrible. Aside from the ‘parent who had an arranged marriage and eventually fell in love’ kind of thing we really don’t see a lot of positive marriages come out of this (probably because the same goes for real life). But because of that I was genuinely surprise, and dare I say pleased, by Sanderson turning it on its head.

There’s another book! Excuse me while I do a victory dance around the room. 

I was almost depressed when I got this book because practically all of Brandon Sanderson’s series have been trilogy’s.  I was cringing through the last fifty pages waiting for him to start offing characters left and right (as you do). 

But lo and behold I was saved that pain until the next book. Which isn’t out yet! Let me go weep in the corner now.

Wax backstory I need all of it! Backstory is the best. Unless your Anakin Skywalker but otherwise it’s awesome.

Dislikes

Sanderson are you aware that you don’t have to have a cliffhanger at the end of every book? 

Why do you do this to me? Why do I fall for it every time? This a cruel and unusual punishment and you should be glad I don’t press charges.

As per usual WHERE IS THE NEXT BOOK? I NEED IT YESTERDY!!!! What? Did you expect something vaguely intelligent? I just read a four-hundred-and-fifty-page book in three hours. You guys should be glad this review is even somewhat legible.