'The Bands of Mourning' is the third installment in the 'Mistborn' series by Brandon Sanderson, set in a world where technology has evolved to include trains, guns, and airships, alongside the familiar magic systems of Allomancy and Feruchemy. The book follows protagonists Wax and Wayne, along with their companions, as they embark on a grand quest to find the powerful Bands of Mourning. Throughout the story, the characters face dramatic challenges, unexpected twists, and personal growth, all set against the backdrop of a world filled with intricate world-building and rich character development. The writing style is fast-paced, filled with great character moments, brilliant plot twists, and a satisfying finale that leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.
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Has Romance?
Romance is present but not the central focus; it enhances character relationships without overshadowing the plot.
From The Publisher:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a heist story of political intrigue and magical, martial-arts action.
Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.
The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metal minds 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.
Ratings (113)
Incredible (31) | |
Loved It (47) | |
Liked It (28) | |
It Was OK (5) | |
Did Not Like (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (147):
Read It (118) | |
Want To Read (22) | |
Not Interested (7) |
4 comment(s)
Más y mejor, aprovechando personajes para dar más profundidad y dejando pistas de lo que puede ir pasando en el resto de sagas, y que luego no servirá de nada porque en el cierre de esta trilogía lo cambiará todo.
PD. Gran personaje el de Steris.
I can't believe it's been 10 years since Sanderson started the Mistborn series. The more I read this second grouping of books, the more I want to go back to the originals. Reading how these characters talk about the originals makes me excited about those books all over again. And Sanderson has put himself in a clever spot - as the new capital, Elendel, starts economic shenanigans like double taxation and general asshattery, a civil war is brewing. The citizens are standing up against a corrupt government. Kind of like what started this in the first place.
As always, the magical systems Sanderson built baffle me. I don't even try to remember what does which to who at this point, I just go with the flow. His character work is exceptional in this book, especially with Wax and Steris. I definitely thought they were headed for dumpsville in book one. But Sanderson, in a romantic subplot, hits all the emotional notes necessary to bring two people together in a realistic, satisfying way, even if he leaves out the steamy sex scenes. Actual romance authors could take notes from him.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author. His characters are compelling and three dimensional, his plots flow with logic and action in equal amounts, and the evident time and thought put into the world-building he does for each series is absolutely mind-boggling.
As with any other book, however, "The Bands of Mourning" wasn't able to entirely avoid being predictable in some places. The way Wax's sister reacted at the end of the book was rather obvious but other than that I had no complaints.
I am both eagerly awaiting and dreading the next, and last, book in this series. I've come to love the Mistborn series so much that I can't imagine not having this world and these characters to read about. My hope is that Sanderson will someday bring the world of this series into connection with his other books and I will be able to revisit these characters I have loved so much.
Not entirely sure how Sanderson is going to answer all of the questions I have in one book, but I have complete confidence that he will.
2022 Reread Review: bumping this up to 5 stars. Coming back to this series after reading the rest of the Cosmere has given me a deeper appreciation for it. I originally felt like the world-building was lacking, but now that I’m more “Cosmere aware” I realize how jam-packed the world-building really is. Super excited to start the final book, just need to decide if I want to reread the novellas first or just skim a summary.
Original Review 4/5: My favorite of the three in this trilogy, but still not as gripping or compelling as the original trilogy. This book finally got into the world building that the first two were missing. Wish we could have gotten here quicker.
What can you read after
The Bands of Mourning?
About the Author:
Brandon Sanderson grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He lives in Utah with his wife and children and teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University. He is the author of such bestsellers as the Mistborn® trilogy and its sequels, The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, and The Bands of Mourning; the Stormlight Archive novels The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance; and other novels, including The Rithmatist and Steelheart. In 2013, he won a Hugo Award for Best Novella for The Emperor's Soul, set in the world of his acclaimed first novel, Elantris. Additionally, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time® sequence. For behind-the-scenes information on all of Brandon Sanderson's books, visit brandonsanderson.com.
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