Just Finished Reading Brandon Sanderson's The Alloy of Law

I recently completed fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy...a series that I liked a lot and which ends as trilogies should end: "conclusively".  Yet, Sanderson has now seen fit to go back to this fantasy world of mist and allomancers (people with the inherited ability to burn metals that give them temporary superhuman powers).  Set a few centuries after the the original series, the world has changed.  It is now becoming more and more technologically advanced, and the original fantasy format is now changing to one more of a science fiction/alternate reality nature, with a remarkable similarity at times to Stephen King's celebrated Dark Tower series (especially regarding gunslinging and train riding).  As a matter of fact, the protagonists Wax (Waxillium Ladrian) and his sidekick Wayne are sharp-shooting lawmen in a wild west scenario.  The Alloy of Law centers on Wax's developing worldview as he comes to grip that Miles, one of his fellow lawmen, has turned outlaw and is leading a popular revolt.  However, there seems to be a mystery nobleman behind the scenes manipulating Miles.  Also thrown into the mix of the story are love interests for Wax: Lessie, Marasi, and Steris.  The story about Lessie really reminds me of  The Dark Tower...especially book number four.  As it turns out, not only is Wax an excellent shooter, but he, along with Wayne, Miles, and Marasi are all allomancers who possess special abilities to burn certain metals.  The story progresses to a showdown between Wax and Miles...guess who wins?  Hint: the next book is due out in a few months!

I have to admit that I didn't particularly enjoy The Alloy of Law as much as Sanderson's masterfully conceived and written first trilogy.  There is no special, new world here to discover...just variations of the old, which has evolved in accordance with the way that trilogy's final volume, The Hero of Ages, ended.  Still, this book was an interesting, fun story that often has more in common with the western genre of fiction than fantasy.  Well, western combined with sci fi, like, as I said before, The Dark Tower.  Or even The Wild, Wild, West...