The Alloy of LawThe Alloy of Law
Score Modern
What it's about
Three hundred years after the Mistborn trilogy, the world of Scadrial is on the verge of modernity, with railroads, electric lights and the first skyscrapers. The heroes of the past are now history, or religion. But the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy still matter, especially out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, where lawman Waxillium Ladrian has made his name.
Why it's worth reading
It opens the Wax and Wayne series, a Western-flavored adventure that mixes gunfights, magic and humor. Its final volume, The Lost Metal, was a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist.
You'll love it if you liked
Mistborn
The Way of Kings
The Lies of Locke LamoraGood to know
Read the original Mistborn trilogy first for the full payoff. It's shorter and lighter than most Sanderson.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller57 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #69 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #105 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #379 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #750 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Brandon Sanderson
The Way of KingsMistborn
Tress of the Emerald Sea
SkywardIf you like this, read next
Scythe
Thief of Time
The Sword of Kaigen
The Curse of Chalion
Dead and Gone
The Goblin EmperorExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Alloy of Law worth reading?
Yes. It opens the Wax and Wayne series, a Western-flavored adventure that mixes gunfights, magic and humor. It ranks #750 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Alloy of Law about?
Three hundred years after the Mistborn trilogy, the world of Scadrial is on the verge of modernity, with railroads, electric lights and the first skyscrapers. The heroes of the past are now history, or religion. But the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy still matter, especially out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, where lawman Waxillium Ladrian has made his name.
How long does it take to read The Alloy of Law?
About 8 hours (325 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Alloy of Law?
If you liked it, try Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson or The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.