Shadows of Self (2015) is the fifth novel in Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series and the second installment in the Wax & Wayne era, blending fantasy, mystery, and Western flair. Set in the industrialized world of Scadrial 300 years after the original trilogy, the story follows Waxillium Ladrian, a lawman with Allomantic powers, as he hunts a shape-shifting assassin stirring chaos in the city of Elendel. The killer’s murders expose deep societal unrest—labor strikes, political corruption, and religious fervor—while cryptic clues hint at the return of divine forces long thought absent.
Sanderson’s signature twists explode in the finale, tying the villain’s motives to Harmony’s (the god Sazed) cosmic struggles. Themes of identity, justice, and progress vs. tradition resonate through gunfights, ballroom intrigue, and Wayne’s comedic yet poignant antics.
For fans, The Bands of Mourning (2016) continues the saga, while The Alloy of Law (2011) introduces the Wax & Wayne duo. For Sanderson’s other godly conspiracies, try Warbreaker (2009)
