The start of a new chapter in the Mistborn series, “Alloy of Law” opens with a bang with Graphic Audio’s signature style firing on all cylinders. Set in a steampunk world and future where the heroes of the original Mistborn trilogy have gone into legend, the fourth Mistborn book is funnier than the first three Mistborn books. This serves as a review and recap of the aforementioned book in preparation for The Lost Metal.

Vigilantism: An Alloy of Law and Order

When the hardcover for this book came out in 2011, the Batman animated film “Under the Red Hood” a year earlier. The film was a combination of two famous Batman storylines: “A Death in the Family” (1988) and “Under the Red Hood” (2005-2006). The former killed the second Robin—Jason Todd—while the latter brought him back as a new vigilante. Someone who’s not afraid of guns and has the will to use them. One whose motivations are similar to the antagonist in Alloy of Law.

Waxillium “Wax” Ladrian is a former law keeper in the roughs. A region that’s analogous to the 19th and early 20th century United States’ western frontier. Complete with a tortured past involving the death of a loved one, Wax is a combination of Batman and Red Hood. He’s like Batman because he has a line he doesn’t cross and not like him because he kills people. Evil and manipulative people, but humans all the same. What happens when good guys turn bad what does that say about the line between justice and revenge.

Under the Red Hood Meets Court of Owls

The court of owls theme is really only present near the end, before the climax, and during the denouement. The latter of which sets up the later books in the now four-book series. Mistborn: Alloy of Law was followed by Shadows of Self and Bands of Mourning. Both of which are weak in terms of endings. Something unanticipated since The Final Empire. While the humor is fun throughout the three books thus far, mostly in the form of Wayne’s antics, there’s a tonal difference between the original trilogy and this new age of allomancy and feruchemy combined.

New Alloys, Newer Variations for Law

The introduction of twinborn (people who can use allomancy and feruchemy together) such as Wax and Wayne is the kind of worldbuilding detail one expects from Brandon Sanderson. It feels like a natural progression in the world where people use metals to gain powers. It does the raise the question of whether there are any Mistborn in this new age.

Graphic Audio’s Cast and a Mistborn Audio Drama Universe

One thing the people of Graphic Audio can do is create a sense of continuity between the first Mistborn trilogy and the Wax and Wayne books using the same cast. In the same way the MCU uses characters crossing between different shows and movies, Graphic Audio uses the same engagement tool with the added benefit of creative workarounds. Wayne and Elend being voiced by the same actor is a nice touch to the disappointing reality that Kelsier and Elend never met in the original trilogy.

In some ways, Wayne is the new Kelsier and having Bradley Smith play Wayne and Elend is the same thing as fan casting John Krasinski as Reed Richards in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though admittedly on a lesser scale. At the very least it’s a nice nod to both fans and the original trilogy characters.

The Alloy of Setup and Convoluted Law and Order

Despite the intentional or non-intentional meta-context of Graphic Audio’s dramatized version, this story is really one long introduction to this new world and society. The denouement feels like the introduction to a secret society and the true villains of this new phase of Mistborn, rather than a satisfying ending. It raises more questions than it answers. Unfortunately even with hindsight knowing the main plots of “Shadows of Self” and “Bands of Mourning” don’t help in deciphering the secret society’s goal. That of which seems to change book to book. Most notably in Shadows of Self, which is the weakest book in this new era of Mistborn stories.

7.5/10+ Stars

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