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Shadows of Self

Shadows of Self

High FantasySteampunk
Pages
383
Published
2015
Language
English

Synopsis

Waxillium Ladrian is now a reluctant constable in Elendel, balancing his duties to the law with his obligations as a house lord. When a series of murders begins destabilizing the city's political factions, Wax and Wayne must track down a kandra who has gone rogue — capable of perfectly mimicking any person, driven by a philosophy that Wax will find uncomfortably difficult to dismiss outright. Shadows of Self deepens the political world of Elendel established in The Alloy of Law and develops Wax's personal relationships — particularly his engagement to the pragmatic Steris Harms — while escalating the mystery around the hidden manipulators behind Elendel's factions.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

AdventurousTenseMysteriousDark
Marriage of ConvenienceMorally Grey

Genres

High Fantasy Steampunk Epic Fantasy Fantasy Mystery

About the author

B
Brandon Sanderson

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1975, Brandon Sanderson spent his early twenties working graveyard shifts at a hotel — writing novels at the front desk between guest check-ins. By the time his debut, Elantris, was published by Tor Books in 2005, he had completed thirteen novels in the drawer. His subsequent Mistborn trilogy and the ongoing Stormlight Archive series established him as the primary architect of the Cosmere, an interconnected fictional universe in which most of his fantasy series share...

Characters

Waxillium LadrianProtagonist

A lawman-turned-house-lord policing the growing city of Elendel.

Wayne (Mistborn)Protagonist

Wax's quick-witted, disguise-loving partner and comic relief, a Twinborn who can heal others and slow time in a bubble around himself.

The BleederAntagonist

A rogue kandra with a philosophy about freedom and the nature of the soul that proves harder to dismiss than a simple murderer.

Marasi ColmsSupporting

A sharp young investigator working alongside Wax.

Steris HarmsSupporting

Wax's pragmatic betrothed.

All characters in Shadows of Self

Frequently asked questions

  • Do I need to read The Alloy of Law first?

    Yes. Shadows of Self continues directly from The Alloy of Law's established world and relationships.

  • What is a kandra villain and why is this antagonist unusual?

    A kandra is a shapeshifter capable of perfectly mimicking any person by consuming their body. The Bleeder is unusual because her motivation is philosophical rather than mercenary — she has a worldview that the heroes cannot simply dismiss as evil.

  • Does this book develop Wax's personal life?

    Yes — his engagement to Steris and his grief over the loss in The Alloy of Law are central emotional threads, and Steris evolves from a comedic one-note character into one of the series' more nuanced figures.

  • How long is Shadows of Self?

    Approximately 383 pages — like The Alloy of Law, it is a shorter, faster read than the main Cosmere epics, designed to be read in a few sittings.

  • Do I need to read the original Mistborn trilogy before starting this book?

    Reading the original trilogy first is highly recommended because this book contains significant spoilers for the events and conclusions of those earlier stories.

  • Is this book part of a larger series?

    This novel is the second entry in the four-book Wax and Wayne series, which serves as the second era of the broader Mistborn saga.

  • How does this book connect to the author's other works?

    This story takes place within the Cosmere, a shared universe where various series are linked by a common magic system and subtle background threads that reward readers who explore the author's wider bibliography.

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