The Alloy Of Law by Brandon Sanderson
We are very used to Fantasy having an essentially medieval setting. Of course there are exceptions but in the main fantasy’s yeomen and maidens walk down muddy streets, through walled towns beneath crenellated castles.
As with so many other fantasy trends Tolkien is largely responsible. That said his world is in fact a curious amalgam of the dark ages and (all those waistcoats and steam forges) the 18th century. We might come back to this . . .
So we’re used to medieval worlds. We’re even used to those medieval worlds having an ancient past. We’re less used to our fantasy worlds having a future. It happens of course (see above) but it’s not a given. It’s almost as if magic and feudalism and evil lords and dragons preclude the advance of technology.
In his Mistborn books Brandon Sanderson created one of the most richly imagined medieval worlds you could wish for. He built it around a beautifully structured and thought-through magic system. And, crucially, he worked out what all that would mean for his characters.
And now Brandon has returned to that world. But amazing though that world was, he hasn’t preserved it in aspic. This is a world where centuries have passed. And when centuries pass, things change. Technology does not rest. It evolves. It has to, it’s in the nature of the beast.
So in The Alloy of Law, Brandon’s new Mistborn novel, the medieval world has been left behind; steam, industry, the railways and all the ‘delights’ those things bring to civilization have come to town. And down these smoky, paved streets a young man must walk to defend his honour and the reputation of his family . . .
But rest assured while the future has come to this world there is still adventure and magic . . .
To celebrate the publication of The Alloy of Law and Brandon’s upcoming UK tour we’ll be bringing you a chapter a day on our blog as well as an exciting competition and much more. So, check back this afternoon for your first glimpse into The Alloy of Law.