The Bands of Mourning (Mistborn Series #6)

by Brandon Sanderson Narrated by Michael Kramer

Overview

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a heist story of political intrigue and magical, martial-arts action.

Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.

The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metal minds owned by the Lord Ruler, said to grant anyone who wears them the powers that the Lord Ruler had at his command. Hardly anyone thinks they really exist. A kandra researcher has returned to Elendel with images that seem to depict the Bands, as well as writings in a language that no one can read. Waxillium Ladrian is recruited to travel south to the city of New Seran to investigate. Along the way he discovers hints that point to the true goals of his uncle Edwarn and the shadowy organization known as The Set.

A Macmillan Audio production.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

12/07/2015
The sixth Mistborn industrial revolution fantasy (after Shadows of Self)—and the second featuring crime-fighter Waxillium Ladrian and his sidekick, Wayne—is more steampunk than dystopian. The novel kicks off with Wax’s wedding to Lady Steris, but the festivities are put on hold after an inconvenient flood, and then Wax learns that Harmony, one of the Faceless Immortals, is incommunicado. Soon Wax and Wayne head off to hunt for the Bands of Mourning, a mythical artifact associated with long-defeated Lord Ruler. This quest is classic Sanderson, with magic, intrigue, and witty repartee. All the familiar elements from the earlier Mistborn novels are here, including the metal-based magics of allomancy, feruchemy, and the forbidden art of hemalurgy (about which more is revealed over the course of this story). Open questions from earlier adventures are finally addressed, and Sanderson skillfully weaves in new opportunities for the dynamic duo’s next adventure. Die-hard fans will be delighted to finally learn more about the mysterious southern lands they’ve previously heard about in passing. Agent: Joshua Bilmes, JABberwocky Literary Agency. (Jan.)

From the Publisher

Sanderson is an evil genius. There is simply no other way to describe what he's managed to pull off in this transcendent final volume of his Mistborn trilogy.” —RT Book Reviews (Gold Medal, Top Pick!) on The Hero of Ages

“It's rare for a fiction writer to have much understanding of how leadership works and how love really takes root in the human heart. Sanderson is astonishingly wise.” —Orson Scott Card

“Sanderson is crafting an extremely well-thought out saga with Mistborn, one that looks to stand above the pack of his literary peers. The magic system is perfectly detailed, the world, though not completely revealed, has a great sense of natural logic to it, and the characters are a reflection of both.” —SFFWorld

“Intrigue, politics, and conspiracies mesh complexly in a world Sanderson realizes in satisfying depth and peoples with impressive characters.” —Booklist on Mistborn

“Highly recommended to anyone hungry for a good read.” —Robin Hobb on Mistborn

“Enjoyable, adventurous read.” —Locus on Mistborn

Orson Scott Card

It's rare for a fiction writer to have much understanding of how leadership works and how love really takes root in the human heart. Sanderson is astonishingly wise.

APRIL 2017 - AudioFile

Narrator Michael Kramer is a knowledgeable guide to Sanderson's Mistborn series, After all, this production marks the sixth book in the series that Kramer has narrated. The versatile Kramer sounds comfortable as he inhabits metal lord Waxillium Ladrian, and his performance shines. Wax and company are chasing down the mythical Bands of Mourning, trying to find them before his villainous Uncle Edwarn does. There's a lot of backstory in this volume, but Kramer handles it so adeptly that even a novice can keep up. An added bonus is an appendix with an explanation of the metal arts and a chart rating various metals. It's something to sate listeners until the next time Sanderson and Kramer join forces. D.E.M. 2017 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2015-12-10
A fantasy adventure about a race to discover, and control, magical artifacts of immense power. Waxillium Ladrian is settling down, or trying to. But first his wedding to the oddly endearing Steris hits a bit of a snag, and then some pesky shape-shifting immortals show up with wild stories of relics known as the Bands of Mourning, rumored to bestow immense magical power on anyone who holds them. Soon enough, he's off to the outlying city of New Seran, chasing down a legend—and his own uncle, who's part of a mysterious organization known as the Set trying to manipulate and control inborn magical abilities and who may be holding Wax's sister captive. This sequel to The Alloy of Law (2011) and Shadows of Self (2015) continues to push back the frontiers of Wax's world and raise questions about what justice is and what it means to be a good person. But it's the characters that are the real strength here: besides the conflicted, striving Wax, there's Wayne, who's more than just the comic relief, Marasi, who's forging her own identity in a changing world, and Steris, who's just not like anyone else. Fans of Wax and his companions will thoroughly enjoy this next installment of their absorbing adventures. A fast-paced novel that's part Wild West, part Indiana Jones, and wholly entertaining, combining high emotional stakes with a deep, good-natured sense of humor.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169456448
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	01/26/2016
Series:	Mistborn Series
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	200,494

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