Shadows of Self – Brandon Sanderson (2015)

Shadows of Self, written by Brandon Sanderson and published in 2015, is the second book in the Wax and Wayne subseries of the Mistborn saga, set in the same cosmere universe that connects Sanderson’s epic fantasies. Bridging old magic systems with a rising age of technology and urban unrest, the novel continues the adventures of lawman Waxillium Ladrian as he investigates crimes that intertwine with religious upheaval, political corruption, and a shape-shifting force bent on chaos. Drawing from Western, steampunk, and noir traditions, the story expands the mythos introduced in the original Mistborn trilogy, while delving deeper into themes of identity, justice, and divinity.

Plot Summary

In the bustling, smoke-veiled city of Elendel, where progress clashed with the past and the gods watched silently from unseen thrones, a new kind of terror emerged. Waxillium Ladrian, once a lawman of the Roughs and now a noble tangled in the politics of the Basin, found himself straddling two worlds yet again. What began as a series of murders quickly unraveled into something far more sinister – a disruption of faith, an attack not only on people but on Harmony himself.

A shadow moved through the streets, swift and deadly. The killer struck with precision, always one step ahead, always slipping through fingers like mist. It didn’t take long before Wax recognized the signs. These killings weren’t just violent – they were impossible. The murderer was a kandra, a creature of ancient flesh and mutable form, once loyal, now rogue. Her name was Paalm, but to Wax, she was Lessie – the woman he had loved, the woman he had once shot dead in a basement, never knowing she had been more than she seemed.

Haunted by guilt and pulled by duty, Wax took to the streets with his trusted companion Wayne, a master of disguise and temporal bubbles, whose humor masked a sharpened heart. Together, they trailed the chaos Paalm left in her wake. Their path wound through the districts of the city – from refined parlors to grimy back alleys, from corrupt auctions to sacred temples. Alongside them was Marasi, half-sister to Wax’s fiancée Steris, and now a constable herself, burning with intelligence and the will to prove her worth. The trio found themselves tangled in a plot that stretched beyond crime – it challenged the very fabric of society.

Paalm’s targets were calculated. Her violence cut through political ranks and religious hierarchies, aimed not merely at individuals but at the stability of belief. She had taken a spike into her body, rejecting Harmony’s will, freeing herself from divine control, and with that freedom came madness. She believed Harmony had betrayed them all. She believed Elendel needed to burn.

Each murder struck deeper into the heart of the Basin’s fragile order. Panic swelled. Protesters filled the streets. The newspapers flared with scandal and paranoia. Wax hunted, but it felt less like pursuit and more like a test. Paalm knew him, knew how he would think and where he would go. Every clue she left was deliberate. Every death a message. And always, the whisper of Harmony lingered at the edge of Wax’s mind, too silent for comfort, too involved to ignore.

At the center of the chaos stood Governor Replar Innate – a man whose leadership wavered under the pressure of escalating unrest. He became the next target, not just of Paalm’s wrath but of the people’s growing hatred. A political rally became a powder keg, and Wax arrived just as the match was struck. The square erupted into violence, and in the chaos, Paalm attempted an assassination. Wax stopped her – barely – but the illusion of peace had already shattered.

The hunt drove Wax deeper into his doubts. He questioned Harmony’s silence, his guidance, his control. Was Paalm right? Had Harmony made puppets of them all, granting gifts only to manipulate outcomes? Wax’s convictions faltered, but he pressed on, guided not by faith, but by a grim sense of responsibility.

The trail led to a slaughterhouse hidden beneath a crumbling sector of the city, where Paalm’s madness had reached its crescendo. She had taken on the form of a servant girl, unseen and unsuspected, and had armed herself for one last confrontation. She had been preparing to kill the governor in public, to shatter the people’s last tether to order.

Wax arrived too late to prevent the chaos but not too late to stop the final blow. A fierce confrontation unfolded. Words cut deeper than bullets. Lessie’s voice came through Paalm’s twisted reasoning, memories shared between them like old photographs now stained with blood. She told Wax of her pain, of her betrayal, of Harmony’s chains. She had loved him, once. She still did, in some broken, splintered way.

Wayne and Marasi fought alongside him, each pushing past their limits – Wayne using his slowing bubble to shift time’s flow at just the right moments, Marasi firing with precision born of newfound courage. Together, they turned the tide, but the killing stroke came with sorrow.

Wax raised his weapon and fired. The bullet struck true, and Paalm – Lessie – fell. Her body changed as it died, slipping from disguise into its true kandra form, alien and tragic. Harmony’s voice returned at last, full of regret, of apology, of purpose. He had let Paalm choose, even if that choice destroyed her. She had been his most devoted servant once. She had loved humanity. But she had loved Wax more.

In the aftermath, Elendel shook but did not fall. The governor survived. The riots subsided. Wax stood in the stillness of his mansion, staring at the empty spaces around him. He had ended the threat, saved the city, yet lost something that could not be recovered.

Harmony reached out one final time. There was still work to be done. The Set – that secretive organization manipulating power behind the scenes – remained. Their motives stretched far beyond Elendel’s borders. Bleeder had only been one piece on a much larger board.

Steris waited with her papers and precision, planning a wedding that might never find peace. Marasi stepped into her new strength, and Wayne, with a battered hat and a smirk, stood ready for whatever came next.

And Wax, torn between justice and faith, walked forward into the mists once more, uncertain whether he served a god or merely fought against the dark.

Main Characters

• Waxillium “Wax” Ladrian: A nobleman turned lawman, Wax is a complex figure torn between his duty to his house and his instincts as a justice-seeker. As a Twinborn (a person who can use both Allomancy and Feruchemy), he combines precise Allomantic coin-pushing with weight manipulation, making him a formidable force. Haunted by past trauma and grappling with notions of right and wrong, Wax evolves throughout the book from a hunter of criminals to a man confronting gods.

• Wayne: Wax’s loyal and eccentric sidekick, Wayne is a master of disguise and impersonation, with the Allomantic ability to create time-slowing bubbles. Despite his comic relief role, Wayne is deeply layered, carrying emotional wounds and a code of ethics that drive his actions. His banter masks his insight, and his loyalty to Wax is unwavering.

• Marasi Colms: A constable and intellectual, Marasi battles societal prejudice and her own self-doubt to prove her worth. Her admiration for Wax is shadowed by her desire to make a difference in her own right. She possesses Allomantic abilities that allow her to speed up time for others, and her analytical mind often becomes the key to solving complex dilemmas.

• Steris Harms: Wax’s fiancée, initially portrayed as overly rigid and awkward, emerges as a surprisingly practical and devoted partner. Her obsession with planning and protocols is a shield for deep vulnerability, and her understated bravery earns her a pivotal place in the team.

• Bleeder (Paalm): The enigmatic antagonist, once known as Lessie – Wax’s lost love – has become a rogue kandra driven mad by her disillusionment with Harmony. Bleeder’s shape-shifting and Hemalurgic abilities make her a deadly opponent, but her true tragedy lies in her belief that she is liberating the world from divine tyranny.

• Harmony (Sazed): The god of the world, formed by the union of the opposing forces Ruin and Preservation, Harmony is a benevolent but often passive deity. Through his interactions with Wax, he reveals the burdens of divine balance, secrecy, and interference.

Theme

• Faith and Doubt: At its heart, the novel wrestles with faith – both in gods and in institutions. Bleeder’s rebellion against Harmony raises uncomfortable questions about divine will, obedience, and the morality of a god who allows suffering for the sake of balance.

• Identity and Transformation: From the kandra’s ability to change forms to Wax’s dual life as nobleman and lawman, the novel is steeped in the fluidity of identity. Characters are constantly redefining themselves through loss, purpose, or revelation.

• Justice vs. Vengeance: Wax’s journey is one of understanding the thin line between delivering justice and seeking revenge. Bleeder’s crimes are rooted in a desire to liberate, yet her methods reflect a descent into moral chaos. Wax, too, must decide whether his cause is righteous or personal.

• Progress and Tradition: Elendel’s transformation into a modern metropolis echoes the tension between old values and new realities. Guns, motorcars, and political machinations challenge the romanticism of the Roughs and the spiritual traditions of the past.

• Madness and Free Will: Bleeder’s mental unraveling and her rejection of Harmony’s guidance speak to the fear of losing one’s autonomy. The novel questions what it means to be truly free and whether some forms of madness are actually clarity.

Writing Style and Tone

Brandon Sanderson’s style in Shadows of Self is a fusion of brisk, cinematic pacing with precise worldbuilding. His prose is accessible yet rich with philosophical undertones. Through alternating scenes of sharp action and quiet introspection, Sanderson balances personal conflict with epic stakes. The narrative is peppered with humor, especially through Wayne’s voice, yet never undermines the gravitas of the central mystery. The author’s dialogue sparkles with wit while revealing emotional truths.

Structurally, the novel employs a detective noir rhythm – red herrings, cryptic messages, political intrigue – layered atop a fantastical framework. Sanderson’s use of first-person insights and third-person immersion allows the reader to understand both internal motivations and external stakes. The interplay of mystery and theology is uniquely Sandersonian, encouraging readers to question not only what happens, but why and to what end.

The tone varies fluidly from dark and contemplative to irreverent and satirical. Bleeder’s chilling descent is set against Wayne’s comedic antics, creating a tapestry of emotion that mirrors the novel’s duality – the sacred and the profane, chaos and control. Through Wax’s inner struggles, the tone often veers toward tragic heroism, reinforced by moments of surreal horror and philosophical dread, especially when confronting divine authority.