Warning: This book contains some really dark imagery and supernatural elements. If either of those is not what you’re looking for, look elsewhere.
I first heard about the John Cleaver books while listening to the Writing Excuses podcast, which gave me a fairly good idea what I was getting into before I started it.
Soul Music fell somewhat flat for me.
One one hand a Death story that only barely involves Death–although the parts that do are pretty amusing. It’s yet another story of Death stepping down, this time getting temporarily replaced by his granddaughter of sorts, who just doesn’t seem that interesting to me.
Arcanum Unbounded collects a small pile of short stories all set in Sanderson’s shared universe (the Cosmere) and glues them together with some extra information about each world and about how the Cosmere itself works. While each of the stories is good by itself, they really shine collected together, where you get a sense of just how big and diverse this universe that Sanderson is building is.
Individual reviews:
Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell is a fascinating Sanderson story set in an out of the way corner of his shared universe–the cosmere.
It’s a creepy short (for Sanderson) that follows an older woman (probably middle aged). She’s a mother, an inn-keeper, and a bounty hunter. She’s a wonderful character and really does do a lot to sell the story.
I’ve previously listened about this story on the Writing Excuses podcast and read it in the [Shadows Beneath](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21844946-shadows- beneath?from_search=true) anthology, but it’s just as weird/good now as it was then.
Worldbuildingwise, the idea of an ocean culture that travels between terrifying islands (with just as terrifying beasties in the water) is fascinating. Sentient birds ( / worms ) that people can tame and carry with them to grant them special powers? Yes please.
“Oh, hell,” Kelsier said. “There’s actually a God?” “Yes.” Kelsier decked him.
If you’ve read the Mistborn series, read Secret History. If you haven’t, read the Mistborn series, then read Secret History. It’s worth the read just for for the the crazy intertwined universe-building that Sanderson has been pulling off for years now.
Taken as a whole, Shadow’s Edge takes everything (the good and the bad) of the first Night Angel book and cranks it up even further. On the plus side, the good becomes even better. It was hard to put this book down. On the down side, a lot of the first part of the book where Kylar tries to run from his powers and live a normal life is honestly fairly boring. Luckily it picks back up and really goes crazy by the end.
There are storylines all over the place. The all manage to tie together more or less, so I don’t particularly mind, but there are a few that I feel probably could have been cut to make a tighter story. Kylar’s story is interesting, obviously enough, as is that of Vi and the Godking. Sister Ariel’s story I feel could actually carry a story of its own and directly relates to the others. Logan’s time in the Hole is fascinating, but seemed to drag on forever (which I guess could have been intentional). But the storyline about the prostitute’s rebellion? All that about the Ubersword of DESTINY? I trust that eventually they’ll pay off. But within the context of this single story, the feel weird.
Allomancer Jak is a hilarious, pulpy, over the top adventure story set on the Mistborn universe (specifically the Alloy of Law time period).
It adds a bit of world building–specifically explaining how the Koloss have changed since the first era of the Final Empire–but mostly it’s just fun to read.
The Eleventh Metal is a short story originally written for the Mistborn Adventure Game (an RPG) that takes place before the events of the first Mistborn book. It gives us a bit more backstory about Kelsier and actually shows his own training, which is interesting enough.
Overall, it’s not bad. It’s just very short and doesn’t really add anything in particular to the rest of the Mistborn stories.
This is a cute little side story set during the climactic final scenes of the main Elantris storyline. Basically, it’s a story that Sanderson had originally in mind for Elantris but cut due to pacing or other issues.
Basically, it follows Matisse, an Elantrian who is charged with watching after the children and ends up saving them all with the help of Ashe the Seon.