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Quick answer: If you loved Wax and Wayne, read Mistborn: The Final Empire, then Hard Magic, Storm Front, The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Gunslinger. All mix magic with guns, mysteries and fast adventures in worlds where old powers meet new technology.
Brandon Sanderson's Wax and Wayne books, beginning with The Alloy of Law, jump ahead in the Mistborn world to an era of trains and pistols, following lawman Waxillium Ladrian and his funny, shapeshifting partner Wayne. They read like a magical Western with plenty of humour. The books below offer similar fast, fun fantasy with a frontier feel.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Alloy of Law | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | the series start |
| Shadows of Self | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | the next book |
| The Bands of Mourning | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | the third book |
| The Lost Metal | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | the finale |
| The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | the Mistborn start |
| Hard Magic | Larry Correia | Adult | alternate-history superheroes |
| Storm Front | Jim Butcher | Adult | wizard detective |
| The Lies of Locke Lamora | Scott Lynch | Adult | clever heists |
| Soulless | Gail Carriger | Adult | steampunk comedy |
| Boneshaker | Cherie Priest | Adult | steampunk zombies |
| Red Country | Joe Abercrombie | Adult | fantasy Western |
| The Gunslinger | Stephen King | Adult | Western fantasy |
| Magic Bites | Ilona Andrews | Adult | gritty urban fantasy |
| Skyward | Brandon Sanderson | Teen | pilot and war |
| Furies of Calderon | Jim Butcher | Adult | elemental magic |
1. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
Wax returns to the city and takes on a gang of smugglers. Fast, funny and clever.
Best for: the series start.
2. Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
A mystery involving a shadowy figure grows more dangerous. Sharper and bigger in scope.
Best for: the next book.
3. The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson
The team searches for a legendary artefact. Adventure and humour in equal measure.
Best for: the third book.
4. The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson
The era ends with the biggest threat yet. A satisfying ending.
Best for: the finale.
5. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A street thief joins a crew to topple an immortal ruler. The earlier trilogy that sets up the world.
Best for: the Mistborn start.
6. Hard Magic by Larry Correia
In a 1930s world with magic, a hard-boiled detective pursues a villain. Fast, pulpy and inventive.
Best for: alternate-history superheroes.
7. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden is a wizard private investigator in Chicago. A classic start to a long series.
Best for: wizard detective.
8. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
A group of thieves in a fantasy city run elaborate cons. Witty and fast.
Best for: clever heists.
9. Soulless by Gail Carriger
A parasol-wielding spinster takes on vampires and werewolves in Victorian London. Funny and romantic.
Best for: steampunk comedy.
10. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
A mother enters a ruined Seattle to find her son. Gritty and fast.
Best for: steampunk zombies.
11. Red Country by Joe Abercrombie
A woman follows kidnappers across a frontier land. Dark and funny.
Best for: fantasy Western.
12. The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Roland the gunslinger chases the man in black. Strange, spare and epic.
Best for: Western fantasy.
13. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Kate Daniels investigates murders in a magic-saturated Atlanta. Sharp and romantic.
Best for: gritty urban fantasy.
14. Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
A girl dreams of being a pilot to defend her planet. Fast and funny.
Best for: pilot and war.
15. Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
A young man with no magic faces a land of elemental furies. Fast and fun.
Best for: elemental magic.
How to Choose
For the full story, read the Wax and Wayne books in order, and consider reading the original Mistborn trilogy first. For similar frontier magic choose Hard Magic, Red Country or The Gunslinger. For wizard detectives pick Storm Front. For witty heists read The Lies of Locke Lamora. For steampunk fun try Soulless or Boneshaker. Sanderson's books are well suited to audiobooks, with long, steady narrations. The Wax and Wayne books are set about three hundred years after the original Mistborn trilogy, so readers who start here can still follow the world, though the earlier books enrich it. Readers who like both the Western and fantasy sides should note how Sanderson blends them. If you prefer the Western side, Red Country and The Gunslinger offer different tones. If you prefer the fantasy and heist side, pick Locke Lamora. If you want more of Sanderson, his Cosmere novels connect to Mistborn in surprising ways.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are Wax and Wayne?
A pair of lawmen in Sanderson's Mistborn world who solve crimes with magic and guns.
What is the first Wax and Wayne book?
The Alloy of Law.
Do I need to read Mistborn first?
It helps, but is not required.
How many Wax and Wayne books are there?
Four.
Is it funny?
Yes, especially because of Wayne.
Is it a Western?
It has Western elements in a fantasy setting.
Are the books long?
The first is short by Sanderson standards, and the others grow longer.
What should I read next?
Try The Final Empire if you haven't, or Hard Magic.
Where do Wax and Wayne fit in the Cosmere?
They are in the Mistborn series, which is part of Sanderson's shared Cosmere universe.
Is it good for new Sanderson readers?
Yes, The Alloy of Law is short, funny and friendly.