Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell

This was the best short story ever! And a really good introduction to another world in the Cosmere Spoilerwhich does not have a Shard and the Investiture was so weird because a Shard was destroyed in this solar system. So like, you don't have a magic system and you're not going to die in peace and will instead get creepy ass powers once you die. WTF! Forests of Hell is apt.The rules for the Shades were so cool. Like it specifically says “Don't shed the blood of another” instead of saying something vague like “don't shed blood” which wouldn't have worked in a realistic scenario.That said, Silence was an amazing character and I loved that she was given a protective personality and was a mother; not just a ruthless bounty hunter who wanted to survive, but who wanted to raise her kids right and wanted them to have normal lives.This story referenced the God Beyond many times, like [b:Mistborn: Secret History 42028213 Mistborn Secret History Brandon Sanderson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544550801l/42028213.SY75.jpg 48896020]. Still a lot of vague stuff. The Shades were stuck in the Cognitive Realm as I thought (Cognitive Shadows). No Hoid in this but it was still enjoyable in a scary way.Give me a full novel set on Threnody!Read this as part of [b:Arcanum Unbounded 34226341 Arcanum Unbounded Brandon Sanderson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532120976l/34226341.SY75.jpg 48765829].

2.75 stars.

It was an enjoyable short story, but I could not connect to the characters. The plot was pretty simple, although the setting is still interesting. I would have appreciated more explanation about the world and the shadows in typical Sanderson's style, but due to space constraints I am aware it gets tricky doing so. I am curious to know more in detail how this story and characters will connect to the rest of the cosmere.