
"Steelheart" by Brandon Sanderson is set in a world where ordinary people suddenly gain superpowers, known as Epics, but use them for tyranny rather than good. The story follows David, a young man seeking revenge against the most powerful Epic, Steelheart, who rules over a futuristic Chicago. Joining forces with a group called the Reckoners, David navigates a world filled with underground rebellions, intense action sequences, and unexpected twists and turns. Sanderson's writing style blends fast-paced action with intricate world-building, creating a dark and suspenseful narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
The book explores themes of good versus evil, power struggles, and the consequences of wielding extraordinary abilities. With a mix of intense battle scenes, complex characters, and a touch of humor, "Steelheart" offers a unique take on the superhero genre, presenting a post-apocalyptic Earth where super villains reign and a young protagonist must confront his fears and uncover secrets to challenge the oppressive rule of Steelheart.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book includes themes of violence, murder, and the death of a parent, which may be sensitive topics for some readers.
From The Publisher:
The #1 New York Times bestseller from Brandon Sanderson, the author of Oathbringer, coauthor of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, and creator of the internationally bestselling Mistborn trilogy. And don't miss the rest of the Reckoners series: Firefight and Calamity.
How far would you go for revenge if someone killed your father?
If someone destroyed your city?
If everything you ever loved was taken from you?
David Charleston will go to any lengths to stop Steelheart. But to exact revenge in Steelheart's world, David will need the Reckoners-a shadowy group of rebels bent on maintaining justice.
And it turns out that the Reckoners might just need David too.
Look for book two in the Reckoners series, Firefight, available now.Praise for the Reckoners series
#1 New York Times Bestselling Series
"Another win for Sanderson . . . he's simply a brilliant writer. Period." -Patrick Rothfuss, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The Name of the Wind
"Action-packed." -EW.com
"Compelling. . . . Sanderson uses plot twists that he teases enough for readers to pick up on to distract from the more dramatic reveals he has in store." -The A.V. Club
Ratings (121)
Incredible (15) | |
Loved It (58) | |
Liked It (34) | |
It Was OK (10) | |
Did Not Like (4) |
Reader Stats (194):
Read It (129) | |
Currently Reading (3) | |
Want To Read (45) | |
Not Interested (17) |
3 comment(s)
Brandon Sanderson is just so fun to read, even when he gives his characters annoying tics like "I like to make metaphors even though I am bad at making them up." Is this an excuse for lazy writing, or was he really trying to do character development this way? I don't know, but it didn't work for me.
What did work, as usual, was Sanderson's ability to write a tight plot with nearly invisible clues dropped throughout. The book begins with David's father's death at the hands of Steelheart, an Epic (human being who gained superpowers when a big red thing called Calamity appeared in the sky) who is practically invincible and decides to take over Chicago. At 8 years old, David swears revenge, and since he saw Steelheart bleed in that encounter, he thinks he can figure out Steelheart's weakness and kill him. Ten years later he joins up with a group of human rebels called the Reckoners, who may be the only people fighting back against Epics. Turns out the Reckoners aren't everything he thought they were, but he joins the team and they adopt his quest to take down Steelheart.
I almost guessed the end of this one, but not quite. Sanderson is just so good at sweeping you along, and then bam! The twist hits you before you know it. I can't wait for the sequel. We begin the book thinking that all Epics are evil and use their powers to control regular humans; by the end of the book, this is definitely called into question. Also, not much is covered about Calamity - what is it, where did it come from, why did it make some people special and not others? I hope to learn more about that in the next book.
This book started off like a comic book movie and I just couldn't get into it. I did finish it and the author clearly has talent, this one just felt too formulaic. I thought the main character was unrealistic and did not have enough backstory and I felt no real connection with the other characters. Too simplistic and cliche for me, not a lot of depth.
Not my favorite Sanderson book to date, but definitely a great read! I’m not generally a fan of sci-fi, and especially not of super-powered series, but this one has the Sanderson touch that makes it worth reading.
I’ve always been impressed by the character that Sanderson comes up with, but I think he struck something very unique in the main character of this series, David. He’s intelligent, passionate, and driven, but he also has quirks that make him a more realistic and enjoyable character. He’s bad with metaphors, and can be a bit clumsy in his interactions with other people.
The storyline kept me interested and engaged throughout, which is all a reader ever asks for. As far as I know, this series is a trilogy. That saddens me, because I don’t see how we’ll make it to the end of the Epic reign in only three books. Even from book one, I can see that unless there is some major time jumping, it’s unlikely that we’ll see the end of this era. I must trust in Sanderson, however, and hope that the end won’t bring too many tears.
About the Author:
Brandon Sanderson is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Reckoners series: Steelheart, Firefight, and Calamity, as well as the internationally bestselling books in the Stormlight Archive and the Mistborn trilogy. He was also chosen to complete Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series. His books have been published in more than twenty-five languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. He lives and writes in Utah. To learn more about Brandon and his books, visit him at brandonsanderson.com and follow @BrandSanderson on Twitter.
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