SciFi Book Review: Steelheart

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Synopsis:
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his will.

Nobody fights the Epics . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David’s been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.

He’s seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

Review:
David doesn’t think of himself as smart, but he’s an expert on weapons and Epics. Epics are the super-powered men and women who are now malevolent rulers, constantly fighting each other for more power. No Epics have ever stepped up to be heroes. Only the Reckoners fight back, regular humans who take out the Epics in secret. David’s brilliant deductions leads him to the Reckoners in hopes of finally having a chance to take out Steelheart and avenging his father’s murder.

Sanderson proves once again that he is a master at creating fascinating characters and weaving complex plots. Fast-paced and action-packed, Steelheart is a solid first installment in a new, science fiction YA trilogy. Fans of X-Men will enjoy this super-powered twist with plenty of adventure, suspense, and mystery.

Sanderson also wrote the start of an excellent new fantasy series for young adults, The Rithmatist, which released earlier this summer (reviewed here) that shouldn’t be missed.

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