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May 02, 2018
Basically, you just need to click on the link below for my review of Steelheart. The first book in this epic series about...umm...Epics. Steelheart is the best of the trio so if you read and enjoy that one, you’ll definitely want to finish the series. If you want some more info on the rest of the books first then you're in the right place!
Firefight takes David and the Reckoners crew on a road trip from the city of Newcago to that of Babyon Restored--or Babilar. Babilar is what used to be New York City, before the USA was decimated and reclaimed by the ultra-powerful Epics (superheroes turned bad). This wild place is ruled by Regalia, who has water powers. So she’s made Babilar into a demented Venice-style city where deep waters run between all the skyscrapers. The people live in little tent dwellings on the roofs and travel around via an intricate series of foot bridges that connect all the buildings.
The setting is vivid and fantastic in this book. The old skyscrapers of New York City--now Babilar--are covered in fluorescent glowing Graffiti, murals, and flowing pieces of art. David and the Reckoners must go about their mission, to hunt and kill Regalia and stop a human bomb called Obliteration, all while navigating a water based city...wherein their biggest enemy controls the water! As in the first novel, Steelheart, Mr. Sanderson writes awesome action scenes that make you excitedly grip and rip through this book. Plus we readers get much more well-developed character insight into David, Prof, the mysterious Megan, and the rest of the crew. Best of all, Firefight ends in a--and I have to say this, there’s no other way to do it--EPIC plot twist.
In the final book of the trilogy, Calamity, we follow the Reckoners to another unbelievably remarkable setting. The city of Atlanta, which is no longer Atlanta...it’s now called Ildithia. And all the buildings, everything in the city, is made of salt that decomposes and reforms itself every 7 days. Forcing the city’s residents to always be on the move. Oh and speaking of ‘on the move’, the city itself is on the move as it slowly travels around the country on huge treads, looking like an enormous, bizarre, city-shaped tank.
Again, Mr. Sanderson’s imagination and descriptions of his setting are outstanding. And the action in Calamity is bigger, badder and more booming than in all the other books. As the Reckoners close in on their ultimate destiny--stopping the Epics by stopping Calamity--the intense plot twists and turns come at you fast and furious. And the big surprise ending is brilliant.
Now, I will say that I felt like the last third of Calamity got a little ‘thick’ to read through. By this I mean Mr. Sanderson had SO MANY great ideas of what to put in this story, that by pressing them all into the climax it maybe became a bit too much. He still executes the writing of everything quite well and the end is satisfactory for the reader...but for me there were a lot of ‘but what about this?’ and ‘how did this factor in again?’ questions. However, I do not question the quality of what the author did--it’s just that maybe he tried to stuff too many great things into the end.
The only other minor issue I have with the books is they are loaded with guns. The characters are all fascinated with guns, they fawn over them, and there is much sniper-shooting and gunplay. If this may be offensive to you, this series is probably over the top for your tastes. The action and fighting is not graphic or inappropriate, there’s no foul language, and no sex--just a lot of gun action.
As I said at the end of my Steelheart review, if you like comics and superhero stories then I highly recommend this series. Mr. Sanderson’s twist on the genre will blow you away. The books are great for boys or girls, but probably keep the reader age to high school or older due to the violence and complexity of the plot. Unless you read it first and know what you are giving to your younger book-lover.
Happy Reading!
CLICK HERE FOR STEELHEART REVIEW
Firefight takes David and the Reckoners crew on a road trip from the city of Newcago to that of Babyon Restored--or Babilar. Babilar is what used to be New York City, before the USA was decimated and reclaimed by the ultra-powerful Epics (superheroes turned bad). This wild place is ruled by Regalia, who has water powers. So she’s made Babilar into a demented Venice-style city where deep waters run between all the skyscrapers. The people live in little tent dwellings on the roofs and travel around via an intricate series of foot bridges that connect all the buildings.
The setting is vivid and fantastic in this book. The old skyscrapers of New York City--now Babilar--are covered in fluorescent glowing Graffiti, murals, and flowing pieces of art. David and the Reckoners must go about their mission, to hunt and kill Regalia and stop a human bomb called Obliteration, all while navigating a water based city...wherein their biggest enemy controls the water! As in the first novel, Steelheart, Mr. Sanderson writes awesome action scenes that make you excitedly grip and rip through this book. Plus we readers get much more well-developed character insight into David, Prof, the mysterious Megan, and the rest of the crew. Best of all, Firefight ends in a--and I have to say this, there’s no other way to do it--EPIC plot twist.
In the final book of the trilogy, Calamity, we follow the Reckoners to another unbelievably remarkable setting. The city of Atlanta, which is no longer Atlanta...it’s now called Ildithia. And all the buildings, everything in the city, is made of salt that decomposes and reforms itself every 7 days. Forcing the city’s residents to always be on the move. Oh and speaking of ‘on the move’, the city itself is on the move as it slowly travels around the country on huge treads, looking like an enormous, bizarre, city-shaped tank.
Again, Mr. Sanderson’s imagination and descriptions of his setting are outstanding. And the action in Calamity is bigger, badder and more booming than in all the other books. As the Reckoners close in on their ultimate destiny--stopping the Epics by stopping Calamity--the intense plot twists and turns come at you fast and furious. And the big surprise ending is brilliant.
Now, I will say that I felt like the last third of Calamity got a little ‘thick’ to read through. By this I mean Mr. Sanderson had SO MANY great ideas of what to put in this story, that by pressing them all into the climax it maybe became a bit too much. He still executes the writing of everything quite well and the end is satisfactory for the reader...but for me there were a lot of ‘but what about this?’ and ‘how did this factor in again?’ questions. However, I do not question the quality of what the author did--it’s just that maybe he tried to stuff too many great things into the end.
The only other minor issue I have with the books is they are loaded with guns. The characters are all fascinated with guns, they fawn over them, and there is much sniper-shooting and gunplay. If this may be offensive to you, this series is probably over the top for your tastes. The action and fighting is not graphic or inappropriate, there’s no foul language, and no sex--just a lot of gun action.
As I said at the end of my Steelheart review, if you like comics and superhero stories then I highly recommend this series. Mr. Sanderson’s twist on the genre will blow you away. The books are great for boys or girls, but probably keep the reader age to high school or older due to the violence and complexity of the plot. Unless you read it first and know what you are giving to your younger book-lover.
Happy Reading!
CLICK HERE FOR STEELHEART REVIEW