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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 wills. Steelheart (Delacorte) is the first book in a new action-packed thrill ride of a series from Brandon Sanderson.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn Trilogy, Brandon Sanderson, comes the first book in a new, action-packed thrill ride of a series — Steelheart.
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 wills.
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:
"On the heels of his YA debut, The Rithmatist, Sanderson opens another series for teens with an ultraviolent yet playful entry into the superhero genre. More than a decade ago, a mysterious event known as Calamity created Epics — powerful beings straight out of the comics, complete with both incredible abilities (invulnerability, illusion, transmutation) and silly weaknesses (smoke, UV light, being attacked by someone exactly 37 years old). Thus far, the Epics appear to be wholly corrupt, with villains rising up to subjugate humans and take over the world. David's father was killed by a ruthless Epic named Steelheart, and David, now 18, has waited 10 years for revenge, certain that he holds the key to Steelheart's weakness. Hooking up with a ragtag group of rebel Epic-killers, David and crew knock off Steelheart's subordinates and lure him out. Although readers may not be surprised at the twists that arise, the near-constant action, Sanderson's whiz-bang imaginings, and a fully realized sense of danger (the brutal opening scene alone will hook many) make this an absolute page-turner. Ages 12–up. Agent: Eddie Schneider, JABberwocky Literary Agency. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review:
"Snappy dialogue, bizarre plot twists, high intensity action, and a touch of mystery and romance; it’s a formula that sucks readers into the prologue, slings them through one tension-filled encounter after the other, and then, at the strange and marginally hopeful conclusion, leaves them panting for the sequel, Firefight, due in 2014." Booklist, Starred Review
Brandon Sanderson is the author of the internationally bestselling Mistborn trilogy, and he was 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 book, visit him at brandonsanderson.com.
The Lost Entwife, September 20, 2013 (view all comments by The Lost Entwife)
My love for Brandon Sanderson's writing is not a secret. Basically, when I see that Sanderson has a new book, like Steelheart, coming out, my heart pitter-patters happily and my fingers make an instinctive grabby movement - even when I know that the copy of the book I'm about to request is an electronic one. Then...when the approval comes through from the publisher, I torture myself a little bit and put it on the back burner where it sits until close to release time, calling my name, begging me to push the button and bring it up on the screen in front of me.
Do you know what the best part of this story is?
I am never disappointed. Never. Sanderson is one of the most solid writers out there - extremely consistent, always entertaining, always good for a solid, fantastic magic system that will make the fantasy lover in me squeal with glee and dance around in circles, wishing I could shoot sprinkles and sparkly bits from my fingertips as I do so.
Yeah, I love fantasy and I love Sanderson.
So now that my geeking has taken its course, let's talk about Steelheart. First, this is not your typical fantasy novel. It's urban fantasy with a distinct comic-book feel. Except, I'm not that much of a comic book fan (I enjoy them but prefer more words and imagination to pictures) so this was the perfect meld of comic-book geekery and fantasy-wordiness. I have to admit, I never thought I'd be reading a book by Sanderson that featured SUPERVILLAINS and ... maybe, possibly.. SUPERHEROES. This is a book for the ages. This is a book I can send to my nieces and nephews and be like.. GUYS CHECK THIS OUT and they will love it. Why? Because it has every single ingredient required for the perfect superpower story.
Evil Villain - Check
Death of a Family Member - Check
Seemingly Impossible Odds - Check
Fantastic weaponry and gadgets - Double Check
Revenge Storyline - Check
Touch of Romance - Check
Major Plot Twist - Check
Yup. It's all there. So what are you waiting for? Pre-Order. Trust me, this is one that not only adults will enjoy but your teens and pre-teens as well. Keep the tissues handy though - trust me... you'll need them when you get to the end of the book and realize you have to wait for the next one to come out.
"Publishers Weekly Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"On the heels of his YA debut, The Rithmatist, Sanderson opens another series for teens with an ultraviolent yet playful entry into the superhero genre. More than a decade ago, a mysterious event known as Calamity created Epics — powerful beings straight out of the comics, complete with both incredible abilities (invulnerability, illusion, transmutation) and silly weaknesses (smoke, UV light, being attacked by someone exactly 37 years old). Thus far, the Epics appear to be wholly corrupt, with villains rising up to subjugate humans and take over the world. David's father was killed by a ruthless Epic named Steelheart, and David, now 18, has waited 10 years for revenge, certain that he holds the key to Steelheart's weakness. Hooking up with a ragtag group of rebel Epic-killers, David and crew knock off Steelheart's subordinates and lure him out. Although readers may not be surprised at the twists that arise, the near-constant action, Sanderson's whiz-bang imaginings, and a fully realized sense of danger (the brutal opening scene alone will hook many) make this an absolute page-turner. Ages 12–up. Agent: Eddie Schneider, JABberwocky Literary Agency. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
"Review"
by Booklist, Starred Review,
"Snappy dialogue, bizarre plot twists, high intensity action, and a touch of mystery and romance; it’s a formula that sucks readers into the prologue, slings them through one tension-filled encounter after the other, and then, at the strange and marginally hopeful conclusion, leaves them panting for the sequel, Firefight, due in 2014."
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