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Steelheart (The Reckoners Book 1)
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…
- Release Date
- 2014
- Length
- 401 pages
- Publisher
- Delacorte Press
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Our Review
About the book
In a future where people called Epics have gained superpowers and become tyrants, eighteen-year-old David joins the Reckoners, a rebel group that hunts them. His goal is to kill Steelheart, the seemingly invincible ruler of what was once Chicago.
Our review
What if superpowers made everyone a villain? Sanderson turns the question into a lean, clever revenge story.
Steelheart is Sanderson at his most streamlined. The hook is simple and dark: anyone who gains powers becomes a monster, and the few humans who fight back must study weaknesses like scientists. David, who saw Steelheart bleed once as a child, is obsessed, nerdy and very funny, often without meaning to be. The steel-encased city of Newcago is a striking backdrop for the action.
The plotting is meticulous, with reveals that click into place in the final act. The weaker spots are the romance, which is thin and leans on David’s clumsy crushes, and a supporting cast that is more sketched than lived in. Still, as an entry point to Sanderson for younger readers, or for adults who want something brisk, it is hard to fault.
What we loved
- A sharp, morally intriguing premise
- Puzzle-box plotting with a satisfying final twist
- David’s ridiculous metaphors, which become a running joke
Keep in mind
- The romance subplot is underdeveloped
- Side characters are fun but thinly drawn
Read it if you like
Readers who like superhero stories with a twist, such as V.E. Schwab’s Vicious, or who want an accessible first Sanderson.
The verdict
An inventive young adult thriller that shows Sanderson’s knack for rules and reveals in a compact package.
