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Skyward (The Skyward Series Book 1)
THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON BEHIND THE COSMERE **** 'We must not cower in the dark because we're afraid of the spark within us. The answer is not to put out the spark, but to learn to control it' Spensa's world has…
- Release Date
- 2018
- Length
- 501 pages
- Publisher
- Hachette UK
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Our Review
About the book
On a planet called Detritus, humanity survives underground while alien raiders called the Krell attack from above. Spensa, a determined young woman whose father was branded a coward, dreams of becoming a pilot, and her chance comes alongside her discovery of a strange, damaged starship with a personality of its own.
Our review
Sanderson’s YA space opera is a scrappy flight-school adventure with a big heart, a bigger mouth and a wonderful talking spaceship.
Spensa is a delight, a would-be warrior who narrates her life like a heroic saga while everyone around her rolls their eyes. Sanderson gives her bravado real roots in shame about her father’s reputation, and watching her learn that courage and recklessness aren’t the same is the book’s emotional core. The dogfights are kinetic and easy to follow, the flight-school ensemble is lovable, and M-Bot, the sarcastic ship AI, steals every scene.
The first half follows a familiar underdog template, and readers who’ve seen Top Gun or read Ender’s Game will spot the beats coming. Spensa’s bombast can feel repetitive before her arc deepens. Some mysteries about the world are withheld so carefully that the setting feels sketchy for a while. But by the final act, the stakes and the emotional payoffs land beautifully, making this one of Sanderson’s most accessible books.
What we loved
- Spensa’s bold, funny voice and real growth
- Exciting, clear aerial combat sequences
- M-Bot, the sardonic AI ship
Keep in mind
- Familiar flight-school underdog beats
- The world’s larger mysteries are slow to come into focus
Read it if you like
Fans of Ender’s Game, Top Gun, Marissa Meyer’s Cinder, or readers new to Sanderson.
The verdict
A warm, thrilling YA space adventure and a terrific introduction to Sanderson for readers of any age.
