Review: Steelheart (The Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson

Title: Steelheart
Series: The Reckoners #1

Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: September 24, 2013
Pages: 386
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Source: Audiobook

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.

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MY REVIEW

Disclaimer: This review MAY contain SPOILERS.

This is my second foray into the waters of Brandon Sanderson's genius. And it can only be called that. Genius. His stories are so incredibly crafted. 

This book is a young adult book, but it felt more like a mature middle-grade book. Not quite young adult, but not completely juvenile either. There are definitely mature themes in the book, but the storytelling feels more middle grade. 

The best things about this book are the premise and the plot. The idea behind the series is exciting. I loved Sanderson's take on superpowers. The plot is very absorbing. I mercilessly wanted to know what would happen next throughout the story. I was glued to the book. I enjoyed the foreshadowing. I literally could not stop contemplating facets of the plot trying to figure out what the endgame would be. 

The characters are enjoyable. I wouldn't say that they are developed extremely well. I felt that they could have been more personal, though I did become fond of them while reading. 

The world building was sufficient. It wasn't bad. There was enough information for the reader to understand the scope of things and to set the pace for the story. But it definitely felt nearly bare bones. A story can survive on bread, but a sandwich is definitely better. I would have loved more world-building details sandwiched into this. 

The romance in the book was actually kind of cute. One scene, in particular, was quite touching. But the romance was only as good as you would expect from a middle-grade book. Nothing extreme or too terribly deep. 

Overall, I loved this story. I wish that the storytelling had felt more mature, but I did not dislike the book as a whole because of it. I am anxious to read the next book and find out what happens. The premise and the plot really drive this story and make me want to continue the series. If you like books that contain superpowers then I'd give this one a try. 

I love anything with superheroes or supervillains in it. Or anyone that has any sort of superpowers. What superpower do wish you could have? Or tell me your favorite superhero or supervillain.