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Steelheart

(The Reckoners #1)

Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)

4.13 · Rating details · 158,450 ratings · 13,580 reviews

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 th ...more

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Hardcover, 386 pages

Published September 24th 2013 by Delacorte Press

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Mar 02, 2013 Patrick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-would-blurb

I got a chance to read an early version of this a little while ago. Needless to say, I jumped at it.

The reason for this is that so far, I haven't read a book by Brandon Sanderson that I haven't loved. That means it's quite likely that I'll get a chance to read another good book, which is always welcome.

OR I'll finally read something of Sanderson's I *don't* like. Which would thrill me, honestly.

Why? Well, because Brandon writes so much faster than me. It only seems fair that some of his stuff ...more

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Dec 06, 2013 Emily May rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014, fantasy, young-adult

Well... that was disappointing.

I've heard such great things about all of Brandon Sanderson's books and he's an author I've been meaning to read for what seems like forever. So I decided to pick up his recent young adult work instead of committing to a series with several releases already... well, all I can say is that I hope this isn't representative of all his books because Steelheart really disappointed me. In my opinion, there is nothing you can get from this book that you can't get from bett ...more

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Jul 21, 2014 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-reads-are-the-best, bat-shit-crazy, it-burns-us-precious, skulduggery, audible, superheroes-superhero-like-powers, ya, diabolical, favorite-secondary-characters, rabid-reads-reviews

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

4.5 stars

I'm probably going to make Sandersonite heads everywhere explode when I say this, but STEELHEART might be my new favorite Sanderson book. *does NOT duck* *does NOT run*

description

Is it the most beautifully complicated of his works?

No.

Is it the plot-twistiest?

Nope.

Is it the most direct and concise, sans anything that could be construed as meandering?

YAS.

I love Sanderson. Unabashedly. But as someone who's spent a cumulative ten years with my husband, I can state with auth ...more

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Feb 16, 2017 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it

Shelves: own, fantasy-all, young-adult

This book is so good! ❤

I cried in this book because of something sad and then it wasn't sad because of reasons but I'm not sure because of . . .

I cried because of the REVELATIONS, REVELATIONS, REVELATIONS! They were so freaking awesome that I can't evennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

I've seen Steelheart bleed.
And I will see him bleed again.

Yes, we all know that line. Those that have read the book. This is what David thinks when 10 years ago his father was killed by Steelheart. Now ...more

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Apr 04, 2015 Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star, year-2017

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

So I'm going to start out by saying the only reason I docked half a star is because I felt the pacing of this story was a little uneven. It was not detrimental, but the most interesting portion of the plot unfolded quickly right at the end of the book & it was just a little off balance from the rest of the story.

Otherwise, this is one hell of a book!

After the world is visited by Calamity, average humans are randomly gifted supernatural powers. These humans are called Epic ...more

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Oct 09, 2013 Robin (Bridge Four) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Puny Humans, punny people and lovers of Heroes

Shelves: 4-5-stars, fantastic-fantasy, sci-fi, ya, awesome-audio, super-sidekicks, buddy-read

Kindle deal for a limited time for $1.99 11Apr20 at Amazon

3rd Read with by favorite buddy reading group Buddies Books & Baubles

Why should you read this series in a nut shell:

❶ - David is the most Adorkable yes it is a real word character I've ever read.

❷ - There are EVIL superheroes. EVIL SUPERHEROES!!!

❸ - Lots of different kinds of action happening. Motorcycle chases, car crashes, one on on fighting...etc

❹ - A really good twist (actually about 3 but they were all awesome) and I only semi guess ...more

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Jul 23, 2014 Alejandro rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, science-fiction, super-heroes, politics, military, novel

I've seen Steelheart bleed.

I always love when a book begins with a solid first sentence. And this novel was a good example of that.

PUSHED TO THE NEXT STEP OF EVOLUTION

This is my first book by Brandon Sanderson and now I realize why he is so popular and well rated by a lot of readers and reviewers. Certainly he has a great style and entertaining style that you aren't never bored of what is happening. I am aware that this novel is from a genre kinda new to him since this is a "super-hero" ...more

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May 04, 2018 Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2018, kindle, superheroes

What if Superman was evil?
In fact, what if all superpowered beings were evil? <--and that's the premise of this book.

description

So. If (for unknown reasons) there were suddenly people granted superpowers, and (for unknown reasons) they all turned into bad guys, and they all (for unknown reasons) had secret strange weaknesses that made no sense - then who would fight them?
Enter the Reckoners!
A bunch of humans who ferret out the weakness and then kill the Epic. <--Epic is what these powered people are refer ...more

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Jun 05, 2013 Giselle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own

This book = insanity!

This will prove my living under a rock, but I had not heard of this author before I went to Book Expo and got told all about his awesome status, and let me tell you, the praise is not unwarranted! Steelheart does not hold back; it's an edge-of-your-seat read with an intensity that requires you to put the book down regularly just so you can take a breather!

There are book beginnings... then there are Sanderson beginnings; the prologue is all it took to make me fall in love wit This book = insanity!

This will prove my living under a rock, but I had not heard of this author before I went to Book Expo and got told all about his awesome status, and let me tell you, the praise is not unwarranted! Steelheart does not hold back; it's an edge-of-your-seat read with an intensity that requires you to put the book down regularly just so you can take a breather!

There are book beginnings... then there are Sanderson beginnings; the prologue is all it took to make me fall in love with this book. Already, my heart was pounding, I was left gasping, and my knuckles were white from clutching the book. Sanderson's writing brought me thoroughly and completely in David's world - a very dark, merciless world - and in it I stayed until the last page was turned! My advice to you: buckle up, because it's a wild, turbulent ride!

In David's world, the Epics - humans with extraordinary powers - have taken over. You must abide by their rules to survive and then hope you go unnoticed. This may not sound like anything new - your average comic book premise, even - but the creativity is in the details. The world building does not falter; with every turn of a page the world comes alive with devastatingly grim, yet strangely picturesque, details. Sanderson paints this cinematic picture of a world corrupted by power. Each new Epic introduced is more fascinating than the last, not to mention terrifying. The various powers that range from death by command, to illusionists, to controlling daylight, coupled with the concept of weaknesses, are imaginative and utterly compelling. Much like Calamity which remains the enigma behind it all, yet to be explored but full of promise. This all results in an unpredictable plot with no limits or hesitations. Not once did I know what was coming next, though I learned quickly to not let myself relax for even a second.

Now let's meet the characters. We have a protagonist who's dedicated his life to learning about the Epics, his knowledge on the matter turns him into a capable and intelligent character. His awkwardness around a certain girl and his terrible analogies offer some comic relief to the story's borderline unbearable tension while carving him into a flawed, easily relatable character. He soon teams up with the Reckoners, a group who is fighting back against the Epics. Each member of this team brings forth a memorable personality, and a few have an air of mystery that will make you constantly question everything about their character. The powerhouse in this book, however, is none other than Steelheart himself. He makes his presence known during the first few pages, paralyzing us with his sheer power, ruthlessness, and invincibility. Most of the plot - especially its mystery - is spent on figuring out what exactly could lead to his defeat, but finding this weakness feels like an insurmountable challenge. My imagination was running rampant with infinite theories and possibilities that made it all the more riveting. Even though I was on the right track, I found myself reveling in the brilliance that was this ending! Besides, this book is so wildly action packed with wicked fight scenes that are so vicious and intense, that you won't care to spend much time predicting anything at all, let alone achieve success with idle guesses.

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of this book! Steelheart is a spectacular read that's impossible to put down; sit comfortably, take a (deep) breath, now get ready to be up all night!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Aug 05, 2012 Felicia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I got to read this early. No spoilers, but it's FANTASTIC. ...more

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Feb 27, 2020 Merphy Napier rated it liked it

Shelves: three-stars, science-fiction

3.5... but a high 3.5

This book was a fast read and a lot of fun. It's probably my least favorite Sanderson so far, but I still had a great time reading it. Also, I called SO MANY things about the end. And they were all wrong. Good job Sanderson ...more

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Jan 18, 2015 Sean Barrs rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, 4-star-reads

“I’ve seen Steelheart bleed. And I will see him bleed again.”

Epics are humans with super powers. These powers corrupt their souls, turning them into tyrannical murderers that think themselves divine.

Steelheart is one of these and he has the ability to turn anything he touches into steel, including his own skin which renders him completely impervious to harm. He murdered David’s father, but not before he managed to shoot him in the face leaving a scar on the supposedly invincible Epic’s chee “I’ve seen Steelheart bleed. And I will see him bleed again.”

Epics are humans with super powers. These powers corrupt their souls, turning them into tyrannical murderers that think themselves divine.

Steelheart is one of these and he has the ability to turn anything he touches into steel, including his own skin which renders him completely impervious to harm. He murdered David’s father, but not before he managed to shoot him in the face leaving a scar on the supposedly invincible Epic’s cheek. David is the only person to ever see him bleed, and has spent the rest of his life planning to make him do it again. A task easier said than done it seems.

description

David, now eighteen, wants to join the Reckoners: a select group of Epic hunters. They’re highly skilled and kitted out with marvellous technology. The technology was invented by their founder, Prof, and grants them shielding and disintegration abilities. David believes with their help he can kill his nemesis. The only problem is they’re surviving by using covert ops, so finding them is a little bit tricky. And getting them to trust you is even harder.

The Reckoners are quite an eccentric group of characters. Prof’s everyday clothing is a lab coat dyed black. The using of his own tech changes his mood so much that his personality is altered entirely. At least, that’s how David sees it in the beginning. The revelation on why this happens is quite a shocker. The rest of the group are quite an eclectic cast as well. In the midst of them David even finds a love interest, though she doesn’t seem to like him back. He doesn’t quite understand why, until the very end when Sanderson throws yet another shocker at us.

A revenge mission layered with lots of action and blood

Every Epic has a weakness, each one is more random and bizarre than the last. Steelheart’s weakness has only manifested itself once, when David’s father shot him, and it’s almost impossible to tell what that weakness was: it could have been anything in the room at the time. It could have been a simple thought or even an emotion. David is determined to discover what it is. However, Steelheart has proclaimed himself Emperor of Newcago and consequently has a host of lesser Epics at his disposal. Nightwielder is incorporeal and can shape shadows into spears. Firefight is a wielder of flame and Conflux is literally a human battery. Each one is a servant to Steelheart’s evil rule. Getting to him won't be easy.

David and the Reckoners have a lot to go through if they wish to bring down Steelheart. And the author has crammed it all into four-hundred pages of fast writing that opens up this series in a great way.

description

...more

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Jun 09, 2013 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, quest, kick-ass-heroine, ya, romance, boring-main-character, on-the-run, dystopian, action

Actual rating: 3.5

This book was a lot of fun to read. I'm not a fan of comic books, I enjoy superhero movies, but I've never been a fan of comics themselves because I'm not a visual person. I don't like pictures. I prefer words. For me, this book was the lengthy equivalent of a comic book, and that's just fine with me. That is not to say that I take this book and its themes lightly in any way; comic books can be quite complex, and this book certainly was. It addresses some complex moral and phil Actual rating: 3.5

This book was a lot of fun to read. I'm not a fan of comic books, I enjoy superhero movies, but I've never been a fan of comics themselves because I'm not a visual person. I don't like pictures. I prefer words. For me, this book was the lengthy equivalent of a comic book, and that's just fine with me. That is not to say that I take this book and its themes lightly in any way; comic books can be quite complex, and this book certainly was. It addresses some complex moral and philosophical dilemmas, and as with most of Sanderson's works, there is a considerable amount of depth underneath the standard plot.

The book excels in world building, in action sequences, in the writing. For me, it falls short when it comes to characterization and in consistent execution of a compelling story throughout the book. The middle half was rather boring to me, because I felt it was bogged down by some really, really boring strategizing. It is very much a comic book in written form; the narrator is an 18-year old boy, and a very convincing one. I appreciate the fact that he acts according to his age, with youthful aspirations combined with silliness. I appreciate the fact that while he's got his head on straight most of the time, his common sense is sometimes overruled by his dick, in the silliest of circumstances. I don't like the fact that he is rather too perfect to be true.

Obviously, not all superheroes are good. We've known that before, from countless comic books. Bad guys have superpowers, too, but we didn't call them superheroes then, because in your conventional comic book, they're just the villains. In Steelheart, the superheroes are called Epics, and they're all despicable. An event called the Calamity has occurred, leaving humans with superpowers in its wake. Instead of using their powers for good, these newly created Epics wreak havoc upon humanity. There is no question about it. Every single Epic is corrupted.

Epics had a distinct, even incredible, lack of morals or conscience. That bothered some people, on a philosophical level. Theorists, scholars. They wondered at the sheer inhumanity many Epics manifested. Did the Epics kill because Calamity chose—for whatever reason—only terrible people to gain powers? Or did they kill because such amazing power twisted a person, made them irresponsible?

They steal. They murder. They take over the world.

David watched as an extremely powerful Epic named Steelheart murdered his father before his eyes when he was eight years old. Naturally, he wants revenge, and he spends the next 10 years of his life planning and preparing for it. It's an impossible task, but David thinks he can do it. He knows Steelheart is not invincible. He's witnessed it himself.

Something about the bank, the situation, the gun, or my father himself was able to counteract Steelheart’s invulnerability. Many of you probably know about that scar on Steelheart’s cheek. Well, as far as I can determine, I’m the only living person who knows how he got it.
I’ve seen Steelheart bleed.
And I will see him bleed again.

And that makes David dangerous.

He joins up with a group of vigilante Epic hunters, who call themselves the Reckoners. Together, they embark on a seemingly impossible mission: to reclaim their world from the hands of the Epics. It's a tough job, but they all have to make personal sacrifices for what they believe in, for the promise of a better future.

“The work we do,” Prof said, “is not about living. Our job is killing. We’ll leave the regular people to live their lives, to find joy in them, to enjoy the sunrises and the snowfalls. Our job is to get them there.”

The Setting: Excellent. Newcago is Chicago, gone to pieces. It is dark, it is bleak, people die on a daily basis, they get murdered haphazardly whenever an Epic feel particularly trigger-happy on that particular day, but it is still better off under Steelheart's rule than in most other cities, because at least its citizens have sufficient food, due to Steelheart's odd brand of benevolence. The city and the setting itself is brilliantly depicted. I can feel the darkness, the despair, the hopelessness. Steelheart has transmuted the entire city into solid steel, the soil, the buildings, everything from above to deep underground. It is literally a city shrouded in darkness.

It’s always dark in Newcago. Because of Nightwielder there are no sunrises, and no moon to speak of, just pure darkness in the sky. All the time, every day.

The setting and the world were impeccably described, and I love the descriptions of the various Epics and their powers. The world building is one of my favorite features about this book.

The Characters: Once again, we have a ragtag group of vigilantes, some with rather interesting quirks, and some clearly there to provide comic relief. The leader of the group is the Prof, which immediately brings to mind Professor X of X-Men fame, but far less gentle, far less understanding, far less compassionate, because there is no time for that shit here. The Reckoners have a mission to fulfil, and there's no room for fucking about.

Our narrator is David. You know those kids who memorize the players and their respective stats for their favorite sports teams? David is a similar type of geek, only his hoard of information is related to the Epics themselves. That is his strength, and his major contribution to the team. In his quest for vengeance, he has devoted his time to collecting every single bit of information he possibly can, and despite the Reckoners' reluctance to admit him onto their team, his trove of information proves to be invaluable to them; thanks to his "resume," he becomes a Reckoner. He is a rather amusing narrator. He stumbles with his words around a pretty girl, he makes horrible, horrible metaphors.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I feel like a brick made of porridge.”
“No, no,” I said. “It makes sense! Listen. A brick is supposed to be strong, right? But if one were secretly made of porridge, and all of the other bricks didn’t know, he’d sit around worrying that he’d be weak when the rest of them were strong. He’d get smooshed when he was placed in the wall, you see, maybe get some of his porridge mixed with that stuff they stick between bricks.”

Trust me, we are subjected to a fair number of terrible metaphors within this book, but they are completely intentional. It's not the writing at all. I find them very amusing.

What I don't like about David is his perfection. Despite his bumbling, despite his awkwardness, he succeeds far too often. He defuses tight, dangerous situation through his quick-wittedness, and really, I don't think there is a standard for his abilities. David is a newbie, yet he stands on par, and holds his own against the very experienced team of Reckoners. It's not like he has had a lot of experience with this situation before; in order to succeed at fighting, you have to put in the time, the practice, and until very recently, he has worked in a Factory producing weaponry. He collects information, and collected it well, but there is a definite line between being a geek and being an amazing fighter. It takes a lot of practice, it takes a considerable amount of skills, and I don't feel like David has the experience necessary to justify his brilliance in battle and in dangerous situations.

The Romance: I did not mind the light romance in this book. It was insta-love, but while David finds himself thinking of Megan more often than he should, he realizes the absurdity of the situation, and snaps out of it. I liked Megan, I liked her single-mindedness, I like her absolute focus on the mission, and I liked the fact that she wasn't some silly girl with her head in the clouds. She is strong, she is determined, she is too harsh, at times, but hey, nobody's perfect. There is a distinctly Jean Gray feel about Megan.

The clock ticked down. We didn’t speak. I mentally sounded out a few ways to start conversation, but each one died on my lips as I opened my mouth. Each time I was confronted by Megan’s glassy stare. She didn’t want to chat. She wanted to do the job.

The book had a very fast pace initially, but the middle half was very slow for me. There was a lot of planning, a lot of discussion, and while it was necessary to have that in the book leading up to the final confrontation, I find myself just plain bored. There was a lot of action, but I wished there were more characterization in its place.

If you have been a Sanderson fan before, you will likely love this book. I have read Mistborn, and I will say that I prefer the pacing of this book to that series. This is a lot easier to read, the world building is less confusing; it is Mistborn for those with a short attention span. (Like me!) ...more

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Feb 01, 2016 James Tivendale rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: superhero, fantasy

I have had a few days off work this week and I must admit that I have found this book very difficult to put down during that time.

I was sceptical about approaching this book and have had it on my bookshelf for a while. I have read some of the Mistborn books and A Stormlight Archive and loved it and thought this book would disappoint me and just be a bit .. geeky compared to the complex magic mechanics and exceptional world building of the above mentioned.

It was geeky - yet in a great way and I I have had a few days off work this week and I must admit that I have found this book very difficult to put down during that time.

I was sceptical about approaching this book and have had it on my bookshelf for a while. I have read some of the Mistborn books and A Stormlight Archive and loved it and thought this book would disappoint me and just be a bit .. geeky compared to the complex magic mechanics and exceptional world building of the above mentioned.

It was geeky - yet in a great way and I am not at all disappointed by the 384 pages that I raced through.

We follow, in the first person an everyday dude called David in a slightly futuristic world that is populated by certain 'super-beings' who were created following a burst in the sky - named Calamity. These are the Epics who have superpowers ranging from flying, illusion, controlling darkness/ shadow and blasting of destruction abilities (not sure of the technical term). You may have noticed I didn't use the word 'super-heroes' - and the reason would be that these guys and gals tend to be really mean. Flaunting their powers and leaving the normal people to live pretty shitty lives. None more so that Steelheart. He is the strongest, most powerful Epic, who rules Newcargo, no one knows his weakness (all Epic's have one see) - and David has a vendetta against him! So the story commences.

So many great moments come to mind in this book. The opening scene in the bank blows the metaphorical storybook doors off the hinges straightaway. The confrontation between David and an Epic in a gun store, the high-speed motorcycle chase and just how everything reaches the crescendo of a satisfying finale that would blow Hollywood's socks off. Included in this sequence are a couple of super unpredictable gems/ moments of suprise that make me want to start reading the next book straight away.

I like the companionship and loyalty of the Reckoners. The underground group that doesn't have any time for the Epic's and do what they can to keep the city as safe as possible. This starts by killing minor Epic's but when David's nerdiness is placed in the mix (he has been studying how to kill these bastards for about 10 years!!!)- they aim for a higher scale against the High Epic's such as Nightweilder, Firefly, Conflux and of course - Steelheart. Where the victories here might really mean something to the world. The mysticism and majesty surrounding these Epic's is, well epic. Lot's of here-say, guessing, analysis for the normal folks and the Reckoners trying to figure them out and they are just very mysterious and super powerful- that is for certain.

To finish - David is a geek. And that is okay. This book is filled with a lot of bad, fruity, colourful metaphors when he tries to describe the insane scenarios he gets himself into. It is very tongue in cheek and he will sometimes have debates in his head about 'why did I say that out loud?'. Also - everyone else in the world appears to be amazing descriptive metaphor wordsmiths without trying. It is a cute juxtaposition that annoyed David here and there.

Highly enjoyable. Only got 4 stars because I wasn't amazingly engrossed by the characterisation - but story 100% wins here. Peace. x

Ps. I also like the dude who loves Scotland so damned much. Especially his description about how they make bagpipes.

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Mar 10, 2016 Elizabeth Sagan rated it it was amazing

My relationship with The Reckoners series is like a relationship with someone you love deeply, despite the fact that they cheated on you and they’re chewing out loud (we all know that is a deal breaker). In other words, I adore the idea of this series so much that I can partially ignore the fact that it’s not that amazingly written. Brandon Sanderson is one of my favourite authors and I’m kinda disappointed that he chose such a light tone on this one when I know, I know, I KNOW he could’ve creat ...more

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Jan 09, 2014 Shelby *trains flying monkeys* rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2014

The world kinda ends with an event called Calamity. Ordinary people get superpowers? Kinda sounds cool huh?
Well they don't use their powers for good. They use those suckers to rule the world!

The Reckoners are the group trying to fight against them. At times I got bored with them. They did spend too much time discussing plans. I didn't care. I just wanted shit blew up.

I did get entranced when the action started. That was intense and very well done.
This kinda reads similar to Xmen gone bad. ...more

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Dec 06, 2017 Berit☀️✨ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, reluctant-reader, fantasy, audiobooks, 2017

4.5 Steelhearted stars! from my 14-year-old reluctant reader and me!🌟

My 14-year-old son just recently began listening to audiobooks with me for about an hour every night, we started with some ghost stories and now we have moved on to fantasy.... and this was a fantastic choice! I’ve had this book on audio sitting on my phone forever, But fantasy and I don’t always get along, so I’ve been a bit hesitant.... what I learned with this is that fantasy is perfect for me an hour a day... so all those f ...more

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Feb 07, 2017 Emily (Books with Emily Fox) rated it liked it

I was very excited to read this YA fantasy series - super powers? post apocalyptic-ish? Brandon Sanderson? Yes!!

I liked it but oh my, I cannot deal with the fake swear words (Calamity, Slontze, Sparks... like really?!)
I was about to lower my rating by 0.5 just because of this but the ending was good... Sanderson always writes good endings.

Will continue the series.

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Aug 05, 2014 Aj the Ravenous Reader rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopia, lol, physically-owned-books, sci-fi

Meet Steelheart.

(I don’t know why my mind conjures Loki’s image whenever Steelheart is described.^^)

He is an “Epic” (could be a superhuman, an alien, a result of a science experiment, I’m not really sure) with supernatural abilities and strength and is the ruler of a city called Newcago. Wait…did I just say Newcago? OMG, I just have to…let me just…

Okay, I’m calm. Newcago, jeez. That’s ridiculous. [*wipes off a tear while still laughing]. To continue, Steelheart is one of the most powerful Epic ...more

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Sep 11, 2013 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, science, dystopia, 21th-century, fiction

Steelheart (Reckoners #1), Brandon Sanderson

The United States, and other parts of the world, were changed forever when a glowing red light in the sky known as Calamity gave normal people superhuman powers and abilities. These people came to be known to humanity as Epics.

The story is told through the perspective of David, an orphaned teenager living in Newcago (formerly known as Chicago). Newcago is ruled by the extremely powerful Epic named Steelheart, who has created a society run by other pow ...more

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Feb 26, 2016 Lo9man88 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Mr S"Anderson" didn't fail me so far, so why start now ?
It was a cool read: tight and smooth , a terrific world with new rules and a reality where people with superpowers are unavoidably villains with a god complex and a thirst for dominion, enter the Reckoners : Defenders of the fellow man and banes to the oppressors ...
Suffice to say it's a must read. ...more

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Feb 08, 2014 Regan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-owned-read

That was an awesome read! Full of action, super interesting story! I cannot wait until the next book! I love anti hero stories..

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Oct 02, 2012 Gavin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

4.5 stars.

This was another great book by the ever dependable Brandon Sanderson. I knew there was a reason this guy was such a favorite of mine. It had everything you would expect from one of his books. Good world building, an interesting plot, likable and interesting characters, action, humor, romance, and even some surprise twists and turns along the way.

This was the tale of superheroes gone bad!. Ten years ago a mysterious new star, called Calamity, appeared in the sky and people started to d ...more

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Dec 07, 2014 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it really liked it

Shelves: next-stop-dystopia, all-aboard-the-superpowers-train, ya-science-fiction, ya-fantasy, science-fiction

$1.99 Kindle sale, Oct. 1, 2018, for this YA SF novel by Brandon Sanderson, first in a trilogy.

What if there was a worldwide cataclysmic event that caused a minority of people to develop superpowers ... but instead of turning into friendly neighborhood crime fighters they all turned into mafia thugs and murderers? When you think about it, it's a more natural reaction for a person who is suddenly gifted with (often murderous) powers to use those powers for his or her own personal gain, rather tha $1.99 Kindle sale, Oct. 1, 2018, for this YA SF novel by Brandon Sanderson, first in a trilogy.

What if there was a worldwide cataclysmic event that caused a minority of people to develop superpowers ... but instead of turning into friendly neighborhood crime fighters they all turned into mafia thugs and murderers? When you think about it, it's a more natural reaction for a person who is suddenly gifted with (often murderous) powers to use those powers for his or her own personal gain, rather than altruism.

When David is eight years old, he sees his father murdered by Steelheart, one of these superpowered thugs, called Epics. David narrowly escapes with his life, since Steelheart--previously thought to have skin that's impervious to any weapon--was wounded and bled from a gunshot by David's father, and Steelheart is doing his best to make sure there are no witnesses left alive to spread the news that he isn't invincible. Ten years later, it's a dystopian world, where Epics and their gangs rule over different cities and terrorize the ordinary humans. Steelheart and his gang are firmly in charge of Chicago (which is called Newcago or something like that . . . I can't check the book to make sure, because a certain 12 year old boy has taken it to bed with him). David, now 18, seeks to find and join the Reckoners, an underground rebellion that assassinates Epics who murder ordinary people.

description

This book had a cool premise and several good twists that I didn't see coming (I've already been outdone here by my 12 y/o son, who caught one of the twists from a clue that I totally misread. *hangs head in shame*). There were a bunch of questions that were niggling at me for most of the book ((view spoiler)) and the last part of the book actually answered most of my questions (except the first one) and had an epic (<---hah!) showdown. I liked how the various threads wove together at the end. I was absolutely convinced that I'd figured out Steelheart's weakness and it floored me--in a good way--when it turned out that I (along with David) was wrong, but the final answer made a lot of sense, and David's solution was brilliant.

This is definitely YA, with a teenage protagonist, a YAish love interest--though that subplot isn't handled in an entirely typical manner--and a sometimes superficial plot, but it's pretty darn good YA. My 12 year old is very enthusiastic about it, and if I can get my 18 y/o son to read it instead of just playing video games this Christmas season, I think he'll love it as well.

ETA: my 12 y/o has finished this book and gives it a solid 5 stars. The subject matter of this book is quite violent, though, so know your young teens or pre-teens before you hand this book to them. ...more

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Mar 20, 2019 Iryna *Book and Sword* rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy, brandon-sanderson, favorites, sci-fi, audio-books

5/5 stars

*audio book review*

Read Steelheart they said. It will be fun they said. Sure it was fun. So much fun! But it was also very, very heart wrenching.

This was an absolutely phenomenal novel to audio book. Until the time I was listening to it while driving to pick up some Indian food for dinner and crying uncontrollably because of things that were happening. I must have looked very distressed to passerby's.

“We were like deaf people trying to dance to a beat we couldn't hear, long after the ...more

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Apr 23, 2014 Beth Hudspeth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mind-fucks, lmao, 2016-reads, favorites, book-reviews

Review: Hello Beautiful Book Blog

Steelheart was awesome! Super fun and action packed with humor attached! Epic!

I loved David's awkwardness and stupid metaphors. The twist I did not see coming. It's hard to fool me!

David grew up in Newcago, a city in the future where the Epic, Steelheart rules. The book starts out with David trying to prove to the Reckoners that he will be an asset to them. He meets Prof, Megan, Tia, Cody and Abraham of the Newcago Reckoners. Once he is partly accepted he sta ...more

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Apr 14, 2015 Mario rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, own-read, favorites, reread

I loved it as much as the first time around.
____________________________

It's hard to form words at this moment, so I'm not sure if this review will make any sense.

Brandon fucking Sanderson, you've done it again! I can't believe that I actually had doubts about this one, thinking that after reading Mistborn, I will be disappointed. Well, I admit. I was an idiot. Sanderson, I promise, I will never doubt your writing again.

The whole book was just EPIC (I know, I hate to use that word too). I was af ...more

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Dec 08, 2014 Evgeny rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

Buddy read with the following people: Athena, Armina, Gavin, Kat Stark, Desinka, Robin, Alexa, Shandra, Annette, Nicholas, Carole, Ashley, Eon, Kristen, Danae, and the latecomer Sarah

The easiest and shortest description would be, "X-Men gone bad"; I am sure somebody already mentioned this in a review. Anyway, in near future some people (called Epics) gained superpowers - all kinds of them. Have you ever hear the saying "Power corrupts"? What about superpower? In the dystopian society of North Am ...more

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Sep 24, 2017 Deborah Obida rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, dystopian

I don't know whether its because this is YA, Sci-fi ~~just branching into the genre~~,or the fact that its written in the first person POV that is hindering me from giving this book a 5 star. It was a great read and I really enjoyed reading this. The writing is okay~~I know I should not compare but can't help it, Mistborn's writing is way better~~. I love the world building, the depictions of scientific futuristic terms was done perfectly. I really like the way it ended, it was not a cliffhanger but the I don't know whether its because this is YA, Sci-fi ~~just branching into the genre~~,or the fact that its written in the first person POV that is hindering me from giving this book a 5 star. It was a great read and I really enjoyed reading this. The writing is okay~~I know I should not compare but can't help it, Mistborn's writing is way better~~. I love the world building, the depictions of scientific futuristic terms was done perfectly. I really like the way it ended, it was not a cliffhanger but they are lots of questions that need answers.

"You can’t be so frightened of what might happen that you are unwilling to act.”

The characters are fun to read, their banter got me turning the pages. I love that they all have different unique personalities, David the MC is a nerd, and the reckoners are like a band of misfits, Cody and his crazy Scottish facts that are half lies, that is if there is an ounce of truth in them.

Cody looked wistful. “Aye, and a beauteous melody that is, lass.”
“So, wait,” I said, holding up a finger. “These bagpipes. To make them, you … what was it you said? ‘Y’all need to kill yourself a wee dragon, which are totally real and not at all mythological—they live in dragon, which are totally real and not at all mythological—they live in the Scottish Highlands to this day.’ ”
“Aye,” Cody said. “It’s important y’all pick a wee one. The big ones are too dangerous, you see, and their bladders don’t make good pipes. But you have to kill it yourself, you see. A piper needs to have slain his own dragon. It’s part of the code.”
“After that,” I said, “you need to cut out the bladder, and attach … what was it?”
“Carved unicorn horns to make the pipes,” Cody said. “I mean, you could use something less rare, like ivory. But if you’re going to be a purist, it has to be unicorn horns.

Plot
In a world where people with super powers called Epics becomes villains and oppressors instead of heroes, David an 18 year old who watched his father got murdered ten years ago by one of the epics called Steelheart who is now the ruler of Newcago ~~former Chicago~~ vowed to avenge his father.

He joined a group of rebels call The Reckoners who are the only ones fighting back. Together they planned to kill one of the most powerful epics ever, with almost no idea what his weakness is, but they know he can bleed because David has seen him bleed which means he can be killed. ...more

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Feb 06, 2014 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it really liked it

Shelves: my-ya-library-catalogue

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com

I really liked Steelheart, which is awesome because I wasn’t totally convinced I was going to. You see, even though it’s a Sanderson (a HUGE endorsement in itself) I was afraid I’d find the comic book storyline too cheesy. While the book constantly straddled that line, I never felt like I was reading something juvenile. Not to say that I didn’t roll my eyes on occasion, but only because the main character kept using these ridiculous metaphors (wh Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com

I really liked Steelheart, which is awesome because I wasn’t totally convinced I was going to. You see, even though it’s a Sanderson (a HUGE endorsement in itself) I was afraid I’d find the comic book storyline too cheesy. While the book constantly straddled that line, I never felt like I was reading something juvenile. Not to say that I didn’t roll my eyes on occasion, but only because the main character kept using these ridiculous metaphors (which I thought was a brilliant character quirk) which were so bad they were good, if that makes sense.

Overall, Steelheart was just plain fun to read. And it was different from anything I’ve read before. The book was fast-paced and action-packed, with good guys you can really get behind and a villains who are fun to hate. I will say, though, I did find it a mite predictable. In fact, all of the members who attended March’s Escape Reality Book Club meeting agreed that Steelheart was highly predictable. The interesting thing is that none of us predicted the exact same twists to the plot. They noticed things that I didn’t and vice versa. What this says to me is that the book has to be a lot more complex than we originally gave it credit for because of the sheer number of opportunities we all had to predict things. That also makes our predictions a lot less impressive – we were bound to be right some of the time, right?

The bottom line is, there were a lot of elements to this book, which is a big reason why I enjoyed reading it so much. All of that thinking ahead and trying to figure out what was going to happen invested me in the story and made it feel more… interactive. I know some people had trouble getting into it, but I was hooked right from the very beginning by what I consider to be superb storytelling. I am eager to find out what happens next in Firefight when it comes out in January!

Sanderson has yet to disappoint, and every new novel sends him higher and higher on my favorite author list. I have not yet read a book from him that I didn’t like – the writing, story, world-building, and characters are always superb. Steelheart was no exception! ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Young Readers: Steelheart - Starts 5th January (Rain & Johanna)	21	16	Jan 18, 2021 12:40PM
Tallinna Keskraam...: 2020 Aprill - "Terassüda" Brandon Sanderson	11	13	Apr 15, 2020 05:58AM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Steelheart (The Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson - Restarting February 5th 2020	188	372	Feb 08, 2020 11:14AM
Superhero Novels and Their Genre(s)	2	14	Jan 19, 2020 12:45PM

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About Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson

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Brandon’s major books for the second half of 2016 are The Dark Talent, the final volume in Alcatraz Smedry’s autobiographical account of his battle against the Evil Librarians who secretly rule our world, and Arcanum Unbounded, the collection of short fiction in the Cosmere universe that includes the Mistborn series and the Stormlight
Archive, among others. This collection features The Emperor’s S ...more