Steelheart (The Reckoners, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Mar 09, 2016 AH rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, read-mar-2016, audio-book

This is a review of the audio book which I purchased from Audible.

Overall, the narration was well done and the narrator kept my interest throughout. This is the first Brandon Sanderson book that I've had the opportunity to read and I liked the writing style. I'll definitely be adding his other books to my bloated to-read list.

The book is set sometime in the future when people started exhibiting superpowers. These people called Epics used their power to control. David watched his father die by t ...more

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Jul 25, 2018 Diane ~Firefly~ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: uf, kindle, ya, superhumans

That was one of the more interesting premises I've read. Ordinary people get extraordinary powers but all become evil.

What I enjoyed:
* The camaraderie of the group of Reckoners. They are from all walks of life, but the common purpose of destroying Epics brings them together.
* David is an interesting protagonist. He watched Steelheart get hurt and then kill his father while a little boy and has lived for revenge since.
* Some secrets were very well kept (view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 15, 2013 Lakisha rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: magic, science-fiction, paranormal, romance, young-adult, ya, teens, urban-fantasy, for-guys-too, super-powers

I've been reading quite a lot lately and giving everything from 2 stars to 4 stars for the books that have crossed my path. It's very hard for me to give out 5 stars because there's always something that is a deal breaker for me when I'm reading. I did not have that problem with Steelheart.

I want to point out before I get going on my review that this is a YA novel. I noticed that when I saw other reviews that many were complaining about the style of writing. Sanderson's style is consistent and s I've been reading quite a lot lately and giving everything from 2 stars to 4 stars for the books that have crossed my path. It's very hard for me to give out 5 stars because there's always something that is a deal breaker for me when I'm reading. I did not have that problem with Steelheart.

I want to point out before I get going on my review that this is a YA novel. I noticed that when I saw other reviews that many were complaining about the style of writing. Sanderson's style is consistent and similar to other YA writers and stories. I just wanted to throw that out there so that other potential readers understand this.

It was the super powered human angle that hooked me. I love comic books and superheroes. This story made me think of X-men and how you have mutants that either want to get along with humanity and use their powers for good or you have mutants who believe they are superior and don't mind running over and destroying humanity to achieve that dominance.

Now imagine that the latter type of mutant suddenly appeared on the scene. They are arrogant, powerful and have a decided lack of interest in getting along with anyone. What will you, a mere human be able to do?

The main character, David, is faced with that choice after watching one of those super powered beings (called Epics) kill someone he loves. David's obsession (I wouldn't call it tenacity because that's too tame a word to describe this young man's drive) with killing that Epic and getting revenge is the major plot driving the story.

The reader is also introduced to a group called The Reckoners who fight to liberate humanity from the Epics.

There is lots of action, adventure and a small romance. The dialogue in this novel is rather, unique, but not a deal breaker for me. I've known many a fellow nerd who was so socially awkward that every time we open our mouths to be witty or try to fit in, we insert our foot or don't make sense to the world at large.

Just saying.

I would recommend this book for guys and girls. It was a page turner til the end and I would reread it in a heartbeat. ...more

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Nov 07, 2018 Chrissy315 Jones rated it really liked it · review of another edition

So this was my first Brandon Sanderson book. . The book is centered around David a young man who when he was a child saw his father killed by a Epic. Epics are people who developed super powers after a mysterious event called Calamity. David grows up despising everything about Epics. His main goal is to kill Steelheart the leader of their city. Steelheart was the epic who had killed his father. David spends every free moment studying the epics every move. He plans to join the reckoners a rebel f ...more

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