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    Steelheart: Reckoners
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    Steelheart: Reckoners
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    Steelheart: Reckoners
    Audiobook12 hours

    Steelheart: Reckoners

    Written by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by MacLeod Andrews

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this 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 wills.

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette UK Audio
    Release dateSep 26, 2013
    ISBN9781409139775
    Unavailable
    Steelheart: Reckoners
    Author

    Brandon Sanderson

    Brandon Sanderson is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling fantasy author, who writes for both adults and younger readers. Amongst others, he's known for his Mistborn and Stormlight Archive series, the latter including The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance. He's also completed the final books in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, based on Jordan's notes and material. Sanderson teaches writing at Brigham Young University and lives in Utah.

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    Reviews for Steelheart

    4/5

    1,168 ratings90 reviews

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    • 4/5
      A typical Sanderson novel, in that it sucked me in and only grudgingly released me each evening. While the genre (superheroes / supervillians) is not exactly my favourite, it is, as I have come to expect from Sanderson, well written and engaging.

      The story is, sadly, in large parts predictable. I couldn't really identify with the main character, but that may be because he's a gun nut and I am many things but not that. Even with these problems, I enjoyed the book, and will read the next part when it comes out.
    • 3/5
      I wanted to read this book because it has garnered many awards, especially in the categories of “favorite teen books.” I was surprised (but perhaps should not have been) to find that this book seemed more like a computer game or Marvel Comic Book in prose - sort of like a reverse graphic novel. The narrator is David Charleston, 18, who is living in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, now called Newcago. Twelve years earlier, “Calamity” appeared in the sky, and the next year, ordinary men started changing into “Epics” - people who had some sort of superpower (which varied among Epics). No one knows what Calamity is or how the Epics came into being, but there are plenty of theories, including a popular one of a government project gone wrong.The second year after Calamity, David had an unfortunate encounter of his own with a couple of Epics, and he was the lone survivor. Ever since, he vowed somehow to get revenge on Steelheart, the “super” Epic who had killed his father and everyone else around him that day.David has lived his life underground, like most of the other denizens of Newcago, studying the Epics to find out each one’s power and each one’s weakness (classically known as the Achilles Heel but now referred to as the“Kryptonite Factor”). At the same time, David also has been searching for the “Reckoners,” a shadowy group who occasionally assassinated powerful Epics; he wants to join this group, and manages both to find them and to prove his worth. But can anyone really combat superpowers? And David is impulsive, impetuous, and reckless, qualities that can sometimes work out, but more often, put the group into very big danger.The Reckoners manage to come up with some super skills of their own, thanks to the prowess of their leader, “Prof.” These enhanced capabilities prove to be very fun for David, who, in any event, doesn’t really act much more mature than a young boy who reads comics all the time. David also falls into Insta-Love with one of the Reckoners, one who is nasty and volatile but happens to be beautiful, which is enough for David. The author lightens up the action by two humorous themes running through the story: the attempt by one of the Reckoners to speak and act Scottish, and David’s ineptness at making metaphors. I thought each of these threads peurile or corny rather than funny, but I’m probably older than most of the target reading group.Finally, the “depth” of the book also seemed to me similar to a comic book; i.e., there didn’t seem to be much.Although there is a sequel, I didn’t really care enough about the characters or their world to want to keep going.Evaluation: If you like stories about superheroes (with all the standard tropes); the sort of worlds they inhabit; and the kind of action sequences found in comic books and online gaming, this book will have much appeal. It is hugely popular with its intended audience.
    • 4/5
      This book is fantastic- exciting but not just action packed, it also had some mysteries that I did not see coming and asks some interesting moral questions about violence and defense and leadership. The voice of the main character reminded me of Alcatraz Smedry and there were occasional humorous bits but for the most part, it was a fairly dark book. I'm not into comics and I don't watch action movies but I thought the fight/battle scenes were very interesting and would make a great movie. I didn't like the occasional swear word but they were extremely infrequent. Also the opening scene is very disturbing and violent but the majority of the book is not like that.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book! There were some twists I didn't expect which was good. I can't wait to read the next one.

      I figured out Megan but had no clue about the other twist!

      9/25 I just finished rereading this book and I would give it a 4.5 and I think this would make a great movie!
    • 4/5
      couldn't put it down
    • 3/5
      When David was eight years old, his father was killed by an Epic, one of the super humans who emerged after Calamity, the unexplained red star in the sky, appeared. David spent the next ten years in a working orphanage in what used to be Chicago, spending his free time gathering information about Epics and their individual weaknesses in hopes of finding a way to avenge his father. He determines the best plan is to join The Reckoners, rebels dedicated to killing Epics. But David will have to be clever to infiltrate the highly secretive group and prove his worth to their cause. And then he'll have to convince them to go after Steelheart, the only Epic that matters to David, and the one that appears to be completely invulnerable.Sanderson's post-apocalyptic adventure is action-packed as David's plan leads from one dangerous scheme to another. The main character is brave and somewhat reckless but he's a quick thinker and a good shot. Except for his bizarre obsession with metaphors, he's generally likable and the relationships he forms with the rebels prove to be his first experiences with real friendship.Many scenes are violent but the tone is lightened with banter that unfortunately tends to be juvenile. The plot is sufficiently complex with a few unexpected twists, a satisfying conclusion, and enough tantalizing threads for a sequel.
    • 4/5
      I wouldn't make much of a supervillain. My weakness is chocolate. And quality whiskey. And a beautiful guitar. And a great novel. And.... this would make a long list of things to kill me with.

      Steelheart is the first book in the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson. David was only a child when the Epics (supervillains) appeared. He also has a secret: he saw the greatest of the Epics bleed. The supposedly invincible and invulnerable Steelheart is now the Dictator of Newcago and David wants to avenge his father's death at the hands of Steelheart.

      After enjoying the Mistborn series I have been trying other Sanderson book series, expecting more great novels from him. I struck out with The Way of Kings, which could best be described as using 100 words when 10 would suffice, but Steelheart promises an exciting series.

      Leaving aside the (acknowledged) improbable superpowers and raised middle finger to physics, the novel manages to be engaging and intriguing. In this David versus Goliaths tale there is plenty of suspense and fear that the heroes may not triumph. The series is intended as a Young Adult adventure, but YA is the new A must read, so don't be put off by that.

      Can't wait to read the rest of the series and see how the handwavium works.
    • 5/5
      Way way way fun book to read! Great job Brandon.
    • 5/5
      Holy moley, Sanderson can write. He sets up a fully original world as super-villains ascend to power and a teenage boy lives to enact revenge against Steelheart, new overlord of Chicago/Newcago, the being who killed his father. It sounds cliche as all get-out, but Sanderson's deft hand creates a sympathetic, bad-simile prone protagonist in David. He falls in with a group of rebels and falls in love... but even that relationship breaks cliches in major ways. The pace is frenetic, the action fantastic, and all of the characters feel bold and real.
    • 3/5
      Pretty entertaining, fast-paced action story.
    • 5/5
      My love for Brandon Sanderson's writing is not a secret. Basically, when I see that Sanderson has a new book, like Steelheart, coming out, my heart pitter-patters happily and my fingers make an instinctive grabby movement - even when I know that the copy of the book I'm about to request is an electronic one. Then...when the approval comes through from the publisher, I torture myself a little bit and put it on the back burner where it sits until close to release time, calling my name, begging me to push the button and bring it up on the screen in front of me.Do you know what the best part of this story is?Read the rest of this review on The Lost Entwife on September 21, 2013.
    • 5/5
      Book Info: Genre: Dystopian fantasyReading Level: YARecommended for: Fans of YA Dystopian fantasy, good storytellingTrigger Warnings: murder, mass murder, killing, violence, fighting, slaveryMy Thoughts: Wow, this was a really good book, a very well-told story, fast-paced while also providing great character development and plenty of mysteries and twists to keep the reader engaged with the story. David is a really interesting character, and while not quite catching everything as fast as I did as I read it, he eventually figured everything out in the end.There are a lot of different ideas running through this book, including ideas about the nature of humanity, the corruption of power, and the desire of people to be rescued. It also addresses how easily people can adapt to almost any situation given time.I think anyone who enjoys YA fantasy, especially dystopian, will really enjoy this book. I know I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series, scheduled for release next year. You should too.Series Information: ReckonersBook 1: SteelheartBook 2: Firefight, scheduled for release in 2014Disclosure: I received a paperback galley from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: There are no heroes.Every single person who manifested powers—we call them Epics—turned out to be evil.Here, in the city once known as Chicago, an extraordinarily powerful Epic declared himself Emperor. Steelheart has the strength of ten men and can control the elements. It is said no bullet can harm him, no sword can split his skin, no explosion can burn him. He is invincible.It has been ten years. We live our lives as best we can. Nobody fights back . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans who spend their lives studying powerful Epics, finding their weaknesses, then assassinating them.My name is David Charleston. I’m not one of the Reckoners, but I intend to join them. I have something they need. Something precious, something incredible. Not an object, but an experience. I know his secret.I’ve seen Steelheart bleed.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 wills. 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.
    • 4/5
      Highly enjoyable, fast read. An interesting spin on the idea of human gaining extraordinary powers and the corruption that can follow.
    • 4/5
      I had never read Brandon Sanderson, and now I've read two novels in two weeks by him! I liked this novel better than Rithmatist mainly because I don't like strategy. This novel was more adventurous with the action constant. This is a sci-fi, adventure, futuristic, dystopian novel with evil, powerful, inhuman, villains.David was eight years old when he and his father were at the bank and Deathpoint walks in. Deathpoint just points at someone and he/she vaporizes--dead! This unsanctioned act angers Steelheart who claims, "I am the emperor of this city now. you will obey me. I own this land. I own these buildings. When you pay taxes, they come to me. If you disobey, you will die." David is stunned. His father said that there would be Epics (normal people that suddenly gained super powers) who would save everyone from the evil Epics and Steelheart is one. Steelheart's comments belie what his father has told him. Steelheart's power is that he cannot be destroyed. When Deathpoint thinks he can kill him while Steelheart is not watching, David's dad tries to save him by shooting Deathpoint. The bullet grazes Steelheart. That's not supposed to happen. Steelheart doesn't know how this man wounds him, but he has to hide that he can be damaged. Therefore, he kills everyone starting with David's father. David accidentally ends up in the vault and survives. When the rescue workers find him, he escapes before Steelheart kills the rescue workers and buries the bank.About ten years later David wants to join the Reckoners, who fight against the Epics. He wants revenge, which means he wants to kill Steelheart. He thinks he can convince them to take him because he's the only one who has seen Steelheart's weakness. David is smart and they quickly realize he can help them. The novel is fast-paced as David and the Reckoners plan to kill Steelheart. This novel is not what I typically read at all. I would immediately say that it would appeal more to boys, but anyone who likes an adventure book will like this. Often main characters act stupidly and it works out. I like that David isn't stupid and he uses his brain. Even when he improvises, he isn't being stupid; he has good survival instincts that are believable. I don't think you'll be surprised by anything at the end because there are enough hints that the "surprises" are just confirmation of what you thought. Is it a stand-along novel. Of course not! There will be a foliow-up, but there is no cliff-hanger. The story with Steelheart ends with this novel; the next novel will be the next adventure.
    • 2/5
      I keep hearing such good things about Sanderson, and this novel was hyped to me, so I tried it. I was OK. It seemed like a great premise, but too often the writing seemed to fall down and target very young readers. The characters seemed years younger emotionally than I would expect, and often very shallow, or their motivations were too trite. Right now, this doesn't make em want to read any more of his books.
    • 5/5
      Steelheart introduces the reader to a world torn apart by Epics, people who have somehow acquired super human powers. While each of the Epics' powers are different, one thing they share is their vicious and power hungry nature. The focus is on a city called Newcago, a city turned completely to steel by it's new ruler, Steelheart. Each of the Epics have very specific powers, each power having it's own weakness although some weaknesses are not readily apparent. Steelheart seems to be utterly invincible, but David, the boy whose father he killed, has seen him bleed, he knows where that scar on his cheek came from. David is determined to expose that weakness and avenge his father's brutal murder. To this end, he sets out to join forces with the Reckoners, a team of vigilantes who are the only ones fighting back against the Epics. David plans to use all of the extensive research he has done on the Epics surrounding Steelheart, and the information he alone knows about Steelheart himself, to end his violent reign. But he needs the help of the Reckoners to put this plan into action.

      Brandon Sanderson can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. Ever since first reading his Mistborn series, I've been a fan of his writing. His intricate world building is among the best I've ever read. So when I found out that Steelheart would be available as an audiobook, I knew I had to have it before even knowing what it was about. I certainly was not disappointed. The detailed world building that I've come to expect from Sanderson was evident in this book as well as strong character development and brilliant dialog that made it easy for me to immerse myself in this story.

      While Steelheart contained a ton of action and a fair amount of violence, it also had a lot of heart. Each character had a compelling back story, distinctive personality quirks, and their interaction with one another kept the story moving. I felt for David and his rage over the death of his father as well as his frustration at how almost everyone simply let the Epics do what they wanted without a fight.

      Macleod Andrews did a fantastic job narrating this thrilling story. He brought an emotional depth to each of the characters, never once letting the characters blend into one another and without sounding over the top or affected. Each person was completely recognizable by tone, accent, and delivery. His performance in this narration was absolutely impeccable and added even more spirit to an already incredible story.

      I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Steelheart, it is so far removed from what I normally read. However, being that it was written by Sanderson, I guess I can't be too surprised. I would highly recommend this audio experience to anyone who enjoys a well written story, exceptional world building, and authentic characters wrapped up in non-stop action with some completely unexpected twists and turns and an ending that you may not see coming. In other words, you should immediately grab this book because it is one of the best things I've read this year!
    • 5/5
      Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.About ten years ago, Calamity appeared in the sky and certain ordinary humans gained superpowers. Now, these Epics, as they are called, rule the world The most powerful Epics control cities and territories, and the less powerful form alliances with the great. Normal humans are little more than serfs, trying to live out their lives without getting in the way of the Epics. In the city of Chicago, now called Newcago, an Epic named Steelheart rules. With the power to turn any nonliving substance into steel, the ability to fly, superhuman strength, and invulnerability to bullets and all other weapons, Steelheart seems almost godlike in his powers . . . but eighteen-year-old David has seen him bleed. When Steelheart first arrived on the scene, he had a showdown at a bank with a lesser Epic. David, just eight years old at the time, was at the bank with his father. In the ensuing battle, David's father was a casualty, and David was the only survivor -- the only person who can remember what happened at the bank, when a bullet grazed Steelheart's cheek and left a trail of blood. David has spent all of his spare time since the bank incident in single-minded pursuit of revenge, studying the Epics and learning their weaknesses. He has a plan to get to Steelheart, but he'll need the help of a resistance movement known as the Reckoners -- and they don't accept strangers into their group. Can David prove to the Reckoners that he belongs with them -- and even if he does, can he convince them to go after Steelheart?This was a gripping, exciting read. Plenty of plot twists meant that I was able to predict some things, while others came as a complete surprise. I listened to the audiobook, and I thought narrator MacLeod Andrews was an excellent match for the story, and the production values were high. This is the first book in a projected trilogy; I look forward to reading the next two.
    • 4/5
      The Good Stuff Nice to see a male protagonist, so many of the YA genre is geared towards female readers Fast paced and actually quite funny at times Really enjoyed David as a character. I took a instant liking to him and almost felt maternal towards him Will appeal to the reluctant reader Nice character development Again would like to mention the humour. Perfectly used in exactly the right moments Really wasn't expecting to like it as Sanderson is known as a Fantasy writer and that really isn't my genre, but I was totally hooked in right away The whole central message about doing the right thing really appealed to me and wasn't done in a preachy way Can't wait for the next installment Cody is such a delightful character and adds a nice light touch to what could be a very dark story One of the main characters is Canadian David's father reminded me so much of my Dad Secondary characters are very multidimensional not just filler, you want to know more about their back stories David, while mature, acts very much like a gangly teen at times which is extremely refreshing Nice banter between the charactersThe Not So Good Stuff I was a tad confused at times Some contradictions Almost put it down due to the descriptions of an infant being killed. I know, I know but I can't handle that shitFavorite Quotes/Passage"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.""She can shoot like a dream, and she carries tiny grenades in her top, a bit of my addled mind thought. I think I might be in love.""It's good for you to think of this, son. Ponder. Worry. Stay up nights, frightened for the casualties of your ideology. It will do you good to realized the price of fighting.""Your father believed the best about people," Prof said. "You could call that foolish, but I'd never call it a fault." 4 Dewey's I picked up a copy of this at BookExpo America 2013
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this action packed Fantasy. The world has become dominated by mutants called "epics." Epics are or would be super heroes if they were good. But there are humans fighting back. This one takes place in Chicago or Newcago. Loved loved loved the imagination of the story. If you like the "Heroes" TV show you'll love this book.
    • 5/5
      This is one of those books that almost defies description. The cover and summary didn't grab me, but the first chapter certainly did. It's a dystopian novel with superheros and badassery. I know I won't be able to adequately describe it, but it was certainly gripping, exciting, and entirely unique. I'm absolutely reading the sequel. This book will appeal not just to young adults (for whom it's attended) but for adults as well. This would make an awesome movie, the characters are unforgettable and unique, an all around win!
    • 4/5
      Turning the superpower genre on its head, Mr. Sanderson imagines a world where absolute power corrupts absolutely. David is a young man, kept focused after the death of his father on the goal of finding and exploiting any weaknesses of the supermen that have taken control of his city and of the world in general. There are some twists along the way about who the Epics are and what has made them what they are. A great beginning to a new series.
    • 4/5
      Ten years ago an event known as Calamity hit the earth. In its wake some humans changed, developing superhero-like powers. These people are called Epics. Along with their powers is the need for Epics to rule humanity, destroying cities, killing wantonly. David Charleston will do anything to have a chance to take down Steelheart, the Epic who killed his father. There is only one group of people fighting back against the Epics - the Reckoners. David must find this group and persuade them to go after Steelheart if he is to exact his revenge.Steelheart is the first book in The Reckoners trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. Set in a near future dystopia of the United states, Sanderson takes the old saying "if all power corrupts, then absolute power corrupts absolutely" to create a twist on a typical super hero tale. Instead of the heroes using their powers to benefit humanity, they use them to power grab for themselves with little thought to those they crush under their heel basically making anyone with powers into villains. However, each Epic also has his or her fatal flaw, their own personal kryptonite, a weakness specific to that Epic only that could be exploited to take down the Epic in question. All of the weaknesses are fairly random, almost as random as the powers themselves are.The story is told entirely from the first person point of view by David Charleston. David is an 18-year-old who is bent on exacting revenge on the Epic who killed his father and ruined his life. To that end he has become a specialist on all things Epics, obsessively tracking down any and all information on any Epic he can find out about. He's a likeable kid who is terrible at making up analogies, though they are often comical. He is joined by a supporting cast with the Reckoners, each filling in a vital role in the group from mastermind to tactical support to muscle.Sanderson's attention to detail and creativity with both the super powers and weaknesses are astonishing as always. The action scenes are great and feel like something out of a Marvel movie. By the end I was definitely hooked and can't wait to see what happens next.
    • 4/5
      STEELHEART was an action-packed science fiction adventure that pitted ordinary humans against the Epics who were in control of the city and government. David was eight years old when he watched Steelheart murder his father and huge numbers of other people too. For ten years he lived for revenge collecting information on the Epics and especially studying Steelheart who controlled the city of Newcago.The Reckoners are a group of humans who study the Epics and assassinate them. When the group comes to Newcago, David is determined to join. It takes a while before the group is willing to let him in. The group consists of the Prof who plans the assassinations and leads the group, Tia who does the research and computer hacking, Cody who adds some humor with his outrageous stories of his Scottish heritage, Abraham who believes that not all Epics are bad, and Megan who doesn't want to go after Steelheart and who is object of David's crush. Once he is in the group, he learns that they are just human and not the heroes he had imagined. He also learns that all choices have costs and sometimes the cost is greater than expected.David convinces the group to go after Steelheart but, before they have any chance of victory, they have to figure out what Steelheart's weakness is. If they can't find it, they can't win. I liked David's single mindedness and I liked his self-deprecating humor. I could understand why he chose to live his life the way he did. I liked the way he fit into the group of Reckoners.This was an exciting story that will appeal to readers who like fast-paced action and science fiction. I look forward to reading FIREFIGHT in 2014 when the action continues.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Ten years ago, Calamity appeared in the sky. What exactly it is, no one knows, but it granted certain people incredible powers. These powers only fueled the desire for more power, and so the strongest of the Epics, as they are known, seized control of the human world, and now live as they please. Most people either seek to curry favor with the Epics, or else stay out of their way - only a small secretive group known as the Reckoners are fighting back. Chicago has been taken over - and turned to metal - by an Epic named Steelheart, and even the Reckoners don't dare face him without knowing his weakness. But a young man named David thinks he might have the clue. He was there on the day that Steelheart took over the city, on the day that he watched Steelheart kill his father, he also saw something impossible: he saw Steelheart bleed. And he's spent the past ten years tracking the Epics, learning their weaknesses, and planning how to bring down Steelheart... if the Reckoners will even let him join.Review: Sanderson hits it out of the park. Again. (In what I believe is his first foray into sci-fi rather than fantasy... although I'm not sure exactly where Legion should count.) Actually, a lot of superhero sci-fi kind of falls on the border of fantasy anyways depending on what the source of the superpowers is - and in this case, we don't know what that is yet, so it's hard to say. But most of the time superheroes = sci-fi, so that's what I'm going with... and it's certainly not as overtly magical as his fantasy books. (Although if we're being technical - which of course we are - this isn't a superheroes book so much as a supervillains book. Obviously none of the Epics had an Uncle Ben to dole out the "With great power comes great responsibility" speech.)Aaaanyways. Steelheart is very good, very entertaining, and very, very readable. Sanderson's so good with worldbuilding, which is in full force here (and set in my hometown, which is always a plus!). Since it's the first book in a series, there are quite a few unanswered questions, but it's clear that the answers will be coming eventually, and there are enough details and answers and tantalizing clues to make this installment satisfying on its own (not to mention the fact that it also has a cohesive plot). I did have a few moments of pause, particularly early on in the book, with how similar this book was in premise to the Wild Cards stories I've read (except in the Wild Cards universe, some of the newly super-empowered become heroes, and only some become bad guys.) But that's probably unavoidable in writing a superhero book - those super powers have to come from somewhere.Sanderson is also stellar at writing action sequences. He can do interesting characters, and tightly woven plots, but a large part of this book's entertainment value comes from its quick pace and its exciting, cinematically-described fight scenes. Pretty spectacular. Is this the deepest, most emotionally resonant book I've ever read? Probably not. But it was a fun read and a hell of a ride, and I'm looking forward to seeing where Sanderson takes this world next. 4 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: Recommended for people who like superheroes, or supervillains and the non-super-heroes who fight them, or basically for anyone who wants the equivalent of the better Marvel movies in book form. Somebody get me some popcorn!
    • 4/5
      This is an action packed novel that takes place in a futuristic world made of metal. A group of beings with individual super powers (as well as an individual weakness) have taken society over and are reeking havoc and death on innocent people. A group of people known as reckoners have taken it upon themselves to bring these cruel overlords down. This is a fast paced novel that any teenage boy is going to be drawn into its excitement and non stop action.
    • 4/5
      I copy a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program for review. It was a very well done science fiction/post-apocalyptic/dystopia/superhero type of read. I enjoyed it, but still enjoy Sanderson’s fantasy book quite a bit more.Ten years ago Calamity came and gave certain men and women extraordinary powers. These men and women are called Epics and they didn’t use their powers for good, but to enslave and control the rest of humanity. David is an ordinary boy who lives in a city ruled by the Epic called Steelheart. Steelheart killed David’s father but right before that David’s father did the unthinkable and made Steelheart bleed. Now David wants to take Steelheart down, but in order to do that he needs to be accepted into the Reckoners. The Reckoners are a rebel group intent on killing all Epics.This is a well done super hero/post-apocalyptic/dystopia book. The whole classification of Epic powers is very Sanderson, it is very detailed and somewhat complex. Also with the Epics there is one rule, every Epic has a weakness. The problem is finding out that weakness.The book is very fast-paced and there is a lot of action and fighting. David works right from the beginning to become part of the Reckoners. After he meets up with the Reckoners it is one mission after another to take down certain Epics. All of this is leading to the big showdown between the Reckoners and Steelheart.The world building is well done and very dystopia like. Basically humans are all subjects of Steelheart and make their livelihoods at his whim. Some humans live underground and off the grid. The whole city is made of Steel after Steelheart turned it that way. Also the city is eternally in darkness because of one of Steelhearts enforcers who has used his power over darkness to block out the sun.David is a decent character but I had some trouble engaging with him. His one goal in life is to destroy Epics, particularly Steelheart. He has no goals or considerations outside of that. He is an absolute fountain of random Epic information. However, he is hard to relate to because he just hasn’t done anything except for plan to kill Epics. He does grow some as a character as the story continues and I hope in future books he becomes easier to engage with.We meet a number of other characters among the Reckoners. They are all a bit stereotypical. You have the Professor, who plans things. A comic-relief guy and a girl who is mysterious and deadly and has secrets. We meet a ton of Epics as well. They are somewhat interesting, but their weaknesses are all a bit random (and at times kind of corny). For example there is an Epic who can only be hurt by someone who is 37 years old.The whole deal with this story is to try and piece together how the Reckoners are going to take down Steelheart before they do it. The whole time you are trying to guess and piece together whose weakness is what and unravel all the secrets of the Reckoners before Sanderson spells it out for you.Overall an interesting start to a new superhero based dystopian young adult series. I honestly like Sanderson's fantasy better. I thought these characters were a bit hard to engage with, partly because we meet so many characters. The Epics were a bit corny in very super-villain like ways, but still interesting. It’s a fun read and there’s some good world-building here. The system of Epics powers is very Sanderson in the way it is explained and classified. I would recommend to those who love reading about superheroes. At times this reminded me a bit of Peter Clines Ex-Heroes series, except everyone who has super powers is bad in this book and there aren’t any zombies. I will definitely read the next book in the series, Firefight.
    • 4/5
      As an all-time-favorite-i-would-read-a-fishing-manual-if-he-wrote-it Brandon Sanderson fan, reading his books for me is always a karmic experience. I expected no less from Steelheart. So let’s see what did I hope this book will have?1) Original idea and world building. Although superheroes are not something new and are currently even a little bit overused in media, Sanderson still manages to make this topic fresh and it’s not just by renaming superheroes to Epics. They are not orphans from other planets or multi-billionaires or bitten by genetically modified spiders – Epics are ordinary people like you and me. Which leads us to…2) Moral dilemma or social experiment. Sanderson’s settings are always there to make us wonder about some interesting questions. What would you do if you got superpowers? Use them for greater good or for your benefit? I stopped dreaming about having superpowers long time ago, but those dreams usually involved invisibility so I can sneak in and eat as much candy as I want or flying. Not very humanitarian."I know, better than anyone else, that there are no heroes coming to save us. There are no good Epics. None of them protect us. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."3) Strong main character. David saw an Epic kill his father when he was little and is bent on revenge ever since. As always, Sanderson’s hero is not perfect – he has flaws, makes mistakes but in the end him (and us) learn a valuable lesson and make a right choice. Sadly, David never really won my heart. He always seemed too shallow either with his blind focus on revenge or with insta-love attraction to only hot girl he had prolonged contact with since… ever.4) Complex secondary characters. There is nothing typical or lacking in support roles, when Sanderson writes them and Steelheart is no exception. Each character is unique, has hidden depths and we learn more about them and get to love them (or hate them) as the plot unravels.5) Humor. Dark times need some kind of comic relief and Sanderson usually delivers it without a hitch. Steelheart has them in form of David’s bad metaphors and gang-member Cody who exaggerates his Scottish roots. For a reader to whom Steelheart is first book written by Sanderson, this might be good enough, but I have seen what he can do and this is a poor attempt of humor by his standards.6) Big twist. Every book by Sanderson I have read so far always had some big revelation near the end that changes your whole perspective of the world and characters. Some are instant, some are slow but they are always there. That is, until Steelheart. There are some surprise but not as earth-shattering as I am used to. Yes, I am spoiled.IN THE END…Steelheart might not have turned out to be all I have hoped for, but for a young adult science fiction or dystopian fan it will be a great intro to the awesomeness of Sanderson’s writing. I can bet that original world building and addictive, intense plot is going to blow them away and turn them into adoring worshipers of Brandon Sanderson. If you are wondering what to read next – go with Mistborn Trilogy - you won’t regret it!As for fans of adult fantasy novels by Brandon Sanderson, they might find Steelheart lacking in some areas, but who are we are kidding, they are going to read Steelheart no matter what. Just like I am going to read the sequel Firefight, if nothing else I am intrigued to learn more about the origin of Epics.
    • 4/5
      Not bad but there were times I didn't really care about what was happening with the characters. I was curious but not really engaged with them. David saw his dad die and nearly died himself in the aftermath by the hand of a superpowered man called Steelheart. A burst in the sky created superheroes, or Epics as they are called, out of many people and with that power came megalomania. America is now fiefs controled by these Epics and David lives in one and obsessively studies them. He wants Steelheart to die, to pay for all the deaths he has caused and he joins the Reckoners, a group of ordinary people fighting the Epics, to do this. What happens is an interesting discussion of power and what it can do to people.It's an interesting look at a more realistic view of what would happen if you had people with a lot of power and not a lot of morals but it didn't quite work as well as I expected. Not a bad read but somehow I felt that it could be better.
    • 5/5
      This was just a random read for me. I was using the app Overdrive, and I had downloaded this book as a test for using the app. I didn't actually plan on reading it anytime soon (I had three weeks to get it read, and hey, 300 pages is easy). But then one day I was at school, and I didn't want to read the book that I brought with me (Eat, Brains, Love), and so I pulled my phone out. And it took a lot of restraint to not open the Nook app and read Shiver or The Darkest Minds, because those were some titles that I'd been wanting to read for a while. But no, instead of opening those, I opened Overdrive, and I had a moment of weakness where I opened up this book and read it. Hell, that was one of my best weakest moments ever. This book was great, and I definitely didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Yes, there are cliffhangers. Yes, there are twists. And yes, there are bamf'ing girls and guys in this book. There was only one thing that I could've guessed by the end of the book, and that was a certain somebody's actual identity. Other than that one thing, I couldn't have guessed any of the other stuff at all. Brandon Sanderson definitely knows how to write a great superhero-esque novel that knocked my socks off (figuratively). I saw on Goodreads that he has another fantasy series. I'm definitely going to be getting that book so I can buy it and enjoy it.
    • 5/5
      This is my summary.This is in the future where men and women suddenly have superpowers. They are called epics. David's father got killed by the epic emperor steelheart. This epic is the strongest epic in the world . when David meets up with the Reconers (a group that assassins epics) his dream comes true. He makes very strong friends with the Reckoners he even falls in love with the Reckoner named Megan. Him and the Reckoners devise a plot to kill steelheart at a abandoned stadium they plan to ambush him . The plan fails and David learns Steelheart's weakness and he destroys Steelheart.This is the best book ever . This is is an awesome sci fi book. It is my favorite book of all time. It has tons of action in it so I love it so much. Other people might not like it . But I totally recommend it for action lovers. That is my review on Steelheart