Firefight

By Brandon Sanderson

Newcago is free.

They told David it was impossible, that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet Steelheart—invincible, immortal, unconquerable—is dead. And he died by David’s hand.

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life simpler. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And no one in Newcago can give him answers.

Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as the borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic Regalia, Babylon Restored is flooded and miserable, but David is sure it’s the path that will lead him to what he needs to find. Entering a city oppressed by a High Epic despot is risky, but David’s willing to take the gamble. Because killing Steelheart left a hold in David’s heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic—Firefight. And now he will go on a quest darker and even more dangerous than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

Once more, I listened to the audiobook, and I loved it. This was not just amazingly narrated, but the story itself was intense, funny, and full of shocks that I loved and simultaneously screamed at. I started this series knowing that the last book was coming out in 5 months, but I didn’t realize how much I would get involved in the series and now I am stuck waiting until February and having to practice my patience. I loved the dynamic and how it changed from a revenge story to a story about understanding and problem solving. David’s character growth is awesome. I’ve never cared much for revenge stories, but this turned into a story about people, fears, love, friendship, and where true power really lies. I can’t really delve into the story without spoiling the amazing surprises in store for the readers. This had all the right touches for me personally. I laughed out loud, I gasped, I froze, and even teared up a little. If you are looking for a great read, perhaps if you enjoyed Michael Vey or I Am Number 4, this is a great follow-up (It’s way better than those books, but similar in tone).

I give it a 4.5 out of 5

Legion: Skin Deep

By Brandon Sanderson

It’s not his own genius that Stephen Leeds gets hired for. Clients want to tap into the imaginary experts that populate his mind—and it’s getting a bit crowded in there.

Now Stephen and his internal team of “aspects” have been hired to track down a stolen corpse—but it’s not the corpse that’s important, it’s what the corpse knows. The biotechnology company he worked for believes he encoded top-secret information in his DNA before he died, and if it falls into the wrong hands, that will mean disaster.

Meanwhile, Stephen’s uneasy peace with his own hallucinations is beginning to fray at the edges, as he strives to understand how one of them could possibly have used Stephen’s hand to shoot a real gun during the previous case. And some of those hallucinations think they know better than Stephen just how many aspects his mind should make room for. How long will he be able to hold himself together?

When I came across Legion on my Kindle I was intrigued and I fell in love with the idea and the way the idea was realized in the book. So, when I got the chance to get the second book for free on audible I snatched it up. I’m not a huge fan of audiobooks, because I’m not a great listener, I’m too easily distracted. This was easy to listen to, the narrator was amazing, doing all the voices of Stephen’s aspects perfectly. I was entertained with the mystery and the action, and the underlying story of Stephen trying to find his lost lady friend (whose name escapes me at the moment). The only content warning I have is for violence and language. It would be akin to watching a PG-13 movie. Great fun in a novella, and longer than the first book.

It gets a 3.75 out of 5 

Steelheart

By Brandon Sanderson

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 first crush his will.

Nobody fights the Epics…nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David’s been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.

He’s seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

First off I need to say that I began reading this when it first came out and my interest flagged pretty quickly (partly because I started it when I wasn’t in the mood for it) so I put it aside so I could give it the attention I thought it most likely deserved, knowing Sanderson’s ability to write phenomenal worlds and characters. I decided to wait until the last book was fairly close to coming out so I wouldn’t be in yet another waiting line for a series. So I decided to listen to this on Audible. I am SO glad I made that decision. MacLeod Andrews, who narrates the audiobook is fantastic. I was immediately grabbed by his voice and his subtle way of reading the story. I felt like it was a whole new book and I loved how he narrated as David. He has this amazing ability to deliver the dialogue in the perfect way that animates and brings to life the situation and the characters. I devoured this audiobook and couldn’t wait to listen to it. I’ve tried audiobooks before and this is the first time I listened to an audiobook when I wasn’t driving and had other things to do. Combining Mr. Andrews’ presentation with Sanderson’s brilliant writing was genius. I loved this book. The plot was amazing, I was left flabbergasted at some of the turns and surprises at the end. This is an awesome twist on ‘superhero’ books, where the question is put: what happens if everyone who acquires superhuman powers actually becomes evil? By the end of the book you’re realizing the straightforward plot that you were handed at the beginning is the tip of the iceberg. I finished this audiobook knowing that I didn’t want to read the next book, I wanted to listen to it. In fact, I immediately went and grabbed it on audible and am now listening to Firefight. I’m still trying to figure out how I’ll survive the wait until February for Calamity.

Anyway, plot is solid, action-packed and rendered in crystal-clear quality. Characters are fully realized, unique, and diverse. You have Cody, the Scotsman from the Southern States, Abraham, The Canadian with a French accent and heavy artillery, Tia, the Redhead with a plan, Megan, the young serious fighter, and Prof, the man, the myth, the legend. And David, a kid with a vendetta, a serious lack of social life, and whose metaphors need a lot of help.

Tons of fun from Sanderson. I’m liking this one in a major way.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5 (A 4 if it’s without MacLeod Andrew’s performance, it really does bring it up another level!)

Perfect State

By Brandon Sanderson

God-Emperor Kairominas is lord of all he surveys. He has defeated all foes, has united the entire world beneath his rule, and has mastered the arcane arts. He spends his time sparring with his nemesis, who keeps trying to invade Kai’s world.

Except for today. Today, Kai has to go on a date.

Forces have conspired to require him to meet with his equal—a woman from another world who has achieved just as much as he has. What happens when the most important man in the world is forced to have dinner with the most important woman in the world?

Wow. This. Was. Awful. Okay, clarification time. The premise and the plot was amazing as per usual with Brandon Sanderson, I was blown away once I figured out what was going on, which was a weird hybrid of dystopia and high fantasy. I was strongly reminded of The Matrix. After reading the above summary it was jarring to discover the actual genre (which was far from what is described, but there isn’t really a way to describe what he wrote!) My beef with this novella was the underlying plot, and it’s mostly because I was disappointed that Sanderson wrote something that to my mind was sex-driven. I was irritated at the nudity and I felt awful after I finished. I’m the biggest supporter of Elantris and I was flabbergasted with the world building and plotline of Mistborn, I love Legion and Skin Deep, but this was just…ugh. I didn’t like Kai. I didn’t like any of them. It was just the sexual stuff that completely threw me. I hope that Sanderson isn’t going to fall into the adult fantasy trap of feeling the need to write about sex and rape. This was just…disappointing.

I give it a 3 out of 5 (All for the plot and world building.)

Elantris

By Brandon Sanderson

Elantris was beautiful, once. It was called the city of the gods: a place of power, radiance, and magic. Visitors say that the very stones glowed with an inner light, and that the city contained wondrous arcane marvels. At night, Elantris shone like a great silvery fire, visible even from a great distance.

Yet, as magnificent as Elantris had been its inhabitants had been more so. Their hair a brilliant white, their skin an almost metallic silver, the Elantrians seemed to shine like the city itself. Legend claimed that they were blessed with great strength, insight, and speed. They could perform magics with a bare wave of the hand; men visited Elantris from all across Opelon to receive Elantrian healings, food, or wisdom. They were divinities.

And anyone could become one.

The Shaod, it was called. The Transformation. It struck randomly—usually at night, during the mysterious hours when life slowed to rest. The Shaod could take beggar, craftsman, nobleman, or warrior. When it came, the fortunate person’s life ended and began anew; he would discard his old, mundane existence and move to Elantris. Elantris, where he could live in bliss, rule in wisdom, and be worshiped for eternity.

Eternity ended ten years ago.

It has been a long time since I have been so all-consumed with a book. This was amazing writing and world-crafting. I really liked Mistborn and thought it was fantastic and inventive, but Elantris just came at me from every angle and had me from the very first line. I was floored by the concept and even more so by the in-depth characters that became complex and incredibly real. I was so invested in certain characters that (no exaggeration) I was in the throes of anxiety about whether they would survive. I had moments where I was so afraid of their demise that I would just stare at the cover and cringe, not wanting to read in case the worst happened, but ultimately I had to keep reading because I loved the world and people too much to stop! I was sick, I was ecstatic, I was teary, I was exultant, and that was just in the first half of the book! Raoden was amazing, not because he was a warrior or prince, but because of his endless optimism and courage. Sarene was the most amazing female character I have EVER read, because she is intelligent and witty, forceful and yet still feminine. She is a woman. Not a stereotype. Holy cow Brandon Sanderson, I love you for writing Sarene so well. Hrathen I can’t even begin to explain my feelings about, he is so complex and interesting. These are the three main characters, but each character that is introduced is so well fleshed out and individual that you just know that they’re real. Nobody is left feeling like a ‘filler’ character. That in itself is astounding. I cannot say enough good about this novel, I’ve already read it twice since discovering it a few months ago and it’s one of those transporting reads that just leaves you feeling good and like you were there with them every step of the way. This book, for me personally, hit every mark perfectly with precision and innovation. It just makes me happy to go to Arelon, like it makes me happy to go to Middle Earth or Hogwarts.

I am very frugal with a 5 star vote, only a handful of books have done that for me, but none-to my mind-deserve it more than Elantris. To me 5 stars means it touched something intangible as I read and had me, without any choice, drawn into the pages and living alongside the characters. In other words, this was something special.

5 out of 5

P.S. if you read Elantris and love it like I did, be sure to go to Brandon Sanderson’s web site and read his short story “The Hope of Elantris” as well as his deleted scenes and chapter annotations. They are all amazing and fun for fans. 

The Emperor's Soul

By Brandon Sanderson

When Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with her nearly flawless forgery, she must bargain for her life. An assassin has left the Emperor Ashravan without consciousness, a circumstance concealed only by the death of his wife. If the emperor does not emerge after his hundred-day mourning period, the rule of the Heritage Faction will be forfeit and the empire will fall into chaos.

Shai is given an impossible task: to create—to forge—a new soul for the emperor in less than one hundred days. But her soul-Forgery is considered an abomination by her captors. She is confined to a tiny, dirty chamber guarded by a man who hates her, spied upon by politicians, and trapped behind a door sealed in her own blood. Shai’s only possible ally is the emperor’s most loyal counselor, Gaotona, who struggles to understand her true talent.

Time is running out for Shai. Forging, while deducing the motivations of her captors, she needs a perfect plan to escape…

I read this book by Brandon Sanderson because I saw on Goodreads that it was set in the same world as Elantris, but as far as I could tell it wasn’t in the same world at all, or it was so removed it could’ve been another world. It’s set in an Asian-like atmosphere where there is an emperor (hence the title) and politicians, courtesans, and clans. We are brought into the story when Shai, a Forger, is given an ultimatum; make a new soul for the wounded Emperor, or be sentenced to death for her crimes. Shai is a different sort of protagonist because she is inordinately proud and skilled in forging, or making one thing look like another. She is renowned for her ability to forge souls, something that is forbidden because it is thought to be a heresy. Shai is a slight female with a sharp tongue, needs spectacles, and is an artist in the highest degree. While Shai struggles under her deadline to Forge the emperor’s soul, she is watched by Gaotona, one of the only true friends the emperor had. The journey that this short book takes us on is extraordinary and fascinating, as Sanderson explains Forging and the science behind it as well as explore the hidden depths of a soul. This is a solid book in Sanderson’s arsenal, and I enjoyed finding the philosophical and moral questions that were brought up in the telling. This was a deeper book and left a lot open when the book was finished. It isn’t everyone’s favorite from Sanderson, but I think it is a great read.

I give it a 4.25 out of 5

Legion

By Brandon Sanderson

Stephen Leeds is perfectly sane. It’s his hallucinations who are mad.

A genius of unrivaled aptitude, Stephen can learn any new skill, vocation, or art in a matter of hours. However, to contain all of this, his mind creates hallucinatory people—Stephen calls them aspects—to hold and manifest the information. Wherever he goes, he is joined by a team of imaginary experts to give advice, interpretation, and explanation. He uses them to solve problems…for a price.

His brain is getting a little crowded, however, and the aspects have a tendency of taking on lives of their own. When a company hires him to recover stolen property—a camera that can allegedly take pictures of the past—Stephen finds himself in an adventure crossing oceans and fighting terrorists. What he discovers may upend the foundation of three major world religions—and, perhaps, give him a vital clue into the true nature of his aspects.

This is ingenious. I love the idea of having a P.I.-like hero with hallucinations that help him solve cases. This novella was so down my alley. It’s a mystery with an intriguing hero who you’re not quite sure if he’s got some mental illness or if he has some secret power—and who’s to say they can’t be both? Certainly not Stephen! His aspects are equal parts humorous and clever as well as distinct individuals. The byplay between his aspects and himself (because he’s the only one who sees them) is so funny and witty on Brandon Sanderson’s part. This is one of those books that felt like it was meant for cinema as well. I could visualize things clearly and saw it as an action movie/mystery. If you like police or detective shows like Monk, NCIS, Castle, or the like, this is the novella for you. Loved reading it and am so excited for the second book.  

4.25 out of 5

Mistborn

By Brandon Sanderson

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the “Sliver of Infinity,” reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered in the depths of the Lord Ruler’s most hellish prison. Kelsier “snapped” and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and a natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

But even with the best crew ever assembled, Kel’s plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she’s a half-Skaa orphan, but she’s lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

 

So, I’ve heard many avid readers enthuse about Brandon Sanderson, but when I read his Alcatraz books I was left with the feeling that he was talented but not really above average. I am here to tell you how wrong I was.  I read this book because I’ve got a friend who is pretty much Sanderson’s number one fan and I know she has good taste, so I thought, why not? I’m not really the type of person to get into high-fantasy, it tends to go on without any end in sight, which irritates me. This book was so brilliantly written, so cleverly concocted that I was reeling with Sanderson’s imagination and world-creating genius. It was concise, which is hard to do in fantasy, had a completely original feel, which is nearly impossible now days, and the characters were well fleshed out and not stereotypical. Basically, Mr. Sanderson, you rock. I was engrossed with the plot, wondering what wrenches he would throw in the works, because this was not a book you could see what was coming. It was “real life” unpredictable, even though there are people flying over rooftops. If you have any kind of liking for fantasy and a good yarn, I highly, highly recommend this book. I still have yet to read the other two in the trilogy, but I can tell you, they are definitely going to be read. I bow to your prowess Brandon Sanderson and would love to pick apart your process.

 

4 ½ out of 5

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

By Brandon Sanderson

A hero with an incredible talent…for breaking things.
A life or death mission…to rescue a bag of sand.
A fearsome threat from the powerful secret network that rules the world…the evil librarians.

Alcatraz Smedry doesn’t seem destined for anything but disaster. But on his thirteenth birthday, he receives a bag of sand, and his life takes a bizarre turn. This is no ordinary bag of sand…and it is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians who are taking over the world by spreading misinformation and suppressing truth. The sand will give the evil Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them! …by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness.

So this book is actually a pretty fun fantasy. I was a bit annoyed at the ramblings of the narrator Alcatraz that distracted from the actual story, but once you get through them (I admit I skipped some reading) the story is quite fun and interesting. Apparently we live in a world of controlled information and our librarians are the ones controlling it! There really is a place in the world where magic exists and technology is more advanced than we could imagine. Alcatraz is a part of a powerful family of Oculators that are trying to free the world from librarian rule. Each member of this family has a 'talent' of some kind; all of which at first seem ridiculous but then are shown to be extraordinarily handy. Especially when you're infiltrating a metropolitan library in search of sand and have to defeat an evil oculator. This book will have you smiling and leave you thinking. And don't read the last page early like I did...though it was pretty funny. :)