Author. Brandon Sanderson has written many epic fantasy novels and because of that, many get overlooked. One such novel is Steelheart, the first Sanderson book that I read. Keep reading for our review of the novel and what we thought of Sanderson’s take on the superhero genre!
Steelheart: Summary
David Charleston intervenes during the Reckoners’ assassination of an Epic, a human who gained superpowers after a glowing red light in the sky called Calamity appeared one day. The Reckoners hesitantly let David join after he tells them he saw Steelheart Bleed ten years ago.
Steelheart is the strongest Epic and rules Newcago, the city of Chicago which Steelheart took over and renamed. The Reckoners only go for Epics that they believe they can kill, never aiming for the strongest ones. David wants to change that and take down all the strongest Epics.
The Reckoners decide to change their approach and take aim at Steelheart. But first, they must lure him out and find out his weakness. Somewhere in David’s memory of the time he saw Steelheart bleed 10 years ago is the key to taking down Steelheart.
Can the Reckoners take down the strongest Epic? Will David get his revenge against the Epic that killed his father? Or will the strongest Epic use all the resources of the city he rules to finally get rid of the Reckoners and their bold attempt in targeting an epic that is feared by everyone?
Commentary
Sanderson effortlessly created a superhero series that feels fresh and breaks a lot of tropes. The heroes of the novel don’t have powers. And the lore about Epics is easy to grasp. There isn’t a Game of Thrones level of history that you need to know. The only main thing the readers need to know is that Steelheart bled ten years ago.
David is a fun quirky character who is bad at metaphors. Yet it doesn’t stop him from making a bunch of them throughout the book. The novel doesn’t feel heavy even though the stakes are high. We are confronted with the mystery of the Calamity as well as members of the Reckoners.
Conclusion
I enjoyed every second of the novel and even though this is my second time reading this series, it holds up great. I even forgot some of the twists that Sanderson throws at you. If you like superhero books or comics, then this will be an enjoyable read! Happy reading!