Steelheart

July 15, 2013
On the heels of his YA debut, The Rithmatist, Sanderson opens another series for teens with an ultraviolent yet playful entry into the superhero genre. More than a decade ago, a mysterious event known as Calamity created Epics—powerful beings straight out of the comics, complete with both incredible abilities (invulnerability, illusion, transmutation) and silly weaknesses (smoke, UV light, being attacked by someone exactly 37 years old). Thus far, the Epics appear to be wholly corrupt, with villains rising up to subjugate humans and take over the world. David’s father was killed by a ruthless Epic named Steelheart, and David, now 18, has waited 10 years for revenge, certain that he holds the key to Steelheart’s weakness. Hooking up with a ragtag group of rebel Epic-killers, David and crew knock off Steelheart’s subordinates and lure him out. Although readers may not be surprised at the twists that arise, the near-constant action, Sanderson’s whiz-bang imaginings, and a fully realized sense of danger (the brutal opening scene alone will hook many) make this an absolute page-turner. Ages 12–up. Agent: Eddie Schneider, JABberwocky Literary Agency.

June 15, 2013
A straight-up Marvel Comics-style action drama featuring a small band of human assassins taking on costumed, superpowered supervillains with melodramatic monikers. It's certainly a tried-and-true formula. Twelve years ago, a mysterious Calamity began turning random ordinary humans into evil Epics gifted with various combinations of superpowers (and also, always, some Achilles heel). Now, 18-year-old David Charleston manages at last to make contact with a cell of Epic-killing Reckoners led by legendary mastermind Jon Phaedrus. Then it's on to a nonstop thrill ride that begins with the killing of David's father 10 years before and roars through car and motorcycle chases, secret missions, huge explosions and hails of gunfire with high-tech weaponry to a climactic battle with Epic Steelheart. He's bulletproof, shoots energy balls, has transformed the entire Chicago area into solid steel with a wave of his hand and wears a stylish silver cape. Shockingly, the book closes with the stunning revelation than not all Epics are evil through and through. As further sign that Sanderson (Rithmatist, 2013, etc.) isn't taking any of this too seriously, the cast of Epics includes not only the likes of Steelheart, Faultline and Deathpoint, but Pink Pinkness and El Brass Bullish Dude, and some of their powers are equally silly. Stay tuned for sequels. There's violence and gore in profusion, cool gear, hot wheels, awesome feats, inner conflicts on both sides--all that's missing are the pictures. (Fantasy. 11-14)

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July 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-This fun, fast-paced, futuristic science-fiction superhero story is the first in a projected series. When David was six, an unexplained explosion in the sky caused perpetual darkness and ordinary people to gain supernatural powers. These people became known as Epics. Two years later, in a bank in what was once Chicago, now called Newcago, David witnessed Steelheart, one of the most powerful Epics of all, murder his father. In the 10 years since his father's death, David has made it his mission to learn all he can about Epics. Everyone thinks they are invincible, but he knows otherwise. He knows that each one has a weakness, and he's seen Steelheart's. Steelheart can bleed. David intends to get his revenge. A cowed populace accepts the fact that Epics control their lives and the strongest among them are in a constant battle for dominance. Only one shadowy group of ordinary humans called the Reckoners dare fight to eliminate them. David persuades the Reckoners to let him join their ranks after proving he has unique knowledge about Epics. This enjoyable read focuses more on action than character development and is perfect for genre fans who love exciting adventure stories with surprising plot twists. Readers will be rooting for David, a super geek with a love of weapons, who can hold his own against Epics with names like Nightwielder, Conflux, or Firefight.-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2013
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* From the day eight-year-old David Charleston watched Steelheart gun down his father, he has vowed revenge. All Epics are powerfulSteelheart the most invincible of allbut each has a weakness, and David thinks he has found Steelheart's: he has seen him bleed. Now 10 years later, with this experience and years of studying each Epic's patterns and weaknesses, David worms his way into the Reckoners, a courageous group determined to take down Epics in an attempt to return the Fractured States to some semblance of normalcy. Sanderson has written a riveting dystopian adventure novel replete with awesome tech tools: pen detonators, gauss guns, gravitronic motorcycles, mobiles (smart phones on steroids), and tensor gloves to tunnel through steel. Each Reckoner has his or her own talents: Tia, research and planning; Cody, intelligent grunt work and comic relief; Abraham, weapons and ammunition; and Prof, leader and prime inventor-scientist. Oh, and there's Megan, new girl with an attitudeespecially when it comes to David's relentless pressure on the Reckoners to stay in Newcago and kill Steelheart. Snappy dialogue, bizarre plot twists, high-intensity action, and a touch of mystery and romanceit's a formula that sucks readers into the prologue, slings them through one tension-filled encounter after another, and then, at the strange and marginally hopeful conclusion, leaves them panting for the sequel, Firefight, due in 2014. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A multiplatform marketing campaign, with promotions happening every month in 2013 leading up to the pub date, has already kicked into high gear for New York Times best-selling Sanderson's latest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2014
When the Calamity gives some people superpowers, no heroes arise, only power-mad villains. Ten years later, Jonah buys his way into a group of human resistance fighters with information about how to kill the seemingly invincible Chicago tyrant Steelheart. Despite trite interpersonal dynamics, the epic scale of conflict and savvy subversion of superhero tropes give readers much to ponder and enjoy.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)