Author: Brandon Sanderson
Date of Publication: September 24 2013
Pages: 384
Source: ARC

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.

Review:

I was beyond excited for Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson and rightfully so. This book is an awesome, thrilling, and strangely thoughtful read.

I love epic, large stories about super heroes. I like the crazy action scenes, the explosions, and the amazing victories, against all odds. Steelheart was exactly that. It started off with a bang, and didn't let up. And the ending was unbelievable. I can only imagine how amazing a movie of this book will be (seriously, this book screams kickass action flick).

It starts with the traumatic story of David, a character that you grow to love. David's had a crappy life ever since the death of his father by the hands of the Epic, Steelheart. Rather than drown in his sorrow, he has been preparing notes and researching ways to destroy the Epics. Epics are like superheroes with amazing powers, but they're all evil and the super powerful ones only have one weakness. David's obsession was believable. What made me love him was his humour. He had a bit of a sarcastic POV, and he didn't always know what to do so sometimes he was a bit awkward. It brought some comedic relief to an otherwise pretty serious novel. I grew to love him after he started to make crazy metaphors up. He's one of those characters that would be likable and someone I could imagine being friends with.

The other characters are diverse and just as engrossing. I liked that they each were individuals with their own strengths and that they were able to work cohesively in a group.

I think one of the strengths, when it came to characterization, was that all the characters had doubts. They wondered if they were doing enough; if they were truly making a difference. They pondered the morality of their actions and they never found a "right" answer; instead one that would work for each of them. This is the thoughtful side to Steelheart, and it gives the story some depth and maybe some greater purpose.

As good as the characters were, this story was run by the fantastic world and exciting plot. The Epics and their mythology was something I had never read about, and a genuinely cool idea. David's background and the transformation of the world to what it had become after Calamity was explained well with room to grow.

The plot started out with a scene that hooks you in right away, and then rushes on. I was never bored and it was very hard to put this book down. After the initial bang, the story then builds up towards the ending. And what an ending it is. There's some danger and suspense. The ending is an explosive culmination of everything that happened in Steelheart and frankly, I love it.

I am so excited for this series. One book in and it looks to be one of my new favourite series. I hope it's very long and I'm dying to read more. I feel like this is something like the book version of The Dark Knight, not in the sense that the stories are similar, but the high action, thoughtful style. Basically, thank you Brandon Sanderson for writing such an enjoyable book to read. 5 stars,

-P.E.

Fantasy is one of those genres that, when done right, can be mind-blowingly awesome. Right now for instance, I'm in the middle of  a Game of Thrones obsession. I love the show and it's gotten me desperate for more awesome fantasy. I found a list on Goodreads and here are some highlights from this list that you might want to check out. Keep in mind that these are not all strictly YA books, but if I enjoy them I'm pretty sure other teens do too. Or if you've already read of these books, let me know what you think. 

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Goodreads Summary: 

Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.

Why I want to read it: WIZARDS! Harry Potter has instilled in me an unnatural excitement when it comes to reading about wizards and magic. Plus this book seems to have a school of magic. And there is the murder of a king which means, hopefully, that there will be a lot of court politics. I'm genuinely excited to read about this book. It doesn't hurt that it has an insane 4.56 star rating from over 110 000 readers on Goodreads. I did notice some 1 star reviews, but the vast majority of readers enjoyed The Name of the Wind which is good enough for me!

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Goodreads Summary: 

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 it 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 natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal 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.

Why I want to read it:  There's something that interests me about rebellion, and this book seems to center about that. Plus, everyone seems to have some sort of magic powers, which is alluring again. Even from reading the synopsis I'm interested in Vin. She's young and damaged, and I'm curious to see how she begins to trust the world. Also, apparently something really crazy happens and I'm dying to know what after having read Palice Pottle P.P. Pepper's review.

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

Goodreads Summary: 

Eight of the nine provinces of the Peninsula of the Palm, on a world with two moons, have fallen to the warrior sorcerers Brandin of Ygrath and Alberico of Barbadior. Brandin's younger son is slain in a battle with the principality of Tigana, which the grief-stricken sorcerer then destroys. After sweeping down and destroying the remnants of their army, burning their books and destroying their architecture and statuary, he makes it so that no one not born in that province can even hear its name. Years later, a small band of survivors, led by Alessan, last prince of Tigana's royal house, wages psychological warfare, planting seeds for the overthrow of the two tyrants. At the center of these activities are Devin, a gifted young singer; Catriana, a young woman pursued by suspicions of her family's guilt; and Duke Sandre d'Astibar, a wily resistance leader thought dead. Meanwhile, at Brandin's court, Dianora, his favorite concubine and--unknown to anyone, another survivor of Tigana--struggles between her growing love for the often gentle tyrant and her desire for vengeance. Gradually the scene is set for both conquerors to destroy each other and free a land.

Why I want to read this book: Okay, I admit the cover drew me in. It looks all epic-like so while I was scrolling through the list, this book stood out. Upon further examination, Tigana sounds genuinely intriguing. There's been a huge war and some people are trying to overthrow tyrants. There is also a prince, which I seem to enjoy reading about. I like that the story seems very large and follows the lives of many characters. I like intricacy, and this book seems to promise something, well, epic. 

These are just a few from the list I found. None of these titles are YA, but they all intrigue me and I'd love to hear your recommendations or comments on these books.

-P.E.