Steelheart

The Reckoners, Book 1

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of the Mistborn Trilogy, Brandon Sanderson, comes the first book in a new, action-packed thrill ride of a series - Steelheart. 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 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.

©2013 Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC (P)2013 Audible Inc.

A real world of super humans!

What did you like about this audiobook?

Concept of super powered people in a surreal setting.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

It took a different spin on super powers and how that would change ones perspective.

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

By walking you through the story as if you were there.

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

Nothing

Grabbed Me and Didn't Let Go

What did you like best about this story?

The story is excellent. From the prologue all the way to the very last page, the book kept my attention. There was always enough going on in the book to make me want to listen for just 15 more minutes.

Have you listened to any of Macleod Andrews’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have to commend Macleod Andrew for his performance. This is going to be my go to audiobook to show to people who are new to audiobooks. The character's voices were distinct and fit my image of the characters.

This was a high caliber performance to go with a great book. It was a performance that let you just immerse yourself in the book and not focus on the fact that you were listening to an audiobook.

Another great one from the best

Brandon Sanderson has quickly become my favorite author. But even with higher expectations, he has yet to disappoint. This story has characters that are enjoyable to like, with interesting magic (his trademark), and fun twists and turns. I found myself unwilling to stop the book. And although there was a satisfying ending, it still left me wanting more. It is amazing that one author can create such diverse worlds that work and keep creating interesting characters that are fun to follow.

Great Book

I don't write many reviews but this book was so good I had to review it. I had never read anything by Brandon Sanderson before but I picked up the five free chapters and I was hooked. The pace of the story is great, the story itself is fantastic. although some of the concepts are new, it doesn't take you long to get into the world that is portrayed. There is just enough humour to keep the story flowing. The narrator also did a superb job voicing the story, he point of view of an 18 year old was very believable.

Brandon Sanderson Does it Again!

What did you love best about Steelheart?

I loved this book. A new view on humans gaining superpowers. Just because they have power doesn't mean they'll be good. Once I started it I couldn't stop listening until I was finished. I did stop in the middle to go to bed finally, but started it as soon as I woke up. It was such a great story, with some unexpected twists and surprises. I love the way Brandon Sanderson writes. Look forward to the next in this series. It's great to have another book series for teens that is appropriate, and completely riveting. My children ranging from 6 to 14 are voracious readers. It's hard to find really good books that are up to date and keep there attention. For my 14 year old, she's started turning toward books that are very dark and not helpful in a world full of negative outlooks and crazy people already. This book has bad things happening to a kid who in the end sees his story in a hopeful way. I really love finding books like this that keep them enjoying every minute of it as well as not leaving them with an even more negative and horrid look on the future. Truthfully, this book is like a movie unfolding right in front of me. (Of course a movie couldn't express how involved and in-depth the characters are, but it read like a movie.)

What does Macleod Andrews bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I really enjoyed his reading of the book. I don't know if I could say anything stood out to me as to why, but he read it very well. I was hooked.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I actually cried and laughed at several parts of the book. So to me that's the sign of a great writer (and reader for audio books).

Well written and engaging fun for all

I wavered between 4 and 5 stars. While I was in the middle of it I enjoyed the book. It had interesting characters, a good story and a nice mix of development and action, but it never really grabbed me and I had it all figured out. Then the last 10% turned everything on its head. Everything I thought I had figured out I was wrong and the story came to a great crescendo forcing my hand into 5.

Mr. Andrew’s narration is great! He does a great job of differentiating the characters and bringing them to life, and his voice of David really makes you feel his youth.

Brandon Sanderson Strikes Again!

I'm continually amazed at the creativity and quality of Sanderson's books! I love his characters and the worlds he creates. It's enjoyable as well as intelligent and not completely predictable (as so many books out there are). Well done!

Not what you may think

Any additional comments?

Of all of the books I have read, this one affected in a very different way. I know a book is good when I am done with it and I feel myself demanding more. Steelheart did this for me, but in a way I had never experienced before.

At the end of Steelheart I was left with a range of emotions I had never before at the end of a novel. Yes it had a good storyline, an intriguing world, and an entertaining blend of passion, humor, and action. Yes it left me guessing at what would happen next and it had not one twist, but several twists in the end. Yes it kept me on the edge of my seat and demanded I not put it down. Many great books have done this for me; Steelheart is the only book I have ever read where I was literally left missing it's characters.

When I finished the book, I wanted more, not necessarily because of the story or the action or the world, but because I wanted to spend more time with the people I had grown so attached to during the adventures we experienced together. When it was all over, I just didn't want to let go of them.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

A Rare suprise, Constant story, edge of your seat

What did you love best about Steelheart?

Overall I don't follow comic books, but this is kind of like 'If Superman was Evil' concept. A strange planet gives many across earth 'Epic' powers..Invisibility, Strength, Shape Shifting, Darkness etc. More than X-Men, a story of how a few overpower Earths people.

Yet where there is Evil, Hero's arrive.

What did you like best about this story?

It seemed far more realistic than XMen or Avengers etc. Here you see ones Epic powers used to cause fear, others who support him, aligning like Nazi's, afraid to go against the powerful, people go in, the light of the Sun is blocked, people move underground out of fear. A police state ensues, yet a band of 'Reckoners' seeks to end the Reign of evil by 'Steel Heart' the most powerful Epic on the earth.

Oddly each Epic has a weakness, and one nerd spent his life documenting them, and his skills will not be lost!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I could have I would. The Action is never ending, the plot beliveable, just a great action story of Super Heroe's gone bad and a small rag tag band seeking to end their Reign and restore peace.

Any additional comments?

One of my favorite books of all time!

Sparks!!!

Before listening to this book I was listening to a really boring and heavy Horror Story. but when I gave up on that book and started listening to this book, I was blown away and thought to myself... Now this is a real fun book...right from the first moments of the book The Action drew me in and I was hooked.
A bit, Scooby Doo, a bit Wild Boys or even a bit Mad Max. this book a band of Rebel Misfits are set on overthrowing and evil epic ruler. there are definitely some similarities between the archetype of this book and that of mistborn in that it is about Misfits or underdogs who want to overthrow an evil leader. in true Brandon Sanderson fashion, this book has the most clever of endings and huge aha moments. it does have a large element to it that is Young Adult but don't let that sway anyone who is an adult from listening. this book can be a little corny at times but it is excellent.