Steelheart (Reckoners, #1)

by Brandon Sanderson

[Joséphine]

Initial thoughts: Steelheart offered good old superhero fun, except in an upside world — the superheroes were the villains. It's probably not fair to compare this to Mistborn which is adult fantasy as opposed to Steelheart which is young adult science fiction. The intended audiences are different, even if they intersect. Yet, I couldn't help it.

I expected something little more complex. On the other hand, this one was from the first-person point-of-view, and the narrative tone from David was consistent with the way he spoke. While I wasn't a fan of his terrible metaphors, and the made-up curse words (What does "slontze" even replace?), I do give props for a thoroughly developed character.

Plot-wise, Steelheart had its moments. Epics were shrouded in mystery that was systematically uncovered as the Reckoners planned their next move. The interaction among the characters were entertaining and varied. However, I didn't end up loving >i>Steelheart also precisely because of their interactions. I found they made the plot a tad bit too predictable.

That being said, I'm sure I would've adored this book if I had read it five years ago when it was first published.