Saturday 10 January 2015

Book Review - Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Firefight, the action packed sequel to Steelheart, delivers on its promise and is a great follow up that once again pits the Reckoners against the all powerful Epics. 

The elimination of Steelheart, and the freeing of Newcago, has not made David's life more simple. Instead, it has raised big questions. The answers he is seeking to those questions lie in Babylon Restored, ruled by the mysterious Epic Regalia. When an Epic attack is revealed to have originated from Babylon Restored, David, Tia, and the Professor travel to there to take down Regalia, and to find Firefight, who may hold the key to the mystery of Calamity and the Epics. 

Firefight is a roller coaster ride of action, entertainment, and humour. Like in Steelheart, Sanderson has crafted a tale that is easy to read and yet complex and rewarding. David, his main protagonist, is still the awkward and loveable geek whose ability to inspire and influence his fellow Reckoners has continued throughout this book. He still loves Megan (Firefight) and it is his relationship with her that is arguably the most revealing as they both attempt to build a discourse between normal humans and Epics. Firefight builds on the notion (as suggested in Mitosis) that the weaknesses of the Epics are personal and linked to past trauma, and as the Reckoners attempt to take down Regalia we are drawn into the complex web of questions regarding the origins of the Epics and their power. Sanderson takes the reader on many twists and turns throughout the story, and his climax at the end of Firefight was amazing and very satisfying. The action and training scenes were, as in Steelheart, highly entertaining and at times extremely funny (David's clumsiness made me laugh out loud at times!), and I found the planning and discussion in relation to taking down Regalia and the other Epics fascinating and creative. Sanderson's introduction of new characters, such as the loveable Mizzy, worked well enough, but I did find myself missing some of the old members of the Newcago crew like Abraham. Sanderson also handles the budding romance between David and Megan really well, and I found myself smiling at their teenage like antics throughout the story. 

Overall Firefight is a fun and cracking tale of the underdogs going up against a seemingly all powerful enemy. Fans of Sanderson and Steelheart will not be disappointed, with the climax leaving things positioned brilliantly for the next book, entitled Calamity. 

A must read for all fantasy and young adult fans!

4 out of 5 stars.

smashdragons.blogspot.com.au 

Note - A review copy was provided.

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