Skyward by Brandon SandersonMy rating: 92 of 100 stars
Pages : 544
Year : 2018
Genre : YA Sci-Fi
Series : Skyward #1/4
This book was my second foray into Brandon Sanderson stuff. The first was Emperor's Soul and it was awesome read. Now I tried this and after reading the first story I am going to read the all series. It's my second YA this year after Kathleen O'Neal One.
This tale we follow Spensa (Spin) as she is going through the pilot's school to be a fighter like her father who was labelled as a coward for fleeing a battle. So basically is a YA novel , hints of dystopia and sci-fi and the revelation in the end made me really interested to read more of it.
In terms of plot, it's simple one. Spin must overcome her difficulties being a pilot like her father whilst most people look down on her due to her father coward behaviour. We are talking about a nation, cities, that are highly militaristic - due to continuous attack of alien species called the Krell. They attack quite frequently and so society must produced teenagers to fight those battles. Usually the Krell don't use that many ships and Defiant (the place) usually defeats them. Of course, since the start you get the feeling something is not right... why the krell fill only 100 ships at most. Why do they target the best pilots first. Why do they not destroy the cities from above the sky since they have weapons more powerful than atomic bombs. All of these questions will be answered, or at least partially on this book.
One of the most interesting happens is also the M-Bot ship that appears and it's IA and takes Spin under it's wing. Their conversation are quite funny and although it can't really be human it sure tries, or else it will write a new routine for that purpose. It's the comic relief of the story, although Spin is also. If this was not Brandon Sanderson, probably it would be overused...
There are interesting characters like Jurgen, Ironside, Cobb, MF, the Sniper among others... He really tries to give them personality to all of them and they really feel like full grown characters as the story progress. After 500 pages he really flesh them out. They grow, they change, it's very good.
For all woke people out there, although there is a gal as a MC, Jurgen a first citizen - a noble - is black, ironsides which is high marshal is also black. But that's the interesting part, although we know the colour of their skin it really doesn't matter. He doesn't use the race or sex of a character to make part of the plot or character development. It's a good breath of fresh air.
Overall is a good first novel and start of series. Looking forward to read the next three.
View all my reviews
Comments