Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
(Skyward, Book 1)
Released: November 6, 2018 | Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
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Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul.
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Skyward started as Brandon Sanderson’s attempt to turn the classic “kid finds a dragon and learns to fly” story into science fiction. He mashed that idea together with Top Gun and Ender’s Game, resulting in what he jokingly described as “a girl and her starfighter.”
REVIEW
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The “Sanderson Avalanche” is in full effect.
Brandon Sanderson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I love the Stormlight Archive, and I often wonder why it took me so long to explore his other works (to be fair, his books are massive).
Skyward, however, has left me with one overwhelming desire beyond reading the sequel: for Sanderson to dive deeper into science fiction. Seriously, imagine Brandon Sanderson writing an epic space opera. The potential greatness is almost too much to fathom.
But I’m getting off topic. Let’s talk Skyward.
The story’s setup and pacing are excellent. You’re constantly encountering something new, a character, a plot development, or a facet of the world, but never so quickly that it becomes overwhelming. Keeping track of the who’s, what’s, and where’s is easy, which makes the reading experience smooth and engaging.
Even better, new elements aren’t dropped randomly. Everything either ties back to earlier hints or follows naturally from the world and its characters. Nothing feels forced.
The character development is especially satisfying. Spin is far from a “Mary Sue.” Her growth is gradual, believable, and visible. From her time at the academy to repairing her own ship and interacting with her fellow pilots, you witness her struggles, triumphs, and evolution. By the end, she’s almost unrecognizable from the person she was at the beginning, in the best way possible.
There are a few unanswered questions by the book’s conclusion, but that’s the nature of a series. And with Sanderson’s talent and track record, I have every confidence those mysteries will be addressed in due course.
Skyward is a thrilling, smartly paced adventure that proves Sanderson can masterfully translate his storytelling genius from epic fantasy into science fiction.
