Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

Series: Reckoners (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi

Subjects: super powers, abilities, supervillains

Setting: The city of Ildithia, which used to be Atlanta, Georgia, but was turned into constantly moving salt and now is in Kansas

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: David

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 417 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $18.99

Publisher: Random House: Delacorte Press

Summary/ product description: “When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners’ leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back...

But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.”

My Review:  This is a truly EPIC finale! It’s like a rollercoaster through a zoo filled with unicorns, dragons and puppies, while you eat ice cream, and listen to you favorites music. Sadly, the ride’s over, and I don’t want to get off. (How that for a metaphor….I mean simile.) I’ll miss David’s ridiculous metaphor-similes and his Epic obsession and his adorable geekiness.

This series has been one of the most constantly entertaining series to date. Seriously, these books never bored me and always left me wanted the next one. I’m just so mind blown by this finale, I don’t know what to say. I wish we could see more of what happened later on, after the end of the book, like a novella or story at least.

The characters in this series have been so unique, set apart from each other. I never had trouble remembering their traits, abilities or quirks. The character relationships were amazing. David and Megan, who I totally ship because they’re made for each other, remind me of other romances in YA series from a male POV, in which the girl’s the tough one in the relationship, and the guy’s a bit more nerdy or sweet. Think Percy and Annabelle, Alex and Darla (Ashfall), or Gray and Bree (The Taken Trilogy). Megan is an Epic and can pull shadows of parallel worlds into ours to make an illusion of reality.

I love the Reckoners team. Prof was cool, in a Xavier from X-men sort of way, until Prof went dark in the previous book. What a super villain. Abraham is an African-French-Canadian who’s ex-military and pretty reserved, but he’s still cool. He’s get a chance to work with some awesome Epic-derived technology in the book. Cody is a southerner who obsessed with Scottish stuff, and makes up tall tales about his people, the Scotts. Mizzy, an African-American with poufy hair, is very perky and uses words like “Groovy,” that David’s never heard. Tia, an older redhead and Prof’s girlfriend (who’s missing, or dead possibly) was an expert on Epics.

Of course if you read the previous books, you know all that, or just needed a reminder. If you hadn’t read them, you you should probably stop reading this review and look for spoiler free reviews on Steelheart, ya slontze. (That’s not an insult, that was a made-up word from the book, which was set in Chicago, now Newcago).

The Reckoners are in Ildithia, which used to be Atlanta and used to be in Georgia. Well now’s it’s made of salt that grows and disintegrates over a week, moving like mold, by growth and decay. It’s currently near Kansas City, Kansas. Weird, I know. I didn’t get it at first either. It’s pretty cool though. I like the idea of a building made of a crystal. Though, having to move each week would suck.

They set up a base there, avoid Epics until the mission. Stuff doesn’t go so well. They have quite a few run-ins. The make plans. David in currently leading the group and coming up with crazy ideas and persuading the other Reckoners to go along with it. Everyone’s skeptical of David’s farfetched plans. David’s eternally optimistic, sometimes in an annoying cheeky way. I like him for that. He almost reminds me of Ray from Arrow/Legends of Tomorrow, (who get called “boy scout” a lot).

The ending of the book is crazy. I kind of suspected what Calamity was, but didn’t know who he was. A what happened to David was what I was hoping for, but I didn’t expect what exactly would happen. If you think I’m being vague, I am doing so to not spoil it. I really want to talk about it though. OHMYGOSH!!!!!! EERRRR!!!! I just…loved it too much. Seriously, why can’t there be more series like this?

Recommend this to fans of Marvel and DC comics and movies and TV shows. Books like Illusive, V is For Villain and Shatter Me.

Cover Art Review: Cool cover. Love the colors and the bullet hole. Very representative of the series.

Maximum Ride Forever by James Patterson

Series: Maximum Ride (bk. 9) Final Book

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Action Adventure

Subjects: genetic engineering, mutants, post-apocalyptic

Setting: Various locations around the world

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Max

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 383 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $19.00

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “THE NINTH AND ULTIMATE MAXIMUM RIDE STORY IS HERE! Legions of Max fans won't be disappointed by this encore episode in the beloved series about the incredible adventures of a teenage girl who can fly. As Maximum Ride boldly navigates a post-apocalyptic world, she and her broken flock are roaming the earth, searching for answers to what happened. All will be revealed in this last spectacular "ride"- a brand-new grand finale featuring all of the nonstop action, twists and turns that readers can rely on in a blockbuster Patterson page turner!

My Review:  This is my absolute favorite series. Maximum Ride is the book that got me into YA back in 8^th grade (2006 I think). This has got to be maybe the third so-called finale in this series. It could have ended just fine after book 3 (Saving The World and Other Extreme Sports). The 4^th book (Final Warning) was kind of pointless. Nevermore seemed to wrap things up, but left us with too many unanswered questions. 

I know people think this book is JP just beating a dead horse with a stick, but I was happy to find out that there’d be another book. I’m a loyal fan. I’d been dying to read it ever since I heard about it. (I preordered it even, but preorders never come the day of release.) So, now I’ve read it and know that this ending leaves no room for more books. The flock gets a proper ending to their story.

Full of twists and tear-jerkers, this is a ride that you won’t forget. It has all the feels. You may need tissues, just a warning. There is so much I want to say about this book, but I’d just spoil everything. I’ll try to be vague as possible. So, Armageddon happened at the end of Nevermore. Basically, an asteroid hit the Earth, Like the one that made the dinosaurs go extinct. A giant tsunami hit the island that the flock and other mutants were living on and volcanoes are set off too. Basically, all the mega-disasters of other dystopian series combine and practically destroy the world.

The flock are pretty much the only survivors on the island and set out to see what else survived. What they find of world wide destruction. City inundated with water or destroy in bombings. Some guy who calls himself the Remedy is sending “Horsemen” (enhanced mutants or androids) to kill survivors and search for the flock. The flock members split up to find out what’s going on in various places around the globe. There is a lot of flying and fighting mutants and Horsemen.

Angel is trying to gather survivors to fight. Angel is also being a bit dictator-ish. She still believes that Fang is going to die. Some familiar faces return. Some can be trusted, some have bad intentions. Bad stuff happens. Really cool stuff also happens. A surprise that I never saw coming happens too. And it happens a bit different than what happened to the Max in the Lake House book. That’s about all I can disclose. I probably said too much.

So, now it’s over. I can’t wait for the online mini-series. I hope it’s free to watch. I wish they’d make a movie, but those rarely turn out the way you want them too. There’s a script in the B&N exclusive edition. Anyone who part of the MR fan club should get it. This series has come a long way. I remember writing fanfic and making fanart back when there were only three books. I mean, look at these: Maximum Ride Fan Art 

I also did this blog sort of like Fang’s Blog, only with OCs. My character was Star, but she wasn’t like Fang’s Star. Mine was an angel with light powers. 

I had a message board too. Those were the good ole days. I’m a college student and Max is still a relatable character. The flocks are like family. My fictional family. And I’m going to miss them. But thankfully there are other great YA series out there calling my name. Thank you James Patterson for bringing these characters to life.  

Cover Art Review: Not feeling the cover at all. Very generic James Patterson-y cover. I liked the Nevermore cover because it at least has wings on it. Max in not a dress kind of girl.

Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Series: Reckoners (bk 2)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi

Subjects: super powers, abilities, supervillains

Setting: Starts out in Newcago (Chicago) and most of the book is in Babilar, which is what used to be New York City

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: David

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 416 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $18.99

Publisher: Random House: Delacorte Press

Summary/ product description: “From the #1 "New York Times" bestselling author of Words of Radiance coauthor of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, and creator of the internationally bestselling Mistborn Trilogy, Brandon Sanderson presents the second book in the Reckoners series: Firefight, the sequel to the #1 bestseller Steelheart.

They told David it was impossible--that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand.

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there's no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs.

Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David's willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And he's willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.”

My Review:  This is an Epic sequel. I think that about suns it up, even if it’s a pun. Let’s try a metaphor (or simile) that David might use. This book is like cheesecake pieces within limited edition ice-cream when you just bought the very last container of it. You know? It’s a delicious treat and it’s rare. There’s just not enough of it and you want more.

Spoilers for those of you who have not read Steelheart. If you have not read the first book, then you probably should not being reading this.

David fell for Megan who turned out to be Firefight, an Epic that can bend reality with her illusions and reincarnate whenever she dies. Now that she’s disappeared, he’s dealing with getting Newcago going without Steelheart to rule over it since David had killed him. Jon/Prof, the leader of the Reckoners decides that another tyrant must fall: Regalia, the water Epic who rule Babilar, which once was Manhattan.

When David, Prof, and Tia, get to Babilar, a city that has been flooded, they team up with a new group of Reckoners: Mizzy, Val and Exel. Each is unique and has their own quirks. Mizzy is kind of silly at times, and Exel is kind of morbid, and Val is sad about the death of their previous gunman. One of the funniest parts was when Mizzy was supposed to record a plan they were making and just wrote some steps that were funny, like “Put Val on Decaf”.

There is lot og funny dialogue and scenes in the book. David is still using ridiculous metaphors, which are actually similes. He’s obsessed with them as much as he’s obsessed with guns. He’s goofy and quirky and I love him. He reminds me of Percy Jackson from Rick Riordan’s series in so many ways. David is now 19 and act like he’s 14ish at times. He’s nerdy about Epics and guns and stuff and awkward when it comes to romance. I love any scene with dialogue between him and Megan (who reminds me of Annabelle from Percy Jackson). Relationships in which the girl is the tough one and the boy is the goofy one are always funny in books.

This story is full of fun and fantastical sci-fi elements. The plot is easy to follow, yet complex. We find out so many interesting things that we may have been wondering, like certain characters’ pasts. We also get a significantly different setting. Where Newcago was full of fear and steel and technology, Babilar is full of water and warmth and color. Buildings fluoresce with spray paint, plants grown in buildings, and people throw rooftop parties. It’s nothing like David is used to.

Since I don’t want to spoil this whole book, I will say that this book has almost everything you wish would happen. It’s full of superpowers and evil and complex characters. It’s a book that will definitely give you a book hangover. I feel like nothing else will ever be as good as this series has been. Thank goodness there is a 3^rd book: Calamity, coming in Spring 2016. Such a long wait I read Steelheart as an Arc in Sept 2013. I hate waiting.

Recommend this to fans of Marvel and DC comics and movies and TV shows. Books like Illusive, V is For Villain and Shatter Me.

Cover Art Review: Love the embossed cover. It’s also metallic. They changed the cover from the original hardcover of Steelheart, but it has similarities.