Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson (review)

When a mysterious force causes certain humans to develop Epic superpowers, they quickly became super-villains, ravaging the country in their fight for territory and killing anyone who gets in their way. Ever since David’s father became their victim ten years ago, David has studied the Epics, discovering their weaknesses and plotting revenge against their seemingly immortal leader, Steelheart. Now, at eighteen, David joins the Reckoners, underground vigilantes who travel the country taking out one Epic at a time. They are in Chicago to kill one of Steelheart’s sidekicks, but David wants them to risk it all for the chance to take down the leader himself. With David’s arsenal of knowledge, they strategize to lure out the elusive Steelheart, decimating his security forces and slaying the Epics who support him. Not everything is simple, though, and David and his comrades soon learn that some Epics are actually slaves, while some humans might be more Epic than they seem. Known best for his high fantasy series, Sanderson offers up something different here: an entertaining take on near-future science fiction that turns superhero conventions on their head. Action-packed and overflowing with imaginatively rendered villains, the narrative convincingly places humans in the role of hero and celebrates knowledge and strategy over superpowers. David’s story will have special resonance for teen readers as he tries to prove his worth to more experienced adults who want to keep him on the sidelines, and he emerges as a relatable mixture of capability and naïveté. Managing to offer both a satisfying ending and enough loose ends for expected sequels, this novel is a solid read for comic-book fans who wonder what would happen if Superman and the X-Men turned out to be despots.