REVIEW: 3 Gates of the Dead

PLOT: Sometimes, the most evil things come from the most holy… Conflicted with his faith in God and the hypocrisy of the church, Aidan Schaeffer, a young assistant pastor, is in a constant state of spiritual turmoil. When Aidan learns that his ex-fiancée is the first victim in a string of ritualistic killings, he finds himself in the middle of an even deeper fight. Tormented by demonic threats and haunted by spirits, Aidan throws himself into investigating Amanda’s death; all the while supernatural forces have begun to attack the people around him. The more questions he asks, the more he is drawn into the world of a mysterious Anglican priest, a paranormal investigation group and a rogue female detective investigating the murders. As the gruesome rituals escalate, ancient hidden secrets and an evil long buried threaten to rip Aidan’s world apart.

REVIEW: I for one, was not expecting at all what I read in 3 Gates of the Dead. Usually with first time authors, you tend not to expect so much in terms of a complex story or writing style. At least, in my amateur experience as a professional reader, I've never come across something so well written in a debut book. However, Jonathan Ryan sets out to prove me wrong, and I'm sure countless others, by writing a superb tale of the supernatural. Aidan Schaeffer is a doubting, but unconsciously faithful pastor who we find at one of the worst times of his life. Automatically, Aidan is a character that almost any reader can identify with because of the questions he asks about life, religious or not. After going through a lot prior to the story, our main character finds out that there is much more that he has yet to learn.

What I found so unbelievable about this book was how well the main character was written. Constantly throughout the book, I found myself relating to Aidan and understanding his inner turmoil with God. This book focuses a lot on Aidan's relationship with a higher power, obviously because he is a pastor. But he's a pastor with questions, to which the answers only cloud his beliefs further. I feel that no matter what side of the religious debate you're on, there is something endearing about a person struggling to figure out where they stand on life. Not only that, but to continuously push themselves into finding their true self a midst a handful of issues that would cause most to fold under pressure. Even though we find our protagonist at a crossroads in his life, as soon as the book starts, Mr. Ryan immediately hooks the reader into caring about Aidan and his troubles. It also was neat to read a book that takes place not that far from home for me, and has a lot of material that I can relate to personally (like the argument over whether Ohio State is a good football team or not).

There are obviously a lot of reasons I would like this book. The horror elements like ghosts, the supernatural, and the occult. Also, the mystery elements like shocking twists and a reason for our character to further torment, and examine his outlook on the world. But the reason I could not put this book down was because of Ryan's excellent writing. I was astounded that this was his first book, and as I was reading I kept asking myself "how is this possible?" Sure you could say that maybe I wasn't expecting much so I was more easily impressed, but I think I could easily compare this to some of the greater works of horror fiction. The characterization is on point from Aidan to Mike, his troubled partner at the church, to Jennifer, the girl he finds himself swooning over, and right down to the dead people at the bottom of the credits. 3 Gates of the Dead is damn near as perfect of a first book that one could read, and certainly leaves me wanting more.

I would hope to see that if this book is turned into a movie, which I read is a possibility, that the filmmakers take good care of this subject material. It's such an amazing story on the page, that it would be a shame to see it go to waste on B-movie talent and more than likely focus on the supernatural, and not the human aspects of it. It's a perfect story about the main character Aidan, and his journey through reality and the supernatural, in finding his true beliefs and opinions of the world and greater. This book is so much more than a ghost story, and it's so much more than a murder mystery. This is a grade A novel of suspense, intrigue, and self-discovery that will leave any reader, no matter what preference, asking for book two as soon as possible. Bravo Jonathan Ryan, you have gained a loyal fan and I'm sure countless others, who are eagerly awaiting more of your wonderfully crafted tales. As a human constantly learning for himself what it means to be on this planet, I can certainly appreciate a fictional story that you almost believe is real until you hit the last page... or is it?

RATED : ( PG-13 )

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

COVER : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Chimera

PLOT: Afghanistan veteran Jim Chapel has been enlisted in a new war. This time it's in his own backyard... and even more deadly. A small band of fugitives escapes from a secret upstate New York military facility, leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. Each fugitive has a target—an innocent civilian—and will not stop until that target has been eliminated. Wounded Special Forces veteran Jim Chapel has been stuck behind a desk rather than out in the field, but medical technology has finally caught up with his ambitions. Coupled with his unstoppable determination, it will take him back to where he thrives: the thick of the action. Drafted into a new war, this time in our homeland, Chapel is tasked with hunting a group of escapees from a top secret military compound—all extremely deadly, genetically modified killers—and unraveling the mystery behind their existence. Aided by an enigmatic woman named Angel and a courageous, beautiful veterinarian, Chapel begins a cross-country hunt to stop the murders. But are the killers really rogues, or are they part of a sinister conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels?

REVIEW: I've wanted to read a lot of David Wellington's books for awhile, because he writes about awesome things. He has a series of werewolf books, zombie books, and a larger series of vampire books. Some of his books are actually available online to read as serials, which is really cool of an author to do. It gives someone who is interested in his work, a chance to preview his earlier writing and then go for the big stuff if they like his style. I for one, never got around to reading any of the serials, but rather just hopped into this book. This was recommended to me because of my serious love for Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series, of which I still have one more book left to read. In Wellington's Chimera we're introduced to a war hero that has a lot of the same mental constructs as a Ledger-like character, but not quite the same physical makeup.

What mostly makes Chimera interesting is the fact that our protagonist, Jim Chapel, is a tough as nails combat veteran that is recruited for a top secret mission, but he's at a disadvantage to most. Though, Mr. Chapel would be first to correct me in saying that he's not a disadvantage, he just has a different way of doing things. Chapel is missing an arm that he lost in Afghanistan, but he's been fitted for a high tech artificial limb that has enabled him to get by in the world. It works just like a regular arm, but it's mechanical and relies on his brain to be controlled. This part of Jim Chapel is what draws the desire for the reader to read Chapel's story, because you want this guy to come out on top and win. I thought this was a really cool addition to the story and provided me a reason to really root for Jim. However, his position marks him as the underdog in the story, but he never quite feels like he reaches complete despair in this book like other leading protagonists in similar books.

What I wasn't much of a fan of in this book was the fact that it never seemed like the suspense of the story fully caught on. The Joe Ledger books were a breeze for me, so much so that I was able to finish each of the first four in a week. This book took me a little longer to read, because it just was never able to fully suck me in. There was never any true, all hope is lost, desperation laid upon Jim Chapel even though his mission was top secret and extremely difficult. It just all seemed too easy, and clear cut, and it never quite sucks the reader fully into the book vortex that us readers often find ourselves in. I think shorter stories would benefit Jim Chapel, and David Wellington's writing. I'm looking forward to reading the two that are already out apparently, called Minotaur and Myrmidon.

The suspense was there, but it never fully takes hold in the story which causes a few of the scenes to drag out and take away from the building of tension. The chimeras are a legitimate threat, but they never take shape or become more than a pawn played in a larger game. I think I would have been much happier had there been more of a clear cut villain that actually had some say on the pages. The other thing I didn't much care for was Jim and Julia's extra-curricular activities on more than one occasion throughout the book. I'm not big for scenes of romance in my books, but I could have forgiven these after all was said and done. The scenes sort of felt forced, and it was a good example of how parts of the story took away from the building of suspense. Save it for the end of the book Wellington, because Chapel sure as hell deserved a good night in bed by the end of his mission. I would recommend this to fans of Joe Ledger or any other paranormal hunting military hero. While it doesn't quite present the crispest science fiction thriller, there is plenty of action and a damn fine hero in the making waiting for readers in these pages.

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Red Lanterns, Volume One: Blood and Rage

PLOT: Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps return in their own series, battling against injustice in the most bloody ways imaginable.

REVIEW: I'm not really the biggest fan of Green Lantern because I didn't grow up enjoying his stories, but I have grown at least a slight bit interested as an adult. Green Lantern is one of the more fun characters, and light hearted, and I think that's why I am not as into him as I am other characters. However, with Red Lanterns, we get the darker side of the Lantern universe and I was really awestruck that this even existed. Atrocitus is the leader of the Red Lanterns, and it's his rage that is his power. The bad things that have happened to him in the past, drive who he is today as the Red Lantern leader. Though he is the leader of the Red Lanterns, he finds that even he is not enough to conquer the rage on his own. He slowly brings other Red Lanterns into the picture by throwing them into a Blood Ocean to confront their reasons for rage. As they come out, Atrocitus finds that rage comes in more than one form, and it's that discovery that leads him into a situation he never had seen coming. This book is awesome, and I was really so happy to be reading a book that was based off of a main DC character, but spun off to be a darker side. There is plenty of red on every page, as the rage is basically characterized as red blood and spews from the Lanterns and congeals as if it were in space. There was plenty of gruesome illustrations which I really enjoyed, as usual, because I'm a fan of horror. The writing was pretty good, and I liked the story of Atrocitus and I enjoyed how one of the book's minor villains came about. Peter Milligan impresses with the first volume of Red Lanterns, and I'm excited to see where it's taken. There is really a bright future for this title, even though it may be bright red.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Law of the Desert Born: A Graphic Novel

PLOT: The first graphic novel adaptation of the work of master storyteller Louis L’Amour is a dynamic tale of the Old West that explores the borderlands of loyalty and betrayal with the emotional grittiness of a noir thriller. New Mexico, 1887, a land in the midst of the worst drought anyone can remember. Family histories and loyalties run deep, but when rancher Tom Forrester has his access to the Pecos River cut off by the son of his old partner, he convinces his foreman, Shad Marone, to pay Jud Bowman back for the discourtesy. Yet what starts as a simple act of petty revenge quickly spirals into a cycle of violence that no one can control. Now Marone is on the run, pursued by a sheriff’s posse across a rugged desert landscape. Leading the chase is Jesus Lopez, a half-Mexican, half-Apache with a personal stake in bringing Shad to justice. Newly released from jail, trusted by no one, Lopez swears he’s the only man who can track Marone down. That may be true. But who will live and who will die and what price will be paid in suffering are open questions. Fate and the Jornada del Muerto desert possess a harsh justice that is all their own. With a propulsive script from Beau L’Amour and Kathy Nolan, adapted by Charles Santino and illustrated in bold black-and-white by Thomas Yeates, LAW OF THE DESERT BORN captures the dust and blood of Louis L’Amour’s West—a world where the difference between a hero and a villain can be as wide as the gap between an act of kindness or brutality or as narrow as a misspoken word.

REVIEW: ***I received a copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for a fair and honest review.*** 

Louis L'Amour is without a doubt, the definitive author for western fiction. His list of works is nearly endless, and there's a reason that most western fiction collections you see in libraries or bookstores are predominately consisted of L'Amour titles. When I saw that a graphic novel had been adapted from one of his stories, I found it kind of strange but interesting as well. It's not the kind of story that a typical graphic novel reader would pick up and read, but more and more we are finding that some of the timeless fictional stories are being converted into graphic novel form for fans old and new to enjoy.

I would like to start by saying I'm not a huge fan of western fiction in any of its forms, but recently I have started to have an appreciation for newer western films that stick to classic western styles. This is the first time I've ever read anything western, and I think this was a good way to start. Lopez is a great character, and his story told throughout the book is the driving force behind its greatness. His association with other characters in the book makes him the main protagonist, in my eyes, and it causes you to look at everyone else with a careful eye because of Lopez's apparent wisdom. He seems to know more than the rest of the characters in the book, which in turns exudes confident and wholesome qualities about a character that maybe 40 years ago would have been the one to have watched with a careful eye.

The story is superbly crafted, told in "present day" with flashbacks scattered throughout. On the first read through, I found it kind of complicated with the flashbacks mixed in throughout. Part of me wishes the story could have been more linear, but it may have taken away from the final impact of the story. I think I would have been able to follow the plot better had it been straight through the first time around, but the use of these flashbacks helps to further the emotional impact of the story and delay the final punch until the end of the book. I think a little more background on Marone before the chase begins would have been neat, but it wasn't necessary in telling this story.

The thing I liked most about this book is the art. Usually, black and white illustration in graphic novels is not my favorite, but there are stories that should only be told in black and white. This is one of those stories, being that it takes place in a western setting and most stories like this told in film were during the black and white era of motion pictures. Westerns are no longer, and haven't been for awhile, the most popular genre of film, but it only seems appropriate to tell a story like this in shades of gray. The shading and the art on each page was breathtaking, and I haven't been this impressed with black and white in a long time. It suits the book really well. The only problem I had here is that sometimes it was hard to tell which character was which on the page, or who was on the page to begin with. When everyone and their father wears cowboys hats, has a horse, and wears the same style clothes, it's hard to tell who is who.

Other than the few minor annoyances, I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to mostly adult graphic novel readers. The combination of character illustration issues, and the flashbacks threw me for a loop at first, but with a more studious second read I found it to be a quality graphic novel. I would especially recommend this to an older crowd, as I've already passed this along to older family members who are fans of the western genre. I would definitely be interested to see if more of L'Amour's work shows up in graphic novel form, and I'd hope that the illustrative duties would be taken care of just as perfectly as they were here. The book is hefty, and while large, it enables the art more room to pop off the page and display Thomas Yeates excellent black and white illustrations. A lot of credit goes to the team that brought this book to life for a new generation, and possibly a younger audience.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVER : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: The Fearless Defenders, Volume One: Doom Maidens

PLOT: New team! New villains! New creators! Valkyrie and Misty Knight are the Fearless Defenders, and not since Power Man and Iron Fist has an unlikely duo kicked this much - well, you know.

REVIEW: In preparing to write a review for this book, I have discovered that this title has since been cancelled by Marvel and will end with the twelfth issue. What the hell are you guys thinking?! This is easily one of the best titles that I've read out of Marvel NOW!, most of which are pretty awful, and this is the one that's been cancelled over multiple other offenders? I'm really sad to say that Marvel doesn't quite know what quality is, because when I read the other more "popular" titles, I can't believe they're even being written. Captain America and Deadpool are about the only two characters that haven't been ultimately ruined by Marvel NOW!, and it's a shame to see that this third candidate for greatness will be no more. I am not familiar with these characters, so that may be why I was so pleased, but I thought the book was awesome. Valkyrie and Misty Knight are cool heroines which Marvel has so few of, and this book is not afraid of anything. There's a decapitation, lots of censored curses, and chicks kicking the living crap out of everything that threatens them. I liked seeing the assembly of a lot of the female characters in the Marvel Universe, and it's a damn shame to see a title that showcases these heroines in such a bad ass light, be shut down. I would say if you're a fan of the darker side of Marvel, and the more Asgardian-like characters and stories, this is definitely for you. Fans of female-centric comics will also really enjoy this, as I barely remember a dude in the book at all. I'm also starting to discover that I have very heavy metal tastes, because if the book has blood, magic, and epic wars with warriors in elaborate armor illustrated on the page, I'm automatically sucked in. Also, the covers are freaking awesome as hell.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: The New Deadwardians

PLOT: In post-Victorian England, nearly everyone of the upper classes has voluntarily become a vampire in order to escape the lower classes who are all zombies. Into this simmering cauldron is thrust Chief Inspector George Suttle, a lonely detective who's got the slowest beat in London: investigating murders in a world where everyone is already dead! When the body of a young aristocrat washes up on the banks of the Thames, Suttle's quest for the truth will take him from the darkest sewers to the gleaming halls of power, and reveal the rotten heart at the center of this strange world.

REVIEW: Anything British is usually not my cup of tea, but I wanted to read this because of the involvement of zombies, obviously. I wasn't expecting to love the story, but I figured that I would at least enjoy the undead aspects of the story. What I got was a very well-rounded tale of Chief Inspector George Suttle, who is one of the young, which most of us would call a vampire. He sets upon a case to solve the murder of a well off man in the new Deadwardian Age, and in doing so begins the investigation into his own life after spending countless years losing any desire to do so. What this graphic novel does really well is support its protagonist Suttle, as his story is told through narration of his own and then the events that take place in his surroundings. Funny enough that it was the love story aspect of this book that I took a liking to, as usually that's something that when included in a story of horror or undeath, I do not find suiting. But for this story, it was perfectly aligned with Suttle's investigation into a murder, as well as his own existence. The art is not exactly phenomenal in this book, as I've seen some others point out in their own reviews, but it does a good enough job to help the story along. It's not the most detailed work, but it is all there, and the zombies and vampires all have their particular looks. I would most definitely say that if you are a fan of British mystery, the undead, and adult graphic novels, you should pick up this book. Even if British oriented stories aren't your thing, this may be worth checking out, as I found it entirely enjoyable and I'm hoping that Dan Abnett has an opportunity to continue the splendid story of George Suttle, the Young who renews his desire for life and happiness in solving Scotland Yard's new kind of crime.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 5 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Deadpool, Volume Two: Soul Hunter

PLOT: First: Flash back to Deadpool’s adventures of yesteryear with Iron Man! Then: A demon hires Deadpool to reclaim damned souls! And just in case you didn’t think he could get any stranger, Wade gets in touch with his feminine side! Plus: Deadpool targets a man with aquatic powers, and then teams up with your Superior Neighborhood Spider-Man! And we promise he kills one of those two! Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn’s hilarious, nonstop reinvention of the Merc With a Mouth continues here!

REVIEW: Even though I knew what to expect from Marvel NOW!'s Deadpool, I was still extremely impressed with this volume and completely blown away by how great it is. Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan have easily written what is the best title I've read from the Marvel NOW! series. While that isn't a huge compliment in itself, because I don't like much of the Marvel NOW! titles, Deadpool is lightyears beyond the others and has proven yet again why that is so. Brian Posehn's sense of humor is almost entirely too perfect for the character of Deadpool and it makes this comic one of the most fun to read in quite some time. Who would have thought that after filling the first volume with dead presidents for Deadpool to hunt down, there would be just as much fun to be had in a second volume. There isn't a single comic out there that I enjoy picking up and reading more than Deadpool. The first issue that puts Deadpool in a story that takes place during the 80's with Tony Stark was one of the funniest things I've ever read in comics. Of course that humor and entertainment extends into the other issues of this book and makes for such a blast of a read. The art is great, the writing is great, and the jokes in the book are just so funny. I know that the writing is superb because rarely does a book with so much writing on the page keep my attention, but this one had me flipping the pages as quickly as I could. This is a must read for fans of Mr. Pool, the Marvel Universe through adult eyes, and comedy in general. Please pick this up and support Duggan and Posehn's tremendous work on Deadpool.

WRITING : ( 10 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )
STORY : ( 10 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Young Avengers, Volume One: Style > Substance

PLOT: Legacy isn't a dirty word...but it's an irrelevant one. It's not important what our parents did. It matters what WE do. Someone has to save the world. You're someone. Do the math. The critically acclaimed team of Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie reinvent the teen super hero comic for the 21st century, uniting Wiccan, Hulkling and Kate "Hawkeye" Bishop with Kid Loki, Marvel Boy and Ms. America. No pressure, right? As a figure from Loki's past emerges, Wiccan makes a horrible mistake that comes back to bite everyone on their communal posteriors. Fight scenes! Fake IDs! And plentiful feels! (aka "meaningful emotional character beats" for people who aren't on tumblr.) Young Avengers is as NOW! as the air in your lungs, and twice as vital. Hyperbole is the BEST! THING! EVER!

REVIEW: Yet another Marvel NOW! title that I just don't understand. I suppose that Young Avengers is supposed to rock with a younger crowd, and probably appeals to teenage kids looking for a comic book that they can relate to their lives. There's a lot about this story that I just didn't find appealing to myself, and I am pretty open to anything but a lot of this felt forced for the ability to be marketed at a younger audience. First of all, the gay relationship presented from the beginning with Wiccan and Hulkling I just didn't get. It felt so forced to pair these two together, and really just to use as a marketing tool to appeal to comic readers of a younger age in high school. I know that writers have been trying to be inclusive in comics as of late, and I applaud them for that but I really don't feel like it was necessary in this story. I didn't think they were a good couple, nor was I invested in either character because all you know about them was that they were gay. There needed to be more of a set up as to who these two characters were, and what drew them together in the first place. It just starts out with "hey our comic book has two heroes in the Young Avengers that are gay! Look at us, we're all inclusive!" I know it sounds like I was offended, but really I would have been fine with it had there been more development leading up to why they were a couple, which would make it seem like less of a gimmick. Also, the other characters were pretty minimal in comparison, which compounded the problem. The only character I truly enjoyed was Kid Loki and that was because he had a sense of humor and he obviously plays off of the already known grown up characters of Thor and Loki. The villains were kind of neat, but I'm still kind of unsure what to make of the whole story because really the biggest plot of this whole book was the relationship between Wiccan and Hulkling. I think they could have spent a lot more time on other characters developing them just as much as the other two, and maybe it would have felt like there was an entire team in this book. The title was appropriate though I suppose, because substance took a backseat to style in this one. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, but I really didn't see too much in this book that appealed to me and made me want to read more.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 4 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 5 / 10 )

REVIEW: Talon, Volume One: Scourge of the Owls

PLOT: As a young performer with Haly's Circus, young Calvin Rose was secretly being raised to be a master assassin--a killing machine called a Talon. The Talons have always served the mysterious Court of Owls, a group of wealthy individuals who will stop at nothing to maintain their grip on power in Gotham City. When Rose defects from the Talon's ranks, he is marked for death and spends the next few years using all his training to hide from his former masters. After years on the run, Rose finally returns to Gotham City following the horrors of "The Night of Owls." He'll set off to investigate what remains of the Court of Owls, but will he be able to gain his freedom at long last?

REVIEW: Scott Snyder has proven at this point that not only is he a great writer for Batman, but he is also a great writer of comics in general with a title like Swamp Thing as evidence. I mostly picked up this volume of Talon because I know that Snyder is a quality talent, but also because it's Gotham oriented and I can't turn down anything Batman. This book plucks a character from Batman's Court of Owls storyline Calvin Rose, and follows him as he seeks revenge on his former group of Owls when he realizes that Gotham may have been emptied of his personal demons. The main reason I like this book so much is that it's dark, which is something that Scott Snyder has rarely shied away from in his writing. He is able to take such a comical world and turn it into something darker and deeper than it ever has before. It's one main reason that the New 52 Batman is so great and has become a new standard for the Batman comic books. Calvin Rose is a Talon of the Court of Owls, which if you aren't familiar with, may require some reading of Snyder's Batman to get an introduction to. The evils that the Court of Owls is capable of committing are atrocious and really personify a villain that can strike the fear into characters in a book, as well as the reader at home. Talon yet again proves that Snyder is a mainstay in current comic writing, and can do much more than just Batman, even though this predominately takes place in Gotham City. This is much recommended to fans of the New 52, Batman in general, and possibly Pink Floyd's The Wall because the Owl masks are just too reminiscent of it to ignore.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Steelheart

PLOT: There are no heroes. Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills. Nobody fights the Epics... nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them. And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

REVIEW: This being the first time I've ever read any of Brandon Sanderson's work, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I've heard that he's an excellent writer but most of that applies to his fantasy fiction, which isn't something I have found myself inclined to reading just yet. Nor was this an account of the short lived 1990's hair metal band of the same name, but I'm sure if Sanderson had written it, it would have been entertaining as well. This however, was about superheroes and of course that's right up my alley. From the very first page, Sanderson hooks you into the story of David. It jumps right into the story of how David lost his father to the Epic Steelheart, and how he knows now in the present that he will be the end to Steelheart's reign. In this world, Epics are the super-powered people who seemingly gained their abilities overnight, and not one of them used their powers for good. Stories like this, as we know them, usually have superheroes on one side and villains on the other but this one is different. This time humans have basically been subjected to the rule of Epics, Steelheart in particular, at least in Chicago, and it's basically against the law to stand up against them. After the introduction into David's life and his story of where he's come from, we're placed into the now steel covered city of Chicago, renamed Newcago. It's a new time and the world is nowhere near the same as it was when Epics didn't rule the Earth, and David plans to change that.

David admires a group of human rebels called the Reckoners as he tracks Epics on his own and tries to find himself in the right place at the right time with Epics or Reckoners. Early on he finds himself in the middle of a battle with one of the high Epics and the Reckoners, and decides that this may be his only opportunity to join in fighting the good fight. He's greeted with resistance as the Reckoners take him into custody, but as David releases more and more of his insider information on the Epics and Reckoners themselves they become more willing to allow him in assisting in their battle. Once David's story is retold to the leader of the Reckoners, they decide that teaming together to defeat the evil Epic Steelheart should be their next venture, but together. The Reckoners more or less disagree with the aggressive plan hatched to defeat Steelheart because it places them in David's hands mostly, and in danger. David wants to do anything he can and gather all the resources he can to bring Steelheart down, because he's seen him bleed, but he knows that the task could be impossible. Really I was super impressed with Brandon Sanderson's writing and how absorbed I was into this story. You wait for an ending that will be good, but the one that's given is great and I didn't see it coming at all. The ending completely sold me on this book, as I knew it was great fiction as I was reading but it wasn't yet that truly outstanding work until I hit the last 20-25 pages. Sanderson knew exactly what he was writing about when it came to super people and superhuman powers, but he added some of his fantasy elements and storytelling experience to the book and it made for all that much greater of a climax and conclusion. I can't wait for the rest of this series, and I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of superhero stories and/or comic books. This is also one of the first young adult fiction books that I've read that I didn't completely hate, so kudos to Sanderson. I will now have to journey into some of his other works because his writing is definitely amazing.

RATED : ( PG-13 )

WRITING : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVER : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )