Firefight

by Brandon Sanderson

Paperback, 2015

Status

Available

Call number

813.7

Publication

Gollancz

Description

"David and the Reckoners continue their fight against the Epics, humans with superhuman powers, except they may have met their match in Regalia, a High Epic who resides in Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as the borough of Manhattan"--

User reviews

LibraryThing member TadAD

This book reads like a Marvel movie watches: light on depth, long on action, fun but it won't make you think too much superhero/antihero fantasy. I'd recommend it as an example of that genre although, obviously, only for those who enjoy such things, particularly Sanderson's work.

I think it's better

written than the first volume in the series, Steelheart. The pacing is a little better and the plot slightly more intricate; I was actually a bit surprised...pleasantly...by the reveal. Sanderson moves the characters along nicely in their larger story line, unlike some series authors who just plop an unchanging character into adventure after adventure.

The series might be a wee bit frustrating since each book takes over 12 months to come out (next one due in Spring 2016).

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LibraryThing member SpencerwithanR

This story and writing has evolved and improved from Steelheart. It is clear that Sanderson has realized what he can do in a world controlled by people with super powers. He pushes the imagination much more than in the first book. David's voice matures and become what the reader expects, for the

better. It is apparent that Sanderson is trying to fix some of the annoying bits of David's voice: the metaphors. After finishing the book I was super frustrated because I have to wait a year before the next book. It is a fun entertaining book that is hard to put down.

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LibraryThing member shabacus

The second book of the Reckoners series, Firefight is vintage Sanderson. Well plotted, fast paced, and with intriguing (if not heavily memorable) characters, Firefight kept me turning the pages. It is also a far stronger book than its predecessor, relying heavily on the exposition it set up, and

taking the story to new heights.

It is also the middle book of a planned trilogy, so expect an ending that leaves you wanting more. I'll be preordering Calamity, the already-announced followup, just as soon as it's available.

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LibraryThing member Ginger_reader22

"My name is David Charleston.
I kill people with super powers."

I cannot tell you the pure joy that I felt from reading that. I have waited for what felt like years to get my hands on Firefight and I was so excited to get it a couple days before the official release party and have time to read it

before attending the signing.

Let me just start off by saying that if you haven't read Steelheart you are missing out! You have not lived until you've immersed yourself in a world built by Brandon Sanderson!

In the previous book David did the impossible, he not only killed a High Epic he killed thee High Epic. Steelheart died by Davids hand and now that the Reckoners have momentum they aren't about to stop now.

With Newcago free and somewhat safe David finds himself with a new mission, traveling to Babylon Restored to find out exactly what the High Epic in charge has in store for her thriving community.
Along the way we're introduced to new and exciting characters and some old favorites, whether they are Reckoners or Epics they come alive on the pages and draw you in.

While trying to discover the mysteries of Babylon Restored David is struggling with inner demons. Killing Steelheart was his life goal, the light at the end of the tunnel, but now that he's achieved it he finds himself left with more questions than answers.

Can Epics ever truly be good? Can they be cured? Is killing them the only answer?

Can Megan be helped? Will she ever be the person he fell in love with? Or will killing her simply be giving her mercy?

Firefight is not 'fast paced' it's 'fast paced' times ten. Imagine a hummingbird on crack and you've got Firefight.

I kept having to remind myself throughout the book to breathe. All I wanted to do was hold my breath and wait for the climatic scenes to end but they just kept coming, one after the other until I found myself starring at the last page in shock.

I have no idea how Sanderson weaves such an incredible story, how he builds worlds so life like that you find yourself day dreaming about visiting them, how his characters become apart of you and change the way you look at the world.

I have no idea how he does it but I do know that no one else could have told Davids story the way that he has.

I will be counting down the days until I can get my hands on the third (and sadly the last) installment in this series.

Until next time,
Ginge

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LibraryThing member revslick

If you've read Steelheart then don't wait BUY Firefight NOW. Fun, fast paced action with intriguing twist at the end. This is screaming to be made into a movie.

LibraryThing member Edward.Lorn

3.5 Stars rounded down due to Sparks, Calamity, and Slontze.

I still can't stand the Dr. Suess cussing, especially now that it seems like Sanderson is using Sparks instead of Fuck. At first, I thought he was using Sparks instead of Shit, but there are several times in this book where Sparks or

Sparking is definitely used instead of Fuck and Fucking ("that sparking thing" and "get the sparks out of here"). Someone on here (Goodreads), told me Sanderson is Mormon. Cool beans. I understand that you're religious and choose not to drop the f-bomb, but you're still cursing, pumpkin. Like I said in my review of Steelheart, it's the intent, not the word. The holier-than-thou mentality isn't working for me. Sorry.

Now that I've thoroughly beaten the fuck out of that dead horse, I will say that Firefight is a much better book than its predecessor. Of course, that's not saying much, but I was entertained. There are some pretty epic battle sequences in here, but the real reason I'm giving it that extra star and a half is because of the Spiral (If it's spelled differently in the book, I apologize. I didn't read this, I listened to the audio version.) I saw very clearly in my head the narrator (Dermont? Damien? Dogpickle?) using this thing, and what I saw was cool as shit. Fun times.

I really enjoyed the Epics this time around. Regalia and Absolution (Oblivion? Omarion? Whatever the city-killer Epic's name was) were more fun than Nightweilder and Steelheart were in the first one. Hell, the very first Epic mentioned in the book (Sourcecode? Rolodex? Lexicon?) was cooler than any of the previous ones put together. And, let's face it, every Epic is better than that pile of excrement from the tie-in novella, Mitosis. *sighs*

But I think the biggest thing this one had going for it was the amount of heart Sanderson put into it. And the balls. I was thrilled that not all the good guys survived. Killing XL was a great choice. I liked that character, but I'm still glad Sanderson had the sack to slay him.

I do have to wonder how much time Sanderson spent in New England (Massholes, holla!) while writing this book, because "wicked" is an adverb that is definitely overused herein. It was wicked repetitive and wicked annoying because it was used a wicked amount of times.

In summation: Sanderson is probably the most generic author writing today, aside from James Patterson, of course, but if you can get past that, and the boring, dialogue-heavy first book in this series, Firefight is a decent ride, no heavy drugs required. Though some weed might make this book wicked fun, if you're a sparking slontze like me. (I might just stab myself for typing that last sentence.)

*I received a free code for this book because I hated the first one*

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LibraryThing member kenzen

Quite entertaining, although very much YA in a bad sense. Luckily Sanderson knows how to make up for that.

LibraryThing member krau0098

This is the 2nd book in the Reckoners series. The third book in the series will be titled Calamity and is scheduled for a 2016 release. Although I haven’t enjoyed these books as much as Sanderson’s fantasy series, it is still a great series that I have enjoyed reading. I liked this book even

better than the first book in the series.

Our main hero David, aka Steelslayer, journeys outside of Newcago with Prof to check out the city of Babylon Restored which is ruled by the mysterious Regalia. When they arrive they are faced with many other Epics and another High Epic (the awful Obliteration). David is also hoping to get news of Firefight (Megan). Additionally our (strangely metaphor obsessed and totally geeked out about Epics) hero is trying to solve the mystery behind the Epics’ weaknesses.

The book is mainly about solving a couple mysteries; what is Regalia up to with luring Epics to her city of Babylon Restored and can David finally figure out why the Epics have the weaknesses they have?

I loved all the action and the quirky characters in this story. The dialogue is snappy and fun to read and I love David’s obsession with bad metaphors. The world building is fantastic. The Epics’ powers and weaknesses follow a complex system of “magic” which is something Sanderson is well known for and something I really enjoy.

The plot is well done and I continue to love David and Megan as characters. We meet many new interesting characters as well. I love meeting new Epics and learning about their powers and weaknesses. We even get a first glance at the epic Calamity. I love that in this series superheroes aren’t necessarily the saviors of society but instead pay a deep price for their powers.

Another one of my favorite parts of this book is how David is working to discover why Epics have the weaknesses they have. This was incredibly well done and interesting and I love where this whole concept is going.

Overall this was a fantastic action-packed science fiction novel that is an interesting blend of superheroes, science fiction, dystopian, and post-apocalyptic themes. I really enjoy the characters, the complex world, and the
interesting idea of Epics and their powers. I would recommend to those who enjoy fast-paced reads with a superhero type of theme to them.

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LibraryThing member renbedell

The second book in the Reckoners series takes the story further and delves more deeply into the main characters and the Epics. This books has an improvement on how the characters interact that doesn't seem childish. The story is more creative and original compared to the first book. It holds your

attention the entire time with a good amount of suspense, love interest, and character development. The ending is great and sets the tone for the next book. All in all a great book!

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LibraryThing member Becky_McKenna

The was another Buddy Read with The Hubsters of the ebook & audio version. Just as it was with Steelheart, the twists in this story have left us speechless! We are a little burnt out over the repeated use of "sparks" or "calamity" for a curse word, but we'll survive. It's better than the

alternative F-bomb any day, but all things in moderation. I think I heard Hubsters say "Calamity, Dog..." after The Dog asked to do her business at 3:15AM, but that's what happens when you binge a series...and have a Dog almost as old as gas powered vehicles in doggie years.

Anyway, as long as Hubsters doesn't fall into the habit of using David's gawd-awful similes, I'm good. Back to the book...

This series is like an Epic with thermonuclear fingernails! Seriously, this is a very good series. It's unique and David has a youthful naiveté about him that is very endearing. Prof is also a cool character and we hope the next book will shed some light on his past. Surely we haven't lost him to the dark side. Right? Right!? *sniffles* We also learned more about the Epics, their vulnerabilities, and what being an Epic will do to their humanity. Is it possible to overcome the negative effects of being an Epic? The Big Question for David: Can Meghan overcome the damage that's been done to her humanity?

The author definitely has a way of leaving us wanting more! So, hear we are, debating the evils of purchasing the next audiobook or waiting thirteen miserable days for the next Audible credits. I figure the standoff will last until Hubster gets home from work.

Excuse me while I check our book spending allowance. Looks like we will be moving on to Calamity this evening.

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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend

Now that David is known as Steelslayer he is a target of other epics. He has an opportunity to go to New Babylon or Babilar where Manhattan used to be. There the epic Regalia rules, with an iron fist, she seems to be gathering Epics, one of which is Obliteration, who wiped out a whole city once.

Megan is there too. David has to work out what he believes about Epics, because it looks like they're not all as evil as he originally thought and with absolute power there isn't always absolute corruption.

Interesting but I wasn't as engaged as I'd like.

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LibraryThing member mountie9

Excellent 2nd book in an intriguing series. Not as good as first, but still awesome. Nice character development in this one and exceptional world building. Fab use of humour. Want next book NOW! OMG. The ending (Ok I had a feeling that I knew what was going to happen) is edge of your seat and holy

crap kinda stuff.

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LibraryThing member GSB68

Great book! Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author right now and you can always expect incredible action set-pieces and empathetic characters.

LibraryThing member fyrefly98

Summary: After killing Steelheart, David and the Reckoners try to rebuild the city of Newcago, but David's whole life has been fueled by a quest for vengeance… and now that he's achieved it, he's not sure what to do with himself. Soon Prof decides it's time to leave, and they head off to Babylon

Restored - a flooded city formerly known as the island of Manhattan - to help the Reckoner cell there. Babilar is controlled by Regalia, a High Epic that can control water. The Reckoners don't know her weakness, however, so they're not sure how to kill her… and to make matters worse, she has other Epics running around in the city - Obliteration, who can absorb and then release stored energy, repeatedly turning himself into a human bomb, and Firefight - or Megan, as David still thinks of her, when he's planning how to save her from her powers and from the other Reckoners. They're going to need all their skills to bring down Regalia, but every time they draw on Prof's powers, he edges closer and closer to the dark side.

Review: I really enjoyed this one (which is as I expected, but always nice to be right). It's got all of the things that Sanderson does well: a quick-moving plot, awesome fight scenes, and creative worldbuilding where everything works together seamlessly. I found it maybe a little slow to start with - part of that was getting my head back into the world of the Epics, for sure - but then I got caught in the Sanderson avalanche and could barely put it down. The fight scenes were great, easy to visualize and exciting, particularly those in which David's using the spyril water-jetpack. I thought the setting was very cool - I'm a Chicago girl at heart, so of course I loved the first one, but I could picture Babilar much better than I could Newcago, but Sanderson paints the scene so well that I could absolutely see the flooded city with the phosphorescent glowing graffiti. And as good as the worldbuilding was, the magic system was even better (or the superhero powers system, whatever.) I don't want to give too much away, but in this book, David starts to understand more about how the powers and weaknesses fit together, and starts to piece together some of the explanations - although there's certainly a lot of explanations left for the third book… I can't wait! 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: This will make basically no sense if you haven't read the first book, but if you like superhero stories or Sanderson's other books, the series is pretty great.

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LibraryThing member adamwolf

I liked this quite a bit more than the first one!

LibraryThing member anyaejo

I was really excited about the change in location at the beginning but hit a major slump in the middle. Once I got to the last 1/3 though I was hooked and telling the boy just one more page before dinner ;). Sanderson can still completely surprise me after so many books and I can't wait to find out

how everything ends!

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LibraryThing member tapestry100

The followup to Brandon Sanderson's Steelheart finds the Reckoners now in charge of the city of Nercago, but David feels they need broaden their influence, so they set their sets for Babylon Restored, what was once Manhattan. There they take on the High Epic Regalia and her hang of thugs, both Epic

and human. David searches for answers to questions that the fall of Steelheart left him, while at the same time trying to figure out what Reglia's larger plan is for the city.

As much as I enjoyed Steelheart, I enjoyed Firefight even more. The twists and turns of the story were great, and as more answers to what the Epics actually are are answered, the more I want to know about the final outcome of the story. Will definitely be reading Calamity when it is released.

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LibraryThing member Guide2

Very good continuation of the Reckoners series.

LibraryThing member reading_fox

much the same as Brandon's other works. Fun fast and ultimately unfulfilling. AN interesting premise though - how do you kill someone with super powers. I'm not sure I agree with Brandon's answer though, which is to recruit some super powers to your own side. At least our hero hasn't yet developed

any... we'll see if Brandon can maintain that purity.

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LibraryThing member acargile

Firefight is the second of the Reckoners series, which is a planned trilogy. If you liked Steelheart, you’ll like this just as well. Do not read this review or the book if you haven’t read Steelheart—it’ll spoil the entire 1st book!

The people of Newcago have started coming out of hiding now

that Steelheart is dead, but a couple of Epics have shown up that David and the Reckoners have had to kill. The Professor believes that Regalia, the Epic of Babylon Restored (formally known as Manhattan) is trying to persuade the Professor to come to her by sending these Epics to Newcago. The Professor takes David and Tia to find out. David has a new theory that maybe Epics can be more like the Professor and can fight their evil side to use their powers for good instead of evil. They argue repeatedly about this idea, but David really wants to save Firefight.

Babylon Restored is nothing like Newcago. Regalia can control water, so the high rises are now mostly submerged and there are strange plants, fruit, and paint that lights the city at night; the people say Dawnslight is an Epic and is responsible for this. For some reason the people prefer the nights, coming out to party and swim. They don’t hide and they want to enjoy life even though an Epic could kill them at any time. David has to adjust to the people and their laid-back attitude as well as his fear of water. They join the Reckoner cell and plan to destroy Regalia, who is an old friend of Tia and the Professor.

I really like this series. It’s just a lot of fun! If you like Iron Man, these books are similar—they have almost non-stop action and they’re snarky. There was a short story that is available on Overdrive called “Mitosis” that you may also want to read. What’s not to like? Fights, powers, good vs. evil, youth exuberance, weapons, and a weird world. Enjoy!

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LibraryThing member stefferoo

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Brandon Sanderson, and I admit I usually go into his books with higher than average expectations. Still, I rarely find myself disappointed. There’s just something about his style of writing and storytelling that really appeals to me, and the truth is, the

man is a font of utterly amazing and creative ideas.

In 2013 Sanderson brought us Steelheart, the first book in The Reckoners series about superheroes gone bad, and I loved every moment of it. So you can imagine my excitement when I received the Firefight audiobook for review! This book is the highly anticipated sequel, and I couldn’t wait to get back to David Charleston and his fellow freedom fighters, joining them on their continuing mission to neutralize Epics and end their oppression. After destroying Steelheart and freeing the city of Newcago from his reign of terror, the Reckoners are headed to Babylon Restored, formerly New York City, to seek out more High Epics to defeat.

Their latest target is Regalia, a High Epic with water-based abilities who rules Babylar. Sanderson once again proves he is the master of world-building the instant we enter the city by way of a boat, because most of what used to be Manhattan is submerged. If I had any reservations at all about the story and characters leaving Newcago for another setting, they were dashed as soon as I encountered Babylar’s watery landscape – er, seascape. Regalia has crafted hills and valleys out of the surrounding ocean using her Epic abilities, and what’s more, there’s a mysterious power in Babylar causing strange things to happen, like graffiti to glow and luminescent fruit to grow in abundance in what’s left of the skyscrapers visible above water. The result is this mind-boggling tableau of a post-apocalyptic city with an otherworldly, almost magical quality to its appearance.

In departing Newcago for Babylar, we’re also leaving a couple of characters behind, namely Cody and Abraham. However, the story makes up for that by introducing us to several new faces as Prof, Tia and David team up with the members of the Reckoners cell in Babylar. Val, Exel and Mizzy are all fascinating additions to the book, but I have a feeling it is the latter who will steal the hearts of many readers, due to her perkiness and loveable personality.

Obviously, a big part of this book also involves David’s conflicted feelings about Megan AKA Firefight, the girl who infiltrated the Reckoners and stole their secrets along with David’s heart. What I really thought was great is that David’s soft spot for Megan is more than just a typical vapid “forbidden love” side plot; besides causing friction with Prof and his new Babylar teammates, David’s relationship with Firefight also serves as the catalyst for huge things to come at the end of the novel.

When it comes to our main man, David is his entertaining, goofy yet charming self. I know some readers have expressed annoyance at these books so far because of the horrible metaphors David makes or the absurdity of some of the Epics’ weaknesses, claiming that these factors weaken the series by making it seem ridiculous. It’s a fair point, though on some level I think you have to see them as the running gags they’re meant to be. David’s attempts at metaphors may be cringe-worthy and pathetic, but they add some much needed humor to this otherwise very bleak world where Epics who by all rights should be humanity’s heroes turn out instead to be our worst nightmare.

This is probably also a good time to mention how much I enjoyed Firefight in audio format. Initially, I had qualms about tackling the audiobook – after all, a bad narrator can ruin the whole experience. This was absolutely not the case here, however. I believe I actually have narrator-extraordinaire MacLeod Andrews to thank for feeling a lot more connected to David’s character in this sequel than I did in Steelheart.

Andrews has narrated a lot of books and I’ve had experience with his work before, but I don’t remember being as blown away as I was with his performance here. You can tell with some audiobooks when the narrator is really enjoying themselves; they add their own inflections and other nuances as they’re reading, becoming the character. This is definitely one of those situations. For me, Andrews became David. Reading the character’s silly jokes on paper might fall flat for some readers, but the lines come to life when delivered by MacLeod Andrews. David is no doubt meant to be a little awkward, and somehow Andrews is able to convey that while still managing to sound very natural and real at the same time.

All told, I would say Firefight is another winner from Brandon Sanderson. New setting also means new heroes and new villains, and I’m glad things like that are keeping the series fresh. Arguably, there are even more twists and turns here than in Steelheart, with Regalia and her Epic minions like the wily Newton and utterly psychotic Obliteration mercilessly playing cat-and-mouse with the Reckoners. I loved the unpredictability of the plot, since it’s so rare that a Young Adult novel can capture my attention and keep me in suspense from beginning to end. The YA categorization is debatable though, as these books can most certainly be enjoyed by a much wider audience. I for one would recommend this to young adult and adult readers alike. Seriously worth your time.

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LibraryThing member Skybalon

Another solid Sanderson effort. The world-building was mostly accomplished in the first book but is continued nicely here. If you liked the first book, you'll like this one and want to finish the trilogy.

LibraryThing member Narilka

It used to be called New York City. Now they call it Babylon Restored or Babilar for short. Regalia, an Epic with powers tied to water, has flooded the city and made herself its ruler. She has been sending minor Epics to Newcago as a way to lure The Reckoners to her domain. But why? What is

Regalia's goal? It's obviously a trap and what better way to find out what's going on than to deliberately spring it.

Firefight is the second book in The Reckoners trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. The story begins a few months afterSteelheart. We are dropped straight into the action as the team is in the middle of a mission to take out an Epic named Sourcefield. It turns out that Sourcefield was sent by another Epic as a sort of gauntlet thrown down in challenge. Naturally the Reckoners accept the challenge to find out what's going on. And, of course, to kill some Epics while they're at it.

With the change in location comes a slight change in story. With David's quest for revenge over, he has to decide what's next for him. How do you find a new purpose in life to fill in the hole that's left behind? The story becomes a lot more introspective as David ponders these questions along with what is the true nature of Epics. Where do their powers come from? How are their weaknesses determined? Maybe things are not so random after all. Through it all David remains highly likeable and he still can't get the hang of how to create a good metaphor. Here's one of my favorite examples:

I needed to say something. Something romantic! Something to sweep her off her feet.

"You're like a potato!" I shouted after her. "In a minefield."

She froze in place. Then she spun on me, her face lit by a half-grown fruit. "A potato," she said flatly. "That’s the best you can do? Seriously?"

"It makes sense," I said. "Listen. You’re strolling through a minefield, worried about getting blown up. And then you step on something, and you think, 'I'm dead.' But it’s just a potato. And you’re so relieved to find something so wonderful when you expected something so awful. That's what you are. To me."

"A potato."

"Sure. French fries? Mashed potatoes? Who doesn't like potatoes?"

"Plenty of people. Why can't I be something sweet, like a cake?"

"Because cake wouldn’t grow in a minefield. Obviously."

Yep, that is David trying to be romantic. Speaking of, yes there is a romantic plot in this one. No, it's not like your typical YA romance, see quote above, and I found it endearing.

We're also introduced to some new characters. Only 3 members of the original team travel to the next city and we're introduced to a second Reckoners cell. It's interesting at just how small and specialized these teams are. The team in Babilar seemed to be primarily about recon before David and crew show up for the action.

The story is fast paced and action packed. In true Sanderson style there are a couple more plot twists, a great reveal or two and an even deeper mystery to solve. I can't wait to see how it all wraps up in the final book.

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LibraryThing member TysonAdams

Ever wonder what Waterworld would have been like with supervillains in it? Yeah, me neither.

In the second instalment of The Reckoners, David Charleston has become Steelslayer: killer of Epics. Which means that Newcago, whilst freed from tyranny, has regular visits from Epics intent on killing

Steelslayer. The Reckoners discover that the ruler of Babilar (Manhattan) has been sending these assassins, so they go to confront Regalia, an Epic from Prof's past. Because that will end well.

Firefight is an interesting sequel to Steelheart in that the first book was about revenge, whilst this novel was about trying to understand your enemy. In fact, it even flirts with the idea that evil can't be addressed with killing but instead requires compassion. Pretty heady stuff for a YA novel. Don't worry, there are fights, guns, and even some swords in the story too.*

This was an enjoyable read. If anything it had more humorous similes (or is that metaphors?) that were such a welcome feature of the protagonist's narration. I'm looking forward to finishing the series with book three: Calamity.

*Can't sneak the moral indoctrination in without a bit of violence to hide it.

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LibraryThing member MommaTracey

Another great book! Loving the series. So much to enjoy

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