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THIS. WAS. SCUDDING. FANTASTIC!
Although I enjoy a sci-fi read every once and awhile, I can't remember the last time I was so captivated by the world and story of one. I usually enjoy the rides, get confused by the technology and science behind all of it, still continue to enjoy the story, and say quickly good-bye to the characters who'll always stay partly alien to me. Skyward hit different though, and I can safely say I'm utterly obsessed with everything about this book. So don't mind me as I'm trying to find the right words to express my love for this book, and if you happen to find any typos or sentences that don't make sense, blame it on the fact that I got no hilarious AI with brilliant programming that helps me locate any mistakes by my side.
It's no secret that Brandon Sanderson's inspiration is found in the trope of the "boy and the dragon" which is considered a classic but can still be found in various variants until today. However, he managed to create something utterly new and refreshing out of it that doesn't lose any of the magic of the original trope while still providing the readers with a new addicting story that makes it impossible to put the book aside.
From the very beginning, I was intrigued with Spensa as the protagonist who is a strongwilled, determined, stubborn warrior - or at least wants to be one. Watching her on her journey was easy and hard because it was no trouble to connect to her at all. Her past is a burden to her, but yet she finds the will to fight and move on, and no matter how many stones are set onto her path, she finds a way. I loved seeing her grow as a character as she was facing the ups and downs during flight school, longing to become a pilot and roaming the sky, trying to answer the always recurring questions of what might be the truth and what not, and finding the balance between cowardice and bravery.
However, she wasn't the only character I came to admire and love deeply. In fact, it was hard to not love them all. There is just something comforting to see character that would unlikely become friends elsewhere bond and become some sort of family. And if you have been with me for a while, you know that's the kind of friendships I'm always weak for. The flight crew had this sense of a found family, and it was all too easy for me to feel for each of them. To laugh with them. To cry with them. To just be with them.
This is not where it ends, though. Despite the amazing cast of characters, there two individuals that loved to steal every single scene, and I'm glad they did as I have become utterly obsessed with them: M-Bot and Doomslug. I already knew I would like them - thanks to all my friends obsessing over them - but I didn't expect to love them so much. Especially, M-Bot deserves a whole book of his own. While I always had fascination with AIs in fiction - a honorable mention goes to JARVIS - M-Bot really climbed up the pedestal to be the number one. I can't remember the last time a character made me laugh this much.
All of this - the incredible character, the classic theme of the boy and the dragon so brilliantly reworked in Spensa finding M-Bot - should be already reason enough for you to pick up this book, but there's more: the astounding worldbuilding. It should be obvious by now how much I love great worldbuilding in books that just makes sense. However, I do have to confess I usually have a hard time understanding the worlds in science fiction, simply because it's easier to understand to me why magic works a certain way than why this technology is superior to another. I guess my lack of knowledge in physics might play into this. What is remarkable I had no problem understanding the logics in Skyward. I do have to admit the little sketches of the ships and flight maneuvers inside of the book helped. But it was the way Sanderson explained certain aspects of flying such as the g-forces that just made sense, even if fictional elements were introduced to it. And it's not just that. Unlike with other Science Fiction, we don't get promptly thrown into a whole galaxy we need to wrap our minds around, but only see a fraction of what could be a much larger world, which helps grasp the rules of this world before we might get any extension of it. Though, I do have to add this is a whole personal experience, but I believe I never had as much fun with a science-fiction world as I did with the one in this story.
As this was my first piece of fiction by Brandon Sanderson, I didn't know what to expect, and put myself under lots of pressure because so many of my friends go crazy for his books, and I just wanted to go crazy for them as well. I shouldn't have worried, and I definitely should put more trust into my friends as I'm making this official: I'm a fan, and impatiently waiting to be able to read everything this man has ever written. There's is just something amazing about how every aspect of this book just works so perfectly. The worldbuilding, characters, pace, twists, and emotions. And I can't remember the last time I had this many good laughs while I was reading.
Now all I want to do is change the settings to my Alexa to use the male voice, and rename it M-Bot. I definitely have to discuss this, this has to happen. Even though, the brilliance would never be comparable to M-Bot. But maybe someone can write such a skill for Alexa? Anyone? Please??
Ultimately, Skyward was a hell of a ride, and has quickly become a favorite. I simply loved every aspect of this book, and I don't see why I should tell you to read it as I feel like the last person that has done so, but in case you haven't, do it because you won't regret it. I can't wait to finally be able to dive into [b:Starsight|42769202|Starsight (Skyward, #2)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569876576l/42769202._SY75_.jpg|66521196] as soon as I have finished the short story [b:Defending Elysium|13552643|Defending Elysium|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390389456l/13552643._SX50_.jpg|19121052] which is set into the same universe as this series. You definitely won't see me shutting up about this book anytime soon.
Although I enjoy a sci-fi read every once and awhile, I can't remember the last time I was so captivated by the world and story of one. I usually enjoy the rides, get confused by the technology and science behind all of it, still continue to enjoy the story, and say quickly good-bye to the characters who'll always stay partly alien to me. Skyward hit different though, and I can safely say I'm utterly obsessed with everything about this book. So don't mind me as I'm trying to find the right words to express my love for this book, and if you happen to find any typos or sentences that don't make sense, blame it on the fact that I got no hilarious AI with brilliant programming that helps me locate any mistakes by my side.
It's no secret that Brandon Sanderson's inspiration is found in the trope of the "boy and the dragon" which is considered a classic but can still be found in various variants until today. However, he managed to create something utterly new and refreshing out of it that doesn't lose any of the magic of the original trope while still providing the readers with a new addicting story that makes it impossible to put the book aside.
From the very beginning, I was intrigued with Spensa as the protagonist who is a strongwilled, determined, stubborn warrior - or at least wants to be one. Watching her on her journey was easy and hard because it was no trouble to connect to her at all. Her past is a burden to her, but yet she finds the will to fight and move on, and no matter how many stones are set onto her path, she finds a way. I loved seeing her grow as a character as she was facing the ups and downs during flight school, longing to become a pilot and roaming the sky, trying to answer the always recurring questions of what might be the truth and what not, and finding the balance between cowardice and bravery.
However, she wasn't the only character I came to admire and love deeply. In fact, it was hard to not love them all. There is just something comforting to see character that would unlikely become friends elsewhere bond and become some sort of family. And if you have been with me for a while, you know that's the kind of friendships I'm always weak for. The flight crew had this sense of a found family, and it was all too easy for me to feel for each of them. To laugh with them. To cry with them. To just be with them.
This is not where it ends, though. Despite the amazing cast of characters, there two individuals that loved to steal every single scene, and I'm glad they did as I have become utterly obsessed with them: M-Bot and Doomslug. I already knew I would like them - thanks to all my friends obsessing over them - but I didn't expect to love them so much. Especially, M-Bot deserves a whole book of his own. While I always had fascination with AIs in fiction - a honorable mention goes to JARVIS - M-Bot really climbed up the pedestal to be the number one. I can't remember the last time a character made me laugh this much.
All of this - the incredible character, the classic theme of the boy and the dragon so brilliantly reworked in Spensa finding M-Bot - should be already reason enough for you to pick up this book, but there's more: the astounding worldbuilding. It should be obvious by now how much I love great worldbuilding in books that just makes sense. However, I do have to confess I usually have a hard time understanding the worlds in science fiction, simply because it's easier to understand to me why magic works a certain way than why this technology is superior to another. I guess my lack of knowledge in physics might play into this. What is remarkable I had no problem understanding the logics in Skyward. I do have to admit the little sketches of the ships and flight maneuvers inside of the book helped. But it was the way Sanderson explained certain aspects of flying such as the g-forces that just made sense, even if fictional elements were introduced to it. And it's not just that. Unlike with other Science Fiction, we don't get promptly thrown into a whole galaxy we need to wrap our minds around, but only see a fraction of what could be a much larger world, which helps grasp the rules of this world before we might get any extension of it. Though, I do have to add this is a whole personal experience, but I believe I never had as much fun with a science-fiction world as I did with the one in this story.
As this was my first piece of fiction by Brandon Sanderson, I didn't know what to expect, and put myself under lots of pressure because so many of my friends go crazy for his books, and I just wanted to go crazy for them as well. I shouldn't have worried, and I definitely should put more trust into my friends as I'm making this official: I'm a fan, and impatiently waiting to be able to read everything this man has ever written. There's is just something amazing about how every aspect of this book just works so perfectly. The worldbuilding, characters, pace, twists, and emotions. And I can't remember the last time I had this many good laughs while I was reading.
Now all I want to do is change the settings to my Alexa to use the male voice, and rename it M-Bot. I definitely have to discuss this, this has to happen. Even though, the brilliance would never be comparable to M-Bot. But maybe someone can write such a skill for Alexa? Anyone? Please??
Ultimately, Skyward was a hell of a ride, and has quickly become a favorite. I simply loved every aspect of this book, and I don't see why I should tell you to read it as I feel like the last person that has done so, but in case you haven't, do it because you won't regret it. I can't wait to finally be able to dive into [b:Starsight|42769202|Starsight (Skyward, #2)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569876576l/42769202._SY75_.jpg|66521196] as soon as I have finished the short story [b:Defending Elysium|13552643|Defending Elysium|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390389456l/13552643._SX50_.jpg|19121052] which is set into the same universe as this series. You definitely won't see me shutting up about this book anytime soon.