What if the supers from The Incredibles were real? But instead of fighting bad guys, they were the bad guys? That's the question posed by Brandon Sanderson's Steelheart, the first in a trilogy.
Ten years ago, David watched his father murdered by Steelheart in a bloody bank robbery. As an Epic superhuman, Steelheart was deemed invincible. But David saw the Epic bleed that day, and he's the only human alive who knows that Steelheart has a flaw. Now 18, David has spent the past 10 years studying the Epics and learning their weaknesses and their patterns. Every Epic has a distinct power, but David has discovered that every Epic also has a fatal flaw. He joins up with the Reckoners, humans who are the only armed insurgents foolish enough to challenge the Epics. David must convince the group he has a plan that will bring down the Epics one by one, until they can take on Steelheart.
Adult author Sanderson (the Wheel of Time series) delivers a thrilling YA debut. He creates interesting, multidimensional bad guys, and the good guys (especially David) evolve throughout the story. The author moves from battle to battle, deepening the characters as he goes. In a crowded space of dystopian adventures, Sanderson gives readers a fresh, exciting story fueled by adrenaline. This plot-driven fantasy with a sympathetic teen protagonist and a powerful love interest will lure even reluctant readers. It's a confection with enough high-tech gadgetry and action sequences to keep everyone entertained and waiting for more. --Nan Shipley, literary scout