Starsight

Skyward #2

by Brandon Sanderson, Funda Akkaya (Translator)

“Bir kahraman imtihanlarını seçmez.”

Spensa hayatı boyunca pilot olmayı hayal eder. Gökyüzüne ulaşmayı başarır ama onun gibi bir kahraman olmayı hayal ettiği babası hakkında öğrendiği gerçekler yıkıcıdır. Genç kız, bu hikâyede anlatılandan fazlası olduğuna emindir. Tıpkı o yıldız gemisinde babasına her ne olduysa kendi başına da gelebileceğinden emin olduğu gibi. Gezegeninin koruyucu kabuğunun dışına çıktığında yıldızları duyar ve bu, kelimenin tam anlamıyla onu dehşete düşürür. Spensa’nın kendisi ve galaksinin kalanı hakkında öğrendikleri her şeyi değiştirecektir.

New York Times çoksatan yazarı Brandon Sanderson, Skyward’la başladığı, geleceği için savaşan bir genç kızın insanlığın kaderini değiştirecek sırlarla dolu hikâyesine devam ediyor.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Space, Adventure

548 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2019

About the author

I’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.

The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.

During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.

Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.

November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.

Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.

I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.

Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!

Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.

I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.

Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.

Reviews

[Emily (Books with Emily Fox on Youtube) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished a book... who am I?!

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland)]

In some ways I liked this more than the first book but in others I preferred the first. This vastly expanded the universe which was so cool, I think it’s the most alien-y book I’ve read. But it was also so different than the first book. Totally different characters and setting and new challenges and obstacles, but also quite a few convenient plot points in the beginning that I kind of had to look past. I did see where the story was going to go very early on, so it was kind of predictable at some points but there were also some things that really surprised me. Overall this was a great mix of fun wit and action filled moments that totally built upon the world you come to know in the first book and I’m very eager for the next instalment!

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love love LOVE IT! 😉😘



I love this cover sooooo much ❌⭕️



Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey, would you look at that, I'm actually writing a review. I can't remember last time I wrote a review instead of just a short reaction to a book.

SO. Starsight. This was my most anticipated read of the year. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes and no. It did live up to my expectations because it was a solid installment of the series and it made me want to know what happens in the next book. It did not live up to my expectations because of the direction the story went in - I did not expect it to be slower paced than the first book nor did I think the plot would go in the direction that it did.

Since I was reading it quite slowly, I decided to listen to the audiobook as well as read it; I found that this helped me become more invested in the story and when I neared the last 100 pages or so of the book, I switched back to reading it because I had to know what happened.

While this wasn't the most exciting book at times, I think it was a solid sequel to Skyward and once again, the main character, Spensa, grew throughout the book.

Now, let's get into more of the specifics of the book.

Plot
I'm not going to talk much about this because of spoilers, but the book leaves off a couple of months after Skyward.

Characters
I can't really talk much about the characters either since new ones are introduced, but Spensa, Jorgen, Kimmalyn, and M-Bot are all in this story.

Themes
I don't normally talk about themes, but I think the themes in Starsight were important. This story explored collectivism vs. individuality, prejudice, and biases. Although Brandon explores these themes, it never seems like he just 'threw' these themes in just for the sake of it. These themes are important to the story and it helps the reader understand more about the universe that Spensa and the other characters live in. This book also shows how important it is to look passed one's biases and listen to others, even if they may be different than you. Without these themes, I think I would've rated this book lower because I think it would've been a disservice to the story. Brandon really handled these themes well and it added so much to the story.

Okay, so now I'm going to get into some spoilers...

- I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED TO M-BOT?! I know I shouldn't have been THAT upset about what happened to him, but I am.
- So doomslug's species is a hyperdrive???
- Winzik is AWFUL and Brade is awful, too. I do feel bad for Brade, though.
- I love the kitsen and Morriumur.
- That scene where Spensa showed Cuna who she really was is SO powerful. I really hope that Cuna survived.
- That ending?! I have no idea where the next book will start now. Will Brandon explore the nowhere??? Will it start with her back on Detritus? I have SO MANY QUESTIONS.

General Thoughts
Overall, this was a solid installment of the story. While I may have enjoyed Skyward a little better, I think that this installment was better and really helped build the world. I'm very much looking forward to book three and I'd recommend this book to anyone who read Skyward.

Rating: 4 or 4.5/5 stars



=====
What was that ending????

Now I have to wait years for book 3?

UGH.

Review to come.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

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Happy Publication Day!

Can't wait to see what happens.

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[11/19] JUST ONE MORE WEEK.

As you can tell, I'm NOT excited about this book at all. Nope, not at all.
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[8/16] The release date was announced so I'm moving this to my to-read shelf because I know I'll be reading it the day it comes out (hopefully). I'm SUPER excited for this book.

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[5/31] THE COVER IS HERE AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

====
Dear Brandon,

Can you please release this book as quickly as possible?

I need to know what happens to Spensa and her friends.

Sincerely,

A Fan

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contrary to my expectations, Starsight was an incredibly fun and engaging sequel to Skyward.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about reading Starsight. This isn’t because I didn’t enjoy Skyward. But the prequel novellete to Skyward series titled Defending Elysium disappointed me greatly. And a few people have mentioned Starsight and especially Cytonic are inferior to Skyward. Well, I cannot say anything regarding Cytonic yet, but for Starsight, I am happy to say I can disagree with them. As it turns out, I didn’t need to worry about this sequel. Starsight was better than Skyward.

“A hero does not choose her trials. She steps into the darkness, then she faces what comes next.”

The story in Starsight begins a few months after the end of Skyward, and to be fair, I can understand why some readers felt disappointed with Starsight. The majority of Starsight takes place in a new setting rather than in Detritus like it was in Skyward, but I think the most determining change would be the focus on a new set of characters rather than being with Spensa and the crew of Skyward Flight. I assume readers who enter this sequel expecting more of the dynamics between Spensa and her friends from the first book would understandably be disappointed. But personally, I am pleased with this change in direction. Very pleased. Having the story center in Starsight, the name of the location, instead of Detritus allows Sanderson to expand the lore and world-building of the series. And I must say, although certainly marketed for YA readers, I think both Skyward and now Starsight are sci-fi books that can be enjoyed by adult readers when they’re in need of a fast-paced and addictive read with enough characterizations and actions.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with humans. I find their frail, emotionally unstable, irrational natures quite endearing.”

Like most readers who enjoyed Skyward, I would have loved more of Spensa with Jorgen, Cobb, and the rest of her crew. I will not deny that. However, Starsight did wonderfully develop Spensa’s and M-Bot’s characterizations and developments by having them meet a new set of characters. The setting in Starsight felt more vibrant and lively. And yes, the interaction between Spensa and M-Bot was one of my favorite parts about Starsight. Plus, it’s not like the new characters were ever uninteresting. For example, Hesho is precious, funny, and entertaining. Every time he spouted out his poetry and badass lines with his relatively small and adorable physical features, I could not help but smile. I do not think Starsight would’ve been this fun to read if the story, once again, took place only in Detritus with the same set of characters. Sanderson has to progress and expand the series, and in Starsight, we learn so much more about the universe, the Krells, and plenty of new alien races.

“When you’re young, you can assume that everyone older than you has life figured out. Once you get command yourself, you realize we’re all just the same kids wearing older bodies.”

With Spensa and the new group of characters, Sanderson explored the themes of empathy, understanding, and the awfulness of war. Note that the war and battles in Starsight were never gory or explicit in their delivery. But the result and injustice of the circumstances were still painted nicely. And in my opinion, the pacing is the one thing that, in my opinion, Sanderson does absolutely well in Starsight. There were a few sections in Skyward where the training montage felt slightly sluggish or too repetitive for me. I did not get that in Starsight. The dialogues were amusing, the actions were tense enough, and the running espionage was compelling. Reading Spensa trying her best to navigate the new political intrigues of a new world while having to keep her real identity hidden made me turn the pages faster than I thought I would. More importantly, there was almost always something new to learn in every new chapter, such as The Delvers, Doomslug, M-Bot, the abilities of the Cytonics, the secret of the Hyperdrive, and more.

“That's what war is… A bunch of sorry, desperate fools on both sides, just trying to stay alive. That's the part that those stories you love leave out, isn't it? It's always more convenient when you can fight a dragon. Something you don't have to worry you'll start caring about.”

Picture: Starsight by Ben McSweeney



I’m sure I read the last 100 pages of Starsight in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. I will admit, though, that the order of the last chapter and epilogue in Starsight did not give me any satisfaction or shocking reading experience. Maybe the purpose was for misdirection, but it serves only as a misconception; I thought the chapters were misprinted or put in the wrong order. I saw some comments saying it was brilliant, and I have to disagree. But overall, this did not influence my enjoyment of Starsight. I haven’t read The Reckoners and Rithmatist yet, so I can’t say anything regarding their quality. However, from Skyward and Starsight, Sanderson proved he can write page-turning fantasy or sci-fi books for the adult or young adult audience. I look forward to reading Skyward Flight collection of novellas and Cytonic next month. Many have mentioned that Cytonic is the weakest of the series so far. Even Sanderson stated it is one of the books he had the most difficulty writing and getting it right. However, I will keep my fingers crossed that the book somehow turned out well. Just like Starsight did for me.

“We have grown complacent, timid. I fear that a little aggression, a little strife, might be exactly what we need. Or else…or else we will fall to the first wolf that sneaks past the gates.”

You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

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[TS Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starsight proves once again that Brandon Sanderson is a masterful storyteller across genres and age groups, and who simply excels at writing sequels.

I'm actually at a loss as to how to start or write this review without sounding like a broken record. As far as I'm concerned, Sanderson is a genius and he has never failed to deliver a captivating story, whether he was writing adult or young adult, fantasy or science fiction. And after reading so much from him and listening to him talk at signings and interviews, I honestly believed that it comes from his passion in just wanting to tell good stories. Notwithstanding the excellent worldbuilding and fantastic magic systems he is so well-known for these were, first and foremost, stories about people.

A hero does not choose her trials.

Starsight is another damn fine young adult novel by Sanderson.  In Skyward, Spensa, a teenage pilot who was trying very hard to proof that she was as brave and courageous as her father, discovered some hard and devastating truths. Her character development in the first book was convincing and realistic for a girl undergoing what she had to.  Spensa continued to learn and grow in this sequel, as she was thrown into a position that contradicted her nature, and the stakes were a lot higher as she became embroiled in galactic political machinations.  One of the best parts of her characterisation was that the life lessons experience taught her actually stick. In short, she didn't regress to some of the silly antics that she used to do just for some plot device's sake. In a couple of early scenes, she readily told the truth about what she was trying to do even though it sounded stupid or dangerous. I really shouldn't need to mention how this was commendable, but I'm tired of how some authors make their characters lie or withhold information for the sake of creating tension or drama.

Do I even need to mention that the worldbuilding was excellent and fascinating? This is Brandon Sanderson we're talking about. From the planet Detritus and its orbital platforms to the central seat of power of the universe, the scope of the worldbuilding increased substantially in this sequel.  And from the deep and vast ocean of his imagination, Sanderson created and breathed life to a myriad of weird and wonderful alien races or beings that are well-conceived and well-executed. While they may appear strange in their form, physiology, culture and philosophy, I also somehow felt that they were quite believable. It's really hard for me to explain why without giving away details. This is one of those books that I cannot reveal anything about the plot, for even the book's synopsis did not say much. I enjoyed myself immensely going in as blind as I could be, so I hoped the same experience could be had for those who read this review.

The themes that Sanderson threaded through this story are highly relevant to what we are facing in our real world; presumption, prejudices, and the inability to understand (or even accept) that which is foreign.  These were not done in a preachy nor heavy-handed manner (which is typically not Sanderson's method, anyway).  He was able to achieve this by showing instead of telling, and I'm positive that he just keeps getting better at it with every book he has written.  This skill of incorporating the worldbuilding through the eyes of the main character extended to even the ideology or thematic commentary of the story.  The realisation of certain ideas or notions hit me at the same time that it hit Spensa.  And almost every time it happened, I felt the same emotions that Spensa did.  If this is not brilliant writing, I don't know what is.  The worldbuilding and themes were just so seamlessly melded into Spensa's character growth.  I'm not forgetting the fan favourites, of course.  The uber-cute Doomslug gained importance to the story, and the ship AI with an attitude, M-Bot, had some interesting developments in his 'sentience'.  M-Bot's story was quite moving, and I teared up in one scene, which to me demonstrated how powerful this narrative was about an AI who wants to become more than just a programme.  Frankly, it is also a bit scary as how would one really know whether M-Bot could morph into something uncontrollable.

"You've lived your whole life with autonomy.  For me it's a new, hazardous thing - a weapon I've been handed with no instructions.  I might be on my way to becoming something terrible, something I don't understand and cannot anticipate."

I've raved about the dogfighting scenes in my review of Skyward.  While there were fewer dogfights in Starsight, there were still enough well-written and awesome action scenes to make this book an exciting and fun read. The big climax at end of this book when we reach the hallmark Sanderlanche was much bigger in scale and quite terrifying. One of the coolest worldbuilding elements in Starsight would fit right into a scifi horror movie.  Sanderson's action scenes are always so cinematic and have such visual clarity.  It doesn't matter whether it's a magic or space battle, you can see everything that is happening. The use of light-lances was such an inventive way of creating a more dramatic aerial battle scene. It pushes the boundaries of real flight patterns to make it more fantastical, but also seem highly plausible and infinitely more interesting.

Fast-paced and utterly absorbing, Starsight ended with somewhat of a cliffhanger, but it didn't leave me feeling unsatisfied.  Although I do wish that the third book can be written soon, Sanderson has two Cosmere books to complete next which I'm even more eager to get my hands on.

With Starsight, Spensa's story has exploded into an exhilarating, high-stakes space adventure filled with the strange and the wonderful, but at the same time, remain grounded with compelling and loveable characters.

You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

i can feel it in my spidey senses tingle that this is going to be a 5 star book

update: spidey senses were off

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars for Brandon Sanderson's latest novel, which is on sale now! Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:

“A hero doesn’t choose her trials.”

Spensa can’t help but hear her Gran-Gran’s voice saying these words to her every time Spensa balks at a new trouble in her life. And Spensa — a magnet for trouble — has plenty of occasions to remember these words.

In Starsight, the sequel to Brandon Sanderson’s young adult science fiction novel Skyward, the few humans who remain have been trapped on the barren planet of Detritus for several decades, with alien guardians who frequently attack the human colony with their fighter spaceships, preventing them from leaving Detritus. Spensa is a hot-headed young fighter pilot who revels in the space battles with the alien Krell, and lately she’s been pushing the envelope in those battles, in the hope that getting herself into deadly danger will trigger her latent cytonic ability, allowing her to hyperjump or teleport herself and her ship through space … and possibly open up a way for the humans to escape Detritus.

Thanks in part to Spensa’s ability to “hear” the aliens’ remote commands, the humans have been able to push the boundaries of the battle out farther from the planet itself. So when a small single alien spaceship of unknown design appears by their space defense platforms, Spensa is sent to intercept it. She finds the ship is already damaged and its pilot is injured. Before the pilot sinks into a coma, she gives Spensa a warning, combined with a plea to go to a huge deep-space station called Starsight. This may be the opportunity the humans have been looking for to steal the aliens’ hyperdrive technology, but the risks are as immense as the potential rewards.

I liked Skyward, but I think Starsight is a more unique and engaging novel. Starsight took a sharp turn in a new direction early on, and Sanderson throws in several game-changer developments throughout the novel, keeping both Spensa and the reader on their toes. It wasn’t at all the sequel I expected, and I enjoyed it all the more because of that. Spensa’s horizons and the worldbuilding in this universe both expand exponentially. Starsight is not just a place, it’s also a description of the visions Spensa sees when she’s in the nowhere of hyperspace: stars that are also eyes, focusing their malevolent view on Spensa. Those hate-filled eyes turn out to be significant to both the past and present events.

Spensa is slowly learning to curb her more reckless impulses and play better with others … well, at least some of the time. If I have a complaint about this novel, it’s that Spensa’s inner thoughts, and the frequent dogmatic declarations she makes to herself about the evils of certain alien individuals and their society, telegraph fairly clearly that Spensa is going to be slapped with a reason to re-examine her internal presumptions and prejudices. Still, I found these perspective changes truly touching when they occurred.

This theme of self-examination and personal identity is reflected in several different characters, particularly M-Bot, Spensa’s AI companion that drives her spaceship. M-Bot is still funny in that annoying way, but he’s also an artificial intelligence having an existential crisis, which adds an interesting flavor to the story. Even the surprisingly delightful Doomslug turns out to be far important than she first appeared.

There are a few interludes in between chapters, featuring some familiar secondary characters, that begin as fairly simple fleshing out of their characters and the world of Detritus, but end in a significant discovery that will almost certainly play a key role in the next book in the SKYWARD series. Between that and the rather cliffhangerish ending of Starsight, I’m searching for a way to teleport myself into the future and get a copy of the next book in this series now rather than in 2021!

Prior comments: If you liked Skyward, I think Starsight is even better! So many gamechangers here, and they’re just so much fun. I have to say the blurb for this is about the most non-informative blurb I've ever seen (it basically just recaps the first book) ... but there are Reasons for that, and I want to honor that by not giving away too much about the plot. But Doomslug turns out to be important, which warms my cold tired heart. M-Bot is a key player as well, and still funny in that annoying way, but he's also an AI having an existential crisis, which added an interesting flavor to the story. And Spensa finds out that you can't just rely on your initial impressions of individuals and their societies, and also that prejudices - both against or in favor of someone - can lead you astray.

Thanks so much to Penguin Random House for sending me the ARC!

Initial post: I just opened a package with the hardback ARC of this book!! I love it when the books sent to me that I didn't request are actually things I really want to read. And this immediately solves my "what to read next" question. :)

[Geek Furioso · Rating 5 out of 5]

El día que Brandon Sanderson escriba un mal libro me creeré que es mortal. Hasta el momento, sigue siendo el dios supremo de mi panteón. Nunca defrauda. Nunca.

[jasmine •｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⤷Not quite as good as book one, but I had such a fun time 🤭 Spensa is on her own in this book, which worried me because I love the Skyward crew so much, but her personal adventures were so enjoyable <3 Getting to experience Starsight as a planet and its interesting (but kinda goofy - I giggled a few times hehe) aliens was the best part !! I loved how much the world expanded beyond Detritus and human knowledge, while getting a lot of questions answered (but adding so many others at the same time ⁉️) Plus my jaw was on the floor quite a few times... Spensa spent time with a whole new set of characters who are just as funny and charming (Hesho and his crazy long names is too iconic) 🙂‍↕️ The romance crumbs are lowkey really cute :) Crazy cliffhanger as always but I already love this series sm!! (I'm addicted can you tell..)

Extra: I looked up art of Cuna and got absolutely jump scared 🫣

["Can you do this?" He asked me. "Does your gut say you can?"
"Yes", I whispered. Then, more firmly, - with the strength of a warrior - I repeated it.
"Then go. I trust you."]

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic final of second installment! It was fast paced, heart throbbing, mind blowing! I don’t know how many times I jump up and down from my chair (I was acting like working on a synopsis of a new TV movie but instead of that I was reading this book in front of my pc and eating Doritos- of course blue bag-rejecting phone calls, pretending i was super busy as usual)

What a memorable journey, sci-fi universe, politics, close encounters with third kinds ! It awakens your true inner geeky personality! Freaking fantastic!

7 hours later I’m hyperventilating with tension and hyper because of action packed, excited chapters but only thing I didn’t like is absence of first book’s characters. The hinted romance at the first book gave me hope but my dreams crashed and it made me truly sad even though I loved each of the new comers the author introduced us!

But I loved it so much! If I don’t round up my 4.5 stars to 5 , I have to punch myself! I’m wordless right now! If you leave me alone in my study, probably instead of working, I would incessantly type on my screen: “ I love this book! I love this book! I love this book! ( OMG! I’m already doing it! I cannot stop! )

[Sean Barrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst not quite as awesome as Skyward, Starsight pushes the series into new and exciting directions.

The story, and the universe, has expanded drastically here. And, dare I say it, perhaps a little bit too quickly. Don’t get me wrong, the story totally needed to grow as it has, I just think it needed a little bit more time to get there with a little bit more time spent with the old familiar characters before it shot of into the stars, so to speak.

Despite this little criticism of mine, I do still rate this book and series very highly because it has gone to some spectacular places. And it is difficult for me to speak here without giving away major spoilers for the series. So, I will keep the plot details as basic as I can. The universe has opened, and Spensa has realised how small her little part of it was. And she has also discovered why her people were contained and who exactly is containing them. The malignant and all-powerful force she has feared her entire life are not what they seem. The Superiority, as they are known, are equal parts comical and genius.

The start of something spectacular

Kara Thrace – callsign Starbuck – reminds me heavily of the protagonist here. I feel like Brandon Sanderson has used elements of the brilliant Battlestar Galactica to inform his writing giving it a strong military feel. And I love it. I love to see the intensity of a fight for survival against overwhelming odds and an alien superpower with nothing but pilots and starships holding the tide at bay. This series has the same vibe and the same desperation behind each encounter. Spensa, though, is completely alone in this one as she has shot of on her own desperate mission into regions unknown.

And she encounters many bizarre and interesting alien races, each with their own customs and uniqueness. And this is where Sanderson’s imagination shines through. Original is the word I am looking for. Colour and weirdness define the genius behind the Saga comic book series, and I think Sanderson’s creative prowess is on par with his alien world.

So this is a book that moves the series on tremendously and I really do expect to see bigger and better things from the next few books.

Skyward Series
1. Skyward - 4.5 stars
2. Starsight - 4.0 stars
3. Cytonic - 3.5 stars

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[♛ may · Rating 4 out of 5]

no one:
spensa: 👩‍🚀
the delvers: 👁️ 👁️ 👁️ 👁️ 👁️ 👁️

so i definitely missed my skyward squad in this book but the ending was packed with action and reveals, i could not stop reading

rtc


👽please🌟don't🌠let⭐us☄️down🌌sando🌕

buddy read with emily, my space princess

[Ashley Nuckles · Rating 5 out of 5]

YEEEEE bring on book 3 plz

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sequel. Nah a great book by any standards. A lot has changed in the last 6 months. The right people are in charge of the humans Spensa has gotten the notoriety she deserves but is obsessed with not only craving battle but unlocking the power within her to save her people.

In this story she is once again thrown out of her comfort zone and into a mission that sounds like suicide on every front. Of course she never backs down.

"A hero does not choose her trails".

What does make her such a great hero is dispite her own self doubts her courage always manages to inspire others. Her determination to overcome is amazing like the first book there are many obstacles for her to overcome especially in the bigger universe.

A great story as soon as I finished it I wanted to read the next book. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Steven Medina · Rating 4 out of 5]

¿Puede nuestra opinión cambiar tras las segundas experiencias? Naturalmente que sí.

Las relecturas son un tema de polémica frecuente entre los millones de lectores del mundo. Hay quienes apoyan la idea de que los libros no se deben releer porque nuestro tiempo de vida es muy corto, por lo que debemos aprovechar para brindarle la oportunidad a sinfín de obras desconocidas que pueden gustarnos mucho y enseñarnos sobre la vida en general. Esa filosofía podría describirse como «entre más, mejor». Por otra parte, están los que cada cierto tiempo releen sus historias favoritas; a veces son criticados, e incluso son catalogados como «intensos». Pero como en el fondo cada quien es libre de leer lo que quiera —de hecho lo realmente importante es precisamente leer—, entonces esas personas se defienden con frases como esta: « ¿por qué debería negarme el placer de disfrutar, nuevamente, de esta historia que me encanta?» Ambas posturas son comprensibles. Por una parte podemos observar a un grupo de lectores que siempre están sedientos de historias nuevas, y por el otro lado, a un grupo de lectores que viven en el romance de repetir indefinidamente aquello que los ha marcado de por vida. Unos adictos a lo nuevo, otros apegados al pasado. En mi opinión, lo más recomendable es olvidar el tema, restarle importancia a las «clasificaciones», dejar de catalogarnos, y vivir una lectura al límite pero con flexibilidad. Una vida lectora en la que a veces recurramos a nuestras raíces para recordar de dónde venimos, pero también en la que seamos capaces de salir de nuestra zona de confort y explorar un infinito mundo literario. En mi opinión, lo mejor es disfrutar de ambas facetas, experimentar, jugar con ellas, y evitar entrar en ese mundo de repetición y monotonía que resulta echando a perder muchas de nuestras aficiones; aficiones que hoy en día hemos olvidado para siempre.

Empiezo esta reseña con esta breve reflexión, ya que justamente el tema de la relectura es importante para esta ocasión. Leí este libro en 2020, quizás esperaba más acción, pero en el fondo me gustó, por lo que en ese tiempo lo describí como «El libro informativo de la saga». En aquella vieja reseña expresé mi insatisfacción por la baja cantidad de adrenalina respecto a Escuadrón, que fue una completa locura en ese aspecto. Pero, como en esta ocasión he omitido la lectura del primer volumen —solo leyendo directamente el segundo, he descubierto que Estelar no tiene una intensidad tan baja como lo percibí previamente, y que también tiene aspectos muy interesantes para destacar. Para no alargarme demasiado con la comparación de dichas sensaciones, lo resumiré así: La primera vez tomé este libro y me atraganté con sus palabras, olvidando que masticar es necesario para disfrutar de los sabores; estaba tan excitado con lo mucho que me gustó Escuadrón, que dejé de disfrutar «el aquí, y el ahora». En esta segunda ocasión me enfoqué en prepararme para la lectura del siguiente volumen, repasando y recordando personajes, escenas, informaciones, batallas, etc. Como resultado, me vi forzado involuntariamente a masticar, permitiéndome disfrutar del libro incluso más que la primera vez.

Brandon Sanderson, en este volumen, se ha dedicado a expandir su propio cosmos, su propio universo creado. Su historia requería traspasar nuevos horizontes, presentar especies alienígenas, otorgar respuestas, dar innovaciones respecto a la tecnología, y todo eso es lo que ha realizado en este volumen. Es un argumento donde la naturaleza agresiva de Spensa, causada por el permanente riesgo de extinción, se ve contrastada por la forma pacífica de vivir de otras especies en el universo. Estos detalles combinados crean una atmósfera excelente y agradable para el lector; atmósfera, que como los buenos libros de ciencia ficción, te dejan con la sensación de querer vivir una aventura en ese mundo desconocido, como si fueras el protagonista. Es una ambientación que, basada naturalmente en la experiencia de los turistas que tienen problemas para adaptarse en un país extranjero, logra hacernos sentir mucha empatía hacia Spensa; y más, teniendo en cuenta, el rol espía que tiene que desarrollar en prácticamente toda la historia. No es fácil ser un espía, y más cuando debemos ser tan atentos para no cometer fallos en situaciones cotidianas como ir al baño, comer, hablar, etc. Asimismo, tenemos la posibilidad de observar desde una perspectiva diferente los enemigos de la raza humana; perspectiva que nos invita a comprender -o por lo menos intentar- a las personas con las que no nos llevamos bien. ¿Por qué cierta persona siente apatía por nosotros? Si nos encontráramos con una persona como nosotros mismos, ¿cómo sería nuestra reacción? Un bonito mensaje que nos deja el autor de no juzgar sin conocer. En verdad, la ambientación creada por Brandon Sanderson es uno de los mejores aspectos del libro.

De los personajes no tengo nada negativo que mencionar. Si bien es verdad que el 99% de los personajes del primer tomo han pasado a tener un rol secundario, eso no llega a convertirse en una molestia debido a que los nuevos personajes también tienen sus singularidades, y de una u otra manera no te hacen extrañar los del primer volumen. De los nuevos personajes quiero hacer una mención especial a, Morriumur, porque me parece muy interesante, no solo por las peculiaridades de su especie dione, sino también por su historia, su no-nacimiento a pesar de estar vivo, etc. Obviamente los personajes más agradables son su protagonista, Spensa, y su gran compañero, un robot llamado M-Bot. Ellos dos tienen una relación de amistad entre humana-robot tan bonita que no les niego que me da envidia. Ambos se acompañan, se escuchan, se preocupan por el otro, es tan genial como lo que muchos deseamos: un ser que te escuche cuando lo necesites, no solo en tus días de triunfo, sino en los que te sientes destrozado por la vida. Sus conversaciones son graciosas, ambos tienen un toque irónico que me encanta, y lo mejor es que se entienden tan bien que cada vez que llegas a una sección donde cruzan palabras ambos personajes, sabes que te vas a divertir pase lo que pase. Adicionalmente, sobre M-Bot, debo declarar que fue bastante inesperado leer a un robot con dilemas morales, con sueños, queriendo reproducirse, deseando decir mentiras, anhelando sentirse vivo. La verdad fue muy gracioso, aunque en el fondo te causa ternura: son muy nobles y bonitas sus pretensiones.

En lo relacionado a su prosa poco también se le puede criticar a este gran autor, aunque al inicio —quizás fue error mío— leí a una velocidad no concordante con el ritmo de la historia. Al inicio sentí muchas pausas, muchos signos, y me vi obligado a frenar en varios momentos; pero, el segundo día que leí eso no me sucedió, por lo que he quedado con la gran duda de si el inicio fue escrito con muchas pausas, o realmente fue error mío de no leer bien. No obstante, el resto de libro se lee rapidísimo, y más sus últimas 100 o 150 páginas. En ellas el argumento entra en un estado vertiginoso de adrenalina, de respuestas, de planes arriesgados a los que la protagonista se ve obligada a recurrir porque son la única esperanza de la humanidad, etc. Sí, en las demás páginas también hay escenas de acción, vuelos, y demás, pero lo mejor de esta saga siempre ha sido la adrenalina; la adrenalina de sentir que la próxima batalla puede ser la última. Como Brandon aprovecha muy bien su don de manipular las escenas para que sean extremas, obliga completamente a que la incertidumbre sea el común denominador. No hay planes, no hay tiempo para premeditar, no hay tiempo para descansar, es todo o nada, es aquí y ahora. Es una genialidad la forma como Brandon va reproduciendo su historia. Además, los capítulos tienen una duración precisa, por lo que ayuda bastante para que la lectura cada vez sea más ligera: Entre más nos sumergimos en la imaginación de Brandon Sanderson, más fácil es leer sus historias y más gratificante se vuelve nuestra experiencia.

El desenlace ha estado bien, quizás siento que en «la batalla final» todo se ha resuelto un poco fácil, por lo que me hubiera gustado la existencia de una dificultad adicional para la protagonista; no obstante, el libro te deja con el apetito suficiente para que tomes inmediatamente el siguiente volumen y te lo engullas como si nunca hubieras comido: Acción que justamente voy a realizar inmediatamente concluya esta reseña.

Siento que al final ha sido una muy buena elección realizar esta relectura porque no me acordaba siquiera del 10% del argumento principal. Suelo hacer anotaciones para refrescar mi memoria en este tipo de casos, pero ni siquiera mis anotaciones me hubieran ayudado en esta ocasión. Realmente, fue una gran decisión realizar esta relectura.

En resumen, un volumen con un nivel de adrenalina menor que su predecesor, pero que posee el valor agregado de ayudar a expandir el cosmos creado por Sanderson. Claramente, el autor pudo atiborrarnos de datos, detalles y demás, pero él prefirió pensar en sus lectores y ofrecer unas pequeñas dosis de adrenalina, suficientes para dejarnos antojados de su tercer volumen. Gran ambientación, muy buena prosa, personajes interesantes con preocupaciones y dilemas emocionales, anhelo permanente de seguir leyendo: una buena combinación de varios aspectos que me encantan de un libro. Previamente había otorgado esta historia con tres estrellas, hoy subo esa puntuación a cuatro estrellas. Buen libro.

Próximo destino, Citónica.

[Kogiopsis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, that synopsis is crazy vague and is 70% Skyward recap, and after blitzing through the ARC in two days I can tell you: that's really the best they can do.

I cannot tell you anything about the plot of this book, because it takes a hard left within the first 100 pages and from there, I hope you all get to experience all of the revelations and the delightful feeling of things coming together the same way I did.

What I can say is:
- I love everyone in this book, new characters and old, but especially my Space Daughter Spensa, who has at least moved beyond her days of literally eating rats and is slightly less garbage now. She's still got a lot of room to grow, but that's why I love her.
- The themes are really good, guys. I can't tell you what they are, but I like them a lot. If you're familiar with Brandon's body of work, you'll recognize some through-line ideology here.
- There is SO MUCH more worldbuilding (galaxybuilding?) in this book, and I ate it all up with a spoon because that is what I am ABOUT. Including some neat aliens - and btw, if anyone else listened to that Writing Excuses episode about worldbuilding gender roles and got worried about alien gender, don't be; the idea discussed on the podcast has been refined and made way more alien/less parallel to human genders and reproduction, and I actually quite liked it.

I think that's about as specific as I can be, because the process of discovering and figuring things out in this book was so much fun for me that I really want everyone else to get to enjoy it the same way.

One last, more general note - as much as I love the Stormlight/core Cosmere books, I do think that Sanderson's shorter, faster-paced works are often better, whether in terms of sheer enjoyment (this series, the Wax and Wayne books, the Reckoners) or craft (The Emperor's Soul). It's nice to read something from him every now and again that isn't weighed down by a massive, complicated plot, and just feels like a storyteller giving himself a chance to play.

[zuza_zaksiazkowane · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 What the fuck happened, Brandon

[Steven Medina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro informativo de la saga.

Después de finalizar el primer libro de esta saga, que por cierto fue excelente, leí este ejemplar con muchas ansias de seguir disfrutando de esta buena historia y de la manera como escribe Brandon Sanderson. Su forma de contar las historias me está gustando mucho. Fue tanta la ansiedad, que a pesar de que planifico con anterioridad mis próximas lecturas, no logré resistir la curiosidad por conocer la continuación de Escuadrón. Sin embargo, lo que encontré en este volumen fue algo diferente de lo que esperaba. Yo esperaba innumerables momentos críticos, muertes, batallas y acción como la primera parte; pero no, muy poco de eso encontré en este libro.

Estelar, se podría describir como el libro informativo de la saga. Es un libro importante y necesario, que brinda a los lectores respuestas de misterios e intrigas que teníamos por el final de la primera parte. La información no es solo de Spensa o Detritus, sino también de otros mundos, de la historia pasada y de los enemigos que tienen los seres humanos. Brandon introduce correctamente nuevas especies y planetas; logra mantener la intriga en el lector y suscitar un deseo natural de leer inmediatamente la tercera parte; consigue no aburrirnos en ningún momento a pesar de las pocas batallas y acción que presenciamos en esta obra. Es increíble la manera en que nos atrapa este autor con sus historias, a pesar de que casi el 70% del libro solo fuera información.

Aunque es la primera saga que leo de Brandon Sanderson, empiezo a entender que lo que mejor sabe relatar son las batallas y los momentos de peligro. En los pocos momentos de acción que ocurrieron, logré sentir palabra tras palabra, una tensión tan grande como si estuviera viendo una película y llegarán al clímax de la historia; como cuando se enfrenta el protagonista y el villano en una pelea, persecución o algo parecido, acompañado de fabulosos soundtracks que hacen que la escena sea aún más espectacular. Así se siente leer una escena de acción escrita por Brandon Sanderson. Es simplemente espectacular leer esas escenas, sean muchas o pocas.

Un problema que el autor logró resolver bien fue el inicio. Al inicio, percibiremos que Spensa tiene muchas ventajas; pilotea con la mejor nave, predice lo que harán sus enemigos, se arriesga y no llega a correr peligro, y todos esos detalles sin un control o un giro de la historia pudieron terminar con una secuela plana y sin emociones. Por ello la decisión que toma de cambiar por completo el entorno fue correcta, y aunque la estructura usada en Escuadrón fue la misma que en Estelar, eso no se convirtió en un problema, porque Estelar es una secuela correcta.

Lo negativo en mi opinión es que a pesar de que existió una intriga permanente en el transcurso del libro, al final no ocurrió una sorpresa tan grande y fue predecible; eso sucedió, porque hay elementos e ideas que han sido usados en otros libros de ciencia ficción. No significa que sea una copia, pero esas similitudes hacen que como lector pronostique lo que ocurrirá. Otro detalle importante, es que por obvias razones, el 97% de los personajes de Escuadrón pierden el protagonismo y personalmente los extrañé. A pesar de que los nuevos personajes fueron bien desarrollados, no sentí cariño especial por alguno.

Ahora lo único que aguardo es que salga prontamente la tercera parte, aunque según he leído por algunos comentarios, veo que está retrasada su publicación por lo que debo tener paciencia. De ese tercer libro espero toda la acción y batallas que fueron escasas en este tomo. Mientras tanto, seguiré leyendo otras sagas de este mismo autor para seguir disfrutando de su excelente forma de escribir.

[Mogsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/12/03/...

Authors take note, this is how you write a book that will resonate with readers and stand the test of time. These days, I find the problem with a lot of YA is how canned it all feels, the way writers try so hard to conform to some pre-existing narrative which just makes the end result seem so sanctimonious and fake. And that’s why I’m such a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson, who has always ever only been interested in telling good, genuinely fun stories. There’s never an awkward social message shoehorned in or a romantic subplot not-so-unobtrusively shoved in your face, yet somehow his books always manage to be incredibly meaningful and filled with heartfelt connections anyway.

Starsight is the sequel to the brilliant Skyward, and dare I say it, but it might even be better than its predecessor. Due to the fact it would be impossible to discuss this book without getting into details from the previous one, I also highly recommend being caught up before reading this this review as it may contain potential, inadvertent spoilers for Skyward. The story once more follows protagonist Spensa, who is still processing some devastating news about her father, as she prepares to embark on another mission for her home colony of Detritus. Her people are in desperate need of hyperdrive technology—so desperate they are willing to risk sending one of their best pilots to infiltrate the Krell, a crab-like alien race who are at war with humans. Using holographic tech to take on the identity of Alanik of the UrDail, a species once allied with humanity, Spensa signs up for an interspecies training program sponsored by the Krell which would enable her to mingle with pilots from all over the galaxy.

Out of her depth, Spensa never expected she would have to play a spy. And yet, with the survival of Detritus and everyone she cares for hanging upon her success, she’s willing to do anything to get her hands on the information she needs, even if it means having to lie her way through training and deceive everyone around her. However, nothing could have prepared her for the friendships and camaraderie she finds among members of the other alien species, some of which humanity would count among their enemies. Eventually, as the truth behind what she and her fellow pilots are really training for is revealed to her, Spensa also comes to a new understanding of the world and the way she sees it.

To say that this is a book everyone needs in their lives right now is an understatement. At its heart, Starsight is a story about unity, empathy, looking past our prejudices and differences because deep down inside we all want and care and fight for the same things. But unlike a lot of YA you find on the shelves today, this novel manages to get all these points across without being preachy, divisive, or smugly self-congratulatory about it. The message simply comes across naturally as an intrinsic part of the story, one that anyone anywhere at any time can relate to, and to me that is the mark of a classic. Personally, I was moved to tears as I was experiencing Spensa’s revelations and all the moments where she was hit with a clarity, and I don’t even know if Sanderson was going for such a hard-hitting emotional response, but he got it from me anyway.

Also, I say this every damn time I review anything by Brandon Sanderson, but hey, it’s true—the guy is a master world-builder. The sci-fi setting of the Skyward series is one full of originality and wonder, where the jaw-dropping surprises and moments where you think to yourself, “Cripes, how does he come up with all these cool ideas?” never stop coming. If you enjoyed being introduced to all the fascinating planets and aliens in the first book, then we will love Starsight, which expands the universe even more.

Speaking of which, there are plenty of interesting new characters to meet and fall in love with, which goes a long way in making up for the fact we don’t get to see much of those from Skyward. But fret not, for Doomslug and M-Bot are back, of course, and in a big way. By the end of the book, I guarantee you won’t look at either the same away again. And of the new characters, I loved all the aliens whose personalities and traits highlight once again the extraordinary imagination of the author. Like I said, I did miss some of the interactions between Spensa and her friends from the first book, but with time, I think this new group will endear themselves to you in more ways than you can imagine.

In fact, the only real piece of criticism I have to level at Starsight is the unbelievably sudden, unbelievably cruel cliffhanger at the end of the epilogue. While Sanderson has been known to leave some major threads hanging between books, there was a real “Are you kidding me?!” quality to this one that seemed a bit uncharacteristic of his endings. Good thing he’ll be churning out more books to his other series that I will also read in the interim, but I won’t lie, the wait to find out what happens to Spensa next will be a killer. This was just a great sequel, and a book that brought me so much joy, emotion and excitement deserves no less than a full five stars.

Audiobook Comments: I listened to the first book in audio and was fortunate to receive the opportunity to review Starsight in this format as well. Kudos to the wonderful Suzy Jackson for bringing Spensa and all the characters of this world to life with her superb narration; I loved her in Skyward and she has once again delivered a pitch perfect performance for this sequel.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A hero does not choose her trials. She steps into the darkness, then she faces what comes next.”

It feels so good to dive back into this world! This might be my favorite sci-fi series that I've ever read and it just continues to get better and better. It was seriously no surprise that falling back into this world of epic adventure would be super easy. Sanderson takes reader's on a journey across the galaxy with a group of lovable characters -human and alien- that will have you flipping the pages to figure secrets hidden deep within space. It's a truly wild ride but in an effort to avoid spoilers today's review will be a little shorter than usual!

Skyward was my first novel by Brandon Sanderson and one of the things I instantly fell in love with was the author's writing. He creates such a clear and concise story were everything you read feels relevant to the plot even if you don't know why yet. So for me, there was little worry how Starsight would fair or pickup after a year long gap. And in usual fashion the author did a fantastic job of refreshing readers with what happened in Skyward as well as the six month gap that takes place between books one and two without it feeling like a massive info dump. As for the rest of the story, there's so many plot twists, big and small, and fast paced action that majority of the group I buddy read this with just went ahead and kept reading because we couldn't stop.

A teeny tiny part of the book kind of felt like a double edged sword, but I do think overall it worked pretty well for the this story. Spensa has to travel to a new planet and leave her squad behind. Other than her ship and her beloved pet slug, everyone else we grew to love in book one has very minimal time is this book. It was a bit of a bummer for me because I grew to love Spensa's squad back home so much. However, on the other hand, we also get introduced to a whole new world of aliens and Spensa is able to find a "new sqaud" while she's undercover that do become just as lovable as her friends back home. I'm super excited to see how it will all pan out in the third book when her old squad will meet the new one.

All in all, Starsight was a fantastic addition to the series. It didn't suffer from second book syndrome but instead brought so much new light and possibilities to Spensa's world...or should I say galaxy? I absolutely cannot wait for the third book, especially after the ending but 2021 is so damn far away. So until then, I think I'm going to give the author's Mistborn series a go to hold me over!

br w/ : Amanda (Classy x Book Reviews), Rae (Novels and Notions), and Steph (Books in the Skye)

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[vin .ᐟ (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

꒰ 5 ⭐ ꒱

AHHHSHSHSJSJ THIS WAS JUST SO MUCH 😭😭

the scene with the delver?? omfg literally so emotional i might just crawl in a hole and die x_x brandon sanderson knows how to flip all possible tropes on their head and deliver us so much MORE than what we ever expect in a story !!

"i will sing to you," i whispered. "as your ship burns and your soul flees, i will sing. to the contest we had."

first read:

the most iconic trio: spensa, m-bot, and doomslug <3

[Alexandra Elend Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.

“Don’t trust… their lies. Don’t trust… their false peace.”

Wasn't this quite the ride?

I'll admit, this was not what I had been expecting when I picked the book. Not even close.

When I finished Skyward last year I figure something big was gonna happen but I would have never guessed what actually went down. At first, I was so uncomfortable and unsure of that particular twist. Having a mostly complete new cast was a bold move. But it grew on me.

It also makes sense. A lot of sense.

After all, Sanderson did create a big universe full of possibilities. His way of approaching that fact and furthering his universe while exploring some of what it can offer was, actually, pretty nice and fun once I got used to the idea.

“Perspective [the worst part of being in charge]. When you’re young, you can assume that everyone older than you has life figured out. Once you get command yourself, you realize we’re all just the same kids wearing older bodies.”

Scud. The number of philosophical questions I got sucked into because of all the introspection that's going on was quite impressive.

Because, of course, even though this is a YA book it is not a regular YA book and makes you question the deeper meanings of being alive, agency, and identity. Which I quite like because it follows nicely the thread of thought that was introduced in the previous book. An aspect I greatly enjoyed in both.

We also have more parts adding to this ongoing conversation this time. The Superiority -and alien superpower - and every character that we met added their own shade and angle to the conversation.

In the end, you have a very cohesive theme going on. Everyone is struggling with a shade of the same thing and yet... you won't feel it like that is the case.

“While all experience is subjective, and all reality in some ways an illusion, this offers a practical danger.”

I was constantly amazed to the imagination that Sanderson is capable of to create this amazingly complex worlds. Sure, I know he is capable of it but I'm always amazed when I see it in action.

The different species of aliens were rivetting.

Their cultures. Physiology. Psychology. Politics. Everything. It was just so curious. To the point that my head hurt, and still does, from trying to understand some things. Or, like, just make peace with the fact that this species considers that normal.

And it was so cool.

We got mostly the basics of these civilizations but I would not object if we got to see more details of each one.

“It seemed to me that the ones who didn’t fit were the most significant – the real measure of what it was like to live in the Superiority.”

Then we have the Superiority. Yep, that's their name.

Looking back, it really tells you a lot.

As a galactic superpower that has been around for hundreds of years, there's quite a lot to unveil and discover in them.

There's a lot of politicking going on. But, like, quietly done. Because that's the best way of making politics.

Basically, the Superiority is conformed of several, maybe hundreds, different species from all around the galaxy. They help keep peace and prosperity in the planets where they are present. They also have these outposts around for people to live on them and enjoy cultural diversity I guess.

Man, were they interesting. With the likes of Cuna and Wyznick plotting around you have plenty of opportunities to see and judge what you think of them.

“A hero… does not choose… her trials, Spensa… […] She steps… into the darkness, the voice said, fading. Then she faces what comes next…”

Just because we have a lot of new characters does not mean that we don't get to fly around, we do. Quite a lot.

Spensa most endure a rigorous training program that will prepare her to fight the ultimate foe. Along with her new friends.

So, yeah, we get our quality time inside of a cockpit and flying around and running drills. Accompanied by fun new experiences. We see Spesa step into different shoes and that was a delight.

At the same time, we get some pretty intense moments towards the end thanks to this that were a pretty nice twist. That final battle was refreshingly different and opened so many possibilities.

“Jorgen had a way of making me vocalize the things I didn’t normally acknowledge, not even to myself.”

Even though Starsight is by no means a romance book we do have our sprinkle of it through the story.

And how I like how it's handled.

Sure, I wish it had played a little different. I had so many wishes for that particular part of the story that when the moment came I was, both, incredibly pleased and a little outrage. Still, they handle it like champs.

One of the things I particularly like is that the romance never overpowers the rest, more important, of the story. It just adds a little sizzle and spiciness.

“She had a patient voice. A voice like a rock would have, he imagined. Immobile, ancient, and thoughtful.”

As I keep hinting, there where, sadly, somethings I did not like.

Mainly the fact that we get a mostly new cast of characters with just tiny little peeks at our beautiful OGs.

I was crushed and completely devastated when this particular fact was prompted. I had never considered that could happen. I want to see my babies again and enjoy them. But that is not what happened.

Sure, the new characters are not bad. Actually, they are pretty great. I grew to love them and got really invested with them.

Seeing Spensa bonding and having fun with them was great. Especially because of the sharp contrasts that most of them were to each other but especially Spensa. It created opportunities for these gut-wrenching scenes.

It really paid off.

But, as you may know, when I had my expectations broken it was a hard moment for me. And the thing is that I think it could have been solved with a few more interludes.

“Feelings aren’t proof. Feelings are the opposite of proof.’
‘Not when the thing you’re trying to prove is someone’s humanity.’”

For what it is worth, I had an incredible time with the book. Even if the ending made my heart stop and will keep me in semi-coma until the next book comes out.

Even though it wasn't what I had thought it was gonna be it was what the story needed and it was the perfect fit for it. It did fulfill my aching heart and provided quite a lot of answers... though, it did inspire a whole lot of others.

I'm just glad I got to share the experience with my darling Aoife. I had the best time reading and talking all those crazy theories and having 20 different conversations as well as mile log messages.

“Infinity went both directions. You could expand forever outward, but at the same time, the closer you looked at something, the more detail you saw.”
__________________


Excuse me, How is that the ending?!

My emotions are all over the place right now and I need answers!

RTC.
__________________

It's happening. It's finally happening!!!

I can't believe I can finally read this beauty. Even better, that I'm buddy reading it with the amazing Aoife. It's gonna be such a fun adventure to share.

After re-reading Skyward I'm even more hyped to see what this sequel has in stores for us and continue with this journey that I love so much.

And I can't believe we got it just a year after the first one. That's a total treat.

I'm so excited to read this beauty I can hardly handle it. Making it the last book I read this year also seems like the best idea ever. A perfect way to finish the year.
______________________

Isn't it a beauty?

I've been waiting for the release of this cover since I read Skyward and it didn't disappoint!

I have now several questions that originated from it, which is always fun.

The bottom line is I just can't wait for December to arrive and finally have this beauty in my hands.

[Deborah Obida · Rating 3 out of 5]

It ended with a cliffhanger which isn't exactly surprising but it still sucks. Reading this book was a struggle especially the middle part of this book, it was so slow and filled with intensive internal monologue, it would have been better if this book was either multiple or dual narrative but only Spin was the narrator and there was little or nothing of interest happening around her. The beginning and the end of the book was really quite interesting but it wasn't enough to increase my rating.

Moving on to lovable things in this book, the originality, that's something Brandon never disappoints. I've seriously never read anything like this. This book is somewhat different from the first book, its kind of like reading a book one all over again, so as not to spoil anything I'll be vague. Spin got a new squad with aliens, the weirdest kind. There is also a lot of revelations about the Krell in this book, not to mention she gets to learn how her awesome mechanical powers work.

Of course the world building was awesome, sadly I couldn't say the same for the writing, excepting the final part which blew my mind.
Spin was as cool as ever, there wasn't much of the other characters in this but I really liked the new characters especially Vapour, Hesho and Morrimur.

Last but not the least, M-bot

“By the way, if you do get us killed, be warned that I intend to haunt you.”
“Haunt me?” I said. “You’re a robot. And besides, I’d be dead too, right?”
“My robotic ghost would haunt your fleshy one.”
“How would that even work?”

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sale Alert: Audible Daily Deal 7/2/20 $4.95

4.5 Am I Alive Stars

“I will sing to you,” I whispered. “As your ship burns and your soul flees, I will sing. To the contest we had.”

What happened is what always happens when I read a Sanderson novel. I devour it in a day or two and then I can’t think of how to write something that does it justice. So here it is weeks later and I’m finally getting to a review for it. The short of it…



But the long of it is that Sanderson does sequels great. He takes the foundation of what he has already established in the prior books and expands on it. I never have word building complaints or think his characters are one dimensional because they are always complex with both good and bad traits just like real people.

I thought that I might get a little bored hanging out on Detritus with the crew fighting the Krell but Sanderson made she that wasn’t going to happen by introducing new characters from across the galaxy and opening up the story to see inside the other side.

“Cobb,” I said, stepping closer. “Those aren’t bloodthirsty monsters out there; they’re just people. Normal people, with lives, and loves, and families.”
“And what did you think we’ve been fighting against all these years?” Cobb asked.
“I…” I didn’t know. Red-eyed, faceless creatures. Relentless destroyers. Not far from how they saw humans.
“That’s what war is,” Cobb told me. “A bunch of sorry, desperate fools on both sides, just trying to stay alive. That’s the part that those stories you love leave out, isn’t it? It’s always more convenient when you can fight a dragon. Something you don’t have to worry you’ll start caring about.”

I don’t want to give away too much because the magic is in the story itself but M-bot, Spensa and Doomslug go on an epic adventure and we learn more about them along the way as they travel in space and meet the enemy.

A hero…does not choose…her trials, Spensa…
“Gran-Gran?” I asked, trying to pinpoint the location of the words.
She steps…into the darkness, the voice said, fading. Then she faces what comes next…

M-bot is truly a favorite character of mine. I mean a sentient ship with an uncompromising love of mushrooms how could you not adore him. Plus he is great banter for our Spensa and sometimes her reality check.

This is a true Sanderson story where we get glimpses of other complex cultures and how they live. In true Sanderson fashion there are great small details that just give a lot of life to the story. Like thinking about how a culture would live and reproduce and how that could form an entire culture.

“Some are crimson, others blue,” I said. “Is that like humans, with our skin tones?”
“Not exactly,” M-Bot said. “It’s kind of like a gender distinction.”
“The blues are boys, the reds girls?”
“No, their biology is very different from yours. They have neither sex nor gender until they breed for the first time, whereupon they form a kind of cocoon with another individual. It’s really quite fascinating; as part of the breeding process, they merge for a time into a separate third individual. Regardless, after breeding, they become red or blue, depending. They can initiate a change in other ways, if they wish to be considered unavailable for some reason—while the dark purple color is the skin tone of one who has not mated, or who has broken their pair bond and is seeking another mate.”

Truly fascinating how Sanderson’s imagination works.

Even though we didn’t get a lot of time with the gang from the first book I saw them just enough that I was satisfied with the developments there. I like that Jerkface has his own mission and isn’t just a pretty face in the story.

I’m already desperate for the next book as Starsight left off at a precarious place for Spensa, M-bot and Doomslug. Plus Jorgan is doing something very interesting too and I’m excited to see how his quest goes.

Just one more book to look forward to in 2021 I guess since Stormlight 4 is scheduled for 2020. I totally accept this because STORMLIGHT 4!!!!!

[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

1.) Skyward ★★★★★
2.) Starsight ★★★★★


-----------------------------------------------

“A hero does not choose her trials. She steps into the darkness. Then she faces what comes next.”

representation: do non-binary aliens count?

[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 5 s t a r s *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THIS SERIES IS SO UNDERRATED. It's so much fun, so badass, with loveable characters, an awesome fully-realised sci-fi universe with different species and politics and UGH. JUST. SO. GOOD.

Also, I would die for Doomslug and M-Bot. Just saying.

trigger warnings: death, murder, war, deaths of beloved characters, violence.

[Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starsight was a little weaker than the first book, but still brought the fun-factor in abundance.

The first half of the book left me wanting a bit… there were too many “convenient” plot points for my liking. Too many things left up to random chance all happening at once. So it took a great deal of suspended belief to get me through it. The writing also felt rushed. Like Sanderson didn’t have time to get the main character from point A to point B gracefully, so he just manifested a quick fix and BOOM: plot advancement. I think it was disappointing because I’m used to a lot more finesse from him. I can’t think of very many instances in his work where “just go with it” would be my advice, but it definitely applied here.

I also wasn’t crazy about the direction the plot took. The new characters introduced seemed… juvenile may be a little harsh, but the tone of dialogue and overall presentation brought the relative badass effect of the first book down a few notches. It became more fluffy, and I had signed up for a more serious we’re-fighting-for-our-very-existence type of story. Another factor could be due to the character voices the narrator performed for the audiobook, but I didn’t have any struggle with the first book, so something definitely changed, and my bet is on the overall tone of the text.

So with all of those concerns in mind, the first half of the book was… maybe not a struggle, but I wasn’t excited about what I was reading. However, somewhere in the last quarter of the book, Starsight picked up a killer momentum that won me back over. Things got serious, crazy new things were revealed, and the ending left me reeling. It saved the entire experience, and I’m back to being super eager to see what happens next. I’m sure if I didn’t have to wait for the next book, I wouldn’t feel the need to be quite so critical of this installment, but seeing as it’s all we’ll get until the end of 2021, I’m giving myself permission to be picky. ;P

Recommendation: this series is one of those I’d feel comfortable recommending to all members of the family 13+. It has that excellent mass-appeal, really fun characters, and it’s from an author I trust. Personal biases from this second book aside, the series as a whole has been delightful. Give it a go for something that manages to be both light and fun, yet still full of substance.

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com

Other books you might like:

[₊ ˚ ale ࿓ ♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, with Sanderson, 5 stars don't feel enough.

“A hero does not choose her trials. She steps into the darkness, then she faces what comes next.”

As always, my review contains some spoilers, major or minor. If you haven't read the book and don't want any spoilers, don't read further.

This was hell of a ride. A fucking rollercoaster of emotions. And I was (not) ready for it.

Like I said at first, Skyward just felt like a prelude. In Skyward there was action but here, oh gods, here Sanderson shows up something more. He shows to us the real deal with Detritus, the human race, the krells, with Spensa, Jorgen, M-Bot and Doomslug.

In Skyward I was like "why the hell M-bot is so obsessed with mushrooms? why doomslug is weird? why appears in random places? fROM WHERE IT CAME?" but these questions were answered and now many things make sense now.

I'm a sucker for character, plot and worldbuilding development, and what I got here in Starsight left me speechless. There are more characters (ones more likeable than others), more plots (some of them left me on the floor, others confused me aND I HOPE THAT CYTONIC ANSWER MY QUESTIONSSSS) and a new world (sort of, it's more of a big ass city, but you get me).

I need to know more about Alanik, but I already love her.

The pacing to me it was really fast. I didn't even feel time while reading this book (mind you, i love sci-fi, so maybe that's why), also I guess it's because Sanderson's writing is really good that grabs you since you start the book and keeps you reading until the book is over.

You know something I really loved? The fact that we didn't have the typical girl-on-girl-hate just because someone is better than the other in something.

Spensa meets Brade, who is a human too and a pilot. Brade is a really good pilot. And Spensa doesn't hate her for it, or feel envy or wants to humble her. Spensa admits that Brade is better than her.

Here:

"She was good—even better than I was".

"And Brade was better."

"Seeing someone who was better was perhaps the most inspiring thing I'd ever experienced. I wanted to fly with her, chase her."

Also, Morriumur was amazing. skjdhdjf seeing them being shy, splited in two by two minds was something really interesting aND HOW THEY SAVED SPENSA TO THE VERY END, UGH, *CHEF'S KISS*

Anyhow, not much to say because I already fangirled so much and cried like a bitch when M-Bot begged to Spensa not to leave him. iF M-BOT IS NOT A SHIP AGAIN, I'LL RIOT AND SET THE WORLD ON FIRE.

I loved Starsight so much.


previous review:
IT'S ALMOST 1 AM AND I'M SCREAMING INTERNALLY. HOLY SHIT. WHAT'S THAT CLIFFHANGER, SANDERSON??? MY THERAPY. NOW.

RTC!

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starsight is the second instalment in Brandon Sanderson's Skyward/Cytonics series. This is a good quality YA sci-fi series and delivered pretty much everything one might expect from a Sanderson story. We got a nice mix of action, humor, mystery, and surprise twists and turns that kept this an engaging read. It also had the usual cast of memorable characters and compelling plot that sucked in my attention from start to finish!

I felt like Starsight was a worthy sequel to Skyward. If anything I might have enjoyed this even more than Skyward! I took a little bit of time to warm to Spensa in the first book so it was definitely beneficial for my enjoyment of the story that I already liked her, and a bunch of the secondary characters, from the very start! The first book ended with a fun twist and to avoid spoilers I'll not mention too much about that but it did mean that it gave Sanderson the opportunity to take the story in a slightly different direction in this sequel and I think that new direction was even more fun!

The first book felt a little like a mix of Top Gun and sci-fi dystopia while this was felt more like a mix of Star Wars and a spy thriller. The combination for this sequel worked better for my personal taste.

One of my favourite things about Starsight was the fact that we got to met a ton of fun new secondary characters. I cannot say to much without spoiling things but I really enjoyed learning about the new characters and their various different quirks and cultures. We did not get to see quite so much of the secondary characters we met in the first book but we did still get plenty of M-Bot and Doomslug. The M-Bot/Spensa banter was as fun as ever as was M-Bot's own story arc but I think Doomslug remained the star of the secondary characters.

I'd not rate this as one of Sanderson's best series as it is not quite on the same level as his Cosmere books but despite that I do still think this was a solid 4.5 to 5 stars sort of read. It was still a really fun and engaging tale! Even the average Sanderson books are still better than 90% of the stuff I read from other authors!

I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops in the sequels.

Rating: 4.5 stars. I'm rounding up to 5 stars here at Goodreads as it probably deserved that anyway.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, all the goodness.

So, aside from not being able to talk about the joys in this YA space opera by the wonderful Sanderson, I can at least gush over the things it made me feel.

I was always thrilled about every space battle. It's a perfect blend of personality, piloting, humor, and many little oddities that make this kind of thing special. I was never annoyed by any of the main characters. I loved the AI's existential crises, the cuteness of the tiny fox/badger aliens and their king, and the fact that the majority of the novel deals more with perception and assumption than practically anything else.

The twists? Really great. But no spoilers. We've got an epic setup here and a very satisfying conclusion. You know, aside from that very last bit that makes me want to scream and tear out all my hair and demand that all the bookgods heed my plea for the next book in my hands RIGHT THIS INSTANT...

Ahem.

My only complaint? Our big bad aliens read like the ideological liberal left taken to an amazing extreme. Like, total caricature. And while we do dig below the surface and see a bit of variety, it's kinda funny how very... phobic... both sides get, or how those phobias take on some very strange features. Maybe it's not a complaint, but a bit of an annoyance because I would like to have seen a lot more subtlety and divergence in these details even as they grew more pronounced. But, let's face it, this IS a YA novel. Oversimplification, even in an ostensibly FUN tale written for the sake of FUN, is kind of the name of the game. :)

Putting that aside, I had a damn lot of fun. :) So I do believe this is a total win. :)