Firefight discussion

Does anyone else feel like Calamity (the third Reckoners book coming out in 2016) will be the last in the series? Do you think this series would make a good trilogy? Should it be longer?

I dunno. I think it could go either way. Here are my reasons for Trilogy vs. Series

Trilogy: Calamity seems to be set up as the ultimate boss of the series. If the Book is named after him, he probably play a significant role in the book, like Steelheart and FireFight in their own books. Sanderson likes trilogies, so it would not be surprising to see this end in three books.

Series: It has been implied that Calamity is not malicious. He has not actively harmed anyone, only created Epics. He also did not help Regalia corrupt Prop by creating an Epic like Obliteration for her to use. As the first(?) most powerful epic, it would stand to reason he has overcome his fears and is simply more developed than all other Epics. He is not good by any stretch, but he is also not evil. The pace also does not fit. The Reckoners have only taken over two cities, with their ultimate goal being the entire continent, then the world. Suddenly going from two cities to the entire world seems to be a huge acceleration. I also expect Proph to be killed or saved, which will probably take a book, or at least half of one. It seems like a big rush for a series with a nearly unlimited possibilities to end it so quickly.

Edit: It's been officially announced as a trilogy. Still, it's not impossible he will decide that he can't fit all of the story into one book, and adds an extra book, just like the Inheritance series.

Calamity is very intriguing. What is Calamity's purpose? Why? Was Calamity sent? Is Calamity Star Trek's V'ger? How does Calamity create Epics? How does Calamity fit in the Cosmovere? Is Calamity good, evil, neutral? Is Calamity a sentient being or reactive, like an animal?

I'm amazed that the next book will be the last Reckoners book. It feels like there's much more to explore.

It's been stated by Sanderson that Earth is not part of Cosmere. On the other hand, that could be a sly way of making us think it has no connection to the Shards, only to reveal that Earth and Cosmere exist in different worlds, but are part of the same, larger overall universe. Calamity also seems like a good name for a Shard, as he seems to have brought chaos to Earth.

Hmmmnnnn... Maybe the Reckoners trilogy will end with Prof's redemption and maybe some resolution with Calamity, be it his death or an agreement to stop creating Epics.

I could see the Trilogy establishing how everything about Epics was learned, and how it started to turn around. That would leave us with the Reckoners resolved to continue taking back the world, one city at a time, or maybe having gained control of America. Later books could be about the continuing struggle against Epics or the society formed after the world is freed from Epic control.

The name of the series is the Reckoners. If they reach their goal and get the common people to rebel, or overthrow the majority of the Epics, it can be assumed they would disband, therefore ending the "Reckoners", but not closing the door on the world of Epics.

Brandon has said that Earth and the cosmere are completely separate, he's not planning some big reveal.

On the trilogy possibly expanding, it's unlikely. Brandon is an outliner by nature, he is /very/ good at figuring out how long something is going to take. If he plots something as three books, it's going to be three books.

On their being more books after this. Brandon has said that he has no current plans but that that could change. He also said that based on how things in the world are going to end up any future books would be very different.

If Calamity is taken out of play by the Reckoners, I'm assuming this would put an end to the rest of the Epic's powers.

Yeah what Donna said. The third book being called Calamity makes it seem like they will face and kill him in the next book. Also have to have David vs Prof in the book as well. Student vs Teacher kinda thing - which is actually interesting since Prof was an ex teacher..maybe there's something there?

but yeah, i think they'll end up helping Prof with Tia David and Megan helping in that area. Tia as his spouse, David as his student/person most like him/protagonist, and Megan being an Epic who got her powers under control.

I could see David being with Epic powers even though he doesnt know it yet and him teamin up with Megan and Prof to fight Calamity who's the highest Epic. Would be a DOPE battle to end it. With the end result being Calamity dead and all people are back to normal with a ruined earth

I'm not sure why this is still being debated, I thought Calamity was confirmed to be the final volume in the series when it was announced:

"From the bestselling author of the Mistborn series and Words of Radiance comes Calamity, the final book in the New York Times bestselling Reckoners series..."