The Reading Prismatic Arch discussion

WOW!

That was a great book. Better than Steelheart, in my opinion. This book definitely had some unexpected twists.

Things I wasn't expecting.
1. Prof being that powerful. I'm now wondering if he could have solo'd Stealheart.
2. Calamity being a epic. (though I'm not shocked and it made sense.
3. David turning down epic powers. I was really hoping he would accept them but be free of the darkness and be the leader of the epic heroes.

What will book 3 hold?

I loved it too. I am still struggling with which one I like better. Setting-wise I like Firefight better. Sunken Manhattan with glowing spray paint, wooden bridges and shanty towns on top of buildings. What a cool setting for a story. I still love the first book though, as it introduces the story and characters of the trilogy.
As far as the third book, Brandon has said already that the third book will take place in Atlanta. That is all we know so far.

My thought during the whole book was that Regina was trying to have Prof use his powers not to replace her but to show him that he isn't better than everyone else. Close but no cigar.

I agree with Cameron, the first one had more depth to the supporting characters, but the setting and secrets revealed in this one were better.

Hmm, Man you guys had much better thoughts on what Regina was doing than I did. I couldn't figure it out at all.

So here is a question, did Obliteration kill himself?

Another question, Do you think Tia knows what Prof's weakness is? Do you think Prof set up measures for what would happen if he ever went evil? I personally don't think he did, as he gave in to his fear, like all epics seem to be doing.

I finally got the book from the library! And then devoured it! So. Good.
Pros:
- I think the worlds that Brandon Sanderson creates are amazing. So different than other authors- very refreshing. I like how the "physics" (or intentional lack thereof) are progressing in this book. I didn't see the Calamity twist coming (Sanderson always has some tricks up his sleeve). It's a cool direction that he's taking it and it seems to work well. I agree that it would have been cool had David taken Calamity up on the Epic-ness, but I'll trust Brandon Sanderson on this one. I don't think that water-controlling powers would have been the coolest, anyway. Seems to geographically-limiting.
- I like the dialog/relationship between David and Megan. It's fun and sassy. Not sappy or melodramatic (and on the rare instance that it is, one of them makes fun of the situation).
- Dawnslight was a cool character and I thought his means of communication was funny (fortune cookies? growing on trees?). I wish we would have gotten more character development there, though.
- More great similes!

Cons:
- I wish he would have developed Val and Exel more. Then it would have been more heart-wrenching (and George R. R. Martin-esque) when Prof killed them.
- I thought Obliteration's suicide (yes, Cam, that's what I think happened) could have been explained better (his reasoning at least). He left his sword, which I assume he wouldn't have done if he was just teleporting somewhere. The lack of motivation behind that situation, was unfortunate. We didn't really get to see what was driving Obliteration.

Phil, I also loved Dawnslight as a character. It'll be interesting to see (if we do see) what happens with him. I also love David and Megan's relationship, it feels so much more real than some of the other books directed at teens that I've read lately (I'm looking at you Divergent). I wonder if there are any other side-effects of having rejected Calamity, like maybe he now has some sort of power over him or something. I don't know, but it seemed like Regalia was worried about how made Calamity was after David's rejection. Your guys' thoughts?

I disagree with the idea that Obliteration killed himself. The thought didn't even occur to me until Cam mentioned it. I even went back and read it several times. I think he was super excited to have a clue into other Epics weaknesses, and took off to appear in a later book. I'm betting he left David alive as a thank you. Obliteration is going to go an a total High Epic killing spree.

Dawnslight is also first example of an epic who is free of the epic madness. I'm hoping Megan is now too.

I didn't feel that Regalia was mad about David rejecting Epic hood so much as scare and confused. Like it should her whole belief basis for what and why Epics are and what Calamity is doing.

I'm also secretly hoping that David is an Epic, but that without the Epic madness he has not drive to use his powers and thus doesn't know he has them.

Loved the book!! I don't think David is an Epic. It would sort of defeat the whole underlying plot of normal people being able to make a difference. I also think we'll see Obliteration again, but maybe not.

I was a little bummed that Abraham and Cody had little to no part in this book, maybe they'll come back in the next one? We'll see.

The setting was so interesting, and entirely different from Steelheart, so cool to see how epics change the landscape, and to see David's reaction to being somewhere so totally different.

Do you think David is right about him being able to refuse the powers because he had just faced his fears? I think he's right about Epic weaknesses being their fears, but is that why he was able to refuse Calamity? And holy cow, Calamity is an Epic?? Is Calamity Human? Alien? What do you think?

I sure hope that Tia knows Prof well enough to figure out his weakness, and hopefully Prof won't catch on that fear is the fueling force of Epic weaknesses.

Oh wow. It's fun to read this thread and see where we were right or wrong.