Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Skyward - Brandon Sanderson

April 17, 2021.
Requested by Beena.

Thanks!

You're welcome :)

Oh I’m in!

Can't wait!

I'm so excited!

Yeah really looking forward to this, you know with Brandon Sanderson it's gonna be good!

Excited for this one!

Oh hey!
I'd like to join, just got this book from a friend:)

I power read both books as soon as they were out, and I loved them. I have no doubts that you all will enjoy it as well!

I just finished part one - I love Spensa! She's a great character

I finished part one too last night, just waiting for it to get into it a bit more and get to some action.

(view spoiler)[ The hate towards Spensa is kinda crazy because of something her father supposedly did (well I think it's pretty obvious he had some other plan or something and didn't actually flee the battle) and shooting him down for it, is just fucked up. Like why not just give him a punishment?! Just all seems a bit extreme. I gather they're sort of like tribes and have adopted that sort of outlook but still.. (hide spoiler)]

I agree! was listening to the audio book in the car and my son stopped me and made me start over so he could hear the parts he missed.

[SPOILERS to follow]


I read a lot of dystopian so I think I can suspend my disbelief for extreme future systems... but to hear my son's sadness, confusion, and disappointment in regards to Spensa and her mother being treated the way they were from my son (especially Spensas mom being unable to get a job and having to hunt and sell squirrels for money) was heartbreaking. Do better future humans!

Finished part two and I really really like the book!


(view spoiler)[
Doomslug the Destroyer is really cute...for a slug. (Never thought I'd get so excited over a fictional slug, but I love it:) )
And a sentient ship? How cool is that? Can't wait to see more of him(?), I like how he's so human while constantly saying it's just his code copying emotions. Really hope Rig gets it flying again - I have a feeling Spensa will need her own ship soon...
And Morningtide and Bim...so sad! I mean, Cobb said multiple times, that some of them could die before they're pilots so this was kind of to be expected.... It's really cruel how they send children (who aren't even fully trained!) into battle... If they need canon fodder so badly, why is it so hard to get a pilot? Seems a bit strange that they don't value the lifes of their pilots. And this stupid unofficial rule - you eject you're no longer allowed to fly - really reflects how fucked up the mindset is. And @Beena I think you're right with Spensas father. He doesn't seems to be the kind of guy who flees but shooting him down for trying something different (maybe he saw something important, that changed his tactics??) seems like something this society would do... (hide spoiler)]
oh and sorry if my english sucks, it's really early and I don't have time (or energy XD) to proof read;)

I'm up to Part 2 Chapter 12.

I find Spensa as the protagonist super fun to follow, but she's so annoying with her naive and boasting attitude haha. It is enjoyable however that she also admits these things but still preserves her motivation. Overall very easy and enjoyable read thus far.

Beena wrote: "I finished part one too last night, just waiting for it to get into it a bit more and get to some action.

[spoilers removed]"

Agreed, but I actually suspect (or more like, hope lol) that there is some scheme behind it and she'll learn the truth through some plot twist sometime later in the book.

Oh my gosh. I’m loving this so far. Especially the characters. Spin’s father and Gran Gran are so precious. I really enjoyed those little moments of storytelling and dreams in the prologue.

Thoughts up to Chapter 12~

(view spoiler)[But wow. I had no idea things would take such a turn. How her father was deemed a coward in that battle?! There is clearly more we need to discover. I think a coverup or something. Because even his best Buddy has different ideas when it comes to ejecting and the like.

I like this main character a lot so far. She’s kinda scrappy and angry at times. But it makes sense. I hope she becomes a pilot!!

The world is great too. I like seeing another realm of Sanderson’s. Haven’t read scifi in a bit either. Should be a fun change of pace.

The government control is ick. Giving her a false test to fail. One not even on pilot skills. I’m glad she had people supporting her.

More reason not to trust the higher ups. Why on earth send kids to a flight mission on their first day of training? Do they really think they’re just cannon fodder?! Seriously. I was shocked.

Oh. It was a bluff. To make them seem like they have more troops. Phew. I was worried. Seriously though. Still dangerous

Still the lengths they go to make sure this girl doesn’t become a pilot. Ugh. (hide spoiler)]

@Alyssa ~ That's so fun that you're listening to the audiobook with your son <3 Right? It's crazy how books can make you feel so intensely. You just want everyone to be happy by the end ^^

@Claudia ~ You have Spensa down to a "t". Niave and boasting are perfect words to describe her. lol. She's flawed, but I'm excited to see her grow ^^

@Frankziska ~ no worries at all! I'm sure you're doing just fine. I just can't click the spoiler yet because I haven't quite finished part 2 ^^;

I agree with you Beena and Claudia. I think there is more to be seen concerning the father and his past. I'm intrigued...

Finished Part 2

(view spoiler)[think Jerkface and her are gonna become tight friends/ learn to fly and work together really well- something will bring them together- just hope it doesn't turn into a romance as well lol

Oh I loved what she's named her slug! Doomslug the destroyer, hahaha. Strange little thing but quite cute too lol.

Ooh an AI ship, interesting!

Quite surprised that Morningtide and Bim died, I didn't expect it to get that serious early on. Thought they'd somehow all survive cos this is YA. But that was a really good chapter.
(hide spoiler)]

Ha Franziska, we had the same thoughts! (view spoiler)[ Yeah, I have to say I think the slug is my favourite character so far haha, well him/her(?) and Rig; I really like him, very loyal and sweet.

Totally agree about the ship too! Very cool indeed. And everything else you mentioned! (hide spoiler)]

No worries, your English is just fine :)

@Katie (view spoiler)[Why on earth send kids to a flight mission on their first day of training? Do they really think they’re just cannon fodder?!

Yeah, I found that super crazy too! And quite hard to believe that they would all be able to manage to get their ships up in the air and doing the basic things that they had only just learnt in a simulation where it didn't go smoothly at all... (hide spoiler)]

@ Beena ~ (view spoiler)[Right? I was surprised someone didn't perish in an accident Beena... (hide spoiler)]

So I'm 220 pages in... I forgot to check the chapter ^^; Here are some thoughts~
(view spoiler)[ Oh my gosh. I was shocked when we lost two kids up on that one mission. Bim the cute flirt and Morningstar the young girl from a different culture. Gosh. And we were just getting to know them too. I'm glad this book is talking of children soldiers like this...even if it's hard to read :/

Also, FM's mentality is great. How she wants to end this militaristic way of life. Stopping children soldiers. Fighting for a cause. I like that. I hope Spin learns from those around her...

The ship talks! I was kinda surprised ! It reminds me of that disney movie... 'flight of the navigator'. So we'll see how that turns out. Part of me wonders if it is alien tech. Like the enemies...but it doesn't look like their ships...hmmmm.... at least Rig is on the team to fix 'em up.

That helmet though....what are they doing with Spin? I'm kinda worried that they'll alter her in some way. In a mission. And blame her... Or if her and her father are different....how? Like in how Gran says they can see/feel the stars???

also. big drop at the end there. Teach was the one ordered to kill her father?! T_T Jeez. What kind of coverup is this??? (hide spoiler)]

Finished Part 3. I am really enjoying this now, took me a little while to get into it.

(view spoiler)[Oh they're measuring Spensa for a "defect"?? Do they somehow suspect her ability to tune into the ship? Hmmm

I wonder what they're hiding about Spensa's father... and Cobb being the one to shoot him down, damn..

I like that M-bot can communicate with her through her radio. Cracks me up that he thinks he's not a fighter ship and keeps trying to catalogue mushrooms.

Oh my god, she's crazy! Fighting Jorgen, then going to turn herself in. Mad. He did handle that well tbf.

Something strikes me odd about the krell, how is it that they've been fighting them all this time and they've never seen them?- Ohhh just read Chapter 27 where both she and Arturo ask those questions.. could it be one AI creating and sending all those Krell if they never find any bodies? Ah and it mentioned at the end about the possibility that it could be a human-made AI that's turned against them, which was along the lines I was thinking but can't be it now, if its already been mentioned.

Ahh, I knew it was Nedd's brothers they were trying to save before Jorgen said it, damn :( I bet if she had listened to M-Bot, he could've told her how to strike those Krell down.

Aww, FM and Kimmalyn sneaking her into their room was touching. I felt glad she got that time with them but also sad because she realised how much she's missing. The hell kind of society just accepts that you can outcast someone so completely like that?! I really liked the line FM said that the only way you can be defiant is by not defying anything. Spot on. (hide spoiler)]

@Katie (view spoiler)[also. big drop at the end there. Teach was the one ordered to kill her father?! T_T Jeez. What kind of coverup is this???

I know right?! I really wanna know what actually happened! (hide spoiler)]

Part 4

Chapter 39- (view spoiler)[Oh shit, I didn't expect that! What on earth did her father find out??! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 42- (view spoiler)[oohh awesome! M-Bot's fixed! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 43- (view spoiler)[oh noo he deactivated :( what the hell are those "eyes" about..freaky (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 44- (view spoiler)[ oh god, the romance is coming isn't it?! I find it half cute, half exasperating lol (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 45- (view spoiler)[I really don't know what to make of this "defect" ability and the whole story of mutiny..there's so many things that don't add up (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 47- (view spoiler)[Damn, I somehow didn't expect her to not graduate to full pilot, I totally didn't think the ejecting thing would happen to her. (hide spoiler)]

I've finished!! I don't have a lot to say spoiler-wise about the end really, apart from the fact that I was loving it! That was awesome.

(view spoiler)[Was a bit worried at the end there when she decided to do what her father did, but luckily M-Bot covered her. I don't know what I expected the Krell to be, but the way they were described didn't seem that sinister.. (like crabs? lol) And a bit worried that they would lock her up for openly admitting the "defect" and do something horrible to M-Bot, but pretty glad she called the shots in that last meeting.

And that last battle was epic!! Particularly Cobb and M-Bot coming to her rescue! And I loved his "battle aggression" hahaha! Seriously enjoyed all of that.

I'll admit I was suspecting towards the end that maybe there was some massive cover-up, that there were humans out in space, keeping them down there on Detritus for some reason, but I'm glad I was proved wrong.

I hope it goes more into her strange abilities and what she can do with them in the next book, the eye stuff is just creepy lol. (hide spoiler)]

Oooh! So glad you loved it Beena! Can't wait to look at your comments~

Thanks Katie! Hope you enjoy it too!

I couldn't read much due to work, but tonight I couldn't sleep so like any sensible adult would I read through the night and finished the book this morning (like 3am) and I LOVED it!
I had so much fun reading and I really liked the ending

(view spoiler)[
I really like that the Krell aren't some malicious and brutal monsters and all the stuff about the intergalactic war and that the people of the deritus were just innocent who got drawn into the conflict.
@Beena I do find the eyes really creepy too
I really like that Spensa's ability has also a dangerous side to it and hope to learn more about it in the sequel

M-Bot is the best! He's hilarious and I loved the part where he turned of his stealth mode and communicated with the DDF pilots (at this point I was already half asleep, but I couldn't stop till I finished the book, so now I'm surviving on coffee and cookies and i can't even be mad that my work e-mails crashed again cause the book was so good)
Hope we see more of Rig in the second book, he's one of my favorite characters - although truthfully I like them all. Even Ironsides. Kind of.
Oh and I loved the scene in part 4 (i think) where FM and Spensa are showing off to the real pilots - that really showed that Cobb was an awesome teacher - that scene was quite satisfying
and the ending - as Spensa had everyone wait - that was great!

Sorry my thoughts are all over the place but I'm a caffeinated hyperactive squirrel right now and I didn't know if I would have time later to write here
(hide spoiler)]

Glad you loved it too Franziska!

(view spoiler)[ Yeah, will definitely be interesting to see Spensa's ability explored more in the next book, most likely we will, given that it's all out in the open now.

Gotta love M-Bot, he was great! Rig was also a fave of mine and loved that flying scene too. You know Sanderson got advice on all the flying stuff from a real pilot, amazing amount of work gone into that! (hide spoiler)]

@Beena (view spoiler)[ Oh I didn't know that! But makes sense, he's describing the flying stuff pretty well (which is really good cause it's most of the book XD) Hope M-Bot gets all the mushrooms he deserves;) (hide spoiler)]

Finisheeeddddd!!!!

Sorry for being terrible about the back/forth thoughts. Have to say though. I loved this book. 5 stars~

(view spoiler)[I dunno where to begin. My gosh. Firstly I suppose I want to say that I appreciate how a lot of the YA tropes were smashed to bits in this novel. Did you guys notice we didn't have a love story? Gasp! The MC didn't fall in love with jerkface. Instead like an actual friendship formed?! Between a boy and girl?! No way!!! XP I was impressed.

Because this tale is more about learning to belong. About acceptance and friendship of the flightmates than it is of a romancial love. And I really love that. We need more of this~

Spensa learning that she was 'a little much' sometimes when M-Bot activated that agro mode in the final battle had me giggling :D

I've said it before in my statuses...but the amount of loss in this book. The reality of what these young kids are fighting for. It was just really real. And sad :(

The ending was just so intense. I couldn't stop reading. To see Spin shot down. Eject. Then sent off duty. Only to borrow x2 ships and keep on fighting!!! It was AMAZING! I was soooo worried more of her friends would die. But they stayed strong <3

M-Bot creating more programing while he wasn't paying attention was too cute and just all of the feels <3 I'm so glad he and Cobb saved Spensa <3

I was kinda suspending disbelief at the end when Spensa held the room with council. Holding all the cards as it were. Why didn't they just take what they needed from her? But I guess if the ship said it would self destruct.... I'll let is slide :D

Really though. It ended so well. Her father not a traitor. But made to believe all was lost. His family :'( Those mind powers of communication that the aliens have and some of the citizens have too O.o Prison ships and some old war!!!

I do like how they mentioned humans were just too aggressive to leave alone. 'cause yeah ^^;

I'm super excited to learn more! About the Krell, the war, all of it!!

It was great reading with you all~ (hide spoiler)]

Also, would anyone be interested in reading the next book sometime soon? In a month or so??

I just ordered the second one, so I'm interested:) In a month sounds good

I finished too!

(view spoiler)[M-bot is my absolute favourite character in this book. Made me giggle quite a few times. I loved Spensa's character development. The ending was a bit weak in my opinion, but overall the book was still really good. (hide spoiler)]

Katie wrote: "Also, would anyone be interested in reading the next book sometime soon? In a month or so??"

I'd be down to continue! my May is packed with other BRs, so I'd prefer if we started mid/late June earliest, but feel free to start earlier if that suits you all better :)

Katie wrote: "Finisheeeddddd!!!!

Sorry for being terrible about the back/forth thoughts. Have to say though. I loved this book. 5 stars~

I dunno where to begin. My gosh. Firstly I suppose I want to say that I ..."

This summarized it for me fairly well!

So glad you liked the book guys :D

Excellent!!! Does anyone have a preference for a date in June to start?

I'd love to continue too, how about 21st June?

@Katie (view spoiler)[ Ha, that's exactly what I said about the love story! That I'm glad it didn't follow the usual YA route, and he didn't end up saving her, etc. Yeah, I really appreciated that.

Indeed, I didn't expect as many deaths as there were either.

M-Bot creating more programing while he wasn't paying attention was too cute and just all of the feels <3 I'm so glad he and Cobb saved Spensa <3

Yessss!

The ending was awesome, it was just unrelenting! (hide spoiler)]

June 21st work for me! How about everyone else?? If it works I'll make a request :D

lol omg. yesss! Same feels there XD

June 21st is fine!

Yes sounds good!

Great! I'll make the request!!

Oh. My. Gosh. Yessss That shirt!

Hahahaha! Oh my god, that's amazing Iain!!! Doomslug is the actual best! She was hands- down my favourite character! (Though M-Bot came close.)