Calamity (The Reckoners)

If you've read the first two Reckoners books you're going to read this one anyway, and you won't regret it. As a whole the trilogy is great, and the first 75% of this book is great. Even though it's marketed as YA I thoroughly enjoy it as an adult; it's "lighter" than Brandon's other fantasy, but still written intelligently with an engaging, generally well-paced plot and action and fantastic world building.

Unfortunately the end of this book (which is also the end of the trilogy) felt rushed (not pacing-wise, but development-wise) and failed to answer several fundamental questions about Calamity and the Epics. This is a standalone trilogy not set in Brandon's Cosmere, so I expected the end to be wrapped up neatly. Instead you're left with a mostly satisfying plot resolution, but an entire list of questions that are never actually answered. I enjoyed the book but was disappointed by the ending, it could have used a few more chapters to fully develop the conclusion and answer the questions.

Well worth your investment in time. Hugely entertaining in the vein of Martin's Wild Cards series but with a contemporary, yet humorous touch. The style is at once familiar yet cryptic, but eminently readable... Just roll with it and you will see what I mean. If you are not a nerd or a geek, or do not like shows like Heroes ... Don't bother. Otherwise, this series is a feast.

3 stars - would neither recommend nor warn against.

Let's establish some cred. I LOVE Brandon Sanderson. I drooled over Firefight. This just seemed like a less-than-Epic (har har) conclusion. It seems we reel from fight scene to fight scene without any of the eye-opening revelations that made Firefight so amazing.

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. I loved the series. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author developed the story from the character development to the thoughtful sequence of events. Truthfully, I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending with the final battle especially after the fight with Prof. I'm not sure if it was a mix of sadness with the series being finished or because it felt rushed in the last fight. I definitely wouldn't have minded another book on getting to the final battle. Both Regalia and Steelheart had been such formidable foes that Calamity didn't seem as well developed. I still loved the book though.

Unfortunately, I think Sanderson rushed this one. Sanderson is my favorite author and really loved what he was doing with the Reckoner series. unfortunately, this one ends very abruptly and leaves alot of questions unanswered. I felt a bit cheated with this book.

While a little predictable It was very fun and a good resolution to the series. It left a few holes at the end but I prefer this to leave it to the imagination of the reader rather than tying up every single little loose end. My only real dissapointment was the main character's "thematically appropriate" power set. We felt this could have used a bit more imagination based on his traits and strengths rather than the power set it ended up being.

Action-packed and very entertaining. Picked it up and could not put it down (4-6 hours duration reading). Unlike the conclusions to other book series, this book effectively ties off every remaining loose end in a way that is both profound and interesting. Let's face it people, Sanderson knocked another one out of the park. You purchase this book, and you'll devour it like its the last slice of home-made pumpkin pie left over from the fall season.

Yesterday, when "Calamity" arrived in the mail I promised myself that I would be in control and only read it after I finished my work and school assignments however as soon as I picked it up to "read just a few pages" I knew that I had made a fickle promise that couldn't be kept.

Not only did this book meet my expectations, but very much surpassed them in nearly every way. If you've read the first two books in the "Reckoners" series you are probably already a fan. . . if you haven't yet. . .stop reading this review immediately and head to the nearest local library or make an investment and buy the whole trilogy on the store.

Not everyone likes superhero/antihero books. . . but this isn't just one of those. Brandon's Sanderson's books are about as far from cookie-cutter stories as you can get and "Calamity" really has a little something for everyone. Action, spy skills, drama, romance, and a compelling story-line.

This, the final book in the trilogy, brings back all of our favorite characters from the first two books, and introduces a few new ones as well. Although we see some of the comedic humor an banter that we saw in the first two books, the tone is fairly dark as David, Megan, Cody and Abraham work to save a good person from the madness he's experiencing and the atrocities that he's committing while under the influence of Calamity.

I'll freely admit that I am not the best at sleuthing out surprises and twists before they happen, but I honestly was taken for a wild ride as I was caught off guard time and time again by the intricate twists that Brandon Sanderson wove into the story.

As you read the final pages I can almost guarantee that you'll get a chill go up your spine, and shed a silent tear as you find both perfect (almost) fulfillment in the ending of a fantastic series and a deep sadness in the realization that something great has finally come to its end.

My only real complaint with this book is that there are possibilities and side-stories that are entertained (and I really wanted to see explored) that he never really gets into (I'm not going to tell you where but if you watch for them you will find them). I felt like it was kind of like teasing a baby with a sweet that they can see (and really want) but can't have. However, I would encourage you to not focus on those failings because you'll enjoy the story more if you just let it carry you along. That said, I was still more than satisfied by this ending than with 99% of the other endings that I've read.

Liking the ending as much as I did was probably in part due to my personal hopes as to what would happen. I realize that everyone who reads this has slightly different expectations, and has their own hopes and desires. In writing this review I am not guaranteeing/certifying that you will love it, but rather telling you that I did and that I truly think that Brandon Sanderson did a great job of wrapping up a compelling series.

I've read a lot of books (1000+) and I can honestly say that there are very few series/books that I would recommend more highly then this one. . . especially after absolutely loving "Calamity" as much as I did. In summary: great book, awesome story, fantastic surprises-- loved it and would highly recommend!

I love The Reckoners series, and this was a fantastic final installment. I enjoyed the characters, old and new and changed. The story kept me engaged and I ended up reading it in one day, which I hadn't planned. I found the ending to be very satisfying!

I have to agree with the three star reviews here. I love the world and the characters but the last couple of chapters just felt so rushed. I felt like I have more questions than answers.

I was 93% through on my kindle and nothing had been resolved or explained at that point. I knew then that the ending would be rushed. It certainly felt that way to me. It just left me kind of unsatisfied.
I'm a sanderson fan boy and would give most of his works 5 stars. I would even give 90% of this book 5 stars, but the last ten percent was very rushed and didn't answer things well enough for me. Maybe I'll feel differently in a couple of days but for now this wasn't my favorite.

Sanderson's usual outstanding job. I know I'm no great puzzle master, but the resolutions of the tensions and conflicts are NEVER anything I'd expect, and never anything cheap or Agatha Christie-ish. I devour everything Sanderson produces and am always ready for whatever he cares to pursue next. Don't read this novel without reading the first three in the series if you want to experience the full impact of the decisions the characters make along the way. Bravo Brandon!

All that talk.... The first book was decent enough to read the second, the second book was surprisingly better, yet this book failed. I don't understand writers who make sense of things in a book, go into great detail on things & then leave a crap ending like this one. It just fell short & I ended up angry for even bothering to finish the series. You can't write three in depth books to end them with an abrupt explanation that leaves a person shaking their head. Such a disappointment.

A fantastic read with surprise endings, like any sanderson novel. While an excellent book it is, i honesty liked the first book better. The first book while obviously leaving questions in the story for the later books, it felt like i understood everything after one read. Here, there is so much flying around between theories and plots and characters, i will have to read again to understand it fully. But thats the good thing about this book, the more you read it the more you like it. Lets just say that noone, absolutely noone could have guessed the ending of this book. All of the answers from previous books were answered, although this book raises a few at the end. I sort of felt it was like bands of mourning where there was a lot of things left not fully explained or comprehensible after only the first read. This book will leave you with huh...huh...huh...what....ok. A satisfying if not mysterious ending for a superb series. An honest 4.75 but i always round up.

Great read. Brandon Sanderson continues to amaze with his brilliant world-building. The action is intense and the humor is silly; which fits perfectly with the protagonist through who's eyes we read this story. The pace at the end felt a bit rushed but that might have more to do with my expectations for the book. Sanderson does enjoy subverting expectations. The trilogy is definitely worth reading. 12+

Worst series by Sanderson I've read...and I think I've read them all. Peopled with sophomoric characters that are poorly developed. Trite/banal dialogue. Feeble plot. I bought this last installment hoping that somehow this otherwise-brilliant author would pull it all together. Nope, actually this concluding volume was the worst yet. Do yourself a big favor...save your money and go buy something else!

I feel really stupid that I bought this for full price - I buy LOTS of books, and this is the first one I ever looked to return (at about 15% read) because I was just hating reading it. It was too late - I was unable to get my money back - so I went ahead and finished the book and really disliked it. Lots of plot holes, and unresolved issues, not much happens the first 85% of the book, and the metaphors continuously took me out of the story.

Note: I've read almost every other book written by Sanderson and liked all of them except this one.

I just finished reading this book, and the first three parts of this book were great! It was fantastic getting back into this world, reading about all of the characters again, and I love how fast paced the story is. The new characters introduced in this book are also great, I won't name them so I don't spoil things, but all of them were great additions to this world.

However, while it was fast paced, I never felt like it was rushing until the last handful of chapters. WAY too much happens way too quickly, and the ending was just way too abrupt and ended in a way that I wasn't really satisfied with. I don't want to go into spoiler territory, so I won't go on to explain why I didn't like the ending beyond the fact that it just felt really rushed. Furthermore, the reveal for why the Epics acted the way they do just felt weak, and kind of like something that would come out of a Saturday morning cartoon, or perhaps a comic book, which may have actually been the point, but it didn't stop it from just feeling sort of underwhelming. Lastly, some characters are just flat out wasted - Obliteration for instance is built up to be this incredible threat at the end of the second book, but what's done with him in this book is just immensely unsatisfying.

I'm disappointed in the ending of the book, since I've been looking forward to it ever since I finished Firefight last year. Still, it's well written, with some great character interactions and action. If you've read the previous two books, you might as well go ahead and read it, just be prepared for a less than stellar ending.

I can't explain without spoiling so turn back now!

HOLY ----- Brandon, I have never hated a book before now. You introduced the main protagonist in the final book, thwarted him in a single chapter, gave the main character a repeat of powers, introduced the dad (why?!?!), gave a character to much power, killed a great character for entertainment, had a city of salt that moves built by the main protagonist for no reason at all, and made me spend more than 15 dollars on a 300 page book that sucks? Worst conclusion ever. Now, if you pull something like this with the storm light archives, I may give you a one star review on every book you write ever. Seriously though, you are a great author, I value your work as some of the best writing for fantasy, but you can't let people down like you did with this book.

I loved the previous two books in the series for their oddly gritty take on the superhero genre, but I had worried that perhaps Sanderson would not deliver on this final installment. Thankfully, my fears were misplaced: Sanderson has hit another one out of the park. I read this book rather than sleeping or doing my work tonight, so I'll keep this short to give myself time to remedy it...

The pacing was perfect. Every page was relevant, and every idea explored to its conclusion. The plot was engrossing, and lingering plot threads were tied up better than I could have dreamed. The romance was endearing (David/Megan, OTP!). The characterization was on point, the revelations were suitably dramatic, the world was as innovative as always. It managed the rare task of being both down-to-earth and epic (pun intended). It added a certain level of depth to our understanding of the world that was lacking in the previous book, though I can't say any more than that without giving plot spoilers, unfortunately. Perhaps there was a tiny too much reliance on David's poor choices of similes as a source of humor. But I'm just nitpicking now.

TLDR: I have high standards for works of literature, and this surpassed all of them. 5/5, will recommend to everyone; if you liked this work's unusual intersections, I'd suggest checking out Worm (the web serial) and Darker than Black (the anime).

And, um, Mr. Sanderson, if you happen to be reading this, I'd like to personally thank you for bringing me so many enjoyable hours spent on this series. The ending to this work was perfect (I nearly cried), but it's always sad to leave a wonderful fictional universe. I look forward to your next series! And you're to blame for my C in this class, heh...

What the hell happened? Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author and I've loved all his books. He's so great at building worlds, keeping you interested with his fast paced writing, his twists, and most of all his endings are always so awesome. I have issues with his characters most of the time, but I can always look past that because the stories are so great. Well not this time. This entire book fell flat. The first half of the book was just set up and, while it was very readable, it was nothing special. I was looking forward to the conclusion mostly - to answers to huge questions like what exactly is Calamity? Why do all Epics go evil? Just where did it all come from? Well we got answers, and they ALL sucked. I just can't believe how disappointing the answers to these questions were and how rushed the ending felt. Seriously it all happened SO FAST. This is my least favorite book of his to date, which sucks because of how much I LOVED Steelheart. I'm giving it 2 stars because it definitely could have been worse, but I feel like it deserves a 1 star because I really did hate this book.

So the mystery of the Epics and the setting draw to a close. The big reveal comes. Who or what is Calamity? Why do Epics turn evil? Can there be good Epics, or will the darkness overwhelm them? Can Prof be redeemed?

Sanderson has been great about presenting worlds with central mysteries and drawing you in. So I went in with big hopes for the big reveal. Avoiding spoilers, how do I feel? Full answer at the end, but the three stars above should give a hint.

The action opens in yet another bizarre city. The first was made of steel, the second was underwater, the third is made of salt and constantly moves, the buildings being destroyed and rebuilt. The premise is okay, but there's no reasoning. The salt city is incredibly inconvenient to everyone, Epic and human alike, and nothing really comes of it being salt. While the other two settings had huge effects on the main characters, this setting was mostly ignored. It was mentioned once they might have to pack up and move because the building was starting to fade, but other than that it might as well have been a normal city. The setting became a fantastic backdrop.

Similarly this city is ruled by a High Epic, and it sets the ground for an amazing battle between the Prof and the ruler, with the Reckoners caught wanting both sides to lose and the Prof to live. And it... never really pays off. The promised 3 way battle never emerges, the entire setup just kind of collapses.

But certainly this is all cut short by the Calamity resolution, right? It's shortcutted so book 3 isn't more of the same, it's a wrap to the series? Sadly, no. I can't even say that. The Calamity 'reveal' is (no spoilers) not impressive to me in the least. It occupies very little space, and you're left feeling the entire thing is a foregone conclusion halfway through the big reveal. The mysteries are answered poorly, and I left feeling deeply unsatisfied.

Even the relationship was poor. Sanderson didn't take the cheap trick of manufacturing drama to keep tension high, but without it there needed to come character development. Yet Sanderson seems to have accepted both characters are who they are. New facets of their personality aren't explored. New developments don't come to light. They just go through the motions. Even the dialogue starts to feel repetitive after a while.

I'm rating it three stars because some of the mid-book fights had a lot of tension (even if the final one was rather bad) and the book managed to hold together well enough. The writing was pretty snappy, the dialogue started off good (even if by the end it felt like the same people making the same tired jokes) and it's overall interesting.

Strangely, looking back, Steelheart suffered from too much 'origin story', rushing us to and fro, dumping info on us in heaps. Calamity suffered from being an ending story, having to wrap everything up and failing at it. Firefight, where Sanderson just got to tell "this is the world, and these are the characters in it" stands as the best of the series.

Sorry Brandon, I love your writings, but this book just sucked...Steelheart, mitosis, and firefight were great books. Loved them all. This book did not click for me. The fights were boring, the ending anti climactic. In all of your books there are these really great moments where you read a section, and you just go wow that was awsome. Sadly that did not happen in this book...I am hoping this was a one time thing, because the stormlight books have been awsome so far, and I want more of that. Keep writing Brandon

Professor Jonathan Phaedrus has become the most dangerous enemy of the Reckoners -- the tyrannical Epic Limelight.

And unfortunately that is only the BEGINNING of the problems in "Calamity," the climactic finale of Brandon Sanderson's superpowers-with-a-catch Reckoners trilogy. The book starts off rather slowly compared to the previous two books, but it revs back up when the heroes make their way to Ildithia -- a grim, action-packed tale that breathlessly moves toward the ultimate clash between Reckoners and Epics.

Only a small number of Reckoners remain after the disaster in Babilar, including David, Mizzy and a newly-rejoined Megan. After a brief trip to Knighthawk, the inventor of the motivators, they set out for the latest place that Phaedrus (aka Limelight) has gone -- Ildithia (formerly Atlanta), a moving city constructed of crystalline salt. He's in the process of completely taking over the place, seeking out the power-stealing Larcener... but David is convinced that Jonathan Phaedrus is somewhere inside Limelight, and that they can redeem him.

Their only ally is Larcener himself, a bratty Epic who doesn't want to actually fight, and their only weapon is Megan's mysterious reality-warping power. But their attempts to stop Limelight lead to a vicious battle, and the discovery of a devastating plan that could give him the ultimate Epic power. The only chance for the human race is if the Reckoners somehow neutralize Limelight -- and even if that happens, what about Calamity?

In an odd way, "Calamity" is written more like a middle volume than a grand epic (joke!) finale, with most of the focus on defeating Limelight/Phaedrus rather than on the sinister force of Calamity itself. It also begins in a rather slow fashion for a climactic story, with a long stay at Knighthawk's castle -- it feels more like a novella than a part of the overall book, even if it is quite essential to the story, and left me itching for the main adventure to start.

However, things pick up when the Reckoners make it to Ildithia -- Sanderson weaves together a trio of dense subplots into the main plot about battling Limelight and Calamity, and packs the entire story with plenty of explosive, flaming, light-spear-flinging fights. It hurtles towards its climax with almost breathless speed, occasionally darting into the parallel universes that Megan is able to access, only to twist back into the conflict with Limelight. And after that story, Sanderson shoots us right into the grand finale, a cosmic twist that will blow your mind.

It's also a much grimmer story than the ones that came before it, just because of the awareness that this is the last stand against the Epic domination. Thankfully David's eccentric ways keep a little quirky humour in Sanderson's robust writing ("We were specks of mud on the window; he was a giant, vengeful bottle of spray cleaner"), and his earnest belief that he can redeem the Epics he's known is somehow uplifting in the midst of all the bleakness.

In fact, David remains the bright spot of the series -- earnest, optimistic and determined to never give up in his quest to stop the darkness that consumes the Epics. Sanderson delivers some emotional gut-punches through his hero, particularly when David discovers the emotions that ultimately fuel the Professor. And his purity of spirit is something that seems to radiate to all those around him, forcing everyone -- even those who see only corruption and darkness -- to see the world the way he sees it.

While the pacing is uneven and the ending a bit abrupt, "Calamity" is so powerfully-written that it makes you wonder if Sanderson has the Epic power of writing. A solid finale to this outstanding trilogy.

Calamity was my least favorite in the series.  At least the characters stopped pointing out the bad metaphors that David kept spewing even though he tragically kept saying them.  When the metaphors stand on their own, they were less annoying and sometimes even a little funny.

David spent an annoying amount of time in denial about things, but I did love the sarcasm in Calamity.  My favorite is this explanation of how hard it is to be evil and powerful:

"Life was so unfair.  You couldn't both destroy everything around you and live like a king. (pg 104)"

I think the best character by far was Abraham.  I aspire to talk just like him.  He says at one point "David, in all kindness and peace...(pg 164)" Who talks like that? I want to talk like that.  But I would probably just say things like, "In all kindness and peace, stop talking David."

This series asked such interesting questions. I couldn't stop thinking about them because they had no easy answers (or so I thought).  Steelheart, the first book, asked, "Do only terrible people get powers or do powers make everyone terrible? Would I be a good person if I had unlimited power?"  Firefight, the second book, asked, "Is there power or weakness in fear?" And like a good little book, Calamity does answer all these questions.  I just found the reason to be kinda lame because it was too easy for such thought provoking questions. I think overall the message of the book was what being a hero really means.  It means facing your fears selflessly for those you love.  That's how you overcome power and the temptation of greed.  And it means anyone can be a hero.

Rating: 5/5

Genre: YA Dystopian

Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, gore, mature content)

When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned Prof, his closest ally, into a dangerous enemy.
David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners’ leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back. . . .
But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying. – the store.com

I finished another series! And I’ve figured out why I’m not a series finisher. I’m totally dead inside after reading this book and I have SO MANY QUESTIONS!!! Anyone else who has read this book can you help me in bombarding Brandon Sanderson with requests for a fourth Reckoners book? Pleaseeee? Anyways, on with the review!

Okay so this is going to be a hard review to write without giving spoilers so it’ll probably be very short. I thought the character development really built on the previous books and the plot was very well developed as well. The pacing was also very well done. It never waned and the action was constant throughout the book. Sanderson’s writing is a very good example of how to build tension and action in a story without having moments where there is no action. He’s also a good example to use when one needs to know how to do transitional scenes. I also thought that the writing was phenomenal and the book is very true to how David (the main character) would narrate a story of his. Sanderson not only writes dialogue from his characters well but he writes in his characters voice well even when they’re not actively thinking or talking.

While I loved the book overall I did feel like the book, for being a final book in the series, had a ton of plot holes that were not solved by the end of the book. I really feel that Sanderson left the books this way in order to build onto the universe if he so pleased and he is writing a book in which could be a companion triology to the Reckoners series, but there are a ton of questions I have left over from this book that I want answered. FOR THE LOVE OF CALAMITY CONTINUE THIS SERIES SANDERSON! I WILL GIVE YOU MY FIRST BORN CHILD FOR ANOTHER RECKONERS SERIES! I NEEEEEDDDDDDDD IT!

Verdict: Overall I am in love and I feel like my love just walked out on me and left me hung to dry. In a way David would say it I feel like a taco that’s not been eaten by a starving linebacker. I really hope I’m back with another book from the Reckoners universe and I know there is a companion novel that I’ll be for sure reading and reviewing come Spring 2018…. But I want something from David. If anyone knows how to contact Brandon Sanderson please tell me so I can beg and grovel at his feet.

Calamity, the conclusion to Brandon Sanderson's trilogy about post-apocalyptic superpowers, doesn't quite stick the landing. For one thing, the villain set up at the end of book 2 turns out to be far less formidable than the foes David and the other Reckoners have faced before -- which is particularly disappointing, since the personal stakes should have raised this last threat to the ultimate level. Sanderson also seems to have squeezed in a few too many details setting up his next series, The Apocalypse Guard, which tended to obscure and distract from the story he was telling here. There's also quite a bit of face-your-fears mysticism to how the Reckoners story resolves, which is a rare misstep from an author who is usually so meticulous about the mechanics of his magical systems.

That being said, a below-average Brandon Sanderson novel is still a great story, and he delivers more of the solid Reckoners thrills we got in the first two volumes, with clever humans trying to defeat villains with a wide bevy of special powers. David continues to make absolutely appalling metaphors, the love story from the previous novels gets a little more time to breathe, we get another really cool city under bizarre Epic powers, and the dangling storylines and character arcs mostly resolve themselves. Calamity is definitely worth reading if you've enjoyed the first two Reckoners books, but you might be wise to lower your expectations for this one.

Holy superpowers, Batman! I finally finished The Reckoners trilogy!

The third and final book in Brandon Sanderson’s series about superpowered bad guys is a fun, quick-paced end that’s great for any Marvel or DC fan.

Book three starts off a few weeks/months (it’s not entirely clear) after book two ends, and it starts in the thick of an action-packed scene. One thing Sanderson is good at is adding action into his plots. However, I think he sacrificed action for plot in the case of this last book. The ending was just a tad bit… weird and rushed. The world-building is still on point, though.

As for the characters of the series, there wasn’t a whole lot of growth or development. David was mostly the same, just a little more frantic. He was keeping some secrets, though; I just don’t think those secrets really meant much in the grand scheme of the story. I was expecting him to have this big BAM! moment, but he never did. David’s love interest, Megan, gets very little development, but I did feel like she become more interesting in this book.

All in all, Calamity is a good ending to a good series. If you’re addicted to comic books and science fiction, this trilogy may just be for you.

3.5/5 stars

**THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION**

Ugh. That's going to be my review.... I really hate writing reviews for the last book in the series. It's bittersweet. I really have enjoyed getting to know David, Megan, Prof, and the rest of the gang. It has been an amazing journey and I have MacLeod Andrews to thank for leading me down it. While I'm not going to say that I will listen to anything he narrates (although it might be close), I do enjoy hearing his performances.

Mr Sanderson pulled no punches in this final book. Nothing was up for debate, questions were answered but there were still new questions being asked at the end. I really hope that his isn't the last we've seen of these people and this world. I thought I heard something about this series being picked up for a movie or tv show? I really, really hope so!! I'd love to see this come to life on the screen.

I understand why Mr Sanderson chose to end it after 3 books (and a novella). This series could easily just go on and on and on. There could be endless books and stories about Epics and The Reckoners, since these books only take place in a few cities and not the whole world. And with the alternate worlds and realities, it could get old and stale. I'm sure Mr Sanderson would like to spend his time on other stories and not just this series. It does make me sad that it is over. I might have to listen to this series again.

This is the grand finale to the Epic tale. We're no longer in New York, and we haven't gone back to Chicago, but we're in Atlanta now, which, just like the steel-city and the water-city, has a specific feature: the buildings, trees, etc are made of salt, AND the city moves, destroying and rebuilding itself every seven days.
David and his decimated team of Reckoners meet old foes and new ones, and they aren't well equipped or prepared. However, they get help from unexpected quarters, and so they take up the fight against Prof -- and ultimately, against Calamity.

Again, this book is full of surprises, there are so many unexpected twists and turns, it is a joy to behold. I really need to make my son listen to this epic (sorry, can't resist the pun here) trilogy, so at least somebody will know what I mean, should I ever find myself exclaiming: "Sparks!" or "Calamity!" Yes, that's all the cursing there is (and it's very often just an exclamation of surprise).

Oh, and I love didgeridooing -- I want that filter for some of the books I read/listen to!!

McLeod Andrews'narration was perfect again, and I think I prefer him to Michael Kramer (who is a great narrator, too).

So, I guess you can see that I'm quite enthusiastic about this trilogy, it's great ya stuff that makes you think, because of course all the right questions are being raised (about the legitimacy of killing a foe, for instance, and how you go on living with the knowledge that you've killed --admittedly dangerous, tyrannical -- people who never chose to be like they are. Can you overcome the darkness within you? Can friends help you with it? And what about love?
This trilogy isn't just a great ya story, but it is food for thought, too.

A very satisfying finale to a favorite YA Superhero/villain Fantasy.

BOOK DETAILS:
Calamity by Brandon Sanderson, read by MacLeod Andrews, published by Audible Studios (2016) / Length: 11 hrs 51 min

SERIES INFO:
This is the third & final book in "The Reckoners" trilogy. A spin-off series called "Apocalypse Guard," taking place in a parallel world, has been announced but won't begin until 2018.

**This review contains spoilers for the previous books.**

SUMMARY:
I know that quite a few people were disappointed with the resolution/revelations in this book, feeling that they were anti-climactic. I can definitely understand where they are coming from. However, since I have been reading this series for the characters, I was completely satisfied with the way things progressed and how they turned out. Note: there were some deaths, which made me sad.

CHARACTERS:
David: He is a much different person in this book than he was at the beginning of Steelheart. And yet he retains what made him lovable. He has grown into a potentially great leader and is learning to curb his recklessness, without giving up his willingness to take necessary chances. One of the things I love about him is his openness to growth & change.

Megan: She too is a very different person. And although she still struggles with her Epic nature, and is afraid that killing her will be the only reasonable end, she really wants to be the person David believes she can be. Yet, she doesn't let that make her weak either, she is still the more practical one and able to do what needs to be done.

David & Megan: This is one of my favorite fictional relationships. I love the way they accept each other's quirks, provide support when needed, and let the other be strong.

Abraham & Cody are back. Although the latter still isn't a fav, I didn't find him as jarring in this one. / Mizzy is back as well. She is having to deal with a lot of changes, including the death of her entire team & having to work with Megan (who killed one of her friends). / Prof - I really feel for him; he tried so hard to avoid becoming evil. He makes for a very wily antagonist though, both because he's just good & because he knows David. (As an aside, I think it is interesting that he continues to use the name Limelight, which is something David made up)

WORLDBUILDING:
In Steelheart we got Newcago (Chicago), in Firefight it was Babilar (New York), here we get Ildithia (Atlanta). But just to make it a bit more crazy, Atlanta isn't in Georgia anymore. And just as Newcago had been turned to steel, Atlanta has been turned to salt. It is now migrating slowly across the country leaving a trail of destruction behind (and is currently in Kansas). The migration occurs as the "back" of the city slow dissolves and is reborn in "front." This, of course, means that everyone has to move constantly.

PLOT:
The book actually begins with an assault on the Knighthawk Foundry. They have to have equipment & weapons if they are going to stop the Prof, but Knighthawk is unwilling to deal with them. There is lots of action and plenty of character moments & emotion.

This book seemed faster paced to me than the previous two, with the quiet moments taking up less time. I personally would have liked more character moments, but was satisfied with the ones we got.

As stated above, the revelations about Calamity and what ends up happening in that regard may seem a bit of a fizzle to some. I however, really loved what came after. I finished the book with a great big lump in my throat and a sigh of satisfaction.

HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:
There are so many good things, but they are almost all spoilers. So here's a summary.
--The relationships (all of them, not just the romance) - I could add a dozen quotes, but here's a good one from David.

"I felt cowardly, but part of being in a team was about recognizing when someone else could do a job better than you. And part of being a man was learning to let your immortal girlfriend take a turn being the heroic one."

--The ending. David gains some new skills & gets to spend time with someone surprising.

I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: Megan being a man (Firefight) in the parallel dimension. I'm all about David & Megan the way they are.

NARRATION:
Character voices differentiated = Yes / Opposite sex voices acceptable = Yes / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = Good / Emoting = Good / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual

MacLeod Andrews is a favorite narrator, and he did his usually excellent job. Coincidentally, he did two of my favorite recent series (this & "The Pillars of Reality") yet I never felt like voices from one were appearing in the other as can sometimes happen.

As the last book in the Reckoners series, I felt a mix of excitement at reaching the conclusion and also felt a sense of sadness since this would be the last book in the series. "Calamity" follows the same formula as the other two books in the series and is captivating from start to finish. The action scenes really do stand out in this book as the team peruses a familiar enemy into another new city full of its own dangers and new enemies.

Although I loved this book, I do admit there are a couple of issues with it which stand out. Mainly, the characters seem to have no reaction to another main character in the series being killed off in a very traumatic manner. There are hints of sadness but no real sense of loss in the story. Literally, one character even says, "Hey, let's mourn them later". I feel this is out of character for the majority of the team, especially since the events through which this unfolded relates directly to David's reckless nature and the circumstances under which it happened.

Also, the aspects of alternate dimensions was explored and utilized in a way which made it seem almost overpowered even compared to the terrifying power of other Epics. This alternate dimension stuff leaves me with more questions than answers but I have a strong feeling this is only because the authors might wish to revisit the series at a later date.

Aside from those minor points, "Calamity" left me feeling satisfied and with a few tears in my eyes too. It's a heartwarming yet appropriate ending to the series. Even if it is a little sappy.

Overall, these books severed as an excellent introduction for me into the work of Brandon Sanderson and I'm looking forward to reading more of his work in the future.

Most of the book and series was a solid five stars for me, but sadly it ended on a little bit of a sour note for me. The characters are interesting and sucked me in right away. The plot was dynamite in many ways and Sanderson certainly has a way of posing interesting moral dilemmas in his writing. However, the last few chapters just fell a little flat for me. It was like the entire series was building towards this grand finale and it just wasn't there.

I think that it had to do with the fact that there were a few plot holes (or at least seem like plot holes from my perspective) that left me scratching my head. More than that, I think part of the problem is that the entire book is building up to the showdown with Calamity, but it felt anti-climatic in many ways. I can't go into detail without giving away huge spoilers and I don't want to do that, but it just didn't quite work for me.

Frankly, I'm still struggling to really rate the book. Up until the ending, the series was a solid five stars for me. Amazing, awesome, and fantastic. But the ending just left me feeling a bit disappointed. I loved so many aspects of it, but the ending just didn't work for me. Perhaps you'll love it.

4.5 stars

This is the heartwarming conclusion to Brandon Sanderson's The Reckoners trilogy. I only started reading Brandon Sanderson a few months back, but he already is one of my all time favorite authors and this series proves he is just as talented at writing young adult books as he is at writing adult books.

The ending to this trilogy was truly memorable and was pleasantly surprising. I do feel, however, that it wrapped up a bit too quickly and felt a bit rushed. There was also more room for elaboration and action that I feel we didn't get a chance to be apart of because of how quickly the book ended. I hope he will write a novella to cover the final battle that was hinted at toward the end.

Loved this series so much.

The adventure continues in Brandon Sanderson’s amazing and highly imaginative superhero series The Reckoners. Picking up after a short amount of time has passed since the drama that ensued in FireFight. Prof is a full blown evil epic that has an intricate plan, one that was layed out for him in the previous book.

Without giving anything away I will say this. The mystery of the epic named Calamity is revealed. The secret to the power of the epics is fully disclosed, along with why they go mad when they use their powers. I am not sure if I have daddy issues or something, but the final moments of this audiobook had me in tears, literally sobbing. Pulled my heart out, passed it around for all to see and shoved it back in my chest.

While Calamity wraps up the series pretty well I really hope that Sanderson keeps going with his extraordinary series. It touches everything that I love about audio books. From well-developed characters to really evil bad guys, bad guys that are not all evil, gut-wrenching action, a tolerable love story, tear-jerking emotional bits. And all of this is done while keeping a light-heated attitude towards the story-line.

All that being said. Sanderson had a much deeper exploration going on here. Not only scrutinizing the dark side of human nature. But also shedding light on the good of humanity, the good that happens only when there are no outside influences.

If you have listened to the previous audiobooks and the novella in this series, getting and listening to this one is a no brainer. If you haven’t yet. Please do if you want a unbelievable adventure for the imagination, start at the beginning.

Hands down. This has to be one of, if not the best single narrator performances I’ve ever heard. Macleod Andrews put everything he had into his performance. Not only does he have very well developed characterizations for all of the players, he went the extra distance with this one. Laughing, yelling, grunting, actually sneezing, and I would put money on that he was crying at one point, because I know I was. This performance proves to me once again why Andrews is at near the top of the narrator’s that I keep an eye out for new work.

Audiobook was purchased for review by ABR.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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Yup, Calamity is as every bit as fast paced as Steelheart and Firefight.

The book is a whirlwind of rescue attempts and impossible-to-pull-off plans. The body count is high, but the violence is just generally described and David’s similes are just as bad as ever, plus there is still the underlying theme of forgiveness and second chances.

The setting for this novel really does demonstrate Sanderson’s mastery of world building. Formerly known as Atlanta, Ildithia is a moving city of salt that reconstructs itself on the front border while it disintegrates along the back. Is it a perfect novel? No. My only real complaint is that it actually felt a little rushed. There were so many big questions that were answered in last-minute reveals that I almost wished there was a fourth book so that there would be adequate time to wrap everything up. But alas, this is the last book in the series. Sanderson did announce, however, that he was starting a series in a universe parallel to this one. So if you are saddened by the end of the Reckoners, don’t worry, there will be more superhero books coming!

That was a cool ending. Maybe I’m just clueless, but I didn’t see all of those coming. I’m glad and satisfied with the way that things ended with the series. I really enjoyed these books. I hope that we get to return to this world, even though it isn’t part of Sanderson’s Cosmere. Anyway, the one thing that was odd about these books is that the main characters weren’t described as much throughout, with the exception of Megan. I found myself imagining characters one way and then books later learning details about their physical appearance or something that changed them in my mind’s eye. It didn’t really matter but was different than I experienced in other books. Really great concept with super heroes and powers and everything. I guess the final moral was one that has been done before and isn’t really different in any way, but I really liked the journey to get there and the characters along the way.

This review is also available on my blog, <a href="https://bowsandbulletsreviews.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/review_brandon_sanderson_calamity/">Bows & Bullets Reviews</a>

I believe the term book hangover was invented for this moment. I don't know what I'm supposed to read now. I want more from this world, but it's over and I don't want these tormented characters to be put through anymore drama so I don't really want more. But I just can't believe this story was over so quickly. Maybe I shouldn't have devoured the audiobooks quite as quickly so the experience would last longer, but I couldn't help it. The whole series is written in that way that you just need 10 more minutes. Just a little longer to find out what happens next. Anyway, enough fangirling, let's get down to business (to defeat the Huns).

We start off pretty closely to where Firefight left off. Prof has gone rogue and David might have figured out to defeat the darkness that is associated with the epic powers. He is determined to bring Prof back to his former self and take down Calamity. Because taking down Calamity will solve all their problems...hopefully. I love how his character has grown. Then, I also love how his character has stayed the same. I found his relationships, I use that term lightly, with his rifles to be highly amusing throughout the entire series. And I love (LOVE) his relationship with Megan. They are so adorably cute together and I love how she teases him.

I also just love Megan. She's strong and independent. She's a pretty kick-a** character in general. I love how she hates to accept help and wants to do everything on her own. I love that she's the exception to the rule. She has such a fascinating power. Alternate realities and all the things that could have been if one small decision or fact of birth was changed. That's an idea that's easy to get lost in.

The trek to find Prof was bittersweet. On one hand, we want them to find him and fix him, but is that possible? Is Prof redeemable at this point? He has already committed so many atrocities in his short time as a full epic so would he even be able to live with himself it he came back to his senses? And then there are the bigger questions? Who the hell is Calamity? Why is he/she here? What do they want? What causes the darkness? Is this horrible world redeemable?

So what do you need to know? This is an incredible end to one of my new favorite series. It's a satisfying conclusion that I have no complaints with. Just keep the faith. You get to a point where you are pretty close to the end and things STILL haven't wrapped up. You start to wonder if it's really going to wrap up or just leave you on one of those evil ambiguous endings. Rest assured that we get the resolution we deserve. Though, beware, there is a heartbreaking character death. The fact that I gave this 5 stars even after taking that fact into consideration should speak volumes.

Audio Notes:
MacLeod Andrews is just as awesome as he always is. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but he's absolutely fantastic. I truly believe that with the right direction, this man could read the phone book and I would listen to it. Just sayin'! But seriously, he's amazing and I look forward to listening to more of his work in the future!

****Thank you to Esther Bochner at Audible for providing me with an audio copy in exchange for an honest review****

4.5*

Calamity is the conclusion to the Reckoners trilogy, following on from Steelheart and Firefight. A short summary of the story so far: Calamity burst into the sky as a bright red star several years ago and gave ordinary people super human powers. They became known as Epics. After witnessing his father’s death at the hands of Steelheart, a High Epic, David Charleston vows revenge and learns everything he can about Epics. Joining the Reckoners, an elite undercover team working to destroy the Epics, David hopes to find a way to get to Steelheart. The team is successful and David destroys Steelheart. Left with complications he didn’t expect David faces more challenges.

David is the new group leader, and the original team of Reckoners are back together, making plans to track down Jonathan Phaedrus, hoping to force him to face his fears and so bring him back to the Prof they know and love. Caught up in an Epic plot, Prof, now known as Limelight, is corrupted and dominated by his considerable powers. David refuses to believe Prof is beyond recall and the team set out for Ildithia, where Limelight is in the process of assuming control of the city and hunting Larcener, a power stealing Epic.

From someone who was purely out for revenge David’s character has developed considerably, he’s grown up and he and the team realise that saving the world by killing the Epics isn’t a long-term solution. They need to find another way. And even if they do manage to get through to Prof there is still Calamity to deal with.

David and Megan’s relationship has deepened and Megan really comes into her own with her extraordinary powers. David hasn’t lost his capacity for terrible, sometimes funny and occasionally lovely, metaphors.

Brandon Sanderson’s terrific imagination is again apparent. After Newcago, a city built of steel there was Babilar, a vividly colourful underwater city and now Ildithia, built of shifting salt that replaces itself every week. Plenty of vivid action scenes add tension and short chapters keep up the pace.

There are unexpected questions raised and left unanswered leaving so many possible outcomes. The final confrontation seemed a little too easy. Perhaps there are plans to revisit at a later date. I hope so. But that said, I’ve really enjoyed listening to this trilogy, the emotional twist in the last chapters was a complete surprise and very moving, especially hearing it narrated by MacLeod Andrews. Still, I have mixed feelings about the ending. It’s lovely for David and in one way it brings things full circle yet shouldn’t it have been more about Prof as well? But… the writing is excellent, the plot and world building so very creative and the main characters engaging. And MacLeod Andrews’ performance is flawless, adeptly moving between each character’s distinct voice with authentic emotions incorporated perfectly into the narrative. He really brought the story to life for me.

Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite authors and after I binge read STEELHEART, FIREFIGHT, and even the MITOSIS novella, the wait for CALAMITY was rough! I wasn’t used to waiting for a new Sanderson book (I have a tendency to binge them since I just can’t get enough!) so I was incredibly excited for the conclusion to this fun and smart YA series!

CALAMITY brought some of my favorite characters back! I adore David Charleston and he’s just so much fun. Even when things look bleak, he’s still got bad metaphors (well, actually similes) to cheer everyone up and he always seems to be quite positive about everything. I loved the tone that he brought to this series and how things always stayed humorous even in the darkest of times. The Reckoners crew is so much fun too. I still wasn’t as attached to new-comer (well, new in FIREFIGHT) Mizzy but I think that’s just because I have a hard time adjusting to new characters becoming a part of the main crew. I was really glad that more of Megan’s powers were explored and that CALAMITY really dug deeper into how they worked and why.

CALAMITY was much more action-packed and fast-paced than the first two books. I think STEELHEART and FIREFIGHT still had quite a bit of action but CALAMITY seemed to be more focused on this final show-down between the Reckoners and the Epics than the first two installments. I did miss the classic Sanderson world-building and details in this book and it was fairly noticeable for me as I was reading. I’m so used to layers upon layers of details or clues being built into the book and then it all coming together in the end. Everything did still wrap up nicely but I was hoping that there would be just a touch more explanation and detail about Calamity (the Epic) and the formation of everyone’s powers. The answers were there but I was so hungry for more world-building! Maybe previous books have spoiled me since the Mistborn books are insanely detailed worlds.

I really did feel a bit disappointed in the ending. I really liked where it was going, leading up to the answers of who/what/where Calamity is and why. I was just hoping for a bit more explanation once we got there. Sanderson is usually so good at pulling everything together and in such a stunning way and here I felt like things were not as carefully planned. The basic questions were answered but I still wanted to know so much more. We find out where Calamity is (other than burning out somewhere in the sky) but I still didn’t know where Calamity came from. We find out why the powers on Earth came to be but I still wasn’t quite sure why the motive to install them there (so to speak. Trying to word carefully to avoid spoilers!) was important. I feel like once the answers were provided, there needed to be even one MORE layer of world-building after that and I felt like the book didn’t quite go that ONE step further to really give a conclusion that closed all of the open doors.

The book was enjoyable from start to finish and it never had a lull for me. The pacing was great, always moving things forward even when I didn’t know where they were going. I do still feel that small ping of disappointment though thinking how everything wrapped up. I’ve just become accustomed to Sanderson’s writing and how he crafted the Mistborn series (I have yet to read other series) and so I think my expectations were a little high for this conclusion. It was absolutely still a fun read but I did feel like there were still a few more loose ends that could have been tied.

AUDIOBOOK IMPRESSIONS

So, I ended up with a manuscript of CALAMITY (since there were no ARCs) and I started it but I also ended up waiting for the audiobook because that is how much I love MacLeod Andrews. I’ve reviewed his narration many, many times since I end up picking audiobooks specifically because he narrates them but I will reiterate how much I do love his voices. Males voicing females is always hard but no matter if it was David, Megan, Mizzy, Cody — each voice really felt individual and realistic. It’s more about the way that he forms a voice for a character even more than just choosing how their voice might sound. He adds so much character to each person and it really makes them come alive in the books. Obliteration was more nasal, Cody had a slight Southern accent, Abraham’s French-Canadian accent was fantastic — MacLeod Andrews really puts all those details in to each character. I also love when he adds human actions instead of just saying things like sniffles or gasps or sneezes. Those elements are also performed sometimes to really bring an extra layer of acting to the audiobook. I just love his performances and I’ll be picking up many, many more books narrated by him in the future.

I wanted to read this book like a kid wants to eat a giant lollipop. I was excited to read the book just like the kid gets excited about lollipops, but I didn’t want it to end too soon just like the kid who gets the giant lollipop so they can savor the experience a little longer. Yes, this series will be full of intentionally bad metaphors, and Calamity certainly had some memorable ones in there. The humor that Sanderson laced into this book, as well as the previous books, makes this a fun read while the action and intrigue makes it an entertaining romp through a world where superpowers don’t go to the good guys. Or, rather, it seems that everyone who gets superpowers turns bad, and they are known as Epics.

It is difficult to write a spoiler-free review of the final book in a trilogy like this, but I want this to be a comprehensive review for more than just this one book. I want someone to read this and go pick up the entire trilogy (Steelheart, Firefight, Calamity) plus the short between the first two (Mitosis). The Reckoners are back in action in this finale that certainly lives up to every expectation that it promised. The showdown that has been coming is epic. And Epic.

But that isn’t even the main target for the book. The one complaint that could be voiced is that once this big showdown is over, there isn’t enough time to properly build up for the other final showdown. But the plans of the Reckoners, especially those made by the main character, David, never work out like they should anyway so extra time to plan and scheme would have been prolonging a story longer than it needed to.

More information is learned about the powers that the Epics possess and how they came to get those, and some of those Epics seen in previous books take their powers to the next level in this one. Seriously, it is amazing what Sanderson had them doing with these powers.

One sign of a great trilogy is being able to reflect back, at the end, and see how things not only progressed from Book One to the ending but also to see how things in the early chapters allude to later events or become significant later on down the line. In that respect, Calamity delivers. I will always look back upon the Reckoners trilogy as a fantastic series. Steelheart was the first Sanderson book I ever picked up and I’ve been waiting anxiously ever since Firefight was announced shortly after I finished that book. I could herald this series for being about superpowers, which it certainly has plenty of that, but this series is so much more than a mere superhero series. It is action and excitement, mystery and intrigue, bad kissing and bad metaphors, exaggerated stories and mysterious backgrounds, and just plain fun.

I cannot recommend this book, and this trilogy, enough. Put it on your TBR list right now and you won’t regret it. Allow Steelheart to rope you in and you’ll thank me when you finish Calamity.

By the way, this is the third book in the series :)

What I Liked:

-The cover is so pretty, I LOVE the colors :) and on another short note, it was good to be back reading the series. It felt like years between the second and third book, I just had to know how it ended!

-On a random note they talk about twin epics in Calamity. They're rare because one ends off killing the other. I was sitting there, reading it, and I began to wonder which one of us would survive. Brianna or I? Hmmmm....

-My favorite quote from Firefight came back. THE POTATO!!! Here's the paraphrased quote:

"You are a sunrise."

"A sunrise?"

"Yup."

"Not a potato?"

Megan has officially been upgraded from a potato to a sunrise. This part made me smile so much because I LOVED the potato thing, it was hilarious. But this moment was one of Davids wise moments were he sounded poetic, it was such a sweet moment :)

-One of my FAVORITE things about the whole series, other than the Epics and their weaknesses/powers, was the settings. I don't read a lot of books that don't take place in an imaginative world, most take place in Los Angeles or New York and this series takes place in our world but it's SO MUCH more creative. Calamity takes place in Ilditha a city made of salt from an Epics powers. The buildings build up and destroy themselves over a week, then they build up somewhere. So the city is traveling and made of salt, it was so cool and magical :)

-The ending I liked a lot. It was sweet and I got chills!

What I Didn't Like:

-I think the beginning was a bit disappointing compared to the ending of Firefight. Firefight was more explosive and Calamity started off on the slow end. I expected an action packed beginning and kind of got that. Just not in the way I was expecting.

-I was a little bit confused when it came to Calamity himself/herself (not gonna spoiler her/his identity :D) But on a spoiler topic [spoiler]I was wondering who sent Calamity. Because didn't Calamity say someone sent him? Who? What? Why? I wanted answers and didn't get them...I don't think I did O.o[/spoiler]

Fables Final Thoughts:

-Calamity started off a bit slow but I was taken away to a magical land with Epics and Reckoners. The ending was great too, like I said, I got chills. I'm just sad one of my favorite series has now come to a close..

Reader thoughts: I don't know what I'm going to read next. Every other book will pale in comparison. That's the only downside of Sanderson's books.
This really was that good. This trilogy ends better than any other series (equal with Legend of Eli Monpress). All my expectations were met and exceeded. Everything was brilliant and fit just right. There was the perfect balance of humor and plot and mystery and magic powers and science and quick thinking and danger and action and surprise character traits. There were even a couple things left loose for the world to grow into (Abraham? Flying lessons? Toronto?). I'm feeling overwhelmed by it all, in a good way.
David is one of my favorite MCs ever. I can't tell if I want to be him or know him or be able to write him into a story. From porridge bricks to rhinoceros astronauts to ketchup hair gel to pencil storms, he's hilarious and protective and quick-witted.
Rutabaga.

Writer thoughts: Sanderson keeps reader promises and knows which character traits to rely on. I read a review that argued the bad guy was beaten too easily. I disagree, especially from a writer's standpoint. (view spoiler) Sanderson uses David's strengths to his benefit.
The danger and the harm were great. This may sound odd, but I love when characters get hurt (not maimed, not killed, hurt), and it's better when the characters have to keep fighting after they're hurt. Sanderson does this and more. The injuries aren't crippling, but they add tension to the conflict so that the readers know the characters are giving everything they have to win this thing.

This was a fast-paced and entertaining read. David and what’s left of the Reckoners travel to the city of Illithia (a future version of Atlanta). Illithia is a city made completely of salt that constantly moves; the city unbuilding and rebuilding itself in a continuous march across the plains. I loved the concept of this city, it was really quite unique.

Prof is trying to take over the city from the current Epics that run it and David is determined, not only to stop Prof from taking over, but to save Prof from the hatred and evil his Epic powers have infected Prof with.

There is a ton of action and we meet some great new Epics. Megan is in the book a lot; we learn her backstory and history and also get to see her bend realities in some truly awesome ways. Alternate realities play a big role in the story this time and that added an incredibly interesting aspect to the story.

I loved the Epilogue it did such an awesome job of tying up the story in an upbeat way. I also really enjoyed all the witty dialogue and humor throughout. The addition of the character Knighthawk, also livened things up quite a bit. I also really continued to enjoy David and his constant mixing of metaphors.

Overall this was an excellent conclusion to a superb series. I would recommend to those who like action packed science fiction type stories full of superhero goodness (or would it be badness in this case…). Can’t wait to see what Sanderson comes up with next.

I generally good book but I somehow found the ending unsatisfactory. I enjoyed the uniqueness of each Epic's power in the previous books, and there was less of that this time. I also found the ending somewhat abrupt.

However, one good thing about Sanderson is that he does not draw out book series's. He always gives generally decent endings which provide some closure, and does so within a decent period of time. You won't find him writing 27 books about the same character because it's a cash cow.

Rich. That's a word that I think describes Brandon Sanderson's writings incredibly well, and if he were a chef, I would have died of gluttony long ago.

Thank you for not being a literal chef, Brandon Sanderson.

Calamity is the third and final novel in the Steelheart series, an awesomely fun take on the superhero genre that should appeal to teens and older readers alike. It follows and finishes the story of David Charleston, hunter of superheroes, or Epics as they are called. David's been in the oven for awhile, and it's great to see how he turns out.

Calamity continues the series' tradition of likeable characters, fascinating settings, and action, action, and some more action. Twists and turns keep things interesting. There is plenty of richness in all of this, but the really good 'n tasty stuff is in the maturation and development of all the key characters that occurs in a way that is often a little unexpected and very satisfying.

As with Sanderson's other stories, there are plenty of super-powerful people, those that fight against them, and of course, a party. With cupcakes. Sanderson's thoughts on power and its effects on humans and also the morality of how to deal with those that abuse power are key ingredients to Calamity's well-rounded flavor. Throw in some awesome rose-colored symbolism and some very disorienting and yet still digestible links to the multiverse, and you've got one heck of a meal.

Finish it all off with a just-sweet-enough ending, then sit back and know that while the door is open to a continuation, you wonder just how Sanderson could make it any better. Then remember The Alloy of Law, and be patient, knowing that literary chef Brandon always has something set for the future.

I feel full, and better off for having read the Steelheart series. It was Epic.

It pains me to say I didn't love this Sanderson book. Virtually all of his books are phenomenal. The book as a whole wasn't bad, but then ending was a big letdown. It was such a great trilogy and to have the ending wrap up in 2 chapters left me feeling dumbfounded and unsatisfied. The ending just didn't feel like it fit the rest of the series. It was almost as if someone else wrote it. Not to mention Sanderson left a big loose thread of plot (that was featured predominantly in this book) that was not even resolved. Why Sanderson? Why have you forsaken us?

I have loved this series from the start. Calamity was a great way to finish up with several surprising things at the end. Some things I had guessed about earlier, but others were a complete shock. Though this third book was good, I still like the first book Steelheart the best out of all three books in the series. David grew so much throughout the books, but especially in Calamity. He is such an amazing character and one that I'll always remember. I don't say that about all of the characters I meet in stories.This series overall delivers a powerful story that all readers will love and Brandon Sanderson fans will be once again fully satisfied by Calamity and The Reckoners series.

Calamity is the third book in a trilogy written by Brandon Sanderson. Its main plot is a continuation of the actions of the Reckoners, a secret organization made to help defeat Epics. Epics are normal human beings but granted superpowers, some of them gaining almost prime invincibility, but all consumed by lust for power. They ruthlessly murder civilians and any other, weaker epics who stand in their path. Calamity is the finale of the Reckoner’s quest to stop the reign of Epics over society and bring about a restored world order and peace.
Brandon Sanderson uses a variety of writing styles and techniques that make his writing unique. In the Reckoner series, the characters he created use different curse words, such as “Sparks” or “Calamity”, making this a clean series, while still maintaining the focus of the reader. The way he organizes his text also emphasizes different ideas and parts of the story or dialogue that is either important or that foreshadows a future event. One example of this is on page 334 when the text reads: “At the moment, nothing. Not even pigeons.” The context of this line, placed by itself, is when the main character looks at a map that displays any threats. By isolating the current state of this map, the reader expects that circumstance to change, given the current stillness of the air. It effectively foreshadows that a conflict is soon to erupt, destroying the false sense of safety. By manipulating the way a conflict either arises or is foreshadowed, Brandon Sanderson uses good technique to keep the reader interested throughout the book.
Brandon Sanderson also develops the main characters well throughout the trilogy. At the beginning of the series, he introduces the group of Reckoners, a group of round characters, and the main character, also a round character. He gives lots of detail about the main character, including his background, hobbies, and personality, illustrated within the first 2 chapters of Steelheart. Through this character’s actions and thoughts, as the book is written in first person, the reader can accurately asses the gradual change of personality and development the main character is going through. He starts off as a normal civilian, but bent on revenge for Steelheart, a powerful epic who caused him turmoil in the past. As he participates in killing various epics with the Reckoners, you can tell how he has changed from a civilian to a soldier. He references Reckoner protocol during the first mission of Calamity to display his knowledge gains. At the end fight, he played the most important role of defeating their enemy, bring to light the sheer difference between who he was at the beginning of the series and who he is now. Throughout these missions, he earns more respect from the other Reckoners and participates in more dangerous missions. The use of an extremely dynamic and detailed main character really helps keep the reader interested in what will happen next as the character continues to change and improve. Overall, I believe Calamity is in the middle in terms of ranking the three books, just due to the details provided and a rather abrupt ending.

Calamity is the third and final installment in The Reckoners series. David and the few remaining team members are hunting Prof in order to save him – even though most would believe killing him would be the better option. Along the way, the team of Reckoners make some unlikely allies, and Prof knows they’ll be coming for him.

This finale doesn’t disappoint. With impressive technology and even crazier superpowers, the adventure is bigger and even more intense. I loved this trilogy set in a future dystopian world where individuals were given superpowers who all became villains instead of heroes. It’s thrilling and action-packed. The characters are complex and the story is exciting and unique. I highly recommend this series to comicbook and science fiction fans from teens to adults.

*Previously posted at SciFiChick.

The best compliment I can give this book, indeed the whole series, is that I wish and hope that this world becomes as much a staple in people's lives as Harry Potter has. If only so that more people will talk about it and appreciate the awesomeness.

So. EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GO READ THE RECKONERS.

I just finished this, the final book, and I swear it is the. Best. Series. I. Have. Ever. Read.

THAT ENDING. It is so worth all the pain and anguish the characters go through. It wraps up the series perfectly, and leaves room for more if Sanderson ever decides to jump back in.

I really enjoyed this one. I laughed, I cried real actual rolling tears (which I don't do often) and I hurt so hard for these characters and felt elated for them as well.

One of Sanderson's best. Well done sir.

As always, my faith in Brandon Sanderson is well placed. Excellent trilogy. I’m excited to see if and how this ties into his Cosmere.

The only complaint I have against the story as a whole is the role luck seems to play in their successes. I wish strategy had had a better showing.

The story is very well written, as one can expect from Sanderson, with no passages requiring rereading to be parsed, though I did reread several chapters with a lot of exposition or major plot developments.

This has been an amazing trilogy. This is a set of books that I am certain I will read again at some point which is pretty high praise from me. I always try to write spoiler free reviews but this review may have some spoilers for the earlier books in the series because I simply don't know how to avoid that. Honestly, if you haven't read the prior books in this series you will want to stop read my review at this point and start reading Steelheart instead because it is really that good. This was my least favorite book in the trilogy but it was still an incredibly solid ending to the story.

At the start of this book, things aren't looking to great for David and the rest of the Reckoners. The events that ended the previous book have left them at a bit of a disadvantage. Prof is gone as is Tia which leaves David in charge of the group. David is trying and he has a plan that he hopes can save Prof and change everything. The need a few gadgets and during the groups quest to get their hands on a few they meet Knighthawk who ends up being a wonderful addition to the group.

The group that I have grown to know and love are all featured in this book. David and Megan's romance was adorable. David's use of metaphors is still something to behold and Megan has learned a lot about controlling her power. Abraham may have been my favorite in this book. He has always been a bit mysterious but I felt like we really got to know him a little bit in this book. Cody didn't have the same charm for me in this book that he had in the first book in the series. His stories that were fun at the beginning of the series have started to grow a bit stale for me at this point. Mizzy added humor at the right moments in the book but I actually think that Knighthawk's sense of humor was the most enjoyable.

This book has a lot of action and the setting was very interesting. I am still trying to envision a city made of salt in constant change. It sounds odd but it actually worked for me. There was a lot of planning and coming up with ideas in this book for the Reckoners. There was action but most of it seemed to be crammed into the last part of the book. I would have liked to see a little more action spread out in the story. The story took a few twists that I predicted and a few that I didn't. All in all, I found it to be a nice ending to the series but not quite as good as I had hoped it would be.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for something a little different. If the idea of a world where individuals with powers are not the heroes but the villains sounds even remotely interesting, I would suggest that you give Steelheart a try. I have enjoyed everything that I have read by Brandon Sanderson up to this point but I still have some catching up to do. I plan to read a lot more Sanderson in the future.

As a fan of good clean Sci-Fi/Fantasy (which is very hard to find) this book I found to be as great as all of Mr. Sanderson's previous works.

I feel like the end was a bit rushed, that this book should have been called "Limelight" and there should have been a Fourth book. I know Mr. Sanderson has a love of Three's but I think sometimes a good story shouldn't be confined to Trilogies.

My review is based on the content of the book though, and it was still a good read as I couldn't put it down until I finished it in 2 days, which for me is not a common occurrence. Well done once again Mr. Sanderson and thank you for spending your time writing books that I'm not afraid my kids might read!

The Reckoners series (including Calamity) is not bad but - compared to the Stormlight Archive, or even the Mistborn series- second rate. Sometimes it seems to me that Sanderson is trying all he can to avoid working on the Archive decathlon, which just insistently, what many of us readers want him to do. Essentially, he is pulling a (Robert) Jordan on us.

I consider the Archive to be one of the best fantasy tomes to enter the market in this new century. Too bad it is taking so long.

Typical Brandon Sanderson Creative Magic. Much like his Alcatraz stories, Brandon creates a world so creative and so different where things appear to defy logic until you fully understand the rules of the world he has created.
Enter the Epics, super powered beings who are evil...but why.
The Reckoner's stand tall in a world that has given up. this end to the trilogy was fulfilling to complete unlike so many trilogies that should have ended at 1 or two books. No filler, no Fluff,
My Only Regret in coming to then end of the Story and saying goodbye to characters I have come to love.

Here in the series finale author focuses on bringing the story to the close. It doesn’t have as much action as the first book in the series, (but more than the second) and only introduces on new character. It takes several twists and turn along the way which I didn’t see coming and as always has some great metaphors (or poor attempts at them which is the fun). The story is new and inventive which is really makes it unique. Well written and balanced ‘Calamity’ is a fitting if somewhat sappy ending to the Reckoners series.

The characters have grown and changed in a lot of ways since the events of Steelheart. This book has a some great action sequences though the pacing isn't as rapid or frenetic as the previous books. Still a great read and a Sanderson characteristic twist of an ending. My only complaint is that he leaves a few lose ends untied. Hers to going for a follow-up series.

I have loved Sanderson since I read his completion of the Wheel of Time series for the late Robert Jordan. I then moved on to his Mistborn series, love it, and I've been waiting, impatiently for this latest installment of the Reckoners, and I certainly wasn't disappointed.

There are plenty of breakdown reviews here, so I won't bother, other than to say if you haven't begun this series, for some reason, do! His books are all well worth the read.

A phenomenal conclusion to my favorite series by Brandon Sanderson.

If you have finished any other books by Sanderson, you know he always ends his books with this climax that ties everything together and for a solid 20% of the book, it is just fast paced action. That is this ENTIRE book. I bet some people will say that it was rushed, I disagree, it was exactly what was expected and needed. Not to mention it fits in with the theme.

If you are reading this review, you have probably read the first two books, and I assume are on the fence about finishing the series. Do it. Just do it. Seriously though, it does tie all the loose ends together and answer all the mysteries. The ending is pretty much enough to bring a tear to your eye.

David and Megan are back, with David as the now acting head of the Reckoners. With his newfound position he is doing everything you wish the Reckoners had done all along. I guess the rest of the crew realized he has the brains and moxie needed to bring about the world they want and need.

I recommend this whole series to basically anyone. The whole book is a climax to the series, so you won't be able to put it down.

So I'm guessing I'm in the minority here but I really disliked this final book in the trilogy. Don't get me wrong-as other readers have noted, the book has its share of comical and poignant moments in the Sanderson style. However, the ending just didn't make sense to me given the storyline that preceded it. Yes, it was emotional and tear-inducing. But it created more questions than it answered, which I feel is unusual for Sanderson in that he normally ties up all his loose ends at the end of his series. Not one of the better written Sanderson books.

I love EVERYTHING that Brandon Sanderson has ever written! My first experience was a short story titled, "Firstborn"and I've read everything since. The librarian series was a little silly, but still a good read. This series is packed with unexpected twists and a great story, with Sanderson's unique way of adding personality and substance to his characters that gives them their own style, sense of humor, and amazing personalities. Strap in for a great read!

Sanderson writes in such a creative and imaginative way that is so hard to predict. I really loved this series to the very very end. It was full of twists and turns and action up to then very end. Highly recommended.

Note to parents: there is some mild language (a couple of h***, a ba*****, and some other biblical cuss words) but it's very infrequent. No sex scenes.

This has been such a fun series to read. I wasn't as much of a fan of Megan in this book. (She comes off as too abrasive.) But all in all, I liked the story. *Spoiler* One of the other Reckoners becomes an epic at the end of the book and it seemed like that twist was just thrown in there for no real reason, but again, this is a great series.

The Rithmatist was my first Sanderson experience. Through a long hiatus from for-fun reading, I kept coming back to that book. From then to Mistborn to now Steelheart, Sanderson has the ability to keep his readers up all night and thirsting for more. These aren’t merely books - his storytelling is truly an experience that brave and adventurous readers can’t get enough.

This was the most perfect conclusion I could have imagined for this wonderful, wonderful series.

I won't say much, because I don't want to spoil anything for any of the books.

I will say that I highly recommend this series. It is a completely original concept and such an interesting twist on the superhero theme. You will definitely not be disappointed.

I gave this 5 stars because this is the first fantasy book I've read that has a comics feel to it with superheroes (Kind of..) yet needs no graphics and has a really good story and some great characters. The only thing I can think of that I didn't like is that there aren't more in the series! I'm an avid reader of all genres of novels, primarily fiction, and this was the first novel like this I think I've ever read which is saying something. If you like comics or the superhero movies or tv shows etc then you will like this guaranteed. You'll probably like it if you like fantasy period. Enjoy!

The universe Brandon Sanderson created for The Reckoners series is so well developed I didn't think about it while reading the three books in this series. This is an excellent trilogy and I am glad to have read them. If another novel in this series is written, I will absolutely read it.

This was a very fun series. It was fast-paced and had a very unique magic system. That being said, I felt the ending fell a little flat, and that there could have been much more world development, It almost felt like Sanderson just scratched the surface here, but all in all, I did really like the whole series.

I gave up reading this the first time around because I thought the series was going downhill after the first book. I love Steelheart so much that I kept re-reading it and I’m glad I finally got to finish this because the ending actually made me cry!!!

Sanderson does a good job of resolving the major plot points from the prior books in the series, but I'm not particularly satisfied with how. Overall the ending felt a bit contrived (though it did make sense considering prior events). The rest of the book was a great - I'm a big fan of Sanderson but his choices for the ending loses the book at least one star.

The third book in the reckoner series does not fail to deliver. A great story with twists and turns and overcoming trials and tribulations. I was not expecting the stories ending. I can not wait for the next book in this series.

The Reckoners series, by Brandon Sanderson, is one of the most amazing stories I've read in years. The day I bought the first book, I ended up canceling my other plans and just reading until I finished it that night. All three books have captivated me with a mix of adventure, romance, and creativity. In terms of style, twists, and its ability to absolutely immerse me in the story for hours on end, it reminds me of nothing so much as Harry Potter.
I need to find more stories like this.

In this third and final book in the series, David and the remaining Reckoners go after Calamity, who is the source of all of the Epic powers. Megan's powers become more defined and they try to save the Prof rather than destroy him. There is a lot of action in this epic adventure.

This whole series is very entertaining and has enough surprises to keep you guessing. The characters feel more authentic and vulnerable like real people would in these situations and you root for them because of their shortcomings, not their strengths.