Mitosis: A Reckoners Story

This short story was very entertaining even with so few pages. It's a nice interlude before the next book comes out and provides us with more pieces to these "Epics" powers.

Well worth the price.

Yeah, yeah, I know, it's a short story. I knew that when I bought it. Still, I would've enjoyed another two or three chapters -- and perhaps some further development of the Mitosis character (although it's quite possible we could be seeing that in the sequel to Steelheart).

Bottom line, the Reckoners stories are great light reading from a very talented writer.

A Few Thoughts – It was short but riveting; readers get a lot of action in this novella and more insights where David is concerned. The writing is vintage Sanderson, a master storyteller who owns the high fantasy genre and serves notice to publishers that urban fantasy will also be his! He leaves plenty of questions in setting up Firefight, the next big installment in this series. Mitosis is a great bridge to sate appetites by nudging the backstory just far enough while also presenting a really fun read in its own right – an easy 4.5 stars with lots of promise ahead.

Tom Clementson (Motley Chronicles)

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This short story is short but a great appetizer and glimpse into the Reckoners world. It fuels a bit of speculations and theories without being required reading after Steelheart. Makes me excited for Firefight!

Save your money on this one. It is a great story, but at only 44 pages, it wasn't worth the $16 or so I spent to buy it. I will check these out at the library from now on, and make sure they are worth the money. Half of the book is the short story "Mitosis," and the rest of the book is the first four or five chapters of Firefight which I had purchased also. I wish I had known before I spent the money. I paid more for this short story than I did buying Firefight, which is a full-fledged novel. I buy these books for my class, and I could have bought two or three other books for the price I paid for this bit of writing. Wait until you can buy it at $3, and then buy it. Don't make the mistake I did buying a short story thinking I was getting a full novel.

If you have not read Steelheart, read it first. You will appreciate this novella much more with the original story. Brandon Sanderson does deliver the excellence expected of him in this short novel. Can he write anything that is not good?

Again, the hero comes so close to death and failure before being rescued at the last moment.. Makes you appreciate game of thrones .. where main characters die left and right!

There is a fore shadowing clue to how they will figure out weaknesses in the future ... So his fight with Mitosis prepares him for future fights .. Makes him better prepared ..

Also learned that Brandon loves Chicago Hot Dogs!

Would have been cool if Brandon carried his ordinary people idea further by having a string of heroes .. As one hero discoveries something and is injured or dies .. He passes info along to another ordinary person whom becomes the new hero .. So on and so forth .. Maybe even multiple heroes developing and carring on the cause ..

Mitosis (2013) is a story in the Reckoners sequence, following Steelheart.

In the previous volume, David and his father were visiting a bank. His father was trying to get a mortgage. The banker was not interested.

Deathpoint enterred the bank and casually killed people. Then Steelheart entered and confronted Deathpoint. Steelheart claimed the people and offered Deathpoint a position in his city.

David's father had taken a pistol from the ashes of a guard and worked around to shoot Deathpoint. Steelheart turned toward him and Deathpoint attacked the other Epic. David's father shot Deathpoint between the eyes.

The bullet grazed Steelheart's neck. Nothing else could damage him, but now his neck was bleeding. Steelheart turned the nonliving parts of the bank into steel. His transformation reaches throughout the city. Steelheart also tried to kill everybody in the bank, but David got away.

In this novel, David is a teenager living in Newcago. He is a member of the Reckoners. He is now called Steelslayer.

Abraham is a French Canadian. He is also a Reckoner.

Tia is a female Reckoner. She is the administrative leader of the group.

Steelheart was a High Epic. He lived in Newcago.

Mitosis is a High Epic. He can replicate himself. He lives in Babylon Restored.

In this story, David is going to buy a hot dog. He and Abraham are standing in line at the hot dog stand. When he reaches the head of the line, he gets two dogs for half price.

David notices that the populace is still afraid. He offers to buy a hot dog for the first ten people who accept his offer. Nobody takes him up on it.

David savors the flavors of the hot dog. Abraham thinks the flavors are conflicting. He isn't sure he like the dog.

Tia calls David on his mobile. She asks if he had reached the new immigrants yet. David tells her about the hot dogs.

Eating as they walk, David and Abraham head for the new contingent of immigrants enterng the city. An Enforcer is explaining the rules and regulations. David speaks on the new era that has come to the city.

He notices one man in the back of the crowd. Something about the man puzzles him. David follows the man as he leaves the new immigrants.

After a few blocks, the man becomes two men. As David continues to follow him, the man generates many more copies of himself. David realizes that the man is Mitosis.

David notifies Tia that a new Epic has entered the city. Then he hears the man shout that he wants the Steelslayer to show himself. He pullas a magnum and threatens to shoot the people.

He wants an explanation for the death of Steelheart. Then he will kill the Steelslayer and become the new leader of the city. He starts counting the minutes before he starts.

This tale has Abraham and Tia telling David to not do anything impetuous. Yet David shoots one copy of Mitosis. and leads the others aways. The many copies all chase David.

Every copy David shoots melts and fades away. The next installment in this sequence is Firefight.

Highly recommended for Sanderson fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of super villains, covert resistance, and a lot of shooting. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

Brandon Sanderson does it again. He has created a cast of characters who you like, who surprise you, and often make you laugh. This is a fun book with interesting plot twists. You won't regret reading this story!

normally I don't like side stories, especially short ones, that go between two books in the series. Nothing major could happen, and the prontagonist or main character will never be killed. I bought it anyway because, well, Mr. Sanderson wrote this one.

And true to his reputation, he managed to surprise me. Too bad it is too short, but there are something serious going on, possibly a clue to every Epic's weakness and hOw to find it.

This was a fun little jump back into the world of the Epics. Emphasis on "little"...it took me about 20 minutes to read. I think a $0.99 price would have fit a little better (mine was $1.99).

But the plot was clever, and I'm sure it serves as a minor transition between the events of Steelheart and the next entry, Firefight.

I just heard about this short story yesterday, and preordered it. Just so happens, last night, as I was reading the 2nd Mistborn book, I got a message saying the book was ready for reading! I started it last night, then finished it this morning, and it is just as good as Steelheart!

Same main characters are in it. And just like Steelheart, it is told from David's perspective. It has the same exciting elements, and picks up very fast! Mitosis's character was fascinating! I loved how the Reckoners were able to figure out his weakness, and how they exploited it just in time... Check it out! It will help wet the whistle a bit in preparation for Firefight!

Not a bad read, but I blasted through this cute little story in a couple hours. Reads like an epilogue to Steelheart, which isn't necessarily a bad thing - just don't expect anything more than a couple of chapters-worth of content for your two bucks

I enjoyed 'Steelheart' enough to keep an eye out for more of that universe. This was extremely short for two dollars compared to what you'd get from a short-story from Scalzi, Kloos, or similar authors for 99cents. If you're going to low-ball it, at least produce a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Weak.

After finishing the main series, I came back to this short story because I simply couldn't get enough of the the Reckoners. Knowing what I know about the conclusion of the series, this makes an interesting read because it foreshadows and hints at the direction the next two books are heading in. Much like Book 1, 2, and 3, we're seeing the world through the eyes of David once more except now we're in a post-Steelheart society in Newcago. The story begins rather slowly with David gushing over how awesome it is to eat a Chicago style hot dog but then quickly develops into a fight for survival against an epic named Mitosis.

While this book was more of a short story, it still manages to capture the spirit of the other books which I have always found incredibly fun, humorous, and exciting all at the same time. At $2 for the Audible version of the book, it was cheaper than a cup of coffee and lasted much longer.

Overall, a fine little addition to the series which fills the gap between Steelheart and Firefight.

This is really a snippet of a story that examines the time between book 1 & 2. Actually, I'd forgotten that this existed and jumped right into the second book. I was about halfway through when I remembered it. Frankly, you don't have to read it. The second book made plenty of sense without it. I wouldn't say this is really a great novella/short story, simply because it really doesn't add anything to the series, other than being a fun story. As I said before, the series makes plenty of sense without it and the only really important aspect of it is summarized in one sentence in the 2nd book. Not bad, but mostly pointless.

Perhaps I'm being just too picky. I believe that novellas should be a good story on their own, but also bring something different to the series that can't be examined in the main books. It enhances the story and the reader's understanding of what is happening, but isn't necessary for the main series to make sense. This story is good in the fact that it's a complete story, but it really doesn't need to be. It feels like a story that was originally written for the beginning of the 2nd book, but just wasn't necessary, so they chopped it off and called it is own story. Not bad, but not memorable. I don't know if I'd pick it up and read it again, even though I will most likely be reading the main series again.

Originally posted at https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/book-review-mitosis-by-brandon-sanderson/

4/5 Rating

There is nothing special or any type of new formula here. Just another Epic comes to Newcago and it is up to the Reckoners to kill him. Well I shouldn’t say just any other Epic comes to town, this Epic does have a connection to the sequel – Firefight.

Our Epic this time is Mitosis - as the short story is so properly named. I won’t say what his superpower is, but by his name it should be pretty obvious to at least guess what it would be. Mitosis comes into town, threatens to kill people unless the Reckoners – Prof and Cody are out of town for this conflict this conflict – come to face him, and that’s the plot.

While at its base, this is just a battle of the Reckoners verse another Epic, there is a little more it than that.

We get to see a little of how things have changed in Newcago since the death of Steelheart; the government, the citizen’s lives, what the city looks like. We also learn a little bit more of how the Reckoner’s are presenting themselves now that everyone knows it was them who killed Steelheart, and what their plans are going to the future. And of course, the main struggle is again trying to figure out what the Epic’s weakness is. It give us a little more glimpse into the mystery that are Epic weaknesses, and the quest to try and figure out what or if there is even a connection at all.

I am currently reading Firefight as I write this, and I can assure you that not reading this short story will in no way hinder you enjoyment of the novel. Mitosis’ name is referenced a few times as a past event that happened, but that is it.

I should also mention that will the hardcover edition I have, after the short story there is little Epic bio section. It is presented in the form of what would be David’s notebooks. It gives art drawings, a little personal bio, and what the Epic’s powers and weakness (if known) are of the three epics from Firefight – Regalia, Newton, and Obliteration. This was my favorite part (I don’t know if this is in the e-book format though) of the short story. I was reading the bios trying to figure out if there was some clue to help explain why each Epic had a certain power or if there a reason for their weakness… I don’t think I made any progress though :(

I would definitely say read this. It’s not needed to read for Firefight, but it won’t be a waster of money either. I had a good time with it.

David still has all his awesome puns too (one in particular I just loved!).

4/5 Rating

-DJ

4 Stars!

I joined a large group of people in a buddy read of Steelheart earlier in this month and absolutely loved it. I love to listen to audiobooks while I workout. The problem is that I don't really love to work out so it can take me forever to finish a book just because I have a hard time getting to the gym. With the next book in the Reckoners series coming out soon, I thought that this short story would be great for today's trip to the gym.

I was completely entertained by this story. This story should only be read after Steelheart as there are some spoilers to that book within this story. This was a fun story that focused on David. I hadn't really given a lot of thought as to how the city would have changed after the events in the first book. This story really shows how much has changed and how fearful the residents still are. This town is actually quite vulnerable when you stop to think about it.

This story started with the simple act of grabbing a hot dog. It really is the little things that can really make a difference. David soon encounters an Epic. This epic is called Mitosis and he is very dangerous. He has the unique ability to make copies of himself. During some of the description of Mitosis's abilities, I found myself thinking about that Micheal Keaton movie from the 90's, Multiplicity.

Things get exciting and David finds himself in quite a bit of trouble. He does some quick thinking and with some help from others he is able to deal with the situation. He even gets help from a large group of everyday citizens before the story is over.

I did miss some of the group in the story. Prof has a very brief appearance and Cody is completely absent in this one. This is really David's story. I would recommend this story to anyone who has read Steelheart and has an hour or so worth of free time.

I should note that I grabbed this audiobook from audible for free. Audible

Hah, well this was a silly in between short story. I am not entirely sure what the point of it was? It doesn’t really add much to the characterization of the established Reckoners and it doesn’t really do much in terms of major plot points. David is still pining over Megan, though I mentioned in my review of Steelheart that despite telling me he has feelings, they have about as much romantic chemistry as a wet sock. The city of Newcago is brimming with refugees coming to live somewhere without the fear of epics, but there are just as many people leaving, expecting an epic epic attack at any moment.

David apparently likes hot dogs, Chicago style hot dogs. But, as someone who absolutely abhors sweet pickles, I never saw much of an appeal to them. At least they can somehow get meat and veggies in enough quantities to have a hot dog stand? Of course, somewhere in between doing his mundane things, an epic shows up and challenges him, the “Steelslayer”. So the rest of the novella is mostly about how David runs around and gets shot and somehow figures out the epic’s weakness. And it’s about how the Reckoners rally the city of Newcago to help keep the city safe.

I guess it is also supposed to show the kinks in their armor, as the epic only attacked once Prof was gone. Regardless, the world is a different place out from under Steelheart’s rule. It was a cute little story. Probably not at all important to events that follow, though it may be mentioned in passing. The overall sense of foreboding at the end of it didn’t really add anything to the series. I’m sure the next book will cover all that. Anyway, it was short, and overall kept my attention.

MITOSIS was a really fun short story! I know not everyone is a fan of novellas and for STEELHEART fans who are in the same boat, you don't NEED to read it but you may WANT to read it! Firstly because it's Sanderson and it's just plain fun, but also because the novella does set up a few points for FIREFIGHT.

MITOSIS is a quick in-between story to bridge the gap between STEELHEART and FIREFIGHT and the focus is more on David and less on the Reckoners as a team. They're still working together but not all of the characters appear on scene, so to speak. It's a quick hunt to take down another Epic and this one happens to be important for FIREFIGHT because he brings up a few good ideas and points when the characters start to theorize some more. Obviously I won't go into the details, but this is also one of the many reasons why I'm encouraging you to read the novella! I think the information comes in handy and I think it's easier to read in MITOSIS first!

Other than that, the formula sort of follows suit from STEELHEART -- David is nerdy and funny (sorry, David. You are a nerd), Epics are still terrorizing, the Reckoners are awesome. I don't want to say TOO much more about it because the novella isn't incredibly long but I had so much fun listening to it and it made me even more exited for FIREFIGHT -- so much that I had to start it right away! (Seems to be a trend with me and Sanderson books.)

I totally listened to this out of the order of the series, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted more from the amazing universe that Brandon Sanderson has created in this series.

I was right, this was a great Reckoners thirst quencher, perfect for wetting your mind for the next book to be released.

In Firefight I thought that David had become a bit reckless and way too confident. I think that Mitosis does a good job of addressing that fact. Here the Professor is out in Babylon doing reconnaissance for the upcoming adventure there. Then David and the Reckoners find a new high epic, Mitosis, in New Cago. Of course that will not stand.

Without giving anything away, let me say this. If you have already listened to Steelheat and find yourself wanting to be brought back to the Epic universe, all be it for an hour, you will not be disappointed at all. Fun, face paced, everything you will want other than length.

Macleaod Andrews delivers again. Quite honestly one of the most diverse, in the sense of voices, narrators I have ever listened to. Able to spit out various different accents and sexes at the drop of a hat. There is a reason I simply search audiobooks by his name alone.

Audiobook purchased for review.

Please find this complete review and many others at audiobookreviewer dot com

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Steelheart is finally dead, and Newcago is free of Epic rule.

But that doesn't mean that the city is Epic-free -- and it definitely doesn't mean that some Epic won't try to fill the power vacuum. "Mitosis" is a solid little short set between Brandon Sanderson's "Steelheart" and its forthcoming sequel "Firefight," with his usual robustly witty style and likable characters. Best of all, it leaves you hungry for two things: hot dogs, and a second Reckoners book.

With Steelheart finally gone, Newcago is returning to a semi-normal city that is NOT ruled by Epics. David is having a long-awaited hot dog when he sees an odd man, and decides to tail him. It turns out the man is Mitosis, an Epic who has the power to split himself into multiple copies -- which makes him hard to kill, since if they missed even a single copy, he would survive.

Even worse: Mitosis wants the person who killed Steelheart, and plans to kill a person every five minutes until the "Steelslayer" comes forward. So while the Reckoners are desperately searching for Mitosis' weakness, David goes on a wild goose chase, hoping to hold out long enough for Mitosis' weakness to be used against him. Will Newcago be ruled by a new tyrant?

Obviously it's not as epic as a full-length novel, but "Mitosis" makes a nice bridge between Brandon Sanderson's first two Reckoners novels. For one thing, the first few pages serve as a nice coda to "Steelheart," showing the ways that Newcago is slowly recovering from Steelheart's reign -- they're painting buildings, running the infrastructure and even doing fun frivolous things. Also, daylight has come back.

But when Mitosis shows up, Sanderson's story takes a dark turn. Suddenly we've got blood, gunshots, melting corpses and a seemingly unstoppable Epic who wants to take over the whole city. And Sanderson ends it on a suitably ominous note, hinting that dark days may be ahead for the Reckoners. This rather bleak turn is still lightened, however, by David's relentlessly oddball observations ("Rhinoceros astronaut!").

And if "Steelheart" was a realistic depiction of what a world with superhumans would be like, then "Mitosis" is an equally realistic look at what might happen if one of them were stopped. Sure, the city is working pretty well instead of falling into chaos, but let's face it -- another Epic would see a newly-freed city as something to claim for themselves.

This story also brings it home to David that life is not really going to be more peaceful now that Steelheart is dead. He's finally destroyed his enemy, but the Reckoners have an uphill battle against other Epics in the world. But his optimistic view of humanity and their chances of victory against the Epics is oddly infectious, even though the odds seem to be stacked against them.

"Mitosis" is a solid little snack between full-course meals, serving as both a glimpse of a post-Steelheart city, and as a prelude to "Firefight." It's exactly what you expect of Brandon Sanderson.

Mitosis is a mini-story set between Steelheart and Firelight in the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson. MacLeod Andrews narrates the audio and he nailed David. While the story is only one hour and three minutes long it has all the things I love about this series. Mitosis while small delivered an evil Epic, news about Newscago and plenty of action.

I enjoyed seeing what was happening in Newscago after the events that unfolded in Steelheart. I love the good verse evil, superhero vibe of this series and Sanderson delivered all the elements I enjoy in this short novella. It was interesting to see how the humans were surviving the changes to Newscago, and at first I was surprised. We gain a little knowledge about main characters and it was fun seeing David, well being David. For fans of the series, it is worth a listen.

MacLeod did an excellent job portraying David and even made me laugh as he captured some of David’s sarcasm and his interaction with others. I loved the voice he used for our evil Epic. Audiobooks are a new passion for me this year, and until now I have been staying with the same format for trilogies and series that I began with..but I might just break that trend and go for Firelight on audio. Copy provided by audible and review posted at caffeinated book reviewer.

This was a very good addition to Steelheart, but DO NOT READ BEFORE STEELHEART! This book picks up where we left off at the end of Steelheart. Newcago is trying to rebuild and restructure after the events of Steelheart.

I listened to this on audiobook, which I got free from Audible.com. This is a very short listen (1hr) but I was impressed by how engaging this short story was.

We get to meet a new Epic named Mitosis. Of course an "epic" battle ensues. In addition we also get to see how Newcago is handling its new rule and structure.

At the end of the short story we get a little teaser about what Firefight will be about as well.

The narration for the audiobook was excellent and this little story packs a lot of punch and was highly entertaining. In fact I liked listening to this story better than I liked reading Steelheart, so I think I will listen to the next book in this series on audiobook.

Overall I really enjoyed this short story and I definitely recommend reading this if you read and enjoyed Steelheart and are planning to pick up Firefight.

This was okay.

It is a novelette, so there is no real time for a set up - it is 5 chapters of here is the villain, here is the problem - moment of angst - win the day.

I feel as though this is one of those villains who would be in the part one of a bigger story, only to be defeated before the team moves on to the REAL prey of the novel. Kind of a throw away character to me, and the ending was anti-climatic. Brandon Sanderson's longer work was better because time was vested to know about the world, the powers, and the hero and villain. This one was here you go and done. Almost like he had a couple of hours to kill on a plane ride, so he wanted to right this.

I say skip this one, as there is nothing character building within it, and probably has little to nothing to do with Firefight.

MITOSIS- The Reckoners 1.5
By: Brandon Sanderson

I downloaded the audiobook version of"Mitosis"for free at www.audible.com

This is a short story that takes place in the city of Newcago after the Reckoners have killed Steelheart. They are trying to run the city efficiently and to convince the city residents that they are safe from the threat of Epics.

Everything seems to be going well until an Epic called "Mitosis" arrives in Newcago planning to take Steelheart's place as ruler of the city.

The Reckoners must discover what his weakness is and they must do it quickly or they risk losing the city.

Though this is a quick listen it is still a great story. There is quite a bit of action packed into it.

I give this a rating of 5 out of 5.

To learn more about author Brandon Sanderson visit http://brandonsanderson.com/

To read more of my reviews visit http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com

This has become a favorite go-to of mine, and one of the first audiobooks I owned.

Reader thoughts: Brandon Sanderson has done it again, and now he's my newest favorite author (sorry, Rick Riordan, Jennifer Nielsen, and Rachel Aaron.
Mitosis was short but packed with an incredible amount of action, hilarious metaphors, and danger. It even had some speculation (what causes an epic's weakness?) and an update on the Reckoners' team members. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Writer thoughts: I love the idea of putting a short story between full-length novels. It adds depth to the world and characters and tides over the hardcore fans. Breeana Puttroff did it with A Christmas Rose, and Susan Kaye Quinn sort of did it with The Handler and her other short stories.
In fact, I loved it so much I decided to try it myself. My Risky Perception may not have happened without Mitosis.

Mitosis is a novella that takes place between Steelheart and Firefight, and centers on the revitalization of Newcago after the reign of Steelheart. David is optimistic about the progress they are making to make Newcago safe to live in, free of all Epic’s influence. However it would seem that others are not so sure, and when Mitosis shows up it seems like they were right. I love how much action Sanderson managed to pack in this short story. Even though this story is only about 35 pages I absolutely loved every minute of it. David is on top of his game with the awful metaphors and bizarre genius when it comes to fighting off Epics. And the narrator is fantastic as what he does, he captures David’s personality perfectly and does some great voices for Abraham, Prof., and Mitosis.

I can’t wait to dive into Firefight.

Let me start by saying that I enjoyed this little short story. Mitosis, though short, is an essential read if you plan to continue past Steelheart. Sanderson really shows his ability to write action in a way that makes your mind play the scenes unfolding as if on the big screen.

After the fall of Steelheart, the Reckoners have had to add administrative roles to keep Newcago running and the people safe. They have to do this while also stopping the Epics that have flocked to the city to stake their claim. The Epic that this story revolves around is Mitosis. As the name implies, he has the ability to split into many versions of himself and swarm the city.

Though the pacing was great, I think Sanderson should have either expanded the story, or built this into Firefight, possibly as a prologue. A minor misstep, but I still recommend readers of the series pick up a copy before reading Firefight.

4.0 Stars

This was so short, it's basically a quick fix to get you through until the second book is written in the series. While it's very short, it does provide a nice insight into the world of Newcago (worst futuristic city name ever) and lays down some hints for some plot developments in the next book. But

I love Sanderson's writing for the most part, but his constant mention of David's inability to use metaphors seems weird and heavy-handed and I feel like it deserves a mention because it bugged me in Steelheart and it's done several times in Mitosis even though it's such a short story. Instead of laughing and thinking "oh David, you silly goose you're always using such odd metaphors!" I just end up rolling my eyes and wishing some editor had struck those out. The constant use of David's random metaphors and everyone's reactions to them just seems so out of place with Sanderson's usual writing.

It's hard to rate a short story. Sanderson's best short story/novella, The Emperor's Soul, is at least 20% better than Mitosis, so I can't rate this over 4 stars. Sixth of the Dusk is another short story by the same author that I would give 5 stars. That said, it's over much to quickly and leaves you needing more. I don't know if that means the story is well- written or incomplete, but I'd lean toward the former. This story fits well between the first and second Reckoners novels, and any hunger for more that it excites is amply filled by his next two books in the series (which I've already read). Keep them coming, Brandon. You do this well, and we're glad to read as much as you're willing to write.

This was a simple teaser to show that the people of Newcago are recovering from Steelheart’s reign of terror. It demonstrated that they were common people who had had enough. They were starting to make a stand, rallying together to exploit an Epic’s weakness to defeat him. The Epic, Mitosis, charged after the Reckoners to force an admission that they were not really the ones who killed Steelheart. He would not accept that it was possible. He could split into innumerable copies of himself and eventually became unstable as “The more clones he makes, the worse their molecular structure holds together.” I can’t wait for “Firefight” because this was not enough to slake my hunger.

Mitosis is the short story interlude between Steelheart and Firefight. The main purpose is as a post script to the story in Newcago after Steelheart is slain. It follows the pursuit and destruction of another Epic named Mitosis. The story helps draw the two novels together in a continuous flow. It’s not necessary, but it does bridge the gap well. The reason for mentioning it here is that Mitosis’ story is alluded to several times in Firefight. So much so, that it might do you well to read this brief intertestamental tale. It’s worth the hour of your time.

I've read other things by Brandon Sanderson and this just didn't seem up to his level. This whole series feels like it was written by a child. I did not enjoy it. This story in particular seems less developed than others I've read by him.

This is probably a little overpriced for the amount of content. We get a little information of the aftermath of steelheart. I actually read this after firefight but with all the references to mitosis I thought there would be more meat to the story. The reckoners actually seem to figure out how to kill a high epic in an hour. It is well written but really should be included as an add on to steelheart or a prologue to firefight

Something to know before buying is that this is a short story. It's like Steelheart 1.1. It follows Book 1 in The Reckoned series and does a good job of answering "what next?". Sanderson does something most writers don't do: he tells a story about heroes after they overthrow a seat of power and some of the struggles they face. This is a good little read and I gleefully recommend it.

Too short. I assume these are a series of some sort but this didn't make me want to continue reading. The setting was uninspiring and characters and enemies were less developed than a video game. Maybe this was meant to be a graphic book or comic.

I started reading The second Reckoners and it referred to this story, so I read it. It fits into the series nicely. It's has lots of action. I thought there'd be more to the story since it seemed so important to the characters in Firefight, but it just contains how they killed Mitosis--I guess pivotal because the public starts fighting. Worth reading to connect the first and second series.

A quick fill in for the Reckoners series in between books 1 and 2. Same quick movement of the story line and a good continuation for the characters development between books in the series. The novella is a good quick read. Well done Brandon.

wonderful short story put out for those of us who just couldnt wait until firefight came out. I love this series and I cant say enough great things. this book was a great look into what happens after steeleheart is killed and how the Reckoners are trying to put the city back together. i love that we get to see David again and how hes grown since.

I loved the first book in the Reckoners series and Mitosis is a great reminder about the world Sanderson created. There is danger, tension, and fun in this short audio novella. It does a great job reminded the listener about the Reckoners world and getting everyone back in line for book two. This was free so pick it up and enjoy an hour of great listening.

*Audiobook Review*

I think it being an audiobook ruined it for me. I enjoyed Steelheart and Firefight but this one was just well - eh. I guess having someone else read what I usually would have heard in my head made it less enjoyable and just a weird experience for me.

This was a nice little read and it explains a little bit that happens in the next book that was let untouched and set up a plot that was to be explored later when a lot was revealed but it took around 40-60 minutes to read and is a nice short read at night or when your bored for when your waiting for firefight or just want to read the whole thing.

I'm halfway through Firefight, and got sick of them mentioning Mitosis without having read it, so I bought the ebook and read it in about 20 minutes. While it was enjoyable, it was definitely light fare, especially with the 1.99 price tag, which had me expecting more substance. Anyway, back to Firefight!

I am not a fan of The Reckoner books, but the BIG PLUS about this one, is how glad I am it was not longer. Oh, it's OK in so far as it being a sequel to Steelheart (and, I presume, occurs before the next one). And it told a tale. But these stories are of the SciFi I was looking for.

Like all Sanderson's works I highly recommend the reading. Sure I always want more, but am never disappointed. Sanderson understands Epic Fantasy and keeps things fresh and moving. Fantasy often gets a bad name, but if you think about it, it is the toughest genre to work, because you have to create entire working worlds and make it work, flaws and all. Unlike regular fiction, where the world is already established and you just gave to plug in the fiction. Sanderson is a master at making the unreal, real.

Steelheart was good. This was a decent follow up short story. I’m interested in the weakness factor brought up on this story and how Epics get them so I’m happy with the short time I spent on this.

Yet another great Brandon Sanderson story. The price was a bit steep for how long this is, but since this author writes amazing books, I was happy to pay it. Great story to tide you over until the next book Firefight is out.

For a short story, the world building was fantastic. While a little cheesy and cliche in parts, the story flowed well and the characters kept your interest. I found myself very disappointed when I realized I was on the last page. I will certainly be reading more of Sanderson's work.

Its a good read but has no depth to it. To take a battle with an epic and fit it into 44 pages is almost an insult to the first book. It's like a Happy Meal toy. Fun for a few minutes, then you bored.

As fun as it was too read about the epic mitosis, I was disappointed in how short it was and how it seemed to have an anticlimactic plot. I wish there was more to it. But it was still a fun read to show a brief glimpse into newcago after steel heart.

A great little read, you'll be done in about a half hour. Don't spend too much money for it. It's a mini dose of the fun and adventure you can expect from Sanderson's Steelheart and Firefight. Just don't read it before Steelheart - it has a doozy of a spoiler.

This is a great quick read chapter, but it is not a full book. It reads more like a prolog to what is to come this fall.

nice read to pass the time, but I wouldn't recommend it for purchase. money would be better spent on a finished novel.

It's a Sanderson novel so that should be enough for anyone to buy it blindly and without any hesitation. The novella is about David, our protagonist, bringing down another of the Epic who is after him. There's a wee bit reflection on how people of the city are now a little more confident and finding the strength back to stand up for themselves. It's pretty good.

If you have read Steelheart, this is just an appendage to that world that Brandon Sanderson gave us. It's just about 5 quick chapters introducing, and confronting, a new villain in Newcago. Think of it as a one issue comic book ark: short, but with it's own beginning middle and end. A must read for fans of Steeheart, like me.

One of the best things about the Steelheart series is the action, and even in this short little tale, there's plenty of it. Plus, David's odd commentary and truly hilarious inability to come up with a good metaphor never cease to entertain! If you liked the first book and plan to read the next installment, definitely visit this story in the meantime!

I liked the short story better than the full Steelheart. I am looking forward to the next story in hopes that it continues to improve. I am a big Sanderson fan, but I have had a hard time getting into this story. If the extreme costumes and super names were meant to be tongue in cheek, it would be different. However, I get the impression that they are not meant to be. As it is, I just wish he would stop writing these stories and focus on The Stormlight Archive.

It was an entertaining read, though nothing to write home about. I'm a devoted Brandon Sanderson fan but I feel his writing style lends itself better to longer, more sweeping stories. There just wasnt enough meat here to sink my teeth into.

To fully appreciate this short story you need to have read Steelheart first. If you have not then don't read this story. Mitosis if funny, fast moving, and has a great resolution. I enjoyed it and if you are a fan of steelheart you will enjoy it as well.