Like most of this series, the beginning of book 3 throws you right into the action. On the cusp of losing their leader and gaining the strongest enemy they've come across, David and the gang, including Cody and Abraham, are attempting to gain any advantage possible. First of which is raiding the Knighthawk base, who has created their Epic weapons and technology but now refuse to do so.
Let's just immediately dissect why and how we have come to this moment, because honestly, I feel like it's rare we get moments like this that show how great a SERIES can be. We see how useful and important Prof is in the first book, and then how powerful he is. Then in the second we start the emotional path of trying to save Prof, a glimpse into the hope of a future where Epics can be saved. Now we begin the 3rd book with the crippling realization of what we have lost. This mentor figure, dangerously powerful, is now the enemy. The set up to this, as a physical, mental and emotional threat to our main character is WHY books should be a series. I can't praise this series enough for that.
Before we move on, let's get a very superficial gripe out of the way. I love the UK Sanderson books. I have all of them. The first two for this series were cool, you get an epic, standing over their city. I actually loved how I didnt even realize the second one had the city drowned in water until I got to that in the book and then checked the cover again. So what happened with this one...? I actually used the cover as a guess into what the new location would be like. So I was thinking, "Are they fighting in an old manor of Prof's or something? Who is the guy on the cover, b/c Prof doesnt use a gun and he looks too big and bald to be David." As much as i can tell, that IS supposed to be David entering the Knighthawk facility? Which seems dumb because that's not the location of the rest of the book and doesn't fit David. Im super disappointed this couldn't have had a cooler cover, especially considering the location.
Which brings me to my next positive: Ildithia/ Atlanta. Just like the first two I was really impressed that Sanderson created a whole unique city when it wasn't even really necessary. Ildithia is a city transformed into crystallized salt. Every moment of the day part of the city dissolves and crumples while a new part forms in the front. So its a moving city. Its pretty cool, and Sanderson writes it really well, it's no place I would want to live in, but the descriptions of how its dry, and brittle toward the end of the time table and dusty really puts me there.
Which is why I think its so dumb they went with the cover they did. When they could have done something really cool with Prof floating over the city with his green powers, showing part of the city falling apart while another part rising. Too bad.
Sanderson even details and logically reveals that during the time table that has the loss of the skyscrapers (which Epics normally claim as their home) the city is normally worse off because these angry super powered people are throwing their tantrums until their homes are back. Really interesting and well realized city. Now let's look at the events that happen in this city...
It's time to move on to my last positive for the non-spoiler. As you read at the beginning, I quoted something David was saying to Megan. It was one of my favorite parts. Megan, who with power immortality powers, fears she is not the same when she comes back. David's compares this to the sunset. Each morning it rises it's a little different, the colors, the clouds, the weather. But its still the same and still beautiful. My point in bringing this up is we are starting to see a truly deep and maturing David. He still has some dumb puns which I've never been a fan off. But in this novel we see him truly struggling with alot of issues he hasn't dealt with yet. He spent time after his father's death devoted to revenge. It steered and distracted him from dealing with this. After book one, revenge complete, we start to see that breaking down. But we still have the father figure of Prof keeping him steady. Now with Prof gone, and David the new leader of the Reckoners. We get a lot of great moments of David reflecting on his loss, his pain, and his failure. It was excellently done and again I praise David's journey.
The main negative I have is this book just feels like....nothing happens? Recounting actual events of this book would make it seem like it's probably 200 pages instead of 400. There is some really interesting set up with Megan's dimensional powers. But most of the more interesting moments don't happen until the end. As I was approaching the last 50ish pages I was starting to be like "HOW is this only a trilogy, WE NEED MORE! TOO MANY QUESTIONS!"
The ending however, as I always praise Sanderson for, really saves the journey. I can't really continue without spoilers, but the ending is intriguing and really heartfelt. I'd say this trilogy was really great, as a whole 5 stars even if I just give this entry 4. This a very fitting ending to the story of the Reckoners.
Spoilers Ahead:
The ending fight did seem a bit drawn out. To be honest I was little frustrated that David NEVER used his powers. But I still can't fault Sanderson. Because I liked how for the most part he kept our protagonist a normal human fighting against and for Epics.
I think the reasons behind the darkness was really interesting! I can't fault the logic in Calamity. I liked how the dimensions show what would have happened if he just left. I liked the logic in him being afraid and projecting that onto humans fears. I like how when they face their fears they claim it and their powers. I almost thought Calamity unable to take Megans power early in the story wasn't going to get brought up again. So all in all it was all just...really cool, I dont know what else to say about it.
It again, brings me up wanting more. Like I wonder if Sanderson ever considered it part of his cosmere? It seems like it could be part of the same universe as Skyward or something? And then it made this other dimension seem interesting. I liked how it seemed like they were having their fight and things happening.
Lastly we have to talk about the Epilogue. I can't believe that Sanderson not once, but TWICE used the Resurrection trope in this series, and did it VERY well. I don't feel like the loss of his father was a fake out to us, we see David struggle with it. Nothing in the story would have been the same if the Father was around. And the fact we get this moment, a world where they blame themselves for each others deaths, but now get a small part of that back. The fact that we end with his father teaching him how to fly...it was pretty beautiful.
I do feel like some things needed to be addressed. Like I feel like the Prof thing got no satisfying ending...but I feel like it was either Prof or the father, couldnt be both. It just seems sad how Prof was supposed to be his father figure, but now in a way David has his father back, and Prof has almost nothing(RIP Tia).
Also they randomly said Mizzy was an epic now? I dont see how? I guess it implied that with Calamity gone he released the rest of the powers and Mizzy just happened to get one. Or more ridiculously, it implied everyone got a power? Those were the only things, small as they were, that bugged me at the end.
Besides that, very satisfying, very compelling.
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