Booktalk #1

The opening chapter of this book was incredible - wonderfully compelling and hooked me right away.  I was delighted to sink into a great book that I found myself looking forward to reading.  The future is rather grim - populated and dominated by superheroes, but these superheroes - or EPICS as they're called, are not your comic book characters.  Ever since "Calamity"arrived, which from the description sounds like a kind of satellite - and is hovering over the Earth, the superheroes have populated the earth as villains intent on ruling the world and eliminating anyone - human or fellow epic - who get in their way.  Main character and snarky teen David's city of Chicago is ruled by Steelheart who is strong beyond measure, and can control the elements.  He has turned Chicago into a shining city of STEEL.  After losing his father to Steelheart as a 6 year old, David spends his entire life dedicated to finding this Epic's weakness and plans to destroy him.

Enter the Reckoners - a group of rag tag kids and adults whose mission is to restore peace by systematically taking out the epics.  When David finds them, his knowledge becomes essential to their plans.  Will they get to the strongest Epic to destroy him?  

You won't want to put down this crazy ride of a book!  I loved the well-drawn characters and found the dialogue really well done.  Loved the story, too, and will be reading the sequel Firefight very soon!

While a guy is the main character, there could definitely be appeal to girls who like a fast-paced adventure.  I loved this one, too! (Booktalk by NH Flume Committee)

Booktalk #2

Twelve years ago Calamity appeared in the sky. Before that everything was normal. After Calamity, the world knew the destruction of Epics, ordinary people were given super powers. In a cruel twist of fate all Epics seem to be using those powers for evil. They quickly divide up the world and rule their domains with little mercy. One of the most powerful Epics is known only as Steelheart, who can turn nearly everything to steel with a touch and bullets bounce right off him. Every Epic, even Steelheart, has a weakness that can kill them.

David believes he knows that weakness and seeks revenge. When David was eight he witnessed Steelheart and the Epic named DeathPoint fight for control of Chicago. David is the only living witness to that day- the day that Steelheart bled at the hand of David’s father and in retaliation Steelheart quickly kills David’s father and everyone else in the building. David manages to live to tell the tale by hiding in a bank vault as the rest of the building is turned to steel around him.

When the Reckoners, a group that hunts and kills Epics, comes to town, David is determined to join their group and finally have his revenge. The Reckoners are not interested in new recruits but David will stop at nothing to see Steelheart bleed once more. He will have his revenge or die trying.           

For youth who like supervillains and lots of action. (Booktalk by Esperanza Stewart, Teen Services Librarian, King County Library, Evergreen Book Award)

Booktalk #3

Ten years ago, the superheroes came from the sky after the appearance of a red star called Calamity. A group of Epics came from the sky and put the world under their control. They aren’t the superheroes the humans were expecting them to be -- they are creatures to be feared by all mortals! Each Epic, possesses one or more super powers and some have set up cities where they control the people and force them to do the Epics’ bidding. Steelheart rules Newcago (once Chicago) and is so powerful he can control the elements and no bullet, sword or fire can harm him. He possesses the strength of ten men. The Reckoners are a group of humans led by the mysterious Prof. Their goal is to kill as many Epics as possible. And 18-year-old orphan David Charleston wants to join them to avenge the killing of his father by Steelheart ten years ago. David has worked hard to stay safe as the Epics took more and more control. Now he wants to join the Reckoners and wins the acceptance of some of the Reckoners by showing them what he’s got. He knows something no one else does. Because no matter what Steelheart says, he’s not completely invincible. David’s seen Steelheart bleed, and he wants to see it again. (Prepared by: Susan Adams; Spring Valley High School, suadams@richland2.org SCASL Young Adult Book Award, 2016)

Booktalk #4

The Reckoners are committed to ridding the world of Epics, the super villains who appeared and turned society into the dystopia it is today, so of course David wants to be one of them. David has a wealth of knowledge on the abilities and weaknesses of all the Epics, especially one called Steelheart, who killed his father.  He is sure he can convince the reckoners to help him take revenge.  (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)