The Reckoners series begins with Steelheart, where we are introduced to the main character, David Charleston, as a child. The use of these powers drives away the humanity of the ones inflicted with them.

One result of its appearance is that ordinary humans gain epic powers of varying flavors (and intensities). This all happens when a red “star” appears in the sky, commonly called Calamity. The United States has fractured, millions of people are dead, and society is forever changed. In a way, the series is a post-apocalyptic story. So there will be a few spoilers in this review, but mainly of plot points (rather than resolutions). Spoiler warning: While I am going to refrain from sharing any major plot resolutions, I can’t talk about the overall story without talking about some elements. They can be read alone, but I highly recommend reading them all and in order. The Reckoners series consists of three novels and one short story, in this order:

But the Reckoners is a series that is one in-depth story divided up into 3 (and a half) parts. Many series are stand-alone stories connected by a thread or two. Because while each book could certainly be reviewed on its own, the Reckoners is actually a series in the most traditional sense. In the case of the Reckoners, by Brandon Sanderson, I decided to review the entire series instead. Normally, when I review books in a series, I do it individually, reviewing one book (or more) as a stand-alone.

Sanderson reckoners