Cytonic – Going Nowhere Fast

This review’s subtitle might throw you off if you haven’t read any of the Skyward series yet. Head to my review of the first book if you count yourself among the confused. For those of you who are caught up, we now turn to Cytonic the third installment in Brandon Sanderson’s high-flying, space-faring romp. Cytonic…

Starsight – Bigger, Not Quite Better

Brandon Sanderson’s Cytoverse, in which the Cytonic series takes place, just got a whole lot bigger. Starsight follows Skyward with another epic space adventure. There’s a lot to love in Starsight but the book suffers from some classic foibles.  After discovering The Krell are humanity’s galactic babysitters, Spensa and her plucky flight crew bust through…

Death Note Is The Perfect Beginner’s Guide To Hard Magic Systems

This post originally ran on Tor.com. There’s a lot to be said about the intersection of fantasy and the insanely large pantheon of anime content, to put it mildly. Today, I’d like to focus on Death Note and its smart, if a bit on-the-nose, use of a hard magic system to tell its story. My anime sample size…

Rhythm of War – Cosmere Crescendo

Seems only yesterday I reviewed The Way of Kings with the wide-eyed wonder of a freshly minted Cosmere initiate. Now, I've read all of the currently released Cosmere material, and I’m all in. Before I jump into my Rhythm of War review, I recommend you check out our full Cosmere Reading Order Guide.  Where do…

White Sand – Welcome To Sandyland

Welcome to Taldain, the Cosmere’s sandy desert planet! I’ve long basked in Brandon Sanderson’s web of interconnected fantasy worlds, saving the graphic novel adaptation for last. But rest assured, this story still has value even if you aren’t already immersed in the Cosmere. If you are, there’s a lot to love. Not for lack of…

Dawnshard – Colorful Cosmere Connections

As Sanderson continues to build his sweeping Cosmere, there has always been a lingering question: where does The Stormlight Archive fit into the puzzle? As Sanderson’s largest and most expansive piece of writing, the series has previously avoided clear ties to the bigger picture, instead choosing to dole out small nods and vignettes teasing the…

Warbreaker – Reading Rainbow

Another day, another Brandon Sanderson review from yours truly. My exploration of the Cosmere took me to the colorful world of Hallandren and Idris, where Breath brings objects to life and political strife could erupt into all-out war. Warbreaker is a Brandon Sanderson novel, all right, and it’s a characteristically excellent one, to boot.  T’Telir,…

Elantris – City of Scars

My journey through the entire Brandon Sanderson pantheon continues with the author’s first published novel: Elantris. Brimming with typical Sanderson flair, Elantris set the stage for his epic tales to come while carving out a well-earned place on any Brandy Sandy Fandy’s shelf. Though it’s not his strongest work, Elantris is a triumphant story of…

Five Unlikely SFF Friendships That Bring Me Joy

This post originally appeared on Tor.com. The SFF genre has no shortage of stock friendships and familiar pairings. They can be magical and memorable: Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Frodo and Sam. Locke and Jean. There’s a certain wonder that comes with fantastic friendships in fiction, where like-minded companions support each other through good times and…