Insufficient genius

Fantasy | Coldmaker | Daniel A. Cohen

⭐⭐

'Cold' as something tangible that falls from the sky and is the measure of wealth is a new concept. However, the treatment is not sufficient to make this the kind of wow experience that Brandon Sanderson (one of the author's role models, as per the afterword) did in the Mistborn series.

There are unresolved points (is the Utopia dreamed of by the slaves real or imaginary); the kind slaver is two dimensional; the hero is a genius inventor who can invent and prototype system-changing innovations in, literally, days; the heroine is mysteriously independent, bold, able to get unconditional support for no reason that the reader can see while the hero has to prove himself...

Yet, there are plus points. The basis for the excessive cruelty of the slaver class is realistic (religion can cause people to put aside empathy and be cruel by godly demand). You do care for the hero and the heroine. There are sympathetic characters. Some of the villains are somewhat understandable. The 'science' of the Cold seems to have some (if flimsy) basis. At a few points in the book, you can feel the heat that pervades the World Cried (that's what it's called).

I'm ambivalent whether I want to read the next book in the series or not. I fear the plot is being dragged to generate more volume. It may not stand up to the strain.

2 stars = it was ok

No superheroes, only supervillains. What's an ordinary human to do?

Fantasy | Steelheart | Brandon Sanderson

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Brandon Sanderson has got a wild imagination, which is lucky for us readers.

It seems to me he decided to write an epic fantasy book (get it? get it?) and succeeded. You didn't get it? Hmm... So, in this world, suddenly some people develop super powers, and these people are called Epics (get it now?). And absolute power corrupts absolutely, so these turn into some of the most capricious and cruel dictators ever. No superhero turns up. Only supervillains. What's an ordinary human to do then?

Fortunately, no matter how powerful, the Epics have weaknesses. The rebellious Reckoners find these out, and start killing some of the most murderous, if not the most powerful Epics. 

David has seen one of the most powerful, Steelheart, the absolute ruler/owner of Newcago kill his father. He grows up, and decides to join the Reckoners. Because he has seen Steelheart bleed, and intends to decipher his weakness and destroy him for the killing of his father and the destruction of his world.

This is not sci fi. There is no attempt at making ordinary sense of the Epics' powers. They just are. But it's not without its internal rules. No good fantasy can be without those. The fun is in finding out what the rules are. Sanderson does an excellent job of developing the premises into a pacy, fun tale.

4 stars = I really liked it.