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A review by cutenanya
Calamity by Brandon Sanderson
5.0
While Calamity does not have the epic conclusion I'm hoping for, rather ironic as this book is really about epics, I find Calamity a very satisfying conclusion to a brilliant series. Granted, the ending is simple, a bit anticlimatic even as the action sequence is not saved till the last, yet, I think it is most fitting because words sometimes speak louder than action.
What I like about Calamity:
1) Character growth:
I always love Brandon Sanderson's heroes despite the fact that they pretty much follow the same formula. David is no exception. Although I loved the David in Steelheart best, I also enjoyed seeing how David progressed from an inexperienced amateur fighter with nothing but passion for revenge to the ultimate leader who brought about change to his world, from a man fighting for revenge to a man fighting for dreams. Through interactions with Prof, Megan, and the rest of the crew, he succeeded not only in reaching his goal but also instigating change amongst the Reckoners. I liked how David graduated from a soldier to a commander, taking the place of Prof and holding the team together.
Then there is Megan, she also developed from a lost, conflicted soul to a girl who is clearly in control. David maybe amazing but he will never succeed without Megan. These two are two sides of a coin, without either side, the coin has no value.
In contrast to David and Megan, we see Prof gradually spiraling downward from the leader to the antihero. I feel sorry for Prof in Calamity but antiheroes are just as important as heroes in any novel.
2) The argument whether power corrupts the human soul.
Here on, spoilers so please be warned!
In Calamity, perhaps the biggest question is whether power in itself can corrupt human soul. Obviously, Calamity thinks humans are inherently evil and by granting them powers, Calamity is able to bring out the evil in mankind and further proves his theory that mankind is evil. What David has done is to show Calamity that his hypothesis is just one of many possibilities. Power can corrupt some people but people can remain good and kind despite having powers. That possibility is what gives Calamity and drives him to leave humans to their own devises. Without Calamity, humans will be humans - some good, some evil and some neither.
IMO, this is a good question but a paradoxical one because good and evil are concepts created by men to maintain order in society. Without a society, there will be neither good nor evil. Imagine a baby stranded in the wild all by himself and raised by animals (a.k.a. Tarzan), do you think he will be able to distinguish between good and evil?
To conclude, I think Calamity is a deeper and more philosophical book than Steelheart. I prefer Steelheart because the plot is more straightforward and focused, nonetheless, I think Calamity is a brilliant novel and a fitting conclusion to one of my favorite series of all times.
What I like about Calamity:
1) Character growth:
I always love Brandon Sanderson's heroes despite the fact that they pretty much follow the same formula. David is no exception. Although I loved the David in Steelheart best, I also enjoyed seeing how David progressed from an inexperienced amateur fighter with nothing but passion for revenge to the ultimate leader who brought about change to his world, from a man fighting for revenge to a man fighting for dreams. Through interactions with Prof, Megan, and the rest of the crew, he succeeded not only in reaching his goal but also instigating change amongst the Reckoners. I liked how David graduated from a soldier to a commander, taking the place of Prof and holding the team together.
Then there is Megan, she also developed from a lost, conflicted soul to a girl who is clearly in control. David maybe amazing but he will never succeed without Megan. These two are two sides of a coin, without either side, the coin has no value.
In contrast to David and Megan, we see Prof gradually spiraling downward from the leader to the antihero. I feel sorry for Prof in Calamity but antiheroes are just as important as heroes in any novel.
2) The argument whether power corrupts the human soul.
Here on, spoilers so please be warned!
In Calamity, perhaps the biggest question is whether power in itself can corrupt human soul. Obviously, Calamity thinks humans are inherently evil and by granting them powers, Calamity is able to bring out the evil in mankind and further proves his theory that mankind is evil. What David has done is to show Calamity that his hypothesis is just one of many possibilities. Power can corrupt some people but people can remain good and kind despite having powers. That possibility is what gives Calamity and drives him to leave humans to their own devises. Without Calamity, humans will be humans - some good, some evil and some neither.
IMO, this is a good question but a paradoxical one because good and evil are concepts created by men to maintain order in society. Without a society, there will be neither good nor evil. Imagine a baby stranded in the wild all by himself and raised by animals (a.k.a. Tarzan), do you think he will be able to distinguish between good and evil?
To conclude, I think Calamity is a deeper and more philosophical book than Steelheart. I prefer Steelheart because the plot is more straightforward and focused, nonetheless, I think Calamity is a brilliant novel and a fitting conclusion to one of my favorite series of all times.