Audiobook Review: Calamity

Author: Brandon Sanderson
Series: The Reckoners, #3
Released: February 16th 2016
Publisher: Audible Studios
Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Audible

When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David's fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

David knew Prof's secret and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners' leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He's disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there's no turning back....

But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics - Megan proved it. They're not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

Calamity! I can’t believe it’s over! I’ve waited so long to read this… When this trilogy started, I’d been mostly unfamiliar with Mr. Sanderson’s work, but his easy style and humor won me over in a heartbeat. This trilogy has been a favorite of mine since the very beginning, and while the ending didn’t quite provide the entertainment I was hoping for, it was nevertheless a satisfying finale that gave me answers and more or less the type conclusion I was hoping for.


Calamity starts with a bang and continues on a very high note throughout. The Reckoners are irrevocably changed and it’s up to David to decide their next move. Although he’s the newest member, his knowledge on the epics allows him to make solid decisions and mostly follow through on his plans. No matter how much things around him change, David remains the same – awkward and funny, and always optimistic. Even the events in Firefight didn’t crush his never-ending optimism, and while it’s sometimes annoying, it’s also childlike and honest and it sometimes leads to very good things. Where others would give up, David just plows through with very little regard for his own safety, and he darn well does with a smile and an endless supply of truly stupid similes.

Calamity isn’t without its issues, but pacing isn’t among them. I liked how the story progressed and all the action was both exciting and funny. The only thing I struggled with was David’s slowness in figuring out what was going on. He wasn’t doing a whole lot of thinking, especially for someone who was in charge of so many lives. I did feel that Sanderson got tangled in his own plotlines a tiny bit. The alternate universes brought more confusion than answers and in the end, they seemed like an easy fix, a neat solution for every problem out there. I can’t really say more and avoid spoilers, but some things could have been dealt with differently and certainly more elegantly.

It needs to be said though that I generally don’t read series about corrupt superheroes for their great literary value, so I’m quite content with being properly entertained. If I laugh out loud a few times along the way (which I did), all the better. While the series didn’t have much of an emotional impact, I’ll certainly go back to reread it every now and again.

I think I would have liked this book a lot less on paper, but McLeod Andrews is every listener’s dream. He brings such humor into the story and he knows exactly how to make the important details stand out without giving too much away. He is a fabulous narrator, one of those rare stars who can narrate just about anything and make it sound amazing. So Audible Studios, if you’re listening, more books narrated by Andrews, please.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.