Series: Skyward #3 (See my review of book one here!)
Release Date: November 23rd 2021
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 432
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis
Spensa’s life as a Defiant Defense Force pilot has been far from ordinary. She proved herself one of the best starfighters in the human enclave of Detritus and she saved her people from extermination at the hands of the Krell—the enigmatic alien species that has been holding them captive for decades. What’s more, she traveled light-years from home as an undercover spy to infiltrate the Superiority, where she learned of the galaxy beyond her small, desolate planet home.
Now, the Superiority—the governing galactic alliance bent on dominating all human life—has started a galaxy-wide war. And Spensa’s seen the weapons they plan to use to end it: the Delvers. Ancient, mysterious alien forces that can wipe out entire planetary systems in an instant. Spensa knows that no matter how many pilots the DDF has, there is no defeating this predator.
Except that Spensa is Cytonic. She faced down a Delver and saw something eerily familiar about it. And maybe, if she’s able to figure out what she is, she could be more than just another pilot in this unfolding war. She could save the galaxy.
The only way she can discover what she really is, though, is to leave behind all she knows and enter the Nowhere. A place from which few ever return.
To have courage means facing fear. And this mission is terrifying.
Review
Cytonic is the early awaited third instalment in Brandon Sanderson’s epic Skyward series. The story follows Spensa as she has gone from life as a space cadet to one of the best pilots in the Defiant Defence Force. Now an undercover spy infiltrating the Superiority, she has seen the Delvers the Superiority plan to use in the war. Spensa much discover what she truly is if she has any hope of saving the galaxy from destruction.
Cytonic was one of my most anticipated releases and as soon as it arrived I dived straight in, reading long into the night and finishing it in a single day. The story was action-packed and I did not want it to end. Picking up after the events of Starsight, we follow Spensa on her quest to Nowhere. I won’t say too much about the plot because this is the third book in the series, but this installment felt a bit different because Spensa was on her own personal mission. We also meet a new character in this book named Chet and I thought he was a brilliant addition to the fascinating cast of characters Sanderson has created in this series.
Spensa is the perfect protagonist and over the course of the three books, I have really grown attached to her. It’s fascinating to watch as she continues to grow and learn. Like the previous books, there is loads of humour and banter that kept me hooked to the story. Cytonic is a fast-paced story – there’s just something about Sanderson’s writing that makes you so absorbed in the story that you don’t release hundreds of pages have flown by.
Cytonic is an incredible installment in the Skyward series and readers will be on the edge of their seats till the very last page. If you haven’t yet had the chance to try this series, it’s an absolute must-read!
This book was just… wow. It was honestly like someone had asked me ‘what would be your perfect sci-fi book?’ and Skyward was the end result. I couldn’t put this book down and I didn’t want to put it down. I loved everything about this book. Brandon Sanderson is a master writer, weaving the many layers of the plot seamlessly together. The story starts off slowly, giving you the chance to learn about the world and set up for some of my new favourite characters of all time. Spensa is a magnificent protagonist. She’s brave and strong and determined to reach her dream of becoming a starfighter pilot. She’s an outcast who finds new friendships and she shows an immense amount of character growth as she changes from a brass and cocky student to someone who knows the value of friendship. I definitely grew attached to her and her ragtag bunch of flightmates. As the story ramped up and the pacing quickened, I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen to them next.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 