Firefight blazes into action on the first page and picks up the storyline shortly after Steelheart ended. (No time is expended on backstory so it is essential to read Steelheart first.) Firefight is every bit as good as Steelheart was and it keeps the same high-octane pace of action. Some of the previous characters are back, but there are many new ones with a new location and new villain. Sanderson also starts to introduce some new ideas and premises that make this story feel fresh rather than a re-hash of previous material. Smart dialogue, humorous touches, a creative setting, nuanced characters, and adrenaline-inducing action continue to be hallmarks of Sanderson’s writing. (He makes it look so easy!) This series is a must for a teenage guy and anyone who loves action and superheroes.
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 12 mild obscenities; 2 derogatory names.
Violence/Gore: Extended fight/chase scene involving shooting and electric superpowers; character is shot/executed at close range with mention of blood; report of a killing; explosions and characters come upon wounded, mention of bones being vaporized; report that a character with superpowers killed everyone in a large city; fight/chase scene with shooting, choking, attempt to drown; attack with superpowers; report of 80 people burning to death; threats; attempted shooting; report of attempted murder of a child by grandparents; fire set to building in order to kill people, corpses seen (non-detailed); brief report of fight with a character with superpowers using a tank to shoot and passing mention of arm found 7 streets over; confrontation involving guns, punching, shooting, superpowers, mention of blood; character shot in leg; character killed; characters struggle/punch; character sees that two men have been hung; character shot/killed; fight involving superpowers, shooting, burning; brief scene in which a character is killed with mention of blood; character uses superpowers to kill two other characters, brief and non-detailed.
Sex/Nudity: Male character notices another’s ample bra; reference to someone as a “bouncing bundle of breasts”; reference to eyeing girls/seduce; character is without clothes after transformation (non-sexual); character attracted to each other; characters kiss.
Mature Subject Matter:
Death.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Characters go to a bar.
