aeonarin's review
2.0
Oh, how I didn't like the ending. This is heart-breaking, but it's the worst story Brandon ever produced. The only bright side is the writing style, which I love. I fail to see much else, unfortunately.
abigcoffeedragon's review
4.0
This is a fast read, and though I do not think it is the strongest work by Brandon Sanderson, it is enjoyable. I feel that this is a mix of Ender's Game with Star Wars: Clone Wars; but it is still a good and fun read. Enjoyable enough to pass 30 minutes if you need something to cleanse your pallet prior to moving on to something meatier.
tomwright's review
5.0
I prefer Brandon Sanderson's magic systems to his sci-fi. It was good, but too short.
nakedsushi's review
3.0
Firstborn is a short story that feels like a longer book, in a good way. Sanderson didn't really delve into any of the characters in depth, but all the battles and skirmishes in the outer reaches made it feel like things have been going on for a really long time.
An unexpected twist, another minor twist, and then a kind of cop out, predictable ending. I would have given this 4 stars if the ending weren't so abrupt.
An unexpected twist, another minor twist, and then a kind of cop out, predictable ending. I would have given this 4 stars if the ending weren't so abrupt.
casey_zi's review
4.0
Everyone loves an underdog story. This one is a "space opera'' about the little brother to a vaunted space commander, and it's pretty good, with plenty of spaceship battle action and a lesson about dealing with failure to boot.
f18's review
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and War
Minor: Colonisation, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, and Violence
xalai's review
3.0
Unfortunately this one was very average to me, which is so sad for me to say since I love Brandon Sanderson so much. I actually found the main character very different in a good way (but not a likeable way), at least in the beginning. It was also really interesting to see Brandon Sanderson take on a more space opera-y story and I’m very excited to hopefully see more in that vein. Overall, it didn’t feel very different from so many other space battles I’ve read and the ending was extremely cheesy and relentlessly beat me over the head with it’s “moral”.
zackyist's review
3.0
A nice little scifi story which turned out to be quite okay. But I felt like it was missing something, perhaps stretching too far out to cover the world it's set in while not describing the current events with enough precision to garner a proper interest. Otherwise there's not much to be said about it, good or bad.