Firefight – Brandon Sanderson (2015)

Firefight by Brandon Sanderson, published in 2015, is the second installment in The Reckoners trilogy, a gripping young adult dystopian series that unfolds in a world ruled by superpowered individuals known as Epics. Following the events of Steelheart, the story picks up with David Charleston and the Reckoners grappling with the aftermath of their rebellion in Newcago. Their mission intensifies as they travel to Babylon Restored (formerly Manhattan) to confront a new High Epic threat—Regalia—who seems to know far too much about their leader, Prof. With the mysterious Epic Firefight returning to the scene, David’s convictions about Epics, power, and redemption are put to the ultimate test.

Plot Summary

The rise of Calamity had broken the sky with crimson, birthing a world where superpowered tyrants called Epics reigned unchecked. Steelheart, one of the fiercest among them, had fallen. In the aftermath, Newcago stood reborn, its metallic bones now warmed by the flickering fires of resistance. David Charleston, once a vengeful boy fueled by grief, had become the Reckoners’ point man – a killer of Epics, a symbol of defiance.

As Newcago celebrated its shaky freedom, a new threat emerged. Sourcefield, an electric terror capable of phasing through steel and disintegrating foes with arcs of raw power, brought chaos to the streets. David, armed with nothing more than resolve and balloons filled with crimson Kool-Aid – the Epic’s suspected weakness – lured her into a trap. As energy exploded around him, he outwitted and finally executed her in a rain of fruit drink and fear. But her death was more than a victory – it was a message.

In her pocket bloomed a handful of multicolored flower petals, unmistakably from Babylon Restored – the city that had once been Manhattan. Three Epics had now attacked Newcago, all tied to that place, and all ignoring Prof, the Reckoners’ leader and secretly a High Epic himself. Prof’s past had long been a tightly guarded vault, but the petals cracked it open. Regalia, the ruler of Babylon Restored, was calling. And she wanted Prof to come to her.

Prof, Tia, and David left Newcago under the hush of darkness, journeying through broken highways and silent towns choked by the ruins of civilization. The farther they drove, the more David saw how rare Newcago’s order had been. Beyond its borders, anarchy ruled, where Epics destroyed, ruled, or simply left cities to rot. With each mile, the mission shifted. It wasn’t just about one city anymore. It was about all of them.

Babylon Restored rose from the sea like a dream half-submerged. Entire skyscrapers were filled with water, rooftops transformed into gardens glowing with mysterious fruit and phosphorescent paint. There were no cars, no power lines – just people living atop buildings, traveling by boat or rope bridge. A city of surreal beauty, ruled from the depths by Regalia, whose water-manipulating powers allowed her to observe and speak through the very rivers and puddles.

Regalia welcomed the Reckoners, her watery visage rising in waves to greet them. But her invitation came laced with dread – she promised to flood the city if the Reckoners did not confront her newest weapon: Obliteration. A sun-walking destroyer who had vaporized Houston, Obliteration’s arrival meant catastrophe. Yet he did not strike. He lingered in the city’s heart, speaking in cryptic tones, as if he too were waiting for something.

While Prof focused on neutralizing the threat, David’s attention turned elsewhere – to Firefight. Megan. She had returned, and David could feel it in the way shadows moved and chance twisted around him. Sightings of her flickered like rumors through the rooftops. Once his teammate, now a known Epic, Megan had disappeared after Steelheart’s death. But David believed she could be saved. He remembered her restraint, her loyalty, her warmth. More than anything, he believed that Epics could fight their corruption.

As the Reckoners hunted Epics terrorizing the city – the illusion-casting Newton, the shadowy Mizzy, and the unpredictable Obliteration – David began piecing together Regalia’s true game. The attacks were distractions. Regalia had designed this chaos not to destroy the city, but to push Prof to the edge. She was provoking him, manipulating him into using his powers again and again, until the darkness within swallowed him whole.

Prof resisted at first, gifting his abilities sparingly – shields, healing, disintegration – all disguised as technology. But Babylon Restored pulled at him. The people praised him. They needed him. And slowly, the man who had once taught the Reckoners never to use Epic powers for themselves began to unravel.

Megan finally revealed herself, saving David during an ambush. But she came not with answers, only warnings. Regalia had recruited her with promises of truth, testing whether her Epic powers – rooted in alternate realities – could be used without corruption. Megan, unlike most Epics, retained her mind after using her abilities. David’s belief in her was not misplaced. And together, they discovered the deeper truth: Regalia wanted to die.

Terminally ill and haunted by what she had become, Regalia had orchestrated every move – Sourcefield, Mitosis, even the summoning of Obliteration – to bait Prof into losing control. Her final wish was for Prof, once her closest friend and fellow believer in redemption, to replace her as ruler of Babylon Restored. Not as a hero, but as a tyrant. She believed no Epic could resist the fall.

Prof, upon learning of Regalia’s illness and her manipulations, snapped. He unleashed his powers with fury, abandoning pretense. The city trembled under his might, his mind consumed by the very corruption he feared. He killed Regalia – not in mercy, but in rage. And when he turned his eyes toward Megan and David, he no longer saw allies.

David, wounded and desperate, reached Megan once more. She drew him into a shadow world – another reality where calamity had never risen, where she was never corrupted. The experience anchored her. She used that memory to pull Prof back, reminding him of who he was, of the promise he had once made. For a moment, the darkness retreated.

But it was not over. Prof vanished, leaving behind a city mourning its twisted savior and a team fractured by the loss. Megan chose to stay, to fight beside David. Babylon Restored was free, but the cost had been high.

Now, David no longer hunted Epics for vengeance. He hunted for answers. He would learn the truth of Calamity, the red star that birthed these powers. He would discover why some Epics fell and others resisted. He would find Prof again. And when he did, he would not be a boy seeking revenge, but a man trying to save a friend from the fire.

Main Characters

• David Charleston (Steelslayer): Driven, determined, and armed with encyclopedic knowledge of Epics, David serves as the Reckoners’ daring and resourceful point man. He’s haunted by the death of his father and driven by a mix of vengeance and idealism. Over the course of the novel, his obsession with understanding Epic weaknesses evolves into a deeper search for hope—that maybe not all Epics are evil.

• Jonathan Phaedrus (Prof): The enigmatic and commanding leader of the Reckoners, Prof is a High Epic who gifts his powers to others while avoiding their corruptive effects. As the story progresses, the strain of using his abilities without succumbing to their influence grows, putting both himself and the team at risk.

• Megan (Firefight): Once thought dead and revealed to be an Epic herself, Megan returns as a complex figure whose actions raise questions about loyalty, identity, and the possibility of resisting the corruption of power. Her relationship with David is at the emotional core of the story, filled with longing, mistrust, and hope.

• Tia: The Reckoners’ brilliant strategist and Prof’s oldest ally. Calm, analytical, and secretive, Tia plays a pivotal role in uncovering Epic histories and devising tactics. Her knowledge and deep trust in Prof make her a stabilizing force within the team.

• Regalia (Abigail Reed): The primary antagonist and a cunning High Epic ruling over Babylon Restored. Her ability to manipulate water and project herself remotely makes her nearly untouchable. With a personal connection to Prof and a chilling agenda, she represents the most strategic and psychological threat yet.

• Abraham and Cody: Loyal Reckoners operatives. Abraham is the steady, spiritual center of the group with a past in paramilitary forces, while Cody offers levity and sniper expertise wrapped in eccentric tales of Scottish folklore and survivalism.

Theme

• Corruption of Power: Central to the narrative is the idea that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Most Epics are depicted as tyrants, illustrating the moral decay that follows the acquisition of unchecked power. Prof’s internal battle provides a poignant, personal lens into this theme.

• Identity and Redemption: David’s evolving perception of Epics—from irredeemable monsters to individuals with potential for good—shapes much of the emotional and philosophical tension. Megan’s arc, in particular, challenges the black-and-white view of good vs. evil.

• Resistance and Rebellion: The Reckoners’ mission embodies the spirit of rebellion against oppression. Their actions not only aim to dismantle Epic rule but also inspire ordinary people to reclaim agency in a broken world.

• Memory and the Past: Characters are repeatedly shaped by their histories. Regalia’s past with Prof, Megan’s dual identity, and David’s memories of his father all underscore how the past informs motives, fears, and relationships.

• Hope vs. Despair: In a world where superpowered tyrants dominate, hope becomes a radical act. David’s belief that good Epics might exist becomes the foundation of the series’ deeper message—hope, however fragile, is transformative.

Writing Style and Tone

Brandon Sanderson’s writing in Firefight is fast-paced, witty, and cinematic. He balances intricate world-building with relentless action, layering his dystopian setting with imaginative detail—like a submerged Manhattan reborn as “Babylon Restored.” Sanderson’s use of first-person narration through David’s voice lends immediacy and emotional resonance to the unfolding events, especially as David’s inner world becomes increasingly conflicted.

The tone blends humor with high-stakes intensity. David’s awkward metaphors and quirky charm provide levity amid tense encounters with lethal Epics. Sanderson maintains narrative momentum with tight chapter structures, cliffhangers, and unexpected twists. Beneath the thrill-ride surface lies a thoughtful exploration of morality, loyalty, and what it means to be human when gifted with godlike powers. The prose is accessible yet layered, allowing both younger and adult readers to engage with its themes deeply.