Reaching Out

I've posted before about the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson -- a science fiction saga centered on humans living in squalor on a desolate world, using a handful of starfighters to fend off oppressive aliens. The first two books were both excellent (and I'm in the midst of the audiobook for the third right now). But it turns out there's more to the series than the previously announced four books -- and the unexpected addition isn't delaying the larger project like those authors that distract themselves with prequels, spin-offs, and tie-ins rather than finishing what they originally set out to do.

Sanderson has paired up with author Janci Patterson for a trio of novellas that interweave within the Skyward story. The first of these, Sunreach, is set in between books two and three, and is a marvelous bit of connective tissue. I noted of book two, Starsight, that my only real disappointment was that book one had set up a number of interesting characters... but then the sequel's surprising direction separated most of them from the action. Sunreach is an answer to that exact "complaint," a story focused entirely on the rest of Skyward flight.

Like the main series, Sunreach is written in the first person. This novella changes that person, though. This allows the story to tease out minor subplots only suggested in the main books, and give time to one of the less-developed characters. (Though I do mean "less-developed" and not "under-developed." Sanderson is creating a lot of vivid personalities in this series.) To summarize the plot would give too many spoilers locating the tale in the midst of the main four-book arc, but suffice it to say that plenty of important things are happening while the series' protagonist is away. This isn't "filler," and the main series will be obliged to acknowledge these events for readers who missed out.

It does seem apparent to me, though, that Sanderson's involvement in this advertised partnership seems minimal -- probably on the order of contributing a few major plot points and "blessing" the rest. The writing is notably different than what I've learned of Sanderson, even from just two of his books so far, and I think that's more than just the narrative shift to a new character. This is by no means bad writing, but I think that Janci Patterson's prose (I'm assuming) doesn't quite have the snap and polish of Sanderson's.

If you're an audiobook listener, one constant is that Suzy Jackson also narrates this novella. She's there to provide all the voices for the characters she's already established, and to take on the challenge of perhaps subtly changing her primary narration just a bit to underscore that we're with a different main character this time around. I'm definitely at a point where I'd give consideration to an audiobook -- probably any audiobook -- if I knew she'd narrated it. I'm sure there are audiobook fans who have listened to a lot more than I have, but in my experience, she's among the best in the business.

If you're reading the Skyward series, don't miss out on Sunreach. And if you're not reading Skyward, here's another chance for me to recommend it. Sunreach is perhaps just a B+, compared to the A- I gave the first two books, but it's still plenty entertaining.