Starsight - Brandon Sanderson

Published by Gollancz/Hachette UK: London, 2019 (2018).
Book 2 of the 'Skyward' series. Preceded by 'Skyward.' Followed by 'Cytonic.'

Two years ago I read the first book in this series, and quite enjoyed it. Our main protagonist, Spensa, followed her dream of becoming a pilot on a planet that was constantly fighting off alien invaders. She found a hidden ship, M-Bot, with an advanced AI system (that often uses what I now recognise as Sanderson's trademark quipping style), and helped save the day, while unlocking her special 'powers' - very on point for Sanderson, but not at all a negative.

This book, like so many of Sanderson's sequels, ups the stakes considerably from what has come before. Suddenly, Spensa is thrust into a far greater universe than she had previously known, having to impersonate an alien species and infiltrate Starsight, an advanced space-station that is home to the aliens who have been attacking Spensa's planet, but who might also have the ability to fight off the far-more-terrifying alien threat called 'delvers.'

As in the first book, there are a lot of twists and turns. There is also a lot of political maneuvering, as Spensa must decide who she can trust and who will betray her, particularly since all of the aliens she is interacting with mistrust humans. 

This all builds to a suitably epic finale when a delver is finally unleashed in battle, and Spensa must use all the resources at her disposal to save the day.

It might have taken me a few years to get back to this series, but I have enjoyed my second visit.

Completed 21 January 2026.



(Skyward Series)

Previous Book ~ Next Book

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