A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! From Brandon Sanderson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Reckoners series, Words of Radiance, and the internationally bestselling Mistborn series, comes the first book in an epic new series about a girl who dreams of becoming a pilot in a dangerous world at war for humanity's future. Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with her father's--a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa's chances of attending flight school at slim to none. No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars. Praise for Skyward : A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year " Startling revelations and stakes-raising implications ...Sanderson plainly had a ball with this nonstop, highflying opener, and readers will too. "--Kirkus Reviews , Starred Review "With this action-packed trilogy opener , Sanderson offers up a resourceful, fearless heroine and a memorable cast ...[and] as the pulse-pounding story intensifies and reveals its secrets, a cliffhanger ending sets things up for the next installment." --Publishers Weekly , Starred Review "It is impossible to turn the pages fast enough. "-- Booklist " Sanderson delivers a cinematic adventure that explores the defining aspects of the individual versus the society...[and] fans of [his] will not be disappointed. " --SLJ Praise for Brandon Sanderson's Reckoners series: #1 New York Times Bestselling Series " Another win for Sanderson . . . he's simply a brilliant writer. Period."--Patrick Rothfuss, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The Name of the Wind "Action-packed." -- EW " Compelling. . . . Sanderson uses plot twists that he teases enough for readers to pick up on to distract from the more dramatic reveals he has in store."--AV Club Gr 9 Up-Since crash-landing on Detritus 80 years ago, the Defiant colonies have been under relentless attack from the Krell. Humanity's only defense are bright young pilots who fearlessly take to the skies to safeguard the community. Seventeen-year-old Spensa aims to join their ranks; however, when your father is the coward pilot who fled during the historic Battle of Alta, passing cadet training seems impossible. Admiral "Ironsides" has no intention of letting a coward's daughter graduate flight school, and even makes sure to ostracize Spensa from her fellow cadets. Yet, an unintentional discovery may be Spensa's key to obtaining a pilot's pin while exposing a decades-old secret. Sanderson delivers a cinematic adventure that explores the defining aspects of the individual versus the society. Spensa, characterized by her father's cowardice, is appropriately driven to question the fundamental idea of free will. Serious moments are balanced with animated scenes, leaving a playful feel over the tense undertone of the novel. Despite a few convenient plot lines, such as a premature romance, Sanderson intrigues with a strong exploration into the thrilling life of a fighter pilot. VERDICT Fans of Sanderson will not be disappointed, and will happily jump into the cockpit with Spensa to "claim the stars."-Emily Walker, Lisle Library District, ILα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Praise for Skyward : A New York Times Bestseller A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year "Reading this book is like standing inside a video game: all action and movement . Sanderson’s aerial dogfights are so masterful. "— Booklist Praise for Brandon Sanderson's Reckoners series: #1 New York Times Bestselling Series " Another win for Sanderson . . . he's simply a brilliant writer. Period."—Patrick Rothfuss, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The Name of the Wind "Action-packed." — EW " Compelling. . . . Sanderson uses plot twists that he teases enough for readers to pick up on to distract from the more dramatic reveals he has in store."—AV Club Brandon Sanderson is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Reckoners series: Steelheart , Firefight , and Calamity , and the e-original Mitosis ; the New York Times bestsellers Skyward and its sequel Starsight ; the internationally bestselling Mistborn trilogy; and the Stormlight Archive. He was chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series, an adaptation of which is coming to Amazon Prime Video in November 2021. His books have been published in more than thirty-five