Skyward

Skyward
Name	Skyward
Author	Brandon Sanderson
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Skyward Saga
Genre	Science fiction, Young adult
Publisher	Delacorte Press
Pub date	2018
Media type	Print (hardcover), e-book, audiobook
Pages	528
Isbn	978-0553534967

Skyward Skyward is a 2018 young adult science fiction novel by Brandon Sanderson set in a far-future human colony under siege. The novel follows a teenage protagonist striving to become a pilot amidst societal restrictions and alien conflict, interweaving motifs from Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Ursula K. Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, and Orson Scott Card. The book launched the Skyward Saga and influenced adaptations and discussions across fandoms tied to Tor Books, Del Rey Books, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, and major literary awards.

Lead

Skyward centers on an aspirational youth who confronts institutional barriers at Chet's Ridge-style settlements, echoes of Mars (planet) colonization narratives, and aerial combat reminiscent of Top Gun and Star Wars. Sanderson draws on franchise tropes from Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, Halo (series), Ender's Game, and The Expanse to craft a coming-of-age pilot story. The novel's publication coincided with events at New York Comic Con, World Science Fiction Convention, and promotional tours at Powell's Books and Waterstones.

Plot

The protagonist resides in a besieged settlement similar to New Vegas (setting), where civilians endure attacks by an enigmatic alien force linked to scenarios in War of the Worlds, The Forever War, and Independence Day (film). After being barred by authorities resembling United States Air Force policies and bureaucracies like Department of Defense (United States), the teen clandestinely trains, inspired by pilots from Royal Air Force, U.S. Navy, and characters from Starfleet. Training sequences invoke simulators akin to those in Microsoft Flight Simulator, tournaments comparable to Red Bull Air Race, and mentorship echoes of Captain Picard, Admiral Ackbar, and Han Solo. The climax involves aerial engagements referencing tactics from Erich Hartmann and technological concepts paralleling ion drives, warp drive speculation in NASA studies, and artificial intelligence behavior debated in Alan Turing scholarship.

Characters

Major figures reflect archetypes found in works by George R. R. Martin, J. R. R. Tolkien, Philip K. Dick, H. G. Wells, and Arthur C. Clarke. The protagonist's mentor parallels figures such as Amelia Earhart and Eddie Rickenbacker, while rivals resemble pilots from Mitsubishi A6M Zero narratives and characters in Top Gun: Maverick. Supporting cast includes authority figures analogous to leaders from Fortress of Solitude-style institutions, engineers with backgrounds similar to Elon Musk-led ventures and scientists like those at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and antagonists echoing extraterrestrial designs from H. R. Giger and conspiracies revolving around Project Blue Book.

Themes and analysis

The novel explores resilience motifs comparable to The Odyssey, identity struggles akin to Jane Eyre, and social stratification seen in Les Misérables and The Hunger Games. It interrogates command structures reminiscent of debates involving Sun Tzu and Clausewitz, and examines mentorship dynamics present in Socratic dialogues and Josiah Royce-style education. Literary critics have situated the book within trajectories traced by New Wave (literature) and Golden Age of Science Fiction discussions, and scholars reference narrative techniques from Joseph Campbell and Vladimir Propp when analyzing protagonist arcs.

Production and development

Sanderson developed the novel drawing on influences from Brent Weeks, Neil Gaiman, Patricia A. McKillip, and contemporaries at Harold Lamb, incorporating worldbuilding strategies used in Renaissance Studies and workshop practices from Clarion Workshop. The manuscript underwent editorial processes involving staff from Delacorte Press and legal clearances similar to those managed at Penguin Random House and Hachette Book Group. Marketing leveraged partnerships with retailers like Amazon (company), Target (retailer), and libraries such as New York Public Library, while audiobook production engaged narrators associated with Audible and recording studios used by BBC Radio 4 dramatizations.

Reception

Critical reception connected the novel to titles by Orson Scott Card, Anne McCaffrey, Lois Lowry, Madeleine L'Engle, and Suzanne Collins, with reviews in outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Los Angeles Times. It ranked on bestseller lists compiled by The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Nielsen BookScan, and was shortlisted for fan-voted accolades similar to the Hugo Award and Nebula Award discussions on forums such as Reddit and Tor.com. Academics compared its thematic scope to studies published by Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press.

Adaptations and legacy

Rights negotiations involved entities like Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Amazon MGM Studios, and Netflix, and the franchise sparked fan art circulated through DeviantArt, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter (X). The book influenced tabletop scenarios at Gen Con, video game concepts discussed at Electronic Entertainment Expo, and cosplay patterns showcased at San Diego Comic-Con International and Dragon Con. Educational programs at University of California, Brigham Young University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have cited the novel in seminars alongside canonical texts by Jules Verne and Mary Shelley.

Category:2018 novels Category:Science fiction novels