BTDub Reviews: ReDawn by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson

Title - ReDawn

Author(s) - Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson

Genre - Science Fiction

Release date - 10/26/2021

Completed book on - 1/9/2023

***NO SPOILERS***

Howdy, folks! BTDub Reviews here, back again with a review of the second novella in the Skyward series, named ReDawn.

Just as before, this novella was a team effort by both Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson. You can check out my review for the first novella, Sunreach, here: https://btdubreviews.wixsite.com/btdub-reviews/post/btdub-reviews-by-brandon-sanderson-and-janci-patterson.

I can see why the three Skyward novellas were bundled together as part of Skyward Flight: The Collection. Sunreach feels like the beginning of a book, while ReDawn is the middle.

ReDawn is a thrilling and essential read for fans of the Skyward series. This novella moves the plot forward in the series in some significant ways. While it's another bite-sized adventure compared to the mainline books, it packs in all the excitement and heart we expect from the series.

In this follow-up to Sunreach, we follow Alanik after the events from Sunreach. Each novella in this trilogy follow a different protagonist. This one works to great effect, as it gives readers a chance to learn about Alanik, her people, and her motives in the story. This benefits Alanik even more than it did FM in Sunreach, as her character has been a bit of a mystery to readers up to this point.

Without spoiling the exciting directions this story goes, you will have the chance to learn a lot more about Alanik and the UrDail people living on ReDawn. This novella isn’t just a history lesson for the UrDail, though - you’ll also spend a lot more time with the entire Skyward Flight. Many of these characters have mostly absent from the story since the beginning of Starsight.

The writing of ReDawn feels sharper than it did in Sunreach, which at times felt lacking compared to the mainline novels. This novel brings the quality in that regard, as it balances its serious and humorous moments much more consistently. On top of that, it's packed with action that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I sincerely this quality continues into the third novella, Evershore, because it makes for a wonderful read.

If you’re a fan of the Skyward series, it’s simple: ReDawn is a must read. While I’m sure they’ll recap some of the story from these novellas in the upcoming Defiant, this story in particular is worthy of being read in full. I’m super stoked to see where this galactic tale goes in the third and final novella, Evershore.

Rating: ***** (out of 5!)