Hello Robert,

I just got my first library card in about 7 years. Aside from college IDs which give access to school libraries. The Edmonton Public Library system is quite impressive to he honest. They have 3D printer maker spaces, sound studios, and tons of events and classes all for free. Honestly going to the library is way cooler than it used to be. Aside from the evil librarians though.

Title: Firstborn
Series: Stand alone
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Sci-fi
Audience: Young Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, FTL(Faster Than Light), Advanced Tech
Synopsis: This morality tale follows a younger brother Dennison Crestmar, who lives his life as all younger brothers due. In the unbearable shadow of his older brother the Silvermane the war hero Varion Crestmar.
Recommendation:
This actually isn’t a book it is more of a short story I read it in like an hour and a half. There isn’t too explicit of content. You only get a description of like two deaths. Any 4th grader should be able to this with reasonable ease.

Dennison is exceptional in only one way. He isn’t very good at anything. His brother is “perfect”, an outstanding commander, and a hero, basically winning single handedly the Reunification war. Dennison on the other hand with the very best training a high born man can have has a talent for losing winning situations. Since its a short story I don’t feel like we really get to know either character. And only a few other characters are mentioned or have any lines.

Interestingly, this is the very first item of Brandon Sanderson’s that was ever published. By “published” I mean it appeared in a magazine at BYU (Brigham Young University) that only a couple of hundred people subscribed to.

I honestly really like the setting, the characters are kinda whatevers. You don’t get to know them. Nor do we really learn all that much about the setting. But you learn a lesson. You learn about what being a person is. Morality ain’t it great?

The question I am left to ponder is, “Will this fit into the multi world theory of all of Sanderson’s other works?” In case you didn’t know, by Sanderson’s own admission, all his worlds take place in the same universe the “Cosmere” at different times and on different worlds but the same universe. You can find a website somewhere, where fans theorize how it all works.

All in all, taking everything into account. Taking that Brandon Sanderson himself doesn’t think he is any good at writing short stories. Despite the characters being boring. In spite of it only offing a vague image of what life is like in this strange universe. I really like it. Mostly because it takes no time at all to read so why not. I give this book a thumbs up because why not.

Jared

Links

• Brandon Sanderson’s Official Website