Zachary Holbrook Posted December 20, 2019 Posted December 20, 2019 The contrast between Skyward and Starsight provides an interesting example of Sanderson's Third Law of Magic, "Expand, don't add." Skyward focuses entirely on one culture, the humans of Detritus, and how their way of life has been shaped by the constant threat of extermination. Starsight, on the other hand, introduces a myriad of new alien races and cultures. It's imaginative and entertaining, but not nearly as compelling as the narrower focus of the first book. How do Skyward and Starsight compare in your opinion? Do you prefer the broader, more varied worldbuilding of the second, or the deeper, more focused world of the first?
Use the Falchion Posted December 21, 2019 Posted December 21, 2019 I think it toes the line. The secrets of the Delvers were teased in Skyward, and expanded on in Starsight. The larger universe and the Krell were teased in Skyward and expanded on in Starsight. Did the book lose some of the focus because of the expansion? Absolutely. But it can be recoverable. That being said, I do wish we had spent more time going over the politics in Detritus, rather than leaving for another planet instantly. 1
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