Steelstriker is Marie Lu at her very best. The author who brought readers the captivating Legend and Warcross series returns to the YA dystopian genre and recements her place at the top. Set in a broken world full of ancient relics and chilling monsters, Steelstriker picks up about six months after Skyhunter’s ending. Following Talin and Red as they fight for survival and a better future, the writing will leave you speechless. The side characters from the first novel take a back seat in this installment, but the use of witty dialogue still keeps their presence felt.

The worldbuilding crafted in the Skyhunter Duology is truly stunning. With complex national and continental politics, well explored science, and a focus on imperialism and colonization, the dystopian world Lu creates is a stark look at our present reality. Though the themes she explores are relevant and important, it never feels like the author is using the novel to get across a political agenda. The issues are just as important in the story as they are in the real world. 

Along with the impressive worldbuilding, the main characters truly stood out. Talin has always been fascinating, partially because of her reliance on sign language. Her disability is never something that holds her back. In fact, it makes her a better, stronger fighter. I loved that what some would consider her greatest weakness became a source of strength. The fact that she hovered on the edge of darkness for this entire book, and the way she dealt with her own morality was beautifully done in context of the story.

Red gets his first perspective in Steelstriker, creating an intense dual point of view narrative. The exploration of his past as a soldier of the Federation (the very thing he tries to destroy) was well done, as were the bonds he formed with the Strikers. Some of his chapters did drag towards the middle, which is understandable considering the epic scale of the plot. 

By far the best part of this book was the relationship Talin had with her mother. Their dynamic felt realistic, and it was easy to see the trust they shared. Talin’s mother loved her daughter without question, subverting the evil/dead parent trope most YA novels feature. The familial bond made Talin a more likeable heroine, and explored how tragic it was to have teenagers fighting their parents’ wars. 

The villain was probably the weakest part of the book because he followed too many common stereotypes. The tropes were done correctly for the most part, but there was nothing new or interesting about him. I did appreciate how easy it was for Talin and Red to see him as human, but felt that their empathy wasn’t something that ever swayed the opinion of the reader. Put simply, he wasn’t very interesting to read about.

That being said, Steelstriker featured a fast plot that combined effortlessly with that of the first book. Though some events were rather predictable, the story held the attention of the reader in a death grip until the very end. It was impossible to put this book down, especially because of how easy it was to get attached to the characters. Despite a few flaws, Steelstriker by Marie Lu is a finale that will not leave fans of Skyhunter disappointed.