Defending Elysium

I had heard about this story a while ago, but only recently heard that it is a prequel to the Skyward series. As I'm just about to read the last book in that series, and it has become one of my all-time favorites, I thought it prudent, but also essential to read where it all started. Some have stated that this isn't Sanderson's best writing, but considering that he wrote it before he was even a published author and it's a free short story you can find on his website, I don't think the expectation should be that it is on par with his later or current works. I highly enjoyed it. Maybe because I like that mix of science fiction and mystery, the detective noir in space vibe, and this has that feel. Despite being an early work, it still is a full-fleshed-out story with interesting characters. The mystery keeps you guessing, and the connections to the Cytoverse are worth giving it a chance. It doesn't really reveal tons about the early days before Skyward, but it does give a glimpse and I was very intrigued about the implications. I don't think this is essential reading for the Skyward series, but if you enjoy that series, it is worth reading just to get that glimpse into how it all started.