Brandon Sanderson is the author of several highly successful fantasy series, and Skyward is his first undiluted foray into science fiction. His fantasy novels all take place within a universe called the Cosmere, and many of his titles, including the Stormlight Archive series (The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer, Rhythm of War, and Wind and Truth), both Mistborn series (including Shadows of Self), Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Elantris, all take place within this broader world. However, Skyward is meant to be set in the real universe even though its events do not take place on Earth.

The characters in Sanderson’s fantasy novels often have special mystical abilities of one kind or another, and the author also employs this approach in Skyward with the concept of the “defect,” the gift that allows Spensa and others like her to navigate the great distances between the stars. This “defect” is essentially a mystical power that allows Spensa to psychically control ships and to hear the telepathic communications of the Krell.