On the Edge

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1. 

   C. Vandehey @ 5:47 pm

   Many readers will be familiar with husband and wife writing duo Ilona Andrews through their very successful Kate Daniels series. (If you’re not, I highly recommend them, but that’s another review.) On the Edge is the start to an all-new series from the writing team, one that many readers might view as “something to fill the time while I wait for the next Kate Daniels book”. This would be an erroneous view to take.

   I picked up On the Edge knowing I was in for good writing, but I thought I’d be able to read a couple of chapters and then put it down to make dinner. As it turns out, the spouse was subjected to frozen pizza for dinner that night, because I could not put the book down. When I finally had no choice (work, what a pest!), I thought about it when I wasn’t reading. I couldn’t wait to pick it up again and get back to the characters and the world. From the moment Rose and her two young brothers, changeling Jack and necromancer George appear on the page, I’m completely hooked.

   Some world building background: The Weird is a world that mirrors our own, but with magic instead of technology. For example, their Airforce flies wyverns, not jets – but they do have an Airforce. They even have special forces. Our world, called the Broken, has no magic at all, and if an Edger stays in it for too long, they’ll lose what magic they have, permanently. Edgers like Rose and her family are mixed blood descendants of both the Weird and the Broken. Many of them have magic, but not enough to be welcome in the magical Weird, and too much to want to give it up and go live a “normal” life in our world, the Broken. (If they even could – many of the Edgers weren’t born in the Broken, and therefore don’t have things like birth certificates or social security cards.) They survive on the Edge, a strip of land between the Weird and the Broken, stealing electricity from across the Border and using Ward stones to keep out the worst of the dangerous creatures the Weird deposits in their Wood.

   Rose and her two brothers, Jack and Georgie, are among the most powerful of the people on the Edge. In fact, bluebloods from the Weird have been showing up for years, trying to steal Rose away so she can pop out highly magical babies for them (power seems to be a big part of the pecking order in the Weird.) But Rose isn’t having it. When Declan shows up, she tells him what she told all the others – no, I won’t sleep with you, I won’t marry you, go away. But Declan is different. He doesn’t try to force his way past her Wards – he offers her a challenge. Give him three tasks, and if he can complete them, she will belong to him. If he fails, he’ll leave the Edge and never return. Rose reluctantly agrees.

   But coming up with tasks guaranteed to make Declan fail is soon the least of Rose’s problems. Evil, terrible hounds have started showing up and trying to eat people, particularly magical people, which puts Rose, her brothers, and their paternal grandmother Éléonore at the top of the list. Together, Declan and Rose have to stop them, or soon there won’t be any Edgers left.

   As with the Kate Daniels books, the worldbuilding here is top notch. You gain a very clear understanding of what things mean and how they work without a lot of big infodumps of exposition. It’s just woven seamlessly into the story, like Rose having to pack up the guns to drive to Wal-Mart. Rose is the primary POV character, so much of what is revealed comes through her eyes. But occasionally we switch to someone else – one of her brothers, her grandmother, one of the other residents. These are invaluable glimpses as well. I particularly enjoy the switches to George or Jack. Although they are 8 and 10 years old, Andrews doesn’t “dumb down” for the kids. They are intelligent, normal kids with heartbreaking problems – George can’t stop himself from raising things he cares about from the dead – puppies, birds, cats, his Grandfather – even though it’s slowly killing him to keep them all animated. Jack is a changeling; he can change shape into a cat, and he’s subject to the instincts and whims of how a cat would think.

   I defy you not to fall head over heels in love with them!

   Rose has the rarest gift of all, something that makes her so coveted, she has to deter “suitors” with a shotgun. With their mother dead and their father long gone, it’s up to Rose and her grandmother to raise the boys and give them the best life they possibly can. Rose has sacrificed her own dreams in the process.

   But don’t worry. Declan wants to give her new ones – of him! Gorgeous, arrogant, and powerful, Declan could easily be a stereotypical alpha male character, but he’s not. Just as 3-dimensional as Curran or Raphael (of the aforementioned Kate Daniels series), he has his own story to tell, and his own agenda beyond Rose. There’s also the mysterious William, a man Rose meets in the Broken who wants to date her, and not for her power. Each of them have secrets that are dangerous and important to the Edge’s survival – and Rose’s.

   I can’t say much more about On the Edge without giving too much away. But the writing is fantastic, gripping, and it’s hands down one of the best books I’ve read this year. I can’t recommend it enough.
   

   
2. 

   TJ @ 7:45 pm

   There exists a place between the mundane world (called the Broken) and the magical (called the Weird). This place takes on elements of the two other worlds to become a place where lesser magic can exist. This place is called the Edge. Rose Drayton lives on the Edge. Her life is alternately mundane and magical. She must work as a cleaning lady to make ends meet for her family, but whens he’s in the Edge, she also has the enviable ability to ‘flash’ a dangerous burst of magic. It was Rose’s flash that got her into so much trouble in the first place. Trouble comes in many forms, though. And just when things seem to have settled for her family (for better or worse) Declan enters her life. The arrogant aristocrat seems to bring as much trouble as Rose herself–and the sort of trouble that follows him into the Edge threatens everything Rose loves.

   The genre for ON THE EDGE is pretty ambiguous. Because it doesn’t take place in the world as we know it, the story doesn’t quite fit into the category of ‘urban’ fantasy. However, because the story seems so similar to our world, or parts of it, the distinction of ‘traditional’ fantasy doesn’t apply either. Instead, Andrews has affectionately dubbed the story as a ‘rural’ fantasy. I suppose that or ‘dark fantasy’ or ‘fantasy’ will do. The genre isn’t important, anyway, because I think that people who enjoy all sorts of fantasy can enjoy Andrews’ story. Perhaps, particularly the fans of urban fantasy will find something refreshing in this new world.

   The premise and characters of ON THE EDGE are great. Though I winced when ‘redneck grandpa Cletus’ entered the stage, I was able to forgive the stereotypical name and actions, because I believe Andrews was pointing them out in fun. Otherwise, the ‘rural’ aspect of ON THE EDGE is done in a way that’s understandable, interesting, and human. The characters especially make ON THE EDGE fun. I felt for Rose and her little brothers. I usually don’t really care for kids in fiction of any sort, but Georgie and Jack really had my heart. Little Georgie the necromancer who hates death and feral Jack who wants to protect his brother… And–of course–like any Andrews novel, the book is too easy to read in one sitting. Andrews’ control over action and the story is admirable and easy to read and follow.

   Finally, I have to wonder how Andrews is going to continue this series. Because ON THE EDGE has been verified as a series. I’m not entirely sure if Rose and Declan’s story will continue, as it has wrapped up so nicely. Alternately, I can see where there would be room to give the pair more challenges. Still, I can’t help but think I’d like to see what other families and women are struggling on the Edge…

   Definitely a highly recommended read for this year, especially since Andrews steps away from adding another urban fantasy to the mix and instead decides to try something completely unique.

   
3. 

   I. Daco @ 9:26 pm

   After reading the Kate Daniels series in less than a week, which had me jonesing pretty hard for another fix–this led me to re-reading the whole and biting my nails for the next installment (which comes out June 2010 *sigh*)–so imagine my delight when I realized several weeks ago that there’s to be a brand spanking new series. Of course when I read the blurb, I was like ‘huh?’, the Edge?, Weird?, and Broken? But I knew already that Illona Andrews would never let me down, so I immediately pre-ordered with my Kindle! I woke up at 6AM today and made sure my Kindle downloaded the book straight away.

   Try imagining reading and getting ready for work at the same time–quite hazardous, don’t recommend it with coffee lol–. From the very start, On The Edge, kept my attention engaged. The world-building was fabulous, you aren’t inundated and suffocated with facts–somehow it just flowed. I loved the romance, the interesting characters, and the awesome villain—not to mention the hero! The heroine is more than a match for him! I love how she HAD TO WORK for her powers (just like Kate!!), she trained for it–it’s a bit annoying that most of the books out in this genre comes with effortlessly-super-powerful heroines. I’d love to be Wonder Woman too but it just doesn’t make it as believable when you know the heroine WORKED for it. I’m not going to give you an in-dept review of the story, I want you to read it and see it for yourself. The only thing I complain about is that now I have two series of Illona Andrews that I’ll be jonesing for! Ahh!

   
4. 

   Alexandra Cenni @ 10:21 pm

   Comic geeks and anime fiends take note–since this is set in a slightly more attuned to how the real world (shudder at the thought) works, we get to read about all that geeky stuff we love. Inu-Yasha is mentioned, the Green Arrow, DC Direct Action Figures…I spent a good part of the first half of the book squeeing until my dad looked at me weird.

   On a more important to the book itself note, Rose isn’t Kate. You can’t compare the two because frankly their situations aren’t the same. Rose is raising her two (hellion) brothers George and Jack (George who can raise the dead and Jack who’s a feline changling) on a $7/hr wage, trying to give them some semblance of a good upraising so that they can go forth in the Broken world and make something better of themselves then she did. Her granddad is best considered a zombie (George resurrected him…he does that a lot. He’s got a real soft heart and hates to see things die.) and her grandma has a spitfire personality. Their parents…well the mom is dead (after being…rather scandelous) and their dad ran off 4 years ago to hunt for treasure.

   As you can see if nothing else, family life is complicated.

   Declan took a little longer for me to warm up to, but there’s mitigating circumstances after his introduction so I can’t really hold this all against him. I do admit to falling somewhat in lustlove with him cause the man has a large array of pointy weapons. A veritable treasure trove of sharp, pointy swords, knives and everything in between. His interactions with Rose border on the ‘how quickly before he says something to piss her off’ more often than not, but there’s no….malicious intent for either of them in their fighting. Its two entirely too similar personalities clashing repeatedly because they’re too stubborn to learn better. He tries! I will give him props, he tries really hard to if not give in to Rose’s demands, work with them.

   Our cast of surrounding characters range from the typical backwoods oily sales car type to the ridiculously terrifying Bad of the book. Casshorn didn’t just look terrifying, and it wasn’t even his acts that terrified me the most. It was the way he talked. Exaggerated politeness while discussing flaying a person alive and sucking all their juices was then paired with the equivalent of ‘I hope your family is doing well’ Southern mannerisms. William, who has a variety of roles in the novel and I can’t really go into all of them since some of it would include spoilers, is a loose canon. I liked him well enough at first, but like Rose he just seemed kind of…meh to me. Again good reasons.

   The book had some really funny lines and the funniest to me was at the very very end, the VERY last page (309 in the mass market paperback edition), five lines down from the top. I can’t post it because its a spoiler, but that line right there? I had to drop the book it made me giggle so hard. And sure I’m an easy person to make laugh, but for some reason that line made me really, really happy.

   Bottom line is that On the Edge proves that Kate Daniels wasn’t some fluke. Its fun, its gritty, its darkly humorous and leaves me wanting more. Unfortunately the as of yet un-named second book isn’t due out until September/October 2010 (which of course can change). I’m working on my patience.

   PS: For no reason I can ascertain Declan was played by Alexander Skarsgard in my head. Every time Rose (or anyone else) talked about his looks I had Alexander Skarsgard posing. It made for an enjoyable image (though I had pegged him for Curran originally…I guess he can be both ).

   
5. 

   Angela Thompson @ 11:04 pm

   I let out a very undignified squeal when this unassuming package showed up on my doorstep completely out of the blue. I’m not ashamed to admit it. Here I am fairly wasting away for the fourth Kate Daniels book and then, swooping in like a risen phoenix, a brand, shiny new copy of Ilona Andrews’ ON THE EDGE saves the day. The first in a new series, do we even dare hope to two Andrews releases per year a la Patricia Briggs? The two of them together easily top my favorite urban fantasy writers and this new book (and series) does nothing to shake those stats, I’m happy to say. As with Briggs’ Alpha and Omega series, I think it’s important to go in with a clean slate, so to speak, not expecting Kate and Curran but ready to embrace a wholly new world, and I think you will enjoy this book on its own merits.

   Rose Drayton lives on the Edge–the narrow strip of land between the Broken and the Weird. Yes, you read that right. She and the two little brothers she’s raising live a dangerous half-life in between a world where magic is myth (the Broken) and another where it is king (the Weird). Edgers, as they are known, have their feet in both worlds but don’t seem to belong to either. They, unlike, the denizens of the Broken are aware of the Weird in all its incomprehensibility. And, unlike the inhabitants of the Weird, they are awkwardly connected t0 (even long for at times) the banality of the Broken. When she was eighteen, Rose was effectively ostracized by the whole of the local town for letting loose a stream of magic and then refusing to marry one of the hometown boys. With her parents out of the picture, two half-magical little boys to take care of and train, and determined to control her own life, Rose takes an illegal job in the Broken and attempts to fly under the radar. And it works. Sort of. Until Lord Declan Camarine appears on her porch step, sword strapped to his back absolutely reeking blue blood Weird, announcing she will be his come hell or high water. Rose responds…less than favorably. And we have ourselves a story!

   Once again Ilona Andrews plunges me into a fully realized world without a by your leave. And I love it. Like Kate’s Atlanta it is full of complexity and contradiction and a wonderfully messy history. But it is also wilder, in a sense. Rose carries a rifle and she has to use it more than she’d like. The people in the Edge are almost clan-like in their politics. Feuds happen and they last for decades. Payment is harsh and exacted when and where the wronged party decides it will be. This series has a different focus than the more traditionally urban fantasy Kate Daniels series and, though in the end I didn’t love it quite as much, I loved the world building and the children who actually seemed real to me. ON THE EDGE is definitely heavier on the romance side of the urban fantasy spectrum and, as a result, Rose and Declan’s relationship is more central than Kate and Curran’s in the Magic series. Occasionally the descriptions and general admiring of each other’s forms got a bit cloying for me, but the nice thing is that they are both well-rounded, compelling characters. At first I wasn’t sure about Declan. He does start out a bit looming, take no prisoners, you will be mine for my taste. But there is more there than brawn and arrogance. And it is a very intriguing more. As far as Rose goes, she’s had it rough and is still full of fire–just the way I like my UF heroines–but (and this is key) she has the creds and the depth to back it up. She’s tough and at the same time she longs for education and training to harness and develop her powers. But instead she spends her days flogging her guts out to support her little brothers. She loves them unconditionally and is determined their lives will be better than hers. I love how full she feels as a character. I believed in her and I liked her. As for the boys, Jack and Georgie, you won’t stand a chance against their charms and that is all. There is that trademark humor throughout the story as well and it really held the whole thing together, especially when the particularly creepy elements started rearing their ugly heads.