On the Edge (The Edge, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Once upon a time there was a girl named Rose who lived on the Edge between two worlds... the Broken and the Weird. The Broken is our world, a place where magic isn't real. The Weird is a realm of magic where blueblood aristocrats rule. The Edge is a strip of land between the two worlds where people who belong to neither congregate -- the worldbuilding is rather complex and it took me a little while to keep all the worlds straight, but after a few chapters I was fine. Those who live in the Edge have their own traveller like community and social rules; plus their own touch of magical power.

The novel opens with Rose attempting to keep together her fragmented family; having been left to fend for herself and her two little brothers, Georgie and Jack. Aside from their somewhat batty (but awesome) grandmother they're all alone in the world. Rose is the bread-winner and the pressure of responsibility weighs heavily on her shoulders. Something she spends much of the book dealing with internally. Compounded by the usual mundane issues Rose has magical ones too: Georgie can't help but raise the dead and Jack is a changeling who frequently runs off into the Wood not to be heard from again for days. Talk about problems. Rose is a worrier. She worries about money, about the boys, about her horrid job -- she is a heroine who can't seem to catch a break. It seems to be one bad thing after another for her. Indeed, she's barely keeping their heads above water when things suddenly go to Hel in a hand basket. A flood of magic-hungry creatures start attacking the inhabitance of the Edge and to make matters worse, a blueblood (Declan Carmarine) from the Weird has chosen this precise moment to trample into Rose's life determined to have her.

'On the Edge' is a well written novel that I would say is more of a romantic fantasy than an urban one. It's quite high fantasy-ish in places, which I liked. The characterisation is superb and the worldbuilding is absorbing and intricate. I particularly enjoyed hearing about the Weird, and the concept of the Red Legion makes me hopeful that these areas will be further fleshed out in the future.

The book is written in third person and swaps around to various perspectives throughout the narrative which I felt added a nice layer of complexity. Even though I adored Rose, found her life and past both sympathetic and interesting I liked hearing from the other colourful inhabitance of the Edge as well as her. In fact, I really loved Rose's little brothers Georgie and Jack -- the stars of the novel in many ways. Two boys who both grow wonderfully during the course of the story. Another character I liked was William who remains an enigmatic presence throughout. Apparently the sequel will be his story. Grandmother Drayton was the voice of reason and I enjoyed her reminisces; the words of a woman who one could tell had lived and loved and hurt and seen it all.

If you're expecting something similar to the Kate Daniels series then you'll be disappointed. The two are very different despite one or two shades of similarities. There's a lot more romance in Edge compared to the Kate series -- even though I love the highly unusual relationship between Kate and Curran, I really disliked Rose/Declan. I'm not much of a romance fan so I found the romantic parts to be quite the chore. I also never warmed to Declan. I didn't see anything in him that made him stand out/different from the myriad of other male characters like him. With Curran it never felt as if the authors were afraid to tow the line... to have him say and do things that might make you hate him. With Declan it was as if everything was designed to make you love him; it just didn't work for me. Rose is tough, self-aware and self-sacrificing like Kate. But they never felt like the same character to me: Rose isn't as vulnerable/loner-ish and snarky as Kate. She's a woman with familial obligations and people who depend on her. Also a lot of her issues are more mundane. While this book was lighter in tone than the Kate Daniels series it lacked the abundance of humour so prevalent in the Kate books. Edge is more rustic and fairytale like than gritty and dark like KD.

The writing itself was tight and all the plots wove together into a satisfying whole. I could have done without the romance, personally, but that was as integral to the progression of the overall arc as the magic eating villain. Overall, I enjoyed this book and read it quickly! Always a good sign. There's no way this series will replace the Kate series in my heart but I look forward to the sequel about William!

P.S. the first chapter of 'Magic Bleeds' the fourth Kate book is included at the end of the book.

Between the familiar, electric world of the Broken, and the magical Weird is the Edge. In appearances it's like the Broken, but with magic. It's a lawless, desperate place where even having the strongest magic might still leave you struggling to put food on the table, week after week.

Rose Drayton is this type of Edger, practising her magic in secret, working her fingers to the bone and trying to keep her young brothers - Georgie and Jack - safe. It's not much fun, but she manages. Just. Until something strange emerges from the Weird, something deadly. Close behind is Declan, a Weird blueblood, who wastes no time in registering his interest.

But no matter how handsome and impressive he is, Rose has seen it all before, and knows better than to trust a charming blueblood. As the danger mounts, however, she soon realises she might not have a choice. If only he wasn't so handsome...

Husband and wife team, Ilona Andrews, take a break from the excellent 'Kate Daniels' series with this fascinating world. As with Kate's world, they excel at presenting the familiar with a nifty twist. And magic thrown in. The Edge is no fairytale, and Rose is no princess. She worries about normal things - money for food and petrol, how her brothers do at school - as well as the abnormal - Georgie's habit of raising the dead, or Jack turning into a cat to chase leechbirds. With such responsibilities on her shoulders she's sceptical and guarded, but also loyal, strong and delightfully human. Not to mention magically powerful.

As a hero Declan could have strolled right out of a fairytale (or a historical romance novel), which make his culture clashes with Rose a lot of fun. What truly made this for me - other than the brilliant setting - was Rose's family. Her brothers are adorable (and different) and her Grandmother is impressive too - those curses!

No run-of-the-mill fantasy - from the magic down to the characters - this is a great balance between Modern Fantasy (can't fit the Urban tag, due to a distinct lack of cities) and Paranormal Romance (which for me wasn't that intrusive, and not much more than you'll find in many UF). The tantalising glimpse of the Weird at the end made me all the more curious for the future, as did the mysterious William. Andrews never disappoints.

On The Edge is the first book in the new series 'The Edge' by Ilona Andrews, author of one of my most favourite series, Kate Daniels. So I was looking forward to this book with excitement.

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, a place between the Broken (our world) where magic doesn't exist and is a myth, and the Weird, where technology doesn't exist and magic rules. Being an Edger gives Rose the ability to cross the boundaries from one world to the other, but she doesn't really belong in either.

An Edgers most powerful weapon is their flash, a bolt of magic like lightning. Everyone has it to a different extent, and Rose has the most powerful flash an Edger has had in 100 years. It makes her hated and envied amongst the Edgers, and wanted among the noble bluebloods of the Weird as a 'broodmare'. All Rose wants is to make enough money at her minimum wage job in the Broken to put food on the table for her younger brothers, 10 year old Georgie who's a necromancer and 8 year old Jack who is a changeling.

But bad stuff keeps happening to Edgers. There is a darkness around that's going after the most powerful Edgers, taking their magic, feeding on it. At the same time, Rose is approached by a blueblood from the Weird, Declan, who is determined to have Rose. But with her brothers and other Edgers at risk of being destroyed, he agrees to team up with Rose and the Edgers to fight the danger. If they can.

I love this book, it wasn't a disappointment at all. What did surprise me, is how much I loved it. It couldn't match the brilliance of Kate Daniels with a single book, but with more it may do. Rose is a strong character, with family at the center of her heart. She would do anything for her brothers, who she's raised since her father left them in search of some 'big treasure', years after their mothers death.

Told in third person, predominantly from Rose's POV but with snatches from others, it contains much more romance than the Kate series. But there is plenty of action too and is a well balanced plot, not too much of one thing before going back to the other. Like the Kate series, the characters are well formed with flaws and plenty of intelligence. The book contains plenty of witchcraft, changelings (shape shifters), necromancers and many other magical beings. All within a well thought out and developed world with boundaries and rules, where actions have consequences. Making for a great, realistic (as urban fantasy/paranormal romance can get) book to get your teeth in to. There isn't quite so much humor in this as the Kate series, or I didn't so, but there were some good moments, and the last page in particular made me crack up.

The first Kate Daniels book wasn't spectacular, in fact, it took a lot to get in to it and at the end it was still nothing more than 'okay', compared to Magic Bites alone, this is a better start to a series. The world building is done carefully without dragging on the plot in big chunks, instead you're fed it in bits as the book goes on, learning more as it goes on. There aren't so many twists and turns in this, and less surprises as a result, but that doesn't stop it being a very good read and a great introduction to a new world and series.

Whether you'd class the book as urban fantasy, fantasy or paranormal romance, I'm not sure. There isn't really enough 'urban' to it for it to be UF, but it's not true fantasy either. And although there is a strong romance plot, it's not the whole thing. Still, I suppose each is close enough as a guide of the basic genre. And it's a great book! I really look forward to more in this world.