On the Edge

On The Edge

Written by: Ilona Andrews

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Ace
Language: English
July 2006, $7.99
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Fiction

The Broken is a place where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is nothing more than a fairy tale.

The Weird is a realm where blueblood aristocrats rule and the strength of your magic can change your destiny.

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, the place between both worlds. A perilous existence indeed, made even more so by a flood of magic-hungry creatures bent on absolute destruction.

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As much as I love Ilona Andrews, I was a bit hesitant about their new series as I heard from a little birdie that it was a bit heavier on the romance side. The back blurb for On The Edge didn't help either as it confirmed that a bit. But I love the Kate Daniels series so eventually I gave in. I am glad that I gave it a second try.

Rose lives on the Edge, an in between place where magic lives, but you still need to get food at the local Albertsons where it does not. rose and the other residents of the Edge don’t really fit in either place. She lives with her brothers and does what she needs to do in order to survive. She thought that her magic would make their lives better. She thought wrong.

Things are tough for Rose and they only get tougher when creatures hungry for magic show up in the Edge. But they are not the only things that have arrived to make rose’s life interesting. Declan Camarine, a blueblood nobel form the Weird has his own sights set on Rose whether she likes it or not.

Things I loved: I liked this and it proved to be far more entertaining than I thought it would be. One thing I loved where the characters especially Rose’s brothers. Georgie can give life to things even if it uses his own life and Jack, well he’s a shapeshifter of sorts. They are both adorable. More than that their stories were interesting. I felt invested in both of them. I wanted to be their big sister.

The Edge is an interesting setting and there is so much left to explore and do in that world as well as the world of the Weird. And yes despite the romance bits I did like Declan. Maybe its the name. Its certainly fun to say. Say it with me. Declan. Just rolls off the tongue. Though admittedly is it wrong that I am so over the haughty and hottie hero guy? You never really read about the guy next door who woos and wins over our heroines heart. At least not in urban fantasy. They are always...more. I am not saying that they have to be all Lloyd Dobler and serenading our heroine with a boom box outside of her window (Though can I have that?), it would just be nice to have some evenly matched ‘matches’.

Anyway, so yes Declan. Not too shabby.

Finally, I dug the magic as well. It was a very visually interesting depiction with the arcs. I also really liked some of the dialogue. Maybe it was the snark. Plus they went to a comic book store in the book. Automatic gold star if you ask me.

Things I didn't love so much: Really did not like the cover. I loved Rose’s depiction (though not exactly how I pictured, but it will do) with the arcs surrounding a good old fashioned gun. However, Declan looks like a Fabio wannabe. He’s even pouting. Who does that? Meh! So not what I pictured and really pushes the romance part. This isn't a romance despite it being heavier on the lovey dovey bits.

And its not that I don’t love romance. Anyone who knows me outside of the interwebs and probably on it that I am a die hard romantic. I want the wooing, the romance and of course the comics, video games, and happy pop culture fan service like any other girly geek. Bit I am done with the bodice ripper genre. I like to watch people fall in love ala Mercy and Adam or even Kate and Mr. Kitty himself. It didn't happen overnight and certainly not over the span of a week. While I would like to believe that love at first sight does exist, I am also a bit of a realist. Hormones happen, but the instant soul mate connection, I think that is forged. I cant relate to it. While it would be super spiffy to find my knight in tarnished armor tomorrow and instantly realize that not only do I kind love him, but that I also wanted to jump his bones. Lets face it, its probably not going to happen that way.

I realize of course that showing the progression, the falling in love bits is hard when you only have 320 pages and you may be a one shot. Unless there’s a montage, but thats a bit odd in book form. So I am fairly lenient as long as the plot and character development do not get pushed aside. Those need to be just as strong if not stronger in order to keep this girly girl happy. This did okay in that respect. Even if Declan and Rose are together, its not over. Or at least I have faith that it isn't over. Rose cannot make it that easy for him. Please don’t make it that easy for him.

Buy or Borrow: Buy. If you like the Kate Daniels series this was a nice new series. And if you do like a bit more romance in your urban fantasy, you’ll probably like this as well.

Part of: The Edge Series
Book One: On The Edge
Book Two: Bayou Moon

Also Recommended: The Kate Daniels series starting with Magic Bites

3.5 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks