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Author: Ilona Andrews
Book: Fate’s Edge
Release: November 29th 2011
Series: The Edge 3
Reviewer: Believer
Source: Personal Library
Purchase: – Book Depository

Audrey Callahan left behind her life in the Edge, and she’s determined to stay on the straight and narrow. But when her brother gets into hot water, the former thief takes on one last heist and finds herself matching wits with a jack of all trades…

Kaldar Mar-a gambler, lawyer, thief, and spy-expects his latest assignment tracking down a stolen item to be a piece of cake, until Audrey shows up. But when the item falls into the hands of a lethal criminal, Kaldar realizes that in order to finish the job, he’s going to need Audrey’s help…

The novels of the Edge Series written by Ilona Andrews are works of paranormal romance filled with smart heroines, kooky characters, grueling fight scenes, charming heroes, and rich story telling covered in romantic goodness that will melt your heart and leave your brain feeling happy.  The series takes place in a parallel world that exists just around the corner from our everyday world in dimensional planes that are imbued with varying degrees of magic.

The dimensional plane we live in is called “The Broken” since we mere mortals survive without any magic.  The first dimension outside the broken is “The Edge”.  Citizens of the Edge have varying degrees of magic in their DNA.  The next dimension is “The Weird” and it is mostly populated by nobility who wield strong magical powers. But this parallel universe has a sense of balance that tends to keep everyone in check.  Most members of The Broken have no knowledge that magic even exists and instead have modern technology. Most “Edgers” have enough magic to keep them out of the Broken while others have the ability to cross the barriers separating the dimensions. But the magical inhabitants of the Weird cannot enter into the Broken at all.   Their magic is too powerful and the barrier between the planes would rip them apart. Members of the Weird can enter into the Edge but just like in real life, there exists a caste system of sorts – snobbery!  Why no self-respecting noble or inhabitant of the Weird would ever be caught dead in the Edge! How ordinary and vulgar!  But there is one other similarity to real life in this world building that is particularly of note – evil and greed are just as alive in a magical world as in an industrial one.

The first book in this series, ON THE EDGE, introduced us to this magical world..  It also introduced us to some of the most interesting characters in UF or PNR in ages.   Jack the young changeling boy who can turn into a lynx, and George, the pre-teen necromancer with a heart so large he would rather die than see anyone suffer – and almost does. Other memorable characters live in the Edge including Zombie Grandpa, brave Rose, noble Declan and lonely but deadly William.  The final battle scene at the end of this book is one of the most terrifying battle scenes I’ve ever read!!!! I was on pins and needles! And the formula was set!  Each book would have a smart admirable heroine facing an impossible challenge; a brave and charming hero ready to come to the rescue; at least one if not a group of God awful terrifying villains; and a mix of supporting characters that remind me of The Beverly Hillbillies, Swamp People, The Hatfields, The McCoys, Cinderella, and characters from the X-men series, all combined!

Doll Day reviewed BAYOU MOON, the second book in the series. https://paperbackdolls.com/?p=4843

Cerise, the heroine of BAYOU MOON is my favorite from all three books.  Her sense of humor had me laughing out loud.  And my good Lord, her family, The Mars, is some sort of swamp people Addams Family! The fight scene in BAYOU MOON  did not disaapoint.  Dear Lord – how do Andrew & Ilona come up with this stuff – cecause they look so nice and yet they write about these truly terrible fight scenes. Shudder! Makes you wonder what they see in the ink blot tests, ya know?

FATE’S EDGE, the third installment in the series, takes place a few years later.  Rose & Declan are happily married and living in the Weird.  Jack & George are living the privileged life of Weird nobility with Rose & Declan as their guardians.  Cerise & William have settled into domestic bliss and are enjoying the roles of doting aunt & uncle to Jack & George when they aren’t on spy missions for the Mirror. And the Mars family has successfully re-established itself down the way form Cerise & William.  Tranquility!  Well – not exactly.  The savage battle in BAYOU MOON  has left a number of walking wounded including Kaldar Mars.  Kaldar – with his “Dukes of Hazzard” charm, pretty boy looks, and con man ways is bent on avenging his family and killing as many members of the Hand as he can.  Now a secret agent working for the Mirror, he has been called into action on a new mission which threatens to destroy the delicate balance keeping the world in check.

Jack and George have been trying to fit into their new lives in the Weird but the onset of puberty is bringing its own set of problems.  Jack can’t seem to keep out of trouble and George is realizing his options are limited in regards to his future.  Both boys struggle with the anti-Edge bigotry that surrounds them in the Weird and worry that they will be sent away.

Audrey Callahan is a beautiful grifter trying to go straight.  Raised in a family of grifters in the Edge, her talents have always been a means to an end for her greedy and abusive family.  As a teen Audrey is sold into slavery to a local drug lord and beaten to within an inch of her life.  Managing to escape she disappears into the Broken to start a new life.

A powerful ancient artifact has been stolen and Kaldar is placed in charge of the recovery.  All paths lead to Audrey and sparks begin to fly the moment these two grifters meet.  They must pull off the biggest heist of their lives while keeping ahead of the Hand, The Hounds, and the Claws of Bast; and keeping two castaways safe.  Can these two con artists open their hearts enough to fall genuinely in love or will the fear of having their hearts broken keep them lonely forever?

Kaldar made such a huge impression in BAYOU MOON.  He was the scoundrel uncle with the charming ways and no-good sexy looks which makes it is no surprise he gets his own book.  And the best part is he gets to meet his match in a beautiful female con artist so wise to the game it’s a wonder she has managed to hold onto her heart.  I really enjoyed reading the cons that Kaldar and Audrey pulled off including their hilarious first meeting.  Watching them struggle to accept love with another grifter was very entertaining.  But most of all – reading Kaldar’s insights into the cons he played in the past give me that fly on the wall access to a grifter’s mind.

Jack and George are always great!  And it was such a wonderful surprise to have them show up in integral roles in FATE’S EDGE .  Watching them develop and suffer with aspects of their natures really tugged at my heartstrings.

Overall – the book went along at a relatively slower pace compared to its predecessors but the element of danger and culminating fight scenes were exciting and over only too soon.

This series really delivers a punch!  It is packed with drama and excitement. The Ilona Andrews team has a gift for world building and making each book better than the one before.  These novels are subtly crafted and much like their Kate Daniels series, the first book only begins to set the tone for the rest of the series.  I can’t wait for the fourth installment and I wonder what surprise Ilona Andrews have up their sleeves for us.

Also Reviewed By: Smexy Books – The Book Pushers – Dear Author

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved to read story books. She devoured them because they were full of magical possibilities with every turn of the page. Then the little girl grew up and school work occupied more and more of her time. Eventually the little girl graduated from school, trading in poets & prose for business management & autobiographies. Magic was left behind in her quest for the top and the world became a place filled with “paradigm shifts”, ROI & financial reports. Before she knew it, the girl was a woman who felt out of touch with the world’s magic until she met Birth and her sister Death. While Birth filled her with wonder & happiness; Death filled her with sadness & loss. And so one day she set aside the management books and instead picked up a paperback story filled with vampires, shifters & telepaths. Lo and behold, her passion for these stories blossomed and the woman became a believer in the magic of reading, again. My name is Believer9200 and I believe in the magic of stories because they give me hope.

Doll Believer

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