I started reading this with my 9 and 12 year old but we just couldn't get into it. We made it about 1/3 of the way in and we enjoyed the writing style, the funny names and the silly footnotes but we found the plot to be slow and didn't care for the violence and the scare-factor, especially around the child abductions.

Started a little slow and confused me a bit, but the world and character building ended up being amazing. Looking forward to the rest of the books in the series!

This was a fantastic novel. It was full of magic, family, adventure, secrets, horrible villains, war, and escape. We follow three siblings in a war torn world that is oppressed by a lizard like race that is super strong and drips venom from their mouths. The three are led by their mother and grandfather. The kids are in and out of trouble, not always of their own making, and they end up setting off a chain of events that lead to them being on the run. Family secrets are uncovered at the end that reveals many answers to questions that everyone has been asking.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be reading it to my children as I know they’ll enjoy it. There are dragons, angry mutant cows that attack, lizard people etc and the book teaches that sometimes adults have their reasons and that actions speak louder than words. I’m looking forward to what happens next.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I've been wanting to read Andrew Peterson's Wingfeather Saga for quite a while, and the new covers provided an opportune time to finally read it (that, and I had to finish it before the deadline hit XP)

What I liked:
-The cover art is absolutely gorgeous and drew me in right away. I'll admit the older cover wasn't as good, but this one really got me wanting to pick the book up.
-On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is written in third person omniscient and there is a very strong narrative voice, something that is needed in order to write well in this point of view.
-The worldbuilding was really interesting. An example of something I liked were the plants--their names were familiar sounding enough to get a feeling of them, but still foreign (e.g. totatoes, greenions)
-I found Leeli to be remarkably relatable. All three siblings and their family are quite endearing, but Leeli strikes me especially.
-The slow build up and constant yet small reveals lead to more and more questions, this effectively keeps the reader (i.e. me) going
-The ending is predictable, but it is definitely satisfying, especially for the first book in a series.

What I didn't like:
-There is a lot of infodumping in the start, even in narrative--I found this a little too much to take in, personally.
-The reason for Janner's outburst in the beginning seems to be told, not shown? There's no foreshadowing of it, either. This is probably just me being nitpicky, though.
-The book takes a while to get into. The first couple of chapters bored me, and I struggled through them. It was only after the first thirty percent or so when I truly got into it.

What I have mixed feelings about:
-The footnotes: I do love them, and they certainly add to the worldbuilding, but they're a little inconvenient to find since they're at the end of each chapter. This is especially true for e-copies of the book.
-Narrator's humor: This will probably only hit some people. Although I did appreciate it, I know some won't. I never did laugh at any point, but I found that it set the perfect tone for a middle grade book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Janner, Tink and Leeli are three brothers and sisters surrounded by a very protective mother and a grandfather with a pirate past. They live in the small village of Glipwood, led by the Fang, evil creatures with reptilian appearance. When Leeli is going to disappear during the annual Dragon Day festival, Janner realizes the heavy responsibility placed by his mother on his shoulders ... but that is only the beginning of the trouble, oscillating between confrontation with the Fang and well-kept family secrets ...

A. Peterson's writing is peculiar: his poetry and his ease of reading aloud. I surprised myself several times, reading aloud some passages, which became much more alive. So, in my opinion, it's a nice saga to read with children, which the format, with its short chapters, favors.

This first volume is a bit long to start because it focuses on the emotions and daily worries of children. Nevertheless, the events and revelations (which I had made spoiler while wanting to know what was a "maggotloaf") arriving in the last chapters promise a great adventure in the next volumes! ^^

Another peculiarity of this book is that we find several characters carrying a handicap, whether physical or mental: Leeli and his failing leg, Podo and his wooden leg (at the same time, for a pirate, it's a classic) or Peet who seems to be crazy, but who is much more than that ...
These are elements that instead of provoking pity, raise the strong bonds between the characters, such as the special relationship between Leeli and his grandfather, because of their common physical limitation.
The character who struck me the most is Peet, and I can not wait to find out more about him and his past.

In short, a good discovery even if my reading was long. I think I will try to read more after the end of the year holidays! ^^

For the more curious, there is a fifteen-minute short film, made in 2017, presenting the world of the saga Wingfeather, available on Youtube and Vimeo! ^^

This was such a fun middle grade that I haven’t read anything similar to. It had some good intrigue that kept me interested until the end to find out the secrets the family had been keeping. Unfortunately I didn’t really connect with the characters, although I found them interesting I also wouldn’t have been that sad when something happened to them. I definitely think this would make a great movie or tv show. Not sure if I will be continuing with the series or not

Janner, Tink and Leeli Igiby live in a cottage outside the idyllic village of Glipwood with their mom, Nia, and their grandfather Podo. As this story opens, Janner is given the responsibility of taking his younger siblings Tink and Leeli to the annual Dragon Day Festival without their mother or grandfather. When his sister Leeli goes missing at the festival, Janner begins to learn what it means to be responsible for his younger siblings, and the weight that will put on his young shoulders. He also finds himself having to grow up quicker than he wanted with these new responsibilities and these new events, but also that he is in that awkward time where adults are still keeping secrets from him even as more and more bad things start to happen to their family.

The story meanders along for much of its length, very much in the flow of the minute-by-minute, day-by-day experience of kids starting to find that their simple world is not so simple, yet still living each moment in earnestness and with the innocence and trust that only children can have. Each day is its own adventure for the kids, and there is always something new on the horizon. It is only when the end of the book is nearing that the importance of these little adventures, benign or no, starts to become apparent and place the first props on the stage that give us a better idea of the direction this story and series will take.

All in all, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness offers a mostly light-hearted read that definitely seems it would be fun to read aloud and make for a good middle-grade read with its short chapters, imaginative world, and how something is pretty much always going on. It does manage to touch on the difficulties of being a child entrusted with more and more responsibility in a world that seems to get more dangerous by the day, and to a lesser extent, the trauma of being in dangerous situations and hunted by violently-inclined lizard creatures. But it also shows just how important the bonds of family and friends are, and how these bonds of love and loyalty can remain strong and true despite going through troubles, doubt, and rough times. Sadly this ebook edition does not include many of the new illustrations, the only one of note being that of the toothy cow, the rest are mostly the various forms Podo needs to fill out for farm implements.

This was a fun silly read and very enjoyable after some other more darker sci-fi that I’d read. The writing style reminded me of Terry Pratchett and the Discworld series mostly because of the plethora of footnotes that made some of the parts of this book seem more real as it was obviously intended to be. There was clear creativity in coming up with the creatures which again reminded me of Terry Pratchett. However I wouldn’t say that this is a knock off of Discworld because it is very much it’s own thing. I would say that this is probably a good book for anyone looking for a light read that still has a lot of adventure and humor. I would say that it is appropriate for kids, teens, adults, anyone who wants to read it because it was a really fun thing to read and I’m glad that I did. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.

Unfortunately I didn't love this as much as I wanted to.
There were already a couple of things that annoyed me in the first pages, namely the "humor" of a nameless evil that ends up having a name. Not sure if this is supposed to be funny or what the reason behind this was.
I also wasn't a fan of any of the made up names (Fangs of Dang and the countless bibs and bobs) as I need a bit more finesse and I believe that children do too.
Furthermore I felt that this was a slow read and I expected a bit more action. I felt bored throughout.
The only things I liked was Nugget the dog and the representation of a disabled character in the story.
I've already requested the second book, but I'm not interested in reading on with this series.


Thank you nonetheless Netgalley for providing me with an eARC for both of the books.

I know that many others have enjoyed this book, so I feel somewhat off saying that I didn't. But I found the writing not particularly compelling, and the world-making just didn't feel true for me. I read it to my son, and neither of us were particularly engrossed.

This series has been on my to-read list for a long time. While I first fell in love with the music of Andrew Peterson, this first book also brings out another side of his art life. Though primarily a story for children, Andrew Peterson writes in a way that delights readers of all ages. I love the creativeness in his fantasy elements. Things like real-life treehouses, toothy cows (which are actually quite dreadful), Fangs, clever names for places, socks for hands, and an annual festival that carries more adventure than meets the eye.

Andrew Peterson clearly marks good from bad. This is a key element that seems to be missing from many books today, and I'm grateful for the clarity in even a children's book. The Black Carriage carries a nameless fear with it. The Fangs of Dang represent a wicked authority in the land of Glipwood, and the untold family pain also holds sadness of its own. Good comes in the form of a little dog named Nugget, a wise grandfather's counsel, and the humor that perhaps only adults would pick up on.

I love how Peet the Sock Man's story is woven into the Igiby family's history. While reading it, I was reminded of the people who suffer from disabilities/special needs or mental health struggles. Peet and Leeli share a special connection (one which isn't always seen as a good thing by other family members) because of their physical limitations.

I think it's amazing how Peterson's talent for writing songs comes across in his characters, descriptions, and story-telling. He writes truth inside the funny, and lessons come from places least expected. There are so many secrets and the edge of danger is always present in the Igiby's travels, yet they grow together as a family and also as individuals. I really want to keep reading this series!



*I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review; all opinions are my own.

I have seen this book recommended several times as a great read-out-loud for young kids (especially boys). So, I was eager to read it. I must say, the praise was spot on. Although the book started off a bit slow, it got very exciting about halfway through. While I anticipated a few of the plot twists, I was surprised by others, which is nice as a parent reader. The book concluded well--setting up the next book in the series without ending on a cliffhanger. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and purchasing these books when they come out.

Two small critiques:
(1) There are a lot of words that would be hard to read outoud. I suppose that was on purpose, but it does make me sigh.
(2) The e-arc (thanks publishers and Net Galley) did not include the new illustrations. That was one of the features of this new release.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. An excellent, heartwarming read.

DNF at 20% - I could not connect with the writing and the characters. The premise was really interesting and I enjoyed the world but something just did not click for me. I'm sure it will be great for others to read because of the themes introduced in this book.

Andrew Peterson is an amazing writer. His musical abilities and lyric genius are fantastic.
It is very difficult to place an age on this book. My 10 year read the entire series and loved it. My 12, 15, and 17 year olds all read the series. Then I picked it up. I am a fan of Tolkien (Two of my children are named after characters from LOTR), I read the MacDonalds, Lewis', Lawheads and many more when I was growing up and fell in love with those who create realistic worlds.
I grew up and began to see new talents and stories of space by Asimov, or stories of Gunslingers from King.
Peterson writes a story that is engaging to every age group. He writes with such brilliance that you are captured from the introduction. His created world is amazing, breath taking and also captures you instantly.
This is a work of art on par with Lewis, Tolkien and Asimov. Don't call it only a children's book.
I not only read it, but found the audio book to hear it read!

This has been one of my favorite books besides Lewis and Tolkien! I love the adventure, whimsy, and even the little humor intermingled in the writing. I was immediately drawn into the story and the life of Janner. I will recommend this to everyone I know and will likely blog about it in the future! Excellent! I don’t want to give away the story at all so you can feast upon the delicious morsel or I would go on and on!

Andrew Peterson is an EXCELLENT writer, and I fell quickly into his imaginary world. This is an excellent book for kids, and will stimulate their imaginations and keep them engaged until the last line. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this book. I look forward to reading all of Peterson's works.

I should begin honestly with the fact that fantasy is not my favorite genre. I do enjoy it greatly, but I’m a little picky about my world building. I felt like Peterson’s world building was slow and too deliberate. I found myself dragging through parts of this book looking for the action. That being said, when it was time for action Peterson delivered! The first few chapters start off rather slowly, but I think they are worth it for the ride that comes after. Where this book really excels is character building. Janner, Tink, and Leeli are the type of characters that keep you turning pages to follow their adventures. Peterson weaves childlike humor into a story full of adult topics, and executes strong moral and faith elements too. Overall, I think this is a great story for any intrigued reader to pick up. While written for kids, it can be enjoyed by all ages. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as my friend’s said I would, but I will definitely keep it on the shelf for a few years until my son is ready for a Wingfeather adventure!

3.5 rounded up to 4 because I enjoyed enough that I want to continue the series and find out what happens. Plus, I love what happens with Nugget and want to see more of him and Leeli in the next book!

This was a pretty enjoyable fantasy adventure with the usual elements of good guys, bad guys, mysterious origins, and so on. Without giving anything away, the story heads in the direction you're expecting, and the second half of the book moves much more quickly than the first. In fact, I spent longer reading the first 50 pages than the rest of the book (which was mostly done in one sitting). However, the second half is also bloodier, and it's definitely written for an audience who doesn't mind some violence, gore, and plenty of gross stuff (snot-wax candle, maggotloaf, and whatever else a 9 year old boy can dream up, lol). Overall, I enjoyed it, but there were times when I just got frustrated because it felt like the author was trying to draw out the "mystery" which you could probably figure out, but made the other characters (mostly the kids) in the book feel frustrated. And while I enjoyed the rescues that occurred in the book, it did seem like a lot of them happened at the last moment and came out of nowhere just in time to save the moment. Now that I know who the different characters really are, it kind of makes sense to the story, but at the time, it feels too coincidental/contrived. But they were also well written and full of excitement, so I didn't mind it so much.

My favorite characters were Leeli (how can you not love her), Nugget, and Peet, and I empathized with Janner as he tried to keep Tink out of trouble over and over and over, lol.

Thanks to #NetGalley, Andrew Peterson, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.