3.5 Stars. Very cute fantasy about a group of siblings discovering secrets about their family. I think the world building in the story and footnotes had a more flippant sarcastic vibe than something real and tangible (like, I chuckled at them, but they didn't give me much of a better view of a world which was exactly like our world but with lizard men and weird sounding animals, so the fantasy aspect felt a little lacking), and I though it's already short I felt like it could have been trimmed down a little more for better pacing. However, its cute and funny and I could see this being a great family read-aloud for kids 6+.

Cute, but sillier than I was expecting.I think it'll be great for a younger crowd who already love humor. Suggesting it to my Children's Lead.

It's like a mix of LotR and Princess Bride in a middle grade/young adult series. The world building must have taken a huge amount of time and effort. It's a fun read, exciting at times. Interesting settings and characters. I think readers will love the imagination of the author as well as the amazing storytelling.

I had seen this title popping up in my Amazon feed and was thrilled to have the opportunity to read it.

This is definitely a fun start of an adventure series that kids who enjoy fantasy will dive into reading. I'm seriously considering putting it on the list for our upper elementary homeschool book club reading list as most of the kids who come adore fantasy.

Need to order book #2 so I can read more of the journey Janner, Tink and Leely embark upon.

Great book! I really need to go back and read them again. Then need to read the rest in the series. Great books for kids, will keep them entertained for hours. Great job!

This is a beautiful and moving middle-grade adventure. If follows Janner, Tink, and Leeli, the three Igiby children and their struggles as they try to live in a land occupied by the ferocious Fangs of Dang.

There were a lot of things to love about this story:
- Family: There are a lot of orphans or unhealthy families in middle-grade fiction and I loved that though the Igibys have their problems, they really love each other and are a close and loving family.
- Quirk: Aerwiar is such a rich and vibrant setting. It's fun and quirky (and sometimes scary), and feels very real as you read.
- Depth: I loved that although this is a middle-grade book, it doesn't shy away from difficult topics and heavy themes. Nevertheless, it deals with them in a way that feels natural and age appropriate.

The characters are unique and memorable (I particularly love Oskar's quotes for every occasion) and they each have strengths and weaknesses that work together to create an incredible story. I found the mystery element about the Jewels of Anniera slightly predictable, but the book was so interesting and gripping and the characters so real that I honestly didn't mind. The illustrations were fantastic too, and helped bring the book even more to life.

I recommend this book to families as a wonderful read-aloud, but it's also a great adventure to be read alone by children 8+. Be warned that there are elements (like the Black Carriage and the Fangs) which might be frightening for younger children. I recommend that if you have under eights, it might be wise just to read through the book first to check that your child will be fine with some of the scarier scenes. I know I was feeling tense at times!!

The reason I give four stars (3.5 really) and not five was because I found the writing a little young to begin with. However, Andrew Peterson's writings style most definitely matures through the course of the book, so it's not a big deal to me.

If you like Narnia, Roald Dahl, Lord of the Rings, or the Edge Chronicles, you will probably enjoy this book too.

(NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, including the opinion that you should go out and buy all four Wingfeather Saga books the minute you're finished reading this)

“On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness,” the first book in the Wingfeather Saga, is sure to draw in the middle grade readers it is targeted for. Dripping with dry humor, spoonfuls of quirkiness, and a dose or seven of magic, this story tells the tale of the three Igiby children, children whose lives are about to change drastically. With Podo, their grandfather, leading the way and Peet the Sock Man appearing at the most opportune times, Janner, Tink, and Leeli must all rise to the fight against Fangs of Dang and horned hounds to find a brighter tomorrow.

One thing I loved about this book was its sense of humor. The first page had me cackling at its absurdity, and it’s clear the author wrote these sections with a twinkle in his eye. Had this been around when they were younger, my brothers would definitely have picked this series up. Unfortunately for me, some of the things that were charming at the beginning of the story became overwhelming later on. There are footnotes galore as well as some very creative names. While these were fun at the beginning of the story, it became harder to keep track of the new names (and figure out what some of them meant, even with context clues) as the story progressed, and the footnotes with unrelated, though always entertaining, information, began to disrupt the quick, action-packed flow that picked up once the book shifted from silly adventure tale to a darker, more serious fantasy story.

That being said, I do think that, overall, this book was enjoyable. I can see my nephew gobbling it up and easily keeping track of the vast world that Peterson has created. The first book wraps up neatly and leaves room for more adventures that are sure to come in later additions to the series. While I don’t think I’ll be picking them up, I will recommend the saga for older elementary and middle grade readers who love fantasy and excitement.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

This is a beautiful book in so many ways. I forget that, sometimes. But it's beautiful nonetheless. The characters. The story. Anniera itself. All of it is beautiful. And coming back to it with the new edition (and new illustrations!) is an absolute joy.

I've read this book quite a few times since I discovered the original version in 2012. Every time, I realize something new. This time, it's how beautifully broken many of the characters are, especially the adult characters — and not just Peet. Nia, Podo, Oskar — they've all lost so much, and even long after the loss, they're still working every day to keep moving forward. To hold themselves together, even when some of their shattered edges are still sharp. Frustrated as I get with Podo's and even Nia's attitude towards Peet, I can see it now for what it is, and it makes my heart hurt for all of them in the best way.

Also, Peet. Can I talk about Peet for a moment? I love this character, for reasons that mostly stem from later books, but we see glimmers of here. Of everything in the Wingfeather Saga, his story is what's done the most to inspire my own stories. And so it's exciting to see him again, to see who he is and see the glimpses of who he was and who he will be. He's my favorite character, y'all, and if I were to meet anyone from the series, I would want it to be him.

Now that I've talked a lot about the secondary characters, let's talk about Janner, Tink, and Leeli for a moment. Janner is and always will be my favorite of the siblings, probably because we're both the oldest, both word-oriented, both frequently filled with that desire for something more, for adventure and the unknown. If he were real, and if I had known him when I was his age, I think we would have been friends. But I found myself liking Tink a little more this go-round than I did when I first read the books. And, of course, Leeli is always delightful. I love her interactions with both Podo and Peet, but especially Podo. There's a special bond between a good grandfather and his young granddaughter, and that's captured perfectly in these pages.

Plotwise, I had forgotten how much happens in this book. There's a new revelation every few chapters, it seems, but it never becomes quite overwhelming. And Peterson knows when to pause, when to let us focus on the beauty of a moment, be it peaceful or not.

Also, the footnotes! I love footnotes in books, if they're handled well, and that love began with this book. It hasn't faded one bit, and even though many of the footnotes are humorous, I feel like they help give the world a sense of realness and build out the lore in a very unique way.

The illustrations in this book are also delightful. Illustrations in general seem to be very underrated in this day and age, so I'm happy they're included here. And the way the artist portrays the characters — Peet especially — coordinates well with how I imagine them. (Well, in most cases. There are exceptions.)

All in all, I'm very glad I got the chance to reread this book with the re-release of the series. It's a beautiful book in so many ways, and I'm excited that more people get to enjoy it now.

What an amazing beginning! The characters are now my friends and our adventures together are rich and thrilling. The writing is beautiful and at time heart wrenching. I can't wait to read the next one!

I've been hearing such good things about Wingfeather Saga from so many in my bookish circles for several years. I know it's a favorite of many families. It's obvious that Andrew Peterson is a wonderful world-builder - original, humorous and wildly creative - but I just couldn't get in to this world. I'm sure this is hypocritical because I love other fantasy series, but I have a hard time with books with so many made up names. They are hard to keep track of and I stress about pronouncing them right. Maybe at some point I will give Wingfeather another try and it will strike me differently.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is about three siblings living outside of a small town that is, you guessed it, on the edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. The town, and indeed the whole country, are ruled over by ruthless lizard people, the Fangs of Dang, who came from across the sea nine years ago. The story begins when Janner and his siblings get on the wrong side of a Fang. I expected things to take off from there but they really didn’t. In fact every couple chapters something would happen and I would expect the plot to finally get going but... it didn’t. The whole thing could have been shortened to a couple chapters and stuck at the beginning of the second book and nothing would have been lost, because nothing really happens for the majority of this story. Minor skirmishes, small adventures, all leading up to- what? We don’t get to find out until the last few chapters. I feel like I’m seriously missing something because most of the reviews are amazing but I would probably have to read the rest of the books to find out and I’m not going to do that.

Three siblings live with their mom and grandfather in a small town where everyone knows everyone. The town, and actually the entire region, is being oppressed by evil, despicable creatures who occasionally throw children into the black carriage where they are taken off, never to be heard of again. Ugh.

This is one of those books that I kept hearing about and it sounded interesting, so I gave it a try. Generally, this is exactly my genre, but I struggled to finish this one. There were a lot of make-believe/unknown types of characters and descriptions that make it difficult to get through and while the kids were the main characters, it didn't feel like a kids book to me. Maybe it would be better read aloud or as a movie. There is a fun twist at the end and a reminder to not judge others based on their appearances.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and have reviewed it willingly.

This one surprised me! I wasn’t expecting such brutal violence from a middle grade fantasy but it was still a good book. At first it was hard for me to get into and I was thrown off by the gruesomeness. However towards the end I enjoyed it and felt like I was fully immersed in the world. I would be willingly to check out more of the series after that awesome ending!

I think this would be great for kids who love a wild fantasy with lots of adventure. The main characters, the Igiby children, are very likeable and dynamic. They are well rounded and unique from each other. They were probably my favorite part of the book as a whole.

A truly wonderful book, full of adventure and fantasy. I'm a huge fan of Andrew Peterson and this series really captures the wonder of storytelling.

I received this book from Netgalley to read and give an honest review.

The book is in a genre I don't often read. I appreciated the word play and the creation of the fantasy land and characters. The theme is as old as our world here on earth: Good Against Evil. Those who can't get enough fantasy will love this engaging story with many cliffhanger chapter endings. It's a great and exciting story to be enjoyed by young and old.

Personally, I would prefer the book not include all the footnotes which give additional info. I found that to be distracting. But I know others would find that to be a charming extra. I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because of the genre which takes me longer to read with so many unfamiliar made up words and characters.

This was such a fun book with great storytelling, excellent world-building, and lovable characters, making this a wonderful story perfect for middle grade readers. The story follows the adventures of the Igiby children as they face dangerous creatures and family mysteries, and will keep readers turning the pages until the very end. The author has crafted a unique world with its own history, fantastical creatures, interesting footnotes and appendices. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! I look forward to reading the next one in the series. Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I put off reading this one for a while, only because it was getting enough press from big-name homeschool Christian bloggers, and I assumed that I wouldn’t really like it. Shrugs. However, one day I opened up my kindle and gave it a go. It is indeed comparable to a Discworld novel, or say a modern Narnia. There are many middle grades jokes that neither Tolkien nor Lewis would ever have written, But, it fits 2020 as an all-age story, just fine. A disclaimer that I have not read the rest of the series. I think as an all-age read aloud, it would be awesome, and the “lessons” included don’t exude religion IMO. They are more along the lines of listening to your parents. All the characters are quirky and relatable. We’re going to listen to it in the car this weekend.

a fantastic adventure story with all kinds of craziness going on. i love how inclusive this story was and how each character contributed something to the adventure. great book i would recommend to pretty much every audience

Great book full of adventure for the family! This book is a great addition to a family library and great for reading aloud, but be ready for the kids to beg for more!

I was provided a free ebook by @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I recently heard about this series from my favorite local bookstore, so when I saw it available on NetGalley, I grabbed it! The publisher is releasing new hardback versions of the already published early books, with added illustrations, to go along with the new book. This is the first in the series. Geared towards late elementary/middle schoolers, this is a fun, clean (except for the mean, stinky, gross Fangs), adventurous story that would be a great family read. It took a bit to get into it as the author built the world and introduced the characters. But once the story got going I was eager to keep reading to find out what happened to the Igiby children. I'll definitely be adding the others to my TBR pile, and you should too! Especially those of you I know like to do family read alouds!
#NetGalley #OnTheEdgeOfTheDarkSeaOfDarkness