This is a really great novel. The story is about the adventures of three Igiby siblings- Janner, Tink and Leeli in a war-strewn world. I love the world-building of this book. The book was adventurous, fun, interesting and unique. The writing style reminded me of JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis. In fact I like the writing style in this book more than the writing styles of both of them (I am not a fan of JRR Tolkien or CS Lewis). Overall, this is a really great book which has the capability to be loved by both adults and children alike. The conclusion was very nice. I started reading the next book in this series (thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher) as soon as I finished this book because I was not able to contain my curiosity of what will happen next.
I sincerely thank the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Above all, I would like to thank the author, Andrew Peterson, for writing such a great book.

I was nervous going into this series because I dont do middle grade too often, but its my husbands favorite series so I had to give it a go! I will say it is such a great little series, the first book does a tad bit of a slower start, but I love the sibling connection we get to see. The feels of going on an adventure is so lord of the rings like but for our beginning fantasy fans! I'm really happy to see these books get picked up for some renewal feels and hope it gets the attention it deserves

Read! And be delighted!

When I began the book , I literally laughed out loud just reading the introduction. Then I found myself immersed in the saga of the Wingfeather children. The method of storytelling bordered on ridiculous at times, in the way that only a fanciful tale can do, and for me personally that creativity is what made the book so delightful. I could imagine my own grandfather narrating such a story. Peterson’s storytelling and creativity truly shine creating these delightful tales for youth and adults alike. I highly recommend both On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and its sequel North! or Be Eaten. (Books three and four will be released in the autumn and they wrap up this series with a beautiful depth of truth and love that makes these stories a true gift.)

An amazing and interesting book! I very much enjoyed it! I would recommend to all fantasy lovers. Characters are interesting and well developed and I had no problems to emerge myself in this world! Thank you for enabling me to read this amazing work!

This book hooked me from the first page. I told my husband that the writing reminded me of the Princess Bride (the book) with its footnotes and humor. That was just the first page. As the book progressed, I knew it was one that needed to be read to my kids. My two older boys (tweens) had already read Narnia and Lord of the Rings. I knew they’d love this, too. And they did. Passionately.

This book and the 4-book Saga as a whole, are in my personal top 5 books/series of all time. In fact, both my husband and I stole the book from the “read aloud” area so we could devour it faster. The journey is a beautiful, amazing, captivating, and heart-rending story of love, courage, redemption, family, and hope.

I love the new hardcover editions. The pictures help the book feel less intimidating to my 5th grader who doesn't typically pick up a "fat" (ie: regular-sized) novel on his own.

I will admit I had a hard time with On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. There was much about the book that didn’t really appeal to me personally. As I tried to read this book through the eyes of my students, I realized that On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness has much that will appeal to older elementary and middle school students – including a huge “grossness factor.” Andrew Peterson shows that he knows his audience, what they are like and what they like. I can see Janner and Tink in some of the boys I work with. Peterson incorporates many elements of a good fantasy – mythical creatures, made up world, adventure, a journey, danger, and even new words. The book is well-written and everything “makes sense” within the plot line Peterson crafted. I do look forward to reading other titles in the Wingfeather Saga.

I will be adding On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and other titles in the Wingfeather Saga to my K-12 Christian School library. 

I received an advanced copy as a member of the launch team. This is my honest review.

Amazing work. Enjoyed this story to the fullest. The character development was amazing. The story line was interesting and entertaining.

I read "The Hobbit" in 1983 when I was in 3rd grade, and Disney's "The Sword in the Stone" has long been one of my favorite animated films. I am (obviously) a fantasy story fan. I grew up with Narnia, King Arthur, and Dragonlance, and have since found great stories in thrillers, horror novels, epic fantasy, and even narrative fiction that reads like non-fiction. Tell me a good story, and I'll be happy. Make me feel something.

I'll admit that it's easier being a fan of these books if you are already a fan of the author's main gig - which is as a singer/songwriter. Andrew has a quirky sense of humor, and a tremendous way with words. These books are no different. It's been fun to watch him read this book live recently on Facebook - now that his kids are all but grown - and hear him chuckle (and them laugh in the background) as he reads through some of the silly names of people, places, activities, and such. This is an adventure story wrought with peril, but Andrew definitely doesn't take himself too seriously. He wrote these for children (he has 3), and doesn't lose sight of the fact that children love silliness as much as they love adventure, danger, rescue, and the like.

This first book in the series is a fast-paced introduction to the world, the storyline, the histories, and the adventure to come. It's written for kids, but I found myself enjoying more the further I read. It really has heart, and there are deeper stories underneath the main narrative. I've read this book twice, and enjoyed all of it. 

*Disclaimer* - this is NOT Narnia or Lord of the Rings. It wasn't meant to be. There is plenty of fun originality with the setting, etc., but it is a simple story. It has action, peril, escape, all on repeat. Just like every story we loved as kids. It follows a very familiar formula, so don't expect to find the re-invention of the children's fantasy genre. 

With that out of the way, I love the family aspect of this story, I love the heart that is in the characters. I love the silliness (kids are resilient, and often find laughter and silliness even in the midst of sorrow, loss, or fear). And while there are aspects of the story that follow a prescribed formula, there are also some surprises thrown in. I'm an adult, so sure I figured out a lot of the nuanced "mysteries" early on that kids might be surprised with as they read further into the story. That's ok with me - I don't read for the "whodunnit", I read for the stories. The journey. This new hardback edition also has wonderful illustrations of many people and various creatures - bringing a uniqueness in the story to a deeper level for me. There are also "footnotes" throughout that give fun descriptions of various things - giving the reader a deeper glimpse into the world of Aerwiar. 

This journey has so far been enjoyable. My kids are grown now, but I still want them to read these books. And one day, I'll be the old storyteller reading them to my grandchildren. Five stars from me - the book is everything it is meant to be, and it definitely makes me FEEL. Thank you, Andrew, for bringing your way with words to the novel as well as the song.

I had never heard of The Wingfeather Saga before January 2020. I've listened to andrew Petersons songs and enjoy his writing in them, so I was anxious for the launch of these books! I was completely unaware this was a relaunch.
I have so completely enjoyed this book and reading it to my littles, anticipating everyday the next chapter and its descriptive details! I had no clue when we began that the smallest scene would cause a lump in my throat. 

The 3 children, their mother and grandfather are instantly lovable, endearing and relatable. Peterson's description of being homesick was so exactly right I found myself trying not to cry. Leelis' song, even though I have no idea what tune she was singing to, made us feel as thoug we could hear it! 

Podo (grandpa) made all my children and I instantly think of Mr. Edward's with a peg left, an eye patch, and tattoos!

Please grab these books. They are so sweet.

I really enjoyed this book, but it did take me a little while to get into it. The style is unique, and the narration took some getting used to at the beginning. It does have a certain beautiful magic to it, and I found myself enjoying it more and more as the story progressed. By the end, I was completely sold. Crying, even (maybe pregnancy hormones). The birth order of my children matches those in the story, so that was a special connection for me.

Definitely recommend for elementary age and up. Boys especially I think will enjoy the characters and jokes.

Looking forward to the rest of the series!

I received a preview copy as part of the launch team, but I have bought my own hard copy as well.

I remember seeing the Amazon short film for this story years ago, which was my first introduction to this series. Since then I have seen several of my favorite authors praise this series to the sky. When sign-ups for the launch team came up, I had to sign up.

The story world that Peterson has created is whimsical and full of colorful and fun characters. The "historical notes" and appendices are also very amusing, though at times were a bit distracting. I loved the gorgeous new illustrations and the songs and poems throughout the story. I love the bond between the Igiby siblings as well. While the story moves a bit slowly, the world and the characters are very intriguing. This would be a great book for a family read-aloud or an independent middle-reader who loves Fantasy.

I barely managed to get through this book despite loving the story and the characters. The writing was good, but there were times when it failed to hold my attention and it just made it so hard to finish.

This is an excellent book/series on par with Lord of the Rings, Narnia, etc. Peterson's style is friendly, accessible, and wildly life transforming. This book made me rethink everything: from my own identity as a human to those around me. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, young or old, novice reader or experienced literary genius. I cannot say enough good things about this book. I've read it several times and my wife has read it several times as well and we both find value in each new reading.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book! Andrew Peterson has written an absolutely magical world with surprise, danger, laughter, action, and intense storytelling. This is a fast-moving tale which will feel like flying right through to the end because you just want to know what happens! Upon re-reading to my kids out loud, I see the intricately woven pieces of the story previously missed due to my haste to know the plot. The Wingfeather Safa is truly an incredible story, and the new art work is perfect. My boys wanted to read it as soon as they saw the cover!! Share this with your kids for sure!

Adventure, suspense, humor and bravery. These are all found on the pages of Book 1 of the Wingfeather Saga.
Oftentimes stories written today are fraught with interpersonal drama and riddled with cultural talking points and agenda. Where children are looking for an adventure and a place for their imaginations to grow, they are instead often offered up a paltry plate of everyday life mixed with some bathroom humor. 
From the first page, I knew this story was different. There is artistry and imagination in the words found on each page and I was especially delighted by the footnotes. Footnotes you might wonder?!? Yes, the footnotes were detailed, delightful and where I seemed to find a story within the story.
The Wingfeather Saga doesn’t shy away from addressing the battle of good versus evil, or even addressing the battles the characters have within themselves and amongst each other. I was pleased to notice that I thought about the story and the characters even when I wasn’t reading the book (the best stories do this!) and that I stayed up late to read just.a.few.more.pages.
Relevant for a time such as this: a story that not only acknowledges that there are evils to face, but also gives an inside look into what bravery looks like (it doesn’t always mean you don’t feel fear!), and reinforces the truth that no matter how dark the battle seems, the sun will rise and tomorrow always comes.

This book by Andrew Peterson is incredible. Not only is it funny but it also has a strong message. It teaches readers about trust and hope when circumstances feel hopeless.

This was an interesting read.  For the age group of Middle Grade readers, I would say this book is perfect.  It teaches valuable lessons, has some giggles and goofiness thrown in, and has moments of being insanely intense.  The book gives me all the vibes of <i>The Hobbit</i> in terms of how Tolkien--and Peterson in this--references locations, people, and places as though they have always existed and always will.  There's an air of agelessness and antiquity to a lot of this story that made me really appreciate it.

But, other than Podo, I had difficulty connecting to the characters.  I understand they're children, but in a world where they have been raised to live in hardship and enemy occupation, you would think they would understand staying safe and out of the way.  The main three kids in this gave me the vibes of children from today dropped into a fantasy world with absolutely no clue on what they should and shouldn't do.  None of the siblings seemed to have any sense of fear or repercussion for their actions despite living in a dangerous place.  While the reader is repeatedly told it's a better town and life than most in this kingdom, it's also repeatedly mentioned that children are snatched without warning and people injured/flogged simply because they looked at a soldier wrong.

And yet there are many moments throughout this story where the main children do the DUMBEST things ever and literally if they had just stayed put or not gone somewhere, the majority of the drama in this story wouldn't have happened.

Also, I couldn't stand the dog.  I love dogs.  Usually the pets are my favorite in stories, but I could not stand Nugget because it felt like Nugget was the reason for a majority of problems and there was no reason for that.

The ending dragged on an insanely long time, and I was bored through the entire last quarter of the book. <spoiler>The main family group was kidnapped and escaped at LEAST three times that I remember--it was so anticlimactic and you knew by the second time it happened that either they would get caught with no consequences other than useless threats or they would get away with no repercussions to begin with.</spoiler>  The big reveals at the end of the story were very unsatisfying after the constant back and forth of the conclusion of the story, and despite having access to the second book, I have no desire to continue on.

Again, this is definitely a story that would appeal more to younger audiences, but I do wonder if kids and teens themselves may be just as bored as me by the end.

Glipwood, a pleasant little town where three children are growing up. They live on a small farm and have daily chores around the farm like baling hay and cleaning out the hogpig pen. They are home-schooled but occasionally get to go into town to help the owner of the bookstore. Their town has been taken over by the Fangs of Dang, cruel gator-like creatures that ruled for Gnag the Nameless.
The children are in town and Leeli and Nugett (her dog get into trouble when a Fang named Slarb tries to hurt Nugget and Nugget tries to bite him and Leeli hits Slarb with her crutch. The Fangs gather the children up and throw them in the jail. Non- stop adventure ensues  from here with secrets and treasures and dangers galore. This is a rollicking fun read. Often humorous and very often edge of your seat exciting.     There are so many characters and backstories that the author has added footnotes to explain some things. In the e-book version I read these were randomly placed and often did more to interrupt the story but in a hardback version I'm sure they are at the bottom of the page. The ebook version also loses most of the adorable illustrations or cuts them in half which is disappointing.

As part of the launch team, Waterbrook Multnomah and Penguin Random House sent me this complimentary paperback to review and I’d say: a great fantasy-adventure series for a family read aloud or for kids ages 10ish and up to read on their own. The story’s enemies, known as the Fangs, could be a tad scary for younger kids who may be more sensitive to harsh scenes and fighting sequences. I have a 5yo who would probably not like these monsters. 😬 Though, the bravery of the siblings in the story would encourage any young (or slightly older 🙋🏻‍♀️) reader. I really enjoyed this first book (giving it 4.5 stars), would say my favorite place in the book is the local bookstore, Books and Crannies, and can't wait to read the rest!

Review of “On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness”, by Andrew Peterson

Andrew Peterson has created a vivid new world in Aerwiar, the imaginary world that is the setting for The Wingfeather Saga.  On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is the first book of the series, which is coming out in hardcover for the first time.  Fans of epic fantasy novels won’t be disappointed, although this saga is different than others you may have read.

For most fantasy series, world building is supremely important.  It is critical that the reader be immersed in this new world, and that they become familiar with the characters living there.  Unfortunately, far too many such series take themselves too seriously, and go overboard to create grim, shadowy worlds populated with evil villains.  That’s where Edge differs from the rest.

While it’s true that Peterson is indeed building his own world in this story, he knows how to have fun while building it.  I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard while reading.  Peterson is obviously having fun as he pulls us into the narrative, but that’s exactly what pulls the reader in:  fun.  After you’ve laughed your way through the first part of the book, you find that you know the characters and where they fit into the story.  At least that’s true for the main characters.  Peterson also introduces us to some shadowy figures of his own, but those will come later.

We meet the Igiby family:  single mother Nina, her father Podo, and her three children, Janner, Kalmar and Leeli.  Together they live in a cottage just outside the town of Glipwood.  The land is occupied by the Fangs of Dang, a lizard-like race of creatures who rule with an iron fist and kidnap children in the night by taking them from their homes in the black carriage.

The Fangs are in search of the lost Jewels of Anniera, and they’ll stop at nothing to find them.  The Jewels have the power to stop Gnag the Nameless, the evil ruler, and restore Anniera (the Shining Isle) to her former glory.  Gnag must prevent this from happening, so he is relentless in his pursuit of the jewels.  No one knows where they might be hidden, and Gnag is searching everywhere to find them.

The Igiby children are also trying to understand what the jewels are, as well as to learn as much as they can about their long-departed father, Esben.  It’s a mystery as to what happened to him, but that’s just one of many mysteries in this wonderful fantasy romp.  As you accompany the Igibys on their journeys around Glipwood, you’ll encounter the toothy cows of Skree, Peet the Sock Man, the singing dragons, Oskar the bookseller, and the mysterious ridgerunners.  To find out more about all of these, get your own copy as quickly as you can!

I’m excited about the re-release of this wonderful series!  I read the whole thing back when it first came out, and as I look back now on book one, I see all the many threads that Andrew Peterson deftly wound through the story, that will ultimately find resolution in the later volumes.  Some things that you’ll read later will blow your mind as you realize you didn’t even see that coming, but it was there, hiding in plain sight.  I think I need to re-read this wonderful series.

The new editions come complete with wonderful artwork by Joe Sutphin. It’s obvious that he was not just a hired pen, but someone who loves the story and wanted to make it come alive.  His art is the kind that makes you think that this is how you would have done it if you could do it.  It makes the story come alive without getting in the way of your imagination.

This is such a wonderful book, and an even better series.  I can’t recommend it enough--you’ll love reading this with your children, or maybe even by yourself!