Another Review at MyShelf.Com

On The Edge Of The Dark Sea Of Darkness
Book One of The Wingfeather Saga

by Andrew Peterson
Illustrated by Justin Gerard



      In this novel, the first book of The Wingfeather Saga, Andrew Peterson invites his readers to visit the Land of Skree, a conquered land occupied by the Fangs of Dang, the villainous troops of Gnag the Nameless. Fangs are terrifying creatures who look exactly like humans "except for the greenish scales that covered their bodies and the lizard-like snout and the two long, venomous fangs that jutted down from their snarling mouths."

Except for that.

The Igibys - Podo, Nia, Janner, Tink and Leeli - lived in Glipwood township where garden pests, the rodent-like Thwaps, fight back. For reasons unknown to the Igiby children, the local Fangs believe the Igibys are protecting the legendary Jewels of Anniera. Consequently, the Igibys are persecuted more than any other villagers.

For the children of Skree there is a greater Boogieman than the dread Fangs. It is the Black Carriage which sometimes arrives in the night and carries children off to Fort Lamendron where they are enslaved by the Fangs of Dang.

Despite their constant fear, the folks of Glipwood celebrate the Dragons Day Festival when the sea dragons rise from the deeps and enchant the people of Glipwood with their mesmerizing songs. During this festival, the dragons themselves are entranced by Leeli Igiby’s evocative singing. The unexpected reaction of the dragons focuses the Fang’s attention even more sharply on the already suspect family.

The ensuing tale is a fantastic, frightful frolic. A fabulous cast of characters populates this book. Some are friends; some are foes. The Fangs of Dang reign most heinous, but the Ridgerunners, horned hounds and toothy cows, cave blats and quill diggles trot at their heels. Oskar N. Reteep and the mysterious Peet the Sock Man wave the Igiby colors. In this romping adventure story, Peterson’s playful language bubbles off the page like a porridge pot overflowing. He creates creatures and images that would make Lewis Carroll grin. Flabbits, Meeps and Thwarps scamper about. Horned hounds, toothy cows and cave blats haunt the forest. Peterson presents a menu with foods sure to generate gags and giggles in young readers. He serves a "bowl of booger gruel" and a dish of "broiled rump of snapping diggle."

I promise you, readers of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness will reluctantly close its covers and immediately holler for more, more, more.

The Book

WaterBrook Press
March 18, 2008
Trade Paperback
978-1-4000-7384-9
Juvenile (YA) / Fantasy
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Harold N. Walters
Reviewed 2008
NOTE:
© 2008 MyShelf.com