This is a book (series?) review that I’ve been planning to do since an eternity ago, but I’ve never gotten round to it until now (and here‘s the perfect motivation!). [Apologies in advance if I sound like I’m gushing excitedly because I am.]
Action, adventure and fantasy? Check. Plot-driven and fast-paced? Check. (Sometimes inappropriate) humour? Check, check, check. Romance? Check!
Addictive?
Oh yes.
The Emperor’s Edge series (by Ms. Lindsay Buroker) comprises seven and a half books which got me so absorbed that I devoted six whole post-exam holidays to just savouring (more like devouring) the pages and pages of text. After my sister recommended the first book, The Emperor’s Edge, to me, I was practically glued to my device from morning till night.
This series has many elements of what I love to find in books. For starters: lovable characters. Take for example Amaranthe, the constant voice throughout the series. She’s easily one of my favourite characters across all worlds of fiction. Intelligent, very resourceful, independent, quick-witted, determined, a charismatic negotiator, the possessor of an almost too-developed sense of humour – and many other admirable qualities. Her team is equally unique, each possessing different talents that allow them to shine in their own ways. Character development takes place slowly and subtly but surely. One can truly begin to understand what’s on the team members’ minds, their flaws, and how their experiences have shaped who they are. Far from making them appear weak, their shortcomings instead allow them to be more realistic and endear them to the reader. The bonds between team members run deep (erm, in most cases, at least), which I find touching in itself.
Of course, there’s also Amaranthe’s… best friend (I’ll let you decide if that’s supposed to be sarcastic), Sicarius, who is especially interesting. He’s another of my favourite characters ever.
Next: the action. The Emperor’s Edge books are all page-turners with puzzles and plot twists that keep you engrossed in the stories. With Amaranthe as the team’s leader, and many creative solutions to the vast number of problems the characters face, what could possibly go wrong? The plots in each book are highly intriguing – from money forgery to the introduction of a whole new political regime – and puzzle pieces slowly click smoothly into place. Granted, every story has its flaws and the EE series is no exception (for example, there are rare out-of-character or out-of-scenario comments) but in my humble opinion the pros outweigh the cons by at least a thousand times.
Style and word choice. The design of each book in the series is such that the reader reads from two points of views. This is very effective for character development and getting into the psyche of each team member. The reader gets a better understanding of at least one character per book, which in turn gets him or her even more curious about the next point-of-view character. Also, (my command of the English language is probably just not up to scratch but) a variety of good vocabulary is used throughout the series. My ebooks were dotted with highlighted words I’d checked up the meaning of.
While some tragic scenes may not be as devastatingly tear-jerking as I thought they should have been, Ms. Buroker has a knack of weaving poignant and moving lines into the story. (Perhaps I’m just a softie, heh)
Ah, and the romance. I confess I’m a hopeless romantic. I love stories which allow romantic love between characters to develop throughout the story. While the EE series is not focused on romance (as said by the author), there are so many small and sweet interactions between the “main couple” (for lack of a better term) that part of me is hooked solely on following their growing relationship.
To end off, the Emperor’s Edge series is amazing and captivating. It will be one of my top favourites for a long, long time. I really hope to continue reading more about these characters and their world, be it in side stories, cut scenes or new novels (coughRepublic!!cough) ! (:
Dewdrops of Summer 