Whether this is because the writing improved or I got used to the flaws, I’m not sure.

Happily, Peterson does pick up speed in subsequent chapters. For example, “The common thwap was a little bigger than a skonk.” Last, there’s the Peterson’s conversational style which at times rambled to the point that it sucked all tension out of an otherwise terrifying scene. Sometimes I felt in need of a guide book to decipher all the strange words, which resulted in a sometimes confusing reading experience. Peterson not only bestowed his characters with the unusual names of Janner, Tink, and Leeli, he also created unusual names for the places where his characters live, some of the creatures they encountered, and even some of the activities they enjoyed such as Zibzy (which is explained as a lawn game played with giant darts, a “whacker,” and three rocks). The consensus among fantasy experts is that authors should limit themselves to just two or three unusual names. Too much! Then there are the weird names. All these events happen within just the first three chapters. The Igiby children ask to attend Dragon Day Festival, take time to do household chores, capture some “thwaps” (which alas are never defined), eat a breakfast of hotcakes, talk about their real dad, and the list goes on. I wouldn’t care one way or the other, except there’s also the slow start which feels too episodic. While one could argue that those introductions provide background to the strange worlds of Aerwiar and of Skeer, one could equally contend that the place for this information is woven intothe story itself where it is less likely to overwhelm the reader. For one thing, it has three introductions. That said, let me caution you that On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness does have a shaky start. It’s a fun epic tale with lots of adventures, quirky characters, and a unique setting. This past week I treated myself by setting aside evenings to read the three-hundred page fantasy and wasn’t disappointed. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: Isn’t that a delicious title? This is the name of the first book in The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson.

On the edge of the dark sea