UNDER THE COVERS … A BOOK REVIEW
BY
JOANNE SHUM
Shadow’s Edge by Brent Weeks (Book 2 of the Night Angel Trilogy – Sci-Fi/Fantasy) Published by Orbit Books ISBN :978-0-316-03365-7 Kylar Stern has walked away from the life of an assassin. He’s lost everyone important to him and decides it’s time to start over with a new life, new city and new profession, but the lure of the assassin’s life keeps calling to him. When a friend appears with some news, Kylar is faced with a decision, to turn his back on the wetboy life forever or risk everything by taking on the ultimate job. There is no way I can do justice to the book in this review without revealing some of the events at the end of the first book Way of the Shadows so beware of spoilers! Shadow’s Edge deals with more of Kylar coming into his own and trying to find himself. Is he an apothecary or a wetboy? After losing his master Durzo and his best friend Logan, Kylar “retires” and settles for a life with Elene (“Doll Girl” from Way of the Shadows) and Uly, Durzo’s daughter in a new city and a new profession. The lure of the assassin’s life keeps calling to Kylar though as he continues to “patrol” the night by leaping along the rooftops just to keep his skills honed and ready. Elene convinces him to shed his Night Angel persona by selling Retribution, his sword and when he finally does sell it, the past comes knocking on the door in form of his old friend from the slums, Jarl. Shadow’s Edge introduces Viridana, a fellow wetboy who Kylar considers his archrival for wetboy supremacy. She has her own side story which continues into Beyond the Shadows as her story and Kylar’s story are intertwined. It also introduces Dorian and Feir who become a large part of the plot as the trilogy continues. You also learn more about the sword and the kakari – the “soul” that inhabits the sword. The kakari is hilarious at times as it “talks” to Kylar and sometimes puts him in situations that can be described as comical but also saves his life when the need occurs. The Godking is the main bad guy in this book as he comes to power and begins to cause havoc and chaos in Cenaria. The Godking is quite the villain with a twisted sense of humour, he can be cruel and sadistic in one moment and sarcastically funny in another. We also get an introduction to the Wolf. He plays a huge role in Kylar’s story after Durzo’s death. As well, there is the back story on Durzo, and the creator of the Retribution and Curoc swords as well as the original welders of the two swords. Even though this is the second book of a trilogy, it proved to be a really good read as it built up the suspense to the final book. So much happens in this book, it was hard not to talk about everything that happens. I loved the internal conflict Kylar had to face: a normal life with Elene and Uly, or being a Night Angel. There is a comical line in the showdown between Kylar and the Godking, that just had me shaking my head and groaning because it’s been so overdone but, the placement and timing of the line was perfect and hilarious. The last line of the book provides a cliff hanger that will be explored in the last of the trilogy as Kylar finally comes into his own as a wetboy.
In the next issue of the AALT Technician – “Beyond the Shadows” (Book 3 of the Night Angel Trilogy)
AALT Technician Fall 2009
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