That's What I'm Talking About

Steel’s Edge centers around Richard Mar (introduced in book two), brother of Kaldar. Richard has been around the block and his life hasn’t been very easy. He doesn’t necessary fit in with his family, so he’s found meaning in tracking down and destroying the illegal slave industry, which was responsible for the torture of his younger cousin Sophie. Stumbling into the Edge after being fatally wounded, he’s fortunate that Charlotte de Ney, a powerful healer, finds and saves him.

Charlotte is a noble blue blood from Adrianglia who moved to the Edge after a devastating betrayal left her worried about the dark magic within her. Luckily, Charlotte was taken in by Eleonore Drayton: Rose, George, and Jack’s grandmother. After three years, Charlotte has been accepted by the Edgers and lives a quiet life. But when Richard Mar crashes into her life, everything changes. Now Charlotte is compelled to join Richard on his dangerous quest. 

As the final book in Ilona Andrew’s wonderful Edge series, Steel’s Edge takes readers on an exciting journey and gives closure to some long running storylines without losing site of the book’s central storyline. Richard and Charlotte’s crusade against the slavers is action-packed, edgy, and thrilling. The execution of the ultimate plan kept me glued to the proverbial pages of the book. The entire plot was well-thought out and masterfully executed. My heart was racing at times.

But wait… there’s more! I adored Charlotte and Richard’s romance. They are two damaged individuals that don’t have to hide their true natures from one another. Their attraction is strong, but their love for and acceptance of the other is what makes their romance so engaging. I loved where their story ended; it was fitting for their journey.

Steel’s Edge also tackles a couple storylines that have run throughout the series. The first is that of John Drayton, father of Rose, George, and Jack. He abandoned his children to find fortune and treasure after their mother died. The second is that of Spider and The Hand, the longtime nemesis of the Mar family. While neither storyline takes up much page space, the authors do great justice to both. 

Once again Renee Raudman works her magic with the story, bringing to life these characters. She adds just the right inflection and emotion into each character’s persona, creating three-dimensional reading experience. Her narration adds emotional impact and value to an already amazing storyline.

Richard and Charlotte’s tale is one of my favorites. Steel’s Edge was packed with powerful emotions and thrilling adventure. While I would have loved more stories from The Edge, the authors did a great job wrapping up the series while sharing one more exciting story. (Footnote: some of the characters live on in Ilona Andrews’ Innkeeper Chronicles.) 

My Rating: A 

Narration: A

Book Source: purchased

Listening Speed: 1.25x