On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: The Wingfeather Saga Book 1

I read a lot of fiction to my children, and a lot of fantasy in particular; some of it quite decent, some rather shabby. Of course we are fans of the Narnia Chronicles and the Lord of the Rings, but what could compare to those? When Dr. Sonju recommended Andrew Peterson’s 4-Volume fantasy series Wingfeather Saga (and let us borrow his copies) last year, I assumed it would be of the decent variety; but frankly, I was not prepared. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is the first book in the series (followed by North! Or Be Eaten; The Monster in the Hollows and The Warden and the Wolf King, which won the 2014 World Magazine, Children’s Book of the Year award). The Dark Sea of Darkness. The intentional redundancy struck me as pretty funny, but it’s really funny. It’s my kind of funny; a bit dry at times, but witty and clever. Within a few pages, I felt like Peterson, my children and I had a few inside jokes together. We are also introduced to the central characters, the Igiby family of the land of Skree, Glipwood Township: Grandpa Podo Helmer, an aging swashbuckler, rough around the edges, but adoring of his grandchildren; his daughter Nia Igiby, a beautiful widow; and her three children Janner, Tink and Leeli (and Leeli’s little dog Nugget). Though you might be tempted to see them as caricatures at the outset, each with their unique gifts and foibles, it’s only because you don’t know them well enough yet. Throughout the series, these characters unfold in believable complexity and we are introduced to a much larger cast of equally compelling characters, good and ill (and somewhere in between). We are also introduced to the villains of this series, Gnag the Nameless (Did you catch that? It’s funny.), who rules the greater part of Peterson’s fantasy-world (Aerwiar, another joke, you’ll understand when you read) and his reptilian servant-soldiers, the Fangs of Dang. And there are the dragons… A great mystery surrounds the entire series and many questions arise that are only really answered much later. I want to avoid giving anything away. If the books possess any weakness, it might be that there are stretches where the Igibys “wander in the wilderness” (literally and figuratively) and you really want them to arrive in the Promised Land, but it’s worth it. This too is a great human theme (and a biblical one, obviously). Suffice it to say that, in addition to humor, there is great adventure, skirmishes and battles, quest and exploration (like many of the recognized “classics”). There is much to hold one’s attention, but there is also much to talk about. There is terrifying evil and brilliant goodness, jealousy and generosity, betrayal and loyalty, cowardice and courage, incipient selfishness as well as self-sacrifice. Heroes and heroines in classic literature often have fatal flaws. In Peterson’s fantastical series, weak characters are found to possess incredible powers. Beloved characters are found to have monstrous secrets, evil characters are found to be heart-broken and sometimes monsters are found to possess heart-rending goodness. This is what I was least prepared for: the heart-rending, the occasional choking back of tears for the beauty and truth conveyed in these stories, the moments when I had to risk the catch in my throat and keep reading because I desperately want my children to know the truths these stories tell. “Is this a “Christian” fantasy series then? Like Narnia?” I might argue that any work which tells the truth about humanity (an aspect of my third mark of the “classics”) must be “Christian” in some sense and Peterson is a Christian, but it’s not like Narnia. Besides the fact that Peterson’s writing style is entirely different from that of C.S. Lewis, his world does not overlap with ours. Aslan and Jesus both exist in some sense in the Chronicles of Narnia. Peterson’s series isn’t like that. “Well, there’s the whole good-versus-evil theme right?” Yes, but it’s so much more complex than that and I tend to think good-versus-evil is a weaker basis on which to call something Christian than “truth about humanity.” “But you said there’s self-sacrifice, so there’s a Christ-figure like Aslan and what-not?” Yes, there is both redemption and self-sacrifice, but while Lewis clearly tries to tell the story of the cross in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Peterson’s story doesn’t get there as quickly, nor does it try to be an allegory of the Gospels in the same direct sense. I think if I had to explain why Christians should read these books, it’s because they are really good, and because they possess the emotional and relational content of the Gospel. In other words, these stories could only emerge from the imagination and heart of someone who understood the world through the Gospel. The “deep magic” that works in Narnia in some sense must also be working in the land of Aerwiar. Prepare yourself; or maybe don’t. Tolle lege!

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is a masterful start to The Wingfeather Saga. Andrew Peterson creates a richly imagined world full of quirky humor, unforgettable characters, and a sense of wonder that keeps you turning pages late into the night. The Igiby family’s adventures are both exciting and heartfelt, blending danger, courage, and the importance of family in a way that resonates deeply. The writing style is engaging and lyrical, making the story enjoyable for readers of all ages. What truly sets this book apart is the perfect mix of whimsy and depth. From the sinister Fangs of Dang to the mysterious history of the jewels, every element feels meticulously crafted. This is a must-read for fans of fantasy, and it left me eager to dive into the next book in the series.

This is a war story. A compelling, intriguing, sometimes quirky but deeply moral war story. This is the kind of story that helps us believe that we could stand and be counted if called upon to do so. This is a story that feeds the imagination and stretches the soul and it is a beautiful testimony to the power of family. It is a very good story to have in our moral imaginations. Getting into the early pages is more than a bit disorienting. Like Middle Earth, we have humans and other creatures cohabiting in a war torn land. Unlike Middle Earth, the names are goofy and seem like a long series of smart jokes. It was enormously helpful for me to know that Mr. Peterson intended this to be the "vastness of Lord of the Rings" with the "whimsey of the Princess Bride". I tend to prefer more serious character sketches but once I allowed myself to get into the style, I found that it actually works really well. "Oh, yes, the people of Skree were quite free, as long as they were in their homes by midnight. And as long as they bore no weapons, and they didn’t complain when their fellow Skreeans were occasionally taken away across the sea, never to be seen again. But other than the cruel Fangs and the constant threat of death and torture, there wasn’t much to fear in Skree." It is clear from the introduction that we have an oppressed people who are living a shadow of real life. We know right away that this is a story about good versus evil and that the characters we are about to fall in love with are suffering. The first portion of the book uses humor and quirkiness to reveal this tension. Like any good epic, this home setting is peppered with questions about identity, purpose and intention. The characters are sketched with the promise that they will be filled in as we go - but that they themselves still have much to learn about their history and how that will reveal their future. It is a very good setup and the layers are pulled back slowly. The quirkiness dissipates when the hero struggle begins to emerge. We still have weird names and strange creatures with goofy tendencies, but those become servants of the text instead of the focus once the children are in jail. What I found particularly rewarding about this text is that is does not hold back on the need for people to behave in heroic ways even when it may cost them everything. There aren't many cheap saves or easy outs. This is a dark and dangerous culture war and it requires character, love, faith and hope to survive. The family context is gorgeous. It is so authentic. All of the normal family battles are present but they are met with love and loyalty and faith. Faith in each other and in The Maker and His providence. An excellent first book in a series that I can't wait to unpack. I would rate the intensity of this book as being on par with the early Harry Potter books or The Hobbit. More intense and mildly violent than Narnia or The Green Ember but just as moral, wholesome and heroic. In fact, there are a number of things in the text which remind me of the HP books. There is no witchcraft or wizardry but there are mythical creatures who are otherworldly and there are some questions about one character who was human and is now somehow altered. Classic fantasy type of stuff. Like The Green Ember, a new book with an old soul.

I borrowed this book from the library while on a trip out of town. I found myself laughing aloud right from the very beginning, and even stopped to share a few lines with my curious travelling companions. Peterson's writing is rich and deeply meaningful ~ broken up by moments of roaring laughter. When I arrived home, I immediately purchased a copy of the book for my very own--to place on the shelf right alongside the classics, such as C.S. Lewis's Narnia tales. See ~ it's not just a children's book! My children BEGGED me to read it to them, so I obliged. Each night, they would beg for just ONE more chapter. This book revolutionized our nightly read-aloud time! I used to have a youngster who would rather go to sleep at night than have a story read to him. NOT ANYMORE. Now my older children (ages 10 and 7) cannot wait for story time. This book, by far, is their FAVORITE BOOK. EVER WRITTEN. That said--the book is not for the faint of heart. I have a sensitive 7 year old and I was afraid this book would be too "scary" for him. I let him decide. The epic tale of good vs. evil and the adventure of it all won him over. Peterson has a way of doing that. As far as what age this book is appropriate for? I would say it depends on the child, but for a rule of thumb I would hold off until the child has a firm grasp on real vs. make-believe. I have not read this to my kindergartner b/c he would be half expecting an army of fangs to invade our neighborhood. I suggest buying the book (oh, do I ever!!!) and letting your sensitive children decide for themselves as you tackle a chapter or two. You WILL end up reading it eventually. You MUST! So grab a copy and read it yourself, and tuck it on the shelf until you think the little ones are ready. In our house, we share all kinds of "inside jokes" related to Peterson's books. It's become a treasure that we all carry a piece of in our hearts. A family language, of sorts. Despite the fact that our local library carries the series ~ we've purchased each book as we go along. They are part of our family now, and I look forward to the day my children pass these titles down to their own families! A sweet heritage. Thank you to the author, Andrew Peterson, for putting such beauty into the world that we can all belly-up to.

Welcome to Aerwiar, more specifically, to the Glipwood Township in the land of Skree, where the Dangs of Fang make it their general pastime to wreck the lives of the townspeople. Things are generally quiet, though, except during the Dragon Day Festival, when things come alive as people come from near and far to hear the Sea Dragons beautiful song and awaken a deep longing. That's where the tale of Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby begins. A run-in with Slarb the Fang ensues. Soon, they are tracking down the location on Oskar N. Reteep's map, encountering ghosts, horned hounds, and toothy cows, all while they try to understand the link between their mother, Nia, their grandpa, Podo, Peet the Sock Man, and the Jewels of Anniera. Andrew Peterson, a storyteller who utilizes music, plays, and now novels as his mediums of choice, crafts an epic tale following in the footsteps of Lewis and Tolkien with On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, the first installment in the Wingfeather Saga. While the book is targeted towards the Young Adult age group, people of all ages will enjoy Peterson's ability to weave together mystery, awe, wonder, suspense, and humor within a story of giant scope. While the story is told from a third-person perspective and develops all characters well, the focus is mostly from the view of Janner Igiby, a 12-going-on-25-year-old, who struggles to find his way when his world is turned upside-down. His father is gone, leaving Janner's grandpa Podo to instill lessons in manhood. When the Fangs begin to threaten their way of life, Janner must learn many of these lessons very quickly. Peterson has a great ability to see things from a 12-year-old's point of view, combining wonder with fear and insecurity in Janner as we see him becoming a man and taking on new responsibilities throughout their adventures. Peterson's other strength is his imagination, which has created a world in Aerwiar that is enormous. Providing maps, appendices, and detailed descriptions, he enables the reader to completely immerse himself in the world by including unending amounts of detail. Footnotes regularly appear to give back stories on places or people, quoted from books from epochs past such as Eezak Fencher's Comprehensive History of Sad, Sad Songs (published, of course, by Blapp River Press). These touches create a sense of reality about the fictional world. The story moves just a little slowly at first as Peterson develops the landscape and characters, but once it gets going, the narrative is exciting and engaging. The book ends with a final revelation that provides a satisfactory ending to book one and will lead nicely into book two, where the adventures will no doubt continue in top-notch fashion. Peterson is a magnificent songwriter, and the moniker of great storyteller and writer can now be added as well.

This is a beautiful book in so many ways. I forget that, sometimes. But it's beautiful nonetheless. The characters. The story. Anniera itself. All of it is beautiful. And coming back to it with the new edition (and new illustrations!) is an absolute joy. I've read this book quite a few times since I discovered the original version in 2012. Every time, I realize something new. This time, it's how beautifully broken many of the characters are, especially the adult characters — and not just Peet. Nia, Podo, Oskar — they've all lost so much, and even long after the loss, they're still working every day to keep moving forward. To hold themselves together, even when some of their shattered edges are still sharp. Frustrated as I get with Podo's and even Nia's attitude towards Peet, I can see it now for what it is, and it makes my heart hurt for all of them in the best way. Also, Peet. Can I talk about Peet for a moment? I love this character, for reasons that mostly stem from later books, but we see glimmers of here. Of everything in the <i>Wingfeather Saga</i>, his story is what's done the most to inspire my own stories. And so it's exciting to see him again, to see who he is and see the glimpses of who he was and who he will be. He's my favorite character, y'all, and if I were to meet anyone from the series, I would want it to be him. Now that I've talked a lot about the secondary characters, let's talk about Janner, Tink, and Leeli for a moment. Janner is and always will be my favorite of the siblings, probably because we're both the oldest, both word-oriented, both frequently filled with that desire for something more, for adventure and the unknown. If he were real, and if I had known him when I was his age, I think we would have been friends. But I found myself liking Tink a little more this go-round than I did when I first read the books. And, of course, Leeli is always delightful. I love her interactions with both Podo and Peet, but especially Podo. There's a special bond between a good grandfather and his young granddaughter, and that's captured perfectly in these pages. Plotwise, I had forgotten how much happens in this book. There's a new revelation every few chapters, it seems, but it never becomes quite overwhelming. And Peterson knows when to pause, when to let us focus on the beauty of a moment, be it peaceful or not. Also, the footnotes! I love footnotes in books, if they're handled well, and that love began with this book. It hasn't faded one bit, and even though many of the footnotes are humorous, I feel like they help give the world a sense of realness and build out the lore in a very unique way. The illustrations in this book are also delightful. Illustrations in general seem to be very underrated in this day and age, so I'm happy they're included here. And the way the artist portrays the characters — Peet especially — coordinates well with how I imagine them. (Well, in most cases. There are exceptions.) All in all, I'm very glad I got the chance to reread this book with the re-release of the series. It's a beautiful book in so many ways, and I'm excited that more people get to enjoy it now.

Great Start to a great series!!! Okay, i read every night to my boys (almost every night anyway). When it comes to books that are fun to read, funny and give a chance for me to give moral insights and teachable moments, nothing matches this series. Andrew Peterson is a Christian recording artist. He is under the radar for the most part, since he singer/song writer and more chill in singer than "jump up and down concert-y." But he is a legit talent. Check out his Chirstamsn stuff. But his talent, I think, is best in writing. He says he would read the chapters to his kids and scratch the content if they fell asleep. I believe it, my boys are constantly asking for "one more chapter" when we read this. The style of the book is more everyday than magical but it's magical. The magic is seen more as the story goes on with healing water and untold fun stuff (not spoil anything) that comes out as they story progresses. The three Igiby's live in a small town that only gets visits once a year for the Dragon Day festival. The town is really held captive by these lizard men, that drip poison from their fangs. Until something happens. From there the journey of the family clinging together is full of fun. You are the edge ofyour seat, laugh at Andrew's wit and let wondering why are these Jewels from the mysterious Anniera causing so much trouble. Podo the one legged Pirate (who for me sounds Irish but apparently Peterson thinks has an Oxford brogue) is very funny. The kids are likable and full of sibling mischief and joy. Peet the Sock man, Oscar and Nia fill out the cast against the villan called Gnag the Nameless and his Fangs from Dang. The fourth and final book is due out soon due to the immensely successful KickStarter campaign. The final installment will have Andrew Peterson himself reading and some really fun art work. Definitely a great read and a family favorite in my house. Enjoy!!

That, was one good adventure. 🎟🎢 It’s been a while since I took to reading books for children or YA since I read The Chronicles of Narnia a few years back, but this book kept me turning its pages over until I found the real deal about the Jewels of Anniera! Like all adventure books, it starts off with world building — describing the setting and introducing characters, until an ‘event’ occurs which looks unassuming at first but then you realise there’s more to it than what it seems and then you’re hooked. 😉 I like how the book explored children’s emotions and responses to challenging and even despairing situations, and how they look to adults for strength but moreso honesty. One may find oneself identifying not only with the adult characters but also with the children’s. I liked how characters were well described, making them easily pictured in one’s head (though idk why in the world, even when he was said to be a former pirate, I pictured Arnold’s grandpa (yes, from ‘Hey, Arnold!’) when Podo was first introduced!); but I also find the footnotes funny and amusing not only for their content but also for this idea that one seems to be reading a scholarly book. 😄 The ending was also special for me, with some characters locked up inside a treehouse while a fierce storm raged outside. Quite lacking though, are information about certain characters — they were not thoroughly explored in this book, so to curb this curiosity, I must lay my hands on the next book to know! 😜🙌🏼 Like my heading said, just “keep looking”. Now onto the next adventure! 🏰🌻

I am indebted to Jonathan Rogers’ excellent review of this book (as featured on The Rabbit Room podcast) in urging me to read it for myself. He makes the point that the world of Aerwiar is no stranger to the reader than our own world is to children. To quote Rogers, “A pearl comes from an irritated oyster? If you say so, but it sounds like you’re pulling my leg.” Leg-pulling is, in fact, the exact sensation I experienced when being introduced to Aerwiar in the first few chapters. It was delightfully far-fetched. I felt like I was listening to an old man, like Podo himself, spinning tall tales. Andrew Peterson’s prose is unorthodox and lyrical, weaving together scenes of courage, beauty, and pathos with cunning humour. I loved it. And here’s the thing: the longer I spent in the Glipwood Township, in the land of Scree, in the world of Aerwiar, the less bizarre it seemed to me. I became so entrenched in the story that everything suddenly belonged. The Igiby children truly could not have inhabited any other world but this one. Whom can I trust? That is a question and a theme that I have encountered over and over again in the realm of children’s fiction. As a reader, I ask this question, too. I was not disappointed by Andrew Peterson’s response to it. He gives us a lifelike hero-child who doubts himself and others, who makes mistakes aplenty, but who is learning to listen to the right voices. My recommendation: read this book with as many little people gathered around you as you can find, in as many different voices as you can muster. I don’t recommend it as an ebook or an audiobook, as the footnotes, maps, and appendices are well worth the investment in paper and must be experienced in all their riotous mirth. I look forward to rereading this book with my boys once they are past toddlerhood. Until then, I am ordering the rest of the saga so that I can rest easy in my mind about the fate of those Igibys.

Quick delivery, a gift toba friend. He likes it.

We love the book so much, we also watched the cartoon on the angel app. A great story packed with great values

Se avete amato Il Signore degli Anelli, le Cronache di Narnia o la Storia Fantastica (The princess bride) e volete che i vostri bambini intraprendano una lettura in lingua inglese (o volete farlo voi stessi) non potrete non leggere e non innamorarvi del bestseller americano The Wingfeather Saga. E' una saga fantasy, profonda e commovente, ma altresì divertente e piena di umorismo e creatività. Vi addentrerete nel mondo di Aerwiar, che vi entrerà nel cuore, con le sue creature fantastiche e strampalate (e perlopiù spaventose), e vi affezionerete a ciascuno dei personaggi. In questo primo capitolo, perlopiù introduttivo, ci addentriamo nella vita tranquilla e perfettamente libera della famiglia Igiby, se non fosse per delle terribili lucertole giganti che tengono soggiogata tutta Skree e dominano sulla città di Glipwood, e delle creature pericolose che vivono nella Foresta, o dei draghi marini che stanno nel Mare vicino. Protagonisti sono i tre fratelli Janner, Tink e Leeli, che vivono con la madre Nia e il nonno Podo, che nascondono un segreto. Sull'app Angel Studios attualmente troverete anche la prima stagione della serie animata. L'autore Andrew Peterson, noto cantautore americano, si distingue per il suo talento artistico e la sua profondità.

My boy loved it