Quint, son of a sky pirate captain, and new apprentice to Linius Pallitax, the Most High Academe, has been set some highly important tasks. Just how important, Quint is about to find out as he and Linius’s only daughter, Maris, are plunged into a terrifying adventure that takes them deep within the rock upon which Sanctaphrax is built (Goodreads).
Although not suitable to be read first in chronological order, this prequel is an imaginative tale that Stewart & Riddell are able to make seem brand new, even though the Edge was traveled thoroughly in the first three books. Colourful characters such as Maris give wonderful depth to the story, and surprising bits of humor are sprinkled around, although the book can get quite dark and serious. The busyness of the floating city is portrayed wonderfully (the Viaduct Steps chapter is particularly brilliant) which leads to an eerie contrast under the city. An interesting plotline, with Linius' experimenting leading to the creation of the actual villain. One thing that really lacked in the book was character development, as Quint, the main character, is fairly static throughout. All in all, the setting really shines in this book, and the excellent illustrations definitely add to that. 8.5/10
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