On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby live just outside the village of Glipwood, near the edge of the cliffs above the Dark Sea, with their mother, Nia, and their grandfather, Podo.

Their father died in the Great War, Podo tells them. He also regales them with tales of when he was a pirate on the Dark Sea. Now they live quietly near the village of Glipwood, but every night the Black Carriage races across the land pulled by black horses, and some unfortunate child is thrown inside and hustled away, never to be seen again.

Some of the strange characters in Glipwood include the reclusive Mr Reteep, who Janner sometimes helps in his labyrinthine bookstore, Zouzab the ridgerunner who watches people from the rooftops, and Peet the Sock Man, who lives in a treehouse in Glipwood Forest and wears socks over his hands, and who once fought with a lamppost Don-Juan-style, until he collapsed.

The Igiby family sticks close to home and tries to stay out of the way of the Fangs of Dang, who rule the land of Aerwiar, led by the delegated “sheriff,” Gnorm. But on the day they go to town to attend the Dragon Day Festival, strange things begin to happen.

First, Janner and Tink “lose” Leeli and she is attacked by Slarb, one of Gnorm's henchmen, and is only rescued when two rocks mysteriously sail through the air and hit Slarb and his colleague on the foreheads. Then later, while they watch the dragons come out above the Dark Sea, Leeli opens her mouth to sing and the most mystical, magical song comes out.

On the way home, the children are taken captive by the Fangs and thrown into the town's jail cell. Nia bails them out by exchanging their freedom for some jewels she has tucked away, and by baking Gnorm a maggotloaf. Gnorm lets them go as bargained, but then the race is on to discover the Jewels of the Shining Isle of Anniera. Gnorm wants to present them to his master, Gnag the Nameless, and the Igibys want to take them away to safety in the Ice Prairies, where Fangs won't go.

But what do Nia and Podo know that they're not telling the children?  Why does Peet watch them from afar? What's the secret of their past? And where are the Jewels of Anniera?

Sometimes, you've just gotta fight imaginary monsters.

If your student is not yet old enough to hold off Orcs, see how they do against the Fangs of Dang and the Toothy Cows of Skree. This interesting blend of humor and high fantasy will delight your young warriors and give them courage to carry on!

This book is fun to read, especially if you like to find Biblical parallels in your reading. Being a mother, I especially appreciated the twist at the end concerning the Jewels of Anniera.

Content Considerations

There is the violence one would expect to find when forces of good and evil collide in close proximity; Nia's spear is described as protruding from a fang's back, Janner kills a Fang with a knife, Peet shreds Fangs with his “scissorhands.” Tink is threatened with a knife.

Toward the end of the book, one particular paragraph is a little jolting; the occurrence of Leeli's little dog, Nugget, being run through with a Fang's spear. Of course (*SPOILER*) Nugget comes back to life bigger and better than ever, but that's not known in the moment.

            The Fangs' teeth drip with venomous saliva, occasionally burning someone.

            The recipe for maggotloaf is pretty disgusting.

            The family prays to the Maker.