The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker

Type: Novel
Price: Free 
Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Steampunk
Grade: A+


This is the first of the Amaranthe Lokdon stories, and the beginning of a fantastical tale that is sure to please anyone. This book has something for everyone, it a is fantasy, action, steampunk, mystery story with a heroine, assassin and a touch of magic. Lindsay Buroker creates a world that is as real and gritty as Terry Pratchett's Diskworld, and holds all the same appeal. Though the story is character driven, the plot is intricate and fascinating and makes this book impossible to put down. The main characters are impossible to dislike and the smattering of tertiary characters add whimsy and reality to the story.


Amaranthe Lokdon is our heroine, and she is as real a hero as anyone could believe. She is strong and headstrong, yet sweet and affable with a charming touch of OCD. She relies on a quick wit, friendly disposition, a generous amount of luck, and the ability to inspire loyalty and trust in those around her to get her through a myriad of dangerous situations that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Amaranthe is so multi-dimensional a character you will walk away from this book feeling like you know her, or for some, want to be her!


Sicarius is not the main character of this book, but non the less, he steals the show. An assassin so notorious that he is known not only throughout the Turgonian empire, but the whole world, and so good at his job that the emperor himself put a $2 million ranmya bounty on his head. Sicarius is silent, stealthy, deadly, and will steal your heart. Though he says little, and emotes even less, you can not help but love him, from the soles of his soft black boots, to the tips of his disheveled blonde hair. He is the hottest bad-ass since Aragorn (though certainly more morally objectionable).


When these two unlikely partners must pair up to reach a common goal, the result is pure genius. The background characters are no less important to the story and the above mentioned goals, and although they only step up to the limelight for brief moments, they are all beautifully crafted and feel as real as the main characters.
Though this is the first in a series of books (three so far, but a fourth is in the making) I already look forward to reading it again. Though the series is not yet finished (and so far I've only read two of the novels and the three short stories) already it is shaping up to be one of my favorite series's, up with the likes of Lord of the Rings, His Dark Materials, Narnia, Harry Potter and the Diskworld books.


I give this book my highest recommendation. Seriously, go read it. It is free and will only make your life better. If you don't have a Kindle device, install the Cloud reader on your computer, phone, etc. and download this book. that is all. 
visit the author's website at www.lindsayburoker.com

Ice Cracker II and other short stories by Lindsay Buroker

Type: Short Story Collection 
Price: Free when purchased, $0.99 now
Obvious Typos: No
Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Steampunk
Grade: A


This story collection was my first glimpse into the world of Amaranthe Lokdon, Sicarius and the rest of the Emperor's Edge crew. I am not normally a short story person, I prefer to get more in depth into a story, but these three stories were so intriguing that I was thirsty for more. The characters are so well developed that I knew there had to be a novel or two about them, and I was correct. These stories take place sometime after The Emperor's Edge which I will be reviewing next, so if you prefer to read a story chronologically then you may want to read at least that book first. There are other novels in the series, but we will get to them later.

From the beginning of "The Frozen Water Trade" you will be hooked on the insanely likable (although Vastly different) characters of Amaranthe and Sicarius. If you are unfamiliar with these characters, these stories are almost a teaser, inciting you into the rich and fantastical world of the Turgonian Empire. If you are old friends with Amaranthe's crew then you will get to explore some new and fun mysteries with them, and learn a little more about the characters and their history in the process.

"The Frozen Water Trade" centers around the dynamic duo of Amaranthe and Sicarius, as does "Ice Cracker II",  but Sicarius sits out for "Through Fire Distilled" to let Books, the endearing nerd, play Amaranthe's side-kick. I highly recommend this collection of stories to anyone, whether you plan to read the novels or not. Lindsay Buroker's fictions are so engrossing it is easy to become addicted, and to want to become a Turgonian Citizen yourself. I enjoyed these stories so much, that after reading The Emperor's Edge, I re-read them and enjoyed them even more after getting to know the characters better.

My next few posts are going to be of other works by Lindsay Buroker. The reason for this is that I have quickly become enamored of her work and I find myself unable to read anything else until I run out of material. Her wonderful works have inspired me to create this blog, and to share wonderful finds like the Amaranthe stories with the world. To find out more about the author visit her website at http://www.lindsayburoker.com/