Eden at the Edge of Midnight

The Vara Volumes #1

by John Kerry

There exists a secret realm outside our own, the original Garden of Eden, sealed from the rest of the world and populated with the fittest of men and women. A paradise that became ravaged by smog that choked out the skies.

Now the realm exists in darkness and its people need a champion, a chosen one to save them from the poison that cloaks the land and threatens to smother its inhabitants.

That's what they needed. They got sixteen-year-old Sammy Ellis instead. Her only responsibility was to help the "chosen one" open a gateway into the realm. But, not only has she entered the land in their place, she's also locked them out in the process.

Sammy finds herself lost in a twilight land of giant mushrooms and pursued by dark forces. Can she find a way home so the true chosen one can return or has the realm been doomed by her actions?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia, Adventure, Fiction, Paranormal, Science Fiction

348 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2012

About the author

Read Eden at the Edge of Midnight Online

Reviews

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buddy read with Athena, Alexa,Kat Stark, Annette and Anasylvia

2.5 stars

High point: Best Animal sidekick
Low point: Most awkward and least wanted H/h kiss ever!

I had a fun time buddy reading this with some of my favorite goodreads ladies. This book had so much potential for me and I’m pretty sure the author will figure out some stuff for his next book, which I will happily read because of Louis.

Louis the dinosaur/chicken looking animal friend with ears that do sign language and carries the Golden Egg house on his back totally wins my best animal side character award of the year. Louis was awesome and I’d read another book in this series just to see him again.



I absolutely loved the world that was created for this story. Due to an event that happened ~150 years ago the land has been covering in a type of smog that block out the sun. There are huge forests of mushrooms and it always looks on the verge of dusk.

Not to mention the crabmen, lava pterodactyls and large monsters living in lakes I was intrigued by the world most definitely.

I liked that the history of the event 150 years ago was shown through a story of someone else in the book. It got a little confusing but I liked that much more than just a plain ole infodump.

The plot itself wasn’t bad either, there was a clear indication of the direction the story was going to take and I totally enjoyed the first 100 pages quite a bit. The MC Sammy was initially likable and dropped references to comic book heroes and video games that I loved.

”You’re not doing a good job of selling me this dumb fantasy. I’m not climbing into the back of your van if I have to be Robin. I’m Batman. That’s how these things work.”

But later she turns into a huge pain-in-the-ass with severe daddy issues and she is looking for love in all the wrong places.

Melrak and Louis find her and take her in helping her every step of her journey. Louis again is my favorite sidekick animal as you remember from the beginning of the review. Melrak is a very nice man on a quest for a magic book and happens to find Sammy and decides to help her.

I had a few issues with Melrak’s character. His wife has gone missing or has been taken recently and he leisurely picks up another girl to hang out with. He doesn’t really seem to be searching very hard for his wife and he really doesn’t seem that torn up about it especially since it was pretty recently she disappeared. He is twenty-oneish and Sammy is 16 acting 12. I ignored all the hints of something between them because it really grated on my nerves and bugged me. Because he is married and she is sooooo freaking young.

The dialogue between characters left a little to be desired and didn’t really get a good chemistry going between anyone. I was hoping that would change as the story went on but the only character I felt for was Loius.

The ending seemed a little all over the place and rushed and then it abruptly halted like I hit a brick wall at 50 mph. I really wasn’t surprised by much except where it ended. All that said I see so much potential from this storyline that I hope the characters are a little more flushed out, because this could be really great.

[Tahera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Besides having a clueless, inexperiened, somewhat whiny brat of a hero in the form of 16 year old girl Sammy Ellis who has complexity issues, and who for almost all the length of the book doesn't do anything active herself but is more than ready to take the credit for the work done by others to help her fulfill the aim in the book, this book was actually quite fun to read!

The world building of the parallel realm of Perseopia (Eden) with its giant mushrooms, magis, sorcerers, warriors, crabmen army, the demon Ramaask, an adorable gastrosaur with an egg shaped cottage on top of it, and the prophecy which can be the undoing of this realm is great and is quite Arabian Nights in its makeup.

The only other thing that didn't sit well with me (apart from the female lead) was this love story (of sorts) between Sammy and Mehrak, the man who rescues her from the Fungi Forest early on in the story..it just felt forced and bleh considering the zero chemistry between them.

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an e-ARC. Giving this one a rating of 3.5*.

[Athena Shardbearer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Group Read.
Robin
Kat
Anasylvia
Alexa

Robin's Review, Kat's Review, Anasylvia's Review, Alexa's Review

Review: Actual Stars-2.5

Man, this books started off pretty good. It had SOOOOO much potential, the world building was unique and different and the MC, at times, had such a great sense of humor, but the last 25% of the book I just didn't care anymore about her snide remarks and wanting her to resolve her daddy issues.

The history of the world they were in, and how it came to be was great.

Yima created this vara with buildings, roads and cities, then sealed it from the world with a golden ring. People throughout history have searched for this place, believing it to be a perfect land, the read Garden of Eden. Now it is time for the chosen to return and restore light to the lands of Perseopia."

This is a world full of huge mushrooms and dark cloud overcast. There are crabmen and dinosaur like creatures. Magus and magic and of people fighting to survive and live.

A real life dinosaur. It has no eyes, just a bulding forehead like a dolphin's and two leaf-shaped ears the size of car bonnets on either side of its head. Its skin was covered in tan mottled scales, but on its cheeks and down the length of its flank it had what fur-like feathers that transitioned to red and blue around its thighs. The dinosaur stood horizontal, like a T-Rex, with small, feathered arms at the front and big muscular legs that it used to carry a golden shell, the size of a terraced house, on its back. The shell was egg-shaped with a pointed apex and had another, smaller, golden egg two-thirds the size of the first joined halfway up its side.

Oh and this cute dinosaurs name is Louis. I think he's the best character in this entire book.



Here are the problems I had with this book.

One: Is she or is she not the "One"? I understand the MC needs to find this out on her own, but I never do! Even the other characters think she is and she says she's not, but then she thinks she is. I need facts, even if I'm being told and the character doesn't know, I need to know!

Two: This love interest was kinda creepy. I know that if I lost my husband/wife just weeks before I wouldn't replace him/her with a young little thing. He's in his 20's and she's 16.

Three: She has major daddy issues. I hate how repetitive it is. The love interest tells her, the guy that kidnaps her tells her..she is even asking herself why she relies on this father that is never there for her. It gets old quick.

Four: There are so many references to different items and the past that I got lost at times. I would have to stop, go back a few pages to really understand what was happening.

Other than that, this book was awesome, but not enough to rate it higher. Maybe I wasn't reading it right?? It's not like I wasn't interested in the book, I really was, but it just started to slip through my fingers and I just didn't care anymore.

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually when I receive a book for review through Goodreads, there is a certain level of amateurishness (totally a word now) to the writing. While I'm able to see past it and appreciate the story, there's no doubting that the writing is not quite as polished as a bestseller that you'd pick up up at a major bookstore. I can 100% truthfully say that that is not the case with Eden at the Edge of Midnight. The writing is incredibly slick and polished, the universe so rich, vibrant and complex, the story so fascinating and well-paced. If this book exploded overnight and became a massive success, it would be well deserved.

If anybody is thinking of picking up this book, I'll give you a piece of advice: don't trust the blurb. The blurb makes this book sound like a typical paranormal young adult story in which some whiny teenage girl is suddenly whisked away into a supernatural world, where she somehow saves the world despite being so incredibly average, and also manages to fall in love with a guy that would be completely unattainable to her in the real world. Eden is not that type of story.

Sure, we have a girl who is slightly whiny about her home situation, whisked into the fabled Garden of Eden and told she's 'special'. But the story isn't about her involvement in a steamy complicated love triangle, nor is she constantly told 'omg you're gonna save us all we're so0o0o glad you're here!' We only get the briefest glimpses of romance, and even then they're not what you'd expect. There is no unattainable Greek God-type, there's only a deceitful mage that's constantly vomiting up black tar, and an adorably-awkward-but-MARRIED commoner who lives in an egg cottage atop a dinosaur, on the quest to find his abducted wife. So yeah, not your typical paranormal/supernatural young adult tale.

And while Sammy is told she's 'special', we're kept in the dark as to whether she's the saviour of Perseopia or the harbinger of death. We know that she possesses magic enough to bring her to Perseopia and wield a magus staff, but we're unsure as to whether that magic is light or dark. It could end up that this average British tomboy was born to bring light to Perseopia, but it's just as likely that she'll be the one to unleash a million demons into the Garden of Eden. So yeah, not your typical paranormal/supernatural young adult tale.

Without meaning to sound like a fake suckup that will write a positive review for a book solely because it's free, I absolutely adored the world of Perseopia. I read this book on the train to and from work for a couple of weeks, and when I first opened it I was dumbfounded at how well the author had weaved the universe. In a nutshell, Eden is a cross between Howl's Moving Castle and The Neverending Story. We have a clunky, rattling egg cottage on top of a roaming dinosaur, with a peculiar occupant that Calcifer would have a field day with. We have a grumpy but attractive sorcerer, who never tells the entire truth and is prone to oozing black goo every now and then. We have a universe that used to be the stuff stories were made of, but is now filled with darkness that is slowly reaching toward every corner of the globe.

This book will also appeal to fans of Labyrinth, as Mehrak and Louis reminded me more than a little of Sir Didymus and Ambrosius! Though Louis is miiiiiles smarter than Ambrosius, I was totally reminded of the spazzy Sir Didymus when Mehrak busted out the Chatturanga and proceeded to make up the rules until he won. And though he is described very differently, Hami and Honton Keep reminded me a lot of The Hound and King's Landing in Game of Thrones. And if those cultural references weren't enough, Sammy makes a hundred soccer and kung fu film references to make up for it!

I enjoyed the pacing of Eden, though I imagine that the pieces falling into place so late in the game may not be everybody's cup of tea. Much like Fantasia in the first Neverending Story film, we're aware that something is eating away at Perseopia, and that it didn't used to be all mushrooms, dark skies and mutant crab men. And much like the first Neverending Story film, it's not until the last third of the story that we learn what is causing it. We're told early on how the seeds of discord were sown in Perseopia, and we're given glimpses of a mysterious battle that led to the darkening of the skies. We see a traitorous sorcerer commit mutiny and unleash something into Perseopia, but it's not until the last few chapters that we're given a face and a name. It's the same kind of pacing as in James Dashner's The Maze Runner, where the lack of answers will either have the reader on the edge of their seat or flinging the book against the nearest wall.

Speaking of a lack of answers, I was incredibly pleased to find out that Eden is part of a wider series, because I had so many questions at the end. ***SPOILER ALERT*** While Sammy's destiny in Perseopia is purposefully kept vague, for the much of the book the readers are led to assume that she's likely going to be the good guy in the end. It's not until the last few pages that we learn that as vile and terrifying as he is (seriously, think Venom from the Spiderman universe on brimstone-crack), Ramaask may not actually be the worst thing out there. He may ooze evil out of every pore in his body, but he may be sunshine and rainbows compared to what Sammy's unleashed in breaking the seal.

I can't wait to find out what Sammy unleashed in the Temple of Paths! I'm inclined to think that while Ramaask is incredibly strong and terrifying, maybe he's only a bottom-feeding demon in the pits of Hell. Maybe Sammy broke the seal allowing passage between Hell and Eden, allowing the really scary guys to get in. Which then makes me wonder what the deal is with the crabmen armies. We were led to believe that he was enslaving humans for mysterious building projects, and yet he never left his own city. Perhaps he was never enslaving humans to build mushroom mansions, but instead to save them. Maybe he knew that Sammy would unleash a war, and wanted to round up a Noah's Ark of Perseopian inhabitants to repopulate once the war was over. It's a shame the next book is so far away, I'll go nuts trying to figure it all out! ***END SPOILERS***


Overall: Eden at the Edge of Midnight is by and large the best book I've received from the First Reads Program thus far. It features an incredibly complex and vibrant universe reminiscent of Howls Moving Castle, Game of Thrones, Labyrinth and The Neverending Story, which the blurb on the back doesn't begin to do justice. The writing is slick and polished, as if this were a bestseller I plucked off the shelf at a major bookstore franchise. While the pacing may drive some people nuts, I enjoyed being fed only the slightest bits of information, and I can't wait for the next book.

Disclaimer: This book was sent by the author for review. This does not affect my opinion – I've received some shockingly bad books through the First Reads Program, and I'm not afraid to say so.

[BookSteff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eden at the Edge of Midnight, is a fascinating fantasy about a girl named Sammy who finds herself transported to another realm...the original Garden of Eden, but this is unlike the Garden of Eden we have heard before; it is filled with evil, and dangers no one, let alone Sammy, could expect. To make matters worse, the realm needs the chosen one to banish the evil, but Sammy accidentally shut her out when she traveled there. The story follows Sammy's journey navigating this new realm, the evils within, and her quest to get home.

This story is one that I personally haven't come across before, meaning I cannot think of any others quite like this, and that alone had me interested. The world building is amazing in this book, so enchanting, and mesmerizing that it painted a perfect and beautiful imagery in my head whilst reading. I cannot explain how happy that makes me in a book. I would also like to mention that the history of the realm itself, and how it descended into chaos was rich and quite frankly great.
The history is told throughout the book,and we even get to experience it in scenes where we travel back to that time, which I really enjoyed; it was nice to be shown the history instead of told, and it gave me, the reader, the sense I was there in it. Another thing I really loved about this book was the creatures. There were so many great creatures both mythical and prehistoric, that it was difficult not to love. One in particular had my devote affection throughout the book.
On page 2 of this book, I remember laughing (like out loud in front of strangers) because I found the protagonists humor to be amusing. I remember thinking to myself at that point "well this is off to a good start."
I also loved the magic and the magus in this book. It was a great way to add physics and magic into a unique splice, and worked greatly for me.

Despite all I loved in this book, there were small things that niggled at me. Firstly the protagonist is only 16 years old, and that is fine, but I felt uncomfortable with the relationship that built between her and her 'savior' / 'love interest'. He was in his 20's and married, and she only recently landed in the realm without anyone to rely upon, not to mention she is only 16. It felt strange to me that she would be jealous of his wife, and that he would scold himself for his feeling towards Sammy. In short it wasn't something I personally enjoyed, or really understood, but it really isn't a main focus in the story and therefore it did not overwhelm my joy for the book in general.
I will add that I also found Sammy's naivety unrealistic at times. Being a 16 year old, she would know how to recognise signs of domestic abuse. Even if she hadn't realised it at the time, she should be able to, at 16, look back and see it for what it is. I found it did not fit with a girl her age, and especially one who had been predisposed to her upbringing. 16 year olds nowadays know these things.
Lastly I found, that whilst the book started off extremely strong, I personally felt that pacing wasn't as great as it could have been. Sammy's arrival was quick, and exciting, but she soon began to plod along with others, and had no real goal; it meant that I didn't feel the tension, and desperation of her need to complete these goals, and as a result the book lost a little tension in the middle section. Thankfully this was rectified, and a goal was established for Sammy, things came together in a way that were able to crank up that tension, and keep those pages turning.

Overall, I did enjoy Eden at the Edge of Midnight, and there is definitely incentive to continue on with the series.

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading it, I was explaining this book to one of my friends, and I believe her reply sums up my feelings about it completely:

"sucks when the mc is ruining what sounds like a great fantasy"

Sucks indeed.

If I could describe this book in one word it would be "potential." This book had lots and lots of potential.

The world building is amazing. We get a complete new world, the Garden of Eden, separated from our world ages ago to keep it perfect. A sealed paradise.

But since nothing can be perfect, the garden has been corrupted and purple smoke fills the sky trapping the world in endless twilight. Sounds poetic, right? It is. The descriptions of this new world are incredible, vivid details, new and interesting monsters. One of the main settings, the mushroom forest is gorgeous and haunting.

And we get a dinosaur who does sign language with his ears! And carries a house in its back! I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome that is!!

The history is also very well thought and developed, the culture and myths based on ancient middle eastern beliefs. And I have to give credit to the author: he did his research. The religions, languages and cultural references are all as accurate as they can be considering what we know about the theme.

My problem with this book comes from the characters and character interactions.

At the beginning, the main character seems to be great. She's witty, she's funny and she uses lots and lots of pop culture references.

I've got nothing in common with the girls at Pitscrapes. They don't watch kung fu movies or read comics. And when I come out with movie quotes they look at me like I'm on drugs. All they do is read pink magazines full of celebrity gossip and clothes

I should LOVE this character. That sounds exactly like me.

However, she soon starts behaving more and more like a child. She has daddy issues, she's always crying for her mom, she doesn't accept her mistakes, she's full of herself but is always expecting others to save her.

"She'd had eleven long Karate lessons ... she should virtually be a ninja by now."

"Maybe she should start hanging out with him. He was handsome and famous. Some of his popularity might rub off on her."

"Louis can look after himself. Why wasn't Mehrak coming to her rescue?"

"Sammy had messed up. Every decision she'd made had been a wrong one ... Is that why no one really liked her? Why she spent all her time alone?"

Those are all quotes from Sammy, does she sound sixteen to you? Because she is supposed to be sixteen, it says so in the first line of the book. I had to recheck every few chapters because I was convinced it had to be a mistake; she sounds like a bratty 12 year old.

She is seriously one of the most annoying characters I've ever read and that would have been okay, if she had at least shown some development. But that never happens, she doesn't stop to think about the consequences of her actions, she doesn't think about her relationships with other characters... she single-handedly ruins what should have been an epic fantasy journey.

There's also a slight romance angle with a kiss that feels awkward because I keep thinking that Sammy is 12 and she shouldn't be kissing anyone. And the ending felt a bit Deus ex machina, but that's understandable.

Would I pick up the next book in the series? Yes. In a second.

I want to know what happens, and follow the adventures of Louis the dinosaur. But I would expect a LOT of development from the characters, particularly Sammy. Something needs to happens so she's forced to GROW UP! Stop relying on others, stop thinking about being a badass and start actually doing stuff.

Also, the epilogue. I felt that the book should have ended at the first part, and the second part should have been saved for a prologue in the next book. The first part ends in a point where it raises a lot of questions, great for creating the interest for a new book. The second one just stops flat and feels like I hit a brick wall.

I want to thank the author for being incredibly nice and giving me a copy of his book. Good luck with the next one!

[Abooktopia · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://abooktopia.weebly.com


John Kerry has created an all new universe filled with lush and rich descriptions. – Abooktopia

John Kerry uses strong descriptive adjectives as he describes a magical vibrant world, so unlike our very own. A world filed with strange creatures and wonders. The Vara of Yima, the original Garden of Eden, is a secret paradise sealed off from the rest of the world, populated with the fittest men and women. A secret paradise that 150 years ago became ravaged by smog that choked out the skies.

The world of Vara was all together fascinating and unique. I loved the mystery and secretiveness that made me question each character’s hidden motive. I found the main character Sammy Ellis to be so different from all the other young female YA characters. Though Sammy was at times a little too quick in accepting her situations, she was still a nerdy relatable character. I also loved the fact that Sammy was never truly meant to be in the big picture as her only responsibility was to help the chosen one open the gateway into the Vara, when she accidentally entered the realm in place of the chosen one, and locked them out in the process. This made us wonder wether she was to be the saviour or the destroyer at times.

That being said, I wasn’t too happy at times with the dialogue and the main character herself. I found Sammy to be selfish and much too rash when it came to making decisions and facing the problems ahead of her. Though I do have a sneaking suspicion that John Kerry used Sammy’s personality as a means of showing that she was never truly intended to be the heroine…

Eden at the Edge of Midnight was very different from some of my past reads, and I enjoyed how it avoided the clichés, which can be found in many YA novels. I am also thankful to say that romance was not an important aspect of the story as it was tamed. Overall, the setting was really creative and imaginative, creating a whole new world of fantasy. There was so much detail for such a complex world, that help me as a reader obtain a better grasp on what was happening in this strange new world, even though I was at times confused.

***I received a personalised signed copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fair to say that this book has a very mixed bunch of reviews.

But I definitely enjoyed it!

Right from the first page, I was sucked into the story. And by the end I was wishing there was more.

This was quite a fast paced story, with a very... Weird cast of characters. But then again, the world was pretty crazy.

The tension built and built and I thought the ending was incredible.

[Desert Rose Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if you found a way into a fantasy world you couldn't have ever imagined? Well, for Sammy Ellis, that's exactly what happened.

Thrust into a world stuck in twilight, constantly battling dark and evil creatures, Sammy finds she's supposed to be a champion the Vara of Yima has been expecting since before she was born, and bring light to the darkness.

Desperate to find a way back home, even though home isn't exactly great, Sammy finds unexpected help, in the most unlikely form imaginable. Crossing treacherous lands, and meeting unforgettable friends, Sammy finds an adventure she never expected, but will never forget.

Filled with hilarious characters and terrifying monsters, this joke and action packed book will leave you both laughing, and on the edge of your seat, desperate for more. With enchantingly wonderful writing transporting you to a world of mushroom trees and crab monsters, this isn't a world you'll soon forget, or want to leave.

Overall, I loved this book! It was by far, one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was a long read, but I couldn't put it down! The story is very exciting, keeps you on your toes, always guessing, with a happy ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys having their imagination captured and stretched with a great adventure.

*I was given a complimentary ebook copy of this book, by the author, in exchange for an honest review.

[Valen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!

Kerry has created a lush, rich and amazing universe that rivals all the likes; Oz, Wonderland, Labyrinth, etc. It was both beautiful and scary and had that touch of humor to the world, that silliness that provides the perfect blend to attract both adults and a younger audience, myself being the former.

I honestly, honestly loved it.

Guillermo de Toro should make this into a film - I'm serious, the world was just so lovely.

Sammy was your typical magically introduced character, but at the same time she wasn't, because Kerry's writing was crisp and neat enough that it made her, her own character. There were traits about her, such as that she was a times a bit whiny, that made her really familiar, but for the most part, in regards to whether she is a savior or destoryer, Kerry twists Sammy on her head and creates a different herione. She was flawed. She was a child. She was scared. She was brave. She was a great character that was able to hold her own.

The descriptions of the world were fantastic! I loved the dino eggs! It would - again - make such a great film, because the world was beautiful, with the perfect blend of scary and pretty, that I could truly imagine it like Tim Burton's Alice film , only helmed by del Toro, who knows how to make the scary, beautiful.

I truly loved it and hope to read more from this author and perhaps in this world, soon!!

Read it!! I promise you, you will not regret it.

--V

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I start talking about this book, I want to just mention how great it is to get a review request from someone who has actually read my blog. And not just my how I review section but actually read my reviews, know my style and my voice and still want a review.

Like a lot of people I know, self-published books are always going to bring their own stigma and clichés. I guess they’re just like other genres in that sense (OK, maybe ‘genre’ is the wrong word…). With paranormal romance the heroines going to be wimpy and suddenly discover she’s magical when she turns 16, comedy are books are only going to be funny to people who think boobs are hilarious and fantasy books are just the author’s way of showing that they can fit 6 consonants after each other in a single word.

Self-published books? Well, they’re just from desperate authors that agents have turned down over and over again, they’ll be riddled with spelling mistakes and the story itself will be so full of plot holes it’ll be like driving on pretty much any road in Manchester.

First things first, this book is not the cliché self-published book. And also, not every self-published author is a desperate author who has been turned down by agents. The writing is smooth and fluid. I don’t know whether Mr Kerry is just naturally great at writing stories that flow or he’s had some brilliant help or, I guess, a bit of both. Either way, this book read exactly like the books I read published by the hot shot authors.

I ummed and aahhed for a while to work that above paragraph without coming off as a patronising tit, thing is, there’s no way of writing that a book is well-written without sounding like a patronising tit. But I don’t mind admitting that when I agreed to read this book I was a bit nervous. I was expecting the wrong ‘there/their/they’re’ to be used (something I do in my writing), inconsistencies in characters (yep, I do that too), overly long (Um…) and sentences that just stop for no apparent reason (something I never do).

But, as I said, I was nervous and because I was nervous I was hyper aware of everything. Let me tell you, dear reader, about fifteen pages in I forgot I was supposed to be looking out for spelling and grammatical mistakes. I forgot I was even reading a self-published book!

OK, let’s get to the nitty gritty shall we?

This story itself was OK. And I don’t mean “OK” in the way that some people mean it when they just want to fob someone off and not give a proper opinion. There were things I loved about it and things I wished had been a bit different.

It was a really interesting story and completely different to anything that I’ve read before. I’m not the biggest fantasy girl in the world but I like to be step out of my comfort zone every now and again and this book definitely made me do that.

Mr Kerry came up with a fantastic set of characters, especially Sammy, the heroine. She was a bit of a geek but not one of those geeks that will make you roll your eyes. It was wonderful to see Kerry’s world from her eyes because she acted like I imagine I would act if I was ever transported to a different world. You know, lots of bemused looks and “what the hell is happening right now?”. I always get very suspicious when heroines/heroes just deal with it when the find themselves in a completely new realm because… well, I don’t think I could be your friend if you were able to act as if NOTHING had happened in that scenario.

But yes, Sammy was great. Just personal preference, but I would have liked to see her character be developed a bit more before she went on her adventure. This is just because there were some issues regarding Sammy’s home life that I would like to have explored a bit more to flesh out her personality a little bit more. And I loved that she was from Sheffield.. maybe that’s why I liked Sammy so much, because she’s a Northern bird… like moi. And we’re awesome.

Sticking with characters for a bit, I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about, and I’m trying to be careful about spoilers here, some of the relationships between the characters. I’m often quite vocal about this kind of thing when it crops up in books and it’s probably just me but I found myself narrowing my eyes when these characters were interacting together. But, that being said, thankfully it didn’t seem to become a major issue so it wasn’t too bad.

Like I said and have always said, fantasy isn’t my poison. I get confused easily and my head gets muddled. The story and the ideas behind this book were great and well thought out. However, the pacing was a little inconsistent. One minute there wasn’t much going on, lots of dialogue and descriptions, and the story would slow waaaay down and just as I was feeling a bit sleepy with it…. bam everything in the world happened and I had to quickly shove on my thinking cap to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I feel it would’ve been a bit more coherent if the action/dialogue was dispersed a bit more fairly… it could’ve spiced up the slow bits and watered down the ‘raaaaar’ bits.

However, even though I had my issues with the story, the world and the setting Mr Kerry created were absolutely fantastic. I never doubted the world that he built, which has to be a good thing. I think in fantasy stories, the world/setting is pretty much a character in itself and, the more I think about it, it was my favourite character in this book. The setting was so vibrant and extremely memorable and, honestly, I have no complaints.

Considering how reluctant I am about reading self-published books, I’m pleasantly surprised this book. I’m probably not the best person to review this book seeing as my knowledge and expertise on fantasy is next to nothing but I did enjoy it and it was a nice change from the stuff that I normally read.

So, if you’re looking for a well-written fantasy with a great setting, you should read this one.

 

And speaking of reading this one...

The first twelve chapters are available on John's website here. 

And if you like them, then the ebook is available on Amazon (here's the link for UK and US). And the paperback is available there too.

John's Twitter.

John's Facebook. 

 

In full disclosure, John did send me a copy of his book but this didn't affect my review in the slightest.



You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.

[Jeff Briel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden at the Edge of Midnight

In exchange for the free copy, I'll write an honest review about it. Shoutout to Mr. John Kerry for giving me a signed copy of the book. :)




First, it wasn't the story's fault that I couldn't get into reading it. It was my fault because it turns out it wasn't book szn so I couldn't read a single darn. The book was fantastic. The writing, setting, plot, mythology, the creatures- everything! I love how descriptive it was! You can perfectly imagine The Vara of Yima clearly. The mushrooms, the smog, the crabmen, the war and Louis the dinosaur chicken. It was very atmospheric. The violence was also descriptive, and there are mature situations that need explanations so I think it's appropriate for readers 13 above.

Let's start with Sammy. Sammy Ellis is a sixteen-year-old girl who lives with her parents. She thinks she is a nobody, the girl who has no friends but it turns out that she is special. Think about Carrie White, awkward and shy but she has a special gift. That is how Sammy Ellis is. Sammy met Esther, a woman from the other world. Esther told Sammy that, although she isn't the chosen one, she can unlock the Emerald Dial that could transport her to the Vara of Yima, a world covered with poisonous smog, gigantic neon mushrooms, horrible creatures, cursed by the ancient demons and an ongoing war for power. Esther told Sammy that she could help Esther get back to her world by her, unlocking the Emerald Dial. However, Sammy fidgeted with the dial in her mother's bedroom under her mother's bed and she is transported to Perseopia; the city covered entirely in smog. In that world, she encountered a mysterious figure in cloak who tried to kill her and hitched a ride with Mehrak, a local with his dinosaur chicken. Together they traveled and encountered many obstacles until she learned she isn't just a nobody.

Okay, I didn't liked Sammy Ellis that much. Throughout the book, she gets annoying and immature. Although, I liked her development for me is realistic. She's a nobody then she finds out she's special of course she'll get big-headed for the attention she's getting. I thought she was thirteen-years-old at some point of the book. She is very dependent too, though I understand that she's trapped from another world with disgusting creatures and gigantic mushroom inside the Fungi Forest. Even if I was in there, I'd be dependent for I am not from this world. But sometimes I forget to give a single fuck about her, her piss poor attitude gets on my nerves.

The secondary characters are likable especially Mehrak. He's the kind of person I'd like to travel with. Funny, caring and geek kind of a person. He's the only character I cared about throughout the book actually.



Hami Hootan, the magi isn’t, somewhat likable. He’s hot-tempered and the only thing that I liked about him is his sassiness. Or, I guess you can call it sass but he’s bad ass.

The creatures are very terrifying and I liked how it was written in the book. Mr. Kerry knows how to give us pictures, details and everything. The crab men and karkadann were awesome! And the battle scenes are gory I liked it. The mythology was the fun part that grabbed me like a fish. I won’t give much because I might spoil it, so I’ll suggest reading the book to find out for yourselves. My only question is, why is Sammy very special? I know that she's one of the chosen children but because of her hair? What if some random blonde came to Perseopia? Maybe I will get some answers later in the second book. The book will give you one hell of a ride and I feel guilty for not reading it sooner. The ending though, got me emotional and the feels, I tell you. The feels.



Honorable mentions:

"Don't be so dramatic. Sammy's not yours to keep and I'm not leaving her to drift through the Fungi Forest in a ramshackle caravan."



"You’ve arrived in Perseopia with no family and nowhere to live. What are your options? Keep Mehrak company until he finds his wife? Once she’s back in the picture you’ll find yourself ditched in the middle of the forest again."

"No she won’t!” Mehrak blurted out, “Gisouie would understand."

"Would she? You’re shacked up with a young, beautiful sixteen-year-old who’s living with you and sleeping in your bed."



Sorry for the gifs, it's the only way I can show how I feel. I recommend everyone to read it! Can't wait for the sequel :)



The person in the cover is Hami Hootan. I'm pretty sure of it! GIIIVEE MEE!

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the cover shows, Eden at the Edge of Midnight describes a fantastic and vibrant world, so different than our own, filled with strange creatures and other wonders, and I really loved how rich the descriptions were. The setting was creative, beautiful and scary even, and it made for a very exciting reading experience. I could picture it all in my head and I loved that feeling - discovering this world step by step, with the good and the bad, with what makes it unique and fascinating.

The story itself was engaging – I loved the switch of perspective, Perseopia’s historical references, the mystery and all those turnarounds that didn’t let me trust the characters and made me question their hidden motives. I also loved the fact that the main character was not supposed to be quite the classical paranormal heroine (also it kept us guessing if she was the saviour or the destroyer or if there was more to her story) and the romance was pretty tamed and not that typical either.

Though the pacing was a bit slow at times, there was plenty of action and it really managed to pick up near the ending – the same one that left us with so many questions regarding Sammy, her purpose, what did she achieve with her actions and how will those resonate in Perseopia and (who knows?) maybe even our world.



This being said, on the bad side there were only 2 things that bothered me: Sammy and the dialogue.

I can’t be sure what in those conversations didn’t ring particularly true to my ears, it was just a feeling that lingered and made me cringe a bit, but when it comes to the main character I know for certain that she must be one of the most immature girls I’ve read about in a quite a while.

Sammy was really selfish and didn’t think things through, she took all these rush decisions, acting like a child and pretending to be a “young adult”.. Still, I am sure that this must have been intended this way – because even Sammy knows just how annoying she can be. But no matter if a character evolves or not through a story (and she didn’t, not by much), when you feel like punching that character every time she opens her mouth, well.. something is not quite right.

Conclusions:

I loved this dark world, I enjoyed being transported to this land of adventure, inhabited by people next to dinosaur pets and mushroom trees and crab monsters, I loved following the myths that held the key to Sammy’s return to our world, and even though I didn't like the main narrator Eden at the Edge of Midnight was an enjoyable read.

Happy midnight reading!


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Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
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[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always catious, when it comes to receiving books for review. Definitely not because of the stories, but because of the writing style.
In this case, however, the writing style was simply amazing! But I will come to that later on.

Eden at the Edge of Midnight contains a world full of imagination. The whole fantasy aspect was elaborate and very intriguing. It was obvious that John Kerry put a lot of effort in creating this world and that is always something I appreciate!

'''You aren't the chosen one.' 'Say what? You said I have the gift.' 'You have a gift. One that can unlock the dial. But you aren't the chosen one. I am.' 'You're not doing a good job of selling me this dumb fantasy. I'm not climbing into the back of your van if I have to be Robin. I'm Batman. That's how these things work.'''

Sammy was an awesome main protagonist! She was strong and always strived to do the best, even though some situations were overwhelming. In addition to that, she was funny and interesting enough to keep me reading. I just loved reading about her!

Even though I'm a sucker for love stories, it is always refreshing to read a book that doesn't revolve around this topic and most importantly, can stand on its own! Sadly this is not self-evident in many cases.

I was very impressed by John Kerry's writing style! Right at the beginning I knew this book would suck me in and it most certainly did! The world was complex, but he knew how to describe it in an adequate way, without overwhelming me with informations, but still letting the created world come to life.

Overall I'm pleasantly surprised and I definitely need a sequel! :)

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so entertaining! When I was done I ran straight to Amazon looking for a sequel. Imagine my sorrow to find there wasn't one (yet?). I wouldn't have torn through the first one so fast, had a I known. But it was just so good! Please let there be more of these great characters and this amazing world forthcoming, Mr Kerry.

[Caz (littlebookowl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars :)

[Botoocean · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I recieved this book through a First Reads Giveaway on Goodreads and I thank John Kerry for having a giveaway for this book*
What first caught my eye was the cover of this book. Beautifully drawn, with looming mushrooms and lurking crabmen. What originally came to mind looking at the cover was "Alice in Wonderland" because of the large mushrooms and strange creatures on the cover. Well let's just say that even after reading the description and finding out it was roughly about a ruined version of the Garden of Eden, my predictions for what would happen after each turning of a page, we're completely off.
I can honestly say I was taken aback by the amount of detail that was put into the world of Perseopia and the story behind it. Especially the descriptions of the battles and of past events. Certain parts of Eden felt slow and dragged out, but it was important for it to be that way because within those long periods, information was shared that was crucial to the plot, and of course, to add even more suspense. I think the only reason the pace bothered me was because a lot of the books I've read had at least two sections where tons of information is crammed in at one time to make the storyline shorter and I liked that this book was not like that at all.
As for the characters, they are all very dynamic. Sammy annoyed me at some points, when she was acting out of selfishness, but I admired her for her persistence to keep going even when pretty much everything, everyone else was against her. Merak was an interesting character. He is sweet and kind and a determined adventurer. The relationship that he formed with Sammy was cute, but whole thing with his wife makes it difficult to really say whether or not I think he should just give up on his wife or on Sammy... It's an interesting case. Now Hami, I don't really know about him. It would seem he has a hidden agenda that was kept hidden from the reader that makes him seem all the more shady. There are instences when it does seem that Hami does care for Sammy, it just gets weird and then Hami shuts her out. I have mixed feelings toward that character.
I have never read a book like this one, it is completely different from most of the books I've read and it was refreshing to read such a unique and original story. I'm really curious of Sammy's powers since it was really only touched upon in this book. And I can definitely say that I am eagerly awaiting the sequel to answer my questions and lead to more!

[Tracy Mcallister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eden at the Edge of Midnight is really well written. The atmosphere of Perseopia is beautifully described by the author as he leads the reader through mushroom forests, lavish palaces, stark cities of smog, as well as dozens of other interesting places. The characters are well written and he keeps you guessing on who's side you want to cheer for. I like a book like that. My only complaint is the end. John Kerry, you better write a sequel because I feel this needs it. That's all I will say because I don't like to make my review a spoiler!

All in all, this is a wonderful read and I fell completely into the story!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this five stars the second time around. I think last time it was four. I really enjoyed re-reading, because I apparently didn't remember as much as I thought! The author has put out a revised edition where he has cleaned up some dialogue and toned down Sammy's "immaturity" a bit. I commented in my first review that I didn't find her annoying, but apparently some people did. I liked her a lot in my re-read. I was also a bit clearer on how old the two main men were, which made things make a little bit more sense.

Not much else to say, I loved it and I can't wait to get started on book 2!

[Alyssa Greatbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a bit to get into this book, maybe a few chapters, but after you start getting used to all the new things this world has, it becomes such a great, epic book. I was told that this book is the first in an upcoming series. So, saying that, I will DEFINITELY be reading future books in this series.

Overall, this was very well written, the characters were interesting and easy to identify with. The world this book took place in was very fleshed out, and you could really picture what was going on.

[Rosemary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha has a stalker who isn’t who she seems. When the old lady gives her a bracket to keep safe, she sets in motion Sammy’s amazing adventure. She travels to another world. Where they say she’s the chosen one. As Sammy struggles to survive, she has two rescuers. They are - Mehrak and Hami. Can she trust them? Samantha is a strong character. She’s wise beyond her 16 years. How she adjusted to her strange new world made for exciting reading. I enjoyed learning about Perseopia. The people, the plant life, and the animals especially Louis made this story. I was fascinated by how different it was from the real world. Both men had their own agenda. I wasn’t sure which one was there to help Sammy. The story kept me on the edge of my seat. The action was non-stop and was filled with unexpected twists. Just be aware that the,story ends on a cliff hanger. I’m looking forward to reading part two.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll get this right off the bat Louis is the best sidekicked/animal friend/whatever you want to call him. I love the idea that he communicates through sign language, and I kind of want to live in a golden egg on his back. I love the world Kerry creates in this novel in that it is different from what I have read in other novels. I was really drawn into the story from the beginning, but the more it progressed, I began to get bored with it. It felt like it started to take a while to get to where it was going and when it did, it felt more rushed and left me wanting, it felt a little unsatisfying. Sammy was likable in the beginning but towards the end she gets annoying and flip flops between who she believes. At one point she ditches her loyalty to Mehrak for Hami simply because Hami teaches her a little magic. I do plan on reading the next book to see what happens and where the story progresses. But I am not sure if it would be one that I rush out to buy.

[Joel]

Ay yi yi.

Where to begin?

I received my copy of this book via Goodreads giveaway which has no influence on my review.

This is a YA fantasy, first in a series (currently a duology). I love portal fantasies (where the protagonist is transported to a world other than our own) as a general rule, but this one proved to be an exception.

While I saw potential (the author has a good imagination) in the story, the way it was told doomed it for me. Also, the main character (I had to look up her name because I couldn't remember it after 50+ pages) wasn't very likable or memorable. The writing itself just felt off. Oh, you want to know why I am here and why I appear to be stalking you? Well, let me tell you about the entire frigging history of this lost world and explain to you what I need you to do to save it.

No. Just....no.

DNF at 15%

[Jypsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other reviews have stated, I liked and disliked Eden at the Edge of Midnight. I do like the premise of an evil Garden of Eden. I did enjoy the vivid beautiful descriptions of everything. It's lovely really. The plot is intriguing and entertaining. On the other hand, I disliked the main character. I don't think a child was the right choice for this role. Maturity would have been better. She's not believable. I wanted to know more about the other characters too. So, it's good and bad, but overall it's a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Awesome Indies Book Awards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include EDEN AT THE EDGE OF MIDNIGHT (The Vara Volumes: Book 1) by JOHN KERRY in the library of Awesome Indies' Badge of Approval recipients.

Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):

If one were to take the Chronicles of Narnia (take your pick which one), Alice in Wonderland, and then add in a dash of Stephen King, and put the whole thing in a blender, you'd come close to having Eden At the Edge of Midnight, the first book in John Kerry's Vara Chronicles. Giant mushrooms, pink stegosaurus-like mammals, a roiling purple sky, carnivorous rhinos, and even more bizarre things await Sammy Ellis, the luckless and unpopular English protagonist who only wants her often-drunk, harsh father to recognize her for the soccer (foothball) genius she is. Instead, a bracelet catapults Sammy into Vara, where people have no idea what grass is, make furniture out of fungus, and where magic exists.

This book is a real page-turner. Past the first few rather interesting chapters, once Sammy lands in Vara it's almost like the book reads itself. It's chock full of an interesting backstory, the shattering history of the various secret societies, cities, and the order of the magi are all keeping secrets and trying to stay alive.

Of the three main characters, perhaps Hami is my favorite. You're obviously supposed to root for Mehrak, and he's the harmless, hapless and well-meaning comedy in the book, but Hami is the lone wolf with possibly dark secrets. All three are written well, and the dialogue serves to separate out characters fairly well.

Eden's also got action sequences (handled well), full on army battles (mostly these go on offstage, but that's okay) some creepy, thrilling portions with some kind of mysterious monster we should probably see more of in the second book, and all of these are written with great skill.

What's most admirable about the book is the author's ability to fully envision a three hundred sixty view of a completely alien world. Vara not only has cool creatures (lava pterodactyls, nice) and interesting locations (Honton Keep is great), but under the author's watch they come to vivid life.

At about the eighty five percent mark, you begin to wonder 'Okay, great, so far the book is really good, but it's not going to end off at a cliffhanger, is it? The author wouldn't do that to me... well, some authors would do that to me. Crud.' Rest assured, the book does finally resolve itself, though the epilogue (and unanswered questions from the remainder of the book) leave a door standing open to the future of the series.

There are a couple of places where the book falters, however. The first is the propensity of the author to repeat sentences similar to 'He turned away and said nothing.' or 'He just looked at her and didn't speak.' These mostly started to get to me in the middle of the book, where loyalties and motives begin to get questioned.

Second, there are a number of places and terms in the world of Vara that aren't explained. My two hangups were The Fifth Azaran and Ahriman, which appear to have a lot of meaning to the author, but for which we receive no backstory. Are there four other Azarans? The reader has no idea. No lore is provided, not even a casual mention of the function of these things, which actually become very, very important later in the book.

Third, this book is categorized under children's fiction, and parents need to take note here: this is, at best, a high level young adult book. There is swearing, there is alcohol use, and while generally these are not part of the YA canon, sometimes they slip in there. Both, in this case, serve the purpose of characterizing an important person in the novel, but neither are handled with the sort of delicacy one would expect of YA (the function would be to teach a lesson about why these things aren't acceptable, or why people do them when they shouldn't). While the instances of swearing and drinking are minimal, they are not in the slightest bit subtle.

Overall, AIA lists four stars as material you would find in a bookstore as published by a mainstream publisher. I believe this book stands on the very edge of that rating and the three star rating: books we at AIA recommend readers to buy, but which wouldn't make the editorial cut at a publishing house. I'm awarding four stars because the writing was done very well, and the flaws were fairly minor, but parents are warned that this is much more an adult than a YA book.

Thank you for the read, Mr. Kerry.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Eden at the Edge of Midnight from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rounded up from 2.5 stars.

The original Garden of Eden, the Vara, was sealed from the rest of the world and populated with the best of the best. Unfortunately, 150 years ago it became ravaged by smog that blocks the sun. Now it's stuck in a permanent state of darkness and the people need a champion to save the realm from the deadly smog. But they end up with Sammy instead. She's decidedly not champion material. She was only supposed to help the actual chosen one open the gateway into the Vara, but she not only took their place, she’s also locked them out in the process. Being an unimportant teen back home is starting to look better and better.

My two favorite aspects of Eden at the Edge of Midnight are, by far, Louis and the world building. Louis, the dino-chicken with ears that can sign all while he carries the portable Golden Egg house on his back, is an awesome animal sidekick and is actually my favorite character out of the entire cast. In regards to the world-building, I liked the setting and description of the Vara. The descriptions of how it was versus how it is now after the event 150 years before are quite detailed and it's pretty easy to picture Louis running around there.

Overall, the main reason I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars is that I had a difficult time connecting to the story and characters. Like I mentioned above, there are aspects I enjoyed, but Sammy just about did me in. She's alright to start off with but she develops into a real pain. Which reminds me, her relationship with Melrak is odd to say the least. I don't really know what to make of it since he seems to be nice enough, but even though his wife has disappeared he is still married. I guess I just think he should be working harder to find his wife. Mostly, though, it's Sammy herself I take issue with in the story. Otherwise, the story line isn't that bad, it just never hooked me and reeled me in. I actually caught myself skimming several times in the story, especially the closer I got to the ending, which happened very abruptly.

If I do read future installments of The Vara Volumes, I would to see more of Louis and the the rich setting descriptions. The other characters, primarily Sammy, would need to be more fleshed out (and grown up) for me to be interested in continuing the series.

[Lisa Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eden at the Edge of Midnight is a surprisingly well developed work of fantasy the likes of which I have not encountered for some time. John Kerry has crafted an entirely new world and peopled it with wonderfully complex characters that closely rivals the works of Tolkein, Lewis, and as a more contemporary reference, J.K. Rowling.

Sammy Ellis, our lead protagonist, is like most young teenagers in our time. Her parents are divorced, she feels invisible most of the time, and doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. On top of that, she feels like she is being stalked by a strange old lady.

While Sammy tries to navigate her difficult family relationships, she meets this older woman, 'Esther', who tells Sammy that she must meet with her. Sammy is skeptical, but get's her mother to take her to the local market so she can meet up with Esther in a public place. Esther begins to weave a tale that Sammy finds hard to believe, but when she is given a strange bracelet to keep safe, Sammy reluctantly agrees.

Later, when the bracelet starts to emit an otherworldly green glow, Sammy fiddles with it and suddenly finds herself transported to a strange world where danger is all around her. She meets a funny man, named 'Mehrak', who doubts her story of coming from another world, but invites her to travel with him in his very unconventional home until she can figure out who she is and where she is.

A story filled with magic, mystery, mythology, and whole menagerie of wild creatures too amazing to comprehend. There is danger, intrigue, and prophecy to be fulfilled, but is Sammy the chosen one who will save this strange new world from certain evil?

A great novel, particularly for Young Adult readers who love a good fantasy read. It is unique and wonderful, full of the wonderful details that make what would otherwise be good fantasy - great fantasy. While not a perfect novel, it is certainly close, and John Kerry has a lot of promise as an up and coming fantasy novelist. I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy, especially with a strong female lead who learn to claim her own power.

**This review is based on a copy received via a Goodreads, First Reads giveaway. The honest opinions and comments expressed are my own and are in no way influenced by Goodreads, The Publisher, or the Author.**

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've won this book on a giveaway. Thanks to John Kerry for sending the book.

Eden at the Edge of Midnight is a very innovative fantasy novel. I'm sure that it would deserve a 5-star rating if it were not for some usual paths of fantasy present on it.

Sammy Ellis is a teenage girl that doesn't seem to fit in. She starts to notice a strange old woman is following her. One day, she decides to find out what she wants. The old woman gives her a bracelet with a big green emerald and a dial. The woman, named Esther, says she needs Sammy to find out how the dial works but she warns her by telling her not to try until they meet again.

Do you now what happens next? Well, Sammy disobeys and is transported to Persopia, a very unique realm, plagued with mushrooms, smog and weird creatures.

The first thing that bothered me was the excessive use of precious gems as portals through different worlds or any other types of magic artifacts. It's a very common explanation in fantasy to use gems. I can't see why, because I don't give a damn about them.

The whole world building was amazing, though. Original and precise. The descriptions of the creatures that inhabit Persopia were perfectly made, so perfect you almost think those creature are real flesh-and-bone animals. Eden at the Edge of Midnight has everything: manticores, walking dinosaurs, pterodactyls, crabmen, etc.

One of the characters is Louis, a gastrosaur that carries a cottage on its back and communicates with humans by moving its ears. Louis is one of the most astonishing and fresh characters I've met in a while.

The prose is wonderful. I liked how tiny bits of poetry were intercalated through the novel as riddles or enigmatic information.

A few plot twists were completely unexpected. I liked how a few characters were so cryptic you can't never know what they are going to do or who they really are.

The main character, Sammy, bothered me sometimes though. She apparently has a lot of power but she is stupid and naive. How can someone so dumb have so much power and great abilities?

Oh, and finally, there's a young adult book where the parents of the main character exist. That was great.

The ending was nice but... John Kerry, I hope you are working on the second installment of The Vara Chronicles! I'm so intrigued.

[D.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW

‘Eden At The Edge of Midnight’ by John Kerry, is a well-written story full of adventure, action, and deceit. This book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. There are many twists and turns. Just when you think you have it figured out, something changes. There is no second guessing when reading this book.

The characters are strong and well thought out. The main character, Sammy Ellis, continually tries to prove herself. She carries a lot of baggage within her, making her an unlikely heroine. Sammy wakes up in an alternate world that is dark and full of fantasy characters; some evil and some good.

John Kerry does a wonderful job in building the alternate world, Perseopia. He wonderfully describes it as a lush forest full of giant mushrooms, a roiling purple sky, ghost towns, and tall mountains with hidden cities and luxurious palaces.

‘Eden At The Edge of Midnight’ is a great fantasy read which includes danger, intrigue, magic, mystery, mythology, and a prophecy. I loved this book and look forward to ‘Book 2′. I recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.

I received a PDF copy of this book from Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review.

http://mauldinfamily1.wordpress.com/2...

[Gothie BioVenom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this and looking forward to the next book.

This is a fantasy book and it was a great read.
Easy to follow, the characters were interesting and makes you eager to learn more about them and their motivations.
I liked the absence of a romantic relationship, not that I hate that part of a storyline, but it's refreshing to have a plot that doesn't rely on love or lust.
In terms of character development there isn't a whole lot, but seeing as the characters were already well written and strong characters it wasn't something I missed. I am hoping to learn more about the characters in the next book.

The world was amazing, so much descriptive detail had me imagining the world on every page. It is such a pretty world, but still quite cruel and dangerous.
Again, I look forward to learning more about it, and possibly finding out about the temples underground and why they are there.

It was a quick read, the writing style is descriptive but not overboard, the language is mid-range level and the storyline is engaging :)