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The Ronin Saga #1
The Knife's Edge
When legends come to life the world trembles from a single name. Ronin. Once-heroes from a different age, they wield elemental powers... wind, water, fire, stone, forest, sun, moon, flesh, and metal. At the same time, a young man discovers his best friend with a sword in her stomach, and dark wings sprouting from her back. Guards rush onto the scene, accuse him of the act, and he is forced to flee. In a new world without his memories, Gray must find his way amid legends and darkness, as he wrestles with an elemental power inside himself. A power all too similar to the infamous Ronin...
484 pages, Hardcover
First published March 17, 2013
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August 7, 2025Hi, I'm Matt Wolf, the Author. Just leaving this blank (no review) and using this as an update for people to follow along! So if you can "like" that'd be awesome <3
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8/7/2025
Top 5 on Audible! Listen to the whole Saga by Tim Gerard Reynolds
https://www.audible.com/author/Matthe...
5/28/2022
- New Audiobook is out Narrated by the Amazing Tim Gerard Reynolds.
Get your copy here:
https://adbl.co/3e7kyBc
6/05/2022
Top 5 Kickstarter for Citadel of Fire Audiobook! Woot!
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8/7/2025
Top 5 on Audible! Listen to the whole Saga by Tim Gerard Reynolds
https://www.audible.com/author/Matthe...
5/28/2022
- New Audiobook is out Narrated by the Amazing Tim Gerard Reynolds.
Get your copy here:
https://adbl.co/3e7kyBc
6/05/2022
Top 5 Kickstarter for Citadel of Fire Audiobook! Woot!
October 17, 2013
I found The Knife's Edge on Kickstarter and figured it sounded good, and I wanted to support a budding author, so I backed it. I can't say I regret backing it, but it doesn't end up anywhere near the top of my list of great fantasy. Unfortunately, there were too many problems with the book for me to ignore.
Kail, Karil, and Kirin - these are three different people. I couldn't keep them straight for the life of me (I'm good now that the book's over, but seriously, all three of these characters' names showing up within a few pages of each other and I was screwed). Add to that the fact that Kirin is also Gray, and one character keeps calling him Kirin, well, I got all sorts of mixed up. Plus, there's a voice in his head that talks to him when he's confused...is that supposed to be Kirin talking to Gray? Does he have schizophrenia? It's never explained, but he listens to it without any real questioning.
Kirin/Gray (from now on just Gray) goes off on an epic adventure to save the world after he's attacked by a bunch of monsters. There's a lot more to it than that, but that's how I'm going to summarize it. The monsters are sent after him by Vera, his dead girlfriend, who is apparently working for someone else and herself at the same time (apparently with no repercussions, but whatevs, girl don't care!), and everyone wants Kirin dead. I still have no idea what these monsters look like, by the way - I imagine the Verg with triangle heads. And the Saerok look kind of like this:
I have no idea why, but that's just where my mind went. Anyone else remember that Angel? Yep.
Anyway, Gray has a sword that killed Vera, his now-dead girlfriend(or something, that becomes questionable later on and kind of creepy in a way...) and he's terrified of it but he doesn't know why because he doesn't remember who he was. And he goes on this epic quest, meets a couple of folks who become his sidekicks no matter how hard he tries to ditch them, and learns how to harness this magic power that's within him, which is actually kind of cool. Eventually he comes to terms with being a "savior" and, with the help of Ronin who are supposed to be evil but aren't really (their backstory isn't completely explained), goes off to save the world.
The Ronin didn't make a ton of sense in the whole scheme of things. Their story is only given in bits and pieces, and while by the end we kind of understand why they are seen as evil but are really good, it's a little too late for me.
Going beyond plot and into printing, I understand that this was a Kickstarter and therefore not a "professionally" published book. However, the author had made numerous mentions in the campaign of proofreading, polishing and perfecting the book over several years and it's finally ready for publication. I beg to differ. The first hundred or so pages weren't so bad. There was the odd extra comma, a few spelling errors, and maybe some weird out-of-place sentences. But by the time I got halfway through the book they were literally everywhere. It was like whoever had proofread this thing had gotten that far in and said "Screw it, I'm done, no one will notice anyway." Well, I noticed. There were spelling problems, horrible grammar, weird punctuation, floating half-sentences, wrong words, wrong characters, and "he's" and "she's" everywhere without identifying who that he or she was.
I was ready for it to be over about 150 pages before it was, even though we hadn't even gotten all the story yet. This wasn't a bad book, obviously I'm in the minority when it comes to those who didn't like it, but I didn't enjoy it very much and would not pass this on to my friends (unless they *really* wanted to read it, in which case, just let me know and it's yours).
Sorry Matthew, it was a dud for me :\
Kail, Karil, and Kirin - these are three different people. I couldn't keep them straight for the life of me (I'm good now that the book's over, but seriously, all three of these characters' names showing up within a few pages of each other and I was screwed). Add to that the fact that Kirin is also Gray, and one character keeps calling him Kirin, well, I got all sorts of mixed up. Plus, there's a voice in his head that talks to him when he's confused...is that supposed to be Kirin talking to Gray? Does he have schizophrenia? It's never explained, but he listens to it without any real questioning.
Kirin/Gray (from now on just Gray) goes off on an epic adventure to save the world after he's attacked by a bunch of monsters. There's a lot more to it than that, but that's how I'm going to summarize it. The monsters are sent after him by Vera, his dead girlfriend, who is apparently working for someone else and herself at the same time (apparently with no repercussions, but whatevs, girl don't care!), and everyone wants Kirin dead. I still have no idea what these monsters look like, by the way - I imagine the Verg with triangle heads. And the Saerok look kind of like this:
I have no idea why, but that's just where my mind went. Anyone else remember that Angel? Yep.
Anyway, Gray has a sword that killed Vera, his now-dead girlfriend(or something, that becomes questionable later on and kind of creepy in a way...) and he's terrified of it but he doesn't know why because he doesn't remember who he was. And he goes on this epic quest, meets a couple of folks who become his sidekicks no matter how hard he tries to ditch them, and learns how to harness this magic power that's within him, which is actually kind of cool. Eventually he comes to terms with being a "savior" and, with the help of Ronin who are supposed to be evil but aren't really (their backstory isn't completely explained), goes off to save the world.
The Ronin didn't make a ton of sense in the whole scheme of things. Their story is only given in bits and pieces, and while by the end we kind of understand why they are seen as evil but are really good, it's a little too late for me.
Going beyond plot and into printing, I understand that this was a Kickstarter and therefore not a "professionally" published book. However, the author had made numerous mentions in the campaign of proofreading, polishing and perfecting the book over several years and it's finally ready for publication. I beg to differ. The first hundred or so pages weren't so bad. There was the odd extra comma, a few spelling errors, and maybe some weird out-of-place sentences. But by the time I got halfway through the book they were literally everywhere. It was like whoever had proofread this thing had gotten that far in and said "Screw it, I'm done, no one will notice anyway." Well, I noticed. There were spelling problems, horrible grammar, weird punctuation, floating half-sentences, wrong words, wrong characters, and "he's" and "she's" everywhere without identifying who that he or she was.
I was ready for it to be over about 150 pages before it was, even though we hadn't even gotten all the story yet. This wasn't a bad book, obviously I'm in the minority when it comes to those who didn't like it, but I didn't enjoy it very much and would not pass this on to my friends (unless they *really* wanted to read it, in which case, just let me know and it's yours).
Sorry Matthew, it was a dud for me :\
July 13, 2013
Two stars supposedly means "it was ok", so that's what I'm giving it.
There's nothing really special about The Knife's Edge. It's ok.
It's very heavily influenced by Wheel Of Time, with the addition of a bit more Japanese-ish culture (even with japanese honorifics at some point).
It's definitely not a bad book. But it's current goodreads-rating is too high which gave me unreasonable expectations, ultimately leading to a lesser enjoyment.
The world isn't that original (elves are standard elves, humans are standard humans, animals are standard animals, dragons are standard dragons, ...), the writing not very crisp, sometimes the character viewpoint is not clear, at times it can lack in visual cues (I still don't know what a saerok's face is supposed to look like), and there are moments that take you out of the reading flow (stretching mundane moments or rushing emotional ones).
All of which are to be expected from a new author. I'm sure he'll improve these points in the next one, which I'll hold out in getting until after more than 10 people have reviewed it...
There's nothing really special about The Knife's Edge. It's ok.
It's very heavily influenced by Wheel Of Time, with the addition of a bit more Japanese-ish culture (even with japanese honorifics at some point).
It's definitely not a bad book. But it's current goodreads-rating is too high which gave me unreasonable expectations, ultimately leading to a lesser enjoyment.
The world isn't that original (elves are standard elves, humans are standard humans, animals are standard animals, dragons are standard dragons, ...), the writing not very crisp, sometimes the character viewpoint is not clear, at times it can lack in visual cues (I still don't know what a saerok's face is supposed to look like), and there are moments that take you out of the reading flow (stretching mundane moments or rushing emotional ones).
All of which are to be expected from a new author. I'm sure he'll improve these points in the next one, which I'll hold out in getting until after more than 10 people have reviewed it...
December 2, 2013
Taking from my Amazon review: I just finished the book in a few days and this is my feeling… but I’ll try to break down how I felt about The Knife’s Edge into a few categories, (read the end if you want the overall gist.)
**BEWARE SOME SMALL SPOILERS**
Good:
Plot: I’ll start with the best. The plot is fast-paced, full of twists, and most importantly, EPIC. It sets up for what I believe to potentially be one of the best fantasy series I’ve ever read, willing to rival WOT (wheel of time), GOT (Game of Thrones), SOT (Sword of Truth) (why do they all have T’s at the end?), and more…
The deception—who is dark and who is light? I loved guessing at that every step of the way. I also LOVE, the twist of a world that is already too late to save. EVERY book I read is a beautiful nice, flowery landscape with rainbows and unicorns and a darkness is spreading, but they save it in the end. Daerval is dead. It’s too late. I like that idea. Part of me wanted to soak in the beauty of Farhaven (the land of magic), but we quickly depart from that into the darker world of Daerval.
*Side note: if you can get past page 100, or got stuck before, I can understand, but it REALLY picks up from there, and I was truly riveted when they got to Shining City and onward. I couldn’t put the book down. (see bad side)
Characters: I liked most characters, and loved some, but in the end what puts characters in the good character is simply: The Ronin. They are downright badass. Never have I seen heroes/villains/neither quite like them. Think “Knights of the Roundtable” but Japanese hints, and… cooler. Kail is amazing—I love my stoic, hard, mysterious badass Wanderer-types. It’s a soft spot. But still, he brings some of the most complexity to the book. Ayva is fun, and Darius is quirky, and brings great moments of levity AKA humor.
Humor: Yes it deserves it’s own sub-point and hear me out. The humor in The Knife’s Edge is GREAT!! I won’t get on my soapbox but there really is not enough great humor in books anymore. It’s truly disappointing. Fantasies often devolved into just fighting, magic, heroism, and (mostly with the onset of Martin), surprising twists and lots of bloodshed and booty. Humor to me is far more entertaining than any of those elements, and combined with good sword fights, epic magic, twists etc? Ahhh, yes please.*
*Note: A few scenes (specifically Balder when he meets Gray) made me laugh out loud. I rarely rarely do that. Usually a nice exhale through the nose is all a book gets.
Magic: I love the powers. And we all know that good magic is an essential part of any good epic fantasy. Reminiscent of The Last Airbender, the elements are awesome. And I know/hope Gray’s potential is only beginning to be tapped.
Okay, the not-so-good:
Plot (again): How can it be bad and good you wonder? Well, I believe this first book is a set up as I mentioned before. I can definitely tell that Saga feel, and that it is building. The author does a great job introducing characters, etc, but there’s a feeling that while this book while a great read..... could ALMOST be a prequel.
It starts out a little slow, as others mention. It goes into the main character’s, Gray’s past, and though he encounters some pretty harrowing obstacles/incidents (I’ll refrain from spoilers), and it while doesn’t read like boring old “world/character building” it’s still a lacking the juicy goodness the rest of the book possesses. The book is about “The Ronin” so I wish I could see, feel that part of it earlier… but I understand the build-up I suppose.
Lastly, I can really see Gray, Ayva and Darius pulling together and becoming pretty epic.
Characters: As others have said, a little too trope-ish at times. Mura the mentor, Karil the sage elf princess, but mostly, Darius the rogue. Another reviewer said it pretty well, how he is “Mat Cauthon” rip-off. But I can see where Darius’ character is progressing, and I'm excited for who he is to "become".
Arguing against some Reviewer’s ‘bad’ points:
*Staccato-like chapters? Yes. But I liked. Preference I’d say. That said however, in following books, I DO hope I can lose myself to the characters in longer chapters.
*Thieving from Japanese? Uh yes. Sure “Kage” means shadow, and “Ronin” is a ‘samurai whose lost his master’, but I don’t think the author wasn’t trying to hide that. It's pretty silly to count that as a downside, really. Because I'm pretty sure one is blaming Lucas for naming his main antagonist "Darth Vader" which is literally "Dark Father" in German. Either way, I loved the small Japanese flavor. And it had more of an “Anime” influence to me at times too with recurring question of who IS the most powerful of powerful.
*Derivativeness: It is derivative at times. But I find it more of a homage, but that’s just perspective I suppose. Ultimately, I found the core of the book very unique (more so than the hundred Hunger Game rip offs I've read).
*Too quick? Yes, but is that so bad? It’s 426 pages. Yes, I would have wished for more. That might have fleshed out some of the holes; i.e. characters joining to quick etc, but that just makes me excited to see what happens in book two.
I truly think if anyone is disappointed, it’s because they read it with expectations as an adult adult fantasy. Read it with a slightly younger audience in mind (think older than Eragon, and younger than GOT), and imagine it growing. But, I’m 26 and I still loved it.
**********************************
TL;DR, IN CONCLUSION : The Knife’s Edge is a truly great read. It’s fast, and fun, but still full of grandeur, epic fights and insurmountable odds. It has its faults, but leaves me knowing there is much more. Simply put, as another reviewer has stated it is a “tome of light amid darkness.” And I also believe it will “rival the best fantasies,” especially if it continues this trend. P.s. The Ronin are badass.
**BEWARE SOME SMALL SPOILERS**
Good:
Plot: I’ll start with the best. The plot is fast-paced, full of twists, and most importantly, EPIC. It sets up for what I believe to potentially be one of the best fantasy series I’ve ever read, willing to rival WOT (wheel of time), GOT (Game of Thrones), SOT (Sword of Truth) (why do they all have T’s at the end?), and more…
The deception—who is dark and who is light? I loved guessing at that every step of the way. I also LOVE, the twist of a world that is already too late to save. EVERY book I read is a beautiful nice, flowery landscape with rainbows and unicorns and a darkness is spreading, but they save it in the end. Daerval is dead. It’s too late. I like that idea. Part of me wanted to soak in the beauty of Farhaven (the land of magic), but we quickly depart from that into the darker world of Daerval.
*Side note: if you can get past page 100, or got stuck before, I can understand, but it REALLY picks up from there, and I was truly riveted when they got to Shining City and onward. I couldn’t put the book down. (see bad side)
Characters: I liked most characters, and loved some, but in the end what puts characters in the good character is simply: The Ronin. They are downright badass. Never have I seen heroes/villains/neither quite like them. Think “Knights of the Roundtable” but Japanese hints, and… cooler. Kail is amazing—I love my stoic, hard, mysterious badass Wanderer-types. It’s a soft spot. But still, he brings some of the most complexity to the book. Ayva is fun, and Darius is quirky, and brings great moments of levity AKA humor.
Humor: Yes it deserves it’s own sub-point and hear me out. The humor in The Knife’s Edge is GREAT!! I won’t get on my soapbox but there really is not enough great humor in books anymore. It’s truly disappointing. Fantasies often devolved into just fighting, magic, heroism, and (mostly with the onset of Martin), surprising twists and lots of bloodshed and booty. Humor to me is far more entertaining than any of those elements, and combined with good sword fights, epic magic, twists etc? Ahhh, yes please.*
*Note: A few scenes (specifically Balder when he meets Gray) made me laugh out loud. I rarely rarely do that. Usually a nice exhale through the nose is all a book gets.
Magic: I love the powers. And we all know that good magic is an essential part of any good epic fantasy. Reminiscent of The Last Airbender, the elements are awesome. And I know/hope Gray’s potential is only beginning to be tapped.
Okay, the not-so-good:
Plot (again): How can it be bad and good you wonder? Well, I believe this first book is a set up as I mentioned before. I can definitely tell that Saga feel, and that it is building. The author does a great job introducing characters, etc, but there’s a feeling that while this book while a great read..... could ALMOST be a prequel.
It starts out a little slow, as others mention. It goes into the main character’s, Gray’s past, and though he encounters some pretty harrowing obstacles/incidents (I’ll refrain from spoilers), and it while doesn’t read like boring old “world/character building” it’s still a lacking the juicy goodness the rest of the book possesses. The book is about “The Ronin” so I wish I could see, feel that part of it earlier… but I understand the build-up I suppose.
Lastly, I can really see Gray, Ayva and Darius pulling together and becoming pretty epic.
Characters: As others have said, a little too trope-ish at times. Mura the mentor, Karil the sage elf princess, but mostly, Darius the rogue. Another reviewer said it pretty well, how he is “Mat Cauthon” rip-off. But I can see where Darius’ character is progressing, and I'm excited for who he is to "become".
Arguing against some Reviewer’s ‘bad’ points:
*Staccato-like chapters? Yes. But I liked. Preference I’d say. That said however, in following books, I DO hope I can lose myself to the characters in longer chapters.
*Thieving from Japanese? Uh yes. Sure “Kage” means shadow, and “Ronin” is a ‘samurai whose lost his master’, but I don’t think the author wasn’t trying to hide that. It's pretty silly to count that as a downside, really. Because I'm pretty sure one is blaming Lucas for naming his main antagonist "Darth Vader" which is literally "Dark Father" in German. Either way, I loved the small Japanese flavor. And it had more of an “Anime” influence to me at times too with recurring question of who IS the most powerful of powerful.
*Derivativeness: It is derivative at times. But I find it more of a homage, but that’s just perspective I suppose. Ultimately, I found the core of the book very unique (more so than the hundred Hunger Game rip offs I've read).
*Too quick? Yes, but is that so bad? It’s 426 pages. Yes, I would have wished for more. That might have fleshed out some of the holes; i.e. characters joining to quick etc, but that just makes me excited to see what happens in book two.
I truly think if anyone is disappointed, it’s because they read it with expectations as an adult adult fantasy. Read it with a slightly younger audience in mind (think older than Eragon, and younger than GOT), and imagine it growing. But, I’m 26 and I still loved it.
**********************************
TL;DR, IN CONCLUSION : The Knife’s Edge is a truly great read. It’s fast, and fun, but still full of grandeur, epic fights and insurmountable odds. It has its faults, but leaves me knowing there is much more. Simply put, as another reviewer has stated it is a “tome of light amid darkness.” And I also believe it will “rival the best fantasies,” especially if it continues this trend. P.s. The Ronin are badass.
June 25, 2013
This book has everything any epic fantasy lover is looking for in a book, mesmerizing characters, fantastical creatures, sword fights, magic, mystery and even comedy. For some the beginning of the book might seem to be slow, but the further you read, it gets better on each page. Matthew Wolf does an excellent job describing every scene, every character, every feeling and the consequences the character take to submerge you into this wonderful world he has created. I just can't wait for book 2 to continue with this epic saga that I just fell in love with!
August 14, 2013
I have no clue where this book came from- it literally showed up on my doorstep, in a plain envelope that included, other than my name and address, a return address only. No name. No company. No note. Just this book, whose arrival happened to coincide with my birthday. I put feelers out in an attempt to discern its origin, yet no one claimed it. I never got any emails from Goodreads about winning it as part of the First Reads program- that however, is my best guess. So in the spirit of First Reads, here are my thoughts on The Knife's Edge.
I desperately wanted to get behind this book, but I never could. This seemed to blend multiple fantasy series and mythologies- there were too many characters with similar names, too many characters with uncertain motives. One, great. Two, okay. But more than half? No thanks. There were too many questions in this fantasy book (where much of it is a foreign concept anyway). There needed to be a drive to continue reading, but it wasn't there for me. I was never invested, and couldn't be bothered to care about the characters. There was no one I loved, not even anyone I loved to hate- no strong emotions whatsoever. This was just not captivating for me, and it was a chore just to finish it. Nearly all the other reviewers loved this, leaving me wondering what book they read.
I desperately wanted to get behind this book, but I never could. This seemed to blend multiple fantasy series and mythologies- there were too many characters with similar names, too many characters with uncertain motives. One, great. Two, okay. But more than half? No thanks. There were too many questions in this fantasy book (where much of it is a foreign concept anyway). There needed to be a drive to continue reading, but it wasn't there for me. I was never invested, and couldn't be bothered to care about the characters. There was no one I loved, not even anyone I loved to hate- no strong emotions whatsoever. This was just not captivating for me, and it was a chore just to finish it. Nearly all the other reviewers loved this, leaving me wondering what book they read.
June 13, 2013
I just read The Knifes's Edge and i was expecting it to be just like all the other fantasy books i read(and trust me i have read like 60 of those books)
But this book......Wow
It had everything i ever dreamed in a book and the story and characters were just perfect!
I expect The Ronin Saga to rival the star fantasies and maybe even go further :)
But this book......Wow
It had everything i ever dreamed in a book and the story and characters were just perfect!
I expect The Ronin Saga to rival the star fantasies and maybe even go further :)
January 1, 2014
It was a decent read, the writing was acceptable if don't mind hearing the word "flame" repeatedly used awkwardly. Heavily derivative of common fantasy tropes though, especially from Jordan's Wheel of Time, and Tolkien's LotR, with many names and ideas simply switched (often to Japanese). For example:
Protagonist who knows little of their past, is central to prophecy, is able to channel a universally feared power (often via magical sword), must battle power/sword's corrupting taint: Grey/Kirin=Rand al'Thor
Powerful magical sword used to channel this power: Morrowil=Callandor
Lucky gambler/rogue who accompanies protagonist: Darius=Matt Cauthon
Predecessor who was corrupted by wielding same power and went mad: Kail=Lews Therin
Dark, hooded riders with poisonous blades and undead steeds seeking protagonist's demise and hoping to steal his powerful magical relic (The One Ring, whoops I mean Morrowil): Kage=Nazgul
Group of warriors equal in number who collectively oppose the Kage: Ronin=Fellowship
Powerful magic wielders who are sealed off from society: Reavers=Aes Sedai
Magic practitioner who seeks even more power and ultimately turns to darkness, then disguises her nature, appearing to our protagonist who lacks memory of his previous life, and attempting to corrupt him: Vera=Lanfear
Educated woman from a magical location who seeks to guide our protagonist on the path to prophecy, has surly elite bodyguard with cloak that allows him to blend into surroundings: Karil=Moiraine, Rydel=Lan
Then there are the little things, like location names. "Lost Woods," "Lakewood," "Shining City," "Lost Road," that just strike me as lazy, or could have been sourced straight out of Legend of Zelda.
And don't even get me started on how derivative the elves are...
Protagonist who knows little of their past, is central to prophecy, is able to channel a universally feared power (often via magical sword), must battle power/sword's corrupting taint: Grey/Kirin=Rand al'Thor
Powerful magical sword used to channel this power: Morrowil=Callandor
Lucky gambler/rogue who accompanies protagonist: Darius=Matt Cauthon
Predecessor who was corrupted by wielding same power and went mad: Kail=Lews Therin
Dark, hooded riders with poisonous blades and undead steeds seeking protagonist's demise and hoping to steal his powerful magical relic (The One Ring, whoops I mean Morrowil): Kage=Nazgul
Group of warriors equal in number who collectively oppose the Kage: Ronin=Fellowship
Powerful magic wielders who are sealed off from society: Reavers=Aes Sedai
Magic practitioner who seeks even more power and ultimately turns to darkness, then disguises her nature, appearing to our protagonist who lacks memory of his previous life, and attempting to corrupt him: Vera=Lanfear
Educated woman from a magical location who seeks to guide our protagonist on the path to prophecy, has surly elite bodyguard with cloak that allows him to blend into surroundings: Karil=Moiraine, Rydel=Lan
Then there are the little things, like location names. "Lost Woods," "Lakewood," "Shining City," "Lost Road," that just strike me as lazy, or could have been sourced straight out of Legend of Zelda.
And don't even get me started on how derivative the elves are...
August 24, 2025
Wolf has created a wonderful world in Daerval with hints of so much more to come in this epic fantasy series. I was delighted by the characters - from the young hero who is torn from his home, to the characters he meets along the way, to the Ronin. I loved the description of the Ronin warriors and their epic qualities, but also their humanity in their actions.
The fight scenes are full of action and written as if Wolf really knows his stuff. And also I am a sucker for humor in books, and there is much of this with some of the characters' dialogue. It is a terrific start to a series and I can't wait to read book 2.
The fight scenes are full of action and written as if Wolf really knows his stuff. And also I am a sucker for humor in books, and there is much of this with some of the characters' dialogue. It is a terrific start to a series and I can't wait to read book 2.
Read
July 24, 2014I just obtained this book through a give away from goodreads. I hope in finishing it soon and writing a review.
December 11, 2014
Matthew Wolf, you had me when you picked a book cover with dragon on it. Luckily, this time, my attraction to anything dragon related turned out to be a good thing because I enjoyed reading The Knife’s Edge, the first book in the The Ronin Saga.
The Knife’s Edge follows Gray, a young man, who has no memory of his previous life. The only clue is the tattoo on his wrist and the sword he owns. Gray’s training with stern mentor is cut short by a surprise attack and that’s how his adventure starts. There will be epic battles, magic, betrayals, big confrontations, …
Plot of The Knife’s Edge reminded me of The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (WOT):
* The Origin of a hero is unknown
* The hero is learning to master his magical powers. There is a lot of struggling with darkness and his resistance to succumb to it.
* On his travel hero gathers large group of friends and allies. They even were similar to WOT characters, not in an appearance but in the behavior and in some character traits (Karil & Rydel – Moiraine & Lan).
Please, don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of original features in The Knife’s Edge. I am just talking about the general feeling. Also, The Knife’s Edge has so many things happening – it’s like you squeezed 3 or 4 WOT novels into one (for epic fantasy) short book.
That’s the biggest flaw of The Knife’s Edge – it needed more pages. When I started reading I was overwhelmed. I can not accuse Matthew Wolf of info-dumping. The story has a nice flow. But there is just so many things you need to remember. The scope of The Knife’s Edge is huge with a big land, long history and a lot of characters. I took Anya‘s advice and gone with the flow hoping that I will eventually memorize names of all countries, towns, kings, heroes, … More pages with more descriptions and time for us to process all the data could have solved this problem.
On the other had, if it was thicker, The Knife’s Edge would not have been such a page-turner as it is now. There is always something new happening and the intrigues and surprises keep you reading, because you never know what is going to happen next. I didn’t care that, sometimes, I could not place some names or remember how some creatures looked like. I was glued to the pages because I had to find out what will happen next.
Oh, and if you are wondering about dragons. The cover does not lie, they do appear in The Knife’s Edge. But dragons are evil and usually their biggest part of the story is that they fly down from the sky and skewer someone with their sharp talons.
IN THE END…
The Knife’s Edge is an intense start to a new epic fantasy series. If you are not easily overwhelmed with complex world building, it will be a real page-turner for you. Or maybe you will just go with the flow, like me, and enjoy it nevertheless.
Recommended for fans of classic epic fantasy adventure series like Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings etc.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from Kismet Book Touring in exchange for a fair and honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
The Knife’s Edge follows Gray, a young man, who has no memory of his previous life. The only clue is the tattoo on his wrist and the sword he owns. Gray’s training with stern mentor is cut short by a surprise attack and that’s how his adventure starts. There will be epic battles, magic, betrayals, big confrontations, …
Plot of The Knife’s Edge reminded me of The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (WOT):
* The Origin of a hero is unknown
* The hero is learning to master his magical powers. There is a lot of struggling with darkness and his resistance to succumb to it.
* On his travel hero gathers large group of friends and allies. They even were similar to WOT characters, not in an appearance but in the behavior and in some character traits (Karil & Rydel – Moiraine & Lan).
Please, don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of original features in The Knife’s Edge. I am just talking about the general feeling. Also, The Knife’s Edge has so many things happening – it’s like you squeezed 3 or 4 WOT novels into one (for epic fantasy) short book.
That’s the biggest flaw of The Knife’s Edge – it needed more pages. When I started reading I was overwhelmed. I can not accuse Matthew Wolf of info-dumping. The story has a nice flow. But there is just so many things you need to remember. The scope of The Knife’s Edge is huge with a big land, long history and a lot of characters. I took Anya‘s advice and gone with the flow hoping that I will eventually memorize names of all countries, towns, kings, heroes, … More pages with more descriptions and time for us to process all the data could have solved this problem.
On the other had, if it was thicker, The Knife’s Edge would not have been such a page-turner as it is now. There is always something new happening and the intrigues and surprises keep you reading, because you never know what is going to happen next. I didn’t care that, sometimes, I could not place some names or remember how some creatures looked like. I was glued to the pages because I had to find out what will happen next.
Oh, and if you are wondering about dragons. The cover does not lie, they do appear in The Knife’s Edge. But dragons are evil and usually their biggest part of the story is that they fly down from the sky and skewer someone with their sharp talons.
IN THE END…
The Knife’s Edge is an intense start to a new epic fantasy series. If you are not easily overwhelmed with complex world building, it will be a real page-turner for you. Or maybe you will just go with the flow, like me, and enjoy it nevertheless.
Recommended for fans of classic epic fantasy adventure series like Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings etc.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from Kismet Book Touring in exchange for a fair and honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
October 30, 2020
Matthew Wolf is a young and ambitious writer whom I consider to be, similar to the legends is his book, the long lost hero of the self-publishing world and dare I say the SFF community. Matthew started writing the Ronin saga when he was in high school and through hard work and determination he created one of the genre’s forgotten beauties. Published primarily through Kickstarter campaigns, Matthew has released 3 books, authorized 2 audio books narrated by the famous Tim Gerard Reynolds, and is currently launching Book 4 of the Ronin Sage Tides of Fate – I will leave a link for that at the end of the review. Matthew is very interactive and friendly with his fans and I wanted to return the favor by telling everyone about the mysterious land of Farhaven.
Long ago their were nine legendary beings known as the Ronin, each wielding an elemental power of: wind, water, fire, sun, stone, forest, moon, flesh, and metal. Once thought of as heroes, the world quivers at the sound of their names as they are believe to have almost destroyed the world. Nothing more than an whisper on the wind, the Ronin have been driven to extinction and believed long dead. The twelve kingdoms are preparing for war as rumors as rumors or ancient evil are rising and the Ronin are slowly starting to return to Farhaven, but which side will they fall on?
This story follows several POV characters, but primarily revolves around Gray, a teenager with no memory of his past and haunted by the nightmares of a past life long since forgotten. When strange creatures attack his home, Gray discovers that he possess the elite skills of the devari and has heightened senses and powers to fight of the enemies. With nothing but questions, Gray must go on a journey throughout Farhaven looking for answers to his past and his strange new powers. Gray eventually comes into contact with the Ronin and his life is changed forever.
Farhaven is made up of twelve kingdoms, nine of them containing the elements of the Ronin incorporated into the city. An example of this is the city of Sun that contains buildings and structures made of glass, reflecting the rays of the Sun to illuminate the surrounding area. The Knife’s Edge does contain some typical fantasy troupes, but Matthew embraces the tradition and incorporates his own unique spin to the story. The story flows seamlessly from chapter to chapter and will keep you guessing what will come next. The worldbuilding and oral histories Matthew pours onto the page are what make his work soar to new heights. Combined with his mysterious plot, unexpected twists, and excellent pacing I flew through the story and immediately picked up book two!
I have grown to love the Ronin saga and eagerly await the release of Book 4. Matthew Wolf has crafted a world that is unique, wonderous, and magical with characters that will stay with you for a long time. Fans of Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyira novels will love the Ronin Saga and all it has to offer. I hope you will support Matthew Wolf work, as you will be glad you did!
Cheers!
more reviews at undertheradarsffbooks.com
Long ago their were nine legendary beings known as the Ronin, each wielding an elemental power of: wind, water, fire, sun, stone, forest, moon, flesh, and metal. Once thought of as heroes, the world quivers at the sound of their names as they are believe to have almost destroyed the world. Nothing more than an whisper on the wind, the Ronin have been driven to extinction and believed long dead. The twelve kingdoms are preparing for war as rumors as rumors or ancient evil are rising and the Ronin are slowly starting to return to Farhaven, but which side will they fall on?
This story follows several POV characters, but primarily revolves around Gray, a teenager with no memory of his past and haunted by the nightmares of a past life long since forgotten. When strange creatures attack his home, Gray discovers that he possess the elite skills of the devari and has heightened senses and powers to fight of the enemies. With nothing but questions, Gray must go on a journey throughout Farhaven looking for answers to his past and his strange new powers. Gray eventually comes into contact with the Ronin and his life is changed forever.
Farhaven is made up of twelve kingdoms, nine of them containing the elements of the Ronin incorporated into the city. An example of this is the city of Sun that contains buildings and structures made of glass, reflecting the rays of the Sun to illuminate the surrounding area. The Knife’s Edge does contain some typical fantasy troupes, but Matthew embraces the tradition and incorporates his own unique spin to the story. The story flows seamlessly from chapter to chapter and will keep you guessing what will come next. The worldbuilding and oral histories Matthew pours onto the page are what make his work soar to new heights. Combined with his mysterious plot, unexpected twists, and excellent pacing I flew through the story and immediately picked up book two!
I have grown to love the Ronin saga and eagerly await the release of Book 4. Matthew Wolf has crafted a world that is unique, wonderous, and magical with characters that will stay with you for a long time. Fans of Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyira novels will love the Ronin Saga and all it has to offer. I hope you will support Matthew Wolf work, as you will be glad you did!
Cheers!
more reviews at undertheradarsffbooks.com
August 13, 2016
For centuries, rumors of a Return have been spoken. There have been many false starts, and no one knows whether the rumors will actually be true. Ronins are legendary warriors who wield elemental powers. Such legends have intrigued Kirin for as long as he can remember. So much so, that he hopes to meet a Ronin some day.
Yet all that changes when he discovers his best friend with a sword stuck deep in her stomach. Kirin's life further changes when he's forced to flee the scene. In his mind, he needs to atone for what he's done. Sadly, that no longer seems possible.
Drifting along, unsure of who and he what he is, Kirin must struggle with a past he doesn't remember. Who is he? Where does he come from? Why does he carry a mystical sword? Those questions and more tumble repeatedly through his mind. The more he discovers about himself, the harder it becomes to grasp the life he now lives.
New rumors about the Ronin abound. Though he can't deny that he wields extraordinary powers, he refuses to believe he's anything other than who and what he is. Yet his destiny cannot be denied. If he's to succeed in righting all wrongs, he'll need to embrace this new aspect of himself. The question is, how can he do that when everything he's worked so hard to achieve is gone, and there's no one else around whom he can truly turn to?
This was honestly a great story. Based on Japanese legends, it also includes many fantasy elements. Elves, dragons, and mysteries aplenty, The Knife's Edge is a story that will definitely capture your interest. Though the story is slow to start, don't let that dishearten you. It does pick up, and it's well worth continuing on. The author has done a good job in setting things up for a second book, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Yet all that changes when he discovers his best friend with a sword stuck deep in her stomach. Kirin's life further changes when he's forced to flee the scene. In his mind, he needs to atone for what he's done. Sadly, that no longer seems possible.
Drifting along, unsure of who and he what he is, Kirin must struggle with a past he doesn't remember. Who is he? Where does he come from? Why does he carry a mystical sword? Those questions and more tumble repeatedly through his mind. The more he discovers about himself, the harder it becomes to grasp the life he now lives.
New rumors about the Ronin abound. Though he can't deny that he wields extraordinary powers, he refuses to believe he's anything other than who and what he is. Yet his destiny cannot be denied. If he's to succeed in righting all wrongs, he'll need to embrace this new aspect of himself. The question is, how can he do that when everything he's worked so hard to achieve is gone, and there's no one else around whom he can truly turn to?
This was honestly a great story. Based on Japanese legends, it also includes many fantasy elements. Elves, dragons, and mysteries aplenty, The Knife's Edge is a story that will definitely capture your interest. Though the story is slow to start, don't let that dishearten you. It does pick up, and it's well worth continuing on. The author has done a good job in setting things up for a second book, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
December 8, 2014
It’s been a while since I read an epic fantasy that really gripped me. This book did just that with its inventive legends of The Ronin, an almost mythical group of magical heroes.
I loved following Grey as he learned about his past, his talents and his connection to the Ronin. He was an easy character to like. Charming, self-doubting, and fiercely loyal to his friends, he was so easy to root for.
One of the tricky things about epic fantasy sagas is the immense amount of world building needed to create a success story. This book had a great introduction to the world and magic. It was a touch slow in the beginning, and a bit confusing as there were lots of characters being introduced, but things really started to settle down and become clear shortly before the halfway point. It’s well worth getting to that point because it’s smooth sailing after then.
I was really impressed with the story, and really enjoyed it. As a first book in an extended series, it has a few bumps, but it lays out the world and the characters well, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I loved following Grey as he learned about his past, his talents and his connection to the Ronin. He was an easy character to like. Charming, self-doubting, and fiercely loyal to his friends, he was so easy to root for.
One of the tricky things about epic fantasy sagas is the immense amount of world building needed to create a success story. This book had a great introduction to the world and magic. It was a touch slow in the beginning, and a bit confusing as there were lots of characters being introduced, but things really started to settle down and become clear shortly before the halfway point. It’s well worth getting to that point because it’s smooth sailing after then.
I was really impressed with the story, and really enjoyed it. As a first book in an extended series, it has a few bumps, but it lays out the world and the characters well, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
December 19, 2014
I found this book in the recommended section of my kindle, which led me to reading it.
CHARACTER
The character in this book impressed me by the ways he harnessed his power over wind. As Gray slowly mastered his power he goes through the struggle of being power-corrupt. He almost falls victim to corruption but gets through by coincidence. With a kind heart Gray surprises me as he is kind and is still able to be so corrupt. For example in the book it says, “He fought it, railing against the dark power growing inside him when he realized… This is who I am” (Matthew Wolf 83%). This shows the struggle Gray goes through to not be power-corrupt. In the end Gray’s will and coincidence helps him overcome corruption. Therefore the character surprises and impresses me by how they overcame their obstacle. This helped me realized that everything comes with responsibility and the larger the power the more responsibility one receives.
CHARACTER
The character in this book impressed me by the ways he harnessed his power over wind. As Gray slowly mastered his power he goes through the struggle of being power-corrupt. He almost falls victim to corruption but gets through by coincidence. With a kind heart Gray surprises me as he is kind and is still able to be so corrupt. For example in the book it says, “He fought it, railing against the dark power growing inside him when he realized… This is who I am” (Matthew Wolf 83%). This shows the struggle Gray goes through to not be power-corrupt. In the end Gray’s will and coincidence helps him overcome corruption. Therefore the character surprises and impresses me by how they overcame their obstacle. This helped me realized that everything comes with responsibility and the larger the power the more responsibility one receives.
February 20, 2017
Fractured narrative, no pacing to speak of, huge exposition dumps in speech blocks, and seemingly random Japanese words with no particular theme to stick them to (one character uses -sama, no other honorifics, families with split Japanese and fantasy names in them, the Japanese is just... randomly sprinkled in and it's jarring) this book suffers from a lack of editing where it needs it *badly*.
On top of this and more, the women in the book are uniformly described in terms of 'nice' or 'pleasing' curves the approximately 3 times he bothered to describe one of them.
Do not recommend.
(discovered the book was edited by his mother, not to lambast her, but the author needs an editor who will be at least a bit cruel with him)
On top of this and more, the women in the book are uniformly described in terms of 'nice' or 'pleasing' curves the approximately 3 times he bothered to describe one of them.
Do not recommend.
(discovered the book was edited by his mother, not to lambast her, but the author needs an editor who will be at least a bit cruel with him)
January 20, 2014
This novel has a reasonably interesting plot and engaging characters. However, the misuse of common words (e.g., there, their, they're) detracted so much from the readability that I am giving it a low rating and do not plan to read the sequels.
July 22, 2013
Good Action Adventure combining Japanese mythology, The Last Airbender, Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, Baldur's Gate, Conan the Barbarian & more into one fine tale!
November 9, 2022
Absolutely loved this book.
August 26, 2020
8/24/2020 Finally finished, review to come! (Man, that took a whole month to listen to!)
8/26/2020
It may have taken me a full month, but I have finally finished listening to the Audible Audio of The Knife’s Edge. I think it’s the longest audiobook I’ve listened to, at 20 hours 3 minutes.
Therefore, I want to be brief, which also means blunt, and possibly lacking in acknowledging what is positive about this book. This is very much a hero’s journey story, where our chosen one hero, Kirin (shortly Gray, as he gets his memory erased to save him the pain of what he witnessed/did in the opening, while keeping his personality) obtains a magical sword; is cast out on his own; gains a fatherly mentor; picks up friends along the way despite his best efforts to leave them behind; finds himself capable of wielding a powerful, forbidden magic; meets his predecessor and a group of legends; encounters a strangely familiar woman who has secrets and her own agenda; and must not know of the prophecy he is living out otherwise it will affect his ability to “walk the knife’s edge” of the only path which does not end in ruin.
So, some pretty standard epic fantasy elements follow Gray around. As for the world itself, the magical land of Farhaven which he is trying to get to and the non-magical land of Daerval, it is a strange mish-mash of Western and Japanese influences, as if it can’t decide which it wants to rely more heavily on. The ronin are warriors of legend, wielding each of the nine elements (wind, sun, leaf, fire, water, stone, moon, metal, flesh), which also seems like a mix of Western and Eastern. Yet at the Citadel, Reavers and Divari wield magic and exhibit extraordinary sword skills, respectfully, which sounded much more Western than Eastern in the descriptions. There are Western-style dragons, and other magical beings such as vergs and saeroks which also seemed more Western than Eastern (for the unclear descriptions we get of them – I was never quite sure if the descriptions were actually complete, or if I just missed the couple important words here or there that did describe them as I listened), right down to the naming conventions. Speaking of, other than ronin and much of what we get in the Silver City later on, the naming conventions are decidedly un-Japanese/un-Eastern to my ear (and I speak Japanese), so when we get some Japanese honorifics in the Shining City as well as finally some solidly Japanese elements (mostly rice, root vegetables, and some of the hierarchal cultural aspects), it threw me off. This seems to be an independent epic fantasy world, but such clear correlations with a specific culture pulled me back.
The people who gather around Gray are either tough, fighting men (like Mura, Maris, and eventually Darius, not to mention the ronin), or beautiful yet capable women (Ayva, Karil, Hitomi, and ). Even Vera, the main antagonistic driving force, is beautiful if ambitious to a fault as she flirts with an all-consuming darkness. There’s no lack of beauty/slenderness in the women, that’s for sure, and they are all present, with the exception of Vera, to support and help our hero Gray. They’re given some basic individuality (Ayva is very smart, Karil is a half-human, half-elf queen on the run, Hitomi is a sturdy and fierce tavern owner with an impressive rare book collection), but in the end, they are present only to help Gray. Even Karil, who has just been cast out from her own kingdom, spends more time traveling with and helping Gray than actively doing anything for her own people that I could tell, beyond entangling them with Gray’s journey.
As for the main men around Gray, Mura and Maris are my favorites – Mora for his tough love fatherly approach to this young man he found wandering the woods without a memory, and Maris for his equally tough love approach to teaching Gray what he will need to know to survive. As for Darius, he’s a classic rogue figure, who had a problem with gambling (but he’s better now!), a tough childhood after his mother died, yet he has a good heart. So how on earth does he
For the ronin themselves, I was very glad for the frequent repetition of names/elements/key features, because keeping track of nine of them in audio was hard - I still can’t pull their names out like that, but at least when I hear them, I can go, Oh yeah, that’s him! I actually wish we had gotten a bit more of them, as they seemed to make opportune appearances then disappear until the next time, and even though we got a fair amount of their history, I still…wasn’t entirely sure what they were doing running around ? Even the history of the world had me a bit perplexed – like I felt like it was telling me enough, but somehow I was still missing something, and did I just zone out for a few key words there? Rewind and try again, but get the same result. Relatedly, sometimes I had a hard time following the action, maybe due to the medium, but even rewinding and re-listening didn’t always do the trick.
There was a lot going on, a very long hero’s journey, and clearly a building for a greater adventure and world and story. But with how … I guess standard it was, it didn’t really seem that special to me. Not in the world-building, not in the characterization, not in the mystery or mythology, not even in the magic system where Gray is clearly on track to suffer many near-death/life-threatening experiences almost purely to push him to become a super-powered chosen one hero, even if he does evolve as a person as the story progresses. And while I have some lingering questions (see above spoiler about Darius), I’m not inclined to spend the time listening to book 2, and not sure if/when I’ll read it on page/screen, as I also received the next two ebooks free, either. Maybe I’ll just ask about that question in the Goodreads Ask a Question bit…
I received a free Audible Audio edition through We Read Fantasy (Instagram) in a giveaway. This has not affected the contents of my review or rating.
Favorite quotes:
“Are you insane?” Gray shouted at him, throwing the blade away. “You nearly killed me!”
“I…knew what was in you. I had to draw it out. Putting you on the edge of life and death was the only way.” [Mura said.]
“Did you? And what if it didn’t come? I would have died!” He practically spat the words.
“But it did come. Ifs aren’t real. Only fools count on them, and cowards fear them.” – A Fond Wart, 14:30
[Ayva] should have known. Trouble always came in threes. “Once for the wise, twice for the fool, thrice for the blind,” she quoted. – Into the Darkness, 19:48
“Word of advice: Sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. Don’t be a fool. Wisdom is worthless when it’s too late to use it.” [Maris said.] – A Figure in the Snow, 12:38
“You out of all people have taught me that we are never truly alone.” [Maris said.] – Threads, 4:15
“Don’t you see? Power corrupts. And complete power corrupts completely. Like a fool, I thought you’d be different. I prayed,” [Kail said].– Spellbound, 19:25
Kail took an even, slow breath [and answered,] “Morrowil is more powerful than any sword. But it is still just a weapon. Without someone to wield it, it will lie, untouched. The objects we use are only as evil as we make them.” – Spellbound, 27:00
“Though if I might, a bit of advice,” [said Hitomi.]
[Gray] nodded.
“When all seems darkest, trust yourself. For the power we carry is not in some item or sword. It lies within.” She tapped her chest, and then shrugged, as if she were telling him the weather. – A Hallway of Gold, 12:48
“I see. I learned from my father that one can always tell a person’s truth not by listening to the words they speak, but by sensing the conviction of their heart.” [Karil] smiled. “Your conviction is strong.” – Motes of Gold, 21:52
Errors:
The elf said nothing. -- The Courtyard, 12:06 – really weird sound to the narrator’s voice here. I wonder if this line alone in this section was re-recorded and cut in?
Suddenly, the murder of ravens flew […] – A Dark Way, 18:18 – It’s a “murder of crows” but an “unkindness of ravens”
I don’t remember if it was in the chapter “The Nexus” or “A Dark Way”, but at one point, there was the word “wrath” but the way Tim Gerard Reynolds said it, it sounded much more like “wroth” and had me pausing to puzzle it out. There were also one or two other instances where he pronounced a word very strangely to my ears, but I don’t recall what they were.
8/26/2020
It may have taken me a full month, but I have finally finished listening to the Audible Audio of The Knife’s Edge. I think it’s the longest audiobook I’ve listened to, at 20 hours 3 minutes.
Therefore, I want to be brief, which also means blunt, and possibly lacking in acknowledging what is positive about this book. This is very much a hero’s journey story, where our chosen one hero, Kirin (shortly Gray, as he gets his memory erased to save him the pain of what he witnessed/did in the opening, while keeping his personality) obtains a magical sword; is cast out on his own; gains a fatherly mentor; picks up friends along the way despite his best efforts to leave them behind; finds himself capable of wielding a powerful, forbidden magic; meets his predecessor and a group of legends; encounters a strangely familiar woman who has secrets and her own agenda; and must not know of the prophecy he is living out otherwise it will affect his ability to “walk the knife’s edge” of the only path which does not end in ruin.
So, some pretty standard epic fantasy elements follow Gray around. As for the world itself, the magical land of Farhaven which he is trying to get to and the non-magical land of Daerval, it is a strange mish-mash of Western and Japanese influences, as if it can’t decide which it wants to rely more heavily on. The ronin are warriors of legend, wielding each of the nine elements (wind, sun, leaf, fire, water, stone, moon, metal, flesh), which also seems like a mix of Western and Eastern. Yet at the Citadel, Reavers and Divari wield magic and exhibit extraordinary sword skills, respectfully, which sounded much more Western than Eastern in the descriptions. There are Western-style dragons, and other magical beings such as vergs and saeroks which also seemed more Western than Eastern (for the unclear descriptions we get of them – I was never quite sure if the descriptions were actually complete, or if I just missed the couple important words here or there that did describe them as I listened), right down to the naming conventions. Speaking of, other than ronin and much of what we get in the Silver City later on, the naming conventions are decidedly un-Japanese/un-Eastern to my ear (and I speak Japanese), so when we get some Japanese honorifics in the Shining City as well as finally some solidly Japanese elements (mostly rice, root vegetables, and some of the hierarchal cultural aspects), it threw me off. This seems to be an independent epic fantasy world, but such clear correlations with a specific culture pulled me back.
The people who gather around Gray are either tough, fighting men (like Mura, Maris, and eventually Darius, not to mention the ronin), or beautiful yet capable women (Ayva, Karil, Hitomi, and ). Even Vera, the main antagonistic driving force, is beautiful if ambitious to a fault as she flirts with an all-consuming darkness. There’s no lack of beauty/slenderness in the women, that’s for sure, and they are all present, with the exception of Vera, to support and help our hero Gray. They’re given some basic individuality (Ayva is very smart, Karil is a half-human, half-elf queen on the run, Hitomi is a sturdy and fierce tavern owner with an impressive rare book collection), but in the end, they are present only to help Gray. Even Karil, who has just been cast out from her own kingdom, spends more time traveling with and helping Gray than actively doing anything for her own people that I could tell, beyond entangling them with Gray’s journey.
As for the main men around Gray, Mura and Maris are my favorites – Mora for his tough love fatherly approach to this young man he found wandering the woods without a memory, and Maris for his equally tough love approach to teaching Gray what he will need to know to survive. As for Darius, he’s a classic rogue figure, who had a problem with gambling (but he’s better now!), a tough childhood after his mother died, yet he has a good heart. So how on earth does he
For the ronin themselves, I was very glad for the frequent repetition of names/elements/key features, because keeping track of nine of them in audio was hard - I still can’t pull their names out like that, but at least when I hear them, I can go, Oh yeah, that’s him! I actually wish we had gotten a bit more of them, as they seemed to make opportune appearances then disappear until the next time, and even though we got a fair amount of their history, I still…wasn’t entirely sure what they were doing running around ? Even the history of the world had me a bit perplexed – like I felt like it was telling me enough, but somehow I was still missing something, and did I just zone out for a few key words there? Rewind and try again, but get the same result. Relatedly, sometimes I had a hard time following the action, maybe due to the medium, but even rewinding and re-listening didn’t always do the trick.
There was a lot going on, a very long hero’s journey, and clearly a building for a greater adventure and world and story. But with how … I guess standard it was, it didn’t really seem that special to me. Not in the world-building, not in the characterization, not in the mystery or mythology, not even in the magic system where Gray is clearly on track to suffer many near-death/life-threatening experiences almost purely to push him to become a super-powered chosen one hero, even if he does evolve as a person as the story progresses. And while I have some lingering questions (see above spoiler about Darius), I’m not inclined to spend the time listening to book 2, and not sure if/when I’ll read it on page/screen, as I also received the next two ebooks free, either. Maybe I’ll just ask about that question in the Goodreads Ask a Question bit…
I received a free Audible Audio edition through We Read Fantasy (Instagram) in a giveaway. This has not affected the contents of my review or rating.
Favorite quotes:
“Are you insane?” Gray shouted at him, throwing the blade away. “You nearly killed me!”
“I…knew what was in you. I had to draw it out. Putting you on the edge of life and death was the only way.” [Mura said.]
“Did you? And what if it didn’t come? I would have died!” He practically spat the words.
“But it did come. Ifs aren’t real. Only fools count on them, and cowards fear them.” – A Fond Wart, 14:30
[Ayva] should have known. Trouble always came in threes. “Once for the wise, twice for the fool, thrice for the blind,” she quoted. – Into the Darkness, 19:48
“Word of advice: Sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. Don’t be a fool. Wisdom is worthless when it’s too late to use it.” [Maris said.] – A Figure in the Snow, 12:38
“You out of all people have taught me that we are never truly alone.” [Maris said.] – Threads, 4:15
“Don’t you see? Power corrupts. And complete power corrupts completely. Like a fool, I thought you’d be different. I prayed,” [Kail said].– Spellbound, 19:25
Kail took an even, slow breath [and answered,] “Morrowil is more powerful than any sword. But it is still just a weapon. Without someone to wield it, it will lie, untouched. The objects we use are only as evil as we make them.” – Spellbound, 27:00
“Though if I might, a bit of advice,” [said Hitomi.]
[Gray] nodded.
“When all seems darkest, trust yourself. For the power we carry is not in some item or sword. It lies within.” She tapped her chest, and then shrugged, as if she were telling him the weather. – A Hallway of Gold, 12:48
“I see. I learned from my father that one can always tell a person’s truth not by listening to the words they speak, but by sensing the conviction of their heart.” [Karil] smiled. “Your conviction is strong.” – Motes of Gold, 21:52
Errors:
The elf said nothing. -- The Courtyard, 12:06 – really weird sound to the narrator’s voice here. I wonder if this line alone in this section was re-recorded and cut in?
Suddenly, the murder of ravens flew […] – A Dark Way, 18:18 – It’s a “murder of crows” but an “unkindness of ravens”
I don’t remember if it was in the chapter “The Nexus” or “A Dark Way”, but at one point, there was the word “wrath” but the way Tim Gerard Reynolds said it, it sounded much more like “wroth” and had me pausing to puzzle it out. There were also one or two other instances where he pronounced a word very strangely to my ears, but I don’t recall what they were.
November 16, 2025
I became addicted to this series. The whole concept of the Ronin Saga, a hero's journey times nine! (There are nine Ronin who will be appearing throughout the series.) It has mega adventure, enough to keep your pulse at a minimum of 80 BPM at any given time. I love the magic as well. It is definitely sword and scorcery and LOTR and it is done ... so ... well!
Definitely high on my recommended reading list!
Definitely high on my recommended reading list!
August 7, 2020
Bought this Book while browsing, not
having read or heard anything about it or author. Well before I'd finished it the second book was definitely on my shopping list. It a very good sword and sorcery fantasy novel. It good discovering a new author, feel like a victory against the hoards of erotic paranormal rubbish that has flooded fantasy&sci/fi sections in recent years
having read or heard anything about it or author. Well before I'd finished it the second book was definitely on my shopping list. It a very good sword and sorcery fantasy novel. It good discovering a new author, feel like a victory against the hoards of erotic paranormal rubbish that has flooded fantasy&sci/fi sections in recent years
April 3, 2020
This is a good book. I would have given it 5 stars, but there were some very noticeable grammatical errors in it. I bought the set at FanX in SLC, UT. Matthew is very nice and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
November 16, 2015
First of all, I must say that I am extremely excited about this series and book tour! High fantasy holds a very special place in my heart for two reasons. It is definitely the genre I would choose to write should I ever publish a novel, and I was named after a character in the high fantasy series The Sword of Shanara by Terry Brooks. It has always been one of my favorite genres, so when I saw that Matthew Wolf's book was touring I had to be a part of it!
And let me tell you, Wolf did not disappoint. The Knife's Edge is his breakout novel and quite the series starter. There were a few technical elements (spelling, grammar, punctuation) that could have used some editing, but overall I was very pleased. Wolf was able to create very compelling characters, which (in my opinion) is the most important part of a good book. Gray is mysterious and powerful yet compassionate and kind. He takes up the role he was destined for, but learns that many of the stories he grew up hearing are actually true, though they have been bastardized and changed over the years. The Ronin are also very intriguing. They are extremely powerful and have elemental powers, but are they as evil and dangerous as they are made out to be? That remains to be seen. The one part of the characterization that was a bit confusing at times was the split between Kirin and Gray. While I found the idea of the same character becoming almost two character to be fascinating, it does become difficult to figure out who is who sometimes. The book begins from Kirin's point of view, which was initially a bit confusing as I was also growing accustomed to the jargon of this fictional world. Once I caught on to the language, that was no longer a problem; however, when he made the switch to Gray both time and events are lost leaving the reader with a gap that is not resolved for quite some time... I like the element of mystery that this provides, but unfortunately it also comes with some confusion and a lot of questions.
Setting, plot, and dialogue are the other big three that make up a good novel, and this is another place Wolf excelled. The world he created was breathtaking. It is obvious that the author has spent a lot of time outdoors in some very beautiful parts of the world, and he weaves his experiences into the elaborate tapestry of Daerval. He completely embraces the use of sensory detail, which truly helps his world come to life. The one thing here that was a bit confusing until I was about halfway through the book was the difference between Farhaven and Daerval. At first, I didn't really understand that there were two worlds. I just thought that maybe I had gotten the name of it wrong. This difference is eventually explained, but until then I had a hard time understanding that Farhaven was the land of magic and Daerval was simply human, ordinary, and nonmagical. I was also unclear whether the legends of the Ronin and the war were from Farhaven or Daerval. The gap between the two was just a bit further than I would've liked it to be.
The dialogue was well written and feels like real people actually conversing, while still holding that style of high fantasy. This is a very difficult balance to hit, but Wolf did it quite well. The other thing I loved about this book was that the plot is very mysterious and fast paced. It keep my attention and made me want to continue reading. I don't want to give too much away here, but it is definitely worth the read! Mystery and fantasy combined? Yes please!
I think Matt Wolf is definitely a wonderful up-and-coming author. I can't wait for the second book in this series! The Ronin Saga is definitely going places.
My Rating
Overall I give this book a 3 out of 5 hearts.
And let me tell you, Wolf did not disappoint. The Knife's Edge is his breakout novel and quite the series starter. There were a few technical elements (spelling, grammar, punctuation) that could have used some editing, but overall I was very pleased. Wolf was able to create very compelling characters, which (in my opinion) is the most important part of a good book. Gray is mysterious and powerful yet compassionate and kind. He takes up the role he was destined for, but learns that many of the stories he grew up hearing are actually true, though they have been bastardized and changed over the years. The Ronin are also very intriguing. They are extremely powerful and have elemental powers, but are they as evil and dangerous as they are made out to be? That remains to be seen. The one part of the characterization that was a bit confusing at times was the split between Kirin and Gray. While I found the idea of the same character becoming almost two character to be fascinating, it does become difficult to figure out who is who sometimes. The book begins from Kirin's point of view, which was initially a bit confusing as I was also growing accustomed to the jargon of this fictional world. Once I caught on to the language, that was no longer a problem; however, when he made the switch to Gray both time and events are lost leaving the reader with a gap that is not resolved for quite some time... I like the element of mystery that this provides, but unfortunately it also comes with some confusion and a lot of questions.
Setting, plot, and dialogue are the other big three that make up a good novel, and this is another place Wolf excelled. The world he created was breathtaking. It is obvious that the author has spent a lot of time outdoors in some very beautiful parts of the world, and he weaves his experiences into the elaborate tapestry of Daerval. He completely embraces the use of sensory detail, which truly helps his world come to life. The one thing here that was a bit confusing until I was about halfway through the book was the difference between Farhaven and Daerval. At first, I didn't really understand that there were two worlds. I just thought that maybe I had gotten the name of it wrong. This difference is eventually explained, but until then I had a hard time understanding that Farhaven was the land of magic and Daerval was simply human, ordinary, and nonmagical. I was also unclear whether the legends of the Ronin and the war were from Farhaven or Daerval. The gap between the two was just a bit further than I would've liked it to be.
The dialogue was well written and feels like real people actually conversing, while still holding that style of high fantasy. This is a very difficult balance to hit, but Wolf did it quite well. The other thing I loved about this book was that the plot is very mysterious and fast paced. It keep my attention and made me want to continue reading. I don't want to give too much away here, but it is definitely worth the read! Mystery and fantasy combined? Yes please!
I think Matt Wolf is definitely a wonderful up-and-coming author. I can't wait for the second book in this series! The Ronin Saga is definitely going places.
My Rating
Overall I give this book a 3 out of 5 hearts.
October 11, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written. Fast paced and had everything I wanted, magic, dragons and a slight hint of romance. Well balanced and I can’t wait to get to the next book.
August 22, 2014
I liked this book. But more or less, I liked the premise and setting. I liked, the premise of the characters, their roles, the quest and the journey.
But I have some problems with this book. 1 is that, while the general story is good, it really should've been longer. It could have used 200-300 pages more in fact. Not that I mean there should've been more story, but every chapter could've used at least 10 pages more of fleshed out details and dialogue. I wish there was more story though, because some characters seem really important, and then are shipped out to never be seen again. The Villains are interesting in form, but you don't really see them a lot, or get to know them as characters. I wish there could've been more chapters devoted to them, and more chapters devoted the other ronin. I wish there was more time devoted to the characters development too, For example; Kail is around, but you never fully really understand Kail. You understand his motives, and why he is the way he is, but you never really understand the person underneath all of that.
There's also, notions of character development shoved in your face, Example; Gray is noted to have a look of "Fierce intelligence" but you never really seem him acting fiercely intelligent.
There's also one scene that really bothered me. Everyone but Karil(sp?) is in a room talking about the events they have to face, and then Karil replies to them. She's not in the room, she's somewhere else, but she replies to them. Her reply is also very much in character, where it sounds like something she would say based on her perceived knowledge base and attitude.
This book really has 3 major weak points though.
First is the pacing. Too much happens to quickly without a lot of explanation. You get caught up in one setting, and then you get pushed to the next before you fully understand how the previous setting worked as a culture or an organization. The story sort of quickly rushes along, and there's some things that seem to happen for "plot" convenience".
Second is the prose. It could use some work. Some of it seems, a bit unnatural.
Third is the characters should be more fleshed out. Their There's moments where characters are "we're with you cause of friendship!" without feeling like such a strong and unbreakable bond was ever actually formed through interaction. You don't completely understand the thought process of some characters. How their mind works, what leads them to their decisions, why they do what they do.
All those complaints out of the way, it really was a good read. For a first book by a rookie author, it's very ambitious. Also, since this author apparently self published himself without a proper editor behind him it is very well written. The setting is well described, you can see the world in your mind. You can see the bar where Darious is met. You can see the Inn where Ayva is introduced. You can feel the Ronin's attitude's, their expressions, you can imagine 2 people talking in your mind as if it were a scene in a film. The over all plot is also really cool.
I have a strong feeling that the next book is going to be better and the author will probably remedy this one's weakpoints, so I'm really looking forward too it.
But I have some problems with this book. 1 is that, while the general story is good, it really should've been longer. It could have used 200-300 pages more in fact. Not that I mean there should've been more story, but every chapter could've used at least 10 pages more of fleshed out details and dialogue. I wish there was more story though, because some characters seem really important, and then are shipped out to never be seen again. The Villains are interesting in form, but you don't really see them a lot, or get to know them as characters. I wish there could've been more chapters devoted to them, and more chapters devoted the other ronin. I wish there was more time devoted to the characters development too, For example; Kail is around, but you never fully really understand Kail. You understand his motives, and why he is the way he is, but you never really understand the person underneath all of that.
There's also, notions of character development shoved in your face, Example; Gray is noted to have a look of "Fierce intelligence" but you never really seem him acting fiercely intelligent.
There's also one scene that really bothered me. Everyone but Karil(sp?) is in a room talking about the events they have to face, and then Karil replies to them. She's not in the room, she's somewhere else, but she replies to them. Her reply is also very much in character, where it sounds like something she would say based on her perceived knowledge base and attitude.
This book really has 3 major weak points though.
First is the pacing. Too much happens to quickly without a lot of explanation. You get caught up in one setting, and then you get pushed to the next before you fully understand how the previous setting worked as a culture or an organization. The story sort of quickly rushes along, and there's some things that seem to happen for "plot" convenience".
Second is the prose. It could use some work. Some of it seems, a bit unnatural.
Third is the characters should be more fleshed out. Their There's moments where characters are "we're with you cause of friendship!" without feeling like such a strong and unbreakable bond was ever actually formed through interaction. You don't completely understand the thought process of some characters. How their mind works, what leads them to their decisions, why they do what they do.
All those complaints out of the way, it really was a good read. For a first book by a rookie author, it's very ambitious. Also, since this author apparently self published himself without a proper editor behind him it is very well written. The setting is well described, you can see the world in your mind. You can see the bar where Darious is met. You can see the Inn where Ayva is introduced. You can feel the Ronin's attitude's, their expressions, you can imagine 2 people talking in your mind as if it were a scene in a film. The over all plot is also really cool.
I have a strong feeling that the next book is going to be better and the author will probably remedy this one's weakpoints, so I'm really looking forward too it.
September 29, 2022
What if Avatar: The Last Airbender was a generic western style fantasy story, complete with a magic sword, prophecies, and an army of faceless "Darkness" filled with monsters and zombies? You'd get this book.
Honestly, I was a bit baffled when this realization struck me. The main character is literally an Air Bender, the last person in the world who possesses the power, and his particular elemental power is the key needed to save the world from an all pervading evil. There's even a whole cadre of Avatars, one for each element of nine (which, incidentally, could you really not have thought of a better name for the element of "Leaf"? What about Nature? Or Growth? Honestly, I laughed every time I heard "the element of Leaf"). Our hero even gets partnered up with a boy and a girl sidekick, just like Avatar. The only difference is that in Avatar, the side characters are actually good, whereas in this, they're completely vestigial and do nothing to advance either the plot or the main character himself.
It's clear our friend Matt watches a lot of Anime because the trope are all there. It's a bizarre mashup, and leads to some truly hilarious moments. From the start, I wondered why he bothered calling his Avatar people "Ronin". "Why use a real word with a meaning when you could have just made something unique?" I said to myself. Only then it's revealed that there are generic baddie versions of the Ronin called - seriously - "Kage". As in "shadow" in Japanese. Pretty sure I literally face-palmed when I read. The Ronin themselves smack of your typical collection of Anime bad asses, all with overblown personalities and unique superpowers. They even have weirdly colored hair and eyes and stuff. But it's all surface level. It's using the trappings of Anime without actually understanding why those elements existed in the first place. The depth and complexity is lost in favor of superficially looking "cool". It even has the slightly creepy Anime tropes like a weird fixation on the way female characters look, and even a scene where the lead female villain lifts her skirt up in front of the main character. Like, really? You expect me to take your story seriously with this much Anime fan service? It's almost childish.
After all that, the plot is just pretty boring. Our Hero gamely stumbles his way through the story, overcoming every obstacle with a hitherto unknown power he unlocked by sheer force of will, and undergoing fundamentally no growth throughout. He's destined to be a Hero by prophecy, don't you know? The villains are comically generic and evil, without he slightest hint of nuance or interest, all dark spooky armor with spikes and glowing red eyes. Wow, I'm terrified. When it's not being derivative, it's just plain, and for a story with this much goofiness, it's mawkishly dramatic at times, almost to the point of misery-porn. A truly wild mishmash of tones, settings, themes, and tropes, none of which are executed that well, and certainly don't mesh together.
Bottom line, not much to recommend from this one.
Honestly, I was a bit baffled when this realization struck me. The main character is literally an Air Bender, the last person in the world who possesses the power, and his particular elemental power is the key needed to save the world from an all pervading evil. There's even a whole cadre of Avatars, one for each element of nine (which, incidentally, could you really not have thought of a better name for the element of "Leaf"? What about Nature? Or Growth? Honestly, I laughed every time I heard "the element of Leaf"). Our hero even gets partnered up with a boy and a girl sidekick, just like Avatar. The only difference is that in Avatar, the side characters are actually good, whereas in this, they're completely vestigial and do nothing to advance either the plot or the main character himself.
It's clear our friend Matt watches a lot of Anime because the trope are all there. It's a bizarre mashup, and leads to some truly hilarious moments. From the start, I wondered why he bothered calling his Avatar people "Ronin". "Why use a real word with a meaning when you could have just made something unique?" I said to myself. Only then it's revealed that there are generic baddie versions of the Ronin called - seriously - "Kage". As in "shadow" in Japanese. Pretty sure I literally face-palmed when I read. The Ronin themselves smack of your typical collection of Anime bad asses, all with overblown personalities and unique superpowers. They even have weirdly colored hair and eyes and stuff. But it's all surface level. It's using the trappings of Anime without actually understanding why those elements existed in the first place. The depth and complexity is lost in favor of superficially looking "cool". It even has the slightly creepy Anime tropes like a weird fixation on the way female characters look, and even a scene where the lead female villain lifts her skirt up in front of the main character. Like, really? You expect me to take your story seriously with this much Anime fan service? It's almost childish.
After all that, the plot is just pretty boring. Our Hero gamely stumbles his way through the story, overcoming every obstacle with a hitherto unknown power he unlocked by sheer force of will, and undergoing fundamentally no growth throughout. He's destined to be a Hero by prophecy, don't you know? The villains are comically generic and evil, without he slightest hint of nuance or interest, all dark spooky armor with spikes and glowing red eyes. Wow, I'm terrified. When it's not being derivative, it's just plain, and for a story with this much goofiness, it's mawkishly dramatic at times, almost to the point of misery-porn. A truly wild mishmash of tones, settings, themes, and tropes, none of which are executed that well, and certainly don't mesh together.
Bottom line, not much to recommend from this one.
July 31, 2020
Superb! I absolutely loved it. Listened on the edge of my seat without pause, as I listened to this on audible while driving across the country. The characters are loveable, grow and bond, and are people you can relate to. The plot is intriguing, well conceived and leaves you excited for the next one. The writing is good prose… descriptive enough to make you feel like you're there and with moments that touch you enough for a tear or two. I actually enjoyed that it wasn't weighed down by a romance and the underlying themes were about friends and personal growth, while avoiding feeling like just another young-people-on-a-quest/ coming-of-age story. The battle scenes were exciting without gratuitous gore, which, combined with the lack of language and sex makes this appropriate for a YA audience, while still an awesome adult book. The magic system is creative and well integrated into the world building, but simple enough to grasp quickly. Altogether a great read. I can't wait for the next one!
The narration of the audible book couldn't possibly have been better. Tim Gerard Reynolds is unsurpassed as an audible narrator. When I listen to anything that is narrated by someone else, I'm disappointed. He brings life to the story and individuality to the characters’ voices while respecting the author's original vision. I can read a book then listen to his narration and he always nails what I pictured. He delivered again this time.
I actually had never heard of Matthew Wolf and discovered him on Kickstarter as a recommendation from Michael J. Sullivan to back the sequel to this book, Citadel of Fire. I had to read The Knife's Edge to catch up to what I had backed. I was thrilled to have discovered this world and incredible story!!! What a treasure! I listened to both books while driving across the country and unpacking my house for a move and feel so grateful to have been nudged towards this author. I can't wait to see what else he has in store! For those who have never heard of it, Kickstarter is a great place to directly support some of your favorite authors and discover new ones. You can receive advance and signed copies of their work and help them continue writing! Thanks to Michael Sullivan for the suggestion and Matthew Wolf for the fun I had participating in your project!!!
The narration of the audible book couldn't possibly have been better. Tim Gerard Reynolds is unsurpassed as an audible narrator. When I listen to anything that is narrated by someone else, I'm disappointed. He brings life to the story and individuality to the characters’ voices while respecting the author's original vision. I can read a book then listen to his narration and he always nails what I pictured. He delivered again this time.
I actually had never heard of Matthew Wolf and discovered him on Kickstarter as a recommendation from Michael J. Sullivan to back the sequel to this book, Citadel of Fire. I had to read The Knife's Edge to catch up to what I had backed. I was thrilled to have discovered this world and incredible story!!! What a treasure! I listened to both books while driving across the country and unpacking my house for a move and feel so grateful to have been nudged towards this author. I can't wait to see what else he has in store! For those who have never heard of it, Kickstarter is a great place to directly support some of your favorite authors and discover new ones. You can receive advance and signed copies of their work and help them continue writing! Thanks to Michael Sullivan for the suggestion and Matthew Wolf for the fun I had participating in your project!!!
March 29, 2014
I think the summary of THE KNIFE’S EDGE prepared me for a story that was a bit different than what it actually was. The cover is lovely, and the dragon is very fantasy driven, which suits the genre, even if it doesn’t particularly feature the plot as much as it’s supposed to.
The plot of THE KNIFE’S EDGE is well done. The idea of these ancient warriors with the powers of more than mere men coming back from the supposed grave and basically ending the world is great and exciting! However. The Ronin don’t actually play as big of a part in the plot as I felt they should have. The plot is much more focused around Gray, who has some of the best internal conflicts in the whole book. He finds out more about his sword Morrowil, discovers true power within himself, and basically heads out on this heroic journey that ends with a big choice. Good stuff – the making of a good plot.
Gray – the protagonist of THE KNIFE’S EDGE, he’s a man who’s lost his memory of who he was, and is pretty nonplussed about it. In fact, when he learns that there is a whole memory of himself that he doesn’t know about, he really doesn’t stop to consider that perhaps there’s something important about his identity there, at least until the end of the book. However, Gray does go through a lot of choices and is forced to think within himself to find the right answers, and he follows through with whatever he chooses. I’d say that he’s a good dynamic character for this novel.
My favorite characters are the Ronin. These are the super-powered ancient foes of the realm who supposedly come back to wreak havoc on the land. Awesome, right? I personally don’t think that the Ronin get enough time spent on them and their complexities, so I’m hoping that’ll be addressed in the second book. Karil, for all of her importance in her introduction, was barely addressed, but this was partly made up for with Ayva and Darius and their growth throughout the book.
I found the beginning to be quite interesting and fast paced, but some chapters (especially those introducing Kail and Karil) seemed out of place and need a bit more explanation and continuity throughout the book. There were some nice plot twists halfway through (I did have a ‘gasp!’ moment!) and overall the story flows fairly well at a moderate pace. There’s also a few grammatical errors in the book. I can’t help but bring those up – however, they were spread out enough that I could make it thorough without having it ruin the story.
The plot of THE KNIFE’S EDGE is well done. The idea of these ancient warriors with the powers of more than mere men coming back from the supposed grave and basically ending the world is great and exciting! However. The Ronin don’t actually play as big of a part in the plot as I felt they should have. The plot is much more focused around Gray, who has some of the best internal conflicts in the whole book. He finds out more about his sword Morrowil, discovers true power within himself, and basically heads out on this heroic journey that ends with a big choice. Good stuff – the making of a good plot.
Gray – the protagonist of THE KNIFE’S EDGE, he’s a man who’s lost his memory of who he was, and is pretty nonplussed about it. In fact, when he learns that there is a whole memory of himself that he doesn’t know about, he really doesn’t stop to consider that perhaps there’s something important about his identity there, at least until the end of the book. However, Gray does go through a lot of choices and is forced to think within himself to find the right answers, and he follows through with whatever he chooses. I’d say that he’s a good dynamic character for this novel.
My favorite characters are the Ronin. These are the super-powered ancient foes of the realm who supposedly come back to wreak havoc on the land. Awesome, right? I personally don’t think that the Ronin get enough time spent on them and their complexities, so I’m hoping that’ll be addressed in the second book. Karil, for all of her importance in her introduction, was barely addressed, but this was partly made up for with Ayva and Darius and their growth throughout the book.
I found the beginning to be quite interesting and fast paced, but some chapters (especially those introducing Kail and Karil) seemed out of place and need a bit more explanation and continuity throughout the book. There were some nice plot twists halfway through (I did have a ‘gasp!’ moment!) and overall the story flows fairly well at a moderate pace. There’s also a few grammatical errors in the book. I can’t help but bring those up – however, they were spread out enough that I could make it thorough without having it ruin the story.
May 6, 2017
I won this in a GOODREADS giveaway -- The Knife's Edge (The Ronin Saga, #1) by Matthew Wolf -- Ok... three Reader Hints: (1) Glossary in back - USE IT! (2) Remember, this is book ONE in a series. (3) I would place this book in the Older Youth Reader's section and expect future books to evolve and age in complexity as the reader does. ---- An excellent first book! The story line takes a bit to draw one in; it tosses in lots of characters that show development potential, drenches it in scenery, adds adventures that need resolving, then speckles everything with humor for flavor and color... A fantastic recipe for a series!
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