At age 11, he was recruited into an underground intelligence agency as an assassin-in-training. Now, at 20, he’s setting records for the most kills.
But after the death of his best friend, his life in a grim, near-future New York City is one of haunted solitude. Just when he reunites with his sister and is assigned an alluring new partner, a shadowy syndicate rises to power, seeking to revolutionize society at a deadly cost.
When Kai is tasked with hunting down the mysterious leader at the helm, he becomes ensnared in a web that extends far beyond what he—and humanity—ever thought possible. He’ll have to step into the spotlight to protect those he loves, and weigh the future of the world against his own fate.
Because there’s a good chance he’s not coming out as who, or what, he went in as.
Atlas Blaine is fascinated by the human condition and all its complexity. She writes stories that often explore what that means, with a particular fondness for science fiction and thrillers. She draws inspiration from her education in computer science and psychology, and finds herself intrigued by tales that are evocative, cerebral, and tinged with darkness. She lives in Southern California with her partner, where in her free time she enjoys playing music, cheating in The Sims, and generating outrageous ideas for her next novel.
Learn more and join her mailing list at www.atlasblaine.com, or find her on social media (@atlas_blaine).
This book kept me hooked from start to finish! The writing leaves you with just the right amount of mystery and intrigue each chapter that keeps you wanting to find out what unfolds next. There's enough character building and love interests to get you invested in the relationships and personalities throughout the book without the story getting drowned out by romance. The characters don't feel dull or one dimensional like you often find in other books, and they all have realistic flaws and unique traits and conversation styles.
I really enjoyed the dystopian cyberpunk city vibes throughout the book and the world building really helps paint a picture of what it's like to live in from a few different perspectives. There are some really interesting sci-fi twists that again don't detract from the story while slowly building mystery and opening the door for something bigger. I'm big into the futuristic tech of sci-fi worlds and this book did a great job of offering cool ideas for futuristic tech and genetic and bionic modifications.
I would definitely recommend giving this book a read if you're into dystopian futures and sci-fi and/or spy adventures with a mystery to uncover!
I was provided an ARC of this title for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When I read the description for this book, I knew I was going to like it— but this binge-worthy and extremely unique debut blew my expectations to pieces and offered up so much more than I could have begun to think up.
This is the kind of futuristic dystopian sci-fi adventure that sucks you right into the story and keeps hold of you as you hang on for the ride alongside its characters. Edge of Inhuman will keep you up all night, and you won’t even be a little upset about it.
I will say that the ending left me with a lot of questions still unanswered, and a lot going on plot-wise, but I think that will ramp up intrigue for book two, and I’m eager to see some more of Kai and friends.
This is quite a wild ride and an impressive debut.
I'm working on full review! Be back soon!
Updated review:
"More and more I’m reminded that everyone I know has lost someone, or some part of themselves, to violence. To inhumanity. It’s an ever-pervasive ghost, leaving wounds that never fully heal."
For transparency, I do not read a lot of science fiction novels, but I did thoroughly enjoy this novel. I loved the dark scifi dystopian-esque vibes, and this is definitely a series that I would want to continue reading.
Overall, this was a solid debut novel. In some of the science fiction novels I've read in the past, there had been excessive world building and character development, in my opinion, to the point of both boredom and confusion. In Blaines' novel, there is a decent amount of world building and atmosphere as well as quite a few revolving characters but never to the extent that I struggled with following along. For me personally, this worked out great, but this might not be to everyones taste.
One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was actually the characters and their relationships with each other. For a group of literal killers, they are quite a wholesome group. I laughed with them, cheered for them, mourned, and cried for them. Blaine left me eager to follow her characters on their mission, I will, without a doubt, be reading book two because I am invested in them.
Another thing that I thought was done really well and actually well presented were some of the twists in the book. Just when you think everything is going to work out or think you have the bad guys pinned, the world is upended. This is the type of book that has you reading, biting your nails, and questioning, "What do we do now?"
This is a debut that's perfect for fans of scifi, dystopian, and spy thriller type novels. I definitely recommend this book and am eagerly look forward to seeing what Blaine has in store for us next.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Imagine, if you will, that Altered Carbon & Mission Impossible had a baby. I am confident that baby would grow up to be a badass story called Edge of Inhuman.
This book was phenomenal. Fast paced, action packed, and gritty. It had everything I wanted in a high stakes sci-fi - Mouthy, sexy, emotionally damaged assassins, genetic experiments, black ops missions, betrayals, futuristic weapons and computer tech.
The ending will literally blow your mind. You’ll re-read it just to wrap your head around it.
Atlas Blaine is an author you should be watching - she’s so talented. I will proudly be stalking her progress on book 2 and her upcoming dark academia book! I will beta/arc read everything she writes if she’ll have me!
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
What a debut from Atlas Blaine. I love sci-fi and this gave me all the dark, dystopian, cyberpunk vibes. This was a suspense building mystery that had twists, cool tech, and a story that to me was so great! This book took me places I didn’t even think of and it left me with my jaw open. It was so easy to picture scenes, the tech and characters as well, they were so well described.
That ending though…I cannot wait for the next one!
"Edge of Human" is an exhilarating journey that left me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Let me break down why I'm giving it five stars:
First and foremost, this book is a thrilling rollercoaster of a read. The pace in the first half is relentless, with so much happening that it kept me hooked. The unexpected twist involving Nyx and the Elysians added a new layer to the story I never saw coming. And Benson's arrival? Mind-blowing! It's safe to say this story is anything but predictable.
While the first half had me racing through the pages, I did find myself craving more insight into Camden's drinking problem. A glimpse into his perspective would have provided a valuable window into his struggles. Although intriguing, the relationship dynamics between Zahra, Kai, and Harley left me wanting more. A novella or an extended chapter to explore their development would be a welcome addition. I'm all for instant connections, but more depth could make their relationships more engaging.
The second half of the book was another whirlwind of action and revelations. The found family trope is one of my favourites, and the characters, especially Benson and Camden, captivated me utterly. The way they reminded me of some of my beloved fictional characters, like Kenji, made me appreciate them even more. And yes, I was genuinely worried for Benson's fate! I also can't wait to see more interaction between Harley and Zahra in the next book, as I'm sure they'd make fantastic friends.
Kai's character, with his playboy tendencies, was a delightful surprise, and I'm eager to see his development after the experiment. The burning question about Shay's fate and whether Camden and Benson were transported to Nyx by Arachne left me with an insatiable curiosity. I'd love an extra scene, especially from Camden's perspective.
In terms of writing style, the book is a gem. The language is fluid, and the vocabulary is impressive without ever being confusing. The imagery created by the author is vivid, making it easy to visualize the story's intricate details. My favorite scene was when a character crumpled to their knees after seeing Harley – it was emotionally charged and beautifully written.
Lastly, I appreciate the author's portrayal of Kai, a badass assassin who isn't afraid to express his emotions and communicate honestly with the people he cares about. It adds depth to his character and makes him even more endearing.
I'm not giving it a full 5 stars because the plot is ongoing, and I'm left hanging on a cliff, eagerly awaiting the next installment. But rest assured, the characters are a solid 5, except for Q. All in all, "Edge of Human" is an exceptional read, and I'm eagerly looking forward to book 2!
This book from the start had me hooked! I really enjoyed the character building and relationships we saw, so we got connected to the characters. Each person felt a but relatable to as they all have their own flaws and how they respond to certain situations or actions. The world building was i feel great, and we got a nice dystopia futuristic/cyperpunk feel for where the book took place. I have not read very many sci-fi books, but this one I really enjoyed, and I am excited for book 2!
We follow Kai in this book, who is an assassin in an underground intelligence agency. After the loss of his best friend and partner, he is haunted and tries to go into solitude. But the agency has other plans and gives him a new partner, who slowly starts to grow on him no matter what he does.
A group is rising from the shadows wanting to revolutionize society at any cost nessasary. Kai is tasked to seek the leader. But things won't always go as planned, and Kai will have to protect those he cares about as well as the future of the world as they know it.
I enjoyed that even though there was a bit of romance, it did not take away from the main story at all! We get some plot twists mixed in to keep us on the edge of our seats to see what happens next!
I highly recommend anyone into sci-fi, dystopia future, badass characters who are also assassins, secret groups, fast-paced, action, gritty, and futuristic weapons/tech.
I received this book as an ARC n exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Atlas, for allowing me this opportunity!!
I will start off this review by saying that I may not be a YA reader anymore. Some YA books, I have realized, have a certain writing style and tone that I find lacks a lot of depth. I used to love this style when I was younger, but now that I have aged out of the category, it feels a bit childish. To build off this idea, I found the writing in this book to be a bit amateur, which makes sense considering this is a debut novel and a YA novel. However, the writing in this book was more of a tell rather than show. There were long blocks of dialogue which explained some of the different sci-fi aspects, but I feel there could have been a better way to go about this.
There was a bit of a love story/interest, but it came on so quickly and felt forced, just for the sake of having a romantic plot. I think this story may have benefitted from solely focusing on the main storyline/mystery. There wasn’t a lot world building which hindered giving the book some good atmosphere. Since the story was so dialogue driven, there wasn’t much room to really set the stage. It was very much so “in the weeds” and detailed.
All in all, this was not the book for me. I would still urge any young/casual sci-fi reader who likes a fast-paced and detailed driven story to try this book out.
*This book was received as an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.*
Edge of Inhuman was a sort of futuristic tech-y adventure with super soldiers, secret organizations, shadows, and assassins. I enjoyed the story and the multiple people Kai formed attachments to after the death of his partner. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one, but I had fun with it. I like Kai’s POV best, but there were other POVs peppered in, especially towards the second half of the book, but it was good to get clear picture of what was happening. The author mentioned wanting a James Bond meets Marvel meets dystopia type of novel and while I’d argue more DC (I get a total Joker and Harley Quinn vibe from 2 characters).. that’s a spot on description of the book. I also kind of felt some vibes like it could have been the streets of Blade Runner that the characters were walking down. I really enjoyed the blend and am intrigued by this story and what will happen to our characters next. There wasn’t as much romance as I expected, a lot of really great relationships and few hookups between co-assassins, but nothing that made it the focus, which felt a little disappointing at first, but then I stopped caring and was invested in other parts of the story. I definitely recommend this book if the description sounds like you’re kind of thing!
I cannot wait to see what happens next!! I just finished this book but I feel like it just started!!
This dystopian, SciFi novel is a little outside of my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed reading this book! We follow Kai our badass MMC through his life as an agent in an off-government military organization. It has all the super cool Batman/Tony Stark-style tech and definitely gives off Avengers/Suicide Squad vibes when the team comes together.
Romance is not at the forefront of this book which is refreshing and realistic based on the world/life of the characters. I do feel like the little interactions we did see could have been a little more detailed. Knowing that was an outlet for Kai's intense life, it could have been interesting to play more into those scenes.
My one little critique is that when the book does shift POVs it doesn't have a distinct feel that we are seeing through a new character. The personality kind of blends and I had to go back to the header to see which POV I am reading. The last little bit was a lot of POV switches when the rest of the book doesn't have that.
The ending has a "WAIT, WHAT?" aspect that definitely left me wanting to know what happens next!!
Atlas Blaine’s explosive debut takes you on a high-speed ride through a dystopian future where heroes and villains blur the lines. Prepare for rebellion and chaos!
I devoured this book in just two days! This adrenaline-charged spy-fi adventure is a whirlwind of intensity. From start to finish, I had no idea where the story was taking me, but I was absolutely thrilled to be along for the exhilarating ride.
I was enthralled by the rich diversity of the characters and their unique backgrounds in this story. I applaud the depth that many of them added to the narrative. If I could have one wish for this story, it would be for more exploration of the romance side stories involving the characters, as I felt there was much more to uncover. Nevertheless, I can confirm that this book promises and delivers a wild and captivating journey!
I was not prepared for this debut book from Atlas Blaine. It’s suspenseful with dark dystopian cyberpunk vibes, surprising depth to relationships between the assassins, and great world building that moves the plot along (my favorite kind). I didn’t want to put it down but apparently I have to work if I want to get paid.
That said, I would like to see more on the history and interactions between the characters (especially Camden).
I picture the setting to be a bit like this older TV show called “Dark Angel” with Jessica Alba & Michael Weatherly (before he became Dinozzo) with some James Bond intrigue, Tony Stark weaponry, and Avengers relationships.
There are questions left unanswered at the end, but it will be a series, so I’m anxiously looking forward to the next installment.
Thank you, Atlas Blaine, for the opportunity to review the ARC. All opinions are my own.
So this book had me hooked from the first chapter. It was quick to action and builds the world as the book continues.
Having multiple points of view is something I really enjoy. Two in the first half, then more people's views in the second half. I was perfectly fine without having much of the romance because it was so action-packed. I didn't see the twists in the story coming and was shocked by them.
The only thing for me was that a lot was going on a few times, and I had to reread some scenes to fully understand.
I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to seeing how the next one continues.
☆ Book Review ☆ The Edge of Inhuman | Atlas Blaine | Scifi | 4 ⭐️ . . . ☆Thoughts ☆ •short chapters •very tuturistic sci-fi secret organization vibes mixed in with James Boud •badass characters in the dystopian world that has phenomenal world building •Fast paced and page turner
The scifi genre is the genre that's one of the least genre that I read but I am so glad that I read this one cause THIS WAS AMAZING! The dark theme as well as the scifi elements rrly got me hooked! I will say if you like Divergent then this book should be up you alley 🫣. The book releases on Oct 27, so pre-order now! . . . ☆ Appreciation ☆ Thank you Atlas Blaine for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much Atlas Blaine, the amazing author, for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
This is an otherworldly book. Revival assassin/ intelligence companies. Bada** fully developed characters. Mental health representation. Gay/bi rep. Genetic experimentation. This book follows Kai a GUARD agent going through a bunch of twists and turns in order to do his job of the "greater good". There's are so many awesome battle scenes and fighting. That ending had my heart racing! Can't wait for the next book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Picked this up randomly in the library and wasn't into it at first because I couldn't tell where the book was going. I was extremely pleasantly surprised and so happy I kept reading because by the end I fell in love. I can't wait for more to come from this author and will definitely be buying a copy just to have it.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series!!! This book ensnares you through and through, with badass characters and a crumbling futuristic society. High tech weapons, deception, a fair bit of murder. GO READ THIS BOOK!! This is a must read!! 193827199/10
I enjoyed this book, but I felt the main character to be a little insufferable at times. Plot was interesting, but it took too many turns. I can tell this is setting up a world for more books to follow, but I think I’m content with where the story left off.
I loved the vibe and world of the book. It took place in a dystopian world but with an urban/current twist to it, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I also loved the way Atlas Blaine wrote. The writing and crafting of the story was great, and I am happy to say I didn’t cringe once.
However, I do think the romance fell short. I felt like the pacing was off because half of the time it was super slow and focused on all the action, but when the romance did happen, it was super instant. I just didn’t like it because both love interests were fairly similar and there was no build up to their relationships. Also, after some point I found it super hard to follow the plot because of how much was going on. It was too much for me, but I can totally understand people who would like this fast-paced and exciting plot with so many twists.
Overall, I really did like the concept and it was super cool, but I felt like the busy plot kind of took away from my enjoyment
Atlas Blaine's debut novel takes us on a high speed chase where you want to close your eyes but you just can't! So you just hold on tight and enjoy the ride!
It actually took me a minute to get into the novel, I found the beginning to be very slow, and very redundant. However! The more I read the more I got sucked into it. I really enjoyed the twists and turns and had a bit of a love/hate relationship with not knowing exactly where the plot was taking me.
This was a book I normally wouldn't read but I am so glad I did, it was very futuristic, dystopia settings and I enjoyed their creations of all the high tech gizmos and gadgets!
There was a high diversity rating in their characters with unique backgrounds and descriptions! I hope the next book dives more into the romance aspect but I loved getting a taste ♡
Also.... That ending.... If you know, you know! Lol
!! arc review !! Edge of Inhuman–Atlas Blaine Release date: Oct 27th ️️️️ “And if we fail…what will the world become?”
~Dystopian setting, badass assassins, mystery experiments with some romance sprinkled in there ◡̈ ~Perfect for fans of Shatter Me, Hunger Games & Divergent
I typically read mostly romance books, but anytime I don’t, it’s usually a dystopian style book so this was rightttt up my alley. These books always take me a minute to figure out all of the characters, but I didn’t have too much trouble with this one! Characters were clearly explored and developed; I also loved having multiple POV’s sprinkled throughout the book. I binged this book pretty quickly and loved it! Can’t wait for book two!