An Edge Sharp Enough

An Edge Sharp Enough #1

by Jesse Q. Sutanto

In a brilliant departure from the novels that made Jesse Q. Sutanto a USA Today bestselling author—including Dial A for Aunties—comes the first book in a debut dark fantasy duology, following an assassin, a scholar, a con man, and a guard in a race to rediscover powerful lost magic and save their world...

Mara has no memory of life before her assassin training behind the fortress-like walls of Tchu-Morrokhai, which has been her world since she was five. Practicing discipline and strategy, sacrifice and solitude, she has dedicated herself to resisting the Divine Empress’s plans of eradicating the all-but-forgotten magic. She longs for a world once again filled with magic—and freedom and love. And she’ll do whatever it takes to find those things.

In the faraway city of Velingard, Livya is the privileged daughter of the revered scientist whose invention of an indestructible new metal was the catalyst for a great revolution. Yet Livya’s bored of suitors and balls, more interested in philosophical debates. But when an invite to a secret salon leads to a kidnapping attempt, Livya is suddenly on the run—with the unlikely aid of charming con man Kaian, a once dear childhood friend inexplicably turned frosty stranger.

Captain Fonde has served Velingard faithfully in the twenty years since the revolution, and all has been peaceful... until now, when he’s informed that their “indestructible” metal is inexplicably starting to crumble. Ships, bridges, buildings, statues—their entire post-revolution world is literally about to come apart. Could it be that the metal—and therefore the revolution—was flawed all along? Or is there something darker—evil, ancient, inhuman—at play?

With stunning world-building, Jesse Q. Sutanto weaves an epic tale of characters whose lives irrevocably intertwine—and unravel—as paths collide across continents, racing toward an explosive twist that will forever change all of their fates...

Genres: Fantasy, Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 11, 2026

About the author

Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and sees both cities as her homes. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, though she has yet to figure out a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. She is currently living back in Jakarta on the same street as her parents and about seven hundred meddlesome aunties. When she's not tearing out her hair over her latest WIP, she spends her time baking and playing FPS games. Oh, and also being a mom to her two kids.

Reviews

[Amanda Blanche]

Releases Aug 2026

I was very fortunate to receive an e-ARC super early. I won’t rate because honestly I’m still wrapping my head around the whole thing. Props to the author for the beautiful writing style and wording - just made it flow so effortlessly.

A fantasy story filled with a lot of political intrigue. This land/continent is on the brink of collapse. The elemental magic in their land (referred to as “Art”) is gone, an empress is waging war and taking over territories one by one and more plots are underway. On one side of the continent we have Tchu - our main character here is Mara. Mara is in training at the institute to become an emissary (a soldier), taken at the age of 5 to enter training, she is the runt, physically weak - but her mind and affinity for magic are strong. What keeps her going is her forbidden love/crush on her fellow trainee Lia. On the other side, we have Velingard - a more civilized society on the other side of a shaky revolution. The main characters here are Livya, Cerra, Kaian and Commander Fonde. A scholar/socialite, her lady’s maid/adopted sister, a low class thief/magic wielder and a soldier. All four are interconnected when murders, a political plots and odd magical occurrences start to ramp up. There is a complicated mix of beliefs (gods and demons), metallurgy and an elemental magic system. And I won’t get into the details because it won’t be brief. This story was filled with twists and turns, and honestly a plot twist I never saw coming. I think I went into this thinking romantasy - and I don’t think it’s quite that - I think this is more fantasy/science fiction, there is romance/love, but it’s not the focus. (At least I didn’t think so)

[Jessica B.]

*early work perk read*

[Lucia]

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early review copy.

When I started reading this book, it was slated for an August 2026 publication, but after I finished, I see a publication date of March 2027 is now listed. So I don't know when it will be published!


world-building:  solid

POV: four - I wished there were not as many POVs (although I can't pick one that I would get rid of, either)

characters:  a bit frustrating, some of them were very stupid.

pacing: slow - I often lost my focus and set the book down, I wished for a tighter plot.  This is my biggest complaint about the book:  it just did not hold my attention.

magic-system: interesting, but confusing, "Art" is like a chi, a spirit that is present in everything (people, animals, plants, stars, shadows, rocks, even "the space between air"), and can be drawn out and woven into spells; it used to be abundant and commonly used, but in the last century is has mysteriously dried up.  And from this "Art" are also dark demons from another dimension.   Maybe.

Things I liked:
I thought I had this all figured out, but I missed one key detail, and that's all due to Sutanto's cleverness.  Well done!

Things I didn't like: 
Things took too long to get started.

Read alikes: 
This is  high fantasy, set in a world where magic has inexplicably disappeared.  Some of the characters are very young, and at times this reads like YA.  This might appeal to fans of Robert Jackson Bennett.

Is this a series?  Maybe! The ending seems to set things up for a sequel.



This is one of those straight-up fantasy-world fantasies, complete with place names, jobs, weapons, abilities, religions, cultures, continents, and histories that I had to quickly learn to keep track of.  It's ... a lot at first.  Once published, there will be a map (and hopefully a glossary) to help new readers, but I read an arc so I was on my own!  Each chapter is from a different POV, and at first the connections between characters was unknown, so I found myself getting attached to one character and then poof! dumped into a completely different world with different characters.  I had a hard time staying engaged.  

Mara, in Tchu-Morrokhai, was taken as a baby and raised in The Institute, a school of “Emissaries” (aka assassins), trained by the Elders, and forbidden to make friends with any classmates (and they seem to be encouraged to attack and even kill each other -  I'm not sure  how THAT fosters national pride, but what do I know about training to be an Emissary).  Kaian, across the ocean, is a Kazgarthian orphan now living in Velingard, and surviving on his wits and the money he makes as a tavern worker and a petty thief.  Livya Bellevue, also in Velingard, is an elite rich girl, the child of two famed scientists, and formerly Kaian's childhood friend; Livya is so elite that she lives with a paid companion, aka Sectator, Cerra.  (I struggled with the fact that a "Sectator" felt a lot like a slave). Commander Fonde, the only adult in the mix, is captain of the police (aka Vigils) in Velingard.

Some of the characters do act a bit too "YA" and this made the tone of the book feel a little confusing at times.  Mara is absolutely obsessed with her classmate, Lia, to the point where this is her complete personality.   (I confess I kept getting the names “Mara” and “Lia” confused, and I wish Sutanto had chosen more dissimilar names so I could keep them straight - it doesn't help that there's also a Livya in the book.  All the names in the universe, and we get Mara, Lia, Cerra, and Livya to contend with.) Lia returns the feelings, but unfortunately for both of them, friendship and romance is absolutely forbidden in their school, on pain of death by stoning.  This seemed extreme, but I was willing to accept it, since, ya know, "fantasy world rules" and all that.  

Kaian is also feeling pretty obsessed with rich socialite Livya, and that was a whole lot of teenaged obsession to be carried in a non-YA novel.  Luckily, the fifth character, Fonde, does not have googly eyes for anyone.  In fact, his character was so different that I sometimes wondered why he was there.  I think he provided backstory for how the revolution happened and how it affected the country, since he lived through that.

Livya is kind of stupid.  I lost count of the number of tines Kaian cautioned her to hang back, and she darted past him insisting she had to do whatever.  Once, I can see.  Twice, maybe. But why didn't she learn her lesson?  Her stupid headstrong insistence got people killed.  How many people have to die before you catch a clue, Livya?

Metallurgy is important to the plot.  A deified former emperor, Eziri, discovered that dracerium was effective in repelling “demons,” so he gathered a lot of that.    Lyvia’s mother, Dr. Yohana Bellevue, invented adther, (created by putting adtherium on dracerium), which is now used everywhere, since it was believed to be indestructible.  This is a key plot element, and it didn't completely make sense.  If a metal is indestructible, how do you form it and carve it?  That’s never explained.  And why would it be cheap, if it's not plentiful? And who builds houses out of metal??

In the Author's Notes,  Sutanto explains that this was actually her very first book, it was based on the many hours she spent playing World of Warcraft, but it was never accepted by a publisher back then so she shelved it.  Until now!   I never played WoW so I missed any easter eggs she hid in the book.  I'm sure that will be fun for any fans.

[Just Blue Through Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon & Harper Voyager for the ARC of An Edge Sharp Enough by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Reading the author's note at the end of the book has me the most conflicted about how to write this review. When I first saw a Jesse Q. Sutanto novel that was in the sci fi and fantasy genre I assumed that her agent or her publisher had approached her about this being a genre worth pivoting to due to the increased interest from the past decade thanks to Leigh Bardugo, Rachel Gillig, Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca Yarros, Devney Perry, etc. I am so used to being a fan of her for Vera Wong and her Aunties series, so I was surprised and a bit intrigued, but I was keeping my expectations low. In the author's note, Sutanto talks about how the characters from this book were part of her master's thesis over a decade ago, but were never picked up by publishers. This was her first genre of choice, not some sort of cash grab. Knowing this, I much more appreciate the overall story and Sutanto's love and passion for finally having this book published. That being said, this also makes me so mad at the publishing industry, because, in many ways, this book would have hit the market super successfully a decade ago and in 2026, with the market so oversaturated, it only hits mid range and it makes me so mad at myself to even type that. Jesse Q. Sutanto deserved better on this one.

An Edge Sharp Enough is a fantasy novel that takes place in a world that once had magic, called Art. About 25 years ago, Art completely disappeared from the Northern Continent as a woman known as the Divine Empress waged war against the seven districts to take control and keep Art eradicated forever. On the Southern Continent, Art has been gone for nearly 1000 years, but about 25 years ago the city experienced a revolution where the common folk overthrew the kingdom of the Revven family. The Revven family was said to have the power to keep demons at bay through their control of a specific building material that much of the capital city is now made of, but with the creation of a new material that is just as indestructible, the people found a way to rise up. Now, 25 years after the loss of Art in the North, and the death of the Revvens in the South, our four main characters are brought together when the new indestructible material starts to collapse and upend the world order in the North and South.

An Edge Sharp Enough starts out dropping you into the action with a complex magic / political / religious system that does begin to make more sense once you get about 1/5th of the way through, just like Leigh Bardugo does in her books. I do wish more was said about the term artifices and subtlety and how they work, but I think past that the magic system does make a lot of sense and is well thought out and interesting once you can place the terminology.

The multi POV of 4 separate characters each have their own purposes and twists, but I had trouble connecting with them. I think this was because the book reads a lot more YA than Adult, and so the characters and their interactions and reactions felt just a bit shallower and basic than I needed to really feel for them - so much of their movement is plot driven, which is great, but when they reflect on their pasts its both to set you in the world-building AND create compassion for them but its spread too thin with all the other action and POVs also needing their own time. I think many of the characters just felt immature, even for being age 20. Mara is solely driven by "I like this one person", Livya stopped talking to Kaian at age 12 for the silliest of reasons and she is still very immature and sheltered from diverse opinions, Kaian is solely driven that he likes Livya - I think Fonde is the only one acting with any direction. I wonder if the book is only listed as Adult because there is a fair amount of violence and one mention of sexual assault, but past that it is very tame in terms of conversation (barely any swearing), no sex, etc.

A lot happens in the last 22% and, while it was super engaging and entertaining, I didn't feel shocked or hurt by the outcomes even though they will drastically change the second part, which fans of Rachel Gillig may really appreciate. But it's not that the book is bad in any way - it's just average for the overall market at this point. It's hard to hide a twist when people are expecting one, and so much has been overdone or become predictable in fantasy that this duology isn't yet setting itself drastically apart. I still really enjoyed the book - I read it in two sittings and every time I thought it might be getting into a lull, Sutanto pulled you right into the next bit of action. Her writing overall in this is fantastic and she is still excellent at plotting and timing. I also would still recommend this book to any of her fans and any fantasy readers (again, especially those who like Bardugo and Gillig) and I definitely do want to read the conclusion in the next book.

[Hamad Naif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse Q. Sutanto, widely known for her cozy mysteries and warmly comic fiction, has undertaken something genuinely audacious with this novel: she has entered the grimdark genre and, with considerable craft and conviction, made it entirely her own.

The world Sutanto constructs is among the most fully realized fantasy settings in recent memory. Set twenty years after a revolution catalyzed by the invention of an indestructible new metal, this is a society still bleeding from its own transformation, one that dismantled a tyranny only to quietly erect another in its place. The Divine Empress's campaign to eradicate the last traces of magic operates not as conventional fantasy villainy but as something colder and more recognizable: the systematic erasure of the ancient by the efficient, the irreplaceable displaced by the expedient. It is a tension that resonates far beyond the page.

What elevates the novel above its considerable world-building, however, are its four central characters. Mara, the assassin raised behind fortress walls since the age of five, carries the novel's moral weight without ever collapsing into martyrdom. She desires freedom, love, and a restored world, and Sutanto never permits her to want those things without cost. Livya, the scholar daughter of the man whose invention sparked the revolution, is the novel's great complication: privileged, exceptionally intelligent, and implicated in a history she is only beginning to fully comprehend. The con man and the guard complete a quartet that ought not to cohere, four voices, four competing agendas, four corners of a fractured world drawn inexorably toward collision, and yet Sutanto orchestrates their convergence with the assurance of a writer who has been building toward precisely this work.

The prose merits particular attention. This is not the stripped momentum of commercial fantasy. Sutanto writes with texture, deliberateness, and a keen sense of consequence; even minor scenes carry weight. The action is taut and visceral. The quieter moments are, somehow, more devastating still. And the novel's concluding twist, which shall remain undisclosed here, though readers would do well to brace for it, demands a long moment of stillness before one is capable of moving on.

*An Edge Sharp Enough* is a genre debut in the narrowest sense only. In every meaningful regard, it is the work of a writer at full command of her abilities, given at last the canvas she has always deserved. For admirers of R.F. Kuang's moral fury, Joe Abercrombie's unflinching complexity, and fantasy that extends its readers the dignity of being treated as adults, this is not merely recommended reading. It is essential.
Sutanto has not simply crossed genres. She has, with this novel, laid claim to one. I can't wait for the audiobook 😊

[Bethany J · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!*

This is a bit of a confusing one for me. It started out pretty interesting, particularly where the plot was concerned, but there were a few things that threw me off. The writing is a big one. It's weird; it felt like the author was attempting, at times, to emulate the language of a more high fantasy novel, but there were some... almost anachronistic bits thrown in that really ended up cutting into the vibe it felt like the author was trying to set. This lead to a very uneven tone, particularly when the writing edged toward the humorous in a way that didn't fully fit in the places it was put.

The characters were mostly interesting, but it felt like the way the relationships were built didn't really translate. A lot of it felt forced, mostly told rather than shown. Truthfully, there was a lot more telling than showing, in general, but it stood out the most when it came to the relationships and character-building. As a result, I never felt connected to any of the characters in the way I wanted to be. I was viewing everything from a distance when it felt like the novel wanted me to be on the ground with them.

While the plot was interesting and creative, the way it resolved was not. It was honestly disappointing because it all felt so very convenient. I'm not going to spoil anything, but the way the author chose to do it sapped the tension entirely out of the novel. It felt like a lack of trust in the reader to put things together, which was particularly frustrating because the author actually did lay out the peaces of the plot decently well. It's just that it ended up being a monologue of exactly how everything went down, spelling everything out in a way that was honestly boring. The mystery and reveals ended up being broken by this decision.

This book ended on a cliffhanger, but I'm not even remotely interested in reading the sequel based solely on how this book handled the plot. Truthfully, I'd probably have given this one star if there weren't interesting things happening, if there weren't some moments of writing that made me stood up. It's just that the larger resolution and character development really fumbled hard and I don't care enough to continue.

[bookish.brietto]

I I went into An Edge Sharp Enough not totally sure what to expect, but it ended up feeling a lot more emotional than I thought it would. It’s not loud or overly dramatic its more of a quiet, creeping kind of story that slowly pulls you in without you really noticing at first.
What really worked for me was how real the main character felt. Not perfect, not always making the best choices, just very… human. The kind of messy thoughts and reactions that actually feel believable. There were a few moments where I had to pause because something hit a little too close, and I always love when a book can do that without trying too hard.
That said, the middle did feel a little slow for me. I wasn’t bored, but it felt like the story stayed in the same emotional space for a bit longer than it needed to. I also found some of the tonal shifts a little abrupt it would move between lighter and heavier moments in a way that didn’t always feel seamless.
But the ending really landed. It didn’t feel overly neat or wrapped up, which I appreciated, and the emotional payoff felt earned. It’s the kind of ending that lingers a little, which made the whole reading experience feel more worth it.
Overall, this is a quieter, more introspective read that focuses a lot on internal conflict and emotion. If you like character-driven stories that feel a little messy and honest, this one will probably work for you.

[Reading Xennial · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a few of Jesse Q Sutanto’s books and I’ve always enjoyed their writing. I love how they can go in between genres and pretty much nail it. This is the first fantasy by Sutanto, and they didn’t disappoint. Their writing skill translated well to this genre.

There is quite a bit of world building and Sutanto does a great job of showing instead of telling or info-dumping. I’m glad this is going to be a duology because we get an entire new world in two books. There are four main characters where we see their viewpoints. As with all fantasies, this book is a lot to get into because of the world building and learning the different characters so it takes a lot of brain power to get invested. Once I was invested, I really enjoyed my time and I can’t wait for the next book to come out to see where this all ends up.

I highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of Sutanto’s previous works, but be aware this is quite a departure from the cozy books written before. This book is not cozy and goes into some more serious events. Also, if you’re a fan of fantasy then I recommend you give this a try.

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

[Erik Hilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. The wordbuilding in this is very cool in my opinion, and I liked that the world of the book felt like something that was alive and constantly under change just like reality is, with the revolution and the upgrade from dracerium to adther. Also, I thought it was pretty nice to see the characters' paths slowly converge. However, I wasn't a fan of the style of the author. The prose felt almost... clumsy at times, and there were many instances during my reading when it seemed like a part was supposed to deliver great emotional impact, but didn't because it felt sloppily worded to me.

Something I thought was worth a mention was that the book has a lot of plot twists. At one point, it almost felt comedic to me how the author managed throw yet another plot twist after a plot twist. Some of them I thought were clever and enjoyable, but other felt extremely ass-pull-ey and left me scratching my head in confusion. The part with Ezeri and the fallen star and the part where the truth behind Livya's mother is revealed were especially wtf-inducing moments for me.

Also, pacing of Mara's pov seemed a little strange to me. She spent so much time at the institute compared to Velingard, which is arguably way more relevant for the main plot.

Anyway, do I recommend this book? Eeh... (vaguely gestures around) maybe? I donno?

[Sara Ratliff]

DNF at 20%

I know this author writes primarily contemporary books, so I was expecting the world-building to be a bit clunky, but unfortunately there just isn't any element of this that is working for me.

The writing style reads on the much younger side of YA, in a way that can sometimes work in adult contemporary books, but is very disorienting in an adult fantasy. The dialogue is clunky, like the author knew exactly what she wants the reader to get out of each interaction, but not how to write it in a way that sounds like an actual human conversation. The exposition comes in awkwardly timed rambles. The characters read as too eloquent when they're children and frustratingly juvenile when they're young adults — the latter of which wouldn't be as much of a problem if their characterizations weren't also extremely flat.

It was honestly a struggle just to reach the 20% mark. I'm sure this will work for some people, but I'm not one of them.

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyrical and interesting fantasy with a superb sense of the characters, carrying forth Sutanto's strengths from her previous works. We have two perspectives, Mara being trained to be an assassin inside a fortress and Livya, far away, the daughter of a brilliant scientist who altered the world. These two seem to have little to do with each other, but as the indestructible metal Livya's mother invented suddenly starts breaking, things shift rapidly.

The characters are superb, as expected from Sutanto. Each character, even the most miniscule ones, feel quite real. But, and I was surprised to see this, Sutanto's worldbuilding is incredible as well. At first, it may seem a bit confusing, considering the differences between Livya's and Mara's worlds. But this works incredibly well as the reveal hits and suddenly it all clicks into place. Plus, great sequel hook. Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the E-ARC.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ✨

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy.

An edge sharp enough follows four protagonists as they get to the bottom of the decline of magic. The story features political intrigue, mystery, and several plot twists.

Some of the twists were predictable and I felt that Kaian and Fonde’s POVs got a bit in the way of the main story. I appreciated the political elements and the world building was well done. Mara’s story at the end dragged a bit, but overall this was a solid read that set up book 2 for success.

I definitely want to see what this cast gets up to in the next installment!

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally, I love everything this author writes, but this was just not the book for me. I had a hard time getting into it and keeping the different characters straight. I might give it a second chance when the other book comes out.

[Stef]

saw it on kaylas