Diplomats and Fugitives

The Emperor's Edge #9

by Lindsay Buroker

Even though Basilard is the official Mangdorian ambassador to the Turgonian Republic, he still isn’t fully trusted by his pacifist people. After he was enslaved and forced to entertain spectators in pit fights that left him scarred and mute, his kin turned their backs on him, condemning him for choosing violence. They don’t let him travel home without supervision, and he isn’t allowed to see his daughter.

When trouble arises in his homeland, a mysterious blight that could cause widespread starvation for his people, he’s invited to take several old friends to travel to his country to investigate. If Basilard can solve the problem, perhaps his people will finally realize he’s not a bad influence on his family. But unlikely obstacles stand in his way, including a strange Kendorian woman that he’s ordered to take along on the mission.

A Kendorian fugitive hiding in Turgonia, former tracker and assassin Ashara Longbow wants to start a new life, so she can sneak her children out of her country to join her in the republic. Not only is she hunted back home, but the Kendorian ambassador in Turgonia has learned she exists and wants a favor in exchange for keeping her secret. If she doesn’t help him thwart Basilard’s mission, she may never see her children again.

Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, Adventure, Fiction, Magic, Romance, Urban Fantasy

368 pages, ebook

First published July 30, 2015

About the author

I'm a full-time indie fantasy and science fiction author. When I'm not writing, I'm ferrying my dogs to hiking trails for adventures.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

➽ And the moral of this reread is: it's 2020 and Lindsay Buroker still hasn't written another installment in this series. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND COMPLETELY INADMISSIBLE. I NEED to know how Amaranthe-It-Went-Boom-But-It's-Not-My-Fault and Ever-Joyous Sicarius of the Yummy Ration Bars are doing! And how about my favorite Oversized Hat Rack 👋waves at Mal👋?! And Bas the Coolest Mute Character Ever Because I said So (take that, The Vagrant)?! And Ashara the Plant Whisperer of the Deathly Crossbow?! And Mahliki the Washout Paper Enthusiast?! Damn, I miss this whole cast so much I even want to know how Sespian's somewhat temperamental feline is doing!!

Okay, that's it. It's been five bloody shrimping years since you wrote this instalment, Lindsay Buroker, and my nefarious patience has its limits. So I'm sending over a diplomatic mission to discuss the future of this series with you. In a most friendly, peaceful manner, obviously.



• Book 1: The Emperor’s Edge ★★★★
• Book 2: Dark Currents ★★★★
• Book 3: Deadly Games ★★★★
• Book 4: Conspiracy ★★★★
• Book 5: Blood and Betrayal ★★★★
• Book 5.5: Beneath the Surface ★★★★
• Book 6: Forged in Blood I ★★★★
• Book 7: Forged in Blood II ★★★★★
• Book 8: Republic ★★★★



[November 2015]

This review is more about the Emperor's Edge series as a whole than about this particular instalment. Most of my dear friends being totally clueless as usual as to what The Emperor's Edge is about, I'd thought I'd try to corrupt their innocent minds into reading it, and introduce them to the overall awesomeness of the series. You're welcome.

I am not one of those Fantasy-Sanderson Cult-type Freaks *waves at her thou-shalt-not-be-named-but-you-know-I'm-talking-about-you-friends* Most of the time, I read a fantasy book and something like this happens:



Yes, fantasy is usually a pretty good cure for insomnia as far as I'm concerned. But once every 200 years I come across a fantasy book/series that doesn't bore me to death. Wow. One I don't DNF the hell out of after reading 20 pages (which usually takes me about two months). Wow. One I actually finish reading to the very last page. Wow. One I actually rate pretty high. Wow. So the fact that this is the ninth instalment in this series and that I'm still here to talk about it should tell you something. Yes it should.

Okay, so this isn't one of those epic, dark, every-instalment-is-1000+-pages kind of series. I guess you Fantasy Freaks would consider it diet, decaffeinated fantasy. Think what you will, I don't give a damn. It might be light fantasy, but fantasy it still is. With magic. And steampunk. And mental stuff. And [BEEP] ← homemade spoiler tag. Specially designed for BIG spoilers. And for the silly people who can't resist the call of the evil spoiler tag. And adventures, lots of adventures. And fights. And fast-paced action. And evil plotting. And fun, lots of fun. And great banter. And a kickass female heroine. And a very cool assassin. And one of the best gang of misfits ever.



Time for the awful truth (yeah, I'm like that, I like it awful): I wasn't that excited about the first book in the series. The world building isn't that great and can be quite confusing at time. The plot is a bit weak. BUT. The cast of characters is awesome. And the book is fun. Which some people seem to have a problem with. Some reviewers criticize it because they think it's too "campy" and reads too much like a comedy. Well, guess what? This is no Way of Kings, people. This is a light-hearted read that doesn't take itself seriously. Some reviewers criticize it because they think the characters get out of sticky situations too easily. And because the heroine is –they say– a Mary Sue. Well, guess what?



I don't care if the characters have it too easy, I don't care if Amaranthe is a Mary Sue (which she isn't ). Because this series is pure, unadulterated fun. It's to be enjoyed, not overthought. The first two instalments are the weakest in the series but they are still very entertaining. And once you get to know Amaranthe and her gang, you just can't let them go.

About this instalment: the series arc came to its conclusion with Republic (book 8). Diplomats and Fugitives is a standalone novel set in the Emperor's Edge, and features some of the series' secondary characters as main characters. And it's as awesome as the previous books: adventure, fun, fights, magic, lots of action, weird creatures, explosions, and a great cast. Yet another fantastic addition to the series.

The Emperor's Edge is one of the most entertaining fantasy series out there. And it's self-published. And book 1 is free. What more do you want?

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful tale!

*** 4.25 ***

This is a story about Basilard going back home and encountering a few difficulties, some of them very deadly, but nothing a new friend with questionable history and a gang of old favorite friends couldn't find a way to deal with. Candidate's countrymen are pacifists, but that doesn't make them agreeable or very likable. They are very much all or nothing type of folks, turning their backs on anyone who has had to commit violence, no matter if that is in order to stay alive, save someone 's life or even protect them and their country. I understand the underlined philosophy of their beliefs, but darn it, there has to be a judgement on case to case basis. Otherwise the human predators of the world would easily take advantage and even drive said pacifists to extinction...

I love every chance I get to be back with these characters and although I know this is the ninth book in the series, I feel it is not enough! The chemistry between the characters is what drives our love for the series and it is always a treat. So, since there are so many places the story can still go, I not only hope, but expect the author to write more books to come💛💚💙! Please, Ms. LB👏

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siiiigh. Much as it pains me to give Diplomats and Fugitives only three stars, I have to be honest. Don't get me wrong. Reading this book gave me plenty of joy, but as a critic, however casual, I did find faults.

This novel is the latest installment in my favorite series of all time, The Emperor's Edge, written by Lindsay Buroker. The books center on a young law enforcement officer, Amaranthe Lockdon, as she unearths a conspiracy threatening her nation, the empire of Turgonia. Amaranthe has always wanted to earn distinction, but in trying to help her young emperor, she lands herself on wanted posters and in the crosshairs of powerful people. Still, determined to make a difference, she assembles and leads a team of talented misfits, devoted to helping the empire, one job at a time.

The first seven books in the series are narrated largely by Amaranthe, with other members of her team getting a turn now and then. This wonderful series officially ended with book seven, Forged in Blood II, but fan whining response led Buroker to write a massive follow up novel, Republic, which was narrated by Amaranthe and scores of other characters. Then, fans got their way again, and Buroker wrote this book, Diplomats and Fugitives. Instead of being narrated by Amaranthe, however, Diplomats and Fugititves is written from the point of view of Basilard and a new character.

The story starts off fantastically. We're introduced to Ashara, a Kendorian woman living in Turgonia, during her presentation for her business class featuring her start-up, Alpine Elixirs. The presentation goes hilariously awry, but things sober up when Ashara is approached by the Kendorian ambassador, who threatens Ashara's children. The ambassador forces Ashara to join a Turgonian research team traveling to Mangdoria in response to a worrisome fungal blight that puts the ecosystem in peril. On that research team are our old friends, Basilard, Maldynado, and Mahliki.

I loved seeing these characters again. It's funny, while watching movie sequels, I've always thought those self-aware nods to past installments and the overdramatic entrances of fan-favorite characters were lame. But I ate that stuff up in Diplomats and Fugitives. Buroker knows her characters are well-loved, and she's cinematic in her style of bringing them back to us.

"There's Maldynado," Mahliki said, nodding behind Basilard.
The sun wouldn't creep over the mountains for another half hour, so Basilard couldn't see Maldynado that well between the gaslights lining the driveway, but his silhouette was pronounced enough to show off a dark, bulbous shape on his head. Whatever Maldynado's latest hat was, it had the shape of a roasted turkey. A large one.

Bahahaha!

I was also overjoyed to see Amaranthe and Sicarius again. As employed agents now, they're up to their old tricks. I was enthralled by their every line of dialogue and my only complaint regarding them is that I wanted more.

Speaking of complaints, I did have problems with the book. Buroker's plots are starting to get a tad repetitious, which is understandable since she's a prolific writer, but I trust that she can come up with more original stuff. This plot, in particular, was highly reminiscent of Dark Currents, only not as good. Basilard and his research team spent far too much time traveling I thought, and their were two nearly identical chase scenes that happened back to back. I couldn't believe what I was reading... again!

Also, my attention started to falter in the second half of the book, when the character interactions and development thinned out. To compound that growing disinterest, Buroker separated the characters into different groups. She does that frequently and, as it always happens, one group's goings-on are always more interesting than the others, which makes it a pain when the narration leaps away from them.

All in all, while Diplomats and Fugitives was not everything I hoped it would be, I still enjoyed myself hugely. Even better, the ending sets off a probably spin-off featuring Amaranthe and Sicarius. (!!!) Thank you for the latest installment, Ms. Buroker!

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Ms. Buroker's winner!

I love how this author writes! It's very exciting and you keep turning pages fast and furious! And when the end comes you just want to pick the next book immediately! I really, really hope it will be very, very soon!

I love Ashara and Basilard and all the other characters from the previous books!

Ashara is a new addition to the series and she fit right in! Another unjustly convicted refugee! What's there not to love! I find her perfect for Basilard and really hope they'll find their way together in the next books!

The action is non-stop, as in all the other books! You don't get to come up for air whle reading because things get happening at lightning speed!

Great book and great series!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t say I’d exactly imagined the long-awaited and hoped-for continuation to the Emperor’s Edge series to be a book starring Basilard while Amaranthe and Sicarius are relegated to supporting characters, but I enjoyed the read nevertheless and relished the opportunity to see most of the team work together again – I’d so missed their hilarious banter.

From the author’s updates on various social media platforms and the foreword in Diplomats and Fugitives, the argument provided for focusing on Basilard rather than Amaranthe and Sicarius in what was originally envisioned as a spin-off is quite understandable – Basilard, out of all the Emperor’s Edge team members, has the most question marks remaining regarding his family, love life and career following the events in the series proper and Republic. He’d had his POV introduced previously in Book 3 of the series, of course, but I thought his likeable (but not particularly vibrant) personality was outshone by the considerably more interesting POV of Amaranthe.

This book finally gives him more time in the spotlight – with a mission to protect his home country of Mangdoria as their diplomat and working with a restructured team, Basilard’s forced to step up as leader and take initiative, despite the temptation to fall back into the comforting pattern of letting Amaranthe step up with decision-making and idea-scheming. He’s still not a charismatic force-to-be-reckoned with, but at least he’s taken another step towards coming to terms with the fact that his countrymen’s pacifist policies simply aren’t feasible in the long run and that moping over the need to kill enemies rather than being killed is unproductive.

While his career prospects are still up in the air, at least Basilard’s romantic prospects appear to look less bleak. I always did suspect that the pretty translator of his introduced in Republic didn’t really match him. Ashara, the newly introduced outsider on this mission, turned out to be the more interesting POV to follow – she’s a real spitfire and I found her conflicts throughout the story sympathetic, so much so that I wish her eventual decision on which side to fight for was showcased with more oomph.

Plot-wise, the political shenanigans and explosions probably wouldn’t come as a surprise for long-time series fans, but it’s no bad thing; the only downside is that it wasn’t delved into in more detail. So much time was spent on Basilard and Ashara’s activities (or confused floundering) that we only caught a glimpse or two of the bad guys before they were ultimately dispatched, which made it rather hard to care what happened. The jungle/nature setting is definitely an interesting change from the Turgonian capital and Nurian desert, however, and the mix of people on the mission team (Turgonian, Mangdorian, Kendorian, Kyattese) set the scene for a lot more magic use than the Turgonian setting of the previous Emperor’s Edge books allowed. With the focus on Basilard and Ashara, we’re also introduced at last to two groups of people that have only been mentioned in asides elsewhere in books set in the Emperor’s Edge Universe – the Mangdorians and Kendorians. The background to these peoples remain fairly vague here, but future sequels could do more with it.

But let’s not kid ourselves – the highlight of this book by a mile is the return of Amaranthe and Sicarius! By God, I had no idea I could miss two fictional characters like I’d miss old friends, but when they showed up in the nick of time and reunited with Basilard and Maldynado, I actually found myself grinning idiotically as I read. (Needless to say, it drew some comments from friends and family nearby.) I loved the way Lindsay Buroker managed to drop all sorts of details about Amaranthe and Sicarius’ missions in their adventures post-Republic, include updates in their personal lives and even throw in a few subtle romantic moments (to the delight of this particular fan), all through the eyes of Basilard and Ashara. My interest definitely picked up upon their entry into the story, if only because it brought back the banter that Basilard and Maldynado alone couldn’t quite carry off. My only complaint in this department is that I wanted more of these two – Amaranthe in particular saw seriously reduced action in this book and was mostly left to provide background support or babysit the injured, which was not what I wanted for a character as exciting to read about as her. I almost groaned when the team inevitably split into smaller groups towards the end and Amaranthe got left behind in the “boring” half.

Considering how much potential lies in those briefly-hinted adventures Amaranthe and Sicarius experienced, I have my fingers crossed that the author might one day consider writing a novella or two on them. I would give much to be a fly on the wall during Amaranthe’s discussion with a Kyattese doctor on her childbearing prospects with Sicarius standing by, that’s for sure.

With the way Diplomats and Fugitives ended – nicely wrapped up, but not completely – I’m hoping there’s at least one more trip with Bas, Ashara, Amaranthe, Sicarius and Maldynado… this time to Kendor?

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you look at that, yet another Emperor's Edge book! I can never get enough of these characters and their adventures, so by all means do keep 'em coming... :D

The ninth book in the series takes us to Basilard's home country of Mangdoria, where he is sent along with Mahliki and Maldynado to investigate a blight that has befallen a large percentage of the trees and bushes the Mangdorians rely on for food. Sent along by the Kendorian ambassador, Ashara Longbow has orders to sabotage the investigation into the blight which soon turns out to not be of natural origins. Yet she slowly finds herself wanting to aid her travelling companions instead, with only a threat to her childrens' lives holding her back. The research mission soon turns much more dangerous than anticipated, as a shaman controlling wild creatures sends them to attack the group and Kendorian soldiers engaged in illegal mining operations on Mangdorian soil want them dead as well. Even with the help of Amaranthe and Sicarius, whom President Starcrest has sent to help, this might turn out to be one of their most dangerous missions yet.

Once again, a fabulous read! I really liked Ashara, who makes a great addition to the diverse cast of characters the series has to offer, and the subtle romance between her and Basilard is a lovely development for both characters. While all open story threads are now truly, properly tied up, I sure wouldn't mind another book or two (or three, or...) coming along in future - and who knows, maybe Lindsay Buroker will oblige her fans once again?

[Férial · Rating 4 out of 5]

EE. My comfort books. I might not be thouroughly objective when rating them :)

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I waited after I binged the rest of the series to read this. It was a way to draw the series out a little longer and also because I couldn't afford to be so completely sucked into a book for much of the summer. However, by having a bit of a break it made me miss the characters and really enjoy diving back into this world in a way that wouldn't have occured when I binge read the first books of the series.

[Hazelbue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a disappointment. I could not find it in me to care about Ashna (nor did I find her consistent as a character). Her romance with Basillard was a bit insta for me.
The best scenes and moments revolved around Sicarius and Amaranthe who should have been side characters in this series.
Also I wanted a bit more resolution on what happened to Basillard village (did the other boys who joined in the fight also get kicked out? what happened with his daughter?). the ending felt rushed.
Despite this I still hope that Lindsay writes more books in the series (though I know this is one of her older series). I know I will buy any of them immediately if she does.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Basilard. His people have shunned him for fighting to survive and the lady he wants to forge a connection to...isn't interested. The guy's a gem and he keeps hitting every bump in the road imaginable when he reaches for a little happiness.

On the plus side, he does have Amaranthe, Sicarius, and Maldynado (heh! That guy and his hats!) in his corner and they can be kind of ferocious when it comes to having their friends' backs.

Still, Basilard is dealing with a lot and a blight that could threaten his people just throws another log on the fire. Being sort of unwanted even when you're trying to fix a widespread problem has to sting. Being hunted and hassled by people who want you to fail is even more bothersome. And having a tracker who's probably a spy along for the journey and who he's starting to develop a friendship/feelings for is problematic, too.

Yup, the crew is caught up in their usual shenanigans. Sicarius is doing his thing. Amaranthe is coming up with slightly crazy plans. And Maldynado is...surprisingly astute at times. You know, when he's not wearing one of his hats.

Danger, mayhem, explosions, and one surprisingly sweet former-pit fighter who will do what he needs to do to protect his people. It's always fun to spend time with this group and I'm kinda sad to see it end. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Erica Alvendia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the only thing that I wished they added in this book was telling us what happened to the hunters that joined Bas' group in the end. They kept implying they would be ostracized but in the epilogue it only stated that the original team stayed in the outskirts of the village because Bas isn't allowed in. No mention of the hunters. Were they somehow accepted back? Also did they go to turgonia with the others or decided to stay in Mangdoria but as outcast and they would form their own village in the outskirts? Sigh.

[Deanna Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

To fans of the Emperor's Edge you will enjoy this story! It's the usual somewhat snarky romp through Turgonia and Mangdoria. Monsters, evil Shamans, and explosions abound.




***


I do protest the continuing media bias against Grimbals - making them out to be evil monsters is wrong! When brought up in loving families they're the sweetest. (My dog is name Grimbal)

[Cyd O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous predators, explosives, and assassins

With Maldonado involved, I really couldn't be surprised when a perfectly good vehicle got wrecked, or when things started blowing up. I did enjoy the ride! This trip with Basilard into his homeland is both revealing and endearing. The Emporor's Edge series is one of my favorites ever.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow, loved that. Another great instalment. I definitely would have preferred the final book (so far 😉😉) to have been mainly Amaranth/Sicarius based but hey ho, I still enjoyed this very much. Jomrik is my hero, thank you and goodnight.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this most of the way through, in fact I kept thinking how much better it was than Republic. It saddens me that it started to drag almost as soon as Sicarius and Amaranthe showed up. Prior to that, the story felt new with a different energy from the rest of the series. Even though POVs remained as only Basilard and Ashara, the story felt like it reverted back to a repetitive plot. That would have been ok, I guess, except we were halfway through the story, so things felt incomplete - I guess we’re supposed to know how plans come together by this point, but it made the second half feel disjointed. In addition, everything seemed to finish up in an abrupt way.

Somewhere around page 270, I found myself wondering how it would all be over in less than 50 pages, when they had accomplished nothing but barely surviving this far. It was accomplished by leaving several plot lines hanging without a true resolution, and just ignoring the fact that returning to Turgonia should be pretty arduous considering how difficult the beginning of their journey had been. So, they all arrive “home” safe and sound. None of the original goals of the diplomatic envoy seems to have been accomplished and we know nothing of how Turgonia’s relationship with its neighbors has been affected. Except for a potential cure created by Mahliki, that might not even work that well, and certainly not easily, the trip seems pointless.

The author has set things up to recreate the original team as official employees of the new republic, with a few additions, if she ever chooses to return to this “universe.” Perhaps they appear as a group in her other series that takes place after this one, Chains of Honor. But beyond that, it seems she has moved on to her Sci-fi and dragon fantasy series. I’m guessing she likes to leave her options open.

[Kay Dee (what is your storygraph name? mine is in my bio. join me!) Meadows · Rating 3 out of 5]

mini review: great series - read them all. they are all fun. :-)

and now just my thoughts.

if you read my review for books 1-3 you will understand the following. so i am cheap but yay for birthdays! i got some gift cards. they were visa gift cards but i spent them on getting almost the entire Lindsay Buroker (i can never spell her name right from memory) collection.
i have purchased every single ebook or ebook collection that has to do with the world of empire's edge.

EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

this wasn't one birthday it was 2 birthdays and 2 Christmases. cuz i am cheap. i mean, i cannot even lend these books to folks. oh yeah, i guess i could figure out the kindle loan thingee but whateves. i'll tell them to buy them. i read fiction books once maybe twice if it's a series and i need a refresher.

i love this world and Sicarious and Aramanthe and Sespian and Maldynadoand aeverybody else in these books. (i only checked the spelling on Maldynado's name.) so i enjoyed every short story and every full novel. a few things might be unbelievable or repeated scenarios but whatevs. i loved them all.

the author says in some book (don't ask me which. i have read them alllll!) what her influences are. the tv shows she names are ones i watched and loved and you can feel their influence in her characters and plots. a-team, macgyver, buck rogers, star trek, stargate sg-1, etc.
i do love her books becasue they do remind me of these shows which i loved as a child.

[Thush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5
I thought this book was more structured than Republic and appreciated the fact that Diplomats and Fugitives only had 2 POVs as compared to the whopping six in the previous book. It made for a clearer, more focused story and even though some of our favourites (Amaranthe, Sicarius and Maldynado) are in the periphery. I do like Basilard and his story is very compelling even if the actual plot about the blight and Kendor wasn't that interesting. I love how Buroker developed his character. It was very thought provoking and didn't have a fairytale "happily-ever-after" feel which fitted the story well. However I do love how Buroker ends her stories with hope and interesting potential even if they aren't the happiest of endings.
As usual I do want more Amaranthe and Sicarius stories because they are the most compelling (and humorous) characters in the series so I hope we get more in the near future.
But I don't mind waiting a bit until Buroker has a solid plot and a good place as to where her characters can grow as people.

[Tom Intiso · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Solidly Fun Story Expanding the EE Universe.

So this story is horrifying in many ways, not the least of which is the staggering number of injuries sustained by our heroes, not to mention a disastrous marriage proposal which was horrifying in an entirely different way, or the truly horrifying caricature that was once Maldonaydo. Regardless, overall, the best word to encapsulate this installment would still be “cute.”

I see cute, because despite all of the aforementioned horrifying Ness, this is just a sweet love story about two people finding each other. It is a fitting culmination to this tapestry of characters and their stories we have been following.

I mentioned Maldonaydo above, and what’s happened to him is odd. As I read through this series, it often Felt to me like he was Lindsey’s “Falstaff,” and I thoroughly enjoyed him in the first two or three books. But I don’t think Lindsey really liked this character very much since, as the series went on, he gradually migrated from merely “over the top,” until this story in which he is simply and utterly inappropriate in nearly every instance. He’s turned into a character we can only dislike.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the latest Bob's Bar collection by M.D. Cooper, I wanted to know more about some of the characters at the table. Since one of those was a Lindsay Buroker creation, I was very pleased to find a couple of her series offered the first books free at Amazon. While fantasy is not my usual read, I already knew this was an author I enjoyed from her science fiction series - Fallen Empire - So I was willing to give both a try. The Emperor's Edge series became my guilty read for this year. I fell in love with the characters in this series in book 1.

For some reason the A-Team kept coming to mind. This is a collection of characters whose reputations have been maligned, unfairly their; goal is clear their names and save their loved ones. In the process, they do save the day but in a manner that makes them look worse and increases the bounties on their heads.

While the series is mostly from the perspective of those raised in the Empire, this merry band of outlaws includes a cop, a nobleman, a street teen (with forbidden magic abilities), a professor, an escaped slave, and an assassin. Throughout the series we find that there are several unique cultures on this world. The Empire is warrior oriented, but another is peaceful, with a 3rd being more intellectual and encourages "magic" (mental power with the aid of devices). Technology levels vary. Stirred into that mix, was the discovery of alien technology.

Eventually, they succeed in saving the Emperor and the Empire and bringing about a change of government. They may or may not get a statue, but they do succeed in having their errors forgiven, their names sort of cleared, and their bounties canceled. After all that, what do you do next? Living legally requires a paycheck, even for heroes.

This series was such fun. IMO, Lindsay creates interesting and well-written characters and worlds, right down to the plants and animals.

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

I have to agree with LB when she decided that Basilard needed his own story. I think this was a good one even though I was hoping there was a bit more to the epilogue than what we got. I was hoping to see Basilard reconcile with his daughter and Ashara getting her children back. But I guess we can just imagine that will happen sometime in the future. Also, something should be done to that Kendorian Ambassador! I think Sicarius should give him a bit of a scare :)

I'm guessing this is the unofficial final instalment to the series since it's been quite a few years since this one was published. I wouldn't mind seeing more adventures from Amaranthe and her gang though.

[Toni Tellez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Series

This was the best series that I have ever read. I could not get enough of this series and read each book in a couple of days. The characters were so personable, fraught with humorous dialogue, a very creative vocabulary. This reminded me of a cross between Hogan's Heroes and the series Heroes. I wish there were more books to come. The fleshing out of the nations was very cleverly done; liking the nations to correspond to many of the current nations and their politics. The use of a very intellectual vocabulary takes the reader back to the days without television and slang to water down the language usage. There was no anticipatory guessing as one never knew where the characters would end up doing next. The series would make a brilliant action film!

[vasty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatest series ever!

I loved all the books to this story. I only wondered about Asktyr and Starcrests younger children. Did his daughter hook up with Asktyr? What kind of Mage did he turn out to be? Better yet, what kind of man did he turn out to be? Did he appreciate books sacrifice for him? Anyways... I can't believe that after reading 9 books I'm still craving one last adventure! An adventure with the old and new friends (Everyone)... But regardless I luv this story and would definitely read all 9 books again and again. It has it all... Love, hatred, action, adventure, happiness, sadness, etc... It's a magical enchantment I would endure over And over again!

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by Lindsay Buroker

There is so much going in this book. It's full of dangerous creatures being controlled by a mage, who intends evil against the main characters. Plus a smattering of romance, people keeping secrets, a pacifist community, and another one trying to push them off of their land. Plus a seriously dangerous assassin, a dandy, an ex ring fighter, and an Ex enforcer, to mention but a few of the truly awesome characters in this book. Plus amongst a whole lot of other things, some rip roaring action and great fight scenes! I love the Emperors Edge series and have read everyone of them. Will there be more, I don't know, but I sure hope so.

[Stevan &Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book like all the others in this series

This author is amazing at descriptions and explaining relationships in such a way that you practically feel like you're one of her characters too. You grin at things they say feeling like you are part of all the inside jokes. She's a really good author. I've read 2 of her series and plan on reading the rest. I have not read any of her books that I did not love. I'm sad that this book is the last one with these characters. If there were more, I'd read them all!

[Suzette Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series. Sad it's over

It's with great sadness that I see the end of the Emperors Edge series. I love the interaction between the characters. It was hard when Books was killed awhile back.

Spoiler alert!

On the other hand it appears that Basilard has found someone who looks past his scars and his past. Asher is interesting in her own right. I understand how Ms. Buroker likely wanted to move on but these characters became so real. I missed reviewing a couple of the books because I couldn't wait to get to the next one. They were well worth the price.

[Glenn Kvelland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do all good things need to come to an end?
Really loved these books. Lot of interesting characters.
Now I hope Basilard and his new friend Ashara, and potential lover(?), will succeeds in what they where planning next. Hope we someday will get more from these.





I have a small question for my fellow readers.
I have been wondering for a while, if we someday should be lucky and these books was made into movies/ tv series. Who would you want to play Amaranthe and friends?

Now I'm off to read some off my backlog before finding more books of my favorite author Lindsay Buroker

[K. Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful World Full of Wonderful People!

Although I'm sorry to have come to the end of this series with the end of this book, I'm very thankful to Miss Buroker for sharing this world with us. Her storytelling keeps you spellbound and on the edge of your seat. You find yourself reading just a couple more pages, and then just a couple more pages, until a couple of hours go by. Realizing you should have been doing something else, you just shrug your shoulders and keep on reading.

[Lisa Dow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read that is that is great

Please write more in this series their is so much I want to know about everyone in this story it was great so much action and love the story lines in each persons life their is so much more you could write I just discovered you about a year ago a year and 1⁄2 ago I read all your series and they all need more books lots more books It's fantastic I love these other worlds can't get enough please keep writing I'm 67 years old and I I'm 67 years old and I love everyone of them😍😍😍😍😍write faster in all your series. Thanks

[Marie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Book by L. Buroker

This has been another wonderful adventure series by Lindsay Buroker. Not only are her character and stories interesting, she has a marvelous vocabulary. Her stories are fun to read as well. She has a great sense of humor, especially irony. I hope she will continue this series. We need to find out what happens with Basilard and Ashara and manlike and Sespian!

[Stephani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series and all the characters, so while it’s great to get more, this book was just not as satisfying as many of the others. The ending felt rushed and incomplete. The author stated she wanted to wrap up Basilard’s story, specifically, by writing this book but I felt like he’s less wrapped up than before the story. More questions are brought up than answered. The Emperor’a Edge series is great overall but this one was just meh to me.