What do you think?
Rate this book
The Edge Chronicles (chronological) #5
The Edge Chronicles 5: Stormchaser: Second Book of Twig
Twig Verginix has now realised his dream of becoming a sky pirate, exploring the skies of the Edge as a crew-member of The Stormchaser. That is until Cloud Wolf forbids him from coming on the dangerous quest to collect stormphrax – a valuable substance created inside the heart of a Great Storm.
Twig refuses to leave his beloved skyship and smuggles himself on board The Stormchaser – but can the ship, and its crew – survive the destructive force of the Great Storm itself?
Stormchaser is the second book of the Twig Saga – second trilogy in The Edge Chronicles, the internationally best-selling fantasy series, which has featured on the UK and the New York Times best-seller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. There are now 13 titles and four trilogies in the series, but each book is a stand-alone adventure, so you can read The Edge Chronicles in any order you choose.
Twig refuses to leave his beloved skyship and smuggles himself on board The Stormchaser – but can the ship, and its crew – survive the destructive force of the Great Storm itself?
Stormchaser is the second book of the Twig Saga – second trilogy in The Edge Chronicles, the internationally best-selling fantasy series, which has featured on the UK and the New York Times best-seller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. There are now 13 titles and four trilogies in the series, but each book is a stand-alone adventure, so you can read The Edge Chronicles in any order you choose.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
139 people are currently reading
2859 people want to read
About the author
Paul Stewart
217 books919 followersPaul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers – from picture books to football stories, fantasy and horror. Together with Chris Riddell he is co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles, which has sold more than three million copies and is available in over twenty languages. They have also collaborated together on lots of other exciting books for children of all ages. The Far-Flung Adventure series includes the Gold Smarties Prize Winner Fergus Crane, and Corby Flood and Hugo Pepper, both Silver Nestle Prize Winners. Then there are the Barnaby Grimes books, two Muddle Earth adventures, and the sci-fi Scavenger and fantasy Wyrmeweald trilogies. For younger readers there is the Blobheads series, while for the very young, Paul has written several picture books, including the Rabbit and Hedgehog series, In the Dark of the Night and, his latest, Wings.
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews
May 21, 2021
Following on from 'Beyond the Deepwoods', this is a total change of pace. The city of Sanctaphrax and the politics of it opens up and Twig becomes heavily involved in it all, which is totally different from the lost wanderings in the forest of the first book in the Twig Saga.
While I think I prefer 'Beyond the Deepwoods' because of the nostalgia element of it, 'Stormchaser' definitely has a better plot. The stakes are incredibly high and it's up to Twig and the crew of Stormchaser to put things right. However, there is betrayal and danger and things go terribly wrong quite quickly.
What I love about this series is reinforced so much in this book - attention to detail when it comes to the world. Having read the Quint Saga, there were some interesting connections from this book to that series. However, you can still read the Twig saga first if you wish, even though the Quint saga comes first chronologically. I still can't get over how real Stewart & Riddell can make this fantasy world feel.
A highlight is a side-story that becomes entwined with the main story a little later on. There's a wicked guide who helps people cross the Mire, but kills them on the journey and harvests their toes. It's extremely dark and wonderfully so as the story does end up playing a huge part, even though to begin with I thought it was just an interesting side-piece. No, everything has been thought out and I am just in LOVE with it.
Definitely darker than Beyond the Deepwoods, there's even an illustration of a severed arm at one point, so go into this baring that in mind. I would begin to say this series is perfect for those who still love middle grade but want something a little more "grown-up", as I wouldn't call this young adult or teen, but it's definitely mature middle grade, I would say. Anyway, love this series with everything I have.
While I think I prefer 'Beyond the Deepwoods' because of the nostalgia element of it, 'Stormchaser' definitely has a better plot. The stakes are incredibly high and it's up to Twig and the crew of Stormchaser to put things right. However, there is betrayal and danger and things go terribly wrong quite quickly.
What I love about this series is reinforced so much in this book - attention to detail when it comes to the world. Having read the Quint Saga, there were some interesting connections from this book to that series. However, you can still read the Twig saga first if you wish, even though the Quint saga comes first chronologically. I still can't get over how real Stewart & Riddell can make this fantasy world feel.
A highlight is a side-story that becomes entwined with the main story a little later on. There's a wicked guide who helps people cross the Mire, but kills them on the journey and harvests their toes. It's extremely dark and wonderfully so as the story does end up playing a huge part, even though to begin with I thought it was just an interesting side-piece. No, everything has been thought out and I am just in LOVE with it.
Definitely darker than Beyond the Deepwoods, there's even an illustration of a severed arm at one point, so go into this baring that in mind. I would begin to say this series is perfect for those who still love middle grade but want something a little more "grown-up", as I wouldn't call this young adult or teen, but it's definitely mature middle grade, I would say. Anyway, love this series with everything I have.
March 15, 2018
When I reviewed Beyond the Deepwoods the First Book of Twig, I commented that it would be a good book for children who liked a bit of bite to their books but not enough to give them nightmares. Well they would need to be fairly tough to read this one! There's a lot of death, a couple of living skeletons and a gruesome chap who cuts off toes and keeps them as trophies. Not light bed time reading for a ten year old methinks:)
I enjoyed it though. Twig is starting to grow up and although a lot of bad things happen to him he makes it through and even improves his situation in some ways. In other ways it gets worse but of course there is always book 3 to hopefully fix that!
I enjoyed it though. Twig is starting to grow up and although a lot of bad things happen to him he makes it through and even improves his situation in some ways. In other ways it gets worse but of course there is always book 3 to hopefully fix that!
September 25, 2017
Even better than the first one!
Still had the gripping fantasy world filled with magical creatures and evil villains but with a thicker plot line and more dramatic scenes.
Twig - having found his way onto a sky pirate ship goes through a multitude of unfortunate and dangerous incidents in search for the magical substance - Stormphrax! But there are a variety of other evil characters who wish to get their hands on Stormphrax for their own gain.
A swashbuckling epic fantasy full of treachery and even a few gruesome bits for a children's book!
Unfortunately it ended on a cliffhanger and I don't have the third book! I need it!
Still had the gripping fantasy world filled with magical creatures and evil villains but with a thicker plot line and more dramatic scenes.
Twig - having found his way onto a sky pirate ship goes through a multitude of unfortunate and dangerous incidents in search for the magical substance - Stormphrax! But there are a variety of other evil characters who wish to get their hands on Stormphrax for their own gain.
A swashbuckling epic fantasy full of treachery and even a few gruesome bits for a children's book!
Unfortunately it ended on a cliffhanger and I don't have the third book! I need it!
November 9, 2022
Twig is now a sky pirate. The ship however is kept afloat by nothing but a giant pile of debt. So when Twig accidentally causes severe damage to the ship, he’s guilt-ridden to say the least. The captain of the ship then gets the chance to get rid of all their debt in one fell swoop.
Sanctaphrax is a city-state that’s built on a floating rock. It’s a rock that keeps growing and it’s starting to float away. The only solution the inhabitants have is using Stormphrax to anchor down the floating rock.
All the sky pirates have to do is collect Stormphrax so the city doesn’t float away anymore. Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, to gather Stormphrax they have to fly their ship right into the middle of a huge storm.
In comparison to the previous novel, there now is an actual plot. The concept is very good and even a bit relevant as it’s reminiscent of climate change. The plot feels like it’s stretched a bit thin over so many pages. But the characters and Twig’s character arc in particular more than make up for it. There’s an antagonist this time around and he’s definitely worthy of the name. The stakes are higher and the story’s also a bit darker in tone. The world building is once again very rich, detailed and interesting. But it’s become less important and less prevalent in comparison to the first book, which is a bit of a shame.
Overall, a pretty solid sequel that is plot-wise an absolute improvement compared to the previous book. It builds further on the rich and vast world we explored last time and continues Twig’s character in spectacular fashion. Though I have to admit, I did like the previous book a little more.
Sanctaphrax is a city-state that’s built on a floating rock. It’s a rock that keeps growing and it’s starting to float away. The only solution the inhabitants have is using Stormphrax to anchor down the floating rock.
All the sky pirates have to do is collect Stormphrax so the city doesn’t float away anymore. Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, to gather Stormphrax they have to fly their ship right into the middle of a huge storm.
In comparison to the previous novel, there now is an actual plot. The concept is very good and even a bit relevant as it’s reminiscent of climate change. The plot feels like it’s stretched a bit thin over so many pages. But the characters and Twig’s character arc in particular more than make up for it. There’s an antagonist this time around and he’s definitely worthy of the name. The stakes are higher and the story’s also a bit darker in tone. The world building is once again very rich, detailed and interesting. But it’s become less important and less prevalent in comparison to the first book, which is a bit of a shame.
Overall, a pretty solid sequel that is plot-wise an absolute improvement compared to the previous book. It builds further on the rich and vast world we explored last time and continues Twig’s character in spectacular fashion. Though I have to admit, I did like the previous book a little more.
March 15, 2015
This book is another great instalment in Twig Saga.
This book has done it again and think twig has started to grow up and develop a little more in this book.
Although I loved this book and thought the characters were great I think the first book in The Twig Saga was a little better. Only because It was a little quirkier and think that this one was a little darker I guess.
Although I thought this one was less quirky than the first in the trilogy, I still loved the book and gave it 5 stars.
This book has done it again and think twig has started to grow up and develop a little more in this book.
Although I loved this book and thought the characters were great I think the first book in The Twig Saga was a little better. Only because It was a little quirkier and think that this one was a little darker I guess.
Although I thought this one was less quirky than the first in the trilogy, I still loved the book and gave it 5 stars.
November 10, 2016
Another great installment in the series! The world-building is extended to the first book with even more likable (and unlikable) creatures. I really love the Steampunk elements, and the whole "Sky Pirate"-thing reminded me a bit to "Treasure Planet", which is one of my favorite childhood movies. I also felt very much for the protagonist Twig in this novel. His inner thoughts about the question where he belongs and also his hopes to impress his father felt very realistic to me. At some point I was a bit skeptical about the fact that it´s a children´s book, especially at the point we met Screed Toe-taker. However, for me as an adult this book definitely worked pretty good and I am excited to read the final one. 4.5 of 5 stars overall.
August 18, 2022
epic 💪 if you haven’t read these books before do yourself a favour they are the best and the illustrations go so hard
June 12, 2024
Sky pirates, creepy woods that make you forget who you are and a dude who literally takes toes!?! Yeah it was great
August 20, 2016
This installment of the Twig trilogy does a good job of expanding the world and the plot of the Edge. It does definitely have some flaws, especially in terms of character. Twig becomes nicely developed by the end, with a sense of justice, a desire to make his father proud, and a fair bit of cleverness. However, all of the rest of the characters are incredibly thin. It makes it hard for me to care when they get killed off or otherwise removed from the plot in rapid order. And it's pretty telling that Twig's new crew are basically carbon copies of the old one. However, the plot is pretty good. Whereas the first book was basically a series of random events as Twig wandered the Deepwoods, here Twig and co are on a quest to recover Stormphrax to save the Edge. The floating city of Sanctaphrax is ruled over by a tyrant whose actions have ruined the city and the town below and polluted everything. Twig is the last hope to restore Sanctaphrax to balance and end a vicious cycle of environmental damage. I enjoyed that the story has an environmental theme without feeling too heavy handed about it. I also liked the bits that are shown of Undertown and Sanctaphrax, since both are weird and wonderful places that follow some of my favorite tropes for locations. The Twilight Woods are pretty standard, except that they grant the people in them immortality, which adds a nice twist. One thing I was surprised by is that this is a relatively self-contained story. Yes, there's a sequel hook at the end, but the major plot is handled, and it feels like somebody could read this book without reading either the first or third in the trilogy and be just fine. Personally, though, I'm planning to keep going and finish up the Twig trilogy, because it seems like it has indeed held up well when compared to my childhood memories of it.
February 8, 2011
I adored this book!
Upon finishing the first book of The Edge Chronicles (of which there are 10) which is also the first book of The Twig Trilogy, I had expectations for the second book. Paul Stewart needed to elaborate on the fantastic world of The Edge which he had hinted at in the first book. He needed to write deeper and construct a novel that was more than loosely connected segments. He needed to establish a narrative and construct a fuller plot because I saw potential in the story.
Thankfully, he lived up to all my expectations and more.
The plot constructed in "Stormchaser" is elaborate and complex for a children's book. It deals with a complicated father/son relationship, a world's dependence on an energy source, and the moral greyness of a urban infrastructure.
And then there is the "Twilight Woods" and of course the wonderful chapters that are collections of several vignettes whose meanings are revealed as you read.
Oh, and the fantastical characters and the danger, so much danger!
Paul Stewart is a rather fearless author and has my utmost respect. Of course it would be unfair not to include Chris Riddell in this review as well as his artistic vision tells equally as much story as the words from Paul Stewart's pen. In fact, I just found out that this entire series began with a map that Chris drew of "The Edge". Chris handed Paul the map and said, "Here. Write me a story.".
WHAT?! That is incredible!!!
The end of the book left me hungry for the final book in the Twig Trilogy which will be in my hands by tomorrow afternoon:-)
Upon finishing the first book of The Edge Chronicles (of which there are 10) which is also the first book of The Twig Trilogy, I had expectations for the second book. Paul Stewart needed to elaborate on the fantastic world of The Edge which he had hinted at in the first book. He needed to write deeper and construct a novel that was more than loosely connected segments. He needed to establish a narrative and construct a fuller plot because I saw potential in the story.
Thankfully, he lived up to all my expectations and more.
The plot constructed in "Stormchaser" is elaborate and complex for a children's book. It deals with a complicated father/son relationship, a world's dependence on an energy source, and the moral greyness of a urban infrastructure.
And then there is the "Twilight Woods" and of course the wonderful chapters that are collections of several vignettes whose meanings are revealed as you read.
Oh, and the fantastical characters and the danger, so much danger!
Paul Stewart is a rather fearless author and has my utmost respect. Of course it would be unfair not to include Chris Riddell in this review as well as his artistic vision tells equally as much story as the words from Paul Stewart's pen. In fact, I just found out that this entire series began with a map that Chris drew of "The Edge". Chris handed Paul the map and said, "Here. Write me a story.".
WHAT?! That is incredible!!!
The end of the book left me hungry for the final book in the Twig Trilogy which will be in my hands by tomorrow afternoon:-)
January 31, 2015
This one was better than the first, I thought. I look forward to soon reading the third. These books are not my usual reading genre, but my daughter’s been asking me to read these for years. I figure that I better do so before she leaves home for college! I would give it 3.5 stars, but I can’t, so 3 stars it will be.
May 3, 2016
Just as good as the first installment in this series. Everything is on point with this series. I loved the story line and the new characters we were introduced too. We even had this antagonist who I had to shake my head and laugh at because he was so creepy and weird. The ending was a perfect cliffhanger 'read the next book' ending. I cannot wait to start the next one and continue on.
January 16, 2021
These series of books is quickly becoming my favourite.
I didn't think they would be able to make the world as interesting once twig came out of the Deepwoods....
I was wrong,
I was introduced to sanctaphrax with the pompous professors of raintasting and fogwatching then to the grimy world of undertown with characters such as the nightwaif Forficule (whose bat like ears are so proficient they can hear your thoughts!!) and the infamous mother horsefeather! And that's just a small area of this world!!
Don't get me started on the twilight woods and the mire!
The depth of the characters is brilliant too! When you feel for the bad guy, that maybe he's not so bad after all, that he's just trying to work things out the best way he could.... After they've killed your favourite characters is some writing feat!!
And the illustrations make the world pop in your mind, just enough to guide you through the story without telling you every scene.
Flipping love it!! Haha
Cannot wait to read the next one in the series ( literally starting the next one now😅😂)
I didn't think they would be able to make the world as interesting once twig came out of the Deepwoods....
I was wrong,
I was introduced to sanctaphrax with the pompous professors of raintasting and fogwatching then to the grimy world of undertown with characters such as the nightwaif Forficule (whose bat like ears are so proficient they can hear your thoughts!!) and the infamous mother horsefeather! And that's just a small area of this world!!
Don't get me started on the twilight woods and the mire!
The depth of the characters is brilliant too! When you feel for the bad guy, that maybe he's not so bad after all, that he's just trying to work things out the best way he could.... After they've killed your favourite characters is some writing feat!!
And the illustrations make the world pop in your mind, just enough to guide you through the story without telling you every scene.
Flipping love it!! Haha
Cannot wait to read the next one in the series ( literally starting the next one now😅😂)
March 21, 2022
The setting's still exciting and the illustrations still pendulum between great and grotesque. However, the story in this second novel focuses much more on the politics of the land. I really enjoyed the swashbuckling nature of the first novel. It was like a series of shorts as Twig explored the lands and encountered in isolation different communities with their own strange quirks and bizarre social structures. I didn't find it as fun having an overarching plot, but it's still a fun little piece and grotesque as allhell; Screed Toe-Taker is not a character I will forget soon.
May 3, 2025
4,5 Sterne. Brutaler als ich gedacht hätte aber nochmal deutlich spannender als das erste. Ich habe direkt Lust den darauf folgenden Teil zu lesen!
March 27, 2024
I actually can’t with these books anymore they’re mentally draining
August 11, 2025
gets a lot darker than the first; maybe introduces us to too many new factions at once but still a fantastic romp
February 5, 2017
"Stormchaser" picks things up after the end of the first book: Twig has reunited with his father, Cloud Wold and they are having a blast as sky pirates... Well, not so much, because the Professor of Light has a mission for them: they need to get into a Great Storm and bring back some stormphrax. In that way they may also get rid of Vilnix Pompolius, whose reign has not been, let put it in simple terms, positive for the people.
Cue lots of fights, accidents, Twig making a mess, betrayals, deaths and blood. As with the first book, "Stormchaser" is not afraid of offing off characters. Actually, this is one of its problems, as you won't be able to care very much for anyone. Are you starting to get to know this character? Don't worry, Stewart and Riddell will take your bonds and attachments and make pulp with them. It gets to a level where it is impossible to really care for anyone but Twig, who you don't expect to die...
The other problem, one that again comes down from the first book , is the non-stop action. One thing is having a frantic pace, with rhythm and lots of things happening. Another is having a new thing happening every five seconds. There is soooo much going on, that, as with the characters, you will end up not caring much. You have deaths, betrayals, accidents, new places, more new places, more deaths, betrayals, accidents... You get my drift.
What was easier to forgive the first time, because the first novel introduced the characters and was a well of imagination, is more difficult the second time around. For fans of the first, this will probably be another good time. For anyone else, it may leave them asking for a break to breathe and refresh.
5/10
(Original English Version)
Cue lots of fights, accidents, Twig making a mess, betrayals, deaths and blood. As with the first book, "Stormchaser" is not afraid of offing off characters. Actually, this is one of its problems, as you won't be able to care very much for anyone. Are you starting to get to know this character? Don't worry, Stewart and Riddell will take your bonds and attachments and make pulp with them. It gets to a level where it is impossible to really care for anyone but Twig, who you don't expect to die...
The other problem, one that again comes down from the first book , is the non-stop action. One thing is having a frantic pace, with rhythm and lots of things happening. Another is having a new thing happening every five seconds. There is soooo much going on, that, as with the characters, you will end up not caring much. You have deaths, betrayals, accidents, new places, more new places, more deaths, betrayals, accidents... You get my drift.
What was easier to forgive the first time, because the first novel introduced the characters and was a well of imagination, is more difficult the second time around. For fans of the first, this will probably be another good time. For anyone else, it may leave them asking for a break to breathe and refresh.
5/10
(Original English Version)
June 28, 2019
Only rated this 4 stars because nothing can compare to Beyond the Deepwoods in my eyes; it's the perfect children's fantasy book. This sequel is still really good, and I enjoyed the exploration of the rest of Edge World: the new characters, the Mire, Undertown and Sanctaphrax... but I still missed the Deepwoods! I am planning on trying to read all of the Edge Chronicles, so hopefully we will revisit it soon.
I also really like Twig as a character! He's so endearing. He often just makes it up as he goes along and finds himself in a state of panic, but under the mess he has a heart of gold. I think he's a great central character especially for children reading.
I love the world-building in this series, its really detailed. I don't think Riddell and Stewart get enough credit for how unique and amazing their combined imagination is.
I also really like Twig as a character! He's so endearing. He often just makes it up as he goes along and finds himself in a state of panic, but under the mess he has a heart of gold. I think he's a great central character especially for children reading.
I love the world-building in this series, its really detailed. I don't think Riddell and Stewart get enough credit for how unique and amazing their combined imagination is.
June 27, 2021
Probably one of my favorite fantasy adventures. The Edge world is incredibly original, detailed, and endless. Twig is a great hero with great growth. I also love the Stone Pilot, though he was honestly cooler before we found out who he really is. I love ALL the characters in this book, and the fact that so many of them end up dead just about brings me to tears.
The plot is awesome too. Political intrigue, daring quests, psychotic madmen, beguiling forests... This book has just about everything a fantasy adventure nut could ask for. Not to mention the superb art.
The plot is awesome too. Political intrigue, daring quests, psychotic madmen, beguiling forests... This book has just about everything a fantasy adventure nut could ask for. Not to mention the superb art.
September 24, 2020
Stormchaser fulfills the implicit promises of this series, and cements its appeal. Deepwoods was a cavalcade of creatures, but Stormchaser fills in the iconic map, indulges the Miyazakian desire for whimsical flying machines, and does it in a densely packed adventure story. At the same time, it displays the, if not flaws, quirks, of the series going forward.
Every one of the major locations other than the deepwoods is visited in the course of the story, with special focus on the mire and the twilight woods. Despite this, the book feels neither overstuffed nor rushed. It efficiently sets up its conflicts and villains, then it's off to the races. I couldn't appreciate economy of storytelling like this when I was very young. The twilight woods are a great horror location, and it's one of the few aspects of the setting that never got explained. They're just there and they're always creepy. The mire is less compelling, but Stewart uses it to good effect as the abode of one of the book's villains.
The increased number of characters and locations leads to the addition of multi-perspective storytelling, including a device where several smaller semi-related scenes are played out in a single chapter. The standout scene here is a long flashback, where the Caterbird relates the circumstances of Vilnix's rise to power and Cloud Wolf's ejection from the Knight's Academy. My memory is spotty, but from what I recall Stewart tends not to use straightforward flashback, and this was a clever way around that restriction.
The most memorable part of this book for most readers will be the scenes of sky sailing. They combine the appeal of ropes-and-rigging boats with the freedom of flight. They grant the ability to fly anywhere, yet they're far from risk-free. Their designs are simple in concept, but the flight rock breaks up the silhouette, and the sails extending below the hull prevent them from looking exactly like normal boats. They're the perfect vehicles to fire up a kid's imagination.
The sky ships are also one of the most visible elements of a unique aspect of the series - despite the fact it's a "fantasy" series, there's no "magic", and certainly no wizards. Every strange aspect of the setting - floating rocks, buoyant wood, solid lightning, etc., are presented not as magic but rather as the strange "science" of the world. At the same time, the "scientific" investigation of the world by Sanctaphrax and later academic groups functions also as the "religious" system for the setting. The disputes between the various factions have the tinge of religious hatred, and words like sacred, blasphemy, heretical, etc., are always tied to the scientific apparatus of the world. It's a truly unique dynamic in fantasy fiction.
August 18, 2018
'Stormchaser' was the first 'Edge Chronicles' book I ever read, and the one that got me into the series. With that in mind, and seeing as the last two books of the prequel trilogy hadn't held up as much as I had hoped, I started it with a little trepidation. My fears were misplaced. 'Stormchaser' is easily the best of the series so far.
What is so fantastic about this story is how the worldbuilding and themes all tie together. The story revolves around Stormphrax. It's shortage and misuse cause the central conflict. The desperation to obtain it drives both the heroes and villains. The previous books introduced us to a fascinating world, but none of them explored it's inner workings as organically as this one. The protagonist, Twig, is noticeably more believable than his father was in the prequel trilogy. He has a good heart, but his nervous, inexperienced and makes mistakes.
My previous reviews have often included long paragraphs detailing where the book could be improved, but this one will be a lot shorter. Aside from the prose, which can be a little stilted at times, I can't think of much room for improvement.
I might as well point out that in every 'Edge Chronicles' book I've read so far, the characters have this weird habit of thinking out loud. It's kind of jarring. I've forgotten to mention it before, so I'll bring it up here.
It's hard for me to pick out what I liked the most about this book. The tragic tale of Screed, the quiet horror of the Twilight Woods, the grounding of the central conflict in a monopolised economy, there's a lot to enjoy and learn from here. Also, the central plot is quite similar to that of 'Clash of the Sky Galleons', only with better pacing and clearer direction.
I really liked this book. If you only read one 'Edge Chronicles' book, make it this one.*
*Unless when I'm reading the rest of them, one of those turns out to be better.
What is so fantastic about this story is how the worldbuilding and themes all tie together. The story revolves around Stormphrax. It's shortage and misuse cause the central conflict. The desperation to obtain it drives both the heroes and villains. The previous books introduced us to a fascinating world, but none of them explored it's inner workings as organically as this one. The protagonist, Twig, is noticeably more believable than his father was in the prequel trilogy. He has a good heart, but his nervous, inexperienced and makes mistakes.
My previous reviews have often included long paragraphs detailing where the book could be improved, but this one will be a lot shorter. Aside from the prose, which can be a little stilted at times, I can't think of much room for improvement.
I might as well point out that in every 'Edge Chronicles' book I've read so far, the characters have this weird habit of thinking out loud. It's kind of jarring. I've forgotten to mention it before, so I'll bring it up here.
It's hard for me to pick out what I liked the most about this book. The tragic tale of Screed, the quiet horror of the Twilight Woods, the grounding of the central conflict in a monopolised economy, there's a lot to enjoy and learn from here. Also, the central plot is quite similar to that of 'Clash of the Sky Galleons', only with better pacing and clearer direction.
I really liked this book. If you only read one 'Edge Chronicles' book, make it this one.*
*Unless when I'm reading the rest of them, one of those turns out to be better.
October 28, 2018
So glad I got back into this series :D I loved it! The illustrations just lend so much to the story <3 It's a middle-grade story, but it's actually quite merciless! Stewart and Riddell don't sugar-coat things. I love the way Will read the third one sometime soon!
June 3, 2020
This book series is Really good. if the first book in Twig series was more about Twig fighting ~fantasy~ monsters, the second book tackles a lot of more adult problems (which kids should also be aware of) and introduces them in a very accessible way. poverty, distribution of resources, environment, corruption... a lot of tragic events i actually did not expect at all, feel like i got fed a lot of glass right now lol. I once again wish I had encountered this book series when I was a kid - it would be my sure favorite and would have shaken and influenced me even more. Hard recommend!
P.S. the Russian translation is very good as well.
P.S. the Russian translation is very good as well.
August 2, 2023
Ależ Strużek się zmienił na przestrzeni tego tomu. Wydoroślał i w końcu zdobył pewność siebie.
Niby dużo się działo, ale trochę się dlużyło. Za to trup ścielił się gęsto, czego się nie spodziewałam po książce dla młodzieży. Jednak piracki świat rządzi się swoimi prawami.
Nie mogę uwierzyć, że Strużek jest już szesnastolatkiem, przecież niedawno był dzieckiem...
Niby dużo się działo, ale trochę się dlużyło. Za to trup ścielił się gęsto, czego się nie spodziewałam po książce dla młodzieży. Jednak piracki świat rządzi się swoimi prawami.
Nie mogę uwierzyć, że Strużek jest już szesnastolatkiem, przecież niedawno był dzieckiem...
April 2, 2025
Molt guay poder continuar la Saga del llibre que tant em va flipar de petita. Segueixo flipant amb que m'agrades tant amb aquestes ilustracions i sent així com bestia. La veritat que tinc ganes de llegir almenys el últim de la trilogia, després ja veurem si em llegeixo els altres 10... :')
August 31, 2025
Fatico a capire come questi libri possano essere consigliati a partire dai 10 anni: sono storie dure, con molta violenza sia fisica che psicologica, immerse però in un’avventura avvincente. I disegni sono splendidi e rendono la narrazione ancora più intensa. Una lettura che consiglio vivamente!!
June 21, 2022
I want to be a sky pirate 🥹 also absolutely love the anti capitalist message, what a book
April 26, 2023
Enjoyed re-reading, but not as good as Book 1. A bit too many cliche moments.
January 4, 2023
It took me way too long to finish this book. I had really hoped I would enjoy it. Well there is one more book in the series. Putting all my hope on it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews