The Edge

by Jamie Collinson

WHEN LIFE ON THE BRINK IS ALL YOU KNOW…

Substance-fuelled partying, endless women and a slew of smash records are music hotshot Adam Fairhead’s lifeblood. But when an avoidable accident occurs under his drug-addled watch, he is forced to re-evaluate the life he has created.
Increasingly disillusioned with what once seemed so pulsatingly cool, Adam begins to question everything.

Genres: Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 23, 2020

About the author

Jamie Collinson was born in 1980 in Lincolnshire, England. He grew up in Leeds, then moved to London to study English Literature at King’s College. He works in the music industry, including a period at the independent label Ninja Tune, with artists such as Wiley, Roots Manuva, Bonobo and Young Fathers. In 2012 he moved to Los Angeles to run the company’s American headquarters. His fiction has been included in various magazines and anthologies, and he’s written non-fiction pieces for Guardian Online, Caught by the River, Somesuch Stories, and a number of British and American print magazines.

Reviews

[Marjorie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this one was quite a disappointment. It was just basically a foul-language book about a man living a depraved life of drugs and sex while working in the music business. He becomes disillusioned about his life. I expected much more substance, especially when it came to how he planned on pulling himself out of this type of life but it just wasn’t there. I entered the contest for this book because I very much admire the quality of books this publisher, Oneworld Publications, has selected in the past but unfortunately, this book does not meet their usual high standard.

Not recommended.

I won this book through a give-away contest.

[Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly entertaining read. The novel reads like a thick slice of life full of the deep regrets of missed or ruined chances, the moments of ecstasy involving sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, and the redemption that comes with the realization that life has more to offer when lived to the fullest and of the hard-earned wisdom of knowing when it's time to move on to the next phase.

[Alex Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh-out-loud funny, fist-in-mouth excruciating, and yet tender at heart: The Edge is a pitch-perfect music industry satire and a surprisingly affecting take on the indulgence of a mid-30s crisis. Bonus beat: may also appeal to the more robust bird-watchers out there.

[Pia Rosenkilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Edge by Jamie Collinson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ~

So when my old friend from my London days published a book it was obviously on my #tbr list and @jamiecash1 thank you for this unexpected ride.

It's set in LA and we follow Adam, a Brit, finding his feet, or not, in the music industry across the Atlantic. It's a no nonsense darkly humoured look on the music industry from within, but could be any industry that has key accounts and networking at its core. It's an honest look at different cultures and there are many flashbacks to my beloved London and the areas I used to call home.

Adam does in no way try to make himself the hero, and is oh so British in his gloomy down spiralling take on what should be his big break. In between the drinking and the shame he feels in nearly all aspects of life, Adam goes hiking and birdwatching, and particularly loves the osprey, a bird of prey, which I saw as representing the predator/victim relationship between Adam and everyone he relates to, from romances, to work colleagues, family and friends.

I like Adam, but then I always like the underdog and life is rarely a flat line, but merely a twisting and turning breakable sort of thread to my experience. It was refreshing to read honest thoughts on self doubt and that trying your best is not always working.

Some reviews claim that he doesn't manage to sort himself out but I disagree - it's about going back to the start as the Coldplay song suggests, and finding your roots.

#theedge #jamiecollinson

[Michael Caruana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly entertaining insight into the excesses of life in the LA music industry. A compelling narrative of a man’s self destructive behaviour The descriptions of the city highlight what the author loves about it, rather than the usual accounts of smog and traffic

[Peggy Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book against the backdrop of sex,drugs and rock and roll. James explores common tropics such as infidelity. The easy descent into hell through self destruction and self absorption and the courage to stop.

[John Cloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was brilliant it went deep and I will certainly be recommending it friends. Great writing and description. Everything was vivid and I could see it in my minds eye and the character’s complications is where I understood the title more - The edge they are all on it in different ways and both good and bad. Like most humans.

While there is a good dose of rock n roll debauchery, There is depth in the surroundings and characters involved and their vibes and lifestyles. I have met these symbolic characters themselves in real life but the essence of them with others several times in my years in the music industry.

The depth in Adam, the main character and the conflict within himself that I understood. I related to him. When one has been in the business as long as we have you and me - one has those low points.

Thank you for making my summer reading a hit.

[tom milner · Rating 2 out of 5]

because it’s hard to read through ~300 pages of some blokes LA fantasy of doing drugs and sleeping with fit women. Boring sex scenes that I skipped, no real adversity for the main character other than, ‘oh I live this great life and continue to do so but some of the people I work with are annoying’ like it matters or there’s a more profound idea hiding in there somewhere. There isn’t. Also does that dialogue thing where it sort of works but doesn’t because no one in the world actually talks like that, so I was just making weird faces as I was reading it. Skipped the whole Denver bit and the airplane bit which took up way too many pages. I don’t even review books normally but this one irked me. So many chapters I finished where afterwards I was just like, okay, and? What’s your point? I’d read something else if I were you

[Beth Loflin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this from a giveaway. A lot of giveaway books aren’t great. This one was. I could totally relate to being in a career that I am just not sure of. This character is really trying to find his place while being middle aged, new city, family concerns and then looking back on life and choices.

This is a thought provoking book and a great read.

[Alex Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good - I identified quite closely with the main character, which always helps - and the writing was great, loved the story, and generally got happily lost in the book for a few hours. It made me laugh out loud in parts, and feel guilty in others, so all in all 4 stars for a book that made me feel things quite strongly.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read.

[Alan M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aspiring writers are often told to write about what they know, and for his first novel Collinson evidently has. Just like central character Adam Fairhead, Collinson worked in Los Angeles as a record company executive, and credits his Uncle Ian with the bird watching knowledge which is tightly woven into the book. Perhaps not two of the most obvious of subjects to combine – “birding” and LA’s hipster music scene, but it works better than you might think.

The book is engagingly scathing in its depiction of the music industry. Record company underling Scott is a wonderfully drawn vacuous sycophant, while boss Jason (rather irritatingly called the Autodidact for most of the book) is every inch the narcissistic twit. Whilst most of the performers are spared, the managers and promoters are excoriated in detail. The cynical manufacturing of modern music is shown at length and inevitably there are tales of excess and debauchery. Whilst hedonism is natural backdrop to Fairhead’s line of work, his indulgence came to feel at odds with the his otherwise obvious self-awareness and insight. Whilst neither guarantee any self-discipline Fairhead’s poor decision making did start to test the limits of credibility a little.

Collinson offsets the grubbiness of the industry with the natural beauty of LA, easily found just a few steps off the beaten track. The pleasure Fairhead takes from nature is the counter-point to his ever increasing self-loathing, seemingly hell bent on tarnishing anything he holds dear.

The story is told in part through his day to day activities – at the record company, out hiking, dating – and partly via Adam’s retrospective internal monologue. I found the former real page turning stuff but the latter something of a drag, although there are moments of laugh out loud humour (no spoilers but watch out for the goose) which make up for some of this. In no time at all I was rooting for Adam to face his demons and set his life straight but I have to confess I found the book’s conclusion a bit of a cop-out.

It’s not really about the music or the birds in the end. It’s about a man looking at his life and wondering if he’s wasted it. Adam’s conclusion? You’ll have to read the book….

[thebibliosara · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Pain is weakness leaving the body.' Set in Los Angeles, The Edge portrays the life of Adam Fairhead who works at a record label. I was gripped to the book from the start. It unveils the dark intricacies of the music industry, takes us through the journey of Adam while he deals with wrong decisions as well as major losses in his life and tries to find answers. The plot was incredibly unique, I haven't read anything of this sort ever. The story unfolds slowly and steadily, leaving the reader with a range of emotions. The characters were very interesting and memorable. I was drawn towards Erica and Isa; I sympathized with them and simultaneously felt a strong sense of hatred towards the others. I was cheering for Adam and wanted him to sort things out. I loved the writing style - how even the little things like 'birding' were explained so beautifully. Every industry has two sides and this book depicted both of them in the right way. It was hilarious. It was gut-wrenching. It was intense. It was just pure. Honestly pure. I raced through it during the last couple of days because it's a real page turner. I wish the ending was elaborated because it left me with unanswered questions. On the whole, this book is a solid, compelling and insightful read! It definitely made it to my top reads of the year. The cool playlist at the back of this book which reflects Adam's path is definitely a cherry on top. I cannot recommend this title enough. It is going to be published in hardback on 23rd January, 2020. Don't forget to get a copy for yourself.

Thanks to One World Publications for sending me a review copy!

[harureads · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Ghosts are the people you've loved and lost, he knew now. They live on in your head and wake you in the night. They revisit you as they were, reminding you who you were."
.
Review-
This book revolves around Adam. He is on the edge of a well, which goes into deep-dark place. He works in the music industry. It was his dream to be part of this industry. It was his passion. But now he is stuck.
For him, it is not fun anymore. It was supposed to be fun and great of all. But that was not the same, not anymore. He is distracted. His personal life is all messed up.
He does not know what he wants, what makes him happy anymore.
He does what he is told to do.
The book tells his story and how he starts to get out of this mess and be someone he wants to be.
The narrative part of this book is my favorite of all. The book is slow-paced. It gets a little boring, but some sections of the book are beautiful.
Being a fan of music, reading about the music industry was a fun experience. Everything has two sides good and bad and, this book reveals both sides of the music industry. Adam's journey
I am absolutely in love with the writing style of the author.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.