SANCTAPHRAX WILL BE destroyed by the energy of the Mother Storm. . . . Far over the Edge, the Mother Storm is brewing—a storm more terrifying than any seen in the lifetime of any Edgelander. Sweeping in from the open sky, it must strike the source of the Edgewater River to bring new energy to the land. But in its way is Sanctaphrax, a magnificent city built on a floating rock and tethered to the land by a massive chain. Only one person can save the Edgelands from certain disaster: Twig, the young sky pirate captain who dared to sail over the Edge—and returned with his memory shattered and his crew flung far and wide. But to recover his memory and take action, Twig must first find his lost crew. And this means a journey back into the Deepwoods, and beyond. . . . “As before, Stewart’s descriptions are brilliant; Riddell’s line drawings are exquisitely detailed and notably grotesque. . . . Altogether this series is so exceptional that if I had any chance of collecting, I’d bet good money on it still being in print a century from now. . . . When’s the next book coming?”— Interzone “Fabulously illustrated. . . .”— The Sunday Times “Richly inventive. . . .”— Literary Review Grade 5-9–The young sky-pirate Captain Twig has been sent on a quest by his father Cloud Wolf. To save his world, he must sever the Anchor Chain of the floating city Sanctaphrax–home to academics and alchemists–before the Mother Storm arrives to reseed Riverrise with her rain. Unfortunately, Twig's memory of his father's instructions is gone, and his crew is scattered. Accompanied by Cowlquape, a Sanctaphrax apprentice, he scours the lands below for his crew and clues to the memories he has lost. Midnight is peopled with complex characters like woodelves, who can read minds; and wigwigs, fuzzy, Tribblelike creatures that happen to be carnivorous. Riddell's illustrations perfectly complement Stewart's text, but could mistakenly lead those perusing the book to assume it is for younger readers. It is not. Violence occurs, and characters die, some deservedly, others not. Stewart tackles issues of slavery and class structure while still maintaining a good adventure story with a very Hobbit -like feel to it. Readers unfamiliar with the series will have no trouble following this story, but expect a demand for Beyond the Deepwoods and Stormchaser (both Random, 2004). –Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Gr. 4-6. Twig, the young sky pilot first introduced in Beyond the Deepwoods [BKL Jl 04]^B steers his ship into a storm, through a treacherous weather vortex and beyond, where he finds his father and discovers what he must do to save his world, the Edge. In the violent aftermath of this meeting, his ship is blown apart, and his crew is blasted away like shooting stars. Twig loses not only the ship but also his memory of how to save his homeland. On a quest to find his crew, he befriends a sympathetic young scholar who joins him on his journey. Though at some points the book requires a monumental suspension of disbelief and a hearty appetite for words such as gasped and juddered, the action-oriented plot and fantastic world of this third volume in Chronicles of Edge will delight fans and entice new readers. Riddell again contributes skillful ink drawings. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved PRAISE FOR THE EDGE CHRONICLES: "Sure to please the Potter fans." – Detroit Free Press "The narrative will cast a spell over readers from the beginning with its utterly odd, off-kilter sense of logic and a vocabulary that is equal parts Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll." – Publishers Weekly "Good fun." – Kirkus Reviews “Stunningly original.”— The Guardian (UK) “A richly inventive fantasy . . . one of the most exciting collaborations between a writer and illustrator for a long time.”— The Literary Review (UK) SANCTAPHRAX WILL BE destroyed by the energy of the Mother Storm. . . . Far over the Edge, the Mother Storm is brewing a storm more terrifying than any seen in the lifetime of any Edgelander. Sweeping in from the open sky, it must strike the source of the Edgewater River to bring new energy to the land. But in its way is Sanctaphrax, a magnificent city built on a floating rock and tethered to the land by a massive chain. Only one person can save the Edgelands from certain disaster: Twig, the young sky pirate captain who dared to sail over the Edge and returned with his memory shattered and his crew flung far and wide. But to recover his memory and take action, Twig must first find his lost crew. And this means a journey back into the Deepwoods, and beyond. . . . As before, Stewart s descriptions are brilliant; Riddell s line drawings are exquisitely detailed and notably grotesque. . . . Altogether this series is so exceptional that if I had any chance of collecting, I d bet good money