Shadow's Edge

Title: Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks
Media source: Paperback
Rating: 3 out 5 stars

Recommendation: I would recommend this novel to any fantasy lover, or someone who enjoys assassins, politics, war-like novels, and magic.

Shadow's Edge is the second novel in the Night Angel trilogy, the first being The Way of Shadows.  It picks up the story of Kylar Stern, a young assassin who just survived an uprising that killed not only his mentor, but also his best friend.  Now he is trying to live a life outside of that of a killer.  Can he do it?  Or will the calling of a wet boy forever call out to him?

Kylar is trying to leave the assassin's life behind him.  He has lost his mentor Durzo, as well as his best friend Logan.  He leaves the city with Elene, the woman he loves, and Uly a young child they have taken in.  In the new city he tries a new profession, one where he is helping people heal rather than killing them.  When his childhood best friend comes to his new phone proclaiming his best friend Logan is still alive, Kylar has a decision to make.  Does he accept the contract Jarl presents to him, or turn his back on his friends?

I had a little bit of a hard time with this book.  It jumped around more than The Way of Shadows did.  So many different storylines to follow until they become one.  They are all interesting stories and are needed to make the plot move along, but keeping track got a little difficult.  The story with Kylar in a different city was one of my favorite storylines, with his frustrations at being an apothecary and struggling against the desire to be a wetboy still calling out to him.  Throughout the story we see him struggling to change who he is.  He develops greatly from the last time we seen him. 

The ideas of the Talent and Ka'kari are interesting and I kind of wanted more explanation and usage of the ka'kari.  One of my favorite parts was when he used it to disguise himself and save the girl from hoodlums.  There is non-stop action throughout the novel, no matter which storyline you were reading, there was something happening.  Each descriptions was in depth and excessively descriptive.  It is so well done, you are able to picture every last detail.  His dialogue is well written, when each character speaks you can almost hear their own voices and nuances.  There were plenty of times when I was reading that I let out an audible gasp. 

The rating I gave the book of 3 stars is because it was full of political talk and strategy which I admit is a little harder for me to understand.  The first book was more of Kylar becoming the assassin he is and the trials along the way.  I devoured The Way of Shadows, I think I expected Shadow's Edge to something along the same lines.  I will continue with the series with Beyond the Shadows because I am interested in this amazing tale.