Edgedancer
2016
- fantasy
- brandon sanderson
- novella
- female protagonist
- young adult
- humor
- adventure
- coming-of-age
- spiritual journey
- self-discovery
The story
From Brandon Sanderson comes a short novel of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive (previously published in Arcanum Unbounded). Three years ago, Lift asked a goddess to stop her from growing older—a wish she believed was granted. Now, in Edgedancer, the barely teenage nascent Knight Radiant finds that time stands still for no one. Although the young Azish emperor granted her safe haven from an executioner she knows only as Darkness, court life is suffocating the free-spirited Lift, who can’t help heading to Yeddaw when she hears the relentless Darkness is there hunting people like her with budding powers. The downtrodden in Yeddaw have no champion, and Lift knows she must seize this awesome responsibility.
What it’s like
Brisk, bright and playful, with clean sentences that move quickly and a lot of wry humor in the dialogue. The book's sensory world is a sun-warmed, wind-scoured land: ornate, cloistered court rooms full of silk and rules, then the crowded, dusty streets of a poorer city where the air feels thick with worry. Storms and wind are constant presences, and the scenes of rooftop and cliff-edge movement give the book a light, airy energy. The vibe is buoyant with an undercurrent of unease, like a sunny afternoon with a shadow lurking at the edge of the frame. Pacing is quick, with short chapters and frequent shifts of scene, and the emotional register is hopeful and warm, centred on a headstrong, restless young girl learning what courage and responsibility mean and slowly finding her place among people who need her. Violence is present but not graphic: there are fights and a looming threat of execution, but the injuries are brief and largely offstage, so it reads as adventure rather than horror. It suits a sunny weekend with a commute-length attention span, or an easy read for fans of earnest, funny heroes, and for readers who want fantasy that stays hopeful.
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