The Emperor's Edge

This was a very interesting read. Although I found Amaranthe's scheme of counterfeiting dubious, the book was entertaining. I think I will have to chalk that up to the characters. I loved Sicarius' character, very mysterious, and I look forward to seeing how his character further develops along with his relationship with Amaranthe. There's definitely some tension there. The characters are likeable and the banter between them is humourous. Amaranthe is a good lead character, she's heart and brains and its easy to see how her team of rag tag misfits are happy to follow her, except for Sicarius, given his profession as a mercenary assassin. I was mystified over the reason of why he would be on board to be part of her team. This is part of his mystery that is revealed at the end of the book.

The world building was okay for me, although it was mentioned that Turgonia was the most powerful empire in the world, I didn't get the sense of its vast grandness or power. It gave me a feeling of something smaller scale with a small population.

I came to this series through the Star Nomad series, and I just have to say that I am glad there are more books by Lindsay Buroker to read still! Honestly-I love her characterization because they are all so believable! I mean- sci-if and fantasy characters can generally use a lot of help-perhaps a shoehorn, even- to pry them out of the one-dimensional pages they inhabit. Not so here! The characters are all bursting with life and personality! Get the books. You'll be glad you did!

Best things about reading her story as my personal favorite is because she doesn't start of with romance at the beginning of the story. I've read books that start right about eight chapters. I get so annoyed with that. I like books that have action and stick to the plot instead of focusing on romance and useless whatyoumacallit.

The Emperor's Edge gave me none of that, but that's not the only thing. I simply just adore the story. Funny bits, nice plots, interesting plans that just happen to fall into place.

The only thing was Sicarius. It started as him being in his mid thirties but all I can pictured him as I was reading the story was him being about 17-18 years. I can't help it, the way he acts, the way the author portrayed him, it reminds me of when I was reading Encrypted (Encrypted, #1). Now that was a confusing story, but loved it nonetheless.

A high fantasy novel in the age of steam. Reviewed by Jorja Davis 7/7/2012
Buroker, Lindsay. The Emperor's Edge. Ebook creation by Dellastar Designs 2010. Rated PG Violence: Young Adult and Adult

Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is sent by the emperor's regent to seduce and kill Sicarius, the empire's most notorious assassin. Either the regent believes she is implacable or they want her eliminated. While searching for a secret way out of the palace dungeons she over hears what seems to be a plot to poison the young emperor, Sespasian.

Amaranthe begins to gather an unlikely band of heroes and comes across a deadly fire on the waterfront. She finds arson covering human sacrifice and a powerful coalition's machinations to take down the empire.

Brouker brings to print adventure, romance, and mystery in a fast paced fantasy. Her characters are flesh and blood and bring fresh, humorous and lively dialogue to this well thought out urban fantasy.

I am a voracious reader and am always searching the store for good reads for my Kindle. I often try a chapter or get free books. This first book in this series is free (The Emperor's Edge) and according to the author's website, the reason for this is that if you like the characters and the world, you'll come back and buy the rest. (As of Nov. 2011 there are 2 more books following this one.) I know that this story is characterized as steampunk, but I found that incidental as the author's strength is in character creation and development. If you've read any Stephen King, then you already know that it's not the "spooky" aspect that pulls you in. It's his ability to create characters that you feel are living, breathing people that you don't want to say goodbye to. This isn't a book where there are so many characters you have to concentrate (Game of Thrones), but it does have fully fleshed out leads in Amaranthe and Sicarius as well as each member of the team they work with. I won't go into too much detail but each secondary character is by turns interesting and eccentric. There's earnest (Books), funny (Maldynado), sullen (Akstyr), mysterious (Basilard and Sicarius). Each member of the team adds something and I didn't want to say goodbye to a single one. You get invested.
It's told from the point of view of Amaranthe, who is now my favorite female character since Amelia Peabody. The wisecracks, potshots and banter between the team (and some of the villians) is priceless. I laughed out loud at the interplay. I won't recap the story here, but just will say that I read the first book the day before yesterday, and have now purchased and read the second and third. So now I am extremely impatient for the next book.:) I just downloaded a couple of her other works, because I am positive that they will be as entertaining. So consider this a hearty endorsement.
You can't go wrong reading it.

Seriously, this series is addictive stuff.

I love fantasy and magic, but am not a huge fan of the medieval landscape it normally occurs in. Also, I'm not a huge fan of the good versus evil that such 'landscapes' typically entail. The Emperor's Edge series takes place in a world at the cusp of an industrial revolution. The main action occurs in an Empire that's in it's twilight days. The story deals with technology, and how it is changing (and not changing) a formerly militaristic society. Also, the author blends some of the technology with magic in interesting ways.

The story has a lot of action, interesting romantic sublot, and the characters relate to each other in unique and interesting ways.

Download this book immediately. This series will keep you up reading late into the night. Like crack, it isn't good for shut eye!

Well Lindsay you have done it again!!

Emperor's Edge was a brilliantly written, fast-paced, action-packed tale that showcased some of my favourite characters, to date! I think I am slightly in love with Sicarius, despite his lack of emotion. Amaranthe was one of the best lead characters I have ever encountered, she was smart, realistic and totally believable!

The supporting characters were well developed, each with their own personalities, so it was really like reading about some old friends, not a group of characters in a novel.

There was only one bad thing about this story Lindsay; that it had to end at all!

I am so in love with this book, and so geared up to read more, that I immediately logged onto the store and checked if there was another in this series... And to my immense excitement there is not only book 2, but book 3 already out!!! Yay! Book 2 is already on my kindle, and loading up as I type this review out!

Keep up the brilliant work Lindsay!!!!

I really really enjoyed this book! It was very exciting and I could not wait to buy the second! The book moves very fast and keep you interested. I love the female heroine. It put me in the mind of Elizabeth Moon's heroine, Kylara Vatta. The up and coming female in a male dominated field, unfairly disgraced, and attempting to make things right. The assassin is sufficiently heartless but has some sense of justice and you wonder if something will develop between the two. Her groups of accomplices is also very interesting. We readers are given just enough of their history to be kept in suspense wanting to discover more. The author has done a wonderful job of keeping me on the hook for however many books she writes, to the detriment to my wallet and family! This is a book worth reading. It is free for now anyway! Check out Moon's book as well--Trading in Danger.

Well was not expecting this book to all that good but I was wrong. Very good story line with serious and amusing characters all following a woman who wants to the Emperor but just needs some help. I will be starting the second book shortly. Read this series. It is very good and surprises never end.

Obviously, this series has done well and been openly received by readers everywhere, and for good reason. Buroker has created a cast of characters that are, for the most part, as fully fleshed-out as a reader could hope to find. A few of the characters are fantasy cliches for those who read a lot in this genre, but the superb heroine and plot make this a great tale that is a very solid foundation for future novels. I'm late to the game with these books, but I'll catch up rather quickly. There is no doubt I'll be reading the series from beginning to end.

ps - There are some quirky editorial mistakes that will bother the most anal of readers. But then again, those folks tend to always find something to complain about. They'll get to enjoy righteous, grammatical indignation and a great yarn!

My second steampunk novel and I think I have found a new genre for me. I enjoyed all the characters in this novel but thought Amaranthe was the most interesting She never gave up even after being sent to murder an assassin she had no chance of killing and then losing her job as an enforcer and being accused of treason.
Amaranthe puts together a ragtag team of misfits in order to save the emperor from assassination. Along with the assassin she tried to murder, a drunk professor, a male prostitute, and an exgangmember who is also a magician: she somehow beyond all odds accomplishes her mission.
Amaranthe and her team are not recognized as heroes and become even more wanted fugitives. Even this does deter her and the book ends with the hopes of the team to carry on with more adventures.

this story is well written and the villains had a three dimensional feeling. That said the main characters seemed to be stereotypes. The handsome self-centered male model, the bookish professor (called Books for crying out loud), and the arrogant apprentice wizard. The assassin who was supposed to be a killer and a loner for more than 30 years is out of character when he too quickly falls in with the ex-cop heroine's plan and the reason for their meeting seems forced. That said I enjoyed the plot but found it and the ending a little contrived. As a first book it is quite a good effort and very readable. Hopefully the writer will improve with the next in the series. Since you spent nothing for this book you have nothing to lose. All said I still enjoyed it.

I had a blast reading this book. Amaranthe is great - she's determined, smart, and ready to fight for the empire. My favorite parts are when she's talking someone into doing something they would never do under normal circumstances.

This book features a cast of very fun characters. Sicarious, the stone faced assassin, Books the drunken professor, Maldynado the degenerate noble, and Akstyr the magical street rat all bring their own charm.

The reason I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because certain situations were wrapped up a little too neatly, but overall, good characters, good plot, and will definitely check out the rest of the series.

I really enjoyed this book, though it had two noticable issues: the first was how everyone seemed to trust the main character a bit too easily. Not excessively so, and not nearly as bad as a certain Bella Swan, but she did assume the leadership role without too much issue. I suppose the other issue ties into that, in that as I was reading it, something kept nagging at me. About halfway through I finally checked on who published the book and realized it was an indie title. It wasn't anything major like rampant typos or anything, but a very subtle level of quality that isn't quite up to the same tier as something professionally edited and published.

That said, I did enjoy it, and I do wish this author the best.

I love looking for new and interesting series, and this one was thoughtful as well as action packed! An enforcer in a steampunk/magic-enabled world is targeted after the emperor shows interest in her, causing her entire life to turn upside down. To save the emperor as well as survive, she will have to team up with... an assassin? A history professor? Illegal magic student? And a... bored male model. (You can guess how well that combination gets along.) And it might be enough to get that emperor off the edge of a precipice he doesn't yet know he's walking...

I just finished THE EMPEROR'S EDGE by Lindsay Buroker, and found I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I found the writing to be strong, and the characters to be easy to care about, which isn't easy to do. If I have any issue with it, it's that early on, I found the plot to be maybe just a little "forced". A little too formulaic, perhaps. But the story climbed over that hurdle and became one that I was very interested in. (The characters were great from the start.)

I am looking forward to reading more about Amaranthe Lokdon, Sicarius, Maldynado and the others in this story and in this world. Maybe four stars is a little low (relative to my other ratings) but I thought it wasn't quite finding its way to "five star" territory. 4 1/2 stars perhaps? Somewhere between "like it" and "love it"...

The story takes place in a fictional world at the dawn of mechanical and steam-powered devices. The citizens are controlled by their military. Intrigue and double-dealing permeate the imperial palace. Assassins use daggers and work close-in. A few crave power at any cost, even the life of the Emperor.

This is the story of one young woman who assembles an unlikely team to save the Emperor and restore balance to her country. She is ordinary in every way except two - her personal integrity and her passion for making things better.

The story line is direct and well-crafted. Ms. Buroker's prose is crisp and engaging, bringing the reader along willingly as the story unfolds. The dialogs are as alive as her characters.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

This book was very entertaining. Buroker is good at world-building and she's a good writer. I think her strength is in her low-key humor. The main character has a nice self-deprecating humor, which makes her very likable. There's also lots of action and adventure and an array of highly individualized supporting characters. There isn't much depth or emotion, no real love story or romance, and yet I found myself drawn to read it until the end, because it was fun. I'll admit that I did skim the last few adventures, it began to get a bit repetitive, and I'm not running to buy the sequel, (although I may, someday). But I'd recommend giving it a try. I paid .99 but I see it's now free. I assume she's banking on people reading the sequels. On her blog she says she never tried to get an agent and I think she would have had one if she'd tried, but she's selling well as a self-published author.

This story obviously has a lot of character work into it. The author clearly knows her characters well and they have enough complexity to be interesting without overloading the reader with details. Better still, the characters evolve and deepen throughout the series. These are not sequels for the sake of sequels where the main characters suddenly resemble cardboard cutouts while the action tries to continue. I am an antsy reader who tends to need a break between novels to try out another story, but not with this author, who gets me to buy the next one and curl up with it like it is a mug of hot chocolate. These are great books for a trip or just an escape from the stress of real life. The humor is sometimes dry, sometimes unexpected, and often a little quirky. Highly recommended.

There are too few good mystery/sci-fi/action books with strong, likable female characters. Amaranthe Lokdon is just that and she's "real" to boot. She makes mistakes, has a healthy but realistic dose of self-doubt, but overall is smart, strong, and capable.

I enjoyed the mystery and the creation of the world in this book, and really started to care about the characters within the first 30 or 40 pages (that might seem long, but I tend to take a while to really care and for me, this was quick). It's well written, fast paced, and I found the action sequences exciting and easy to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed the building of the relationships between the members of the team and within a few minutes of finishing the book, had already purchased the second in the series. Highly recommended.

This is Final Fantasy in a written book form. It starts out with the story of how a girl becomes an outcast, then gathers a few more people to form a well-balanced party (one brute strength, one stealthy/deadly, one magic-user - though not really used for battle, etc). From there we have a few major encounters while attempting to save the princess (well... emperor in this case) and end up on a large quest to save the Empire. Of course, one of the initial enemies ends up joining the party.

That said, I'm a huge Final Fantasy fan, so this is all perfectly fine by me. This book also doesn't have a love story, which is quite refreshing, but the interactions between Amaranthe and Sicarius are so anti-emotional that it's sure to leave crazy "Aerith and Sephiroth" type of romantics with a crazy desire for what seems (in this book of the series, anyway) to be not likely to ever come to fruition.

I would love to play the game form of this book, and I'm going on to read the next one in the series!

I downloaded The Emperor's Edge after seeing it listed free on an ad, but it sat in my kindle unread for months. I finally decided to give it a try and I haven't stopped ready Buroker since. I devoured the entire EE series, all the companion books and every other book she releases. Burocker quickly became one of my favorite authors. This is a must-read adventure. Lokdon and Sicarius are a formidable pair and the entire team feel like old friends. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Fun, fast-paced, hilarious and heart-wrenching all in one. My heartfelt thanks to the author for all her hard work.

Good characteers, good pace and good action sequences maake this an entertaining read. Our heroine has one skin-of-the-teeth escape after another, to the point where believaility starts to stretch too thin. Concealment of the actual relationship between the emperor and the main male protagonist and barely opening the relationship between the emperor and our heroine are meant to cresate suspense to tease us into buying the sequel. I will not (as sword and sorcery are not really my thing) but I can see why thousands of fans of the genre would look for more and more. This is good entertainment.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Emperor's Edge. The plot is tight and the story fast-paced, but the highlight is the likable characters.

Amaranthe Lokdon is an imperial law enforcement officer who does everything by the book. When a chance at promotion goes bad, she ends up on the wrong side of the law with the infamous assassin, Sicarius, as her only confidant. But Sicarius has an agenda of his own and she has to think fast to come up with a plan to secure his help and defeat the bad guys. Over the course of the story, it's Amaranthe's ingenuity and quick thinking that makes her such an engaging character. The crew she assembles to help her are a delight. I laughed out loud on several occasions.

Predominately fantasy, The Emperor's Edge has elements of steampunk with its steam powered machines and 1800s feel. With a sprinkle of magic and a hint of romance, this absorbing read kept me up well past my bedtime. I highly recommend it!

Pretty good. I liked her humor and tongue-in-cheek portrayals. It's fantasy and with it comes the unbelievable, but at times even that was fun. I like more realistic fiction though, with a bit of mysticism thrown in. A book I've just discovered is SEALED UP Sealed Up: The Course of Fate: Book One. In style its a combination of The Da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones, but it is totally realistic and its conclusion is a jaw-dropper. The book is so believable I keep thinking if this really happens, the disruption it will cause will be off the charts. Anyway, read The Emperor's Edge--it's worth your time. And check out SEALED UP.

I really enjoyed this book. I came in with reservations because of the "era of steam" bit. I did not know what to expect, but had reservations in terms of being "steam punk" kind d of thing.

It turned out to be a "techno fantasy" story. It is really good. Engaging, entertaining and the characters believable and charming.

The plot is very good, a solid foundation for what is sure to be a great saga.

Looking forward o reading the next installments.

This was a high-spirited, fast-paced adventure that, by turns, kept me on the edge of my seat and had me laughing out loud. The Emperor's Edge is a very character-based book with great dynamics, both in the interactions between the people in it and the pace of the book itself. Although occasionally an awkward phrase or typo will appear to remind you that the book lacks an editor, these moments are very rare, and don't detract much from the overall quality.

One of my favorite features of this book is its pacing. Buroker alternates smoothly between intense action and moments of calm, balancing character development and a snappy plot with the grace of a master plate spinner. Another great joy of The Emperor's Edge, and of the series as a whole, is in watching the assassin Sicarius grow slowly from a cold-hearted, lonely sort of person into...well, into a lukewarm-hearted, not-so-lonely sort of friend.

Be warned: this is not a great work of literature. Its focus is on the characters first, with the plot second. Although Buroker shows some skill with a well-turned phrase, the wording of this book is merely the vehicle through which the story is told. The authoress does, however, have quite a knack for character-driven humor, and several parts of The Emperor's Edge left me in delighted giggles. Items of note include, but are not limited to: A fur loincloth, a thousand-pound improvised toboggan, questionable pseudonyms, and a chicken named Isabel. The people that make up Buroker's core group are so different, and so distinct, that they often made me laugh just by being themselves.

As a final argument in favor of The Emperor's Edge, let me remind you that the Kindle edition is free, and so you lose nothing by trying it! Hours of edge-of-your-seat fun for free! It doesn't get much better than this!

I have read every book Lindsay Buroker has published, but The Emperor's Edge is my favorite. She does an incredible job developing the characters and showing the complex relationships between them. I particularly love the very different personalities she had Amaranthe pull together and lead. While it was comical in the book many times, I believe it is actually realistic of leadership in life and thoroughly enjoyed the leadership lessons. Enticing bookworms, nerds, geeks, and jocks to get along in situations requiring teamwork is an art form, and this book of the series in particular shows some ways to make that happen. I particularly liked the back and forth leadership between Sicarius and Amaranthe. Past that, I don't want to disclose more and cause any spoiler alerts. I will warn you that you'll get sucked into a world where you will want for more, even when you get to the end of the available series!

This was a pretty fun read!

Pros: fast paced, political intrigue, motley bunch of heroine/heroes, and a light smattering of romance (wasn't really expanded on, but the rest of the book more than makes up for it...and it'll probably carry over to the next book, so let's see where that goes ).

Cons: fast paced...although this is a pro in terms of carrying the story forward quickly enough to keep my interest, it also glosses over difficult situations where you would think more time and effort would be needed in order to move forward.

SPOILERS, SWEETIE: Example: the heroine was captured at least 3 times, possibly more, and slipped right out in less than a day. Seriously? At another point, the heroine is sexually assaulted during an assassination attempt. Although her reaction is realistic, she also moved on in a matter of minutes and it was never mentioned again. I get that this girl is strong, determined, and focused on her goals, so maybe this is an attempt to show how well she can compartmentalize to move on and get things done, but it threw me off from the flow and kind of stuck with me for the rest of the book.

I enjoyed the characters and plot in this book. The main character is an intelligent, strong young woman who is able to assemble a group of strange characters who risk their lives to save the Emperor. The story holds the reader's attention with elements of suspense, humor, and a hint of romance.
Though there are sequels, this book stands alone. One of my biggest complaints with many of today's writers is that they leave the ending in their stories open-ended and completely unsatisfying, obviously in the hope that the reader will buy their next book. I'd rather buy the next book because I liked the writing and the characters--so in this case, will definitely get the second book in this series.

This is a great story. Full of imaginative settings and circumstances. There's plenty of suspense, action, with a hint of romance.

The girl, Amaranthe, starts out as a low level enforcer who can't even get a promotion because she female. Through some unlikely circumstances she ends up in the association of the most deadly and notorious assassin in the empire. Through intrigue and betrayal from the street to the highest authorities in the land, she becomes a leader against impossible odds. You never know what's going to happen next as the adventure unfolds.

Good first book in the series. I was surprised by some of the characters and where the story line went. I will say there were a few areas that might have been better thought out, I am not sure anyone would survive a couple story drop with just bruises. I did like it enough to get the next book in the series, this is a very promising series and I would love to see where the author takes it.

I nearly put this down after reading the first paragraph. there are authors praised for their first sentences, there are books devoted to the ones everyone knows. this first paragraph could end up on the worst of list. I'm glad I decided to give the book a shot anyways. I liked this, the characters are imperfect and well fleshed out. the universe doesn't seem there to offer itself on a plate to the heroes. Nor does it seem to get some sadistic joy out of hindering them. That for me is fairly high praise. I cared about the characters, I wouldn't mind getting to know them better.

I nearly put this down after reading the first paragraph. there are authors praised for their first sentences, there are books devoted to the ones everyone knows. this first paragraph could end up on the worst of list. I'm glad I decided to give the book a shot anyways. I liked this, the characters are imperfect and well fleshed out. the universe doesn't seem there to offer itself on a plate to the heroes. Nor does it seem to get some sadistic joy out of hindering them. That for me is fairly high praise. I cared about the characters, I wouldn't mind getting to know them better.

Good characters, though the individual characteristics of the secondary characters could have enriched the plot, if used more. Steam punk setting and limitations well done without being obnoxiously intrusive. Main characters consistently depicted, engaging. Plot coherent, with the loose ends tied up for this novels and setting the overall story arc for entire series.

There were a few places where there were odd word choices, and a few other places marred by errors of grammar, but not so many as to interfere with enjoyment of the story.

I already have part 2 downloaded onto my Kindle, and I sincerely hope it continues the excellence of the first book.

I keep starting a new book hoping for something new and exciting instead of the same story over and over again. This book was even better than I hoped it would be and I am so glad I gave it a try. Lindsay Buroker has managed to mesh together urban fantasy, steampunk, and high fantasy into a very well told and exciting tale. Her characters are well written and with time I believe could have a lot of depth. The main character has a very lovable personality but at the same time can be very manipulative and has the ability to talk almost anyone into anything. I very much enjoyed "watching" her work her magic throughout the book. I think there is a lot we have yet to learn about Amaranthe. Buroker's other main character is Sicarius. He is the infamous assassin and a series of events links these two on a journey that was so interesting to read I could not put the book down. I read it in one sitting.

There is so much more to learn about these two characters and I can't wait to read more about their adventures. I highly recommend this book, it is a refreshing read in a genre bogged down by the same book being written over and over again.

The fact that I finished "The Emperor's Edge" speaks volumes. I'm a writer (a steampunk writer, in fact), so I'm a hard reader to please. It was refreshing to read a steampunk backdrop that wasn't England and didn't express steampunk as "goggles and a pocket full of gears."

I will say that the story was a tad bit slow to start, but for anyone who gets this book, I'd recommend you keep reading. The story settles into a nice pace, and the characters and intrigue unfold in a most pleasing manner. Buroker has a talent for building relationships and turning phrases, both of which kept me engaged till the end. The protagonist is a nice addition to the feminine protagonist movement that has, finally, come to the forefront in fiction.

It would have been nice to see Amaranthe work a little harder on the deductive side to come to conclusions, but I'm a bit of a Holmesian, so again, I'm a hard audience to please.

All in all, The Emperor's Edge is a fun read that keeps you turning pages so you can learn how Amaranthe, her crew, and the Emperor himself will escape the perils that await them all.

Props to Buroker!

I started listening to EE as a podcast. I already purchased Dark Currents and was simply waiting for the story to finish poscasting befoe beginning to read. Then EE went on special for free and with only a couple of chapters left, I decided to download and finish the tale on my own.
I love this edgy story chock full of political intrigue, witty dialogue, a brooding assassin and a lovable slightly naive but very intelligent and strong heroine. While clearly a fantasy type story, the aspect I most enjoy are the very human characters. They behave as people do, becoming angry, or sad, or hopeful, or depressed. No one is perfect, and everyone is relatable to a degree. My favorite character is Sircarius. The funniest is Maldynado. And Amaranthe is the kind of woman I like, strong, feminine but not saccharine.
I'm moving on to Dark Currents tonight.

I had recently gotten into the whole steampunk thing and was looking for some inexpensive books to take on a long drive. Enter "The Emperor's Edge".

Wow!! What fun. If you like female heroes, this is a series for you. Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is the kind of character you like from almost the first word. You never know what crazy plot she is going to cook up next. The tension between her renowned assassin Sicarius makes you wonder if these two will end up in a less than professional relationship. Really, the whole team is very believable.

Read this book. I dare you to stop at just this one.... EE5 is on the way!!! Blood and Betrayal, coming later this year.

I love this author! My Dad ordered this series for free on Kindle, because he is a sucker for both Sci-Fi and cheap books... However, I ended up downloading it in a fit of boredom and absolutely devouring them! I also just finished the last book in the Dragon Blood series, which is good, if a lot more fantasy than the EE story.

I love science fiction and fantasy books, but so many of them are just plain sexist. The woman in them are either "strong" to the point of flatness, or simply act as a nice pair of breast where the real hero of the story can rest their manly little head. The plots of these books are fun, but the main sell for me regarding Buroker is the totally unique way she writes female characters... AS PEOPLE!!! She lets her ladies be funny, cunning, flawed and capable! Also, they have all have sex drives, something that they are neither ashamed of or berated for. It's really sad I've read more books featuring talking dragons then ones where the heroine gets laid.

Anyway, I adore Buroker, and can't wait to see what her mischievous mind cooks up next!

I've been loving the steampunk genre lately and this book is so much fun. It's an excellent adventure/action/friendship book-abet a slightly off-kilter one. Yes, the main character becomes friends with an assassin and all the characters are forced into morally gray situations but I appreciate how the author makes the characters acknowledge and deal with their actions. The writing is great, I love the strong female lead, the world is interesting, and the book definitely held my interest enough that I am partway through the sequel right now. The only slight beef I have is, unlike other steampunk books I've enjoyed, there was less emphasis on the crazy steampunk inventions and machinery. But other than that, this is a fantastic read!

Lindsay does not disappoint! Weaving a tale of intrigue with assassin s and improbable heroes. Well developed characters and surprising plot lines kept me up late reading! On to book 2 of The Emperor's Edge!

Found this book while trolling for steampunk. It's not exactly in that category, but a great read all the same. The author has developed some fine characters--I found myself trying to cast them for a TV series, ala "Firefly." The plot isn't too intricate, but well drawn enough to keep you intrigued till the end. The best part is following Amaranthe, an OCD personality if I've ever seen one, learning to think on the fly and deal with the chaos her carefully ordered life as a government enforcer becomes when she is thrown outside the law and becomes the formulator of a desperate plan to save the life of a young emperor from an assasination plot. I can't wait for the obviously needed sequel.