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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not quite the end of the story, April 11, 2006
This is the seventh book of the Edge Chronicles as published by David Fickling Books. (Random House Children’s Books) It brings together many of the characters from the previous books, and should not be read before the others.
If you’re having a hard time keeping them straight, the books are grouped into three sagas, The Quint Saga, the Twig saga and the Rook saga. The order as published so far in the USA is:
1. Beyond the Deepwoods (Twig saga)
2. Stormchaser (Twig saga)
3. Midnight Over Santaphrax (Twig saga)
4. Curse of the Gloamglozer (Quint saga)
5. The Last of the Sky Pirates (Rook saga)
6. Vox (Rook saga)
7. Freeglader (Rook saga)
Amazon.com lists a Book 8, The Winter Knights, but this must be an import, as it isn’t readily available and the cover artwork is different. The Winter Knights is a part of the Quint saga. There’s also Clash of the Sky Galleons available in October 2006. This also is from the Quint saga. I understand that there will be ten Edge Chronicle books in all, so this isn’t the end of the line for Edge fans.
Freeglader has the best battle sequences of the series so far, and is made up of several story lines, including the exodus from Undertown, the perilous trek to the Free Glades, the hatching of a new Shryke army, the rebuilding of the Great Library, the ambitious plans of the master of the Foundry Glades, the Goblin armies, the trial of Xanth, and much more. Rook is once again the central character, losing his memory, and then regaining it, and when he is reunited with a family member, everything is explained for us all.
One of the most exciting in the series so far, but requires prior knowledge of the characters.
Amanda Richards, April 11, 2006
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Exciting!, March 3, 2006
There are gnokgoblins, cloddertrogs, woodtrolls, and waifs. They flee down the Great Mire Road, when a storm of magnificent proportions that had been gathering for weeks, pounds Undertown. As Undertown is destroyed by the storm, the residents, fearing for their safety, flee to build themselves a new home and library in the Free Glades.
Rook Barkwater, a librarian knight, understands that the journey, even with help from Deadbolt Vulpoon and the sky pirates, will be filled with hazards for the homeless residents. They will face danger at every turn from the horrible conditions and from unmentionable creatures who would harm them.
The evil Master of the Foundry Glades, Hemuel Spume views the Free Glades as a source of slaves, Rook Barkwater loses part of his memory in a sepia storm, Xanth must face his past crimes, and a father is disappointed in his son. But it is Rook's life story that we are interested in knowing.... Will we discover it?
Stewart and Riddell have created an exciting and complex fantasy world in The Edge Chronicles. Book #7 is the final installment and ultimately all loose ends are connected. The novel is an easy, fast-paced and thrilling read that will have children (and adults) turning the pages, racing as fast as they can to the end.
Armchair Interviews says: The Edge Chronicles is a wonderful series that should start with book #1. You won't be disappointed.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The bow on top of the package, April 10, 2006
First off, I LOVED IT!
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I am a big fan of teh Edge Chronicles, twig being my favorite character. I never really liked Rook Barkwater until this book. Now I do. Freeglader is all about the journey that the Undertowners have to take after the Dark Maelstrom to get to the Freeglades and have peace. Banding together with the sky pirates from the Mire, the fleeing Undertowners must brave attacks from Muglumps, shrykes, goblins, and survive the treacherous Mire and Edgelands.
The story was great and exciting, even if it does take a serious turn. Younger readers might be a little more sensitive to some of the gory scenes: the one where the shryke rips out a librarian's heart, for instance, or the one where Amberfuce is boiled alive. This aside, my favorite part of the book was not the actual story, but the epilogue. There is a conversation at the end between Rook and an old sky pirate (won't say who it is!) and Rook learns the secret of his parentage. It's been obvious since the beginning, but it's nice to see it in print and find out the intricacies of marriage in the Deepwoods.
This is a must-read for Edge Chronciles fans, especially for those who really like Rook. Don't bother reading it if you havent' read the others; it won't make any sense at all.
P.S. did anyone notice in the family tree at the back that ROok is also related to a dear little someone who's last name is Hammelherd?
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