Customer Reviews

The Edge

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read "The Edge" at least a dozen times since it was published and my enjoyment never diminishes. The lead character, Tor Kelsey, is full of charm, wit, and plenty of humility -- his self-effacing ways lead one to wonder how it is he doesn't realize his own attractive nature. The romantic relationship in this book was one of the most realistic ones Mr. Francis has ever written, possibly because the two involved spend enough time together to develop a real rapport (unlike some of his other "romances", where the man and woman meet and suddenly have deep feelings for one another). While "The Edge" is less of a mystery than other books -- we know Julius Apollo Filmer's a bad guy from the start -- the characters are incredibly well-written and the book becomes more about seeing why Filmer does what he does and how he's going to get caught. The Lorrimore family especially was very well-crafted, from the needy and petulant daughter Xanthe to screwed-up teenage son Sheridan to the "money can't buy you everything" father Mercer. On top of everything else, Mr. Francis captures the beauty of the Canadian Rockies and the excitement of traveling by train. I know that before I die I will have to take a train trip across Canada, and that's due to this book.

While Dick Francis is best known for his easy-going mysteries involving horse racing, this book can be called one of the better railroad mystery novels. It may not be in the same class as Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, but most of the action does take place either on board a train or at a race track.

Like most railroad mystery novels, the setting and details are at least partially contrived. Imagine crossing Canada on a private train known as The Great Transcontinental Mystery Race Train which transports racegoers, horse owners and their horses while making stops for horse races. Railfans will find a lot of interest here including a private car, schedules, dispatching, switching, flagging, white flags, and even rail sabotage.

Our hero, Tor Kelsey from the English Jockey Club, comes on board the train in disguise to watch a British horse owner suspected of murder and extortion. Tor immediately gets involved with the crew and with train activities. Particularly noteworthy is the mystery within a mystery as actors present an on-board mystery as the train (and story) progresses.

Unusual for Francis, there is also a romantic theme. Our hero meets and becomes interested in a young lady, and this also develops as the train speeds on. This novel is not a nail-biter but moves along at the typical Francis leisurely but entertaining pace. He does a masterful job of interweaving so many different themes (horse racing, railroading, sabotage, romance, and a mystery play) into one great story,

An enjoyable, almost lighthearted tale which makes a very pleasant read. A good assortment of characters, and a minimum of violence. Those who have taken long train journeys will enjoy it even more. As always with Francis, the story, though interesting, is less important than his exceptional skill in telling it. This may not be his best work, but it is still far superior to most other writers of this genre.

The train ride in Canada, a nice different setting, with the same mystery as most of his novels. Definately worth a read

This was the least cohesive of any book that dick francis has written, but he gets away with it by providing his usual great characters in believable and entertaining action

This book was wonderful, it had all the twists and turns of any of Francis's best, I loved every aspect of this book, from the main character Tor Kelsy, to the evil villian Julius Apollo Filmer. the only thing that lost the one star is Francis's over use of the quintessential Canadian term "Eh", he implied that there are some Canadians (Like The Conductor), who use this after every sentence eh, I am a Canadian proud and true eh, and the over use of this word was painful to my mind eh, so much so, that I considered not finishing the book eh, but when the book was finished i was glad I had read through the tough parts eh. If you think i used eh too much, well better get used to it, because there was dialogue between Tor and the conductor which would litterally go on for a page like that.

At this point I have 30 or so Francis novels, and though some are better than others, this was the first to truly let me down. The premise is wonderful, but really goes nowhere, and soon the novel is awash with unintresting bit players whos outlines are very vague. The protaginist, Tor Kelsy, is intresting at first, but he to becomes leaden and unintresting for much of the novel. I would have given this title even less than 3 stars had the concept not been so fresh, and the burgeoning romance between Tor and his leading lady not been so touching. A mystery set on a train, given that the story must fit a certain schedule, should race along. This novel starts fast, then becomes mired in boing and unreal plot developments. If you are an ardent Francis fan, then you need this for your collection. If lookong for a mystery as a passing fancy, Mr.Francis has 40 or so better novels to help pass your time

If there is anyone in the world who's a bigger Dick Francis fan than I am, I'd love to meet him/her. I've been reading (and re-reading, and re-reading) Dick Francis books since 1983, with the greatest of pleasure. As a writer myself, I've learned so much about story construction, character development, and using simple language to make a dramatic point, all from reading Dick Francis novels. A glorious education.

THE EDGE, to me, is the very best. I've loved it since the day I got it in the mail from a book club and put it on my night table, and then idly opened it at bedtime, just to read a few pages. Didn't stop till I finished the book, around 5 in the morning. And I've re-read it dozens of times since. There is a plentitude of wisdom in these pages that somehow strikes right at your heart.

Tor's boss, who tells him, "Thought before action -- if there's time". The mystery troupe who does Tor's version of HAMLET to open the eyes of the guests on the mystery train. The wealthy father trying to conceal the crimes of his disturbed son. The very bad guy who sets off an even badder guy, who has a bloodlust to derail and destroy the train. And Tor himself, who works for a living, because the ridiculous amount of money his family has left him, he knows could destroy him. Life lessons, all.

The colorful descriptions of Canadian Rockies (I've got that on my list of dream vacations!), the usual Dick Francis horse races that are heart-stopping and lead inexorably to the next plot point, the marvelously sketched characters -- I love them all.

I'm crazy about all of Dick Francis's novels -- but THE EDGE has a very special place in my heart. Try it. You might feel exactly the same way.

This is a different Dick Francis, as the action takes place almost entirely in a train trundling around in the Canadian Rockies. The writing is perfect, as always, and the setting is comparable with Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, which I like, but The Edge is a better read. I lost the book three times, and bought a new one each time. The fourth is still with me, and I read it from cover to cover now and then, it is such a good read. I would think anyone who reads it would make a trip sooner rather than later to Banff and Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies. As usual the hero is understated, self-effacing, and well-behaved in an old-fashioned sort of way. The romance develops almost insidiously as is the case in the best Dick Francis tradition. It is a treat to watch it evolve, and the ease with which the setting is sketched out, the characters delineated, and the plot developed, make it a true Dick Francis classic. Highly recommended.

How does Dick Francis manage time and time again, to give us such a likeable hero, faced with such impossible odds - and a story that grips us tightly from beginning to end?

This time the hero, Tor Kelsey, is a young man who has a job with the British Jockey Club's security organization as their eyes and ears. He wanders around racetracks undercover, unremarkably dressed, unnoticed by all, but himself taking note whenever something's not right. A sweet old lady who acts as his telephone messenger for a while calls Tor "the invisible man."

Ironically Tor Kelsey is independently wealthy and doesn't need to work at all. He works to save himself from the emotional diseases of the rich. And for the fun of it.

Finally Tor has an assignment that puts him head-to-head with the ultimate bad guy in the racing world. Julius Filmer finds ways to coerce people to sell or give him wonderful horses that they would not normally part with. But the Jockey Club can't prove anything against him because Filmer also has a genius for intimidating witnesses.

And so Tor is sent on a train ride across Canada that's been designed to promote Canadian racing. The train is full of rich people who own racehorses, including Filmer, and their best horses are also on board. Horses and owners will be stopping at racetracks in different cities to compete, and in between races it's a non-stop party, with a mystery play thrown in to keep the passengers entertained.

Disguised as an invisible waiter, Tor has one risky adventure after another trying to keep the train on track. One of his adventures is purely romantic.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel, right up there with the best of Dick Francis.