Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil by Mary Fan

Oct 17, 2018 Cranky - The Book Curmudgeon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

5 Cranky Stars

This is a 5 star story of a postapocalyptic America. There are demons, magic and a caste system in place. The Triumvirate has shielded the cities with protective domes to keep out the demons.

However, the demon activity is increasing. Our hero Flynn is a member of the lowest caste and is essentially a nobody. He lives in the Fourth Ring but because he has been an orphan since age 10, he attends the Academy. Which means, he gets a basic education, housing, food and the pleasure of ...more

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May 17, 2018 Tash McAdam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I may never stop screaming.

I have been waiting for this book since the first FireDragon novella was released in 2014 (I'm about to read both the novellas again, and then reread Flynn knowing what I know now and I'm so excited!)

ANYWAY it did not disappoint! Demons, monsters, kick ass heroines and well-intentioned, hardworking but ultimately quite ridiculous FLYNN! I love this whole concept- a demonic apocalypse destroying the world as we know it now, overrunning ...more

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Aug 19, 2018 Shirley Cuypers rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-beta, signed, 2018, books-i-own

3.5/5

Original review

This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Mary Fan!

Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil tells Flynn, someone born without magic in a world full of it. The government thinks that people without magic aren’t worth much and those with are important. The Rising, a group of rebels, wants to change the government and so Flynn decides to help them. During his stay with the Rising, Flynn learns a lot about himself and his dead mother.

Flynn ...more

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May 22, 2018 Karissa Laurel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I think The Firedragon was the first Mary Fan book I ever read. The Firedragon is a sort of prequel novella to Edge of Evil, and I was immediately entranced with the awesome world Fan was building—I was/am a huge fan of the Kate Daniel’s series by Ilona Andres and a lot of The Firedragon reminded me of Kate. I especially loved the main character, Aurelia Sun. Aurelia is a young, kick ass, monster fighter. She’s unapologetically brazen, sometimes rude, opinionated, confident, and a little bit I think The Firedragon was the first Mary Fan book I ever read. The Firedragon is a sort of prequel novella to Edge of Evil, and I was immediately entranced with the awesome world Fan was building—I was/am a huge fan of the Kate Daniel’s series by Ilona Andres and a lot of The Firedragon reminded me of Kate. I especially loved the main character, Aurelia Sun. Aurelia is a young, kick ass, monster fighter. She’s unapologetically brazen, sometimes rude, opinionated, confident, and a little bit feral—she doesn’t care much for societal standards or following rules, especially if she thinks they’re stupid, pointless, or oppressive. Yet she’s also loyal, brave, and devoted to those people and causes she deems worthy.

Aurelia’s the kind of female character we rarely see—one who isn’t always likeable (although I quite liked her bristly nature) while also managing to be empathetic. I feel that girl characters are often expected to be tractable, likeable, and pleasing. Women may wield weapons and kill monsters, but they have to be nice and pretty while they do it. Mary Fan is very fond of writing women who thumb their noses at those expectations. Aurelia is the best, and she knows it. It’s so rare that we get to see women, especially young women, be brazenly proud of their accomplishments and abilities.

I have been waiting A LONG TIME for Edge of Evil, and when Fan announced the book would primarily be from Flynn Nightsider’s (a 16-year-old-boy) point of view, I was a bit disappointed. “What? No Aurelia????” But I shouldn’t have doubted Fan. Flynn is a thoroughly compelling character—a “normal” boy with no magical powers but a bull headed need to make himself useful and find his purpose in a magical world that insists normal people are useless.

I’ve been re-watching Smallville on Hulu lately, and in more than a few episodes, something happens to make Clark Kent lose his super-powers. But even when that happens, even when he knows he’s vulnerable and likely to be hurt or even killed, his heroic drive still compels him to rush into danger and save those who need saving. That is exactly the kind of character Flynn Nightsider is, only he never knew what it was like to be super. He’s always been mortal and non-magical, but his heroic drive still compels him. Sometimes it gets him into trouble, too, but who wants to read about a perfect, infallible character? 16-year-old boys are supposed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn (or that’s what I tell myself frequently as the mother of a soon-to-be 16-year-old-boy who is fond of making mistakes). Flynn is sort of an anti-chosen-one. With him, Fan has taken a unique approach to a very believable character.

Although Flynn is the main character, I was thrilled to discover Aurelia actually has a huge role in Edge of Evil. Because this story is told from a 3rd person point of view that switches between characters, I got to spend a lot of time in Aurelia’s head—thank goodness! It more than satisfied my Aurelia craving.

Besides being cram-packed with awesome action and fight scenes (mostly with crazy terrifying monsters and powerful evil beings), this book has so many twists, turns, secrets, and intrigue, it was almost impossible for me to guess where it was headed. In the beginning, I felt things moved a little slowly as Fan introduced characters and worldbuilding details, but once Flynn executed his first “rebellious” act, the story jumped up and took off running. I hate to go cliché and call this one “a real page turner,” but it was! Edge of Evil is a fast-paced YA Urban Fantasy with a horror twist and a collection of compelling characters who buck the typical YA trends.

The story ends with a few hanging threads (I won’t call it a cliff hanger) but If Mary Fan leaves me waiting too long before the next book in this series comes out, I might have to go Annie Wilkes on her. Just kidding! (or am I?) ...more

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Jul 29, 2019 SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews rated it liked it · review of another edition

*I won a hardcover copy from the author and chose to leave a voluntary review. Thank you!*

This review will be specifically for the Hardcover copy.

I normally don’t comment or take the condition of the book itself into the review unless it effects my reading experience and that it sadly did.

I’m not sure if it was just a bad copy or if all the hardcover copies of this book are like that. But mine had a terrible binding job. The pages just started falling out, which saddens me even more since

...more

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May 03, 2018 William Herr rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Mary Fan has done it again. She's created a fully developed world, and filled it with characters you can't help but root for.

In a dark, dystopian urban-fantasy future, mankind has been saved from destruction by the Triumvirate, a group of magical saviors who defeated the Dark Lord after an armagheddon-esque battle that decimated the earth. In return, the group ushered in a caste-based theocracy reminiscent of mankind's darkest history, and enforced by bloodthirsty denizens of the underworld. The Mary Fan has done it again. She's created a fully developed world, and filled it with characters you can't help but root for.

In a dark, dystopian urban-fantasy future, mankind has been saved from destruction by the Triumvirate, a group of magical saviors who defeated the Dark Lord after an armagheddon-esque battle that decimated the earth. In return, the group ushered in a caste-based theocracy reminiscent of mankind's darkest history, and enforced by bloodthirsty denizens of the underworld. The human race is divided into magical and 'norm,' with the former heavily privileged over the latter. Into this world is born Flynn Nightsider, the progeny of a norm mother and unknown father. After watching his mother's death, Flynn is left as a ward of the state, and raised as a near-slave in an academy. While life is difficult, he does build close friendships among the other orphans. When chance brings an opportunity to learn more about his mother's death, Flynn embarks into a hero's journey which will cost him more than he could have guessed, and through a revolution which is more than it seems...

Part Geoffrey of Monmouth's Perciveaux meets A Tale of Two Cities, part Harry Potter meets Animal Farm, Fan's tight prose weaves a tapestry of black bags, intrigue, deception and betrayal as the protagonists battle through a post-apocalyptic realm of monsters and villains. The underlying theme--beware the convenient savior--is both harsh and realistic. Friendship, betrayal and secrecy are delivered with an unvarnished aplomb which is both appropriate to the YA audience and refreshing for the adult reader. This is not a story of unreasonably powerful heroes, but rather one in which a reticent, painfully normal Arthur must be dragged to Camelot. No choice is simple, and disaster looms beyon every decision. And the ending--it was such a blind-side that I am still stunned by it.

I read this book across two days, and it demanded my attention throughout. If you enjoy dark urban fantasy, this is the book for you. ...more

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Aug 20, 2018 Jacqueline Simonds rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Mary Fan’s “Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil” is a wild, convoluted tale that will have you at the edge of your seat. Monsters, rival anti-government groups, magicians, caste systems, and severe plot twists will keep you guessing until the very end! This book continues on the YA Firedragon series and is a great addition to that world. Do not miss this book!

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Sep 29, 2018 Danae rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: must-read-again, favorites

Thank you, NetGalley for letting me read Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil by Mary Fan. I will keep it brief. This book is amazing and even if you are not a huge fan of paranormal you should read this book. If I could give it 10 stars I would. Definitely, a must read. I mean look at that cover...
For my full review on this book check out my blog at https://bookgirlreviewsbooks.blogspot...

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Aug 01, 2018 Josh Pritchett rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

In Flynn Nightsider and Edge of Evil, Mary Fan revisits the twin themes of oppression and discrimination. In an alternate Earth, magic and science co-exist, however it is magic that has the upper hand. The main group of magic users known as the Enchanters, rule what was once the United States while at the same time, enacting laws that keep non-magic users from advancing in this new society were magic rules.
Enter Flynn Nightsider, a teenage boy who begins to look into the death of his mother. ...more

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Oct 24, 2018 Sabrina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: meh-start-great-ending, multiple-pov, what-is-this-sorcery, young-adult, action-adventure, fantasy, dystopian, very-good-almost-great, diversity-represent

3.5 stars

I quite enjoyed reading this in the evenings to decompress my brain after university work. I got strong Teen Wolf vibes and I definitely liked that. Fan took a lot of things that could've turned out trope-y and instead made them fresh and realistic, which I loved. Pacing initially started off a little slow, and the exposition about the post-apocalyptic setting felt a little clunky at the start, but it definitely got better! The world-building was quite detailed and I liked the magic

3.5 stars

I quite enjoyed reading this in the evenings to decompress my brain after university work. I got strong Teen Wolf vibes and I definitely liked that. Fan took a lot of things that could've turned out trope-y and instead made them fresh and realistic, which I loved. Pacing initially started off a little slow, and the exposition about the post-apocalyptic setting felt a little clunky at the start, but it definitely got better! The world-building was quite detailed and I liked the magic system! I think a map would've been nice as the city it's set in was definitely complex enough to deserve one.

I really liked the different monsters - I think this book could be really good as a graphic novel or animation. The descriptions are quite detailed, and the action sequences with the warrior Firedragon/Aurelia and her swords of light would be epic. I also liked the characters, especially Flynn, Connor and Aurelia. I think it's refreshing when the 'Chosen One' is basically a regular kid - WHO. IS. REGULAR. And doesn't suddenly pick up every other skill weirdly quickly after a couple of 'trainings'. Flynn was a very realistic teenager who sort of makes it up as he goes along, his emotions were palpable and he's at a good first stage in what I anticipate to be a nicely done character arc over the rest of the series.

I was so relieved at there being no love triangle! (view spoiler) There are seeds sown for a potential love interest - though I'd rather they stay friends - and admittedly possibly a love triangle further down the line with a certain Triumvir's son... Who actually kinda reminds me of Wylan from Six of Crows! And that can only be a good thing. PLEASE let (view spoiler)[Flynn x Connor (hide spoiler)] be a canon ship!

The ending twist was a good one. I had an inkling of who the real baddie was (because there was quite a lot of suspicion floating around - maybe a bit heavy-handed actually), but I didn't realise what exactly was happening until it did! I had to flick back and re-read scenes to pick out the clues. The twists in general were actually all fairly surprising.

Overall I quite liked the book, and I'm interested to see what happens next...

...more

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Oct 24, 2018 Arkham Reviews rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog, book-tours

Where to begin...

I was really optimistic about this novel based on its two prequels. While both of the Firedragon novellas did have their problems, I thought that these issues were the kind of things that could certainly be ironed out in a longer book. Unfortunately, I didn't find this to be the case at all.

To begin with the positives, I still do think that Fan's world-building shows a lot of promise. If I was to describe this story to a reader, I would call it a cross between Harry Potter and Where to begin...

I was really optimistic about this novel based on its two prequels. While both of the Firedragon novellas did have their problems, I thought that these issues were the kind of things that could certainly be ironed out in a longer book. Unfortunately, I didn't find this to be the case at all.

To begin with the positives, I still do think that Fan's world-building shows a lot of promise. If I was to describe this story to a reader, I would call it a cross between Harry Potter and The Hunger Games - a dystopian world where the magic users (Enchanters) form the elite and those without powers (Norms) are second-class citizens. Unfortunately, the things that we do learn about the world tend to be delivered in huge, expository blocks of text. This was my primary issue with the story.

Fan has a real tendency towards telling the reader things, rather than showing them. Major events often occur off-page - such as much of Aurelia's side story - only to be related to the reader through the narrative after the fact. This is, unfortunately, very weak. In a couple of instances, this actually caused me to wonder if my copy of the text was missing chapters because the narrative made reference to things that I had not seen as though I should know about them. This caused me no end of frustration.

It also really bogs down the story. At 615 pages, Flynn Nightsider was terribly long for a debut young adult novel and I really felt that about half of the story could have been cut to better streamline it. The story was slow to start and, although it did have a plot, it struggled to maintain focus. When Flynn reached the Rising headquarters, he was (vaguely) told about their plans to seize control from the Triumvirate. However, this did not actually occur until the very end of the novels. The space between was filled with small, often unconnected meetings and many scenes of him just training with Aurelia. When things did happen, such as monster attacks and even a random character death, these were often sudden and therefore lacked any kind of tension.

The expository text also blunted the twist in the story's tail. While I won't spoil this for you here, I will say that it did not take me by surprise as the narrative drew far too much attention to the character that it concerns earlier in the novel. However, at least the novel did end well. It ended at the perfect moment to wrap up this stage of Flynn's adventure, while clearly laying the seeds for the sequel.

In terms of characters, I was also rather disappointed. While Flynn's name is on the cover, he's not the most interesting character that this story has to offer. Flynn is a bit of an everyman, loved by everyone (even before he actually does anything), but lacking in anything that truly makes him memorable. Sure, he is likeable enough, but there just wasn't really a lot of meat to him. The novel told me that he was rash and unpredictable, but I never really felt it.

Aurelia has not really evolved as a character since Firedragon Rising and I found that I still did not like her. She is still too powerful, too confident and too childish for me to really like. Her attitude in this novel is pretty horrific, constantly insulting Flynn and refusing to acknowledge how far he has come. It really got tiresome after a while, and I really wished the Flynn would stand up for himself and stop taking her constant mockery. She also still felt too young. While both protagonists were supposed to be in their late teens (as indicated by the cover art), they felt more like twelve year olds.

All in all, this was not the book for me. I was keen to read it but ultimately I felt it to be a bit of slog to get to. Hopefully, this will be something that is resolved in the sequel. ...more

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Nov 03, 2018 Angela (Books of a Shy Girl) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

You can find more reviews on my blog: Books of a Shy Girl.

Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil by Mary Fan is a Young Adult fantasy book set in a futuristic America where people are divided between those who can yield magic and normal people. The country is ruled by a the Triumvirate which had defeated a long time ago the Lord of the Underworld. However, under their reign people are more and more dissatisfied about how the capital city is governed, especially since the fact that normal people You can find more reviews on my blog: Books of a Shy Girl.

Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil by Mary Fan is a Young Adult fantasy book set in a futuristic America where people are divided between those who can yield magic and normal people. The country is ruled by a the Triumvirate which had defeated a long time ago the Lord of the Underworld. However, under their reign people are more and more dissatisfied about how the capital city is governed, especially since the fact that normal people are mistreated and considered inferior by many.

The thing I loved the most about this novel was the world-building. Mary Fan created a story full of diverse beasts and an interesting magic system, though I’d have liked to know why some can cast spells while others couldn’t.

< blockquote>Red’s the color of revolution—always has been. It’s the passion that drives us, the dawn that awaits us, and the blood we must shed and spill. That’s the price of freedom: everything you’ve got, all your willpower and courage, your life and your friends’ lives, paid in advance.

I enjoyed reading about Flynn a story he was thrusted into a world he didn’t know about. He matured throughout the book and at the end I was happy he learned to fight for his beliefs and for the truth. I also admired his loyalty towards his friends.

Aurealia is an Asian girl known as the Firedragon because she is a Norm with great skills when facing off monsters. She was strong and capable, even though sometimes her character came off as bratty. Flynn and Aurelia bonded during the first two third of the book and they grew to have each other’s back.

No one else could do what he could. So whatever challenges came his way, he had to come through. There’d be no backup if he failed.
With nothing left of his past, the only way he had to go was forward.

A character I loved was Brax, Flynn’s ever-loyal best friend. He supported the protagonist and helped him whenever he could. There was also Kylie, Brax’s girlfriend who was close to Flynn. They were both kindhearted.

The writing style was good and I recommend this book if you’re looking for an action-packed fantasy book with magic. I give Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil 4 out of 5 stars. ...more

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Aug 20, 2018 GracieKat rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: tiny-tentacle-s-books

This book is really cool but it took me a while to finish. The cover art looked kind of generic, like a lot of other fantasy covers. It took me a little bit to really get interested in it. However, I feel like it was more leaning towards fantasy than sci-fi or horror. The plot, world and characters were interesting but there was something I can't quite put my finger on. I think it's because the world-building felt a bit forced. It felt like it was jammed in there rather than being built This book is really cool but it took me a while to finish. The cover art looked kind of generic, like a lot of other fantasy covers. It took me a little bit to really get interested in it. However, I feel like it was more leaning towards fantasy than sci-fi or horror. The plot, world and characters were interesting but there was something I can't quite put my finger on. I think it's because the world-building felt a bit forced. It felt like it was jammed in there rather than being built naturally.

The characters themselves actually are done pretty good. Flynn is a likable character and I can see my self enjoying going on an adventure with him. He had enough personality to feel like a solid character but there were some parts where I felt as though he were kind of blank. This wasn't always a bad thing as it allowed me to think more outside of the box in the character’s perspective when a problem emerged. Although the secondary character’s in the plot did help a bit, it seemed that they were there to move the plot along rather than for the reader's to grow a strong bond with them. The love aspect didn't interest me much. The two didn't really seem to have much chemistry. But that could be me. I rarely am interested in love plots so other teens might like it better than I did. One thing I did like is that there were no love triangles.

One issue I had was the enchanted and the normal humans being divided into classes. It wasn't a bad concept exactly it just felt like I had read it before. I also realize that it can be hard to create new worlds with so many other worlds existing already. I think there just wasn't enough 'new' brought out in it to set it apart.

Fortunately, though, is a good read. That might seem weird considering the things I mentioned but it's true. It didn't make me go "Wow!" but it didn't make me yawn and put it down either. It was a good, solid read. Over all I do like the book it just could have used some work in some areas. Although despite these I still feel like it was a good read and I would recommend it to others to at least try. Especially if you're interested in more fantasy based books.

I'd also like to thank the author for providing a book when my phone wouldn't open the file correctly (my phone's problem, not the file's) that was very nice of her. ...more

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Oct 30, 2018 Kbookwiz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book takes you to an adventurous journey accompanied by a lot of mysteries and amazing twists and turns. Flynn Nightsider’s mother died in a tragic way when he was 10 years old. He lives in a country goverened by Triumvirates. He was sent to academy of supernatural when he was 12 years old and after few years he found out that Triumvirates are not what they seem to be and have a lot of hidden secrets. To unravel the truth of his mother’s death and expose the Triumvirates he leaves the This book takes you to an adventurous journey accompanied by a lot of mysteries and amazing twists and turns. Flynn Nightsider’s mother died in a tragic way when he was 10 years old. He lives in a country goverened by Triumvirates. He was sent to academy of supernatural when he was 12 years old and after few years he found out that Triumvirates are not what they seem to be and have a lot of hidden secrets. To unravel the truth of his mother’s death and expose the Triumvirates he leaves the academy and starts his adventurous journey with the Risings ( the rebellions).
The world build up of the book was awesome! The country consists of four casts. The Norms who do not have any magical ability, Enchanters having magical ability, Sentinels who fight supernatural threats and Defenders who are a higher class of norms assigned to help the Sentinels. Moreover,the country is divided into four rings ( Place for the four casts). The book mentions about a lot of supernatural things and magical monsters, each having unique features. Long ago sentinels defeated the Lord of the underworld who did evil things in the world but his monsters remained even after his defeat.
The book was really well written.The Twists added to the story seemed very unpredictable. I loved the diversity of the characters.Flynn seemed to be just an ordinary boy unaware of his own power. On the other hand, Aurelia was brave and very combative.I loved the friendship of Flynn-Brax-Kylie and Aurelia-Connor.

It was a perfect dystopian book having a lot of fantasy elements.The supernatural academy, Friendship of three friends, leader of the underworld doing evil things, magical beasts, prophecy related to Flynn all these elements gave me a feeling of reading a Harry Potter book which I found out to be very cool! The ending leaves you with a curiosity to know what’s going to happen next. Loved it! The book cover is also very beautiful.

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and Mary Fan for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book. ...more

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Jun 28, 2019 Diana Davis rated it liked it · review of another edition

Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of EvilKindle Edition
byMary Fan
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Mary Fan has created a Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic America for Young Adults. While Flynn is an interesting character who is clearly more than he seem, he behaves like a 12-14 year old rather than the jaded 16 year old he is meant to be.

The story starts slowly, with a lot of world building being dumped on the reader. There is a lot of telling to start ...more

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Oct 05, 2019 George Ebey added it · review of another edition

Having read the two prequel novellas, Firedragon and Firedragon Rising, I was familiar with the series and interested in seeing how its world would be fleshed out in a larger work. I was not disappointed. Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil takes the concepts from the prequels and amps them up with vivid descriptions of its dystopian setting and plenty of fast paced action.

This story is our introduction to the series' main character, Flynn, and I found myself liking him right away. He's ...more

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Oct 30, 2018 Jessica Belmont rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evilis an interesting fantasy, with unique monsters, a captivating world, fun characters and nonstop action.

Mary Fan has created a really cool world, with a caste system. I enjoyed her use of description, but it did at times, get a little overbearing. Sometimes I wanted less description and more action, but there is no doubt that this is a solidly built world with lots of layers.

Flynn Nightsider is part of the lowest caste. He is well-intentioned and hardworking, ...more

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Nov 15, 2018 United Indie Book Blog rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

You want to take your time reading this book. I had to put it down. There is so many twist and turns in it. A young boy named Flynn caught in the middle of a war of magic, monsters, evil and good. The United states isn't known as the United States anymore. Everything has changed and its being ruled by powerful sentinels. Life isn't easy for Flynn, I think most of us can understand life not being easy. Flynn is special, he just doesn't know it. He has questions, Like all kids do. Can they be ...more

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Dec 06, 2018 Mari rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

You want to take your time reading this book. I had to put it down. There is so many twist and turns in it. A young boy named Flynn caught in the middle of a war of magic, monsters, evil and good. The United states isn't known as the United States anymore. Everything has changed and its being ruled by powerful sentinels. Life isn't easy for Flynn, I think most of us can understand life not being easy. Flynn is special, he just doesn't know it. He has questions, Like all kids do. Can they be ...more

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Aug 21, 2019 Genelle Themann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I didn't know what to expect, but I soon found myself lost in a tale of government corruption, rebellion, monsters, magic and unlikely heroes. If you were to take a heaping cup of Harry Potter, mix it with healthy handful of the Divergent series, and throw in a pinch of the Hunger Games, you might come up with a story line such as this. But it takes an adept chef to balance the ingredients to provide such a tasty treat as this. There's enough humor and action as well as thrills and chills to ...more

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Dec 07, 2018 Nyarlathotep Twelfth Month The Haunted Reading Room rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"Just because they're in charge doesn't mean they're right," reiterates a character in this sci fantasy. I think that statement serves as the perfect epigram--and introduction--to this engrossing story. Massively creative world-building provides the solidest foundation for this novel, and non-stop action, excitement, and suspenseful tension keep the reader on track throughout. In the Dystopia subsequent to the magical apocalypse, supposedly the "new world" is perfect and perfectly governed. Not ...more

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Oct 31, 2018 United Indie Book Blog rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I have been wanting a good dystopian/fantasy read and I am so glad I picked up Mary Fan's Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil! We have everything in this book demons, monsters, anti-government groups, butt kicking heros and so much more! I honestly don't even know where to begin. This book demanded my full attention from start to finish and now I'm just trying to figure out what to do with my life now. I enjoyed Flynn so much and his journey. I enjoyed all the characters and the world Mary Fan ...more

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Sep 10, 2019 Pamela rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-siren

I really enjoyed this story and hope the author does another book in this universe, I'm going to read the novellas that are in this universe next. Liked the aspects of good vs evil and the underdog hero. The reason for not a 5-star is the slow start but I think if I had read novellas first I would have gotten straight to the action. Hope to read more Flynn books since he is a likeable scrappy character.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily

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Feb 23, 2019 Ashley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is an interesting, action packed book with demons, magic, etc. A dark atmosphere, which I love in any book. But it took me a little to get into the book, which is why 4 stars instead of 5. Definitely a creative, unique story.

I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy via Hidden Gems.

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Jun 08, 2019 Scarolet Ellis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Flynn Nightsider and the Edge of Evil by Mary Fan is a wonderful book to read. This is book is a wonderful read caus I love reading stories about magic. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves reading about magic as much as me then this story is really for you to read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Feb 09, 2019 Michelle VanDaley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Although this book did not grab me from the start I am glad I kept reading because it was a really good story and great start of series. Overall the characters were well developed and the world building descriptive. The pacing in the beginning was rocky but it smoothed out after a few chapters. I look forward to more in this series and from this author

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Nov 06, 2018 Kaili Taghon (Entertainingly Nerdy) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book! This a young adult fantasy novel that mostly follows Flynn Nightsider. This book has all you'd want from a fantasy novel like magic, monsters, and a kick butt female character. If you're into fantasy then I definitely recommend this book.

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Nov 10, 2018 Anisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

For some reason, this reminds me of percy jackson (in a good way) with the lord and magic and stuff. this book is incredibly fast paced and exciting.I hope book 2 will release soon!

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Sep 18, 2018 Lisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Great reading I love shifter books and this one rocks.

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Oct 29, 2018 Katherine Paschal rated it liked it · review of another edition

*3.5 Stars**
When evil made it's appearance and attempted to destroy the world as we know it, the magic users who nobody not even know existed stepped forward and battled the evil. The world was saved, but things were now different- magic users are given a position of esteem to keep everyone safe and normal people fill the bottom rungs of society. Flynn lives in this world with his mom, content with his status as a non-magic user. But when he follows his mom on one of her secret night trips, he *3.5 Stars**
When evil made it's appearance and attempted to destroy the world as we know it, the magic users who nobody not even know existed stepped forward and battled the evil. The world was saved, but things were now different- magic users are given a position of esteem to keep everyone safe and normal people fill the bottom rungs of society. Flynn lives in this world with his mom, content with his status as a non-magic user. But when he follows his mom on one of her secret night trips, he witnesses the evil firsthand and it ends up costing his mom her life. With no other option, he is a ward of the region, living at the magic users school but never allowed to learn to fight or help against the war, instead basically a slave. But it seems like there are more secrets to be uncovered and somehow Flynn is right in the middle of it all.

I have a severe case of cover love going on, but I can't help it, it is just so pretty! And then when I read the synopsis that described the book as a dystopian mixed with magic, this sounded fantastic and I knew I had to have this book. I am such a sucker for anything dystopian and the fact that magic and creatures destroyed the world instead of the typical thing like natural disasters or zombies/aliens made this story that much more appealing.

Maybe I am the only one who saw the connection (which could be the case since I am in the middle of a Harry Potter re-read) but this was just like a dystopian Harry Potter, except you know, non-magical humans are the slaves instead of house elves (somebody should have just given Flynn some socks!). We have a Dark Lord who everyone believes is dead, we have a special "chosen orphan boy" who does not know anything about his background or why he would be chosen, three best friends with two boys and a smart ambitions girl, and a magical school (just to name a few of the connections I found). I don't mean this in a bad way at all, it was just interesting reading and finding the correlation, so maybe this is a good next read for those who miss Hogwarts.

There was so much action in this story, be it sneaking around and uncovering secrets or battles against the evil creatures that were trying to wipe everyone out, it was pretty easy to burn through the pages of what was a very long book. Blink and you might miss some action. I also loved all the types of dark magic creatures crawling through the pages, a new take on the usual as well as some completely new (yet terrifying), and the descriptions used made it everything feel real and tangible, as if I was there in the classroom battle too. This is definitely the first in a series since so much is still left unsaid, so be ready for an epic adventure.

I voluntarily read a copy of this title. Come visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ ...more

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