View source for The Edge Chronicles

{{Short description|Children's fantasy novel series by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox book series <!--See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels]] or [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Books]]-->
| name        = ''The Edge Chronicles''
| author      = [[Paul Stewart (writer)|Paul Stewart]]
| illustrator = [[Chris Riddell]]
| language    = English
| genre       = {{hlist|[[High fantasy]]|[[Adventure novel]]|[[Steampunk]]}}
| publisher   = [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]]
| pub_date    = 1998 – present
| media_type  = Print ([[Hardcover|Hardback]] & [[Paperback]])

}}

'''''The Edge Chronicles''''' is a [[children's fiction|children's fantasy]] [[novel]] series<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-ten-best-books-for-ages-8-12-409356.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-ten-best-books-for-ages-8-12-409356.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The Ten Best: Books for ages 8-12|date=2006-07-26|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-05-04}}</ref> written by [[Paul Stewart (writer)|Paul Stewart]] and illustrated by [[Chris Riddell]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/gallery/2015/jun/09/chris-riddell-childrens-laureate-best-illustrations|title=The best work of Chris Riddell, new children's laureate – in pictures|last=Riddell|first=Chris|date=2015-06-09|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-05-04|last2=Drabble|first2=Emily|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> It consists of four [[trilogies]], plus four additional books, and other books related to the universe (The Edge).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.edgechronicles.co.uk/edge-chronicles-book-order/|title=The Edge Chronicles - Edge Chronicles book order|last=Riddell|first=Paul Stewart and Chris|website=The Edge Chronicles|language=en|access-date=2019-05-04}}</ref> The series was originally published by [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]], a subsidiary of [[Penguin Random House]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-385-75068-4|title=Children's Book Review: BEYOND THE DEEPWOODS: The Edge Chronicles, #1 by Paul Stewart, Author, Chris Riddell, Illustrator . Random/Fickling $12.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-385-75068-4|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-16}}</ref>  and has sold more than three million copies, according to its publisher.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/109/1095352/the-edge-chronicles-13--the-descenders/9780857535306.html|title=The Edge Chronicles 13: The Descenders|last=Riddell|first=Paul Stewart, Chris|website=www.penguin.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref>

The stories of ''The Edge Chronicles'' take place in the fictional world of The Edge, a vast cliff with no apparent bottom.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookclub/3555789/Family-bookclub-The-Edge-Chronicles-Beyond-the-Deepwoods.html|title=Family bookclub: The Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deepwoods|last=Middleton|first=Christopher|date=2008-07-04|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=2019-05-06|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> The majority of books are grouped into sagas, with each saga focusing on one character.<ref name=":0" /> The  power of flight is a major theme of the books, with each age defined by the current technology used for air travel. In the first age, floating rocks were used to stay airborne, then floating wood was used, and finally phrax-power.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edgechronicles.co.uk/explore-the-edge/the-three-ages-of-flight/|title=The Edge Chronicles - The Three Ages Of Flight|last=Riddell|first=Chris|last2=Stewart|first2=Paul|website=The Edge Chronicles|language=en|access-date=2019-05-08}}</ref> The series is notable for its flora and fauna, along with the maps of various locations in The Edge.<ref name=":1" />

The first three trilogies were released over the course of 1998 to 2006, with a standalone saga serving as a conclusion to the first two ages of flight and a beginning to the third released in 2009.<ref name=":0" /> The series was planned to end after the tenth book,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/173458/edge-chronicles-the-immortals-by-paul-stewart-and-chris-riddell/9780375895630|title=Edge Chronicles: The Immortals by Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-08}}</ref> with the author's blog, Weird New Worlds serving as the continuous adventures with weekly 'chapter' installments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.varsity.co.uk/culture/2163|title=Over the Edge|website=Varsity Online|language=en|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref> After the completion of the 66 chapters of the blog, the authors decided to revisit the series with the fourth trilogy which would adapt the characters and stories from the blog, with the first and second books released in 2014 and 2015 respectively. The series also includes a number of short stories, along with a companion book.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}}

==Books==

===''The Quint Trilogy''===
* '''''The Curse of the Gloamglozer''''': the novel was first published in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/chris-riddell/curse-of-gloamglozer.htm|title=The Curse of the Gloamglozer (Edge Chronicles, book 4) by Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart|website=www.fantasticfiction.com|access-date=2019-05-20}}</ref> It is the fourth volume of chronicles and the first of the ''Quint Saga'' trilogy; within the stories' own chronology it is the first novel, preceding the ''Twig Saga'' trilogy that was published earlier.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edgechronicles.co.uk/edge-chronicles-book-order/|title=The Edge Chronicles - Edge Chronicles book order|last=Riddell|first=Paul Stewart and Chris|website=the|language=en|access-date=2019-05-20}}</ref>
* '''''The Winter Knights''''': first published in 2005, it is the eighth volume of chronicles and the second of the ''Quint Saga'' trilogy; within the stories' own chronology it is the second novel, preceding the ''Twig Saga'' and ''Rook Saga'' trilogies that were published earlier.
* '''''Clash of the Sky Galleons''''': first published in 2006, it is the ninth volume of chronicles and the third of the ''Quint Saga'' trilogy; within the stories' own chronology it is the third novel.

===''The Twig Trilogy''===
* ''[[Beyond the Deepwoods]]'' (1998)
* '''''Stormchaser''''': first published in 1999, it is the second volume of chronicles and of the ''Twig Saga'' trilogy; within the stories' own chronology it is the fifth novel, following the ''Quint Saga'' trilogy that was published later.
* '''''Midnight Over Sanctaphrax''''': first published in 2000, it is the third volume of the chronicles and of the ''Twig Saga'' trilogy; within the stories' own chronology it is the sixth novel.

===''The Rook Trilogy''===
* ''[[The Last of the Sky Pirates]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Vox (Stewart and Riddell novel)|Vox]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Freeglader]]'' (2004)

=== ''The Immortals'' ===
'''''The Immortals''''' is the 10th book of ''The Edge Chronicles'' and was released on 5 February 2009 in the United Kingdom and 14 September 2010 in the United States and Canada. The book introduces the Third Age of Flight and the character Nate Quarter, and serves as a conclusion to the Quint, Twig and Rook sagas.
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===''The Cade Trilogy''===
*'''''The Nameless One''''': first published in 2014, it is the eleventh volume of the chronicles and the first of the ''Cade Saga'' trilogy; it is the first main series book since ''The Immortals''.
*'''''Doombringer''''' (2015)
*'''''The Descenders''''' (2019)
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===Standalone books===
* ''Cloud Wolf'' (2001) - A short side story, specially published for World Book Day. Serves as a prequel to the Quint Trilogy.
* ''The Stone Pilot'' (2006) - A short side story, specially published for World Book Day.
* ''The Lost Barkscrolls'' (2006) an anthology that includes "Cloud Wolf" (2001), "[[The Stone Pilot]]" (2006) and two additional short stories from the series named "The Slaughterer's Quest" set between the Twig and Rook trilogies, it follows an adventure of Rook's mother, Keris Barkwater, and "The Blooding of Rufus Filatine" set after Freeglader, it follows an adventure of Rufas Filantine, son of Xanth Filantine.
* ''The Edge Chronicles Maps'' (2004) a companion book to the series, detailing the Edge in the First and Second Age of Flight. It also contains a double-sided map: on one side the Edge in the First Age of Flight, on the other the Edge in the Second Age of Flight.
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===Other===
The following titles are not available in book form.
* ''The Sky Chart: A Book of Quint'' (2014) (Available in digital form only)
* ''Weird New Worlds'' (2009-2011) (Story in blog form spanning 66 posts).

==Chronology==

The ''Edge Chronicles'' books are not always released in chronological order. The following table summarizes the stories to date:

{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|-
! Order Chronologically !! Story Title !! Main Protagonist !! Order Released !! Year released !! Book Number
|-
| 1 || ''Cloud Wolf*'' || Quintinius Verginix || 4 || 2001 || Side Story
|-
| 2 || ''Curse of the Gloamglozer'' || Quintinius Verginix || 5 || 2001 || 04
|-
| 3 || ''The Winter Knights'' || Quintinius Verginix || 9 || 2005 || 08
|-
| 4 || ''The Stone Pilot*'' || Maugin || 10 || 2006 || Side Story
|-
| 5 || ''Clash of the Sky Galleons'' || Quintinius Verginix || 11 || 2006 || 09 
|-
| 6 || ''The Sky Chart: A Book of Quint'' || Quintinius Verginix || 15 || 2014 || Maps
|-
| 7 || ''Beyond the Deepwoods'' || Arborinus Verginix (Twig) || 1 || 1998 || 01
|-
| 8 || ''Stormchaser'' || Arborinus Verginix (Twig) || 2 || 1999 || 02
|-
| 9 || ''Midnight Over Sanctaphrax'' || Arborinus Verginix (Twig)|| 3 || 2000 || 03
|-
| 10 || ''The Slaughterer's Quest*'' || Keris Barkwater|| 12 || 2006 || Side Story
|-
| 11 || ''The Last of the Sky Pirates'' || Rook Barkwater || 6 || 2002 || 05
|-
| 12 || ''Vox'' || Rook Barkwater || 7 || 2003 || 06
|-
| 13 || ''Freeglader'' || Rook Barkwater || 8 || 2004 || 07
|-
| 14 || ''The Blooding of Rufus Filatine*'' || Rufus Filatine || 13 || 2006 || Side Story
|-
| 15 || ''The Immortals'' || Nate Quarter || 14 || 2009 || 10
|-
| 16 || ''The Nameless One'' || Cade Quarter || 16 || 2014 || 11
|-
| 17 || ''Doombringer'' || Cade Quarter || 17 || 2015 || 12
|-
| 18 || ''The Descenders'' || Cade Quarter || 18 || 2019 || 13
|}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Part of ''The Lost Barkscrolls'' (Also marked by "Side Story" in book number column). ''Cloud Wolf'' and ''The Stone Pilot'' were also released separately as individual novellas previously.

''The Stone Pilot'' is told from the narrative of Maugin reminiscing on her past. Content of this story falls chronologically fourth while the story is told by Maugin at a later point in time, likely around the end of ''The Last of the Sky Pirates''.

''The Edge Chronicles Maps'' Detail 'The Edge' during the first and second age of flight covering a time period from before ''Cloud Wolf'' until some point in time between ''The Blooding of Rufus Filatine'' and ''The Immortals''.

==Family tree==
{{Chart top|''The Edge Chronicles'' family tree}}
{{tree chart/start|style=font: 100% sans-serif;|align=center}}
{{tree chart | |WJ|~|y|~|HV| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |YP|~|y|~|LP| |WJ=Orlis<br />{{small|“Wind Jackal”}}|HV=Hirmina Verginix<br />(née Lintrax)|LP=Linius Pallitax<br />{{small|(Most High Academe of Sanctaphrax)}}|YP=Yena Pallitax<br />(née Vespius)}}
{{tree chart | | |,|-|-|^|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.| | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | |LV| |CV| |MX| |PV| |MR| |QV|y|~|~|MV|LV=Lucius Verginix|CV=Centix Verginix|MX=Murix Verginix|PV=Pellius Verginix|MR=Martilius Verginix|QV=Quint<br />{{small|“Cloud Wolf”<br />{{small|(Quintinius Verginix)}}}}|MV=Maris Verginix<br />(née Pallitax)}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | |TB| |CB|~|y|~|~|NB| | | |!| | |LS|TB=Tem Barkwater|CB=Cal Barkwater|NB=Noll Barkwater<br />(née Hammelherd)|LS=Loess}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | |!| | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | |SV|y|~|TW|~|MG|SV=Sinew Verginix<br />(née Tatum)|TW=Twig<br />{{small|{{small|(Arborinus Verginix)}}}}|MG=Maugin<br />{{small|“The Stone Pilot”}}}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |SB|~|y|~|KB|SB=Shem Barkwater|KB=Keris Barkwater (née Verginix)}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | |MB|~|y|~|RB|MB=Magda Burlix|RB=Rook Barkwater}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |MG|MG=Multiple Generations}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | |HL|~|y|~|AQ|~|y|~|PH|HL=Hermia Lentis|AQ=Abe Quarter|PH=Phasia Hexatine}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | |EP|~|~|NQ| | | |TQ|~|y|~|SH|EP=Eudoxia Prade|NQ=Nate Quarter|TQ=Thadeus Quarter|SH=Sensa Huth}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |CQ|CQ=Cade Quarter}}
{{tree chart | |}}
{{tree chart/end}}
{{Chart bottom}}

==Origins==
The origins of the series came in 1994, when Riddell drew a map of a fantasy world and challenged Stewart to write a story about it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edgechronicles.co.uk/explore-the-edge/about-the-creators/ |title="About the creators" at the Edge Chronicles website}}</ref> The series was produced with Riddell and Stewart working in collaboration, sometimes with the illustrations influencing the text and vice versa. In terms of influence, they claimed the tales of the [[Brothers Grimm]] and Mervyn Peake's ''[[Gormenghast (series) |Gormenghast]]'' as creative influences on their work. They deliberately designed the Edge to be a world that would be markedly very different from traditional high fantasy, and one of the ways they designed it was to avoid the depiction of magic or any other supernatural forces, since they felt it would be far too convenient if magic was used.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stewartandriddell.co.uk/q_and_a.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117201928/http://www.stewartandriddell.co.uk/q_and_a.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-01-17 |title="Q&A", stewartandriddell.co.uk, archived via the Wayback Machine}}</ref>

==Audiobooks==
The series has received numerous audiobooks, which have often been abridged. An audiobook of ''The Curse of the Gloamglozer'' was released narrated by British actor [[Alex Jennings]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/5814170-Paul-Stewart-20-Chris-Riddell-Read-By-Alex-Jennings-The-Edge-Chronicles-The-Curse-Of-The-Gloamglozer?srsltid=AfmBOooOgwZ8G2YkTlX12yD-024Bu051Rk1kW--0QGPjVpSaOrOjG8Db |title="The Curse of the Gloamglozer, read by Alex Jennings", discogs.com}}</ref> An audiobook adaptation of ''The Last of the Sky Pirates'' was released in 2009, narrated by Peter Jennings, which the website ''Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews'' called "spirited narration".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lookingglassreview.com/books/the-edge-chronicles-the-last-of-the-sky-pirates-audio/ |title="The Edge Chronicles: The Last of the Sky Pirates Audio", lookingglassreview.com}}</ref> In addition, an audiobook of ''Beyond the Deepwoods'' was released in 2002, which was narrated by actor [[Clive Mantle]], as part of the BBC's Cover-to-Cover line of cassette tapes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/15821563-Paul-Stewart-20-Chris-Riddell-Read-By-Clive-Mantle-Beyond-The-Deepwoods |title="Beyond the Deepwoods", discogs.com}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
The novels have been well-regarded among the fanbase, with an article from ''The Guardian'' praising the imaginative world-building and well-paced action.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2020/apr/17/my-favourite-book-as-a-kid-the-edge-chronicles-by-paul-stewart-and-chris-riddell |title="My favourite book as a kid: The Edge Chronicles" (2020) Kalia, Ammar}}</ref> The series ranked on number 15 of the best fantasy books of all time, according to ''The Mirror''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/tv/ten-best-fantasy-book-series-1106960 |title="The ten best fantasy book series", ''The Mirror US''}}</ref> The novels have also won praise for their unique fantasy world from several resources, with the critics acknowledging that the illustrations complement the narratives of the novels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/video-games-that-should-be-adapted-from-books/ |title="Video games that should be adapted from books", CBR}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/fantasy-book-series-perfect/ |title="10 Fantasy Book Series That Are Perfect from Start to Finish", ''Collider''}}</ref> To date, more than three million copies of the novels have been sold worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/things-to-do/20784375.emotional-farewell-edge-chronicles/ |title="An emotional farewell to The Edge Chronicles", ''Eastern Daily Press''}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Novels|Children's literature}}
*[[The Edge Chronicles Twig Saga|''The Edge Chronicles: Twig Saga'']]
*''[[The Edge Chronicles: Rook Barkwater Saga]]''

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://edgechronicles.co.uk/}} <!-- <== redirects http://www.stewartandriddell.co.uk -->
* [https://www.rhcbooks.com/series/ECT/the-edge-chronicles The Edge Chronicles] at Random House
* {{cite web |url= http://www.weirdnewworlds.com/blog/ |title= The Farrow Ridges - Dispatches from the Deepwoods |department= Blog |date= Feb 3, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-date= Apr 24, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150424143009/http://www.weirdnewworlds.com/blog/ }}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.skypirates.ru/english/skypirates_eng.htm |title= The Edge Chronicles |department=Fan site |url-status=dead |archive-date= Aug 25, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060825023702/http://www.skypirates.ru/english/skypirates_eng.htm}}

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{{EdgeChronicles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edge Chronicles, The}}
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1998]]
[[Category:British fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:Adventure novel series]]
[[Category:Series of children's books]]
[[Category:Young adult novel series]]
[[Category:British adventure novels]]
[[Category:British steampunk novels]]
[[Category:British children's novels]]
[[Category:British young adult novels]]
[[Category:Fantasy adventure novels]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Children's fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Young adult fantasy novels]]
[[Category:The Edge Chronicles| ]]
[[Category:Doubleday (publisher) books]]