Ledge
The Glacian Trilogy, Book I
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4.4 • 119 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Ledge is the heart-stopping beginning to The Glacian Trilogy from TikTok sensation Stacey McEwan @staceboookspace
After being randomly selected as a human sacrifice, instead of death, Dawsyn finds herself on a quest to save her people from their icy prison...
In a place known as the Ledge, a civilization is trapped by a vast chasm and sheer mountain face. There is no way for anyone to escape the frozen wasteland without befalling a deathly drop. They know nothing of the outside world except that it is where the Glacians reside – mystical and vicious winged creatures who bring meagre rations in exchange for a periodic human sacrifice.
Dawsyn, ax wielder and only remaining member of her family, has so far avoided the annual culling, but her luck has run out. She is chosen and ripped from her icy home, the only world she knows. No one knows what will happen to her on the other side, least of all Dawsyn. Murdered? Enslaved? Worse?
Fortunately, a half-Glacian called Ryon offers to help them both escape, but how can she trust one of the very creatures that plagued her life? Dawsyn is a survivor, and she is not afraid to cut anyone down to live.
With a slow-burning romance, high stakes and even higher rewards, this richly created new fantasy series by popular TikToker Stacey McEwan will keep you gripped to the very end.
File Under: Fantasy [ Ax-ing For It | The Cold Is Not Alive | Finding Freedom | Ledge-hanger ]
*Content warnings* gratuitous violence & death; death of a minor; suicide; attempted sexual assault
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
McEwan debuts and launches her Glacian Trilogy series with a gritty fantasy of betrayal and vengeance set against a clever bit of worldbuilding. In a human village controlled by the winged Glacians and trapped on a sliver of land between an unclimbable cliff and a bottomless chasm, Dawsyn Sabar struggles to hold onto her family's tiny allotment and to grab her share of supplies when they are dropped onto the Ledge by the Glacians, who often "cull" their human herd. When Dawsyn herself is selected, the Glacians give her a choice: allow them to mystically steal her soul, turning her docile, or retain her personhood and allow them to hunt her for sport. She chooses the later. With the aid of rebel half-human Ryon, she escapes the Glacian's mountain prison and discovers the secrets behind the exile that put her village at the mercy of the Glacians in the first place. McEwan follows a well-worn "slap/kiss" path as Dawsyn and Ryon grow closer, but she stokes the flames of Dawsyn's anger nicely and holds focus on the thirst for revenge and the bitterness of betrayal, right to the cliffhanger ending. Readers looking for a bloody Kill Bill fairy tale (and not a "Beauty and the Beast" charmer) will be more than satisfied.
Customer Reviews
Enjoyed the book
I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to starting the next in the series.
Really intriguing with great characters!
I love the main heroine, Dawsyn. Her banter with Ryon is well written and their story unfolds beautifully. I thought the concept of this book was really unique and fresh and didn’t feel like just reading more of the same romantasy books out there. The romance was the right balance too—an enhancement to the story and characters, not just smut on every other page. The relationship felt realistic and took time to grow, making it all the more genuine. I plan to finish the series and I would be interested in more from this author!
I NEED BOOK 2 ALREADY!!!
Stay the frost.
"...because sometimes, when the cold tells her to jump into the fire, to submerge in boiling water, to bury herself in the bodies of the dead, she wants to listen."
The Cold is not alive.
"The Ledge is nothing more than a precipice, a flat cropping upon the mountainside. The hostages who live there never leave, for the Ledge is perched against the edge of a great Chasm, dividing the mountain in two. A Chasm so deep, the bottom cannot be seen. Its edges as deadly as its fall.
Watch the Chasm.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I did receive a physical ARC from the wonderful folks over at Angry Robot Books to read and review. (I should perhaps mention that I begged for it, lol) Also, above are quotes I took from the uncorrected ARC, so they may be altered or not included in the final published copy, but they do represent the feeling of the mantra, so I've included them.
Stacey McEwan takes center stage in the fantasy romance arena with her debut novel, LEDGE - the start of The Glacian Trilogy. I have really been missing out on this subgenre because I thought fantasy romance would be all smut and light on the fantasy. It's quite the opposite, actually - which opens up a whole new world of book options for this little bookworm.
What's it about? Our main character, Dawsyn, was born and raised on The Ledge, which is described in the quote above. Cold, isolated, and trapped, this civilization struggles to survive each day...only to possibly be "Selected" on the day of culling that arrives each season. In fact, Dawsyn and the other inhabitants would not survive at all if not for the Glacians, great winged creatures, who bring them rations sporadically. Of course, the Glacians are the ones responsible to herding and therefore trapping these people on this frigid wasteland in the first place.
The day comes that Dawsyn, the last remaining member of her family, is Selected by a Glacian. The people of The Ledge always assumed being Selected meant certain death, but Dawsyn is astounded to find out that's not the case - well, not always. Dawsyn is able to escape the Glacians with the help of a half-Glacian named Ryon and so our adventure begins.
I absolutely *lived* for the interactions between Dawsyn and Ryon. Yes, you can probably guess this is our featured romance plotline, but it's such an enjoyable one. These two are so full of snark and sass. I love that Dawsyn was not a damsel in distress, nor was Ryon brooding 98% of the novel - both were strong characters who did what needed doing. It's so nice to have a story every now and again where there's no second guessing and insecurity - these characters just acted.
This first book is light on magic, but what magic is introduced is intriguing and...well, as much as I'd like to discuss predictions, they would be spoilers. I have a feeling this will get expanded on in the subsequent novels in the series and I'm looking forward to learning more about it. Honestly, the plotlines for Dawsyn and Ryon were what held my interest the most. (Other than when they interacted with each other, lol) Again, I won't mention what those specific plotlines are so readers can delight in learning of them as they read the novel.
I loved the distinction of the settings between The Ledge and where Dawsyn escapes to, Terrsaw. Stacey McEwan wrote descriptions that made you feel the biting cold of The Ledge and the warmth of the sunshine in Terrsaw. World building was kept pretty small here, but the area is blocked in between the mountainous area by The Ledge and an ocean, so the people are currently unable to move from this area of the world.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series to see what comes next in this tale. There were some very interesting bits of information revealed that should provide for some excellent reading enjoyment plot-wise and I am eager to see where we go from here.