It Is Trish

 Sequel to Peak, once more we get to follow teenage super-climber Peak.  I really loved the first book, which was about his attempt to summit Everest; I learned a lot about mountain climbing.  In The Edge, Peak is climbing in the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan, but instead of being about climbing, it’s a lot more action packed.  That might sound like a good thing, but I was mostly underwhelmed while reading.

Peak (the book) felt realistic, and the drama was effective because real people do stuff like climb Mt. Everest on the regular.  But in The Edge, Peak (the boy) avoids kidnapping, rescues his mother, the girl he’s crushing on, and the randomly returned Zopa (who is awesome but…it’s still weird that he’s in this book), and witnesses a whole buncha people getting murdered.  That is…not so relatable.

Also, the book felt very expositional.  We learn a lot of things because either Peak or another character wants to lay out a bunch of information, paragraph-style, throughout the course of an otherwise normal conversation.  And was Peak always so arrogant?  He’s a nice enough guy, but he’s super judgmental while thinking he’s not, which is the WORST kind.  He’s not into phones, or flirting, or insulting people.  He’s above it all and COME ON you’re a human teenager, it’s okay to have a bad side.

Clearly, this book did not win me over.  It was interesting, and I did learn a few things in the midst of all that exposition, but.  I don’t recommend it.

Book Jacket

Fifteen-year-old Peak Marcello hasn’t climbed since intentionally failing to reach the summit of Mount Everest.  He’s been enjoying life at sea level, spending time with the Two Peas – his younger twin sisters – and being a regular, law-abiding teenager.  But when his old climbing buddies, JR, Will, and Jack, show up with an offer Peak may not be able to refuse, the International Peace Ascent.  The billionaire Sebastian Plank is recruiting a global team of young climbers to make an inspiring, world-uniting documentary.  Peak’s been chosen as the U.S. representative.  A part of him wants to stay home and out of the spotlight.  But another part is itching to get back out there.  In the end, the itch has got to be scratched, and Peak, along with his mom, is helicoptered in to a remote base camp in the Hindu Kush Mountains.

But the trip quickly goes from good time to nightmare.  Attacked by an unknown and unseen enemy, some of the climbers are kidnapped – including Peak’s mom.

Peak has no choice but to go after them.

In The Edge, the gripping, high-stakes sequel to the best-selling Peak, Roland Smith once again delivers a great adventure story with unforgettable characters, gut-wrenching action, and a driving plot.

Release Date:  October 2015