The Edge of the Abyss

Abyss Surrounds Us Series, Book 2

By: Emily Skrutskie

Narrated by: Nancy Wu

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Three weeks have passed since Cassandra Leung pledged her allegiance to ruthless pirate-queen Santa Elena and set free Bao, the sea monster Reckoner she'd been forced to train. The days as a pirate trainee are long and grueling, but it's not the physical pain that Cas dreads most. It's being forced to work with Swift, the pirate girl who broke her heart. But Cas has even bigger problems when she discovers Boa is not the only a monster swimming free.

Other Reckoners illegally sold to pirates have escaped their captors and are taking the NeoPacific by storm, attacking ships at random and ruining the ocean ecosystem. As a Reckoner trainer, Cas might be the only one who can stop them. But how can she take up arms against the creatures she used to care for and protect? Will Cas embrace the murky morals that life as a pirate brings or perish in the dark waters of the NeoPacific?

©2017 Emily Skrutskie (P)2022 Tantor

First book was better than this one.

Nancy did a fine job narrating.

The concept behind the story is wonderful and Emily did a good job writing it even if I don't agree with the decisions of the main character. I think Emily wrote the main character in a way she felt a person of that age and maturity would act. I could be wrong but that is what I think.

Edge of the abyss is the second part of the story of a young woman named Cas. The story is good, but Cas is effing stupid. Admittedly, she is a teenager and makes a lot of stupid decisions and appears to be self-centred. I have this opinion mainly because once she knew what Murphy had done and the ramifications the world faced because of that she had the opportunity to get the information out, but she does not do it. She sits in front of a computer and reads emails from her brother but does not bother to tell him what is happening. Honestly, there are people’s lives at stake and it appears to me that she is afraid of what her family will think of her instead of telling them what is happening and getting help to put an end to it. Finally, she does tell her brother what is going on but in my opinion, it is too little too late to save a lot of people’s lives…even if they are pirates. Sorry, but there was so much stupid stuff running through the main character's head all she did was piss me off at her stupidity.

There is an ok enemy to lover romance going on between Cas and Swift but that often seems forced but it is decent. One of those we are good kiss kiss…now I hate you…we are good kiss kiss…now I hate you type of romances.

I find the best character of the whole story in books 1 and 2 is Santa Elena. Would like to have seen more of her.