On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is the first book in the Wingfeather Saga. It was published March 18, 2008 by WaterBroook Press, part of Random House. It is about Janner, Kalmar (Tink), and Leeli Igiby, as well as her dog, Nugget, in escape from the Fangs. The book is succeeded by North! Or Be Eaten.
The Blurb
Andrew Peterson spins a riveting tale-for-all-ages, following Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby and their trusty dog, Nugget, in escape from the vicious Fangs of Dang who seek the lost jewels of Anniera. Quirky characters and their world of wonders—from the edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness to the deadly Glipwood Forest and beyond—set the stage for this epic adventure that includes.....
- Original Songs and Silly Poems
- An Ex-Pirate Grandfather
- Toothy Cows & Real Sea Dragons
- Tours of Anklejelly Manor & Peet the Sock Man's Tree House
- Suspenseful Legend & Fascinating Lore
- Genuine Recipes for Maggotloaf
- Authentic Hand-Drawn Maps
Main Plotline
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"So much in life dependeth upon a good harkening. Remember that, and beware."— Ollister B. Pembrick
Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Wingfeather Saga! |
Janner, Kalmar "Tink," and Leeli Igiby are three siblings that live in Glipwood Township with their mother Nia and their ex-pirate grandfather Podo. Glipwood Township is located in the continent of Skree, at the edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. The town of Glipwood, along with the rest of Skree, was conquered ten years earlier by a nameless evil called Gnag the Nameless, who lives in the land of Dang. Now the whole of Skree, including Glipwood, is controlled by Fangs of Dang, dangerous and disgusting reptilian creatures who have venomous fangs.
As the story begins, Janner has just finished his farm chores, and is allowed to go to the town bookstore with his siblings, without adult accompaniment. Janner expresses frustration that he must be tasked with the burden of watching over his siblings, but Podo reminds him that one day, they will be the wind in his sails instead of the anchor holding him back. After visiting the bookstore, the Igiby children join the rest of the town for the annual Dragon Day festivities, in which travelers from far and wide all over Skree come to Glipwood to watch the sea dragons dance at nightfall.
As the games end and people stroll to the seashore to await the dragons, Janner notices that Leeli is nowhere to be seen, and they set out to search for her. They find her among two Fangs back in the town; one is restraining her while the other is attempting to kill her dog Nugget. Although they stand no chance against the Fangs, Janner and Tink rush to save her, but two rocks are thrown from a rooftop, knocking the Fangs unconscious. They see no sign of the rock thrower, however, so they thankfully hurry home, intending to go to Nia and Podo for help, as the Fangs will soon be awake and after them. They see no sign of Nia and Podo at home and go off on a cliff along the sea, thinking that perhaps they will see Nia or Podo among the crowd of people watching the dragons. The dragons appear and begin to dance and sing as they make their way, and Leeli suddenly begins to sing to the sea dragons, who stop to listen to her. When her song ends, the Igiby children are all surprised at Leeli's daring and ability, but before much can be said, they are apprehended by a group of Fangs and taken to the town jail.
It is known that all who go to jail are either tortured or sent into the Black Carriage, which will transport them across the Dark Sea of Darkness to Gnag the Nameless in Dang, never to be seen or heard from again. Torture is always preferable to the unknown fate of being taken to Dang, and this fate Janner desires, but the Fangs send for the Black Carriage. The Igiby children fall asleep in a jail cell, and are awakened to find that they will be released, as their mother Nia has ransomed them by giving the leader of the Fangs in Glipwood jewelry and a claim that she makes very good maggotloaf, and will make it for him once a week. The next day, Janner and Tink return to the bookstore to help the owner, their friend Oskar N. Reteep, unload a shipping of books. While wandering through the bookstore before they leave, Tink discovers a hidden map, with the words "The Jewels of Anneira" written on it and an X marked on a deserted estate to the north of Glipwood, Anklejelly Manor. Tink steals the map and sneaks it home with Janner, and insists on going to Anklejelly Manor to explore. Janner has no wish whatsoever to visit Anklejelly Manor, but feels obliged to go by Tink's persuading and a desire to protect his brother, should he come upon any harm.
Soon after, when an opportune time presents itself, both boys make the trek to Anklejelly Manor, on the edge of Glipwood Forrest. While walking on the estate property, they are spotted by a horned hound, a vicious wild dog with a horn that lives in the Glipwood Forrest, and they both dash into the mansion. They turn into a hallway and into a room with the hounds in close pursuit. The room appears to be a dead end, but upon investigation, there is a hole in the floor that leads underground. It is a straight drop to the ground with no ladder or stairs, but as the hounds are behind them, they have no choice but to drop. Janner and Tink find a tunnel that ends before a locked door. The door has a set of buttons which must be pushed correctly in order to unlock the door. Upon meditation, Janner realizes that their map has been punctured in such a way that it reveals which buttons to push to unlock the door. They unlock the door and find themselves in a very dusty room full of weapons and armor. These weapons are definitely forbidden, as simply acquiring a hoe for hoeing the farm requires one to make a trip to Glipwood and fill out a form to borrow a hoe from the Fangs, which must be returned promptly at sundown. As Janner and Tink examine the weapons in awe, they awaken a ghost, and dash out of the room in terror. At the hole where they dropped in, they hear no sound of the horned hounds. They find a rope on the floor of the cellar, and throw it out of the hole, where it latches on a solid object and allows them to climb out. They then kick the rope back into the cellar, resolving never to return.
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