Edge Savage Dawn

Edge: Savage Dawn
George G. Gilman
Originally published 1978
This edition 1978 paperback original
original price 70p

This is the 26th title in the long running series centered around the ultimate antihero Edge. It sees our man in a Mexican town where he plans on a little peace and quiet and maybe even the chance to marry Isabella Montez if she'd have him. Yep, the old killing machine seems to be mellowing. However it is obvious that where Edge hangs out, trouble usually follows and it certainly does in this book. This is another great adult western where the action escalates towards the inevitable terrible violence at the climax.

Now you are unlikely to find a bad Edge review on the Archive - I make no secret of my admiration for the books. Well apart from the Edge/Steele team ups which I don't think worked as well as the characters respective series. But to my mind the Edge series, written as entertainments and nothing more, have that magic storytelling dust sprinkled over every word that keeps the reader turning the pages and afterwards looking for more.

The pacing of the story is set at the usual breathless pace and the humour is as tight as ever and compliments rather than waters down the suspense and thrills. This book also features one of the corniest last lines in the entire series but it brings a slight half smile to the lips as you close the book.

Edge won't be to everyone's tastes, there are some who think them too violent, but if you liked the spaghetti westerns of old, with all their blood,guts and black humour, then the Edge books will be for you. But if not-well, you don't know what you're missing.