Book Review: Time's Edge by Rysa Walker

Time's Edge (The Chronos Files #2)
Author:  Rysa Walker
Publisher:  Skyscape
Expected Publication Date:  October 21, 2014
*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley

From Goodreads:
To stop her sadistic grandfather, Saul, and his band of time travelers from rewriting history, Kate must race to retrieve the CHRONOS keys before they fall into the Cyrists' hands. If she jumps back in time and pulls the wrong key--one that might tip off the Cyrists to her strategy--her whole plan could come crashing down, jeopardizing the future of millions of innocent people. Kate's only ally is Kiernan, who also carries the time-traveling gene. But their growing bond threatens everything Kate is trying to rebuild with Trey, her boyfriend who can't remember the relationship she can't forget.

As evidence of Saul's twisted mind builds, Kate's missions become more complex, blurring the line between good and evil. Which of the people Saul plans to sacrifice in the past can she and Kiernan save without risking their ultimate goal--or their own lives?

Review:
I loved this sequel, it was AMAZING!  Such a brilliantly complex and unique time travel novel, combining action, suspense, impeccable historical research, and a dose of romance.  What makes this book unique is the plot, with the focus on the Cyrists, a religious group founded by Kate's grandfather Saul in order to create a new world with him in power.  A good portion of the world is now part of this religion, even the President due to time traveling Cyrists who keep jumping around in time. Since Kate has a Chronos key (which allows time travel for those with the right genetic make-up), she keeps all of her memories when the past changes, but the rest of the world doesn't.  During this sequel, her mission is to collect the keys from the original time travelers who were stranded at different points in time by Saul.  The goal is to collect all of the keys and then finally get the other keys from Saul and his minions and keep the future timeline safe (and keep most of the world safe from Saul's planned "culling").

Not only does the book have a well-crafted and engaging plot, but the characters are well fleshed out, even the secondary characters.  In this book we get to know Kiernan.  At one point Kate was without her Chronos key, Saul changed the past, the timeline was completely changed, and that Kate no longer exists and so this Kate doesn't remember that alternate timeline.  In that timeline, she and Kiernan were in love.  And Kate doesn't remember him at all.  So yes, there is a love triangle (of sorts) in this book, but it works.  Kiernan loves Kate.  Kate doesn't remember Kiernan.  Kate loves Trey.  But since Kate saved her grandmother, that alternate timeline was fixed and now Trey doesn't remember her.  And to be honest, I'm actually torn about which guy I want Kate to be with, which never happens to me.  I loved Trey so much in the first book, and Kate's trying to make it work with him, but it's just not the same as it was.  And then she has to work with Kiernan in traveling to different places and times to collect the keys (like Athens, GA in 1938) and Kiernan's such a great guy (and the other Kate loved him) that she's starting to like him.  How could she not?

"Just know that I have only ever loved one girl, and that girl is you.  Past, present, future, this timeline or some other--still you."  

So even if you're not a fan of love triangles (and I'm not a fan), do not let that keep you from reading this series.  It completely works and it doesn't feel like the typical love triangle where the second guy is just introduced to mess up the romance and create problems.  That's not what this is about. 

What I love about time travel books, and this one especially, is that it makes you think.  What would you change if you could?  What should you change?  So many butterfly effects in this book.  Kate has to deal with many moral dilemmas because she has to stand by and do nothing to save innocent people because of the potential ramifications of saving them.

If you enjoyed All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, you will LOVE this series.  I highly recommend it and I can't wait for the next one!

Posted by:  Pam