Smith, Roland. The Edge.

Smith, Roland.  The Edge.  Houghton Mifflin     2015  238p  $17.99  ISBN 978-0-544-34122-7  ms/hs  Conflict  VG-BN     

Contemporary treatment, an exciting setting, dangerous conflicts and a unique plot combine to make this book a noteworthy book, which is a sequel to the author’s Peak.  Peak Marcello showed his personality, gaining respect in the first book when he climbed Everest and gave his spot reaching the summit to another climber.  Now, in the sequel, he is recruited by wealthy businessman Sebastian Plank to climb as part of a peace mission that will be videotaped in all of its splendor with the world’s most dangerous and famous peaks as the backdrop.  Peak signs on, and along with his climber mother, embarks on the journey that will test his mettle perhaps even more, now, than in the first book.  When his mother and other climbers are kidnapped by Afghani and French terrorists, Peak sets upon a course to find them.  There is fear.  There is intrigue.  There is death.  The final descent of the rescue is the most exciting, and author Roland Smith captures all of the elements of nature and combines them with the unnatural, a descent that is as harrowing as they come.  The book is believable, the conflicts are authentic in today’s world and the characters’ personalities and challenges are certain to resonate with young readers who want action in ever-more-interesting settings. 

Summary: In this sequel to Peak, young mountain climber Peak Marcello embarks on the adventure of a lifetime -- this time, a climb that will be videotaped to draw the world’s attention to the quest for peace.  Peak encounters abduction and terrorism in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan.    

Adventure-Fiction, Mountain Climbing-Fiction          --Martha Squaresky