"In Earthedge, Blake conjures an alternate mid-20th century England where steam engines still rule, electric light is a forbidden curiosity, and academics are jealously guarded by a shadowy, authoritarian academy. Against a backdrop of three bitter wars with America, Blake’s slow-burning dystopia is fueled by secrecy, ambition, and rebellion, all centered on the Royal and Ancient Academy of Knowledge, a revered—and corrupt—institution. Lord Edmund of Muckyheath, its Chancellor, is determined to preserve the Academy's iron grip on truth, even if it means silencing the defiant schoolteacher Grimly Wordsmouth, who has uncovered a devastating, centuries-old cover-up. But what starts as a battle over academic freedom soon spirals into a gripping game of cat-and-mouse, with deadly consequences.

Blake (author of The Mortsafeman Trilogy) excels at building a believable world, where the texture of cobbled streets, hiss of steam engines, and looming presence of the Academy create a rich, claustrophobic atmosphere.Rreaders are rewarded with mounting suspense and sharply drawn characters. Lord Edmund is a fascinating study in moral decay: a man who clings to his dignity even as he orchestrates assassinations to keep the Academy’s secrets buried, stubbornly declaring “Truth is what I say is truth.” Grimly’s heroics revert early in the story to his son, Stalwart Wordsmouth, after Grimly’s banishment to the literal edge of the Earth results in a thriving, open-minded community that serves as a beacon of freedom and curiosity for the rest of the world.

Some readers may wish for a slightly tighter middle, as the layers of political maneuvering and hidden history occasionally bog down the momentum, but when the story kicks into high gear in its final act, it delivers a satisfying payoff that will leave readers questioning the cost of "truth" in a world built on lies."

Takeaway: Richly imagined alternate history tackling the dangers of intellectual repression.

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