I read a lot of fantasy and I can honestly say I have rarely been so thrilled, inspired and ultimately satisfied as when reading Philip G. Williamson's epic trilogy Enchantment's Edge. Yet it seems to be a classic example of 'the trilogy that got away'.

The British Fantasy Society described it as 'a grand-tour-de-force . . . thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish . . . an aesthetic pleasure in itself'; SFX magazine called it 'tremendously exciting stuff . . a thoroughly enjoyable trilogy'. BSFA Vector and Arcane loved it, too. And they are right. Enchantment's Edge is an extraordinary work, yet the book/s and the author seem hardly known. He isn't published in the US, and friends of mine in the UK don't know his work either.

I had never heard of him, but came across Volume One on a second hand stall, took it home and couldn't put it down. I tracked down the remaining two with some effort.

The story tells of the small kingdom of Enchantment's Edge, which lies hard on the borders of mysterious Enchantment, a chaotic land where minor gods war throughout eternity, causing devastation on an almost planetary scale. Enchantment's Edge is simultaneously under attack from brutal, emotionless Krai invaders, but it is equally beset with conflict within its own walls. To add further to its problems, it is also troubled by internal strife, factional insurrections, high-level betrayal and religious rebellion.
The kingdom is ruled by King Leth, and his young Queen Issul. Leth is a king in crisis, troubled by the problems of his kingdom no less than his own religious and spiritual crises as he seeks to distinguish between religious belief and the truth of existence, inasmuch as it can be known. He is also confounded by his encounters by an enigmatic, powerful being called Orbus who seems to be toying with both him and his kingdom.

Issul seems to be dealing secretly with traitors while delving into complex multi-levelled conspiracies that yield ever-surprising results. Nothing in Enchantment's Edge is what it seems.

A god with a stolen soul resides within a small blue casket that contains a world, maybe an entire universe. A seemingly innocent child is the victim of repeated murder attempts. A handsome young soldier, with a tendency to appear at the most opportune moments and a mysterious identity, is intriguing Issul. Enchantment's Edge's sinister chief security officer appears to have an agenda of his own. And the gods make war.

The very best fantasy transports the reader to make-believe while simultaneously examing our own world and the big questions of our existence. In Enchantment's Edge Williamson achieves this to superb effect. He tackles issues of religious faith and spirituality in a way that might be impossible in our own world, due to bias and prejudice. Equally he questions our ability to know the universe and god; he examines identity, war, the paradoxes of existence and more. And he does it while spinning a fantastic, nail-biting, helter-skelter story of fantastical depth and intricacy.

I do have a few criticisms, but they are minor and would seem carping in the light of what an exceptional trilogy this is. I've never been moved to write a review before but Enchantment's Edge really deserves to be discovered.. I urge all lovers of fantasy to read it - if you can find it. Believe me, you won't regret it...