Some unbiased reader reviews...

I never was quite able to figure out where the small town of Grace was located. The description of its founding was rather vague on the actual state of the Union in which it existed. Nearest I can make out is that it might be somewhere between Minnesota and Montana. At any rate, it's somewhere up North.... which just makes things perfect all around.

One of my favorite books of the last few years was Welcome to Fred which described growing up in East Texas and included many elements of my own upbringing. Now as a companion to it, I have Edge of the World, which describes growing up in the same general area of the country as my wife. Now we can laugh at things from her childhood, as well.

It's impossible not to compare the two books. Both are set in the same time period (the 1970s), both involve the "coming of age" of a young boy, both contain plenty of humor, and both feature important spiritual-moral lessons.

The protagonist this time around is named Terry Anderson. He lives on the side of town where all the good Christians live (the pagans live across the river), goes to the tiny Christian school and attends church with his family. At the same time, he has some very hard questions for God, related to his mother's medical condition, his family's financial status, and why church is so boring.

Between various misadventures, Terry stumbles across a huge secret. It's so huge it could solve all his family's problems, or so it appears. Terry knows what the right thing to do is, but he just can't decide whether to do it. In the meantime, various subplots involving his two older brothers, the girl he admires but can't get the courage to talk to, a teenage jailbird, and Terry's father come to their fruition and tie into the story's dramatic (yet whimsical) climax.

The humor in this story is at least the equal of the Fred books, which comes as no surprise once you review some of Phil Callaway's non-fiction books. This is one of those books that demands to be read out loud to another person so both reader and listener can laugh together.

Between the comedy, of course, Terry faces some very real, very human struggles. He ponders a visiting preacher's admonitions against Christian rock music, and other issues that lead themselves easily to parody, but soon finds that there are much more important issues at hand - like forgiveness.

The writing is first-person, but the tense shifts from present to past repeatedly, which can sometimes be a bit confusing. However, since the entire narrative is presented in very much of a conversational style, it's not as off-putting as it would be otherwise, and usually fits perfectly with the narrator's "voice."

A sequel, Wonders Never Cease, is due out very soon, so this is the time to get the first book and find out all about Grace. Highly Recommended. - Christianfictionreview.com 

Some unbiased reader reviews...

I heard Phil speak at Mr. Hermon CA, then read The Edge of the World. Wow! He writes even better than he speaks, which is saying something. I’ve found contemporary Christian writing a challenge to read—fluffy, sweet—but you’ve made me a convert to the genre. I now know there are at least three deep, real, honest and godly fiction writers. Thanks for being my favorite. Linda Carson, Bozeman, MT

I loved this book, but am not as great with words as others. Here's a rather well-balanced review I read on the internet from a reviewer by the name of Phil Wade...Terry Anderson, the twelve-year-old narrator of this book, lives in a comical family, which, if they weren't fictional, would go toward proving that comedy comes out of pain. His mother deteriorates slowly from an incurable disease. His father makes little money as a mechanic. His oldest brother smokes, perpetually trying to quit and feeling cold shoulders from their legalistic church. None of that works to build Terry's ego, but neither do his own decisions. So when Terry discovers a jackpot which could turn his hard, North Dakota winter into one long Christmas, he does what any pre-teen might do. He fills his pockets with candy and lies about the money. Of course, the longer he delays his confession, the more trouble risks. Speaker and Author Phil Callaway is a humor-monger, who has written non-fiction on laughter and Christian living. Thus, this book is funny. Not Wodehouse funny, but light-hearted, warm, and occasionally funny enough to laugh out loud. The back cover boasts of colorful characters, and they do raise their heads here and there, but more interesting than Mayberry-style locals are the fine, upstanding hypocrites who attend Anderson's church. Callaway doesn't refrain from briefly describing a few people whose spiteful whispers surprised me in their indifference to the pain of fellow believers who were in the room though out of earshot. Some heavy-handed application does sneak in. The town is named Grace because the story is about grace. There's even a little story to the town's naming-pioneers, Indians, and a miracle, you know. But Growing Up is an enjoyable book which should find a good audience. Callaway says he is working on a sequel. Jessica Caps, Bismarck, North Dakota

The eight people in our reading group chose this as our book for the month of June and we have been engaged in fascinating conversations about our growing up years as a result. We even wrote the author and he kindly sent us discussion questions. I have never read a book twice before, but I will be reading this one for a third time at the beach this summer. The memories it evokes are worth savoring, laughing at, and sometimes crying over. This receives my highest recommendation! Don Anderson, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

I didn't finish this book, just skimmed over the last half. After the narrator found the money, the story really bogged down and became unbelievable. As for the humor, I didn't find much of anything above junior high level. The coverage of Huntington's disease is one of the better ones I have seen in fiction; it was generally clear and factual, but I really couldn't see how this issue pertained to the rest of the story. Joan Kind, Thornton, CO

This is simply put the very best novel I have read in years! I am so excited to pass it along to family and friends. I have never read a book which combines so much humor, adventure, romance, and suspence with an unmistakable lesson of God's love and grace. This is truly a gem. Terry Anderson, the hero of the book, cannot help remind you of the child you always wanted to be or the friend you always wanted to have. Strangely, as Terry gives in to the temptation offered him, you find yourself wanting him to do the right thing, yet dreading that he will. The author has masterfully woven a story that continues its mischievous path for as long as the reader can stand, and until we are glad he chooses to turn from his own way. That is a delicate balance, but it is achieved here. I shall be checking out Callaway's non-fiction work for sure. Karen Greyson, Vancouver, Canada

Book was recommended by a friend but I didn't get past the chapter called "Church" because I just don't think that we should have to be joking about things like like this. Why would the writer describe for instance a doctor who told people that they had a week to live so that he could witness to them about eternal life? This is not funny. This is tragic! We are to be sober and vigilant, not funny and entertaining. There is nothing humorous about church or the gospel message. We need to cut out this sort of thing. Name withheld, address too

I couldn't help laughing when I read the review stating that humor is out of place in a Christian novel. Hello! I enjoyed this book immensely. In fact, I took it to the bathtub with me intending to read the first few pages and ended up reading the first six chapters! The very cornerstone of this book is that God loves the unlovely, forgives the unforgivable, and redeems lost souls like me! Grace is the theme. The writing is excellent. I'll be buying more copies. Wayne Cagey, Fargo, ND

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