The Edge of Time, translated from M. Veerappa Moily's acclaimed Kannada novel Tembare, examines, a complex cultural practice of coastal Karnataka, called bhutaradhane, or the worship of heor-spirits. The Pambada community, a marginalised dalit community, has as its hereditary profession, spirit impersonation during elaborate rituals. The novelist explores two responses to this traditional and exploitative profession through two Pambada brothers: one who rebels and opts for formal education, and the other who tries to revive the true spirit of the ancient practice.