Review: A Wonderful Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 22, 2012
I was pleasantly surprised reading The Watchtower by Darke Conteur.  I expected a reasonably interesting fantasy novel, a short and quick, agreeable read.  What I got was a highly crafted, delightfully intricate book, entangled in a dark and a fascinating fantasy world populated with captivating characters.The book starts with the character of Martin Cunningham, who is looking for a job and getting a bit desperate.  This job urgency is what brings him to Terin Global, a not-at-all typical place of employment.  Once hired, he slowly gets dragged into a dangerous and strange world.One of the best aspects of the book is Martin's point-of-view, which goes from, "okay these guys are quirky" to "I can't believe this is happening" without ever seeming forced or out of step.  As a reader, you identify with Martin and are drawn into the story as he is wrenched from his comfortable beliefs and faced with another reality.The plot is fast-paced, but never sacrifices continuity or believability in favour of keeping the action moving.  The reader receives just enough explanation and back-story to construct the fantasy, without breaking the authenticity of the real world setting.  The Watchtower is a first-rate urban fantasy and I highly recommend it.