A review by wunder
Watchtower by Elizabeth A. Lynn
5.0
If you've become used to 700 page fantasy tomes that describe every single thing whether it matters or not, this may feel a little odd. This is a complete, fufilling story, but there is nothing extra. If Ryke doesn't see or hear it, we don't know about it. Yes, there is detailed worldbuilding, but it is all in service of the story, not displayed for your admiration.
The first part is a plot that I usually don't like, where the characters don't have any agency and follow some unknown path without a destination. Usually, we see The Hand Of The Author pushing them around, but here, we see Ryke experiencing new things and fighting against them while Errel eagerly soaks them up. But we don't get to see what Errel is learning, so we're partly in the dark. It is an interesting twist that kept me engaged.
Give it a try. See if you can leave your 21st century fantasy expectations tucked away and read this for what it is.
The first part is a plot that I usually don't like, where the characters don't have any agency and follow some unknown path without a destination. Usually, we see The Hand Of The Author pushing them around, but here, we see Ryke experiencing new things and fighting against them while Errel eagerly soaks them up. But we don't get to see what Errel is learning, so we're partly in the dark. It is an interesting twist that kept me engaged.
Give it a try. See if you can leave your 21st century fantasy expectations tucked away and read this for what it is.