Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand

The Demons Watch The Demon's Watch:
Tales Of Fayt 1
by Conrad Mason
Doubleday

Supplied for review by Random HouseNew Zealand

Reviewed By: Jacqui Smith

Fantasy! Pirates! Magic! You can tell this book is going to be fun right from the opening paragraphs, and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a great yarn, with plenty of action, and the plot works… even as it thickens. The young protagonists have surprising depth, and ensure that there’s plenty here for younger teenagers to identify with, but it’s still very enjoyable as a light read for adults.

It’s about the half-goblin child, Grubb, and how he finds a certain something after a bar brawl. Something a lot of people want, among them the evil witch who wants to destroy Port Fayt. It’s also about the orphan girl, Tabitha, who’s been brought up by Captain Newton and the Demon’s Watch, the "other" watchmen of Port Fayt. Together, they get in and out of trouble, and eventually, as they must, save the city.

There is an underlying moral about racism, particularly as it applies to the children of mixed relationships, but it’s not hammered too hard, and the fantasy setting gives it a nice generic flavour. Some things really are best said outside the context of the real world.

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