Book Review: A Breach in the Watershed, by Douglas Niles

Adventure, magic and a dash of romance fill A Breach in the Watershed from start to finish. The Watershed divides the three regions of the world: Faerine - the region of magic and the water of Aura; Dalethica - the region of man and regular, non-magical water; and Duloth-Trol - the region of the evil Sleepstealer, his Lord Minions, and their life-force of Darkblood. If the Watershed were ever to be breached, disaster would ensue, a disaster that is the very plan of the Sleepstealer. Rudy Appenfell - an Iceman from Dalethica - is drawn into a whirlwind of destiny. A tragedy occurs, leading him on a journey of revenge that will blossom into a grander meaning than he could possibly imagine.

Niles paints a lovely picture of his three-realm world. Faerine, Duloth-Trol and Dalethica all contrast to such a degree that it brings out a unique quality to the Watershed world. While we do not get a very good look at Faerine, there are plenty of hints to make you want to learn more about it. Duloth-Trol is a place just waiting to strike, adding a level of urgency to everything the characters do. He nails a flat-out evil villain, and adds a level of terror in having the Sleepstealer be an actual figure instead of just some ominous foreboding presence often referred to. His world includes all the elements of true fantasy: dragons, faeries, humans, magic, adventure, loyalty and the courage to stand against an overwhelming evil. Lack of action and adventure is not a problem this book has in the slightest.

These elements come with a downside, however, as the sheer quantity of fantasy tropes leads to utter predictability and a lack of depth. While all the elements are there, it seems no revision was done to bring the characters from the page into the readers' heart. Not to say the characters are unlikable. Danri the digger, for example. He starts off with an endearing gruffness about him as he gripes about every little thing as the Madness overtakes him. That many pages of "and he continued his mindless digging" should not have been as interesting to read as they were. But near the end he becomes more positive. I saw no reason for this transition, so instead of growth it felt more like a lack of consistency.

Overall, the story is a fun one. It feels, however, that it was not given the attention such potential deserved, that it was written and turned in without any technical revision that could have led to a deeper story. But if you’re looking for just a fun, clean fantasy story with all the elements you, as a fantasy reader, have come to know and love, this book should be right up your alley. Although I doubt I would read it again, I definitely enjoyed reading it once.

(any feedback on review-writing is appreciated. :) )