Review – Low Town by Daniel Polansky
**Audiobook Warning**
This has been on my TBR for a bit, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that my library had it on downloadable audio, so I jumped at the opportunity. Turns out to be have been worth my while, and it’s totally worth yours too.
The story tells of (and is told by) a character known only as the Warden – a former war hero turned detective turned drug dealer. You know, your average career path for a big city like Rigus where the titular Low Town is set. The Warden’s carved out a nice little niche for himself trying to keep his neighbours distracted from their poverty for a bit. Don’t get me wrong, he’s no Robin Hood type, but he does what he can to help, in his own way. When he comes across a horrifically murdered child on his turf. He takes it upon himself to try and solve the mystery. Turns out there was magic involved, raising the stakes and taking our hero well out of his comfort zone.
Speaking of our hero, he’s a first rate story teller, as his cynical humour and knowledge of his city keep us entertained throughout. He’s well aware that he’s no saint, but still tries to help out where he can. Not only does he try to solve the crime, knowing well that the police don’t particularly care about a slum kid, but takes on another as a ward, and tries to keep him on the straight and narrow. He regales us with stories from his past, and paints a great picture of Low Town without making us feel like we’re being bombarded with exposition.
The other characters involve the Warden’s few friends – a former soldier turned bar owner; a kindly mage and his apprentice, who also provides some will they/won’t they love interest; his former detective partner and his scumbag new partner; and a whole host of weird and wonderful highborn and low-lifes who inhabit the city of Rigus where Low Town is set.
The plot is great, and keeps you guessing all the way to the end. The Warden uncovers so many red herrings, maybe he should have chosen to be a fisherman instead of a drug dealer, but the plot never seems ridiculous and when you get to the end, you’ll wonder why you never figured it out earlier.
The actual real-life narrator breathes life into the Warden, capturing his wit and sounds like one would imagine a grizzled and bitter veteran to sound. He does a good job with the other characters too, which is no easy task, as there are accents and mannerisms to be taken into consideration, as well as the upper caste.
To sum up, if you (like me) like your fantasy dark and gritty, then look no further than Daniel Polansky’s fantasy thriller.
A well-deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars.
