Along the Watchtower

by David Litwack

[kimbacaffeinate]

Along the Watchtower by David Litwack blends fantasy and a modern-day tale filled with hope, overcoming guilt and recovery. As we travels back and forth between Lieutenant Freddie Williams reality and dream world I found myself captivated by both worlds. Three word review: Captivating, inspirational and enjoyable.

We travel with Freddie as he makes his way from war-torn Iraq to the VA hospital in Jamaica Plain, MA. He is in and out of consciousness as he fights to recover from an IED explosion. He is worried about his men and his surroundings but as he slips into his dreams he becomes Frederick, Prince of Stormwind and faces challenges to protect his kingdom from the monstrous horde. The tale that unfolds was captivating as we traveled along with both Freddie and Frederick as they face some of the toughest challenge, confront their fears and set their goals towards the future.

Lieutenant Freddie is a likable guy and respected by his men. He is suffering survivors’ guilt and wondering if he could have done more. Seriously injured his road to recovery is both physically and emotionally challenging. Watching Freddie deal with his reality and also his dream character “Frederick” was enjoyable, touching and had me cheering, groaning and flipping the pages. Other characters added to the tale and helped flesh out Freddie. Becky, the rehabilitation nurse was wonderful, and I enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Fredrick gains new perspective and hope from a sweet gardener named Rebecca.

Litwack did a fantastic job of blending the two worlds together, and conveying messages through Freddie’s dream world. Often when reading books with two worlds I find myself craving one over the other, but I enjoyed both equally and didn’t mind being pulled back and forth. The story conveys messages of forgiveness, hope, and love. The pacing was well done slowly building towards a climatic ending in both worlds and a melding of the two. The author does a wonderful job of painting both worlds and the protagonists emotions making his story feel real. I found myself vested in Frederick’s story as I searching for my HEA. The tale wrapped up nicely giving us conclusions to both worlds. Along the Watchtower was different and refreshing. It blended a contemporary tale with fantasy and added a dash of romance. It’s a story that will appeal to a large audience from YA to Adult.

Copy received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer