Darkin: A Journey East

Welcome to the magical world of Darkin! The story begins in a relatively normal agricultural setting that could easily be Earth, time indeterminate, with a slave who becomes the hero. Adacon knows little more of Darkin than the reader at this point, and as he escapes his servitude, he and the reader both embark on a journey of discovery. This tale is not unlike Homer’s Odyssey, as the young hero travels across novel landscapes, each with its own trials and obstacles he must overcome. Along the way, he begins to develop a small troop of magical companions, including a rare golem, a dragon, elves, dwarves, and a “vapour” (similar to a good sorcerer). He encounters many other creatures, some the traditional fantasy characters, and then some of Mr Turkot’s own creation. This epic tale is laid out nicely, with plenty of adventure and conflict. Mr Turkot creates a vivid landscape with a smooth, easy style. I did find something in the dialogue or the characters to be a little flat, though I can’t pinpoint what it was. I suspect I was looking for more layers to the players in the book, though I am not sure that this was quite it either. Still, the flow of the book is captivating, and the dialog is natural. This novel is a solid fantasy, which aptly offers its audience a nice respite from our less interesting planet.