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Knight Watch #3
The Eccentrics
THE LATEST ENTRY IN TIM AKERS' KNIGHT WATCH URBAN FANTASY SERIES
Steampunks have Heroes Too
Knight Watch stands between the mundane world and the monsters of myth and legend. But there are more than dragons and trolls prowling the shadows of the modern world. Creatures of clockwork and mad science threaten to disrupt the peace. For monsters such as these, a different band of heroes guard the world.
The Eccentrics
Led by the eighth incarnation of Nikola Tesla, the Society of Eccentric Geniuses protects the Mundane world from the horrors of the Gestalt, a timeline of the future that never was. Powered by SCIENCE and steam, The Eccentrics travel the world in their airship, righting wrongs and rescuing troubled suitors, mad scientists, and optimistic engineers, often from monsters of their own creation. But now something new threatens the Gestalt, and they need help from John Rast and the heroes of Knight Watch. Will John be able to navigate a world of clockwork and science to save the day? Or will he fall into the clutches of a madman bent on remaking both the Gestalt and the Unreal in his own image?
Steampunks have Heroes Too
Knight Watch stands between the mundane world and the monsters of myth and legend. But there are more than dragons and trolls prowling the shadows of the modern world. Creatures of clockwork and mad science threaten to disrupt the peace. For monsters such as these, a different band of heroes guard the world.
The Eccentrics
Led by the eighth incarnation of Nikola Tesla, the Society of Eccentric Geniuses protects the Mundane world from the horrors of the Gestalt, a timeline of the future that never was. Powered by SCIENCE and steam, The Eccentrics travel the world in their airship, righting wrongs and rescuing troubled suitors, mad scientists, and optimistic engineers, often from monsters of their own creation. But now something new threatens the Gestalt, and they need help from John Rast and the heroes of Knight Watch. Will John be able to navigate a world of clockwork and science to save the day? Or will he fall into the clutches of a madman bent on remaking both the Gestalt and the Unreal in his own image?
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2024
About the author
Tim Akers
56 books170 followersTim Akers was born in deeply rural North Carolina, the only son of a theologian. He moved to Chicago for college, where he lives with his wife of thirteen years and their German shepherd. He splits his time between databases and fountain pens.
- PyrSF
- PyrSF
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 1, 2026
Book 1: ★★★★
Book 2: ★★★★★
Book 3: ★★★★★
Urban fantasy often thrives when the ordinary world cracks open just enough to let something impossible slip through. In the entire Knight Watch saga, Tim Akers plays precisely along that seam, stitching together the modern world and the strange corners of myth that might be hiding just out of sight. The result is a story that balances playful imagination with familiar genre beats. It may lean on some well-traveled tropes, but it also carries the kind of straightforward storytelling energy that reminds many readers why they fell in love with adventure fiction in the first place. The premise itself is delightfully simple. John Rast, a college student and enthusiastic live-action role-playing combatant, returns home for the summer before his final year of school. His immediate concern is hardly cosmic destiny. He simply wants to compete at the local renaissance faire where his LARP group stages elaborate mock battles. For John, the hobby represents community, imagination, and the small thrill of stepping briefly into a heroic identity.
That harmless game becomes something far stranger during a routine duel. His opponent, a costumed participant known as Kracek the Hosier, abruptly stops playing by the rules of reality. In the middle of their staged combat, Kracek transforms into a genuine fire-breathing serpent. Suddenly John is no longer pretending to fight a dragon. He is staring at one. Akers handles this moment with a kind of comedic practicality that defines the book’s tone. Rather than meeting the creature with heroic swordplay, John abandons his prop weapons entirely and solves the problem with something far less mythic: his mother’s station wagon. The solution is absurd, sudden, and strangely fitting. The scene sets the tone for a world where ancient powers and everyday tools collide in unexpected ways.
John’s victory attracts the attention of the Knight Watch, a secretive organization tasked with monitoring supernatural threats hidden within the modern world. They recruit him into their ranks, introducing him to a network of agents who track mythological entities the way intelligence agencies track political threats. What began as a college student’s summer hobby quickly becomes something resembling a full-time battle against creatures pulled straight from legend. But triumph rarely arrives without consequences. Kracek’s death awakens the wrath of his widow, a powerful being known as the Storm Goddess. Her desire for vengeance pushes the story forward with escalating danger, threatening not only John but the ordinary life he had hoped to return to when summer ended.
In its structure, the novel clearly aims to capture some of the cultural enthusiasm that stories like Ready Player One generated for gaming culture. Akers attempts something similar with live-action role-playing, drawing from the camaraderie, theatricality, and imagination that fuel LARP communities. Yet the novels don't completely reinvent the chosen-hero framework it relies upon. Familiar patterns appear throughout the narrative: the reluctant recruit, the powerful hidden enemy, the gradual realization that the protagonist may hold a unique role in a much larger conflict. For readers seeking constant innovation, these elements may feel predictable. The pacing will occasionally slow as the story moves through recognizable character arcs or pauses for villainous speeches that lean into theatrical charms of those who love such things. An approach for the book that I for one appreciates for the pleasures of straightforward adventure rather than judging it solely by how radically it reshapes a genre or some big idea.
Because at its best, Knight Watch captures something that many modern fantasy stories sometimes overlook: the pure enjoyment of the ride. Akers writes in a direct, uncluttered style. His prose rarely disappears into elaborate description or philosophical detours. Instead it moves with clarity, allowing the characters and situations to carry the story’s weight. Those characters are where the novel finds much of its charm. John Rast begins as an ordinary enthusiast whose knowledge of fantasy comes from games and imagination rather than battlefield experience. Watching him step into a world where those fantasies suddenly matter gives the narrative its emotional hook. He is not the polished hero of epic legend. He is someone learning, often awkwardly, how to face dangers he once only pretended to fight.
The supporting cast within the Knight Watch adds additional color. Their mixture of competence, humor, and hidden knowledge evokes the spirit of ensemble adventure stories where the group dynamic becomes as important as the central conflict. In that sense the novel often recalls the tone of the television series Warehouse 13, where bizarre supernatural threats are handled not only with expertise but with personality and camaraderie. That comparison highlights an important aspect of the book’s appeal. Like Warehouse 13, the story relies on characters who feel capable but still human. They are not distant legends. They argue, improvise, and occasionally stumble while confronting the strange artifacts and creatures that invade their world. The emotional accessibility of that kind of ensemble makes the adventure feel welcoming rather than intimidating.
For readers who spend a great deal of time with darker or more introspective fantasy, a books like the Knight Watch books can feel like stepping into lighter air. There is still danger. There are still emotional stakes. Yet the atmosphere carries a sense of playfulness that echoes the imaginative games at the story’s beginning. It reminds us that fantasy is not always about decoding elaborate mythologies or tracing tragic destinies. Sometimes it is about the simple joy of imagining what might happen if dragons appeared in the parking lot outside a renaissance fair. That joy is worth protecting. Many readers arrive at fantasy through stories that ignite curiosity rather than through dense literary ambition. A novel like this reconnects with those early reasons for reading: the excitement of adventure, the comfort of characters worth cheering for, and the quiet satisfaction of turning pages simply because the story is fun.
In that sense, Tim Akers succeeds in something that can be just as valuable as innovation. He creates a narrative that invites readers to relax into the experience. The blend of modern life, hidden magic, and enthusiastic heroism may follow recognizable patterns, but it does so with enough sincerity and energy to remind us why those patterns endure. For anyone who enjoys urban fantasy, secret organizations battling supernatural threats, or the kind of ensemble storytelling that made Warehouse 13 such a beloved piece of science fiction television, the Knight Watch books offer a lively escape. It holds true to the joy in the genre’s foundations, but it also embraces the tropes with enthusiasm. And sometimes that enthusiasm is exactly what keeps the love of reading alive.
Book 2: ★★★★★
Book 3: ★★★★★
Urban fantasy often thrives when the ordinary world cracks open just enough to let something impossible slip through. In the entire Knight Watch saga, Tim Akers plays precisely along that seam, stitching together the modern world and the strange corners of myth that might be hiding just out of sight. The result is a story that balances playful imagination with familiar genre beats. It may lean on some well-traveled tropes, but it also carries the kind of straightforward storytelling energy that reminds many readers why they fell in love with adventure fiction in the first place. The premise itself is delightfully simple. John Rast, a college student and enthusiastic live-action role-playing combatant, returns home for the summer before his final year of school. His immediate concern is hardly cosmic destiny. He simply wants to compete at the local renaissance faire where his LARP group stages elaborate mock battles. For John, the hobby represents community, imagination, and the small thrill of stepping briefly into a heroic identity.
That harmless game becomes something far stranger during a routine duel. His opponent, a costumed participant known as Kracek the Hosier, abruptly stops playing by the rules of reality. In the middle of their staged combat, Kracek transforms into a genuine fire-breathing serpent. Suddenly John is no longer pretending to fight a dragon. He is staring at one. Akers handles this moment with a kind of comedic practicality that defines the book’s tone. Rather than meeting the creature with heroic swordplay, John abandons his prop weapons entirely and solves the problem with something far less mythic: his mother’s station wagon. The solution is absurd, sudden, and strangely fitting. The scene sets the tone for a world where ancient powers and everyday tools collide in unexpected ways.
John’s victory attracts the attention of the Knight Watch, a secretive organization tasked with monitoring supernatural threats hidden within the modern world. They recruit him into their ranks, introducing him to a network of agents who track mythological entities the way intelligence agencies track political threats. What began as a college student’s summer hobby quickly becomes something resembling a full-time battle against creatures pulled straight from legend. But triumph rarely arrives without consequences. Kracek’s death awakens the wrath of his widow, a powerful being known as the Storm Goddess. Her desire for vengeance pushes the story forward with escalating danger, threatening not only John but the ordinary life he had hoped to return to when summer ended.
In its structure, the novel clearly aims to capture some of the cultural enthusiasm that stories like Ready Player One generated for gaming culture. Akers attempts something similar with live-action role-playing, drawing from the camaraderie, theatricality, and imagination that fuel LARP communities. Yet the novels don't completely reinvent the chosen-hero framework it relies upon. Familiar patterns appear throughout the narrative: the reluctant recruit, the powerful hidden enemy, the gradual realization that the protagonist may hold a unique role in a much larger conflict. For readers seeking constant innovation, these elements may feel predictable. The pacing will occasionally slow as the story moves through recognizable character arcs or pauses for villainous speeches that lean into theatrical charms of those who love such things. An approach for the book that I for one appreciates for the pleasures of straightforward adventure rather than judging it solely by how radically it reshapes a genre or some big idea.
Because at its best, Knight Watch captures something that many modern fantasy stories sometimes overlook: the pure enjoyment of the ride. Akers writes in a direct, uncluttered style. His prose rarely disappears into elaborate description or philosophical detours. Instead it moves with clarity, allowing the characters and situations to carry the story’s weight. Those characters are where the novel finds much of its charm. John Rast begins as an ordinary enthusiast whose knowledge of fantasy comes from games and imagination rather than battlefield experience. Watching him step into a world where those fantasies suddenly matter gives the narrative its emotional hook. He is not the polished hero of epic legend. He is someone learning, often awkwardly, how to face dangers he once only pretended to fight.
The supporting cast within the Knight Watch adds additional color. Their mixture of competence, humor, and hidden knowledge evokes the spirit of ensemble adventure stories where the group dynamic becomes as important as the central conflict. In that sense the novel often recalls the tone of the television series Warehouse 13, where bizarre supernatural threats are handled not only with expertise but with personality and camaraderie. That comparison highlights an important aspect of the book’s appeal. Like Warehouse 13, the story relies on characters who feel capable but still human. They are not distant legends. They argue, improvise, and occasionally stumble while confronting the strange artifacts and creatures that invade their world. The emotional accessibility of that kind of ensemble makes the adventure feel welcoming rather than intimidating.
For readers who spend a great deal of time with darker or more introspective fantasy, a books like the Knight Watch books can feel like stepping into lighter air. There is still danger. There are still emotional stakes. Yet the atmosphere carries a sense of playfulness that echoes the imaginative games at the story’s beginning. It reminds us that fantasy is not always about decoding elaborate mythologies or tracing tragic destinies. Sometimes it is about the simple joy of imagining what might happen if dragons appeared in the parking lot outside a renaissance fair. That joy is worth protecting. Many readers arrive at fantasy through stories that ignite curiosity rather than through dense literary ambition. A novel like this reconnects with those early reasons for reading: the excitement of adventure, the comfort of characters worth cheering for, and the quiet satisfaction of turning pages simply because the story is fun.
In that sense, Tim Akers succeeds in something that can be just as valuable as innovation. He creates a narrative that invites readers to relax into the experience. The blend of modern life, hidden magic, and enthusiastic heroism may follow recognizable patterns, but it does so with enough sincerity and energy to remind us why those patterns endure. For anyone who enjoys urban fantasy, secret organizations battling supernatural threats, or the kind of ensemble storytelling that made Warehouse 13 such a beloved piece of science fiction television, the Knight Watch books offer a lively escape. It holds true to the joy in the genre’s foundations, but it also embraces the tropes with enthusiasm. And sometimes that enthusiasm is exactly what keeps the love of reading alive.
June 15, 2024
Much like peanut butter and chocolate, fantasy and steampunk go well together. That's a good thing, because that's exactly what you get in Book 3 of Tim Akers' Knight Watch series. John Rast, our intrepid hero and narrator, is a somewhat reluctant member of the Knight Watch, an organization which prevents fantasy world elements from intruding into our Mundane World.
What he doesn't know is that there's another world, the steampunk world, and they have their own organization, the Society of Eccentric Geniuses, who keep order there. When the Land of Steampunk suddenly develops a vampire problem, Knight Watch's assistance is needed.
Much like the other two books, this is an entertaining read. The narrator doesn't take himself too seriously, and there's a fair bit of humor to go around. I found it refreshing.
What he doesn't know is that there's another world, the steampunk world, and they have their own organization, the Society of Eccentric Geniuses, who keep order there. When the Land of Steampunk suddenly develops a vampire problem, Knight Watch's assistance is needed.
Much like the other two books, this is an entertaining read. The narrator doesn't take himself too seriously, and there's a fair bit of humor to go around. I found it refreshing.
July 1, 2024
Tim Akers sends his Knight Watch heroes into another mythology, the mythology of steampunk. The Eccentrics (hard from Baen), led by a version of Nicholas Tesla, patrol the Gasalt the way Knightwatch patrols the mythic to protect the mundane from monsters. John Rast, who joined Knightwatch by killing a dragon with his mom’s Volkswagen, has to help the other crew because they are being attacked by vampires, thought to be extinct. So they fly over this world of alternate science from the Victorian age, in the Silverhawk, a flying steamship, and of course crash several times while finding the true monsters. There's plenty of action once they find the true villains and fun twists. I like that the series has opened itself to alternate fantasy realms and look forward to further adventures
January 23, 2025
Didn't finish it. Couldn't finish it. I loved the premise of Knight Watch, I loved the tone, I loved the conversations... I loved the setting. But now it's regular steampunk, so just some more metal and a few mechanical thingies added on, and it just doesn't work for me. That's steampunk in general. You know the rotating thing is useless, Akers even writes it like that but why?
July 16, 2024
A little blood!
A great addition to the world of knight watch,multiple realities that just make john East work harder. You will love this book if you have loved Akers other works. thanks Tim keep it up.
A great addition to the world of knight watch,multiple realities that just make john East work harder. You will love this book if you have loved Akers other works. thanks Tim keep it up.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews