The Watcher of Dead Time

The Relic Guild #3

by Edward Cox

Labrys Town, home to a million humans cut off from the rest of the universe, has been invaded. Those who protected it have been deposed. The Relic Guild are scattered across the worlds of the Aelfir. Many of them are dead or dying. The Genii control everything. The war is almost over.Clara, a young woman barely able to control her werewolf side, has seen her friends and mentors killed in front of her. She is the last hope for Labrys Town.But someone else is watching...The dramatic conclusion to the award-nominated fantasy trilogy which began with THE RELIC GUILD.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 18, 2016

About the author

Author of THE RELIC GUILD trilogy (The Relic Guild, The Cathedral of Known Things, The Watcher of Dead Time) published by Gollancz. Represented by Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. Daddy, husband, reader.

I can also be found here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdwardCox10

Tumblr: http://edward-cox.tumblr.com/

Wattpad:http://www.wattpad.com/user/Edward_Cox

Reviews

[Maryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

All things are known at the end.

wow, what an ending. This series is one of my favorite Fantasy trilogy in recent years. Solid characters, solid plot and very well story telling narrative.

The book starts on when the second book was finished, Van Bam is dead and Clara is now alone with a Genii and demons. Samuel, Hillem, Goldergol and Namji are on their own back in the Sisterhood of Bells. Can these scattered remaining Relic Guild overcome Genii and Spiral and save Labrys Town and Alfier houses?

Like two previous books, the narrative switches between present time and 40 years ago. slowly every secret is revealed and every person's place in Skaywatcher Lady Amilee's long schemed plan is known and fulfilled.Lady Amilee has plotted what's going to happen carefully so at the end everything will be as it should be. She doesn't hesitate to sacrifice Relic Guild agents for the greater good.

I've enjoyed these series so much that I'm sure I'm going to reread them soon.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audience: Those who enjoy the darker side of fantasy, with plenty of plot twists and gore.

Rating: ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧

Summed up in one word: Labyrinthine

Author Bio: Edward Cox is the author of the awesome RELIC GUILD trilogy. He has a masters degree in creative writing and has taught the same subject at the University of Bedfordshire.

First Impression: I had not heard of the RELIC GUILD series until I received this book from Gollancz. I was incredibly impressed with The Watcher Of Dead Time, it is the perfect mix of brutal/outstanding magical imagery, gore and complicated plot lines. It was a kind of shame I read this one first, but it means I get to go back and check out The Relic Guild and The Cathedral Of Known Things when I eventually get a chance. If you love a trilogy that you can just throw yourself into and get lost in its lines then you need to check out these books!!

Summary of the Story:
Labrys Town, home to a million humans cut off from the rest of the universe, has been invaded. Those who protected it have been deposed.

The Relic Guild are scattered across the worlds of the Aelfir. Many of them are dead or dying. The Genii control everything. The war is almost over.

Clara, a young woman barely able to control her werewolf side, has seen her friends and mentors killed in front of her. She is the last hope for Labrys Town.

But someone is watching her...

Review

Plot: The remaining members of the Relic Guild are scattered. The last of the Genii are on a mission to free their leader. There is a devastating virus spreading through Labrys Town threatening to kill every last denizen. The stakes are high in the last instalment of this unforgettable trilogy and Edward Cox knows he needs to finish it with everything he has got. The plot is fast paced. complex and full to the brim with vivid and compelling imagery and characters. EC has to not only got to string together multiple plot lines spanning a 40 year timeline, he has also got to make it coherent and enjoyable and in my opinion he succeeds here with flying colours. Creating a story that includes so many different characters, places, emotions, plots, story points and blood/gore is a hard task but EC makes it look easy.

Format/Writing Style: Crafting a new world from his own mind gave EC a lot of wiggle room when it comes to both writing and language in this book. Every detail and word is thoughtfully placed and included to make this a unique read. The Aelfir, Labrys Town, The Labyrinth, The Oldest Place, Nightshade, The Relic Guild, The Genii and the many other elements included were the EC's own creations and he utilised them very well. Being in an EC book is like visiting an alien world (but with magic) and you take his word for it and go with the flow.

Setting: The world that this book populates is so far from our own that I felt completely lost in its stunning features (A portion of the book is literally a labyrinth). The landscapes are ragged and war torn, filled with evil creatures, disease and injured heroes. Every new world introduced is unique and has its own identity. The Nightshade is a living. breathing building. The Forest of Icicles is ruthless terrain, infested with nasty creatures. The Library of Glass and Mirrors is a place of knowledge, the future and also uncertainty. Every detail of each setting is used, threaded into the story and it creates a fearsome and quality atmosphere and background to events.

Characters: A wide range of characters are included in TWODT, from a werewolf, to an empath (someone who can influence thoughts and emotions), an illusionist, an old bounty hunter, a Nephilim, a policeman, an automaton assassin and many other epic creations. Clara, Samuel and Marney are all headstrong, battle-worn heroes just trying to defeat evil and bring their world back from the brink of destruction. Everyone else is there to support, disrupt, defeat or challenge these heroes.

My main complaint about this book is that is it rather crowded, everyone has their place, but it can get confusing :D I was most looking forward to the werewolf presence but unfortunately we don't get much and it is barely noticeable :/. Other characters more than make up for it though! The Toymaker, the automaton assassin who is sworn to protect Clara, is such a great character and is a perfect example of the level of creativity that EC was aiming for when he started this trilogy. The villain Lord Spiral is your run of the mill world destroyer but his insanity makes him interesting, his second in command Fabian Moor is one of this books show stoppers. Corrupt, backstabbing and dastardly until the bitter end.

Themes: There are not many earthly themes here. Classic good vs evil. One of the books main themes/messages is to own yourself and never back down from a fight. There is teamwork, friendships and support. There is also power, evil and scorn. So it caters to many different crowds.

Likes: Interesting Cast of Characters. Complex Plot. Vivid Imagery.

Dislikes: Lack of Decent Werewolf Content. Can Be Overcrowded. Average Main Villain.

Thoughts on the cover art: I love this cover art, combined with the other 2 books is eyeball heaven! Too much...oh well thats me : 10/10

Rating: An impressive end to a well thought out and progressive trilogy. I highly recommend The Watcher Of Dead Time to all readers, though watch out as there is plenty of blood and gore flying around ;-) Edward Cox has poured his heart and soul into these books and this is a fitting end to the story. Check it out. Support Edward Cox. Enjoy this book!!

[Foggygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best fantasy series that I have read in a long time.

[Ben A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Mr Cox,
I bought this entire trilogy without reading anything about it and solely based on reading The Song Of The Sycamore... not disappointed at all.
Thank you for introducing me to the Relic Guild.
I have loved the characters, feeling emotionally involved with them and interested in their adventures and well-being.
The return of magic and a Higher magic into essentially a vampiric/werewolf story of good versus evil without putting me off completely has been most enjoyable. I have avoided such genres of books and this series may have changed my mind a little...
The Necromantic elements, especially Gulduur Bellow, were an absolute triumph along with Simowyn and his ascent to eventual parenthood. Blood magic, for the win. Golems... gah!
As for the Resident, well, this plays out very well and I really like the way your writing made the assumption that all the magic was natural and didn’t really need explaining. Four Residents in one series? (We didn’t hear Sophias voice but Gideon certainly didn’t always like the monologue guidance...).
For me...? Well, the only difficulty I had was with the time split for 40 years - never quite getting back into the stride of present day story and having to check back a little way of my brain hadn’t quite caught up. I take this that it’s my mind that wasn’t tuned in enough to keep up as opposed to difficulties with the layout or storyline.
As for this final chapter? Well. It rounded it all off nicely, there could have been another 50-100 pages of superfluous prose but it had a great feel of a story told at the right pace, no waffle, no tosh, just enough with leaving me wanting a little more.
Thank you.
Yours - waiting for your next novel.
Ben

[Anna Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd award this trilogy 6 out of 5 if I could. Is it fantasy or Sci Fi? urban or epic? uplifting or horrifying? ALL OF THEM.
But it is also hugely satisfying. And heartbreaking. watcher continues the parallel storyline of 40 years previous and the present day, bringing both narratives to crushing but ultimately hugely satisfying conclusions. Not everyone makes it. And even when their deaths aren't heroic they are ... appropriate. devastating but ... Right. The Relic Guild trilogy is like nothing I've ever read before in its world spanning breadth and it's claustrophobic closeness. universe striding magical beings and humble humans share the stage and do battle not just for themselves, but for everything.
Ed absolutely knocked it out of the park with the final book of this trilogy. I may even have shed a tear or two.
whatever he publishes next, I'll be devouring it with a big spoon.

[Kirsten Kuns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshingly different. Quite a strange reality.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as it was something a bit different from the norm and I read all three books straight through. The characters are good and the storyline is clever and interesting. However, i could not bring myself to give it 5 stars for 2 reasons. The first being the names of the houses that were just so confusing that I did not know if there were talking about a house or a thing half the time. Whilst i appreciate the background to the current story, the constant flicking back to 40 years ago was really frustrating for me. This is because the story would progress and you would just be getting to an exciting bit only for it to flick to background. This would have been much better to be released as a seperate trilogy prelude book in my opinion. Overall, i enjoyed it and would recommend it as something slightly different from the other books available.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Watcher of Dead Time concludes the Relic Guild trilogy - the battle lines have been drawn and the Relic Guild are ready to die to defeat the threat of the Genii. A solid trilogy that delves into the history of the character that affects their actions, the interconnectivity a beautiful web. Visceral and imaginative - the end is coming. Who lives, who dies - well I suppose you have to read and find out.

I devoured the audiobook read by the great Imogen Church.

[Keshnee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am disappointed that so much was left unanswered! As with the other books, there is an interesting story to be told but it only touches on bits and pieces at a time. And in the end there are more questions than answers, yet the series is finished. And because the boring bits outweigh the interesting bits, I doubt I would go back and listen to this series again to be able to get a better idea of what happened. So yeah an average rating, you can find better as well worse than this!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know why this only gets 3 stars from me. I just found it really hard going and I got a little confused at times. I would still recommend you read it because there were some great bits and I think my opinion on it is because of M.E induced brain fog!

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I feel like i read this book at 100 miles per hour as it is so full of action and everything is linked and important. Every revelation comes at exactly the right time to tie into the story perfectly. Great series, will probably read again one day

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this series but I really struggled with this last book

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It all gets a little complicated in this one but the characters are still great and it all ties together well at the end!

[Runalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fitting end to a great trilogy - this is the war novel. Evil demons versus a handful of magical agents. Nicely plotted, great cast and you care about what happens to all the characters.

[Lynn Worton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third and concluding book in the Relic Guild series. I absolutely LOVED it!

The story is again narrated by Imogen Church. She did another fantastic job in bringing the characters to life. Her ability to voice the different accents used for the various characters impressed me. I loved her speaking voice, and her reading pace was perfect.

Clara is a young woman of eighteen, who has been working as a prostitute in a brothel since the age of fourteen in the Labyrinth city called Labrys Town. I really liked her. She is stubborn and determined. She has magic in her veins, is known as a magica and is a wolf shifter.

The story continues from the shocking events at the end of the second book, The Cathedral of Known Things. The Nightshade is under the control of the Genii and the members of the Relic Guild are scattered. Their only hope is to locate Goldur Bellow, a Nephilim, who first met Vam Bam and Angel during the Genii War forty years previously. Meanwhile, Sergeant Ennis, a policeman of Labrys Town, has been tasked to investigate and locate the members of the Relic Guild. However, during his investigation he finds out that things are not as they seem.

As this story progressed, loose ends from the previous books were tied up, but new secrets were revealed. I found myself on another emotional rollercoaster ride as the story reached its zenith, then climaxed in an all out battle. Eblisha Spiral, the first lord of the Thaumaturgists and now leader of the Genii, is a megalomaniac in my opinion. I think that Fabian Moor and Mo Asherzad came to the same conclusion in the end, though a little too late to avoid their fate.

This is a unique story; the world building and character development is extraordinary. I loved the descriptions of the scenes and characters. The story has a post apocalyptic feel to it, with a hint of steampunk, which is further enhanced by the split timelines, which are forty years apart. The characters in both the past and the present are quite interesting. This split timeline shows the reader the events in the past that led to the isolation of Labrys Town from the houses of the Aelfir, and also reveals secrets hidden by a few of the characters. This story has several twists and turns that kept me hooked. There is a bit more action (as in explosions and weapon fire) compared to the other two books but, it's the storytelling that instantly pulls you in. The author has a fantastic way of describing the scenes so that you can picture them easily within the mind's eye. My only complaint is that it ended!!

Edward Cox has written a fantastic trilogy. I loved his fast paced writing style. The flow of the story seemed a little more seamless than the first book, and I was sad to reach the end. This is an author who is unafraid to kill off his characters. Although this is one of the things I find annoying about authors (they usually leave me an emotional wreck and I end up with a book hangover because of it), I will be keeping an eye out for more of this author's work in the future as he has found a firm fan in me.

Due to scenes of violence and gore, I do not recommend this book for younger readers under the age of 15. However, I highly recommend this book if you love science fiction and dark fantasy genres. - Lynn Worton

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as good as the rest of the trilogy. I was always surprised by the twists and turns of the plots, although as they happened they always made sense in terms of the context and the plot lines. Looking forward to what the author produces next!

[Clayton Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review can serve as a review of the whole trilogy. I enjoyed it but I can't say it was outstanding. The characterisation is really good and the world that the author has created is intricate and complex. My main problem is with the plot development. At times it appears that Cox tied himself in knots and the only way to get his characters out of the situation is to come up with some form of magical escape. At times I felt like I was in an episode of the 60s Batman series you'd get to the end of the chapter and in the next the characters would reach for a 'Bstspell' to get themselves out of their situation. Also the idea that 40 years was a long time in which people's memories would fade so much was also difficult to accept.