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The King's Watch #11
Third Eye
We all know the sounds of war, but what are the sounds of peace?
Conrad Clarke is about to get married. Could life get any better for the Lord Guardian of the North? The Codex Defanatus is sealed away, peace has been cemented in the Lakeland Particular and as far as he knows, no one is out to get him. Time to relax...
If only.
In the corridors of power, the new Warden is launching her project of change, and not everyone is happy.
Closer to home, Conrad has to deal with the entombed Spirit of the old Warden, and far away on the other side of the Pennines, magick is stirring.
Kathy Metcalfe hates her life at Beckthorpe Abbey, what with having to cook for all the recovering addicts, and she knows exactly how bad they are because she’s one herself. The only person at the Abbey who isn’t an addict is the oldest resident, Don Bell, and Don can’t speak.
And then one night, strange lights drift across the lawn, and suddenly Don is a man with a mission. A mission to be rescued, if only he can find a way to send a letter…
Not that Conrad has any clue about this. As far as he is concerned, getting to the church at all is going to be enough of a challenge, what with three gods insisting on wedding invitations and the mother and father of Hen and Stag parties to go first...
It’s been a long wait since Conrad’s last adventure – catch up with all the news from Mark Hayden’s best-selling King’s Watch universe and meet old friends again.
Conrad Clarke is about to get married. Could life get any better for the Lord Guardian of the North? The Codex Defanatus is sealed away, peace has been cemented in the Lakeland Particular and as far as he knows, no one is out to get him. Time to relax...
If only.
In the corridors of power, the new Warden is launching her project of change, and not everyone is happy.
Closer to home, Conrad has to deal with the entombed Spirit of the old Warden, and far away on the other side of the Pennines, magick is stirring.
Kathy Metcalfe hates her life at Beckthorpe Abbey, what with having to cook for all the recovering addicts, and she knows exactly how bad they are because she’s one herself. The only person at the Abbey who isn’t an addict is the oldest resident, Don Bell, and Don can’t speak.
And then one night, strange lights drift across the lawn, and suddenly Don is a man with a mission. A mission to be rescued, if only he can find a way to send a letter…
Not that Conrad has any clue about this. As far as he is concerned, getting to the church at all is going to be enough of a challenge, what with three gods insisting on wedding invitations and the mother and father of Hen and Stag parties to go first...
It’s been a long wait since Conrad’s last adventure – catch up with all the news from Mark Hayden’s best-selling King’s Watch universe and meet old friends again.
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About the author
Mark Hayden
27 books284 followersAuthor also writes under Ruth Ward
Mark Hayden is the nom de guerre of Adrian Attwood. He lives in Westmorland with his wife, Anne.
Adrian has had a varied career working for a brewery, teaching English and being the Town Clerk in Carnforth. He is now a part-time writer and part-time assistant in Anne's craft projects.
He is also proud to be the Mad Unky to his Great Nieces & Great Nephew.
His current writing project is the King’s Watch series of urban fantasy novels, from 13th Witch all the way down to Zero Hour. If he can keep it up.
Mark Hayden is the nom de guerre of Adrian Attwood. He lives in Westmorland with his wife, Anne.
Adrian has had a varied career working for a brewery, teaching English and being the Town Clerk in Carnforth. He is now a part-time writer and part-time assistant in Anne's craft projects.
He is also proud to be the Mad Unky to his Great Nieces & Great Nephew.
His current writing project is the King’s Watch series of urban fantasy novels, from 13th Witch all the way down to Zero Hour. If he can keep it up.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 14, 2023
I really wanted to give this two and a half stars . I enjoy the writing style and it is a nice world to visit, but I found this to be a holding book. Whilst the huge amount of words spent on the wedding were colourful and pretty it came across to me as padding for a rather thin story . Having said that I did enjoy the ride and will be waiting for the next t one.
August 19, 2023
I like this series, really like it! But there are SOOO many characters that show up or are referenced throughout the whole series!! The author has a online character list to refer to, but still! Uff Dah!
Also, this book could easily be split in two. The first half is the activities proceeding the wedding as well as the wedding itself I would give that part ⭐⭐⭐. The second half of the book is the actual story...where there is an actual story arc. That I give⭐⭐⭐⭐.
I still want Vicky to have her own books. Lloyd too. Actually there are a few characters I would like to read their own books. 🙂
Also, this book could easily be split in two. The first half is the activities proceeding the wedding as well as the wedding itself I would give that part ⭐⭐⭐. The second half of the book is the actual story...where there is an actual story arc. That I give⭐⭐⭐⭐.
I still want Vicky to have her own books. Lloyd too. Actually there are a few characters I would like to read their own books. 🙂
August 22, 2023
Another excellent book from Mark, telling the on going story of Conrad bloody Clarke wizard extraordinaire.
Mark is really building up the tension as this series nears its end.
I really do recommend this series.
Mark is really building up the tension as this series nears its end.
I really do recommend this series.
August 27, 2023
Another humdinger from Mr Hayden. Every book seems to exapand on the points of view of the various Creatures of Light as well as continuing the story arc. This book is exciting, touching, celebratory and intriguing. Cannot wait for the next.
August 10, 2023
Enjoyable, but it felt at times like only half the story, while the "other" plot running alongside felt uncomfortably shoehorned into the main narrative. Still, it's Conrad and Mina, and that's always fun.
August 21, 2023
Conrad is back after a long wait (at least compared to other books in the series). And once you read this installment will you will know why. If you've never read another book in this series, do NOT start here you will be utterly lost. This is easily the poorest offering in the Kings Watch series. Mark Hayden didn't quite know what he wanted to write here. It's part story of the eventual nuptials of Conrad and Mina with lots of details of Conrad's first stag party and a bit about his second. We learn a tiny bit about Mina's hen do; but much is left unsaid.
Mixed in is a story about a cook and caregiver at a posh treatment center for addicts and eventually this becomes the mystery/crime that Conrad has to solve. It's probably less than 1/4 of the overall book though. Once we get to the actual crime the book has all the great redeeming qualities of the other installments of The King's Watch. Only thing that got the book from the second star to the third.
Most of the book spends way too long recapping what happened in the last book and then explaining what is the current status of almost every single character whose ever shown up in an installment. Nearly every character plays some kind of role. Interestingly absent is Sofia even at the wedding. I think she was there, because it was mentioned that her mother, Mercedes was coming and attended; but Sofia was really never mentioned.
Many of the characters from the previous volumes get anywhere from a half a chapter to maybe a long paragraph. Some get a lot more. Vicky is also mysteriously not a big part and only gets a few passing mentions. Even Hannah only gets about the equivalent of two pages.
In essence this is a short story that keeps us on the journey to find out who created (fathered) Raven mixed in with a whole series of character updates that are sprinkled around the wedding, a recap from the last installment, a stag party, and a few other items tied to Conrad's reinstatement into The King's Watch.
I'll read the next book because all the others have been so good; but Mark (or should I say Adrian) if you are reading this please focus. I know it must be hard when you are on book 11. You want to do something creative and keep the series going too. We want to read a well written story. Keep the creativity in the crime procedural with the magical twist which you do well but don't feel obligated to tell every aspect of every character's story. Maybe you've introduced too many - Conrad doesn't need a different female side kick in every story by the way; and that's why you feel you need to tell all their stories.
And finally what's up with the title of the next volume. It is Three Ring Circus - A Fairy Story. Is this not going to be about Conrad at all but about Faith? The gimmick is that each volume has a descending number in the title. We are ready for Two Turtle Doves or something similar. I've really enjoyed the series but I think you are ready to wrap it up too. If you want to explore your other characters some more great. Do that as a spin off once Conrad and Mina are happily parents and living with the All Father in Asgard or maybe with Ganesh??
Again if you are new - definitely read the 13th Witch and you'll likely enjoy. If you are a member of Merlyn's Irregulars I'm sure you'll read this one and you should; but be prepared to a bit underwhelmed and mystified.
Mixed in is a story about a cook and caregiver at a posh treatment center for addicts and eventually this becomes the mystery/crime that Conrad has to solve. It's probably less than 1/4 of the overall book though. Once we get to the actual crime the book has all the great redeeming qualities of the other installments of The King's Watch. Only thing that got the book from the second star to the third.
Most of the book spends way too long recapping what happened in the last book and then explaining what is the current status of almost every single character whose ever shown up in an installment. Nearly every character plays some kind of role. Interestingly absent is Sofia even at the wedding. I think she was there, because it was mentioned that her mother, Mercedes was coming and attended; but Sofia was really never mentioned.
Many of the characters from the previous volumes get anywhere from a half a chapter to maybe a long paragraph. Some get a lot more. Vicky is also mysteriously not a big part and only gets a few passing mentions. Even Hannah only gets about the equivalent of two pages.
In essence this is a short story that keeps us on the journey to find out who created (fathered) Raven mixed in with a whole series of character updates that are sprinkled around the wedding, a recap from the last installment, a stag party, and a few other items tied to Conrad's reinstatement into The King's Watch.
I'll read the next book because all the others have been so good; but Mark (or should I say Adrian) if you are reading this please focus. I know it must be hard when you are on book 11. You want to do something creative and keep the series going too. We want to read a well written story. Keep the creativity in the crime procedural with the magical twist which you do well but don't feel obligated to tell every aspect of every character's story. Maybe you've introduced too many - Conrad doesn't need a different female side kick in every story by the way; and that's why you feel you need to tell all their stories.
And finally what's up with the title of the next volume. It is Three Ring Circus - A Fairy Story. Is this not going to be about Conrad at all but about Faith? The gimmick is that each volume has a descending number in the title. We are ready for Two Turtle Doves or something similar. I've really enjoyed the series but I think you are ready to wrap it up too. If you want to explore your other characters some more great. Do that as a spin off once Conrad and Mina are happily parents and living with the All Father in Asgard or maybe with Ganesh??
Again if you are new - definitely read the 13th Witch and you'll likely enjoy. If you are a member of Merlyn's Irregulars I'm sure you'll read this one and you should; but be prepared to a bit underwhelmed and mystified.
September 7, 2023
My rating for the first 70% of the book is 2 stars at best, but the last 30% is 5 stars...
Basically the first 70% is a meander through the aftermath of the previous novel, preparations for the wedding, the bachelor/stag trip, the immediate build up to the wedding and the actual wedding. There's not much tension, no real drama, at best there are some political machinations going on.
The only reason I have that part of the book at 2 stars instead of 1 star is that some of it was interesting, given we're now invested in (some) of these characters - but there are large portions of it that just did not need to be in the book. On their own they may have some value, but not when that's all there is for so much of the book! And there are just too many characters to fit in a book like this. Some of them are great, others not quite so much - but even if you love all of them (AND you can remember all of them), having them all in the book just bogs the story down so, so much.
Once the Kindle reader got to 70% though, the story really kicked off and was everything we've come to expect from these stories - loads of action, hectic non-stop pace, just a really great Conrad Bloody Clarke adventure.
And there-in lies the core of the problem for me: When the series started it was tight, it was lean, it was Conrad Clark against the world, limping from one conflict to the next without a chance to catch his breath. Now Conrad has such a huge circle of friends, family, enemies, servants, blood-brothers, wolf packs, colleagues, gods, etc around him that it's hard to get back to that original feeling. And yes, obviously he has to grow and change and find his place in the world of magic - and the fact that he is friends with all the different groups is an important thing in its own right (as the author specifically states in this book) - but it doesn't mean all of those interactions have to go into the book.
FWIW, It's not the first time this has happened - book 8 suffered from similar problems as I covered in my review of that.
My feedback for the author would be: "I LOVE your work, thanks so so much for giving us this character and this world, but please please please get a really top editor and be absolutely brutal in cutting out everything that isn't moving the action forward.
Basically the first 70% is a meander through the aftermath of the previous novel, preparations for the wedding, the bachelor/stag trip, the immediate build up to the wedding and the actual wedding. There's not much tension, no real drama, at best there are some political machinations going on.
The only reason I have that part of the book at 2 stars instead of 1 star is that some of it was interesting, given we're now invested in (some) of these characters - but there are large portions of it that just did not need to be in the book. On their own they may have some value, but not when that's all there is for so much of the book! And there are just too many characters to fit in a book like this. Some of them are great, others not quite so much - but even if you love all of them (AND you can remember all of them), having them all in the book just bogs the story down so, so much.
Once the Kindle reader got to 70% though, the story really kicked off and was everything we've come to expect from these stories - loads of action, hectic non-stop pace, just a really great Conrad Bloody Clarke adventure.
And there-in lies the core of the problem for me: When the series started it was tight, it was lean, it was Conrad Clark against the world, limping from one conflict to the next without a chance to catch his breath. Now Conrad has such a huge circle of friends, family, enemies, servants, blood-brothers, wolf packs, colleagues, gods, etc around him that it's hard to get back to that original feeling. And yes, obviously he has to grow and change and find his place in the world of magic - and the fact that he is friends with all the different groups is an important thing in its own right (as the author specifically states in this book) - but it doesn't mean all of those interactions have to go into the book.
FWIW, It's not the first time this has happened - book 8 suffered from similar problems as I covered in my review of that.
My feedback for the author would be: "I LOVE your work, thanks so so much for giving us this character and this world, but please please please get a really top editor and be absolutely brutal in cutting out everything that isn't moving the action forward.
March 26, 2024
My Thoughts:
I think this is the best book yet in the series.
Sad to see Sir Rowland go.
When I started this book, it has been a while since the last book. So again I had to take a minute to think who was who again? Just to complicate the confusion, I have not yet read the in-between novellas that this series has, so mentions of the event(s) in those novella(s) right from the start did not help!
As if that is not enough, some of the things talked about in the book, went right over my head. Like when Cador aired his grudge against Conrad, I didn't quite get what Conrad's argument was that it superseded Cador's...
At more than 400 pages long, I think this is the thickest book yet in the series.
For the longest time I keep wondering what is Kathy and Don's place in the plot and was looking forward to knowing it... the book did reveal it towards the end.
So magick is like a muscle? It atrophies when not used??
Once again, Ciaran Saward did a superb performance! Kudos to the narrator!
Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (18 hrs and 24 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
I think this is the best book yet in the series.
Sad to see Sir Rowland go.
When I started this book, it has been a while since the last book. So again I had to take a minute to think who was who again? Just to complicate the confusion, I have not yet read the in-between novellas that this series has, so mentions of the event(s) in those novella(s) right from the start did not help!
As if that is not enough, some of the things talked about in the book, went right over my head. Like when Cador aired his grudge against Conrad, I didn't quite get what Conrad's argument was that it superseded Cador's...
At more than 400 pages long, I think this is the thickest book yet in the series.
For the longest time I keep wondering what is Kathy and Don's place in the plot and was looking forward to knowing it... the book did reveal it towards the end.
So magick is like a muscle? It atrophies when not used??
Once again, Ciaran Saward did a superb performance! Kudos to the narrator!
Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (18 hrs and 24 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
August 8, 2023
You know, this is one of the books that while reading I was wishing I still read in paper and could easily take one of the previous books to hand to just look something up.
This is a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But please take time to reread the previous one before starting Third Eye.
Mark Hayden is an expert juggler and hold many balls in the air. Some are dropped by solving a narrative thread but then some are added.
Absolutely hilarious was the stag weekend. I mean, what do you expect with two mages, a cop, a gnome, a French guy, and a female mage as watchdog. And of course the wedding. The who is who of the King's Watch world with some extras added in attending. It was as close to a royal wedding as a wedding could be. Which just makes me wonder what the Duke of Albion was doing that day?
Anyhow, if you enjoyed the other books in the series, you will enjoy this one. And tensely wait for the next installment.
This is a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But please take time to reread the previous one before starting Third Eye.
Mark Hayden is an expert juggler and hold many balls in the air. Some are dropped by solving a narrative thread but then some are added.
Absolutely hilarious was the stag weekend. I mean, what do you expect with two mages, a cop, a gnome, a French guy, and a female mage as watchdog. And of course the wedding. The who is who of the King's Watch world with some extras added in attending. It was as close to a royal wedding as a wedding could be. Which just makes me wonder what the Duke of Albion was doing that day?
Anyhow, if you enjoyed the other books in the series, you will enjoy this one. And tensely wait for the next installment.
January 2, 2024
I continue to find myself enjoying this series, despite Conrad Clarke being well Conrad Clarke …
I actually enjoyed the pace slowing enough for the story to catch it’s breathe in the first half of this book, before returning to it’s usual break neck ‘see if you can keep up with a ridiculously huge cast with complex political motivations whilst Conrad tries not to get killed’ speed. I am often unsure if I should know the details governing each characters decision and can’t remember or we haven’t been told yet. Or if it’s Conrad being an idiot or me …
I don’t really mind this … I do feel sad some of the longer standing and better developed characters get so much less time now. I would love more Hannah and Vicky and less of the periphery relationships. That said I always enjoy the Tom/Conrad dynamic and I liked that having time to evolve in this story.
Looking forward to the next one.
I actually enjoyed the pace slowing enough for the story to catch it’s breathe in the first half of this book, before returning to it’s usual break neck ‘see if you can keep up with a ridiculously huge cast with complex political motivations whilst Conrad tries not to get killed’ speed. I am often unsure if I should know the details governing each characters decision and can’t remember or we haven’t been told yet. Or if it’s Conrad being an idiot or me …
I don’t really mind this … I do feel sad some of the longer standing and better developed characters get so much less time now. I would love more Hannah and Vicky and less of the periphery relationships. That said I always enjoy the Tom/Conrad dynamic and I liked that having time to evolve in this story.
Looking forward to the next one.
November 15, 2023
As amazing, complex, fun, hilarious and moving as these books always are. These are auto read via KU for me and I love the way the world has been built. I will say that this is the first book that I have had to wait for having discovered the series after Four Roads Cross and I frequently had to stop and look stuff up from other series, as the world building is as complex as they come. For fans of the quality of writing of the big urban fantasy fans this is a must read in my opinion. I loved the Britishness of it all and occasionally descending into slapstick. I also love that I have to look up places in my own country to see what they look like and where they are. Every day is a learning day! Brilliant, anticipating the next already.
January 31, 2024
I love this series with a passion, I adore the characters each and every one. The reason it lost a star for me was that the first half of the book in my estimation would have been better off as one of the novella's in the series allowing the main plot to be a tiny bit meatier. Still love it. I discovered this series less than two weeks ago and I've now gotten to the latest book published. Will definitely be checking avidely for the last two in the series as well as any novellas Mr. Hayden publishes.
March 2, 2024
The book actually contained two separate occasions and could be easily split into two since they weren't related. I was a bit wary about the first chapter, introducing new characters and at first glance totally unrelated to Conrad and his adventures. Obviously, it got entangled in due course and was actually main part of the second story. I liked the book but it seemed to me that some parts were rather rushed... I would love to find out what happened in Asgard... and unlike previous books, this one left me with more questions than answers.
August 30, 2023
Another interesting book in the King's Watch series
September 26, 2023
They got married!!!
And there was a pretty darn good mystery to boot!
And there was a pretty darn good mystery to boot!
October 15, 2023
Always an enjoyable read
December 27, 2023
Delightful
October 14, 2024
This one didn't really work. Also there were way too many characters and moving parts and the over the top wedding stuff didn't help either. Once the actual story part kicked in it got better.
August 30, 2023
It might just be because Conrad and Mina (emphasis on Mina) are both insufferable but this book was by far my least favorite as 75% of it is devoted to their wedding and Conrad’s bachelor party. The last 100 pages are good though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2024
Well. First off, don't start reading the series here. Second, unless you have the memory of an elephant I suggest you go back and reread at least the last book in the series, probably best to reread all of them. I didn't heed my own warning and I struggled at first to connect all the dots and failed to remember some key things (eg Cora's secret).
Conrad and Mina's wedding day is almost upon us, and what a day (or week) it is going to be. The sheer range of magical beings and gods present alone is enough for some authors. Throw in two Fae queens, a cricket match, the Morrigan, Tom Morton (waves excitedly), and a mysterious silent man grandfathered in to a property which has now become an addiction treatment centre (think The Priory rather than a council-funded facility).
When I look back to the man Conrad Clarke was at the start of this series when he first met the Allfather, the lone wolf that he was, and compare it to the legion of friends and allies he has gathered around him it is quite remarkable. Even if sometimes it feels like an advanced level of that game where you had to remember all the items on the tray covered by the tea-towel I used to play as a child.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and really want to reread the series just to extract every last drop of enjoyment from it.
Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Conrad and Mina's wedding day is almost upon us, and what a day (or week) it is going to be. The sheer range of magical beings and gods present alone is enough for some authors. Throw in two Fae queens, a cricket match, the Morrigan, Tom Morton (waves excitedly), and a mysterious silent man grandfathered in to a property which has now become an addiction treatment centre (think The Priory rather than a council-funded facility).
When I look back to the man Conrad Clarke was at the start of this series when he first met the Allfather, the lone wolf that he was, and compare it to the legion of friends and allies he has gathered around him it is quite remarkable. Even if sometimes it feels like an advanced level of that game where you had to remember all the items on the tray covered by the tea-towel I used to play as a child.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and really want to reread the series just to extract every last drop of enjoyment from it.
Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
August 31, 2023
Stuffed to the brim with new characters, new information, and new adventures with many of the familiar characters we’ve grown to love, hate, and/or fear over the series. And yet, even with such content and length, I didn’t want it to end.
As usual, can’t wait for the next installment.
(Not sure why my quotes / annotations don’t appear here as they usually do. Shame, really, as there are some doozies.)
As usual, can’t wait for the next installment.
(Not sure why my quotes / annotations don’t appear here as they usually do. Shame, really, as there are some doozies.)
August 8, 2023
2023 bk 235 - What a surprise in my ebook uploads the other day - I had forgotten this pre-order. I think this might be my favorite book of the series. A wedding day of multiple vows (more than anticipated), the discovery that Tom Morton has (never mind), the using of a woman in recovery for multiple purposes that serve an evil mage, a lazy boss, and a man bent on revenge, and a wonderful wedding present for our happy couple. Many little fingers are at play in this book that promise more titles in the future while wrapping up some important details in the lives of our main characters.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews