SHADOW OF THE ETERNAL WATCHER

Mendoza’s portal SF/fantasy novel explores themes of identity, betrayal, and corruption.

Mendoza’s story takes place in two parallel dimensions on Earth. In one, humanity is united under the rule of First Consul Gaius Octavius who has depleted the world’s resources and is seeking to create a Gateway to the other dimension to obtain their resources in the hopes of winning a war with an alien species called “Stone Tails.” In the other, Duster Raines, a hard-drinking LA investigator with a dark, military past, is the “Shade” (dimensional twin) to Octavius. Raines is solicited by Madison Andrews to find her husband, who she says was abducted by aliens. He’s hesitant but agrees and acquires a package containing a key to a deposit box. Despite being pursued by FBI agents, SWAT operatives, and robotic canines, he gains access to the box, which contains a green stone ring. He then takes refuge in the apartment of 15-year-old neighbor, Juan, but government operatives soon discover him. An escape attempt leaves him badly injured, and he’s nursed back to health by a mad scientist named Badger. Badger explains the ring can traverse dimensions, and he takes Raines to meet the War Council, a resistance formed against Octavius. When they arrive, they learn that Octavius is creating a Gateway not only to drain more resources from their dimension, but to unite the two realms, become the Eternal Watcher, and gain immense power. Raines agrees to help if they can confirm Juan’s safety, and the team develops a plan: Use Raines’ ring to open a portal to the other dimension and destroy the Gateway. But if they gain access to the alternate dimension, will they have enough firepower to save the multiverse? 

Mendoza creates an interesting premise and entertainingly combines elements of SF with detective noir. The pacing, while initially steady, soon falters, however, and action sequences often muddle important plot points. Mendoza depicts a richly detailed world (“The sky above barely showed blue anymore, dominated by those magnificent ebony towers…old skyscraper fronts like you might see back on your own Earth had been repurposed into a marketplace…like some sort of ancient bazaar”) and poses interesting questions, like the nature of identity in a megaverse that contains multiple versions of people. The author also creates impressive depth in the reluctant hero, Raines, by weaving in traumatic dreams of his time in the military. Other cast members, however, don’t enjoy the same intricate portrayal. Juan, for example, is a technological prodigy and adept with alien technologies, all of which is justified only by his explanation: “I play a lot of video games.” Additionally, some aspects of the world remain unclear, such as who gets a dimensional counterpart. Similarly, the dynamic of the connection between Shades is inconsistent. Despite these missteps, the story succeeds in creating a dynamic world with high stakes and plenty of narrative twists.

An SF novel with elaborate worldbuilding, a charismatic lead, and a befuddling plot.