the last watch book review

REVIEW: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes

Book Reviews
April 4, 2021
6,694 views
By malrubius

Last Updated on February 14, 2024

The Last Watch is the debut novel from author, cinematographer, and video editor J.S. Dewes and is the first book in a new series called, The Divide. It tells the story of the crew of The Argus , a spaceship at the edge of the universe, part of a fleet of Sentinels standing guard against the inevitable return of the enemy Viators from beyond the blackness. However, their problems begin without the Viators as they find that the universe is crashing in on them, and somehow they must stop it despite being alone on the far edge of space with no communications and no help from the empire. The story combines likeable rogue characters, interesting scientific speculation, and some subtly great, unpretentious writing into a very entertaining space opera. Although the publishers have humbly billed it as Game of Thrones meets The Expanse , what will come of the series remains to be seen, but it seems to be off to a great start.

The other aspect of this novel that I enjoyed quite a bit was the author’s use of scientific speculation. (I use the term specifically because this is not a hard science fiction book.) The science becomes the integral to the plot, which I think is missing in some science fiction. For example, this is not a gang crime story or a war that happens to be set in space. The universes is collapsing—big science problem. Equally important, though, is how Dewes uses the science to create a good ol’ fashioned sense of wonder that harkens back to classic speculative fiction. As the edge of the universe creeps closer, time starts to slip a little, forward and backward, which Dewes deftly shows instead of having her narrator explain it in boring, abstract exposition. Likewise, the characters have certain active tattoos embedded mostly on their arms, according to their class and rank and other societal categories. This idea leans more toward fantasy than science fiction, but it is beautifully done. The concept is intriguing at first, but when Dewes puts it into action, it is surprising and very well thought out. There are other science fiction tropes in the novel that readers of the genre will recognize such as abandoned spaceships, communications units that fail, characters that age differently according to where and how fast they travel, etc., and they all seem quite well done to me, especially when the characters get to the massive space buoy at the edge of the universe. Dewes does a fantastic job of immersing the reader in this giant mechanical construct, which I think many writers would find difficult to translate into words on the page.

And words on the page is really what swept me through this fine novel. The writing is completely unpretentious, sharp, occasionally witty, and everything comes through the characters, not the narrator. The third-person narrator facilitates the story in such a way the narration is nearly invisible, allowing the characters to always be in the forefront of the action and dialogue.

But is it grimdark? I always like to ask myself this question near the end of my reviews because we are, after all, Grimdark Magazine . However, when I come across a book that cannot be locked down to grimdark, I am still mostly concerned about whether or not I enjoyed the story. The Last Watch contains nice grim settings that show the desolation of outer space, with its space junk and abandoned ships. In this particular story, there has been a movement to retrieve personnel from the edges of the universe, but no one has told the rogues aboard The Argus , which is a pretty grim situation. The characters all have criminal or transgressive backgrounds that have led them to be outcast at the edge of the universe, which I enjoy in grimdark fiction. Both Cavalon and Rake have made decision in their pasts that society has deemed morally wrong. So in that way, The Last Watch should be very appealing to grimdark readers. Overall, I am more inclined to think of The Last Watch as less a grimdark story than a story of unlikely heroes. Nevertheless, it is very well executed and beautifully written in a way that doesn’t call attention to itself. I enjoyed it very much, and I highly recommend it to readers of space opera and other character-driven science fiction. I look forward to reading book two in The Divide Series, The Exiled Fleet , which is currently scheduled for August 2021.

The Last Watch is scheduled for release on 20 April 2021 in the US by Tor Books.

Read The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes

This review was originally published in Grimdark Magazine Issue #26 .

malrubius is a mysterious and grumpy lover of grimdark fiction.

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Book review: the last watch (the divide, #1) by j.s. dewes, may 3, 2021 petrik leo comments 0 comment.

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ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: The Divide (Book #1 of 2)

Genre: Science fiction, space opera

Pages : 472 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 20th April 2021 by Tor Books

The Last Watch was good, but I believe it would work better as a movie than a novel.

The Divide, it’s the edge of the universe, and it’s collapsing. The only ones who can stop this from happening are the Sentinels—the recruits, exiles, and dregs of the military. At the Divide, Adequin Rake is in charge of the Argus, and she has no one besides her soldiers and her possible ace—a genius and exiled prince—in the hole: Cavalon Mercer. The Last Watch is the first book in The Divide series by J.S. Dewes, and it has been garnering a lot of super positive receptions from readers. Honestly, from the premise alone, this sounds like The Night Watch from A Song of Ice and Fire , but in space. And that sounds incredibly intriguing to me. But two aspects prevented me from enjoying it further.

The first issue I had with The Last Watch was characterizations. I personally found the novel to be lacking in this department. I never once felt like I cared for Adequin Rake, Cavalon Mercer, or anybody else. They’re the drivers that steer the vehicles of the story, but they remain strangers to me from beginning to the end. It’s unfortunate, but a slightly more focus on characterizations and motivations in the first half of the novel would’ve boosted my reading experience so much. Seriously, the actions and pacing in the second half were superbly done. It’s a very subjective critic, I know that many readers have voiced that they loved Rake and Cavalon. For me, I wish I felt more invested in the characters for me to genuinely care about the struggles they’re dealing with.

The second issue was that I felt that there needed to be more elaboration on world-building and background. A suspension of disbelief was sorely needed, and this didn’t happen once or twice; it occurred multiple times throughout the entire novel. Many times I actually considered DNFing this book; the pacing was too slow in the first half of the novel, and slow-paced novels are novels that I usually loved, but in this case, there weren’t any characters I felt invested in. Because of this, the reading became a struggle.

As I said in the beginning, I do honestly believe that The Last Watch would work incredibly well as a sci-fi movie, and I hope it gets a movie adaptation one day. There were some truly—technically—magnificent scenes, and it was a shame I couldn’t enjoy them as much as I hoped because I couldn’t care about the characters. Also, please do not take my review for this novel fully to heart; I strongly suggest you give it a try for yourself if you love sci-fi/space opera or story with a band of misfits doing their best to save humanity. Plus, The Last Watch has been gaining a lot of good reviews, and I’m most likely just fell a bit on the unpopular opinion side here. It wasn’t a bad book for me, but it was okay, and it could’ve been more. I am very much a character-driven reader, and The Last Watch , to me, felt entirely plot-driven.

You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

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The BiblioSanctum

A book blog for speculative fiction, graphic novels… and more, book review: the last watch by j.s. dewes.

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 1 of The Divide

Publisher: Paperback: Tor | Audiobook: Macmillan Audio (April 20, 2021)

Length: 480 pages | 16 hrs and 30 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrators: Andrew Eiden, Nicol Zanzarella

Well, color me pleasantly surprised! I’m usually super skeptical with any book whose blurb invokes comparisons to The Expanse because, man, that’s one tough promise. Still, I must doff my hat to J.S. Dewes, because I have a feeling The Last Watch is about to become my next big sci-fi obsession.

To set the scene, imagine the dark and lonely reaches at the edge of the universe, beyond which simply nothing exists. This is the Divide. Here is where the Argus keeps its watch, the space station home to a ragtag crew of misfits known as the Sentinels. They are considered the dregs of society—criminals, exiles, court-martialed military personnel and ex-soldiers—all of them have nowhere else to go. However, at the Divide, they have a very important role and purpose. Their job is to patrol edges of space, maintaining the warning and defense systems in place to protect against any unknown threats. After all, it wasn’t that long ago when humanity was nearly wiped out by an alien species called the Viators, and only after multiple wars and untold number of deaths did they finally manage to drive the invaders out. Although that had been many years ago, the Sentinels aren’t about to take any chances, always remaining vigilant and on alert.

But now comes a danger no one was expecting. The Divide is starting to collapse, threatening to destroy everyone and everything with it. The commander of the Argus , a Titan veteran of Viator war named Adequin Rake, is suddenly faced with some difficult choices. With the lives of more than two thousand Sentinels now resting in her hands, their survival will depend on her next steps. First, they must find a way to stop the collapse, but with communications down and their resources stretched to the limits, the Argus finds itself isolated and cut off from all help. Left with no other recourse, Rake turns to the wise-cracking and irreverent Cavalon Mercer, an exiled prince from the Allied Monarchies of the Core. Cavalon had been sent to the Divide for apparently pissing off his family, though he alone knows the real reason. Still, while he may be a rogue and an asshole of the highest order, his upbringing and education had supplied him with a wealth of knowledge in a variety of different fields—knowledge that Rake hopes may help her get the Argus and the universe out of their current jam.

The initial setup felt a bit slow, especially those sections immediately following the opening chapters in which we first meet Cavalon, whose blithe attitude helped establish a snappy tone for the book. But once things switch to focus on Adequin Rake, the pacing takes a steep nosedive as the narrative turns to giving readers a detailed rundown of the world-building and story background. Needless to say, there’s a lot to take in, even if all the information is necessary. Then of course, we have Rake, whose personality is very different from that of Cavalon’s. As a leader, she runs a tight ship and does not tolerate any incompetence or disrespect. At the same time, she’s also compassionate and thoughtful, dedicated to her duties which includes maintaining the wellbeing of her space station and crew. Some might even say she cares too much. Regardless, this need to explain the history of the setting along with detailed backstories for all our disparate characters ultimately led to an unevenly paced introduction, and consequently a slower ramp-up.

Having said that though, I would be hard pressed to level any other criticism at The Last Watch , because simply put, the rest of the book was as close to perfection as you can get. The action? Awesome. The character development? Magnificent. As I mentioned, Rake and Cavalon may be polar opposites, but when forced to work together to stop the collapse, the efficient synergies they created were undeniable. Then there was the supporting cast. Dewes impressed me with the amount of thought and attention she must have put into creating each character, because from sidekicks to love interests, every single one of them was a well-rounded, memorable and important member of the team. Of this ensemble, I especially enjoyed Mesa, a genetically engineered human-alien hybrid known as a Savant, and Griffith, because I loved watching this tough old soldier turn all sweet and tender when he was with Rake. Honestly, though—Cavalon, Rake, Griffin, Mesa, Jackin, Puck, Emery—I could easily rave on for pages about each of them. These are people you want to root for and cheer them on when they succeed, or break down into blubbering, crying ball of tears when they go down. They feel like your friends and family.

So, I’d be careful before you go picking this up, because you will get hooked! Seriously, I needed the sequel, like yesterday. Luckily, the next book, The Exiled Fleet , is already slated for release this summer, just months away but which is still going to feel like a long time to wait. I anticipate an even more explosive and high-powered book, now that we’d be able to jump right into the action. Looking forward to it with unbounded excitement!

22 Comments on “Book Review: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes”

LOL, I read your review and had the distinct impression of GoT in space, with added tidbits from Malazan Book of the Fallen 🤣

Yes, I’ve heard the comparison to GoT and it’s apt when you consider the Sentinels are like the Night Watch, the Divide is like the Wall and the aliens are like the Wildlings 😀

Like Liked by 1 person

Yours is the second enthusiastic review I’ve seen in as many days, which makes my acquisition of this book even more urgent! But any comparison with The Expanse always makes me pay attention… 😉 Great review, thanks for sharing!

Yes, I think this one will be completely up your alley!

I’m in the middle of it right now (I could not wait…) and totally loving it! 🙂

I’m stoked!!! Can’t wait til you finish to see your reaction/review 😀

I agree, every character was so well developed and interesting. Such an amazing debut!

I’m so excited for the next book! The eARC is already available!

I love seeing a string of reviews from folks I trust and who have similar reading interests giving high praise to a book. It leaves me knowing it’s highly likely I’ll also very much enjoy it. And I already love these types of space-based stories so that’s even better. Don’t know when, but I’m sure I’ll read this at some point. Thanks much for the review!

That’s awesome, I’m glad this one caught your interesting! I hope you’ll get to check it out soon!

First, I need to watch the expanse. Second, it was ages since I read any scifi again, it keeps falling behind the book cracks

I still need to watch The Expanse too, lol!

I’m really surprised how much everyone seems to like this! From the blurb I figured this for a cut-and-paste scifi- ragtag team, no one has anything, and everything’s going to shit. Nice job in taking a chance on this one! Glad you liked it!

Adding it to my TBR…😁

Haha, well, it’s exactly as you describe, but okay, maybe a bit more 😉

Pingback: Bookshelf Roundup: 05/01/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads | The BiblioSanctum

Wow, did you just say ‘as close to perfection as you can get’, ‘magnificent’ ‘awesome’. Okay, this one doesn’t really sound like my usual style of book but after such strong praise I am definitely on board for this. Lynn 😀

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THE LAST WATCH by J.S. Dewes – Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The nitty-gritty: Come for the characters, stay for the pulse-pounding action! The Last Watch is an excellent debut with heart, humor and thrills galore.

A scrappy band of misfits sent to the outer reaches of the galaxy to protect humanity from a dangerous enemy; a newly recruited member of the team who is trying to hide his identity; and a disgraced captain who is determined to hold everything together, even in the face of uncertainty and equipment failure. In space, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and the crew of the Argus is about to find out just how bad things can get. The Last Watch is J.S. Dewes’ debut, and what a wild ride this was! I’m always surprised when a debut comes along that doesn’t feel like a debut, and this book is one of the most assured and polished ones I’ve ever read. Fans of shows like Star Trek , Battlestar Galactica , and The Expanse are really going to love this high octane, edge-of-your-seat space opera that has much more to offer than just thrills.

The story revolves around the crew of the Argus , the home base for a group of ships tasked with maintaining the buoys along the Divide, the very edge of the universe. Long ago, an alien species called Viators nearly wiped out the human race, and having been driven off, the possibility remains that they could come back some day. Enter the Sentinels, ex-military soldiers and criminals with nowhere else to go, sent to the far reaches of space to protect the Core. Life here is harsh and dangerous, but the Legion insists that the buoys be maintained, even though Viators haven’t been seen for hundreds of years.

Adequin Rake is the captain of the Argus and has her hands full with over two thousand Sentinels under her command. The long days are mostly routine, that is until sensors show that the Divide seems to be moving toward them. And that’s a very bad thing, because when the Divide expands, the universe and everything in it is in danger of collapsing. Time is running out, and Rake and her crew must find a way to stop it and save the universe.

I had an absolute blast with this book! For the most part, the pace never slows down, and the characters go from one disaster to the next, each more dire than the last. The story is set far in the future, after humanity has survived two wars against the Viators. The Inner Core is where the most privileged people live, and as you go further out, the Outer Core is less desirable, but for some it’s the only choice they have. Even further out is the Divide, and this is where the action takes place. The crew of the Argus is basically stuck out there, and some know they will never see the Core again. This sense of being stranded really added tension to the story, and the author clearly did a lot of research because she goes into all sorts of scary details about all the things that can go wrong in space: comms going down, unexpected explosions, dangerous ship repairs, and much more. Oh, and did I mention that as you get closer to the Divide, time starts to get wonky? And by wonky I mean the crew experiences freaky “time ripples” where doppelgangers randomly appear and disappear.

But as much fun as I had with the action sequences, the real strength of this book is the characters and their relationships with each other. Dewes takes one of my favorite tropes, the found family, and does a bang-up job with it. Leading the crew is Excubitor (Captain) Adequin Rake, a tough as nails but surprisingly empathetic woman who was assigned to the Argus after a mishap in the last war with the Viators. Rake is a great combination of hard-ass and supportive, ready to beat someone up for insubordination, but on the other hand willing to go down with her ship to save her crew. Then we have Cavalon Mercer, an exiled prince who is trying to escape his family. Cav is royalty, but he wants to keep that fact a secret, even though he has certain characteristics that give him away, like his special gold and bronze Imprint tattoos. Cav is a fantastic character and sort of reminded me of Indiana Jones!

But as much as I loved these two individually, I really enjoyed the way their friendship developed. The relationship between Cavalon and Rake starts out rocky, since Cav has no military experience and doesn’t know how to behave on a ship. He fumbles a lot in the beginning, learning how to follow orders without mouthing off, but it doesn’t take long for him to win over Rake, especially since he has a wealth of knowledge at his disposal—medical, engineering, and astrophysics training—that conveniently comes in handy later in the story. You would think there might be a romance brewing between the two, but thankfully Dewes doesn’t go there—at least for now. Really good friendships, especially between men and women, are tough to find, but Dewes digs into the idea of “platonic love” and creates friendships that were so satisfying. (If you want to read more about her take on this, check out this Tor.com article ). Oddly enough, the one actual romance in the story didn’t really work for me, but it only plays a small part in the overall story.

And while Rake and Cavalon take center stage, Dewes rounds out her crew with a bunch of other well developed and interesting side characters. Griffith Bach fought in the war with Rake, and they are best friends and love each other dearly. Jackin North is a talented pilot and engineer and another good friend of Rake’s. Mesa Darox is a fascinating character with an air of mystery surrounding her. She’s a Savant, one of the genetically engineered creations of the Viators, a mix of human and alien, and I’m so curious to learn more about her past. Emery and her sidekick Warner add some humor to the story: Emery is constantly smacking her gum, and I found her simply adorable!

And speaking of humor, I was not expecting this book to be so funny. The Last Watch is full of wry humor, peppered in among all the serious moments and nail-biting action. I always love stories that can successfully combine both elements, and Dewes has really mastered that concept.

This is a big world and there is a lot of information to absorb. Because of that, there were a few things that weren’t fully explained. For example, Rake and Griffith are called “Titans” and I have no idea what that means (unless I missed the explanation). We also get glimpses into the past and the events that led to the creation of the Sentinels, as well as the characters’ backstories and why they became Sentinels in the first place. We’re briefly introduced to the royalty of the Core, the Allied Monarchies (which Cavalon is part of). And then there is the mystery of the Viators and their connection to the Divide. All of these elements will probably be expanded upon in future books, and I’m OK with that. This is one of those series that could easily have many many sequels, because the world building is so rich and varied. In my opinion, the ending of The Last Watch was simply perfect, and I am beyond excited to dive into the next book, The Exiled Fleet . If you are a sci-fi fan at all, you will not want to miss the start to one of the best series of the year.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

24 responses to “ THE LAST WATCH by J.S. Dewes – Review ”

Glad you had fun with this book! I’m really looking forward to the sequel, and might even reread book one!

There was a ton of information in this book and I know I didn’t catch everything. A reread isn’t a bad idea!

Oh this would be such a fun buddy read

You will love this, I immediately thought of you when I started reading!

Already have this one on my wish list, need to bump it up!

You’ll love it!

Thanks Anne! So much fun:-)

Very nice, really glad to hear how fun this book was. I love the found family trope and this one sounds great. And to hear you really enjoyed the ending is fantastic. This is one I’d very much like to try. Thanks for the great review!

I hope you get the chance to read it, I was so impressed:-)

I just finished this today, and wow, I was blown away! It’s probably going to be a 4.5 star from me, because it was a bit slow to take off, but overall I am still so pleased and impressed!

Oh good, I’m glad you loved it too! It was a bit slow in the beginning, but for me everything else made up for that.

Wow I did not expect this to be this good! Maybe I’ll have to read it now…

As usual, nice review Tammy

You should! Thanks Will:-)

Me too, and it’s not that far off:-)

This sounds like such a fun read. I got excited as soon as I read band of misfits, disasters, fast paced, and humor. Sounds like my favorite kind of sci fi. 🙂

It was so fun, and also very stressful!!

I love the sound of this one, Tammy! What a great review – thank you for sharing. The strong relationships within the ship is a theme that I always enjoy when it’s done well. And it’s hard to achieve…

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Word of Mouth

Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the last watch: a novel of the divide.

THE LAST WATCH manages to entertain with some interesting ideas that pull from fan-favorite tropes of space operas. With an offering of pulpy thrills and wit throughout, this introduction to J.S. Dewes’ sci-fi trilogy finds its readers as the tension builds.

At the edge of the universe is the Argus , a ship that houses a crew meant to watch over the Divide. They already have a reputation as convicted military personnel, sent to this sect as a disciplinary action, similar to the Night’s Watch from Game of Thrones .

Cavalon Mercer is secret and schooled royalty who has been sent to work on the Argus for unknown reasons. Something he did in his past has led him there, and he keeps this secret close to his chest. Adequin Rake, the captain of the Argus , believes she’s in a role that she has no right to wield. Her constant inner struggle about her own inadequacies as a leader keeps her grounded and relatable.

The Divide is a mysterious sort of wall at the edge of the universe. Hundreds of years ago, it’s assumed that alien fleets known as the Viator came through the Divide to wage war on the people of our universe. None of the expeditions sent into the Divide have ever returned. Now, the Argus begins drifting ever closer to it, and help isn’t on the way. Either something is pulling them in, or the Divide itself is growing, and all life in the universe could be in danger.

"Dewes’ voice is playful and easy to follow. It’s nice to read a debut novel that’s down to earth in its approach to prose; though pulpy and quick at times, it’s never overly romantic or chaotic."

Adequin must worry about saving her crew, Cavalon must find a way to help them and possibly clear his name, and the whole crew will have to figure out how to stop the Divide while they still can. This means gaining the trust of the military that abandoned them in the first place.

The story remarks on a few major challenges we face in society, but adds to them a scale of heightened action for the main characters to grapple with. It’s an interesting problem to have them speak from the perspective of the military, especially when they’re granted more information than any outside point of view. This hasn’t yet been taken to its furthest point of reflection, so the ramifications of a military force having all the cards is a theme that I hope will be fleshed out later in the series. What does it mean for a sect of the military to be designated a timeout, and what consequences are in store when they are the only ones privy to vital information that will impact the safety of the universe?

Most of the time, the characters face a mind-boggling crisis with small-scale resources --- first with the captain having difficulty keeping order, then with the panic that ensues when people don’t recognize the gravity of the trouble they’re facing.

In general, these questions and more have quite a few alignments with climate change. A massive force threatens everyone, but there’s not much opportunity to combat it, even if the people already had the necessary data at their disposal to understand it. At its best, the crew is running out of time to contend with this struggle, which means coming up with hairbrained solutions on the fly.

Dewes’ voice is playful and easy to follow. It’s nice to read a debut novel that’s down to earth in its approach to prose; though pulpy and quick at times, it’s never overly romantic or chaotic. In some ways, the voice reflects the book’s main characters. Like Cavalon, it grows and evolves as the story becomes deeper in nature.

The humor is spot-on throughout, and the timing of these jokes is equally hilarious. Characters express themselves through eccentric dialogue. Jackin, the ship’s engineer, and a few other secondary players often shoot off one-liners and witty banter. The lover is instantly memorable with his awkward disposition, crewmates are recognizable in their roles, and the main characters’ reflections on their missteps as they speak are endearing.

The marketing material for THE LAST WATCH calls it a mix of The Expanse and Game of Thrones . I didn’t quite get that comparison, though there are some parallels. It felt more like a modernized version of “Star Trek” meets TREASURE ISLAND. Most of the time, the book doesn’t take itself too seriously, with pale stakes at the beginning. As the thrill of oncoming danger ramps up, so too does the writing. What begins with a tone of computers talking back with snippy quips and captains throwing around toothbrush janitorial duties as punishments becomes minor political confrontations similar to Lord of the Flies . Since the book generally keeps this tone, it seems meant for a reader who is not in for a serious ride, but rather would like to chill with age-old sci-fi tropes and a likable cast of characters.

Cavalon, who starts out snarky and pompous in his own endearing way, needs to grow up and take some responsibility for his actions. Adequin must gain some faith in herself, and quickly, so she can properly lead her crew. The people around them are all faced with the consequences of panicked actions that haven’t been thought through. The mysteries dominate quite a bit of the story, but the answers they deliver either manage to meet readers’ expectations or keep them invested in future installments.

Reviewed by Austin Ruh on April 30, 2021

The Last Watch: A Novel of the Divide by J.S. Dewes

Publication Date: April 20, 2021
Genres: Adventure , Fiction , Science Fiction
Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN-10: 1250236347
ISBN-13: 9781250236340

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Monday, April 12, 2021

Review: the last watch by j.s. dewes.

The Last Watch is a fast-paced and thrilling space adventure that is full of heart and excitement at every corner. This was a hugely enjoyable

The story kicks off when Cavalon Mercer is sent to the Argus , a spaceship commanded by Adequin Rake, set essentially at the edge of the galaxy near what's known as the Divide. The Divide, however, has started to collapse, which would quite literally mean the end of humanity as we know it, and this is where all of the problems seem to begin. As the story continues on with Cav and Rake, we begin to slowly unravel more and more about the world-building--which was executed brilliantly and in an incredibly captivating manner--and some secrets that are infested within the governmental structure of the world itself and that Cav and Rake are intricately woven into.

The entire premise of The Last Watch is fascinating, but I think what really set this book apart and made it such an exceptionally enjoyable read for me were the characters. Cav and Rake are the two perspectives we switch between and I found myself so connected to them and involved in their roles. Cavalon appears to be a bit of a troublemaker (and smartass), but in reality he's sort of a sweet, pure of heart person just trying to find their way in the world. He hasn't had a great time of late, which is how he ended up on the Argus with the rest of the unwanted and troublemaking soldiers, but it's where he finally begins to discover his worth and contribute to something he never could have expected. His humor and personality really helped make this book such an enjoyable read, and it also made it feel relatable and comforting in a way--I think we could all relate to Cav for one reason or another.

Rake appears as the opposite of Cav--strict where he's more seemingly nonchalant, obedient where he is often always looking for bends in the rules. At heart, however, Rake is just trying to do her best to be the best commander she can be while protecting her soldiers and taking care of her duties on the Argus , all while trying to keep her heart in check. Cav and Rake make an extremely unlikely friendship, but it's also the best dynamic and slow build of trust and affection that I've seen in a while.

There are many other characters accompanying Cav and Rake on this journey and all of them are equally well-developed and bring some special to the story. I really found myself caring about all of the characters, no matter how big or small their role was. I liked seeing how all the different roles worked together under stress, how everyone handled things and knew when it was time to do whatever it would take to survive, even if the option at hand wasn't exactly going to be popular.

There are times when the sci-fi aspects got a bit confusing when explained, or when some of the background and world-building was a bit too much, but for some reason it really didn't bother me. I loved reading about everything, even if I didn't fully understand it, if that makes any sense.

Overall, I've given The Last Watch five stars because I really can't think of anything I didn't enjoy. I enjoyed the heck out of this book and am already impatient for the sequel. This was an adventure full of fear, hope, humor, heart, and a bunch of great personalities that made everything go down easier.

2 comments:

I love stories set in space! Glad this was such a great read for you!

I'm so excited to read this! I'm planning to start it later in the week, hopefully. Everyone I know has really loved it so I'm pretty sure I will too😁

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The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes – Review

Published: April 20, 2021

Publisher: Tor Books

Series: The Divide #1

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 480 (Paperback)

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes’ fast-paced, sf adventure The Last Watch , where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation. The Divide. It’s the edge of the universe. Now it’s collapsing—and taking everyone and everything with it. The only ones who can stop it are the Sentinels—the recruits, exiles, and court-martialed dregs of the military. At the Divide, Adequin Rake, commanding the Argus , has no resources, no comms—nothing, except for the soldiers that no one wanted. They’re humanity’s only chance.

Space marines!!!

A collapsing universe!

Threat of (another) alien invasion!

How cool is all that? Way, way too cool. I couldn’t resist picking up the audiobook, especially after so many glowing reviews from my fellow bloggers. I’m glad I listened (though I was already keeping an eye on it) because it was a pretty darn cool story.

At some point in humanity’s long history the universe stopped expanding and just stopped, forming an edge. This border of the abyss is called the Divide and there are ships stationed there full of the military’s troublemakers. That’s where Adequin Rake, Titan war hero and captain of the Argus is now stationed. It’s also where the disgraced and disowned heir to the most powerful family in the human universe has been shuttled off to. Cavalon Mercer blew up his grandfather’s new genetics laboratory/cloning facility to prove a point – that he hates him and all he stands for – and now he’s stuck at the edge of the universe. Cavalon, Adequin, and a few other crew members from the Argus must try to save the universe as it begins its inevitable collapse and the threat of alien invasion from the Viators is renewed.

This was an exciting, edge of your seat type story with plenty of action and calamity. What could possibly be worse than the edge of the universe violently rushing inward? Well, the threat of a third Viator war after the immeasurable destruction caused by the first two is actually just the icing on the cake, especially since Adequin Rake was supposed to have eradicated the last breeding Viator. The characters were likable and I easily found myself rooting for all of them – Adequin and Cavalon are merely the tip of the iceberg. The secondary characters are just as likable and have interesting pasts of their own that the story slowly begins to unveil.

Overall this was an enjoyable read, though I did find myself wishing things would just hurry up toward the end. I can’t even recall why I wanted the book to move along so much – impatience probably. Despite my impatient tendencies, I’m looking forward to the next book, The Exiled Fleet, which will be published in August 2021.

2 thoughts on “ The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes – Review ”

August cannot come soon enough for me… 😉 Glad you enjoyed this one so much: it does deserve all the praise, indeed!

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I’m definitely getting the audiobook edition- can’t wait!!

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Newcity Lit

Books, poetry, comics and the literary world of Chicago

Past Lives: A Review of The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes

by L.D. Barnes | April 22, 2021

Book Reviews
Chicago Authors

An outcast prince, a battle-hardened pilot and a female elite soldier on a ship stationed at the edge of the galaxy sounds like the beginning of a joke about space, But it is not. The title evokes an episode of “Game of Thrones,” But it is not. Nor is it the typical space-war battle saga. “The Last Watch” is a well-constructed tale of how life, after decades of war with a different species, affects individuals and society.

A royal prince, an overly educated heir to a vast sociopolitical-industrial complex spread across a galaxy, is exiled, owing to a feud with his grandfather, to one of a chain of dilapidated spaceships staged at the edge of the galaxy. There he meets an elite female soldier, the executive officer of the ship. She has a hidden reason for this dead-end posting. Her love interest, the battle-hardened pilot, shouldn’t be there, either, but you cannot find the reasons for those discrepancies without reading the book.

Trust that it is not a neat Star Trek episode where everyone knows the right move and is confident in what they do. There is a very human depth in the characters, their reactions and inner conflicts. They are dealing with issues of xenophobia, imperialism, sexism and self-respect. Constantly bombarded with things that can kill them and/or doom their home worlds, they must band together to prevent and protect one another from an incursion of aliens.

Everywhere you expect the story to lapse into a sci-fi cliché, J.S. Dewes makes a better choice, pushing the story down a richer path to a revelation of the characters’ past lives, or a deeper understanding of the history of the generations-long conflict. Brief flashbacks placed throughout give a better view of current circumstances, and the choices made by each person of the trio and the others who are woven into the story. The book keeps you reading and wanting more.

J.S. Dewes is a Columbia College grad who writes using her initials because there is still a bias when it comes to reading science fiction. Although women have been an integral part of the genre since its inception, some readers do not believe that their work is as enjoyable as that of male writers. Dewes is helping break that bias. I am waiting for the next book in the series, which is scheduled for release later in the year. Perhaps it will become as popular as George R.R. Martins’ set of books.

The Last Watch: The Divide Series (Volume 1) By J.S. Dewes Tor Books, 480 pages

L. D. Barnes writes mystery, historical fiction and poetry. She is working on the second novel in her Chicago Street Crime series while living on the far south side. Barnes is a member of FLOW (For Love of Writing), Longwood Writers Guild and Mystery Writers of America. She performs locally.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Last Watch, by J. S. Dewes

Book One of The Divide
Published by Tor in 2021
Space Opera

The Divide. It stands at the edge of the universe, marking the line between existence, and the infinite void beyond. Stationed here at the edge of reality are a handful of soldiers, who would rather be anywhere else . . .

Reputation. It’s a funny old thing. Publishing is a fickle system in which the more popular a work is, the more marketing it receives. And the more marketing you get, the larger the chance that your book will find an audience. The industry devotes massive amounts of time and effort into building a book’s reputation, often before it’s even been released into the wild for readers to find. But publishers don’t do all of this themselves. Especially for debuts and smaller releases, a lot of the heavy lifting is done by blogs. Much like the one you’re reading right at this very moment. How about that for a coincidence? I myself follow a lot of blogs, not just for the community, but to keep abreast of the new releases that I might otherwise have missed. Last year something very interesting happened. A book swept across blogs, garnering high praise from just about everywhere. ‘Book of the Year,’ they said. ‘The best debut in years,’ it was claimed. That book was, as you may have guessed by now, The Last Watch , the debut novel of J. S. Dewes. Such was it’s reputation that, despite the fact it’s not widely available in the UK, I made sure to get a copy at my earliest convenience. I was a bit late on that front actually, and by the time I found The Last Watch , the sequel was already out. So I bought both. Win-win, I thought to myself. It looked like my sort of series, and the reviews were glowing like a supernova. Surely, I told myself, that many people can’t be wrong?

Honestly, they’re not wrong. Not entirely. The Last Watch is a fun and action-packed debut that would make any author proud. Had I gone into it blind, I’d happily be putting Dewes up there with ones to watch like Michael Mammay or Drew Williams. But I wasn’t blind. I had soaked in all of this hype for the book. So much so that, fun as it was, I ultimately came away rather disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, The Last Watch is a good book, and I encourage you to seek it out and make up your own mind. But in my mind, I was expecting to be blown away. I was told that this book would reinvent the wheel. That my life would never be the same again. None of that happened. I come away from it exactly the same as I was before, albeit with 474 fewer pages in my TBR.

The Last Watch has so many things going for it. Fun characters, sparkling banter, a threat to the entire universe. It is full of tropes, including some that I’m not fond of. But there’s no denying it uses those tropes well. It’s an adventure in the purest sense, with just enough hints dropped in to suggest a deeper world beyond the page. If you want an adrenaline-fuelled romp across the edge of the universe, populated by a host of lovable characters, this is the book for you. But don’t make my mistake. Temper your expectations.

All of this gets to a predicament at the heart of blogging. If I am in any way representative of bloggers, then we do this because we want to tell people about the books we read. We want people to now about the great literature out there in the world. We exist to build up expectations. But with that comes a danger. Because no two readers are the same. I might love a book that you hate, and vice versa. Off on a tangent, this is why I also talk about books I don’t enjoy, because getting a better sense of my likes and dislikes can only give my recommendations more weight. But when everyone else is in agreement about something, you can’t help but feel you’re missing out. The danger is not that we make books out to be something other than what they are. The danger is that we build expectations too high. And when we find a book we love, that we want to tell the world about, I honestly don’t know if that can be avoided. I just hope others don’t encounter the same pitfalls that I did.

Did you enjoy this book? If so, you may also like: Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus , by Isaac Asimov Mars , by Ben Bova Cold Welcome , by Elizabeth Moon

2 responses to “BOOK REVIEW: The Last Watch, by J. S. Dewes”

[…] Hold up, this is a sequel! Find my review of the previous book by clicking on this link. […]

[…] The Last Watch and The Exiled Fleet, both by J.S. Dewes […]

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Welcome to My Life

Review: the last watch.

Our universe is expanding, and there exist three possible states of universal growth. The first, and most likely, is that the universe will continue to expand forever to its heat death. The second is that whatever force is causing the universe to expand will reach equilibrium with gravity, and the universe will reach a stable size. The final is that gravity will eventually overpower the expansion force, and the universe will begin to contract. This is known as the big crunch. In The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes , the universe has reached equilibrium and is neither expanding nor contracting. This gives the universe an edge, an end point, and who better to stick there than the misfit soldiers and the occasional misbehaving prince. Soon, that lovely edge begins to move inward, destroying anything and everything in it’s path, including the ship set to guard the edge against humanity’s ancient foe, the Viator. Can Commander Adequin Rake protect her crew from the universe itself?

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Any opinion that follows is mine and mine alone.

J.S. Dewes impressive debut, The Last Watch , had me staying up late wanting to read just one more page from beginning to end. The Last Watch feature big ideas, kick-ass characters, and an environmental collapse; you have to try to not be interested in this book. Highly recommended!

From the Publisher

The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes’s fast-paced, sci-fi adventure The Last Watch , where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation.

Review: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes

The Last Watch starts off with the intake processing of Cavalon Mercer, who, though not a soldier, got himself stationed at the edge of the universe. Cavalon gets thrust into an important role quickly because of his studies. As an idle royal, Cavalon spent his time pursuing advanced degrees, which sounds heavenly to me. He soon meets Excubitor Adequin Rake, commander of the Argus , hero of humanity, and legendary Titan. For her sins, she got promoted to babysit misfits at the edge of the universe after the war with the deadly Viator ended. The Argus is ancient and falling apart. It’s also humanity’s first line of defense if the Viator return. In reality, it’s a place to stash the soldiers that the military doesn’t want. Cavalon nuked his grandfather’s genetic labs, which was enough to get exiled from the family and sent to the Divide. As the edge of the universe begins to collapse, Rake has to deal with losing the people under her command without help from the inner systems. Along the way, she also has to tame the petulant Cavalon in order to use his knowledge and talents to save as many as possible.

As soon as I read about this book on Edelweiss, I knew I wanted it. Once I saw that beautiful cover, my interest grew. The Last Watch blew away all my expectations. I don’t often enjoy natural disaster novels, but I loved The Last Watch . This novel is built on BIG ideas, but the focus remains on the characters and their decisions. Cavalon starts out a jerk who thinks the world is against him, and what he needs is Rake. She challenges him to be better and gives him structure. Since he hasn’t been through the same basic training as the other soldiers, his inexperience in space and high pressure situations degrade his expertise. Rake, burdened by her own secrets, acts more as a babysitter for the misfits on the Argus than a commander, and this suits her just fine. As the collapse begins, she tries to push off her leadership duties as soldiers under her command lose their lives. I loved both of these characters journeys towards being better people. Cavalon struggles to learn how to perform and live up to expectations from someone he respects, and Rake must adjust her leadership style to save her people.

Humanity’s enemy doesn’t show up much in the novel, and when they did, it had all the more impact. Instead, we get to see the two species that were the Viator geneticists attempt to cross themselves with humans. The Savants got intellect, grace, and an appearance that is alien yet not frightening. The Drudgers, however, look more like Viators than humans, and they were created to be front line warriors. They’re large, strong, and nearly impervious.

That said, when we do see the Drudgers, they’re not quite as frightening as they’re supposed to be. The humans deal with them relatively easy yet not without taking damage. I hope we get to see more of them in the next books; I want to see more of why they’re so feared.

The politics of the Divide aren’t front and center, but if you pay attention, the hints are quite interesting. Cavalon is a prince, who notes that his grandfather is the power behind the throne. I’m interested in seeing more of how the politics work. Cavalon’s grandfather leans heavily toward the fascistic side of the political spectrum. Is this just his world? Or are the many worlds of humanity ruled by monarchs? In this high tech age, has humanity reduced itself to feudalism?

Space Well Done

Dewes nailed the mechanics of space and how novices would react to being surrounded by it. There’s a scene where Rake and Cavalon have to go outside a ship to fix it. Rake is a veteran of space operations, but Cavalon has never been outside a ship in the hard vacuum. The stark difference between how they move and how they react rang true to me. For example, Cavalon drops a screw and reaches down to pick it up. But in space, you don’t drop anything as there’s no gravity. The screw will stay where you release it (assuming you’re not moving), but Cavalon reacts as he would in full gravity by bending over to pick up the screw. This is a terrible idea, and he upsets the balance of forces, requiring a rescue. I won’t say more, but I loved this minor scene.

As an aerospace engineer, reading about space involves a lot of suspension of disbelief in SF novels. Modern SF novels have much better depictions of space, but I can’t remember reading a description of space that made me as claustrophobic as Dewes wrote in the above scene. I loved it. The vastness of space is difficult to imagine because so much of our experience involves gravity. Dewes does a great, great job describing what I believe what working in space is like.

The Environment at the Edge of the Universe

The Last Watch features the collapse of the environment in a much more literal way than what we are facing with climate change. But the humans in the story react similarly. When they learn what is happening, they deny it. This creates a delay, and lives are lost because of the delay. This perfectly encapsulates how many people treat climate change. They won’t acknowledge the truth until they have no choice. I think this is well done and not – repeat, not – didactic.

One of the coolest features in the book takes place near the edge of the universe. The high amount of gravity along the divide creates ripples in time. They’re cool and weird. It was a wonderful addition to an odd concept of the edge of the universe.

J.S. Dewes’s The Last Watch is a fantastic debut novel. Big ideas, great characters, and universal collapse make for a fun, fast read. I’m ready for the sequel, and I’m confident that Dewes has a great story to tell. I had high expectations for The Last Watch ; it was my most anticipated debut novel for the year. This disaster novel delivered on…well, everything. I can’t wait to see where the Divide series takes me.

The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes is available from Tor Books on April 20 th , 2021.

9 out of 10!

Book details

The Last Watch

The Divide Series (Volume 1)

Author: J. S. Dewes

CHAPTER ONE “Spread your legs and bend over.” Cavalon’s face flushed. Actually flushed. Embarrassing Cavalon Mercer was a feat few could boast. He was a little impressed. He looked over his shoulder to grin at the guard, but the sour-faced man narrowed his eyes and jabbed Cavalon’s hip with his shock baton. A jolt of electricity shot along the nerves of his leg. “Spread ’em, soldier.” Cavalon’s smirk faded into a scowl. He complied, spreading his legs and leaning against the wall in front of him. He flinched at the snap of a rubber glove. “If we’re gonna do this—agh!” Apparently they were going to do it, right-the-fuck now. Cavalon squirmed, pressing his cheek into the cold aerasteel wall as the guard reached higher. “I mean, if we’re going to be intimate ,” he managed, “you could at least tell me your name.” “Bray.” “Pleased to—ugh—meet you, Bray.” “Does talking make this better for you?” Bray jeered. Another guard snickered from behind a terminal in the corner of the room. Cavalon pressed his forehead against the wall and closed his eyes. “No.” Twenty hellishly uncomfortable seconds later, Bray removed his fingers and pulled off the glove. “He’s clear, Rivas.” “Was that strictly necessary?” Cavalon grumbled. Rivas stepped out from behind the intake desk, Cavalon’s underwear in hand. “We like to be thorough.” “Clearly.” Cavalon snatched his boxers from the smug man’s grip and pulled them on. If this was what life aboard the SCS Argus was going to be like, he was already over it. Rivas returned to his terminal in the corner of the cramped intake chamber, lit only by a few narrow strips of recessed lights running vertically up the aerasteel walls. The holographic displays above the desk cast a dim blue aura across Rivas as he flicked through files. He stopped on a glowing icon and swept it open. “Full name Cavalon Augustus Mercer the Second. Confirm.” “That’s me.” “Service number sigma 6454–19. Confirm.” Cavalon thumbed the pair of newly minted, absurdly antiquated, etched metal and glass identification tags around his neck. “Uh, sounds right.” “Your bioscan determined a biological age of thirty-four standard years. Confirm.” Cavalon narrowed his eyes. “I’m twenty-seven.” “Soldier is advised that biological age factors in degradation of physical form due to environmental factors including injury, wear-and-tear, use of narcotics—” “Yeah, I get it,” Cavalon sighed. “Sure, confirmed.” “Offenses listed as…” Rivas exchanged a quick look with Bray, then raised an eyebrow at Cavalon. “Redacted?” A wave of relief washed over him, and he forced a grin. “Definitely confirmed.” Rivas shook his head and swiped the screen. It flashed green, then a shrill, artificial female voice rang from speakers. “Identity confirmed. Please proceed to the next intake chamber.” A door in the sleek silver wall slid open, and Bray invited Cavalon forward with a condescending smile and a sweep of his arm. Cavalon drew back his shoulders and marched toward the door. “Hold up.” Bray grabbed Cavalon by the shoulder and pulled him back. “You’ve got Imprints.” Cavalon twisted his right arm to angle his tricep at Bray. The gold and bronze squares of the Imprint tattoos running from shoulder to wrist rearranged with the flexing of muscle, glinting as they caught the light. “Just noticed that, huh?” Cavalon said. “You were too busy checking out my—” “Shut it.” Bray turned to Rivas. “Rivas—Imprints.” “Yeah, yeah. I heard you.” Rivas detached a tablet from the top of the console and walked around the desk. He swiped the screen and a flood of neon-blue text poured into the air above it, the lines blurring together as the words sped by. He took a deep breath. “The System Collective Legion acknowledges that preexisting Imprints cannot be removed at risk of death. However, measures will be taken to counteract inappropriate use of preexisting Imprints, by whatever means deemed necessary by your commanding officer or the excubitor.” The holographic display above the tablet disappeared, and the outline of a small box materialized alongside a rather unfortunate mugshot of Cavalon. “Do you understand?” Rivas asked. Cavalon scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah? I guess.” “Sign to acknowledge.” Cavalon pressed his thumb to the tablet. The screen flashed and his fingerprint faded away as more blue text flooded the air above the tablet, disappearing off the top too quickly to be read. Rivas cleared his throat and continued. “You will be receiving a second set of Imprints per your intake aboard the SCS Argus . The System Collective Legion is not responsible for any adverse reaction you may have to an additional installation of Imprints. For the soldier’s comfort and safety, it is advised that the soldier not attempt to utilize the functions of preexisting Imprints, at risk of volatile interfacing, which may include injury or death.” Cavalon eyed the waiver warily. “That sounds … bad.” He’d only ever heard of half-breeds getting more than one set of Imprints, and never with any kind of stable outcome. “Do you understand?” Rivas prompted. “What would you do if I said no?” Cavalon asked. “Do I get to go home?” Rivas’s jaw flexed, and from the corner of his eye, Cavalon caught a glimpse of Bray’s hand hovering over his shock baton. Cavalon sighed. It wasn’t worth it. Not yet, at least. “Okay, fine. I understand—no unsanctioned Imprint shenanigans.” “Sign to acknowledge.” He pressed his thumb against the screen again and the tablet accepted it. Bray grabbed Cavalon’s arm and dragged him into the next room. In stark contrast to the mood lighting in the violation chamber, this room seemed to be made of light. Walls of frosted glass showcased banks of white that bathed the entire chamber in an otherworldly glow. Cavalon shielded his eyes with his free hand as the door whizzed shut behind them. In the center of the room sat a narrow counter, glowing from within, much like the walls. A silver box was suspended from the ceiling above the counter, and a series of articulated arms hung lifelessly beneath it. An icy chill ran over Cavalon’s bare skin and he shuddered. He’d always found Viator tech wholly unnerving. There was something off-putting about utilizing technology created by a species that had all but wiped out your own, even if the war had ended centuries ago. Though clearly a secondhand appropriation of the original tech, this apparatus too closely resembled the real thing—like the one from which Cavalon had received his current Imprints on his eighteenth birthday. The same day he’d been forced to acknowledge his role as the Mercer heir, and the same day he’d vowed to find a way to escape his fate. He supposed getting shipped off to the Sentinels qualified as success in that regard, though certainly not the outcome he’d hoped for. He glanced at Bray, who swept his hand toward the machine in invitation. Cavalon ground his teeth. His first Imprint experience had been borderline-blackout painful. Wringing his hands, he shuffled forward, sucking in a long breath and letting it out through his teeth. He sat on the stool in front of the machine and a panel slid open, revealing a clamp recessed beneath the glowing glass counter. The computer’s voice returned. “Please place arm in the Imprint chamber.” Cavalon eyed the gold and bronze squares on his right arm, then shifted and laid his left into the clamp. Cold metal closed around his forearm and the machine whirred to life, buzzing and clicking. A series of thin red beams shone from each of the articulated limbs, and they positioned themselves noisily until the lasers lined up with their reference points. “Please hold still during the Imprint process,” the computer said. White-hot beams shot into Cavalon’s arm and searing pain engulfed his senses. He gritted his teeth and withheld a groan as the lasers danced across his skin, burning and smoldering until his arm felt like it’d caught fire. Just as he started to think it might be a good time to pass out, the heat from the lasers dissipated along with the radiating light. His jaw slackened, teeth aching from prolonged clenching. Dozens of polished obsidian squares lay across the irritated, bright pink skin on his forearm. He opened and closed his fist as the new Imprint tattoos folded and unfolded of their own accord. They hummed as they streamed past his elbow and up his bicep. He twisted his arm to glance at his first set of Imprints. The gold and bronze squares lay dormant in their default arrangement—a tidy series of lines that ran from wrist to shoulder. These new Imprints crawled up his skin and fell into formation in a latticed grid on his left tricep, with a single dotted line of black squares trailing to his wrist. “Imprint application complete,” the computer chirped. “Control protocols updated.” Cavalon gulped. Control protocols? He ran his fingers along the new markings, then took a breath and tried to access them, call out to them and command them like he could his royal Imprints. But they didn’t stir. They might have looked similar in appearance, but they were something else entirely. His stomach knotted. Having a set of Imprints he couldn’t control disconcerted him, to say the least. Who knew what these things could do to him? “Come on, tough guy.” Bray gripped Cavalon’s shoulder and lifted him from the stool. Cavalon followed numbly, flexing his sore arm and scratching the irritated skin. Inside the next small room, Bray pressed his thumb into a screen and a panel in the wall opened, revealing a pile of navy-blue clothing and a pair of black boots. Bray grabbed the stack and shoved it at Cavalon. “Suit up. Boss is incoming.” A door on the opposite wall slid open, and Bray left. Cavalon called after him, “I thought we’d already moved past respecting each other’s privacy…” The door slid shut, leaving him alone in the changing room. Copyright © 2021 by J. S. Dewes

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The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes's fast-paced, sci-fi adventure The Last Watch , the first book in the Divide series, where a handful of soldiers...

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The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes's fast-paced, sci-fi adventure The Last Watch , the first book in the Divide series, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation. Goodreads Most Popular Sci-Fi Novels of the Past 3 Years Space.com—Best Sci-fi Books 2022 New York Public Library—Best Science Fiction 2021 Business Insider —Best Science Fiction 2021 Polygon — Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2021 Amazon—Best Science Fiction 2021 FanFiAddict—Lord TBR's Best of 2021 Best SciFi Books—Best of 2021 P. S. Hoffman—Best of 2021 10 Best Books Like Foundation— ScreenRant 20 Must Read Space Fantasy Books for 2021— Bookriot Most Anticipated Book for April 2021: Bookish Nerd Daily Geek Tyrant SFF 180 Amazon Best of the Month April 2021 The Divide. It’s the edge of the universe. Now it’s collapsing—and taking everyone and everything with it. The only ones who can stop it are the Sentinels—the recruits, exiles, and court-martialed dregs of the military. At the Divide, Adequin Rake commands the Argus. She has no resources, no comms—nothing, except for the soldiers that no one wanted. Her ace in the hole could be Cavalon Mercer--genius, asshole, and exiled prince who nuked his grandfather's genetic facility for “reasons.” She knows they’re humanity's last chance. The Divide series The Last Watch The Exiled Fleet

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Praise for The Last Watch “ One of the most stunning sci-fi series debuts of recent years . Fans of the genre—and particularly those already mourning the end of The Expanse series later this year—don’t want to miss out on this nail-biting space epic.”— Vulture “Dewes’s debut is an exciting, fast-paced ride around the edges of the universe , where those rejected by much of humanity are the only ones who can save it. Fans of K. B. Wagers’s ‘Farian Wars’ series and John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War will welcome this military science fiction thriller.” — Library Journal , starred review “ The Last Watch is a bravura debut that blends great action with compelling characters, lighting up this new series like a dark matter generator.” — Booklist " Gripping space opera debut." — Publishers Weekly “ The Last Watch is my pick for science fiction debut of the year. Dewes has written a masterwork space opera that needs to be on bookshelves world-wide. Epic, character-driven sci-fi goodness that is the cure for your Expanse hangover .”— FanFi Addict “ A high-energy thrill ride at the edge of space featuring a crew of miscreants racing against time aboard an ancient spaceship. A great concept with an even better execution , this is a sci-fi space opera for readers looking to dial up the excitement.”— Bookpage (starred review) “ An epic tale of survival at the end of the universe.” —Megan E. O'Keefe, author of Velocity Weapon “Crisp writing, vivid characters, and a plot that beguiles the imagination. The Last Watch is a stunning military sci-fi debut. I was hooked from the opening lines. If you like science fiction, then this book is definitely for you.” —Jasper T. Scott, USA Today Bestselling Author “ The Last Watch is an amazing debut . The smart world-building and explode-off-the page action scenes make it perfect for fans of The Expanse and other fast-paced Sci Fi. I predict that Dewes is going to be a 'must read' author for years to come .” —Michael Mammay, author of Planetside “ More fun than that time The Expendables, the Dirty Dozen and all of The Night’s Watch all got picked up by a random quantum tear in the fabric of spacetime and shot out the edge of the universe to kick ass and save humanity.” —John Birmingham, author of the Axis of Time trilogy “Take the action of Marko Kloos' Frontlines novels, mix in the intricate world building of Game of Thrones or Warhammer 40,000 , and light the fuse . . . . Bursting with snappy dialogue and detail and furious with action , you’ll want to catch your breath when it’s over, and then you’ll want more . Bring it on.” —Dayton Ward, bestselling author “ A scary edge-of-reality setup , cool martial-arts tattoos, interesting time anomalies, and OMG! The Universe is contracting!? Clear your schedule, because once you've gotten on this roller coaster, you're not going to want to get off until you've ridden it to the end .” —Emily Devenport, author of Medusa Uploaded “ The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes is as spectacular a science fiction story as one is going to find . From a plot that is full of drama to amazing characters that are relatable and interesting, all over a backdrop of a futuristic space setting, The Last Watch is nearly flawless. ” — FanFi Addict “ The Last Watch has it all! Risky orbital maneuvers! Knife fights with grotesque aliens! Mysterious ancient artifacts! Secret royalty! Tragic backstories! It's classic military space opera with a touch of the cosmic.” —David Levine, winner of the Andre Norton Award for Arabella of Mars “J.S. Dewes' impressive debut...features big ideas, kick-ass characters, and an environmental collapse; you have to try to not be interested in this book. Highly recommended!” — Primmlife

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Book Review: The Last Watch

The Last Watch by JS Dewes

Two hundred years after humanity defeated the evil alien Viators after a thousand-years’ war, the Viators return. But it’s been five years, and the hero of the war, Adequin Rake, is cooling her heels on at the edge of the universe, stuck in a deconstructed battle cruiser at the Divide, watching for the return of her enemies. It’s a boring job, but someone has to do it—and it’s going the same as usual until a new Sentinel soldier arrives, and the Divide begins to do some wonky shit. Soon everyone’s life is in danger, and it’s up to Rake—and Cavalon—to save the universe.

Okay. I don’t even know to sum up my thoughts on this one.

There was a lot of potential, and the individual parts were all there to make this shine, but in the end it was a bit of a mess. The parts came together eventually, but not enough to salvage the whole. It was just…messy.

As is my review.

It felt like I was reading fanfic written by an enthusiastic writer in their early career. I mean that in the nicest possible way, because I love fanfiction and I love fanfiction writers. The beats were all there —the emotions, the banter, the relationships, the world-building, but everything felt scrambled together and haphazardly rearranged. As such, everything failed to hit right. It felt…off. To the point where I felt I like I read a different book than everyone else.

Particularly the world-building hit not so great. There are a lot of terms thrown about, and normally I’m okay with that early on in the book because I expect details to unravel later, but when the definitions and explanations did come, it was well after the necessary time. There’s a lot of unpack in this world—mega corporations, clones, aliens, genetics, physics, the Divide, the military and its relationships with people, being a ship captain (whatever that meant??? It seemed Rake’s inabilities were all part of her mind????), a romance, space battles, lots of zipping to and fro from places, time ripples, etc., etc., etc., there was a lot and it felt like things were popped out there without elaboration or explanation or connection, and while I don’t like things spoonfed to me, I like a little more connective tissue between the threads, particularly when I can see what the author is trying to do but it’s just not entirely coming together.

Additionally, the relationships failed with me. Cavalon is the quirky, smart-but-fuckup prince sent to the Divide to shape the fuck up (but really sent for other reasons). Adequin Rake is the stand-up military hero filled with conviction and boredom and angst over not doing enough as a leader. Their relationship felt forced the entire time (they are not romantic), and the secondary characters all felt like names on a page instead of actual people, including my favorites—Jackin and Puck. I felt nothing for Adequin’s relationship with what’s-his-face, because it was a haphazard mix of tell vs show, and he was basically a hot, older name on the page instead of a person who felt real.

One of the things I did like is that the book addresses a lot of misconceptions about dying in a vacuum and operating in space. So bonus points for that (although not so sure about the whole concept of a line of parked cruisers at the edge of the universe—that was something that I just couldn’t wrap my head around).

I probably would have been able to overlook a lot of the failures in character development and world-building—and even the very uneven pacing of this book—except it was so…so.

Okay, how do I even start this?

Well, the book starts off with Cavalon getting anally probed in a search for contraband. Like, he’s literally bending over, making a joke about it, and then oops there’re the fingers. He’s joking about it to disperse some of his awkwardness and discomfort in the entire situation, but still.

The tone is jovial but the subject matter is—well. It’s a man getting anally probed. It’s a prison rape joke, perpetuated with the guard/prisoner dynamic. It’s played off as all well and standard, but again, there’s the joke aspect underlying what happened. I just—it hit me wrong. I might be misreading it, but again, if it had been approached a little better instead of this weird tonally funny vibe, I might have been okay? But it just felt like the entire situation was approached as a joke, and I wondered why the hell this was literally the first scene in the book—or hell, why it was included at all. It added nothing to Cavalon’s character, nothing to the story line, it sure as fuck wasn’t funny (prison rape jokes never are, and neither are military processing “examination” jokes) or handled well.

Plus, there’s another scene were Adequin and Cavalon are trying to make a repair outside the station because only those two can do it, and they tell a story to get Cavalon’s mind off the dangers of space walking and being outside in a vacuum. Adequin’s story is how she joined the military as a sixteen year old (and lied about her age to the recruiter), and Cavalon jokes about her seducing the recruiter/the recruiter taking advantage of this young “seductress.”

Jokes about statutory rape are never cool, and it really grates when folks joke about recruiters taking advantage of poolees (or the idea of the jailbait seductress taking advantage of the poor, older man who is actually in the position of power in this situation), because these are both very serious issues, and are things that run rampant in the military today. Granted, it turns out (much later) that Adequin’s recruiter actually had integrity and put a quick stop to her flirting, but it was still written in a way that diminished the very real impact of that action.

Perhaps both these scenes hit me because I was in the military and things like this affected me personally. For example, after I was commissioned, a fellow second lieutenant asked me if the sergeant instructors took away the buffer of our rifles (ngl they legit look like vibrators but also ew ) because he’d heard that the female OCS candidates would masturbate with them in our squad bays at night . (Also the whole anal probing thing to make sure you didn’t have anything inside you doesn’t happen in the military?? Maybe in prison, which is kind of what the Divide duty station is, but still—I feel like it should have been written differently or kept out—and maybe it is kept out in the final version).

Secondly, you wouldn’t believe the number of people who have asked me if I did something inappropriate with my recruiter (firm no), or the number of Marines I have known who were physically assaulted or harassed by their recruiter taking advantage of these young people—and you wouldn’t imagine the kinds of jokes you hear about it. Recruiters having sex with their poolees is a fucking punchline, and it’s an awful stereotype women in the military endure. Seeing it here—with an underaged kid flirting with a recruiter to get what she wants—set up as a joke/trivial story and kinda played off as not a big deal (it was addressed later, to an extent, but the damage was done, and they didn’t really address the underaged aspect or the power differentials), was really annoying.

Anywho, so while the pacing is uneven, the character development is kinda all over the place, and the world-building is messy, I really just had a hard time with the tone of this. And especially with those two scenes (there were a couple others that felt the same to me, but I didn’t include them).

I feel that it tried to do too much and didn’t provide enough connective tissue to hold everything together, and that it really needed some sensitivity readers to handle the subjects that might not seem sensitive or touchy, but totally were.

So long story short—it was messy.

I can 100% see the appeal—plucky cast of outcasts banding together to save the universe in space—and I even kept reading to see if it would get better and hit the pitches it was swinging at, but the execution was just a big no for me. There were a lot of balls being thrown (to continue my shitty baseball analogy) but not hits.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

The Last Watch releases April 20, 2021 from Tor.

Published by laurel • the suspected bibliophile

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This review was wonderful. Thank you for this 💕

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Book Review: The Last Watch

This is Dewes' fantastic debut novel about space, politics, and unknowable existence-ending eternal temporal torment. In fact, that last detail is my favorite part about the book. Not only is it an extremely interesting and unique concept for an antagonist, it is also a great antagonist. It is something that can be understood by the reader, but can't reasonably be understood by the reader. It in itself is a paradox that works as possibly my favorite antagonist this year. Again, it is simply the greatest unique idea I have read in a long time. I picked this book because I also loved Dewes' novel "Rubicon", so I looked for more books by the author. I honestly can't pinpoint a criticism that I have with this book. This book had just enough surprises where I was absolutely entertained, but I could still keep track of what was happening and which characters stood for what. I could relate to Adequin in her feeling of being inadequate (and actually being inadequate) for her assigned position. This book is a strong contender for being the greatest book that I have read this year.

Reviewer Grade: 11

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The Last Watch (The Divide, #1) by J.S. Dewes
The Last Watch (The Divide, #1) by J.S. Dewes
REVIEW: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
REVIEW: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes. The Last Watch is the debut novel from author, cinematographer, and video editor J.S. Dewes and is the first book in a new series called, The Divide. It tells the story of the crew of The Argus, a spaceship at the edge of the universe, part of a fleet of Sentinels standing guard against the inevitable ...
Book Review: The Last Watch (The Divide, #1) by J.S. Dewes
The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes. My rating: 3 of 5 stars. Series: The Divide (Book #1 of 2) Genre: Science fiction, space opera. Pages: 472 pages (Kindle edition) Published: 20th April 2021 by Tor Books. The Last Watch was good, but I believe it would work better as a movie than a novel. The Divide, it's the edge of the universe, and it's ...
Book Review: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own. The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes. Mogsy's Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars. Genre: Science Fiction. Series: Book 1 of The Divide. Publisher: Paperback: Tor | Audiobook: Macmillan Audio (April 20, 2021) Length: 480 pages | 16 hrs and 30 mins.
THE LAST WATCH by J.S. Dewes
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes. Series: The Divide #1. Published by Tor Books on April 20 2021. Genres: Adult, Science fiction. Pages: 480. Format: ARC. Source: Publisher. Buy on Amazon.
The Last Watch (The Divide #1)
The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes' fast-paced, sf adventure The Last Watch, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation. The Divide. It's the edge of the universe. Now it's collapsing—and taking everyone and everything with it. The only ones who can stop it are the Sentinels—the recruits, exiles, and court-martialed dregs of the military. At the ...
The Last Watch: A Novel of the Divide
The marketing material for THE LAST WATCH calls it a mix of The Expanse and Game of Thrones. I didn't quite get that comparison, though there are some parallels. It felt more like a modernized version of "Star Trek" meets TREASURE ISLAND. Most of the time, the book doesn't take itself too seriously, with pale stakes at the beginning.
The Last Watch (The Divide Series Book 1)
The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes's fast-paced, sci-fi adventure The Last Watch, the first book in the Divide series, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation. Goodreads Most Popular Sci-Fi Novels of the Past 3 Years Space.com—Best Sci-fi Books 2022 New York Public Library—Best Science Fiction 2021 Business Insider —Best Science Fiction 2021 ...
Review: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
The Last Watch is a fast-paced and thrilling space adventure that is full of heart and excitement at every corner.This was a hugely enjoyable . The story kicks off when Cavalon Mercer is sent to the Argus, a spaceship commanded by Adequin Rake, set essentially at the edge of the galaxy near what's known as the Divide.The Divide, however, has started to collapse, which would quite literally ...
The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
Published: April 20, 2021 Publisher: Tor Books Series: The Divide #1 Genre: Science Fiction Pages: 480 (Paperback) My Rating: 4.0/5.0 Synopsis: The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes' fast-paced, sf adventure The Last Watch, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation.The Divide.It's the edge of the universe.Now it's collapsing—and taking…
Past Lives: A Review of The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
Nor is it the typical space-war battle saga. "The Last Watch" is a well-constructed tale of how life, after decades of war with a different species, affects individuals and society. A royal prince, an overly educated heir to a vast sociopolitical-industrial complex spread across a galaxy, is exiled, owing to a feud with his grandfather, to ...
BOOK REVIEW: The Last Watch, by J. S. Dewes
Last year something very interesting happened. A book swept across blogs, garnering high praise from just about everywhere. 'Book of the Year,' they said. 'The best debut in years,' it was claimed. That book was, as you may have guessed by now, The Last Watch, the debut novel of J. S. Dewes. Such was it's reputation that, despite the ...
The Last Watch: The Divide Series, Book 1
"Both readers are brilliant and nail the characterization in a way that instantly connects them to the listener. Everything here is top-notch." (Booklist, starred review)The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes' fast-paced sci-fi adventure The Last Watch, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation.. The Divide.
The Last Watch (The Divide Series Book 1)
The Last Watch was PERFECT. First: I loved the story. "The Expanse meets Game of Thrones" (specifically The Night's Watch part of it) is pretty accurate and I loved that. But the characters are what really won me over. This book has one heck of a page one and it continues that hilarious attitude throughout the whole story.
Book Marks reviews of The Last Watch by J S Dewes
Dewes' voice is playful and easy to follow. It's nice to read a debut novel that's down to earth in its approach to prose; though pulpy and quick at times, it's never overly romantic or chaotic. In some ways, the voice reflects the book's main characters. Like Cavalon, it grows and evolves as the story becomes deeper in nature ...
Review: The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
J .S. Dewes's The Last Watch is a fantastic debut novel. Big ideas, great characters, and universal collapse make for a fun, fast read. I'm ready for the sequel, and I'm confident that Dewes has a great story to tell. I had high expectations for The Last Watch; it was my most anticipated debut novel for the year.
Last Watch (The Divide Series, 1)
Amazon.com: Last Watch (The Divide Series, 1)
The Last Watch
The Last Watch
The Last Watch: The Divide Series, Book 1
In The Last Watch, author J.S. Dewes tells the story of a reluctant ship captain riddled with guilt and a newcomer to her crew, a member of the royal family who has screwed up royally (my only pun, I swear!), as they face a threat of literally universal proportions.
Book Review: The Last Watch
The Last Watch by JS Dewes 🌺🌺/5 Two hundred years after humanity defeated the evil alien Viators after a thousand-years' war, the Viators return. But it's been five years, and the hero of the war, Adequin Rake, is cooling her heels on at the edge of the universe, stuck in a deconstructed battle cruiser at…
All Book Marks reviews for The Last Watch by J S Dewes
A positive rating based on 5 book reviews for The Last Watch by J S Dewes. Features; New Books ... About Book Marks. Features. New Books. Biggest New Books. Fiction. Non-Fiction. All Categories. The Last Watch J S Dewes ... prose; though pulpy and quick at times, it's never overly romantic or chaotic. In some ways, the voice reflects the book ...
Book Review: The Last Watch
Book Review: The Last Watch. Menu: Tabs: Book Reviews. Review a Book; All Reviews; Staff Reviews; Adult Reviews; Teen Reviews; Kid Reviews; Award Books; More; Image. Title of Book ... that last detail is my favorite part about the book. Not only is it an extremely interesting and unique concept for an antagonist, it is also a great antagonist ...
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Last Watch (The Divide Series Book 1)
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Last Watch (The Divide Series Book 1) at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users.

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