Along The Watchtower by David Litwack Book Spotlight

Book Description:
A Tragic Warrior Lost in Two Worlds…

The war in Iraq ended for Lieutenant Freddie Williams when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once he was a skilled gamer and expert in virtual warfare.  Now he’s a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he’s inhabiting two separate realities.  The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse—and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic that Freddie enters when he sleeps.

In his dreams he is Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde.  His only solace awaits him in the royal gardens, where the gentle words of the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, calm the storms in his soul. While in the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission—a journey along a dark road haunted by demons of guilt and memory—and letting patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart may be his only way back from Hell. 

Review:

Lieutenant Freddie Williams awakens and knows immediately life will never be the same again.    In an IED explosion has left him in a medically induced coma and radiating pain when awoken.   While in his sleep though his whole world opens up as he becomes Prince Frederick who lives in a fantasy realm.   

As Freddie begins his road to recovery, it is not without hurdles and the parallels between his fantasy world and his life are filled with tribulations, healing, and  heartbreak.  He does find a comfort though along the way with Becky, his therapist who helps him deal with the after effects of war.

Powerful story, the fantasy aspect reminded me of Time Bandits a bit.  Not normally in my normally scope of book, but I was drawn in and the aftermath of the harsh realities of war were written with a brutal honesty.  Very well written and entertaining.

Publication Date: June 3, 2013 from Double Dragon Publishing
Book trailer: http://youtu.be/f1JMK-ukaPo
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/183Zk0w
Find the author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Book Trailer | Goodreads

Author Bio:

The urge to write first struck at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter’s editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic .

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day  throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process — and without prior plan — becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned.

There Comes a Prophet is his first novel in this new stage of life. His second book, Along the Watchtower, will be available June 2013. And The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky is nearing completion.

David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.