The Soft Touch (A Low Town Novella), by Daniel Polansky
The Book
Synopsis:
Time passes
Kings fall
Low Town endures
Low Town is the worst slum in the Empire, where lives are sold on the penny. Once its heir apparent, Wren returns after fifteen years to a city in turmoil, the syndicates feuding and the city on the brink of rebellion. Drawn into a tangled web of intrigue and murder, Wren finds himself the pawn in a conspiracy threatening to drive the Empire to war.
But all is not as it seems. Because Wren was trained by the most brilliant crime lord that ever lived—and he's come back to Low Town to find him.
My Review
The Soft Touch is a new novella set in the Low Town universe created by Daniel Polansky, published by Grimdark Magazine. A story that takes us a few decades after the end of the trilogy (but it can be enjoyed as a standalone), showing us the return of Wren to the city of Rigus and how he will have to navigate the complex power equilibrium among local crime bosses and untangle a conspiracy that threatens to derail the truce between the Empire and the Dren, while searching for answers.
Wren is back to Rigus fifteen years after abandoning it, searching for answers about where his father (who was the most brilliant criminal leader of Low City); however, once he puts his feet on Low Town, he will find himself tangled with the crime bosses that are fighting for the control of the slum and drawn into a bigger conspiracy. A task that would be too much for others, but he was raised and trained by the very best; and we will see how he will navigate while painting an accurate portrait of Rigus without even losing the composure.
A story that is partially carried by how well written is Wren as a character; a man of multiple talents that would prefer to avoid violence, just use his wit to exert the soft power and keep the situation controlled, but even in the worst situations, we will see a man that won't lose the smile and the humour. Paired with him, Geraldine is another example of a well introduced character, a perfect complement to Wren, acting as a sort of guide, but also letting us guess that there's more behind the background she has revealed to Wren.
In general, the whole cast of this novella shines with its own light, showing Polansky's ability at crafting memorable characters that perfectly mimic the canvas they are on.
Polansky manages to quickly draw the reader into the setting with a really efficient writing style, painting the setting with a few strokes of the brush and letting the rest of the weight land in the dialogue, which always keeps a rather snappy touch.
The pacing was excellent, making this a fairly quick read, perfect if you want to jump in for a well-crafted adventure.
The Soft Touch is a great grimdark novella, perfect if you are a veteran of the Low Town trilogy or even if you prefer to have a first dive into Polansky's writing; if you are into the darker side of fantasy, you won't be disappointed!
