LOW TOWN by Daniel Polansky

Polansky is a deft, sensitive dramatist with the blackest sense of humor—and Low Town is brilliant proof. Here’s hoping that sequel comes quickly. Polansky has managed to craft an assured, roaring, and rollicking hybrid, a cross-genre free-for-all that relishes its tropes while spitting out their bones. And he does it all while spinning one hell of a gripping mystery. Much like its grim, perversely charismatic antihero, Low Town stakes a narrow turf—then completely owns every inch of it.
—A.V. Club (The Onion) (Jason Heller)

This debut by Maryland native Daniel Polansky is a fantasy-crime hybrid with serious noir chops. Gritty, cryptically funny and relentlessly inventive.
—Winnipeg Free Press

A maniacal page turner.—Newark Star Ledger

Low Town is a strong, confident debut that should go down well with readers who enjoy their fantasy on the noir side. It’s a novel you can enjoy for its atmosphere as well as its story, full as it is of well-drawn scenes from the city’s underbelly...Low Town delivers a fast, entertaining story in less pages than it takes some major epics to get out of the realm of basic exposition. I had a blast with Low Town, and I’m definitely keeping an eye out for whatever Daniel Polansky comes up with next.—Tor.com (Stefan Raets)

Mr. Polansky has clearly paid his noir dues, as shown by passages reminiscent of the abysmal squalor described in David Goodis’s novels and the wisecracking irony of Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe. Low Town is a great book to read in these times when we tech-obsessed readers complain of lacking focus, zipping around the Internet, and getting instant links and definitions for unknown terms. Reading Low Town requires the reader to build understanding in context, methodically piecing together the intriguing and complex puzzle. Read this novel for its dark, involving narrative; its mystery—both criminal and magical; as well as its unforgettable characters, settings, and action. You’ll definitely find it darkly rewarding.
—New York Journal of Books (Michael Lipkin)

Polansky hits all the right notes in his intelligent first novel, a blend of dystopian fantasy and hard-boiled crime…Sharp, noir-tinged dialogue and astute insights into class struggle mark Polansky as a writer with a future.—Publishers Weekly

A strong debut novel with a hero who doesn’t waste time worrying about the moral implications of cutting someone’s throat.—Kirkus Reviews

First novelist Polansky's Warden is a linear descendant of Philip Marlowe, a loner whose personal code requires that he see his quest through, living in a milieu of plagues, sorcerers, and trench wars fought with swords and crossbows. The magicians and sorcerers may scare off some hard-boiled crime fans. Their mistake, for the tale's setting is a wonderfully imagined cauldron of crime, made more engaging by Warden's world-weary, cynical commentary, hinting of a world much like our own. Low Town is a fine debut, and readers will want to see what Polansky does for an encore.
—Booklist (Thomas Gaughan)

Polansky deftly recombines fantasy and noir elements to create a pleasing cross-genre mystery, with enough unanswered questions left about the Warden’s past to make me hope this is the beginning of a series. In novels like these, narrative voice is paramount, and the Warden has a great voice. I hope to hear more from him.—Locus Magazine (Tim Pratt)

I loved Low Town. I loved the setting. I loved the characters. I loved the noir. And when the sequel is ready, I will love coming back to Low Town and continuing Warden’s tale... What impressed me the most about Low Town was the setting. Of the noir fantasy that I’ve read, the majority of them—urban fantasy novels in particular—take place in an alternate version of our world where magic and the paranormal are real. Not Low Town. Low Town is set in a fully realized secondary world. I also loved the tone of the book. A lot of authors have tried to emulate Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, but not everyone can pull it off. Daniel Polansky does so with ease, with the characters, story and milieu of Low Town all delightfully drenched in hard-boiled noir.
—Fantasy Book Critic (Robert Thompson)

When you think of Low Town, picture the Baltimore of The Wire: a city where the criminal subculture has evolved not just into a shadow economy, but a shadow society, flourishing under the surface of official "law and order." Polansky's imaginary city is richly layered in history and diverse cultures, but with obvious resonances to our world. Those similarities help to hook the reader into the story, which gradually turns into the type of noir narrative where everything and everyone is tainted by corruption, the elite even more so than the so-called underclasses. Polansky ties all these threads together with a steadfast commitment to the downbeat noir sensibility. Fantasy fans may be more likely than mystery fans to give Polansky's mashup a try, but both genres benefit from his carefully calibrated integration of their tropes and themes.
—Shelf Awareness (Ron Hogan)

Noir lovers you've found your new favorite series. Low Town is Polansky's debut, but it certainly doesn't feel like it as it's a very self assured first effort...a rough and tumble novel that keeps a quick pace and never loses its edge.
—Mad Hatter Review

After you’ve finished a book, sometimes all that you’re capable of is saying ‘bloody hell...’ over and over again. We’ve all read books like that. Well, Low Town was one of those books for me. What we’ve got here is another ‘detective in fantasyland’ novel but I can guarantee that Low Town knocks all the others into the shade with an easy confidence in its own ability to get down and dirty in the best possible way. I’ve still got a hell of a lot of books to get through this year but I think I’ve found my ‘Debut for 2011’ already. Low Town is brash, brutal and downright brilliant.—Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review

Brilliantly executed...as good a début as I've read in a long time. [The] complex plot unfolds in neat and tidy chapters populated by a beautifully rendered and very memorable supporting cast. And there is a wry and witty tone to the work that will delight fans of Joe Abercrombie, and with Warden's sharp tongue often as cutting as his blade, Polansky announces his presence as a serious contender in the marketplace. In short, Low Town has it all...Highly recommended.
—SFRevu (John Berlyne)

Polansky’s writing is confident and punchy from the offset. The action rips along at a brilliant pace allowing us to experience this gritty world through the eyes of a thrilling, dangerous, flawed, yet strangely endearing protagonist. This is modern, dark fantasy at its best and a debut to be envied.
—The British Fantasy Society (Elloise Hopkins)

It's a superb debut novel—the most exciting and original fantasy I've read for decades—absolutely stunning. I couldn't put it down! I can’t remember when I last enjoyed a fantasy book this much.—Books Monthly (Paul Norman)

Brilliant...a phenomenal first novel from a young American author with enough raw talent to make washed-up wretches of us all. With Low Town, Polansky steps straight up to the plate - and with such style! It is practically masterful.
—The Speculative Scotsman (Niall Alexander)

All in, I had a lot of fun reading this book and had a hard time putting it down, yet when you add the fact that this guy is a debut author into the mix, it is a title that shows a promising career ahead. I really can’t wait to see what the next book has in store and I hope that this hits with as much impact as this title deserves as it is a real gem and a title that I heartily recommend as one of my top five debuts of this year.
—Falcata Times

[An] assured and wonderfully stylistic debut...The strength of Low Town is Polansky's writing; he infuses the work with a poetic wit that is engaging. Often, I would pause to enjoy a marvelously composed turn of phrase. Unlike the majority of crime fiction which uses language economically, Polansky delights in words, in using vocabulary in a way that is fresh and unique in the genre. What makes Low Town a wonderful reading experience is how beautifully composed it is. It's special. And that shines through on each page. People will refer to certain authors as wordsmiths; Polansky deserves that classification. Polansky is an extremely talented writer, one who will always be readable because of the unique voice he brings to his work.—Blood of the Muse (Paul Stotts)

The darkest, most disturbing and unflinching fantasy novel focusing on the criminal underworld that I’ve read. This was definitely a unique fantasy read, and I would recommend this novel to people who like fantasy novels without alien races, and those who prefer a more adult story, or a crime fan who wants to foray into fantasy for the first time but is afraid it’s all going to be elves and dragons.
—Walker of Worlds (Steve Aryan)

Visual, sharp as a knife, and containing relentless prose, Low Town is a wonderful combination of urban magic and gutless noir that adopts the oils of the hardboiled milieu wholeheartedly.
—Literary Musings (Daniel Jeffrey Goodman)

I really, really enjoyed Low Town. There were none of the growing pains that are sometimes present in first novels. Daniel Polansky took our world, twisted it in on itself, steeped it in magic and set it loose. The effect is nothing short of dazzling.—My Bookish Ways

I give this novel a resounding 9 / 10 – it’s dark, brilliant, boundary-pushing, and unique, with incredible characters and a thought-provoking plot, and it doesn’t read like a debut at all. Daniel is definitely and assuredly a damned good writer and storyteller.—DaveBrendon’s Fantasy & Sci-Fi Weblog

Manages to combine fantasy elements with a hard-boiled crime story, without cheapening either genre. Like [George R. R.] Martin, Polansky wisely doesn’t overdo the magical aspects of his invented world. The book is fast paced, closer to classic noir novels than the more languidly paced stories typical in fantasy. The reader is shown enough of the world to be intrigued, but the flow of the book isn’t muddled with long explanations of everything in the background. The inhabitants of the novel accept their world as it is, and so do we. I assume this is intended to be the first of a new series, and I look forward to more visits to Low Town.—Dead in the South

I have been a huge fan of both Sin City (Frank Miller) and The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher... In my humble opinion the writing of Low Town stands out just as well as those and more. It was a real effort on my part not to devour this one in one sitting.—Writing Ex Libris (Travis Bingaman)

Is historical urban fantasy a thing? It might be soon, if copycats latch on to Daniel Polansky's excellent noir fantasy debut. Magic and murder combine in a gritty adventure that should surprise fantasy fans, even those familiar with the darker tones the genre has adopted over the past few years.—Stomping on Yeti

Author Daniel Polansky’s lifelong love of high fantasy and crime fiction shines through to great effect in Low Town and the absolute best element of this book, in my humble opinion, is the language he uses. It’s absolutely fantastic. Clearly Polansky not only has an impressive vocabulary but he is also highly skilled at using it. I would highly recommend Low Town to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers or high fantasy and I would particularly recommend it to anyone who likes both. It’s a well-constructed, well-executed novel with good pacing and a brilliant turn of phrase. A highly enjoyable read.
—Liberation Frequency

The best debut novel I've read all year.—Portmandia

Daniel Polansky’s Low Town is one of my favorite books so far this year.—Troll in the Corner

One of the better fantasy reads of the year.—Darkeva’s Dark Delights

It’s a murder mystery wrapped in a cloak of magic, warfare, and swords. Polansky can definitely write. Every page is an opportunity to enjoy his witty, dark prose.—Shlok Vaidya

Sharply written and a ton of fun. Really strong noir sensibilities and world building.—The Bookrageous Podcast

Along with the standard fantasy novel trappings of wise men and wizards-gone-wrong, there are also healthy sprinklings of Chandler and even Lovecraft, making this a novel that spans genres.—The Book Goat