REVIEW: The Dawning of Power by Brian Rathbone

Series: World of Godsland #1-3
Genre: Fantasy
Pub Date: October 2008, White Wolf Press, LLC
Format: Trade Paperback, 696 pages
Source/FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was received and my opinions are my own.

Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war. In times such as these, ordinary people have the power to save the world . . . or destroy it.

MY THOUGHTS

First off, I'd like to thank Mr. Rathbone for sending me a copy of his book--I greatly enjoyed it! It seems rare to come across a synopsis that says so little about a book, but this is certainly one of those cases! To me it was a bit like Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Terry Brooks' Shannara series, and Paolini's Eragon saga rolled into one. In fact, there were two scenes that almost could have been taken from LOTR, though I don't hold that against Rathbone. This novel is actually comprised of three books, all of which take you to Godsland and reveal the story of Catrin Volker, revealed to be the Herald of Istra, and her companions and Guardians.

Catrin's story is truly incredible--she is a teenager when she discovers a power awakened within her and ultimately has to head on a journey to save all of Godsland. Rathbone's writing is captivating and draws you into the story immediately. At times I feel as if the characters' dialogue slips into something a bit too modern for the story and time being portrayed, but that only happens here and there. The level of detail with which Rathbone writes this epic adventure is very impressive. However, because there IS so much detail, not to mention so many places and characters, the story can be somewhat difficult to follow at times. There are multiple points of view, and at points in the chapters we would revisit some characters briefly, and occasionally I had to think hard to recall who they were and how they fit into the story.

Overall, though, I immensely enjoyed The Dawning of Power. Over the years I have become a huge Fantasy geek and this book was right up my alley. There is plenty of action with plot turns and twists to keep you driving onward to discover what happens next. I definitely became attached to many of the characters as I learned more about them and they played their part in the quest. I can't wait to read Rathbone's next book, and a part of me has to wonder if he won't continue Catrin's story at some point down the road. That door was certainly left open. I for one, would like to see that happen.

Other reviews of The Dawning of Power:

Cheryl's Book Nook