Dawn of Wonder

Instant Favorite

I can't say enough about this book! Before I even got halfway through this book I knew it would be one of my favorites. The thing that glues me to this book most is the character development. I felt emotionally attached to the main character Aedan, I found myself screaming out loud in some situations routing him on. Jonathan Renshaw has a natural ability to set up tension in a scene. One key thing that I really like is the fact that the character development feels very realistic and natural. It doesn't seem forced or stiff if that makes any sense. People react to situations as you could imagine they would in reality which is something I look for in a book. Some authors like to use coincidence far too much, to the point where it takes you out of the immersion. And some authors like to take the character to a knifes edge and then some miraculous event saves the day. Which is OK sometimes... That certainly doesn't always happen in this book. Sometimes the characters in this book have to go through some really rough things not always being saved at the last minute.
Jonathan Renshaw REALLY did allot of research for this book and you can tell. He goes into detail about the making of weapons and fighting techniques etc. I very much enjoyed these parts of the book. You can very much tell that the author was a school teacher before becoming an author and likely a very good one.
Another thing which stood out about this book is the solid morality which goes against so many adult fantasy books that are popular right now. Too many authors these days feel as though in order to make the world feel more real and the characters more believable you have to add questionable morality harsh language and obscene over the top sexual situations. This book proves that this is not the case. In fact, this is a book I will be reading with my children when they are a little older as there are allot of life lessons and virtues I want to teach them which I find scattered throughout this book.
In summary, this book is a must read for anyone who likes fantasy. I wish I could give more than 5 stars. One more thing of note Tim Gerard Reynolds did a spectacular job of bringing this story to life! What an amazing performance!

362 personnes sur 393 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

This is such a great book!!!

Just listened to it again, I've been waiting almost three years for the second...ugh but if Johnathan gives us another amazing story, I can be patient, it's just hard lol.
Love, adore, crave these characters!!! I was getting sad at chapter 34 knowing it was half way through.
This book is so awesome, I know I'll listen again before the second book comes out!!!
The narrator does a wonderful job, I wouldn't want anyone else, he's so good!!! I already have 5 books that he narrates and I'm getting more for sure!!!

168 personnes sur 187 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

Renshaw will go down as one of the greats!

Any additional comments?

Okay, this is truly something special! The writing is absolutely beautiful - a few steps above even the better modern novels in this genre. The amount of detail is superb - not overly drawn out, but wonderfully intricate.

The plot has a lot of depth/dynamics, and doesn't fall into the usual routines so many modern Fantasy novels are guilty of.

The characters are so easy to engage with, and most definitely NOT two dimensional and obvious - there is lots of depth/range in this department.

Perhaps the best part is that it's fresh. It follows in the footsteps of the greats, such as Tolkien and Jordan, but is easily distinguishable from them - and even manages to be distinct from the modern greats, such as Sanderson and Rothfuss.

If he keeps this up, Renshaw will easily be remembered as one of the greats of the genre.

And as always, Tim Gerard Reynolds brings an absolutely brilliant delivery, making it all the more amazing. SO glad this got properly matched with a narrator equal to the material!

Absolutely superb!!

241 personnes sur 276 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

Best book this year

Where does Dawn of Wonder rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This ranks among the top, not the top 10 but very high. I saw influences from many of the great writers of fantasy and the author managed to bring out the best in fantasy.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Peashoot (or how it is spelled), solid character with quick retorts.

Have you listened to any of Tim Gerard Reynolds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes I have and he is among the best. His performance in this was very good but the reason I don't give top grades is that I felt that the editing was sub par to his other works. Constantly the new sentences changed in volume and you noted that the author had taken a break. The flow was interrupted.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it was to long for that. A lot of smaller adventures over several story years made the main story a bit weak to hold interest for one sitting but no less important as character build is one of the most important bits to a great story.

Any additional comments?

Strongly recommend this story and look forward to the next. Readers should note that this story is a bit slower than other in the same genre but I felt that was refreshing.

10 personnes sur 11 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

This was an excellent fantasy coming of age story

Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw is the first novel in the series called The Awakening. This fantasy novel is set in the country of Thirna and it’s a coming of age and adventure story about a young boy, Aedan. When an officer rides into Aedan’s home of Mistyvales warning of coming slavers, Aedan is immediately suspicious. As events unfold, Aedan is forced to travel away from his small northern country town and finds a home in the large southern city of Castath, where he aspires to join the Academy and become an honorable marshal. He is thrown into a new life that he isn’t prepared for and must learn to contend with his demons as well as become adept at understanding and interacting safely with the world around him.

This was an excellent fantasy coming of age story. Each of the characters is filled out with a range of emotions and actions. Similarly, their interactions with one another are filled with amusement and feeling. I especially liked the boys and girls that Aedan interacts with at the academy. They turn out to be his solid footing when other things in his life are trying. Renshaw’s world building and character development are just incredible. There were many times during the listen that I actually laughed out loud! It is definitely a long book, but it lets the reader soak in every part of it with all the detail. The plot is dynamic and there are many highs and lows for Aedan and his companions, which keep it from getting boring with its length. I actually wanted it to keep going! The end is satisfyingly set up for the next novel, which I’m really looking forward to. One interesting part of the fantasy aspect was that it isn’t blatant. The world is slowly becoming more and more aware of strange mystical occurrences and vaguely speculating of their meaning. This magic wasn’t the centerpiece of the story, but something slowly coming more into focus, similarly to Aedan’s adulthood. As the series continues, I can see how it’ll become more important and I’m looking forward to learning more about the meaning of everything that was introduced in this first novel.

The narration by Tim Gerard Reynolds was excellent. He is incredible at voicing the different characters and delivered the amusing lines extremely well. I would definitely listen to another novel narrated by him. The production quality of the novel was good as well. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy coming of age stories with complex, in depth story lines.

Audiobook was provided for review by the publisher.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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190 personnes sur 225 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

Possibly the best Audible book ever!

Any additional comments?

I just finished Dawn of Wonder on Audible and I was extremely delighted with the book. The character building was detailed and meticulous from the start, which I appreciate. The main character Aedan was a delight. Mentally following Aedan from the Misty Vale to the Academy and beyond was captivating. His coming of age story and the difficulties he faces are magnificently portrayed within the book.

The story took a surprising turn about 25 hours in which for me was the highlight of the entire book. If I went farther I would risk being a spoiler. Let’s just say I will be purchasing and downloading book 2 in advance the minute it is available.

I was in awe of the care and skill that the author employed to maintain sexual and linguistic purity within the story. It is nice to listen to a book with creative writing that does not require an NC-17 rating. Humor and action are scattered throughout the book providing an excellent rhythm for the story.

I have already began recommending this book on audible to my family and friends. My brother and Father will be listening soon. This will be my Father’s 2nd book on Audible, the first was Ben Hur. I myself have listened to 81 Audible titles.

I place Dawn of Wonder at the top of my list in the fantasy/Adventure category.

This has been my first ever review, that tells you something about the quality of this Book. Spend the token, you will not regret it.


The only sad point for me is that the 2nd book is not out yet which means I have to wait ;(

141 personnes sur 172 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

Wonderful start to a great and realistic fantasy

Rarely does a book cause such an emotional high or low. I kept getting so angry at points in the story that I wanted to discuss it with others or just shout my frustration (which I did on occasion). This is not negative, as it might sound, Aedan just felt so real I couldn't help getting emotionally invested and sometimes that was with joy or sadness or rage.

This story is well worth a credit or purchase. I had a tough time turning it off and got little sleep. I am excited for the next story and will keep this one downloaded and will listen to it again which is another rarity for me. If you are a fan of a more realistic coming of age fantasy story centered around a main character and his friends you will not be disappointed.

47 personnes sur 57 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

Next?

This is one of those stories that should have notation "sequel not ready" and a note to the author to write fast and stay safe!

23 personnes sur 28 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

A well orchestrated origin story

The table has been set for a masterful, epic fantasy saga. We are introduced to the world of The Wakening, to a coming of age tale, rich in emotionally insightful characters, intreging obstacles, humanistic evil, parable driven writing, pop a mole mystery, a touch of supernatural and you're served a plate full of potential. I left this book entertained as always by the great TGR, who definitely helped the pacing of the book. I found the protagonist's introspection to be slightly long winded and distracting at times. Some of the writing comes off preachy, kind of forcing the point home. However, it does help to define the protaginists moral development and his internal conflict with unethical and immoral behavior. I feel excellent fantasy literature speaks for itself without quite so much narrative. On the whole, a solid introduction with all the right elements. I expect an excited fan base for new books in the series.

7 personnes sur 8 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente

The Journey just as Important as the Destination

Very well written with wonderful prose and command of language. Jonathan Renshaw is a true writer/story teller. This coming of age tale is so well written and engaging that the reader forgets there is an ultimate goal for the storyline, so lost and engrossed does one get in the day to day exploits of the young characters. I laughed and laughed and then cried. A Masterpiece. I hope I don't have to wait too long for the next volume, but then again maybe I'll just have a re-listen to this one while I wait.

10 personnes sur 12 ont trouvé cette évaluation pertinente