This is an interesting alternate history, fantasy prequel that sets up the series.

Mikel and a friend Harry are caught up in a massacre by the Dutch against the East India Trading Company and others on Ambon Island. Mikel and Harry are sent away as prisoners by ship then forced into military service in the jungles of South America. As a scout Mikel watches in total fear as demonic beasts wipe out the Dutch battalion.

Meanwhile, Raphael, an expert scout for the Portuguese army who were about to face off with the Dutch, witnesses the destruction of his army unit by the demons. Raphael and Mikel end up escaping together. The pair are reluctant to work together but a mysterious vision tells them that they must work together to survive and fight on a humanitarian mission.

The pair stumble into a village and a group of warriors fighting the demons. The Amazon leader of the warriors is drawn together on the ‘Godly’ mission and they all have to decide if they are willing to take the challenge to fight against an ancient evil cult.

There is plenty of action and interesting divine involvement in this historical fantasy. The story is presented in chapter scenes focused on the different characters. This was a little confusing at first but was an interesting technique once I understood what was happening. The characters are well developed, complete with strengths and weaknesses. I liked how the story climaxed, setting up the next books in the series. I recommend this to fantasy readers who enjoy good versus evil battles.

I received this ebook through NetGalley.

Light's Dawn is a story of the triumph of good over evil and courage over fear. It's uniquely positioned, beginning as a historical fiction and morphing into a fantasy novella. The prose is succinct and I am glad the author wrote simply instead of with flowery language.

The prose, dialogue and details are not fine-tuned to the historical (early 17th century) era. It's written in modern English, making it easier for young adults and middle grade readers to understand and enjoy. Light's Dawn sets up a series with a decent foundation and easy to picture world building.

I really appreciated how fast-moving the story was; it kept me interested and entertained. About halfway through, I was surprised by a spiritual component planted by the author. The allegory and direct themes to God in the novel are pretty straight-forward, so this is definitely appropriate for a Christian to read. I don't think it would convince someone who was not already a believer and I doubt that was the author's purpose. Raphael, Mikel... where's Gabriel? ;-) Maybe I'll have to read the next books to find out.

Overall, I was entertained and would recommend the book for younger readers. However, I don't think it was quite rich enough for me to invest more time in the series right now.

This is a short novella that i really enjoyed, for me it was a great introduction to Yvette Bostic's writing.
This is a very fast paced story that kept me interested and engaged throughout - definitely worth a read!

Yvette Bostic presented a classic tale of good versus evil. The treacherous journey began on Ambon Island, India, in the year 1623. The main protagonist, Mikel, was clearly defined leaving no question about his character. The single plot allowed the scenes to flow along a direct path with the ever-evolving storyline. It was easy to follow. I was caught off guard with an electrifying ending. It was a satisfying read.

The Amboyna Massacre went down in history as the culmination of hostile activity between the Dutch East India Company and British East India Company; their rivalries in trade were legendary. In 1623 many Englishmen were tortured and killed based on suspicion of an assassination attempt on the Dutch governor. No truth to the accusation had ever been proven.

Among the doomed Englishmen, two eluded capture, Mikel and Harry, though, their freedom would be short-lived. Through unfortunate circumstances, they had been taken prisoner on a merchant ship bound for South America. Hope of return to their native country of England had become a distant dream. At the time, they had no idea of what perilous danger was brewing ahead.

After several unpredictable twists and turns in the tumultuous tale, they found themselves in the jungles of South America fighting the likes of demons that had been summoned from the underworld. They were up against two-legged beasts of towering stature that contained overwhelming power. The creature's main intent was the elimination of the human race.

Many valiant warriors of the defending Army had been savagely killed by the warring supernatural beings including Mikel's best friend, Harry. There was no time for mourning his loss. It was all he could do just to stay alive.

Just when all hope seemed lost, divine intervention made its presence known. God had come to the defending Army's aid. In particular, He bestowed upon Mikel a gift, a weapon of Godlike power. With luck, it might help balance the odds, but no one knew if it would be enough to hold off the small army of the marauding demons. God, with all his great power and glory could only watch from the sidelines.

Their fate was sealed. In the end, a pact was made. If it came to it, they would fight to the last man standing. There'd be no surrender.

I send my thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

A nice intro into Bostic's other books. A short read that starts off fast and doesn't let up. If you're a fan of the others and want to know how it all begins, definitely pick this one up.