DawnSinger

I loved this book.  I didn't want to put it down once I started it.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this tale about royalty, a hidden child and a quest!  Shae leads a quiet and carefree life with her family until she is summoned by the queen to her castle.  Shae and her brother Kai ride a wherbeast and get attacked by people riding wherbeasts after they eat at an inn and sleep in a barn.  Shae learns how to use a knife to defend herself even though she had never used a weapon before!
Shae learns about her family's secrets and she is pursued by a conniving musician with evil intent and his conspirators!  You will have to read for yourself to find out what a wherbeast is and what happens on the quest!

I almost stopped reading the DawnSinger when the author started using strange names for everything. I understand that in a fantasy world you create, some things will indeed have strange names, but there were so many of them that without any other point of reference, I didn't know what Ms. Voigt was talking about half the time. I also thought that the lack of a little backstory for Kai would have served the reader much better. Why was he in service so long and how did he come to be chosen? The service to the high queen obviously had shaped his life, but there just wasn't enough to pull it all together for me. Shae fared a little better in this regard, and we do learn some of her backstory.

The author tried very hard to have the reader immersed in this world, but I never really connected with it. I found the writing style to be overly complicated at times and it took me out of the story. The plot had all the elements of an epic fantasy and some of the problems were resolved. However, I won't be picking up any of the next books in this series.

General Overview:

I really don’t know why, but throughout the book I couldn’t stop comparing the flow of the book with that of a river- a river that flows calmly at its own pace. The book was a pleasant read. Although being a part of a series, it gave a sense of completion at the end. The fantasy world was so ethereal, so beautiful, so mesmerizing. Inspite of few points which created obstacles in making me get connected with the book, I was totally in awe with the world-building.  After a very long time, I read a book which transported me completely to another world. 

Plot:

The story is about a very young girl- Shae, who has been brought up in a very sheltered environment. She leaves her abode for the first time in her life, when she is called by her High Queen. Facing and escaping attacks on her life, she reaches the palace. There she comes across the most important truth of her life and is given a responsibility which only she can shoulder.  Fulfilling her responsibility can help saving Faeraven. In order to save her kingdom, she begins a treacherous journey to unknown lands with Kai and his group to release the DawnKing. 

Cast:

The main casts were well developed. 
Shae is shown as a naive girl with no experience of the world beyond her home. As she comes out of her comfort zone and interacts with people around her, one can observe her metamorphosis from a shy, frail girl to courageous, determined and focused person. It doesn’t happen in a day or in a blink of an eye. The pace of transition is such that you genuinely feel it happening within the pages. 

Kai is a wonderful character. Bound by duty and honour, he is a very righteous man. For him, his duty is foremost.  He is a man who is ruled by his mind. As I read, I could feel the turmoil in him when his heart takes over. He doesn’t want to accept the change of feelings but he is losing his battle there. I liked the way the author dealt with his part of the story.

The other characters were also given depth in their personality. 

Pros:

The best part of the whole book was its descriptive writing. It was so picturesque. Each and every scene was so meticulously described that I could visualize it in my mind as I read. The author has outdone herself in this.
The events in the story took place at very apt intervals. It helped to prevent slackness. I also liked the various creatures involved. They were so mystical and so different from each other. 

The book did not end at a cliff hanger. Though there is a future story, but for this book the completion was properly done. I liked this particular piece. As a reader, I felt a sense of satisfaction after reading. I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the series, but that doesn’t mean that I have to chew my nails off for it. 

Cons:

The terms and the names were too out-worldly. I understand that it was a fantasy novel but such difficult terms and names hindered my bonding with the book.

The other thing which I felt was that in some places there were few missing links. In some parts of the book, I felt a need of a background story. In its absence, the story couldn’t be enjoyed thoroughly as I wanted to. For instance, I would like to know the story or reason behind Kai becoming the guardian.

Conclusion:

I was totally awed by the world created by the author. Other than very difficult and unheard terms, the book was quite enjoyable. This book is recommended to those who love fantasy worlds and journey of self-discovery.

The DawnSinger was a refreshing piece of Christian fantasy fiction. I’m always, always on the lookout for well done Christian fantasy or science fiction because I feel like it’s just a rare gem to find it. DawnSinger is a gem. 

This was one of those books that was reminiscent of one of my all time favorite books and authors, The Crown of Eden by Thomas Williams. There are many scriptural analogies, symbolisms and a lot of rooting for good to overcome evil in both. This didn’t quite execute as cleanly as Williams’ books but for Lord of the Rings fans who are big on world building and language craft, you’ll love it. I mean I loved those things.

Additionally, the adventures were epic, the plot had some creative twists to make a much loved storyline feel fresh and unique, the romance between Kai and Shae subtle, drawn out and full of tension (my favorite) (view spoiler) and the christology symbolism made sense (For the most part. It is fantasy fiction).

Was it perfect for me? Not quite. 

It was very heavy on new fae terminology. In fact it was a bit forced and unnecessary at times. For example, just spell griffin as griffin, not gryphon and call a unibeast a unicorn for Pete’s sake. If it were just the one creature that would be fine but to rename all God’s fantasy creatures to Fae names and spellings took up unnecessary mental capacity. The names and titles took a minute to catch a hold of but once I figured out the names and naming system it was alright. 

And the glossary map is entirely unhelpful on a kindle since it isn’t as quick to reference as a real book. 

And that cover art? Well I loved it, except that I don’t picture Kai to look like that AT ALL. The kid looks 16 when in reality, Kai has to be late 20s and much, much more rugged. But yes, to the rest of it. 

So while it wasn’t perfect, I still feel like it is a GEM and that others will love it just as much or more than me. I may have really high standards for my Christian Fantasy and Sci-fi. Even still, I liked it enough that I WILL be reading the sequel. 

Thanks Netgalley and Janalyn for this ARC!

Shae has been called to Faeraven. The High Queen has called for Shae on her death bed, though Shae does not know why. Together with the man she thinks is her half brother, she travels to see the Queen. But in the court, she discovers many secrets. People that she thought she could trust have been keeping life-changing secrets from her. While she needs to decide who to trust, darkness pursues her. When she is sent on a dangerous quest, it becomes even more important for her to decide whom to trust- and whom to obey.

Janalyn Voigt has written a fast-paced, complex novel in DawnSinger. The characters are well developed and grow over time. The language is somewhat older. For example, "gaze upon her" is used instead of "looked at her". The author's consistency in this writing style keeps it from becoming cumbersome. I did find that there was a lot of unfamiliar vocabulary associated with this fantasy world that at times made the story hard to follow. However, as there is a dictionary at the end of the book this does not need to be a problem.

This book is not a stand-alone story- the ending left me wanting to find the next book in the series. 

I would rate DawnSinger a four out of five stars. I received a complimentary copy from Pelican Book Group in exchange for an unbiased review.

DawnSinger is a fantasy adventure and the first book of the Tales of Faeraven series. The main character, Shaenalyn (Shae for short), is summoned from her sheltered life as a princess of Whellein to the deathbed of the High Queen. While there, she finds out that most of her life has been a lie - one fabricated to protect her in order to secure the fate of the realm. With several friends, she sets out to sing the song that will raise the DawnKing from his slumber to save the lands from an ancient evil now rising in power. With danger at every turn, can our band of heroes reach their destination in time to save everyone and everything they hold dear?

I would first like to state that I received this through NetGalley for an honest review. I rather enjoyed this tale of adventure, loss, and restoration. The characters are well-developed and likeable and the plot maintains a steady pace all throughout. At times it was a bit predictable, but there were other times that the plot twists sent me reeling. Fans of Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth, Terry Brook's Chronicles of Shannara, and of course J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings should enjoy this series as there are instances that are reminiscent of all three and yet it is a story all its own. Personally, I am looking forward to the next installment.

This is first in series and I look forward to the rest - a Christian fantasy series for adults and older teens - classic fantasy setting with monarchs and quests.

Janalyn Voight took me on a wonderful adventure to a beautiful, exciting fantasy world. The reader is treated to a realm of emotions in this fairy world. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel to this book in a way I have not in quite a while.

Voight has a fresh voice that takes the reader to a world of Renaissance times where fairies are near and there are conflicts between ruling families.

I would recommend that anyone who enjoy fantastical tales that take you to other worlds and time.

I was given this book by bookfun.org, NetGalley and the author in exchange for my honest review.