Book Review
Title: Dawn of Wonder (The Wakening, #1)
Author: Jonathan Renshaw
Published: 2015 (self-published)
Rating: 80/100
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| The Wakening #1 |
Review:
(From Goodreads)
[SPOILER FREE] Dawn of Wonder (DoW) is a traditional ‘coming of age’ fantasy novel that ticked all the boxes I was expecting it to tick. I wanted an extraordinary long novel that would keep me enthralled right up until the last page. I wanted an adventure that spanned across unknown lands. I wanted a wide range of interesting characters. I wanted a fun book that didn’t take itself too seriously and would allow my imagination to run wild. DoW gave me everything I wanted, nothing more, nothing less.
While DoW ticked my boxes, it didn’t surprise or shock me, as opposed to ‘A Song of Ice & Fire’. I wasn’t heavily emotionally invested in the characters or the story, as opposed to ‘The Name of the Wind’. I didn’t feel the need to tell my friends about the book, as opposed to me literally telling everybody I knew that they had to read ‘Red Rising’. It didn’t have me staying up past my bedtime worrying that I was going to sleep through my alarm the following morning, as opposed to ‘Ready Player One’. Finally, I thought it chugged along very slowly, never slowly enough that boredom sunk in, but slow enough that I would listen to it and blissfully fall asleep every night.
Don’t get me wrong, DoW’s positives far outweigh its negatives and Jonathan Renshaw has delivered an epic fantasy novel that will undoubtedly bring him much deserved success. He has a knack for telling a deep and interesting story. He is a brilliant writer who, like many other reviewers has said, deftly walks the fine line between under telling and over telling to deliver perfect pacing. You can also tell he really loves the fantasy genre. His passion for fantasy shines through in his writing, most notably when the protagonist and his travellers explore a mysterious and creepy abandoned castle (which was by far my favourite part of the novel).
Overall, Renshaw’s writing is a pleasure to read and I look forward to devouring the next book in this series (please don’t rush it). In summary, I purchased the audio version of DoW for two reasons: (1) Tim Gerard Reynolds is the best sci-fi and fantasy narrator in the business right now; having raised the bar with Pierce Brown’s amazing Red Rising trilogy and (2) DoW was being compared to Patrick Rothfuss’s award-winning fantasy series ‘The Kingkiller Chronicle’. Is the narration good? No, it’s freaking incredible. Reynolds knocks it out of the park again with a 10/10 performance. Is it as good as Rothfuss’s ‘The Name of the Wind’? No, but if you’re hungry for fantasy, DoW will certainly leave you feeling full, happy and completely satisfied.
Who should read this book?
Anyone who likes fantasy and doesn't mind spending 35+ hours reading a novel. If you are a lover of all things Tolkien, you'll really enjoy Dawn of Wonder.
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