Epic Christian Fantasy? Yes, please. DawnSinger is an inventive novel with beautifully descriptive prose and dialogue. I absolutely love the imagery and symbolism woven through the book.

The world-building in this Renaissance-esque fantasy is beautiful. World-building in fantasy is especially important, and Janalyn Voigt has nailed it here. Every location was vividly described in such a way that I was able to escape into the words of this novel and pretend I wasn’t in the real world for a while.

The characters are deep, well-rounded and real. Shae and Kai are on a really epic journey full of unexpected twists, magic, and monsters galore. I love the prophetic voice that guides the characters. It’s just really unique. I highly recommend checking out this original and inspiring novel.

*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Prism Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com ( )

Thank you to Harbourlight and the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Dawnsinger
Faeraven #1
By: Janalyn Voight

*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Dawnsinger is the first book of the Faeraven series. I honestly don't read a lot of fantasy adventure stories, but I went in with an open mind. The scope of world building is epic, as the setting is vividly depicted with fantastical creatures, dazzling sights and a different language set(see the glossary in the back). The characters are strong, easy to like, sharp witted and complex without being overdone or ridiculous, i.e. the greatest hero in all the land etc. I became invested in the outcome because I cared about the characters.
I saw their quest as allegorical to some biblical tales and symbolic of the eternal good vs. evil battle. The reader can use this story as a metaphor for life: a grand quest with evil temptations and pitfalls to overcome by your own power and sense of what is righteous and good. We all make choices with our own sense of right and wrong every day. The plot is thrilling with action and drama at every turn leaving readers wanting more. Overall, Dawnsinger is a well written adventure steeped in thoughtfully planned fantasy that fans of the genre will surely enjoy. ( )

Dawnsinger is one of those books that draws you in and won’t let go. It is definitely allegorical but not to the extent that it becomes cliché. Shae, the heroine, is whisked away to the Faeraven by her brother Kai, in service to the dying queen. An epic adventure ensues – too much to go into detail here, but suffice to say that it embodies the quintessential struggle between good and evil. I will be reading the sequel Wayfarer as soon as I can get my hands on it. After about page two, I literally didn’t want to put it down, and although ‘real life’ kept me from reading it non-stop, I found myself thinking about it in between reading sessions. It is a fantasy in the style and scope of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings without some of the tedious parts. (Sorry, JRR, but some of the poetic parts in L of the R drag for me…) There is some poetry in Dawnsinger and author Janalyn Voigt certainly has a very ‘poetic’ style of writing, but everything flows so beautifully that it is never, never tedious. One of the things that surprised me about this book is that despite the extensive use of ‘foreign’ words I never found myself confused. (The fantasy language invented by the author seems to have a Gaelic cadence if I am not mistaken.) The use of this ‘language’ seemed natural and added to the overall beauty of the story. Another thing that I loved were the detailed descriptions. I hate to keep using the word ‘beautiful’ but I’m not sure how else to say it. This is a beautiful book. I won’t go into the finer points of the plot here – you can read the description of the book for that - but may I say that the plot is well thought out, the characters are well rounded and deep, and the description is magnificent. There is action, intrigue, and romance. I wish I could give this book ten stars instead of five. It is that good. ( )

Unrelenting adventures. Many dangers faced within and without as a young woman and her protectors fight to help her gain her prophetic destiny. Lots of scary creatures like garns and welkes and wraiths. Well written. Enjoyed the surprise of creative choice of wordings. Because I don't read a lot of fantasy had to return to the beginning a time or two to keep everyone and the story straight. But that wasn't a bad thing. For teens and adults who like reading a good fantasy story.

Fantasy is not my usual genre when I reach for a book, but Janalyn Voigt has won me over with DawnSinger, Book One in her Tales of Faeraven series. DawnSinger transports the reader to an enigmatic and endearing alternative history. Princess Shae and Kai, her protector, navigate a journey through a rich Renaissance-like fantasy world.

This is fiercely inventive storytelling with fluid, descriptive prose and consistently time specific dialogue. Brimming with imagery and symbolism, the book delights with unexpected plot twists, monsters and magic. Details of everyday life are spot on. The characters are deep and layered, dealing with mixed emotions, conflicts and danger. To confront and defeat evil they travel secret passageways, dank caves, and treacherous cliffs.

The use of a prophetic “voice” guiding Shae and Kai to fight evil and fulfill their destinies works well. What shines in the book, however, is the beautiful, thought-provoking prose. “I woke with the dawn and made my way to the garden to listen to the heartbeat of creation.”

Visit the rich fantasy world of Faeraven. This highly original book is both rewarding and inspiring. Recommended for adults and teens, especially those who love Christian fantasy. For information about the next two books in the trilogy, visit http://janalynvoigt.com.

Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont ( )