In the world of DAWNCALLER, the drakes and the mother dragon have awakened, but the creator called The One is asleep. As the drakes destroy villages with their purple flames, the various races that populate the realm squabble amongst themselves while King Lornen seeks to maintain power despite his faltering reputation. There are legends of a sword called Fahde, the only weapon that can kill a drake, but only a half-elf can wield it–it burns anyone else who touches it. The fate of the world is in the hands of a young half-elf girl named Kirsten, who, with the help of her dwarf companions, must unite the Fahde with its shield and glowing gem to defeat the mother dragon before it destroys the world.
As the third book in a trilogy, DAWNCALLER is best enjoyed after reading the first two books (Starwatcher and Sparkweaver). The book juggles dozens of characters who are given uneven attention but whose personalities shine bright when they are given time and places in which there are fewer characters interacting. Kirsten and her dwarven companions, Grumm, Olaf, and Plax have the most distinctive personalities, elevating them above the countless other individuals whose appearances are less prominent and can clutter scenes that have high action. The dialogue is entertaining both when tensions are high and during lighter moments, as when characters make fun of each other or themselves. Many beloved characters face brutal consequences in the book’s tumultuous war, offering emotional ups and downs that mirror the their turbulent journey.
DAWNCALLER weaves a successful coming-of-age tale into its fantasy adventure. Kirsten grows from a half-elf girl, called an abomination by both sides, who is unsure of her power to a confident young woman willing to sacrifice herself to save the world. Her experiences and her interactions with both friends and foes push her to learn about herself and her destiny. That destiny is a profound one that offers a cathartic end to a long and difficult adventure. While the book is long and winding, it offers ample room to explore themes of cooperation and kindness and subplots involving political intrigue. King Lornen’s role in Kirsten’s adventure spices up the plot with an additional opponent whose influence on the world is expansive and deep. His arc balances Kirsten’s optimistic one with darkness and suspense.
David Rice balances the brutality of war with lighter moments and juggles dozens of characters in DAWNCALLER, a cathartic coming-of-age tale and the conclusion to an epic fantasy trilogy.
~Aimee Jodoin for IndieReader