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The God Slayers Quartet #1
The Fall
The paperback edition of The Fall, due out late 2012; a professionally edited and revised version of the previous Kindle ebook.
In a post apocalyptic dystopian world ravaged by two warring gods Ben Casper lives in a crumbling shopping mall called The Glass Palace with his family. He's just come back from a rites of passage into the brutal outside world that officially makes him an adult. Now he must get married and be trained to take over from his father as Mayor. Except he sees things differently now; he falls in love with his friend's brother and makes a friend in a member of the Felum, a vicious human/cat hybrid tribe. He doesn't want responsibility. Only he might have it thrust upon him when he becomes embroiled in a conspiracy to kill the gods; a plot that could lead everyone he loves into mortal danger...
This is the first volume of The God Slayers Quartet.
In a post apocalyptic dystopian world ravaged by two warring gods Ben Casper lives in a crumbling shopping mall called The Glass Palace with his family. He's just come back from a rites of passage into the brutal outside world that officially makes him an adult. Now he must get married and be trained to take over from his father as Mayor. Except he sees things differently now; he falls in love with his friend's brother and makes a friend in a member of the Felum, a vicious human/cat hybrid tribe. He doesn't want responsibility. Only he might have it thrust upon him when he becomes embroiled in a conspiracy to kill the gods; a plot that could lead everyone he loves into mortal danger...
This is the first volume of The God Slayers Quartet.
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 2012
167 people are currently reading
1317 people want to read
About the author
David L. Dawson
38 books94 followersDavid L Dawson is the writer of The Fall and The Sky Is Falling, the first two parts of an explosive new dystopian quartet. He also wrote the novella series Snow White and Trip, as well as the upcoming middle grade Book of Fire trilogy. Upcoming projects include The Girl from Yesterday, a dystopian/scifi/vampire romance novel
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 16, 2025
Extraño, diferente, ilógico
Ben está de regreso a su villa de su "viaje a la adultez". Ya con 14 años y habiendo salido solo al mundo, es considerado un adulto. Además es el único hijo del actual alcalde y será alcalde algún día. Pero cuando comienzan a suceder cosas extrañas en la villa, tendrá que tomar la decisión de quedarse y cumplir su destino o seguir su camino y abandonar la villa.
Este libro se siente mal diseñado. No tienes lógica, no hay explicaciones del universo, los sentimientos del héroe son erráticos, y ni siquiera el interés amoroso tiene razón de ser. Sentí que había potencial, pero que se perdió cuando se quiso abarcar más de lo que se podía, intentando crear múltiples líneas de trama, pero con el mismo personaje. No me gustó el prota, no me gustó casi ninguno de los secundarios y mucho menos los "malos". El único personaje interesante es Skye, y ni siquiera está bien delineado.
En fin, parece que el libro no tuvo una buena edición o no fue bien delineado al principio y el autor fue escribiendo lo que se le ocurrió sin hacer mayores correcciones. Así que no, no creo que lea el trasero de la serie, y dudo que lea otro libro de este autor 😞
Ben está de regreso a su villa de su "viaje a la adultez". Ya con 14 años y habiendo salido solo al mundo, es considerado un adulto. Además es el único hijo del actual alcalde y será alcalde algún día. Pero cuando comienzan a suceder cosas extrañas en la villa, tendrá que tomar la decisión de quedarse y cumplir su destino o seguir su camino y abandonar la villa.
Este libro se siente mal diseñado. No tienes lógica, no hay explicaciones del universo, los sentimientos del héroe son erráticos, y ni siquiera el interés amoroso tiene razón de ser. Sentí que había potencial, pero que se perdió cuando se quiso abarcar más de lo que se podía, intentando crear múltiples líneas de trama, pero con el mismo personaje. No me gustó el prota, no me gustó casi ninguno de los secundarios y mucho menos los "malos". El único personaje interesante es Skye, y ni siquiera está bien delineado.
En fin, parece que el libro no tuvo una buena edición o no fue bien delineado al principio y el autor fue escribiendo lo que se le ocurrió sin hacer mayores correcciones. Así que no, no creo que lea el trasero de la serie, y dudo que lea otro libro de este autor 😞
February 25, 2014
Let's be clear first. This book was okay. Two stars always seems to be stingy, but if I thought the book was okay, then it's 2 stars. (it's also written in first person/present tense for those of you who don't like that style - it's not my favourite either!) It isn't clear either in the blurb that this is YA, though I love reading YA.
To me, this novel has the feel of Eragon - written in haste with not much forethought and a lack of real depth. A pity, because some of the aspects were really very very good.
To me, this novel has the feel of Eragon - written in haste with not much forethought and a lack of real depth. A pity, because some of the aspects were really very very good.
May 27, 2012
I won this book from the author as a blog hop prize.
* 3.5 stars. This book has some of the most unique world-building I have read in a while. The main character is an interesting gay 14-year-old in a post-apocalyptic society. The reasons for the apocalypse and the shape of the existing societies are unusual and the present-tense narration is well, although not perfectly, handled. The story holds out some real promise as the beginning of a trilogy.
I found the MC believably immature, which unfortunately includes a tendency to change emotional viewpoints, sometimes within one paragraph. This I think was part of what kept me from connecting with him on an emotional level as deeply as I would like. There is also a lot of violence in this story as it plays out, which may not be to everyone's taste. The ending of the story does resolve the minor immediate conflict, but leaves a lot of plot lines and questions open. It's a good thing there is a sequel coming since this book would not stand alone well.
I look forward to seeing the MC mature in the upcoming books and perhaps have deeper emotional reactions. I'm also curious about the gods, reanimation, speaking animals, mutants and a host of other world-building which offered tantalizing glimpses but remain shrouded in mystery at the end of this story. A credible first-book fantasy, with a lot of room for growth.
* 3.5 stars. This book has some of the most unique world-building I have read in a while. The main character is an interesting gay 14-year-old in a post-apocalyptic society. The reasons for the apocalypse and the shape of the existing societies are unusual and the present-tense narration is well, although not perfectly, handled. The story holds out some real promise as the beginning of a trilogy.
I found the MC believably immature, which unfortunately includes a tendency to change emotional viewpoints, sometimes within one paragraph. This I think was part of what kept me from connecting with him on an emotional level as deeply as I would like. There is also a lot of violence in this story as it plays out, which may not be to everyone's taste. The ending of the story does resolve the minor immediate conflict, but leaves a lot of plot lines and questions open. It's a good thing there is a sequel coming since this book would not stand alone well.
I look forward to seeing the MC mature in the upcoming books and perhaps have deeper emotional reactions. I'm also curious about the gods, reanimation, speaking animals, mutants and a host of other world-building which offered tantalizing glimpses but remain shrouded in mystery at the end of this story. A credible first-book fantasy, with a lot of room for growth.
June 10, 2012
*Full disclosure: I was sent a free copy of this novel by the author in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed therein are my own.*
Firstly I must concede that I am clearly not this book's target market. The intended age range for this is young adult, of which I left those years behind a good while ago! Nevertheless, in giving this novel a fair rating, I think that needs to be taken into account, as unfortunately I just didn't 'get' this book on a lot of levels which may be down to my age? However, it has to be said that I have read other YA novels, including Hunger Games and Divergent and have had no problems with them...
Set in a dystopian future, we meet Ben. He is just returning from his 'journey' that guarantees he will be accepted as a man by the members of his tribe, all of whom live in 'The Glass Palace,' which the reader soon realises is an abandoned shopping centre. Soon Ben's unwanted duties and responsibility will involve him taking over his father's place as Mayor of the palace, but those are shortly to become the least of Ben's problems...
Though I had high hopes for this book as the premise sounded really interesting, that soon waned as I realised within the first couple of chapters that the book has clearly not been through a stringent editing process. Not only did the tense change between past and present on numerable occaisions, but the grammar was also very inconsistent. I'm not some kind of grammar nazi or anything, but when the wrong word was used, it became incredibly offputting and distracting. Some words that should have been included were also missing entirely meaning that the sentences didn't really make sense. Also, I'm not sure if it is just the Kindle copy that I received, but the formatting was terrible- paragraphs disjointed and vast spacings- it looked very awkward on the page. I feel that for anyone paying for this book, this is information worth mentioning.
I have to say that the characterisation in the novel didn't pique my interest very much. Ben, the narrator was a typical adolescent, moody, sulky and immature- and one who wasn't sure of his sexuality. He came across as very naïve, and for a fourteen year old, the notion that he hadn't yet had 'the talk' with his father, I found somewhat hard to believe- even in a post-apocalyptic society! Though I think sexuality is a brave subject for the author to tackle in a YA novel, it just came across as awkward and a bit cringey in places, and to be honest, a bit contrived with Ben's numerous erections, wet dreams etc- just tacky and unecessary. I didn't like any of the other characters either, which in a book with a lot of characters, to be completely apathetic towards the whole cast of them, isn't a good sign. Also- the gods themselves, I feel like the author naturally assumes the reader already knew what was going on with them- there were barely explanations as to who they were or how they had even came about, which I found confusing.
To be honest, that's the way I felt about the majority of this book: too many red herrings and lack of explanation! If this is handled in the next book then fair enough, but as a reader I felt really unsatisfied by the lack of explanation as to a lot of things in this story. The ending as well: so abrupt and a bit of an anti-climax.
It really does feel like I have completely slated this novel, but I did see some positives in it that are worth mentioning: the post-apocalyptic world created was very well done- it just could have been built upon a little more, with a bit more atmosphere and evocative descriptions. I also found the ideas of the Felums (human-cat hybrids) very interesting, it was just a shame that the reader learned so little about them and how they came about. I am assuming this is built upon in book 2, but a bit more could have been divulged here- it certainly would have piqued my interest a bit.
Though this is the first part of the 'God Slayers Trilogy,' unfortunately I am not in a massive rush to read parts 2 and 3, if at all. Sorry, but this book just wasn't for me at all- part 1 had so many numerable faults that it has most definitely put me off trying the rest of them.
Firstly I must concede that I am clearly not this book's target market. The intended age range for this is young adult, of which I left those years behind a good while ago! Nevertheless, in giving this novel a fair rating, I think that needs to be taken into account, as unfortunately I just didn't 'get' this book on a lot of levels which may be down to my age? However, it has to be said that I have read other YA novels, including Hunger Games and Divergent and have had no problems with them...
Set in a dystopian future, we meet Ben. He is just returning from his 'journey' that guarantees he will be accepted as a man by the members of his tribe, all of whom live in 'The Glass Palace,' which the reader soon realises is an abandoned shopping centre. Soon Ben's unwanted duties and responsibility will involve him taking over his father's place as Mayor of the palace, but those are shortly to become the least of Ben's problems...
Though I had high hopes for this book as the premise sounded really interesting, that soon waned as I realised within the first couple of chapters that the book has clearly not been through a stringent editing process. Not only did the tense change between past and present on numerable occaisions, but the grammar was also very inconsistent. I'm not some kind of grammar nazi or anything, but when the wrong word was used, it became incredibly offputting and distracting. Some words that should have been included were also missing entirely meaning that the sentences didn't really make sense. Also, I'm not sure if it is just the Kindle copy that I received, but the formatting was terrible- paragraphs disjointed and vast spacings- it looked very awkward on the page. I feel that for anyone paying for this book, this is information worth mentioning.
I have to say that the characterisation in the novel didn't pique my interest very much. Ben, the narrator was a typical adolescent, moody, sulky and immature- and one who wasn't sure of his sexuality. He came across as very naïve, and for a fourteen year old, the notion that he hadn't yet had 'the talk' with his father, I found somewhat hard to believe- even in a post-apocalyptic society! Though I think sexuality is a brave subject for the author to tackle in a YA novel, it just came across as awkward and a bit cringey in places, and to be honest, a bit contrived with Ben's numerous erections, wet dreams etc- just tacky and unecessary. I didn't like any of the other characters either, which in a book with a lot of characters, to be completely apathetic towards the whole cast of them, isn't a good sign. Also- the gods themselves, I feel like the author naturally assumes the reader already knew what was going on with them- there were barely explanations as to who they were or how they had even came about, which I found confusing.
To be honest, that's the way I felt about the majority of this book: too many red herrings and lack of explanation! If this is handled in the next book then fair enough, but as a reader I felt really unsatisfied by the lack of explanation as to a lot of things in this story. The ending as well: so abrupt and a bit of an anti-climax.
It really does feel like I have completely slated this novel, but I did see some positives in it that are worth mentioning: the post-apocalyptic world created was very well done- it just could have been built upon a little more, with a bit more atmosphere and evocative descriptions. I also found the ideas of the Felums (human-cat hybrids) very interesting, it was just a shame that the reader learned so little about them and how they came about. I am assuming this is built upon in book 2, but a bit more could have been divulged here- it certainly would have piqued my interest a bit.
Though this is the first part of the 'God Slayers Trilogy,' unfortunately I am not in a massive rush to read parts 2 and 3, if at all. Sorry, but this book just wasn't for me at all- part 1 had so many numerable faults that it has most definitely put me off trying the rest of them.
April 5, 2012
I am doing something that I rarely do. I am giving this book 5 stars. I give five stars to books that when you consider the book as a whole, it is a perfect story leaving me feeling impressed, intrigued and wanting more. There are only 6 other, 5 stars in my books here at goodreads, three of which are the books from the Hunger Games series.
I am not saying this book doesn’t have a few flaws, just that those few flaws do not take away from the enjoyment of the book as a whole.
Brief synopsis: The setting is in a post apocalyptic countryside of England. Ben Casper has just returned from his journey, a period spent outside the protection of the glass palace (an old shopping mall) that all youth must experience to reach adulthood. He is a few weeks from his fifteenth birthday and fated to take over as mayor of the glass palace. Like most teenagers, Ben has not come to terms with his future role and struggles with the newly found responsibilities and passing freedoms of childhood.
As the only child to survive to 'adulthood' in his family, Ben has been pampered and sheltered from the sobering realities of the world outside the glass palace. Now that he is an adult, the pampering is over and many hidden truths are being revealed. The world, and its people (both inside the glass dome and outside) are not as Ben had believed.
Ben learns that the two remaining gods (Mixcoatl aka Dervish and Ninurta aka Blue Hair ) are still fighting a battle to the death, and destroying the last remnants of the world in the process. A cult like group called The order of Power, who worship the gods are trying to bring the Houses (groups of families) back under the power of the gods.
Ben must take up a near impossible fate, as a God Slayer.
I found myself going through many emotions as I read. There were times that I wanted to smack Ben a long side the head (but then what young adult book do you not want to do that to the protagonist at times). There were times when I felt myself choke up with tears as he grieved, there were times when I was cheering for him and chuckling as he got the better of the situation.
When I first seen this book, I seen that it was listed as MM Romance as one of its tag. I was reluctant to take on the book, because I have gotten more then one book under that tag and found it to be little more then erotic literature. BUT.....I have found that in this book it is not that at all.
Ben (our protagonist) just happens to be a gay young man. I felt the explanation of his identity was almost rushed through, but then it really was not the main part of the story. Sadly his love interest does not feel the same for him and this provides the main angst of the book.
It is clear that this book is the first in a series. And as such there is a fair amount of build up both in characters (like the Fleum) and history and there are some unresolved issues that I am left to wonder about, but then that's what will make me purchase the next installment.
The author has a reading age suggestion of 13+. And I agree and would probably push that to 'older's teens 16+ just to be on the conservative side Due to the fact that Ben and his father have the 'sex' talk and so references to changes young men go through are briefly discussed during that chapter but not brought up so directly again in the book after that.
This book is currently only available on Amazon. I got it for $.99. and found that to be a steal for that price.
I encourage anyone who likes dystopian, science fiction, fantasy, action combat, light romance, lgbt fiction, and young adult fiction to give it a try.
I am not saying this book doesn’t have a few flaws, just that those few flaws do not take away from the enjoyment of the book as a whole.
Brief synopsis: The setting is in a post apocalyptic countryside of England. Ben Casper has just returned from his journey, a period spent outside the protection of the glass palace (an old shopping mall) that all youth must experience to reach adulthood. He is a few weeks from his fifteenth birthday and fated to take over as mayor of the glass palace. Like most teenagers, Ben has not come to terms with his future role and struggles with the newly found responsibilities and passing freedoms of childhood.
As the only child to survive to 'adulthood' in his family, Ben has been pampered and sheltered from the sobering realities of the world outside the glass palace. Now that he is an adult, the pampering is over and many hidden truths are being revealed. The world, and its people (both inside the glass dome and outside) are not as Ben had believed.
Ben learns that the two remaining gods (Mixcoatl aka Dervish and Ninurta aka Blue Hair ) are still fighting a battle to the death, and destroying the last remnants of the world in the process. A cult like group called The order of Power, who worship the gods are trying to bring the Houses (groups of families) back under the power of the gods.
Ben must take up a near impossible fate, as a God Slayer.
I found myself going through many emotions as I read. There were times that I wanted to smack Ben a long side the head (but then what young adult book do you not want to do that to the protagonist at times). There were times when I felt myself choke up with tears as he grieved, there were times when I was cheering for him and chuckling as he got the better of the situation.
When I first seen this book, I seen that it was listed as MM Romance as one of its tag. I was reluctant to take on the book, because I have gotten more then one book under that tag and found it to be little more then erotic literature. BUT.....I have found that in this book it is not that at all.
Ben (our protagonist) just happens to be a gay young man. I felt the explanation of his identity was almost rushed through, but then it really was not the main part of the story. Sadly his love interest does not feel the same for him and this provides the main angst of the book.
It is clear that this book is the first in a series. And as such there is a fair amount of build up both in characters (like the Fleum) and history and there are some unresolved issues that I am left to wonder about, but then that's what will make me purchase the next installment.
The author has a reading age suggestion of 13+. And I agree and would probably push that to 'older's teens 16+ just to be on the conservative side Due to the fact that Ben and his father have the 'sex' talk and so references to changes young men go through are briefly discussed during that chapter but not brought up so directly again in the book after that.
This book is currently only available on Amazon. I got it for $.99. and found that to be a steal for that price.
I encourage anyone who likes dystopian, science fiction, fantasy, action combat, light romance, lgbt fiction, and young adult fiction to give it a try.
August 3, 2012
I have to say, I have only ever read a few other books that fit into this dystopian fiction category, and out of all of them, I found this to be the most original. I also will be picking up the next book in this series when it is complete.
I thought the characters were introduced very well, especially the main character, Ben. He is a unique character,and it is hard not to like him.
This story takes place in 2026, (they guess), and the planet Earth has been taken over by 2 warring Gods. The crazy dangers out in this brutal place are very well imagined and described in the book! (kind of no different then what we have going on in today's world if you ask me!)
Ben Casper's father is the Mayor, which is what 14 year old Ben must get ready for.In this story, you get married at 15, and Ben is no different other then he will be taking over as Mayor. He does get several bids for marriage, but doesn't really love or even want to try to love any of them. Because he is actually in love with his best friend's brother, Brian.
I thought the way that section was introduced was also perfect, and it fit naturally with the rest of the story. The author also did not go overboard, and there really isn't anything that is awkward or to out of place. It just fit in nice, and is a part of Ben and this story.
I also thought it was a nice touch to add Ben's mother having the response that she had, which was simply no different then a mother finding out that her son had a crush on the next door neighbor girl.
So anyway, Ben has a pretty big weight on his shoulders, and that is the responsibility of saving the world.
I actually very much enjoyed the way the author made the fighting scenes, and the adjectives and how it is one of those books where you can see the people and action, in your head since it is written so well.
This book is a comfortable length, not to short, not to long, it is just right and suits the story well.
The only recommendation I would make would be to maybe push the age limit of this book up a couple years, I would say 14 maybe, rather then 12 years of age.
There are some violent scenes, and I just know personally, as much as I love gore and violence, this is written much like books I read as an adult, and I would think some children may be a bit young for this yet.
Why only 4 stars?
I really appreciate this author's imagination. I also believe he is very fluent with his words and sentences. I just had to take away 1 tiny star for grammar and editing. But please don't let that be a reason to dislike or not read this book. This author has much potential with this series!!
** I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review **
I thought the characters were introduced very well, especially the main character, Ben. He is a unique character,and it is hard not to like him.
This story takes place in 2026, (they guess), and the planet Earth has been taken over by 2 warring Gods. The crazy dangers out in this brutal place are very well imagined and described in the book! (kind of no different then what we have going on in today's world if you ask me!)
Ben Casper's father is the Mayor, which is what 14 year old Ben must get ready for.In this story, you get married at 15, and Ben is no different other then he will be taking over as Mayor. He does get several bids for marriage, but doesn't really love or even want to try to love any of them. Because he is actually in love with his best friend's brother, Brian.
I thought the way that section was introduced was also perfect, and it fit naturally with the rest of the story. The author also did not go overboard, and there really isn't anything that is awkward or to out of place. It just fit in nice, and is a part of Ben and this story.
I also thought it was a nice touch to add Ben's mother having the response that she had, which was simply no different then a mother finding out that her son had a crush on the next door neighbor girl.
So anyway, Ben has a pretty big weight on his shoulders, and that is the responsibility of saving the world.
I actually very much enjoyed the way the author made the fighting scenes, and the adjectives and how it is one of those books where you can see the people and action, in your head since it is written so well.
This book is a comfortable length, not to short, not to long, it is just right and suits the story well.
The only recommendation I would make would be to maybe push the age limit of this book up a couple years, I would say 14 maybe, rather then 12 years of age.
There are some violent scenes, and I just know personally, as much as I love gore and violence, this is written much like books I read as an adult, and I would think some children may be a bit young for this yet.
Why only 4 stars?
I really appreciate this author's imagination. I also believe he is very fluent with his words and sentences. I just had to take away 1 tiny star for grammar and editing. But please don't let that be a reason to dislike or not read this book. This author has much potential with this series!!
** I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review **
September 9, 2012
This book could not have come to me at a better and worse time (I was actively hunting m/m romance in a post-apocalyptic setting) ...and I believe I may have set the bar unfairly high! I'm VERY torn on this book as it was both great and -at times- tedious.
Let's start with good: The setting continuously kept me captivated throughout the story. It was the details of their lifestyle that really stood out. Their society had an interesting way of functioning and the danger that lurked kept things moving along. Now the bad: I was not a fan of the nicknames for the gods. Every time Tornado and Blue Hair came on the page, I just felt the level of danger drop to a point where it looked like cartoons were fighting in my mind. When they gained real names I was finally able to take them seriously, so we are back to good!
To be perfectly honest (and this is entirely subjective), it was hard to find likable characters in the story ...and that is bad. Most of their personalities were just outright irritating – some on purpose and others maybe not. Luckily I found a favourite before the end of the book (good) and I wish there was more of Dylan! I struggled the most to connect with Ben, the main character (bad). Most of the ratings lost were due to him. He came off a little too ignorant for his age and spends too much time pitying himself. He made some embarrassingly bad decisions that not even I would forgive him for. He and I are also drawn to completely different people. I'll never understand what he ever saw in his crush, Brian who only projected negative traits. It just made Ben's yearning and depression more tedious for the entire first half of the book. This was a little disappointing because I was hoping for more romance and less futile chasing.
However, once the plot got started, things started to get interesting (circling to good again)! I almost gave up, but after it hit the halfway point it got better and better and was able to redeem my overall impression. Glad I made it to the fun parts and I have hope with the direction of the series.
Let's start with good: The setting continuously kept me captivated throughout the story. It was the details of their lifestyle that really stood out. Their society had an interesting way of functioning and the danger that lurked kept things moving along. Now the bad: I was not a fan of the nicknames for the gods. Every time Tornado and Blue Hair came on the page, I just felt the level of danger drop to a point where it looked like cartoons were fighting in my mind. When they gained real names I was finally able to take them seriously, so we are back to good!
To be perfectly honest (and this is entirely subjective), it was hard to find likable characters in the story ...and that is bad. Most of their personalities were just outright irritating – some on purpose and others maybe not. Luckily I found a favourite before the end of the book (good) and I wish there was more of Dylan! I struggled the most to connect with Ben, the main character (bad). Most of the ratings lost were due to him. He came off a little too ignorant for his age and spends too much time pitying himself. He made some embarrassingly bad decisions that not even I would forgive him for. He and I are also drawn to completely different people. I'll never understand what he ever saw in his crush, Brian who only projected negative traits. It just made Ben's yearning and depression more tedious for the entire first half of the book. This was a little disappointing because I was hoping for more romance and less futile chasing.
However, once the plot got started, things started to get interesting (circling to good again)! I almost gave up, but after it hit the halfway point it got better and better and was able to redeem my overall impression. Glad I made it to the fun parts and I have hope with the direction of the series.
January 12, 2015
I have an interview with the author, David Dawson, on my blog!
Along with my review of this wonderfully written book!
Please stop by to check it out:
http://littlehyuts.blogspot.com/
I have given this book a 5 star rating. I do not usually give out 5 stars but this story definitely deserved it.
The Fall was so well rounded. Full of everything a good book needs!
It had action, romance, a dynamic plot and characters and of course an intriguing take on a dystopian society.
In fact, I think Dawson's take on life after the end of the world is one of the better ones I have read yet.
Dawson has created a charming, lovable main character full of emotion and courage.
Ben, a gay young man just coming of age, lives in a post apocalyptic world where Gods rage in continuous battle. He is taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions as he struggles to find his true place in the world.
I loved how connected I was to Ben and the other characters in the story. When he experienced the rejection of his first love I was swept up in his reaction and emotions.
I enjoyed the slight twists in the plot which kept the story moving along quite nicely for me.
In my opinion the fantasy aspects of the story were delightfully placed. The concept of other species, such as the Felum, brought some great questions about this new world to the surface. All though Ben's relationship with Kar, a felum, is not a focal point of this book, I have to hope that it is covered in more detail later on in the trilogy.
When I saw that The Fall was categorized under M/M, gay fiction I was worried about how predominate that would be to the plot. However, in the case of this book I really enjoyed that aspect. It seemed almost natural for the story and gives it something that really makes it stand out from others in it's genre.
I can't wait to see Ben's character grow in the upcoming books and look forward to following both him and Skye on their journey to save their world.
This book is a wonderful read for any lovers of young adult and science fiction novels.
Along with my review of this wonderfully written book!
Please stop by to check it out:
http://littlehyuts.blogspot.com/
I have given this book a 5 star rating. I do not usually give out 5 stars but this story definitely deserved it.
The Fall was so well rounded. Full of everything a good book needs!
It had action, romance, a dynamic plot and characters and of course an intriguing take on a dystopian society.
In fact, I think Dawson's take on life after the end of the world is one of the better ones I have read yet.
Dawson has created a charming, lovable main character full of emotion and courage.
Ben, a gay young man just coming of age, lives in a post apocalyptic world where Gods rage in continuous battle. He is taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions as he struggles to find his true place in the world.
I loved how connected I was to Ben and the other characters in the story. When he experienced the rejection of his first love I was swept up in his reaction and emotions.
I enjoyed the slight twists in the plot which kept the story moving along quite nicely for me.
In my opinion the fantasy aspects of the story were delightfully placed. The concept of other species, such as the Felum, brought some great questions about this new world to the surface. All though Ben's relationship with Kar, a felum, is not a focal point of this book, I have to hope that it is covered in more detail later on in the trilogy.
When I saw that The Fall was categorized under M/M, gay fiction I was worried about how predominate that would be to the plot. However, in the case of this book I really enjoyed that aspect. It seemed almost natural for the story and gives it something that really makes it stand out from others in it's genre.
I can't wait to see Ben's character grow in the upcoming books and look forward to following both him and Skye on their journey to save their world.
This book is a wonderful read for any lovers of young adult and science fiction novels.
August 3, 2012
Smartly-written and unbelievably creative, The Fall is the first of three volumes in David L. Dawson's God Slayers trilogy. This spellbinding tale revolves around the life of adolescent Ben Casper, a naive but innocent victim of a post-apocalyptic society that has sheltered him from the realities of a now-violent land. Having spent most of his years safe in the walls of the Glass Palace, Ben is thrust into a new Earth - one ravaged, brutal, and all but torn apart by dueling gods Mixcoatl and Ninurta. Of Ben and his brothers, only he returned from the rites of passage to face his next mission: bearing the responsibility and ultimate sacrifices needed to take over his father's role as Mayor.
As Ben is called upon to join the God Slayers and uncover the god cannon that will finally bring peace to the overwhelming destruction, Dawson delves even further into Ben's despairing psyche as he realizes where his heart has fallen. Having fallen deeply in love with his best friend Skye's brother, the elusive Brian, Ben starts a chain reaction of events that pushes Lottie into Brian's arms and thus lose the very person he loved so dearly. A heartbreaking tale of unrequited love becomes the basis that fuels Ben to push through one chilling obstacle after another, with characters that take every form and nuance imaginable. Loss and love weave throughout a plot that propels you to survive alongside Ben.
The next volume of this trilogy will be truly anticipated. Highly recommended!
As Ben is called upon to join the God Slayers and uncover the god cannon that will finally bring peace to the overwhelming destruction, Dawson delves even further into Ben's despairing psyche as he realizes where his heart has fallen. Having fallen deeply in love with his best friend Skye's brother, the elusive Brian, Ben starts a chain reaction of events that pushes Lottie into Brian's arms and thus lose the very person he loved so dearly. A heartbreaking tale of unrequited love becomes the basis that fuels Ben to push through one chilling obstacle after another, with characters that take every form and nuance imaginable. Loss and love weave throughout a plot that propels you to survive alongside Ben.
The next volume of this trilogy will be truly anticipated. Highly recommended!
August 21, 2012
This started off with some action which was great, but then it slowed down and took a while to really get going again. The romance with Brian got on my nerves, it went from seeing him different, to being full on in love despite Brian not feeling the same way, the only glimpses we get of Brian make him seem not very nice and I cannot see what Ben sees in him. Skye was an interesting character and I would like to see more of her in the next book. I enjoyed the whole aspect of the Gods warring and ruining the world at the same time, but think this may be one to stay away from if you are quite religious, as it is rather anti-religion. Ben often sounded younger than his 14 years, which seemed a bit odd as he was supposed to be man and marry after that age.
The felum really interested me and I would love to hear more about them.
Overall I enjoyed the second half, but not so much the first half.
My full review, plus others, can be found here.
The felum really interested me and I would love to hear more about them.
Overall I enjoyed the second half, but not so much the first half.
My full review, plus others, can be found here.
February 21, 2014
I really liked the idea behind this book but I had a few issues. Ben....seriously, you still love that guy? He's a total dick, get over him. And second, was there a point to that human/cat thing? He was in the story very little but he played a big role by saving Ben, I guess I just expected it to lead somewhere.
March 25, 2014
I liked this book. I think it had pretty good character development. I liked the fact that the author kept reminding us that Ben was only 15 through his actions and behavior.
Some of the plot was a bit too much. Some of the things that happened just didn't make sense but I was okay with that for the most part. I'm curious to see how this series plays out. I do recommend this book.
Some of the plot was a bit too much. Some of the things that happened just didn't make sense but I was okay with that for the most part. I'm curious to see how this series plays out. I do recommend this book.
April 21, 2023
Ben regresa a su comunidad tras 7 meses de estar lejos, en su viaje de adultez, tal vez solo tenga 14 años, pero se espera de él que se entrene para ser el siguiente líder de la comunidad y se case. Que sea gay no es un problema, porque existen otras familias homoparentales en su comunidad. Lo que sí es un problema es que él en realidad no quiere ser líder, disfruta más la libertad de estar por su cuenta, viajando por terrenos desconocidos y conociendo gente nueva. Pero su rebeldía acaba cuando descubre que su padre es parte de una organización que pretende aniquilar a los dioses que acabaron con su mundo.
El planteamiento de este mundo postapocalíptico es realmente interesante: había 6 dioses y en sus luchas constantes, acabaron con las ciudades. Ahora solo queda 2 dioses, pero su aparición es sinónimo de destrucción, porque en cuanto se ven, empiezan a luchar aniquilando todo a su paso. Los humanos supervivientes viven en comunidades aisladas que prosperan gracias a su unidad y trabajo en equipo, pero tienen encima la zozobra perenne de que los dioses aparezcan y los destruyan. La comunidad Casper ha sobrevivido mucho tiempo, tanto que incluso algunos miembros piensan que los dioses han desaparecido definitivamente.
En la vida rutinaria de Ben de vuelta en su comunidad, está su profundo temor de aceptar la responsabilidad como líder, sus citas concertadas con candidatas idóneas para esposa, y su amor secreto por el hermano mayor de su mejor amiga. Pero todo eso pierde relevancia ante la aparición de un hombre misterioso que trae noticias sorprendentes: conoce la ubicación del cañón que puede matar a los dioses.
La trama es más bien pausada, aunque en la escena inicial atestiguamos el poder de los dioses y conocemos a un gato-hombre que puede comunicarse con Ben, de inmediato la trama nos sumerge en la sencillez de la vida de un adolescente (puede ser que este sea un mundo postapocalíptico, pero Ben es típicamente irracional, irresponsable y tontorrón en cuanto a su crush se refiere) y se nos muestra la dinámica y las pequeñas pullas dentro de la comunidad. La trama vuelve a remontar hasta pasado el 60%, con unas cuantas revelaciones que no se veían venir y nuestro protagonista está en una situación desesperada.
Es un libro bastante introductorio, pero plantea unas bases interesantes para el resto de libros.
¿Qué Disfruté?
El planteamiento del universo.
¿Qué Deseo Olvidar?
Ben puede ser bastante fastidioso. Tenía que recordarme constantemente que es un chico de 14-15 años ante sus humores cambiantes.
El planteamiento de este mundo postapocalíptico es realmente interesante: había 6 dioses y en sus luchas constantes, acabaron con las ciudades. Ahora solo queda 2 dioses, pero su aparición es sinónimo de destrucción, porque en cuanto se ven, empiezan a luchar aniquilando todo a su paso. Los humanos supervivientes viven en comunidades aisladas que prosperan gracias a su unidad y trabajo en equipo, pero tienen encima la zozobra perenne de que los dioses aparezcan y los destruyan. La comunidad Casper ha sobrevivido mucho tiempo, tanto que incluso algunos miembros piensan que los dioses han desaparecido definitivamente.
En la vida rutinaria de Ben de vuelta en su comunidad, está su profundo temor de aceptar la responsabilidad como líder, sus citas concertadas con candidatas idóneas para esposa, y su amor secreto por el hermano mayor de su mejor amiga. Pero todo eso pierde relevancia ante la aparición de un hombre misterioso que trae noticias sorprendentes: conoce la ubicación del cañón que puede matar a los dioses.
La trama es más bien pausada, aunque en la escena inicial atestiguamos el poder de los dioses y conocemos a un gato-hombre que puede comunicarse con Ben, de inmediato la trama nos sumerge en la sencillez de la vida de un adolescente (puede ser que este sea un mundo postapocalíptico, pero Ben es típicamente irracional, irresponsable y tontorrón en cuanto a su crush se refiere) y se nos muestra la dinámica y las pequeñas pullas dentro de la comunidad. La trama vuelve a remontar hasta pasado el 60%, con unas cuantas revelaciones que no se veían venir y nuestro protagonista está en una situación desesperada.
Es un libro bastante introductorio, pero plantea unas bases interesantes para el resto de libros.
¿Qué Disfruté?
El planteamiento del universo.
¿Qué Deseo Olvidar?
Ben puede ser bastante fastidioso. Tenía que recordarme constantemente que es un chico de 14-15 años ante sus humores cambiantes.
December 13, 2021
I was one of the readers who didn't realize The Fall is YA. The prologue sets Ben up as a skilled, weary man returning home from a long journey who finds that the fantastical animal creatures of his world are capable of so much more than mindless killing. Then, record scratch, the next chapter reveals that Ben is fourteen. Disappointing.
I am also a reader that doesn't like the slower plot. It kind of meanders for most of the book. Once he returns home, Ben stays there for better or for worse. I'm not sure I'd buy a story of a fourteen year old immediately dealing with the things that happen in the last half of the book and succeeding so I suppose a slower plot works somewhat. It gives Ben a chance to grow up a little. That does lead me back to questioning why Ben is so young, though.
I am not a fan of the love interest. Ben pines after him the moment their eyes lock at maybe 10% in. He thinks about him constantly and he is seemingly the only character in the commune that Ben even likes, excluding some family. He sucks so much and Ben's love for him made Ben suck and Ben chasing after him desperate for attention really sucks. The plot may not have felt so slow if he sucked less. I would have liked Ben more if he was less obsessed as time passed on.
The Fall is popcorn fiction. It relies on twist after dramatic twist getting the main character into and out of scrapes. The theme being, don't think too hard just enjoy the show. This genre generally has too many convenient coincidences for me and that's true here. There were too many characters that should be dead popping in to blow our and Ben's minds. I think I know where the author is going with it (aka a foreshadowed twist) and I'm still not that impressed. If everyone close to the main character is a super special being, I call BS.
If I encounter the love interest's name one more time I will throw my kindle, so I'm done with the series here.
I am also a reader that doesn't like the slower plot. It kind of meanders for most of the book. Once he returns home, Ben stays there for better or for worse. I'm not sure I'd buy a story of a fourteen year old immediately dealing with the things that happen in the last half of the book and succeeding so I suppose a slower plot works somewhat. It gives Ben a chance to grow up a little. That does lead me back to questioning why Ben is so young, though.
I am not a fan of the love interest. Ben pines after him the moment their eyes lock at maybe 10% in. He thinks about him constantly and he is seemingly the only character in the commune that Ben even likes, excluding some family. He sucks so much and Ben's love for him made Ben suck and Ben chasing after him desperate for attention really sucks. The plot may not have felt so slow if he sucked less. I would have liked Ben more if he was less obsessed as time passed on.
The Fall is popcorn fiction. It relies on twist after dramatic twist getting the main character into and out of scrapes. The theme being, don't think too hard just enjoy the show. This genre generally has too many convenient coincidences for me and that's true here. There were too many characters that should be dead popping in to blow our and Ben's minds. I think I know where the author is going with it (aka a foreshadowed twist) and I'm still not that impressed. If everyone close to the main character is a super special being, I call BS.
If I encounter the love interest's name one more time I will throw my kindle, so I'm done with the series here.
November 18, 2019
3.5
I really like this book but some things I didn’t really like. For example, how Ben thinks about certain topics can be very flip-floppy making it very hard to fully grasp his ideals.
The love interest is....interesting but not in a bad way. I like the “villains” and how they interact with others. Ben is a interesting character overall along with the world he’s put in.
Looking forward to read the other 3 books.
I really like this book but some things I didn’t really like. For example, how Ben thinks about certain topics can be very flip-floppy making it very hard to fully grasp his ideals.
The love interest is....interesting but not in a bad way. I like the “villains” and how they interact with others. Ben is a interesting character overall along with the world he’s put in.
Looking forward to read the other 3 books.
May 18, 2022
So went into this book knowing it was a YA book with LGBT representation. There rly wasn’t much to that part (hoping there will be more in the future books). The story was decent. Sad at times. But with how the synopsis went I thought there would be more story with the Felum character, sadly not so much. Still going to read the other books I hopes for the story to further itself.
January 25, 2019
*sigh*
I didn’t care that this was a YA book. I was going to read it and enjoy it! Well, I read it and did NOT enjoy it. Ben is a whiny baby! There are so many times I wanted to just slap him. Honestly, I didn’t care for any of the characters.
I didn’t care that this was a YA book. I was going to read it and enjoy it! Well, I read it and did NOT enjoy it. Ben is a whiny baby! There are so many times I wanted to just slap him. Honestly, I didn’t care for any of the characters.
January 3, 2019
A very good read!
The Gods are destroying everything and can't be stopped.
How can men destroy them and regain true civilization?
An exciting and confusing read!
The Gods are destroying everything and can't be stopped.
How can men destroy them and regain true civilization?
An exciting and confusing read!
July 21, 2023
Enjoyable Story
Enjoyable young adult, light friendly, fantasy. Set in an unique apocalyptic future, this book is well written with likeable characters.
Enjoyable young adult, light friendly, fantasy. Set in an unique apocalyptic future, this book is well written with likeable characters.
May 21, 2022
Brilliant storyline I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline
June 18, 2015
!!THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!!
I loved this book, and one of the main reasons for that is this: it is so refreshing to pick up a title with a gay protagonist that isn't trashy. I've gone through countless reviews of M/M Fantasy/Sci-Fi works that praise the author and the storytelling, only to open it up and find p**** everywhere. There is so much sex the majority of these Young Adult gay novels.
It's also extremely refreshing to find a book where the gay protagonist doesn't meet his soulmate and stay together and happy with him from the first or second chapter. Some of my favourite books fall into this chasm. As a gay man who is in a long-term, committed, healthy relationship, I can overlook it. However, if I had found some of these books while I was in high school, I'd be appalled. It's completely insane to think that at 14/15/16 I'd find my one true love in some dump of a town and be happily ever after with them for the remainder of the series.
This book DOES NOT do that. In fact, Ben becomes attached and falls for a guy who is A)straight, and B)in love with someone else. Ben feels pain and sinks into a depression over this, which is something that my teenage self can easily relate to. And it's nice to see that he reacts this way and GROWS AND MOVES ON. This books shows a bit of a healing process, albeit in its own dystopian-post-apocalyptic sort of way.
I don't think the story dragged too much. Firstly, the beginning of a series is always a little slower because there is world-building to be done. It's to be expected. And this series is definitely not one to leave out the final details. The world is so rich and dangerous and beautiful, even in its destruction.
Secondly, one of the slower parts of the book was Ben dealing with his post-journey depression. That's not something that you can or should right as fast-paced. That depression and Ben's attitudes toward his future in the Glass Palace are vital to his development as a character.
And now let's talk about character development: this author gets it. His characters have flaws, great and small. They come to acknowledge them and usually grow from them. Again, this is something I find extremely refreshing. Too often is the gay protagonist some type of perfect leader and idealized youth. As a hormonal, 15-year-old boy, I think Ben's whining is to be expected. He's still intelligent and resourceful, so this flaw makes me love his character. The only criticism I have so far on character development is with Skye. (And this is after completing the second book, mind you.) She seems to be the only person in the book who retains that original depiction of stubbornness and childishness. She's a very interesting character, but two books in and she hasn't really changed. Things have happened to her, yes. But they didn't really effect her behaviour, or her views, or attitudes, you know?
So yes. There were flaws with this book, mainly grammatical, that can't be ignored. However, in light of those errors, I'm still giving this book a solid five stars, because it defies my expectations at every turn. Excellent storytelling on David L. Dawson's part.
I loved this book, and one of the main reasons for that is this: it is so refreshing to pick up a title with a gay protagonist that isn't trashy. I've gone through countless reviews of M/M Fantasy/Sci-Fi works that praise the author and the storytelling, only to open it up and find p**** everywhere. There is so much sex the majority of these Young Adult gay novels.
It's also extremely refreshing to find a book where the gay protagonist doesn't meet his soulmate and stay together and happy with him from the first or second chapter. Some of my favourite books fall into this chasm. As a gay man who is in a long-term, committed, healthy relationship, I can overlook it. However, if I had found some of these books while I was in high school, I'd be appalled. It's completely insane to think that at 14/15/16 I'd find my one true love in some dump of a town and be happily ever after with them for the remainder of the series.
This book DOES NOT do that. In fact, Ben becomes attached and falls for a guy who is A)straight, and B)in love with someone else. Ben feels pain and sinks into a depression over this, which is something that my teenage self can easily relate to. And it's nice to see that he reacts this way and GROWS AND MOVES ON. This books shows a bit of a healing process, albeit in its own dystopian-post-apocalyptic sort of way.
I don't think the story dragged too much. Firstly, the beginning of a series is always a little slower because there is world-building to be done. It's to be expected. And this series is definitely not one to leave out the final details. The world is so rich and dangerous and beautiful, even in its destruction.
Secondly, one of the slower parts of the book was Ben dealing with his post-journey depression. That's not something that you can or should right as fast-paced. That depression and Ben's attitudes toward his future in the Glass Palace are vital to his development as a character.
And now let's talk about character development: this author gets it. His characters have flaws, great and small. They come to acknowledge them and usually grow from them. Again, this is something I find extremely refreshing. Too often is the gay protagonist some type of perfect leader and idealized youth. As a hormonal, 15-year-old boy, I think Ben's whining is to be expected. He's still intelligent and resourceful, so this flaw makes me love his character. The only criticism I have so far on character development is with Skye. (And this is after completing the second book, mind you.) She seems to be the only person in the book who retains that original depiction of stubbornness and childishness. She's a very interesting character, but two books in and she hasn't really changed. Things have happened to her, yes. But they didn't really effect her behaviour, or her views, or attitudes, you know?
So yes. There were flaws with this book, mainly grammatical, that can't be ignored. However, in light of those errors, I'm still giving this book a solid five stars, because it defies my expectations at every turn. Excellent storytelling on David L. Dawson's part.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2012
Ben Casper is a fourteen year old who has just returned home from his journey. A journey that everyone has to make in the dangerous outside world that makes them an adult. He lives in the The Glass Palace with his family. Ben being the only one of his brothers that came back from the journey will now upon his return be trained to become Mayor after his father's reign. Ben is not sure that he wants to be Mayor, he does not want the responsiblity that the job will entail. He enjoyed the freedom of the outside world.
Upon his return Ben is to find a wife to marry. Several women have put in bids to marry Ben while he was away. Ben is to choose which one that he wants to marry. But Ben finds that he has fallen in love with Brian his best friend Skye's brother. But Brian doesn't feel the same way towards Ben. Brian is in love with one of the women Lottie, that put in a bid of marriage to Ben. Ben turns down the offer of marriage so that leaves her free to marry Brian which they do. Ben is very upset after telling Brian how he feels and finds that Brian doesn't feel the same. He gets very depressed and thinks that he will never find any one to love. He will be alone all of his life.
The two Gods Mixcoatl and Ninurta are still fighting and when they fight they demolition whole villages. The Gods have to be stopped before they kill everyone and destroy everything in their path. Ben finds that he has been kept in the dark about a group called The Order of Power. This group worship the Gods and are fighting to try to keep everyone else in the power of the Gods. There is also another secret group of people called The God Slayers. The God Slayers have been searching for the god cannon for years. The god cannon is the only thing that will kill the Gods.
I enjoyed reading The Fall set in a post apocalyptic dystopian world in the year 2026. While they had no real way of knowing the exact year they believed this to be the correct year. I liked that it was in the future. It was very different from any other post apocalyptic book that I have read. That is what made it so good I think. I liked Ben but I didn't agree with the way he handle somethings. Like when he kissed Brian not that I have anything against him kissing Brian. It's just the fact that he knew Brian belonged to someone else, that he was already married by then. Why didn't he try that before Brian and Lottie were married or even engaged. To me that was wrong. Ben was very immature but he was only fourteen.
I received a copy of The Fall (The God Slayers Trilogy #1) by David L. Dawson from LibraryThing for review.
Upon his return Ben is to find a wife to marry. Several women have put in bids to marry Ben while he was away. Ben is to choose which one that he wants to marry. But Ben finds that he has fallen in love with Brian his best friend Skye's brother. But Brian doesn't feel the same way towards Ben. Brian is in love with one of the women Lottie, that put in a bid of marriage to Ben. Ben turns down the offer of marriage so that leaves her free to marry Brian which they do. Ben is very upset after telling Brian how he feels and finds that Brian doesn't feel the same. He gets very depressed and thinks that he will never find any one to love. He will be alone all of his life.
The two Gods Mixcoatl and Ninurta are still fighting and when they fight they demolition whole villages. The Gods have to be stopped before they kill everyone and destroy everything in their path. Ben finds that he has been kept in the dark about a group called The Order of Power. This group worship the Gods and are fighting to try to keep everyone else in the power of the Gods. There is also another secret group of people called The God Slayers. The God Slayers have been searching for the god cannon for years. The god cannon is the only thing that will kill the Gods.
I enjoyed reading The Fall set in a post apocalyptic dystopian world in the year 2026. While they had no real way of knowing the exact year they believed this to be the correct year. I liked that it was in the future. It was very different from any other post apocalyptic book that I have read. That is what made it so good I think. I liked Ben but I didn't agree with the way he handle somethings. Like when he kissed Brian not that I have anything against him kissing Brian. It's just the fact that he knew Brian belonged to someone else, that he was already married by then. Why didn't he try that before Brian and Lottie were married or even engaged. To me that was wrong. Ben was very immature but he was only fourteen.
I received a copy of The Fall (The God Slayers Trilogy #1) by David L. Dawson from LibraryThing for review.
February 6, 2013
If I could use half stars, I would give this a 2.5.
Thanks to David Dawson for the opportunity to read and review this first book in the God Slayers Trilogy. This post apocalyptic dystopian world was different from others that I have read. The idea of the Gods warring was different and the societal structure had me intrigued because there were so many exciting things that could happen and dangers everywhere. Throw in conspiracies and twists and things should be very interesting. I wanted to like this book, but it did not work out that way. It took me a while to get past thru the 1st half, which dragged, and didn’t really offer enough explanation about the gods and how things got to be this way.
While I can appreciate a good coming of age story, this story seems hypocritical. Ben is supposed to be a “man” in his society, but he is extremely clueless about his sexuality and relationships. The numerous sexual references and Ben’s total lack of knowledge about any of it made it all awkward to read. That combined with his obsession with Brian, just made it hard to connect with for me. Actually, I had trouble relating to any of the characters, so I just didn’t care what happened.
On a different but equally important note, I found the editing and grammatical issues a bit distracting.
At some point I may decide to try the rest of the series, but not right now.
Thanks to David Dawson for the opportunity to read and review this first book in the God Slayers Trilogy. This post apocalyptic dystopian world was different from others that I have read. The idea of the Gods warring was different and the societal structure had me intrigued because there were so many exciting things that could happen and dangers everywhere. Throw in conspiracies and twists and things should be very interesting. I wanted to like this book, but it did not work out that way. It took me a while to get past thru the 1st half, which dragged, and didn’t really offer enough explanation about the gods and how things got to be this way.
While I can appreciate a good coming of age story, this story seems hypocritical. Ben is supposed to be a “man” in his society, but he is extremely clueless about his sexuality and relationships. The numerous sexual references and Ben’s total lack of knowledge about any of it made it all awkward to read. That combined with his obsession with Brian, just made it hard to connect with for me. Actually, I had trouble relating to any of the characters, so I just didn’t care what happened.
On a different but equally important note, I found the editing and grammatical issues a bit distracting.
At some point I may decide to try the rest of the series, but not right now.
August 30, 2013
The fall by David l Dawson
I love the way the Author writes the story.and makes you want to read more and more. It is time for his journey to begin and he finds strange things and strange
creatures, a boy named Ben Casper of the House of Casper who is only 14 and must become a man to fight not only for all the people in the House of Casper
who is like family,but must endure the fighting of the two last Titan Gods that is destroying the world as they try to kill each other. Then in comes the Order of
Powers who want to take over everyone minds to worship the Gods. Ben at times thinks he as gone mad at the things that happen to him amd his friends and
grows up quickly despises this young age. The book is well written and was an enjoyment to me to read.
I love the way the Author writes the story.and makes you want to read more and more. It is time for his journey to begin and he finds strange things and strange
creatures, a boy named Ben Casper of the House of Casper who is only 14 and must become a man to fight not only for all the people in the House of Casper
who is like family,but must endure the fighting of the two last Titan Gods that is destroying the world as they try to kill each other. Then in comes the Order of
Powers who want to take over everyone minds to worship the Gods. Ben at times thinks he as gone mad at the things that happen to him amd his friends and
grows up quickly despises this young age. The book is well written and was an enjoyment to me to read.
June 6, 2016
The Gods ended the world not Zombies
So I'm a big fan of "end of the world" stories. I mostly read zombie books but it was nice to read a different story of how the world ended. The God(s) did it! Imagine that. And not just one. This is a story about the survivors, particularly a boy. The survivors live as clans. Ben just comes back from his "walk about" so to speak and becomes an adult. Granted he's only 14, but in this world you have to grow up fast. I don't want to give too much away so I'll just say this book has death, loss, homosexuality (done very innocently) family, friends, survival and a quest (hence the title)
So I'm a big fan of "end of the world" stories. I mostly read zombie books but it was nice to read a different story of how the world ended. The God(s) did it! Imagine that. And not just one. This is a story about the survivors, particularly a boy. The survivors live as clans. Ben just comes back from his "walk about" so to speak and becomes an adult. Granted he's only 14, but in this world you have to grow up fast. I don't want to give too much away so I'll just say this book has death, loss, homosexuality (done very innocently) family, friends, survival and a quest (hence the title)
September 29, 2019
The Fall by David L. Dawson is a post-apocalyptic tale featuring young teenager Ben as the narrator. This coming of age read follows Ben as he faces both adolescent and adult issues, such as grappling with his sexuality and realizing that he does not want to be Mayor, even though it is his family legacy to rise to the post. Ben often comes off as a typical teenager, sometimes apathetic and naive, but shows subtle bravery in dealing with his sexuality and other growing pains. The book itself was an easy read, yet lacks in true climax.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2012
It was good; not brilliant, but good. The ending was sort of an anti-climax, but it did leave me wanting to know what happens next, so I suppose that's a good thing. The dystopian world set-up was good, and it was a nice change to have a male lead instead of a female one. So...
Pros:
*Good world building
*Makes you want more
*Good use of first person
Cons:
*Climax just okay
*I want to know more about the Felum!
*Quite dark in places
Pros:
*Good world building
*Makes you want more
*Good use of first person
Cons:
*Climax just okay
*I want to know more about the Felum!
*Quite dark in places
August 19, 2013
This is a decent book. I found the main character to be a bit whiny. That said, I really like the way this timeline dealt with personal sexuality. Heterosexual and homosexual are both seen as normal. What is important is who you fall in love with, and that the person also loves you. It was normal that the young man who our hero falls in love with is in love with a female, and marries her. Our hero is unable to control his passions, like many 14-year-olds, and gets himself into trouble.
December 26, 2014
Quite liked the premise of this book, the world was well constructed.
Is in serious need of formatting and proof-reading. The spacing was odd, there were constant double full-stops, words were missing or poorly punctuated and there were random tense changes.
Liked that the main character was struggling with his sexuality, it gave the book an interesting angle.
Reminded me a little of some of the stories my younger brother used to write.
Is in serious need of formatting and proof-reading. The spacing was odd, there were constant double full-stops, words were missing or poorly punctuated and there were random tense changes.
Liked that the main character was struggling with his sexuality, it gave the book an interesting angle.
Reminded me a little of some of the stories my younger brother used to write.
September 19, 2015
Atrocious character development made this very difficult for me to get through. I kept hoping that it would get better, but was disappointed. The plot rambled all over the place, the main character is one of the worst I have come across, and the action seems to be of the blink and you miss it variety.
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