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Critical #1
Critical Dawn
Some mysteries should stay buried.
Archaeologists Pippa Quinn and Charlie Jackson find advanced technology in undisturbed 16th Century graves. A portent, the discovery precedes thousands of giant sinkholes opening up across the globe as extreme weather threatens the population. Charlie suspects the two are related.
A centuries old plan unfolds.
Pippa, Charlie, and the rest of humanity will have to fight for survival, sacrificing the life they’ve known to protect Earth from an ancient and previously dormant enemy. Even that might not be enough as this new enemy exacts a plan that will change the course of humankind forever.
Critical Dawn is an apocalyptic ride to the very edge of human existence. Factions will battle for control of the Earth—if they can avoid the threat of extinction.
Archaeologists Pippa Quinn and Charlie Jackson find advanced technology in undisturbed 16th Century graves. A portent, the discovery precedes thousands of giant sinkholes opening up across the globe as extreme weather threatens the population. Charlie suspects the two are related.
A centuries old plan unfolds.
Pippa, Charlie, and the rest of humanity will have to fight for survival, sacrificing the life they’ve known to protect Earth from an ancient and previously dormant enemy. Even that might not be enough as this new enemy exacts a plan that will change the course of humankind forever.
Critical Dawn is an apocalyptic ride to the very edge of human existence. Factions will battle for control of the Earth—if they can avoid the threat of extinction.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2014
438 people are currently reading
1484 people want to read
About the author
Darren Wearmouth
37 books128 followersAKA D.A. Wearmouth
Darren Wearmouth spent six years in the army before pursuing a career in corporate technology. After fifteen years working for large telecommunications firm and a start-up, he decided to follow his passion for writing.
His first novel was the best-selling FIRST ACTIVATION that he later sold to Amazon’s publishing imprint, 47North in a two-book deal. Darren is represented by Paul Lucas of Janklow & Nesbit.
Darren’s a member of the International Thriller Writers organisation and currently lives in Manchester, England.
Darren Wearmouth spent six years in the army before pursuing a career in corporate technology. After fifteen years working for large telecommunications firm and a start-up, he decided to follow his passion for writing.
His first novel was the best-selling FIRST ACTIVATION that he later sold to Amazon’s publishing imprint, 47North in a two-book deal. Darren is represented by Paul Lucas of Janklow & Nesbit.
Darren’s a member of the International Thriller Writers organisation and currently lives in Manchester, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
January 22, 2017
I enjoyed this book - despite several flaws.
In terms of the structure of the book, the plot is extremely well presented through the first dozen chapters or so. Alternating narratives add tension and are well done in this respect. The basic concept is, I think, fairly original, but many variations around the main idea are clearly derivative. Characters are well drawn throughout, and are rounded if not complex - although Charlie Jackson, at least, is fully developed. The pace varies between medium and fast, and I thought it felt appropriate throughout.
The quality of the actual writing is mediocre, or at a minimum badly needs proofing and a serious edit for grammar, syntax and style. There were one or two moments, looking at a particularly egregious error, when I wondered whether the author's home language was, in fact, English.
Nevertheless, the story and characters were engaging enough to carry me through to the end. While this is the first in a trilogy, it feels complete in itself, and in fact I felt that I was satisfied to stop here.
I will recommend this book to SF fans looking for dystopian or alien invasion themes, if they can find it for the right price.
In terms of the structure of the book, the plot is extremely well presented through the first dozen chapters or so. Alternating narratives add tension and are well done in this respect. The basic concept is, I think, fairly original, but many variations around the main idea are clearly derivative. Characters are well drawn throughout, and are rounded if not complex - although Charlie Jackson, at least, is fully developed. The pace varies between medium and fast, and I thought it felt appropriate throughout.
The quality of the actual writing is mediocre, or at a minimum badly needs proofing and a serious edit for grammar, syntax and style. There were one or two moments, looking at a particularly egregious error, when I wondered whether the author's home language was, in fact, English.
Nevertheless, the story and characters were engaging enough to carry me through to the end. While this is the first in a trilogy, it feels complete in itself, and in fact I felt that I was satisfied to stop here.
I will recommend this book to SF fans looking for dystopian or alien invasion themes, if they can find it for the right price.
May 22, 2014
This is the third book I have read by Colin F. Barnes, the and it is another truly fantastic book. Critical Dawn grabs you from the beginning with the story nicely woven into a real life mystery (the mystery of the missing colony of Roanoke island). The main character Charlie and his colleagues discover a mysterious item at an archaeologist dig. Something that could not possibly be from the time period. Then Colin and Darren set up the other side of the story with a small crew in a spacecraft. They are in charge of getting everyone aboard to their destination, a new planet to colonize. The story continues to bounce back and forth until the stories merge. I love how the two story lines converge and the point in which I had that 'ah ha' moment. The convergence was so seamless and once I could see the whole picture I was fully hooked. Again, as with previous books by Colin F. Barnes, I had a very difficult time putting this one down.
The character development is very well done with good back story, a well defined set of survivors and the people who have betrayed their fellow mankind. The aliens were fascinating and why they were on earth is eerie. Each character is very believable, from their viewpoint, to reactions and actions. The fight scene with the alien sent to kill the resistance is suspenseful and a real page turner, leaving me hoping the characters would live. The technology Colin and Darren invent for this story is excellent and creative. He writes a swift moving story with characters I am instantly attached too and wanted to know more about. I always look forward to the next book released and can give a solid recommendation to anyone I know. Critical Dawn and many other book are absolutely worth the time to read.
If you are a fan or a first time reader of Colin F. Barnes or Darren Waremouth then you will find this an excellent book, a must read. The author has a real grasp of how to paint a post apocalyptic world and make you feel like you are in the story. If you love apocalyptic or technology type stories then this is an author you must read. The author is a real favorite of mine and I can't wait until the next book he releases. I will now have to add Darren to my list of authors to read and look up his works.
The character development is very well done with good back story, a well defined set of survivors and the people who have betrayed their fellow mankind. The aliens were fascinating and why they were on earth is eerie. Each character is very believable, from their viewpoint, to reactions and actions. The fight scene with the alien sent to kill the resistance is suspenseful and a real page turner, leaving me hoping the characters would live. The technology Colin and Darren invent for this story is excellent and creative. He writes a swift moving story with characters I am instantly attached too and wanted to know more about. I always look forward to the next book released and can give a solid recommendation to anyone I know. Critical Dawn and many other book are absolutely worth the time to read.
If you are a fan or a first time reader of Colin F. Barnes or Darren Waremouth then you will find this an excellent book, a must read. The author has a real grasp of how to paint a post apocalyptic world and make you feel like you are in the story. If you love apocalyptic or technology type stories then this is an author you must read. The author is a real favorite of mine and I can't wait until the next book he releases. I will now have to add Darren to my list of authors to read and look up his works.
July 21, 2014
Warning: Spoilers
An amusing little retro-feel alien invasion book.
Positives:
* The writing is actually pretty decent.
* It's a page-turner, I kept reading to see what happens next.
* It has a nostalgic feel, kind of like one of those old 70's or 80's alien invasion stories.
Negatives:
* There really isn't much to the actual plot, it's standard fare and the resolution is very tired and overused.
* There was too much time spent on the unsavoury characters, even though they are necessary to the plot, it's just not much fun to read about them, and way too much time was spent on them that could have been better used elsewhere.
* The author really vastly oversimplifies everything and it all has a children's sci-fi vibe to it with conveniently human-sized aliens who don't use massive weapons but instead engage in conventional military tactics. The Predator-type alien hunter was just boring and silly, but worst of all it all came down to this massive world-wide catastrophe hinging on 1 guy and 1 farm, even to the point of the alien mothership hovering right above that particular farm (of all the places on earth, really?) at the end. None of it was the least bit believable from an alien invasion standpoint. For example, why would the aliens bother hiding underground all that time, and why would they groom an ineffectual disgraced Roman Emporer to rule Earth instead of say ruling it themselves, or just grabbing some modern political leader or CEO? At least they'd understand modern human motives and technologies and languages, unlike some cold-freezed failed emporer. Just... silly.
Overall, it was a mildly amusing light read but I can't recommend it.
An amusing little retro-feel alien invasion book.
Positives:
* The writing is actually pretty decent.
* It's a page-turner, I kept reading to see what happens next.
* It has a nostalgic feel, kind of like one of those old 70's or 80's alien invasion stories.
Negatives:
* There really isn't much to the actual plot, it's standard fare and the resolution is very tired and overused.
* There was too much time spent on the unsavoury characters, even though they are necessary to the plot, it's just not much fun to read about them, and way too much time was spent on them that could have been better used elsewhere.
* The author really vastly oversimplifies everything and it all has a children's sci-fi vibe to it with conveniently human-sized aliens who don't use massive weapons but instead engage in conventional military tactics. The Predator-type alien hunter was just boring and silly, but worst of all it all came down to this massive world-wide catastrophe hinging on 1 guy and 1 farm, even to the point of the alien mothership hovering right above that particular farm (of all the places on earth, really?) at the end. None of it was the least bit believable from an alien invasion standpoint. For example, why would the aliens bother hiding underground all that time, and why would they groom an ineffectual disgraced Roman Emporer to rule Earth instead of say ruling it themselves, or just grabbing some modern political leader or CEO? At least they'd understand modern human motives and technologies and languages, unlike some cold-freezed failed emporer. Just... silly.
Overall, it was a mildly amusing light read but I can't recommend it.
August 3, 2017
This is an interesting book, but I’m not a fan of science fiction books that make humans seem like a bunch of helpless idiots. This book doesn’t exactly do that, but it comes pretty close. I also cannot tell you much about how the events in this book take place because it would spoil the whole plot.
Needless to say, Earth has apparently been visited by aliens way back in the past. They didn’t exactly leave after this initial visit. No, they were here for a long, long time and we humans didn’t have a clue, but we should have. Of course, any alien civilization that comes to this planet will be far, far superior in technology than what we on Earth currently have. I mean, you just don’t travel billions of miles to another solar system or even galaxy just to say, “Hi!”. Most likely these aliens will haver a purpose for their visit even if it’s just to tell us not to send our stupid TV signals into outer space!
The aliens in this book, the Croatoans, seem to be the little grey guys we’ve all seen in the usual science fiction story. They do come in different sizes based on what their job might be. They have scientist or engineer types, soldiers and hunters. Their technology is so far beyond ours that we had no chance of competing against it.
The story actually starts prior to our knowledge of the aliens. We meet the main character, Charlie Jackson, when he was a young man and working as an archaeologists in a very small firm. They were on a dig, or at least his boss, Pippa was when she came back to their offices with some exciting news. That news bought Charlie and Pippa out to the site where something very dangerous and surprising just happened. The book tells the rest of the story.
Again, I don’t like stories that paint humans as helpless and I also don’t like stories that show humans loosing their humanity and turning on their own kind. I know it happens, but that doesn’t make it any better. It’s every person out for themselves until someone decides he or she’s going to be THE BOSS and they have to get that way by killing other humans. Survival isn’t that necessary if that’s the way were have to go. Ok, I’ll shut-up now.
I did read the whole book and kind of liked it. The main characters pretty much stayed through the whole book although several do get killed off which considering what they were up against, isn’t surprising. Oh, and this appears to be the start of a new series. The second book, “Critical Path” and the third book, “Critical Strike” are both available on Amazon. Whether I read them or not is an unknown at this time.
Needless to say, Earth has apparently been visited by aliens way back in the past. They didn’t exactly leave after this initial visit. No, they were here for a long, long time and we humans didn’t have a clue, but we should have. Of course, any alien civilization that comes to this planet will be far, far superior in technology than what we on Earth currently have. I mean, you just don’t travel billions of miles to another solar system or even galaxy just to say, “Hi!”. Most likely these aliens will haver a purpose for their visit even if it’s just to tell us not to send our stupid TV signals into outer space!
The aliens in this book, the Croatoans, seem to be the little grey guys we’ve all seen in the usual science fiction story. They do come in different sizes based on what their job might be. They have scientist or engineer types, soldiers and hunters. Their technology is so far beyond ours that we had no chance of competing against it.
The story actually starts prior to our knowledge of the aliens. We meet the main character, Charlie Jackson, when he was a young man and working as an archaeologists in a very small firm. They were on a dig, or at least his boss, Pippa was when she came back to their offices with some exciting news. That news bought Charlie and Pippa out to the site where something very dangerous and surprising just happened. The book tells the rest of the story.
Again, I don’t like stories that paint humans as helpless and I also don’t like stories that show humans loosing their humanity and turning on their own kind. I know it happens, but that doesn’t make it any better. It’s every person out for themselves until someone decides he or she’s going to be THE BOSS and they have to get that way by killing other humans. Survival isn’t that necessary if that’s the way were have to go. Ok, I’ll shut-up now.
I did read the whole book and kind of liked it. The main characters pretty much stayed through the whole book although several do get killed off which considering what they were up against, isn’t surprising. Oh, and this appears to be the start of a new series. The second book, “Critical Path” and the third book, “Critical Strike” are both available on Amazon. Whether I read them or not is an unknown at this time.
May 28, 2014
I’m a bit of a sucker for a story that screams epic. Anything that calls out apocalypse, alien invasion, conspiracy hidden in history, dancing bears [I got kids, you know], then chances are it’s for me. Lucky for me, this book landed in my lap. Critical Dawn has got it all, the answer to the greatest mystery from seventh grade history class, mole people, the end of the world, a big bad biker named…Jace [huh?]
We meet our protagonist, Charlie, as he and his team, and by team, I mean his smart, sexy, sultry boss, Pippa [really] are on the verge of a breakthrough in their centuries old search for what happened to…well, I can’t tell you that. Their search is relatively short, however, as their investigation is brought to a premature end by the end of the world. Luckily for them, the cause of the apocalypse and the answer to Charlie and Pippa’s mystery are one and the same. As my Gramma always told me, be careful what you wish for, because you might kill everyone, everywhere. Gram was big into guilt…and gin...
Critical Dawn draws you in quickly with a brief introduction to our hero and the mystery surrounding his and Pippa’s work. A second story gets introduced pretty early on, with its own host of characters and their own big ole mystery and problems. The authors do a great job of bouncing from one story to the next, moving back and forth seamlessly and quite entertainingly. I actually found myself really enjoying the second story’s characters and struggles and wishing for more from that period. The two stories eventually slam headfirst into one another, where we are drawn into man’s fight for survival against forces both from and not from this Earth.
At its core, Critical Dawn tells the story of Charlie, and his evolution from archeologist to savior of the human race. Actually, it doesn’t. Charlie goes from a micro-brew drinking, archeologist-y, hanging with my bro’s kinda guy, to savior of the Earth in the flip of a page. That is my largest complaint about the story. In the authors’ attempt to make a decades spanning story ripped from our history, they kinda failed to flesh out the characters a smidge. Take Charlie and Pippa for example. Pippa becomes the driving force for Charlie in his fight against forces who wish to change Earth into their own all you can eat vacation spot, since Pippa is the love of his life and they shared such a strong bond. How do we know? Well, Charlie said so.
I have to say, I like a good bad guy. These bad guys have potential, but just like the characters above, they just aren’t fleshed out enough. The bad guys here are of two varieties, human and not so much. With their technological prowess, the not so much crew quickly overruns the entire planet and all of our combined might. However, many meet their maker at the hands of a dude with my grand pappy’s hunting rifle. Granted, Charlie has an awesome MacGuffin in the form of a world charging, human killing produce that is also a combination of water from the Holy Grail and a steroid. The human bad guys aren’t much better, with most going from selfish turds thinking only of themselves while humanity is fed into a Cuisinart, when suddenly, “Whoops, my bad.”
Please, don’t misunderstand me, I really enjoyed the book and burned through it quickly. The epic-ness I love in a good story is there in bits and pieces, drawing me in with the promise of a good, layered story. I just wished that the bits and pieces were crumbs from a big ass cupcake of a story. Maybe it was on purpose, maybe we’ll soon see stories about Charlie and Pippa’s struggles after the fall of man. I hope so, because I really do want that muffin.
We meet our protagonist, Charlie, as he and his team, and by team, I mean his smart, sexy, sultry boss, Pippa [really] are on the verge of a breakthrough in their centuries old search for what happened to…well, I can’t tell you that. Their search is relatively short, however, as their investigation is brought to a premature end by the end of the world. Luckily for them, the cause of the apocalypse and the answer to Charlie and Pippa’s mystery are one and the same. As my Gramma always told me, be careful what you wish for, because you might kill everyone, everywhere. Gram was big into guilt…and gin...
Critical Dawn draws you in quickly with a brief introduction to our hero and the mystery surrounding his and Pippa’s work. A second story gets introduced pretty early on, with its own host of characters and their own big ole mystery and problems. The authors do a great job of bouncing from one story to the next, moving back and forth seamlessly and quite entertainingly. I actually found myself really enjoying the second story’s characters and struggles and wishing for more from that period. The two stories eventually slam headfirst into one another, where we are drawn into man’s fight for survival against forces both from and not from this Earth.
At its core, Critical Dawn tells the story of Charlie, and his evolution from archeologist to savior of the human race. Actually, it doesn’t. Charlie goes from a micro-brew drinking, archeologist-y, hanging with my bro’s kinda guy, to savior of the Earth in the flip of a page. That is my largest complaint about the story. In the authors’ attempt to make a decades spanning story ripped from our history, they kinda failed to flesh out the characters a smidge. Take Charlie and Pippa for example. Pippa becomes the driving force for Charlie in his fight against forces who wish to change Earth into their own all you can eat vacation spot, since Pippa is the love of his life and they shared such a strong bond. How do we know? Well, Charlie said so.
I have to say, I like a good bad guy. These bad guys have potential, but just like the characters above, they just aren’t fleshed out enough. The bad guys here are of two varieties, human and not so much. With their technological prowess, the not so much crew quickly overruns the entire planet and all of our combined might. However, many meet their maker at the hands of a dude with my grand pappy’s hunting rifle. Granted, Charlie has an awesome MacGuffin in the form of a world charging, human killing produce that is also a combination of water from the Holy Grail and a steroid. The human bad guys aren’t much better, with most going from selfish turds thinking only of themselves while humanity is fed into a Cuisinart, when suddenly, “Whoops, my bad.”
Please, don’t misunderstand me, I really enjoyed the book and burned through it quickly. The epic-ness I love in a good story is there in bits and pieces, drawing me in with the promise of a good, layered story. I just wished that the bits and pieces were crumbs from a big ass cupcake of a story. Maybe it was on purpose, maybe we’ll soon see stories about Charlie and Pippa’s struggles after the fall of man. I hope so, because I really do want that muffin.
September 24, 2016
Critical Dawn was a most enjoyable read. I went into reading this novel knowing not much more than that it was a science fiction story of an ancient find and advanced technology. This story turned out to be so much more.
I really enjoyed reading this novel and best of all it surpassed all my expectations. The story line turned out to be more diverse and thrilling than I had thought. It was exciting, gripping and had me hooked and always wanting to read just a little bit more.
I read this book as a combination of ebook and audiobook. I have to say that the writing was great and the narration very enjoyable. I recommend both formats very much. I cannot wait to continue reading this story with book two.
I really enjoyed reading this novel and best of all it surpassed all my expectations. The story line turned out to be more diverse and thrilling than I had thought. It was exciting, gripping and had me hooked and always wanting to read just a little bit more.
I read this book as a combination of ebook and audiobook. I have to say that the writing was great and the narration very enjoyable. I recommend both formats very much. I cannot wait to continue reading this story with book two.
January 26, 2015
I started reading the novel before I wanted to go to sleep and ended up burning through the first 35% in a single run. Talking about a compelling sci-fi thriller.
I'd place this in the 'Post-Apocalyptic Survivors Against Colonizing Aliens' genre. The author duo included enough new spins on the trope to make it interesting and fresh. The human traitors that worked for the invaders reminded me of jews policing their own people in the ghettos during WWII.
Scary idea, but effective on an emotional level.
The prose is simple, precise and moves the story along in a quick pace. This is the sci-fi I love to read: straight forward with cool ideas, instead of getting lost in technical jargon.
As for the characters, Augustus was one of the coolest antagonists in quite some time-talking about a killer and epic backstory, heh, I save you the spoiler. Let's just say he's come a long way.
I personally would have loved a more original alien race, more fleshed out protagonists and even more twists, but the thrill of the read provided me entertainment enough.
This is a recommended read if you want a fast-paced, post-apocalyptic thriller with the intensity of a hover-bike ride.
I'd place this in the 'Post-Apocalyptic Survivors Against Colonizing Aliens' genre. The author duo included enough new spins on the trope to make it interesting and fresh. The human traitors that worked for the invaders reminded me of jews policing their own people in the ghettos during WWII.
Scary idea, but effective on an emotional level.
The prose is simple, precise and moves the story along in a quick pace. This is the sci-fi I love to read: straight forward with cool ideas, instead of getting lost in technical jargon.
As for the characters, Augustus was one of the coolest antagonists in quite some time-talking about a killer and epic backstory, heh, I save you the spoiler. Let's just say he's come a long way.
I personally would have loved a more original alien race, more fleshed out protagonists and even more twists, but the thrill of the read provided me entertainment enough.
This is a recommended read if you want a fast-paced, post-apocalyptic thriller with the intensity of a hover-bike ride.
June 4, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I have previously read Darren Wearmouth's "First Activation" and one of the things that I commented in my review about that was the books relentless pace. I was delighted to find that it is the same case here. What I really admire is that the authors are able to keep things moving quickly while cramming as much detail as is required about the post apocalyptic world that the alian invaders have created and indeed, about the aliens themselves. I have to say, I really like the ending of the book, giving nothing away of course, but I really could not put it down towards the end. I am really interested to see where the authors will go from here with the story and I can't wait for the next instalment. Brilliant.
June 11, 2014
V meets WAR OF THE WORLD
This story starts off with a bang and a killer twist that sets the stage for some of the high-octane, propulsive action to follow. Aliens are the bad guys but they lurk in the background, manipulating a web of human collaborators who have chosen to sell out their own species. It's a plot turn that gives the novel a gritty, grounded feel. Wearmouth and Barnes have taken alien invasion tropes and given them a hard, contemporary kick. The final result is a great mix of alien invasion adventure and post-apocalyptic survival drama that makes for a compulsive read.
This story starts off with a bang and a killer twist that sets the stage for some of the high-octane, propulsive action to follow. Aliens are the bad guys but they lurk in the background, manipulating a web of human collaborators who have chosen to sell out their own species. It's a plot turn that gives the novel a gritty, grounded feel. Wearmouth and Barnes have taken alien invasion tropes and given them a hard, contemporary kick. The final result is a great mix of alien invasion adventure and post-apocalyptic survival drama that makes for a compulsive read.
September 9, 2014
Great book!
Great story line and exciting enough to keep me glued to the pages. The character interaction was well done as well. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi.
Great story line and exciting enough to keep me glued to the pages. The character interaction was well done as well. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi.
September 13, 2014
Despite a few errors, this book deserves 5 stars. It was excellent.
January 11, 2015
Fast paced. Different, kept my attention.
March 15, 2016
Loses a star for all the errors/typos.
July 12, 2017
We have all heard of the croatoans and we have all heard of the story of the missing settlers from Roanoake Island but when a team finds skeletal remains with a piece of technology, aliens is the only possible answer. Before they can even determine what the bead is, alien ships start rising from sink holes scattered all across the planet. When they come, they come to conquer and they come to change the planet to suit them.
Charlie Jackson with his son work tirelessly to take the planet back. Even with all the grammatical errors this book is well worth reading. I look forward to reading the continued story. This one leaves you knowing there is more to come but it does not leave you with a complete shock as some series do.
Charlie Jackson with his son work tirelessly to take the planet back. Even with all the grammatical errors this book is well worth reading. I look forward to reading the continued story. This one leaves you knowing there is more to come but it does not leave you with a complete shock as some series do.
August 15, 2017
Being a fan of Sci-Fi, I did enjoy this book, and although I felt there were far too few characters, the ones that were featured were likable and interesting enough to keep me reading. On the other hand, and the reason I gave the book only 4 stars, because there was too much information that was not there. Too few characters to pull off the story really well. After all, if the entire planet of earth were overrun and conquered as this story intimates, there should have been a much wider network of survivors that were also fighting against the Alien conquerors. In other words, I found it all too implausible that so few could possibly accomplish what they supposedly did.
November 28, 2024
This starts well. The writing is pleasing. The story lines are intriguing: archelogy meets science fiction.
Then somehow we lose some of the story. We fast forward to a dystopian future. Yes, we are drip- fed details of what happened in the past but there are still questions.
The ending offers no closure. Sure, the story carries on in the next volume but I’m not persuaded to read it.
And that lovely prose at the beginning deteriorates into something dull and cliché-ridden with little variance in pace and tension.
Then somehow we lose some of the story. We fast forward to a dystopian future. Yes, we are drip- fed details of what happened in the past but there are still questions.
The ending offers no closure. Sure, the story carries on in the next volume but I’m not persuaded to read it.
And that lovely prose at the beginning deteriorates into something dull and cliché-ridden with little variance in pace and tension.
November 5, 2017
Starting out in today's world on an archeological dig, the story quickly moves into a future where Earth has been invaded by aliens who are terraforming the planet and are working towards the annihilation of all life on Earth -- with some humans fighting against this. Not entirely sure where this vol 1 is going to go after this, and I am not going to bother finding out.
August 26, 2019
Nedaudz aizrāva un tas jau ir labi :)
Itkā forši, bet brīžiem pārāk sekli un vienkārši, arī ļoti paredzami, taču domāju, ka jādod iespēja nākamajai daļai sērijā - varbūt pārsteigs.
Itkā forši, bet brīžiem pārāk sekli un vienkārši, arī ļoti paredzami, taču domāju, ka jādod iespēja nākamajai daļai sērijā - varbūt pārsteigs.
July 11, 2020
Very interesting
This was very interesting capturing your attention right from the beginning. Definitely full of mystery with twists and turns and just when you think you know, something else happens. Great sci-fi read.
This was very interesting capturing your attention right from the beginning. Definitely full of mystery with twists and turns and just when you think you know, something else happens. Great sci-fi read.
July 9, 2017
A terrific story. Well written.
August 1, 2017
It made me wonder
Could this happen in the real world sometime in the future? I hope I never know. Can we defeat a superior race of beings?
Could this happen in the real world sometime in the future? I hope I never know. Can we defeat a superior race of beings?
September 1, 2019
A great book
A really great read, enjoyed it very much, Alien invasion, humans fighting back, earth on the brink of alien domination.
A really great read, enjoyed it very much, Alien invasion, humans fighting back, earth on the brink of alien domination.
January 21, 2021
An interesting book
This book has interesting characters as well as an intriguing storyline. With lots of action and suspense it will keep you interested
This book has interesting characters as well as an intriguing storyline. With lots of action and suspense it will keep you interested
June 25, 2021
Ok beginning, but not enough detail to keep me engaged. Abandoned.
October 9, 2021
This wasn't too bad at the beginning, then it turned into a dismal story, with no discernible main character.
August 3, 2022
Light reading
September 17, 2022
Enjoyable.
August 14, 2016
This just squeaked in at 4 stars for me, it was maybe a 3.75 in truth.
Before I disappear under spoiler tags, I note that some reviewers from three years ago, or thereabouts, commented on the proofreading and editing not being up to snuff. Clearly this book has had a lot of work on it since, I think I spotted perhaps two errors while reading.
Before I disappear under spoiler tags, I note that some reviewers from three years ago, or thereabouts, commented on the proofreading and editing not being up to snuff. Clearly this book has had a lot of work on it since, I think I spotted perhaps two errors while reading.
September 16, 2015
3.5 stars
Archaeologists and historians Charlie Jackson and his boss, Pippa Quinn, are investigating a site of particular interest and on the verge of a huge discovery, although it turns out to be not quite what they were expecting. Pippa has found some unexplainable and disturbing evidence in undisturbed graves at the dig site of a deserted settlement on Roanoke Island. Items were found under the skeletons which could not have been added after the burials and it was obvious to Charlie and Pippa they were dealing with advanced technology. As they try to draw some conclusions from the artefacts and information found at the dig, storms are gathering around the world. India has been hit with a tsunami and California by a hurricane.
An alternating storyline involves Generation Ship 5A, a space mission to colonise a new world and whose destination was a still hundred years away. Ben Murray, Ethan Reeves and Maria Flores are part of the crew and are now experiencing serious disruption to their vessel. They are in what they believe to be a desperate situation, as the ship appears to be in crisis.
The invasion is launched as sink holes begin to appear across the world and the aliens rise to the surface of the earth. The early double plot is good and grabbed my interest, but then suddenly, as the stories merge, the narrative is years ahead and I’m wondering what happened. I had to rewind to see if I’d missed something. From the inconclusive ending of one chapter to the beginning of the next there’s a very confusing and drastic leap in the storyline. It took a while to get back into the story and I almost gave up.
It would have been nice to find out more about Roanoke Island. I do like the way the true story has been adapted to fit into the story. I’d also like to know what actually happened to Pippa. There is nothing much about the actual invasion or Charlie’s story after the event. Even with science fiction/fantasy it has to be believable on some level and the concept of the aliens remaining undetected on earth for thousands of years stretches my imagination a little too far.
The basis of the main part of story is Charlie and his small group of survivors as they fight against the Croatoans’ plans to use humans and the planet for their own needs. The characters are well defined, both the resistance fighters and those who have collaborated with the aliens. Parts of the story are very good, the first and last thirds particularly, but the writing at times seemed to lack a connection, possibly because the book was written by two authors. I haven’t read either before so it’s difficult to tell.
However, I did enjoy the book once I got back into it again, due in no small part to Luke Daniels’ narration which, as always, is stellar. I would perhaps have followed on with the second audiobook but it doesn’t seem to be available, even though there is a sample at the end of Critical Dawn. Perhaps due for release at a later date.
Archaeologists and historians Charlie Jackson and his boss, Pippa Quinn, are investigating a site of particular interest and on the verge of a huge discovery, although it turns out to be not quite what they were expecting. Pippa has found some unexplainable and disturbing evidence in undisturbed graves at the dig site of a deserted settlement on Roanoke Island. Items were found under the skeletons which could not have been added after the burials and it was obvious to Charlie and Pippa they were dealing with advanced technology. As they try to draw some conclusions from the artefacts and information found at the dig, storms are gathering around the world. India has been hit with a tsunami and California by a hurricane.
An alternating storyline involves Generation Ship 5A, a space mission to colonise a new world and whose destination was a still hundred years away. Ben Murray, Ethan Reeves and Maria Flores are part of the crew and are now experiencing serious disruption to their vessel. They are in what they believe to be a desperate situation, as the ship appears to be in crisis.
The invasion is launched as sink holes begin to appear across the world and the aliens rise to the surface of the earth. The early double plot is good and grabbed my interest, but then suddenly, as the stories merge, the narrative is years ahead and I’m wondering what happened. I had to rewind to see if I’d missed something. From the inconclusive ending of one chapter to the beginning of the next there’s a very confusing and drastic leap in the storyline. It took a while to get back into the story and I almost gave up.
It would have been nice to find out more about Roanoke Island. I do like the way the true story has been adapted to fit into the story. I’d also like to know what actually happened to Pippa. There is nothing much about the actual invasion or Charlie’s story after the event. Even with science fiction/fantasy it has to be believable on some level and the concept of the aliens remaining undetected on earth for thousands of years stretches my imagination a little too far.
The basis of the main part of story is Charlie and his small group of survivors as they fight against the Croatoans’ plans to use humans and the planet for their own needs. The characters are well defined, both the resistance fighters and those who have collaborated with the aliens. Parts of the story are very good, the first and last thirds particularly, but the writing at times seemed to lack a connection, possibly because the book was written by two authors. I haven’t read either before so it’s difficult to tell.
However, I did enjoy the book once I got back into it again, due in no small part to Luke Daniels’ narration which, as always, is stellar. I would perhaps have followed on with the second audiobook but it doesn’t seem to be available, even though there is a sample at the end of Critical Dawn. Perhaps due for release at a later date.
February 21, 2017
An Interesting Story
I really can't say why I had trouble getting through this book. Usually, when I have trouble with a book it is because the story is poorly written, the characters uninteresting, the dialogue unbelievable or it is poorly proofed and edited. That was not the case with Critical Dawn.
The writing was strong, the dialogue realistic, the story well thought out and excellently edited. The characters were believable and complex, while they interacted. I don't want to write any spoilers, but parts of the book were extremely original, and the story tied everything together at the end, something you don't see often enough in boss that are part of a series. I honestly believe most readers will enjoy this book, partly because it is so well written and partly because it is an original story. Even though I only gave it 4 Stars, it could have easily gotten 5 Stars if it would have"grabbed" my attention more strongly.
I really can't say why I had trouble getting through this book. Usually, when I have trouble with a book it is because the story is poorly written, the characters uninteresting, the dialogue unbelievable or it is poorly proofed and edited. That was not the case with Critical Dawn.
The writing was strong, the dialogue realistic, the story well thought out and excellently edited. The characters were believable and complex, while they interacted. I don't want to write any spoilers, but parts of the book were extremely original, and the story tied everything together at the end, something you don't see often enough in boss that are part of a series. I honestly believe most readers will enjoy this book, partly because it is so well written and partly because it is an original story. Even though I only gave it 4 Stars, it could have easily gotten 5 Stars if it would have"grabbed" my attention more strongly.
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