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Dawning
In 2081, the United States is on the brink of collapse. As civil unrest rises and martial law looms, an ear-splitting trumpet blast shakes the Earth, and Yellowstone erupts. The power grid fails. Communication goes dark. And the world slips into chaos. But that's only the beginning. The trumpet was a reckoning-a warning of unleashed evil.
In Farley, West Virginia, Avery Lucas watches it all unravel. Churches burn. Christians are executed. Children vanish into government reeducation centers.
Avery's always known how to fight, but this is a war he doesn't understand. His wife, Ahrie, calls it the Apocalypse, and if she's right, then guns, grit, and muscle might buy time, but they won't stop what's coming. Because what's coming isn't just violent-it's unholy.
As the line between good and wicked disappears, his family clings to their faith while Avery wrestles with doubt-and a fear he can't outrun. He wants to believe. But first, he has to survive. And can belief really stop a bullet? Desperate to protect his wife and sons, Avery flees to the mountains, praying the wilderness can shield them. But as ungodliness spreads to every corner of the Earth, he's forced to confront the one enemy he can't shoot, stab, or escape-the war inside his soul.
In Farley, West Virginia, Avery Lucas watches it all unravel. Churches burn. Christians are executed. Children vanish into government reeducation centers.
Avery's always known how to fight, but this is a war he doesn't understand. His wife, Ahrie, calls it the Apocalypse, and if she's right, then guns, grit, and muscle might buy time, but they won't stop what's coming. Because what's coming isn't just violent-it's unholy.
As the line between good and wicked disappears, his family clings to their faith while Avery wrestles with doubt-and a fear he can't outrun. He wants to believe. But first, he has to survive. And can belief really stop a bullet? Desperate to protect his wife and sons, Avery flees to the mountains, praying the wilderness can shield them. But as ungodliness spreads to every corner of the Earth, he's forced to confront the one enemy he can't shoot, stab, or escape-the war inside his soul.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 24, 2025
I enjoyed the book it combines religion with a futuristic supernatural mix, that though I do take a while to read a book I was able to complete quicker than others. I cannot wait to see where it goes in the next book loved the cliffhanger. Get hooked it’s worth the read!!!!
October 10, 2026
Dawning, the first book in D.E. Ramey’s The Evil in the World Saga, is an apocalyptic thriller that combines military-style action, survival, family, faith, and a rapidly collapsing society. The story follows Avery Lucas, a former Navy serviceman and experienced protector, as an extraordinary series of events transforms everyday life into a fight for survival.
The novel begins with Avery concerned about the growing disorder around him, but events soon move far beyond ordinary social unrest. A devastating global catastrophe changes the environment and threatens civilization itself. As communications fail and communities descend into violence and chaos, Avery’s priorities become very clear: protect his wife Ahrie, his children, his parents, and the people who have come to depend on him.
One of the book's strongest elements is its emphasis on family. Avery is not simply a hardened action hero. His determination to protect his family gives the story much of its emotional weight. His relationship with Ahrie is particularly important. She provides a strong spiritual counterbalance to Avery's military instincts, and their differing approaches to danger, faith, and responsibility give the story added depth.
The survival elements are also detailed and convincing. Ramey spends considerable time showing how the characters prepare for an uncertain future—securing food and supplies, establishing defenses, dealing with weapons, organizing watches, and adapting to increasingly dangerous circumstances. The story gradually transforms from a disaster narrative into a full-scale survival struggle.
Faith is another major component of Dawning. Christianity is not simply background decoration; it is woven directly into the characters' decisions and their understanding of what is happening to the world. Prayer, scripture, morality, good and evil, and the characters' belief in God repeatedly influence the action. Readers looking specifically for a faith-based apocalyptic thriller will find that element particularly prominent.
The action scenes are frequent and sometimes intense. Ramey writes with a cinematic sense of movement, particularly during firefights, confrontations, rescues, and defensive preparations. At the same time, the novel includes quieter moments around the family campfires and within the Lucas household, giving the reader opportunities to see the characters as people rather than simply survivors.
Avery himself is an interesting protagonist because his military experience is both his greatest asset and a source of internal conflict. He understands how to respond to violence, but he also recognizes the terrible consequences of violence. As the situation deteriorates, the distinction between protecting his family and fighting a war becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.
The novel is not without its darker moments. Violence, death, social breakdown, and the suffering of innocent people are recurring elements. Some scenes are graphic, and the story takes its depiction of a collapsing society seriously. Readers who prefer lighter post-apocalyptic fiction may find the material intense.
Overall, Dawning is an ambitious beginning to a larger saga. It combines apocalyptic disaster with military action, family drama, survival preparation, and Christian themes. The book ends at a point that clearly leaves the story open for what comes next, making it apparent that Avery and his family’s struggle is far from over.
For readers who enjoy apocalyptic thrillers with strong family relationships, military action, survival preparation, and Christian themes, Dawning offers an engaging and substantial story with plenty of action and an unmistakable sense that much larger battles lie ahead.
The novel begins with Avery concerned about the growing disorder around him, but events soon move far beyond ordinary social unrest. A devastating global catastrophe changes the environment and threatens civilization itself. As communications fail and communities descend into violence and chaos, Avery’s priorities become very clear: protect his wife Ahrie, his children, his parents, and the people who have come to depend on him.
One of the book's strongest elements is its emphasis on family. Avery is not simply a hardened action hero. His determination to protect his family gives the story much of its emotional weight. His relationship with Ahrie is particularly important. She provides a strong spiritual counterbalance to Avery's military instincts, and their differing approaches to danger, faith, and responsibility give the story added depth.
The survival elements are also detailed and convincing. Ramey spends considerable time showing how the characters prepare for an uncertain future—securing food and supplies, establishing defenses, dealing with weapons, organizing watches, and adapting to increasingly dangerous circumstances. The story gradually transforms from a disaster narrative into a full-scale survival struggle.
Faith is another major component of Dawning. Christianity is not simply background decoration; it is woven directly into the characters' decisions and their understanding of what is happening to the world. Prayer, scripture, morality, good and evil, and the characters' belief in God repeatedly influence the action. Readers looking specifically for a faith-based apocalyptic thriller will find that element particularly prominent.
The action scenes are frequent and sometimes intense. Ramey writes with a cinematic sense of movement, particularly during firefights, confrontations, rescues, and defensive preparations. At the same time, the novel includes quieter moments around the family campfires and within the Lucas household, giving the reader opportunities to see the characters as people rather than simply survivors.
Avery himself is an interesting protagonist because his military experience is both his greatest asset and a source of internal conflict. He understands how to respond to violence, but he also recognizes the terrible consequences of violence. As the situation deteriorates, the distinction between protecting his family and fighting a war becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.
The novel is not without its darker moments. Violence, death, social breakdown, and the suffering of innocent people are recurring elements. Some scenes are graphic, and the story takes its depiction of a collapsing society seriously. Readers who prefer lighter post-apocalyptic fiction may find the material intense.
Overall, Dawning is an ambitious beginning to a larger saga. It combines apocalyptic disaster with military action, family drama, survival preparation, and Christian themes. The book ends at a point that clearly leaves the story open for what comes next, making it apparent that Avery and his family’s struggle is far from over.
For readers who enjoy apocalyptic thrillers with strong family relationships, military action, survival preparation, and Christian themes, Dawning offers an engaging and substantial story with plenty of action and an unmistakable sense that much larger battles lie ahead.
August 20, 2025
This book is the kind of story that hooks you from the very first page and refuses to let go. Set in 2081, the novel paints a chillingly believable portrait of a world on the brink, civil unrest, martial law, and the eruption of Yellowstone serve as the backdrop for a tale that is both epic in scale and deeply personal.
What struck me most was how the author balanced raw, heart-pounding action with the spiritual struggle at the center of Avery’s journey. Avery isn’t your typical one-dimensional hero, he’s a man hardened by life and skilled in survival, but plagued by doubt and fear when faced with something that brute strength can’t defeat. His wife, Ahrie, is a grounding force, framing the chaos as the Apocalypse itself, which heightens the tension between human instinct and divine faith.
What struck me most was how the author balanced raw, heart-pounding action with the spiritual struggle at the center of Avery’s journey. Avery isn’t your typical one-dimensional hero, he’s a man hardened by life and skilled in survival, but plagued by doubt and fear when faced with something that brute strength can’t defeat. His wife, Ahrie, is a grounding force, framing the chaos as the Apocalypse itself, which heightens the tension between human instinct and divine faith.
January 23, 2026
This book kept me turning pages late into the night. The tension never lets up, and the sense of dread feels real and earned. What makes Dawning stand out is how it goes beyond survival and action to explore belief, fear, and the cost of faith in a broken world. The spiritual themes are powerful without feeling forced, and the stakes feel deeply personal.
July 30, 2026
I haven’t finished reading a book in years! Always fall asleep while reading. Not with Dave’s book! Very easy read. Enjoyed the story, the sad relevance to current life and appreciated the faithfulness throughout the book. Well done! Can’t wait for book II.
December 25, 2025
I really loved this book. There was so much action packed to a timeline. I could not put this book down Author signed the book as well You can tell there is a series for this book set that I can not wait for the next book already.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews