Awakening Dawn

by Nick Fetsch, Anne Fetsch (Illustrator)

"The World, As We Know It, Is Doomed To Fall."

He was right, of course, and Kiridain knew that, he just couldn't remember.

When Kiridain awakens in the heart of the Sleeping Forest, he is met by a world entirely unfamiliar to him. The Bladed Kingdoms, a land of knights and fabled creatures, is bizarre and foreign. All those around him, including himself, are complete strangers.

When he stumbles upon the heart of a sinister plot, Kiridain is forced upon a journey of discovery and destiny, one which will not only unravel the truths of his own past, but ultimately determine the fate of the Bladed Kingdoms.

642 pages, Paperback

Published July 6, 2025

Reviews

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awakening Dawn

An epic young adult fantasy with knights, magic, a great evil, and so much more!

It was easy to get lost in this action-packed quest and adventuring with these likable characters.

Kiridain, the main character started off with not knowing who he was and he gets swept up in this incredible journey. He was flawed but I enjoyed watching him grow and learn throughout the story.

He was surrounded by a great number of various companions like Alessio, Lucina, and more that offered wisdom and friendship.

I did enjoy the overall adventure and quest. It was paced well with something always happening and keeping you on your toes.

If you enjoy noble quests, young adult fantasy, epic adventures, found family, friendship, knights, battles, wisdom, magic, betrayals, lost memories, and so so much more then be sure to check this one out!

[Brydee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Fetsch’s young adult fantasy novel Awakening Dawn is nothing short of brilliant. The story follows the main character, Kiridian, a boy who wakes up in a forest with no memories. He is found by a group of four courageous friends who take him in. Accidentally, they stumble upon a perplexing mystery that thrusts them into a dangerous journey—one that will not only reveal long-buried truths of the past but also determine the fate of their kingdom.

Awakening Dawn had me intrigued right from the very first chapter. We are immediately introduced to the main character, Kiridian—a boy who wakes up in a mysterious forest with no memory of who he is, where he is from, and not an inkling of where he currently is. This instantly had me hooked. Kiridian is discovered by a group of four friends, and the plot quickly begins to unfold. The story is fast-paced, with each chapter jam-packed with excitement and mystery. I want to emphasize how brilliant the author’s writing style is: it is gripping and rich with detail. Nick’s descriptions are so vivid that while reading, I felt as if I had stepped into this intriguing fantasy world myself. This brilliant writing style is sustained from the beginning of the book right through to the very end. Once I started turning the pages, I quite literally was unable to stop.

Awakening Dawn takes place in a unique fantasy world called the Bladed Kingdoms. The world-building in this book is exceptional, filled with fascinating characters and unusual, imaginative creatures. The world has been crafted with such rich detail to its lore, history and characters, making it a truly sensational read.

This book is filled with exceptional characters who share a keen sense of adventure. This is essential, as the journey they undertake is nothing short of an epic quest. Many of the characters embody exemplary values. Through their actions, they tell a story not only of extreme bravery and nobility, but also of newfound friendship and the importance of loyalty.

One of my favourite parts of Awakening Dawn is the meaningful takeaway messages embedded into the story. I find this especially significant since Awakening Dawn is a young adult novel. Some of the lessons I took from it were the importance of always helping those in need, and how leaning on others during difficult times can actually lessen the load of the problem. This book is not only a thrilling fantasy adventure that follows its characters on an exhilarating quest—it is also a story that will encourage its readers to think of themselves and consider how they can become better people.

I was beyond impressed with every part of this novel and loved how thrilling each chapter was. Nick structures his chapters so well, often ending them on suspenseful notes that can’t help but engage the reader and encourage them to keep on reading. I also thought the layout of the book was great. I thought that including a list of the active lore at the beginning of each chapter was a clever idea. This made it easy to keep track of the world building and remember the significance of certain terms, characters and systems. Another aspect that amazed me was the incredibly clever wordplay throughout the novel—Nick truly impressed me with this.

Readers will not be disappointed with this book. I absolutely loved it and consider it a five-star read. I will most definitely be recommending it to my fellow fantasy lovers. Despite being considered a YA fantasy, I, as an adult, loved it and would wholeheartedly recommend it to an adult audience as well. This is a novel that truly deserves to be showcased in the front windows of bookstores all around the world.

Thank you to the author, Nick Fetsch, who reached out to me and asked if I would like to read Awakening Dawn in exchange for a review. I enjoyed this book so much that I will personally be purchasing a copy and adding it to my collection, an honor that only happens to the very best of the books I review.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awakening Dawn
by Nick Fetsch, illustrated by Anne Fetsch
Publisher: Nick Fetsch
Release Date: July 7, 2025
709 Pages
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What Did I Just Walk Into?
This book starts with a guy waking up in a creepy forest with no memories, and honestly? Same, emotionally. Awakening Dawn is 700+ pages of “What the hell is happening?” in the best possible way. Kiridain doesn't know who he is, where he is, or why the world seems to be lurching toward doom—and neither do we. Welcome to the Bladed Kingdoms, where everything is slightly off, nothing is explained right away, and fate has major main character energy.

This is the kind of fantasy where you think you’re reading a classic chosen-one arc, but the plot just keeps unraveling like a cursed scroll. Every time you get comfortable, another name-drop, vision, or magical artifact shows up to remind you that no one here—including the reader—is allowed to have peace.

Here’s What Slapped:
🗡️ Big “lost heir meets world-ending prophecy” vibes, but make it moody.
🗡️ A strange, lyrical atmosphere that feels like wandering through someone else’s dream journal.
🗡️ The art by Anne Fetsch adds an eerie beauty that pairs well with all the mystery-fog.

What Could’ve Been Better:
🗡️ You’ll have questions. So many questions. Some get answered. Some just sit in the corner, sipping tea and smirking.
🗡️ A bit of a slow burn—perfect if you like wandering aimlessly with vibes, less so if you need your fantasy tightly plotted from page one.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:
📖 Amnesia but make it epic
📖 Destiny-fueled quests where nobody knows what’s really going on
📖 Poetic world-building with a side of cryptic doom
📖 High fantasy with the pacing of a fever dream

Final Vibe:
Like waking up mid-prophecy and realizing you might be the chosen one... or just a very confused guy with good hair and worse luck.

Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up "Awakening Dawn" by Nick Fetsch, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. This year, 2025, happens to be a fantastic reading year for me—I finally started taking fantasy fiction seriously, and diving into this book felt so good. Right from the start, I was pulled into a world of knights, magic, battles, betrayals, and a looming great evil. It was easy to get lost in this action-packed quest and feel like I was adventuring right alongside the characters.

The heart of the story is Kiridain, a young man who begins his journey not knowing who he truly is. He’s flawed, sometimes unsure of himself, but that made watching him grow and learn all the more rewarding. What I loved most was how real he felt—he wasn’t a perfect hero but someone shaped by the trials around him. Surrounding him were memorable companions like Alessio, Lucina, and others, who added wisdom, humor, and friendship. They brought warmth to the story and made the “found family” theme shine through beautifully.

The adventure itself was a constant thrill—well-paced, never dull, and always keeping me on my toes. From sinister threats to moments of camaraderie, every chapter had something happening that pushed the story forward. I especially enjoyed how the narrative balanced high-stakes battles with moments of reflection and growth, reminding me why I love fantasy in the first place.

Overall, Awakening Dawn is an epic YA fantasy that offers everything I look for in the genre: noble quests, likable characters, a sense of magic and mystery, and the timeless struggle between light and darkness. It’s the kind of story that sweeps you away and leaves you both satisfied and eager for more. If you love found families, knights, magic, and adventure with heart, then this book definitely deserves a spot on your reading list.

[Debbie Viscosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine waking in a field and not remembering your life. Kiridain is fortunate to be found by a group of people on patrol for dangerous creatures. He follows the group to safety while trying to access his memory. The group that finds him protects their town from predators under the direction of a knight. Each of the members wishes to become a knight someday. Kiridain watches as the group trains to enhance their skills.

As he learns about the country and region he is living in, Kiridain realizes he must travel to see if anything will prompt his memory to return. When his group of new friends is sent on a mission, Kiridain volunteers to accompany them. The trip is arduous. Kiridain realizes that he must develop sword skills to assist his friends on the journey. Kiridain and his friends meet a legendary knight who encourages them to continue their quest. While his memory remains elusive, Kiridain becomes more confident and knows he must help save this kingdom.

While this book is a YA novel, it should not be dismissed as being too young for adult readers. Creatures, kingdoms, knights, and evil are delightfully captivating in this first novel of the series. Nick Fetsch's vivid imagination has crafted a world where danger can lurk around the next bend while enjoying a walk through the forest. Evil is on the rise, and good is trying hard to save the day. What makes a hero? Is it fearlessness? Good intentions? Kiridain and his friends have far to go to save the kingdom. It is entertaining and thrilling to see their journey unfold. Fans of Lord of the Rings, knights of the Round Table, and other fantasy will thoroughly enjoy this tale.

Thank you to Nick Fetsch for sending me this series debut. I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Shreya · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Awakening Dawn is a vivid, thrilling tale that follows Kiridian, our protagonist, who wakes up with no recollection of his past or who he is. Drawn to this new world, he finds himself entangled in missions and conspiracies that make him wonder about his past self, but also the future that he carries.

What I loved about this story was how Fetsch portrayed Kiridian, as well as his relationships with the other characters such as Alessio and Luciana, in particular Luciana, whom I found to have the most interesting dynamic with Kiridian. There is a lot of action in this novel - and I mean a lot! Page by page there are just so many things that happen, and it leaves you with questions...albeit, a bit too many questions. There are answers, sure, but they're not as clear all the time. I think that's what I felt was lacking the most. Some of them aren't answered, which I assume is for the next book, but they felt too integral of a part of the plot to be left very vague.

But the PROSE?? Fetsch is incredible with his word play. In particular, a quote that continues to follow me is, "The love we hold for others is often stronger than any wounds which the flesh may endure." It's so raw and really settles in your bones to make you think about our relationships and life as a whole.

Overall, I enjoyed this story! I can't wait to see what else comes because I can tell that the adventure is going to be a ride I won't want to miss!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waking in an unfamiliar world, a man soon finds himself taken in by strangers and intertwined in a fight that will determine the fate of a kingdom in Awakening Dawn by Nick Fetsch.

To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.

Found sleeping in the forest by a group of strangers, Kiridain wakes with no memories of the world around him or who he is, but the strangers, who fight to protect others and want to become knights, decide to take him in and bring him to their home, Galen. When Kiridain and Lucina happen upon a mining tunnel during a fight as they evade some creatures, they see something that they weren’t meant to, leading to the group of five being told to flee their attacked and burning home. While making their escape and steadily journeying toward the castle to officially train and become knights, their party encounters numerous threats from the Outcast, who were responsible for attacking Galen and have strong sentiments against the sovereign, along the way that alters their party’s composition the further they travel. Making new allies and enemies in their journey, a trail of discovery, duplicity, destiny, and dreams emerges, which will greatly impact the future of their group, as well as that of the Bladed Kingdoms.

In a story that has its share of mystery through the shrouded, missing memories of Kiridain, as well as the goal of the Outcast to be combatted, and is filled with plenty of adventuring action to maintain escalation of the momentum of the narrative ever forward, the story progresses and develops at a steady pace as the characters embark on their journey across the kingdom while also learning more about themselves. Already a lengthy tale that depicts variations of repeated trials to endure that seem as if they may never end, there was more emphasis on talking through details or explanations for things, exemplified through describing things for Kiridain’s sake, instead of showing their development more gradually and subtly, though it could be argued that the spoken explanations were reasonable given the amnesia and easily kept things swiftly moving. The characters presented have distinct qualities that make them memorable, generally likable, and entertaining, leaving readers eager to learn how they’ll fare against the tribulations they face and how they’ll interact with one another; however, while Kiridian’s obscured past masks the full extent of his personality, there’s an odd oscillation of extremes to his emotions at times, particularly where Lucina is concerned that remains mostly uncommunicated or unclarified affection yet borders on protectiveness. The ending is sudden and leaves many questions pinging around, awaiting an answer to know just how certain characters will fare and how the situation will shake out while at the height of a battle scene.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I Did Like:
+First impression: the cover art is BEAUTIFUL. This cover alone may draw in readers. I’ll be interested to see if this matches the vibe of the story. This doesn’t affect my rating, by the way, as first impressions help draw you in but don’t affect the story.
+The opening chapter is well done. It’s immediately apparent we’re dealing with a main character who has amnesia but it’s done in a more unique way than you’d expect.
+The book is written and edited well. I found no errors or places where the descriptions were unclear.

Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of high fantasy stories of adventure will like this one, particularly if you also like when they’re learning the new world at the same time as a new character.

My Rating: 3 Stars

For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2026/01/...

[Thomas J Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad ending

[La'Shonda Newman · Rating 3 out of 5]

it had a lot going on!
The read was decent.
the end was like wtf!
so the sequel better say K was dreaming and come back harder than ever.
so yes, I'll read the next one. keep going Nick

[Mani · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Awakening Dawn” is a delightful YA Fantasy that invites you to join Kiridian, our main character, as he wakes up in the middle of a mysterious forest, completely lost and unsure of who he is or where he came from.

The writing is fantastic! It may start off a bit slow, but there’s so much happening that I found myself completely hooked. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, a surprising twist would pop up and keep me guessing.

The world-building is really well done! At first, it might seem a bit confusing, but don’t worry—it all clicks together beautifully as the story progresses.

I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the characters, but that just made them all the more interesting! Each one is well-crafted, giving them depth and personality.

And I can’t forget to mention the wonderful illustrations by Anne Fetsch! They added a delightful touch to the story, helping me picture the scenes in my mind.

Overall, this is a fantastic first book in the series, and I think you should definitely add it to your TBR if you’re looking for an action-packed, epic fantasy adventure.

A huge thank you to Nick for reaching out and sharing a digital review copy of this fantastic book with me. All my thoughts here are entirely my own, and I’m really excited to share them with you voluntarily!