Dawn Rising

Marked #1

by A.F.E. Smith

Alyssia Gale is a daydreamer. A liar. An attention seeker. Everyone she's ever known has found a label to stick on her, but one thing's for she can't be telling the truth. The flashes she sees of the dark and difficult lives of four other people, living in a world that's not her own … they can't be real. Alyssia understands that as well as anyone, even if she does keep catching herself thinking of the people she sees as friends.

Then she's pulled into that other world by blood and dark magic, and realises that everyone she's ever known was wrong.

To start with, her focus is on surviving until she can find a way home. Yet it doesn't take long for her to figure out that where before she was merely a spectator, now she can change things. And with one of her friends being forced into an abusive marriage, and another trapped in the cruellest of prisons, there's plenty that needs changing. She just needs to survive long enough to do it.

What she doesn't know is that something connects her to these four people. Something she never could have imagined. And it's not long before she isn't just fighting to find her place between the worlds – she's fighting to protect her closest friends from a narrative that wants them dead.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

376 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2020

About the author

I'm a full-time editor, a part-time daydreamer and a constant scribbler. I have a three-year-old son (known to the internet as Small) and a baby girl (known, perhaps predictably, as Tiny). Things I like include snacks, books, complex maths problems, snacks, animated films and snacks. Send me chocolate and I'll be your forever friend. I also happen to be a robin some of the time, but you shouldn't let that bother you.

My debut novel, DARKHAVEN, is out now from Harper Voyager. It's a fast-paced fantasy whodunnit featuring love, murder and obsession, carriage chases, duels to the death and a very angry Wyvern, set in a unique city in the throes of industrial revolution. Coming soon to an ebook reader near you :-)

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A note on my book ratings: these are murky waters and I'm new to navigating them. I just want to give everything five stars to avoid hurting people's feelings (see, this is why I don't usually review stuff) but obviously that's neither helpful nor honest. So I've elaborated a bit on the Goodreads descriptions below, and if you're wondering, this is how I use my stars!

5 stars ('it was amazing'): reserved for books I love so much that I've read them more than once. Message: buy it now! Then talk to me about it!

4 stars ('really liked it'): a great book that I'd certainly recommend to others. May become a 5-star book, given time. Message: buy it.

3 stars ('liked it'): a good book. It was enjoyable - I don't feel that I wasted my time reading it - but I'm not going to rush out and evangelise about it either. Message: buy it, if it sounds like your kind of thing.

2 stars ('it was ok'): a book I have mixed feelings about. There was nothing terribly wrong with it, but it left me feeling meh. Message: borrow it from a friend.

1 star ('didn't like it'): reserved for books that, for me, had serious problems with plotting, characterisation and/or the basic rules of the English language. Sorry, but if a book is absolutely full of 'typos' then it will end up here, because I like some care to have gone into what I read. Message: avoid.

Reviews

[Fliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Dawn Rising, for being everything The Magicians wasn't.

I think it all comes down to why people read fantasy. For me the real world is awful enough already and I want to read books where decent people try their hardest to make a difference. And of course in fantasy people are ABLE to make a difference, their courage and determination has a real impact on the world, unlike in reality where that can seem impossible. I want fantasy to show me the best of people.

Which brings me back to Dawn Rising! I have read this authors books before but I didn't realise this one existed until I saw a GR friend's review and decided to check it out. I gave the Darkhaven series five stars but now I wish I could give this one six because it's a whole step up from those. More epic, more complex, more tense.

The story is about Alyssia, a teen girl who sees visions of another world but thinks they are just her imagination. She is bullied at school and isolated as a result of her difference. But then she gets pulled into the world of her visions and this is where she really becomes the kind of admirable character I like to read about, because she's been seeing terrible things happening to the people in her visions so now she decides she owes it to them to help them. They are her friends even though they don't know it. And I just ... Alyssia isn't perfect and she makes mistakes but she never gives up. And I loved her for it.

The four secondary characters, whose viewpoints we get when Alyssia sees visions involving them, are also wonderful. They all have their own flaws and foibles but again they are basically decent people who make mistakes. Some of them suffer awful events and there is a very sensitive handling of the lasting mental and physical effects of abuse and trauma. Even the villain of the piece, while thoroughly cruel, turns out to be a lot more complex than you might think. Smith has a gift for writing characters who feel real, no matter the outlandishness of the setting.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to any teen readers who came into the library (note there are a few swear words but nothing your average teem won't have heard) and I would recommend it to the adults as well.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. I worried a little that anything I read after I finished the Cruel Prince trilogy for the second time would suffer in comparison, but this book elbowed its way into my head as fiercely as Alyssia herself and now I can't stop thinking about it. I hope the second book comes out soon because I need to know what happens next.

So things I loved:

Alyssia, the main character. I related so hard to some of her struggles with school that it made me a little sick. But when she ends up in the other world (not a spoiler, it's in the book description) you begin to see just how brave she is and how loyal to her friends, even if they don't know they're her friends yet. Honestly I kinda love her.

All of Alyssia's friends (the imaginary ones who turn out to be real). There are four of them and each one is very distinct and different. It's very clever how the book weaves their perspectives in through the medium of Alyssia's visions, giving multiple perspectives without ever being confusing.

The plot. Everything moves fast and yet there is a perfect amount of description to bring the world(s) to life. So I felt kind of breathless and grounded at the same time, which was good. Some scenes are seriously tense and there are also some major twists I did NOT see coming.

I don't know what else to say except you should read this book. I don't understand why it doesn't have thousands of reviews but at least I can be smug knowing that I know how good it is, even if no one else does.

I might even add some quotes. THAT’S how much I loved it.

[Julia (Pages for Thoughts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book uniquely mixes reality and issues of mental illness, discrimination, abuse, and corruptness with a fantasy world. Alyssia's visions was a captivating take to telling the lives and background stories of the other characters. I did guess the plot twist at the end of who Alyssia really is, and it was enjoyable to see that I was right. What made the journey of them through Endarion amazing was not the setting of the world, but why the characters were there and their motivations for the sacrifices and choices they made along the adventure.

Alyssia is beyond brave, braver than I would be in that situation. Falling through a window and then seeing the people inside her head? I would have been freaking out. Her noble qualities of trying to save them in spite of what might happen to herself are admirable. I did enjoy more reading about Alyssia's life here and in school than in Endarion. While not the best choice, I applaud Alyssia for standing up for herself. I look forward to seeing more of her life in Woodleigh and in her high school in the coming books and her relationship with her classmates. I do not blame Peter for no longer being her friend as he was bullied into doing so. I hope that Colin will eventually get the punishment that he deserves.

Each character had their own unique challenges and diverse feelings. Oriana struggled with overcoming physical and emotional abuse from her husband and her disgraced healing abilities. I enjoyed her character development of finding strength within herself, and even laughing again. Fabithe is the most interesting of them. His darkened heart from battle set on revenge conflicting with his unconscious desire to have companionship and care for something. Finding a balance between violence and caring was extremely difficult for him, but the most fascinating to watch. Toralé is the most mysterious of the bunch, as the majority of his story is based on him being tortured and locked away for a crime he didn't commit. I look forward to learning more about him in the following books.

[Vix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued and hooked from the start and loved meeting and learning more about each of the characters. It’s not long until Alyssia is pulled from our world into the other world and that’s where all the action and excitement really takes off.

I’m not usually a fantasy lover but this one really got me and I kept wanting to know what would happen next, it’s definitely one I’m going to continue the series with. I was invested in each character and they all had rich histories that were revealed along the way. The world is described really well and I could picture the locations perfectly, from our boring world to the castles and forests of the other world.

This is classed as a YA book which makes me even more interested in her adult series Darkhaven. One slight negative I have is that the second book in the Marked series hasn’t been released yet, so I’m going to have to wait… impatiently!

*I received a complimentary copy of the e-book from Voracious Readers Only and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Richard Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an immediately interesting, modern fantasy novel addressing some key issues faced by young people in today’s world in an exciting action storyline with several twists, well told in a style that flows easily.

In a world of computer games, social media, targeted advertising and fake news, where image and belief seem to be everything, fantasy and reality become increasingly difficult to distinguish. So it is in Dawn Rising. Alyssia has landed in a dire situation in a dystopian real world which fails to deal at all well with its problems. She finds refuge in her dreams, which she experiences (both night and day) through the thoughts of various characters (helpfully signposted in the text by appropriate symbols). After a crisis moment at school, which sees her suspended, and then hovering on the boundary of reality, she falls out of the window of the children’s home right into her ‘fantasy’ world. There she embarks on a mission with three companions to save Oriana (‘Dawn Rising’) from her fate at the hands of her husband, the evil Ifor, and rescue the fifth member of the group, who has been imprisoned, from impending execution. As you would expect, they face a number of difficult challenges along the way.

There is magic (‘blood magic’) and some characters have special powers, reminding one of both Lord of the Rings and Pullman’s ‘Dark Materials’ at times. There is consistency and attention to detail in this, as one would expect from an author whose day job is editing academic literature.

As in Smith’s ‘Darkhaven’ trilogy, the characters and their relationships develop steadily as the story progresses. Loyalty, trust, jealousy and resistance against male dominance are strong themes, with marked contrasts between the attitudes of the various male characters. Smith shows a deep understanding of these and other issues, with a number of quotable observations about life which will resonate with many. (“There is meaning in everything, if you only look hard enough”; “Sometimes hiding your wounds is the only way to convince yourself they aren’t hurting you”; “The best way to fail is to stop trying”; “At its heart, love carries within it the bittersweet seed of loss; that is what makes it taste so good.”)

There is also much humour in the writing, often coming as little nuggets of observations which highlight the contrast between what is usually taken for granted in epic fantasy and the practicalities of [Alyssia’s] earthly existence, which is the other half of the story in this case (“But I refuse to traipse around rescuing every stray person who comes into your mind”; “Not all of us have the ability to carry half an unconscious person and hold down a conversation.”) – Humour created out of the intertwining of fantasy and reality, which all adds to the readability.

There are twists in the tail of the plot, with surprising revelations about some of the characters. You will have to read the book to find out what they are.

The story comes to a clear ending, with both Alyssia and Ifor apparently exiting permanently, but in this dual-universe situation one cannot be sure of anything. The obligatory ‘sneak preview’ of the next book gives little clue. There are only four characters mentioned in the excerpt, but we cannot easily believe Alyssia (and maybe Ifor, despite his apparent demise) will not be there as well. One would like to explore the world of Emerald, Diamond, Castellany etc. a bit more, including their history and cultures. The leading characters aspire to power as their ‘birth right’. We wonder who else they will find blocking their path and how they will achieve it.

[Jordan (Forever Lost in Literature) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

Dawn Rising is an exciting modern fantasy that had me hooked from the first page. In Dawn Rising, we follow Alyssia Gale, a girl who’s a bit of a loner due to the fact that she is often lost in her own head because of some rather realistic daydreams she has. The daydreams she has are about another world, Endarion, and four people who inhabit this world—people whose lives Alyssia has become exceptionally invested in.

Alyssia soon becomes entangled directly into these characters lives’ when she falls right into Endarion one day, introducing both the reader and Alyssia to Endarion in a much more obvious manner. I loved the portal fantasy style of this book and how well Smith captured a mix of excitement and mystery in setting up the basic structure of the story. Alyssia is a very endearing and sympathetic character whose perspective was easy and engaging to follow. I really appreciated getting some insight into so much of her own internal struggles with herself and doubting her abilities, largely because it set up perfectly for the strength and courage she does discover within herself as the story evolves.

Some of the other characters we meet from Endarion are Oriana, Fabithe, and Torale, all of whom have very unique backstories and personalities that I thought really helped to develop the story. I found Torale to be one of the most compelling of the characters personally and was constantly intrigued by his general personality and the mystery around his past. All of the characters deal with some pretty hard circumstances, and I appreciated how Smith handled all of these topics with care. One of the things I most liked about the characters was there relationships with one another how the dynamics evolved over time. Their interactions and relationships all felt like they moved at a steady pace in development and plotting

The pacing and prose were both consistent and had concise and detailed descriptions and imagery. I was really engaged with this story, and that was partially bolstered by the smooth writing style that Smith employed where I never found myself feeling exceptionally confused or lost. Smith's subtle yet meaningful discussions of mental illnesses, abuse, power dynamics, and more relevant themes was done so well and really helped the story become more than just a story and something that provides insight and thought-provoking content for consideration.
Overall, I've given Dawn Rising four stars! If you're looking for a well-written and engaging modern fantasy portal story, this is a great choice to check out.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Dawn Rising
Author: A F E Smith

Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 7/10
Writing Style: 6/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 2/5

Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
8 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
12 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
10 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
“This is a cool fantasy adventure. I don´t know if I liked Alyssia or hated her. But I was rooting for her anyway.” Boy reader, aged 14
“I did enjoy this fantasy story. I liked the idea of the hero daydreaming of another world. That was clever. The writing style was not the best. It felt sort of bitty, sort of jerky. You really get to know Alyssia in the story which is good if there´s going to be another book. I would read book two.” Girl reader, aged 15
“I think, like the protagonist in the novel, I would like to hide from the world in daydreams. Alyssia is very relatable for teenage readers. This is an exciting story with a cool plot and lots happening. I was often surprised by the story, and the ending was fab! This is a good writer for YA.” Girl, aged 14

To Sum It Up:
‘An exciting fantasy adventure for YA readers with a relatable protagonist. A Red Ribbon Winner and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Ed Hitchman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawn Rising is another exquisite book by AFE Smith, written with the same sense of strength and compassion as the Darkhaven trilogy.

This story is well paced, with a balanced mixture of conversational scenes (in which the reader is introduced to the environment, politics and inhabitants' abilities from the perspective of Alyssia - who's seeing these things for (almost) the first time), and action sequences (one of which stood out due to it's disorientingly good description, effectively conveying a sense of panic). The pacing benefits from switching the viewpoint between multiple characters' perspectives - which also permits an interesting twist...

The main theme is witnessing key characters overcome abusive relationships - finding strength in themselves and their comrades. This is handled in a way suitable for young adults to comprehend, and AFE Smith should be appreciated for making such themes accessible.

The plot ticks pretty much every base. The world is developed sensitively (introducing enough politics, daily life and history to provide plenty of material for the remaining series). Some parts of the plot are foreshadowed through Alyssia's visions (although it's always dubious whether she's seeing things happening contemporaneously or in the future). There are some very decent twists and the ending is admirrorable.

[Squirrel’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an excellent book! Not surprising, coming from the same author as the Darkhaven trilogy. I can’t wait for the second book to come out!

Alyssia is torn between worlds - our world, filled with dull schoolwork and normal teenage problems, and another, a realm ruled by different kingdoms, each harnessing the power of different gems. She sees glimpses of this other world in visions through the eyes of other characters, all linked somehow, although she can’t figure out how. When she does find herself in the world of these visions, the reader is immediately along for the ride as she desperately searches for each one, some in need of rescue, some she needs to help rescue her. They’re all somehow a part of a greater battle against a darkness, powerful beyond measure through the use of blood magic.

It’s a fantastic, thrilling fantasy, experienced through the eyes of each of the main characters as they shift in and out of Alyssia’s mind, her power. Filled with twists and turns, it ends both satisfactorily and leaving you keen to continue the adventure. A. F. E. Smith is truly a brilliant fantasy writer, up there with some of the best.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book through voracious readers in exchange for an honest review.

This book surprised me, I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did. One of the main themes of this story is the split reality and when a story changes to and from several characters perspectives it can get confusing; but A.F.E. Smith completed it smoothly and successfully. I really enjoyed each and every character in our main band of heroes. I think that they each bring a unique and relatable voice to the events that occur. The story is laced with elements of self-discovery, reclaiming control, friendship, loyalty, trust and teamwork; and each of these make the story line so enjoyable.
The authors writing is easy to follow and fast paced (so you won’t be bored) and flows through a detailed and descriptive fantasy and dystopian land; through this the reader can escape and go on an adventure alongside the characters. And my final thought on this book was that I was shocked by the plot twist at the end.

[Stephen Fridrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting and enjoyable story. It starts with a teenage girl Alyssia, who is troubled by her dreams. She repeated sees glimpses of four different people. There is magic behind those visions. Then her world shifts when she lands among those individuals. Slowly Alyssia is able to gather three of the individuals around her. They go off on a rescue mission for a fourth individual. The ending is a quick surprise. It leaves you hanging as well. That is how to build suspense and anticipation for the next follow-on book.
The book is an easy read. There are just the right number of individuals so that you are not overwhelmed trying to keep track of a large number of people. As the story unfolds there are new situations and surprises.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a bit of magic and fantasy. Alyssia is a compelling character to follow.

[Christan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this complementary copy of the book through Voracious Readers Only.

Yet another book that was written with such skill that it was able to grip me within a few chapters in. This was not a predictable storyline or plot and yet I never felt lost or out of touch with the storyline. I truly enjoyed all the characters and being able to see through their eyes. I was fascinated by their unexplained yet clear connection and I had to find out what it was binding them. I love hero story’s. I definitely feel like I gained some closure at the end but with such a fine twist at the end; I will be looking forward to book 2 in the series.

[Micah Thoreson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read through this book in about five or six hours, spellbound the whole while. Surprising depth of characters and topics for a YA novel, and the plot was quite compelling. I anxiously await a second book; I need to know what happens next!

The biggest (albeit still very small) complaint I have was certain elements of seemingly contrived YA style romance, but it's a small part of the book (and potentially explainable for in story reasons that aren't just writing style)

Highly recommend you put it on your reading list.

[Cas Meadowfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thriller fantasy

Loved this story, the characters, world building and the fast laced plot. A dark blood mage twists people to do his deeds, giving pain, death and despair. In another world a girl sees glimpses of four people. People who try to stop the darkness.

[Danylle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has great characters; humor, action, adventure and a good story line.

[Hilda Baard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book from the first page. well worth the read.

[Laurie Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging and with a hidden agenda you don't see coming.
An unusual concept, but you feel involved in the struggles.

[JenHentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

an interesting book

Quite an interesting book as a young woman in a different world tries to save her friends in another world and all she does to try and accomplish this.

[Gill McCardie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complex and hugely absorbing fantasy. Loved the characters and was fully absorbed into the world created by AFE Smith with her amazing command of language. Greatly looking forward to book 2...

[Doctor Nyk]

Dawn Rising by A.F.E Smith


"If I stay here waiting for the world to make sense, I'll be waiting forever." - page 66

Have you ever needed to save your imaginary friends from an evil villain? Alyssa Gale has! Because it turns out the people she's been "imagining" are real.

You'll like this book if you like fantasy stories that mix with the harsh reality of the real world.

This book deals with the prejudice  people with mental illness go through. People can be understanding of depression and anxiety, but when it comes to more complex mental health problems like schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder people still aren't as tolerant as they could be.

Join Alyssa and her friends in this mind bending fantasy adventure!