Rise of the Dawnbringer

The Bornbane Series, Book 1

By: I.A. Takerian

Narrated by: Zura Johnson

Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

After living her entire life behind the walls of the illustrious kingdom of Delinval, Princess Mara, niece of the great King Grathiel, understands what is expected of her. As her uncle's only heir, she was raised to be a noble woman with a full understanding of the history of the lands of Zenafrost and the fallen kingdoms that lay beyond Delinval's protected borders. But the political intrigue and endless theatrics that come with her birth-right have never suited her. Mara loathes the future her uncle has planned for her, and the approach of her twenty-first birthday brings with it a new horror: the expectation that she will marry a man of the king's choosing.

In the early morning hours before her birthday, she's awakened by a living nightmare. A group of Dreads, the immortal dark magick users vanquished by King Grathiel years before, have infiltrated the castle, and Mara is kidnapped by a tall, dark stranger with dire motives. For the first time in her life, the princess finds herself outside the walls of Delinval and witnessing the destruction the Dread's corruptive magicks have wrought upon the land. A mysterious ritual involving Mara herself seems to be Zenafrost's only hope for survival. But when hidden truths about the past burns Mara's life to the ground, can she somehow find victory in the ashes?

Contains mature themes.

©2022 Isabeau A. Takerian (P)2023 Tantor

Stand out story line

This adventure of a book is amazing! There is so much description and world building, you have to pay close attention or you’ll miss what webs connects others. No complaints here, loved reading and listening!

So much potential...

The first half was interesting, especially after being introduced to a seemingly well developed set of characters that have comraderie and witty banter with plenty of action. A few awkward moments and a helpless female main character, but plenty of room for development. Once they reach their destination, it gets cringy. Weird pacing, abrupt and awkward "emotional" moments that miss the mark in their impactfulness, and unnecessary trials to force character development. I really wanted to love this story, but I caught myself rolling my eyes so many times and pausing to escape my own irritation. The narration was excellent, and there were many redeeming qualities, but I wouldn't rank this book among the best. This was a great debut novel, I'm sure we'll see awesome things from this author.

Started well then dragged

This was written a bit like a video game with not great character development after the first couple chapters.

Worth it!

I can’t believe I’m the first to leave a review on this gem but so glad I gave it a chance!
Fantastic narration
Traveling adventure
Slooooow burn (no spicy but I think book 2 will hit it)
Positive character growth & detailed fantasy world
Can’t wait for book 2!

Fantasy with Romance on the Side

Pretty good, very slow burn and more focused on the plot than the romance. Still a fun read. The MC and love interest have some great scenes. Really enjoyed reading.

Definitely give this a listen!

I thought the performance was excellent, I really loved how she brought the characters to life. I also loved the story and how everything unfolded. I’m excited to see how the story continues!