The Dawn of the End

The Rising, Book 3

By: Kristen Ashley

Narrated by: Liz Thompson, Dina Pearlman, Stella Bloom, Joniece Abbott Pratt, Esther Wane, Gemma Dawson, Robin Miles, Clara Francesca, Lance Greenfield, Jakobi Diem, Ralph Lister, John Hartley, Rupert Channing, Sarah Coomes

Length: 17 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the unparalleled imagination of New York Times best-selling author Kristen Ashley comes Book Three in The Rising, an enchanting new fantasy romance series that will sweep you away! 

Once upon a time, in a parallel universe, there existed the continent of Triton. The land was filled with beauty, but it was also splintered by war. Out of the chaos grew a conspiracy to reawaken the Beast, a fearsome creature who wrought only tragedy and devastation. The only way to stop him was to fulfill an ancient prophecy: Triton’s four strongest warriors must wed its four most powerful witches, binding all nations together and finally bringing peace to the land. 

This is the story of their unions: the quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars. The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena. The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah. And the pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah. Their unions will not be easy, but each couple must succeed, for the fate of their world is at stake....

©2019 Kristen Ashley (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

Epic miniseries in book form

Note: You may want to avoid the series if you have any trigger issues with rape. Book 3 of 4: I actually listened to this twice before writing my review! I feel like I’m listening to a network tv miniseries running several days/weeks. It has an epic feeling. The characters and plotting are consistent with the world that Kristen Ashley created. Highlights have all 4 couples in love and 3 couples married. Prince Regent Cassius pushes through reforms then has to charge his father the king with rape. Tru becomes king when he forces his father Vilmer to abdicate, then has to hunt for what’s left of the treasury which is recovered with the help of Serena. We’re left hanging with Cassius and Elena going to say farewell to Ophelia then having to face an ambush. Will their allies reach them in time? Love the multi-voice narration. Attn Audible Tech Support: This is my 3rd attempt to submit my written review. I originally submitted both my starred and written reviews 1/22/20 11:56aCT but only the starred review posted.

going to have horrible book hangeover

love it!! I already know I'm going to have a horrible book hangover!!! I can't wait untill the next one.

Thank God We Don't Have to Wait Months

However I don't want to wait at all! Each book leaves cliffhangers. This last cliffhanger is the most aggravating! The story is really good but I really prefer the Fantastical series best. The North and Southland's world's I enjoyed immensely!

Really Enjoying the Full Cast Narration

Overall 3.5 stars Performance 4.5 stars Story 2.5-3 stars Things are starting to fall into place with all the characters and plot lines in The Dawn of the End, but I didn't feel that the story itself progressed very much. We get more time with each of the four couples and get to see them in their respective kingdoms/homes, but the majority of the story has the couples separated from each other. I'm still waiting for the 4 main heroines to step up and be the fierce and powerful women I know they can be. Silence and True continue to be my favorite characters, but I'm also loving the softer side of Cassius. There are some surprising truths revealed and moments of sadness in this installment, but the action really didn't pick up for me until the last 1-2 hours. I've gotten used to the numerous characters and stories, but it's still a lot of material to get through and connect. I have problems keeping all the names and affiliations straight, and the small cameos/addition of KA's Fantasyland couples added a little more confusion to the mix. The narration continues to be impressive and I don't think this series would have worked on audio at all without this full cast narration. The book leaves off on the cusp of some major action (but not a terrible cliffhanger like the last book) and I'm excited to see how the series will close.

Getting better

This is one of the craziest series I’ve ever listened to. Can’t wait for the final book

10 "EPIC" STARS

I love Kristen Ashley books but she has really outdone herself with this series. I think this is the best series ever. I can see this being made into a tv show. I love all the main characters and some of the side ones. This book is full of excitement and will hold your attention until the very end. All the narrators are exceptional. I especially love who ever does Lorenze voice. I will love to see a break down matching each narrator to each character. I'm very happy the next book comes out in February.

Great Except for the "Italian" Accent

The story is great and most of the actors I fall into their charecters. Some choices of accents I like better than others, some of the voices started out annoying but as I got into the story, it became better. I hoped that was what would happen with Mars. I waited three books, 50-60 hours of reading to comment, but I have to comment. Because this is a fantasy world accents are not defined by anyone but the reader/author. So why did they choose a chef boy r dee Italian accent for Mars and really all the men from his kingdom, we just hear Mars the most. It is so awful. It is I want to throw my device across the room. His accent makes me laugh and throw up a bit when he talks about s*xual things, it's so freaking awful. Mars' people are reported as the most um, hyper s*xual, open, something s*xual in some ways, people in this world, and they chose to have the voice actor do a cheap Lothario sounding accent? It's kind of stereotyping and if I were Italian I'd be insulted. I'm mad because this isn't available in print because of the deal Ashley did with Audible, and I can't just go read it, so I can enjoy Mars and Silence's part of the story. I'm going to finish this, (hello I already 50 - 60 hours in) so clearly I am enjoying it, but it is DESPITE the Mars character, and if this hadn't come free with my escape package I would not have spent money on part two or three. I would have been done after the first book. Anyhow, storywise, this is epic, I can't wait until the fourth installment!

Wishing the women held their own a bit more!

At this point, I’m starting to get a grasp on who is who with at least the characters. Lining up the narrators would take me a bit but there isn’t a single narrator that I don’t enjoy so I don’t feel I need to research who is who with their characters as I am really digging this story! I'd love to point out favorites and rave about some of the narrators in particular but it just seems impossible to know really who is doing what voice and when. It might work for people in the business of narration but for me, an avid listener... I'm too scared to get wrong who is who. So know that all of you have done a euphonious pleasing harmony. I've enjoyed the collaboration immensely! Writing a review for these books has been a lot harder than I had expected. The storyline is so thick and the depth of it all is just a lot to try and articulate. There’s so much to love! I don’t generally find myself crossing over into fantasy land often but I am glad I waded out in an area I’m not used too. However, while I enjoy so much of these books I would love to knock the men’s heads together. They are so sexist and so darn bossy that they nearly turn me off. I do wish the women would put them in their places a bit more. Always, you can definitely feel the climax coming to a head and I’m ready for it!

I didn’t understand it,... but now

Wow! Just wow! KA is a helluva writer. I didn’t initially understand this story, but as it develops it has me HOOKED! I LOVE the couples, I LOVE the story and can’t wait until it resumes!! Whew!

Another great story

Love all of the different stories that Kristen Ashley has done . This one had on the edge of my seat the whole time. Enjoying this series all the characters and story lines

Just brilliant!

I love this series, it is so well worn and wonderfully read. each character had a voice and you really grow attached to each one as the series goes on.

3.5 stars

Mostly good book, but a lot of the sex seemed forced into the book to titillate, rather than it adding to the story - and not all of it came across that naturally. Also, having rape as a plot mechanism just seems distasteful and gratuitous and many other scenarios could have served the same purpose in the book. Using rape to sell books is just off.