Epic Fantasy Adventure (The Dawning of Power trilogy Book 1)

I was looking around for books to read on the store, when I came across this free book " Call of the Herald" I read some of the reviews and from what I read they all seemed to love it. I think someone said it was like Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings... and sine I love those kind of stories,I decided to download the first book and read it. Well after the first few chapters of the book I was already hooked. and so before I even finished reading the first book I downloaded the second book... I was very pleasantly surprised the the books where free, which I thought that was awesome. However when i found the third book I was a little bummed that I had to buy it, but since I was already very interested in what was to happen to Catrin (The Heroin of the story)of course i had to buy it. THIS TRILOGY IS A MUST READ!!! I fell in love with the whole thing, it's been an adventure traveling with Catrin on her adventures to The Greatland. I hope this book turns into a movie sometime.

interesting read. held my interest. a bit puzzled by the main character's 'power'. it wasn't explained to my satisfaction, even though it develops throughout the story. left a lot to be assumed that would hopefully be answered by the end of the series.

Mr Rathbone has created a wondrous world of very believable fantasy! The characters and the plot will draw you in and keep you enthralled until you reach the end, still wanting more! I await the next installment of this marvelous adrenaline rush!

This is an exciting novel. It moves quickly, well written, characters are complex and well thought out plot. It kept up late in the evening reading, wanting to get to the end, yet not wanting it to end. Looking forward to the next in the trilogy.

This tale spins like many in the fantasy genre; the unlikely hero, born of humble beginings with a greater destiny unfolding. My only qualm was a tendency to underdevelope characters, so I didn't feel particularly attached to them or their plights. I'm sure this is something the author will get better at in subsequent writings. Still it was a good beginning to a trilogy.

The only fiction of recent encounter that has inspired me to stay up all night to read it. Just finished the second one. Hard to put down :-) Has all the fascination of the PERN series, except without dragons. I'm good with that. The balance of trying to understand what's happening to her in a higher intellectual context that is still consistent with the sense & understanding of magical powers is well crafted. Thanks for keeping me up all night. :-)

Excellant follow through from the first book. At 59% through the book and it keeps getting better. Just when I think I can predict the next outcome I find an unexpected twist or turn that I hadn't seen. My minds eye allows me fantasies that I cannot leave easily. One of the most enjoyable books I have read of the 12 in 2012. Each year I read the same number of books as the year. This year is 2013 so I have to read 13. Looking forward to the remainder of the series.

A farm girl becoming the magical savior of first her friends and then her country is spellbinding and action packed.
The pace is fast with many difficulties present and enough fantasy developments to keep the reader involved and wondering what will happen next. There is a couple of slow moving places. The writing is smooth and no errors noted. However the end came too soon.

This was a very interesting story, in the typical "I had no idea I had magical powers - look what I can do now"-kind of theme. The main character struggles with what is right and wrong and tries to do no harm - in other words, the female lead is a kind person who is trying to make sense of her destiny and duty - and Rathbone's character development is excellent in that way.
The one draw back I noticed was the author's style of going from one story character to another, with only a page of text. So, you'll be reading along about the Herald and then switch to what another character is doing, but you don't get enough "meat" in that brief shift to truly delve into the other character's activities.

Frankly, I'm really surprised at the mostly positive reviews this book has gotten. I tend to be really lenient on reviewing other people's works, and get easily sucked in to decently written fantasy novels, especially those that comprise several books in a series like this one. But, I can't do it in this case. This is the first time I can ever recall having no interest in reading anything further in a series, no matter what the price of the books are. I had to grit my teeth by the end of this one.

The best thing I can say about the book was the overall concept was interesting. However, the writing is amateurish - literally as if it was written in a sophomore highschool English class. It starts off okay, then gets progressively worse as the plot slowly unfolds. The prose is unengaging and unimaginative. Just when events start to get interesting in the book, the descriptions picks up a textbook quality, as if I'm reading something out of an ecology or physics text, or an encyclopedia or wik-a-pedia entry, and the events that unfold are cliche, unoriginal, and overly simplistic. The dialogue is okay at best, and just flat out clumsy in some parts, for lack of a better word. I did think the main character was reasonably fleshed out, but I don't think her development progresses in a believable way. The other characters, perhaps her father as the exception, are more like caricatures in their simplicity and don't stand out in any way. Without good prose and character development, there's little for the reader to get attached to.

To be positive, there is some potential in the storylines, and perhaps the other books in the series improve as the author finds his voice. Maybe young readers find it enjoyable, hence all the other good reviews. Maybe I'm just grumpy ;) Just seems to me there are simply too many other good authors out there to recommend this. Sorry!

I was looking for new writers and bought this from a Dresden review. The other reviewer thought this was the bomb. This book covers 3 days in excruciating detail. I could only get a couple of pages in before nodding off. I look for books I want read in sitting not ones that linger over the quality of the smoke coming off the fire.

I am thoroughly enjoying this story! I an now reading book 2. It starts out slowly then continues to build on the characters progressively. This is refreshing without any gooey graphic violence descriptions. There is also no graphic sexual content. I had read the one star reviews and cannot understand the reasons for their low scores. It is a delightful story..

I read the first three, one after the other. Wonderful world building. Strong cast of characters overcoming daunting challenges. The series has gotten better as it has grown.

After a hiatus, reading other authors' series, I revisited Rathbone's site and found that the fourth and fifth are now available. That makes me very happy. This is one of the better series I've read. I bought the fourth and plan to start today.

I had gotten this through Pixel of Ink, just because it was free at the time and looked interesting.

I found myself immersed in this world, and the characters. It read very fast, and I have since started on Book Two, which was also from Pixel of Ink. Book Three will probably come through the library, once I have finished all the new novels I just got from there.

A pulse pounding read. The heroine and her friends enjoyable folks to follow but with all the foibles of real people. The pace is wonderful and the book is difficult to put down once you begin reading.

Intrigue. Excitement. Magic. Struggle. Overcoming challenges.
Call of the Herald has it all. A story of changing times, the characters must overcome, enemies, storms, and insecurities in this exciting tale. It leads us into the next installment, which I am eagerly about to begin.

I'm giving this book three stars because it really kept my attention throughout. It was enjoyable and painted great mental pictures, which only add to the experience.

While I had no problem with the writing per se, I did have some issues with the plot and character development. Our main character, a farm girl, becomes a strong leader with very little in between. The transition and the shift in her personality was a major bump in an otherwise seamless story. Bumps like these make me snap out of the books trance. It almost felt like two different people were writing, one for the first half and another for the second. Very distracting.

If you're looking for a good, quick, and entertaining read that doesn't require much thinking, this is a very well written book. I might read the next in the series but I'm in no hurry, which is disappointing.

This is the first time I have read Brian Rathbone. I like his style. It seems to me that there is just enough description to let me know the whys and wherefores of the scenes and characters and yet keep the action going well. Also,the plot moves quite well and kept me wanting to know what happens next. I highly recommend this book.

Brian Rathbone does a wonderful job in Call of the Herald (Godsland Series: Book One) of creating a great story that just pulled me through it. I actually looked forward to writing this book review: I was so involved it was hard to put it down to get some sleep.

I loved his characters who had such interesting depths to them, especially Catrin, the woman who reluctantly admitted she was the almost mythical Herald of Istra. I love how Rathbone portrayed the internal turmoil and guilt ridden debates that Catrin goes through. They are so true to life. Catrin came up with some really clever ways to use this power she found herself unprepared for. Yet she finally figured out how to use it without killing people.

It's also a story about friends who stand by you when things appear to be going wrong and you find your world turned upside down. It also showed the power of love.

On its own, this story is an incredible fantasy. The bonus for me was the instruction on how to learn to relax and overcome stress. I've worked with visualization techniques for 40 years so I was delighted to find Rathbone's instructions given by Benjin, her father's friend, to Catrin and her three companions: "When our heads are full of thoughts, it can be nearly impossible to suppress them. It's often better to deal with each thought individually as they come to you. Not all of them are pleasant, but we have to learn to accept them; they are a part of us. We should deal with them and try to understand them, but at the very least, we should accept them."

In this Book Review of Brian Rathbone's Call of the Herald (Godsland Series: Book One), I rate it a 5 out of 5.

This whole series has been a delihtfull read for me. Well thought out story, easy to follow with detailed characters and their part as supportive or main roles. I hoghly recpmend this series. Thank You

Unlikely young heroine, Catrin, must find her inner strength to save those she loves - and trust her life to strangers. As you embark on this adventure with Catrin and her companions you will fall in love with each character and cheer them on as they try to survive - be prepared to be up all night reading, you won't want to put this one down. A real page turner.

Thoroughly enjoyable tale! At the essence of everything is the struggle for power and control, of land, of prophecy, of talismans, of powers, of class warfare, and finally, of self. And a reluctant heroine is in the vanguard at the center of it all. Greatly looking forward to books 2 and 3 in this thrilling series. Brian Rathbone has done a deft and brilliant jobs of combining these elements into a wonderful read.

This series is the classic story of a young person inheriting great power and journeying with a group as they learn to master their powers (think Eddings Belgariad with a female lead). It's not a new theme by any stretch of the imagination, but it has enough new elements and good characters to be entertaining. The main problem is that the writing itself is very erratic. The author will skip over crucial details any descriptions but then go on and on about interesting but completely useless information. For instance, we have no idea what age the heroine is, or the size of anyhing, but the author spent a considerable about of time talking about the need to dry hay before bailing it.

The story is good, the world is rich, but the hit and miss nature of the author's erratic writing detracts from what should have been a great book. Worth a read for sure, but expect gaps in your information that you'll have to fill in on your own.

Excellent fantasy book--not a cookie-cutter, video game battle fantasy, as the cover and first chapter might suggest. A realistic cover would attract a different, more mature audience. Only the author knows what audience he is trying to reach. George R.R. Martin is the master of this genre. He showed that fantasy could capture a global audience even before the HBO series.

I'm very glad I took the time to read this book. A good coming-of-age story and editorially, beautifully accurate. As a writer-editor, that means a lot to me!

Brian Rathbone really captured the uniqueness of his story in this book. Also, the ending was not what was expected. A cliff-hanger for sure, but then it is a trilogy. Not too much of a cliff-hanger, though. You feel satisfied at the end. His conclusion makes you want to read the other books in the series.

The only other suggestion I would have for this author would be: "Don't hide your light under a barrel." At about 71% into the book, Brian offers beautiful descriptive insight into his character, which makes me think of lyrical prose or classic literature. A lead-in page would be a good addition to the beginning of this novel. Call it what you will since Prologues don't seem to be in vogue with agents and publishers at this time. Showing a brief sample of your deep insightful writing when the goddess begins to emerge would benefit the introduction: How her senses are enhanced; how her perceptions and feelings are maturing; how even everyday things, such as the description on her solitary walk, changed her life. I personally believe a Prologue is essential in a series to connect the books. One paragraph, one short page is enough. The problem with Prologues seems to be they have been over-used or used incorrectly for far too long. When parts of a book are used properly, it enhances the smoothness of the story. In the case of "Call of the Herald (Godsland Series: Book One)" an Interlude or prophetic dream would draw readers by highlighting the author's pure talent as a writer and storyteller.

Best Wishes to Brian Rathbone and Godsland!

Overall a book and series I would recommend to young readers as well as more mature readers who enjoy fantasy.

Great story! Fast paced with a good solid story. This author is knoledgeable in the ways of farming, hunting and survival in the wilds and this makes it easy for me to identify with the characters. These things combined with the action and simplicity of the story makes this series one of my favorites to date. All in all just a good fun book.

Despite the YA designation, this book resonates with this 67 year old reader. I think it will with readers of all ages. Well written with action, depth of characters and a well fleshed out world. You are drawn into the author's world and happy to be there. Enjoy this good read.

A clear straightforward writing style. Well interspersion of action and conversation, danger and time to reflect. I can't wait to read the rest of the adventure. Catrin is a young woman anyone can identify with, how her life changes and how she comes to terms with those changes speaks of the strength of human endurance and will. I strongly advise anyone to read this series. Very good work Brian Rathbone!

Despite the YA designation, this book resonates with this 67 year old reader. I think it will with readers of all ages. Well written with action, depth of characters and a well fleshed out world. You are drawn into the author's world and happy to be there. Enjoy this good read.

A clear straightforward writing style. Well interspersion of action and conversation, danger and time to reflect. I can't wait to read the rest of the adventure. Catrin is a young woman anyone can identify with, how her life changes and how she comes to terms with those changes speaks of the strength of human endurance and will. I strongly advise anyone to read this series. Very good work Brian Rathbone!

A Very inventive tale, full of unusual characters, magic powers, and differing world views. ALL I could wish for in a new fantastic Fantasy Tale. Looking forward to reading Inherited Danger (Godsland Series: Book Two).

Call of the Herald (Godsland Series: Book One)

Overall, I thought this was a pretty good story... it's a little choppy at first. The scene/location switches are sometimes confusing, but once into the book I was really caught up. The main character is believable and I find myself cheering for her. it's an adventure story, with a little future/pagan/long past religion vs truth kind of tilt. I enjoyed it and continued the series.