The Dawning


Fiction - Thriller - Political
718 Pages
Reviewed on 08/16/2023
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

The Dawning is a gripping political fantasy thriller by W.H. Wisecarver. Remnants of an ancient prophecy trace distinct civilizations throughout history, predicting a decisive battle between good and evil. Now, it's the year 2012. The world faces a never-before-seen threat from The Order, a shadowy group of people who have hoarded all the financial resources and power and control all aspects of the lives of the general populace, using politicians as their puppets. The world's only hope lies in the hands of a few brilliant men and women, the Guardians, led by an extraordinary Wave Rider and awakened by the great goddess, Nemesis. But the battlegrounds have changed, and so have the weapons, as this generational war against tyranny means trading billions on Wall Street and establishing control over Congress.

The Dawning feels like one of the most relevant books to have come out this year. I honestly was not expecting a fantasy novel to shed light on the systematic corruption of American institutions and the hoarding of financial resources by a few elites of the world. W.H. Wisecarver pulls no punches and is fiercely critical of politicians from both sides of the aisle who sell their souls for power and money. Using a potent mix of fantasy and political intrigue, Wisecarver delivers an epic story full of suspense, mystery, and plenty of thrills. The narrative is nonlinear, with timeline switches that seamlessly showcase momentous events from the past and present. With a large cast of characters and an intricate plot, Wisecarver offers readers a political thriller with a healthy dose of fantasy. If you enjoy slow-burn thrillers, you will love this book.

K.C. Finn

The Dawning is a work of fiction in the political writing, thriller, and intrigue subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience and was penned by author WH Wisecarver. In this compelling work that blends old prophecies and mythologies of world-ending disaster with the political and social clashes of a modern world, we find ourselves following a multi-perspective journey to attempt to settle on unity between extreme viewpoints. As war and conflict loom, the new Guardians must take up the mission to encourage people to shift, adapt, and evolve together rather than battle one another into total annihilation.

Author WH Wisecarver takes an intrinsically human perspective on the world of politics, delivering both the best intentions and worst actions of humanity and showcasing all the tumultuous damage that it does to our world as we seek out war, peace, and everything in between. This core dynamic keeps the novel fresh throughout its fascinating scene-play, and readers who stick with the interweaving plot and character threads will be deeply rewarded by the bigger picture that is slowly building throughout the tale. One of the most engaging features for me was the dialogue-driven style of the work, offering cinematic conversations that move the plot forward at a pace without the need for long-winded explanations. This does make the concepts a little deeper when you dig for them, but I found it rewarding to read between the lines and interact with the political and activist undertones of the work all the more for it. Overall, The Dawning is a deeply considered read that I’d highly recommend for fans of unique political thrills everywhere.

Rabia Tanveer

The Dawning by WH Wisecarver is an action-packed political thriller. Divided into three parts of a battle between right and wrong, the story opens in 2012 when conspiracies surrounding the war in Afghanistan, drugs, political funding, and more stirred more trouble than anyone could handle. As greed and the thirst for power on both sides went out of control, The Order and its minions were doing everything in their might to take one more nation under their immense control. While a group of people were working hard to expose The Order, the reach of the ancient organization was too far. The end was near, a Ragnarok of sorts was coming, and only the powerful would remain standing. Who will it be?

WH Wisecarver is a magician with words. He weaves stories with the most intricate plots, and somehow the narrative flows like silk. At first, I was in awe of how complex the stories were, but now I expect it. Needless to say, my expectations were high, and The Dawning lived up to them all. Characters like Rose and Kirk first appeared to be meek and not so important, but as the story continued and became more complex, it was apparent how vital they were for the plot. Kirk Danner was the eyes and ears of readers. He was intelligent, shrewd, and incredibly observant. The fragmented narrative was perfectly executed, the different POVs were reflective, and the overall feel of the story was fantastic. I only have praise for WH Wisecarver and hope to read more from this author!

Philip Zozzaro

"Our control is far more inclusive am economically lucrative, but more importantly, it's self-perpetuating,” crowed the demagogue-in-waiting Mickslaw to his minions. The United States is facing an uncertain economic future. The global recession of 2008 has only just begun to recede, but rumors of a new collapse are beginning to surface. Senator Andi Jackson is a noble and ambitious senator who wants to revamp the financial system and reinstate the regulations that keep the banks from getting out of control. There are forces opposed to Jackson and her reformist ways. The men and women of “The Order” thrive on chaos and the pillaging of global resources. Members of “The Order” helm the top spots of the financial behemoths and defense contractors. They see a looming collapse and want to further consolidate their money and power, no matter the consequences.

The Dawning is the latest intense political thriller from WH Wisecarver (Twilight of Empire). The author quickly dispenses with pleasantries by capturing the reader’s imagination with a high-risk robbery and elements of the supernatural figure in it. The drama of the story weaves between the often crooked corridors of power in Washington DC to the corporate boardrooms where Machiavellian figures seek full spectrum dominance. Wisecarver creates a labyrinthine conspiracy that spans hundreds of years, yet doesn’t feel contrived. Wisecarver’s skill lies in his ability to move seamlessly from location to location, past to present, and back without missing a beat. Each chapter begins with a wonderful quote from history or literature that serves as a guide down the winding road to a battle between the forces of light and darkness.

Asher Syed

The Dawning by WH Wisecarver is a visionary fiction novel with intersecting storylines and timelines. It depicts a spiritual battle in a physical earthly form between good and evil, among both human and spiritual adversaries. The revelation of a prophecy signifying a warlord's return and release of the Guardians takes hold, with the story's overriding focus exploring the corruption of humanity in a contemporary world tainted by political and economic decay, as well as the horrors of WWII. Amidst this, a senator seeks to enact comprehensive reforms while hidden forces manipulate governments, a secret society called the Order exists, and the elite misuse their power. In a past warzone, the atrocities leveled force a team into the unthinkable, and an unexpected revelation at the climax pulls the timelines together, while present-day power struggles, rivalries, and betrayals on Wall Street endanger the Guardians and a Wave Rider's ability to restore balance to human evolution.

The Dawning by WH Wisecarver is, at its core, a lengthy philosophical piece wrapped up as a metaphysical fantasy. The spiritual elements are there but are the vehicle and not the driver which is a very, very good thing for the right reader, but is something that a reader of pure speculative fiction should be aware of going in. The enigmatic Kirk Danner who manifests in different roles depending on when and where he is, and is a Wave Rider who operates in plain sight, is the character who is present in almost all of the scenes with people, or “humanoids.” Danner is the most comprehensively developed of all the characters and even though we are given the occasional moment of doubt, he's who we most look forward to seeing pop up on the page. My sole complaint is that there are conversations that dump world history, details about fighter jets, and philosophy on readers that can stretch entire chapters (I'm looking at you, #25). Wisecarver is at his writing best when a less heavy-handed approach is used. For example, a trader named Marcus whose father is on the Board is loosely compared to the similarly named famed ancient Roman Gaius Marcus, and in a single breath nepotism and the invoking of the Roman Empire that looms over any discussion on the fate of societies occurs. Nuance wins, and so does good. So, hang in there because when the action really heats up in Part III, it's brilliant.