Michael D. Warden, Gideon's Dawn Review

Overall Rating

Sweeping Epic Landscapes; New kind of "magic"; Deep characters--real and flawed; great story!

It's the first book in a series. Book 2--Waymaker--isn't due out for months!

There have been many attempts to recapture the magic and majesty of Tolkien's Middle Earth. At best, they've ended up as pale imitations. A cursory glance at Gideon's Dawn might lead readers to believe author Michael Warden is taking his own stab at Tolkien's "brass ring."

On the surface, there are some obvious similarities--Warden's work is an epic fantasy (and the first book in a series), it presents a brand new world rich with interesting characters and a compelling backstory, and features loads of action and intrigue. But Gideon's Dawn doesn't purport to be the "new Lord of the Rings" nor does Warden presume to be the second coming of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Gideon's Dawn is a world forged entirely from the mind of a writer who--though clearly inspired by Tolkien--has somehow found a way to create something completely new and unique. It is evident from Warden's detailed prose that he's been living in the Inherited Lands for years himself. Gideon's Dawn is an epic story, to be certain, but its believability rests not on the shoulders of past fantasy writers, but on Warden's own ability to imbue characters with personality and history; his ability to paint a diverse world with detailed, picturesque textures; and his abilty to weave pathos, tragedy, and trimph into an arresting story.
And a great story is what it's all about, right?

You may be asking, just what is the story, anyway? Well, there's this guy named Gideon Dawning... Um. No, I'll stop. It's better to live Gideon's story for yourself than to have it explained. Read it. You won't be disappointed.