The Dawning [Paperback]

Karin Kallmaker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 27, 2009

What if you had the power to change the past -- but doing so would destroy your future?

Thirteen years have passed since the fiery explosion that killed seven people and shattered the lives of thousands more, but Amanda Martin is unable to forgive herself for her part in the tragedy. Deep in the hills of Arizona, she lets time pass her by, but the torrential rains fail to wash away her pain.

During a storm unlike any other, she goes to the aid of a woman caught in the resulting flood. After a daring rescue that nearly claims both their lives, Amanda has no choice but to offer the stranger the safety of her hogan for one night. The next day, she vows, the hapless woman will be out of her life and she will go back to her isolated, private world of regrets.

When the mud is washed away, a shattered Amanda recognizes her guest--one of the seven the whole world had watched die. The mysterious, compelling Sharon may hold the secrets Amanda needs to fix all the mistakes of her past, but Sharon is no ordinary woman, and their growing feelings for each other no ordinary love.

Originally written under the pen name Laura Adams, Karin Kallmaker's uplifting tale of sacrifice, redemption and all-too human emotions continues the story of hope and love begun in the critically acclaimed Night Vision.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Bella Books (January 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594931194
• ISBN-13: 978-1594931192
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #691,535 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goosebumps and More, May 6, 2001

By 

Reader (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dawning (Paperback)

"There is no United Federation of Planets. There are no Vulcans." This is one of my favorite lines from this book. The aliens are coming, and some of them are Not Nice. Sharon, a visitor from a female-only species planet called Pallas, tries to tell Amanda this bitter truth. Sharon herself makes lots of mistakes, not the least of which is how she treats Amanda from their first meeting. Raised as a human on Pallas, Sharon can forge mental contact and doesn't know how to turn it off, even when Amanda begs her to.

I have become a total fan of this author's work. The Dawning starts off looking like it's an alien meets human romance in a sci-fi package, but the depths plumbed in this novel go far beyond that. COnvincingly real is Amanda's grief and near-suicidal state after the Challenger explosion, and then her sheer terror when she learns exactly what Sharon is. Just when Amanda has successfully forgotten that Sharon is not quite human, she is reminded -- usually painfully -- of the truth.

I got goosebumps when Amanda gets her chance to rewrite history, and I so wanted her to succeed! The novel ends with all possibilities left open and I hope that there are more in the series. I am reminded of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover books, which don't have a set chronology or order. I would love if it this series (which began with Night Vision, another bravura novel from Karin Kallmaker's Laura Adams persona) ends up with as many books to savor, to puzzle over and to get fabulous goosebumps from.

The aliens are coming, and some of them are Not Nice.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Winner!, April 23, 2000

By 

Belle Armstrong (Amarillo, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dawning (Paperback)

The Dawning is another winner for Adams, aka Kallmaker. WhileI have enjoyed almost every book she has written and would rate mostof them as peak experiences, I was especially impressed with theamount of accurate information contained (incidentally to the story) about the Navajo nation. Being a descendent of First Generation Americans, I am impressed by this attention to detail. Plus, the story was wonderful, with very real and very believable characters exploring for us the range of human emotions not usually covered in a 'romance' novel. I can hardly wait for the next novel which will carry on the general story line of the Daughters of Pallas. END

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your mother's romance, October 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dawning (Paperback)

I've read all of Karen Kallmaker's books several times and after I finally accepted that this book was not a Kallmaker romance I started liking it. There is a romance going on (a hot one, too!), but I found the story to be about picking up the pieces after something horrible has happened and you blame yourself. I sympathized with the main characters before I liked them and now I want to know what happens next! I haven't read the first book, Night Vision, yet, but I will have to because this is an engrossing "what if" kind of world created.

I want to know if Sharon decides to go back to the world that created her and becomes less human so she can breathe their air and feel that sun on her skin. I want to know if Amanda's second chance to do everything right helps J.T. and Tamar enough that they don't have to lose some of their humanity as they try to remake the world to something that cherishes life and hope.

I will always expect something different from a Laura Adams book in the future and I intend to read them because this was just too well-written and too thought-provoking to pass up just because I wish Karin would write just romances to give me my fix more often! I did find much more of the Kallmaker I expected in Christabel and I really recommend that book too!