This Morning’s Dawn
by Dan Bell
Genre: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9798853955875
Print Length: 270 pages
Reviewed by Chelsey Tucker
A fast-paced sci-fi space adventure where kidnapped astronauts must rely on their survival instincts to get back to Earth
In This Morning’s Dawn, Earth’s inaugural manned mission to Mars takes an unexpected turn when the Endeavor is hijacked by an ancient relic from a distant civilization. Nelson Newman and Cheng Lee find themselves in a precarious situation, needing to outsmart their captor to secure a safe return to their solar system. Their unexpected captor comes in the form of SELF, a centuries-old robot, who transports the astronauts back to the Wenuan system. Though SELF lacks knowledge about the current status of Wenua, protocol mandates returning with evidence of a potential partner race.
Centuries prior, Wenua initiated Project Horizon, dispatching Synthetic Empath Life Forms (S.E.L.F.) into space to seek a partner race for cooperation during resource scarcity. Project Horizon, now forgotten except by a select group of Wenuans known as Caretakers, tasked with monitoring anomalies from their ancestor’s probes.
Upon discovering the alien beings’ current transportation to the Wenuan system, a Caretaker alerts the Lord Chancellor of Wenua. Facing imminent collapse due to overpopulation and dwindling resources, the Lord Chancellor sees proof of a potentially habitable world as a lifeline. “The energy crisis and food shortages would both be solved. He would be the savior of Wenua.”
The narrative’s adept use of multiple perspectives adds suspense and a nuanced view of Wenua. What sets this book apart is the ability to lull the reader into trusting characters and then force the reader to question the trustworthiness of those characters. The many moving parts make the next move even more intriguing than the last.
The novel maintains familiarity by grounding Wenuan technology just beyond current human capabilities and within the realm of common understanding. The advanced yet comprehensible technology adds an element of surprise while feeling plausible in our not-too-distant future.
There are also instances of technology that exist today on Earth but are described in a slightly different manner to add a level of distinction between Earth and Wenua. For example, “A driverless blue commve was passing, the passenger inside in conversation with someone on the other end of a visi-screen.” clearly represents a self-driving car whose passenger is essentially Facetiming.
With or without advanced technologies, every living being fights for survival. This Morning’s Dawn unfolds as a rapid-fire sci-fi space adventure, showcasing the instinct for survival transcending space and planetary systems. The intricate interplay of characters, technology, and survival instincts makes for a compelling read that will resonate with fans of the genre.
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