I enjoyed this book in places. Certain story lines were more thrilling and appalling than others. This was not a bad book by any means but I just preferred the tech worker storyline and could not have given a single hoot about Chandra and her tale. The blurb did not deliver what it said entirely, there was a wide array of characters whose story we follow; not just Chandra's.

REVIEW
I love discovering Authors I haven't read before, so that's what had me taking a closer look at this title. Then when I read the blurb it made me think of Body Parts by Jessica Kepp and The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist.

The cover is appealing and eye catching enough and with the title “Imminent Dawn” and its potential meaning it made me want to pick up the book and learn more. The blurb then further sold the book to me with its Sci-Fi elements the whole humanisation of the big experiment and what it could mean for one of those taking part. It could be the only way she gets to communicate with her wife who is in a coma.

I was instantly engrossed and really enjoyed the first chapter but then irritatingly things tailed off and much slower paced and more the backstory. The whole series title EMPATHY fits extremely well. There’s a lot going on in this book. Dr Wyatt Halman is the one that is behind the whole idea of internet access brain implant. Those in Dr Wyatt’s immediate circle are his family, consisting of his children and his brother-in-law. Still Dr Wyatt hold back on some of the important experiment details. He keeps all the necessary details on paper, locked away in his safe. To which is immediate family will only gain access to upon his death.

Dr W Halman is a strange man, willing to use the brain of someone very dear to him to test his theories. Whilst reading the book I went through a lot of different feelings and thoughts on him as a character. When the reader discovers the losses in his family you feel sympathy, but then there’s all the mistakes and side effects of the trial that he is hiding.

I loved the character of Chandra, who becomes the face of Dr Wyatt Halman’s experiments. At first Chandra doesn’t care what it takes she will consent to anything for a slim chance of being able to talk to her wife once again who is in a coma. Her wife, Kyra was involved in an accident, one that Chandra ends up feeling entirely responsible for. Without giving away anything too spoilerish both Chandra and Kyra end up with their worlds turned upside down.

Another character I loved was Meredith, stuck working as a journalist at an, at best “middle of the road” newspaper. Then suddenly she starts receiving inside information about what is going on, and going wrong at the Human/Etech research compound. All workers and those taking part in the experimental research are cut off from the outside world for the duration of the experiment and they have all signed contracts to this effect. Meredith ends up not just putting her career on the line but her finances, and even her life.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that I was glad I persevered with it and read it to the end. Although at times it was a slower pace than I would have preferred, I did end up enjoying the book as a whole.

To finish up although I found this book a slower, more in depth, sci-fi read I am interested in more of the EMPATHY Series and what is still to come.

a great sci-fi adventure! Sometimes pacing was an issue, but really pulled through in the end. Also the writing is AMAZING!

highly recommend!

For some reason, I went into this book thinking I was going to get a 'Black Mirror: San Junipero' type story. It couldn't be further from what I imagined, in the best way possible. If I had to pitch this book it would be 'San Junipero' but instead of being in the world created by the technology we get to see the behind the scenes of the technology and the sinister ways in which the tech is tested.

The story follows Wyatt, the mastermind behind EMPATHY; Meredith, a reporter who's getting the inside scoop from the facility; Ariel, a staff member who is struggling to deal with conflicting powers inside the facility; and Chandra, a patient, the first to properly connect to the "cerenet" who doesn't quite realise that her innocent reasoning for wanting to be part of the EMPATHY trial is going to cause her more problems than she ever thought possible.

For the most part, the characters were well fleshed out and I could definitely tell them apart as they had their own unique voices. If I had to pick out anything however, it would be the consistent anger that seemed to bubble under every character. It wasn't unjustified anger but it always seemed to be handled in the same way regardless of who it was, which at times felt a little out of character.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I'm excited to read Mourning Dove!

Thanks to NineStar Press and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

So, I really was looking forward to this one, as its a sci-fi novel with an lgbt twist in it. I was a little disappointed in the fact that there really is only one lgbt character who plays a pivotal roll in the story, but that didn't stop me from liking most of the premise.

Chandra is in a study where a powerful research company is trying to link people's brains to the internet, and thus each other. Think <i>Ghost in the Shell</i>. The program is called EMPATHY as the supposed main goal is to actually allow people to see into each others' thoughts. Chandra desperately wants to reconnect with her comatose wife, and because of that she becomes the prize subject of the lead researcher Wyatt. But then things start happening to patients and reports get out that it is caused by the EMPATHY program.

There's a decent sized cast that is a little hard to follow, as it seems everyone of them is embroiled in their own mini thriller plot. It does all lead back to EMPATHY, though, and the creator of the program. Wyatt and Chandra have the same drive: to reconnect with their wives, yet Chandra has kept her sense of humanity. Wyatt, on the other hand, turns into a ruthless mad scientist archetype with his only focus being the success of EMPATHY. There are other characters that are highlighted, such as Meredith the reporter, and Ariel the lab assistant, but I looked forward to Chandra's chapters the most. Simply because she's the best of the cast. Meredith did grow on me, and Ariel's eventual clash with a rogue AI was fun too, but that was a really slow setup.

I think this is a solid debut, with some hiccups along the way. There were some great things here that I hope the author continue with in his second book.

This was a fascinating book filled with new-to-me concepts and danger. Danger to individual characters both medically and morally. I can't even imagine being hooked up to a massive network, just sitting in my brain. Once I started reading, I could barely stop to sleep. The characters were all individual, motivated and driven...to a point. The book was well-paced and I enjoyed the format of the chapters each focusing on an individual. I didn't find juggling the characters difficult at all.
Now, that being said, there were a couple things that bothered me. Mostly toward the end.

Woodward, for one. He was dropped, just like a bag of rocks. He just disappeared and then was forgotten. He deserved better than that.
A couple of other characters dropped off the face of the book too, but it sounds like their stories pick up in the next book, so I'll be patient.
The ending itself was chopped. I understand that there is another book, and I understand that this book was pretty large and can't go on forever, but a smoother ending would have been nice.

However, I am very glad I was approved for an ARC, and I definitely plan on buying the next book.

When Chandra signs up for a medical study to implant the internet directly into her brain she hopes to communicate with her partner who is in a coma, but she soon finds out that there is more to this study than meets the eye.

I found Imminent Dawn to be a really nicely constructed read. Its very obvious that a lot of thought has gone into the plot lines by R.R. Campbell and there are a lot of threads to the story. The idea of having a narrative switch perspectives per chapter between 4 main characters was nicely done. I didn’t feel like I preferred one story line to the others which meant the pacing stayed consistent for me throughout and I wasn’t rushing to get to a different storyline which can easily happen in similar books. I think the only storyline that was a little weak was Wyatt’s – his seemed a little repetitive at times as he questioned whether his children were actually worth his legacy.

The only thing holding this book back from being 5 stars for me was the fact that the plot got a little over complicated and convoluted in places. Every character seemed to be being manipulated by someone else or have their own constantly changing agenda and that times four characters is a lot to keep track of! The plot also felt a little drawn out in the middle although I liked the fact that it actually had an end. Although this is the first book in the Empathy series it didn’t really end abruptly or on too much of a cliff hanger which I appreciated.

I also felt that I actually wanted a bit more background on the technology and how it actually worked and what had come before it. We got little flashes into other things – (h)ARMONY and comPASSION for instance, but it was never really explained what these were. The whole interface of EMPATHY I found a little hard to imagine which was a shame as I felt the author probably had an in-depth idea in his head but it doesn’t quite translate as clearly as it could have done to the reader.

Overall Imminent Dawn is a great introduction to a wider series and an interesting story – I just felt it got a little too complex for its own good in places! Thank you to NetGalley and Ninestar Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars. This book is a little out there. It’s well written and well imagined, I’m just not sure if I really liked the story. I first want to mention I would not really put this in the lesfic category. There is one lesbian character but she is one of many characters. The POV in this book switches between characters every new chapter. Also, while this book is science fiction, I would more say this was futuristic with almost a light dystopian feel. This book takes place on Earth in the future.

This book is a little hard to understand at times. There was so much going on, it was hard to realize who was doing what. The main story is based on this new brain implant called EMPATHY. It connects the user’s brain to the internet so that any answer is just a thought away. People can also communicate to each other, with their minds, if they both have the implant. The problem is that many people want control of this new technology. And will stop at nothing to get it.

I was interested enough to read the whole book. It just had so much going on that I was a little confused at times. And while most threads were resolved, the book does still end with some questions. I did notice it was a book 1, so hopefully everything will be answered. I’m on the fence if this would be a series I want to continue reading or not.

If you are interested in science fiction as in futuristic implants and AI, this story might work for you. It’s well written just not exactly what I was hoping for.

This was a fun, complex sci-fi romp with interesting tech, and a good premise. I enjoyed the character building and the unexpected twists. This is a talented author with knack for creativity and smarts. Recommended. I'm honored to have the chance to read an advanced copy. Thanks!

My mind is blown right now so this review may not make much sense. This is a superb science fiction thriller which I chose because the blurb sounded interesting but it didn’t prepare me for the complex and suspenseful journey I was taken on.

Set in the future, the story is told in third person from the point of view of four of the characters. Chandra has signed up for the human trial portion of a programme called EMPATHY where a brain implant will give the recipient internet access and thereby a connectivity with other recipients. She blames herself for the coma her wife is in and hopes this could save her.
EMPATHY is Wyatt Halman’s brainchild and he has every intention of protection his work from the world at large and most specifically from the agents of the North American Union. The facility is run more like a prison than a research centre and ensuring that information stays within the walls is a top priority.

Meredith Maxwell, a senior journalist with the Star-Globe, receives and email hinting that the EMPATHY is not turning out to be the success it was hoped and indicating that the rumours of seizures are true. She is not one to turn away from a potentially dangerous investigation.
Ariel’s is the point of view I found most interesting because her role is the most difficult to pin down. There is so much to this story that it is difficult to give a précis that encompasses most aspects.

The story line is wonderfully twisted and getting used to the terminology and the number of characters took a few chapters so it is by no means an easy read but it is absolutely worth it for sci-fi fans. At around 600 pages it is also not a quick read. The writing of this novel apparently took five years since its inception and I’m not sure if I have the patience to wait five more for book two.

Book received from Netgalley and NineStar Press for an honest review.