From the Timeless Sphere of Eternity the Dayspring surges, an endless stream of light and power endowing life to the multiuniverse. To the lucky few on the world of Atlaua, the psiborn, this power of khi runs within them. Elinna Serru is one such person. Born into the state-governing family of Ruthher, she is unaware of her full heritage, yet knows that it is her destiny to enter the house of Lohenrin, there to be trained in the power. Maybe she would even be schooled to master status by one of the S'hazons, the mysterious angel-like beings who were invited to Atlaua to help nurture the psiborn by Lohenrin himself, the founder of the house. It had been her mother's dying wish that Elinna should take the test and enter the house, a wish that Elinna intended to fulfil, despite her father's antipathy for the S'hazons and all they stand for.

Aligned against The House is the resurrected temple, followers of the old gods. The sky gods. The temple denounces the S'hazons as liars, deceivers and seeks to sway the populace away from the demiurges. Both the temple and the S'hazons want Elinna for their cause, but why? What power does she hold that could make her so important? All Elinna wants is to help her people, to gain sufficient power and knowledge to fill the Healing Stone, become a Master of khi. But the road to such ideals rarely proves smooth, and such is the case with Elinna's.

Dayspring Dawning is a powerful, imaginative piece of writing that grips the reader from the very first page. Once started, the book proves to be addictive and impossible to put down. The penmanship is remarkable with rich descriptions and marvellous character building falling seamlessly into place within the narrative.

The reader is drawn into Jeanine Berry's world with ease, then kept there while the tale unfolds: Do the S'hazons have an ulterior motive in helping develop the psiborn? Is the House of Lohenrin involved in a grand deception? Or is it the temple that preaches deceit? Ms Berry plays with the readers' loyalties expertly as the story unfolds, resulting in you never knowing for sure who is the 'good guy', even with the love interest. Coupled with superb writing, this book has a sure-fire winning combination.

With shop shelves filled with time-worn, regurgitated plots involving good versus evil, battles, blood and guts, it is refreshing to read a fantasy that takes us on a quest of a different sort. A quest of learning, of perceived betrayal, of ultimately doing 'the right thing'.

Ms Berry has now joined my very short list of writers whose work I will gladly follow. This book is a must for all true fantasy readers and I eagerly await the follow-up. This is the point at which I plead, 'there is one, isn't there?'

Synopsis
In the ancient land of Atlaua, the S'hazons -- gods of light -- have ruled undisturbed for a thousand years. Now a race of even older gods returns to accuse the S'hazons of deceiving humanity. Which gods are lying, and why? Elinna Serru, an adept of the House of Lohenrin, must find the answer -- but the secret she uncovers could destroy her world.