Solmont Publishing
Book Reviews

Darkness of Dawn
By Hans and Ann Kresny
What Some of Our Readers are Saying

ENLIGHTENING AND EXCITING
The Kresny's have combined scientific and spiritual knowledge, with a strong dash of imagination and common sense, to craft a novel that is as enlightening as it is exciting.
Robert Gover, Bestselling Author, "ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR MISUNDERSTANDING"

Real Page Turner
Darkness of Dawn is a page turner. The writers grab your interest and keep it. The characters come alive and you want to see what happens to them.
An author from Brevard, North Carolina

Enlightening Without Being Preachy
Someone (I think it was Albert Einstein) once said, “I will not commit anything to memory that I can get from another source.” But what if books and other printed sources were obsolete and the source of all information had become digital and accessible only via computers? What if everyone relied on computers or computerized equipment to do even the most mundane tasks, from cooking and cleaning to growing foodstuffs, diagnosing medical conditions and operating simple and sophisticated machinery? And what if, suddenly, for no discernable reason, everything stops.

Unthinkable? Perhaps. But then the unthinkable happens.

The world's technology-addicted inhabitants are ill equipped to live without the machines that have made life effortless. Will the human race, once dependent on machines, rediscover how to fend for themselves? Dr. Joshua Redcliff and a small band comprised of family and friends struggle to make sense of the situation. Unable to communicate with the outside world, they must rely on each other to survive. Together, they begin to rebuild their world using the wisdom of Joshua's Native American ancestors. Then, they find a book that may hold the key to the survival (of the) human race.

The idea of the world coming to a standstill isn't new. Consider 1951's film “The Day the Earth Stood Still” in which an alien race causes a stoppage of all things mechanical as they await a pledge by the world's leaders to live in peace. Frightening thought. “Darkness of Dawn” presents a similar yet more terrifying scenario. More terrifying because the cause isn't aliens but unknown. More terrifying because, although set in the 22nd century, this story could happen today at the onset of the 21st century.

Others, like Clifford Stoll (“Silicon Snake Oil”), Bill Gates (Microsoft founder and CEO) and Bill Joy (Sun Microsystems co-founder) have urged balance between the technological and simpler things of life in our pursuit of life, liberty and happiness and have cautioned the world's leaders and the general populace on the overblown claims and hidden costs of technology.

Hans and Ann Kresny add their literary voices to this cautionary chorus in an engaging tale that is anything but preachy. The Kresnys have woven a tapestry equal to any designed by John Irving. They have breathed life into characters who rival those created by Maeve Binchy. I, for one, hope Darkness of Dawn is only the first of their contribution to the reading public.
A screenwriter/producer from Oakland, California

Futuristic at It's Best
Darkness of Dawn offers a reflective if not apocalyptic look of life in the not so distant future. While technological advances bring an ease long sought after, it also begins a demise in family tradition and moral values. Dr. Joshua Redcliff & his wife Mariza seek a natural balance between the two in the emotional perilous conclusion. An imaginative page turner.
A reader from Ocean Isle, North Carolina

Darkness of Dawn by Hans and Ann Kresny
Darkness of Dawn is an absorbing fiction set in the locale of Albuquerque and the beautiful mountain areas of New Mexico. The authors have woven the plot on a pioneering theme of the sudden collapse of civilized life of the entire world from its zenith to a primitive low caused by a natural phenomenon. The story is the saga of struggle and sacrifice of a group of motivated intellectuals led by an Asian Indian and an American Indian in back-starting the process of recovery of civilized life from the abyss. The authors have concocted an ingenius blend of science fiction and a thriller. The title of this book is apt as it depicts a journey in pursuit of light and hope in a condition of darkness and despair. The characters are vivid, as if drawn from real life. The language is lucid from beginning to the climactic situation. A recommended reading for all book lovers.
A reader from Delhi, India

Need For Balance
Hans and Ann Kresny bring new meaning to “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” with their excellent word crafting of “Darkness of Dawn.” They skillfully position you to experience a future where in a fraction of an instant, life as we know it suddenly stops - the power plug is yanked out on the whole world and nothing works. The stoppage doesn't come from outer space invaders, or from an overheated greenhouse effect , or from some monster computer running wild - in fact every computer has stopped and won't reboot ever again. Those fancy do everything smart chips are nothing more than cubes of worthless sand - and to make matters worse, humankind has brains that have mostly turned to mush. The majority of society has surrendered their individual abilities to do creative thinking, because all those collective computers apply logic of sound reasoning to do almost all the thinking about things that need to be thought about and done. There's no need for mind control when the simple act of thinking through a problem can quickly be done for you - of course that was before the darkness came like a modern day black plague. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and the Kresnys depict people living in a future where their minds have gone barren of basic knowledge - knowledge is seen as old fashioned because anything you want to know is waiting in your computer. However, vast parts of knowledge are missing - like primary survival skills. Even in this dark mindless future, there are sparks of thoughts that come together to light anew the torch of learning as the olden ways of doing life become the dawn of a hopeful tomorrow. This futuristic page-turner is set in the beautiful Land of Enchantment that the reader can see with word pictures, and all the highly techno stuff is based on technologies presently in the early stages of development. The Kresnys have created a unique blend of spiritual myths that help to restore the balance which thoughtlessness has taken away. Their cast of players becomes real in this unreal world that's warped in time - to a time when time is once again told by the sun and the moon.
An author from Pennsylvania

My Reaction
This book allowed me to become a participant in a world brought to a complete technological halt. I was there through experiences of panic, tragedy, and every kind of personal loss. I observed selfless giving of time, talent, possessions and I rejoiced in the acknowledgment of the wisdom of an old soul. Perhaps the greatest gift I received from this volume was the reminder that “BALANCE” is of major importance in our lives, never to be neglected. Yes, “Darkness of Dawn” is timely, sensitive and often beautiful. The authors allowed me to be an active participant.
A reader from Missoula, Montana

Inverted Extensions
This book provides an interesting insight to a possible future. It serves as a warning in the same vein as Farhenheit 451, Brave New World, and other enlightened authors. The work itself is colorful and introspective, examining human interaction as a direct result of technical failings. The ideas and concepts are not so far-fetched as one might first believe and indeed the explanations are plausible and possible within our universe. Dwelling more on the subject of human interaction and ingenuity rather than on technical comprehension this work is a fascinating piece of reading material and once started must be finished, although the possibility of a sequel would be fascinating and also could provide interesting insight.
A reader from Albuquerque, New Mexico