Written by Brooklyn Saliba
Superman: Dawnbreaker is the fourth and final instalment in the DC Icons Quartet, with each written by a different author.
I was so excited when I received this since I have utterly loved and adored the previous books in the DC Icons series, and felt immediately swept up in all the superhero excitement, and this one was no exception!
It was enjoyable to see how Matt de la Peña captured young Clark Kent as this was long before he knew of his true identity. There was a total longing that Clark felt, almost a fear of sorts, of people finding out about his apparent superhuman strength, and Clark himself not really understanding anything, which made me totally sympathise with his character so much! I love how the author wrote him as slightly awkward and loyal to the ones he cares for most as it just made for glorious narration and a super (pun intended) narration!
Throughout this book, there was an immense feel for justice along with wondering what could possible be going down. See, people are disappearing in Smallville and it was so emotive and mystery that it truly caused some emotions to come to the surface when the reasons behind the apparent kidnappings came to light. Also, it was quite powerful on the author’s part to combine racial problems alongside the mystery of this book and it definitely makes things prevalent in today’s society and makes one feel horrified for the people who were affected in this book.
The writing itself too had such excellent pacing and it will leave you constantly wondering what could possibly happen next as you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat to find out what was happening to these poor people and for Clark to find out more about who he truly is. It was all just so exciting!
Then there’s the side characters, Clark’s best friend Lana Lane, who is such a fabulous, intelligent and bright character; Lex Luthor, whose agenda was elusive and that made it quite fun to read; and then of course, Clark’s adopted parents, who just loved and cared for Clark to no end. All of these characters, along with Clark, just wanted to solve what was going on with these missing people and make Smallville the place it should be.
Another aspect that was quite enjoyable about this book was how Matt de la Pena captured Smallville. It felt like such a quaint town where everyday happenings take place from your traditional grocery store and school and everything that would make an everyday town. But then throw in some suspicious people and their hunger for power, everything that everyone knew in their quaint town was flipped on its head.
Just like the previous three books in this series, after it was finished, I was longing for more. It was truly a great take on a young Clark Kent and I couldn’t get enough! Thank you to Penguin Books Australia for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Superman: Dawnbreaker is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
Have you read Superman: Dawnbreaker? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
When the dawn breaks, a hero rises.
His power is beyond imagining.
Clark Kent has always been faster, stronger–better–than everyone around him. But he wasn’t raised to show off, and drawing attention to himself could be dangerous. Plus, it’s not like he’s earned his powers . . . yet.
But power comes with a price.
Lately it’s difficult to hold back and keep his heroics in the shadows. When Clark follows the sound of a girl crying, he comes across Gloria Alvarez and discovers a dark secret lurking in Smallville. Turns out, Clark’s not the only one hiding something. Teaming up with his best friend, Lana Lang, he throws himself into the pursuit of the truth. What evil lies below the surface of his small town? And what will it cost Clark to learn about his past as he steps into the light to become the future Man of Steel? Because before he can save the world, he must save Smallville.
