The Last Dream Before Dawn

Stunning. Poetic. Mr. Bernard did not merely "scratch the surface" but more like savagely clawed the surface (smile). This book exposes or has the reader examine the whys and whats of what we, as humans, do, in all aspects concerning the way we live our lives. There were times when it got to be to much as I was like "I'm going to read something else as this is too deep even for me," but by saying that it made me want to read more as I became addicted to this book. This book similar and different than when I read "The Darkest Child" was intoxicating. This book, the characters, all became real and I recognized that this was fiction, but Mr. Bernard wrote this in such a fashion that made it real. If you want a book that is and will take you on a trip that delves into the human psyche then I stronly recommend "The Last Dream Before Dawn" as it will truly rock YOUR world and have you examine yourself and others more closely.

It took me awhile to get into this book but it was worth it in the end. Serious book about a very serious issue. Good read and a very deep story.

D.V. Bernard presents a fresh viewpoint of the rising violence and scandal in America in his debut novel, THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN. Twenty years ago, Roland Micheaux's innocence was shattered when his father was executed for heinous crimes. Now, as a successful New York attorney, Roland finds himself face to face with the very thing that he has tried to put behind him. One night in a parking garage his father's persona comes to haunt him as Roland makes a calamitous move that will send his life into a tailspin and cause him to question reality. Roland then meets Jasper Kain, a seer of sorts, who tries to convince him that the world is coming to an end and that madness will take its reign on the city. Kain's prophecies defy rationale, but Roland soon sees that these ideas should not be so easily dismissed.THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN is a flurry of characters, scenes, and plots, but somehow, Bernard coheres it all together into cerebral fiction that challenges reality and sanity. A distinguished entrance into the literary arena, this novel is splendidly written and brilliantly executed.Reviewed by CandaceKof The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book was a great departure, from what I normally read, which is black fiction, based around romantic relationships. These books are more commonly known as "sistagurl" books. This book was written intelligently, and dealt with issues that we can all relate to in society. This book was a page turner, filled with mayhem, suspense, love, hate, violence, peace, and introspection. This novel makes the reader feel as though they are a part of the story, and I hope it will go on to be a best seller.

If you believe that fiction can be both intellectually gratifying and entertaining, then this is a book you'll want to read. I originally read it when it was God's Bastard Sons. What got me was the social consciousness of the book-characters thinking about their place in America, struggling with the social upheavals of race riots and death penalty cases and police brutality...and all the media hype that we're bombarded with every day in the form of scandals. It's a story about love and hate and self-realization...It's a difficult novel to describe-as it encompasses so much-but it revolves around Roland Micheaux. We meet him as a youth, trying to get over the stigma of being the son of a man who raped and murdered a white woman. Many years later, when he is a successful attorney in New York City, known for his own merits, and not his father's act, he finds himself being charged with the same crimes as his father. A book hasn't made me think about my place in society (as a black person) since I read Richard Wright's Native Son.