The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for 30th Century: Escape (First Edition)
Because 30th Century: Escape (First Edition) was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
briellejee
Based on the cover and title, I think I would have sampled the book. The two aspects are both eye-catching and appealing, though after reading the first few pages, I think the woman silhouette can be changed into one who is just standing and not running. As for the first few pages, I think the plot is great and that Captain Jennifer is a superb character. I commend the author's writing style. You can actually hear the strong and commanding voice of Jennifer. The author also leaves traces of the plot and the setting in a nice way wherein the reader will not be overwhelmed by the information but will be gradually introduced, thus, it heightens the curiosity as well. It will make the reader want more and may not realize he or she is already flipping the pages. I am going to buy the book today because this kind of science fiction is just too good to miss. I found no noticeable errors and the OBC review is helpful enough to tell me it is something worth reading and sampling for.
First Ten review added on November 21, 2018, at 2:43 am by briellejee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Allyseria
The title and book cover look attractive and I would have read the blurb. However, when I read the blurb, I was disappointed that it seemed to focus more on the romance plot instead of time travelling. I was also hesistant when I read the review and found out that many French phrases were used. I find foreign languages distracting for me. The sample was good though, and I liked that it immediately started with the mission at hand: time travelling. However, I would have liked to know a little bit more about Jennifer before seeing her in the leadership role. From her ability to command others, it seems as if she is in a high position, but because of the lack of backstory, I couldn't feel much empathy for her. Overall, I will not continue to read the book because I do not like the romance genre. Note: The book had been professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2018, at 8:13 am by Allyseria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sharill Rasowo
If I had not read the sample, I probably would not have read the book. This is because I am not really interested in sci-fi fantasy. The official OnlineBookClub review was complimentary but did not really change my mind. Reading the sample, the beginning was full of tension with Jennifer, the main character, giving instructions to her second-in-command. I also found it funny that the unit was named SS as it reminded me of Nazi Germany. The sample was entertaining but not enough for me to buy and read the book. I did not spot any typos so I think it was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2018, at 7:52 am by Sharill Rasowo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ObsessedBookNerd
Had I not read the sample as part of the program then I would have read the book based on the title, cover, genre, blurb or reviews. I love to read a good fantasy/ sci-fi book. The cover is also very beautifully designed that it draws the reader into giving the book a chance. The book seems professionally edited and I found no spelling or grammatical errors. The sample did not change my mind on reading the whole book because I am curious how the main character will deal with having a new identity and the secrets that she holds. I love reading time travel novels, especially when the character goes back in time. I also like the layout of the book. The author put a map of the French Polynesia Islands at the beginning of chapter 1, this helped me to visualize/understand the chapter better. The picture of the trans-time one below the surface of the ocean also made it easier to understand the chapter. I felt that Jennifer is a realistic character even though she is from the future. She wants to escape her pain and finally be over her responsibilities of saving the Naturals(humans). She makes sure the mission to change the future is all set up before she leaves it in her allies hands. She then sets her time travel farther back into the past to start fresh in a new life. I thought it was humorous how she panicked in the ocean and thought a shark was after her when it was just a dolphin. Marty makes me hope that he will be a love interest to Jennifer, especially since they are both emotionally damaged due to past relationships. The book seems to have everything I like to read; time-travel, adventure, new beginnings, futuristic scenes, advanced technology, love, heroism and much more. I can't wait to read the whole book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2018, at 5:04 am by ObsessedBookNerd.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sonya Nicolaidis
I was not sure what to expect on first sight of this book The cover design is really beautiful depicting a woman running, with gorgeous background colors. I knew it was a work of Science Fiction from the title and also from the reviews, which admittedly were all fairly complimentary. I, however, not being a fan of this genre would not have ordinarily been interested to read it. After sampling the book, I still do not feel moved to keep reading. Admittedly, I did like the way it was written, with no noticeable errors in the editing or grammar. However the story begins sometime in the future and is very heavy on the futuristic jargon which usually accompanies such stories. I was lost, and couldn't quite get into it thereafter. I do suspect that the story does become deeper and more interesting as it progresses, but the first few pages just didn't grab me. If I were to change anything, I would suggest easing off on the jargon so early on, and perhaps giving a little more background. This might engage readers a bit more. There was criticism in some of the reviews of explicit sexual content, but I saw no evidence of this in the first ten. I'm sure this book will be enjoyed by fans of Sci Fi, but I would not be interested in reading this one.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2018, at 2:24 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
JuliaKay
I do like the cover for this book. The colors are nice, and it is eye-catching. The title also grabbed my attention and made me curious. The blurb and reviews for this book were good, but I did read this book before, and my response wasn't so positive. Normally, I enjoy sci-fi books, but I could not get into this one, and the further I read, the worse it got. I think part the problem was the pictures throughout the book. I don't really like to see pictures in novels. Captain Jennifer Hero lives in the future and is part of the Secret Society team. The way of life was in danger, and something needed to be done soon. The team had a mission organized to travel to the twenty-seventh century, and they would not be returning to their own time. The Syndos are a group in the thirtieth century with enhanced DNA. They can outperform the average human being in every way except creativity. They lack a moral compass, however, and they look down on regular human beings. The Syndos aim to wipe out the Naturals, or regular human beings. Jennifer's team is to go back in time and correct the genetic error that is present in the Syndos. Jennifer misleads her team and says she has to stay back and input the time travel date manually, and they believe she would have been killed by a missile. But it turns out, she was running away. She had actually reset the device to travel back to 2015 herself. The first ten pages don't say too much about why she made this decision, but she does end up in 2015 on an island by herself. Eventually, a group of people finds her, including Marty Zitonick. I think part of my problem with this book was that some of the information didn't seem entirely relevant, and I just got bored. I also didn't think Jennifer was really likable. I did not notice any technical errors in the first ten pages, and it does appear that this book has been professionally edited. I think the removal of the pictures (except for the maps) would help my opinion about the book.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2018, at 7:33 pm by JuliaKay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kareka88
I like the cover and think I would have at least looked at it to see if I wanted to read it. I did read an informative review on OnlineBookClub as well as the summary on Amazon that was very glowing. Even though this book won an award for best Sci-Fi book of 2017, I will not continue reading it. It is my understanding it contains graphic depictions of multiple partner sex scenes and I'm not interested in reading that style of a book. Also, I read the first ten pages or so and the storyline did not capture my interest. Jennifer and her crew are looking for a way to annihilate the Syndos by going back in time and planting a virus that will disrupt their genetic code. When trying to go back in time, however, her vessel is knocked off course, but she doesn't understand what happened. The crew of the Albatross saves her, but I'm not so sure that in reality she really is saved. I think the photos are a unique idea and do seem to help with the storyline. I saw no grammatical errors in the sample I read.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2018, at 4:34 pm by Kareka88.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
HRichards
I generally would not have picked up this book on my own, as the description really didn't interest me. I will not be continuing with the book as I didn't find the sample that interesting or well written. The sample deals with SS officer Jennifer who is trying to prevent a widespread chemical attack against the humans in Australia in the near future. Those who are interested in sci-fi thrillers might like this book, as the action is very fast paced. I wasn't too wild about the writing style, which was a bit choppy. There was a grammar error that I noticed with the sentence "...seized with misgivings. But..." that should be a comma instead of a period. I have not read any other reviews of this book.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2018, at 4:01 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
"Escape" is a science fiction book about time travel to the 21st century. In the future, humans learns to control dark energy. Captain Jennifer Hero is escaping the 30th century in order to save humankind from Syndos. She goes to the 21st century and lands in the desert. I don't really like books with time travel, so I wouldn't have tried this book without the program. I won't continue reading this book because of the same reason. It seemes professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2018, at 2:43 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
sarahmarlowe randomeducator
I'm going to start this one a little backward. Sorry. I was interested in this book originally because I like science fiction stories. Additionally, I like to read books about time travel and books with strong female lead characters. But, then I read an OBC review and discovered that there is a lot of explicit sexual material in this one. Then, I read some more reviews to see if that reviewer was just touchy. Nope. I found that information in several reviews, so I will not be reading this one. I did enjoy the fast-paced plot and the intrigue, and I would still like to know why Jennifer ran away to the 21st century. I also liked the illustrations. I am a visual person, and it was fascinating to look at the cutaways of the equipment. The book looks professionally edited, which is another great aspect of the novel. However, again, I will not be reading this one. I'm a little disappointed.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2018, at 10:43 am by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Camille Turner
I think I would have sampled this book even without the program because I like science fiction, and the Amazon blurb says it also includes time travel which sounds interesting. The cover and title are pretty clear in terms of genre as well. After reading the first ten pages, I believe the book to be professionally edited as I didn't note any errors. My impression has stayed the same, as the book begins with many references that fall into the science fiction realm (technology, futuristic races, time travel, etc.). I like that the novel begins immediately with getting the characters to the time travel machine and setting up the story. We know right off the bat about the Syndos plan to make the Naturals extinct through sterilization and the Naturals plan to go back in time to stop their genetics from giving the Syndos a lack of morality. I wouldn't improve anything. However, I won't buy the book today because I have too many others to read first, and while this book does seem interesting, I don't feel I need to read it right away. I'll keep it in mind for the future.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2018, at 8:40 am by Camille Turner.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bianka Walter
This is a book that I might have picked up without the first ten program. I enjoy sci-fi books, and this falls firmly into that category. I liked the lead character, Jennifer. She seemed like a strong lead for the story, and I like books with strong female protagonists. The OBC reviews (there are a few official reviews) all mentioned the overabundance of sex scenes in the book. This is not something that I enjoy, especially seeing that the start of the book Jennifer is with Kylie, and at the end, it seems that she's a bit promiscuous. That makes a strong lead female lose her strength slightly, for me. The sample seemed well edited, I found no errors. But this doesn't change the fact that the sample of the book didn't draw me in enough to want to read on. That, and the OBC reviews have made me decide not to read this book.
First Ten review added on August 10, 2018, at 4:53 am by Bianka Walter.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kat Berg
I love the sci-fi genre, but the time travel subgenre is probably my least favorite one. As a result of this, my first glance at the book leads me to believe it is unlikely I would have picked this one up based on the reviews, blurb, etc. Because I knew a little about the book based on the reviews when I started reading the sample, I knew that Jennifer was going to abandon the mission, even though the survival of humanity depended on the success of that mission. For me, that made me instantly dislike her (such an unbelievably selfish decision). As I read and came to understand that it didn't just depend on her, I felt a little better, but she is still not especially likable to me. I find the pictures interesting (although unusual in a book meant for adults). They do assist in visualizing something that is completely foreign. I did not notice any grammatical mistakes and the book seems professionally edited. I do not plan to finish the book. It just didn't capture my attention. I can see where my father (who loves ALL things sci-fi) would probably enjoy it. He reads six to ten books a week, so has more time than I do. I did read the official review.
First Ten review added on August 10, 2018, at 12:34 am by Kat Berg.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
scratchcat318
The cover for this book is exceptionally beautiful, with the purple and blue tones of the background nicely offset with the black of the silhouetted girl and the white text. I would definitely buy this book based off that cover alone, as it looks very professionally designed. The blurb for this book is well-written, and I like the way the author presents the very compelling premise of the book. One thing that does annoy me is the grammar error in the second sentence of the blurb where a sentence that should end in a question mark ends in a period. I feel like this really shouldn't have been overlooked since this is the paragraph that is supposed to sell your book to the audience and really shouldn't contain easy-to-spot grammar errors like this. I felt like there was a lot of exposition within the first few pages of the book as the author quickly tries to drill the information about the world and characters into the reader's head. I understand that there is a lot of information to get across to the readers, but I feel like this could have been done in a more interesting way than having the characters just talk about it for so long. One thing I do like is that the author provides a visual of the SS's hideout, as well as one for the time-traveling crew, as it helps readers to visualize the setting that the characters are in at this part of the book. I hope the author continues to provide visuals such as these, as it would really help readers to get acclimated to this world. I also liked learning about the character of Jennifer and learning more about her, especially the relationship she had with Zexton. They clearly meant a lot to Jennifer, as they are mentioned very frequently when Jennifer considers their partnership in the past and what she intends to do now that they are gone. Jennifer's friendship with Kylie is also quite nice, though it would have been nice to see them interacting more in the sample. However, one thing that does prevent me from becoming too hopeful about this book is the OnlineBookClub reviews that I found. They bring up some problems later on in the book that would definitely deter me from continuing to read, and one review even mentions the overabundance of information in this book that I found myself disliking which continues throughout the rest of the book. These reviews make me hesitant to buy this book since they point out problems that will likely bother me as the story progresses. However, I will give this book a chance and purchase it, since Jennifer's character and the premise of the book do interest me.
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 11:48 pm by scratchcat318.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Nelsy Mtsweni
I would have chosen to read the book because the cover is so drawing. But after reading the review, I am not a fan of such fiction genre involving time travel. I am not going to read the whole book, because it's genre is not my cup of tea. I did not notice any editing errors, I believe everything was perfect about. I even tried searching for all the spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, but did not find any. I liked the formal, military English language they used, involving terms like Captain and Lieutenant, as it was context-based. Apart from this, I did not like anything else about the book. In fact I felt like the introduction of some characters was rushed because within the ten pages I read, there were many characters involved including: Jennifer, Commander Brown, Kylie, Dr Helenski, and Captain Hero. Thank you
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 2:37 pm by Nelsy Mtsweni.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
meadhbh
I probably would have sampled this book even without this program, as I'm a big science fiction fan, especially if there's a strong female protagonist. The first ten pages manage to give us plenty of information about the 30th century, where the book is set, without it feeling too much like an info dump. Small touches like Jennifer reminiscing about being surrounded by nature already offer us insights into her character at this early stage. The relationship between between Jennifer and Kylie is portrayed particularly well, even in the small amount of interaction we witness. The author successfully managed to impart the importance of the mission Jennifer and the others are about to undertake. I also enjoyed the way the sample hinted at the fact that Jennifer has another, different mission in mind without giving it away completely. Overall, the sample is well-written and enjoyable, as well as being a genre I like, so I plan to buy and read this book. I did not notice any errors.
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 1:27 pm by meadhbh.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
britt13
I did not read the official review of this book but I did see the twitter tags and it had me a bit interested. I love time travel books if they are done well. I really enjoyed the first ten pages. I found no grammatical errors and it flowed really well. Jennifer and Kylie seem like really strong female characters and I love that! The dialogue was really strong because it felt so natural. That is always a big one for me, and I know it can be the hardest part of writing. I also love books that are a series. I knew I wanted to read this book when I wanted to keep going past the first ten pages. Unfortunately, I can not afford to be buying books right now, but I will be adding it to a want to read list for when I can!
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 12:57 pm by britt13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mary WhiteFace
Escape sounds like an interesting story. I like the colors on the cover. The silhouette of the girl as she splashes thru the colorful water is dramatic. The premise sounds promising.
In the 30th century, there is a war between the Syndos, genetically-altered humans, and Naturals. Syndos have a genetic tendency towards sociopathy. It has developed so fully in the Syndos that it has become almost impossible to stop them from destroying the Naturals.
There is a virus that may disrupt those tendencies. It needs to be administered to the first Syndos, to stop the tendency from developing in the first place. The first Syndos were created in the distant past. The time period when the sociopathy first immerged has been designated Diversion Point.
That is the mission: get to Diversion Point and release the virus. During a Syndos attack against the base, the protagonist, Captain Jennifer Hero (love the name), sends her teammates 300 years into the past. She takes herself back to 2015, alone. She wants a new life.
Androids and time-travel. This sounds promising. Even without the First 10 program, I would want to read this book.
The author, Mark Kingston Levin, Ph.D., is an extremely intelligent man with a background "... working on the Apollo and Mars projects...", among other amazing accomplishments. Knowing this, I believe that this first installment of the "30th Century" trilogy will be life-like and detailed. My desire to read this book jumped up a few levels.
Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. Before I even got into the main story, I read that "This trilogy was inspired by new science created by the author in the field of cosmology known as dark energy." (Author's Notes). This reinforced my thinking that the author's experience would be reflected in the narrative.
I liked the part about "...Pacifica Anthozoa, a magnificent city floating on the ocean’s surface." (pg. 1). I remember reading an article, not in this book, about homes that are built to float on water. They aren't actually boats, although they can be propelled if the people desire to move them. They resemble land homes, just floatable. I always thought it was a cool idea, so it was interesting to see the concept mentioned as a real thing in a futuristic story.
I also liked the character development of Jennifer. She is shown to be a strong, determined leader. Then, on pg. 9, her softer, emotional side surfaces, "Clearing her eyes of tears, Jennifer activated the device’s autodrive..." I have the feeling I'm going to like her by the end of the book.
It is possible that the book was professionally edited. I only noticed one missing comma, "Do not ever take it off or it will self-destruct.” (pg. 4). There should be a comma after the word off. I have no suggestions for improvements. I like the author's writing style. I was immediately drawn into the story, and I will be reading the whole book. Possibly the whole series. There was an Official OnlineBookClub Review, but it did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 12:12 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sicily Joy
The elements that would have gotten me to read the book were the beautiful cover and offical review as I like the sci-fi genre. However, after reading the first ten pages I decided I wouldn't be buying or reading the book. My biggest issue was I found the dialogue to be very unrealistic. For example, the beginning conversation had too much expostion and revealing of the characters' emotional ties. It was lumping all the background into the dialogue which made the conversation awkward. The best part of the sample was it is action packed and quick to read. There were no errors in what I read therefore I think it was professional edited.
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 10:12 am by Sicily Joy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sahani Nimandra
Escape by Mark Kingston Levin is a sci-fictional read that kept me engaged till the end providing an excellent visualization. The cover illustration pretty much seem exciting. The official OBC review pretty much covered everything. Since this book has been the BOTD so many times I know what this plot is all about besides this was my first BOTD as an OBC member so I can remember this book well. I was never interest in sci-fiction so I wasn't bothered about this until today. The colored illustrations are great, it helps to improve the readers visualization. The plot provided a smooth reading experience. I always have the habit of analysing my read but this time I enjoyed just reading it. The plot began introducing two friends who are the members of the SS boarding on a mission with other team members to exterminate an alien species named Syndos. I didn't experience any hindrance while reading. I recognized through this read that a true sci-fiction fan would heartily enjoy this read.
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 5:54 am by Sahani Nimandra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Samantha Simoneau
Prior to sampling this book, I immediately liked the cover art and the obvious reference to time travel in the title, which intrigued me. This quickly dissolved when I checked out the Amazon page. The reviews, overall, are not generally very positive. Poor execution is a repeatedly mentioned issue. Even reading two 5-star reviews didn't increase my anticipation for the book - "steamy sex scenes" are not what I'm looking for. I think sex scenes in a book can be likened to empty calories in your diet ... delicious at the time, but pointless and not necessarily good for you. One reviewer's comparison of this book to "reality TV" really made me grit my teeth. Reality TV is the worst kind of TV. The blurb describes an interesting premise with a lot of potential. The power struggle between the Naturals and the Syndos is intriguing. The emotional ramifications of lost love and the action-packed possibilities of a high-stakes mission are things to look forward to. I would like to know how Hero navigates the world of 2015 without being found out. However, the warning at the end of the blurb, "Contains graphic multi-partner sex with M/F and F/F pairings," bothers me for a few reasons: First of all, my previously mentioned feelings about graphic sex in a book. Second, there was no period at the end of this sentence and, based on some comments in the reviews, my guess is this book isn't well edited. Third, if you're going to write a book which seems, based on the Amazon page, to be written simply as a premise to house the gratuitous sex scenes, why wouldn't there be any M/M pairings? This says to me that the book might just be the author's fantasy fulfillment, which kind of makes me uncomfortable about even sampling it. And finally, I'm a Christian, so much about the multi-partner possibilities simply offends me. Anyway, here goes nothing. There should be a comma between "Goldstein" and "bestselling." Note: how can the author "create" a science? Unless he means fictionally, that's an outrageous claim. Science is, and we make observations and discoveries, but we don't invent it. There should be a comma between "level" and "there," as well as between "One" and "invented." Personally, I think "SS" was an unfortunate abbreviation to adopt and the author should perhaps have given this group another name. "SS" just automatically makes me think of Nazi Germany. "Holo interface" should be hyphenated. The illustrations are a nice touch, especially for people like me who have trouble visualizing places, ships, or devices. So far, there are not many errors. I wouldn't assume at this point that it was not professionally edited. What would keep me on the hook at this point is: What is Hero up to that she feels guilty about keeping from Kylie? However, I know what it is because it's in the blurb. She's not going back to the 27th century with everyone else, she's going to detour to 2015 for personal reasons. Since I already know that, there's nothing I'm curious enough about to make me want to finish the book, especially because the things I'm certain are ahead are things I don't want to read about. I'll pass on this one.
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 4:54 am by Samantha Simoneau.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kibet Hillary
The plot of the book is really fascinating. It is so unfortunate that Jenniffer has been devising a secret plan to escape and did not confide even in her deputy, who was also her friend. The way the Jenniffer meets me with Marty's team is amazing. I liked how she got to survive on the island, all alone. The conversations in the book are also interesting and lively. The book seems to have been professionally edited since I did not notice any typos. I am not sure whether I would have read the entire book without this program. However, I am now curious to know how the story goes on after Hero meets with Marty and whether she finally began speaking. There is an Official Online BookClub Review of this book. I liked the conversations most in the book. It is also nice that the author included some pictures of some things since it was hard to imagine their looks.
First Ten review added on August 9, 2018, at 4:11 am by Kibet Hillary.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CinWin
The cover was interesting but did not tell me much about the book. The best thing was the part that said it won 'The Best Science Fiction Book of the Year'! I just knew it had to be a good novel. I read the first 10 pages and it does live up to the expectations. "Escape" by Mark Kingston Levin is the first book in a trilogy. We are introduced to the Syndos, a race of gentically altered humans with sociopathy tendencies. Captain Jennifer Hero is heading a task force to plant a virus that will help get rid of those tendencies. It starts to delve a bit into the relationship between her and lover, Kylie Brown. This seems to be a very fast-paced Sci-Fi novel. The onlinebookclub review compared it to "Solaris Seethes", which I totally enjoyed. I would not have changed a thing in the first 10 pages. There were no grammatical errors. If I didn't have a huge list of other books to read, I would definitely read this. I plan on putting it on my "would like to read" list, but I am not going to buy it today.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 11:59 pm by CinWin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
LV2R
The book cover and title are interesting and led me to want to read more about the book. Everything seemed fine until I read that the book contained “graphic multi-partner sex with M/F and F/F pairings” and “detailed sex scenes”, stated in the Amazon blurb and in some of the reviews. Regretfully, that persuades me to not buy and read the book at this time. I liked reading the first ten pages about the mission to go from the 30th century back to the 27th century to correct a genetic error found in the “Syndos”. This error made the Syndos want to kill off the “Naturals”. The first ten pages raised a lot of questions. What was Jennifer’s plan to not go with the team? Where was she going and why? Those questions made me want to continue reading the book. The book seems to be well edited with no obvious errors. The OBC review focused more on the character of Jennifer and the theme of secrecy. If the book omitted the graphic sex scenes, I would be very tempted to buy the book.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 11:21 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
revna01
My thoughts on this book is that the cover is pretty and the futuristic title sounds interesting. The Online Book Club reviewer really enjoyed the book. The first ten pages revealed no errors, and the author's writing style is succinct and engaging. Jennifer Hero gets teams ready to travel from the 30th Century to the 27th Century to save the humans by altering the moral compass of young Syndos without harming them. She puts Kylie Brown as lead of Team One and they prepare for the Council meeting. I really enjoyed the true sci-fi feel to the storyline and the way the author reveals hidden doubts and insecurities in the protagonist. I didn't like the strange vibe I got from the relationship between Brown and Hero, as Brown seems like she's way too emotionally involved with Hero, in an almost adolescent kind of way. Due to the explicit content (as stated in some Online Book Club posts), and the lesbian relationship, I will not read this book, even though the plot sounds interesting to me.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 10:47 pm by revna01.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
FictionLover
Based on the book cover and title, I would have sampled this book, as I enjoy science fiction. The book description describes a conflict between the genetically altered Syndos or the natural humans? That's a great premise. However, the sample leads me to believe this book will be about Jennifer Hero's life in the 21st Century, which is disappointing, and not what I was expecting. I also found much of the narrative hard to understand due to the long run-on sentences the author uses. For example: "The introduction of this virus to those Syndos as young children of the twenty-seventh Century will prevent their aggressive behavior against humanity while keeping to the SS non-violent policies established by Zexton Ho." Reading that literally gave me a headache. I will not be buying this book. There were things I liked, such as the description of the Unicorn which made it seem more like a spaceship than a submarine. Having Jennifer wind up stranded on a desert island and have to go from hi-tech captain to low tech scavenger of conch was a nice touch too. The book seems professionally edited, I didn't notice any typos and the only grammatical errors I noted were the overly long sentence structures. If I were to change anything, I would get rid of the unnecessary backstory of the Australian Astronaut Corps and descriptions of floating cities and cut to the chase. Also get Jennifer rescued faster and get back to the story of Synthos vs Naturals. The onlinebookclub review mentions Kylie's mission, so I assume the book does eventually get back there. Also, you might want to make it clearer why Jennifer abandons her friend and her mission, because from what I read she is just a betraying coward, so why should I read about her anyway?
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 10:30 pm by FictionLover.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mely918
I think I would have been a little bit interested in this book from both the title and cover art. I especially like the colors that were used in the cover. The sample that I read was very engaging and suspenseful. The character of Jennifer Hero seemed to be very brave, yet reckless at times. She has to deal with not being discovered as someone from the future in her new and accidental destination. The plot is certainly a very unique one. I did not catch any grammatical mistakes from the portions that I read. This is a great book for sci-fi/thriller fans. However, even though the book itself was well-written, it is not the type of book I am currently looking to read. Therefore, I will be giving this book a pass for now.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 9:25 pm by Mely918.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kristy Khem
The cover design of this book is mesmerizing. The blurb hinted at a unique, fantasy story. Therefore, I would have picked this book to read. The sample turned out to be more complex than I had initially anticipated, especially as the setting flickered between a floating, futuristic city and an underwater base beneath an atoll in the sea. In addition to this, there was also the concept of time travel and descriptions of augmented biology such as symbiotes within Jennifer’s cells which recycled proteins. However, I liked the diagrams in the book which helped me to understand some of the complex things the author described, such as how the underwater base was built into the seabed. There were also colored images of the atomic bomb that was detonated over the atoll and a cross-section of the time machine sub capsule. The sample was professionally edited. I did not find any errors. Although the book was rated 4 stars, I would not buy this one since I prefer reading lighter fantasy stories where I do not need to research certain scientific aspects of the book.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 6:34 pm by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Anon_Reviewer
I wouldn't have checked this book out if it were not for the programme. I've seen it multiple times while browsing the OBC bookshelves but I have never considered reading it. While the cover is enticing, the description on Amazon mentioned that the book contains graphic multi-partner sex scenes, which I don't like to read about. I thought the first ten pages were well-written and interesting. The book seems to have been professionally edited. The only aspect I found confusing was that the members of the task force referred to Jennifer as "Sir" even though she's female. I won't buy the book because even though the OBC review gave it a full score, the book only has 3.6/4 on Amazon. Besides, my TBR list is far too long.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 5:25 pm by Anon_Reviewer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Eryn Bradshaw
The premise and sample of 30th Century Escape didn't interest me, unfortunately. I didn't enjoy being dropped straight into the action of delivering a virus to a race I don't know about and time traveling to 2015 in the first chapter. I hope Levin explains things more thoroughly throughout the book, I enjoy a little build up and explanation first. I won't be reading the rest of this book. I did find a few errors in the first ten pages, an example being "Jennifer's deputy and sometime-lover, Kylie Brown." Sometime-lover should be sometimes-lover.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 3:42 pm by Eryn Bradshaw.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
cpru68
Captain Jennifer Hero and Commander Kylie Brown are in the middle of a mission to thwart the plans of the Syndons from destroying the natural human race. By the use of time travel to go backward,they plan on rearranging devestating future events. An undercurrent of secrecy is involved as the reader is led to believe that Jennifer is not disclosing all that she knows to her co-worker and friend Kylie. I do not read a lot of science fiction, and without the online book club, I probably would have not found this title on my own. While the review gave this a glowing rating, I found myself not connecting with the two women. The dialogue between them seemed forced and the hint that they were intimately involved did not draw me in. I did not detect any errors in the text, and I cannot make any suggestions. I just don't read this genre often, and after giving it a go, I still found myself not interested.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 3:02 pm by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Julie Green
While I am attracted by the title and the idea of dark science, the image puts me off as it feels unnecessarily sensationalist for the silhouette to be naked. The opening pages did draw me in as we see Captain Jennifer Hero putting into action a plan to save humanity from "synods" through time travel. I like the details of what it might be like to live in the 30th century e.g. technologies that enhance human abilities. However, I was beginning to lose interest after Jennifer lands on an island in a different time and I do not intend to buy the book. I also understand the accompanying images aim to create the impression of a new world, but they do not quite work.
I did not see any grammatical errors. I did afterwards read a positive online book club review which may cause me to reconsider at some point.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 2:48 pm by Julie Green.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
desantismt_17
This book’s title didn’t hook me, but the description sounded interesting. I enjoy a good science fiction thriller, and this one seemed to do something less common with time travel. Before sampling, I thought about reading. After sampling, though, I’ll pass. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. The sample just didn’t draw me in as much as I hoped. The author does an excellent job of showing how capable Jennifer is in just a few pages. She seems like an excellent protagonist. The storm brewing on the water’s surface made me curious, as did the mention of the “virus.” I didn’t necessarily expect answers about either, but I didn’t feel I got enough information to hook me into wanting to know more. The dialogue also felt a bit stilted and formal. The OnlineBookClub.org review I saw read less like a review and more like straight-up praise. Thus, I didn’t feel I could trust the reviewer’s overwhelmingly positive opinions.
First Ten review added on August 8, 2018, at 12:45 pm by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
SPasciuti
I had no intention of reading this book, primarily due to the erotic nature of it which was mentioned in the Online Book Club review. I must admit that after reading the sample I’m quite a bit more interested than I was before.
I think the author does a good job of introducing the story and making it enticing for the readers, though I do wish we got to know the characters a little better and I think he could make some improvements there. The book does appear professionally edited.
Though I found the sample enjoyable, I’m not sure I want to spend my time reading a book that has been described as having themes of sex that take away from the story. I may change my mind later and do intend to keep this one on my radar, however, for now I’m going to mark it as a no.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2018, at 1:25 am by SPasciuti.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kathryn Price
I remember seeing this book a few months ago because it was Book of the Month, but I wasn't interested in it at the time. When I started reading the sample today, I was doubtful about the story because it felt like I was thrown into something unfamiliar and complex that I didn't understand. However, as the chapter went on, it started to make more sense. The writing style worked well for the story, and I found no editing errors. I would actually be interested in reading the rest of this book, so I'll say yes to this one.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2018, at 8:04 pm by Kathryn Price.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
BookishCreature
At first glance, I would not have picked up this book. Despite the mostly positive reviews, sci-fi erotica is not my preferred genre. I don't think I'm the target audience for this book. After reading the first ten pages, I found that the story is very well-written and professionally edited. I liked the natural-sounding dialogue and the interesting setting. However, I'm still not a fan of erotica, so I won't be finishing the book. I don't think there's any room for improvement - this just isn't a book for me.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2018, at 2:20 pm by BookishCreature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emmanae
From the cover and the review, I don’t think I would have read the sample. The review made the book sound like it was mostly erotica, which isn’t my thing. I really enjoyed how even though I don’t know anything about submarines I could use context clues to figure out what each thing that was talked about was. I didn’t like how the book was formatted on my phone though, as it didn’t seem to fit on my screen. Everything was judiciary and it made it odd in that some lines only had two words. I didn’t see any errors in what I read which leads me to believe the book was professionally edited. I won’t be buying this book, mostly because of the review.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2018, at 9:34 am by Emmanae.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cristina Chifane
The title and cover of Levin's first book of a 30th century trilogy are quite enticing promising a good plunge into the sci-fi genre. The blurb also advertises a twirling time-travel adventure with lots of action and life-and-death situations. Unfortunately, there are no Amazon editorial reviews and the customer reviews are mixed warning potential readers of the graphic sexual scenes and the unsuccessful association of the romance/adult and sci-fi genres. Reading only the Amazon blurb, I would have been curious enough to check the sample too. Since I loved the sample, I would have probably chosen to read the novel in spite of the customer reviews. What I liked most about the novel is the idea of traveling back through time to correct the broken moral compass of the Syndos. The author does seem to have talent in imagining a sci-fi world of the future. I appreciate his descriptions of the undersea leviathan Unicorn or the magnificent floating city of Pacifica Anthozoa. There is also a beautiful description of Jennifer's journey through the Trans-Time One machine. Symbolically called Jennifer Hero, the protagonist spends four months on the deserted island of Moruroa in a twenty-first century reitereation of Robinson Crusoe's adventures. The author does a great job when he follows Jennifer in her exploration. For example, I enjoyed the intensity of the scene in which she almost drowns and is saved by an intelligent dolphin whom she initially mistakes for a shark. Levin also draws the readers' attention on the relativism of perspective by making Jennifer feel like a Syndos in 2015 in comparison with the primitive humans. Some of the illustrations are good, others look childish. I liked the artistic drawing of the French atomic bomb blast set off over Moruroa. I could not find any typos or grammar mistakes in the sample, so I could easily engage in my reading. To be honest, what makes me hesitate to choose this book is the warning coming from both customer reviews and the OBC reviewer. They all suggest that the book on the whole does not rise to the expectations of the beginning. I will not read the book for now, but I will keep it in mind for the future.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2018, at 5:06 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
N_R
I do not normally read this genre and was put off by the review which said the book falls flat in the middle. Reading the first few pages put me off as there are lesbians and also run of the mill talk of viruses. Therefore I am not going to buy and read the whole novel. The book seems to be formatted and edited properly as I did not find any spelling errors. There were no specific parts that stood out to me in the sample. The review was positive and negative about it where it said that the genre was well considered but the storyline fell over in the middle of the novel.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 10:14 pm by N_R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dolor
My first choice is to buy and to read this book even without the First Ten program. The cover and the blurb are captivating. One can be sold by just reading the blurb. The official OBC review with its 3 out of 4 rating somewhat changed my mind from going with my initial hunch. Reading the first ten pages had completely overturned my decision. The story starts at a very slow pace. The meeting and the planning exceed the first ten pages. Here's the only grammatical error I found in the first ten pages: The team leaders around her rep/lied in unison, "Yes, sir!" Jennifer is a woman, so it should be "Yes, ma'am!" 30th Century: Escape by Mark Kingston Levin, Ph.D. is an erotic sci-fi book about time travel aiming to plant a virus to disrupt the superior humanoids from exterminating humans. I'll bypass reading this book since I was not successful in downloading a free copy to review.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 9:21 pm by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
NL Hartje
Without reading the sample, the cover neither stood out nor blended in for me. However, after reading, I acknowledge it as an eye-catching cover. The deep-spacelike coloring is intriguing, and I love thoughts provoked by the shadow of the woman running. While researching, scatterings of negative reviews made me question the validity of the positive ones. The editing in the first ten pages seemed professional, but the writing possibly a bit juvenile. There was no flowery prose or exciting action word choice. What passed in the first ten was a mash of stereotypical epic journey preparation talk compounded with a slew of nonsensical sci-fi words. I have to say, the addition of images really took away from the professionalism of the book for me. They seemed clunky, and nothing like one would expect from the 30th century. Although the idea of a time-traveling adventure (with a secret escape plan for the leader) could be interesting, nothing in the sample led me to believe that the rest would be better than the beginning. I won't be reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 9:16 pm by NL Hartje.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ccrews0408
Based on the title and genre, had I not read the first 10 pages, I would not have read this book. I don't usually enjoy reading fantasy novels, nor do I enjoy books that are set in the future. The customer reviews, however, were widely positive. After reading the first 10 pages, I still don't plan on reading this book. There were several fantasy elements, such as time travel and life on other planets, which was to be expected. These things, however, are what I don't like about fantasy novels. The book seemed professionally edited, as I didn't notice any typos or grammatical errors. I liked how the author included illustrations to better help the reader imagine what he was describing. I thought there could have been a little more excitement at the beginning of the book. This book did have an official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 8:46 pm by ccrews0408.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Tbunde5
Since I enjoy reading science-fiction, I probably would have given this book a try. The title was intriguing, setting the story 900 years in the future. After reading the sample, I was drawn in to the story because the character of Jennifer Hero was believable and relatable. The plot seems well-planned and the science was believable. The author does a good job of describing life for our Hero after she lands in 2015. I would like to keep reading to find out what happens to Jennifer and, even more importantly, whether the original mission succeeds. The book was professionally edited and I found no errors in the first ten pages. In the OBC official review, the writer states that the plot seems to get bogged down in the middle of the book, and that the author loses focus of the end game. The reviewer, however, assures us that the story does end well. I will probably still read it, understanding that the journey may meander a bit but is worth taking.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 7:18 pm by Tbunde5.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
ScoutWrites
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would not have chosen to read the book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, or reviews because both the Amazon description and the OnlineBookClub review warn about graphic sexual content. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. The biggest reason I will not be reading this book is the warning about graphic lesbian erotica. What I did like about the sample I read was the plot to travel to the 27th century to stop the Syndos, but with Jennifer's escape to 2015 it seems like that plot line is abandoned. The book did seem to be professionally edited, and I did not catch any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 7:00 pm by ScoutWrites.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Haute_Coffee
The cover art is very attractive and the title was mysterious enough to spark my interest. However I don’t always like sci-fi because it can get a little technical or dry. The sample talked a lot about the mission and I think I would have liked it better if it had more insight to the characters and their feelings early on. The writing was good and clean of errors but I felt disconnected from it so I won’t be finishing it. I do think the idea of adding eroticism to science fiction is unique and interesting.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 5:43 pm by Haute_Coffee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I love the cover image, the colors and design of it are very beautifully done. I didn’t notice any errors in the book and/or typos. The review mentioned there was some erotica and the story loses direction halfway through, which I agree is a shame. Mostly I wouldn’t read this because of the erotica and alternative lifestyles don’t really appeal to me. The storyline is very interesting and creative and I like the sense of urgency the author creates, but this book isn’t really my style. I’m not a huge sci-fi fan either, so I wouldn’t have sought out this book on my own.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 5:21 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
melissy370
I would not pick up this book because of the plot of the book. The blurb on Amazon talks about Jennifer having a different attitude about sex then most in the 21st century. Anything with sex in it I will pass on.
When I did read the sample my first assumption was confirmed. Jennifer has a part time lover with another woman which goes against my beliefs. Also, the dialogue seems robotic and did not flow well. I did not see any errors though. Because of all this I would never buy this book.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 4:52 pm by melissy370.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
VictoriaMcMillen
Although the book was well written and without mistakes, I will not be continuing on to finish it. After reading the first ten, it was interesting, but not my "piece of pie". I am sure others that enjoy the genres this encompasses will find it quite pleasing. I would not continue on based on the title or cover either. It is just that I do not really care for futuristic plots as much as others. The one thing I would improve on is the introduction of the Unicorn ship- it took until the seventh page to figure out it was a spaceship- or some transport or some kind.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 3:34 pm by VictoriaMcMillen.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kfwilson6
I was only mildly interested in Escape upon initial inspection. The cover art is fine but nothing to draw my attention. The title did have me wondering about the storyline but that's as far as my interest really survived. I do enjoy a good time travel especially if it has elements of romance thrown in. However, I don't typically enjoy science fiction stories that involve different life forms (aliens, modified humans, robots). The reviews indicate there are quite a few graphic sex scenes and the scientific explanations are likely to go over the head of someone not educated in a science field. Additionally, I just could not get into the sample. I felt like I was tossed into the middle and really wanted to know more about the 30th century. Furthermore, I think the pictures are pointless and tacky. They do not add any value and every time I saw one I wondered what purpose it was SUPPOSED to serve. The one positive I can add is it does seem like a well edited book. I will not be reading this one and I'm not sure that it is even classified correctly to attract the right audience.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 2:40 pm by kfwilson6.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
RebeccasReading
This is not a book I would have normally read. I'm not a fan of science fiction. After reading the sample, my opinion is the same. I didn't really understand a lot of what was going on. I also found the official description to be confusing. I think the premise is really interesting and creative. However, I just don't think I would really connect with the story. I read the official Online Book Club review and saw that there is a lot of sexual content, which is something else I'm not a big fan of. My suggestion for improvement would be to make the official description a little more clear. It seems to be professionally edited. I didn't notice any errors.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 12:14 pm by RebeccasReading.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
lavellan
I probably would have not read the sample of 30th Century Escape if it had not been a part of the First Ten program. While the cover is eye-catching, the Book of the Day review mentioned that the middle section of the book was off-course and dragging. The book seemed like it was professionally edited and I did not notice any errors while reading. I enjoyed the illustrations the author; they helped me visualize the setting. To improve the book, I would include more background on the Syndos and the war between them and the naturals. I probably will not read the rest of the book due to the lack of background information and the flaws mentioned in the Book of the Day review.
First Ten review added on March 27, 2018, at 11:45 am by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Quinto
I would have chosen to read today's book based on the OBC review. I like sci-fi novels with a time travel premise. The reading is fast paced. In addition, I immediately was immersed in the plot involving the "Naturals" trying to escape from the more robotic "Syndos". My reading in the first ten pages related well to my expectations on this novel. The novel appears to be professionally edited, as I didn't come across any typos or grammar errors. I enjoyed reading on Captain Hero (Jennifer) when she reached earth in the twenty-first century. I couldn't help feeling sorry for her as she struggled to survive, all the while trying to remember all what she learned earlier on the time period she found herself in.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2017, at 1:12 pm by Quinto.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
ladycraic
I would have chosen to sample Escape had I not been apart of First Ten due to the cool, galaxy-like cover art, and the mysterious title. Choosing to read this book, however, would've been a different story. Although the sample held great potential for the book (interesting characters with a HUGE mission to prevent the extinction of a race), the BOTM discussion forum and the official OBC review ultimately swayed me from choosing to read the whole novel. What I gathered is that there are many erotic scenes and a lot of "futuristic" words that could easily confuse a reader The concept of this book seems great - the delivery just won't work for me.
Escape seems professionally edited. I noticed one grammatical error: "'You have been very special friend to me.'" Missing an article ('a') in that sentence.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2017, at 11:48 pm by ladycraic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsTri
While the cover and title are both captivating, I wasn't really interested in the story just based on them alone. The synopsis and review increased my interest a little, but reading the sample didn't help, either. The sample WAS well-written, with no errors that I could see, but it just didn't pull me into the story or make me want to read it. I didn't particularly care for Jennifer, but Kylie was okay; still, I really don't care to read their continuing adventures, so I will not be finishing this book.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2017, at 11:05 pm by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ashley Simon
Based on the title, cover, and summary, this isn't a book I would have chosen to read. The cover suggests sci-fi and I don't actively read that genre. After reading the OBC review, my thoughts were pretty much unchanged. I did enjoy the sample: the prose is well-written and I did not notice significant grammatical errors. Still, I don't plan to finish the book. I do not care for explicit sex scenes, and erotica intermingled with sci-fi is simply not up my alley.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2017, at 10:15 pm by Ashley Simon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
The cover and title of the book captured my interest, based on that I would have sampled the book. I read the official review, and while reading the sample, my interest was retained by the plot. I wanted to know what would happen when they traveled back in time, and if their plans with the Syndos would succeed.That is why I will be reading the rest of the book. I liked that the book appeared to be well-written. I also did not spot any obvious grammatical errors/ typos.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2017, at 4:17 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bluecobia
Based on the first ten pages I would rate it as a possible read. The genre is one I frequently read. The premise of time travel to save humanity is a good one. The title and cover did not sway me in any direction. I read the official review and the amount of sex sort of turned me off. I did not notice any editorial errors in the part I read.I am not buying this book today. I have several other books I am more interested in reading at this time.
First Ten review added on September 17, 2017, at 1:03 am by Bluecobia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ReviewerDiksha
The cover and title of the book are very intriguing. After I read the review, I was fascinated by the idea of travelling back in time. The writing style was very subtle and made me keep on turning pages. The writer has done a great job.
First Ten review added on September 17, 2017, at 1:01 am by ReviewerDiksha.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
IsabelMay
The cover is very attractive. The book sounds good and original, but I didn't expect it to contain graphic sexual scenes, as the end of the summary states. The plot seemed like something young adults and teens would enjoy, so it should be listed as erotica to warn them. Even though it seems well-written, the beginning is confusing and the illustrations are unnecessary. It's not bad for a debut, but could use some polishing.
First Ten review added on September 16, 2017, at 5:45 pm by IsabelMay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
Science fiction isn't a high priority for me at the moment, so I wouldn't have sampled this on the basis of the genre or description. I didn't change my mind after reading the first ten pages because while they were strong, nothing hooked me that firmly. It was nevertheless a clear and well-written beginning - it could have been professionally edited, as I didn't see any mistakes. I liked the basic idea of introducing a modification to ensure a species develops a moral compass. The abbreviation SS is a bit unfortunate - though these ones believe in non-violence! I did see an official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on September 16, 2017, at 4:00 pm by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gingerbo0ks
I would have sampled this anyway as I think the cover is pretty and the outline of the plot seems interesting. The OBC reviews seem mixed; most praise the description of the locations but others do not like the sex scenes and say the story tends to lose its way a bit. The sample didn't really hold my interest and I felt there was too much dialogue. I found myself skimming over bits quickly but still following the story. I would have to think about this one a bit more before purchasing it.
First Ten review added on September 16, 2017, at 5:58 am by Gingerbo0ks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Donnavila Marie01
This futuristic science-fiction story is well written. The author created an imaginary future in the next 9000 years. The descriptions and the characters are surreal. The possibilities, ideas, and descriptions are thought-provoking. This is perfect for the young adults. The adults may also read this to break the monotony of the other genres.
First Ten review added on September 16, 2017, at 5:50 am by Donnavila Marie01.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jwalker73
The nicely designed cover draws my eyes to this book, but the title immediately tells me it is sci-fi. This is a genre I do not like and it would be highly unlikely that I would purchase this novel. The blurb and reviews sound more interesting than I expected. Time-travel from the future to the present appeals to me more than the other way around. The warning about the graphic sex scenes, however, reduced my interest. Surprisingly, the first ten pages were easier to understand than most sci-fi books I have tried to read. I found I could follow the plan of the Secret Services' mission and what they were trying to achieve. The book, so far, appears professionally edited. I still do not plan to buy this book as my views on sci-fi have not changed, however I appreciated the fact I could follow the story.
First Ten review added on September 16, 2017, at 3:56 am by jwalker73.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Londera
If this book was not a part of the first ten program I would have chosen to sample it based on the cover,which really grabs my attention.I am not planning on reading the rest of the book. Personally I feel like there is too much going on in the plot. It kind of takes away from the story and I do not like to read books where there are mutliple genres typically.I did not notice any errors so far and the editing and whole feel of the book looks very professional.What I liked most about the book was the use of imagery in the writing.I did read the official online book club review and it did persuade me to read more of the book and maybe give it another chance.
First Ten review added on September 16, 2017, at 12:26 am by Londera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Christina Rose
I love the cover of this novel, and that by itself would prompt me to learn more about the book. As a fan of this genre, I have wanted to read this book for quite some time, and just haven't gotten around to it. After the review and sample, I will be sure to purchase this novel and read it in the future.
First Ten review added on September 15, 2017, at 9:21 pm by Christina Rose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Afuglsan
Based on the title, cover and reviews I thought I'd like to read this book. However, since starting it, I find it a little dry and cliche. I'm sure further in the book, it might start to get a little more lively, but I don't think I'd want to continue it that far. So far the book looks like it was professionally edited. It looks like the author put a lot of work and thought into the novel, but it's just not for me.
First Ten review added on September 15, 2017, at 6:18 pm by Afuglsan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeyran Main
I really like time travel stories and i am digging this cover! For that i will read this book. The sample was superb and well edited. Its very strong. Had I not read the sample I think I still would have bought the book.
First Ten review added on September 15, 2017, at 4:08 pm by Jeyran Main.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Naval Aulakh
"30th Century: Escape" is a well written fiction novel. The cover and title of the book did not appeal me. But, after reading its review on OnlineBookClub, I decided to read the sample of the book. I did not enjoy reading the sample.
The plot of the book is not very strong. I did not understand the story at the beginning and got a bit confused. I would not like to read the entire book.
First Ten review added on September 15, 2017, at 2:42 pm by Naval Aulakh.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ashley_claire
I enjoy a good time travel story so this book was immediately appealing to me. I like the idea of someone traveling from the future and having superior thoughts and skills but trying to fit in to society as we know it today. I think the cover of this book is nice, but nothing special. I like that the action starts right away, setting the pace for what will hopefully be a swiftly moving storyline. The book seems professionally edited, though the sporadic use of pictures does seem a bit random. The first ten pages definitely captured my attention and I am interested in continuing to read more of this story.
First Ten review added on September 15, 2017, at 2:24 pm by ashley_claire.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
RegularGuy3
I love it when a book starts with a map. It gives an automatic reference point. That's as far as I can go with praise for the beginning of this book. I knew it was set in the far future by the title, but there is no scene-setting, no feeling. We're in a tempest. Then in the unfortunatley named Unicorn, thinking about multi-mile-high buildings and Mars. And of course the captain is a natural leader and "my best friend." It's too cutesy, too presumptuous. The review seemed to find a lot of good in the book, but I can't bring myself to continue reading.
First Ten review added on September 15, 2017, at 12:23 pm by RegularGuy3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Btowntheatregal
This book is one that I considered choosing when selecting my next book to review. I found the cover intriguing and I enjoy science fiction. I was further intrigued when I read the description and saw that there is a female protagonist. Reading the first ten pages solidified my interest in reading the entire book. Even though the description of the book interested me, I needed to see the author's writing style and get a sense for who the main character was before making a decision. The first ten pages are packed with information. I didn't have to read any further to understand the mission at hand and the two opposing sides. I also like that there seems to be some moral ambiguity with both sides. It is that moral ambiguity that most intrigued me. Based on the first ten pages, it's hard to say if there is a right or wrong side and that really interests me. There is one grammatical error that stands out to me. There is inconsistent use of a comma after the coordinating conjunction "but". Sometimes it is placed appropriately and other times it is missing. My one recommendation is to be consistent with the comma usage. When there is not consistency it appears to be an error, rather than a choice.
First Ten review added on September 15, 2017, at 11:22 am by Btowntheatregal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Heidi M Simone
The cover is a bit dark and the title doesn't really capture my attention. The blurb doesn't pique my interest since this is not something I tend to read. Though I sometimes enjoy a good time travel read, Science Fiction is a genre I generally do not like. Therefore, I would not have sampled this read without this program. Based on what I read, the book does seem to be professionally edited. I'm not sure if it's the amount of dialogue in the beginning or if it's the writing style, but it was challenging to get into this read. Everything felt a bit forced and without much emotion. Since the beginning didn't pique my interest, I don't plan on purchasing this read today. If this read does become BOTM in the future, I'll most likely give it a read in order to participate, but not at the present time.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 7:13 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cjgarland89
Based on the cover and genre I wouldn't be interested in reading this book. I don't really care for time travel so I won't be purchasing this book and finishing it. Based on the first ten sample my opinion didn't change. The book started out a little confusing for me and I couldn't get into the story. I didn't see any errors.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 6:11 am by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kitkat3
I really like the cover and the title. The blurb and reviews make me interested in reading the book. I sometimes enjoy reading Sci-Fi. I might have sampled this book without this program. It appears to be professionally edited. The OnlineBookClub review made me feel like I would like this book, but I was a little worried about the book losing focus. After reading the first ten pages, I will be reading the rest, because I am interested in the story.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 4:38 am by Kitkat3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CarrieMe
I really like the cover of this book, especially the use of color. The blurb is intriguing, but it's also a little hard to follow, so I'm not sure I would normally try this book. After reading the sample, I I feel conflicted. The story is definitely interesting, but as with the blurb, I'm having trouble following it. That may just be because it's an introduction to a new sci-fi world, but I've decided to pass on this book for now.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 4:22 am by CarrieMe.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
jungkookblog
From the cover, it seems like it's about a story of how the 30th century has turned into something bad, and they have to resolve the problem, which makes me want to read this book. I will be reading this book because the first ten pages is what seems to be the future of this planet, and it seems very interesting to know what people think. It seems professionally edited. I did not see a review, and I don't think that would affect my decision.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 3:22 am by jungkookblog.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gravy
I was very intrigued by this book. The fact that it's science fiction with real science, it couldn't fit more into one of my particular taste ranges.
The cover is amazing. I didn't notice any errors, but I'm not a fan of the characters. They fell a little flat for me, and I couldn't buy into their actions. All of which has me undecided on whether or not I want to read this. The real science would be the only thing that would tip me in the books favor at this point.
Though I am undecided, I have to answer no, as I won't be purchasing the book today.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 3:17 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
classicaltwist
The cover is really beautiful. It looks like the background is part of a DNA strand? It's really well done and I would definitely have clicked on it had I come across it while browsing casually. The blurb was a little choppy and didn't really interest me in the story. There's also a disclaimer about graphic sex scenes that turned me off to the book. I love romance novels so I'm no stranger to erotic scenes and I generally welcome them when I'm reading a romance novel, but it sounds unappealing to me in a scifi novel.
Neither reading the first ten pages or the official OnlineBookClub review convinced me to read the book. It does seem to be professionally edited, but I didn't really enjoy it. Also, like the reviewer, I also speak French, so once I found out that there was incorrect French in the book, I knew that I wouldn't be able to enjoy the book.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 2:44 am by classicaltwist.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb and OBC review. I'm not really into science-fiction books, and a book about time travel didn't really interest me. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. I liked the style of writing and the description, but the content isn't for me. I'm just not into the science fiction end of it. It did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2017, at 1:01 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read typical, pure romance books. Having read the sample, I found it easy to follow and understand. However, the plot in the sample did not make me curious. I did not come across any major grammatical errors. The book has a favorable onlinebookclub review. Since I do not read the genre usually and the sample did not make me curious enough to make an exception, I will not be reading the book further.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 11:43 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Christina O Phillips
The summary made me interested. I eagerly read the first few pages and was immediately pulled into the story. The dialogue is interesting as are the characters. I also like the elements of the world and the science fiction that were explained.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 8:56 pm by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Lennycat
Had I not sampled the first ten pages of this book, I probably would not have chosen to read this book. The book seems professionally edited and I think the cover is very well done and draws attention. However, I would not read this book simply because it's not my cup of tea. I did think the ten pages that I read were very good though and I would recommend it to science fiction fans.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 6:37 pm by Lennycat.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Izesicle
I am typically wary of sci-fi novels. Sometimes they can be too technical for me and I lose interest. Based on the cover, genre, and synopsis, I was intrigued enough to sample the book.
The sample has a couple of errors, for example, saying "Yes Sir" to Jennifer. Otherwise, it seems professionally edited.
I would have bought the book based on the sample alone. However, I changed my mind when I read the review. The sample was interesting because it was about a group of people in the future who will undergo a mission. The review shares that a big part of the book will be devoted to Jennifer's adjustment to society. Another possible turn off for me is the presence of adult content that is likely to be gratuitous and not relevant to the plot.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 5:48 pm by Izesicle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Azeline Arcenal
After reading the sample, I decided to finish reading the book. I also like reading books with this type of genre too. I didn't notice any major grammatical errors either.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 4:43 pm by Azeline Arcenal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kdonegan91
Firstly, the cover is beautiful and certainly eye-catching. By the title and cover art alone, I was intrigued to see what this book is about. However, after reading the first ten pages, I have decided not to purchase this book. I am not interested in this genre. Also, the sample did not keep me interested or make me anxious to read more.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 2:44 pm by Kdonegan91.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jaime Lync
I was attracted to this book by its cover . The plot is also very intriguing. Jennifer Hero, the protagonist travels from the 30th century back to the 21st century. However, she was suppose to actually travel to the 27th century in order to save humanity. The author seems to have done a great job but since this is only book one in a trilogy, I am not willing to read this novel. I don't have the time to read a trilogy at the moment but I would recommend this book to those who are interested in time travel stories.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 2:12 pm by Jaime Lync.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
While the summary blurb appears to be professionally edited, I found it a little hard to follow. The sample pages are also technically well written, but I wasn't too interested in the subject matter of the story. Science fiction fans might like this one, but I am not planning to read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 11:05 am by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Miche Sora
The sample failed to capture my interest, even though I enjoy sci-fi. I'm not sure if it's the author's writing style or the subject matter, but I didn't care about any of the characters or what their mission was.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 10:03 am by Miche Sora.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarisaRose
'30th Century: Escape' is not a book I would normally choose to read. I enjoy sci-fi/fantasy books, but the plot of this one (futuristic humans time traveling to save the past) didn't seem unique or interesting to me. After sampling the first ten pages for this program, I wasn't very impressed with the writing or story. The beginning is a bit confusing, and it seems like the author used big/awkward words to make the writing seem 'futuristic.' I didn't notice any grammatical errors in this book. I will not be purchasing the book or reading any more of it.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 9:07 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
L_Therese
The cover of this book was beautiful and clearly presented a science fiction novel. As I read the review, it had a lot of words of praise but also several pointed criticisms. Taken together, I read the first ten pages with a critical eye. The writing in those first ten pages seemed somewhat less sophisticated than I expected. With the addition of the illustrations, it made the book feel like it belonged in a YA genre. The factor that made me definitely decide not to finish, though, was the fact that the characters' organization was commonly referred to as "the SS". They really need a new abbreviation.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2017, at 8:08 am by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mollymae
The sample was very interesting. Neither the title or the cover are especially intriguing though. I do like this particular genre and look forward to reading the book.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 8:30 pm by Mollymae.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
micoleon13
I love anything purple so this book immediately grabbed my attention with the cover. I also like Sci Fi so this helped increase my interest. The Onlinebookclub review was very long and mentioned that the story lost its purpose along the way, though it did pick it back up at the end. This review put me off reading it a bit. The pages which I did read were well written, and although it did seem a bit over dramatic at the start, it was an interesting beginning. I found it a little cheesey that the main character, and therefore hero of the story, actually had the surname Hero. Although interesting, the story didn't really grab me enough to want to continue to read it. I have no ideas for improvement.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 8:19 pm by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
I really like the cover of this book. It has a good futuristic vibe to it. Unfortunately I don't think this book is for me after reading the blurb. With the strong, graphic sexual content as well as the French phrasing, this isn't really something I would go for. I also don't understand any French at all so I think I would just spend time trying to translate it rather than read it for fun.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 6:36 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Seraphia Bunny Sparks
After reading a sample of 30th Century: Escape by Mark Kingston Levin, PhD, I will most emphatically be purchasing this book. Right from the beginning I was engaged into the story and wanted to read more. After reading the blurb of the book on amazon.com I knew that this was going to be a book that I would want. Based on what I've read so far in the book it has been professionally edited. The thing that drew me in the most was when they were talking about how the mission is paramount. There was no turning back once they set out. This book does have an Official OnlineBookClub review. The review had no impact on my decision.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 5:46 pm by Seraphia Bunny Sparks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Snowflake
The cover is very interesting and drew my attention right away. I would have sampled this book without the first ten pages program. I really enjoyed the idea of the story and that it is lead by a strong female character. Based on the first ten pages, I am very interested in reading this book further. However, the Official OnlineBookClub review raises a few concerns. I find the idea of the book so interesting though, that I plan to read the rest of it.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 4:52 pm by Snowflake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
chocomeiske
This cover screams Sci-Fi and the description sounds pretty cool but if not for this program, this is not something I would have paid much attention to. I really love the idea of genetically enhanced humans and even though this is a common trope in this genre it can be exciting and the sample was pretty interesting.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 3:14 pm by chocomeiske.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vermont Reviews
The author Mark Kingston Levin, PhD shows his characters with just enough flaws to make them real to the readers of today's book of the day 30th Century: Escape. Great cover. At this time I will not be downloading the book, as I have overbooked my reading schedule. I would have purchased the book based on reading the preview. The reviews posted show that the readers are happy with the story. Jennifer Hero the main character is an interesting character. I found the story to be well written and did not see an error. Which leads me to believe the book was proofed and edited.
Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 2:58 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
James Craft
Definitely a cool looking cover with some great color features. The opening of the book was really intersting and the type of book it is makes it seem like something a lot of people would like. It is really well put together and definitely unique, and the fact that it got a good review from OBC is a mark in its favor. All in all, this looks like a good read with some solid reviews, but not one I'll be picking up at this time because I just don't have time to read it.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 2:09 pm by James Craft.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ananya92
This is a book in the Sci-fi section. I was impressed with the concept of the book, of a person going back nine centuries to make her life in the present day, and how she forges a new identity to start anew. The description and the review of the book, especially the latter, were pretty detailed, in hinting at what to expect form the book. The editing of the book seems slightly problematic, as according to the review the French portions are not done properly, though I found the editing in the sample proper. Though I liked the idea behind the story, the storyline did feel slightly loose in some places and I felt lack of conviction from the author's side. Therefore, I won't be pursuing this book further.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 1:34 pm by ananya92.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
From the cover and the title I really didn't know what I was getting myself into, but after reading the Amazon description I was very intrigued! The idea of a Terminator-like plot (going back in time to fix something, humans vs genetically altered humans instead of robots) was fascinating and it sounds like there's much more to it than that as well. I'm a little concerned about the romance side of it, it sounds like it's going to be a bit on the naughty side. Otherwise, however, the book seems excellent so far and I'm looking forward to reading more!
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 1:12 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as this is not the type of book I would normally read. The cover isn't very appealing. The blurb is ok, but it had me mystified regarding the time periods. Luckily, the OBC review clarified matters. Also, the blurb's second sentence should have ended with a question mark instead of a period. The first pages introduced Jennifer and her mission in a rather dry manner. I found the writing a bit stiff and didn't like the use of SS as an abbreviation (it gave me a bad deja vu). As the book didn't hold my interest, and the subject matter not being my taste, I won't read the book.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 12:49 pm by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
EMoffat
Had I not read the sample pages I would have been interested in reading this book. The concept seems very interesting, the blurb was good, and I like the mysterious cover. After reading the sample pages I will continue. The writing style was good, and I was interested in the characters from the beginning. The book seemed professionally edited and I found no grammatical errors. My favourite part was the interesting take on the butterfly effect. I have no suggestions for improvement. There was an Official OnlineBookClub review which was very good, and it made me want to read the book even more.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 12:48 pm by EMoffat.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shelle
This looked interesting and I was glad to have the opportunity to sample it. The cover looks really cool too. The opening pages are quite sci-fi-y and kind of left me overwhelmed. Sci-fi isn't really a genre I flock to anyway, and this book seemed to hit me over the head with how cool it was trying to be. I don't think this is the book for me. This book appeared to be professionally edited and error-free.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2017, at 12:43 pm by Shelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 25%
30th Century: Escape (First Edition) earned a score of 25%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 25% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for 30th Century: Escape (First Edition)
