Review of 30th Century: Escape (General Audience Edition)

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Anu Anand
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Review of 30th Century: Escape (General Audience Edition)

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[Following is a volunteer review of "30th Century: Escape (General Audience Edition)" by Mark Kingston Levin PhD.]
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4 out of 5 stars
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"30th Century: Escape (General Audience Edition)" by Mark Kingston Levin, PhD, is a captivating science fiction novel. The story follows Captain Jennifer Hero, who leads a task force from the 30th century on a one-way mission to Diversion Point. Their objective is to plant a virus that will disrupt the genetic predisposition toward sociopathy among the Syndos, genetically altered humans. After an intense attack on their remote South Pacific Island base, Jennifer sends her colleagues back to the 27th century to accomplish the mission. However, she chooses not to go with them, instead traveling alone back to the 21st century, where she becomes stranded on an island. Jennifer is eventually rescued by an amphibious aircraft piloted by marine biologist Marty Zitonick and his crew. Now, faking amnesia, how long can Jennifer hide her superior intellect and nanotech-enhanced abilities?

What I liked most about this book is its emphasis on environmental protection and cultural heritage, which are woven into the story in meaningful ways. I also appreciated learning more about archaeology, as the book delves into historical discoveries and their significance. The descriptions of scenes like the sea, islands, and tunnels were so vivid and immersive that I felt as if I were there. The book was very educational, explaining many scientific aspects, from advanced technologies to environmental science. The concept of time travel in the 30th century and their view of the 21st century as somewhat primitive were particularly interesting, offering a unique perspective on our present day. Additionally, the author included themes of bisexuality and polyamory, which added complexity and diversity to the characters and their relationships.

What I didn’t like about this book was the frequent instances of sexual content, which felt unnecessary and a bit overdone. I was expecting to learn more about Jennifer’s mission related to the Syndos, but the book focuses more on her personal life and struggles in the 21st century. The mission-related content felt rushed toward the end. Additionally, the book is not suitable for teenagers as it contains explicit sexual content. On the positive side, the book is impeccably edited. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Reduced one star for the aforementioned reasons. I recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers.

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30th Century: Escape (General Audience Edition)
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Priya Murugesan
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Post by Priya Murugesan »

The book had a great start but then later went downhill. Like you, I didn't like the explicit scenes. They were unwanted. A good analysis by you!
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Amy Luman
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Post by Amy Luman »

I just finished reading this book and the things that you didn’t like were the same things that bothered me. I Donn’s feel like the summary that was given before selecting the book was adequate.While I did enjoy the relationship that developed between, Jennifer and Marty’s kids, the explicit sex seemed unnecessary. Thanks!
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Gerry Steen
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Post by Gerry Steen »

I am curious to know why Jennifer traveled back to the 21st century. I like the themes of environmental protection, cultural heritage, and archeology. The educational aspect of advanced technologies and environmental sciences are pluses.It sounds like Jennifer got sidetracked from her original mission. Too bad the plot did not follow the path you were hoping for. Thank you for this detaiied and honest review.
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Julie Marie Basil
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Post by Julie Marie Basil »

This sounds like an interesting story, but for the reasons you listed for deducting a star I will pass on reading it. I am generally not a fan of explicit sexual content and appreciate your warning about it in this story. Keep up the good work!
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Post by RJ Reviews »

An engaging and entertaining book. I understand your concerns about the sexual content. This book certainly isn't for teenagers. Although the sci-fi elements are well-established within the narrative, I suppose the author wanted to emphasize more on the interpersonal relationships of the characters. I enjoyed your thorough and insightful review. Thank you.
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Alissa Nesson
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Post by Alissa Nesson »

Sounds like an interesting story. I love time travel books. I don’t usually mind sexually explicit scenes, so I don’t think that would bother me, but it’s a shame the focus of the book was shifted from the original premise. Thanks for your review!
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Stephen Christopher 1
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Post by Stephen Christopher 1 »

Oh, I like the concept of this story. It's funny to think that in the future, we'll be regarded as primitive, but I guess that will be true. I often wonder why these stories get packed full of unnecessary sex scenes. It blurs the genre too much. I'm on the fence about this one.
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Post by Marvelly »

I just finished reading this book and had similar reservations as you did. The summary didn't quite prepare me for the content, and I felt that the explicit sex scenes were unnecessary. However, I did enjoy the heartwarming relationship that developed between Jennifer and Marty's kids. Overall, it was a decent read, but I wished the author had focused more on the meaningful connections rather than the graphic details.
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Seetha E
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Post by Seetha E »

The plot sounds very intriguing and has captured my interest. However, the forced explicit scenes seem to detract from the main theme of the genre. I hope the author takes your concerns into consideration. It’s good to know that you still found enough substance in the story to rate it a 4 out of 5.
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