
The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for DragonGate
Because DragonGate 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.
Radhika_17

The cover, blurb and OBC review had me, I downloaded the book based on them. I don’t really read much fantasy, but when I like a blurb, I give the book a chance. The sample was intriguing, the slaying of the last dragon was described vividly. I hate strange and unpronounceable names because they interrupt the flow, so that’s a minus. I liked the map in the beginning. The book seems professionally edited. I have my copy and will certainly read it.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2017, at 5:16 am by Radhika_17.
Annelore Trujillo

I would not have sampled this book without this program. I'm not really into science-fiction or fantasy books. The review and blurb didn't make it seem like it would be an exception. The length of the book also deterred me. I don't have time to read a book this long. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. I had a hard time following the story because I couldn't get into it. I did like that the definition of "dragon" was included before the first chapter. As for editing, I noticed that the format of the first page of the first chapter seemed off. Also, there was a quotation at the beginning of the chapter. It had a single quotation at the beginning, but not at the end.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2017, at 3:12 am by Annelore Trujillo.
jungkookblog

When I first see the cover, I think I am going to be reading this book because I am interested in Dragons and fantasy. I will be reading this book because the first ten pages have me interested in what dragons really do in the world and how it would disturb the peace if Ulryc decides to kill the dragon. It seems professionally edited. I did not see a review, and I don't think that would've affected my decision.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2017, at 2:56 am by jungkookblog.
L_Therese

I wasn't in the market for a new fantasy novel, so I initially felt disinclined to read this one in full. As I examined promotional and informational matter, I also noted that this book is nearly 800 pages long, which was a major factor in my reluctance to commit to the book. The final blow was in the first ten pages. The language used seemed intended to be quasi-archaic, but the author utilized contractions like "can't", which destroyed the effect. I won't be finishing this book.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2017, at 2:14 am by L_Therese.
mratdegraff91

The summary of the book is very helpful and interesting. It caught my attention. I love the cover as well. I find it gorgeous and eye-catching as well. The OBC review was also interesting and gave a different view of the storyline compared to the summary provided on Amazon. In sampling the novel, I couldn't help but be pulled into the story. I have to continue reading it, and as I was sampling, I did not observe any errors. I look forward to finishing the novel.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 9:19 pm by mratdegraff91.
Alice Heritage

Although the cover looks beautiful, I wouldn't have sampled a fantasy book. I also won't read on at this stage because this genre isn't a priority. I'm not sure if this was professionally edited because there no commas before the name of a person being addressed (example: "Did you speak lizard?") The initial story was exciting and compelling and the spiritual elements, including the quotes at the beginning, were intriguing. Some of the language was unoriginal and the omniscient narrator felt somewhat awkward. I also noticed the issue mentioned in the OnlineBookClub review - that there are multiple characters with somewhat similar names.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 5:20 pm by Alice Heritage.
IsabelMay

Epic fantasy has become extremely popular recently, raising the bar on the reader's expectations. Despite the fact that this book is for a younger audience, I was hooked by the summary and the cover. Truth to be told, the premise isn't something new, but it's always interesting to see what writers can come up with. I didn't see any reviews, beside the one by OBC, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the beginning of the novel, it started with action and engaged the reader. However, I had a hard time figuring out the characters, there were just too many. Their names were creative, but hard to remember and/or pronounce. However, it's an entertaining story so I will give it a chance.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 3:51 pm by IsabelMay.
Gravy

I was drawn to this just for the cover, and the genre is one I do read at times.
Not many errors, but there was a place where 'very' was replaced with 'every'.
I love dragons, so the story is appealing, but the setting doesn't fully interest me, so I was on the fence with this one. However, considering everything about the book and my existing to-read list, I have to say no, that I won't be reading this. I would recommend it.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 1:46 pm by Gravy.
Azeline Arcenal

After reading the sample, I decided to finish reading the book. I liked reading the sample and the book is usually the type of book that I enjoy reading. If I were to chose to read this book based only on the cover and title, I would still read the book because the cover looks intriguing. After reading the sample, I didn't notice any major grammatical errors either.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 11:38 am by Azeline Arcenal.
Mercelle

Dragon Gate by Sam Venstone is a fantasy book that begins with a harrowing tale about slaying a dragon. Form what I have sampled, it is well written and the story is easy to follow. I did however encounter one error which is an unusually large spacing between the words of the heading at the beginning of the first chapter.
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages, I would have picked it up based on the cover which is quite artistic. On sampling the book, it became evident that the content isn't for me. For this reason, I won't read the rest of the book. At over 700 pages, it is also too long for my liking.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 9:10 am by Mercelle.
K_Robinson

After sampling the first chapter of this book I will definitly be reading the rest! The story told at the very beginning is more than enough to draw the reader in immediately. I enjoyed the legend of the dragonslayer and the crassness of the king and his court. I had seen that Dragongate had recieved great reviews and the cover of the book is enticing. If I had not read the reviews or the first ten pages I probably would have skipped this book, but sampling has changed my mind.
This book seems to have been professionally edited and I have no recommendations at this time for improvement. I feel this book has a very solid beginning that sucks the reader right into the story. It left me wanting more!
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 7:37 am by K_Robinson.
ReviewerDiksha

I love reading fantasies and this book has "dragon" in its title. I like the cover as well. The official OBC review praised it as a good tale around dragons. I read the sample and was instantly hooked to the story. I loved the writing style and the way of storytelling. I look forward to reading it.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 7:06 am by ReviewerDiksha.
Quinto

Looking at the cover and title, today's novel doesn't say much beyond proclaiming this yet another book on dragons. Surprisingly, the editorial review I read didn't offer any respite either. Instead, the real magic and essence of the novel is captured through actual reading. I was mesmerized with Sir Ulryc's gallantry as he sought out the dragon in the cave, whilst the monk, Geyde, tried to dissuade him. The novel's vivid narration easily won me over, so perhaps a more apt title would be more captivating to readers. Additionally, while reading the sample, I didn't come across any typos or grammatical errors. Lastly, the book has an official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 3:11 am by Quinto.
Angela Stripes

Based on the book cover and synopsis, I felt confident I would enjoy and finish this read. After the first ten pages, my confidence dwindled. The inclusion of Elyon interested me more than the king and the prince. I'd like to know more about the fictional world created in DragonGate. Everything seemed well and uniquely presented, and the writing comes off clear and provides nice imagery.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 1:10 am by Angela Stripes.
ananya92

This is a book in the fantasy genre. From the sample, it is clear that the book is pretty long and it an epic tale. From the review and description, it is clear that this is not an unusual story, and while interesting, not that engaging. From the first ten pages, its clear that this is a pretty male-centric novel, since most of the characters (and there seem to be a lot of characters), that play a pivotal role are male. The book could have been edited better. While the story seems interesting, its really not my cup of tea. Therefore, I will skip this one.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 1:05 am by ananya92.
bookowlie

The cover is this book is very eye-catching and I like the font used for the title. However, the author's name is very small and almost disappears against the dark background. The summary blurb is edited well and gives a clear explanation of the plot and themes. I found the beginning pages a little hard to follow due to an excess of dialogue. Based on the sample and my reading tastes (I don't care for dragon-themed books), I am not planning to read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2017, at 12:13 am by bookowlie.
Vermont Reviews

Today's book of the day DragonGate by Sam Venstone was a definite winner in my book. If I had not sampled the preview based on the cover I would not have picked this one to read. I found the character names unique and the story to have a great flow that any reader could follow. I did download the book and do plan to read the whole story. I did find a few errors in the preview. Based on those it is my opinion that the book needs proof and edit work. What I liked most about the preview was the author did a wonderful job of building the characters and they drive the story.
Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 10:36 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Catherine Hsu

If I had not read the sample I would have read the book because it is free today and it looks like interesting fantasy. After reading the sample I have not changed my mind. I really enjoyed the intense dialogue though I was a still a little confused about the setting (which is understandable considering the genre is high fantasy). It was professionally edited. The official review made me want to read the book more as well.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 10:15 pm by Catherine Hsu.
ZeroChill

For this book I didn't even had to read the first pages to convince me to read the book. The cover, the title and the review were enough to convince me enough. After I read the first ten pages, my intrigue grew even more to find out what happens next. The author has done a good job with the starting of the book by telling the story of Sir Ulric in a wonderful style, even if it is just imagination. I found no errors so I can say the book was professionally edited. I liked how Sir Ulric had confidence and believed that he could fight a dragon. There is no need of improvement in the book. I read the official review too and found it very convincing. I will be reading the book in whole.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 10:01 pm by ZeroChill.
Kat Kennedy

This is not a book I would have chosen to read based on the cover alone. I did, however, enjoy the first ten pages. Even though it isn't my preferred genre, I feel the author really manages to grab the reader's attention from the beginning of the book by having the dragon front and center. From my experience, there is usually a big build up in this genre, but I liked getting right to the dragon. The narrative had good flow, and the story seems interesting. I found no editorial issues in the first ten pages. I will not be reading further because this isn't my favorite subject.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 9:52 pm by Kat Kennedy.
va2016

The cover raises the curiosity, and the title sounds like it's
about a gate that leads to the world of dragons. Since I am not
very fascinated with dragons, I would not have selected the book
for sampling or reading. I am not going to read this book, as dragon stories are not my fancy. The book seems to be professionally edited, based on my sampling. I could not locate any mechanical errors. I liked the narration of the valiant fight of the dragon slayer with the dragon. There's nothing negative about the book or the story that I didn't like. The book did have an official onlinebookclub.org review, but reading that review wouldn't have made a difference in my decision to read the book or not, as dragon stories are not my cup of tea.
I am not going to read this book in full.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 9:26 pm by va2016.
CataclysmicKnight

Fantasy is my favorite genre, so I'm always curious when I come across a fantasy title. Dragons are especially awesome, and this cover is gorgeous, so I happily dove into this one to check it out. The twist on hunting dragons being a negative thing is really awesome, and I'm really intrigued to see what will happen as the dragon's treasure is hunted for. Normally I'd never consider reading an 800 page book, but I'm really interested in this one. Especially with it being free I'm definitely reading this!
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 8:05 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
ritah

I liked that the book appeared to be well-written, I didn't run into any obvious errors while sampling the book. Based on the cover, title, and genre I would have sampled the novel because the cover is inviting and I often read books in this genre. After reading the first ten pages, I wasn't sure that this is the book for me as I did not feel invested or drawn into the storyline of the novel, it is for those reasons that I won't be reading the best of the book. I did read both official reviews of the book.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 5:52 pm by ritah.
Seraphia Bunny Sparks

After reading a sample of, DragonGate by Sam Venstone, I have decided that I will finish reading this book. When I first saw the cover of this novel I was immediately engaged. I thought that it was stunning, eye-catching and beautiful. If I had not read a sample of this book, I would have purchased it. I am an avid fan of fantasy novels, and the blurb cemented this for me. The blurb talks about dragons and war, and I knew had to know more. From the very beginning, the author pulls me into this fantasy world. The monk desperately trying to persuade the knight not to kill the dragon is very engaging. The author shows us that the monk knows more and wishes to keep the balance of nature. Based on what I have read this book appears to be professionally edited. This book does have an official OnlineBookClub review. I enjoyed reading the review. It further engaged my interest in the story. I am a bit disappointed that most of the characters are men, but I am sure I'll enjoy the story.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 5:22 pm by Seraphia Bunny Sparks.
Yoli García

I like the cover art because it is on point with the title and storyline of the book. The theme of a brotherhood going on an adventurous quest reminds me of The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien. The book seems to be professionally edited; however, I am not a fan of the verse-like format the story is presented in the sample pages. I like that the monk was trying to stop Sir Ulryc from going inside the cave to kill the dragon, which he considers to be sacred. I did not like Sir Ulryc arrongance and how many times he repeated he is the best knight. I got bored by how many times he kept showing contempt toward the “lizard” while it continued growing.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 4:59 pm by Yoli García.
Afuglsan

The cover and title are very enticing to me. I love fantasy. The PBS review was a little off putting. I can see where the characters are a bit confusing. Already I've forgotten the Undefeated knights name, and I'm a bit disappointed the dragon didn't squash him. I do enjoy the writing so far though. I haven't spotted any grammatical errors either. I think I will continue to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 4:52 pm by Afuglsan.
jwalker73

I do not read fantasy novels and the cover and title informed me this was a book of this genre. The blurb did little to interest me. The review spoke of a book with an interesting plot, promising more themes than your normal fantasy read. I was, however, deterred by the length of the book and variety of confusing names to remember. The first ten proved to be different than I expected. I enjoyed the story told by the bard. It was descriptive with minimal violence. I did find myself getting a bit lost when all the characters names were being used when speaking about who was present during the bard's performance. I was also curious to learn more of the young prince's story. I did not come across any errors in this section. I do not intend to rest the rest of the book as it is still not my choice of genre but, this being said, if I was willing to try read a complete fantasy novel, this would be the one.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 4:33 pm by jwalker73.
Scerakor

From the cover, blurb, and review of this book I may have given it a chance. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a new high fantasy novel and this one sounded decent. After reading the first ten pages, I decided that I would in fact ready it eventually. The dialogue was pithy, there was a but of humour, and overall it seemed well written and edited. When I'm in the mood for a new and long fantasy, I'll grab this one.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 4:10 pm by Scerakor.
Snowflake

The cover is definitely interesting and the Amazon blurb caught my attention by mentioning C.S. Lewis and Frank L. Baum. Although I would never have considered them as similar writers, I have enjoyed works by both of them. I did not notice any obvious typos or grammar errors in the sample. I found the sample quite interesting and I am curious to know more. The OBC review was also good, even though I am disappointed to learn that any female characters are over-stereotyped. Based on the OBC review, I will probably read further than the sample but I am not sure I will read the rest yet. I am glad the book is free today.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 3:52 pm by Snowflake.
Kourtney Bradley

Initially, I thought this would be a perfect fantasy read choice for me. I liked that I saw one reader mentioned it to works of CS Lewis, who I always enjoyed reading. I also found the cover to be appealing. However, after reading the review, I don't think this book would be one I would enjoy. I'm not a fan of too many characters being thrown in, especially when it seems as though a map is needed to keep the names and personalities straight. I also saw that the reviewer mentioned that the female characters seemed to lack development, which made this novel seem more as designed for male readers. I'm choosing to pass on this one for now.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 2:48 pm by Kourtney Bradley.
Sarah_Khan

I am not a fan of fantasy so I doubt I would have picked up this novel. After reading the first ten pages, I can say that this book is well-edited but it did not interest me. The OBC just solidified my decision to not read this book since it mentions that it was hard to keep track of the characters.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 2:19 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Christina Rose

The book's cover and title are both intriguing to me, as I really enjoy the fantasy genre. I read the Official review, and the book sounds very interesting. After reading the first ten pages, I've decided to continue reading this book in the future. It seems professionally edited, as there were no errors that I noticed, and the book seems to have all elements I enjoy in a novel of this genre.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 12:39 pm by Christina Rose.
micoleon13

This is a great cover page and I immediately wanted to read the book. The Onlinebookclub review was complementary, but it mentioned a lack of female characters, as well as going into too much detail with the plot. This left me wondering if there was any point in reading it. The pages which I read were interesting,especially the dragon changing size, but the story didn't grab my attention. There were two punctuation errors, such as "listen to me Ulric", and "enough talk monk". This, along with the fact that the story wasn't interesting enough for me, leads to not want to continue reading this book. Another go through with the editor would be a good idea.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 11:53 am by micoleon13.
Izesicle

Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would not have chosen to read or sample this book based on the genre. I usually don't like to read fantasy because they're too long and require imagining a different world.
I am not going to buy and read the whole book because of the genre.
Based on what I read, the book seems like it was professionally edited, but some parts were missing commas.
What I like the most in the bit I read was the cover and that it started with an action scene, a potential attack on a dragon. The descriptions were vivid.
What could be improved is minor, the use of commas.
The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 11:32 am by Izesicle.
gali

I probably would have sampled the book on my own as I love epic fantasy, dragons tales, and quests. The cover isn't very fetching, but the blurb and OBC reviews had me intrigued. The sample opened with a bang, a bard describing the slaying of the last dragon, and immediately had me hooked. I liked the writing and didn't notice any glaring errors. I enjoyed the sample, so will read the balance of the book despite the flaws mentioned in the OBC reviews.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 9:14 am by gali.
DDunstock

I like fantasy novels enough, and I don't mind a good tale about a dragon. Based on the blurb and the cover, I would likely open this book and take a further gander.
Sadly, I wasn't hooked. The first line did nothing for me, and then all of a sudden we are into the story and I am not sure how we got there. The writing is good enough, but I couldn't do 700 plus pages when I don't have interest in the first ten.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 9:02 am by DDunstock.
Ashley Simon

Because I'm not much of a fantasy reader, the title and cover of this book didn't interest me. Neither did the OBC review - though it was positive, the reviewer had some problems keeping all the names straight and that is one element of fantasy I've always had a hard time getting past. I enjoyed reading the sample. The book was well-written and seemed to be professionally edited. Still, I don't plan to finish the book. The storyline was not unique enough to capture my attention.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 8:56 am by Ashley Simon.
Christina O Phillips

The title interested me and I like the cover art; it is very mystical. The summary made the book sound like something I would read. Without this program, I would have read the sample. I love when books start with maps! It tells me that the book will take place in a new (to me) world and that the author has put a lot of work into writing this piece. The descriptions were vivid and the characters did not feel flat. I enjoyed this sample and downloaded the book right away.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 8:51 am by Christina O Phillips.
Cjgarland89

Based on the genre right away I wasn’t interested. I don’t particularly like fantasy especially dragon fantasies. The OBC review made it clear this was a male centralized story, which makes me even less likely to want to read it. After sampling I have decided this isn’t a book for me. The names are pretty confusing as the OBC review described and I can’t get into this one. I didn’t see any errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 8:21 am by Cjgarland89.
Heidi M Simone

Without this program, I might have sampled this read on my own since I do love the fantasy genre. The cover is neat, while the title seems fitting. When I first read the blurb, I did find it a bit confusing, but after the second read, it made more sense. Based on what I read, the book could use another quick edit. For instance, in the sentence, "Thirty two feet long." should have a hyphen between the words "Thirty" and "two". I like how the author opened up with the tale of Ulryc the Undefeated and his battle with the seemingly "pathetic" lizard, which turned out to be a giant dragon. My favorite part was how the dragon kept growing in size; it made the story more suspenseful. My main concern here is the fact that both OBC reviewers mentioned there are so many characters with similar names that it is challenging to keep track of them. I tend to get frustrated when I can't keep track of the characters in any read. Therefore, I do not plan on finishing this read due to the frustration it would cause me not knowing who was who here.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2017, at 8:17 am by Heidi M Simone.
Total ~ 48%
DragonGate earned a score of 48%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 48% 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 DragonGate