Cover for Death Has a Thousand Doors

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Death Has a Thousand Doors

Because Death Has a Thousand Doors 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.

Alice Heritage

173569
I wouldn't have sampled this without the programme as it's not my usual genre. I also won't buy and read it today because I know that it contains violence and I don't like to read about that. The book seems well edited enough, though I noticed a couple of errors. There is a mismatch in number in the sentence "This is the kind of crazy things", and Maria was spelt "Marie" on one occasion. I liked the use of telling to summarize the narrator's previous marriage and Maria's Catholic background. In terms of what could be improved, one thing confused me. The story is clearly set in the 1960s but the author refers to a computer lab and a laptop. Computers took up entire rooms in the 1960s and laptops were not invented. My confusion prompted me to check the OBC reviews to see if the book was sci-fi! The reviews were helpful in indicating that the book contains graphic violence.

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 4:58 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ekta Kumari

896308
I would have sampled the book as the storyline sounded intriguing and thrilling, though I was not enticed by the book cover. The sample was a good read. It starts off by detailing the events prior to the central event of the book, and it's written well. I found it engaging to read and was also able to relate with the character narrating the story. I like this format of storytelling by a main character; it gives a better perspective on the events taking place, which accounts for a great read. I didn't find any error in the portion I read, so the book looks professionally edited. I'm going to read the rest of the book as I like thriller and enjoyed the sample. Those interested in the read can check out its official review.

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 4:55 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Fu Zaila

878840
The cover is pretty, and the reviews and sample were really good. I found the writing witty and precise, going right to the point, which I admired. It's also professionally edited. I liked how the author describes the two different feelings of terror and guilt and I agreed with him on guilt being worse. Maria's character seems to be a manipulative one as she didn't care that he was claustrophobic and unwilling to go to the cave. I liked the prologue and the narrative voice. The story is also mysterious so I'd like to read further.

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 4:00 am by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Vickie Noel

249577
I wouldn't have read this book outside the program based on its title or cover arts (both of them). Coming across this book shortly after a personal traumatic experience would guarantee I didn't touch it. In addition, the OBC review clearly highlighted the scary nature of the book and I didn't wish to add it to my own memories. After reading the sample, I must say the author did a good job in sparking suspense and intrigue from the very beginning, using Hal's point of view to give the reader a feeling that more was ahead. I liked Hal's voice and how he mentally responded to situations. For example, when Jerry commented that he just didn't like standing around and when he eventually ran out of patience waiting for the others to join Stick and the earlybirds to go camping, Hal's thoughts read, "And you're going to be in the Army?.... No Army tour for him." It was an enjoyable sample but the fact that I had this foreboding of evil up front, I figured I didn't really have the stomach for it. Plus, towards the end, the detailed explanations about the caves, forest and maps lost me. I'm not eager to purchase the book. I saw no grammatical errors.

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 3:48 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

va2016

119030
The cover and the title indicate the theme of the book. There are no Amazon customer reviews. The Amazon summary provides a very good description of the story. As I am not interested in cave related stories, I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing the relationship blooming between the protagonist and Maria. The writing style is very good, but as I am not interested in the theme of the book, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its writing style. I didn't find anything that can be improved with the book. Although I found 3 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 3:46 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gravy

60847
This one actually interested me (the whole "being hunted in the dark" thing sounds amazing), but the sample did change my opinion about that. Very quickly.
I didn't notice a large amount of errors, but I did notice some missing commas. The style, sadly, left something to be desired for me, and the dialogue was often awkward. Add to that the extreme mysogynist personality of the main character (not only are his opinions of women disgusting, we surely don't need to know the details of their sex life) and this quickly became something I didn't want to read. Honestly, she should've left him. In fact, maybe that's why she wanted to take him spelunking, she planned on leaving him there. I digress...
Anyway, obviously, I will not be reading this, and I think the reasons for that are clear. There were reviews for this book, but my opinion would be the same had there not been.

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 3:05 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Emy Katherine

94929
The story follows Hal Lindsey and a group of college students as they try to survive and escape from a dangerous cave in West Virginia. I enjoy reading survival stories filled with suspense, so I would have read the book based on the title and Amazon blurb. Unfortunately, I changed my mind after reading the OBC review as the reviewer mentioned the book included sensitive content involving violence and rape. Therefore, I am sure this story is too intense for me to read. I must admit, however, I enjoyed the sample. The story was told from the perspective of Hal, which made the sample more entertaining to read. I thoroughly appreciated Hal's sense of humor; it made me smile from the very beginning. The writing style was quite descriptive, and I liked how the author introduced each character in a clear, concise manner. I found some missing commas and other minor errors throughout the sample; therefore, I am not sure the book was properly edited. For example, "the Vietnam war" instead of "the Vietnam War." (location 56 of 655• 8%) Also, there should be a comma after "scholarship" in the following sentence: "He was in his second year of a full-ride scholarship so he was smart too." (location 519 of 655 • 79%)

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 3:04 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Annelore Trujillo

97769
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. It seemed like an exciting book. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I liked that the introduction was suspenseful with the first flashback section. After that the book slowed down a bit, which I didn’t like as much. There was a lot of the narrator’s history with talk about why he went back to school and other background information. I was actually a bit shocked at his age and the time period of the book. These are a big part of why I decided not to read the book. I have a difficult time relating to characters that aren’t close to my age, and this character in his thirties is an example. I guess I assumed that as a college student he would be in his early twenties. The book did seem to be professionally edited. It just isn’t for me.

First Ten review added on August 17, 2019, at 2:44 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mary WhiteFace

649293
The cover wasn't very interesting, and my first impression was that it was a horror story. For that reason, I would not have wanted to sample this book. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. The only thing I found even slightly interesting was that the protagonist was planning to go on his first spelunking trip with his girlfriend Maria and her college spelunking club in a virtually unknown cave in West Virginia. The book seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements. There was an OnlineBookClub review.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 11:18 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

AA1495

104697
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. While the title made me curious about the content of the book, the cover seemed basic. However, the positive OBC review gave a good impression of the book even before reading its actual content. Having read the sample, I was a little disappointed by the lack of a proper introduction. While there was a prologue, I would have also liked an index, a foreword and some positive reviews of the book. In terms of editing and formatting, since some paragraphs were one or two lines long, the indentation of the first sentence of every paragraph was distracting. Further, each chapter seemed a little long. In terms of language, the sample was easy to read and follow. Further, the author introduced Stick and Maria's characters well. Since I do not read the genre, I will not be buying the book today.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 11:15 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mbrooks2518

1121144
This book seems like an intense thriller. However, after reading the official review and the summary, I think this book is a little too dark for me, so I will not be buying it. I did like the style of writing. The emotions in the prologue were palpable, and it felt like the narrator, Hal, could have been sitting across from me telling me the story.

There was an error on page 5. It said, "Our club president has been there and he really knows a ton about caving." There should be a comma before "and."

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 10:34 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Heidi M Simone

76506
Without this program, I would not have sampled this read. The cover is a bit confusing, the title and the blurb seem to be a bit intense, and the genre is one that I'm particular about. The fact that there aren't any customer ratings and there is a mix of OBC ratings do not affect my opinion of the book. I didn't see any glaring errors while I read. The author opens with a bang in the Prologue as the first narrator describes regret in venturing to an adventure that has caused three deaths. It's interesting that Stick, the cave club president, said if people mention they are going to a particular cave that the trip would be cancelled. I wonder why? It is also curious why Maria is pushing for Hal to go to the upcoming cave trip when he clearly isn't comfortable. I'm not a fan of Hal going into detail of how good Sharon looks in her shorts and windbreaker. It almost feels like he would prefer Sharon than Maria, who he says he loves. Overall, this seems like it could be an interesting read, but I'm afraid how intense it will get when the college students get trapped in the dangerous cave. Due to this, I do not plan on buying and reading today's book.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 9:49 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Nisha Ward

1192566
I will admit that, upon reading the review for this, I immediately passed due to it sounding like a horror novel. I'm still not going to buy this but, having sampled it and read the main character's view of his very much younger girlfriend and his perspective on the club meeting, I can say that I'm not the intended audience at all. That aside, it's well written and edited but meant for an audience to whom the aforementioned perspective would appeal.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 9:32 pm by Nisha Ward.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

dorebri2020

1342449
I was very impressed by my first sample of this novel. I at first must admit I believed it to be a true story until I read the novel description, and I was very impressed by the realness the author brought to the story. The reviews I read, particularly the one on this site, spoke wonders about the book (although I must agree that the cover was quite a bit bland). Overall, after reading the first ten pages, I was very impressed with the quality of the work. To begin, the editing was flawless, allowing for a very swift and easy read. I also applaud the amount of feeling that is clearly displayed throughout the sample, as it made Hal relatable and made me understand his reckless urge to go explore the cave. I was most impressed by the suspense displayed consistently throughout the novel, as many mystery/action novels miss this constant feeling. However, in this novel, I felt it throughout the sample. Overall, I was very drawn to this novel and I will definitely continue reading.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 9:10 pm by dorebri2020.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

DD129

1366554
I thought the book was good from the first ten pages I read. I did not notice any typos or errors, and the suspenseful beginning had me hooked. I liked that part the most, but the other pages were good as is, so I don't have any suggestions for improvement. I would buy and read the whole book because I'm interested in what happens next. However, had I not sampled the pages, I would have chosen to read the book based on its interesting title and Official OnlineBookClub review that rated it 4 stars.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 8:12 pm by DD129.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

unamilagra

1197956
Before sampling this book, I probably would not have picked it up because I don't really like the cover. I read the first ten pages, which consisted of the prologue and the beginning of chapter one. I found the premise that he was recording his memories of some horrible cave adventure to be interesting, and the writing was good. However, I really found the main character unlikeable. I feel like this book might be better geared toward a man. I don't plan to read the book. I didn't find any errors in the section I read.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 4:23 pm by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sarah_Khan

89585
I definitely would have picked up this book even without the First Ten program because I love the title and the plot sounds intriguing. I think the cover could use some help to make it seem more professional. The Amazon blurb was informative, without giving too much away. The first few pages were well-edited. I loved the prologue starting with the idea of the narrator going into the cave for the woman he loves, Maria, and then revealing that this book is a type of confession. I am a huge fan of mystery/horror novels and this plot reminds me of a good thrilling scary movie. I can not wait to read the rest. I did not feel the need to read any OBC review.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 2:40 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Delaney35

1181892
This isn't a book I would randomly pick up and read. Just based on the cover, it doesn't seem super appealing; the summary is also not that interesting to me. I was intrigued after reading the official review though. This book is about a group of college students who decided to explore a cave, only to get trapped inside. The first few pages were well written; I didn't notice any grammatical issues. They detailed how the group got together to plan their exploration of the cave. It gave a little bit of insight into each character and was interesting. Overall, I will not be finishing this book. I don't enjoy super suspenseful survival stories. If I did though, this would probably be an excellent book to read.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 12:36 pm by Delaney35.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gen_g

697597
I have come across a positive review of this book, which has piqued my interest. The sample is also mainly well edited, but there are still a few errors there and there. For example, in the very first page of the prologue, there should be a comma to separate independent phrases, as seen here: "Three of us are dead(,) and we've hardly started". I like how the author has given a bit of background knowledge of the narrator of the story, by telling us how he got together with Maria, after they met when he was having a breakdown with the computers in college. Both of them decide to go caving together, at Maria's behest (since he is afraid due to his slight claustrophobia). I currently have no suggestions for improvement. I will be buying the book today.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 10:56 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Jsovermyer

1045410
The cave picture shown on this page is much more attractive than the plain cover that came with my Kindle copy. The title, Death Has a Thousand Doors, sounds ominous and would attract me to this book. This thrilling story puts you on the edge of your seat as the college students try to find their way out of the cave, braving the dark, sudden dropoffs and other dangers. The official review rated this book highly. The part I read was very slow and had little action. I could have done without the mention of mutual masturbation. I don't mind sexual scenes, but that felt like too much information. The story is told from the viewpoint of the main character and newbie spelunker, Hal. This seems a good way to see what enfolds inside the cave. I didn't find any spelling or grammatical errors and believe that this book has been professionally edited. Because the story didn't grab my attention in the first ten pages, I will not be finishing this one.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 10:02 am by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Verna Coy

1064106
Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I likely would not have picked it up as the cover features the interior of a cave and thrillers aren’t my favorite genre. For these reasons, I don’t intend to buy and read the whole book. Reading the first ten pages confirmed my first impressions that this book is a thriller. Within the first few paragraphs, it’s obvious that they’re stuck in a cave and a bad situation. Based on what I read, the book seems professionally edited. I saw no errors in what I read. What I liked most in what I read was the small bits of humor such as the reference by the narrator about his getting claustrophobic in an elevator when his girlfriend invited him to look at a cave. I know that readers who love thrillers will enjoy this book. As far as improvement, I could see no need for any in what I read. It’s a story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. I did see the Official Online Book Club review and found it informative and detailed.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 4:37 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Cristina Chifane

418146
I would have probably sampled this book even without the first ten program because I like the cover. The idea of the characters being trapped in a cave also reminds me of one of my favorite childhood novels. Unfortunately, the sample did not manage to keep me tuned in. The writing style was too simple to get me engaged in the story. Besides, I was put off by the use of offensive language. Hal's detailed account of their trip to the cave made most of the sample boring. The description of the cave was more interesting, though. I couldn't find any editing errors, but the OBC reviewer warns potential readers of the scenes of violence and rape and the use of profane language. Because of this content, I don't think this is a book I'd enjoy.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 3:27 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mai Tran

1025684
This sounds like a suspenseful survival story judging by the official review, and I would have checked out this book even without the program. The story has a steady pace, and the book seems well-edited. The worst problem I could find is a sentence that begins with a conjunction: “But I was improving” (Location 195 of 665). Hal sounds a bit crude, but his narration is very engaging. It’s obvious that he survives the cave since he’s telling the story from the future, but I’m still very curious about what happens to the rest of the group. I would love to continue reading this story.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 3:09 am by Mai Tran.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Lorraine De Vos

140922
I would have chosen to sample this book based on the title. The first ten pages is a masterful buildup to what seems like a harrowing fight for survival in unknown territory. Being young and adventurous can sometimes translate into getting yourself in trouble and that is exactly where this bunch of college kids find themselves. I am thoroughly intrigued by this book and will definitely be adding it to my reading list. The book does appear to be professionally edited, as I did not notice any errors. The official OnlineBookClub review was excellent and I agree that the cover of the book needs work.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 2:57 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Aubrey Lewis

197111
The overall appearance of the book is too simple, and probably the only thing that's eye-catching about it is the title itself. When I finished sampling the first ten pages, I came to the conclusion that I will be eventually buying and reading this book. The descriptions, dialogue, basically the overall writing style, had good pacing, was easy to follow, and even seemed professionally edited so far. The story was so interesting that I even passed the 10-page mark and reached the end of the sample. Although Hal doesn't seem that likable to me at first, I gave him a chance and got to know the other characters as well.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 1:49 am by Aubrey Lewis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

MsTri

255145
I didn't find the cover for this book too interesting, but the title caught my eye. Then I read the Amazon synopsis and OBC review (the only one I read), and they made me want to read this. It sounds like an amazing escape story, especially since the teens have to contend with enemies trying to kill them, in addition to all of the natural things getting in their way. When I read the sample, I was glad that it seemed to indicate that the book was professionally edited. I also really liked the part where the group found a bunch of tin cans and a "Just Married" sign attached to Jerry's car. Additionally, I don't have any suggestions for changes because this tome is already written perfectly.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 1:38 am by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Sonya Nicolaidis

1005818
While the title is wonderful, I think the cover illustration of this book needs some rethinking. It is quite obscure, and had I not known that this was a story about cave exploration, I would be wondering what was being depicted. The OBC reviewer made the same observation; however, she praised this book highly making me curious as to what was so good about it. What impressed me most about the sample was the writing. The author has managed to write as if this was a kind of sad and traumatic memory, written mostly as a form of therapy for him. I found the build-up to the main plot to be very credible. There were no mistakes in the first ten, and I am certain the book was professionally edited. There wasn’t anything I disliked about the sample, and apart from the cover picture, cannot suggest anything for improvement. I don’t like confined spaces, myself, and I thought this would hinder my enjoyment of this kind of book, but having read the sample, I believe I would like to read the whole thing. It’s one of those rare pieces of exceptional writing and story-telling that I wouldn’t like to miss out on.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 1:05 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

srividyag1

1186486
The title seems really ominous, as if death will enter anyway even though you try to stop it. The cover page seems good, with the picture of a cave. I think the title font could use some improvement. The OBC review was extremely positive. In the sample, the narrator seems to be recovering from a trauma in a cave. He recalls the events which led to him being in the cave with others. After a bitter divorce at the age of thirty, the narrator joins the university. There he meets a girl, who becomes his girlfriend. She is interested in cave exploration, and introduces him to a team of people who explore caves for fun, led by a geology student nicknamed "Stick". The narrator agrees to the said exploration half-heartedly, just for the sake of the girl. The book seems to have a bit of typos. For example, "It would be therapeutic they said" should be "It should be therapeutic, they said." Since the OBC review mentioned that this book contains violence and claustrophobic people must be wary while reading this book, I am not going to read this book.

First Ten review added on August 16, 2019, at 12:04 am by srividyag1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Juliana_Isabella

1210914
I wouldn't have chosen this book because I don't read thrillers, but I did see that it had a positive review. I didn't find any grammatical mistakes in the first ten pages, and I thought that introducing Maria through her boyfriend's eyes was a great way to make the reader fall in love with her. Despite this, I know from the review that the book will be too intense and creepy for me, so I won't be finishing it.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 11:40 pm by Juliana_Isabella.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

OliviaLouise

1275066
I do not really like trapped-in-cave scenarios, so based on the review I would not normally read something like this. After reading the sample, I did not really care for the author’s writing style - specifically, the author’s choice of metaphors. For example, at 6%, the main character is described as “almost in tears... [going] on and on like a mental patient to a receptive psychiatrist.” This characterization seems insensitive and crass. I did not find any editing errors, but I will not be reading the rest of the book because I do not care for the writing.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 10:47 pm by OliviaLouise.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

LV2R

708077
The book had several different book covers that I saw. The best one was on the Amazon page and on the OBC review page that had a picture inside a cave with stalactites. The title seemed slightly scary but made me curious. I read the sample first, and the narrator was a male student in his early 30s, who fell in love with Maria. Maria had helped him in his computer class. She was also in a caving club and wanted him (Hal) to go explore a cave with the club in West Virginia. I best liked Spike, the leader of the caving club, who planned adventures and was very enthusiastic about cave geology. His finding a cave for the club to explore was the beginning of this story. The book may not be edited well, even though the OBC reviewer mentioned that it was “flawless” because I noticed several missing commas. One example is at the 0% location under the Prologue: “Three of us are dead and we’ve hardly started.” (Three of us are dead, and we’ve hardly started.) The OBC review stated that the cave and characters were both described well and that the story had profanity, violence, and rape. This made me not want to read the book. Lastly, I read the Amazon Blurb and was surprised that much of the story detailed who died and gave away all of the spoilers to the book. I see no need or want to read this book since I basically know everything that happened and that there was violence, profanity, rape, and many of the club members died in the cave.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 9:55 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Tomah

487471
I wouldn't have chosen to read the book based on its unappealing cover and a premise that spoils part of the story (e.g., "Eventually five of the students die in the cavern"), but I might've at least sampled it due to the positive OBC review. Having read the first pages, I found no errors and enjoyed the first paragraphs of the prologue vividly detailing the protagonist's tormented state of mind. As the premise still doesn't interest me, however, I don't plan on reading it further.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 8:35 pm by Tomah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Lisa A Rayburn

741624
If I had not been a member of this program, it is doubtful that the cover, author, genre or blurb would have enticed me to pick up this book. The author is unknown to me and the genre is not one I normally read. The title is eye-catching and may actually given me a reason to look at the book. Except for the very first part, the sample was very 'slow' and didn't do much to engender suspense or even curiosity about what might come next in the book. After the first six pages, I kept reading purely to see if we would reach at least the part that brought about the first bit we had been treated to in the beginning. I was disappointed in this and have decided not to continue to read the book. If the rest is as dragging as the sample, I would not have the patience to finish it. The book seemed professionally edited. I found no errors.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 7:53 pm by Lisa A Rayburn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kristin Ransome

1137885
This book is not part of my usual genre, and so I normally would not have read it. After reading the first 10 pages, the book was unable to convince me to continue reading. Having found no errors, I'd say the book was professionally edited. My favourite part was Maria's passion for exploring new places, because I can easily relate to her. My least favourite part was the narrator's inner monologue, which in many instances is derogatory and borderline insulting to women.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 7:21 pm by Kristin Ransome.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Brenda Creech

1236408
If I had not been going to read this book for this review I would not have chosen to read any of it. I don't like the cover and probably wouldn't have noticed the book if it had not been Book of the Day. After reading the review I decided definitely not to read it because of the caution about profanity and rape. In the part I did read I liked where Maria was talking Hal into going on the cave excursion and he gave in because he cared about her. I think a different cover would be an improvement for the book. As it is the cover just doesn't jump out at you, maybe it is because it is mostly one color, and brown at that. I did not come across any errors in the portion I read so I believe the book has been professionally edited. This book sounds like it is full of suspense and action but I wish the story could be told without rough language. I understand that is how people really talk today but it is not needed to make a great story! I have to pass on reading this book.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 7:15 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

HRichards

741384
I normally wouldn't have picked this book up as I wasn't interested in the summary. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book since I didn't really like the content. The sample deals with the narrator, who claims that there have been several deaths for love, noting how they met a nice girl named Maria and started a relationship with her. The writing is okay and I didn't notice any grammar errors. Those who like dramatic stories might like this book. I wasn't really drawn to the content. I have not read any other reviews for this book.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 6:21 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

danielleamy

1221038
I wouldn't have picked this up based on the cover or title. I wasn't sure what genre it might be. I was pleasantly surprised when I read the Official review, as I love suspense and survival novels. By the blurb, I may have sampled this. Although the blurb contained too many spoilers about the deaths in the cave - this was a little offputting. The prologue was great - already creating suspense as the protagonist is recalling something awful happening in his past, which we are about to learn. There were no typos or issues with the sample. I'd like to continue reading, as I want to know what happens to them all and who survives the caving incident. Even a few chapters in, the suspense and tension is growing. Not sure I'll ever set foot in a cave after reading this!

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 6:15 pm by danielleamy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kajori Sheryl Paul

997537
'Death Has a Thousand Doors' is a book written by Peter B. Worland. The title, blurb, and cover did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.

The first ten pages leads me to believe that it revolves around Hal. Hal recounts the details of a caving trip he took in the 1960s. After his divorce and lowering of salary, Hal had rejoiced college. There he met Maria. At her urging, he agreed to go on a caving trip in West Virginia. This trip really changed his life. I like the premise. I did not find any error. I think that it is professionally edited. I will give this book a try as I like reading books of this genre.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 5:46 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Washboard

1305922
The genre, title, cover, and official review are all appealing to me. The first ten pages are well-written, and I did not notice any errors. I enjoyed how descriptive the author is when talking about the feelings of the narrator, whether talking about guilt, terror, or his new found love for his girlfriend, Maria. I was a little surprised at how callous the narrator sounds about some things (such as school shootings), but I think it is more of dry humor than actual callous thoughts. Although I found it interesting, I don't think I will continue to read this one. Some of the topics discussed in the official review make me think parts of this book will be triggering to me.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 5:08 pm by Washboard.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Chelsy Scherba

75151
I liked the way the author set up the story. The male character is telling his tale after some years have gone by and he’s been through therapy to deal with what happened to him after Maria invited him to go to the cave. He was attracted to her after she noticed him struggling in his computer class and taught him what to do. The author really makes his novel a page turner with characters that seem very realistic and relatable. I like that it’s set during the Vietnam era as well. The review mentioned there is something to do with rape, so I’m not sure I want to delve into anything that dark just now, but I did find the prose well-written and professionally edited without errors. I also think a better cover would make the book more attractive.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 5:00 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Yoli García

139064
Thriller novels are not among my genres of choice, so I would not have sampled this book without this program. The OBC sounded exciting, as the story is about a group of college students that gets stuck in a cave and have to find the way out. I think the book needs further editing services. Examples of errors are: “Vietnam war” and “the Sixties.” The beginning of the story shocked me because Hal mentions that three of them are already dead. He is not really there. Time has passed, and he is having a flashback. Maria’s character sounded interesting. She is smart, Catholic, and enjoys exploring caves. However, I will not read this book because the storyline sounds a bit traumatic. I enjoy lighter reads.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 4:52 pm by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

psychopathycathy

104096
If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book. The cover could be more interesting. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. The sample was professionally edited, but some things in the prologue were turn-offs for me. Maria and the main character felt like insta-love, and the line "I could empathize with some of those guys who shot up a classroom after all else had failed." was very offputting. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 4:49 pm by psychopathycathy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

CataclysmicKnight

67089
The cover of this book really didn't tell me what to expect. I couldn't even tell if it was fiction or nonfiction, and as such, I probably wouldn't have looked into it if it wasn't the book of the day.

So far I've liked what I've read. There's a lot of potential in caves, let alone a cave that has potentially never been explored. The author describes things well, and I didn't notice any errors at all. I don't think I would've purchased a copy of Death Has a Thousand Doors, but since I won a copy from today's giveaway, I definitely want to read the rest of it sometime.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 4:20 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

sarahmarlowe

812327
The picture on the cover is alluring, but the title design isn't professional-looking, and I probably would not have picked this book up. That would have been unfortunate because I did enjoy the sample. The narrator is relatable, and the plot set-up is quite intriguing. The introduction creates a great deal of curiosity about what terrible thing is going to happen. There were some things about the book that I didn't like, however. One was that even though this is set in the early sixties, the narrator takes his laptop to a computer lab? No. Just didn't happen. The other is that the narrator describes the females in a derogatory way (overweight but has a pretty face; her face had some problems). There are several editing issues, as well. There are two at 67 percent of the sample. One is that the old man should ask if Pepsi is ok instead of asking if Coke is okay. The other is that "Hershey" bar is misspelled. I have not read an OBC review of this book, and I will not be reading it. While the plot sounds appealing, there are too many issues for me.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 4:04 pm by sarahmarlowe.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

cpru68

517613
Readers are introduced to the narrator who, after getting a divorce, returns to college and meets a woman, Maria, that he falls madly in love with. She convinces him to go on a cave exploration in West Virginia with a guy named Stick Morris. This is all happening during the early 1960s and the narrator says it’s a confession. The prologue stated that three are already dead, so things have not gone as planned.

I won’t be finishing this book as I don’t like books of this nature that deal with claustrophobic situations where death occurs. It’s not entertaining to me. I think some will love it, and it’s written with realism, but it’s just not fun for me to read. I didn’t find any errors in punctuation, spelling or grammar so it seems that this was professionally edited. I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this, and without the online book club I probably wouldn’t have found this one on my own. I will send it out on my social media for others to look into.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 3:28 pm by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Erin Dydek

1322609
Based on the appearance of the cover alone I would have passed on this book. The title was interesting, but the cover art lacked appeal. The OBC review completely changed my mind. The review described an intense survival thriller about a group of college students trapped in a cave. The opening pages further piqued my interest. The main character is deeply flawed (divorced, struggling in his career, cynical attitude), but he tells of his nightmares that dominate his restless nights in a way that quickly caught my attention. Then he transitions to tell of the events that lead up to the cave incident (primarily going back to college and falling in love with a woman who loves exploring caves) and concluded the prologue to the novel by telling the reader that the story that follows is his confession. The pages I read appeared to be well-edited and easily had me hooked. The OBC review warned of content involving violence, profanity, and rape but that did not deter me from wanting to read this book. I enjoy suspenseful survival stories and I think this book will prove to be a gritty but exciting read!

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 3:18 pm by Erin Dydek.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Laura Ungureanu

620179
The cover art is unfortunate for such a great book. However, the review enlightened me about the plot. I liked that the prologue started with a bit of horror from the cave, and then went back to explain how Hal ended up in that cave. Hal met Maria after he divorced, lost his job, and started university again. I liked that he compared her with Helen of Troy. Maria, as a passionate cave explorer, begged Hal to come with her to this unknown cave. It was pretty easy to get through the sample and I fairly enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading more from this book. It was professionally edited.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 2:27 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Theresa Moffitt

857578
I really love the title of this book. It is intriguing and made me curious about the book. The cover is plain, but attractive. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read a review of this book yet. From the prologue it sounds like the main character is trapped somewhere and states that three members of his group are dead. He
questions which is worse- terror or guilt. The first chapter goes back to when he was in college. He was introduced to exploring caves by his girlfriend at the time. It sounds like their trip to explore a cave went wrong and people died. The story is interesting and drew me in. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe that the book was professionally edited based solely on the first ten pages. The story interests me, so I would like to finish reading this book.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 2:27 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

lavellan

403587
I probably wouldn't have read Death Has a Thousand Doors if it hadn't been a part of the First Ten program. While the Book of the Day review was positive, I wasn't interested in the subject matter, and the cover wasn't very interesting. The book did not seem like it was professionally edited, and I noticed errors while reading. For instance, "and" should not be included in the following phrase: "...without Meyer's maps and so I'm convinced..." I enjoyed how Hal wasn't the typical college student and had misgivings about the cave trip. I didn't how much context for the time period so it was a little confusing to me. As a result of this, I will not buy the book today.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 2:12 pm by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gali

50066
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as neither the cover nor the blurb appealed to me. The cover on Amazon is unappealing and should be replaced with a more enticing cover. While the blurb gives a good sense of the book, it contains spoilers (the murders of two men). I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. A survival adventure tale revolving around cave explorers trapped in a deadly cave sounds exciting, it sounds too intense to me. Although I didn't notice any glaring errors, I didn’t care for the style of writing. I like that the author began the story in the thick of things before back forwarding to the beginning of the woe tale. I also like the way Hal and Maria met and the reflections of Hal. While I like the foreshadowing of sinister things yet to come, the story did not take off for me. It was too slow-paced and just didn’t work for me. I understand the pace increases after a few chapters, but the sample failed to pique my interest. I won't buy and read the book, as it doesn't appeal to me. The official review further turned me off the book by mentioning it contains graphic scenes.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 1:58 pm by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Scerakor

45879
From the cover, review, and blurb on this book, I may have chosen to read it. It sounds absolutely exhilarating and that it would be a thriller right up my alley. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and will therefore be buying and reading the rest of this book when I’m through my current to-read pile. I loved the foreshadowing inherent in the first ten pages. Although everything seems calm and without danger, Maria’s convincing of the others (in particular our protagonist) to explore the cave in West Virginia evokes beads of sweat and reticence. Like any good horror movie, the insistence that everything will be ok is what drives the reader on to find out that it won’t! I didn’t see anything within the sample that I would have wanted to change and the book looks well written and edited. The official review, although praising, didn’t affect my decision at all.

First Ten review added on August 15, 2019, at 1:55 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Total ~ 35%

Death Has a Thousand Doors earned a score of 35%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 35% 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 Death Has a Thousand Doors