
The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Enemy Immortal: A Space Opera Adventure Thriller
Because Enemy Immortal 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 wouldn't have sampled the book. I like science fiction but if it involves aliens or outer space I always hesitate since I don't like that kind of theme. Both aspects though are simple and appealing. As for the first few pages, the feeding of Umlac of a hydra did not really make everything easier to me as someone who doesn't like alien stories. Even the descriptions of the alien anatomy didn't seem appealing and were too technical. I find it hard to imagine the "through his flexible outer membrane", and I'm a science girl myself. The names are too hard to pronounce as well, making them hard to remember. I mean Umlac being hungry and eating everybody is just not that convincing for me to like the genre or even the story. However, I like how it builds suspense and curiosity, even the part where they would go to Earth. I think the reason why I don't like the overall presentation in the first few pages is that everything seems unfamiliar. I noticed that when they mentioned "Earth" I was able to breathe a little easy because at least I know what that looked like and what to expect of it. I guess my only suggestion is that mention something that the readers could relate to in a foreign setting. Imagination is good but sometimes the mind really wants to grasp something familiar. This applies also even in describing the characters and environment. With that said, I will not be reading the rest of the book. I found no noticeable errors and the official OBC review was persuasive enough to tell me to sample it.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 4:58 am by briellejee.
Ekta Kumari

This sci-fi is a space opera set in the year 2206. Humanity is required to join a federation of alien planets called the Entanglement. However, that means joining the rigid caste system of the Entanglement. But not doing so puts the humanity at danger of being enslaved to the immortal cyborgs who will be arriving on the Earth soon. Lieutenant Jade Mahelona, of Solar Defense Force, is sent on a mission to find a lost alien colony. Her success or failure will determine the future of humanity. But Lord Umlac, of the Immortal Ascendancy, is planning an invasion that may put Earth in greater danger. The plot further explores the outcome of the whole situation, especially in the presence of big threats and advanced alien technologies. I liked the imaginative premise but wouldn't have read the book as I wasn't interested in reading a space opera. But I did like sampling it. The action starts right away with the introduction of Lord Umlac, displaying his thirst for power over other planets. The thing I liked the most is the worldbuilding and the physical descriptions of different characters. The descriptions seem realistic and are vivid. As for the editing, I would say the book is professionally edited as I didn't find any errors in the portion I sampled. I did see an official review for this read. But I wouldn't read the whole book as I'm not interested in the genre.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 4:36 am by Ekta Kumari.
Jeremie Mondejar

I sampled this book based on the program. I usually don't read science-fiction books because I have a hard time understanding the setting known as "space opera." I feel queasy after Umlac eats his prey, and I don't like to imagine the whole scenario at all. However, I'm a bit amazed at the writing style, it is vivid and clear. I did not notice any typos, the book seems professionally edited. I will not be reading this book because the genre is not for me. I will not recommend anything for improvements because this book is perfect to the fans of this genre. The OBC review did not piqued my interest to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 4:23 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Fu Zaila

The cover looks suitably impressive to the blurb. The review was highly positive. The sample was professionally edited as well. I liked how easily we are thrown into Umlac's point of view in the first chapter. His villainous character is given a good description, meanwhile describing the world at the same time. The world building is incredibly well done, and the writing easily complements it. It was kind of gross to read about Umlac eating the Wolferlop and examining his brain. I was also a little bit put off that he didn't have as much command as his character sounded. Either way, space operas holds no interest for me, so I won't be reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 2:43 am by Fu Zaila.
Jennifer Donovan Smith

The official Online Book Club review described this book as a science fiction space opera, which is a genre that I avoid completely. I do not like it whatsoever. I had no interest in reading this book based on the cover, synopsis, or reviews.
From the very first sentence, I could tell I was not interested. I only read further because of the requirements of this program. In the first ten pages, I found no glaring errors, but there were a few sentences that had unnecessary commas. For example:
"Deus Telekil planned to invade the Entanglement, using his vassals, Umlac and other Shoggarts." (Loc. 55)
The comma after the word "Entanglement" is unnecessary. Because this is a genre that I have already identified as one I avoid, I will not be reading further.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 2:06 am by Jennifer Donovan Smith.
Chelsy Scherba

Umlac is one nasty creature. He is an immortal Shoggart that eats Hydras and furry creatures without mercy. His black, blobby body slithers through tunnels as he digs. I wasn’t expecting to like this book because I’m not big on science fiction, but so far the book holds my attention. I didn’t see any spelling or grammar errors or typos. The review mentioned aliens and such, not that intriguing to me. I’m not sure the cover would appeal to me either. But, reading the sample, I enjoyed what I read. Maybe not enough to buy it today, but I would definitely consider it in the future if I wanted to read something different than my usual genres. I like how the book is written, so I will send myself the sample and decide after I’ve read all of it if I’ll buy it. I don’t usually search for books outside of the program, so I wouldn’t have found it otherwise.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 2:05 am by Chelsy Scherba.
Vickie Noel

I wouldn't have read this book outside the program based on the title and cover art. I can't really figure out what the picture represents, and it doesn't strike the curiosity chord in me to want to find out. After reading the sample, my opinion hasn't changed. I don't find it easy picturing newly built worlds and strange creatures, so the image of Umlac and that of a "Hydra feasting on a food-thrall" didn't easily come to mind as I had nothing with which to create a mental picture of them. Also, I did not like the idea of reading about a creature who eats other creatures just because he's stronger than them. However, the author does have a creative style of writing which, in itself, is decorative enough to teach writing skills. For example, "Umlac ate the Wolferlop's fingers and toes one at a time, savoring his dominance over the creature as much as its buttery taste." I found no grammatical errors in the part that I read; the book is clearly professionally edited. I also found no areas requiring improvement. I saw an OBC review, but it did not influence my decision.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 1:21 am by Vickie Noel.
Annelore Trujillo

I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, title and cover. I rarely like science fiction, and the blurb and OBC review did not pull me in. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I was not interested from the first paragraph. It immediately started talking about Umlac and how he built his tunnel and how he was a “greater being” that should be feared by “lesser beings”. The description of him eating these beings wasn’t for me. However, I did like that we got a look into this “lost colony” that Jade will be trying to find later in the book. It sets the stage for the rest of the plot. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on March 11, 2020, at 12:17 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Howlan

The cover is decent and suits the theme of the book well. The synopsis is interesting and is enough to attract readers like me, who is interested in the sci-fi genre. The first ten pages were decent. The first chapter deals with the enemy, a power-crazy cyborg, Umlac, as he tries to destroy other colonies for his own greed. The second and third chapter introduces us to the general setting of the story as earth inhabited by humans as well as aliens, and also provides us with an interesting interaction of Jade and an alien healer. The fourth chapter delves into a rescue mission outside the solar system that Jade has been chosen to take part in. The concept of writing was pretty good. I liked the interesting character interactions too. The story itself seems good, but the story lacked originality. I think I have read similar concepts, and it might be too early in the story to deny its originality but that is what failed to grab my interest. A bit more foreboding would be interesting. Also, some kind of action, in the beginning, would have been appreciated. So I am not going to buy and read this book, as the story failed to intrigue me. No typos were noticed in the first ten pages. The Official Review is present and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 11:52 pm by Howlan.
evraealtana

The cover of the book looks interesting, particularly the creature in the upper right - based on the first ten pages, I'm assuming that's a Shoggart - and I might have picked it up for myself. I really adored the first chapter, particularly the grim humor in Umlac's description of humans and their "buttery" flavor, and happily would have read the rest of the book if that was how it continued. Unfortunately, chapter 2 introduces the (large) cast of human characters, which for me diminishes the appeal of the story. I would rather read about an all-alien cast, which promised to be compelling and original in this novel's case, without any human characters. This is my personal preference, and I'm sure most readers (including the official OBC reviewer) would rather read about humans, which they would consider to be more relatable. Therefore, although I will not continue with this one, I can't blame the author for appealing to fans of the genre rather than appealing to my unorthodox tastes. I noted no errors.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 10:18 pm by evraealtana.
Jsovermyer

I don't like the cover art. It looks like a green ball with sunglasses. The title, Enemy Immortal, is intriguing. I would check out the book because of the title. This book is an actionpacked sci-fi space opera. Although the main characters are human, the author has also created various complex alien lifeforms. The evil alien Lord Umlac is both interesting and disgusting, as he devours his captives, biting off bit by bit for the maximum pain and terror. The official review rated this book highly, and I agree it is very imaginative and the aliens are well developed. I found no grammatical or spelling errors and believe the book has been professionally edited. I am not a fan of this type of sci-fi story and do not usually read them. I don't think I will finish this one.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 6:31 pm by Jsovermyer.
AvidBibliophile

The cover art feels appropriately tailored to the genre, and the formatted layout of informational font appears professionally rendered. The Amazon product description offers an efficiently succinct, yet detailed summary of the plot. The story immediately begins with descriptions of things like protoplasmic flesh, incompetent Hydras, cyborg bodies, and Radical Separatists. I also enjoyed the scene that has "Umlac savoring the Wolferlop's buttery fingers and toes" - one at a time. This book appears to have been professionally edited, and the prose is pleasant to absorb and comprehend. The one published OBC review is persuasively positive, as are many of the 30 currently posted Amazon user ratings. Since sci-fi novels do not fall within my preferred reading genres, I will be passing on this one, but for fans of things like alien colonies, space exploration, and interstellar civilizations, this title seems to enthusiastically offer a little of everything!
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 4:00 pm by AvidBibliophile.
Kajori Sheryl Paul

'Enemy Immortal' is a book written by Jim Meeks-Johnson. The title, cover, OBC review and Amazon review did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.
The sample of the book leads me to believe that it is a space fantasy. Umlac is the ruler of 52 civilized planet and other territories. I like the world-building. I did not find any error. I think that it is professionally edited. I do not think that there is anything that can be improved. I will give this book a skip as I am not in the mind-frame to read a book of this genre as of now.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 3:28 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Cristina Chifane

I enjoy reading science fiction, so I would have probably sampled this modern space opera without the first ten program. Both the title and the cover are in tone with the topic of interstellar travelling and alien planets. The novel has excellent editorial reviews and a positive OBC review praising both the plot and character development. Moreover, 78% of the 30 customer reviews give the book 4 and 5 stars. The OBC reviewer managed to convince me to read the book mentioning the detailed description of different alien races and the overall diversity of the worldbuiding. The sample fully convinced me to read the book. I liked the fact that it immediately threw me into a new world where I could easily picture the confrontation between the Immortal Ascendency and the Entanglement. In terms of improvement, I think the author could have reduced the number of offensive words. He did a great job of describing Umlac and his plans to invade the Entanglement, though. There were no editing errors in the pages I've read apart from an unnecessary double hyphen ("The crowd chanted No Alien Clinics (--) but they remained." - ch.2) or missing indentation ("Unlike Loganal, she didn't resent being here." - ch.2). I'd love to read more and find out if Jade discovers the truth about the vanishing alien colony.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 3:18 pm by Cristina Chifane.
Sarah_Khan

I would not have picked this up if it was not part of the First Ten program because I usually don't read sci-fi. The cover and title look average to me. The first ten pages seem professionally edited. I have to admit, I do not know much about science fiction. I do not even know what space opera is. The OBC review was positive. Unfortunately, this book is way too sci-fi for my taste. I did think Jade's ability to sense electric fields was cool and it was funny to see how in a world this fictitious, there are still downsides to being a woman. I do not think the author needs to change anything, this book is just not my cup of tea.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 12:55 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Juliana_Isabella

I might have chosen this book because I enjoy science fiction, and the review made this book sound like a great new addition to the genre. I didn't find any grammatical mistakes in the first ten pages, but I feel that the vocabulary used in the book is unnecessarily over-complicated (neodymium, solenoids, protoplasmic, etc.). This is an issue I see in a lot of science fiction novels, and it often means that the book is held up by this vocabulary instead of a solid plot. I couldn't get into the book after reading ten pages, so I won't be finishing it.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 11:36 am by Juliana_Isabella.
Lorraine De Vos

I would not have chosen to sample this book based on the cover and title. It appeared to be a science fiction novel set in space, and I do not particularly enjoy this genre. The sample pages were well written and I did not notice any errors, but my initial impression was correct. The villain Umlac comes across as violent and self serving. There is nothing I would recommend improving. The official OnlineBookClub review was comprehensive, but did not serve to change my mind in this instance. I will not be adding this book to my reading list.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 10:36 am by Lorraine De Vos.
gen_g

I have come across a positive review of this book, and it has piqued my interest. However, I would not have sampled it as I'm currently not in the market for science fiction. Still, after sampling it, there are a couple of errors. At loc 4, there is a missing comma to enclose the extra information (of the various names) given: "...McDevitt, and Walter Jon Williams(,) are well-known..", i.e., the missing comma forms a set with the comma after the word "some" at the beginning of this sentence. I would suggest more editing. I did appreciate how the author started by describing Umlac, a 10-ton black-coloured cyborg body. Umlac has quite the ego, as in order to appear imposing, he draped his body across the feeding pit like a "black curtain of death" so that his victims would know and fear his power. I found this humorous, especially when after he bellowed at his captured victims (the captured crew), the victims didn't even reply him or come forward to present themselves. However, I will not be purchasing the book today, as science fiction is not currently what I am looking for at the moment.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 9:32 am by gen_g.
Julius_

I wouldn’t have sampled the book based on the cover and the title. I think the cover makes it look too fictional. Reading the official OBC review, I got the impression that the book’s storyline is very hard to follow. The first ten pages just confirmed this. I, therefore, will not finish reading the book. I like alien stories, especially now that the book brings in the immortal ones. I have no improvement recommendations since I didn’t encounter any grammatical errors within the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 6:54 am by Julius_.
Shrabastee Chakraborty

I do not like space opera. The title, cover, or the blurb did not appeal to me. However, the official OBC review praised the well-developed characters and the world-building. The first ten pages were without editing issues. It mostly shows Umlac's day as he devours a few of so-called inferior alien species. It also hints at an espionage system passing information between Entanglement and Ascendency. However, I did not particularly like the description of the aliens, nor their feeding behaviour. The unknown terms describing the many alien species were foreign to me and made the read unappealing. Although I would not suggest any area for improvement, I decline reading this book solely because this genre is not to my liking.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 5:22 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Catherine Hsu

If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book as I did not think this was my genre. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. I am not a fan of high science fiction and I indeed did have a lot of trouble with the invented terms, like "Entanglement," "Immortal Ascendency," or "Shoggart," but I am interested in the world-building and how it might develop. It was professionally edited. I read the official review, which mentioned how the book was professionally edited and had a rich universe. It did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 4:37 am by Catherine Hsu.
Washboard

I sometimes enjoy books from this genre. The title and cover art are both eye-catching. The official review makes the book sound appealing. The sample I read did not contain any noticeable errors. The opening pages introduce Umlac, a powerful, gelatinous alien, as he plans future invasions of planets while dealing with some political tension with his superior. While the world building seems fantastic, I was a bit put off by the villainous gooey alien torturing other species before eating them. I won't be continuing to read this one, as it seems a bit icky to me.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 2:51 am by Washboard.
Verna Coy

Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I would not have picked it up because science-fiction space stories are not my favorite. For that reason, I don’t intend to buy and read the whole book today. Reading the first ten pages confirmed my first thoughts about the book. It read as a space adventure would, with the first sentence mentioning another planet. Based on what I read, the book seems professionally edited. I saw no errors in the first ten pages. What I liked most about what I read was the humorous way the dialogue unfolds between the enemy leader and his minions. It reminded me of old space movies. I know readers who like space adventures will enjoy this story. As far as improvement, I could see no need for any in what I read. I did read the Official Online Book Club review and found it informative. It didn’t affect my outlook on the book.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 2:42 am by Verna Coy.
Sanju Lali

It was evident from book cover and title that this book may be a science fiction fantasy, in the light of that, I considered knowing more about this book before buying and reading because the theme was appealing. The official review was great to let me know that the story is set in the twenty-third century and is about an inter-species mission that aims to solve the mystery of an alien colony. The official review engrossed me to know more about this book before picking it up. After reading the first ten pages, I found that this book was professionally edited as there were no grammatical or typing errors. The thing l liked the most in this book is the world-building using elementary school biological concepts like hydra and protoplasm for creating fictitious characters. Even though I appreciate the creativity in making this book, the scenes did not grip me because the narrative became quite complex. Like for example, an Entanglement translator into the electronic of his cyborg body and was hard to imagine for an average reader like me. I suggest to the author to describe the concept in a much simpler language for the people like me to understand. After looking at all these aspects, I decided not to purchase and read the book today but wait until the author comes out with simpler descriptions for average readers like me to understand the concept.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 2:34 am by Sanju Lali.
Mai Tran

I’m not a big fan of science fiction and wouldn’t have picked up this book under normal circumstances, but the official review has piqued my curiosity. Although I’m a bit upset about the lack of warning on Umlac’s gruesome feeding scene, I find the book well-written and very intriguing. The Entanglement doesn’t seem so bad if there’s a member like Tshimmed the healer, and I’m curious whether Earth will join a Guild soon. The book seems well-edited, and I would love to see how this story will unfold.
First Ten review added on March 10, 2020, at 1:42 am by Mai Tran.
Kaitlyn Canedy

I chose to read the sample of Enemy Immortal because the cover was very futuristic and drew me in. I noticed that the sample that I read did not have any grammatical errors at all, which was amazing. I loved how the character development of the characters is going so far; it is very rich and full of detail. Humans and aliens have their own cultures, and each must understand each other. Given how the author's writing style is, I will be giving this one a try. I did not find anything I disliked, nor could I think of any improvements to Enemy Immortal. There is an Official OnlineBookClub review for this book, and I am very excited to check it out because of the reviewer's description.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 11:51 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
unamilagra

Before sampling this book, I would not have picked it up. Despite the glowing OBC review, I don't tend to enjoy stories about aliens. I read the first ten pages, but honestly, the book lost me in the first paragraph with the mention of slime and neodymium and cyborgs. Aside from other confusing words and characters, I found I had trouble following the plot right from the beginning, as there were a lot of characters conversing with no backstories about any of them. I don't plan to continue reading this book. I didn't notice any errors in the pages I read.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 11:43 pm by unamilagra.
HRichards

I normally wouldn't have picked this book up since I don't really like science fiction. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book since I didn't really enjoy the subject matter of the sample. The sample deals with Umlac, a slimy alien creature, lording over his captured food supply, which is some other breed of alien. Umlac is busy using his underlings to capture more victims and getting information from his captives. The writing is pretty good and I didn't notice any grammar errors. Those who like science fiction might like this book since it is very descriptive. I didn't really like the content at all. I read the OBC review of the book and still don't think the story would appeal to me at all.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 8:26 pm by HRichards.
Brenda Creech

When I saw the cover and title of this book, I did not intend to check it out. After reading the official review, I was even surer I would not be reading the entire book as I am not a fan of sci-fi. I read the first ten pages and did not detect any errors. What I read was well-written, but it still did not capture my interest. I am sure there is nothing that needs improving. Sci-fi fans will probably enjoy this novel, but in addition to not caring for the genre, I was somewhat lost regarding the story. Humans living and interacting with various aliens is a unique concept but not of interest to me. It was hard for me to stay focused on the ten pages I did read due to my lack of interest. Therefore, I don't intend to finish the book.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 8:19 pm by Brenda Creech.
MsH2k

I don’t read many sci-fi/fantasy novels, so I would not have sampled this book if I had not been part of this program. After reading the sample pages, I noticed the two creatures with the red eyes on the cover, which I had not seen at first. I really enjoyed the sample pages. It is clear that the author takes time to develop the characters.The author referenced “space opera” in the blurb, and I did not know what that meant, but the featured OnlineBookClub review explained that term very well. I appreciated the character Umlac and gained a good understanding of his predicament. I was also impressed at how quickly I grew accustomed to the terminology in the sample pages. I will not buy this book because I’m not that interested in what happens, but I did enjoy the sample pages. I did not notice any grammatical errors in the sample pages or have any suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 7:14 pm by MsH2k.
Kelyn

If I had not been a member of this program, there is a slight chance that the cover, title, and genre of this book would have caught my attention enough to have me look it over. I like sci-fi but have found in the past that those heavily involved in space travel (which is what the cover implies) are more technical than I enjoy. The title is intriguing in that it indicates actual interaction with an alien species, which is an aspect of sci-fi that I usually enjoy. The author is unknown to me, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb not only made the story sound interesting but also introduced a strong female lead character. This is something I always appreciate as it occurs far too little in books of any genre. The customer reviews, however, were lukewarm at best. This did not bode well for the sample, not to mention the entirety of the book. Despite the reviews, the sample was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a moment where it seemed about to launch into too much technical detail when alien tech and how it was brought to earth was being discussed. Thankfully, it stopped well short of the 'boring' point. I think my favorite parts were Jade's interactions with the healer Tshimmed. Just during these moments, both personalities showed through. This spoke volumes about how well character development would be handled in the remainder of the book. As the book is free on Kindle Unlimited, and the sample was pleasing to read, I do plan on continuing to read the book despite the lack of enthusiasm of the customer reviews. I did not see a review specifically identified as being from this program, but if I had, I would most likely have given it full attention. I tend to trust the reviewers here. The book seemed well-edited. I found no countable errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 6:41 pm by Kelyn.
Mbrooks2518

I'm not a fan of science fiction, so I would not have read the sample without The First Ten. That is also why I will not be buying the book. I do like that the author does a lot of world building, as mentioned in the official review, and I could see it with Umlac at the beginning of the book. I did not find any editing mistakes, and there is nothing that needs to be improved. The official review had no affect on my opinion.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 6:14 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Nikolas Farmakis

This is an adventure thriller about space and science fiction, while it also contains elements of fantasy. I would not have read the book based on the cover, the title, or the genre, as I do not like fantasy or science fiction. I will not read the book, as I found it unrealistic and boring. The sample I read had no errors, so the book has been professionally edited. What I liked most in the book was the writer's originality and creativity, which engages the readers. To improve, the author should make the book more realistic by creating a plot that resembles a real-life scenario. The book had an Official OnlineBookClub review, which did not affect my opinion.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 4:22 pm by Nikolas Farmakis.
AvocaDebo621

Based on the Book of the Day selection and the official review, I would have chosen it anyway as I love reading Sci-fi novels involving human-alien interaction. Even if this book wasn't recommended to me as a part of the BOTD program, I'd have checked out it's sample anyway based on the very attractive cover and numerous positive reviews by customers on Amazon. Even though I won't be buying the book right now, as I have just completed reading another Sci-fi novel and was interested in reading other genres for a change, I will definitely put this one in my want-to-read shelf. Based on the first few pages, the book seems like it was professionally edited as it did not have any errors whatsoever. From sentence one I was immersed in a new world which was a delight to watch unfold. Right away I was attached to Jade and her journey. I didn't find anything worth changing in the beginning of the story. Although, in the official review of the book I read about some minor errors in the book, so that can be taken care of with another round of editing. The review had a lot of good points about the book which only got me more interested in reading it soon.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 3:56 pm by AvocaDebo621.
Laura Ungureanu

I wasn't interested in the genre, so when I saw the cover and the title, I knew I wouldn't like the book. However, the review sparked some interest by mentioning the complex world-building. It started with many unfamiliar terms and characters, so I had a hard time picking up exactly what was happening. But I understood that Umlac is a Shoggart, which seems to be an all-powerful alien who can easily devour other aliens. And although he is that powerful, some bigger threat still exists. I liked the way it portrayed the characters from the very beginning. However, as I mentioned before, I'm not into this genre, so I won't continue reading this book. It's professionally edited.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 3:55 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
LeDiplomatique

I would not have chosen Enemy Immortal by Jim Meeks-Johnson based on the title. However, I found the cover illustration to be interesting, especially the object in the green suspension and my curiosity was aroused on what it could be. After reading the First Ten, I could not understand what the book was about other than about a cyborg, Umlac, who loved terrorizing his captives before eating them. The language of the book is too difficult so I did not enjoy sampling it. I came across one error on location 16 - a Hydra feasting on a food-thrall who had exceeded its useful time as a slave - A Hydra feasting on a food-thrall which had exceeded its useful time as a slave. I did not see anything to improve. Additionally, I did not like anything most because the book is too difficult to decipher. I came across an official review by NetMassimo, but it did not ease my confusion about the storyline. I will not be reading the entire book.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 3:02 pm by LeDiplomatique.
cpru68

If I had not been a part of the online book club's first ten program, I wouldn't have read this book based on the cover, the title, or the blurb. I do not read a lot of science fiction, and there wasn't anything about this that attracted my attention. The first ten pages confirmed my decision not to read this book in its entirety due to the graphic nature of the character Umlac and his eating habits. I didn't like the vivid details of how he tortures his victims and then eats them. I had a hard time getting through it, and Chapter 2 didn't appeal to me after that. The review, while great with useful details, did not persuade me to read this book any further. I am not interested in reading about earth fighting it out with aliens.
What was good about the sample was exactly what I didn't like. I think for those who enjoy this genre, they will find the opening description taking them right into the lair of Ulmac well done. I didn't see any errors in punctuation, spelling, or grammar, so this seems to have been professionally edited. So, both of these are what is positive and working in favor of this book.
I don't have any suggestions for improvement. I appreciate the opportunity to have read the first ten, and I will send it out on my social media for sci-fi fans to look into it further.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 2:43 pm by cpru68.
Kaylee Elmer

Based on the cover and title, I had a feeling this book wouldn't be for me. I could tell it would be sci-fi of some sort. The review I read called it a "space opera." The first ten pages were well written, but involved a lot of made up words and was a little gross. An organism was torturing and eating captive creatures. It was professionally edited and I noticed no errors. The review I read gave it high praise but due to the genre I won't be reading the rest.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 1:16 pm by Kaylee Elmer.
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda

I wouldn't have read the book based on first impressions. The cover is clearly of a sci-fi book, which is a genre I tend to dislike. The blurb is very well written, stating what the plot is about and what's at stake and leaving the reader intrigued, but the storyline is not of my interest. The reviews are both good and bad but the real reason I would not have bought the book is the topic in itself.
I read the first ten pages but they didn't change my mind. I think the author did a great job of depicting Umlac's cruelty and ruthlessness and I was impressed by the similarities between this space tyrant and real-life ones. For example, the fact of eating creatures he doesn't find tasteful just to make an example out of them and his way of looking as people based on how useful they are to him (in this case the "disrespectful civilians" as food) instead of basing decisions in their intrinsic value are consistent with what we, in real-life planet Earth have experienced from psychopaths in power. I think this helps make the characters relatable to our human experience, even if they are part of a made-up, sci-fi world.
The book seems very well edited and I didn't find mistakes. I don't think it needs improvements. It has a very interesting and compelling official OBC review but it didn't convince me.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 1:09 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Maria Esposito

Before sampling the book, I knew I would not be interested in reading it. The cover and the title give me the impression that the book belongs to the fantasy and science-fiction genres, which I am not interested in. Although the book seems to do well according to Amazon customer reviews, I am simply not interested in the genre it belongs to. Reading the first ten pages did not make me change my mind. The language used by the author is highly specific to the science-fiction genre, and it makes it difficult for me to get through the book. Hence, I will not buy it. There was nothing I particularly appreciated in the book, nor that I thought could be improved. It's simply not my genre. However, I assume it is professionally edited since I did not come across any error. I saw an official review from Online Book Club, but that had no impact on my decision to not buy the book.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 12:59 pm by Maria Esposito.
Emy Katherine

The story is set in the future and follows the adventures of a genetically modified soldier named Jade Mahelona, who is on a mission to save humanity from evil cyborgs determined to colonize the planet Earth. As this is not my genre, I would not have read the book without The First Ten program. Unsurprisingly, reading both the sample and the OBC review did nothing to change my mind. However, from what I have read, nothing needs to be improved. Fans of sci-fi stories will appreciate the eye-catching cover and the intriguing, informative Amazon blurb. The writing style was also descriptive and easy to understand, and I especially liked the story was told from multiple perspectives. Furthermore, I did not find any typos or grammatical errors, so the book seemed to be edited professionally. All things considered, I believe those who enjoy stories about alien invasions will not be disappointed.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 12:51 pm by Emy Katherine.
Laura Lee

While the cover struck me as a little hokie, the Amazon blurb captured my attention and the review likewise furthered my interest in something that is not my typically preferred genre.
The thing I liked least was the opening chapter. Species eating other species was kind of gross but, again, this isn't typically a genre I read. Maybe this is typical for space opera...? What I liked best was the writing itself: clear, direct, and descriptive without being overly verbose. It also appeared professionally edited. Another thing I really liked was that the primary protagonist is a woman.
I won't be buying it today because it's not my favorite genre. That said, the sample pages piqued my interest enough to have me placing this book on my Want To Read list.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 11:51 am by Laura Lee.
Twylla

I would NOT have chosen this book to read or sample this book based on the genre. Sci-Fi is not my first choice for a book, but there are definitely exceptions. I love the cover. The green earth really captured my attention. And the space vessel in front of the green earth is really cool.
I would NOT buy this book because I am not interested in the space opera sub-genre/sci-fi genre. I appreciated learning what the space opera sub-genre is! I had never heard that term.
Reading the first ten pages did NOT change my mind because the subject and genre were not a main interest of mine. The opening pages about umlac in the feeding pit made me queasy! But I can see how it would appeal to some people.
This book is professionally edited and clearly well written.
My favorite thing about the book is definitely the cover.
I don’t think I can address what improvements could be made since this is not a main area of interest for me.
The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review and it is very interesting and well written.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 10:38 am by Twylla.
Scerakor

From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I may have read the book. I love a good science-fiction book and the world building is one sounds excellent. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will be buying and reading the rest of this book eventually. I loved how the author introduced us to his cast and world. With one chapter displaying his alien warriors and another a cast of humans (with recognisable place names like Maui and Indianapolis, the author creates the link between the real world and that of his science-fiction one. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read and the book looked well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 9:08 am by Scerakor.
Aditi Sapate

I would not have chosen to read this book based on the title, cover and genre, as I'm not a fan of science fiction and fantasy books. While reading the sample, I felt too many unknown words were introduced without explaining them (protoplasmic, Wolferlop, commlink,
vassals, etc.) , which makes for an uncomfortable read. I also wasn't intrigued by Umlac's actions. I will not be reading the full book. The official OnlineBookClub review summarized the book well, and the sample did not contain any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 8:39 am by Aditi Sapate.
Theresa Moffitt

The title and cover art of this book are very creative and interesting. It looks to be a work of science fiction. However, I am not a fan of the science fiction genre and would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read an Online Book Club review of this book yet. I also have not read a customer review of this book yet. I haven’t searched to determine whether either of these types of reviews exist, but I haven’t seen any. The first ten pages were very creative and introduced many types of science fiction creatures. Umlac is a creature on planet Morb and is looking to feed on other creatures. The author is very descriptive about the feeding pit and the creatures that dwell there. I didn’t see any errors on the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited based on the first ten pages alone. I didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I will not finish reading this book because I am not a fan of the science fiction genre. However, fans of this genre would likely enjoy reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 9, 2020, at 8:30 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Total ~ 13%
Enemy Immortal earned a score of 13%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 13% 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 Enemy Immortal