The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Ethereal Ascendant
Because Ethereal Ascendant 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.
Manang Muyang
From the title, cover, and blurb, this book is undoubtedly sci-fi, my least favorite genre. It is also almost 400 pages long and the first in a series, not very inviting characteristics. I would not have sampled this book outside of the program. The first ten pages did not make me change my mind. The number of characters and their difficult names did not help. I also saw errors: On page 4, "Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow" needed "searched." On page 5, "employment of the most elite summoner's that Systralas has ever seen in history" should have used "summoners." On page 6, "like child waiting for his father to return home" seemed to need "like a child." There were more; the author needs to do another round of editing. While I like that the characters were introduced at the start, I would have wanted the author to also introduce Systralas and the Golden Hearts Guild. Maybe then I wouldn't have been so confused. I was not moved to read the rest of this story. The official OBC reviewer was excited about the book, but the complimentary review did not convince me to reconsider.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2023, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabriella H
I don't like the book cover, and the title didn't tell me much about the book except that it involves magic. So, I wouldn't have sampled it without this program. The OBC official review somehow made me a bit expectant, but the first ten pages didn't meet my expectation. I didn't enjoy the flow of the writing, and I noticed quite a number of errors. There wasn't anything in the first ten pages that made me want to keep reading this book. Therefore, I won't be completing it. My decision wasn't influenced by the customer reviews and genre. I didn't see any editorial review or OBC blurb, and I wasn't influenced by this. These are three examples of the errors I saw, 1. "The light above was dizzying at first, but as his eyes adjusted further, he noticed that in the near distance, by a shattered, old, wooden door, leading into this room, lay two shadowy forms huddled." (Page 2). The comma after "door" shouldn't be there. 2. "He instead turned attention to the ethereal sense of the chamber that was hard to deny as its own energy filled his nostrils and took him back to a sense of belonging." (Page 3). It should be, "He instead turned his attention to the ethereal sense of the chamber that was hard to deny as its energy filled his nostrils and took him back to a sense of belonging." 3. "...familiar.It was not until he looked down at the magician attire when he noticed the ancient man’s silver embroidered robes matched his long and graceful beard." (Page 5). There should be a space between the full stop after familiar and the next sentence. Also, it should be "magician's" and "that he noticed." This isn't an exhaustive list.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2023, at 4:53 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
The cover photo looked sci-fi, so I decided to sample this book. Right now, I'm trying to read different genres and want to include this one. The book seems to have a space opera setting, which I am trying to comprehend when Ildarachi is to be exiled to another place with her sweetheart. Though the open scenario is a bit tedious, it creates curiosity about what happened to Ildarachi. The old man, Phiamon, looks like he has good character support for the main protagonist. I like the plot and wanted to know more about whether Ildarachi and Aurora fulfilled their mission in bringing out the old nature of Ildarachi. I read the OBC review, though the title of the book has been changed, I guess. The review influences my decision because it gives a clear picture of the book's contents. However, the book seems not to have been edited well because I noticed an error. "It then dawned on him that the tortured old man appeared vaguely familiar.It was not until he looked down at the magician attire." It needs a space. I recommend another round of editing to make this book more engaging to read. Lastly, there's nothing I dislike.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2023, at 4:41 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
Although I like the genre, based on the cover or other published reviews, I would not have read the book. The OBC review made me want to read the book; however, I changed my mind after reading the first ten pages. I found a single error on page 4 (searche should be searched). Ildarachi lay on a bed, his vision blurred and his memories blank. His discomfort and pain made him try to vocalize but to no avail. I liked how the author took care to detail the physical and emotional struggles of the character. However, the pace was too slow for my preference, something that I felt could be improved. Based on my reading experience, I will not read the full book.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2023, at 4:21 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
Without this program, I wouldn't have read this. The official review from OnlineBookClub, the cover, the blurb, and the ratings on Amazon are fine, but the book's premise is not my cup of tea.
I like the character list. It's useful since there are many characters. It seems each chapter focuses on one member of the chosen seven, such as Jason Ildarachi and Suzette Monroe. Still, the story is not very interesting or suspenseful. Besides, I found many errors, so I suggest another round of proofreading. Since the plot can't pique my interest, I won't buy the book. The OBC review was helpful in making my decision.
Error example: It then dawned on him that the tortured old man appeared vaguely familiar.It was not until he looked down at the magician attire when he noticed the ancient man's silver embroidered robes matched his long and graceful beard. -> There should be a space after "appeared vaguely familiar." Also, it should be "the magician's attire" and "that he noticed" instead.
First Ten review added on March 18, 2023, at 4:15 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, OBC review, cover, title, and customer reviews. The magic and fantasy did not seem to be for me. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. It started out with Ildarachi laying on the bed without much of an idea of what had happened. The character is in the dark, and the reader is really left in the dark too. I think the idea is to add suspense to get the reader to keep reading; however, I found that this didn’t pull me in. The book did seem to be professionally edited; I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages. I liked the overall writing style. Nothing specific needs improvement. It just isn’t my type of book.
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 11:16 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
OTrain Disene
When you look at the cover of this book, you will see the brightness of the colour blue taking up most of the space. And you will see a man wearing a black cloak with a pointy head. This shows the author succeeded in grabbing the attention of anyone who might cast their eyes on the cover of this book. The title was a letdown to this stunning cover. It didn’t evoke imagination and wonder. It was just bare and as it was. The first ten pages tell of a man who is lying in bed, not knowing what happened. This man’s name is Ildarachi. He tries to make sense of where he is. Not long, some old man gets in the room and doesn’t tell him the good news. He tells Ildarachi that he will have to leave here and that he must take a woman with him. I didn’t enjoy the bit I read. The text was dull and monotonous in its many descriptions. I saw a couple of errors that instantly turned me off. Here’s one from page 4: ‘Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another’s presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow.’ It should have been ‘…instead searched deeper within the shadow.’ There was nothing I liked from these first ten pages. They didn’t leave out much to be desired. The OBC review failed to influence me otherwise. I would have picked this book even if it wasn’t because of this programme because of the stunning cover. I am not going to read it because of the errors I detected.
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 7:29 pm by OTrain Disene.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
The OBC official review was helpful to me in having insights into this book. Several customer reviews praised this book, but I could not find any of its editorial reviews. I sampled this book only due to The First Ten program because the cover, title, and genre of this book barely caught my attention. I liked Ildarachi's expressions when he got surprised by seeing an old wizard. I learned that Ildarachi knew many things about the wizard of unfathomable power. Sadly, I could not visualize the scenes clearly from their descriptions, so I will not buy and read this book today. My suggestion to the author is to consider describing the scenes clearly with all the necessary details. I think that this book needs a round of professional editing because I saw several grammatical mistakes in the sample. For example, the sentence, "His memory was faint and his mind abided the room’s altering dimness." This sentence could have been as follows. "His memory was faint, and his mind abided the room’s altering dimness."
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 2:00 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
I was not tempted by the title or the cover. I would not have chosen a book that looked like it dealt with witches. The blurb stated that it was science fantasy meets magic, which further convinced me to skip this book. Even though the OBC review gave it four out of four and said it had few errors, I was not interested in reading it. There was a missing article error at 31%, " . . . like
[ ] child waiting for his father. . ." I did not like the tension-building, repetitive sentence structures at the beginning of the book, but I did like it when it ended with Phiamon saying, "It seems you're not human anymore, Ildarachi." I am not going to finish reading the book because it is not a genre that I enjoy. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 10:15 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The story focuses on the perilous journey of seven brave people chosen to save the world of Systralas from Xyl’thos, an ancient green dragon. I do not read novels containing supernatural elements, so I would not have read the book based on the cover, title, blurb, and genre. The OBC review was informative but did not convince me to read the entire book. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind, either. I enjoyed the descriptive writing style, and the dialogues were quite realistic. I did not feel invested in the story, though. I would also recommend another round of editing; I did not like that the book had editing issues. For example, it should be written "searched" instead of "searche" in the following sentence: "Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow." (page 4) It should be written "like a child" in the following sentence: "Ildarachi simply sat motionless, awaiting his old master’s arrival with solemn glee, like child waiting for his father to return home." (Page 6) I noticed no editorial reviews, but the book had positive customer reviews. Therefore, it sounds like an exciting read for fans of action-packed fantasy novels.
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 5:01 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Pauline Parnell
I still would have read this book even if I hadn't been a part of this program. The blurb and title both catch my attention a lot. I would definitely buy and finish reading the entire book after reading the first ten pages. My favorite fantasy subgenres are magical. I didn't find any errors. I adored how the author used his amazing capacity to captivate the reader with his superb descriptive abilities. I feel as though I am in the exact same place and time. Suzette, a youthful guardian warrior, should be recognized with a new name, in my opinion. A name that accurately describes her amazing, combat-honed abilities. The OBC evaluation was excellent. It helped me make a decision.
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 4:22 am by Pauline Parnell.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vidhi Adhikari
The book makes a good first impression with its attractive cover design, detailed description, catchy title and multiple customer and OBC reviews. Since the book is a fantasy fiction with assassination, I was excited to read the sample. The OBC review spoke about the book's imagery inducing writing style, which further piqued my interest. Sadly, since the book was not available for purchase on Amazon in India, and neither did it offer a free sample or a look-inside feature, I won't be able to buy and read it, or offer any constructive criticism about its content.
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 3:29 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, OnlineBookClub review, or other reviews because I'm not a big fan of science-fiction/fantasy novels. I also prefer stand-alone books to series. After reading the first ten pages, I will not read the whole book because it failed to draw me in. I didn't really understand the importance of what Jason did or how his world works. I also didn't like the character list in the beginning. Every time I see a character list, I always assume that the book will be overly complicated. My favorite part of what I read was the imagery. Even though I wasn't able to immerse myself in the plot, I was able to clearly imagine what was going on, even before Jason regained his memories. I don't think the book needs improvement. On page 4, there's a missing space before the start of a sentence ("... the tortured old man appeared vaguely familiar.It was not until he looked down...").
First Ten review added on March 17, 2023, at 12:33 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Anna_Hernandez
Had I not been part of this program, I would have sampled this book based on its title, title font, and cover image. I enjoy sci-fi books, particularly those that involve mystical forces, and the cover elements convey everything I love about the genre. After reading the first ten pages, I am determined to finish the book. The writing style truly allows the reader's imagination to run wild with the descriptions of the main objects in the room to help build a vivid scene. Plus, the emotions of the characters are skillfully used to guide the reader through the mystery. I found a couple of errors: 1) "Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche(d) deeper within the shadow." 2) "...like (a) child waiting for his father to return home." The meticulous attention to detail to set the scene and mood was fantastic; you knew it was mystical before the wizard was even introduced, particularly when describing the rune on the floor. The only thing I would do is another edit to perfect the book. The official featured review of Ethereal Ascendant by Luke DeSalvo on OBC affected my decision to complete the book. The review even comments on the amount of detail contained throughout the whole book, not just the first few chapters. This aspect sold me on finishing the book.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 11:56 pm by Anna_Hernandez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Stephanie Runyon
I like fantasy stories with well-developed characters. I would have sampled this book. The story is extremely detailed in describing the surroundings. Zeno's death was an act of suicide, which leaves me wondering if Suzette was deserving of the win since she did not deal the final strike. I noted some minor errors. Beyond editing, I have no suggestions for improvement. The OBC review did not influence me to keep reading. I did not read anything online to alter my decision. The BOTD was fascinating with its blend of supernatural power combined with the technology of a science-fiction story. I am interested in learning about all seven characters and seeing how they progress in the story.
Error: Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another's presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow.
Correction:
Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another's presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searched deeper within the shadow.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 11:30 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ekta Kumari
The fantasy fiction is based on an imaginative tale about Systralas, a world that has to be freed from evil. And the responsibility lies in the hands of seven heroes who are prophesied to bring forth a new season of life and peace. The author conjoins technology and magic in a plot that boasts of extreme versatility with different mystical creatures as a part of the narrative. I wouldn't have sampled the book based on its genre and the blurb because I don't find the themes of fantasy engaging enough. The cover page is eye-catching, but it didn't grab my attention in particular. The book starts off with Jason Ildarachi having to face remorse for his acts (which we come to know were performed under the influence of a dark entity) and getting exiled from the "Silver Aura". The thing I liked the most was the detailed character building with an intimate background story. I also noticed the author's prowess at storytelling. The part I read was engaging, with some pulsating moments that are sure to excite the lovers of fantasy fiction. While I would rate the book as professionally edited due to very few errors and the correct use of punctuation in almost all the sentences, I would still like to point out a misspelled word in the following sentence: "Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another’s presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow." The word 'searche' should be 'searched'. This can easily be a formatting error. There's nothing I would suggest for improvement. But the author must eliminate any small errors that are left. I saw a useful official OBC review, but that didn't influence my decision to not read the whole book. I'm not going to read it because of the lack of enthusiasm I have for fantasy themes related to dragons and other-worldly creatures.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 11:03 pm by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Following my going over the book’s Amazon page and official OnlineBookClub review, I decided not to purchase the fantasy novel. I am not fascinated by how Systralas works given the fact that different kinds of beings such as humans, trolls, elves, fairies, and other mystical creatures exist in that world. I am not intrigued by how the Chosen Seven plans to bring forth a long period of peace called the "Seventh Season". I am not interested in finding out how Malifer, a bad demon, would help the Chosen Seven combat deadly foes while they were going through a vile forest. Poring over its Amazon sample failed to change my mind. I would not purchase it because nothing in the text convinced me I would enjoy reading the rest of the book. The first ten pages contain a list of characters, Chapter 1, and some pages of Chapter 2. My favorite part is when Ildarachi recognized that the intruder is the guild master himself. I observed one error in the text:
1 — “…Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow.” — The word “searche” should have been “searched”.
Since I only noted one error in the text, I believe the book is professionally edited. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 9:17 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shanesha Sammerson
The Amazon summary and OBC review sounded interesting, but not enough to make me want to read them. The title and cover are very alluring and inviting. I would not buy it after reading the first 10 pages. I found the beginning of the story with the dream a bit confusing, and I had to reread it. The storyline did not catch my attention. I enjoyed the part where Jason awoke from the dream and found Phiamon approaching him, unsure of what was to happen next. There is nothing I dislike or would change.
I found one error: "searche deeper within"
pg 4 search or searched.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 9:04 pm by Shanesha Sammerson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
"Ethereal Ascendant" is a book written by Luke DeSalvo. Jason Ildarachi was a high summoner. Possessed by a dark spirit, he killed a lot of people. Consequently, he was exiled by Phiamon from Silver Aura. He was told to seek refuge in Golden Hearts. I like the fast-paced writing style. Also, Phiamon intrigued me. I found no errors. There is nothing in need of improvement. The OBC review and the reviews on Amazon are helpful. I would read this book based on the cover, title, genre, customer reviews, editorial reviews, and blurb as I like the premise. I will continue reading the book as I want to know what happens in Systralas.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 8:24 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Olga Markova
But for the First Ten, I would have sampled this book because its cover, title, blurb, genre, and editorial and customer reviews suggest that it is a book about mystery, sci-fi, and magic, and I love both fantasy and sci-fi. Sampling the first ten pages, I liked the dramatic magical setting but I found the pace too slow for me with the first chapter only introducing Jason, Aurora, and Phiamon and telling about a fierce battle that got Jason unconscious and bedridden. I did not find errors and I have no suggestions for improvement because even though I did not like it, this is an epic style that other readers may love. The OBC review was very informative and almost swayed me to read this book. But my initial impression of the sample prevailed, and I will not read the rest of this book because I was unimpressed by the pace of the sample.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 6:49 pm by Olga Markova.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelsey Roy
I was initially intrigued by the cover and title of “Ethereal Ascendant.” These details indicate a fantasy or science fiction genre, which I enjoy reading. The blurb confirms the genre, and the OBC review discusses a variety of magical beings, such as elves, goddesses, and mages. These inclusions sound thrilling.
I found a couple of errors within the first ten pages. For example, a space is missing between these sentences, “then dawned on him that the tortured old man appeared vaguely familiar.It was not until he looked down at the magician attire when he noticed the ancient man’s silver embroidered robes matched his long and graceful beard.” I enjoyed the creativity of this story with the runes, magicians, feelings of the soul, and spells. I only dislike the errors. My recommendation for the author is more thorough editing. I would like to continue reading this book, though I would love to read a fully edited version more. I will finish this fun fantasy novel.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 5:41 pm by Kelsey Roy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Nemanja Jankovic
The book's cover is attractively designed, and it, like the title, reminds me of an adventure; based on these factors, I would choose to read the book. I read the Official OnlineBookClub review, the blurb, and the customer reviews, but they did not influence my decision. There were no editor reviews that I could find. I'm not going to read it because I'm not in the mood for sorcery fantasy right now. I only found one typo ("Silly," She snuffled. - she), so the book appears to have been professionally edited. I like how Jason Ildarachi's confusion and fear are described because it seems very authentic and realistic. Nothing in the book, in my opinion, needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 5:35 pm by Nemanja Jankovic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Amy Luman
I found no editorial reviews of this, but the customer reviews were mostly good. I found this too much of a fantasy for my tastes; the OBC reviewer said there were elves, fairies, and other mystical creatures, so I will not be finishing it. The cover reminded me of a fantasy, as did the title. When Ildarachi awakened in the room, he was sitting on the bed, and when the cloaked figure came in, Ildarachi searche deeper within the shadow of the man. It should be searched. I didn’t find anything in what I read to either like or dislike. I don’t want to change anything, though, because someone else might really like the book.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 5:16 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Smrithi Arun
I would not have sampled Ethereal Ascendant outside of this program for many reasons, a prominent one being the font style and color used for the title, which makes it almost illegible. After reading the OBC review and the description, I was unsure if I’d enjoy reading this book. I was also under the impression that it may be on similar lines with The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. The first ten pages were all about setting up. I was confused, for the most part, about what was actually happening. I couldn’t connect to the characters or the story. For these reasons, I won’t continue reading the book. I also found one error in the sample: "Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche [searched] deeper within the shadow."
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 5:02 pm by Smrithi Arun.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sushan Ekanayake
Ethereal Ascendant, authored by Luke DeSalvo, is a novel in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, which I thoroughly enjoy reading. The title and the cover page instantly drew my attention. The blurb revealed that the story revolves around seven champions chosen to usher in a new era of life in a fantastical realm known as Systralas. Even though I didn't come across any editorial reviews, the customer reviews were quite positive about the book. Based on these factors, I would have given this book a try even if I had not been part of this program.
Upon reading the first few pages, I was introduced to Jason, one of the seven protagonists, who experiences a peculiar vision. The narration was seamless, and I found myself captivated by the author's compelling opening. I resolved to read the rest of the book after delving into the initial ten pages.
I did not notice any errors or aspects that could be enhanced within the opening pages. I also came across the official OBC review, which praised the book and reinforced my decision to read it.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 2:19 pm by Sushan Ekanayake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Timothy Rucinski
From the cover and Official OBC Review, I didn't think this book was for me. I've overdosed on books and movies about magic and mayhem, and this one, although seemingly complex, rests in a genre in which I am not interested. I read no other reviews or blurbs. After reading the first ten pages, I won't continue. There isn't anything about the writing style that I disliked, just the genre. What I liked most was the description of the materials and functionality of Suzette's armor on pages 9 and 10. I enjoy this type of detail. My recommendation for improvement would be to have the book professionally edited. Clearly, it wasn't edited or proofread effectively. For example, on page 2 of the Kindle version, there is an unnecessary comma after "door" in the following sentence: "The light above was dizzying at first, but as his eyes adjusted further, he noticed that in the near distance, by a shattered, old, wooden door, leading into this room, lay two shadowy forms huddled." On page 4, the word "searched" is misspelled in the following sentence: "Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another's presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow." On page 7, the "T" is unnecessarily capitalized in the following sentence: "'It seems that you're not human anymore, Ildarachi,' The old man wheezed with piercing black eyes."
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 1:24 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Patty Allread
If I had not been part of the OBC program, I wouldn't have immediately sampled this book because I don't usually read sci-fi/fantasy. The Amazon blurb is full of names and places that I don't know because I haven't read the book, and it didn't appeal to me for that reason. However, the reader's reviews were quite good and genuinely enthusiastic. They made me more interested. Also, the cover art is beautiful, and the book title is slightly esoteric.
I sampled the book. There were aspects of the author's writing style that I loved and aspects that could be improved. I loved the style and choice of words in Chapter One because they conveyed a feeling of mystery, magic, and unreality. The chapter read like ancient literature from another universe. Chapter Two was written differently, more modern, and not at all dreamlike. The writing was fitting for the story of Suzette putting on her high-tech armor. It is unusual for a writing style to enhance the mood and feeling of the story this well. My dislike of the style is much more minor. Sometimes in Chapter One, the author went just a bit overboard, and the wording was awkward or melodramatic. For example, "Ildarachi's vision blurred, threatening to take him to the realm of the unconscious." Realm of the unconscious is awkward. (page 3) or.". . . "walls that were aligned with bookshelves. ." Lined would have been fine. (page 1). The entire sentence is a little awkward. This is minor and the writing smoothed out after page three. There was an error on page four, ". . .and instead searche deeper . . ." I will not buy and read this novel because I don't like to be thrown into an imaginary world full of unknown names of people and places and then wait to see what they are and what they mean, for instance, the quotes at the beginning of the chapters. Kudos to DeSalvo for creating such a complete picture by doing that, but it's not for me.
I read the official OBC review, which helped explain the story's premise. This is data I didn't find in the Amazon blurb. I'm sure the OBC review will help interest readers.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 1:14 pm by Patty Allread.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Joule Mwendwa
I sampled this book because I was intrigued by the cover page. It hints at some kind of war in the book, which I enjoy. I will buy this book because I want to learn more about Phiamon and Ildarachi in the first ten pages. I didn't dislike anything in the bit I read; instead, I liked how it began on a high note. Also, the OBC review influenced my decision to sample this book because of its perfect 5/5 score.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 11:37 am by Joule Mwendwa.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover clearly conveys this is fantasy, and I'm not much of a fantasy reader. Once I read in the blurb that this was a "technology meets magic" kind of book, I decided not to read it. I don't really like either technology books or magic ones. The ratings are average, but I wouldn't have bought the book based on my first impressions.
The first ten pages didn't change my mind. There are some interesting images. For example, how Ildarachi felt his spine "somehow dismantled," or the description of the guild master as someone who "grew folklore itself." However, most of the ideas are too esoteric and abstract for what I consider a leisurely read. I have no idea what "searching and grasping for everything the universe had provided" means, for example. There are some minor editing mistakes. For example, the correct spacing in the following sentences "It then dawned on him that the tortured old man appeared vaguely familiar.It was not until he looked down at the magician attire when he noticed the ancient man's" (p. 5) or the use of "numbed" instead of the adjective "numb" in page 4. I suggest fixing the edition and expanding the blurb. The official OBC review didn't change my mind.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 10:52 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nisha DSouza
I was intrigued by the book's cover and title; however, the blurb did not interest me much. There were a few positive Amazon customer comments for the book. The official OBC review was very detailed, but I was confused by the numerous characters mentioned. After reading the sample, I was positive that I would not enjoy this book. The character list right at the beginning was overwhelming, and it felt like I was missing some background story. I think the author could have introduced characters gradually later. The book is a blend of magic and modern technology, which did not capture my interest. I would not buy this book. I found many grammatical errors in the first ten pages. I have mentioned two of those errors below.
Page 3 of 394
Error: He instead turned attention to the ethereal sense of the chamber that was hard to deny as its own energy filled his nostrils and took him back to a sense of belonging.
Explanation: It should be ‘turned his attention’ instead of ‘turned attention’.
Page 4 of 262
Error: Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another’s presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow.
Explanation: Despite the sense of alarm(,) both felt in one another’s presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche(searched) deeper within the shadow.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 10:18 am by Nisha DSouza.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mayang Bature
I enjoyed how descriptive this book was. Very little was left to the imagination. The book began with an intriguing story. Anyone who wakes up in a cell with no memory will be curious as to why. If I hadn't been in this program, I would have chosen this book to read. The cover page and official OBC review led me to believe it was packed with action. However, after reading the sample, I found the mystery to be overly predictable. This aspect of the book did not appeal to me because it did not keep me as intrigued as I had hoped. While reading, I discovered some errors, including the incorrect spelling "shoule" instead of "should." I'm not going to read the rest of this book because the mystery doesn't interest me.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 10:05 am by Mayang Bature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
After seeing its mystical cover and title, I was excited about this book because I enjoy reading fantasy and science-fiction books. The blurb, customer reviews, lack of editorial reviews, and the OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision not to read this book. The first ten pages flowed too slowly for this type of book, and I quickly lost interest. However, I was curious about how an ordinary child who played with magic became the legendary Phiamon and why did Jason murder his friends. I did like that Suzette is portrayed as a strong elite warrior character. Unfortunately, it moved too slowly for my taste. I recommend the author increase the pace in the first few pages and have a professional editor edit the book. There is a misspelled word on Page 4: “Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another’s presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow.” It should be “Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another’s presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searched deeper within the shadow.” As stated above, I will not finish reading the rest of the free book because the plot is too slow.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 9:45 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
SweetSourSalty AndSpicy
The cover and title suggest fantasy, while the blurb says science fiction and fantasy. I enjoy science fiction, but I am more interested in the technological aspects. Based on the description and the positive customer feedback, it appears that the book is more focused on the fantasy genre. As a result, I'll skip this outside of the program. What I liked about the sample was the list of characters at the beginning of the book. It gives an idea of who the main characters are in the story. It is also useful for remembering the characters because they are of different races. The sample, however, verified my early guess that it is more focused on fantasy and magic. In addition, the story appears to begin slowly. I prefer a quicker pace, so I'm skipping this one. I have no recommendations for improvement. For editing, I noticed an issue.
Page 4. Spelling. "Searche" appears to be a misspelling.
Despite the sense of alarm both felt in one another’s presence, Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow.
The official OnlineBookClub review provides balanced feedback, which I appreciate.
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 9:30 am by SweetSourSalty AndSpicy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chinazo Anozie
I was interested in this book from the title, cover, description, genre, customer reviews, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I was immersed in the story, starting from when Jason awoke with slight amnesia before he remembered that he had summoned Malifer, who now possessed him and led him to do horrible acts. I also can’t wait to find out how Jason and Aurora’s paths will cross with Suzette’s. I’ll buy and read this book. An area of improvement is that the book will benefit from another round of editing because I noticed an error in chapter one. An excerpt is as follows: “Ildarachi brushed off the first impression and instead searche deeper within the shadow.” (‘searche’ should be ‘searched’).
First Ten review added on March 16, 2023, at 7:46 am by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 26%
Ethereal Ascendant earned a score of 26%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 26% 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.
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