The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Tales from the Gray Area
Because Tales from the Gray Area 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.
Ekta Kumari
The book is a collection of seven novellas with intriguing storylines and eccentric characters. I wouldn't have read the book based on its blurb as it didn't grab my attention right away. Though, I did enjoy reading the sample and the details the author has crafted to build the narrative of the stories. The thing I liked the most is the characterization. Every character has their own unique voice and stand strong in their part. I didn't find any grammatical errors and would rate the book as professionally edited. I saw an official OBC review and that helped understand the themes a bit more. However, based on the OBC official review and my understanding of the book, I've decided to not read the whole book as I'm not much into the themes dealt within the novellas. I wouldn't recommend anything for improvements.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 6:00 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
The title is not that exciting, but the cover carries an air of mystery that intrigues me. The blurb mentions that the seven tales in the book were inspired by Twilight Zone, a personal favorite. I would have sampled the book outside the program. I read more than 20 pages of the book and had to force myself to stop. The first story was a winner from page 1: great action and wonderfully realistic characters. I am itching to read the rest of the book. I found no errors in the part I read, and I have no suggestions for improvement. I was not surprised that the official OBC reviewer gave the book the perfect rating, but I did not need the review to convince me to read the book. And wonder of wonders, the book is also free! What a lucky day!
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 4:58 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Eunice Geres
I wouldn't have read the sample of this book if it weren't on BOTD because it doesn't seem like one I would enjoy. The official book review mentioned things I think I would enjoy, though. The novellas seem unique and interesting. After reading the sample, I did not long to read for more. So, I will not continue reading the book, as I think I'm not too interested. The narration is a little bit slow because the author focuses on describing the scene itself. It makes for a great immersion, but I only read fast-paced stories. The conversations are written well. It doesn't feel forced. Though, I'm a bit irked by all the stops in Priya's lines. Everyone seemed to like cutting off whatever Priya was going to say. All in all, I was bored throughout the sample, but I didn't mind reading it as the author has okay writing. I also don't have any recommendations, as I think the book was already good if given to an interested reader. I also didn't notice any grammatical mistakes.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 4:58 am by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
I wouldn't have read this book outside the First Ten program. This is because I couldn't connect with either its cover page or title. The OBC blurb then dissuaded me from reading this book as it suggested that this is a sci-fi novel, a genre I am not interested in. From the pages I sampled, I liked that this novel was quick to action. The reader is immediately invited to a battlefield, with soldiers opening fire. The book contains some missed commas to offset the introductory phrases. While those can be subjective, I flagged an objective error (Two soldiers were now also positioned on the hilltop well above the cave,[unnecessary comma] to provide the ongoing excavation with additional, temporary protection.) I, therefore, presume the book wasn't exceptionally edited. Having read the OBC review, I will not buy this novel due to its sci-fi genre. I also felt the rating provided on the book's cover page is best suited within the book - before the table of contents, maybe.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 4:56 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stellah Chege
I may not have read this book based on the cover page and title. This is because the book appears mystical. After reading the OBC review and sampling the first ten pages, I got convinced that it's not my cup of tea. There was nothing appealing to me in the first ten pages and I will not be buying this book. The book has a blurb, and most customer reviews indicate that this is a good book. My decision has nothing to do with the book's quality, it is a matter of personal preference. I loved the author's ambition in the prologue of writing standalone stories that could one day be running TV series, and I wish him all the best. I found a number of errors and I believe it is not professionally edited.(Minutes later[,there should be a comma here] the sunrise escaped the confinement of the hills, and the rebel commander signaled his men to begin their advance upward to join him.) I have no suggestions for improvement so far. I will not buy or read this book.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 4:56 am by Stellah Chege.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
I sampled this book as being a part of this program, and I based my sampling on the Amazon and OBC reviews. Why? I want to gain more knowledge about the book's contents, the plot, and the way the tale is being told. Since the book is free, I already have it and will read it in my spare time. It contains thrilling stories, such as the children born with unusual birthmarks. I didn't notice any errors, so I assume this book was professionally edited. I learned in the OBC review that the book is composed of different short stories, which is a bit interesting to me. In the bit I read, I don't understand the scenario of the rebels and the British Armies. For improvements, I recommend modifying the cover photo. Lastly, the OBC review affected my decision because it gave me valuable insights about the book.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 4:54 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The genre and the premise were right up my alley. Based on the official OBC review and other published reviews, I would have read this book. I failed to find any errors in the first ten pages. The author disclosed his motivations behind writing this anthology and how it differed from other anthologies. In the first story, a group of rebel soldiers targetted a British archeological camp in Punjab, India. I liked the suspense the story brought from the beginning. I had no suggestions for improvement, either. I have already read and thoroughly enjoyed this book.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 4:44 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title "Tales from the gray area" indicates that this is a story book. The cover is attractive and makes me think about sampling the book. There are thirty-two Amazon customer ratings, which is a sufficient number for me to decide to sample the book. The Amazon summary states that the book contains short stories. As I am generally interested in short stories and since I liked the cover, I would have sampled the book even if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the first story "Reincarnated" in which a rebel commander is leading his troops. As I am interested in reading short stories, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. What I liked most about the book is that it is a short stories book. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found forty-nine OBC reviews of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 4:30 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Dzejn_Crvena
The cover looks very mysterious and intriguing, so I'd have sampled this book outside this program. The OBC review and the sample convinced me to read it when I learned that it's a collection of novellas with unique characters. The book was inspired by The Twilight Zone. The first story is about the strange symbols on the neck of some newborn children. I'd love to know more about how these mysteries will be unraveled as I read through the book. I like the engaging writing style that adds to the thrilling tales. The book seems professionally edited, so I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 3:47 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sou Hi
Even without this program, I would have sampled this. The ratings on Amazon, the official review from OnlineBookClub, and the blurb look fine. The genre is also my cup of tea.
I like the mysterious and supernatural themes. However, the plot is too long-winded for a novella. The whole sample is mostly used to introduce the first story's huge cast, and not much of the content is revealed. I'm not interested in reading the rest of the book, so I won't buy this book. The OBC review gave me the motivation to sample the book, but I made my decision after reading the sample. I also think another round of proofreading is needed.
Error example: A midwife emerged with a baby boy, and held it up to a sky streaked with the yellow shafts of a rising sun. -> I think the comma is not needed.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 3:32 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
This book has a cool cover and title. After reading some reviews, this is a book I would pick to read. I read the sample pages and was invested after the first few pages. I like that the author starts off the first story with an attack on an archeological dig site. I saw no editing errors, so this book seems professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvement. This seems like an exciting and creepy collection of stories. I did not see an official OnlineBookClub review, but that doesn’t not dissuade me from wanting to read it. I will definitely buy and finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 1:19 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mary WhiteFace
Based on the cover and title I would not have been interested in reading this book, if it was not in the First Ten program. I don't usually enjoy short stories no matter what the topic might be. I like to really immerse myself in the narrative and that usually takes a little time. I did not read the Amazon customer reviews, but after reading the OnlineBookClub review I found myself curious and eager to at least sample what the book had to offer. After reading the first ten pages I happily found that my initial impression was wrong.
The book seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements. My favorite part was when multiple babies around the world were born with birthmarks on their necks clearly resembling markings on a tablet fragment found by archaeologists eighty-three years earlier. The author did such an excellent job of describing each instance that I could almost feel the excitement of each person as the marks were revealed. I am looking forward to finding out what happens when all the marks are brought together and interpreted. I will be reading the whole book.
First Ten review added on July 18, 2022, at 12:22 am by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Owuamanam Eberechukwu
The book consists of short stories. The first ten pages present the story of a British archaeological team and a British army excavating in a rural Indian village. When the rebels from the village attacked the excavation site, the Britons were saved only by their sporadic shooting with a machine gun. The beginning pages have a linear plot development and I like it. Based on the pages I read, I have no recommendation for the author. The pages I read were exceptionally well edited. The cover page and title are great. I might buy and read the book if it’s based on them. I will not buy and read the book as it does not fall into the category of my current reading interest. These are my personal thoughts and were not influenced by reviews, comments, or blurbs on OBC or not.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 11:50 pm by Owuamanam Eberechukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sonya Nicolaidis
At first glance, I was quite intrigued by the title and cover design of this book. It was also the sub-title that captured my attention. Upon reading the Amazon blurb, I realized that this author received his inspiration from the Twilight Zone series and this pleased me even more, as I am a big fan. I love short stories as a rule, and stories with a twist are a favorite of mine. The OBC reviewer commented on how well arranged these stories were, so all these aspects made for a very favorable impression of this book. Upon reading, I was impressed by how mature the writing was, and also how the descriptions were expertly handled in the narrative. The first story about the curious birthmarks sparked my interest and gave me a sample of what the book would be like. There wasn’t anything I disliked about the sample, especially since there were no errors. This suggests a professional edit. All in all, this is a fantastic effort from this author and I really look forward to reading the whole thing. I cannot suggest anything that would improve this book - it really is that good.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 11:31 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gabrielle Sigaki
Tales from the Gray Area by Curtis Stephen Burdick is a fiction book that contains seven different novellas, each one of them brings a unique story involving fantasy/sci-fi and reality. They bring monsters, fallen angels, aliens, and even magic. If I didn't sample this book, I would read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review, its customer reviews, its genre, and its blurb since I enjoy novellas and short stories, but also because it reminded me of some sci-fi books from Philip K. Dick that also blend reality with fantasy. The book's cover and title didn't affect my decision. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I will read the entire book because of the reasons I stated before. In fact, my favorite aspect was how the author brought daily situations or disagreements and mixed them with the supernatural. For example, at the same time that we learn about some mysterious symbols in people's necks, we also see the development of the characters, how they deal with each other and how the relationships flow. Besides, the book seems professionally edited, I think there's nothing to be improved in it since I didn't find defects in it.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 11:22 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover and title convey mystery and suspense and are appealing, but they don't suggest science fiction and fantasy elements. However, I think that some interested readers could be attracted to this book. In general, I'm not a fan of science fiction or fantasy. The blurb comments that the book comprises seven stories that fit within the field of imagination known as "The Gray Area." It also suggests that if you've enjoyed the "Twilight Zone" in its various incarnations you'll enjoy the stories in this book. Most of the customer reviews are favorable. Based on these comments, I am uninclined to try this book. The first ten pages are part of the first story titled "Reincarnated." I liked the beginning of the story, in which the group of Punjabi rebels faced a British military encampment that protected an expedition of archaeologists. They were trying to find some inscribed "tablets." Next, the story jumped to a recent year and focused on the strange birthmark with which many babies in the world were born. Without a doubt, these birthmarks represent a great mystery since they must mean something and are written in an undeciphered ancient language. The expectation is raised as to whether Dr. Priya Patel, Professor Winston Yeats, and Professor Linus Crater will be able to unravel the mystery. What I read was entertaining, but it did not completely capture me since I am not a fan of this type of plot. The official OnlineBookClub review indicates that the novels that make up the book mix reality, fantasy, suspense, and mystery. They include supernatural beings, magical powers, UFOs, aliens, and monsters. Also, the characters in each novel have distinctive personality traits. The editing looks remarkable since I did not see any detail to comment on. Overall, I didn't see anything that I believe could be improved. In short, I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 10:08 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Tales from the Gray Area hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would have checked the book out anyway because I recognized the author's name on the book cover. As I knew who the author was before I read the description and customer reviews, I did not need either one in order to read the sample. I like the idea of strange symbols on the babies being born; there is an underlying message of unity involved with this storyline. The two doctors who were having a conversation about this weird phenomenon have a close relationship, which I enjoyed reading about. I did not find any grammatical errors, and there is nothing I disliked or feel needs improvement. I was really confused about the story, so I read the official OnlineBookClub review for this title. As it turns out, this book has many different themes in it. One of the stories has violence in it, which is what made me make the decision to skip the book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 9:47 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
The cover of this book is average, but the title did make me want to find out more. After reading the description on Amazon, I would not have sampled this book because I still did not have an idea about the plot. The first few pages were well edited. I thought the whole idea of the birthmark on various babies was cool, but it was unfortunate that some thought it was the mark of the devil. The official OBC review was positive and I was glad to get more details about the plot. The customer reviews and comments were also positive. The sample actually had me hooked and I found myself not wanting to stop reading. So, of course I will be finishing this book. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 7:45 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover, title, editorial reviews and customer reviews. I don’t usually read science-fiction or fantasy books, and this one didn’t seem to be for me. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. The first story didn’t draw me in. It described the British Expedition site and then it went into the attack. Once gunfire started, I knew it wasn’t my type of story. The book did seem to be professionally edited, which I liked. I also liked the foreword. I enjoyed reading about the author’s inspiration. There wasn’t anything specific that needs improvement. It just isn’t my type of book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 6:36 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
I'm not a huge fan of reading short stories or novellas. I always feel they are left unfinished. The only thing that caught my attention about this book was its weirdness. I think that the unique thing about this book is that many readers will appreciate how weird the storylines are and how special the characters are. I already know to whom I recommend this book. After reading the sample, I haven't changed my mind. In the first novella, there is a hacking storyline with very funny characters. But I don't like open endings. The storyline is like nothing I've read in a while. I'm not a big sci-fi reader anyway. I didn't notice any errors. The cover could be more impactful, but overall I wouldn't change anything about the book. There is a helpful Official OnlineBookClub review of this book and many informative Amazon reviews.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 4:54 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Achiever Tandoh
The cover page did not draw my attention and the title did not seem like a book I’d love because the title is a figure of speech, which meant I’d have to open the book before understanding what the book is about. I like to have an idea of what a book is about before reading it. So had it not been for the ‘first ten’, I wouldn’t have read the book. The official review on OBC, by Aniza Butt, made me very interested in the book. The novella ‘Vacation from Hell’ about fallen angels, in the review, sparked my interest to read the book. I also read other reviews on OBC and I was convinced that the book was one I’d love. After reading the first ten pages, I was not disappointed. I loved the writer’s style of writing which was vivid and easy to understand. I found no grammar errors and I found the first novella ‘Reincarnated’ very interesting. The storyline ans character creation are good. I suggest that the cover page be changed as it is not very attractive and to me, it looks unprofessionally designed.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 4:16 pm by Achiever Tandoh.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kirsi Cultrera
I did not like the cover picture of this book, but the title was intriguing. I also found the blurb intriguing; when “The Twilight Zone” was mentioned, I knew I had to take a closer look. In addition, the customer reviews were rather praising. I think I would have sampled this book even without the First Ten. The sample pages captured my attention; especially the babies with similar birthmarks got me curious. However, I thought that all the jumping from time and place to another within just a few pages would have worked better in a movie; I found it challenging to keep up on the pages of a book. Other than that, I liked the author’s capturing style that raised expectations. I did not find errors from this book; it seems to be edited professionally. The Official OnlineBookClub review was also praising, and it confirmed that I want to read this book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 3:47 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gen_g
I think, just based on the cover and title alone, it is quite clear that the book belongs to the fantasy genre, with some thriller elements. I am not looking for books in this genre, so I would not have sampled it. Of course, as a result of BOTD, I have come across a positive official OBC review of the book. Nonetheless, given the genre mismatch, my decision regarding sampling remains unchanged. I would also like to point out that the cover should be redesigned to look more professional. Currently, I think that the word "the" in the title is too dark, which blends in too well with the background colour, i.e., one cannot really see the word "the". Additionally, at the bottom part of the cover, there are a few sentences that praise the book, and whilst this is a common sight, the fonts and colours chosen do not match the general design theme of the cover. Hence, I suggest hiring a professional illustrator to rework the cover. Unfortunately, I have also found a couple of errors, which indicates that more rigorous editing needs to be done (as I expect published works to be totally error-free). To elaborate, at 0%, there is an instance of erroneous comma usage: "...in greater depth, and delve deeper into...". The comma, in the aforementioned case, is wrongly inserted because commas should not be inserted before the conjunction "and" when a dependent phrase comes after the word "and". Next, whilst I appreciate the introduction, where the author states his hopes for the book. Burdick wishes that the book will be able to capture the reader's attention, as he has explored themes relating to the concept of the gray area; additionally, he also wishes that his stories all have the potential to continue long after the story has ended. This helps readers to better relate to the content. However, at the same time, I wish that the introduction went into deeper detail about certain concepts, e.g. when the author says that his book pays homage to classic anthology series, I wish he was more specific about what he is referring to when he mentions "classic anthology series". I think there is still a lot of room for improvement, so I will not be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 12:36 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
I would not have sampled this book based on cover without the program of the first ten because it was not appealing to me. I read the OBC official review of this book to learn more about the stories. The OBC official review inspired me to read the free sample of this book by giving me more insights. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book was not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "We struggled to get through the day and then at nightfall, all hell broke loose and I certainly wanted nothing to do with that." The sentence could be as follows. "We struggled to get through the day, and then at nightfall, all hell broke loose, and I certainly wanted nothing to do with that." In this sample, I liked the archaeological team leader's dedication to his duties of finding the ancient tablets from the site despite the danger of attack by a militant group. From the sample, I learned that the first story was set in the Punjab province of India. I lost interest in reading because of the usage of unusual sentences with unusual irony that was hard to grasp. My suggestion to the author is to go for a round of professional editing and use a simple writing style. Considering all the aspects of this book, I decided not to purchase and read it today until the author makes it easier to read.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 11:18 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Carson25
I've read the book's sample chapter that I downloaded from Amazon. It appears to be an enjoyable read. If I had been given the opportunity to rate the first section, which I read, I would have given it a perfect score. This book contains seven short stories, all of which seem to be captivating. The book's opening demonstrates the author's experience as a writer. The writing was excellent. I was able to see a few other books by the author of this book in the same sample. I didn't dislike any aspect of this book at all. The sample was a little too long because it covered more than 40% of the book. I did, however, read only the first ten pages because I had to. The book's organization into short stories was the element I loved the most. It is readable as a result. Since I don't enjoy reading fiction books, I won't purchase and finish this one. The sample I read was error-free. It appears to have undergone expert editing. This fictional novel seems well-written, entertaining, and engaging. There is nothing that needs to be improved. To fans of fiction literature, I would suggest this book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 10:09 am by Carson25.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Peace10
Tales from the Gray Area, by Curtis Stephen Burdick, is a novel consisting of different novellas (according to a review). If not for this program, I’m sure I wouldn’t have read it. The cover and title do not give the impression that there’s anything special about it. I would have seen it as an ordinary book I just chose to ignore (no negative feelings involved. I’ve actually bought the book from kindle. I’ll love to read it someday too. The novella I read (which is the first ten pages) talks about a birthmark that needs to be interpreted. I’ll like to know the meaning.
I didn’t find any errors in the part I read. I love the creative mind of the author. From the review I read, it says that there are seven different novellas in this book. That’s quite impressive. There's nothing I dislike. It’s all good.
I read an OBC review of it first. It was helpful in my decision that this would be worth the time and effort.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 9:59 am by Peace10.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
BruceP
This book belongs to the fiction genre. I was certain this was a great book even before I read the glowing reviews that readers gave it at the beginning. The first tale in this provocative book is titled "Reincarnated." It is one of the seven stories that make up the book. I had the chance to read this book's first few pages, and I felt it was a wonderful novel, especially for fans of fiction. The first tale opens with a vivid description of northern Punjab's verdant Indus Valley in India. The writing style was outstanding, and in the first ten pages, this future was what I enjoyed most. I felt the cover was stunning as well. I've always loved fiction books, so this will drive me to search for it, buy it, and complete it. Nothing about it bothered me in any way. This is because the book seems well-written and engaging. I deduced that this sample was painstakingly edited because there were no errors in it. I recommend it to those readers who enjoy fiction books.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 9:20 am by BruceP.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Diana Lowery
The cover and the title give off a spooky vibe, which I did not like. I would not have chosen this book. I noticed that the Amazon blurb mentioned the Online Book Club. I also noticed that there were errors in the blurb, which I did not like. The OBC review mentioned fantasy and mild horror, which convinced me to not read the book. I liked the honest foreword by the author as he described his reasons for writing the book. I liked the descriptive writing style, but I did not like that there was no immediate connection with a protagonist. I am not going to finish reading the book because it is not a genre that I enjoy.I did not see any errors.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 9:16 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
KafeliKe
Tales from the Gray Area, written by Curtis Stephen Burdick, sounds like a compelling book. As I read the sample, I saw that there were seven different tales. The stories contain separate characters and narratives but have the same origin, according to reviews. The first tale, "Reincarnated," was entertaining and lighthearted. I loved it. In the first few chapters of the novel, the action-packed plot was the element I liked the least. I only read the first ten pages, but they were fascinating. I didn't find anything in the first ten pages that I didn't like. In addition, I discovered no errors in the first ten pages. This is a clear indication that it was professionally edited. Numerous favorable reviews of the book can be found on Amazon and other websites, and they provide insight into its main themes. Nothing in the book seems to need to be improved; it appears to be fine. Because I don't like reading fiction, I won't purchase and finish this book. I will, however, suggest it to anybody who enjoys fiction.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 8:05 am by KafeliKe.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
I was initially drawn to this book because the cover is interesting. The contrast of dark and light in the predominantly black cover made me think it was a mystery. It seems to be more fantasy than the cover suggests, but the blurb and reviews that I read did describe it well. What I liked best about it was the way the action scenes were carried out. The pace was fairly fast. I don’t intend to read the whole book because it is a bit on the dark side and the gruesome side for me, although I know that the book will appeal to fans of that type of work. It seems error-free, and I thought it was professionally edited. The Online Book Club review that I read gave it a 4 out of 4 star rating. Readers will appreciate that it is well written.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 7:20 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Andrada Madalina
"Tales from the Gray Area" by Curtis Stephen Burdick is a sci-fi that presents seven novellas that defy reality. I did not find the book cover and title appealing due to their simplicity. I sampled it because of its positive editorial reviews illustrated in the blurb and customer reviews. Also, its Official OnlineBookClub review made me curious about the characterization and vivid descriptions. The book seems exceptionally well edited because I discovered no single error while reading its first ten pages. I would not improve anything on the plot because I liked the blend of mystery and fantasy. I liked most the idea of the babies born on the same day with birthmarks representing symbols of an undeciphered language from the first novella. Nevertheless, I will not read the whole book because I am not a fan of supernatural mysticism and horror scenes.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 6:38 am by Andrada Madalina.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabriella H
I thought this would be a book about shocking real-life stories from people about unpleasant things based on the cover and title. I was pleasantly surprised by the OBC official review. It provided me with enough insight and sparked my interest in this book. I'd like to see what Dr. Yeats, Crater, and Priya discover about the mysterious signs appearing on newborns. The part I liked most so far was the introduction of Crater toward the end of the first ten pages because the descriptions made it easy to picture the scene. I will be completing this book because the OBC official review has made me expectant. This decision wasn't influenced by the blurb, editorial review, or customer reviews. I didn't see any errors in the first ten pages. I believe this book has been professionally edited, and I have no suggestions for improvements. If I weren't a part of this program, I probably wouldn't have sampled this book because the cover is quite unappealing, although it fits the title.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 5:25 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rita Nuncia
Tales from the Gray Area by Curtis The Burdick Collection is a collection of seven novellas in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, crime, mystery, and horror.
The book began with a preface where the author referred to the series "The Twilight Zone". He stated that he had noticed that some, if not most, of the novellas were inspired by that series. He also mentioned that the novellas, although short, have the potential to become a series.
The novellas began with Reincarnation as the first. In the first ten pages of the book, we get to see some parts of the first novella. It tells the story of some babies born on May 7, 2006, who were born with the same symbol on the same spot of their neck. This symbol is the same symbol that was found on a tablet at an archaeological site eighty-three years before the birth of the babies. Being a big fan of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery, I was very excited after reading the review of this book. I would have read it without the First Ten program being the reason. After reading the first ten pages of this book, I am happy to know that I was not mistaken. The few pages that I have read are so interesting, captivating, and suspenseful. Therefore, I would love to buy and read the whole book. This book seems professionally edited as I did not notice any grammatical or typographical errors while reading the first ten pages of the book. I really like how the author started this book. It made it captivating from the beginning, and as the book progressed, it increased the suspense. I do not see anything that needs to be improved, just as I did not see anything wrong with the book. I read an OnlineBookClub official review and it convinced me of how interesting the book is.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 5:16 am by Rita Nuncia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rosemary Owolabi
First of all, I am glad that the book is free on Amazon. I knew I was interested in this book when I noticed that I kept reading it even when I was done with the first ten pages. I simply find the storyline interesting because it fits perfectly into my kind of book genre. I couldn't resist the charm in Curtis' style of writing. It was mind-blowing for me. In all honesty, I can't wait to read it to the end. I seemed to have quickly approved this book as a wonderful book because the more I read, the more impressed I got. I couldn't just stop reading it until it was bedtime. And as I wake, the first thing that comes to my mind is to continue reading it.
I chose this book to read because the author promised readers seven stories that resembled the classic anthology series but would be more original and entertaining. And the book seems to have
strong characters with great dialogues.
The cover of the book looks lovely to me. The title looks nice. (It's just that the background picture seems to affect some of the texts, like the 'the' in the book title doesn't look as visible or clear as the rest of them). The name of the author is well placed. (But it doesn't look large enough. I had to zoom in, and even at that, it still needed some zooming. The name looks less visible next to the large title). I like the background picture and the choice of color. It gives the outlook of the cover an intriguing or mysterious look. The feeling of not knowing what to expect or what could be lurking in the dark. By looking at the cover and title, it seems to me that the book may be an action-thriller.
The book seemed to be professionally edited. I didn't notice any typos or errors after going through the first ten pages: cover, copyright, reviewers' comments, dedication, other works of the author, table of contents (seven novellas), tales, and foreword. But I did notice some formatting issues.
What I liked about the excerpt I read was that the reviewers praised the book; it was very encouraging. But when I began to read the book myself, I then understood why the book was hyped so much. The book seemed to be exactly as they had observed it to be. I liked how the storyline was catchy and got my attention almost immediately. I knew Curtis knew what he was talking about and couldn't wait to learn as much as I could from his vast experience and knowledge. I think he is an interesting and intelligent writer.
What could be improved would be the name of the author. It should be adjusted. The title could have another color that wouldn't blend too much with the background picture. The formatting issues also needed to be worked on.
The book, "Tales from the Gray Area," has an OnlineBookClub forum review that I noticed. But this didn't affect my decision.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 4:17 am by Rosemary Owolabi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would have read the book. The Amazon reviews did not affect my decision; the blurb itself is so interesting. I love watching The Twilight Zone and I love reading short stories so this is right up my alley. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. The first story "Reincarnated" did not connect much with me as I do not like military stories and it took me a while to get into; however, the story definitely grew on me and I really liked how intense the hostage situation scene was. The story was a little longer than I expected but I ended up enjoying it and there was nothing I would change as it was also professionally edited. Like the blurb mentioned, I would definitely recommend this to readers of short stories similar to The Twilight Zone, where there is social commentary about humanity and behavior.
The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 3:35 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ari Martinez
If it hadn't been for this program, I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, Official OnlineBookClub review, or other reviews because I usually don't like reading books full of short stories or novellas. I prefer longer books. I was also unsure I would like the novellas due to their themes (angels, aliens, etc.). After reading the first ten pages, I will continue to read the book because I think the author did a good job at recreating the feel of "The Twilight Zone," and I remember I liked that show the few times I watched it. My favorite part of what I read was the interaction between Priya and Dr. Yeats. The conversation felt pleasant to read, but it also added suspense. I don't think the book needs improvement, and it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 3:09 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vidhi Adhikari
Although the cover design could have been better, I liked the descriptive title and description speaking of the areas that defy reality as we know it. Since I like reading sci-fi novels, I was intrigued to read the book after going through the numerous positive customer and OBC reviews. The text had some missing commas, but nothing that would hamper my reading experience ('Hues of gray stretched across a horizon interrupted by the dim outline of irregular hilltops in contrast to the blackness of night {add comma} that signaled a sunrise would soon replace both.'). Other than that, the part about the gray area did not come soon enough in the story and so I shall not be finishing it. I did love the description of the busy expedition in the first chapter. However I would suggest starting the book with an exciting scene to better grab the attention of the reader.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 2:14 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jen Nghishitende
Babies born in various locations worldwide with the same birthmark at the same place are intriguing. However, as I did not see a blurb, editorial, and customer reviews, I would not have read or sampled this book based only on its cover, title and genre. These three aspects of the book do not appeal to me and would not have caused me to pull this book out and read it. Therefore, I would not have read or sampled this book without being part of this program. I will buy this book because these ten pages left me intrigued and curious about how the story develops, especially what those birthmarks mean. The book also seems professionally edited because I did not find any errors in the first ten pages. I liked that the author mentioned Namibia; this was a pleasant surprise for me as I am originally from Namibia. There is nothing I disliked, and there is nothing I would say needs improving. I also read the OBC review before deciding to sample this book, which gave a lot of context to the book and was very helpful in helping me decide to sample it.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 1:17 am by Jen Nghishitende.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ohna Martin
This book is already on my kindle app. I find it very intriguing and would have read it even if I was not part of this program. The cover looks amazing. I found nothing that I disliked. What I like is the author's writing style and the fact that I was intrigued before the first page ended, normally for me that is a big plus. No other reviews or blurps influenced this review and I normally like books from this genre. This review was based solely on the first ten pages of this book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 1:11 am by Ohna Martin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Stephanie Runyon
The cover and title have an ominous look. I would not have sampled this anthology because it looks to possibly contain paranormal or horror based stories. The forward given by the author is encouraging, as the stories can be developed further after reading them. The first chapter's mystery is intriguing with intense suspense when people are being murdered and robbed by Manjel's mercenaries. I think Crater was the most interesting of the characters with his intelligence exceeding his credentials. No errors were found, and the book appears professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvement. The OBC review did not influence me to continue reading. Nothing online swayed my choice. I would like to continue reading to see where the author's imagination wanders.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 1:08 am by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Hazel Arnaiz
The cover and title did not catch my eye. I suggest reconsidering the book cover for more visual impact. It seems to have more text in relation to the image. Consider the composition and layout. The blurb mentions a collection of stories that has a Twilight Zone vibe. This will make me sample the book outside the program. Feedbacks from customers are enthusiastic. I sampled the first story and liked that it piques curiosity and encourages more imaginative speculation. I find it intriguing enough to get the book and check out the entire collection. For editing issues, here is an example.
Page 2. Spelling. The hyphen does not seem to fit in this context. Consider removing it.
The other soldiers and officers quickly responded and took up practiced positions, and, even though also hampered by the sun, their prompt use of Vickers [machine-guns], even though fired indiscriminately in the direction of the attack, did succeed in spraying enough bullets to stop the rebels from advancing into the camp.
The official OnlineBookClub review gives an idea about some of the stories in the collection. I find it helpful in considering the book.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 12:41 am by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
After going over the title’s Amazon page and official OnlineBookClub review, I decided not to purchase the science fiction anthology. I am not fascinated by the “Gray Area” that the author explores in the book. The author stated that readers who enjoyed watching The Twilight Zone (a television series) would also most likely enjoy reading these novellas. But since I have not yet watched the mentioned TV show, I am unsure if I will like and appreciate the title. Perusing its Amazon sample failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the text compelled me to pore over the remaining novellas included in the title. The first ten pages cover a foreword and some pages of the first novella entitled “Reincarnated." My favorite part is when the Punjabi rebels used the sun's position to their advantage in their plan to attack the British sentries. I could not note any errors in the text. I believe the book is professionally edited. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on July 17, 2022, at 12:15 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IconReviews
I wouldn't have sampled this book on the basis of the title, cover, blurb, genre, or customer reviews since I don't really like reading books with more than one story. I am not intrigued by books with multiple genres as the official OnlineBookClub review suggests this has. After reading the sample, I must say I enjoyed the story of the ancient tablets. I liked how the author showcased African traditions. I didn't notice any errors, so the sample was professionally edited and no improvements are needed. I won't be reading this one because I'm not into sci-fi stories or books with multiple genres.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 11:46 pm by IconReviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I rarely read science fiction and the cover did not attract me, but the title and blurb would have convinced me to sample this book even if I were not part of this program. I love The Twilight Zone, and a collection of these types of stores could be a good fit for my reading list. The first ten pages pulled me in to the birthmark story, and I want to see how it ends. I will finish this book. If I don’t connect to one of the stories, I will just skip it and move on to the next one. The book may have been professionally edited. I did not notice any grammatical errors in the first ten pages, but the sentences were long, and I had to reread some of them a couple of times to understand them fully. This sentence on page 2 is an example: “The other soldiers and officers quickly responded and took up practiced positions, and, even though also hampered by the sun, their prompt use of Vickers machine-guns, even though fired indiscriminately in the direction of the attack, did succeed in spraying enough bullets to stop the rebels from advancing into the camp.” The featured OnlineBookClub review was positive and reinforced my decision to finish this book. Other customer and editorial reviews had no bearing. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 8:09 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ayomikun Babalola
I really enjoyed reading the sample of this book; therefore, buying this book is a must for me. I'm a big fan of this genre, so reading this was a pleasure. The cover has a mysterious, spooky vibe that I like, and the title is pleasantly cryptic. I loved how the suspense builds right from the first few pages of this book. Discovering that the babies all had the same birthmark, and that it was an ancient undeciphered language, was very exciting. I was a bit thrown off by the first few pages. I believe this was because of the book's blurb, which was lacking an actual description of the book. I had no idea of what this book was about, so the switch from Indians to archaeologists was astounding. The blurb should properly describe what this book has in store for readers.
Unfortunately, while reading this book, I found an error. On page 4, the sentence reads, “The desolate, barren landscape supported little in the way of plant or animal but did, at that moment in August of 1923, provide life-saving cover for advancing Punjabi rebels.” A comma should follow the word “animal.” Reviews don't really influence my choice of books; therefore, the official OBC review, customer review, and editorial reviews did not influence my decision.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 6:11 pm by Ayomikun Babalola.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Yvonne Monique
The book cover is a true reflection of the book title. However, it is a bit dark and would not draw my attention if I would see it in a bookstore. The customer reviews, blurb and OBC review give an interesting description of the book and make me curious about the sample. The sample is well edited. Although I did not find the writing style overly attractive, I did enjoy the supernatural aspect of the story. The appearance of the birthmarks are certainly intriguing. I have decided to read the rest of the book as I like novellas. As I do not always have a lot of time to read, I find it easier to read a novella occasionally. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 5:34 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Charlienmegan Wehner
Had I not been part of this program, I would have read this book based on the cover and title. It’s very eerie and immediately captured my attention. After reading the first 10 pages, I will definitely buy the book and read it as I am very anxious to find out what happens in the first novella concerning the children who were born with the same birth marks.
I liked how unique the storyline was. I also really enjoyed how the story took off it from the first page and had me hooked. While I really enjoyed the pacing of the story, I found the dialogue between characters to end quite abruptly. I felt like I kept reading different conversations, but just as I was getting to learn more about this mystery, the conversation would be cut off and would switch to another set of characters.
I did not find any errors in the first 10 pages. I did read the OBC review, and found it very helpful. The OBC review was able to capture my interest based on the unique synopsis and the reviewer‘s high rating of the book.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 5:25 pm by Charlienmegan Wehner.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Amy Luman
I am going to continue reading this. I was intrigued by the first story and D. Patel’s interest in the birthmarks. When I first saw this anthology, I dismissed it because I don’t normally enjoy books that are not full-length novels. My favorite part is in the forward when the author says that he was inspired by "The Twilight Zone". The cover and title are appropriate once you read Mr. Burdick’s explanation of the Gray Area. From the reviews, including the OBC one, and the blurb, I learned that this is a collection of novellas. It seemed to be professionally edited, and I have no suggestions for improvement..
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 5:10 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Tales from the Gray Area' is written by Curtis Stephen Burdick. The book is an anthology of seven novellas. Burdick penned the stories after being inspired by 'The Twilight Zone.' The first story, 'Reincarnated,' starts off in 1923 with a group of Punjabi rebels fighting the British. Years later, a number of babies are born in different parts of the world. All these babies had a peculiar birthmark on their necks. The line between fantasy and reality is blurred in all the novellas. I like this. The book seems well-edited. Nothing is in need of improvement. I like the blurb so I would have read this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews were appreciative. I will read this book because the writing style intrigues me.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 3:46 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
markodim721
I would choose to read a sample of this book because of the cover and the title. I read the OnlineBookClub review and the blurb but they didn't influence my decision. I did not find any editorial reviews. When it comes to customer reviews, I would single out the one written by Raluca Mihaila because it pointed out that certain novellas have a political dimension, and in that way, it influenced my decision. The title of the book is intriguing. The cover of the book evokes a dark atmosphere and fits perfectly with the title. I won't read the book because I'm not in the mood to read action thriller fiction right now. While reading the sample I did not notice any errors or typos and the book seems like it is professionally edited. Reading the sample somewhat changed my mind from my original guess. I like how the conflict between the leader of the archeology team and the major is described as to whether the priority is safety or finding the tablets. The dialogue was quite natural. I don't think anything in the book needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 2:25 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I can't make much of the cover, especially because the tiny letters can't be read on the thumbnail image. I wish the blurb would have explained a little about the plot of the stories because not all of us are familiar with The Twilight Zone. I've heard the name but watched none of "its various incarnations." The ratings are mostly high, but since I feel like I lack information, I wouldn't have bought the book based on my first impressions.
The first ten pages pleasantly surprised me and changed my mind. I especially loved Dr. Yeats' touch of humor. His voicemail message is hilarious (“Not presently available. Leave a short message. After I’ve had my tea I might be in an agreeable disposition to respond.”) and his comment on coincidences is just brilliant: "Hate that word. Used when one is too intellectually lazy to investigate." I'm also pretty intrigued about what the birthmarks mean. The only thing I disliked was the use of the adjective "exotic" to describe Priya's appearance. We really ought to retire that expression because it's extremely Eurocentric. There are some minor editing mistakes, mainly extra spaces in between words, such as in the quote above, or on the following line on page 7: “They are well. Have a seat.” I suggest fixing these minor editing issues and improving the thumbnail image to make it clearer. The official OBC review, which explains the plot of some of the stories, hyped me up even more. I recommend including the reviewer's summary in the Amazon blurb because it's concise but attractive.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 1:03 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Patty Allread
If I had not been part of the OBC program, I would have chosen to sample this book. The Amazon review was good, and through it, I learned that the book contained a collection of short stories or novellas, which is a format I love. I like the title of the book and the reference to The Twilight Zone because these communicated not just sci-fi but also fantasy or similar genres. The cover art is also good because it communicates dark secrets we are about to discover. Now that I've sampled the pages, which I enjoyed) I considered reading the entire book. I want to read it because I like how the author crafted his storyline, introduced his characters smoothly, and made them unique and exciting.
I found no errors in the pages I read and have no negatives to give. It would be nice if there was an illustration at the beginning of each story, but this is not a critical comment. I've also read the OBC official review, which told me a little more about some of the stories. They sound promising, and I will read this book.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 12:56 pm by Patty Allread.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book, I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I like the part about multiple babies being born with the strange x-shaped birthmarks, that's so original. This book seems professionally edited, I didn't see any typos; plus, it has an official OnlineBookClub review. I didn't see anything that needed improvement. Neither the blurb, customer reviews, nor editorial reviews affect my decision not to read the book.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 12:45 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
As I am not interested in reading stories that contain supernatural elements, I would not have read the book based on the genre, cover, title, and blurb. Unsurprisingly, I did not change my mind after reading the OBC review and the first ten pages. The book consists of seven novellas involving supernatural beings, aliens, monsters, sea creatures, and dinosaurs. I liked that the first story, "Reincarnated," was told from multiple perspectives. It follows the journey of Dr. Priya Patel as she is determined to find out why a lot of babies were born at various times with identical birthmarks on their necks. I found nothing to dislike about the first ten pages. I only found minor punctuation errors that did not distract me from my reading. For example, there should not be a comma after "boy" in the following sentence: "A midwife emerged with a baby boy, and held it up to a sky streaked with the yellow shafts of a rising sun." (page 4) There should not be a comma after "back" in the following sentence: "Her smile quickly faded as she turned back, to intently eye the image of the strange symbol on her computer screen." (page 6) All things considered, I found nothing that needed to be improved. The book has received numerous positive customer reviews and editorial reviews, so those interested in reading sci-fi/fantasy stories will enjoy this collection of short stories.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 12:03 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
The cover art of this book caught my attention right away. The title is also intriguing. It looks like it might be a horror novel or mystery. The onlinebookclub.org review of this book disclosed that it is a collection of short stories. The review was very positive and gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It recommended the book and noted that it was well edited. I agree with the editing comment because I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. Since the OBC review was very detailed, I didn’t read any additional customer reviews or blurbs. The first ten pages begin with a story that takes place in India. There is an archaeological team digging for artifacts in an area that is dangerous. They have armed men with them for protection but it’s not safe. They located some tablets that have a strange symbol on them. Years later, babies are born in various cities around the world with birthmarks of that same symbol. This is an interesting story. I would like to learn more about this ancient symbol and what it means. I also like the author’s writing style. For these reasons, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 11:33 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Corrie-Lynn Penny
Based on the first ten pages of Tales from the Gray Area by Curtis Stephen Burdick, I will be reading the rest of the story in my own time. If I were not a part of the first ten, I would have read the sample based on the Online Book Club Review, as it gave a clear example of what the book contained. I would not have read the sample if it were just based on the Amazon description and the book cover. The description seemed messy, and the cover was a bit plain. I found no errors in the first ten pages of the book, but I did notice many run-on sentences that confused me, causing me to read over them twice to understand. I feel that cutting down some of the sentences would benefit the book. On the other hand, I enjoyed the descriptions of the birthing of the children bearing birthmarks. I like that it included different cultural perspectives. Overall the content of the first ten pages and the descriptions of the other novellas from the Online Book Club review encouraged me to consider reading more in the future.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 11:20 am by Corrie-Lynn Penny.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chinazo Anozie
I knew I would be interested in this book from the title, cover, description, genre, customer reviews, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I love sci-fi/fantasies, and this book has the perfect blend of intrigue, murder, and the supernatural. I will buy and read this book. I can’t wait to find out the mystery behind the babies and their birthmarks. This book seems professionally edited because I did not notice any typographical errors from the few pages I read. I don’t think anything needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 11:06 am by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Timothy Rucinski
I must say that I was intrigued by the cover and even more intrigued by the Official OBC Review. I read no other reviews or blurbs. Even without the First Ten exercise, I probably would have looked closely at this one. Like the book's author, I am also a fan of "The Twilight Zone" and enjoy such anthologies as does he. After reading the first several pages, I knew I'd be reading this before the summer was over. Great stuff! The writing is terrific, and the author pulled me along with him through the first of the novellas. What I enjoyed most was the rich, realistic dialogue. It made the characters stand out as individuals and helped me to identify with each of them. There wasn't a thing that I disliked. I found no errors, so I assume the book was professionally edited. I have no recommendations for improvement.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 10:53 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
TusharJoshi
I loved the premise of the book. I would have read it because I find the genre appealing. I have already downloaded my copy and have finished more than half of the book. The first ten pages do not have any errors whatsoever. I liked the theme of the book and how the author connects the fate of newborns all around the world. I feel that the intro about the secret mark could have been more detailed. The OBC review was compelling and gave me an idea about what to expect from the book.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 10:33 am by TusharJoshi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
This book was somewhat familiar to me because I've seen reviews of it before. However, I thought that it was maybe too scary for reading it myself. The cover looks amazing. The blurb and the OBC review are also quite intriguing, making me want to see more. The Amazon reviews seem top. I would definitely love to sample this book. The first story starts with a very descriptive beginning. I was also fascinated by the fact that the action is set in India and then moves to Namibia. The book seems filled with action and suspense, with the Major giving the archaeologists just one hour to find the tablets. The appearance of the symbol on newborn babies is very mysterious and makes me definitely want to read more. It was hard to stop reading and start writing this small review. I have no suggestions to make for this book. It is simply amazing. The book looks professionally edited, but I noticed one small thing. Not all words are in italics in the recorded message: "Not presently available. Leave a [short] message. After I've had my tea I [might] be in an agreeable disposition to respond." This could be the author's intention, but it's strange enough to mention.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 10:32 am by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bertha Jackson
The dark cover, title, and genre made me interested in this book because I enjoy reading these types of books. The customer reviews, blurb, and the OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision to read this book. There were no editorial reviews to read. The first story in the book called “Reincarnated” pulled me into the book with the discovery of the Indus Valley Script found on an ancient tablet and then in birthmarks on several children years later. I have always been interested in ancient languages and am curious about what this script means. Although the first ten pages appeared to be professionally edited, I did notice an error on Page 2: “They were asleep in several large, white canvas [barracks] (barrack) tents, haphazardly pitched together by the archaeologists as part of their camp.” I have no suggestions for the author because he grabbed my interest with the first story. I have downloaded the free copy of the book and will eventually read it.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2022, at 10:10 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 61%
Tales from the Gray Area earned a score of 61%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 61% 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 Tales from the Gray Area
