Cover for Scepter of Flint

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Scepter of Flint

Because Scepter of Flint 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

176802
I am familiar with Lord Hani (of 1343 BCE Egypt) from a previous BOTD. I also recall that the author is an "archeologist who taught ancient history at the university level for many years." I am sure she knows more about Egypt than I do, so I wouldn't dare suggest any improvement to the book. I wouldn't have sampled the book outside the First Ten program, though. At my age, I no longer have the patience for hard-to-remember names of characters, gods, and places. I appreciate that the author gave a historical background at the beginning and identified the characters, as well. I still won't risk a headache by reading the book and the series, but I have to admit that the sample was written well. I found only one awkward phrase at 59% of the sample: "with her usual bruising enthusiasm." Could the author have meant "bursting"? The official OBC reviewer was all praises for the book. Unfortunately, they were unable to sway me to read more.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 4:58 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

va2016

119030
The title "Scepter of Flint" indicates that the book could be about a ruler of an area called "Flint". The cover contains the illustration of a scepter, which confirms that the book is about a scepter. There are 78 Amazon customer ratings of the book with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, which is awesome. The Amazon summary of the story sounds very interesting and intriguing. Based on the Amazon customer ratings and the story, I would have sampled the book even if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing Hani and Mane attending their kingdom's annual celebration. As I am interested in the overall story of the book, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited, and didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its story. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found 2 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 4:52 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Jeremie Mondejar

215415
The cover photo emphasizes ancient history and I'm correct. The sample deals with ancient Egypt. I will not read this book because I have a lot of books about ancient Egypt, and the information containing in this story is already familiar to me. I like the list of characters prior to the story because it serves as a guide for the readers. I also read a beautiful OBC review that gives enough details about this book, but it doesn't influence me to read the rest of the story. Fortunately, I don't see any typos while sampling the book. My suggestion is making the cover photo more eye-catching.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 4:42 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

xsquare

1815722
I’m not a fan of historical fiction, so I wouldn’t have sampled this book if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. The official OBC review did not change my mind. I like that the author included a cast of characters at the start and tried to be as historically accurate as possible. I also liked the interaction between Hani and his family. I did not see any typos, and I don’t think that there was anything that the author could have done better. However, I don’t think I will be reading the rest of the book: while it seems decently written, it wasn’t compelling enough for me to continue as someone who doesn’t really enjoy historical fiction.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 4:38 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Vickie Noel

249577
I think both the title and the cover art of this book are intriguing and eye-catching. I would have sampled it outside the program because of its epic look. My opinion about it didn't change after reading the sample. It certainly has ties to historical events, which I generally enjoy reading about, and I liked that Holmes was diligent enough to provide the list of characters to guide readers in identifying and drawing the connections between the characters. Nonetheless, I won't be reading this book further because it unwittingly showcases the worship of the various Egyptian gods. I worship the true God, Jehovah, so I don't want to consciously or subconsciously allow reverence of anything else to gain access to my mind. Reading the sentences, "Great Ra, he prayed silently, put an end to this madness," and "...or perhaps it was the god Haru, watching the Two Lands with an all-seeing and protective gaze. Lord Haru, show us the way of truth," and the resultant "answer" Hani got when he and Mane subsequently found themselves in the front rank of the spectators made it seem as if one or both of the gods had answered his prayers. Even though I know it's simply a story, I still don't want to entertain such thoughts since they can be buried somewhere in my mind to resurface at the least expected time. The book is professionally edited; I found no errors. I have no recommendations for improvement. I saw an OBC review, but it didn't influence my decision.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 4:18 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sou Hi

1445186
The cover looks nice, and the official review is alright. There are a number of ratings on Amazon, and the blurb is promising, so I decided to give the sample a try. The book starts with Hani, who attended the opening ceremony of the Great Jubilee. The king and his family appeared there, but Hani didn't seem to be happy, as he resented the king's decrees. Five days later, Hani came home and met his family. The vizier then informed him about a series of tomb robberies and assigned him to solve it.

I like the smooth wording of the book and the concept of ancient Egypt. However, since this is the third part of the book, I'm not sure if it's an independent book, or if it's connected with the first one. The huge number of characters and their unfamiliar names also make it hard to follow the plot. In addition, I found some editing issues, so I would suggest another round of proofreading. For now, I won't buy this book.

Error example: Ay: father-in-law and probably uncle of Akhenaten, who held considerable power under Akhenaten's reign and that of his successors, eventually becoming king. -> Unneeded spaces after "Akhenaten's"

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 4:15 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mutai Marshal

1793503
I could neither connect with the cover page nor the title, and, therefore, I couldn’t have read the book based on the two elements. My favorite aspect in this read was the brief summary that the author provided of what to expect in the New Kingdom. I also liked the names in the glossary provided to clarify the roles of characters. From the brief reading, I could tell that this book is based on ancient times. Having read the OBC review and sampled the first ten pages, I will not complete reading it since I don’t like mystery books. It seems exceptionally edited. I only recommend the incorporation of a table of contents to guide readers.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 3:47 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ann Ogochukwu

2074422
Although the OBC review was interesting, I wouldn't have sampled this book outside this program because I judged it by its cover (literally); I didn't think I would like it.
After sampling this book, I can only say that my initial assumption was wrong. I loved every bit of the book: the historical notes, the characters' unusual but fun-to-pronounce names, the vividly described festivity and scenery, and the unique and interesting Egyptian culture. I especially liked the author's style of writing and the characters' varying beliefs in the numerous Egyptian gods. Once I got past the difficult names, there was no going back on this book. I enjoyed the sample very much, and I intend to complete the book.
I didn't notice any errors, and I think this book is perfect the way it is.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 3:22 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Howlan

1471486
There is too much happening in the first ten pages. A lot of characters are present and a lot of events are mentioned, which is understandable as this book is the third part of a series. However, since I have not read the prequels, it is difficult for me to piece together the story and characters so far. In the first ten pages, Hani is catching up with his family when he is suddenly summoned at night by an old and powerful aristocrat Ptah-mes. The narration is fast-paced. The concept of the story is a historical mystery, which I enjoy. However, I am not going to buy and read this book, as I will not be able to enjoy reading this book without reading the prequels. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The Official OBC Review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 2:59 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

smolbird

2020805
I would have sampled this book based on its cover and title, as I immediately knew it would be related to Egyptian history and mythology. I became more interested in reading it when I saw that its official OBC review rated it a perfect 4 stars. I liked that the book begins with a list of characters that will be mentioned in the book, especially the glossary of Egyptian gods. I really enjoyed reading that. However, because this is the third book of the series, I couldn't follow the story that much since so many characters were introduced in a few pages. Based on the sample, I found the book to be well-edited, as I didn't catch any errors. I think I would have to read the previous books in the series before I read this one, as it's difficult to read as a stand-alone.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 2:58 am by smolbird.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mwatu

2102148
The Online Book Club review did not pique my interest due to the historical and religious elements. After reading the sample, I will not finish the book. It does not interest me enough. I found no errors. The book seems professionally edited. I liked reading about Neferet's reluctance towards the social expectations of marriage and child-bearing. Nothing seems worth improving as the material is not my taste and I, therefore, don't have much of an opinion on it.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 2:20 am by Mwatu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Shrabastee Chakraborty

614426
Based on the title, cover, and the official OBC review's rating, I was interested in reading this book. However, the premise seemed to be a little complicated, so I was quite doubtful. I couldn't find any errors in the first ten pages. The author briefly described the actual historical events and the characters, before giving us a list of the important characters. I found the introduction jarring, making me feel like I landed into a discussion regarding which I had no previous idea. The character names alone were enough to deter me from reading further. I am sure the book has many good elements, but based on my discomfort in reading the initial pages, I wouldn't read it.

First Ten review added on May 21, 2021, at 12:53 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Justine Ocsebio

1872914
I wouldn’t have sampled the book based on the blurb, as I’m not interested in stories inspired by Egyptian culture and history. In the sample, I like the inclusion of a map and some historical notes. There is also a portion in the book called, Glossary of Gods, which is a helpful guide for readers. However, I’m not going to read the book, as I’m not interested in Egyptian-inspired novels. I’m also not intrigued by Hani’s story and his little excursion in Akhet-aten. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited. The official review helped confirm that this is not the book I would like to read.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 10:18 pm by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sanju Lali

739725
After seeing the cover and the title, I guessed that this book could be having a historical fiction story with the setting of ancient Egypt. Therefore, I read the official review of this book as I was curious to know more about the premise of the story. After reading the official review, I learned that this book revolves around Hani. The Babylonian king asks him to find out the plight of the Egyptian soldiers in their surroundings. This information encouraged me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book is not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "But in fact, his superior had been stripped of his high offices and even of his status of royal friend because he had dared to stand up to the young king when Nefer-khepru-ra had been his father’s coregent...". The sentence could have been as follows. "But in fact, his superior had been stripped off his high offices, including his status of a royal friend because he had dared to stand up to the young king when Nefer-khepru-ra had been his father’s coregent... ". The thing l liked the most is the way of showcasing the ancient Babylonian culture in the story. Unfortunately, I was put off after seeing too many characters having the names, which I found difficult to remember. The complexity of the relations between them also overwhelmed me. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and consider the difficulties faced by me, as I mentioned in the above sentences. Looking at all these facts, I decided not to purchase and read this book today but wait until the author could help me by addressing my suggestion so that I can have a pleasant time reading this book.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 10:05 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jorge Leon Salazar

1225511
The sample portrays Hani as the main character. The story begins at the opening ceremony of the Great Jubilee of Aten. Hani was required to attend, so he wanted it to end as soon as possible. Nefer Khepru-ra is described as a troublesome king who applied anti-theological and anti-popular decrees that caused a great uproar. In these first pages, many characters are presented and described, especially Hani's family like his wife Nub-nefer, his three daughters, his son Pa-kiki, among others.
The highlight is the assignment given to Hani by his superior Lord Ptah-mes, which consists of finding out about tombs that have been robbed in recent days. In these facts, it seems that foreign diplomats are involved. The inclusion of a map of the Egyptian empire and a character list is useful to keep track of. The plot seems to revolve around the aforementioned assignment in which a conflict between Hani and Mahu, the police chief, is glimpsed. The official review raises another additional plot around the suspicion that the king's ‘supposed’ son and heir to the throne does not have royal blood.
The editing seems prominent as I didn't see any details to comment on. The cover and title look abstract, but I think they are in line with the content and the historical fiction and mystery genres. I think they can capture interested readers. In general, I did not see any aspect that I believe could be improved. Although the story is properly constructed and what I read showed quality work the story did not catch me. Historical fiction and Egyptian history are not the subjects that attract me the most. In conclusion, I think I will not read the rest of the book, at least not in the near future.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 9:39 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Theresa Moffitt

857578
I am a fan of mystery novels and, from the cover of this book, it looks to be an interesting mystery. The cover art is attractive, so I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review also gave this book a great review. It received a score of 4 out of 4 stars. This increased my interest in the book. I didn’t read another customer review because I didn’t think it was necessary. The book takes place in Egypt in 1343 B.C.E. The story begins with a boy named Hani waiting for the opening ceremony of the Great Jubilee. He seems very excited to see the king in the ceremony. The book also contains a cast of characters that is quite extensive. I wasn’t drawn into the story enough in the first ten pages to want to finish reading this book. So, I won’t finish reading this book. However, I didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I also didn’t see any errors, so I believe it was professionally edited.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 2:04 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Chelsy Scherba

75151
I like how well-researched the history is and how the author makes it clear what is fiction and what is fact. Her narrative style is excellent and I could really feel the place and time as Hani struggled to see the royals arrive in the big crowd. This book is part of a series, but the review mentioned it wasn’t difficult to get into the story, which is a plus. I don’t read a lot of historical novels, so it’s unlikely I would have come across this book outside of the program. I didn’t see any editing errors or mistakes, so the presentation is professional. I don’t have any suggestions for improvements. I probably won’t purchase the book today because it’s not my preferred genre as I generally read nonfiction.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 1:54 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

OB Brian

1819811
Yes. I would have picked this read based on the blurb, cover, customer reviews, and genre. As a diehard fan of historical fiction, this novel instantly caught my eye, especially with the cover bearing symbols that spell "ancient Egypt." The synopsis and customer ratings did not disappoint either. Reading the sample only served to intrigue me more. Unfortunately, I will not buy this book today as I am yet to read its prequels. While this read seems to be independent of the first two books in the series, I cannot enjoy it knowing it is book three. Still, what I liked most in the bit I read is the descriptive narration that enabled me to conjure images of characters and their surroundings. Also, the sample was devoid of errors, which leads me to conclude that this work is edited professionally. Consequently, so far there is nothing I would improve on. That said, I read its official analysis at OnlineBookClub.org. The review was informative and influenced my decision to sample this book.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 1:34 pm by OB Brian.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mariana Figueira

1878669
Before reading the first pages of the book, I wasn't interested in it because I've hardly ever read any historical fiction set in Egypt, and it's not really something I lean towards. After reading the sample, I still don't want to read the novel because I didn't connect with it. The idea of a king wanting to become a sort of god (the Aten) is kind of cool and also this character Hani, but nothing else in the story sparked my interest. This novel seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. There's nothing that I saw that needed improvement.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 1:33 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gen_g

697597
Based just on the title and cover, it seems like a piece of fantasy fiction; it is not a genre that I'm looking for currently – hence, I would not have sampled it. However, I came across a positive OBC review; still, it would not have changed my mind since it is not a genre that I'm looking for. After sampling, there are a couple of errors present. For example, at 3%, there is an erroneous singular form: "...that those who livelihood(s were) interrupted..."; it should be in the plural forms ("livelihood" to "livelihoods" and "was" to "were"), as "those" is plural. I suggest more editing. However, I appreciate that there is a short introduction and description of the historical aspect of the background context of the story. To illustrate, we learn that the story is set in around 1343 BCE in Egypt, and we learn that the reign of Akhenaten was highlighted by a massive overturning of longstanding cultures and traditions, which the author believes is a "testimony to the absolute power of the king". Nonetheless, the author also posits that with the speed this overturning happened after the king's death, not many people believed in it. It is also interesting to learn that ancient Egypt has so many holidays that nearly a third of the year was non-work time. Additionally, to further improve the book, it would be good for the author to provide perhaps a sentence or two to recap what has been going on the previous books (seeing as this is the third book in the series). The inclusion of a couple of footnotes to explain some history terminology (e.g. "regnal year", "coregency", etc.) would also be very helpful. However, I will not be buying the book today, as I am not in the market for mystery fiction set in ancient Egypt.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 12:22 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gabrielle Sigaki

1762417
Scepter of Flint by N.L. Holmes is a historical fiction novel that brings Egypt during the New Kingdom with cultural, informative, and historical aspects about it too. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review and its genre since I'm not interested in historical fiction novels about Egypt. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind, and I won't buy and read the whole book because the theme of Egypt's history didn't catch my attention. However, it seems professionally edited, I think there's nothing to be improved in it, and my favorite aspect in this sample was the fact that the author used various accurate aspects about the culture in Egypt during that period, even though it is a fiction novel.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 10:22 am by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Rayah Raouf

1999381
I would not have chosen to sample the book because it is the third book in a series. The cover looks fantastic and the ratings are quite high; however, because it is the third book I wouldn’t check this book out. I will not buy and read the book. The sample did not draw me in. The premise seems promising, but I missed out on some development that was probably present in the previous books. I might check out the first book in the series, but I have no interest in this one as of now. I noticed no grammatical errors in the sample. Therefore, the book seems to be professionally edited. I like the map at the beginning of the book. I also like the notes and glossary found before the book. I cannot think of any improvements to be made. There was an official review, but it did not change my mind. Unfortunately, I will not be picking this one up.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 10:01 am by Rayah Raouf.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Diana Lowery

1202329
The title and the Egyptian cover did not interest me. I would not have chosen to read this book based on either of those. I do like historical fiction, but the hyphenated names in ancient Egypt bother me, and I saw many of them in the ten pages that I read. The blurb was really short and did not give much information, but the review was informative. I liked that one of the characters was described as the "one with a leaky mouth." I did not see any errors in the pages that I read. I will not finish reading this book because it is book three in a series, and I would prefer to start with book one.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 9:38 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MarisaRose

106960
After reading the book blurb on Amazon for "Scepter of Flint," by N.L. Holmes, I noted that this is the third installment in a series. Based on that, I would not choose to purchase this book blindly. I strongly dislike starting any series with any book other than the first. Further, although I'm a big fan of mysteries, I wasn't all that intrigued by the historical setting for this book, so again, I wasn't all that tempted to purchase the book initially. After sampling the first ten pages, I was a bit overwhelmed by the author's historical note and the long list of characters. There were eleven pages of character; which was simply off-putting. I felt like I was taking on a project by reading this book instead of an enjoyable work of fiction. Once I got to the actual narrative, I did find the author's descriptions interesting and engaging: I could feel the heat and discomfort Hani experienced as he stood in the close quarters of a large crowd awaiting the jubilee. Further, I didn't notice any grammatical errors, and the author's writing style was engaging. However, overall, I wasn't that hooked by the opening scenes at the festival. I think the historical setting just didn't pique my interest, and I had a hard timing caring for the characters as they are initially introduced, mostly because there were quite a few characters and I couldn't keep track of who they were and how they were related. Since I already had to start flipping to the character list at the beginning this early on in the book, I was not excited for what the rest of the book had in store. I read the official OBC review for "Scepter of Flint," and although the reviewer had nothing but high praise for this book, I wasn't swayed. The book blurb and sample of this book made it clear that this book just wasn't for me. I do not plan to purchase this book or read any more of it.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 9:00 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ari Martinez

1624319
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, or Official OnlineBookClub review because I am not a fan of Egyptian history, and I usually don't enjoy historical fiction novels. After reading the sample, I won't read the rest of the book because it did not grab my attention, and I found the list of characters a bit overwhelming. The part of the sample I liked the most was how real the characters seemed to be. Many people tend to forget that historical characters were also regular human beings with the same needs and emotions as us, but Holmes did a great job at making the characters relatable. The book appears well edited, and I cannot think of any way to improve it.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 4:56 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ahbed Nadir

2007076
Scepter of Flint by N.L. Holmes was a delightful surprise to come across. I have always been a fan of mythology and as soon as I saw the cover of this book, I was certain that this was going to be another classic work. The cover and the title both lent an air of nobility and mythic ambience to the book. I was very interested to check it out. Upon reading through the sample available, I was ecstatic to discover that my original impressions had been correct and this was a truly interesting book. The author built a world bright with culture and character and I was pleased at this insight into the Egyptian way of life. Having read the few pages available, I found myself thirsting for more, curious to see what happened next and discover the mystery behind the supposed godhood of the king. I will definitely be buying this book as I find myself left in suspense, thirsting for more from the tap of the author. From my limited reading, I found no grammatical errors and the book seemed professionally edited. I especially liked the premise of the book. I have come across very few books focused on Egyptian mythology or Egyptian culture as most writers are more interested in the Greek or Roman pantheon so this was a fresh break from the monotony of the rest. I had the pleasure of reading an Official OnlineBookClub review and this simply reinforced my decision to purchase the book. Scepter of Flint by N.L. Holmes is a great book that I look forward to devouring.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 3:38 am by Ahbed Nadir.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Catherine Hsu

104096
I do not really read historical fiction so I don't think I'd have read this without reading the sample. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I appreciate the character glossary which helped out a lot, but ultimately I was not that captivated by the book especially when it seems to talk a lot of politics or legal matters with jurisdiction, secretary, commissioners, etc. I did like more casual moments like with the crowd and procession and wanted to see more of those scenes and dialogue. It was professionally edited. The official review did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 3:04 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sonya Nicolaidis

1005818
One thing I immediately appreciated about this book is the enormous amount of research which clearly has gone into it. Any story set in ancient Egypt is bound to be complex and certain facts are easy to check, so all credit goes to this author for trying to keep the historical thread as close to the truth as possible. I liked the cover and title, but upon reading the OBC reviewer’s summary and comments soon realized that this wouldn’t be a great choice of book for me. It all sounded too complex, and upon reading the sample and coming across the vast number of names in the List of Characters preceding the story, I realized that my first impression was accurate. The sample was hard to read and I struggled with the names. I can’t isolate anything about the story that I enjoyed, apart from confirming that the quality of the writing was excellent and error-free. It is clear this book had been thoroughly edited. The negatives for me unfortunately are many: I’m not a fan of stories set in ancient times, and I find many foreign names daunting to remember and keep organized in my head. Hence I can confidently say I will not be reading any more of this one.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 2:23 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

J_odoyo

1344976
Scepter of Flint: A Lord Hani Mystery is a seemingly well-written book. Taking place around 1343 BCE, the book envelops a riveting story of the history of ancient Egypt. The included map at the beginning of this book enhanced a mental picture while reading this book. The historical notes and character sections were also handy in this third volume of the Lord Hani Mysteries series. It had an attractive cover page, and I didn’t have any problem with the book’s title. The book had an official online OnlineBookClub review, which gave an insight into what the book is all about. I didn’t find any objective error, and I think the book was professionally edited. However, the characters had hard-to-remember names, and that was my displeasure in this book. I wouldn’t recommend anything for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written. After reading this sample and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m not going to finish reading this book because I'm currently not into this genre.

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 2:12 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Verna Coy

1064106
When I first saw the cover of this book, the artwork reminded me of the type found in the history of Egypt. It seems that the story in the book is perfectly matched to this exceptional cover. I don’t often read this type of suspenseful story, so I don’t plan to purchase the book and finish it, but I know it will appeal to a vast readership. It’s professionally edited from what I see, and I don’t think it needs improvement on any other level. I enjoyed reading the glowing review by the Online Book Club. A 4-star review is great work!

First Ten review added on May 20, 2021, at 1:07 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Odette Chace

1623591
I like the title. The cover is alright. It doesn't stand out, but I don't dislike it. The synopsis on Amazon didn't interest me. I have sampled one of the previous books in this series before and found it boring. I wouldn't normally sample this book. The official Online Book Club review gave the work a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. However, despite the reviewer's praise, I remain skeptical of this book. The map at the beginning of the book is clean and well done. The historical notes were interesting, particularly the information about the Egyptian week. The character list, glossary of gods, and glossary of terms and places were altogether intimidating. I believe the work was professionally edited as I did not notice any errors in the first ten pages. Despite the many unfamiliar terms and difficult names, I was able to follow along with the story without difficulty. Unfortunately, I just didn't find the book very interesting. I wasn't invested in the plot by the end of the first ten pages. There was no suspense. I thought the most interesting part of the first ten pages was Neferet questioning whether everyone has to get married and have children. Hani wondering if he and his wife hadn't provided a good example of a happy family made him a relatable character. I don't plan to finish reading the book.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 7:02 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MsH2k

1404847
I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. I was not interested in reading the prior book in the series, so I doubted that I would want to read this one. I remembered the historical notes and the extensive list of characters from before. The names were hard to keep track of, but the sample pages moved quickly. I must admit I wonder if Hani’s daughter Neferet will change her mind and want to get married and start a family, but that question alone is not enough for me to want to buy this book. There are too many names to remember (or at least recognize) and I am not invested in the story. The book appeared to have been professionally edited; I did not notice any grammatical errors in the sample pages. The featured OnlineBookClub review was enthusiastic and well written, but it had no bearing on my decision not to buy this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 6:27 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kelyn

741624
If I had not been a member of this program, the genre alone would likely have prevented me from encountering this book. Neither historical fiction nor mysteries are within my favored genres, so I do not generally peruse those areas. Given this, even if I had found the book, the title and cover would not have attracted my attention. I am unfamiliar with the author, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb, though brief, effectively summarized the plot of the novel. However, as it solidified the fact that the book is both historical fiction and a mystery, this simply furthered my lack of interest. There were many customer reviews on the Amazon site, the vast majority of which were positive. Although I did not see a review on that site explicitly identified as being from this program, if I had, I would have been interested in what the author had to say. The review on this site was quite complimentary of the book. This raised my expectations of the sample slightly. Hani's character was very engaging, and I immediately took a liking to him. The author's descriptive writing style was also impressive. Unfortunately, I found the myriad of characters introduced in the 'glossary' completely overwhelming and found it difficult while reading to remember who was who, which ones were related, and who worked with who. One suggestion I would make would be that the characters be grouped in some way when introduced in the glossary, perhaps by family, job, or even political function. This might give the reader a better chance at relating the characters to one another. I think my favorite character was Hani's daughter Neferet. I liked her spirit and different view on life. She was almost a feminist before feminists existed in that she wanted to be a doctor and didn't like the idea of being forced to marry. Although I will not be reading the book due to the genre, I cannot think of anything, in particular, I would change either. The book seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the sample.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 6:10 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sarah_Khan

89585
The cover and title of this book are average. The Amazon blurb actually piqued my interest, I love reading about Ancient Egypt. So, I would have sampled this book even if it was not a part of the First Ten program. It is professionally edited. I appreciated the historical notes that were provided in the beginning, but I could not help being a little intimidated by the list of characters, terms, and places. I liked seeing Neferet question her parents on whether she has to get married and have children, she seems like a relatable character. The OBC review was positive. The reviewer mentioned that this book is a part of a series. Even though this can be read as a stand-alone novel, I still feel the need to read the books in order. Therefore, I will have to pass on this book today. I do not have any suggestions for the author.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 5:15 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mbrooks2518

1121144
I don't usually read historical fiction, but I've always been interested in ancient Egypt and I love mysteries, so I would have read the sample without The First Ten. The plot of this book intrigued me, and the official review had only good things to say about it, so I have decided to buy the book.

I like that the author included historical notes about some of the real life events in the story. I also like that the author included a character list so readers can easily check who a character is if they need a reminder, and the author also placed an asterisk next to characters who existed in real life. There were no editing errors, and nothing needs to be changed or improved.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 4:48 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

TheMazeRunner

1994037
I love Egypt and its culture, and I would sample this book. The sample didn't impress me. There are way too many characters with hard and strange names. I got lost while reading the sample, and that is why I will skip this one. I can see this book is edited professionally since I didn't see errors in it. Also, the review for this book exists. I think this book would be much better with less characters.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 4:47 pm by TheMazeRunner.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

PeterRabitt20

1970875
Judging by the blurb, I would read this book because the theme is about ancient Egypt. After reading the sample, I would continue to read this book. I read part of the first book in the series; therefore, I have high expectations for this book. The OBC review also increased my interest and excitement. The book seemed professionally edited. I did not find any errors. My favorite part is the historical note at the beginning—it gives a better understanding of the story. There is nothing I can suggest as an improvement; although, a chart of basic hieroglyphics in the appendix would be great.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 3:54 pm by PeterRabitt20.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kaitlyn Canedy

1401101
I likely would have skipped the sample of Scepter of Flint if it wasn't the OnlineBookClub's book of the day. Historical fiction novels are not my favorite genre, which is why I would have skipped it. When reading the sample, I became very fond of the glossary at the beginning; this really helped me understand the characters' roles in the book. However, I still got confused about the terms, even with the glossary. Because the genre of this book does not intrigue me that much, I will be skipping the book. I did not see any grammatical errors, and I cannot think of any improvements. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for this title, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. Readers that like Egyptian history may find great interest in this title.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 3:04 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kirsi Cultrera

1629804
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I also remember checking out one Lord Hani Mysteries book before this one, and as I found the sample truly enjoyable, I had every reason to check out this book, whether it be with or without this program. I loved the author’s idea of bringing history alive through these fictive stories based on historical events. I also loved the characters. The author managed to breathe life in them through his enjoyable writing style. However, I was having a bit of a hard time following all these characters, as there were many. That was my only dislike regarding this book. The author had added a clarifying list of characters at the beginning of the book. However, keeping up would have required flipping the pages back and forth. The editing seemed perfect, as far as I can say. Even the Official OnlineBookClub review was praising, but I still decided against reading this book. Firstly, I did not yet read the first book of this series, and I feel I should read that before picking up another one. Secondly, I lack the patience to keep up with so many characters, regardless of how lovable they might be.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 2:58 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Scerakor

45879
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I might have read this book. I love historical fiction and have a particular soft spot for ancient Egypt. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will be buying and reading the rest of this book eventually. I really enjoyed how simple sentences early on can tell us a lot about the times and locations in this book. For example, the sentence "The swift yacht made a scant three days' journey of a trip that usually took at least five," tells a lot about means of transportation, speed of travel, and location. From my point of view, the book was well written and edited, as I didn't see any errors in the sample that I read. The only thing I would have improved from the sample I read is to move the character list from the front of the book to the end where references would usually be found. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all, although it did get me excited to sample this one.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 2:55 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Brenda Creech

1236408
I was not drawn to this book by the cover or the title, so I wasn't interested in checking it out. However, after reading the official review, I was curious and wanted to get a better idea of the story. In the sample I read, I did not find any errors, and I didn't see anything that needs improving. But, I have to admit, the portion I read confused me. I did not understand where the story was going until the last part of the sample. Then, finally, I understood that Hanah was put on a case to investigate grave robberies involving diplomats doing the robbing. When he finds out the local police have been told to get involved in the investigation, Hanah gets suspicious and believes possibly the king is involved in the robberies. The short sample I read was already getting me confused, so I have decided not to read the rest of this book.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 1:24 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Laura Ungureanu

620179
I am familiar with this book series, but I haven't read any of the books. As a history enthusiast, I was excited for the opportunity to check out a book about Egypt. However, I'm not a fan of the mystery genre, which is the reason why I would've stayed away from this book. The cover looks intriguing. It is definitely attractive to someone who looks for Egyptian books (like I am). I also like this beautiful green color on the cover. The OBC review was encouraging, as it pointed out some great things about the book. I decided to give it a chance after all. I was confused by many historical terms, like "Mitannian". The information is also exposed in a way that makes me think I should've already known it. Unfortunately, I know close to nothing about Egyptian history, so I was confused again. The writing style is captivating, but I'm afraid that the book didn't convince me. Taking some time to explain the information might improve the experience of reading this book. I didn't find any grammar errors in the sample.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 12:43 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Emy Katherine

94929
As I am not interested in reading historical fiction novels, I would not have read the book based on the genre. Unsurprisingly, neither the OBC review nor the sample changed my mind. The story follows the adventure journey of Lord Hani and his secretary and son-in-law, Maya, as they are on a mission to find out the perpetrators responsible for robbing some tombs of wealthy people in Waset. The dialogues were believable, and I enjoyed the fast-paced, descriptive writing style. I particularly liked how the author described the opening ceremony of the Great Jubilee of the Aten. This is not my genre, but this story will surely appeal to those interested in learning more about the history of ancient Egypt. All in all, there was nothing that needed to be improved. The book seemed to be professionally edited; I only encountered two minor errors throughout the sample. For example, I noticed a missing comma after "Hani's daughter" in the following sentence: "Hani’s daughter Sat-hut-haru, was among those missing." (location 312 of 497 • 63%)

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 12:25 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Stephanie Runyon

1424579
The cover is interesting with the picture of a bird. I would not have sampled this book because I generally dislike historical fiction. I disliked the amount of glossary used prior to the story; this made reading the book more like a chore. Likewise, I did like the amount of detail used to describe the parade surrounding the King and Queen arriving for the jubilee. The editing appears professional but to improve the book, a lot of the terms used were explained again in the text and the need for the glossary seemed a bit unnecessary. There was an OBC review that did not influence my decision to not read the rest of the book. This would possibly be better suited for readers that like Egyptian history, but the topic does not hold my interest.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 11:49 am by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kajori Sheryl Paul

997537
'Scepter of Flint' is a novel written by N.L Holmes. The book is set during the New Kingdom era in Egypt. The book starts off with the Grand Jubilee celebration of Aten. Hani is present there with some of his family members. I like the way the author portrays Hani's discomfort and reluctance to be present at the celebration. He muses about all the discontentment that the citizens were experiencing due to the ruler. The editing is good. There is nothing in need of an improvement. Based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews, I would give this book a try as I am a fan of historical novels. Hence, I would read it even without the sample. The sample also grabbed my attention. So, I will certainly read this book.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 11:40 am by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda

712962
The cover effectively brings to mind ancient Egypt. Unfortunately, the blurb is too brief for me to decide whether I'd like to read the book. Adding to that the mixed ratings, I wouldn't have chosen to read the book based on my first impressions.
I think it's a bad idea to start with the "Historical Notes" the "Characters" and "Glossary of terms". Few people enjoy raw historical data (I'm one of those) but most readers will either skip this part or just ditch the book entirely. I especially enjoyed learning about the things I had wrong, like the correct name of the so-called Book of the Dead, or even that Egyptians didn't call their land Egypt, but Kemet. Once the story in itself started, I appreciate (I can't say I enjoyed it, because it's not humanity's most positive trait) that even long, long time ago, politics were still a big show, and the Great Jubilee was celebrated where people wouldn't complain.
I found several extra blank spaces, but I think that's just on the kindle app version, and one editing mistake on position 124, where it should read "hermaphrodite": "Hapy was thought of as hermaphroditic." I would suggest expanding the blurb, mentioning that the book is part of a series, and moving the "Historical Notes", "Characters" and "Glossary" to the end of the book. The official review was fundamental to my decision to read the book because it dives deeper into the plot and I felt reassured I wouldn't get lost among so many characters.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 10:36 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Bertha Jackson

1904023
I would have checked out this book based on the book cover, title, and genre because I am a fan of this author and have read multiple books in this series. The blurb, editorial review, customer reviews, and the OnlineBookClub review are favorable for this book. After reading the first ten pages, I think this book will be just as good as the rest of them in the series. I enjoy reading about Lord Hani’s investigations. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages or anything I would recommend being changed. The book appears to have been edited by a professional editor. I will not be buying and reading this book because I have read books later in the series, and I know what will happen to some of the characters in this one.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 9:31 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

AntonelaMaria

1285898
If I haven't read the sample of this book through the First Ten program, I wouldn't have read it otherwise. I don't read books in a series out of order. This is a book three in five-book series, and that makes me hesitant to pick this book up. Another reason is a genre, and I am not interested. After reading the sample, I didn't notice any grammatical errors. There is nothing I would change about the book. I like that the author included a list of characters at the beginning of the book, as well as the glossary of gods, terms, and places. Another thing I like about this book is the setting. I don't know about many cozy mystery books set in ancient Egypt. There is an Offical Onlinebookclub review that is very helpful and informative.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 9:19 am by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Timothy Rucinski

697172
With this book being a part of a series, I won't be reading it as I am reluctant to begin a series in the middle, whether or not it can be read as a stand-alone novel. I am also not very fond of Egyptian history so that's another reason this book isn't for me. The cover is nicely done and eye-catching, and the Official Review is certainly complimentary, but not enough to make me want to read the book. The first several pages are very well written. What I enjoyed most was the brief yet important section that provided a good look into the daily life of Hani and his family. This type of inclusion helps to make the characters more human and relatable. There wasn't a thing about what I read that I disliked. It's only the genre of which I'm not fond. And, I believe the book to have been professionally edited as I came across no errors.

First Ten review added on May 19, 2021, at 8:51 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 16%

Scepter of Flint earned a score of 16%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 16% 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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