There Are Only Four

by Nicole Scarano

The Hunger Games meets Squid Game in this competition where winning is her only option, but the maze has different plans in this newly revised edition. The maze is unlike any televised race for one simple rule — only the winning team can leave. The losers must compete again, but victory is worth the risk, for the winners are not only granted their freedom but also a world of opportunity. On the morning of her first game, one young woman finds herself at the starting gates, determined to secure her freedom despite her unexplainable unease. With Luka leading their team, a Titan of a boy she is inexplicably drawn to, she's confident they will win. But when the countdown clock strikes zero, and they enter the labyrinth, her uneasiness grows. Nothing within the concrete walls makes sense, and something familiar gnaws at her memory, despite this being her first run. Concern fills her with questions, but the maze offers no answers. It doesn’t want winners. It wants a show. This is not just a game. This is survival. Perfect for fans of Neal Shusterman, Suzanne Collins, and Escape Room, There Are Only Four is the first installment in The Competition Archives, a non-stop survival dystopian that will leave you breathless that it ends on a slight cliffhanger, but all questions will be answered by the end of the now completed series.

Author's This second edition is the same exact story, scene for scene, but has been significantly edited to fix some of the issues with the writing and descriptions.

Genres: Dystopia

180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 11, 2020

About the author

Nicole Scarano is an avid fiction reader and film enthusiast; her favorites being dystopian, apocalyptic, fantasy, and action sprinkled with a little romance here and there. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her rescued pitbull, China (who was part of the inspiration for Kerberos in her first novel, Pomegranate). Nicole's passion for writing consumes her free time, especially when it includes snuggling on her sofa with China. Her love of writing is so strong, she even tattooed a quote from one of her stories on her rib-cage.

Reviews

[Maibritt Schulz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm very confused by all the good reviews here! I struggled to get through the book, but did so just to give it 1 star. Here's why:

- It reads like a mix of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner - but a badly written, soap opera version. The only thing I liked about the book was the premise, which is a copy of the two mentioned book series.

- The writing is... Bad. Like really bad! It's filled with very dramatic, random, soap opera like metaphors that after a couple of pages begin to sound comical (e.g. "my mind crossed its mental fingers" and "my breath returned to my chest like a vacuum sucking up dirt"). The dialogue is very unnatural, and the main character shifts between acting like a child crying all the time to sounding like an old woman with sentences like "he was too young for that pain, he aged more than his teenage mind should have". Everything is also overly done. No one takes a breath, the "breath vacates their struggling lungs", they don't hug, but "crush and absorb" each other's bodies, and their "eyelids peel open" and "words fall from their lips" instead of opening their eyes and talking. And this is constant. Maybe someone likes that style, but for me it ruined the entire book.

- There are no answers, no introduction to the world, no back story and no explanations. At all. We don't know why teenagers are competing in a maze, and we never found out. In the beginning it's hinted that the main character is special in some way, but we never get that fully explained. I see that there's another book coming, but there should have been some explanation at the end of this struggle.

- The characters are flat, one dimensional and boring. I don't care about them at all, because I don't know them. When they get hurt, I don't care. If they die, I don't care. Whether or not they win the maze - I don't care. There's absolutely nothing about them that stands out. All I know about them are their names (except the main character, whose name I never found out) and that they hug/kiss/caress/hold hands a lot for someone who's in life danger and has supposedly just met.

- The "twist" at the end was not a shock to me. I saw it coming from the beginning, as should anyone who's read The Maze Runner or The Hunger Games.

In summary: I don't recommend this book.

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captured my attention from page one, I was hooked. The exciting details make it difficult to put down. It is descriptive and riveting. This young author has a definite flair and I love reading her books.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maze Runner meets Hunger Games.
Exciting stuff, right? It was very interesting, but there were a couple of times I felt like I was watching a movie in the dark. The words were there, but it was hard for me to picture the maze and how the walls/steps were moving, etc... but the end results were very clear, so that shouldn't be a dealbreaker against reading this book. I can see how hard it would be for an author to convey in words such an enormous death trap. It's still very entertaining.
The ending though? That's why I didn't give it 5 stars. I was left with many questions,a nd no answers. I know there's a sequel, but I'm not sure if I plan to read it because what if it still leaves my questions unanswered?
The writing is very purple prose. Not, not purple prose. Maybe too detailed. At times I enjoyed that, other times the analogies made me LOL.
Still,. very much worth the read until the end

[Nancy Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very short dystopian thriller that is a cross between the Hunger Games and Maze Runner. Not nearly as good as those but good enough to keep you reading because you have to know what happens at the end. I had part of it figured out early on. The writer uses way to many metaphors in her descriptions... like waaaayyyy too many. The flowery language gets a bit ludicrous. I would have enjoyed some background but if she plans on continuing the series that may come later. I think the series has potential. Stop using so many metaphors, use a bit clearer prose, and try to describe the setting more accurately. I had trouble visualizing the maze and the walls and the movements. That takes away from the pleasure of the book and leaves you confused.

I like to support indie authors when I can and hope to read more by this author!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this book and have such mixed feelings!

Let’s start with the positive. It’s truly a page turner. I give a lot of weight to that particular quality in a book. In this case, it’s full of action, with hints of romance. It kept me up up late one night reading it. There are so many questions and hints brought up throughout the book, and I love that “treasure hunt” of trying to figure out what’s going on.

In the end, I was disappointed not to get as many answers as I hoped. It says Book #1, so perhaps my questions will be answered in a future book. But I needed more at the end of this book to find the ending satisfying.

That being said...it’s certainly an enjoyable book! It kept me interested, and I truly cared about what happened to the two main characters. There are also some great descriptions throughout.

3.5 stars.

[Jessica George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the Black Mirror ending!

This book is a really fast read & the story is gloriously bleak, in the best possible way. The dark twist at the end earned it the high rating - this should definitely be a Black Mirror episode. I love it and hope there are sequels.

[Donna (BookDragonGirl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY MOLY!! This Horror Dystopian is VERY INTENSE and VERY ADDICTIVE!!

From the first few pages I was hooked right to the end, and now I need book two of this trilogy (which is on its way)!! This is a very different experience, having to make your way through this deadly maze with your team of four. Scarano did an amazing job on the world building, which was the maze. She didn’t over complicate it and she clearly depicted it in a way that kept my heart pounding, it was a horrifying maze.

The characters were easy to love. They took care of each other, always making sure that they were all okay. It’s odd though, I remember the names of three of the members of the team - Luca, Serene and Jude - but I’m not sure the main female character’s name was mentioned. It must have been at some point, but I don’t remember. The story is in her voice.

If you enjoy Maze Runner and Hunger Games then you’ll enjoy this one. It’s like if those two series had a baby it would be this one. The ending leaves you like “What in the world?!!” and you definitely need to read the next book right away! So be prepared for that. Each book isn’t very long, so it’s not an overwhelming read. I highly recommend it if you enjoy Horror/Thriller Dystopian stories!!

[Cerynn McCain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I blew through this book in a day I couldn't put it down. Quick easy read but man the story itself is friggin heavy and I need the sequel now because I have to know what happens to characters!

[Liberty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this novella when I got an e-mail about e-books that were on sale. As soon as I read the synopsis I knew it was right up my alley. This is a dystopian novel about teenagers who are broken up into teams and all the teams are set against each other to solve this maze. Whoever makes it through the maze the fastest will be allowed their freedom. It seemed like gritty combination of The Hunger Games and the Maze Runner. And it stayed pretty true to my perception.

I feel like you definitely have to go into this one with a suspension of disbelief. Understand the book you’re about to pick up and I think you will have a good time. This is a fast paced and easy read. I read it in basically two sittings. I think the storyline is compelling enough to keep you reading, but the character development is what sold me on the story. I love the main character and her friendship with Luka. I also love how creepy and weird this feels as they drop into the maze. And that ending was done so well.

The things I think take away from the story is the lack of world building and the fact that a lot of the questions the reader has don’t get answered. I’m hopeful that the next book in the series will answer those questions and provide more world building for us to enjoy. I am definitely open to continuing this series to see where it goes from here.

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmm🤔

I like and recommend it. But it's a bit bizarre. There's an ending, but is it the ending? We'll see.

[Dawn Hosmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There Are Only Four reminded me of a mix between The Maze Runner and Hunger Games. It sucked me in with the first chapter and didn't let go until the end. It made my heart race as though I was trying to complete the maze with the characters. It was brutal, a bit depressing, but thrilling the entire way through. The ending was perfect although it made me want to throw my kindle against the wall out of frustration. I believe there will be more in this series which I anxiously await so that I can get some answers to a few of the questions that continue to plague me. Fans of dystopian fiction will love this book, as I did. I cannot wait to read more by Nicole Scarano.

[Nellie Neves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be a best seller. If you love dystopian novels, you need to read this. Nicole Scarano is the Queen of dark writing, but in the most masterful and beautiful way. She deserves to own the black heart emoji as her personal symbol. She not only embraces all the darkness, but dives deep into the heartache and misery that make up the human existence, which might be horrible, except she perfectly balanced it with characters who refuse to sink despite turbulent rising storms. She lets the light of the human struggle shine in the midst of all that darkness to show what we are capable of. She’s all the sorrow, heartache and misery, coupled with triumph determination and strength. 🖤

This book left me breathless. It’s Mockingjay death traps, mixed with factions of Divergent, shoved into the Maze from Maze Runner-and yet it’s none of them because it’s entirely new and original. It is brutal. There’s your warning. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. The author doesn’t remove the harsh reality of the maze or the consequences. You feel it all first hand. I was sucked into the book and couldn’t put it down after the halfway point. I loved the “mother” lines so much. I loved the little style choices from the author with the font choice and the segment breakers. I loved the twists to the story line and hated the maze like it was a person. There are hints all through the novel, some I’m sure I missed, but as usual the author’s writing style is beautiful, never going for the easy way but instead painting literary pictures in perfect ways that leaves me jealous as a writer. I can’t wait for book 2. I hope it’s a trilogy. I hope hollywood grabs it and makes it into 4 movies. I really loved this book. Read it. Love it. Go now. 🖤🖤🖤

[Jonny Mullan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Read for The Reading Rush 2020.

This book is frankly bizarre. I really enjoyed the experience of reading this. I love books about games and challenges, which is exactly what this turned out to be. You can see the clear influences beingThe Maze Runner and The Hunger Games. But it does have some innovative elements to add.

There's a massive content warning for gore required for this book. It is one of the most gore heavy YA books I have read. However, the gore does really hit home the stakes of what is going on.

The end was fantastic. In fact so much so, that I raised my rating an entire star because of it. Reminded me of an episode of Black Mirror and I would recommend this to fans of that sort of show.

I would have liked this book to be a little longer. I would've liked to see their lives before The Competition to allow us to build up a relationship/attachment to our cast to further raise the stakes.

Overall, I would definitely read another book by Nicole Scarano and I am interested into how this is going to be developed into a series. The GoodReads page seems to imply that this is going to be part of a series, but I think this book felt very like a standalone.

[Tara Tierney · Rating 5 out of 5]

There Are Only Four is a high-stakes, action-packed novel perfect for readers who loved the intensity of The Hunger Games and the intrigue of The Maze Runner.

One of my favorite things about There Are Only Four is that Scarano doesn’t hold back. This book is brutal, unpredictable, and extremely addictive. Scarano puts her characters through hell, so if you’re a sensitive reader, read with caution.

With well-crafted sensory descriptions and heart-stopping action sequences, Scarano impressively brings the gloomy, unsettling world of There Are Only Four to life. I felt as if I was battling my way through the maze alongside the characters, and this made for an enjoyably intense reading experience.

Scarano did a wonderful job with her characters. I admired Jude’s innocence, Serene’s warmth, Luka’s sensitivity, and the MC’s strength and determination. Each character was unique and it was interesting to see how the different team members handled the trials of the maze. Despite their differences, all four characters were team players. Their camaraderie and dedication to one another pull at your heartstrings.

I absolutely loved the ending. I’m excited to mull everything over and form theories while I wait for the sequel.

[Helen Whistberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense dystopian tale in the same vein as The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner. Four teens must navigate a deadly obstacle course as a team in the hopes of winning their freedom from an existence that is itself a bit of a mystery. The contestants are given one explanation of the game but it quickly becomes apparent that nothing is quite what it seems. While not a perfect book, it's a five star for me because of the agonizingly visceral action that never lets up once it kicks in. The sympathy you feel for the teens and their predicament is enormous and there is one emotional gut punch after another as their fates are revealed. And then, there is one of those endings that make you question everything you just read. I enjoy those kind of mind games and it left me eager to read the next installment of this series to see how it all plays out. Satisfying read for fans of action, fantasy/sci-fi, and dystopian themes.

[Richard J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Astonishingly Bad Writing

The quality of the writing - florid and overly dramatic - combined with what becomes a boring repetition of seemingly overwhelming crisis after crisis and the strange ability of the protagonist to absorb and recover immediately from life-threatening injuries turns what could have been a creative story into a waste of the reader’s time. Once past the entry into the ongoing torture chamber/maze, for seven-eighths of the book it will save time if you read a few pages at random and then skip to the end. You won’t miss much. The many questions you raised during the story are never answered, so a careful read isn’t needed and you’ll just get frustrated over the author’s misuse of words.

[claudia reads it all · Rating 4 out of 5]

There Were Only Four is a harsh, brutal book that takes place in a dystopian world where kids, in groups of four, must make it through a maze in order to gain freedom and opportunities.

The familiarity of the premise is soon overridden by the bleakness of the setting, and the growing horror of knowing something - aside from everything already happening - is very, very wrong.

I've been reading since I was three years old, and I'm 52 now. I can count on one hand the number of times something in a fictional story has truly shocked me, and the ending of this book is one of those.

I am already halfway through the second book (sleep? what's that?) and I am not trusting anything.

Shaking my tiny fist at you

[LostinABook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll start by saying that I don't understand when people say that this book is not well written. English isn't my first language and I understood everything. I thought that the text was clear, smoothly-flowing and coherent.

Now let's dive into my thoughts. Growing up, I loved watching Maze Runner and The Hunger Games. This first book in the trilogy was heavily inspired by them and I loved it.
I was so stressed while reading. I found myself screaming at the characters, I have so many questions.

This ending gutted me. I need to dive into book 2 right away because what in the actual f*ck was that? I absolutely did not see that twist coming and I'm scared to keep on reading the rest of this trilogy. 😩 The mind games!!

[All For Him · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t rush through the book because I could tell from the start that I wanted to savor it. What a great new take on a maze competition - the ending was not what I was thinking would be the outcome.

The story never became “stale.” It kept my attention throughout with a fast-paced telling of this unusual competition. I’ve read other books by this author, and I can definitely see great maturity with each new novel.

I found my heart aching for the main characters so often. I would highly recommend to anyone - especially fans of Hunger Games.

I can’t wait for another book in this series fo find out how it all started, or where it goes from the conclusion of Book 1.

[Dave Deickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a ruthless firestorm, a relentless hurricane leaving you with the same immersive disoritentation as the characters. I was biting my fingernails and my palms begin to sweat as i turn each page and tried to anticipate each othe deadly traps laid.
I loved this book and read it in one sitting feeling as exhausted and beaten as the main character and her struggle through the labyrinth. I was left feeling the same after reading There are only 4 as i do when reading a war book.
This was the first book by Nicole Scarano that i have read and immediately went out and purchased her others.
I would recommend this book to others.

[M.J. Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book moved up my to-be-read list fairly quickly and I have to say that I enjoyed the story. I have to say I wanted a bit more from the characters and how they were dealing with everything that was happening. I enjoyed the hyperbole but there were many and it's hard to imagine anyone thinking in that way to describe things as often as the main character does. That said, the story pulls you in quickly and there is danger lurking around every corner. It's exciting, fast paced, and had me turning pages late into the night. Enjoyed it!

[Haley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The overall idea isn't new, but it's still entertaining. Solid plot outline, and the ending was well done. The writing wasn't the best for me; the same thoughts and phrases are repeated constantly by our narrator and, in such a short story, it gets irritating and the intended theme and characterization loses its impact. The action sequences are pretty well done, the horror is there, but the writing was just too muddled for me. I couldn't get my bearings where descriptions were written, and the movement of the characters and the layout of the landscape got a little lost.

[Cass Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was intense! The maze is terrifying and you are rooting deeply for the team the entire time. It’s a gripping read that ends in a way that makes me wish the sequel was out NOW! I’m hoping the sequel gives us more answers and ideally a few more lull moments where we can see more varied character building (like the cave scenes in The Hunger Games). I would definitely recommend this book for fans of The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner. Action packed!

[Ang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will be my first book review but I needed to share how much I loved this book! To be honest I didn't even read the description before starting it I just enjoy Dystopian novels and OMG this was beyond my expectations!! This is like Hungergames meets Maze runner meets DeathRace!...My imagination did not do this book justice im sure...I would love to see this as a Movie one day 🤞

**Not for the squeamish or faint at heart** 😱

[Lauren Bunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunger Games meets Mazerunner

Okay, so this book was amazing! I love all things Nicole Scarano and this was my first read for her that wasn’t part of the Autopsy of a Fairytale series and I was HOOKED!

I can only describe this book as a mix between Hunger Games and Mazerunner. There are definitely parts that are graphic, and I found that refreshing for a YA book (I’m used to reading “adult fiction” if you catch my drift). I can’t wait to read the next book!

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and action-packed book that throws the reader headfirst into the events! The main character and her three teammates are forced to endure a truly testing challenge in the maze. It’s dark and brutal and gave me some real The Maze Runner vibes. If you like plot driven books and endings that leave you with more questions than answers, then you should definitely check out this book!

[Claudia Trexler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to read the follow up book but this book was gruesome! The book didn’t end and I just wanted to have an ending…..I mean it ended but the plot didn’t end? Very strange apocalyptic/dystopian whatever you want to call it reading! I wanted to know how it turned out so I kept reading but no answer! Now I have to read the sequel! I’m sure the sequel won’t be any less gruesome?!

[Lindsey Anderle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have a higher rating if the writing weren't so metaphorical all the time. There's no need to describe everything as if it needs to be shown as something else. Sometimes a wall is just a wall.

Also the maze could have used more description. It was hard to picture what things actually looked like most of the time because of the weird descriptions.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast exciting read!

I inhaled this book in a day. There is much going on on the surface and beneath.
We are left with an unexpected ending and since this is book one I am hoping for more but no indication of when it even if there will be a book two. I will be waiting.

[Raina Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrifyingly captivating

The story here is captivating. I'm truly excited to continue the world building in the next book! The writing style was slightly too metaphor uneasy for me, and some of the action descriptions were confusing, but this truly is a great story.