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The Burdened Few
In this future, time travel isn't the only technical marvel. Cognitive Governance connects a person's mind with the surrounding technology, making interactions natural and seamless—like an extension of one's own body. As blissful guests board Time Hoppers and travel to the parks, Brock Rivera, the staff member in charge of Cognitive Governance for the resort, receives a rare alert through his neural connection. His gut says trouble is brewing. However, every attempt to warn his supervisor falls on deaf ears. An impending disaster is coming... and the fate of the entire timeline is at stake.
363 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2023
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825 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 27, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!
What a WILD RIDE! This book was 👏🏻action 👏🏻packed let me tell you! The Burdened Few is a great pick for anyone that loves a page turner filled with high stakes, time travel, complicated relationships, and strong themes. The author created such clear visuals I felt like I was watching the whole book play out like a classic action film!
What a WILD RIDE! This book was 👏🏻action 👏🏻packed let me tell you! The Burdened Few is a great pick for anyone that loves a page turner filled with high stakes, time travel, complicated relationships, and strong themes. The author created such clear visuals I felt like I was watching the whole book play out like a classic action film!
December 23, 2024
RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 5⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4.5⭐️
If Jurassic Park and Westworld had a competitor, it would be the Spacetime Defenders Resort and Theme Park, a time travel park operated from a theater-like command center like NASA's Houston in Apollo 13. The concept for this story is nuts in the best way. What if you could go on vacation with your family to a resort in the future that has cracked the code on time travel, and set up theme parks in six iconic destinations and time periods in the past? Two families, decide to find out when they go together, but just as vacation is getting underway, they split up to enjoy different activities, and the command center starts receiving alerts of impending disaster.
Before I commit to a new book I know nothing about, I like to give it three chapters to see if it's worth reading. This one definitely had me curious after three chapters, but I wouldn't say I was hooked right away. I'm happy to report that the book just gets better and better, and I hit a point where I couldn't put it down! This has everything: a gripping concept, clever plot, clean execution, well-crafted pacing and build, and such a strong ending! The little twists and turns in the final chapter and epilogue are EVERYTHING. I loved the ride, but the conclusion was such a tight and satisfying landing, it solidified my rating.
The setting also really worked for me. It's intriguing because it raises all kinds of technical and moral questions that are well-addressed. How are the travelers concealed from the natives/locals? How do people coming to the parks from all different points in time not corrupt or interfere with the timeline? How do you keep guests from revealing information to one another from their separate timelines? All of this is explored, and it's so fun! I couldn't always picture everything in detail, but I had a great sense of scope and movement, and the mashup of rides and attractions in a historic setting was fascinating to imagine.
It took a while for me to connect with these characters. This genre is heavily plot-focused and characters are more vehicles to deliver the action. I had to get into that mode and realize character development and interaction aren't the focus of the story, and if the book had any weaknesses for me, it was that. Specifically, two of the characters are 9-year-old boys and they talk, act, and behave as such. Early on, I felt like the story was about unlikeable men and juvenile punk kids, having frustrating and unnecessarily awkward interpersonal moments. BUT McCutchen does a good job of making them feel more realistic and complicated as the story unfolds, and ultimately the characters are shown to be brave and resourceful. All the character arcs ended up feeling satisfying to me without being cliche, and I was pleasantly surprised and more attached the longer I read.
Thematically, I wasn't ready for the punch The Burdened Few delivered! Throughout the story, the characters are dealing with several iterations of standing up for themselves. Reid is borderline bullied by Corey, Liv is pressured by her crush, and Emma wrestles with how to address complications in her marriage. None of this fully landed for me until the climax and conclusion of the story, where characters take a look at their responsibility to advocate for not only themselves but for helpless others. Over and over again in personal and global ways, the story explores the slippery slope of allowing oppression, ignoring, and turning a blind eye. It encourages that agency and conviction that propels people to create their best lives and outcomes, instead of being a bystander or a victim, or worse victimizing others. It also shows a realistic look at how change can happen, it offers an optimistic look at redemption through Tyler, Luke, Brock, Emma, and Alicia's arcs. It ultimately left me feeling inspired and hopeful.
This is an action-packed sci-fi techno adventure, that reads like a film or TV show! It would make an awesome adaptation. It's a stunning debut, crafted with care and put through rigorous production to provide the reader with a quality experience. I'm thrilled to be one of the early readers and promoters of this book! I highly recommend!
Note: I was compensated for an honest review of this book on a different platform. This written review is not sponsored or required. I'm posting of my own volition.
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 5⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4.5⭐️
If Jurassic Park and Westworld had a competitor, it would be the Spacetime Defenders Resort and Theme Park, a time travel park operated from a theater-like command center like NASA's Houston in Apollo 13. The concept for this story is nuts in the best way. What if you could go on vacation with your family to a resort in the future that has cracked the code on time travel, and set up theme parks in six iconic destinations and time periods in the past? Two families, decide to find out when they go together, but just as vacation is getting underway, they split up to enjoy different activities, and the command center starts receiving alerts of impending disaster.
Before I commit to a new book I know nothing about, I like to give it three chapters to see if it's worth reading. This one definitely had me curious after three chapters, but I wouldn't say I was hooked right away. I'm happy to report that the book just gets better and better, and I hit a point where I couldn't put it down! This has everything: a gripping concept, clever plot, clean execution, well-crafted pacing and build, and such a strong ending! The little twists and turns in the final chapter and epilogue are EVERYTHING. I loved the ride, but the conclusion was such a tight and satisfying landing, it solidified my rating.
The setting also really worked for me. It's intriguing because it raises all kinds of technical and moral questions that are well-addressed. How are the travelers concealed from the natives/locals? How do people coming to the parks from all different points in time not corrupt or interfere with the timeline? How do you keep guests from revealing information to one another from their separate timelines? All of this is explored, and it's so fun! I couldn't always picture everything in detail, but I had a great sense of scope and movement, and the mashup of rides and attractions in a historic setting was fascinating to imagine.
It took a while for me to connect with these characters. This genre is heavily plot-focused and characters are more vehicles to deliver the action. I had to get into that mode and realize character development and interaction aren't the focus of the story, and if the book had any weaknesses for me, it was that. Specifically, two of the characters are 9-year-old boys and they talk, act, and behave as such. Early on, I felt like the story was about unlikeable men and juvenile punk kids, having frustrating and unnecessarily awkward interpersonal moments. BUT McCutchen does a good job of making them feel more realistic and complicated as the story unfolds, and ultimately the characters are shown to be brave and resourceful. All the character arcs ended up feeling satisfying to me without being cliche, and I was pleasantly surprised and more attached the longer I read.
Thematically, I wasn't ready for the punch The Burdened Few delivered! Throughout the story, the characters are dealing with several iterations of standing up for themselves. Reid is borderline bullied by Corey, Liv is pressured by her crush, and Emma wrestles with how to address complications in her marriage. None of this fully landed for me until the climax and conclusion of the story, where characters take a look at their responsibility to advocate for not only themselves but for helpless others. Over and over again in personal and global ways, the story explores the slippery slope of allowing oppression, ignoring, and turning a blind eye. It encourages that agency and conviction that propels people to create their best lives and outcomes, instead of being a bystander or a victim, or worse victimizing others. It also shows a realistic look at how change can happen, it offers an optimistic look at redemption through Tyler, Luke, Brock, Emma, and Alicia's arcs. It ultimately left me feeling inspired and hopeful.
This is an action-packed sci-fi techno adventure, that reads like a film or TV show! It would make an awesome adaptation. It's a stunning debut, crafted with care and put through rigorous production to provide the reader with a quality experience. I'm thrilled to be one of the early readers and promoters of this book! I highly recommend!
Note: I was compensated for an honest review of this book on a different platform. This written review is not sponsored or required. I'm posting of my own volition.
August 17, 2024
Really torn between a 3.5 and 4⭐️!
Interesting and unique idea about a time travel based resort. Think along the lines of Disney’s EPCOT, with each park being different time periods in different areas around the world. Mega corporation with secrets, corruption and downfalls, family drama, multi-POV, time travel and fight for your life action, there’s so many things happening that I really enjoyed.
Definitely a keep you on the edge of your seat read, thrilling and exciting.
There were definitely some POVs that I didn’t really care for, and some parts felt a little…surface level? But overall it was fun, different than other sci-fi books I’ve read!
Interesting and unique idea about a time travel based resort. Think along the lines of Disney’s EPCOT, with each park being different time periods in different areas around the world. Mega corporation with secrets, corruption and downfalls, family drama, multi-POV, time travel and fight for your life action, there’s so many things happening that I really enjoyed.
Definitely a keep you on the edge of your seat read, thrilling and exciting.
There were definitely some POVs that I didn’t really care for, and some parts felt a little…surface level? But overall it was fun, different than other sci-fi books I’ve read!
June 4, 2023
I loved this book, it was full of action and gave the reader a lot to think about. The ending will blow your mind. The author has quite an imagination and does a terrific job of creating and developing his characters, especially Brock Rivera, the brilliant staff member in charge of Cognitive Governance, who sees trouble brewing but has no luck convincing his superiors until it is too late. There is plenty of action, fantasy, adventure and time travel. A must read.
LWD
LWD
August 20, 2024
Interesting Westworld meets the butterfly effect concept about a time travel vacation resort.
Things I liked:
⏳wide cast of characters with relatable problems and relationships
⏳unique sci fi concept
⏳high stakes
⏳questionable ethics all around
Just personal taste: Although I love a good tech-y sci fi and some action, for me there was a little too much details on some parts of it so I didn’t have as fun of a time (particularly with the gun fight scenes).
Things I liked:
⏳wide cast of characters with relatable problems and relationships
⏳unique sci fi concept
⏳high stakes
⏳questionable ethics all around
Just personal taste: Although I love a good tech-y sci fi and some action, for me there was a little too much details on some parts of it so I didn’t have as fun of a time (particularly with the gun fight scenes).
August 14, 2024
4 ⭐️ | What a ride! This is an action packed Sci-Fi thriller that never lets up 🙌🏻 I agree with the comparisons to West World and Jurassic Park. The Jurassic Park comparison involves more of the security around the theme park and has nothing to do with dinosaurs. I absolutely loved the time travel implications in this one and I wish it was a series!!
August 19, 2024
This was ridiculously good. There’s a few parts that seemed to come out of nowhere and happened so fast but had a huge impact, so I docked it down a star for that. But holy moly, if you want a quick brain refresher, this is a good one to get you out of a slump! I’m also not much of a sci-fi girly so if you want to dabble in that realm, I think this would be a good book for you!
August 5, 2024
4.5
This book kept me turning pages. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and couldn't wait to jump back in. I love the idea of having a theme park where you can travel back in time. I think this will be one that I continue to think about.
This book kept me turning pages. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and couldn't wait to jump back in. I love the idea of having a theme park where you can travel back in time. I think this will be one that I continue to think about.
September 1, 2024
Loved this sci fi adventure! The story centered on two families visiting a theme park where you traveled through time to reach the attractions. Such a great find on Kindle Unlimited. It felt like a mix of Jurassic Park and Dark Matter.
June 30, 2024
This book seemed like it was right up my alley, so I picked it up. I enjoy books that play around with time or alternate histories, but also appreciate a good thriller.
I am so glad I found this book. It's been almost a week since finishing it, and I still think about the story once a day. I've probably recommended it to two dozen friends and coworkers!
The author wrote every character as if they've lived a few weeks in each of their shoes. The way each character arc is introduced, split up in to smaller arcs, and then brilliantly brought together in the end made for a satisfying ride. Like seeing a tapestry destroyed, and then woven back together to make something new and exciting.
Oh... and,
... If you always wanted to experience Die Hard as a Sci Fi, this is a book for you, too.
I am so glad I found this book. It's been almost a week since finishing it, and I still think about the story once a day. I've probably recommended it to two dozen friends and coworkers!
The author wrote every character as if they've lived a few weeks in each of their shoes. The way each character arc is introduced, split up in to smaller arcs, and then brilliantly brought together in the end made for a satisfying ride. Like seeing a tapestry destroyed, and then woven back together to make something new and exciting.
Oh... and,
... If you always wanted to experience Die Hard as a Sci Fi, this is a book for you, too.
August 26, 2024
It was enjoyable. Fast read.
October 3, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! I was glued to it, and it was hard to put down!!
May 12, 2025
While this isn't necessarily a good book or doing anything all that new, it is very much a fun book. It's quick and easy to read and entertaining throughout. Great palate cleanser
August 29, 2025
3.75⭐️
May 31, 2024
This book kept me engaged from beginning to end. It takes the reader on a fun adventure with two families to an amusement park where guests can time travel. Such a great concept! But things go awry, and the characters find themselves in a situation they never expected. I don't consider myself a true sci-fi fan, but I love stories that take me to interesting places and make me think. This book does that. I also like that the author follows his characters as they face not only the crisis at the amusement park, but also in their relationships with one another as the two families face difficulties between parents and children, friends, siblings and spouses. I think this book has a wide appeal for lovers of all types of stories- sci-fi, mystery, thriller, adventure- this book has it all.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews