What do you think?
Rate this book
The Lost Father Chronicles #1
Middle On
This is the story of a nineteen year old man, Orryk Dain, who searches for the answer to a question: Where is he?
A man he once knew, a man who he looked up to, one day vanished without a word. The only conversation about the man having been during Orryk's fifteenth year, and arguing had given him nothing. Now, out of the dusty volumes his mother wrote, he searches for clues to the man he once called: Father.
What is the start of a once in a lifetime adventure, Orryk Dain's hunt brings him from the pages of his dead mother's diaries into the depths of Middle On, The Marketplace, and the edges of The Crossroads, that is, until he finds himself struggling between two powerful groups: A brutal gang of extortionists called The Creepers, and The Sheriff with his dreaded Night Watch.
Can there be hope for Orryk? Can he find the answers he needs? Or will he find himself dead from one side or the other?
This story is unorthodox fantasy with a modern tone fused to a late 17th century feel.
It is the first published book by K R Cox.
A man he once knew, a man who he looked up to, one day vanished without a word. The only conversation about the man having been during Orryk's fifteenth year, and arguing had given him nothing. Now, out of the dusty volumes his mother wrote, he searches for clues to the man he once called: Father.
What is the start of a once in a lifetime adventure, Orryk Dain's hunt brings him from the pages of his dead mother's diaries into the depths of Middle On, The Marketplace, and the edges of The Crossroads, that is, until he finds himself struggling between two powerful groups: A brutal gang of extortionists called The Creepers, and The Sheriff with his dreaded Night Watch.
Can there be hope for Orryk? Can he find the answers he needs? Or will he find himself dead from one side or the other?
This story is unorthodox fantasy with a modern tone fused to a late 17th century feel.
It is the first published book by K R Cox.
560 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2011
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
K.R. Cox
10 books11 followersK. R. COX is a traveler, an outdoor enthusiast, a lifetime learner, and of course, an author.
For news and upcoming books, visit the official website: www.krcoxbooks.com
For news and upcoming books, visit the official website: www.krcoxbooks.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 20, 2013
I wanted to like this story, I really did, but it just didn’t happen. Orryk was a likable and sympathetic character. He’s all alone and looking for something to give him purpose. He latches onto the idea that he should find out why his father left, and where he went, when he abandoned his family when Orryk was a child. The plot sounds good. So why didn’t I like it?
I think the main reason is that there is no resolution of anything in the book. A lot of time is spent introducing us to Orryk and his friends, and the antics they get up to together. The main purpose to the story seems to be that Orryk decides to look for his father. Not that he does look for him, that comes in a later book. This book is all about that decision. I don’t think it’s enough to base an entire book on.
The summary of the book makes it seem like there will be lots of action in the story. After reading the first book, it seems that the summary is for the whole series, not just for this one book. I find this misleading, and led me to be disappointed, to the point that I’m not sure I want to bother continuing the series.
I think the main reason is that there is no resolution of anything in the book. A lot of time is spent introducing us to Orryk and his friends, and the antics they get up to together. The main purpose to the story seems to be that Orryk decides to look for his father. Not that he does look for him, that comes in a later book. This book is all about that decision. I don’t think it’s enough to base an entire book on.
The summary of the book makes it seem like there will be lots of action in the story. After reading the first book, it seems that the summary is for the whole series, not just for this one book. I find this misleading, and led me to be disappointed, to the point that I’m not sure I want to bother continuing the series.
December 10, 2013
Please note: The review/critique of this book (which was donated to The Magnolia Blossom Review for the sole purpose of a review) was completed by Glynis Rankin based on a Rubric designed by the site’s owner, L. Avery Brown. This review is posted on behalf of Glynis. Should it be that she decides she would like to have the review removed so that she may post it directly under her name, then this review will be removed. However, until such time, it is being posted under the profile of the review site's owner. If you would like to read the entire review which includes an in depth author interview – please visit The Magnolia Blossom Review’s site online today! Thank you.
And Now for the Review…
This review was completed by Glynis Rankin
1. Book Title - 3 of 5
For the Reviewer: Did it grab your attention right away? (5) Was it ho hum? (3) Would you glance at it and then forget it? (1) What do you think the author might consider for future book titles? (You should have plenty of space for each item on the form as I think I set it up for the boxes to 'grow'.)
GR: The title made my curious, but not enough to make me want to go out and buy the book.
2. Book Cover – 3 of 5
For the Reviewer: Did it grab your attention? (5) Was it ho hum? (3) Did it look like it was haphazardly thrown together? (1) What do you think the author might consider for future book covers? Did it help make the title more effective?
GR: I actually saw two covers to the this book, and I must say I prefer the second cover with the man's face. It's visual gives the cover something to draw the eye, yet it doesn't stick with you.
3. First 500... – 8 of 10
For the Reviewer: Thinking of the first 500 (usually about 2 pages) words of the book, do you think the author provided enough incentive to urge the reader to continue? What stood out to you the most? Were you captivated after a couple of paragraphs? Did the 1st sentence grab you? Did you get to around the 500 word mark and didn't have a clue where the story was going?
GR: This was quite intense, placing the reader right in the middle of a mystery, at the moment of the characters heighten drama, then leave us wondering as we enter the main story.
4. Blurb Effectiveness – 6 of 10
For the Reviewer: Now that you've finished the book, please take a moment to look back over the blurb. How effective do you think the blurb will be to potential readers? Did the author write a blurb that was enticing and went along with the story? (10) Was the blurb lacking? (5) Was it entirely too long or too short? (1) Do you have any suggestions for the author to make it more effective?
GR: The Blurb isn't something that grabs the reader. It's almost like a jumbled laundry list of what to expect with nothing there to sparks any interest.
5. Age Recommendation/Genre Classification – 9 of 10
For the Reviewer: Age Recommendation - If the book is entirely too young/juvenile for the intended age group? Is it entirely too mature? (Please take into account swearing/sexual scenes/drug use, etc... Genre Classification - Was the book listed as a thrill ride of a read but was more of a bumper car ride (sort of all over the place)? Was it listed as a mystery and you simply had to turn the page to find out 'who did it'?
GR: Age Recommendation/ I didn't read anything that suggest it couldn't be lowered to 16 Genre Classification/ Could have used a bit more Fantasy, but yes it fits.
6. Presentation/Format – 10 of 10
For the Reviewer: Did the 'innards' of the book follow a clear, concise, standard format throughout the book? Or did you have a hard time keeping up with paragraphs or dialogue? Were multiple fonts used? Were they distracting?
GR: They were nice , and clearly understandable
7. Theme/Originality – 7 of 10
For the Reviewer: Was this book similar to something you may have read before? If it was a retelling - did the author make it feel fresh and just different enough that it kept you involved? Or was it formulaic and a 'rehash' of a popular tale/current 'pop' genre? OR - is this the first time you can recall ever reading a book with theme/setup/etc of this particular title?
GR: This was a "Coming of age" adventure story like so many in fantasy, nothing original. The changing/discovery of the person before the journey scenario so much a part of this genre.
8. Description/Enhancement – 9 of 10
For the Reviewer: Did the author use descriptive language and 'all those extra little things' to make it the best it could be? Did you feel it was too sparse in description? Did the author go OVER board with the description?
GR: The author description of the town Middle On brought it to life. The few citizens he presented were very complex and possessed a personality of their own.
9. Intrigue – 8 of 10
For the Reviewer: Did you want to turn the next page because it was SO good? (10) Was it interesting but you didn't quite have an urge to keep reading? (5) Did you think 'I wonder if we have Twinkies in the pantry? Mmmmm, Twinkies' while you read? (1)
GR: The story moved forward with little hiccups in ideas. There were some predictable actions of the main character but not enough to hinder the story's flow. Yet I felt bored until he introduced Lacy K, but then she was gone.
10. Grammar/Mechanics – 10 of 10
For the Reviewer: Was the book pretty darn flawless? (10) Did you see more that 5 or 10 'jump out' at you mistakes in grammar or the actual mechanics (verb tense, noun/pronoun agreement, misused words) ? (5) Did you feel it was a chore to read because it was riddled with errors? (1)
GR: No noticeable problems in this area.
11. Overall Impression – 8 of 10
For the Reviewer: When all is said in done - did you enjoy the book? Would you recommend it to others?
GR: I would recommend Middle On. Mr. Cox wrote a pretty good story for those who like "Coming of Age" adventurers, that show the internal and external struggles of a young man dealing with life challenges and the bonds of friendships. I had difficulty getting into this book. I enjoyed the dystopic world he created, but I felt Mr. Cox tried too hard not to show the fantasy of this story. There were just bite sizes glimpses of it here and there. I would have like to have seen more Fantasy scene like at the end. There were parts that were interesting even intriguing, but as a whole the story was flat.
The Bestowing of the Blossoms…
Now that all has been said and done The Magnolia Blossom Review is pleased to announce that after reviewer Glynis Rankin filled out the handy-dandy 11 point form … KR Cox’s Middle On has earned 81 out of 100 points giving it a well-deserved 4 blossoms! We at The MBR are so please Mr. Cox decided to take a chance on our little review site and we do hope that you, Kind Reader, will take a chance on his book, Middle On, as it seems this is just the first in a series that will, no doubt, make a lasting impression on the world of (slightly older) Young Adult fantasy. We wish Mr. Cox the best of luck!
And Now for the Review…
This review was completed by Glynis Rankin
1. Book Title - 3 of 5
For the Reviewer: Did it grab your attention right away? (5) Was it ho hum? (3) Would you glance at it and then forget it? (1) What do you think the author might consider for future book titles? (You should have plenty of space for each item on the form as I think I set it up for the boxes to 'grow'.)
GR: The title made my curious, but not enough to make me want to go out and buy the book.
2. Book Cover – 3 of 5
For the Reviewer: Did it grab your attention? (5) Was it ho hum? (3) Did it look like it was haphazardly thrown together? (1) What do you think the author might consider for future book covers? Did it help make the title more effective?
GR: I actually saw two covers to the this book, and I must say I prefer the second cover with the man's face. It's visual gives the cover something to draw the eye, yet it doesn't stick with you.
3. First 500... – 8 of 10
For the Reviewer: Thinking of the first 500 (usually about 2 pages) words of the book, do you think the author provided enough incentive to urge the reader to continue? What stood out to you the most? Were you captivated after a couple of paragraphs? Did the 1st sentence grab you? Did you get to around the 500 word mark and didn't have a clue where the story was going?
GR: This was quite intense, placing the reader right in the middle of a mystery, at the moment of the characters heighten drama, then leave us wondering as we enter the main story.
4. Blurb Effectiveness – 6 of 10
For the Reviewer: Now that you've finished the book, please take a moment to look back over the blurb. How effective do you think the blurb will be to potential readers? Did the author write a blurb that was enticing and went along with the story? (10) Was the blurb lacking? (5) Was it entirely too long or too short? (1) Do you have any suggestions for the author to make it more effective?
GR: The Blurb isn't something that grabs the reader. It's almost like a jumbled laundry list of what to expect with nothing there to sparks any interest.
5. Age Recommendation/Genre Classification – 9 of 10
For the Reviewer: Age Recommendation - If the book is entirely too young/juvenile for the intended age group? Is it entirely too mature? (Please take into account swearing/sexual scenes/drug use, etc... Genre Classification - Was the book listed as a thrill ride of a read but was more of a bumper car ride (sort of all over the place)? Was it listed as a mystery and you simply had to turn the page to find out 'who did it'?
GR: Age Recommendation/ I didn't read anything that suggest it couldn't be lowered to 16 Genre Classification/ Could have used a bit more Fantasy, but yes it fits.
6. Presentation/Format – 10 of 10
For the Reviewer: Did the 'innards' of the book follow a clear, concise, standard format throughout the book? Or did you have a hard time keeping up with paragraphs or dialogue? Were multiple fonts used? Were they distracting?
GR: They were nice , and clearly understandable
7. Theme/Originality – 7 of 10
For the Reviewer: Was this book similar to something you may have read before? If it was a retelling - did the author make it feel fresh and just different enough that it kept you involved? Or was it formulaic and a 'rehash' of a popular tale/current 'pop' genre? OR - is this the first time you can recall ever reading a book with theme/setup/etc of this particular title?
GR: This was a "Coming of age" adventure story like so many in fantasy, nothing original. The changing/discovery of the person before the journey scenario so much a part of this genre.
8. Description/Enhancement – 9 of 10
For the Reviewer: Did the author use descriptive language and 'all those extra little things' to make it the best it could be? Did you feel it was too sparse in description? Did the author go OVER board with the description?
GR: The author description of the town Middle On brought it to life. The few citizens he presented were very complex and possessed a personality of their own.
9. Intrigue – 8 of 10
For the Reviewer: Did you want to turn the next page because it was SO good? (10) Was it interesting but you didn't quite have an urge to keep reading? (5) Did you think 'I wonder if we have Twinkies in the pantry? Mmmmm, Twinkies' while you read? (1)
GR: The story moved forward with little hiccups in ideas. There were some predictable actions of the main character but not enough to hinder the story's flow. Yet I felt bored until he introduced Lacy K, but then she was gone.
10. Grammar/Mechanics – 10 of 10
For the Reviewer: Was the book pretty darn flawless? (10) Did you see more that 5 or 10 'jump out' at you mistakes in grammar or the actual mechanics (verb tense, noun/pronoun agreement, misused words) ? (5) Did you feel it was a chore to read because it was riddled with errors? (1)
GR: No noticeable problems in this area.
11. Overall Impression – 8 of 10
For the Reviewer: When all is said in done - did you enjoy the book? Would you recommend it to others?
GR: I would recommend Middle On. Mr. Cox wrote a pretty good story for those who like "Coming of Age" adventurers, that show the internal and external struggles of a young man dealing with life challenges and the bonds of friendships. I had difficulty getting into this book. I enjoyed the dystopic world he created, but I felt Mr. Cox tried too hard not to show the fantasy of this story. There were just bite sizes glimpses of it here and there. I would have like to have seen more Fantasy scene like at the end. There were parts that were interesting even intriguing, but as a whole the story was flat.
The Bestowing of the Blossoms…
Now that all has been said and done The Magnolia Blossom Review is pleased to announce that after reviewer Glynis Rankin filled out the handy-dandy 11 point form … KR Cox’s Middle On has earned 81 out of 100 points giving it a well-deserved 4 blossoms! We at The MBR are so please Mr. Cox decided to take a chance on our little review site and we do hope that you, Kind Reader, will take a chance on his book, Middle On, as it seems this is just the first in a series that will, no doubt, make a lasting impression on the world of (slightly older) Young Adult fantasy. We wish Mr. Cox the best of luck!
December 26, 2012
I picked up Middle On because it seemed like a promising read outside of my usual genre of reading.
Well, this book did not disappoint me. Packed with action, it left me wanting to know what will happen next every time I had to put this book down.
This story has plenty of surprises along the way, taking all kinds of unexpected turns, while you grow fond of Orryk and his mischievous bunch of friends, following the desperate attempts of this young man to find his father, and maybe a purpose in life, too. You learn to find your way in those strange, unfamiliar to us surroundings, in the world the author has quite skillfully created. The strange town, the bizarre Market, the tough rules and law representatives, they are all leaving you wishing to know what's next.
Middle On is definitely a book worth reading.
Well, this book did not disappoint me. Packed with action, it left me wanting to know what will happen next every time I had to put this book down.
This story has plenty of surprises along the way, taking all kinds of unexpected turns, while you grow fond of Orryk and his mischievous bunch of friends, following the desperate attempts of this young man to find his father, and maybe a purpose in life, too. You learn to find your way in those strange, unfamiliar to us surroundings, in the world the author has quite skillfully created. The strange town, the bizarre Market, the tough rules and law representatives, they are all leaving you wishing to know what's next.
Middle On is definitely a book worth reading.
October 20, 2013
This was not my normal type of read. But I was pleasantlhy surprised. I really liked the storyline. It was interesting and kept my attention. I thought that Orryk the main character was very well developed and likable. I found myself really feeling sorry for all of the bad things that had happened in his young life. He has to deal with his father leaving and his mom and brother dying. Orryk is left with no family and decides that it is time he finds out why his father left. The story becomes very interesting once he begins this search for his father. I was wondering how things would develop in his search since it appears that his father's disappearance it really a mystery to all of those that knew him. This was a quick read that left me wanting more. The ending is such a cliffhanger!!!!!! It leaves you with no choice but to want to read book 2.
October 15, 2013
The Middle On was interesting, in ways. I enjoyed the distopic world that was created, it was different from a lot of things I've read. The characters were fun, as well. They definitely seemed to fit the worlds they lived in , they acted as if they'd lived in that world forever. They had, of course, lived their all of their lives, but the sad fact is that there are books where all of the characters seem out of place. Even with all of this, I still felt bored by the book. Maybe it's just me and my personal preferences, but I actually had some difficulties getting into this book. There were entertaining parts, and some interesting revelations, but all in all it seemed very flat.
September 4, 2013
Really enjoyed this book. It was more of a mystery and adventure book that Sci-fi [that comes by the tons in the second book]. As of right now, this is the best book I've read this year!
The story moves fast and the adventures the crew get into are wonderful. The characters are believable and entertaining. I was very happy to have read this short book, and can't wait for more.
The story moves fast and the adventures the crew get into are wonderful. The characters are believable and entertaining. I was very happy to have read this short book, and can't wait for more.
October 13, 2013
I really liked this story!
The pace is good, giving you enough information to read more. The tragedies that Orryk, the main character, goes through made me feel very tense! I could see the scenes so clearly in my mind like I'm actually seeing it with my own eyes. The author K R Cox dragged me into the world Orryk lives in. I will definitely read the rest of the series!!
The pace is good, giving you enough information to read more. The tragedies that Orryk, the main character, goes through made me feel very tense! I could see the scenes so clearly in my mind like I'm actually seeing it with my own eyes. The author K R Cox dragged me into the world Orryk lives in. I will definitely read the rest of the series!!
September 12, 2013
Orryk Dain has to struggle through some pretty difficult situations in this book, and he comes out at the end changed. I really didn't expect the ending, and it made me read the next book too!
K. R. Cox isn't quite James Patterson, my hero, but he certainly has my attention!
K. R. Cox isn't quite James Patterson, my hero, but he certainly has my attention!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews