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Tethered Twins
A gripping dystopian adventure set in an alternate future where every baby is born with a twin, sharing a psychic link from birth. The only catch; if your twin dies you die too.
When Emmie Keyes lives through every agonizing moment of her brother's death she knows with certainty that her life is over. Despite the inevitability of imminent death she inexplicably cheats fate and survives.
Devastated by the loss of her brother and unsure why she was spared, Emmie sets out to discover the truth. She enlists the help of her best friend to help her track down the most powerful man in the world with one goal in mind; finding the truth.
In the first part of this destiny changing trilogy, Emmie finds herself questioning every loyalty she has ever known including the trust of her friends and those she loves. She challenges the very fundamentals of her broken society in her quest to find out why she survived.
In this action packed debut novel that is adrenaline soaked from the very first page you will uncover the truth behind the Tethers that bind Emmie's world with shocking revelations and mind bending twists along the way.
When Emmie Keyes lives through every agonizing moment of her brother's death she knows with certainty that her life is over. Despite the inevitability of imminent death she inexplicably cheats fate and survives.
Devastated by the loss of her brother and unsure why she was spared, Emmie sets out to discover the truth. She enlists the help of her best friend to help her track down the most powerful man in the world with one goal in mind; finding the truth.
In the first part of this destiny changing trilogy, Emmie finds herself questioning every loyalty she has ever known including the trust of her friends and those she loves. She challenges the very fundamentals of her broken society in her quest to find out why she survived.
In this action packed debut novel that is adrenaline soaked from the very first page you will uncover the truth behind the Tethers that bind Emmie's world with shocking revelations and mind bending twists along the way.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2013
19 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Mike Essex
9 books12 followersHi everyone. I'm the author of the 'Tethered Twins' trilogy of dystopian fiction and the 'Free Stuff Everyday' guide to getting free stuff.
I've recently joined Goodreads and would love to hear from you whether you have read my books or not.
If you have any questions for me on writing, or my books then please get in touch. I love to hear from fellow readers and writers and look forward to hearing from you.
I've recently joined Goodreads and would love to hear from you whether you have read my books or not.
If you have any questions for me on writing, or my books then please get in touch. I love to hear from fellow readers and writers and look forward to hearing from you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 21, 2013
Tethered Twins is one of the most action-packed book I ever read. I love that! The beginning of the book really captures you. Emmie Keyes found herself in a room with two strangers, beating her and cutting her until she is a color of blood. She see there orange eyes and knows it is the day she will die. She didn't want to die. She didn't want him to die. Her brother, because he is the one who tied to a chair, he is the one who bleeds, but they both feel it. What her brother feels, she feels too, her brother is dying, she is dying too. Because they are born into a tethered world, a world where everyone is born with a twin and if your twin dies, you die with him/her. And she did, or that what she thought, until she woke up perfectly fine, but without having no connection left with her brother, she can feel him anymore. He is dead. Now she needs to figure out what really happened, to avenge her brother, and tried not to get killed, or worse experiment on.
The plot really is something unique, I never read a book that is similar to this one. It was soo different, the world that Mike Essex created. It was different, in a really good way. Honestly a lot of times story's like this, you would think not going to work. But this one definitely worked. I just loved how when I tried to guess what will happen, it was always something totally different, and it really keeps you on the edge and reading. There were some AWESOME twists! I loved them! Like in the end....blew my mind.
The characters were really amazing! I loved how the story was actually told from different characters, bad and good guys. Is it weird that one of my favorite characters is a total psycho? Haha because I honestly love his character, he is evil and he is just perfect at it. Perfect psycho! Maybe I loved his character, because of how creepy and 100% crazy he is. Well Emmie, that is one of the main characters is also pretty cool, but It was a little nit unbelievable of how she acted at some parts, like especially when she felt her brother die.
Overall I really liked this book, it was a fast action pack read with some awesome twists. I would recommend this to readers who love some action;D You know, thriller action, with guns and stuff. :D
The plot really is something unique, I never read a book that is similar to this one. It was soo different, the world that Mike Essex created. It was different, in a really good way. Honestly a lot of times story's like this, you would think not going to work. But this one definitely worked. I just loved how when I tried to guess what will happen, it was always something totally different, and it really keeps you on the edge and reading. There were some AWESOME twists! I loved them! Like in the end....blew my mind.
The characters were really amazing! I loved how the story was actually told from different characters, bad and good guys. Is it weird that one of my favorite characters is a total psycho? Haha because I honestly love his character, he is evil and he is just perfect at it. Perfect psycho! Maybe I loved his character, because of how creepy and 100% crazy he is. Well Emmie, that is one of the main characters is also pretty cool, but It was a little nit unbelievable of how she acted at some parts, like especially when she felt her brother die.
Overall I really liked this book, it was a fast action pack read with some awesome twists. I would recommend this to readers who love some action;D You know, thriller action, with guns and stuff. :D
January 6, 2014
In this dystopian alternate universe fantasy, every one is a "tethered" twin. (I am reminded of a science fiction/fantasy in which every one is tethered to a "daemon" but surely that is a coincidence.)
It turns out that there are a (very) few exceptions in the population who are not tethered and who become active in taking action against a super-villain who (with his minions) is trying to get access to and command of all the tethers.
Action dominates this novel. There are not many typos or grammatical issues; on the other hand, there are also precious few (consistent) character connections or (credible) plot developments. The main character speaks in the first person (without any noticeable literary effect) but otherwise the action is delivered in an almost non-stop staccato third person fashion.
The narrative gets bogged down at one point as the author tries to explain the mechanics/science of something the villains or activists are trying to do. At another point, the reader is jolted with the idea of a twin-cam being "rewound" since that seems out of place in a digital alternate universe.
Overall, this novel had such great pacing that I felt its entire execution was somewhat rushed.
It turns out that there are a (very) few exceptions in the population who are not tethered and who become active in taking action against a super-villain who (with his minions) is trying to get access to and command of all the tethers.
Action dominates this novel. There are not many typos or grammatical issues; on the other hand, there are also precious few (consistent) character connections or (credible) plot developments. The main character speaks in the first person (without any noticeable literary effect) but otherwise the action is delivered in an almost non-stop staccato third person fashion.
The narrative gets bogged down at one point as the author tries to explain the mechanics/science of something the villains or activists are trying to do. At another point, the reader is jolted with the idea of a twin-cam being "rewound" since that seems out of place in a digital alternate universe.
Overall, this novel had such great pacing that I felt its entire execution was somewhat rushed.
January 15, 2014
This is a futuristic story, dystopian essentially, in which “everyone” has a twin to which they are also invisibly “tethered”. Frighteningly when one twin dies the other twin also dies, except that for the main protagonist, Emmie, this does not happen. Having seen her brother, Will, die she realises that she should be dead, and that she needs to disappear from her community and “go underground”. We learn of an arch villain who wishes to gain control of everyone’s tether. It is an intriguing idea and had lots of potential but was poorly executed for several reasons. The narrative oscillates between the first person and the third, often with confusion between the two, resulting in descriptions that failed to make sense to this reader.
There is lots of action and the plot had many twists and turns but the narrative is delivered in such a clunky, almost script-like fashion, that I found myself wanting more exposition. When the author attempts to explain some of the theory or technology behind some of the concepts I found it lacked depth, and possibly understanding, for example regarding relativity and quantum theory. It is not clear how the “tethers” are supposed to work and so how does the villain get “hold” of them? Is it para-normal extra sensory mumbo jumbo; perhaps too much “fi” and not enough “sci” - maybe?
Unfortunately, throughout this novel I found that I was looking for the next instance of an editing fault. A couple of conventions or accepted punctuation issues were either ignored or unwittingly not followed. For example style is spoiled by often using figures for numbers when the word is normally spelled out; thirty people is preferred to “30 people”, twenty of the lights is preferable to “20 of the lights”, and so on. Regarding punctuation almost all of the dialogue had the wrong punctuation mark following the speech quotes. This quotation from the book exemplifies both points:
“they took me to that chair every day for 19 days.” he said. The full stop should be a comma if the dialogue is followed by a lower case letter; I have already mentioned that the figure 19 is better as the word.
It felt as though I was reading an imaginative student’s effort at writing, but which was still awaiting attention from their English teacher for spelling, punctuation and grammar correction. I persisted to the end of the book but with reluctance as my patience ran out quite quickly, being made constantly aware of the jumpy prose style with its faults.
There is lots of action and the plot had many twists and turns but the narrative is delivered in such a clunky, almost script-like fashion, that I found myself wanting more exposition. When the author attempts to explain some of the theory or technology behind some of the concepts I found it lacked depth, and possibly understanding, for example regarding relativity and quantum theory. It is not clear how the “tethers” are supposed to work and so how does the villain get “hold” of them? Is it para-normal extra sensory mumbo jumbo; perhaps too much “fi” and not enough “sci” - maybe?
Unfortunately, throughout this novel I found that I was looking for the next instance of an editing fault. A couple of conventions or accepted punctuation issues were either ignored or unwittingly not followed. For example style is spoiled by often using figures for numbers when the word is normally spelled out; thirty people is preferred to “30 people”, twenty of the lights is preferable to “20 of the lights”, and so on. Regarding punctuation almost all of the dialogue had the wrong punctuation mark following the speech quotes. This quotation from the book exemplifies both points:
“they took me to that chair every day for 19 days.” he said. The full stop should be a comma if the dialogue is followed by a lower case letter; I have already mentioned that the figure 19 is better as the word.
It felt as though I was reading an imaginative student’s effort at writing, but which was still awaiting attention from their English teacher for spelling, punctuation and grammar correction. I persisted to the end of the book but with reluctance as my patience ran out quite quickly, being made constantly aware of the jumpy prose style with its faults.
January 5, 2014
“In a world where readers face an unlimited quantity of high-quality low-cost works, the writers who achieve the most success will be those who take their readers to the most emotionally satisfying extremes. Books are pleasure-delivery devices. It doesn’t matter if you’re publishing a cookbook, romance novel, gardening how-to, memoir or political treatise. Your job as the indie author is to write that super-fabulous book. That involves great writing and professional-quality editing. It also means avoiding all the mistakes that create unnecessary friction that prevent readers from discovering, desiring and enjoying the book.”
-- Mark Coker
Tethered Twins, Mike Essex’s venture into science fiction and adolescent/young adult fantasy, begins with orange-eyed assailants inflicting fatal, mutilating wounds on the heroine’s twin brother Will. The engaging concept is the “tethering” of the twins, an extrasensory connection that typically involves correlated mortality. Unlike the vast majority of twins -- fraternal and identical – born into this dystopian world, Will’s death does not result in Emmie’s demise.
This intriguing beginning is followed by a story that lacks any internally consistent assumptions based on some “science,” real or imagined. With an interesting idea that could have been developed with some small understanding of research in neuroscience, or a creative thesis explaining how “tethering” could occur, the author proceeds to narrate a less than adequately written, or edited, adolescent fantasy – meaning the fantasy of an adolescent. The author fails to explore possibilities beyond more encounters with an evil twin’s proclivities for cutting, ill-conceived attempts to seek revenge for the deaths of family members as well as a sizeable percentage of civilization, and instantaneous crushes that speak more of hormones than relationships.
With some coaching, focused research, and professional editing a stimulating beginning could be developed into an emotionally and intellectually satisfying work.
Susan M. Rostan
-- Mark Coker
Tethered Twins, Mike Essex’s venture into science fiction and adolescent/young adult fantasy, begins with orange-eyed assailants inflicting fatal, mutilating wounds on the heroine’s twin brother Will. The engaging concept is the “tethering” of the twins, an extrasensory connection that typically involves correlated mortality. Unlike the vast majority of twins -- fraternal and identical – born into this dystopian world, Will’s death does not result in Emmie’s demise.
This intriguing beginning is followed by a story that lacks any internally consistent assumptions based on some “science,” real or imagined. With an interesting idea that could have been developed with some small understanding of research in neuroscience, or a creative thesis explaining how “tethering” could occur, the author proceeds to narrate a less than adequately written, or edited, adolescent fantasy – meaning the fantasy of an adolescent. The author fails to explore possibilities beyond more encounters with an evil twin’s proclivities for cutting, ill-conceived attempts to seek revenge for the deaths of family members as well as a sizeable percentage of civilization, and instantaneous crushes that speak more of hormones than relationships.
With some coaching, focused research, and professional editing a stimulating beginning could be developed into an emotionally and intellectually satisfying work.
Susan M. Rostan
March 11, 2013
Tethered Twins was an action-packed, dystopian society book—first book of a trilogy. The beginning of the book started off intense with the murder of Emmie’s brother and continued to take twists and turns throughout the novel. The reader must try to figure out what exactly is going on and who are really the good guys that Emmie should trust. [I’ll try to keep this all spoiler-free]
Characters: The book used first and third person. Emmie was the main character (written as first person) in the book. She lived a hard life especially after she survived when her brother died, denoting something special about her. Banding together with support of her childhood friends, Emmie went on an adventure to discover why her brother was killed and what made her so special that she didn’t die when he did. Secrets were afoot even with her best friend, Grace. Control and power were a focal point for a lot of the characters.
Plot: This was a fast-paced novel taken place in the near future England. The world was completely changed after the 21 day siege, and this left implications for the characters in Tethered Twins. The plot provided an intriguing storyline that kept me interested throughout the book. I finished it with two days. The story will leave the reader wanting to know what will happen, especially with the twists at the end.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would like to read what happens in the upcoming trilogy. There were some questions left unanswered/new questions formed by the end of the book. If you like action dystopian books, you should like this one.
December 17, 2013
Let me say upfront that I do not normally read dystopian stories because I usually do not enjoy them. This is a dystopian novel about a distant future, where everyone has a twin, and both twins who share a psychic link, and both twins die when and if only one dies. In this story, Emmie Keyes lives through her twin brother’s agonizing death—but finds that she has not died as she was supposed to when he died. Thus, she is amazed and sets out to figure out why she was spared death. With the help of a friend, she sets out to find the most powerful man in the world and to find out the truth. This is a book filled with many intrigues and twists and turns. The concept of everyone having a twin is sort of neat, but, as I said, my real enjoyment was probably shrouded by the fact that I do not like or find dystopian novels to my liking. Still, this novel has a lot to offer the reader in the way of entertainment and is well geared to the more mature young adult or adult who enjoys these sorts of things. The author writes fairly well for a beginner writer, though there are some changes between persons and between first and third person scattered throughout that can lead to some confusion and possible misunderstanding. I also thought the scenes and characters and their relationships could have been better developed, though they were okay for me. I recommend this to the reader who is looking to explore new ideas and stories and to those who enjoy dystopian novels. This is a great beginning for the author of a new series. I received this from Library Thing to read and review.
March 12, 2013
Wow...just wow. This was such a great read and it kept my interest the entire time. My mind is still reeling from the ending (in a good way).
The whole twin concept was so original and not something I ever seen done before. It was interesting how the resistance group was named "The Deck" and the ranking followed that of a playing deck. I was surprised to find that the members of The Deck were born without twins.
Emmie is a likeable protagonist. She just want to find the answers behind her brother's death and by the end help protect everybody.
I was happy to see Tobias grow into a multidimensional villain. I first just saw him as a creepy, power hungry dude but as I learned of his background towards the end, I started to feel a bit sorry for him.
He actually reminds me a bit from Van Grants from Tales of the Abyss (a Japanese RPG game) because they were both experimented on and then sought to take revenge (by using any means necessary and regardless the casualties of innocent people).
The mystery about the leader of "The Deck" was interesting and my jaw literally dropped when I found out that it was none other than Emmie's father, who was also working under Tobias to get back for the death of her mother.
Hands down, I would definetely read any sequels to this amazing book.
The whole twin concept was so original and not something I ever seen done before. It was interesting how the resistance group was named "The Deck" and the ranking followed that of a playing deck. I was surprised to find that the members of The Deck were born without twins.
Emmie is a likeable protagonist. She just want to find the answers behind her brother's death and by the end help protect everybody.
I was happy to see Tobias grow into a multidimensional villain. I first just saw him as a creepy, power hungry dude but as I learned of his background towards the end, I started to feel a bit sorry for him.
He actually reminds me a bit from Van Grants from Tales of the Abyss (a Japanese RPG game) because they were both experimented on and then sought to take revenge (by using any means necessary and regardless the casualties of innocent people).
The mystery about the leader of "The Deck" was interesting and my jaw literally dropped when I found out that it was none other than Emmie's father, who was also working under Tobias to get back for the death of her mother.
Hands down, I would definetely read any sequels to this amazing book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2016
I can see a strong story possible in this novel, but it didn't emerge in the writing.
Tethered Twins is in dire need of an editor that can bring the story together in terms of language, flow and story line construction. This could be an extremely strong story if there was more detail to the surroundings and characters, both of which were extremely flat and didn't jump off the page into my imagination. The mixture of 1st and 3rd person in the beginning of the book was a good idea that was not executed well. When writing in the 1st person, it is impossible to explain what another person was thinking, feeling or doing outside of the line of sight. The writer seemed to miss this mark.
As far as the dystopian genre goes, it misses the mark against other books that are available. There is no connect for me as a reader, having read others in the same genre. It doesn't pull me into the story, I felt nothing for any of the characters and found myself laboring to read, rather than enjoying a futuristic world unfolding on the pages and in my imagination.
I believe that if the writer were to get a professional development editor involved in the process, the story could be much better, but in the current position... it just doesn't get there for me as a reader.
Tethered Twins is in dire need of an editor that can bring the story together in terms of language, flow and story line construction. This could be an extremely strong story if there was more detail to the surroundings and characters, both of which were extremely flat and didn't jump off the page into my imagination. The mixture of 1st and 3rd person in the beginning of the book was a good idea that was not executed well. When writing in the 1st person, it is impossible to explain what another person was thinking, feeling or doing outside of the line of sight. The writer seemed to miss this mark.
As far as the dystopian genre goes, it misses the mark against other books that are available. There is no connect for me as a reader, having read others in the same genre. It doesn't pull me into the story, I felt nothing for any of the characters and found myself laboring to read, rather than enjoying a futuristic world unfolding on the pages and in my imagination.
I believe that if the writer were to get a professional development editor involved in the process, the story could be much better, but in the current position... it just doesn't get there for me as a reader.
May 1, 2013
This was one of the most exciting, action filled books I've read in a long time. At times, I felt myself holding my breath or yelling out loud to some of the characters.
It is a book set in the future where almost everyone has a twin. Here, all twins have a invisible tether to each other. When one dies the other dies. All but Emmie. As she watches her brother die and yet she remains, she knows something isn't right and she calls on her best friend Grace to help her.
The plot had so many twists and turns that you didn't see coming. It was smooth and fluent with some minor grammar issues but that didn't distract at all. I found all of the characters very engaging while the author gave you just as much information as you needed but not revealing it all.
This book was born for a sequel or two and I cannot wait to read those as well.
It is a book set in the future where almost everyone has a twin. Here, all twins have a invisible tether to each other. When one dies the other dies. All but Emmie. As she watches her brother die and yet she remains, she knows something isn't right and she calls on her best friend Grace to help her.
The plot had so many twists and turns that you didn't see coming. It was smooth and fluent with some minor grammar issues but that didn't distract at all. I found all of the characters very engaging while the author gave you just as much information as you needed but not revealing it all.
This book was born for a sequel or two and I cannot wait to read those as well.
December 29, 2014
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have a feeling that the author was trying for shock and awe. If so, he failed miserably. In this world, everyone is born with a twin who they are Tethered to. Through that Tether, their lives and minds are intertwined. They're born together, they die together.
One man has come up with a way to control the link. He's opposed by a group as bad as he is. In the middle is our heroine, a naive innocent who keeps getting mowed over by one side or the other.
The book felt like one long chase scene interspersed with finding out more damning information about each side. The end is called a win, but isn't. The whole story is pointless.
A real waste of time.
I have a feeling that the author was trying for shock and awe. If so, he failed miserably. In this world, everyone is born with a twin who they are Tethered to. Through that Tether, their lives and minds are intertwined. They're born together, they die together.
One man has come up with a way to control the link. He's opposed by a group as bad as he is. In the middle is our heroine, a naive innocent who keeps getting mowed over by one side or the other.
The book felt like one long chase scene interspersed with finding out more damning information about each side. The end is called a win, but isn't. The whole story is pointless.
A real waste of time.
January 27, 2015
its hard to say what I feel for this book. its a great story. intriguing and unique. but its also poorly written. the writing style is sophomoric, and there were many inconsistencies and plot holes. it really would have greatly benefited from the strong eye of a proofer/editor. normally that would warrant a two star review from me at BEST, and I wouldn't have even finished it. but the story is gripping. i loved the story but hated the writing. clean it up and it could get four or even five stars. I'm torn about the rest of the series. I want to go on but my inner editor who refuses to shut up is dreading it.
March 18, 2013
Emmie finds herself in trouble after watching her brother die. If that wasn't enough she shouldn't still be alive after his death as all humans are linked with their twin and when one dies so does the other. Hiding her identity and trying to get answers for her brother's death becomes a matter of survival for the young heroine.
This book had the right amount to action, mystery, lovable character dynamics and modern day science. I especially loved the twist at the end. I knew something was up but can't wait to find out how it plays out in the next two books.
This book had the right amount to action, mystery, lovable character dynamics and modern day science. I especially loved the twist at the end. I knew something was up but can't wait to find out how it plays out in the next two books.
March 17, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. While there were some grammar issues,the story was so exciting, they didn't slow the story down at all. I loved the concept of twins tethered to each other for better or worse...except for the part of dying if your twin died. When Emmie feels her twin, Will die, but finds herself still alive, all hell breaks loose. It's an exciting ride, hang on and enjoy! This is the first book in a trilogy which makes me happy.
July 23, 2017
I really wanted to like it, but the spelling and grammar errors made it difficult.
December 29, 2020
I think this book is much like a cartoon without the drawings.
February 14, 2022
A very good book with a solid and original plot.
July 22, 2013
In the dystopian world that Tethered Twins takes place in, everyone has a twin they are connected to forever. If your twin experiences a heightened emotion, you do, too. If your twin dies, you die, too. At least, that's all Emmie had known until the day her twin died...and she didn't. From then on, her life starts spiraling and questions come up that she can't find answers for. Why does the terrorist group known as The Deck want multimillionaire Tobias? Why does her make-up artist friend have so many useful connections that have nothing to do with the makeup industry? And most importantly, how and why is she alive when her twin isn't?
I would give this a solid three stars. There is a lot of mystery in this book that is well played out, and I enjoyed that. It kept me interested and curious. I liked the idea of how the world would work if everyone had a twin they were connected to and what issues people would want to resolve because of that. However, the narrative in this book shifts frequently, not only from character to character, but from first to third person point of view as well and I didn't like that. It made the story confusing for the first several chapters. Some of the secondary characters were flat and predictable. I felt more could have been done with them. However, Emmie is a nice main character, and I did enjoy her friendship with Grace. I liked how both of their characters developed over the novel.
I somehow got the impression before I read it that it was supposed to be a YA dystopian, but it's adult. The content isn't excessively adult, so it would still be fine for YA readers, but I think adults would enjoy it more. Overall, it just didn't have the things I personally enjoyed in a book, but I think people who are more into adult dystopian with a little sci-fi and a lot of action would like it more than I did. I think this is supposed to be a trilogy and while I didn't like it enough to read a sequel, I believe there is a good audience of people who will love it. I received a free ebook copy through a LibraryThing member giveaway.
I would give this a solid three stars. There is a lot of mystery in this book that is well played out, and I enjoyed that. It kept me interested and curious. I liked the idea of how the world would work if everyone had a twin they were connected to and what issues people would want to resolve because of that. However, the narrative in this book shifts frequently, not only from character to character, but from first to third person point of view as well and I didn't like that. It made the story confusing for the first several chapters. Some of the secondary characters were flat and predictable. I felt more could have been done with them. However, Emmie is a nice main character, and I did enjoy her friendship with Grace. I liked how both of their characters developed over the novel.
I somehow got the impression before I read it that it was supposed to be a YA dystopian, but it's adult. The content isn't excessively adult, so it would still be fine for YA readers, but I think adults would enjoy it more. Overall, it just didn't have the things I personally enjoyed in a book, but I think people who are more into adult dystopian with a little sci-fi and a lot of action would like it more than I did. I think this is supposed to be a trilogy and while I didn't like it enough to read a sequel, I believe there is a good audience of people who will love it. I received a free ebook copy through a LibraryThing member giveaway.
June 9, 2013
I loved Tethered Twins. It’s more than amazing, it’s epic. The first page got me hooked as Emmie witnessed how her twin brother was being killed. Through her tether connection, she felt as if every knife going through his body was going through hers as well, and she knew she was about to die too because that’s what happens if your twin dies. Only that, Emmie doesn’t die. She’s suddenly alone in this world full of secrets, but determined to find theanswers to all of her questions and more than ready to kick butt if necessary.
I liked this dystopian world a lot. All of the settings and elements were fascinating and easy to picture in my mind. The detailing is very well done and the whole plot is gripping to the point of nonstop reading. The book is divided in different points of view, greatly executed and not overwhelming or confusing. Every character was unique, important to the whole story and stood out in their own way as they took center stage when their act was on. The antagonist of the story, Tobias, is one heck of a villain. He’s very smart, always thinking ahead and a great strategist on the battlefield. After all, he is the game maker of the whole story and everybody else are just players struggling not to get game over.
This story develops into something furious. Action packed where the only option is all or nothing. Tethered Twins will get you heart pumping ‘til the very end and leave your mouth hanging open when you get there. It changes everything.
*This review first appeared at Cuzinlogic*
http://cuzinlogic.com/2013/06/tethere...
I liked this dystopian world a lot. All of the settings and elements were fascinating and easy to picture in my mind. The detailing is very well done and the whole plot is gripping to the point of nonstop reading. The book is divided in different points of view, greatly executed and not overwhelming or confusing. Every character was unique, important to the whole story and stood out in their own way as they took center stage when their act was on. The antagonist of the story, Tobias, is one heck of a villain. He’s very smart, always thinking ahead and a great strategist on the battlefield. After all, he is the game maker of the whole story and everybody else are just players struggling not to get game over.
This story develops into something furious. Action packed where the only option is all or nothing. Tethered Twins will get you heart pumping ‘til the very end and leave your mouth hanging open when you get there. It changes everything.
*This review first appeared at Cuzinlogic*
http://cuzinlogic.com/2013/06/tethere...
February 26, 2014
In a world where everyone is telepathically connected to a twin, Emmie does something impossible-- she survives the death of her twin brother. Frightened and grief-stricken, Emmie embarks on a race to find answers while trying to avoid detection by those who would want to use her for their own purposes.
Tethered Twins is a dystopian sci-fi thriller aimed at young adults. Though it incorporates a sizeable cast of characters, it is primarily plot-driven; the short chapters help maintain suspense and the author delivers several surprising twists. The futuristic world in which the story takes place is detailed and interesting. As the first installment in a series, this novel leaves plenty of room for further character development and world building while avoiding an overly introductory or expository feel. My main complaint is that the text (at least this edition) is in need of more careful revising and editing; I found the number of errors in spelling and puctuation extremely distracting, and in many cases the prose was awkward and the dialogue a bit choppy.
This is a novel that would appeal to any fan of young adult science fiction looking for a fast, entertaining read.
Tethered Twins is a dystopian sci-fi thriller aimed at young adults. Though it incorporates a sizeable cast of characters, it is primarily plot-driven; the short chapters help maintain suspense and the author delivers several surprising twists. The futuristic world in which the story takes place is detailed and interesting. As the first installment in a series, this novel leaves plenty of room for further character development and world building while avoiding an overly introductory or expository feel. My main complaint is that the text (at least this edition) is in need of more careful revising and editing; I found the number of errors in spelling and puctuation extremely distracting, and in many cases the prose was awkward and the dialogue a bit choppy.
This is a novel that would appeal to any fan of young adult science fiction looking for a fast, entertaining read.
December 21, 2014
I won an e-copy of this book on LibraryThings giveaway and was asked to provide an honest review.
I wish I could like this book... but I just don't. This is a futuristic, dystopian story where everyone - and I do mean EVERYONE save a few people - has a twin to which their lives are tethered to (thus, the title of the book). It starts off... decently. I won't even say it starts off good, because it doesn't, but it isn't horrible. At least, not at first. But then it quickly spirals down into an incoherent mess. This book would have been at least/i> okay had it gone through a good comprehensive editing session (or ten) with an editor. If someone had pointed out all the errors and clunky writing in sentence structure and overall story construction (not to mention given them a heads up in the proper use of characterization), I think this story would have been alright.
As it is... I don't have much good to say about it. It was just a flop for me. :/
I wish I could like this book... but I just don't. This is a futuristic, dystopian story where everyone - and I do mean EVERYONE save a few people - has a twin to which their lives are tethered to (thus, the title of the book). It starts off... decently. I won't even say it starts off good, because it doesn't, but it isn't horrible. At least, not at first. But then it quickly spirals down into an incoherent mess. This book would have been at least/i> okay had it gone through a good comprehensive editing session (or ten) with an editor. If someone had pointed out all the errors and clunky writing in sentence structure and overall story construction (not to mention given them a heads up in the proper use of characterization), I think this story would have been alright.
As it is... I don't have much good to say about it. It was just a flop for me. :/
November 18, 2014
Tethered Twins is (I hope)the first outing in a Science Fiction/Dystopian series based on a future where every human being is born with a twin and a telepathic link. If your twin dies, so do you and you experience what they do.
A fresh and original idea to my thinking and the author got it spot on. Right from the beginning you are faced with questions when the protagonist survives the murder of her twin. The questions keep coming as some are answered and you honestly have no idea who to trust. The megalomaniacal madman who seems to be controlling things...well is he or isn't he? Who exactly are The Deck?
This book was a roller coaster ride of tension and suspense and it keeps you guessing long past the end.
I would certainly recommend this to anyone who is fan of Sci/Fi and/or Dystopian fiction.
I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
A fresh and original idea to my thinking and the author got it spot on. Right from the beginning you are faced with questions when the protagonist survives the murder of her twin. The questions keep coming as some are answered and you honestly have no idea who to trust. The megalomaniacal madman who seems to be controlling things...well is he or isn't he? Who exactly are The Deck?
This book was a roller coaster ride of tension and suspense and it keeps you guessing long past the end.
I would certainly recommend this to anyone who is fan of Sci/Fi and/or Dystopian fiction.
I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
July 17, 2013
I received an ebook version of this book from a LibraryThing Giveaway.
There were definitely some unexpected twists throughout the book, just as promised. And plenty of action. So I was not disappointed. I only noticed a very few swear words, actually only 1 or 2 that I can remember and no sexual scenes, therefore, I feel this would be a good young adult read. This is the 1st book in a planned trilogy, and it will leave you wanting to read the next in the series, whenever it is available. There are some typos and grammatical errors, but nothing so jarring that it kills the story. This was a much better book than I was expecting from a 1st time, self-published author. In a sense, it reminded me of the beginning of the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson.
There were definitely some unexpected twists throughout the book, just as promised. And plenty of action. So I was not disappointed. I only noticed a very few swear words, actually only 1 or 2 that I can remember and no sexual scenes, therefore, I feel this would be a good young adult read. This is the 1st book in a planned trilogy, and it will leave you wanting to read the next in the series, whenever it is available. There are some typos and grammatical errors, but nothing so jarring that it kills the story. This was a much better book than I was expecting from a 1st time, self-published author. In a sense, it reminded me of the beginning of the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson.
January 19, 2015
Oh boy, the writing here is just not good. It really seemed like a high school creative writing assignment. Sentence structure, word choice, characterization were unsophisticated and clunky.
The story...well, I don't know what to say. Obviously I thought the premise was interesting or I would not have picked up the book in the first place. Unfortunately, it was a mess. The twists and turns and double crosses were just too much and did not make sense. There are times I read a book and I'm confused for a good portion of it, but then everything falls into place and it all makes sense...the way it should. This was not the case with Tethered Twins. I ended the book even more confused than when I started, both about who the real villain was and the "tether."
The story...well, I don't know what to say. Obviously I thought the premise was interesting or I would not have picked up the book in the first place. Unfortunately, it was a mess. The twists and turns and double crosses were just too much and did not make sense. There are times I read a book and I'm confused for a good portion of it, but then everything falls into place and it all makes sense...the way it should. This was not the case with Tethered Twins. I ended the book even more confused than when I started, both about who the real villain was and the "tether."
February 17, 2015
In a world where everyone has a twin that can feel and experience the same things if you could figure out how to control that connection you could have power. That is the world that [Mike Essex] creates in [Tethered Twins].
Twenty-one years ago an event happened that caused billions of deaths worldwide. Now England is divided into the 'haves' and 'have nots' but they all have the common thread of being tethered. Emmie experienced the torture, and death, of her twin Will. By all accounts she should be dead but instead she is about to become a pawn, and possibly savior, in the battle to control the world.
I enjoyed this story. It fit into the dystopian genre with a different twist. I am hoping to get to read the second installment [Tethered Souls].
Twenty-one years ago an event happened that caused billions of deaths worldwide. Now England is divided into the 'haves' and 'have nots' but they all have the common thread of being tethered. Emmie experienced the torture, and death, of her twin Will. By all accounts she should be dead but instead she is about to become a pawn, and possibly savior, in the battle to control the world.
I enjoyed this story. It fit into the dystopian genre with a different twist. I am hoping to get to read the second installment [Tethered Souls].
September 1, 2016
At first, I was afraid that the characters would overshadow the plot. This did not happen, and I was so happy to have read this book. There is no shortage of action and suspense in this book. Based on the cover and blurb, I was expecting something that fit the bill of a YA dystopian. Tethered Twins was not. It had a much more grown up feel to it. If you're looking for a change of pace from the typical dystopians, this book would be an excellent choice for you.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to LibraryThing and Mike Essex.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to LibraryThing and Mike Essex.
March 22, 2015
I received a free kindle copy of Tethered Twins by Mike Essex in an Amazon promotion. I gave it four stars because it intrigued me.
The premise was that one twin experienced what the other twin was going through. If one died, the other also died. Until Emmie when all things changed. It engaged my attention start to finish. The end was an unexpected twist in this dystopian novel.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Tethered-Twins-...
The premise was that one twin experienced what the other twin was going through. If one died, the other also died. Until Emmie when all things changed. It engaged my attention start to finish. The end was an unexpected twist in this dystopian novel.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Tethered-Twins-...
July 9, 2013
"Tethered Twins" is full of twists and turns and I really am still unsure as to who to trust. This is the first in a trilogy. One billion people died because of a sound wave which was meant to separate twins from a shared bond. Maybe one should not mess with the natural order of things? I enjoyed the idea of this book and look forward to seeing what happens in the next one. (This ending brought up more questions than answers.)
January 2, 2014
Couldn't connect to the characters, and thought Emmie - the supposed heroine of the story - kind of sucked. I guess she's going to have to figure things out quick if the story's going to get better, but no real interest in reading it. The bad guy's your typical bad guy, though I do have to admit he's got a fairly good reason for being the psycho he is. Everything's connected in this book, which got a bit frustrating.
December 5, 2015
I liked the concept behind the story, but I couldn't connect with the characters. I felt so indifferent to them, I decided to skim over half of the book because I was still curious about how the plot would turn out. I was pretty disappointed in the ending, though. The pace picks up to the point that I got lost trying to keep track of what was happening with everybody (possibly made worse by my skimming). Glad I didn't spend money on this; I won't read it again.
April 9, 2014
This had a cool and original story idea which made for an enjoyable, fast-paced sci-fi read. I quite liked the characters but didn't connect with them so I wasn't as captivated as I could have been. Recommended for fans of action-driven sci-fi & young adult books.
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