What do you think?
Rate this book
The First #1
The First
After spending four years on death row for the brutal murder of her husband, Sophia Dennison takes her final walk in the Mountain View Facility in Gatesville and is put to death by lethal injection at 12:00 a.m. Several hours after Sophia's execution, FBI agent Mark Armitage is called to investigate a serious disturbance at the prison.
Upon arriving he finds the place a war zone. After being debriefed by his friend and partner, Dustin Mercer, he views the videotapes and learns that the source of the destruction is Sophia. Footage reveals that seven minutes after her execution, she miraculously resurrected, breaking free of her bonds and overpowering several guards. Sophia Dennison has escaped and is now on the run…
The hunt is on for the first actual superhuman.
Upon arriving he finds the place a war zone. After being debriefed by his friend and partner, Dustin Mercer, he views the videotapes and learns that the source of the destruction is Sophia. Footage reveals that seven minutes after her execution, she miraculously resurrected, breaking free of her bonds and overpowering several guards. Sophia Dennison has escaped and is now on the run…
The hunt is on for the first actual superhuman.
Audiobook
First published July 18, 2013
About the author
Kipjo K. Ewers
12 books91 followersKipjo K. Ewers was born July 1, 1975. At an early age, he had an active imagination. By the time he started kindergarten he would make up fictitious stories, one of his favorites was about a character named “Old Man Norris,” who hated everyone in the world except for him.
When he attended our Lady of Victory Elementary school in Mount Vernon, he continued writing and reading stories to his classmates. His teacher, Mrs. Green, told me the children would laugh but she would remind them that that is how some of the great stories that they read actually came about.
After elementary school, he went onto Salesian High School in New Rochelle, NY then on to Iona College, also in New Rochelle.
He would go onto to work for several major firms and companies within the New York area, but his passion was to become a journalist/writer. Therefore, it is not surprising he decided to write his first book/novel.
Kipjo began working and creating a new superhuman universe, finding inspiration and solace in the loss of his first daughter due to an unfortunate miscarriage that devastated both his loving wife and himself; he began writing a hero origin story now titled “The First.”
He continues this story as a novel series and as a comic book series in the near future.
When he attended our Lady of Victory Elementary school in Mount Vernon, he continued writing and reading stories to his classmates. His teacher, Mrs. Green, told me the children would laugh but she would remind them that that is how some of the great stories that they read actually came about.
After elementary school, he went onto Salesian High School in New Rochelle, NY then on to Iona College, also in New Rochelle.
He would go onto to work for several major firms and companies within the New York area, but his passion was to become a journalist/writer. Therefore, it is not surprising he decided to write his first book/novel.
Kipjo began working and creating a new superhuman universe, finding inspiration and solace in the loss of his first daughter due to an unfortunate miscarriage that devastated both his loving wife and himself; he began writing a hero origin story now titled “The First.”
He continues this story as a novel series and as a comic book series in the near future.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
July 29, 2015
3.5 Stars
This was one of the first books I ever requested from NetGalley, and it has been sitting on the shelf for way too long! I decided to get it read before new years! The premise was interesting and It gets pretty good reviews.
Sophia Dennison is on death row, found guilty of murdering her husband in cold blood. However after the lethal injection, something very strange happens... She comes back to life. Taller now and with super-human strength and speed, she embarks on a journey to discover what happened to her and who really killed her husband, before an elite unit of soldiers armed with special weapons can catch up with her!
I must say this was not a bad book at all! I'm not the biggest fan of the cover, and I think I was expecting it to be bad but was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't. That's not saying it didn't have its bad points. Some of the editing was terrible and I got very annoyed with the constant details. There were intricate details of even secondary characters, about how they came to be where they are, and it made the story quite tedious at times. However, ignoring those relatively small aspects, I quite enjoyed the story.
I liked the different take on the superhero thing. Loved that it was a female and I enjoyed the chase and the twists and turns as she started to get some answers about her life and the death of her husband.
I enjoyed the fight scenes and how she used her powers. I also loved the bad guy, and there were a few good twists and turns in there! I loved the last third of the book too, it was really exciting! It had a satisfying ending which sets it up for a good sequel.
The First - Would I recommend it?
Yes, it was a good read! A good escape for a few hours.
Many thanks to author Kipjo K Ewers and the publisher via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review.
For more reviews visit my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/booksbabiesbeing
Twitter
www.twitter.com/BBB_Mel
This was one of the first books I ever requested from NetGalley, and it has been sitting on the shelf for way too long! I decided to get it read before new years! The premise was interesting and It gets pretty good reviews.
Sophia Dennison is on death row, found guilty of murdering her husband in cold blood. However after the lethal injection, something very strange happens... She comes back to life. Taller now and with super-human strength and speed, she embarks on a journey to discover what happened to her and who really killed her husband, before an elite unit of soldiers armed with special weapons can catch up with her!
I must say this was not a bad book at all! I'm not the biggest fan of the cover, and I think I was expecting it to be bad but was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't. That's not saying it didn't have its bad points. Some of the editing was terrible and I got very annoyed with the constant details. There were intricate details of even secondary characters, about how they came to be where they are, and it made the story quite tedious at times. However, ignoring those relatively small aspects, I quite enjoyed the story.
I liked the different take on the superhero thing. Loved that it was a female and I enjoyed the chase and the twists and turns as she started to get some answers about her life and the death of her husband.
I enjoyed the fight scenes and how she used her powers. I also loved the bad guy, and there were a few good twists and turns in there! I loved the last third of the book too, it was really exciting! It had a satisfying ending which sets it up for a good sequel.
The First - Would I recommend it?
Yes, it was a good read! A good escape for a few hours.
Many thanks to author Kipjo K Ewers and the publisher via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review.
For more reviews visit my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/booksbabiesbeing
www.twitter.com/BBB_Mel
August 12, 2024
DNF @ 75%
This would make a great comic book or graphic novel. It's too OTT for a book. I never really felt engaged in what was going on. When the book started going into the back story of a secondary character, I had to peace out.
This would make a great comic book or graphic novel. It's too OTT for a book. I never really felt engaged in what was going on. When the book started going into the back story of a secondary character, I had to peace out.
August 19, 2015
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/08/1...
Publisher: Evo
Publishing Date: September 2013
ISBN: 9780615836690
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.2/5
Publisher Description: Sophia Dennison wanted a normal life. She wanted to raise a family with the love of her life, and further her medical career as an up and coming surgeon in neurology. However, everything changed when she was convicted and sentenced to death for the brutal murder of her husband. After four years on death row, Sophia takes her final walk in the Mountain View Facility in Gatesville and is put to death by lethal injection at 12:00 AM.
Review: This started out pretty good. Hot chick falsely accused of murdering her husband, some resurrections, super pows and on the run. Then a lot of things start to culminate into this synergistic ‘meh’.
The first fail was the lengthy unnecessary back story of characters that really had no relevance to the story line. Its used to create this idea of righteous indignation coupled with retribution. For example; an inmate killed her husband because he molested her niece. So we get the whole dam story. Who cares and how is this relevant? Another problem is that the vengeance (bully) scenario is constantly worked into the story line. Sophia punches out wife beaters, family, hecklers, and cops all while delivering her speech of doom and dismay should you not heed her directives. Fug. She goes from frail death-row damsel to bully-jerk.
The fun doesn’t end as there is a big hole in the plot. Since matter can neither be created or destroyed, how does a 5-6′, 110 lb. woman grow into a 6 foot, 487 lb. juggernaut? I get that she has super man like powers, but where does she get the mass? Additionally there is the idea that some super secret government death squad runs around with patches on their shoulders that identify their group. So much for secrecy. And how do you carve, let alone fit the sentence “Cry out for God to end your life” on someone’s forehead? The grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors are prevalent throughout as is the smug digs at conservatives and Fox news. Again, an author alienating readers with their political platforms. I have the next installment to wade through. So here’s to limited hope that this story line will improve.
Publisher: Evo
Publishing Date: September 2013
ISBN: 9780615836690
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.2/5
Publisher Description: Sophia Dennison wanted a normal life. She wanted to raise a family with the love of her life, and further her medical career as an up and coming surgeon in neurology. However, everything changed when she was convicted and sentenced to death for the brutal murder of her husband. After four years on death row, Sophia takes her final walk in the Mountain View Facility in Gatesville and is put to death by lethal injection at 12:00 AM.
Review: This started out pretty good. Hot chick falsely accused of murdering her husband, some resurrections, super pows and on the run. Then a lot of things start to culminate into this synergistic ‘meh’.
The first fail was the lengthy unnecessary back story of characters that really had no relevance to the story line. Its used to create this idea of righteous indignation coupled with retribution. For example; an inmate killed her husband because he molested her niece. So we get the whole dam story. Who cares and how is this relevant? Another problem is that the vengeance (bully) scenario is constantly worked into the story line. Sophia punches out wife beaters, family, hecklers, and cops all while delivering her speech of doom and dismay should you not heed her directives. Fug. She goes from frail death-row damsel to bully-jerk.
The fun doesn’t end as there is a big hole in the plot. Since matter can neither be created or destroyed, how does a 5-6′, 110 lb. woman grow into a 6 foot, 487 lb. juggernaut? I get that she has super man like powers, but where does she get the mass? Additionally there is the idea that some super secret government death squad runs around with patches on their shoulders that identify their group. So much for secrecy. And how do you carve, let alone fit the sentence “Cry out for God to end your life” on someone’s forehead? The grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors are prevalent throughout as is the smug digs at conservatives and Fox news. Again, an author alienating readers with their political platforms. I have the next installment to wade through. So here’s to limited hope that this story line will improve.
August 2, 2016
I had to manually import this book as it doesn't seem to be here. I suspect it will show up separately later. However....
I'm giving this book 3 stars but that is with some...ambivalence I suppose would be the word. There are some glaring problems here and there are some big problems with the story itself. Still it's fairly readable and I'm sure some people will like it far more than me.
First, the book would profit from the services of a good editor. There are some...well a lot of glaring errors, errors like "they was following him". I usually try not to be too critical of grammar problems but here there are a lot of them and some are just so glaring. Sometimes words are even used incorrectly.
Now once we get past that there is the actual plot/story. I am assuming that you have already read the synopsis. It is accurate but what I think some readers would like to know is that this book is filled with angst. The protagonist not only suffers but suffers continually and constantly resuffers from what has passed.
Now also, I want to mention this. My wife passed away several years ago and I watch mostly what are my favorite type of movies. But having had a wife and daughter I was at one time familiar with The Lifetime Movie Network or as I mostly thought of it, The Evil Man Network. In other words males were almost always evil. Husbands, fathers all were evil. The same is almost true of this book added to several other cliches. There are few positive male figures and the military doesn't come off looking all that great either.
So, just be aware of it and know going in that you're going to get that. About a couple of other problems I'll say something below a spoiler warning. Over all however the book is okay and if you're up for the glitches this seems to be the intro to a more angsty superhero universe.
I'm giving this book 3 stars but that is with some...ambivalence I suppose would be the word. There are some glaring problems here and there are some big problems with the story itself. Still it's fairly readable and I'm sure some people will like it far more than me.
First, the book would profit from the services of a good editor. There are some...well a lot of glaring errors, errors like "they was following him". I usually try not to be too critical of grammar problems but here there are a lot of them and some are just so glaring. Sometimes words are even used incorrectly.
Now once we get past that there is the actual plot/story. I am assuming that you have already read the synopsis. It is accurate but what I think some readers would like to know is that this book is filled with angst. The protagonist not only suffers but suffers continually and constantly resuffers from what has passed.
Now also, I want to mention this. My wife passed away several years ago and I watch mostly what are my favorite type of movies. But having had a wife and daughter I was at one time familiar with The Lifetime Movie Network or as I mostly thought of it, The Evil Man Network. In other words males were almost always evil. Husbands, fathers all were evil. The same is almost true of this book added to several other cliches. There are few positive male figures and the military doesn't come off looking all that great either.
So, just be aware of it and know going in that you're going to get that. About a couple of other problems I'll say something below a spoiler warning. Over all however the book is okay and if you're up for the glitches this seems to be the intro to a more angsty superhero universe.
July 21, 2015
If it wasn't for the actual storyline I wouldn't even give this one star. Extreme misspellings and overt bad grammar. Blatantly sacreligious and dialogue worthy of a second grader trying to write a super hero story. Sad really that it wasn't edited and proofread better.
October 25, 2016
TL;DR Version
If you have trouble getting through a book with a lot of grammar issues, skip this one.
Slightly longer version
It got one star for having an interesting premise and a lot of potential that remained unrealized.
I expected it to be better. Evidently everyone who received a free copy absolutely loved it, and those were the only reviews I saw before I picked it up. I should have delved deeper.
It could have been a fun story if it had been rigorously edited. I'm not sure that you can go more than about three sentences without a glaring error in either grammar or word usage. The characters tend toward shallow stereotypes, where they aren't obviously made to be as wildly inappropriate as possible. I realize it's supposed to be "high drama!" and "high energy!" but the melodrama of everyone constantly shouting at each other for no apparent reason got tiresome quickly.
If you have trouble getting through a book with a lot of grammar issues, skip this one.
Slightly longer version
It got one star for having an interesting premise and a lot of potential that remained unrealized.
I expected it to be better. Evidently everyone who received a free copy absolutely loved it, and those were the only reviews I saw before I picked it up. I should have delved deeper.
It could have been a fun story if it had been rigorously edited. I'm not sure that you can go more than about three sentences without a glaring error in either grammar or word usage. The characters tend toward shallow stereotypes, where they aren't obviously made to be as wildly inappropriate as possible. I realize it's supposed to be "high drama!" and "high energy!" but the melodrama of everyone constantly shouting at each other for no apparent reason got tiresome quickly.
May 29, 2016
A fresh new voice, this author is an instant hit with me. Vivid characters, intense plot, and a unique take on super powers! There's a lot going on here. It would make a great movie. If you read the synopsis and it sounds interesting, I don't think you will be disappointed.
July 4, 2024
I'll admit, the cover of the 2024 audiobook re-release got me really intrigued to read this superhero mystery story that felt almost like a throwback to Heroes, The 4400, or other shows that came out around the late 2000's with a supernatural mystery vibe. It was a fun experience and adored this exploration of superpowers that goes deep and hit many of my super niche must haves in stories.
First, this is NOT for everyone. There's plenty of graphic violence, description of sex crimes, profanity, and other things that might not be suitable for some readers. Second, this was originally published in 2013 and takes place in 2008, which means it can feel like a period piece of that timeframe in history with the various references, which isn't a bad thing, but something to be aware of when reading.
With that out of the way, the story beings as Sophia as she's executed for a crime she claims she didn't commit. And then things get wild as the execution doesn't go as planned. It took me a few chapters to fully immerse myself into the story, but after the first 10% or so, I was intrigued in the direction the story went into. We follow not only Sophia in her journey as she transforms into a superhuman, but get the viewpoints of federal agents and other characters as the events unfold and we discover how far things go (one of my favorite plot lines). I especially felt for Sophia in her situation as she's trying to clear her name in whatever way she can, and figuring out what's happened to her body and what occurred when her husband was killed. There is some scientific jargon, but it's not too much to get the average person lost.
This plot is a supernatural murder mystery and quite a twisty one. It kept me on my seat with a very fast paced, but didn't feel rushed, as we got enough time to know about Sophia and the others around her. We learn the answer to one question and get more questions at a good pace. The world building is well thought out, with interesting superpowers, with just about everything making sense by the end of the story, which is the best type of mystery.
The narrator, Tyla Collier, was excellent on narration. Her normal tone was very easy on the ears, and I loved her voices for the other characters, especially for the delivery in terms of the jerk characters, really made me feel like I was in the story, gave it an audio drama.
I will say that the editing could have used a little more work, especially since this is a re-release of a decade old book. While the prose is mostly smooth, there were major timeline discrepancies that didn't match up and a bunch of small things that threw me out of the story more than once, mostly relating to when the initial murder happened and the timeline of this story.
This is just the first of a series, and the other two books in the series are also available now, but I might wait for updated audiobooks to see where the rest of the story goes, as while things are mostly wrapped up, there's a sequel hook to keep going. If you're good with the content, give this one a look.
*I received a review copy from Dreamscape Lore and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.*
First, this is NOT for everyone. There's plenty of graphic violence, description of sex crimes, profanity, and other things that might not be suitable for some readers. Second, this was originally published in 2013 and takes place in 2008, which means it can feel like a period piece of that timeframe in history with the various references, which isn't a bad thing, but something to be aware of when reading.
With that out of the way, the story beings as Sophia as she's executed for a crime she claims she didn't commit. And then things get wild as the execution doesn't go as planned. It took me a few chapters to fully immerse myself into the story, but after the first 10% or so, I was intrigued in the direction the story went into. We follow not only Sophia in her journey as she transforms into a superhuman, but get the viewpoints of federal agents and other characters as the events unfold and we discover how far things go (one of my favorite plot lines). I especially felt for Sophia in her situation as she's trying to clear her name in whatever way she can, and figuring out what's happened to her body and what occurred when her husband was killed. There is some scientific jargon, but it's not too much to get the average person lost.
This plot is a supernatural murder mystery and quite a twisty one. It kept me on my seat with a very fast paced, but didn't feel rushed, as we got enough time to know about Sophia and the others around her. We learn the answer to one question and get more questions at a good pace. The world building is well thought out, with interesting superpowers, with just about everything making sense by the end of the story, which is the best type of mystery.
The narrator, Tyla Collier, was excellent on narration. Her normal tone was very easy on the ears, and I loved her voices for the other characters, especially for the delivery in terms of the jerk characters, really made me feel like I was in the story, gave it an audio drama.
I will say that the editing could have used a little more work, especially since this is a re-release of a decade old book. While the prose is mostly smooth, there were major timeline discrepancies that didn't match up and a bunch of small things that threw me out of the story more than once, mostly relating to when the initial murder happened and the timeline of this story.
This is just the first of a series, and the other two books in the series are also available now, but I might wait for updated audiobooks to see where the rest of the story goes, as while things are mostly wrapped up, there's a sequel hook to keep going. If you're good with the content, give this one a look.
*I received a review copy from Dreamscape Lore and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.*
August 20, 2024
The First is pretty much a classic superhero book. The protagonist, Sophia Dennison, is a smart, moral woman who finds herself with unstoppable superhero powers. The whole book is about her figuring out why she has the powers, what all she can do, and then seeking revenge on the people who killed her husband and framed her for it. There is a lot of action, especially at the end when she finds the people responsible and brings them to justice. The narrative bounces between Sophia & Special Agent Mark Armitage. Both characters have a strong moral compass in a world of mostly unethical people. About 70% of the story is Sophia trying to evade Mark & figure out who the bad guys are while exacting some vigilante justice on bad people. Its overall a fun book, I would say there is almost too much trying to justify her powers and discover the bad guys and it kind of drags in the middle. My other issue with this is that there is too much swearing. It's definitely written as an adult book because the character is an adult, but I felt like the swearing was just put in at nauseum to make the characters seem tough. The dialog also isn't the strongest in the book and it does read like a really campy super hero movie, especially with the narrator trying to do the make voices. (Though I really liked the narrator overall.) Overall, a fun super hero book with plenty of action and a feminist spin. The story isn't really anything original but it's fun.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC audiobook of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC audiobook of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2015
When you have a heroine who is immortal, immune to all damage and develops all sorts of mental powers\physical powers, you'd better be sure you can write an interesting story about either other people or her interior journey (see Mara) -- or you'll risk having a book that is very boring, as it lacks conflict. We know she's going to win from the start, and even the "final" bit is way over the top just to try to cause some conflict and "oh no, will she die?"
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
If you need to use a nuke to actually make us fear for her life, then the book has jumped the shark.
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
If you need to use a nuke to actually make us fear for her life, then the book has jumped the shark.
July 7, 2015
Read 2 times
July 8, 2015
It was really good. Stayed up too late though, I sleep now. Also, typos. Epic cool! And I mean epic, epic epic cool, but some logic fails and typos... seriously I sleep now...
01/08/2015
The version I got of this one on kindleunlimited was missing an incredibly important chunk at about 89% (between chapter 23 and 24) Yeah.... you need that portion, luckily there was another version available!
Also, I actually think it's adorable how the author keeps using words that are ALMOST the right words... XD
July 8, 2015
It was really good. Stayed up too late though, I sleep now. Also, typos. Epic cool! And I mean epic, epic epic cool, but some logic fails and typos... seriously I sleep now...
01/08/2015
The version I got of this one on kindleunlimited was missing an incredibly important chunk at about 89% (between chapter 23 and 24) Yeah.... you need that portion, luckily there was another version available!
Also, I actually think it's adorable how the author keeps using words that are ALMOST the right words... XD
July 8, 2015
Read 2 times
July 8, 2015
Well, consulting the internets, the edition I actually got on my kindle unlimited was THIS one. so, to reiterate, epic cool, typos, epic cool, logic fail, epic cool, typos typos, epic cool, I'm gonna pin the ratio at 70/30 cool to the not-so-cool XD
01/08/2016
I was reading the other version... then between chapter 23 and chapter 24 (about 89%) it was missing an EXTREMELY VITAL chunk XD Thank all the gods this version was available or I would have gone insane.
(woohoo!)
July 8, 2015
Well, consulting the internets, the edition I actually got on my kindle unlimited was THIS one. so, to reiterate, epic cool, typos, epic cool, logic fail, epic cool, typos typos, epic cool, I'm gonna pin the ratio at 70/30 cool to the not-so-cool XD
01/08/2016
I was reading the other version... then between chapter 23 and chapter 24 (about 89%) it was missing an EXTREMELY VITAL chunk XD Thank all the gods this version was available or I would have gone insane.
(woohoo!)
July 10, 2024
DNF @ 50%. Thanks Netgalley for the audiobook but oof.
Literally halfway through and I just couldn't do it anymore. The concept was so solid and I did like the beginning, but the further in I got the more of a struggle it was to really care about the characters, since basically everyone encountered was awful in one or more ways. Character interactions were weird, the writing itself seemed to dip in quality, and the editing seemed to be minimal.
Literally halfway through and I just couldn't do it anymore. The concept was so solid and I did like the beginning, but the further in I got the more of a struggle it was to really care about the characters, since basically everyone encountered was awful in one or more ways. Character interactions were weird, the writing itself seemed to dip in quality, and the editing seemed to be minimal.
May 18, 2019
Holy moly! What a twist I did not see! It had been a while since I found a book to hold my interest through any other activity happening in my life! Enjoyed the whole story and plot though some of the missed editing did throw me off occasionally. Some synonyms could have been used so it didn’t fee like an exact repeat of a previous sentence.
February 13, 2016
I'm giving it four stars because of the story. I listened to the audiobook version of it. I was easily hooked within the first 10 minutes. Let's start with the good.
Good:
* Very good story line. Easy to follow and intriguing.
* Character development was done very well. Even though I felt the main character was overpowered, she was surround by good plot lines and other characters that still gave her challenges throughout the book.
* Other characters in the book, protagonists and antagonists in the book were written very well. He was able to create characters that made you care about what they were doing and why they were doing it.
* Another thing I liked about the book is that it used locations that are not typically used in most sci fi or superhuman books. It's easy to get tired of NYC and LA being the main spots for everything. Houston and DC are major cities that are very rarely used. Mountains in Colorado are even more rare. I'm glad he took us to places that we usually don't see.
* I'm glad there was a real world vibe to what was going on. Gov't conspiracies, conspiracy theorists, media whores, street level and nation wide reactions. Also, even though this was a major thing, everyday issues such domestic violence, inmate treatment, sexual assault, depression, military solider health and just normal moral situations were all addressed.
Okay
* At first, I hated the audio book speaker. Her voice and tone for someone reason annoyed the hell out of me. But as the story went along I found her to be okay. I think that she was really bad at the beginning of the book, but leveled off somewhere between the 2nd and 4th chapter. And eventually, she just became the perfect the voice for the story. It's weird, I usually either like the speaker all the way through or hate them all the way through. My opinion rarely changes. I'm thinking it might have just a been comfort thing with her and as she got more comfortable, she got much better. Night and day.
* The pop culture references. Some I found a little awkward, others I found to be very funny. I'm a DBZ fan and the DBZ references were funny and well placed.
Bad
* The editing is something that has to be addressed with this book. While it didn't bother me much, I know people that would not read it because of the grammatical errors. Errors such as using the wrong words, using the wrong tense, incorrect subject verb agreement, etc. were things that plagued the book. It was weird, you would read/hear a chapter that was perfect, then the next chapter would be riddled with grammatical mistakes. Like I said, it didn't bother me much as I was able instantly to know what he meant and what was intended, but people will give this book 2 and 3 stars because of that.
I overall really liked the book. I believe the strong story line saved it from alot of the editing problems. Even when I didn't like the speaker, the story line kept me from turning it off. I will also say I don't see many African or African-American books in this genre and to find one is something I was happy about.
What I will say to the author is to please get a good editor. Your rating on here and other website would probably jump a few tenths of a points addressing the editing issues. I'm assuming the same issue is with his second book, but I'm going to end up listening to that one as well, because I really want to know what happens next.
Good:
* Very good story line. Easy to follow and intriguing.
* Character development was done very well. Even though I felt the main character was overpowered, she was surround by good plot lines and other characters that still gave her challenges throughout the book.
* Other characters in the book, protagonists and antagonists in the book were written very well. He was able to create characters that made you care about what they were doing and why they were doing it.
* Another thing I liked about the book is that it used locations that are not typically used in most sci fi or superhuman books. It's easy to get tired of NYC and LA being the main spots for everything. Houston and DC are major cities that are very rarely used. Mountains in Colorado are even more rare. I'm glad he took us to places that we usually don't see.
* I'm glad there was a real world vibe to what was going on. Gov't conspiracies, conspiracy theorists, media whores, street level and nation wide reactions. Also, even though this was a major thing, everyday issues such domestic violence, inmate treatment, sexual assault, depression, military solider health and just normal moral situations were all addressed.
Okay
* At first, I hated the audio book speaker. Her voice and tone for someone reason annoyed the hell out of me. But as the story went along I found her to be okay. I think that she was really bad at the beginning of the book, but leveled off somewhere between the 2nd and 4th chapter. And eventually, she just became the perfect the voice for the story. It's weird, I usually either like the speaker all the way through or hate them all the way through. My opinion rarely changes. I'm thinking it might have just a been comfort thing with her and as she got more comfortable, she got much better. Night and day.
* The pop culture references. Some I found a little awkward, others I found to be very funny. I'm a DBZ fan and the DBZ references were funny and well placed.
Bad
* The editing is something that has to be addressed with this book. While it didn't bother me much, I know people that would not read it because of the grammatical errors. Errors such as using the wrong words, using the wrong tense, incorrect subject verb agreement, etc. were things that plagued the book. It was weird, you would read/hear a chapter that was perfect, then the next chapter would be riddled with grammatical mistakes. Like I said, it didn't bother me much as I was able instantly to know what he meant and what was intended, but people will give this book 2 and 3 stars because of that.
I overall really liked the book. I believe the strong story line saved it from alot of the editing problems. Even when I didn't like the speaker, the story line kept me from turning it off. I will also say I don't see many African or African-American books in this genre and to find one is something I was happy about.
What I will say to the author is to please get a good editor. Your rating on here and other website would probably jump a few tenths of a points addressing the editing issues. I'm assuming the same issue is with his second book, but I'm going to end up listening to that one as well, because I really want to know what happens next.
December 29, 2013
This book rocked.
I really hope the writer turns this into an ongoing series because this is a great debut. A really nice origin story for a superhero.
The story involves Sophia, a woman who is on death row for the murder of her husband. She swears she did not do it, but an avalanche of evidence says otherwise
When they execute her via lethal injection, the unexpected happens. . . .she come back to life shortly afterward and goes on a rampage inside the prison. She expresses superhuman strength and ultimately escapes prison leaving a trail of destruction and broken bodies in her wake.
She begins to realize that besides super strength, her new powers also have given her a memory that is beyond photographic and through that, she sees who really killed her husband; her new memory plays out the entire scene as if she's watching it on TV, so her mission becomes: clear her name, justice, and revenge.
Working in the shadows is an off the books black ops group that develops tech that most people have never seen. They are tracking her, and want to capture her and of course, study her.
Without giving much away, let's just say that what she knew, and the people that she thought she knew and loved were a facade and she experiences a massive amount of betrayal in this book.
What I liked about this book is that the main character has humanity. She cries, she mourns, and while she can lift and hurl a building if she wanted to, she has moments of vulnerability. This is a woman who has been betrayed, wronged, and heartbroken.
There are a fair amount of errors, but you tend to find that more common with self published books I guess.
I really hope the writer turns this into an ongoing series because this is a great debut. A really nice origin story for a superhero.
The story involves Sophia, a woman who is on death row for the murder of her husband. She swears she did not do it, but an avalanche of evidence says otherwise
When they execute her via lethal injection, the unexpected happens. . . .she come back to life shortly afterward and goes on a rampage inside the prison. She expresses superhuman strength and ultimately escapes prison leaving a trail of destruction and broken bodies in her wake.
She begins to realize that besides super strength, her new powers also have given her a memory that is beyond photographic and through that, she sees who really killed her husband; her new memory plays out the entire scene as if she's watching it on TV, so her mission becomes: clear her name, justice, and revenge.
Working in the shadows is an off the books black ops group that develops tech that most people have never seen. They are tracking her, and want to capture her and of course, study her.
Without giving much away, let's just say that what she knew, and the people that she thought she knew and loved were a facade and she experiences a massive amount of betrayal in this book.
What I liked about this book is that the main character has humanity. She cries, she mourns, and while she can lift and hurl a building if she wanted to, she has moments of vulnerability. This is a woman who has been betrayed, wronged, and heartbroken.
There are a fair amount of errors, but you tend to find that more common with self published books I guess.
October 7, 2015
this book was was both one of the best and one of the worst books I've read for some time... its positives are hamstrung by the negatives, overall it was a strange experience to this read book.
On one hand it had perhaps the most interesting, intriguing and emotional opening sequences that i have read, the beginning with the execution and subsequent resurrection was extremely engaging and the character was likeable and heroic.
but in the other hand- this book should be taken out and shot, the characters were awful, you can actually clearly see point where someone has suggested to the author that they need more characterisation and they have gone straight ahead and given each character a dramatic flashback to flesh them out. the fight scenes are drawn out and overly dramatic and the petty drama will make you want to throw your phone against the wall.
And yet, i managed to finish it, with some proper editorial management i believe this book could be stunning. i
On one hand it had perhaps the most interesting, intriguing and emotional opening sequences that i have read, the beginning with the execution and subsequent resurrection was extremely engaging and the character was likeable and heroic.
but in the other hand- this book should be taken out and shot, the characters were awful, you can actually clearly see point where someone has suggested to the author that they need more characterisation and they have gone straight ahead and given each character a dramatic flashback to flesh them out. the fight scenes are drawn out and overly dramatic and the petty drama will make you want to throw your phone against the wall.
And yet, i managed to finish it, with some proper editorial management i believe this book could be stunning. i
January 26, 2014
While reading The First, the reader has to prepare themselves for a high level of intensity while reading. The book's first chapter starts off at a great scene, then escalates before we really know too much background. As I did learn the backstory and details that led up to the moment, I was immediately even more drawn to the plot. The author used excellent themes from other genres to introduce a unique and original story. Sophia Dennison can be looked at in so many lights, and she is truly a dynamic character. She goes from monster to psychotic to someone we sympathize with.
The author, Kipjo Ewers, executed the writing well. It is clear that the story grew profoundly and it is fascinating to watch its development. I loved The First, and I encourage this author to continue!
The author, Kipjo Ewers, executed the writing well. It is clear that the story grew profoundly and it is fascinating to watch its development. I loved The First, and I encourage this author to continue!
March 20, 2014
The First is a compelling story that gets right into the action, pulling you in with intrigue and emotion. There are several really great action pieces but still it is a sympathetic portrayal with complex characters and dynamics and a clever examination of the superhero genre and all its tropes.
Mark is a fun character to read but Sophia Dennison is where my real interest lay. Utterly human despite the superpowers, she and all the female characters - which the book is well populated with - are products of a deeply unjust society. I was expecting much more from the authorities in terms of point of view and perspective and was very pleasantly surprise by the nuance displayed. I would definitely recommend The First to anyone looking for something a little different from the genre.
Mark is a fun character to read but Sophia Dennison is where my real interest lay. Utterly human despite the superpowers, she and all the female characters - which the book is well populated with - are products of a deeply unjust society. I was expecting much more from the authorities in terms of point of view and perspective and was very pleasantly surprise by the nuance displayed. I would definitely recommend The First to anyone looking for something a little different from the genre.
November 12, 2015
I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
OMG what a ride!! Superman meets genetic engineering with the help of the US government. The writing was just awesome, the picture that was painted was so full of detail but not so much to over-power the story. I think I have a new favorite author, absolutely breath-taking!! For the most part you knew what was going to happen, like any story some things were just givens. But there were twist and turns that just shocked me or came out of left field that kept my interest until the very end. It was the best action packed "movie" in my head that I've read in a while.
A must read for any geek who loves Marvel/DC comics!
OMG what a ride!! Superman meets genetic engineering with the help of the US government. The writing was just awesome, the picture that was painted was so full of detail but not so much to over-power the story. I think I have a new favorite author, absolutely breath-taking!! For the most part you knew what was going to happen, like any story some things were just givens. But there were twist and turns that just shocked me or came out of left field that kept my interest until the very end. It was the best action packed "movie" in my head that I've read in a while.
A must read for any geek who loves Marvel/DC comics!
March 29, 2014
I have always been a fan of strong female leads, and Sophia is perhaps one of the strongest I’ve read. The First is a powerful tale, and one which puts a refreshing and much-needed original spin on the superhero canon. Although it is full of action that is almost akin to blockbuster movie set pieces, there is a more delicate undercurrent of human relationships. But more interestingly, we have a superhuman lead whose humanity is brought to the fore and is constantly challenged. It’s fascinating, and it’s exciting, and as a debut novel it’s exceptional.
August 7, 2016
Very promising start, and the narration was pretty good, but I just didn't like the ending. I mean…about the last quarter of the book was really disappointing to me. I can't say much without giving away any spoilers, and as far as I know, it might just be me and my dislike of clichés…but I won't be looking for a sequel.
July 7, 2015
Grate read
Loved this book! The a super hero origin story is always hard to write but Ewers knocks it out of the park with blazing super speed. He gives us a very in depth story with lots of twists. I'm really looking forward to read the next book from this grate author.
Loved this book! The a super hero origin story is always hard to write but Ewers knocks it out of the park with blazing super speed. He gives us a very in depth story with lots of twists. I'm really looking forward to read the next book from this grate author.
November 21, 2015
Doesn't know that midnight is 12am.
Phrases instead of sentences, bad editing, just badly written all around. Couldn't finish this mess. Try editing before publishing and let someone else proofread for you. Please!
Phrases instead of sentences, bad editing, just badly written all around. Couldn't finish this mess. Try editing before publishing and let someone else proofread for you. Please!
December 3, 2016
To the author: Seriously find a editor..or a writing group to help you proofread. The final fight scene was insanely bad.
Overall the story wasn't bad but as it went along it just became more and more insane.
Overall the story wasn't bad but as it went along it just became more and more insane.
March 24, 2014
AWESOMETACULAR
April 9, 2016
narrated by Carla Mercer-Meyer
Sophia, innocent prisoner, death sentence, comes back to life
amateurishly written
Sophia, innocent prisoner, death sentence, comes back to life
amateurishly written
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2024
‘The first’ is the origin story of Sophia Dennison, the first superhuman on earth. We follow her as she discovers her newly gained superpowers, investigates the events that lead her to death row, and hunts for the people that are pulling the strings in the background. We also see how some government agencies deal with this ‘crisis’. This is an action filled superhero origin story, with some murder mystery elements.
The book starts with an exceptionally strong opening, as Sophia is executed for a crime, she claims she did not commit. The whole sequence is full of emotions, angst, and anticipation regarding what will happen next.
Throughout the story, we learn more about Sophia and how she was convicted of murder. While I found this premise to be fascinating and imaginative, this potline had some inconsistencies and seemed a bit farfetched at times. For example, why was Sophia never tested for drugs? How could they confuse her with another woman? Why did her attorney not argue this? I feel like these inconsistencies could have been explained as a system failure, a corrupt attorney or through other means, but these possible explanations were never mentioned.
Some male readers might be “triggered” by this, but our protagonist, the superhuman, is a woman, and she is not only physically strong, her mindset is extraordinary in her determination. The antagonists of this book are predominantly male, a representation I find accurate. I have seen some reviews in which this was criticized, but if you look at other superhero tales, this isn’t much different either. But don’t worry, not all males are bad in this book 😊 We also have a likable (male) FBI agent sidekick.
Military conspiracy is a big part of the plot and while I probably would not have said so previously, this conspiracy does actually make sense in this context and somehow also elevated my experience with the book, because it makes the supernatural explainable.
While the new cover is beautiful, it created the false expectation in me that this book is somehow tied to space. If you get similar vibes from the cover, please keep in mind that this book is not tied to space or space exploration in any way, and is in fact set on planet earth.
All in all, I really liked this book and the themes expressed in it. I think it would make an excellent base for a movie. I listened to the audiobook, so it was kind of one step closer to that envisioned movie, and I recommend the production. The narrator did a magnificent job.
I have seen in some reviews that this book was previously published, while it wasn’t edited to its full potential yet. I could see no traces of bad editing in the audiobook I listened to. So please take into account that the overall rating of this book might be lower due to its first edition.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review. All opinions are my own. I was not paid to leave this review.
The book starts with an exceptionally strong opening, as Sophia is executed for a crime, she claims she did not commit. The whole sequence is full of emotions, angst, and anticipation regarding what will happen next.
Throughout the story, we learn more about Sophia and how she was convicted of murder. While I found this premise to be fascinating and imaginative, this potline had some inconsistencies and seemed a bit farfetched at times. For example, why was Sophia never tested for drugs? How could they confuse her with another woman? Why did her attorney not argue this? I feel like these inconsistencies could have been explained as a system failure, a corrupt attorney or through other means, but these possible explanations were never mentioned.
Some male readers might be “triggered” by this, but our protagonist, the superhuman, is a woman, and she is not only physically strong, her mindset is extraordinary in her determination. The antagonists of this book are predominantly male, a representation I find accurate. I have seen some reviews in which this was criticized, but if you look at other superhero tales, this isn’t much different either. But don’t worry, not all males are bad in this book 😊 We also have a likable (male) FBI agent sidekick.
Military conspiracy is a big part of the plot and while I probably would not have said so previously, this conspiracy does actually make sense in this context and somehow also elevated my experience with the book, because it makes the supernatural explainable.
While the new cover is beautiful, it created the false expectation in me that this book is somehow tied to space. If you get similar vibes from the cover, please keep in mind that this book is not tied to space or space exploration in any way, and is in fact set on planet earth.
All in all, I really liked this book and the themes expressed in it. I think it would make an excellent base for a movie. I listened to the audiobook, so it was kind of one step closer to that envisioned movie, and I recommend the production. The narrator did a magnificent job.
I have seen in some reviews that this book was previously published, while it wasn’t edited to its full potential yet. I could see no traces of bad editing in the audiobook I listened to. So please take into account that the overall rating of this book might be lower due to its first edition.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review. All opinions are my own. I was not paid to leave this review.
July 22, 2024
The first is the first book from the series with the same name bye Kipjo K. Ewers. In the book of She Denison is put to death for the supposed murder of her husband after her execution a few hours later while being transported to the morgue she wakes up and gasp for breath. She escapes from prison but not before killing people breaking down brick walls with her new super strength. Two agents Mark and Dustin are put on the case but they will not be the only people hunting down Sophia and there’s way too much to the story to give a good summary because her execution isn’t even the first time she dies. There was a lot of things I liked about this book I liked Sophia I thought the story of her husband‘s murder was intriguing and I couldn’t wait to find out what really happened not to mention how the hell did she all of a sudden have supernatural strength and why did it keep increasing? That’s just a couple of the interesting questions that pop up throughout the story I do want to say I could not stand Mark and Dustin especially Dustin… I mean he graded on my nerves with a sneering and racist attitude but there were other things that were wrong with this book. With the first chapter alone I found multiple things wrong with this book like her having all her friends tell her goodbye, that would never happen because for one thing people about to be executed or sent to the death house and they’re not in general population where you could go and hug your cell mates goodbye not to mention even if you pled guilty you’re still on death row for way longer than four years I know these simple facts have nothing to do with the overall arc of the story but I hate when I hear something so wrong with the plot because it makes me wonder about things I am not so familiar with them whether they are true or not having said that I still found this book very entertaining I listen to the audiobook and thought the narrator Tallia Collier did a pretty good job narrating. I did feel bad for Sacha by the way because it seemed she didn’t know whether she was coming or going every time it seems she found freedom someone else found her but it’s still a pretty OK book and one I recommend.#DreamScapeLore, #NetGalley, #KippJoEwers, #TheFirst,
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews