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Restricted Saga #1
Restricted Renegade
In a futuristic world that seems all too peaceful, Rachel Mercer finally bridges to become an adult.
Once trained as a LEO (Law Enforcement Officer), she quickly realizes that things aren’t what they seem while being trained at an accelerated rate with the new and curious technology of the A.R.E.S. Things take a turn for the unexpected when an all too mysterious and charming gentleman—David—appears in her life, who hides his identity of being a Congressman-to-be from her.
But that is only one side of his heavy secret. As trouble catches up, Rachel discovers him to be an Unrestricted-people who she was trained to hate and kill with extreme prejudice.
As they flee to the Restricted area for safety where she is then encountered with the choice of joining their cause, or die loyal to her corrupt nation. In an epic journey filled to the brim with suspense, action, and stop-your-heart romance, she is encountered with two choices: To remain loyal to her nation and live happily ever after, blind to all the injustices and corruption around her and lose her chance at love, or become an Unrestricted, opening her heart to David and fight for what she truly believes is right.
Once decided, there is no going back.
Once trained as a LEO (Law Enforcement Officer), she quickly realizes that things aren’t what they seem while being trained at an accelerated rate with the new and curious technology of the A.R.E.S. Things take a turn for the unexpected when an all too mysterious and charming gentleman—David—appears in her life, who hides his identity of being a Congressman-to-be from her.
But that is only one side of his heavy secret. As trouble catches up, Rachel discovers him to be an Unrestricted-people who she was trained to hate and kill with extreme prejudice.
As they flee to the Restricted area for safety where she is then encountered with the choice of joining their cause, or die loyal to her corrupt nation. In an epic journey filled to the brim with suspense, action, and stop-your-heart romance, she is encountered with two choices: To remain loyal to her nation and live happily ever after, blind to all the injustices and corruption around her and lose her chance at love, or become an Unrestricted, opening her heart to David and fight for what she truly believes is right.
Once decided, there is no going back.
- GenresScience Fiction
534 pages, Paperback
First published March 20, 2014
3 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
David R. Torres
5 books52 followersI never once thought that I would be a writer. Honestly, it was just a little inkling floating around in my head until one day I couldn't get that idea out of my head. And just like that I thought to myself, “I should write a book. Yeah… a book.” I never had the intention of publishing it either and it wouldn't have gone up without the persistence, support, and encouragement from an amazing group of people. It took three years of my life to finish this beast, and I am proud to finally have it finished for all to read.
I am a new writer and a frequent reader interested in both writing and reading about action and adventure and suspense with romance mixed between all the chaos. I love to play music, especially Jazz guitar in a Jazz Ensemble.
Although I started out writing a book by a quick decision, it has quickly grown into a passion. The thrill of writing, once unknown, has revealed itself to me. I am currently working on the sequels for Restricted Renegade and Crisis as well as polishing a few other new book ideas.
I am also one of the biggest bookworms. I love Young Adult, Action and Adventure, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Dystopia and Paranormal Romance. Yes, I said Romance.
Goodreads has basically become my new Facebook, so I am on here all the time.
I am a new writer and a frequent reader interested in both writing and reading about action and adventure and suspense with romance mixed between all the chaos. I love to play music, especially Jazz guitar in a Jazz Ensemble.
Although I started out writing a book by a quick decision, it has quickly grown into a passion. The thrill of writing, once unknown, has revealed itself to me. I am currently working on the sequels for Restricted Renegade and Crisis as well as polishing a few other new book ideas.
I am also one of the biggest bookworms. I love Young Adult, Action and Adventure, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Dystopia and Paranormal Romance. Yes, I said Romance.
Goodreads has basically become my new Facebook, so I am on here all the time.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 24, 2015
Romance, adventure, and kick-ass world building... This book is an indie gem. The romance between Rachel and David is real and compelling. The action scenes are killer. And the story telling format is unusual in terms of voice and pace. For me, I live for all of that shit. Did I mention there's cool tech in here, too? Well, there is. Kudos, David Torres!
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June 6, 2017Overall, I'm very impressed with this book! For someone out of the blue to decide one day to write a book and make it THIS good, gets my respect.
While reading, the story line kept me wanting more and there was never a dull moment. Fighting, romance, drama, action.... Just a few words that describe this novel considering every single page leaves me wanting to read more.
I have to say, I admire these characters in this story a lot! The chemistry presented between Rachel and David is everlasting and true. Something lacking in YA novels now-a-days in my personal opinion. Also, I loved the idea of a newly bridged government officer (an LEO) from the beginning of the book transformed into a totally different persona by the end! It was a great transformation without any flaws at all!
Last but not least and what I felt like had to be mentioned is the absolute kick ass technology incorporated into this novel! The futuristic world is ultimately one that I can actually picture myself imagining unlike some other novels where I'm not captivated by the world the author describes to the reader.
Overall, a good book and excited for #2!
While reading, the story line kept me wanting more and there was never a dull moment. Fighting, romance, drama, action.... Just a few words that describe this novel considering every single page leaves me wanting to read more.
I have to say, I admire these characters in this story a lot! The chemistry presented between Rachel and David is everlasting and true. Something lacking in YA novels now-a-days in my personal opinion. Also, I loved the idea of a newly bridged government officer (an LEO) from the beginning of the book transformed into a totally different persona by the end! It was a great transformation without any flaws at all!
Last but not least and what I felt like had to be mentioned is the absolute kick ass technology incorporated into this novel! The futuristic world is ultimately one that I can actually picture myself imagining unlike some other novels where I'm not captivated by the world the author describes to the reader.
Overall, a good book and excited for #2!
May 27, 2014
I don't really know where to start with this review.
On one hand, certain aspects of this book deserve a 4-star (maybe 5) rating. On the other, giving 3-stars is generous in light of other aspects. Let me start with the bad, so I can end on a good note.
This book is self-published. Not an excuse, but merely an explanation meant to inform. The author had many people read his book for errors. They let him down. With any self-published book, authors simply can't afford the $2-$4k price tag that comes with hiring a proofreader. It's simply not feasible. You expect a few errors. A "you're" instead of a "your." Little things like that which the author clearly knows the difference between.
Again, his Beta readers let him down...I hope. The errors (which I won't point out in detail, simply because you may very well pass over them) took me out of an otherwise engaging story and plot-line. It was a death by a thousand cuts. No single error stopped me, but together they made it hard to continue. I pushed through (which I am so glad I did). Which is where I transition to another point.
This book needs another draft. I said earlier I thought the plot was good. It was. It could be even better had the author trimmed the fat. I felt like I was watching a Peter Jackson movie, and not in a good way.
As an author, and in Jackson's case, film makers, part of your craft is learning what to leave as scraps on the floor. It took far too long for Rachel to get into the groove of things. I think it was like 3 chapters on getting ready for, and walking, to school...or something like it. I don't remember as it was boring and didn't really start the story. The information provided in those chapters could have been cut, or better used as flashbacks. Here we have a bad case of starting from point A in a story, instead of at the inception of the better part of the story. I think the novel could have been sweated by 5k words, and been much tighter.
You probably read all that and think "Well, shit, what is good about it?" Well...plenty.
Restricted Renegade is a classic example of a writer who does all of the big things well. That's much better than reading 30 pages of well manicured prose where not shit f-ing happens. Writers who do the big things well can be sculpted into greater authors. The same is not always true for the reverse.
Rachel is a compelling character. After you get through the dull opening, you really see her grow. The shifting in Chapter numbers (the author has it set up where you're sort of reading two stories unfold at once) is a pretty cool idea. At first I was like "WTF is this shit," but then it made sense. LOVED THAT ASPECT.
The world the novel is set up in is reminiscent of "Equilibrium" starring Christian Bale. The action in this book is on par, maybe even exceeds, that movie. When Torres ramps up his plot and action, the book carries itself. It's a mighty shame it took SOOOOO LOOONNNGG to get going. However, it's my understanding that this book will be launching the series. So, there is hope looming around the corner.
The "Iris" concept from the book is a scary one. It's like government issued Siri for every person/household in the country. It's like NSA buying out Apple and Google. I won't say much more, because I don't want to ruin anything, but this was well done.
The central relationship that unfolds in the story with Rachel and (I'm not going to spoil it) is compelling and real. Torres displayed a good knowledge of the YA aspect of romance/awkward teen crush/keeping it business.
What really drives the story, however, is the action and the idea behind the plot. Make no mistake about it.
If you want an adventure filled ride, pick up this book and start at the first Blue Hawk Chapter. You could then go back and read the first 3 chapters as flash backs, and have a better experience.
On one hand, certain aspects of this book deserve a 4-star (maybe 5) rating. On the other, giving 3-stars is generous in light of other aspects. Let me start with the bad, so I can end on a good note.
This book is self-published. Not an excuse, but merely an explanation meant to inform. The author had many people read his book for errors. They let him down. With any self-published book, authors simply can't afford the $2-$4k price tag that comes with hiring a proofreader. It's simply not feasible. You expect a few errors. A "you're" instead of a "your." Little things like that which the author clearly knows the difference between.
Again, his Beta readers let him down...I hope. The errors (which I won't point out in detail, simply because you may very well pass over them) took me out of an otherwise engaging story and plot-line. It was a death by a thousand cuts. No single error stopped me, but together they made it hard to continue. I pushed through (which I am so glad I did). Which is where I transition to another point.
This book needs another draft. I said earlier I thought the plot was good. It was. It could be even better had the author trimmed the fat. I felt like I was watching a Peter Jackson movie, and not in a good way.
As an author, and in Jackson's case, film makers, part of your craft is learning what to leave as scraps on the floor. It took far too long for Rachel to get into the groove of things. I think it was like 3 chapters on getting ready for, and walking, to school...or something like it. I don't remember as it was boring and didn't really start the story. The information provided in those chapters could have been cut, or better used as flashbacks. Here we have a bad case of starting from point A in a story, instead of at the inception of the better part of the story. I think the novel could have been sweated by 5k words, and been much tighter.
You probably read all that and think "Well, shit, what is good about it?" Well...plenty.
Restricted Renegade is a classic example of a writer who does all of the big things well. That's much better than reading 30 pages of well manicured prose where not shit f-ing happens. Writers who do the big things well can be sculpted into greater authors. The same is not always true for the reverse.
Rachel is a compelling character. After you get through the dull opening, you really see her grow. The shifting in Chapter numbers (the author has it set up where you're sort of reading two stories unfold at once) is a pretty cool idea. At first I was like "WTF is this shit," but then it made sense. LOVED THAT ASPECT.
The world the novel is set up in is reminiscent of "Equilibrium" starring Christian Bale. The action in this book is on par, maybe even exceeds, that movie. When Torres ramps up his plot and action, the book carries itself. It's a mighty shame it took SOOOOO LOOONNNGG to get going. However, it's my understanding that this book will be launching the series. So, there is hope looming around the corner.
The "Iris" concept from the book is a scary one. It's like government issued Siri for every person/household in the country. It's like NSA buying out Apple and Google. I won't say much more, because I don't want to ruin anything, but this was well done.
The central relationship that unfolds in the story with Rachel and (I'm not going to spoil it) is compelling and real. Torres displayed a good knowledge of the YA aspect of romance/awkward teen crush/keeping it business.
What really drives the story, however, is the action and the idea behind the plot. Make no mistake about it.
If you want an adventure filled ride, pick up this book and start at the first Blue Hawk Chapter. You could then go back and read the first 3 chapters as flash backs, and have a better experience.
May 18, 2014
Government Take over, Enhanced soldiers, and Heroic Freedom Fighters!!!
*I received a copy of ebook for my honest opinion*.
Though this isn't my typical gentre, I was fascinated enough, after reading the description to take the chance on it. I'm glad I did.
My hat goes off to this author. He has created a world of advanced technology, government take over, and freedom fighters- who wants the rights to be heard, with his creative imagery. He has the amazing ability to easily cast you into this world.
The concept of the government taking away the people's choices and rights was brilliant. It hit a few of my buttons. It reminds me of what our country is going through now with the issues "Right to bear Arms", Education and Religion, just to name a few. I can honestly say that in this world, I'd become a freedom fighter. I love my rights and making my own choices with my life whether they are wrong or right. That is how you learn.
I was simply captivated. This story starts out slow, but steadily moves faster. It has lots of action, mystery and intrigue with a dash of romance. The characters were written with realistic personalities and concerns. The storytelling was told by two main characters: Rachel and David. You are able to see their sides of the story. I liked the emotions, feelings and opinions that were displayed. Secondary characters were a force all on their own.
I had two issues that I didn't care for: 1-Book cover. In my opinion, it should be more enticing to attract attention. I felt it was almost childish and too ordinary. 2- Grammar/words missing, but not enough to take away from story. These are my reason for a 4 star rating.
Enter in a world where the government makes the decisions on how you live your life (Restricted), but there are those who long and fight for the decisions to be made by the people (Unrestricted).
Rachel is graduating into adulthood at 16 years of age. She will find herself living alone and having a job picked for her. She will make new friends. After certain events, she will begin to question where her loyalities lay. She will make hard choices, pertaining to her privacy, personal, and job.
David has a secret. He will do what is required of him to bring the country back to the people. He will make difficult choices that will make friends/family into enemies, but he will endure this until the government falls.
Rachel and David will fight. Will their attraction survive the aftermath? Will they succeed in bringing down the government? You will have to read this book.
I've recommended this book to family and friends. To the author: You must write a continuation to this story. It's too good to be a stand alone. LOL!!!! Happy Reading!! Cheers!!
*I received a copy of ebook for my honest opinion*.
Though this isn't my typical gentre, I was fascinated enough, after reading the description to take the chance on it. I'm glad I did.
My hat goes off to this author. He has created a world of advanced technology, government take over, and freedom fighters- who wants the rights to be heard, with his creative imagery. He has the amazing ability to easily cast you into this world.
The concept of the government taking away the people's choices and rights was brilliant. It hit a few of my buttons. It reminds me of what our country is going through now with the issues "Right to bear Arms", Education and Religion, just to name a few. I can honestly say that in this world, I'd become a freedom fighter. I love my rights and making my own choices with my life whether they are wrong or right. That is how you learn.
I was simply captivated. This story starts out slow, but steadily moves faster. It has lots of action, mystery and intrigue with a dash of romance. The characters were written with realistic personalities and concerns. The storytelling was told by two main characters: Rachel and David. You are able to see their sides of the story. I liked the emotions, feelings and opinions that were displayed. Secondary characters were a force all on their own.
I had two issues that I didn't care for: 1-Book cover. In my opinion, it should be more enticing to attract attention. I felt it was almost childish and too ordinary. 2- Grammar/words missing, but not enough to take away from story. These are my reason for a 4 star rating.
Enter in a world where the government makes the decisions on how you live your life (Restricted), but there are those who long and fight for the decisions to be made by the people (Unrestricted).
Rachel is graduating into adulthood at 16 years of age. She will find herself living alone and having a job picked for her. She will make new friends. After certain events, she will begin to question where her loyalities lay. She will make hard choices, pertaining to her privacy, personal, and job.
David has a secret. He will do what is required of him to bring the country back to the people. He will make difficult choices that will make friends/family into enemies, but he will endure this until the government falls.
Rachel and David will fight. Will their attraction survive the aftermath? Will they succeed in bringing down the government? You will have to read this book.
I've recommended this book to family and friends. To the author: You must write a continuation to this story. It's too good to be a stand alone. LOL!!!! Happy Reading!! Cheers!!
May 4, 2014
I liked it! This book was really like a mix of many books I had read before, Legend, Renegade, Divergent. It was fun seeing all those similarities! David and Rachel reminded me sooo much of June and Day, or maybe its just me. But seriously, that insta-love and hot romance after knowing so little about each other... June and Day. It was so nice to see characters like them again!
I really liked the unique concept of control against their own will being played out. I've only seen that type of thing in Reneged and in the end of Divergent. The story did not lack when it came to the part of surprises too. Even though it was super clear that David was the congressman's son, due to Rachel's point of view I kept thinking that it can't be true... almost fooled me even though the answer was right there... At some point I found David's protectiveness of Rachel a bit annoying even though it was pretty cute. Come on, give that girl some space for an adventure of her own!
I know... I feel that the story is not over. There are some questions I would like to be answered so there's gotta be a second book. And I hope to see more adventures for Rachel there :) Overall, this book was a bit slow-paced so if you guys need a break from all those messed up books give this one a try! Its worth it. Oh wait, I forgot to mention the action scenes. Haha those were good. You'll expect many form this book. And thank you David Torres for introducing this book to me!
I really liked the unique concept of control against their own will being played out. I've only seen that type of thing in Reneged and in the end of Divergent. The story did not lack when it came to the part of surprises too. Even though it was super clear that David was the congressman's son, due to Rachel's point of view I kept thinking that it can't be true... almost fooled me even though the answer was right there... At some point I found David's protectiveness of Rachel a bit annoying even though it was pretty cute. Come on, give that girl some space for an adventure of her own!
I know... I feel that the story is not over. There are some questions I would like to be answered so there's gotta be a second book. And I hope to see more adventures for Rachel there :) Overall, this book was a bit slow-paced so if you guys need a break from all those messed up books give this one a try! Its worth it. Oh wait, I forgot to mention the action scenes. Haha those were good. You'll expect many form this book. And thank you David Torres for introducing this book to me!
June 11, 2014
It was difficult to decide how many stars to give this book. There were some points in the novel where I thought, yeah, this is incredible! and other times where I was just like, okay, this is bad.
Really, I applaud David Torres for chasing his wild dream and making it a reality. As an aspiring writer myself I know how hard it can be to finish a project like this, and especially in such good quality.
Let's start off with the positives:
-BRIANNA. Throughout the beginning of the novel she was the comic relief of it all; during the moments where I was sitting in my seat wondering what had just happened, Brianna came along and assuaged both Rachel and I by cracking some lame joke and going clubbing. Honestly, there were parts at the beginning of the novel that were kept afloat by this amazing character.
-Iris. My grandmother's name, the word now strikes unfortunate fear into my heart. If any of you have seen Will Smith's I, Robot you'll know what I'm talking about. Big Brother, anybody? The entire concept of programs like Iris running our society have frightened me since I was a kid, and David Torres did not disappoint . . .
-David! I'm not sure how I feel about an author naming a character after himself. . . . But I'll let it slide (honestly, it sort of made me chuckle when I first made the connection). David (the character) was a sort of mixture of Patch from Hush, Hush, Tobias from Divergent, and Day from Legend. AKA, amazing. Like a 007 type, I was first very confused when the chapters reset to 1 before I realized it was a different plot line parallel to Rachel's. Overall it's a cool idea and I think David's perspective really added something exciting to the novel!
-Rachel--a strong lead is essential to a good story. Rachel, thankfully, does not let us down.
And now for the negatives:
-GRAMMAR. GRAMMAR. GRAMMAR. I know that Mr. Torres is a first-time writer, and whenever I look back at my old works I cringe from the awful beginner mistakes in punctuation, word choice, and sentence structure. The editors of this novel really need to go back to high school. Honestly, some of the mistakes just took away from the story. More than once I had to go back and re-read something because I couldn't understand what was trying to be said. Visually I imagine this book surrounded in a sort of silvery light; if the grammar mistakes and awkward, clunky sentence structures were fixed I can imagine it sheathed in gold.
-This book took a LONG time to start heating up. . . . Yes, the suspense was good, and yes, foreshadowing was abundant, but at 100 pages in I was still hoping for something more to reel me in. Additionally, at around 100 pages there had only been ONE David chapter, which left me hanging a little too long and wondering, Where the hell did he go?
Overall I think a 3--3.5 rating is fair for Restricted Renegade. This is the book that kicked off my summer reading list, and I'm thankful to it and to David Torres for starting me off on an exciting note! I'm so looking forward to the rest of the series. . . .
~Emily
Really, I applaud David Torres for chasing his wild dream and making it a reality. As an aspiring writer myself I know how hard it can be to finish a project like this, and especially in such good quality.
Let's start off with the positives:
-BRIANNA. Throughout the beginning of the novel she was the comic relief of it all; during the moments where I was sitting in my seat wondering what had just happened, Brianna came along and assuaged both Rachel and I by cracking some lame joke and going clubbing. Honestly, there were parts at the beginning of the novel that were kept afloat by this amazing character.
-Iris. My grandmother's name, the word now strikes unfortunate fear into my heart. If any of you have seen Will Smith's I, Robot you'll know what I'm talking about. Big Brother, anybody? The entire concept of programs like Iris running our society have frightened me since I was a kid, and David Torres did not disappoint . . .
-David! I'm not sure how I feel about an author naming a character after himself. . . . But I'll let it slide (honestly, it sort of made me chuckle when I first made the connection). David (the character) was a sort of mixture of Patch from Hush, Hush, Tobias from Divergent, and Day from Legend. AKA, amazing. Like a 007 type, I was first very confused when the chapters reset to 1 before I realized it was a different plot line parallel to Rachel's. Overall it's a cool idea and I think David's perspective really added something exciting to the novel!
-Rachel--a strong lead is essential to a good story. Rachel, thankfully, does not let us down.
And now for the negatives:
-GRAMMAR. GRAMMAR. GRAMMAR. I know that Mr. Torres is a first-time writer, and whenever I look back at my old works I cringe from the awful beginner mistakes in punctuation, word choice, and sentence structure. The editors of this novel really need to go back to high school. Honestly, some of the mistakes just took away from the story. More than once I had to go back and re-read something because I couldn't understand what was trying to be said. Visually I imagine this book surrounded in a sort of silvery light; if the grammar mistakes and awkward, clunky sentence structures were fixed I can imagine it sheathed in gold.
-This book took a LONG time to start heating up. . . . Yes, the suspense was good, and yes, foreshadowing was abundant, but at 100 pages in I was still hoping for something more to reel me in. Additionally, at around 100 pages there had only been ONE David chapter, which left me hanging a little too long and wondering, Where the hell did he go?
Overall I think a 3--3.5 rating is fair for Restricted Renegade. This is the book that kicked off my summer reading list, and I'm thankful to it and to David Torres for starting me off on an exciting note! I'm so looking forward to the rest of the series. . . .
~Emily
June 13, 2014
Loved it. Looking forward for David's next book.
Restricted Renegade starts off slow, but it’s okay because it sets up the setting for the whole universe. I love how every little detail contributed to setting up the stage. Chapter three was the moment I was hooked. I could not put down this book. Within two days of determined reading, I finished the book.
Rachel Mercer is obviously a dynamic character. In the beginning she is oblivious, shy, and not really outgoing. But as the book progresses, especially in the end, if you juxtapose Rachel from the beginning and Rachel near the end of the book, you see that Rachel near the end of the book is headstrong, stubborn, but strong and brave.
David is strong and brave too. But what I like is his split personalities. The rich and womanizing rich kid and the killing Unrestricted Blue Hawk. His point of view was very interesting and I loved how it differed from Rachel’s. David’s point of view is more confident and tactical and knows how to take control of the situation.
The romance. It might have been a little rushed. But I guess it seems that by sheer attraction they were interested in each other and they were pulled together by a “powerful force,” maybe? But surprisingly, I found it very sweet. And I can tell that their love is true and deep.
I noticed that David, the author, has an unusual style of writing. Unusual, not bad, just different. For example:
“Whenever he writes dialogue, he adds action to it,” he said, sipping from his icy cold glass of iced tea.
“He does that as opposed to just simple tags, like this,” he said. It’s not bad.
Now the plotline. It was a nail-biter. Once it got my interest, it never let go. And on the action scenes (there were plenty), my heart was literally racing alongside the character’s own frantic pulse.
Now the ending. I liked it. It was enough to make the book seem like a standalone, but the epilogue is what tipped us off as the readers that there will be a sequel.
I give this book Five stars, and I can't wait to ready David's next book.
Restricted Renegade starts off slow, but it’s okay because it sets up the setting for the whole universe. I love how every little detail contributed to setting up the stage. Chapter three was the moment I was hooked. I could not put down this book. Within two days of determined reading, I finished the book.
Rachel Mercer is obviously a dynamic character. In the beginning she is oblivious, shy, and not really outgoing. But as the book progresses, especially in the end, if you juxtapose Rachel from the beginning and Rachel near the end of the book, you see that Rachel near the end of the book is headstrong, stubborn, but strong and brave.
David is strong and brave too. But what I like is his split personalities. The rich and womanizing rich kid and the killing Unrestricted Blue Hawk. His point of view was very interesting and I loved how it differed from Rachel’s. David’s point of view is more confident and tactical and knows how to take control of the situation.
The romance. It might have been a little rushed. But I guess it seems that by sheer attraction they were interested in each other and they were pulled together by a “powerful force,” maybe? But surprisingly, I found it very sweet. And I can tell that their love is true and deep.
I noticed that David, the author, has an unusual style of writing. Unusual, not bad, just different. For example:
“Whenever he writes dialogue, he adds action to it,” he said, sipping from his icy cold glass of iced tea.
“He does that as opposed to just simple tags, like this,” he said. It’s not bad.
Now the plotline. It was a nail-biter. Once it got my interest, it never let go. And on the action scenes (there were plenty), my heart was literally racing alongside the character’s own frantic pulse.
Now the ending. I liked it. It was enough to make the book seem like a standalone, but the epilogue is what tipped us off as the readers that there will be a sequel.
I give this book Five stars, and I can't wait to ready David's next book.
August 12, 2016
Reading this book, it is obvious that the author sees the world in precise details. His descriptions are intricate and well thought out. I especially enjoyed the vehicle descriptions. I could see the motorcycle morphing and the cars equipped with everything the characters could need in a fight. The world of Restricted Renegade is full of innovative technology, and it’s easy to see the energy that the author put into developing it.
The story is action-packed, especially toward the second half of the book. The characters are constantly fighting for their cause and their lives. The suspense never dulls, keeping the reader wondering who will discover the characters’ plans and who will attempt to stop them. They are always in some precarious situation and it’s not always apparent who will survive.
I liked the chemistry between the two protagonists, Rachel and David. It was fun to watch their relationship develop, though I would have liked to see more conversations where they got to know each other better. They were passionate about each other almost from the point of first meeting, and it would have been nice to see more development of their bond.
Deciding on a rating for this novel was difficult. I enjoyed the story. It was an excellent adventure full of suspense and action. What kept me from giving it a higher rating came down to one thing: editing. There were many grammatical errors and they distracted greatly from the flow of the story. On several occasions I had to backtrack and re-read a section because I wasn’t sure who was speaking or how the characters had gotten from one scene to the next. This made it difficult for me to move forward.
Overall I think that Restricted Renegade has the potential to become a great story. The author has the instincts necessary to write exceptionally. If he works on his craft, I think he will have an amazing career.
The story is action-packed, especially toward the second half of the book. The characters are constantly fighting for their cause and their lives. The suspense never dulls, keeping the reader wondering who will discover the characters’ plans and who will attempt to stop them. They are always in some precarious situation and it’s not always apparent who will survive.
I liked the chemistry between the two protagonists, Rachel and David. It was fun to watch their relationship develop, though I would have liked to see more conversations where they got to know each other better. They were passionate about each other almost from the point of first meeting, and it would have been nice to see more development of their bond.
Deciding on a rating for this novel was difficult. I enjoyed the story. It was an excellent adventure full of suspense and action. What kept me from giving it a higher rating came down to one thing: editing. There were many grammatical errors and they distracted greatly from the flow of the story. On several occasions I had to backtrack and re-read a section because I wasn’t sure who was speaking or how the characters had gotten from one scene to the next. This made it difficult for me to move forward.
Overall I think that Restricted Renegade has the potential to become a great story. The author has the instincts necessary to write exceptionally. If he works on his craft, I think he will have an amazing career.
December 18, 2014
Read the original review here at http://majasbooks.blogspot.dk
Review David Torres "Restricted Renegade" from restricted series
This book utterly surprised me! First I was very skeptic about all this dystopia theme!
But as progress began, I was more and more surprised and fell totally in love with this book!
We meet Rachel, who's 16 years old, and is about to being bridged ( getting assigned her job, getting a new home, being an adult ) I like Rachel a lot, she seems to not being ready to get on to be an adult jet! But okay who was that as sixteen ?
When her big day arrives, she is assigned to be an LEO ( law enforcement officer ) just like her dad was. Which she is not happy about!
But she copes with it and is trained ( with help from enhancement drugs )
When David appears wow! (Actually we met him quite early in the story but we didn't know who he was) he is mysterious, and right away you can almost feel their attraction !
There is clearly something going on between the lines, something that makes you question mark everything and everyone!
" Reality is dependent on perspective.
Reality can become fiction just as fiction can become reality or a possibility of reality just by one's perspective. Question EVERYTHING!"
David Torres is a first time author, and I really must say, that he did a damn fine job!
This universe is something you could imagine, and David does a splinted job to describe everything to that extent that you clearly can imagine and see everything !
And one more thing! " iris" is one of my favourites ! I love this technologie ! "She" could be something we all will use in the future! Terrifying !
Review David Torres "Restricted Renegade" from restricted series
This book utterly surprised me! First I was very skeptic about all this dystopia theme!
But as progress began, I was more and more surprised and fell totally in love with this book!
We meet Rachel, who's 16 years old, and is about to being bridged ( getting assigned her job, getting a new home, being an adult ) I like Rachel a lot, she seems to not being ready to get on to be an adult jet! But okay who was that as sixteen ?
When her big day arrives, she is assigned to be an LEO ( law enforcement officer ) just like her dad was. Which she is not happy about!
But she copes with it and is trained ( with help from enhancement drugs )
When David appears wow! (Actually we met him quite early in the story but we didn't know who he was) he is mysterious, and right away you can almost feel their attraction !
There is clearly something going on between the lines, something that makes you question mark everything and everyone!
" Reality is dependent on perspective.
Reality can become fiction just as fiction can become reality or a possibility of reality just by one's perspective. Question EVERYTHING!"
David Torres is a first time author, and I really must say, that he did a damn fine job!
This universe is something you could imagine, and David does a splinted job to describe everything to that extent that you clearly can imagine and see everything !
And one more thing! " iris" is one of my favourites ! I love this technologie ! "She" could be something we all will use in the future! Terrifying !
June 4, 2014
I liked a lot of things about this book. I loved the concept of teenagers being “bridged” into adulthood. After one simple ceremony, they’re given profession, a house, and a whole new life.
Did you know what you wanted to do at sixteen? I didn’t, so the idea was actually quite exciting.
Rachel, our protagonist, is sent to be a Law Enforcement Officer like her late father. She perseveres even though she’s not happy about her assignment. But as she’s filled with enhancement drugs and trained for duty, her eyes are slowly beginning to open to her oppressive surroundings.
Which brings us to David. Without giving away any spoilers, I’ll say that David is probably the interesting character. I enjoyed his perspective in the book, and liked watching his growing relationship with Rachel.
The thing I absolutely loved the most though? Iris, the computer system that assists (watches?) everyone go about their daily lives. The idea is so terrifying yet believably that I can imagine it being the next big thing in technology. And wouldn’t we all, as a people, buy into it? Yes, we probably would.
The main aspects that drove this plot was action (there is lots) and a true evolution of the characters. I always want to see my imaginary book friends grow, and it is delightful to watch Rachel change from naive school girl to an intelligent, strong young woman.
All in all, Restricted Renegade is highly imaginative dystopian with detailed inventions and fabulous world building.
Did you know what you wanted to do at sixteen? I didn’t, so the idea was actually quite exciting.
Rachel, our protagonist, is sent to be a Law Enforcement Officer like her late father. She perseveres even though she’s not happy about her assignment. But as she’s filled with enhancement drugs and trained for duty, her eyes are slowly beginning to open to her oppressive surroundings.
Which brings us to David. Without giving away any spoilers, I’ll say that David is probably the interesting character. I enjoyed his perspective in the book, and liked watching his growing relationship with Rachel.
The thing I absolutely loved the most though? Iris, the computer system that assists (watches?) everyone go about their daily lives. The idea is so terrifying yet believably that I can imagine it being the next big thing in technology. And wouldn’t we all, as a people, buy into it? Yes, we probably would.
The main aspects that drove this plot was action (there is lots) and a true evolution of the characters. I always want to see my imaginary book friends grow, and it is delightful to watch Rachel change from naive school girl to an intelligent, strong young woman.
All in all, Restricted Renegade is highly imaginative dystopian with detailed inventions and fabulous world building.
May 19, 2014
A story filled with lots of action with Rachel and David as the two main characters. Another character I really liked was Brian, can't say much more because it would include spoilers.
The author describes things well, but sometimes the descriptions go on for too long and with too much detail. I also loved Rachel's uniform as a Law Enforcement Officer, and the motorbike. Lots of imagination.
I got quite confused at times as to who was speaking, perhaps it might be a good idea to name the character at the beginning of the chapter when there's a change of POV.
This book has the potential to be a bestseller, but it was let down by the many, many punctuation and grammatical errors. With an edit, proofread and cutting and tightening things up, this would be an excellent book.
The author describes things well, but sometimes the descriptions go on for too long and with too much detail. I also loved Rachel's uniform as a Law Enforcement Officer, and the motorbike. Lots of imagination.
I got quite confused at times as to who was speaking, perhaps it might be a good idea to name the character at the beginning of the chapter when there's a change of POV.
This book has the potential to be a bestseller, but it was let down by the many, many punctuation and grammatical errors. With an edit, proofread and cutting and tightening things up, this would be an excellent book.
July 23, 2014
First it should be noted that I'm not very good at reviews but I intend on doing my best.
I am not into dystantopia but I decided to give this book and try and let me just tell you that I was very surprised. There's just so much more to this book. The story that unfolds between Rachel and David had my romance interest peaked. (Which is huge for me)
And one of my concerns going into this is that I wouldn't be able to truly grasp the world created by the author but that wasn't an issue at all. The picture painted by Torres has me feeling as if I was right there the entire time.
So in short, I HIGHLY recommend this novel to EVERYONE. It is an awesome read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Seriously guys, five freakin' stars!
I am not into dystantopia but I decided to give this book and try and let me just tell you that I was very surprised. There's just so much more to this book. The story that unfolds between Rachel and David had my romance interest peaked. (Which is huge for me)
And one of my concerns going into this is that I wouldn't be able to truly grasp the world created by the author but that wasn't an issue at all. The picture painted by Torres has me feeling as if I was right there the entire time.
So in short, I HIGHLY recommend this novel to EVERYONE. It is an awesome read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Seriously guys, five freakin' stars!
April 30, 2015
So well written I couldn't put it down
Even through I read the second book first I couldn't go without reading the first. It's futuristic but yet all believable. Especially feels like our country is headed in the same direction. Scary.
The author decides out of the blue he should write a book. He must be a artist in his mind because the details to everything physical or emotional is expressed to my actual amazement.
I could feel my own adrenaline, pain, sorrow and love through the characters in this story.
Both books are well worth reading. I will look forward to reading them again sometime in the future
Even through I read the second book first I couldn't go without reading the first. It's futuristic but yet all believable. Especially feels like our country is headed in the same direction. Scary.
The author decides out of the blue he should write a book. He must be a artist in his mind because the details to everything physical or emotional is expressed to my actual amazement.
I could feel my own adrenaline, pain, sorrow and love through the characters in this story.
Both books are well worth reading. I will look forward to reading them again sometime in the future
May 6, 2015
"Restricted Renegade" by David Torres is a futuristic thriller set in a dystopian world. As aspiring writers know, its hard to finish a project like writing a book. So hats off to David for creating a story from his imagination. After a slow start the story picks up with some great action and romance - But the editing and the grammar needs improving as it can be very difficult for a reader to get into a story with so many errors. But I hope the author learns from this experience and continues to create more books.
July 12, 2014
I loved this book!its a mix between everything I like and was a pleasure to read! I loved the dual storyline aspect of the novel and the futuristic dystopian element to the novel had me engrossed from beginning to the end. There was a couple of faults throughout the book but the are minor in comparison to what was right! A thoroughly good read and can't wait for the next instalment! And props to the author for self publication!
October 18, 2014
I enjoyed reading his imagination.
May 12, 2015
I was given this book in return for an honest review.
Audio Edition: 1 Star.
When the narrator started doing the voices of the other characters, I turned it off. (Namely, the little girl in the prologue.) I didn't finish listening to the first two chapters. That turned me off completely. I'm not a big fan of audiobooks (I'm hard of hearing) but NO PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF HUMANITY DO NOT DO CHARACTER VOICES. YOU ARE NOT MEL BLANC!
Book Edition: 2 Stars.
I don't rate cover art, as I'm colourblind and can't really tell. I start with blurb and first chapter, then go from there.
The blurb sucked me in, and the beginning pages, but then going through the book was a case of WTH, I felt like I was duped with a bait and switch. I slogged through this book. It was hard for me.
The preface was cool, setting up the story. I was expecting a dystopian futuristic techno-thriller.
But then I got to the prologue. It was a strange change of pace, with clunky dialogue and narration, as if the author had a hard time writing third limited. I figured, okay, maybe this story will be about the father and his adventure about throwing the government.
Then I got to chapter one. Okay, I'm assuming we're in the father's head. But then, "Good morning, RACHEL."
WTF WHO IS RACHEL AND WHY AM I GETTING HER STORY? So I figured, this must be the little girl in the story then I started thinking WHY AM I READING ABOUT HER? DAFUQ?
So I kept going, hoping something might improve.
Despite the detailed cool tech and stiff action scenes, it doesn't.
I don't need to know every little instance of her day, her breakfast or her going to the academy, or every damn thought in this dude's head (my bad, *girl*, she doesn't sound like a girl at all.) It seems like the author hadn't studied females and they seem so weird and distant.
The drunk dude scene seemed wooden and unrealistic. Rachel just stands there like a deer in headlights and lets this drunk punk fondle her boob. She doesn't freak out, she just stands there. Her friend Brianna rescues her by giving the dude a swift groin stomp. Major eye roll, slow clap. I keep reading.
When I get to Blue Hawk's section, I'm jarred. I had no idea there was a change (aside from another Chapter 1, evident in the TOC, but still) and this suffers from major author voice problems. I can't tell the difference between the two. They have no unique features.
AV bleeds through the characters. I don't want to hear the author's thoughts and feelings. I want Rachel's and Blue Hawk's! Sadly, I don't get it, and I feel like I'm in the author's head with his weird dream of this perfectly imperfect universe and his musings about his place in it. This starts to feel Gary Stu-ish.
I continued on with the story, from Rachel's training to be a cop, and David's (later find he's code-named Blue Hawk) missions to disrupt the government takeover. I didn't care about the life of Rachel, or the sections of Blue Hawk when it jarringly showed up. I also hated David, because he's so mysterious and perfect in every way, so rich, so badass and cool (he wears black leather and drives a motorcycle, squee!), so handsome and all the girls wanna jump his bones and I realized OMFG THIS IS THE GARY STU I'VE DREADED. (same first name as author, same letter as last name! DAFUQ!!) Of course, Rachel falls for this dude HARD, which comes out of nowhere. I thought the girl was gay or something.
I started glazing over after this point. I hated the romance between Rachel and David. It felt forced and I felt like this was a wangsty wet dream of the author's perfect girl. There was no instance that they truly liked each other, or that there was any time for them to know each other (between fighting nasties and trying not to die). Rachel just swoons for the dude. By David's reactions, he's enjoying the attention, but I don't believe for one bit he actually likes this chick. Ugh…
This book was difficult for me to finish. It started with a slow pace after awesome world building, but doesn't pick up the pace until near the end, and leaves on a cliffhanger at that! It's like the author read The Hunger Games and Divergent and felt he could do one better. I hated the characters. They tended to overact, overreact, or were stereotypical at best and trope-filled at worst. The supporting cast were just slumming for parts, there to advance the story, and they all sounded the same. Wooden, cardboard cutouts with names and assigned a role they play badly in. Also, though Brianna and Brian were interesting supporting castmates, they were too similar, (one the friend of Rachel and the other David). I wanted to know more about them.
I don't remember getting to the end of the book, or what happened to the characters after the second (or third?) cut in of Blue Hawk/David's POV. All I recall at the end that David has to kill some bitch that whacked his mom. Once I got to the end, my loathing of the characters and the universe made it such I don't want to know more about them. Yet, the universe with so much potential (Evil government! Honorable Rebels! Freaky Science!) somehow suffered poor execution when told from first person of the main characters. If this story were written in third omniscient, it would've covered a lot more ground, instead of being stuck with the extremely limited viewpoints of David and Rachel.
Technical Stuff:
To the editor who edited this book, please fix this! If this is the mobile edition, then I won't hate it too hard, as not even TP can get their mobile book editions formatted correctly. But if this is in print, I'm cringing, because after seeing the title/copyright page, the way it's formatted makes it scream 'self published'. The editing could be more polished - there were large blocks of text that made it difficult to read that could've been broken into smaller paragraphs. There were quite a bit of grammar issues, and the occasional odd sentence placement.
Final Thoughts:
I don't know if I'm just out of the target audience to enjoy this book (is this YA?). But your mileage may vary from mine.
Audio Edition: 1 Star.
When the narrator started doing the voices of the other characters, I turned it off. (Namely, the little girl in the prologue.) I didn't finish listening to the first two chapters. That turned me off completely. I'm not a big fan of audiobooks (I'm hard of hearing) but NO PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF HUMANITY DO NOT DO CHARACTER VOICES. YOU ARE NOT MEL BLANC!
Book Edition: 2 Stars.
I don't rate cover art, as I'm colourblind and can't really tell. I start with blurb and first chapter, then go from there.
The blurb sucked me in, and the beginning pages, but then going through the book was a case of WTH, I felt like I was duped with a bait and switch. I slogged through this book. It was hard for me.
The preface was cool, setting up the story. I was expecting a dystopian futuristic techno-thriller.
But then I got to the prologue. It was a strange change of pace, with clunky dialogue and narration, as if the author had a hard time writing third limited. I figured, okay, maybe this story will be about the father and his adventure about throwing the government.
Then I got to chapter one. Okay, I'm assuming we're in the father's head. But then, "Good morning, RACHEL."
WTF WHO IS RACHEL AND WHY AM I GETTING HER STORY? So I figured, this must be the little girl in the story then I started thinking WHY AM I READING ABOUT HER? DAFUQ?
So I kept going, hoping something might improve.
Despite the detailed cool tech and stiff action scenes, it doesn't.
I don't need to know every little instance of her day, her breakfast or her going to the academy, or every damn thought in this dude's head (my bad, *girl*, she doesn't sound like a girl at all.) It seems like the author hadn't studied females and they seem so weird and distant.
The drunk dude scene seemed wooden and unrealistic. Rachel just stands there like a deer in headlights and lets this drunk punk fondle her boob. She doesn't freak out, she just stands there. Her friend Brianna rescues her by giving the dude a swift groin stomp. Major eye roll, slow clap. I keep reading.
When I get to Blue Hawk's section, I'm jarred. I had no idea there was a change (aside from another Chapter 1, evident in the TOC, but still) and this suffers from major author voice problems. I can't tell the difference between the two. They have no unique features.
AV bleeds through the characters. I don't want to hear the author's thoughts and feelings. I want Rachel's and Blue Hawk's! Sadly, I don't get it, and I feel like I'm in the author's head with his weird dream of this perfectly imperfect universe and his musings about his place in it. This starts to feel Gary Stu-ish.
I continued on with the story, from Rachel's training to be a cop, and David's (later find he's code-named Blue Hawk) missions to disrupt the government takeover. I didn't care about the life of Rachel, or the sections of Blue Hawk when it jarringly showed up. I also hated David, because he's so mysterious and perfect in every way, so rich, so badass and cool (he wears black leather and drives a motorcycle, squee!), so handsome and all the girls wanna jump his bones and I realized OMFG THIS IS THE GARY STU I'VE DREADED. (same first name as author, same letter as last name! DAFUQ!!) Of course, Rachel falls for this dude HARD, which comes out of nowhere. I thought the girl was gay or something.
I started glazing over after this point. I hated the romance between Rachel and David. It felt forced and I felt like this was a wangsty wet dream of the author's perfect girl. There was no instance that they truly liked each other, or that there was any time for them to know each other (between fighting nasties and trying not to die). Rachel just swoons for the dude. By David's reactions, he's enjoying the attention, but I don't believe for one bit he actually likes this chick. Ugh…
This book was difficult for me to finish. It started with a slow pace after awesome world building, but doesn't pick up the pace until near the end, and leaves on a cliffhanger at that! It's like the author read The Hunger Games and Divergent and felt he could do one better. I hated the characters. They tended to overact, overreact, or were stereotypical at best and trope-filled at worst. The supporting cast were just slumming for parts, there to advance the story, and they all sounded the same. Wooden, cardboard cutouts with names and assigned a role they play badly in. Also, though Brianna and Brian were interesting supporting castmates, they were too similar, (one the friend of Rachel and the other David). I wanted to know more about them.
I don't remember getting to the end of the book, or what happened to the characters after the second (or third?) cut in of Blue Hawk/David's POV. All I recall at the end that David has to kill some bitch that whacked his mom. Once I got to the end, my loathing of the characters and the universe made it such I don't want to know more about them. Yet, the universe with so much potential (Evil government! Honorable Rebels! Freaky Science!) somehow suffered poor execution when told from first person of the main characters. If this story were written in third omniscient, it would've covered a lot more ground, instead of being stuck with the extremely limited viewpoints of David and Rachel.
Technical Stuff:
To the editor who edited this book, please fix this! If this is the mobile edition, then I won't hate it too hard, as not even TP can get their mobile book editions formatted correctly. But if this is in print, I'm cringing, because after seeing the title/copyright page, the way it's formatted makes it scream 'self published'. The editing could be more polished - there were large blocks of text that made it difficult to read that could've been broken into smaller paragraphs. There were quite a bit of grammar issues, and the occasional odd sentence placement.
Final Thoughts:
I don't know if I'm just out of the target audience to enjoy this book (is this YA?). But your mileage may vary from mine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2014
I have read this book a couple times. I have to say that in all the hundreds of books that I have read over the years, this one in particular is in my top 3. As I continued to read this book, I felt connected to each character. Mr.Torres really knows how to create realistic characters with a personality to match the reader. Rachel is a sarcastic, funny, smart, and charming young adult about to embark on her journey in the,"Real World," As a law enforcement officer. David is a devilishly handsome and witty politicians son, who is... well, read the book to find out more. There lives though I will say are in danger along with countless others in the story. This book brings out a slur of emotions, you will cry, laugh, get angry, and just fall completely in love with this book. I highly recommend that you take the time out of your days to sit down and read this book before it goes flying off the shelves. I have to say thank you to Mr.Torres for giving me another chance to lose myself in the world of literature and imagination. This is truly a tale worth telling.
August 29, 2014
This book is not without its merits, but most of the plot is simple. There are a few spelling and grammar errors, and after a while they get in the way of the story.
I don't really know what the prologue is about. You're given much about when or where it happens. At first, you think it could be the main character, or maybe it's the second main character talking to his future daughter. Who knows?
The writing is a bit bi-polar, going from child-like and simple, to taking itself more seriously than it needs to be. I don't think the book ever figured out what it wanted to be.
There are some well-done action scenes, but I've read better.
It's a shame, this book's idea had a lot of promise. However, it hovers in areas it doesn't need to, starts the story in the wrong place, and the long exposition at the beginning needs to be tightened up.
I think some tough love on the authors part would make this a 4 star book. If the author learns from their mistakes, I'd definitely read the second book. The ending leads me to believe there will be a second book.
I don't really know what the prologue is about. You're given much about when or where it happens. At first, you think it could be the main character, or maybe it's the second main character talking to his future daughter. Who knows?
The writing is a bit bi-polar, going from child-like and simple, to taking itself more seriously than it needs to be. I don't think the book ever figured out what it wanted to be.
There are some well-done action scenes, but I've read better.
It's a shame, this book's idea had a lot of promise. However, it hovers in areas it doesn't need to, starts the story in the wrong place, and the long exposition at the beginning needs to be tightened up.
I think some tough love on the authors part would make this a 4 star book. If the author learns from their mistakes, I'd definitely read the second book. The ending leads me to believe there will be a second book.
October 23, 2014
For his first published work, Torres comes out strong!
The plot is intricate and the characters well-developed. The futuristic world is believable, and isn't so far out there, that as a reader, you can't see the possibility of it becoming a reality.
I enjoy a story that rides on the fringes, and some of the gadgets and imagery is very plausible (and cool).
I'm looking forward to reading his next book. Well done!
The plot is intricate and the characters well-developed. The futuristic world is believable, and isn't so far out there, that as a reader, you can't see the possibility of it becoming a reality.
I enjoy a story that rides on the fringes, and some of the gadgets and imagery is very plausible (and cool).
I'm looking forward to reading his next book. Well done!
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