"It's nothing personal. You're just part of the transaction."
Cameron Briggs always wondered what the strange birthmark on his shoulder meant. For his entire life, it seemed he was never meant to be anything special, that is, until the day it happened. Something dormant inside of him awoke.
In the near future, birthright theft is on the rise, a vast network of dealers offering desperate buyers the chance to steal a more desirable next life. Their power and influence is absolute, with little standing in their way. However, unexpected anomalies in the process endow unique abilities to their victims who, once identified, are offered one chance - to save our world or destroy it, one Unborn child at a time.
With the truth shrouded in conspiracy, Emma Jennings, a troubled but strong-minded young agent with a defiant reputation, is determined to prove these crimes exist. But in order to accomplish her goal, she'll need to find the one victim who can turn the tide of her war.
“High-octane action adventure! Hold on tight, it's a wild ride!” — Peter Cawdron, International Bestselling Author of ANOMALY and REVOLUTION
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author, Daniel Gage, for an honest review.
Opinion: OoOoOo yeah Sci-fi/Mystery lovers, I got a good one for you today! I have been waiting for a good book to get me out of my slump of multiple bad reviews, and here we are. This book has a “repo-man” feel to it, which was probably what got me so hooked on it. Imagine the chance to be able to switch your life for a better one; to start all over again, with the knowledge and experiences you have still being intact. Welcome to The Birthright Theft Series.
Birthright theft, the chance to turn your life of struggling and misery into something more. A chance to be born again to the child of a wealthy family, or perhaps even royalty, with every though and memory intact. The price? Just a small favor for the Dealers.
Emma Jennings has been working herself to the bone trying to catch Dealer X and his gang of birthright theft dealers, while also trying to prove that stealing one’s birthright is actually real. Countless showdowns and close calls in capturing Dealer X proves not enough, and Emma finds herself at risk of having her investigation shut down. But then Emma finds herself a convict by the name of Cameron Briggs, who is also happens to be an unborn: a victim of birthright theft. Not only is Emma able to enlist the help of Cameron, but he proves to have an extraordinary ability that puts him on the same playing field as the dealers. Together Emma and Cameron work to take down Dealer X, all the while trying to save the birthright of a prominent royal family.
The idea for this story was ABSOLUTELY KILLER. I mean come on, being able to steal someone’s birthright with the memories of your other life still there? It’s like Repo-Man had a child with reincarnation, and out popped an epic series. As if that isn’t amazing enough, author Daniel Gage takes it farther by detailing what happens to the victims of having their birthright stolen. I assumed they would just be dead, right?. But NO! The victim, which they call an Unborn, is born an alternate life where literally EVERYTHING goes wrong for them. The two lives stay connected throughout their lifetimes, and as the Unborn experiences unfortunate events, the thief experiences wealth and riches. Honestly, the entire concept is extremely interesting. Though this might sound like a complicated concept for a story, the author is fantastic at making it easy for the reader to understand. I had no trouble keeping up, and the fluidity that this author has in their writing keeps the reader addicted and interested.
Let’s touch on characters Emma and Cameron. Emma is a tough, savvy, and career-oriented woman. She has a fierceness about her that I love, and her character never backs down from a fight. Emma’s life has been centering on catching Dealer X and his crew for some time now, and she keeps reaching dead ends. I liked that her character faced a TON of setbacks throughout this book, but she always pushed herself through it in order to complete what she started. Cameron has quite the opposite past, in comparison to Emma. He is a convict and is no stranger to setbacks and struggling in life. Cameron is also an Unborn, the victim of birthright theft. Though Cameron doesn’t know this until much later in the book, he begins to notice some changes in himself that he can’t explain. I really liked the character of Cameron, mostly because he had a good heart but was still a tough and rugged person. I think these characters work great together and show off two very different sets of people, and their chemistry is perfection.
For those of you who are looking for a hot little romance to go along with this creative story, you’re s**t out of luck. I kept thinking a steamy connection would be happening between our main characters, but NOPE. Honestly, it isn’t even needed. I have a hunch that these two will get together later in the series, but I am actually relieved that it didn’t happen in book 1. A romance would have just taken away from the main idea of this story, and that would have been a serious bummer. This book is amazing just how it is, so I wouldn’t change that for anything. One thing that I am on the fence about is how straightforward the writing is. What I mean is that the author gets straight to the point with everything, there isn’t an excess of fluff in sentences in paragraphs…which is great. But on the other hand, this would also be a great series to really pack the detail in. I think little bit more description and detail into some of the events would have only strengthened this story.
Though sci-fi based books have never been my main genre, I am loving that I am able to find some truly great ones. I just can’t get over how mind-blowing the idea for this story was, I’m addicted to it! I think the target audience for this series is probably adults, but I think a lot of young adult readers could really get into it. FINALLY a book I can write positively about! Great job Daniel Gage, you have gotten me out of my reading depression.
Okay, it's my first time to read in an e-book format. No kidding. Don't judge me. I only read this because I just felt like it.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's an action-packed sci-fi book that will make you turn its pages. The writing style was easy to get into, and I didn't realize that I could like a book like this.
It could have been better if Unborn and Benefactor were thoroughly explained throughout the book. I just felt some points lacking and didn't understand the parts, and it felt like the book was bouncing from one place to another without a concrete and informative description.
This is what love is like for the wealthy. It only lasts until bad times, or something better comes along.
Cameron Briggs, unbeknownst to what is happening, is an Unborn who has a strange Sanskrit birthmark on his shoulder. He has been found by an agent called Emma Jenning who has been driven to eradicate birthright theft.
They go places to places to find this dangerous dealer called Dealer X, his identity unknown. And this dealer works for a person called Alexandre who is a Benefactor himself to find his kind-of alter ego, the Unborn.
It is said that if an Unborn does good things, bad things will happen to the Benefactor. Vice versa. I really like the concept of this book, but I have already read a book like this, still I enjoyed it.
Anything was better than absolute nothing.
It started meh but as I continue to read it, it becomes better and better until the end. The characters in this book are confusing as well; it has a lot of different views on different characters which is baffling. But, the world and the action it builds slowly captivate me as I immerse myself in this book.
I definitely recommend this book! It has just been recently released and it's available on Kindle and you can order it on Amazon. But I'm hosting a giveaway on my Instagram account to win a signed copy of this book that will end on August 31. There will be 3 winners.
"It was beautiful and terrifying. Mesmerizing and hypnotic."
I just finished reading Unborn novel yesterday, and I haven't posted a review about it last night because of slo...o...ow internet connection...
Anyways, I just wanted to thank Vanquish Books for lending me a copy of this novel, and for choosing me as one of your book reviewers. :)
It was great, the story was well-written, it's a fast-paced book, excellent character development and... *insert-all-the-good-comments-here* ^_^
As I began reading this novel, I couldn't stop turning the pages, (because if you didn't continue reading it, it makes you wonder what will happen next), and it's like I'm watching a film. To be honest, I really, really love this book (since I'm into action and it isn't sluggish at all)
If you're looking for a unique, action-packed story, you should read this one. And I must say that Daniel Gage is an excellent writer. (I'm saying this without skepticism).
*I received an epub copy from Rachel and Vanquish Books in exchange for an honest book review. This does not affect my reviews. This is all my opinion.*
I fished reading Bound by Duty so I was scrolling for more books to read and I stopped by this one. The synopsis is intriguing but I don't know if I'm gonna love it since I barely read science fiction books. Just by looking by the cover, it's like tempting you to read it.
DEALERS? UNBORN? BENEFACTORS? DEALER X? SECOND LIFE DEALING? BIRTHRIGHT THEFT? SHIFTERS?
The story started really confusing and boring. While reading I had to highlight the lines, add bookmarks or notes. When I encounter words or persons that I don't know, I need to go back to a couple of pages and search my highlights. I planned to DNF this book but I still continued to read it and I'm glad I did it.
The story began with a setting where the dealer is helping a man named Bernard with the second life dealing. There's also an organization who prevents this "second life dealing" and Emma is part of it. Emma Jennings is an agent. Cameron Briggs is a construction worker. He has a sanskrit birthmark and he doesn't know what it means. As I was starting to read this I already know that Cameron is an unborn, since it's pretty obvious. Dealer X' identity is unknown. He have a lot of clients and that includes Alexandre, who is a benefactor. Alexandre is suffering with a bad condition because of his Unborn. When the Unborn does good deeds, bad things will happen to the Benefactor.
I love Cam's character because eventhough he hates his life he continues to live and deal with it, his relationship with his mom is sweet. Emma on the other hand is a strong person. What she starts, she wants to finish. The plot is amazing. Dealer X played a good role as an antagonist. However, some of the informations are not explained completely. It's like there's some holes in it. Overall, I love it and i can't wait to read the rest of the series.
I received this ebook from @vanquishbooks and @rachel-reads in exchange of a honest review. This doesn't affect my opinion on this book.
Unborn is a hard review for me. I'm caught up between a unique story, where I connect myself easily with the characters vs writing.
Cam is just a man trying to live his life as best as possible. He isn't very lucky, and there is a reason for that. He had to recur to some things that he didn't like to do it to survive but he has a good heart. Just by the way he treats his mother, you can see he is a sweet person. After all, a person who risks his life, without a single thought, to save someone he doesnt even like it, can't be that bad.
But he always felt like something was missing in his life:
“Seeing the city from up high always made him feel like he was meant for something else, meant for something more than petty crimes and construction work for pennies.”
On the other side, we met Alexandre. Rich, handsome, lucky. He has almost everything he ever wanted.
“They say money can't buy happiness. Alexandre did agree with that, but wealth certainly made his life much enjoyable.”
That went things go wrong. Alexandre find himself getting sick pretty fast and discovers that: “His Unborn is still alive, and whatever he was doing, it was killing him.”
Soon, Cam meets Emma, she is an agent from an organization which purpose is to find the Birthright Thieves. Emma is strong, determinated, responsable and smart. Together, they will chase down Agent X, the one behind all the negotiations for the Birthright Thieves. I will not explain what it means because it will spoil the whole book for you. What I can say is that the story is unique and the characters interact well together. However, I caught myself reading very slowly and confused many times. Sometimes the book is very slow paced, but suddenly, everything goes so fast. Then go back to slow again. The fight scenes are good, but too extensive and repetitive. I also had a hard time trying to understand what exactly an Unborn and Birthright Thief were. The explanation is not there at once. It's on bits and pieces throughout the book. And somehow, even at the end, its still confused. You need someone to sit down and have a character to explain to you, otherwise, you will get confused of how it works. The pieces are not easy to put together. I also didn't like how Emma and Cam interacted sometimes. They were great at personal level, and on the field, but when it is about questions regarding what they know or not know, it seemed like they were running in circles. They keep asking things that they already know the other has no knowledge about it. This made the book sounds all over the place. There is a twist, one that crossed my mind once or twice, but I refused to believe it, but unfortunately, I was right. The end is okay, I liked and although there is no romance on it, there is a hint for the next book. Also, the end left enough material for the second book.
“Karma is a bitch. Can't force someone's soul out of their body and into someone else's without consequences.”
Overal, I like the book, even with its flaws. Sometimes I see mistakes, flaws, even lack of development on books, but if I get caught up on the story and the characters, I have tendency to overlook everything else.
It seems like it is getting more rare to come across a book that has a unique story line that. I was so happy when I started reading Unborn and found out that it was one of those special stories that wasn't done to death already. The story was absolutely enthralling, with the perfect balance of excitement, action, intrigue and suspense. The characters were expertly crafted and I found myself engrossed in their lives while reading it. This was a fantastic read!
The concept of birthright theft and its karmic repercussions was an interesting one. I don't normally read this type of book, but when I do read one, it better hold my interest...and this book held it in spades. This book is packed with action, kickass no nonsense characters, and a quick-moving narrative. A very enjoyable read.
Before going to the review proper, I need to establish first the concept of Benefactor, Unborn, and Dealer. Based on what I've understood, Benefactor is the one who gives the payment to undergo a birthright theft and usually the one who receives the good karma. Birthright theft is like stealing and taking over a baby's life and the whole concept of reincarnation is somehow the point of it except that the person taking over knows his past life and it was just like his whole mind and soul was transferred to the body of the baby. Meanwhile, Unborn is the victim of birthright theft and the total opposite of Benefactor. Unborn receives all the bad karma and no matter what they do, or now matter how hard they try, they just can't seem make their lives right. Lastly, the Dealers are the one responsible for the shifting or for the birthright theft.
This story started a little slow and a little confusing and I had to go back to some pages before resuming but after establishing the main plot, this story is really a good fast-pace story.
The story began with a Dealer helping a man to shift or undergo a birthright theft. However, there is a government agency that hinders all these criminal activities and Emma is part of it. She has always been looking for a way to stop these dealers but never had any luck.
On the other hand, Cam, a construction worker, seems to never figure out how to make his life better since no matter what he do, he always end up being a loser. Until one day, when his boss slipped and fell, Cam saved his boss and now, he became the hero and talk of the town. Cam didn't know what happened because he didn't use his mind but rather his instinct just took over. Then the next day, he was cornered by 5 gangster men but the battle end up with 5 men injured and near to death but Cam isn't one of those men. He was injured but it seems that he's healing so fast and what makes him wonder too is how he could see the projectile movements of the bullets, how he could dodge them, and how fast and strong he became. Little did he know, that he is an Unborn as well.
In connection with Cam, Alexandre is a rich man living in Paris and when Cam did the heroic thing of saving his boss, Alexandre end up spitting blood and his body weakened as well. This is the part where I should tell you that Cam and Alexandre are like twins. Except that Alexandre had the glamorous life that Cam supposed to have, and Cam end up being poor. Since Alexandre is the BENEFACTOR, he should receive all the good karma in life. But since Cam became a hero, there karma seems to reverse and the only thing to make their lives back again to normal is for Cam to do criminal acts again. Which he didn't want to do. And as long as Cam is doing the right thing, Alexandre will continue to deteriorate but won't die because a BENEFACTOR can't die unless the UNBORN dies first.
Emma, in search of an Unborn, end up finding Cam and there's a bond that form between them. The beginning of their partnership started a little bumpy because too much secrets were held back but after Cam gained Emma's trust, they became good tandem.
This story revolves on how Emma tries to catch the dealers and the frustration she felt whenever the dealers slipped away from her hands like sand. Also, Cam found the answer to some of the missing piece of his life and his regret for having a poor life was now replaced with contentment because deep down he knows that he can't replace all the good thing he has, like his mom, for money.
This is an action-packed-science-fiction story that makes you say "just one more chapter." I honestly didn't know that I end up liking this story so much because I'm more of YA reader but it's really good to try some other genre too! You just need to understand the main plot and then you'll get hooked up with this story!
However, there are some parts which still leaves a spot and a little confusing. Nevertheless, this is still a good book! I just hope some parts were explained further especially the birthright part.
Lastly, what I like about this book is the characters that have a strong personality. Like Emma who doesn't start anything she won't end. She insures that no matter how hard or how impossible her task maybe, she still find a way to end and accomplish it. Next is Cam who knows that Unborn is capable of doing bad things but defies it. He know that being an Unborn is not a hindrance for him to be good because after all, he's a person. Next is Coton who's not loyal to the government agency but rather loyal to the mission and helped Emma after she was suspended. Then, Michael who knows that he committed a mistake and repays it wholeheartedly. Lastly, Sloane who's a retired government agent but still find a way to help Emma to end up the dealer's evil ways.
Thanks to this book, I'd end up reading some sci-fi genre books!
“Birthright Theft” is a really cool idea that I haven’t seen used in any type of sci-fi literature or on film before. Essentially, it’s high-jacking the potential/future lives of advantageously conceived fetuses and allowing down on their luck adults to be reborn into a better situation (while retaining all their original memories and knowledge). It’s a clever notion and has so much potential. Unfortunately, Unborn never rises to the unique challenge its premise offers up.
There are a lot of places where Unborn stumbles or falls short. Its characters are wooden and underdeveloped; its language is, at times, mind-bendingly awkward (halfway through I realized I was reading it like I read my students’ short stories: rearranging sentences/fixing punctuation/omitting or adding words/etc. to improve the clarity); there are too many characters and since few of them are developed at all it’s hard to keep track of them. But its greatest flaw is its lack balance and focus.
Unborn reads like a first draft. A draft where the author just dumped every idea in his head onto the page for the sake of getting it out there. An excellent practice, if you go back and thoughtfully, judiciously and perhaps painfully cut the stuff that doesn’t work so that your story comes out balanced and compelling. Gage didn’t do enough of that. While it’s clearly marketed as an action/thriller novel, the action scenes are tremendously long and thus incidentally boring (the average length of each of the many action/chase/fight sequences is ten-ish pages). And so little plot happens in them, you can easily skip them without losing the thread of the story. It wouldn’t be a problem if they were balanced with scenes dealing with developing the characters/plot or world-building, but they aren’t.
Another element that seems strangely unfocused is the genre. It is clearly an action/thriller story evidenced by the sheer abundance of action scenes, but it also seems to want to be a sci-fi/dystopia story with a social criticism of the unfairness of class stratification. But the science is underdeveloped, and the world isn’t distinct enough to be a dystopia. It’s also a crime novel with one of our protagonists (Emma Jennings the young AFC agent) doggedly trying to bring down an international ring of Second-Life Dealers, which is easily the most interesting aspect of the novel. Only, it doesn’t get the attention it needs because we brush past the investigation work and establishing information in favor of car chases and gun battles. And finally there is a strange bit of magic dribbled into the mix when it is revealed that so-called “unborns” can develop X-men like abilities (some generate fire, spit acid, are resistant to injury, can become invisible etc.) which makes the last 100 pages take on a distinctly comic-book-like vibe. It suffers because it cannot focus on what it wants to be, something another draft probably could have smoothed out.
Don’t get me wrong, my problem with this novel is not the story or its compelling central premise, the reason this novel fails to achieve its promise is its unfortunate execution. I think Gage chose the wrong medium for this story. Something so centered on big, explosive action sequences, stylized fight scenes, and slick futuristic technology needs something more visual. Unborn would make a good B-movie, or even an excellent graphic novel. It just doesn’t work as a novel.
"He could see everything in his mind's eye. Every potential path an action could take long before it began, where every flicker of fire could go, and where it would be extinguished. Even color seemed to fade as Zeke's arm traveled through the air, small flames flickering from his fist." - Unborn, Daniel Gage
When Rachel and Vanquish books offered to send me a copy of this book in exchange for a review I was intrigued. The idea for the book is very unique and I knew immediately I wanted to read it. It didn't disappoint. The world of dealers and unborns is packed full of adventure and just the right amount of suspense.
Our main female character is the strong, independent woman, Emma Jennings. Shes one of the head agents at an agency researching the second life dealers. I loved how we got to see more of Emma's life as the book moved on. Emma had a tough time growing up ad her focus is on her work. Shes strong and can take a hit. Shes also willing to protect the innocent unborns and take on foes much bigger than herself. Seeing her friendship with Cameron grow throughout the story was really sweet. I loved how Cameron and her were so uncomplicated and knew exactly how to deal with each other.
Now the dealers are just despicable. When I finally figured out how the whole second life thing worked I was disgusted. And I think that's what the author was wanting. Dealer X especially got on my nerves. Hes the all powerful leader and the way he talks and acts just gets under my skin. He was just so untouched by Emma and everything she threw at him. I have a lot of questions about him that need answered please.
This book was so packed with action. I've read so many books with fight scenes but Daniel Gage takes the cake (is that how that expression goes...?). I found myself holding me breath during fight scenes. They were just so well written and I loved it! And all the unique abilities were fun. It added some really neat surprises to the book.
The way Daniel Gage wrote the book was really interesting. He mainly wrote from Emma and Cameron's point of view but we also got to see from a lot of other characters. It definitely added a unique feel to the book Most times when an author does this you get confused about who the character is but the changes are all very distinct. It helped with a lot of questions I had but it created a whole new set of them. I really need book two...
I suggest this book to anyone who loves action and/or suspense. This book definitely kept me on my toes with all the crazy twists.
Cyberbunk is swiftly becoming my favorite science fiction subgenre, and stories like ‘Unborn’ are among the reasons why. It’s the future proche, which means the whole story is rooted in a reality that could reasonably come to be as we work fervently today to close the gap between technology and biology. Just like any new ability to manipulate the human condition, some people will try to take advantage. And so we have The Birthright Theft Series.
I thought Daniel Gage did an excellent job of setting up a thought-provoking future Sci Fi scenario and creating believable factions of people working for, against, or inadvertently for the network of Second-Life dealers.
I really like that the story focuses on two major characters who both prove to be integral. Gage also wrote the story in a way that highlighted the thrill and danger of trying to oppose such a machine as the Second-Life ‘industry.’ Cameron and Emma are tailed by a stream of people interested in stopping them at all costs, and in some cases, a stream of bullets.
While it all seems morally cut and dry from the outside perspective, within the story, people dream of a Second-Life opportunity in their cups, much like people dream of winning the lottery. Or the desperate see it as their only opportunity for life if disaster or disease strikes. There’s no clear cut line between good guy and bad guy, and even Cameron has his flaws. All together, I think this dynamic makes for a very realistic interpretation of a future world. ‘Unborn’ is complex, multifaceted, and an action-packed story to boot. I highly recommend this story to any science fiction or action/thriller fan. It looks like Gage is setting the stage for a very entertaining series.
I have to give the author credit when it comes to this storyline. This is so unique and I've never seen this done before. That alone is a big bonus because I have always read books that have similar stories. Unborn started off with a bang and usually I'm not the action type but I loved reading about the cool fights and action.
This world is also set in the future so all the great gadgets and new inventions made this book even more entertaining. However, that's about where everything good about this book stops. First of all, this book can't be a Young Adult series. Our lead, Cameron, is a thirty-six year old man and all the swearing and references to sex was not what a Young Adult reader like myself would expect.
The characters are also very underdeveloped. I only found out Cameron's age after about ten chapters and I still don't know how anyone looks. As book readers, we expect more vivid descriptions. Daniel failed to describe the basics like a street or go more in to detail about how a room looked. He also failed to describe the characters better, I still can't formulate an image of our lead characters.
The characters were also too much. The point of views kept changing and I couldn't tell the difference in personalities. When you do these varying POVs, that's a pivotal part. Cameron did grow a little as the book developed but that still didn't feel like it was enough.
Throughout this book, I had ONE thought. This book should be a movie. It has the right amount of action and suspense to be a great movie. I honestly loved picturing all the cool scenes but as a book, this does not work. It pains me because the story is so brilliant and unique but this world wasn't vivid enough.
Such an intriguing idea for a novel, and the author pulled me in straight away. I personally have entertained the idea of rebirth, and the author brings it to life in Unborn. With technology, it is now possible for someone to steal the life of an unborn baby, and Cameron Briggs, even though he didn't know it in the beginning, was caught up in it. It's actually a fascinating blend of reincarnation/karma and science fiction, done in a way I have never seen before. I read plenty of science fiction books nowadays and this is a totally new twist on that genre for me, but it was done very well.
I can definitely see some of the concepts on this book getting more confusing as the plot unravels, especially since this is a complex, multidimensional novel. However, that didn't happen--the author has obvious mastery of his craft and conveyed everything clearly: all the twists and turns, the development of the characters--and he will keep you guessing. Besides this book being an awesome science fiction, it also has elements of suspense as well. As a reader, it was nice to read something that is new, fresh, and at the same time, exciting.
Daniel Gage's book "Unborn" is an amazing start to (what I want to say) an amazing series. The writing is strong, the concept well developed, and characters rounded. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a good read!
i totally forgot to put this as a currently reading book! My bad.
I was given this book to review and I have to admit I was a bit wary at first. I never heard of Daniel Gage or the Unborn series, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. But I totally did. I never expected it to be about rebirth, and it was such an exciting and interesting topic to read about. The author made a cocktail with three essential ingredients: reincarnation, science fiction and karma. It kept me guessing page after page.
Science fiction isn't my first choice of genre when it comes to buying or reading books, so I'm glad I got the chance to read Unborn as one of my firsts (alongside Alive by Scott Sigler). Beware, Unborn is a very complex and intriguing novel, the plot gets thicker and thicker as it unravels, and it get a little confusing at times, but not at all annoying luckily.
Overall, it was a really good book. Major plot lines to discover in the rest of the series (can't wait), as well as a new and fresh take on science fiction and rebirth. It was nothing like anything I've read before, and that's saying a lot these days.
So, strong storytelling talent by the author, amazing characters, thick plot, why wouldn't you read this now?
I received this book free from Vanquish Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book.
Just the premise was enough to grab me. I mean, birthright theft? What’s not to be intrigued about? And it's what pushed me to finish reading this novel. Nothing is fully explained until the latter half of the book and there were so many threads to weave together, making it a struggle at times, but I'm so glad that I persevered.
The writing was really good. The dialogue needs a bit of work (it felt a bit forced at times), but the action sequences were powerful and you could really get inside both Emma and Cam’s heads. It’s easy to fall into the trap with a third-person perspective with characters overlapping too much and seemingly becoming the same person, but they stayed fairly distinct from one another.
I hope this powerful idea is kept up through the coming books and the characters remain strong. It really is a great book, but it does require some focus to keep the momentum going. It's certainly not a light read. Hopefully with the next book, it’ll make a lot more sense and won’t be as difficult to keep up.
I was approached by Vanquish Books to give an honest review in exchange for a free copy of this book. I had no idea how the book will turn out to be but the summary intrigued me and I knew it'd be something that I would have picked up at the library anyway. And boy, is this book packed with plot and action! I don't want to say too much cos I feel like it's a book best to go in blind and let the story grip you but wow. The entire world of birthright theft and Unborns is complex and it takes a while to wrap your brain around it but once you do...you might just be as awed as me, marvelling at the creative ideas Gage came up with. The idea that technology might help humans live forever by hijacking bodies is a very much realisable possibility, I feel. If I had to give a quick summary of the book I guess it'll be that it's a much darker version of the Uglies trilogy by Scott Westerfeld except that instead of using technology to become pretty, you're using technology to cheat death.
I thought this was quite an intriguing premise, birthright or birth theft. First of all being able to buy a new life to extend the one you have and being able to pick whom you are born to. Of course it also means the baby you steal the life from has to go somewhere else.
Instead of their planned life they are subjected to a life of negativity, bad choices and in general an abysmal life. The thief gets a life of positivity, riches and pleasure.
The so-called Unborn are marked and identifiable, which makes them easier to hunt and destroy. Sometimes the ones who have taken their place need to ensure there is no threat to the life they have stolen.
Gage has created a fascinating concept with a lot of possibilities for further development. If that same level of creativity is applied to the character development and the rest of the story then this will be a cracking series with a lot of potential. Thank you to Vanquish Books for my copy of Unborn.
Wow what a great concept for a book! I could not put this book down once I started it. I even had to tell my friends all about once I was done. To think that you could make a deal with someone, start your life over from birth knowing everything you know now and plus not have anything bad happen to you! Of course there are consequence involving your "unborn"! It's a story that makes you think wether you could do it or not. It's like making a deal with the devil and sometimes it works out for you but then there's a chance it could go all wrong. I would love to see this book as a movie!!
This book is a fantastic and enticing Sci-Fi read that I truly love. The world and characters are beautifully built and its such a unique concept that I highly recommend. See my full review and thoughts here: https://rachwithbooks.wordpress.com/2...
First of all look at the gorgeous cover! I knew as soon as I saw that beauty that I was in for a treat with this book and I was not disappointed at all. I know I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but it's hard not to look at this book and not want to read it. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I guess I actually need to talk about the story some and not just about that beautiful cover, that's the last time I swear. thankfully, the story was just as good as the cover, that's the last time I'm serious. It was so action packed, and very fast paced two things that go well together. It was a real page turner, meaning I didn't put the thing down until I finished it. I needed to know more and then next thing I know it's over.
The only negative thing that I can say is that it was a little dull at the start. Also slightly confusing but it was easy to get through those parts. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with the characters and the story. Though I am a lover of sci-fi so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this so much.
I highly recommend this to all the sci-fi lovers out there.
“Unborn” an action-packed, explosive thrill-ride heats up when Cameron Briggs an ex-con with a mysterious birthmark on his back yearns to change his life, saving his construction boss at work never expects that his life is about to change significantly after he’s accosted by a gang of punks at a hover station displaying supernatural speed, strength and healing power in the confrontation.
When Agent Emma Jennings an agent working for the Agency of Family Continuity investigating the truth behind birthright theft is charged with stopping the identity takeover of a royal fetus, she joins forces with Cameron to hunt down the Dealer and the Benefactor before the child is born.
This is an innovative and imaginative story line set in the future where a Second-Life Dealer tags the fetus of the wealthy and prosperous for a Benefactor who loses his current life while shifting and being reborn. The perpetrator gaining a privileged life is aware of his past while the original unborn soul inherits all the bad luck in his new existence.
As Emma and Cameron struggle to take down Dealer X and his accomplices, fascinating subplots revolve around wealthy and arrogant Alexandre Gautier whose health takes a downward spiral when his alternate begins changing his life of misfortune and Leonard, a Benefactor who’s determined to pay Dealer X his fee so he can shift into a prosperous life as a royal. Combining a science -fiction adventure with a crime investigation the novel vibrates with tension as Emma and Cameron not only struggle to prove the existence of Second-Life Dealers and the birthright theft, but pit themselves against Dealer X determined to put a stop to his nefarious scheme. Intensity and suspense continually build as Cameron not only develops his abilities as he fights to survive against Dealer X and other enhanced Unborn but also as he learns more about his past and the Sanskrit mark on his back.
Emma Jennings, a troubled but strong-minded young agent with a defiant reputation fights against a conspiracy that hides the truth about the identity theft of unborn children. Duty-oriented, attracted to Cameron in her loneliness she refuses to succumb to her attraction. Cautious, solitary Cameron Briggs haunted by his criminal history yearns to put the past behind him, to belong to something better so he can make his mother proud. The personalities and actions of these two main characters add passion, depth and excitement to a thrill-ride you can’t put down until finished.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Unborn” and have already passed my book on to another scify-action enthusiast who’ll love the creativity and fast-pace of this story. I look forward to reading more about Cameron and Emma’s dealings with the Shifters and Second-Life Dealers in Daniel Gage’s next book in the series.