Ignoring (for now) the fact that it's littered with some strange errors, Escape! manages to reap many scares. It is an interesting thriller/horror hybrid, and it's a lot of fun that's fantastically plotted and handled. Being firmly lodged in my own material for most of the year—while also editing/proofing many manuscripts for others—I haven't focused much on just reading novels for pleasure. But with a Kindle Unlimited free trial nearing its end, I decided to hop on this particular story. And I'm glad I did...
Escape! is an addictive, twisty story that I tried to deny at first but soon got sucked up into its world within mere pages. However, there are several botches in the book...which is incredibly confusing...since Iain Rob Wright has been at it for quite some time. If he's reading this and is curious—or if anybody else is, for that matter—here are but just a few:
"Ha! See? You're ballsack ain't no bigger than mine." (Page 92 — Chapter 5)
YOU'RE ballsack?! Should be your ballsack. Why wasn't this spotted and then corrected? Ridiculous.
"Who's body did you bury?" (Page 128 — Chapter 6)
Should be this: "Whose body did you bury?"
Cheryl glared at Leo, intended to chide him, but when she thought about that kind of money, she couldn't judge with an entirely clean conscious. Polly had already been dead, after all.
What the hell am I saying? (Page 134 — Chapter 7)
Three things here: Conscious should be conscience. Intended should be intending. Also, she wasn't saying anything! It was only a thought.
"Were you close to your uncle, Alfie?" Cheryl asked (Page 150 — Chapter 8)
That's missing a period. I could point out more of this stuff, but there's lots of comma drama as well.
On the subject of comma drama, here's a prime example: "I didn't mean to hurt, Polly," he said as he sat on top of her. (Page 170 — Chapter 9)
What he meant to say there is this: "I didn't mean to hurt Polly."
Incorrect comma usage causes issues like this. Frequently!
Just another example of some comma drama: "You think you can run from me bitch?" (Page 188 — Chapter 10)
One last thing: "What until I get up there. I'm going to—"
Sigh. This really sucked to see. And it was in the final stages of the climactic battle! Should be this: "Wait until I get up there."
#DUH
Listen/read, I could go on and on, but I won't. There are many more errors I could call out, sure, but I'll refrain from doing so. The only reason I've made this a big part of the review is that I was so into it at times...that whenever anything appeared way off, it took me out of everything.
This author receives heaps of reviews and has been doing this for a bit, so why even have these silly problems for people to spot? Does he self-edit? Does he have an editor who isn't up to snuff? If that last thing is so, go ahead and hire me now. I promise you I'd do a much more thorough job!
These needless botches—along with several other examples I will choose not to surface digitally—are all why I've elected to give this novel a three-star rating. It would've been five without the dumb immersion breakers. I merely complain because I care.
Otherwise? What an awesome story. Seriously!
P.S. You're welcome, Iain. Fix the ones I've felt inclined to mention. If you don't, though? Well, to take a phrase that was woefully repeated in this very book, I'll "mash you up!"
P.S.S. Just joking; I won't mash ya up. I'm here all week. Until I'm not.