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Escape Reality
GOLD AWARD WINNER IN THE 2020-2021 READER VIEWS LITERARY AWARDS
Genetically adaptive cyborgs, vast alien civilizations, and burgeoning A.I. collide in this dark Sci-fi Thriller.
Edith lands on an alien planet after a hellish three-month voyage in a dark, frigid, and auto-piloted prison capsule. She is met with the overwhelming brightness of a planet revolving around two suns and receives a slap by way of introduction from the impatient guard escorting her. However, the guard is the least of her problems.
Edith finds—after booting her dry systems—that some of her wet memory has been corrupted. Her tech implants state, unequivocally, that her own mind cannot be trusted, and she struggles to reason out precisely why she was sent to a corporate prison planet.
Not one to let some missing memory deter her, Edith sets out to reclaim both her memory and her freedom. After all, it’s what first-generation Synths were programmed to do, to survive no matter the cost.
Genetically adaptive cyborgs, vast alien civilizations, and burgeoning A.I. collide in this dark Sci-fi Thriller.
Edith lands on an alien planet after a hellish three-month voyage in a dark, frigid, and auto-piloted prison capsule. She is met with the overwhelming brightness of a planet revolving around two suns and receives a slap by way of introduction from the impatient guard escorting her. However, the guard is the least of her problems.
Edith finds—after booting her dry systems—that some of her wet memory has been corrupted. Her tech implants state, unequivocally, that her own mind cannot be trusted, and she struggles to reason out precisely why she was sent to a corporate prison planet.
Not one to let some missing memory deter her, Edith sets out to reclaim both her memory and her freedom. After all, it’s what first-generation Synths were programmed to do, to survive no matter the cost.
- GenresScience Fiction
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2020
About the author
Kayla Frost
1 book21 followersI am an engineer, Texan, wife of a wonderfully supportive husband, and mommy to two dogs (or fur-babies as I like to call them). Between working in the field of tech and everything else that life throws my way, I write about the crazy, fun, and at times terrifying stories that pop into my brain.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 25, 2021
Cyborg Prison Break and a rock man
*I have a FULL video review coming out soon*
This was a fun read. I love the creativity and the depth of the character work foundation for setting up to future books. The inner battle between organic and synthetic in the cyborg is very interesting. And on top of that the mixed breed of alien races and how they interact and causes strength and weaknesses in the characters. The crew that is eventually assembled will be interesting how they are moving forward and looking forward to more adventure.
Putting it simply this is a prison break, but beneath the surface there is much more going on and secrets to discover. At times you are left in the dark and things are glanced over which could and does create some confusing but if you push through and stick with it most things are cleared up.
I like to say this book suffers from "speed wobbles" in the begging, which means it throws a bit too much at you too fast and its hard to keep up. I was confused at times in the first 1/3 of the book but most everything comes to light and sometimes its intended because you are figuring thins out as the protagonist is. At times I think a little bit more information or letting some things breath more may have helped.
I am left wanting more and excited for the sequel. Its not all just sci fi and gadgets, there is an inner struggle at times and deeper connections.
*I have a FULL video review coming out soon*
This was a fun read. I love the creativity and the depth of the character work foundation for setting up to future books. The inner battle between organic and synthetic in the cyborg is very interesting. And on top of that the mixed breed of alien races and how they interact and causes strength and weaknesses in the characters. The crew that is eventually assembled will be interesting how they are moving forward and looking forward to more adventure.
Putting it simply this is a prison break, but beneath the surface there is much more going on and secrets to discover. At times you are left in the dark and things are glanced over which could and does create some confusing but if you push through and stick with it most things are cleared up.
I like to say this book suffers from "speed wobbles" in the begging, which means it throws a bit too much at you too fast and its hard to keep up. I was confused at times in the first 1/3 of the book but most everything comes to light and sometimes its intended because you are figuring thins out as the protagonist is. At times I think a little bit more information or letting some things breath more may have helped.
I am left wanting more and excited for the sequel. Its not all just sci fi and gadgets, there is an inner struggle at times and deeper connections.
December 16, 2020
4-that-was-a-fun-read stars! Seriously, I may not have understood all of what happened (I'm also not entirely convinced everything was explained) but I did enjoy this book very much! Frost has put together a wild sci-fi adventure that will be interesting to watch develop as more chapters are written. And I'll sure as heck go back and re-read this one again just to try and work it all out!
Perhaps the strongest part of 'Escape Reality' - a rather aptly named book based on how I feel the morning after closing it down on my eReader - is the wild cast of eclectic characters Frost puts together. Sure, it's got Imperial Stormtrooper types but some of the rest of our band of merry misfits seems more appropriate for a fantasy adventure than space opera. But they are combined in a pretty seamless and complimentary fashion that really adds a lot to this tale. Oh and the double identity bit? Loved that twist! Add to that and our various realities - from "The Universe" (he said in air quotes) to the prison planet (or is it?) and even the phase realm beyond (here fishy fishy) - and I just basically enjoyed myself immensely.
If I did go out with my nit kit (suitable for all your picking needs), I would say first of all that the story is obviously a bit confusing. It's got a real 'all that and the kitchen sink, too' vibe where so much is going on that its just naturally hard to keep track. I just don't know what some things meant or ultimately hinted at, almost like I'd been floating through space for an indeterminate amount of time (yeah, like 30 years? I dunno...maybe?) and had holes in my 'wet-ware'. I'm not sure exactly what happened in several parts (ok why was THIS important planet even used as a prison under the circumstances?) and I sure as hell now have more questions than answers about, well, everything. Still, I find myself being very intriqued by what we learn (for example) later about our resident troll - or "Pebbles" if you will - or even finding out what wound up happening to the folks left on the escape ship (the first one I mean). And who got the ball rolling on all this to begin with? You tell me! Lots of who's, what's and why's left to delve through here.
I also found the pacing a tad uneven though I'm not sure that was all that bad (these are nits people, not something else bigger than nits... gods my head hurts). Some parts dragged a bit (for example, the überdetails about the exercise game were ... odd... just to begin to suspect someone wasn't what he seemed to be) and yet others were rushed. Yeah, speaking of Mr. False Identity, his demise was far too quickly handled ... what happened to the requisite villainous soliloquy about intentions and all that? No 'bwhahaha'-ing at all just SPLAT! But for a new writer, I think that's not necessarily a big strike against their prose, especially if you find there is more potential than not in what you've read.
I look forward to the next bits! Maybe the holes in my brain will have healed by then...
Perhaps the strongest part of 'Escape Reality' - a rather aptly named book based on how I feel the morning after closing it down on my eReader - is the wild cast of eclectic characters Frost puts together. Sure, it's got Imperial Stormtrooper types but some of the rest of our band of merry misfits seems more appropriate for a fantasy adventure than space opera. But they are combined in a pretty seamless and complimentary fashion that really adds a lot to this tale. Oh and the double identity bit? Loved that twist! Add to that and our various realities - from "The Universe" (he said in air quotes) to the prison planet (or is it?) and even the phase realm beyond (here fishy fishy) - and I just basically enjoyed myself immensely.
If I did go out with my nit kit (suitable for all your picking needs), I would say first of all that the story is obviously a bit confusing. It's got a real 'all that and the kitchen sink, too' vibe where so much is going on that its just naturally hard to keep track. I just don't know what some things meant or ultimately hinted at, almost like I'd been floating through space for an indeterminate amount of time (yeah, like 30 years? I dunno...maybe?) and had holes in my 'wet-ware'. I'm not sure exactly what happened in several parts (ok why was THIS important planet even used as a prison under the circumstances?) and I sure as hell now have more questions than answers about, well, everything. Still, I find myself being very intriqued by what we learn (for example) later about our resident troll - or "Pebbles" if you will - or even finding out what wound up happening to the folks left on the escape ship (the first one I mean). And who got the ball rolling on all this to begin with? You tell me! Lots of who's, what's and why's left to delve through here.
I also found the pacing a tad uneven though I'm not sure that was all that bad (these are nits people, not something else bigger than nits... gods my head hurts). Some parts dragged a bit (for example, the überdetails about the exercise game were ... odd... just to begin to suspect someone wasn't what he seemed to be) and yet others were rushed. Yeah, speaking of Mr. False Identity, his demise was far too quickly handled ... what happened to the requisite villainous soliloquy about intentions and all that? No 'bwhahaha'-ing at all just SPLAT! But for a new writer, I think that's not necessarily a big strike against their prose, especially if you find there is more potential than not in what you've read.
I look forward to the next bits! Maybe the holes in my brain will have healed by then...
March 4, 2021
“Escape Reality” is the first book in a new Sci-Fi thriller series by debut author, Kayla Frost. The story is dark and addicting and seeps into your subconscious – be warned – it’s an intense ride and you may find your mind wandering back to the story long after you turn the last page.
Edith, a Gen 1 Synth of Orin Enterprise and Associates, is the last of her kind and she’s in trouble. She awakens in a prison capsule on the way to a Rip Planet, a Research Institute and Prison planet, and is alarmed to discover glitches in her memory. With her systems weakened from her journey, Edith has two objectives: 1.) to heal quickly and fill in the memory gaps to discover why she was sent to a corporate prison planet, and 2.) plan and execute her escape. Edith’s reputation precedes her though and the task won’t be easy. It’s a race against time as she negotiates an alien world full of diverse species, but Edith’s biggest battle may come from within as she learns betrayal may hold the key to her imprisonment.
As a fan of complex, dark sci-fi, I appreciate all the effort that goes into creating such sophisticated work and I was blown away to learn “Escape Reality” is Kayla Frost’s debut novel. She writes with such authority and depth it is hard to reconcile this is her first venture into the literary world. The clarity and intensity of the writing immediately draws the reader into the story with stunning imagery seen through precise and intricate details. Readers will know the characters intimately and clearly visualize the planet, the labs, the environment, the different species – every aspect is thorough and concise. From the graphic details displayed in every gory battle to the hard-core technology defining the story and the psychological twists that invade the minds of the characters, “Escape Reality” is a hypnotizing journey into the depths of reality, and that which is just out of reach.
Telling the story from multiple points of views gives readers a well-rounded experience and shows captivating sides of each character as we learn their backstories and what makes them tick. “Fleshed-out” seems inappropriate as many of the characters have very few human traits but Frost’s characters are so well constructed readers will easily connect and invest in their outcomes – just don’t get too attached. Edith is a marvelous study in contrast and your opinion of her will flip back and forth as the story evolves. She is the most complex and intriguing character I have read in some time.
“Escape Reality” is not a book you want to rush through. Even though the pace is top speed, there are so many exciting elements to consume you might just want to take it a bit slower, and enjoy all the subtleties, if you can. “Escape Reality” by Kayla Frost – it’s dark, it’s twisted, it’s superb – a wonderful introduction to an exciting new series by a notable debut author. If you like disturbing, hardcore Sci-Fi thrillers, you don’t want to miss this one.
Edith, a Gen 1 Synth of Orin Enterprise and Associates, is the last of her kind and she’s in trouble. She awakens in a prison capsule on the way to a Rip Planet, a Research Institute and Prison planet, and is alarmed to discover glitches in her memory. With her systems weakened from her journey, Edith has two objectives: 1.) to heal quickly and fill in the memory gaps to discover why she was sent to a corporate prison planet, and 2.) plan and execute her escape. Edith’s reputation precedes her though and the task won’t be easy. It’s a race against time as she negotiates an alien world full of diverse species, but Edith’s biggest battle may come from within as she learns betrayal may hold the key to her imprisonment.
As a fan of complex, dark sci-fi, I appreciate all the effort that goes into creating such sophisticated work and I was blown away to learn “Escape Reality” is Kayla Frost’s debut novel. She writes with such authority and depth it is hard to reconcile this is her first venture into the literary world. The clarity and intensity of the writing immediately draws the reader into the story with stunning imagery seen through precise and intricate details. Readers will know the characters intimately and clearly visualize the planet, the labs, the environment, the different species – every aspect is thorough and concise. From the graphic details displayed in every gory battle to the hard-core technology defining the story and the psychological twists that invade the minds of the characters, “Escape Reality” is a hypnotizing journey into the depths of reality, and that which is just out of reach.
Telling the story from multiple points of views gives readers a well-rounded experience and shows captivating sides of each character as we learn their backstories and what makes them tick. “Fleshed-out” seems inappropriate as many of the characters have very few human traits but Frost’s characters are so well constructed readers will easily connect and invest in their outcomes – just don’t get too attached. Edith is a marvelous study in contrast and your opinion of her will flip back and forth as the story evolves. She is the most complex and intriguing character I have read in some time.
“Escape Reality” is not a book you want to rush through. Even though the pace is top speed, there are so many exciting elements to consume you might just want to take it a bit slower, and enjoy all the subtleties, if you can. “Escape Reality” by Kayla Frost – it’s dark, it’s twisted, it’s superb – a wonderful introduction to an exciting new series by a notable debut author. If you like disturbing, hardcore Sci-Fi thrillers, you don’t want to miss this one.
January 23, 2021
A gloriously dark Sci-fi read.
I picked this up on a free/discounted promotion after the ‘Look Inside’ intrigued.
It’s quite a dark sci-fi that set’s it stall out early doors. It is not for the squeamish. It is full throttle, non-stop action. There are no heroes, the characters are flawed and villainous none more so than the main protagonist Edith.
But don’t let that fool you. It is not as simple as that, the story is deeper. After reading the first few chapters, the author started to flex what seemed a fairly two-dimensional story into a compelling and complex tale and she did it so seamlessly that it sucked me in and that was me hooked.
There are some issues but these pale into the background against the story woven. Mostly a few grammatical errors and a few places where I had to re-read the paragraph to get the meaning and (in my opinion) the narrative could be tightened to redress these few areas but I am nitpicking. The quality of the storytelling is some of the best I have read. The layers to it are so well crafted and revealed so compellingly.
I love science fiction and read a fair bit but it has been a while since I enjoyed a science fiction story as much as this one. I can’t wait for the next.
I picked this up on a free/discounted promotion after the ‘Look Inside’ intrigued.
It’s quite a dark sci-fi that set’s it stall out early doors. It is not for the squeamish. It is full throttle, non-stop action. There are no heroes, the characters are flawed and villainous none more so than the main protagonist Edith.
But don’t let that fool you. It is not as simple as that, the story is deeper. After reading the first few chapters, the author started to flex what seemed a fairly two-dimensional story into a compelling and complex tale and she did it so seamlessly that it sucked me in and that was me hooked.
There are some issues but these pale into the background against the story woven. Mostly a few grammatical errors and a few places where I had to re-read the paragraph to get the meaning and (in my opinion) the narrative could be tightened to redress these few areas but I am nitpicking. The quality of the storytelling is some of the best I have read. The layers to it are so well crafted and revealed so compellingly.
I love science fiction and read a fair bit but it has been a while since I enjoyed a science fiction story as much as this one. I can’t wait for the next.
December 3, 2020
Phenomenal!
The author has created an incredibly creative and fleshed out world with fascinating characters. Corporations ruling was cruel abandoned, creating cyborg experiments that they cannot control.. amazing battles, personalities colliding, a hidden world inside a planet, just so much to love I can't list it all. I am praying the next book in this series is out!
The author has created an incredibly creative and fleshed out world with fascinating characters. Corporations ruling was cruel abandoned, creating cyborg experiments that they cannot control.. amazing battles, personalities colliding, a hidden world inside a planet, just so much to love I can't list it all. I am praying the next book in this series is out!
October 18, 2021
Dual Narrator Synergy
Noah Michael Levine & Erin deWard did an excellent job narrating this refreshingly original story. Some elements of the universe & story have been done before (naturally), but not like this. I definitely want to continue listening to this series. I was given this audiobook, but I would gladly pay for the next one in this series.
Noah Michael Levine & Erin deWard did an excellent job narrating this refreshingly original story. Some elements of the universe & story have been done before (naturally), but not like this. I definitely want to continue listening to this series. I was given this audiobook, but I would gladly pay for the next one in this series.
April 2, 2025
I found this on my shelves in my basement, a warehouse of literally 700+ books from book sales, and Goodwill's accumulated over the last 30 years. Not sure what caught my eye, but I did not have high hopes for it.
For what looks like a self published book, this turned out to be an astonishingly good read.
For one thing, I love books that just throw you into the middle of chaos and slowly work their way out.
This is one such book. The story is strong, the characters are stronger, the world building is peak and I think the author has real talent.
A bit dismayed to find there is no follow up and no other works listed.
For what looks like a self published book, this turned out to be an astonishingly good read.
For one thing, I love books that just throw you into the middle of chaos and slowly work their way out.
This is one such book. The story is strong, the characters are stronger, the world building is peak and I think the author has real talent.
A bit dismayed to find there is no follow up and no other works listed.
Want to Read
June 14, 2021DNF'd this one pretty early. Was reading it for a buddy read/ book discussion. But when it turned out it wasn't happening I decided to cut my losses.
The characters really rubbed me the wrong way. One being really annoying and the other came off as OP anime protagonist.
I got it on kindle so Ill never be able to unhaul, so there's always a chance I could pick it up again. But I just have more things I'd rather get to.
The characters really rubbed me the wrong way. One being really annoying and the other came off as OP anime protagonist.
I got it on kindle so Ill never be able to unhaul, so there's always a chance I could pick it up again. But I just have more things I'd rather get to.
July 18, 2021
A cyborg with some amnesia ends up on a prison planet for reasons she can't recall . . .
So I read a synopsis of the plot (as above) and decided to give this a try. It was fun, I guess - not great literature, but not trying to be. Just fun. BUT . . . Some of the errors of language really bugged me. Like,the language was pretty advanced throughout, but t there were frequent errors of grammar or vocabulary that totally jarred me out of the story. Random examples I can recall off the top of my head: "succor-less tentacles" for *suckerless, "meeting out" something rather than *meting, a race being "a foot" rather than * afoot. There were too many more to list - a good editor should have caught these.
So I read a synopsis of the plot (as above) and decided to give this a try. It was fun, I guess - not great literature, but not trying to be. Just fun. BUT . . . Some of the errors of language really bugged me. Like,the language was pretty advanced throughout, but t there were frequent errors of grammar or vocabulary that totally jarred me out of the story. Random examples I can recall off the top of my head: "succor-less tentacles" for *suckerless, "meeting out" something rather than *meting, a race being "a foot" rather than * afoot. There were too many more to list - a good editor should have caught these.
February 10, 2025
Warning gory level 8/10. Biological enhancements that are too numerous to investigate, even the npc's do not know the extent of their abilities. Many violent and bloody encounters occur for a variety of conflicting reasons. No indivisible ethical morals apply in this future. Survival of the most adaptable is the applied lesson.
September 13, 2021
Good Story, Careless Editing
Okay, it’s not *horrible* editing, but there are *many* misspelled/wrong words and mangled phrases. The story is engaging enough, and the plot complex enough to keep you engaged. Kudos to the author for managing multiple POVs quite well.
Okay, it’s not *horrible* editing, but there are *many* misspelled/wrong words and mangled phrases. The story is engaging enough, and the plot complex enough to keep you engaged. Kudos to the author for managing multiple POVs quite well.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews