#SPFBO Half Way Point : Feedback
19 September 2019 
So, a little later than planned, here is my ‘halfway through the SPFBO’ feedback post.
I’m on my third batch of books and have read the first chapters (up to 30%) of the first three which takes me exactly to the halfway point. This is my third batch of books and my feedback on the first three of those books,
To date I’ve now read at least the first 30% of 15 books.
Today I’m going to give my feedback on three more books. I’m also going to decide which books will be semi-finalists up to this point.
Without further ado here are my thoughts on my next three reads.
From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court by Benedict Patrick
I’ve read just over 31% of From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court and I’m enjoying it so far so intend to read further so won’t at this point be providing a review. To be rolled forward.
Living in Times of Dragons by John A Pretorius
This is a contemporary story that gets off to a very quick start. Roger is returning to his homeland of South Africa with his son when things start to go horribly wrong. Roger has been in a sort of self imposed exile, I’m not totally sure why, and is returning to take part in a court case for which he may be in grave danger. As it happens the danger is much worse than Roger could ever imagine. Dragons exist, they live hidden from humans but they’re about to break their secrecy and wreak havoc upon the world and it appears that they’re coming for Roger.
To be totally honest this one didn’t quite work for me, which may be just an ‘it’s me not you’ thing. There are lots of dragons, some good, some not so good – although at this stage I don’t understand their motivations so I could be wrong about the good and bad ones.
I think my main issue with this was that it got off to a very dramatic start but then slowed down considerably with lots of dialogue and constant questions that didn’t really feel like they moved the plot along. I also felt like there were quite a number of typos in this which started to feel like they were pulling me out of the story a little. This one didn’t quite work for me but then I’ve only read the first third of the book.
To be cut.
The Shadow Watch by S.A Klopfenstein
The Shadow Watch was a good read. Well, it took me a little to get into but then I did become invested and this is a book that I would like to return to if I get the time just to see how it develops
This is a world where magic has been eliminated – or so it is believed. We begin the story with a young girl being sold by her mother for her own protection. We then move on to the Oshan Empire where slaves live in wait to see whether they will be selected to go to war. Terrifying times and Tori and Darien are on the eve of such a selection process and about to be separated.
I enjoyed this but it did take a little time to get into. As it is, I feel like I was becoming quite invested and interested by my 30% cut off zone. I would like to return to this but for the purpose of the competition it’s being cut for now.
To be cut.
For the purpose of this feedback I’ve cut two books and decided to continue reading one of them.
At the current point I would say I have one semi -finalist to date and one book still waiting to be completed and reviewed and therefore still in the running to be a semi finalist. The Lore of Prometheus is my current semi finalist. For the purpose of the competition I am now cutting the other books that I have read apart from the one book that I still intend to read. I will provide a further update at the end of the month for the other three books from batch 3.
My current semi finalist is the Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King
My book being carried over is From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court by Benedict Patrick
I have three more books to check out by the end of the month and a further feedback post.
My apologies to all the authors cut so far, I realise this is really tough and my thanks to you all for entering the competition. Good luck to the remaining authors.
My Process My 3 covers for the cover competition Author Interview - Elise Kova My First Batch of Books Feedback on My First Batch of Books My Second Batch of Books Review: Cry Havoc by Mike Morris feedback on my Second Batch of Books Review: Healer's Rune by Chris O'Mara Review: The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King My Third Batch of Books
Books and travelling with Lynn 
Halfway through already, wow time is flying! Congrats to From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court for moving forward.
I can’t believe how quickly time is flying by.
Lynn 😀
I love that you found a book to continue with. It definitely shows that you need to grab your audience right away!
That’s so very true.
Lynn 😀
[…] Its difficult to believe but in just one more week we will be three quarters of the way through the year 2020. It’s strange how quickly this year is flying by and looking at my progress in reading this year so far I make it that I’ve read 85 books including this past week so my 100 books per year should be achievable. I hope everyone has had a good week. I’ve managed to read two of the three books I set for myself this week – these two books couldn’t have been more different in style and story and yet I enjoyed both. And, I still haven’t got to the Dragon Republic – I seem to keep rolling it forward, I think I’m scared to be happy because I’ve seen nothing but positive reviews so I need to pick it up soon. I also need to crack out a few reviews. I’ve started my fourth SPFBO book for the month and should have an update by the end of the month and that and the other two from my third batch. I posted my half way point summary which can be found here. […]
Had a feeling that the Benedict Patrick book might move forward, I’ve heard so many great things about his work. 🙂
He does receive a lot of high praise.
Lynn 😀
Patrick’s books – I love them all! I recall enjoying Ol Queen’s Court a lot too and comparing to his earlier works, it was slightly different and dare I say, slightly bolder in terms of actions of the characters?! I hope you enjoy to the end 🙂 I look forward to your thoughts 🙂
I need to jump back into that one but at the moment I’m reading the last couple of the batch – I will return.
Lynn 😀
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