Our ninth story for our Community Book Club was reviewed by six people, and all the scores will be an average. The book was…
This story was recommended by @CrazyCaliope!
First Impression (Cover/title/summary)
Rating: 4.33
Love the title and summary, it’s really intriguing and made the reader really want to read it. The simplicity of the cover is what interests the reader the most and really makes this reader want to read it the most. Another was happy to see that the description suggests a not so typical Episode story. And another thought the cover is really colourful and also has a good Sci-Fi vibe. It was nice. It gives away the tone of the story.
On the other side of things, one thought the title and cover were great but wished it wasn’t that impersonal and the description could use a bit of work. Another thought the cover is very good but didn’t give much detail although it stands out. The title could be a bit more thought out, and something a bit more unique. The summary is brilliant.
The story (Content and Flow)
Rating: 4.42
Fantastic intro; simple and sleek! The length was perfect for me, not too long, nor too short, and the story followed really well. Great plot, totally original. It set up really well and continues at a steady pace. Not disappointed for a second! They liked the rotation of real-life events with virtual reality. The plot is really interesting and the awesome directing really got me into the story! Though they could smell the love story coming, and is more excited about the CYBER tournament. They hope the main focus will stay on the game.
Two readers thought the first episode was a really strong start, it got them hooked. Then after that, there were parts where they felt the story was moving slower but understood why this is needed plotwise. Overall, it was enjoyed.
Characters
Rating: 4.49
The MC was likeable, from the description they were expecting a simple nerd but her personality was more than that. The characters are very diverse. The characters are very likeable. The MC tends to be a bit bland, but all the side characters (Leon, Luna, Scarlet, Edgelord and (freaking) Xenon) made this reader’s day. The character design is perfectly on point, especially the avatars in the game. The only character that a different reader didn’t quite like was Luna, as she seems a bit cliche, but the rest were good and the MC is very likeable. The conversations were wicked and they really gave a sense of every character.
Visually (The directing)
Rating: 4.57
Overall, the directing is exceptional. The best part must be overlays, they are definitely used to the fullest potential. There are some minor glitches, mostly with character movements (spot commands). Also, some moments could’ve been executed smoother, especially in the simultaneous animation department. Also, not sure if it was deliberate but when they were all dancing they were not facing the stage.
Great use of sound. Though the CC is a little mixed up, sometimes having two “Done” buttons or it appearing at the top, not the bottom. It’s a little disconcerting. Also, some transitions are quite long and could be shortened. Some of the zooms looked a little messy. Many times a zero second zoom would have been best. There was a floating character too, use the correct animation for walking.
Again the first chapter blew me away, but all 4 chapters were amazingly directed.
Language (Grammar)
Rating: 4.79
Most didn’t notice any mistakes, and could see that the author did a good job with research for their story. One mistake - “this all” should be “all this”. Just a couple of missing commas, but otherwise pretty good.
Choices
Rating: 2.5
Only two CCs and an outfit choice and name choice. More choices would be a great addition. No choices in a story didn’t really bother most readers, but there were so few and they still need to rate the choices.
3-4 was the average number of episodes read by the six reviewers.
Overall, the story is great. The plot is unique and the directing was exceptional. Would definitely recommend the story. Despite the lack of choices, two readers loved this story and it remains on their favourite list!
This story was great and made me want to read more. The writing is really good. The only concern I have is the fact that the author put a small disclaimer at the end of the first chapter which said that all the art used in the story belonged to the original authors. Because the author didn’t mention anyone specific in the credits, I fear she/he is using backgrounds that don’t belong to her/him and that she/he might have not asked the permission to use them. Which means she/he could use copyrighted materials in her/his story and get in trouble for it. I don’t know if she/he is going to read this review but I really hope she/he is aware of the situation she/he puts herself/himself in.
Final Book Club score is … 4.18
Start a discussion below of this book if you want to! 
Now for next week’s book, get voting because we only have a day left.