Great start to what promises to be a fascinating story.
934811
Jack likes to write about unrequited love. He also acknowledges that one or two people, with the right levers and strategy, can change the world.

I look forward to seeing what happens next.
4492888
The story opens with a bit of a shocker but develops into an interesting story about an intriguing main character.  The tale is brief and open to much follow-up but it really succeeds in catching the attention and creating a hunger for more to come.
It is my hope that Mr. Lough soon provides another addition to this young and promising series.
3278533
I really like this book, it was a great start to what is shaping up to be a really good series (finished book 3 so far). It had enough familiar elements that I sank into the plot quickly but it was still unique and kept me interested. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
2831521
I found this to be a promising start in the authors new series. It kept me entranced from the very start with great detailed scenes that at the same time are very realistic.
2611679
I really enjoyed this book. I don't normally leave reviews, since I figure other people do, but in this instance I wanted to help out a new author and get more people interested in his work.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

The only problem I had with the whole book was the way the first half of the book is rendered obsolete by the summary. I understand you want the reader to be interested enough to buy the book, but after reading the summary I knew how the first half of the book would end up. As a reader I want a few more plot twists than that in the story. Despite that, the pros far outweighed the cons. I loved the main character, and I generally liked the supporting characters, although I'm not sure yet how I feel about the world building (we don't know enough about the North yet to really judge, other than that it's cold). I'm looking forward to the second book, and can't wait for it's release. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a good read.
3260364
I am an avid obsessive zompoc reader. And I have to say I really enjoyed this story.  While some other reviewers find fault w lengthy back story, I myself quite enjoy it. And considering the author has the obvious intentions of making this a series I think the character development is very important. The comradery of the main characters and groups of people leaves you feeling hopeful and excited for the next turn off the page. Looking forward to picking up book 2.
4367564
Matt Verish has done a really nice job with his inaugural novel. Quite a few moving parts just begging to be sorted out in future stories.  Looking forward to this tale continuing
124272
I found this to be a great introduction to a new fantasy world.  While several fantasy tropes are on display, none were overwhelming or came off as overly forced.  Embracing Norse culture and mythology as an inspiration was a noted departure from the army of Tolkien clones I have come across lately.  The world building evoked some great imagery and left me craving more.

Dialogue between characters starts off a bit stilted but clears up towards the end.  The writing style (not the content) was reminiscent of The Black Company to me.

This was a great introductory novella from a new author and I will absolutely be picking up the next installment.  The style and substance showed great promise so it will be interesting to see how Duckworth evolves and develops alongside his characters.
4478424
Really enjoyed reading the book. It did take me a little bit of time to figure out the characters initially. I think a prologue would have helped set the stage and made getting into the story a bit easier.
The story was very interesting and intriguing. The way the fictional story is intertwined with history adds a realistic feeling to the story. I look forward to book 2!
2730821
I was given this book in return for an honest review, and have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I found the start interesting and it hooked me, but it was around  of the way in that the story really took off. I was gripped and had to know more. I'm certainly ready for the next instalment.
3828989
It's a good start to what should most likely be a satisfying novel.  Be aware that it's only part of the story.
2777287
Great start to an epic journey. Hopefully future issues will deal with their origin stories. I am looking forward to reading them all!
3481733
This offering sets the stage for a couple of future books very nicely.  I enjoyed the character development and the plot.  Just be prepared to wait for the entire tale to be told.  First Activation can stand on it's own but it is clear there is much more to be told.
3030420
What looked at first blush like a generic fantasy story has a couple of interesting twists.  I found the story a real page-turner- I really want to see what happens next.  The setting seemed to be a basic rural/medieval society, but the twist is that there are clues that it's a post-apocalyptic world.  The 1/12 scale is perhaps a little far-fetched as a mutation, but once you suspend disbelief, it makes for an insteresting slant.  The story so far is a basic quest tale, with the usual double-dealing, hidden motives and unknown forces at work.  I'm waiting to see how it all comes together in the next volume.
29824
The first part of the book ("Episode One") starts off as a lightning-fast introduction to the world, with the action starting right off the bat. From there, you get to see the stories of four different people evolve separately. This is not to last, though. They begin to wind toward each other in the middle of the book, and when that happens, the writing and story go from good to great. For a new author, Mr. Kraus has done well, and I'll most assuredly be following this story to its conclusion.
358752
A wonderful start to what I hope is a great series!  It was clever, fun, and well written.  It could have used a bit of editing, but it's not a huge deal as it doesn't take away from the fantastic story.
270032
The author does a great job of setting up a sustainable story in this first in a series. You can tell he's really done his due diligence into the history of the book's environment, and inserted believable circumstances and characters to enhance the historical elements. Intriguing read!