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Time Reavers #1
Time Reavers
The monsters are real, and time is their weapon.
Fed up with bad teachers and daily fights with her sister, sixteen-year-old Nicole Taylor yearns for something better. Sadly, she’s in for a letdown, because the world ends next week.
Nicole discovers she has a rare gift. She can bend time around her and even stop it completely. With her powers awakening, she must face the Reavers: horrific killing machines that exist outside our time.
Plagued with nightmares and ambushed by monsters at every turn, Nicole has one chance to stop their genocidal invasion. With help from a chain-smoking pyrokinetic, a neurotic sword-wielding assassin, and an icy goth chick with a crossbow, she may stand a chance.
But the Reavers are tireless foes, and Time is on their side.
Fed up with bad teachers and daily fights with her sister, sixteen-year-old Nicole Taylor yearns for something better. Sadly, she’s in for a letdown, because the world ends next week.
Nicole discovers she has a rare gift. She can bend time around her and even stop it completely. With her powers awakening, she must face the Reavers: horrific killing machines that exist outside our time.
Plagued with nightmares and ambushed by monsters at every turn, Nicole has one chance to stop their genocidal invasion. With help from a chain-smoking pyrokinetic, a neurotic sword-wielding assassin, and an icy goth chick with a crossbow, she may stand a chance.
But the Reavers are tireless foes, and Time is on their side.
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2014
About the author
Jacob Holo
18 books41 followersJacob Holo has been a recreational geek since childhood, when he discovered Star Wars and Star Trek, and a professional geek since college, when he graduated from Youngstown State University with a degree in Electrical and Controls Engineering. He started writing when his parents bought that “new” IBM 286 desktop, and over the years, those powers combined to push him to the next level of nerddom: a sci-fi author who designs intricate worlds and tech systems...and promptly blows them up in a string of nonstop action.
He is the author of seven books, including national bestseller The Gordian Protocol (with David Weber), military sci-fi The Dragons of Jupiter, YA urban fantasy Time Reavers (a Kirkus Reviews Best Indie Book of 2014), and the mecha space opera trilogy Seraphim Revival (Bane of the Dead, Throne of the Dead, Disciple of the Dead); and YA steampunk fantasy The Wizard’s Way (with H.P. Holo).
Between novels, Jacob enjoys gaming of all sorts, whether video gaming, card gaming, miniature wargaming, or watching speed runs on YouTube. He is a former-Ohioan, former-Michigander who now lives in South Carolina with his wife/boss H.P. and his cat/boss Nova.
He is the author of seven books, including national bestseller The Gordian Protocol (with David Weber), military sci-fi The Dragons of Jupiter, YA urban fantasy Time Reavers (a Kirkus Reviews Best Indie Book of 2014), and the mecha space opera trilogy Seraphim Revival (Bane of the Dead, Throne of the Dead, Disciple of the Dead); and YA steampunk fantasy The Wizard’s Way (with H.P. Holo).
Between novels, Jacob enjoys gaming of all sorts, whether video gaming, card gaming, miniature wargaming, or watching speed runs on YouTube. He is a former-Ohioan, former-Michigander who now lives in South Carolina with his wife/boss H.P. and his cat/boss Nova.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 19, 2017
Probably more like a 3.5 stars.
When I first heard about Time Reavers, I jumped right on it, because I'm game for any time travel book. Time Reavers is more about controlling/stopping time than it is about traveling to the past or future, but from the very first chapter we are thrown into the action of the Time Reaver world, and the pace never really slows down.
The heroine, Nicole, is a misfit high school student, struggling with self-confidence, who is catapulted into the hidden world of time bending while on a field trip in Russia. Although Nicole is a relatable protagonist, the supporting characters are really the more interesting ones, especially Daniel, a trench-coat donning assassin who teaches Nicole about her new powers. He's extremely charismatic and roguish, and the voice narrator Tess Irondale uses for Daniel makes him seem especially geeky, too (win!).
Time Reavers is packed with action in nearly every chapter. If you enjoy fast-paced sci-fi/fantasy novels, you will really enjoy Time Reavers. Personally, I prefer when there is more build up and suspense between battles and life-or-death situations, because that is when characters experience personal growth and deepen relationships with other characters. Aside from some minor details, that was the one thing I felt was missing from this novel. The writing was excellent and since I was listening to the audiobook version, I only had to rewind a couple of passages to be able to clearly understand what was happening (let's be honest, even if I'm not listening to an audiobook, I normally reread passages in most sci-fi novels).
When I first heard about Time Reavers, I jumped right on it, because I'm game for any time travel book. Time Reavers is more about controlling/stopping time than it is about traveling to the past or future, but from the very first chapter we are thrown into the action of the Time Reaver world, and the pace never really slows down.
The heroine, Nicole, is a misfit high school student, struggling with self-confidence, who is catapulted into the hidden world of time bending while on a field trip in Russia. Although Nicole is a relatable protagonist, the supporting characters are really the more interesting ones, especially Daniel, a trench-coat donning assassin who teaches Nicole about her new powers. He's extremely charismatic and roguish, and the voice narrator Tess Irondale uses for Daniel makes him seem especially geeky, too (win!).
Time Reavers is packed with action in nearly every chapter. If you enjoy fast-paced sci-fi/fantasy novels, you will really enjoy Time Reavers. Personally, I prefer when there is more build up and suspense between battles and life-or-death situations, because that is when characters experience personal growth and deepen relationships with other characters. Aside from some minor details, that was the one thing I felt was missing from this novel. The writing was excellent and since I was listening to the audiobook version, I only had to rewind a couple of passages to be able to clearly understand what was happening (let's be honest, even if I'm not listening to an audiobook, I normally reread passages in most sci-fi novels).
January 30, 2014
Time Reavers is a quick paced, action packed YA read. It is filled with suspense, dynamic characters, twists, and plenty of action with enough quirkiness to make the characters interesting, without being too out there. I would suggest this book to anyone who likes the Hourglass Series (by Myra McEntire) or the Maze Runner Series (James Dashner). I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
February 1, 2019
Entertaining story, fast pace, and I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters and the world that Jacob Holo created.
April 7, 2015
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads first reads program. This has in no way affected my opinion of the quality of this work.
How is this an indie book?! It's been so long since I've read something that made me feel like my head was going to explode from shear amazing bookness(Yes, I know it's not a word, but this is the only way I can express how I'm feeling).
So, in no real order, this is what I loved:
1. I'm amazed by how well this male author handles a female protagonist, and a teen female protagonist at that. Nicole is genuine in her motives and thoughts. She is a very likable character without being perfect, she is wonderfully realistic. Even though her abilities are supposed to be unique/special she never gets arrogant about it.
2. The fight scenes were executed well and very detailed. You have been warned, very few gory details have been held back. There's nothing wrong with this, but I know for some this isn't really their cup of tea.
3. The details are nice. There are some amazing uses of imagery such as "it's body flowed like a river of metal plates". All the creatures are unique and well described. Sound also plays a big role and is described very well.
4. Minor characters are developed well. I pretty much fell in love with Daniel. He's got this witty "Doctor Who" with a dark twist way of talking and handling things, or at least that's how I see it in my mind. He's awesome, but flawed, and he's the male love interest without being so gorgeous and HAWT he takes up half the book with his prettiness. Or maybe he is gorgeous... my point is, the romance doesn't eat the story like in so many YA books. Originality for the win!
5. The universe is a hamburger, by the way.
A good review has to point out bad aspects... right? Give me a minute...
1. Some minor grammar errors and awkward phrasing that an editor could clear up.
2. A few passages seem oddly paced.
3. I'm scared there won't be a sequel.... there will be a sequel, right? Please?
So, boys and girls, this book is (currently) only $.99 on the Amazon kindle store so at least give this a try, I think it's great, maybe you will too.
Also, a note: This is a completely independent author and he seems to work very hard on writing his books and promoting them. I find that admirable, and maybe you could see that as a reason to try this book or his other work The Dragons of Jupiter which I intend to read soon, even though it's out of my normal zone (non-ya).
And thus concludes the longest review I have ever written.
How is this an indie book?! It's been so long since I've read something that made me feel like my head was going to explode from shear amazing bookness(Yes, I know it's not a word, but this is the only way I can express how I'm feeling).
So, in no real order, this is what I loved:
1. I'm amazed by how well this male author handles a female protagonist, and a teen female protagonist at that. Nicole is genuine in her motives and thoughts. She is a very likable character without being perfect, she is wonderfully realistic. Even though her abilities are supposed to be unique/special she never gets arrogant about it.
2. The fight scenes were executed well and very detailed. You have been warned, very few gory details have been held back. There's nothing wrong with this, but I know for some this isn't really their cup of tea.
3. The details are nice. There are some amazing uses of imagery such as "it's body flowed like a river of metal plates". All the creatures are unique and well described. Sound also plays a big role and is described very well.
4. Minor characters are developed well. I pretty much fell in love with Daniel. He's got this witty "Doctor Who" with a dark twist way of talking and handling things, or at least that's how I see it in my mind. He's awesome, but flawed, and he's the male love interest without being so gorgeous and HAWT he takes up half the book with his prettiness. Or maybe he is gorgeous... my point is, the romance doesn't eat the story like in so many YA books. Originality for the win!
5. The universe is a hamburger, by the way.
A good review has to point out bad aspects... right? Give me a minute...
1. Some minor grammar errors and awkward phrasing that an editor could clear up.
2. A few passages seem oddly paced.
3. I'm scared there won't be a sequel.... there will be a sequel, right? Please?
So, boys and girls, this book is (currently) only $.99 on the Amazon kindle store so at least give this a try, I think it's great, maybe you will too.
Also, a note: This is a completely independent author and he seems to work very hard on writing his books and promoting them. I find that admirable, and maybe you could see that as a reason to try this book or his other work The Dragons of Jupiter which I intend to read soon, even though it's out of my normal zone (non-ya).
And thus concludes the longest review I have ever written.
November 26, 2015
Well, I only got halfway through the book, but I'm pretty bored, honestly. The pacing really isn't my cup of tea; there's so much introduced in each chapter and always something big showing up in the next for a quick fight scene that what the characters have just experienced loses its importance. There's an attempt being made to show the size and scope of events through world travel, but none of the locations seem important enough to describe (or maybe Nicole just doesn't pay that much attention? Even when the narrative tells me she's enjoying the view or looking around, I never know what a scene looks like until characters start talking about the sensory details. So a lot of telling and not much showing. I mean, sure, I know what the Parthenon looks like, but that's because I was physically in Athens just over a year ago. I had to Google the Russian locations at the beginning of the book to get an idea of where Nicole was) and we do a lot of scene jumps to avoid the actual travel/downtime and miss out on character development opportunities. I know that descriptions and pacing are often stylistic choices, but to me the book just kind of feels like the bare bones of the story.
On an unrelated side note, I still can't figure out why Melanie's German accent is written into her dialog but Rüdiger's isn't. Is it because Melanie has fewer lines? I don't remember any of the earlier scenes implying that he spent less time in Germany than his cousin.
On an unrelated side note, I still can't figure out why Melanie's German accent is written into her dialog but Rüdiger's isn't. Is it because Melanie has fewer lines? I don't remember any of the earlier scenes implying that he spent less time in Germany than his cousin.
March 19, 2014
This book was an amazing read. It's always refreshing to have some awesome sci-fi set in a current day with modern references. The premise was amazing, and I'm really hoping there's more. In a world where time can stop and things can get you without you even knowing when, where, or how it can happen, definitely worth a read! Glad Holo and I are on the same bun of the cheeseburger!
Just so you know, I did win this book free on www.goodreads.com and I am very glad I entered. Definitely going to keep an eye on this author.
Just so you know, I did win this book free on www.goodreads.com and I am very glad I entered. Definitely going to keep an eye on this author.
September 14, 2017
Time Reavers is a fantasy novel about metallic insectoids with the ability to freeze time and the similarly-enabled humans who fight them. The main character, Nicole, is a 16-year-old girl on a school trip in Russia when she discovers the existence of the "Reavers" and her own special abilities, useful only in a "Tao Freeze", when everything and everyone around her on the train platform stops moving. She follows the lone voice in the silent underground station to a young man who, like her, is able to move among the statues that were once people. After fighting the massive Reaver that triggered the Tao Freeze, Nicole begrudgingly allows the young man (Daniel) to be her unofficial bodyguard while she decides whether or not to accept training from the society of Tao guards to which he belongs.
From there, the action continues non-stop as Nicole and her adoptive sister Amy find themselves caught up in an attempt by the Reavers to exterminate the Tao guards. Along the way, they and their new friend Daniel meet up with the Krieg cousins, Melanie and Rudiger, and with their help battle the Reavers along the way to Chronopolis, the city of the Tao guards. They must then choose whether or not to embark on a quest that will either save the world...or kill them all.
Before encountering Time Reavers, I had read The Wizard's Way, written by J.P. Holo and Jacob Holo, which I absolutely loved. Time Reavers is less fanciful than The Wizard's Way, but it was still a gripping story to which I enjoyed listening. The dialogue is fun, the words are varied and descriptive, and the characters are interesting.
However, it does have a bit of language - not too much, but definitely enough that I listened to it on earphones instead of playing it over the van speakers so Drew wouldn't choose those words to start parroting, which cost it a half star. It also has some gore in it. The author doesn't go out of his way to describe it, at least, but he is good at using words that make it easy for me work up a visual, which to me was a disadvantage during certain parts. If you prefer milder representations of battles, you may not want to read (listen to) this book.
Since I was in high school the last time I listened to an audiobook, I wasn't sure what to expect. When the book first started, the narrator's voice seemed very flat to me, and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to listen to all 8 hours and 37 minutes. She would also stress "Nicole" at the beginning of sentences in a way that seemed strange to me, which I assumed was at new paragraphs. However, it got better after a few minutes (and is less noticeable when over phone speakers than through earphones), and I began to feel more like I was listening to a performance of the book than someone just reading words off the page. By the end of the first chapter, I was definitely hooked by the intensity in her voice as she read.
I thought the distinction between characters was well done, although there were a few places during the final battle that I thought Daniel was talking until the narrator followed up with "Nicole said". There were several accents, including Russian, British, German, and Japanese, all of which seemed consistent to me except for a few times when Rudiger's British accent was less pronounced. In addition, some of the dialogue was in different languages. Naturally, I don't speak all of them, but the ones with which I am familiar sounded like correct pronunciation, and the other sounded like it does when actors use it in movies. ;-)
Overall, I enjoyed Time Reavers immensely. I give it four stars (half off for the language, half off for the mild inconsistencies in the voices) and encourage you to give it a listen if you like action fantasies!
Disclaimer: I did receive this audiobook as part of my participation in the Audiobookworm Promotions blog tour (sponsored by Jacob Holo). The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
From there, the action continues non-stop as Nicole and her adoptive sister Amy find themselves caught up in an attempt by the Reavers to exterminate the Tao guards. Along the way, they and their new friend Daniel meet up with the Krieg cousins, Melanie and Rudiger, and with their help battle the Reavers along the way to Chronopolis, the city of the Tao guards. They must then choose whether or not to embark on a quest that will either save the world...or kill them all.
Before encountering Time Reavers, I had read The Wizard's Way, written by J.P. Holo and Jacob Holo, which I absolutely loved. Time Reavers is less fanciful than The Wizard's Way, but it was still a gripping story to which I enjoyed listening. The dialogue is fun, the words are varied and descriptive, and the characters are interesting.
However, it does have a bit of language - not too much, but definitely enough that I listened to it on earphones instead of playing it over the van speakers so Drew wouldn't choose those words to start parroting, which cost it a half star. It also has some gore in it. The author doesn't go out of his way to describe it, at least, but he is good at using words that make it easy for me work up a visual, which to me was a disadvantage during certain parts. If you prefer milder representations of battles, you may not want to read (listen to) this book.
Since I was in high school the last time I listened to an audiobook, I wasn't sure what to expect. When the book first started, the narrator's voice seemed very flat to me, and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to listen to all 8 hours and 37 minutes. She would also stress "Nicole" at the beginning of sentences in a way that seemed strange to me, which I assumed was at new paragraphs. However, it got better after a few minutes (and is less noticeable when over phone speakers than through earphones), and I began to feel more like I was listening to a performance of the book than someone just reading words off the page. By the end of the first chapter, I was definitely hooked by the intensity in her voice as she read.
I thought the distinction between characters was well done, although there were a few places during the final battle that I thought Daniel was talking until the narrator followed up with "Nicole said". There were several accents, including Russian, British, German, and Japanese, all of which seemed consistent to me except for a few times when Rudiger's British accent was less pronounced. In addition, some of the dialogue was in different languages. Naturally, I don't speak all of them, but the ones with which I am familiar sounded like correct pronunciation, and the other sounded like it does when actors use it in movies. ;-)
Overall, I enjoyed Time Reavers immensely. I give it four stars (half off for the language, half off for the mild inconsistencies in the voices) and encourage you to give it a listen if you like action fantasies!
Disclaimer: I did receive this audiobook as part of my participation in the Audiobookworm Promotions blog tour (sponsored by Jacob Holo). The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
October 7, 2017
Time manipulators, a secret society based in the secret city of Chronopolis, and the Reavers (giant bugs) make this a hell of a fun ride! Nicole unexpectedly finds out that she can manipulate time while on a class trip to Russia. There she meets Daniel, a friendly guy with a sword in a trench coat who slays these gigantic bugs. And that’s just the start. I was caught up in this tale right away and the party continued the whole way through the book.
First, Nicole was an easy character to like. She does enter the story a bit deer in the headlights but once she accepts this is her new reality, some of her inner spark and humor start to show. I didn’t always care for her passive aggression with her sister Amy, but I did find it added to her character. They’re sisters so there’s bound to be some love and hate all mixed together. Speaking of Amy, I really liked her. She’s got some issues as well but I like that she owns them.
Then there’s Daniel. This guy had me laughing out loud. He’s got this quirky sense of humor and he can be almost innocent at times. But then he’s also a trained assassin with special gifts. So, yeah. He’s a cuddly, friendly dude who kills people for the leadership of Chronopolis. Those two polar opposites in one character made him fascinating to me.
Enter Rudigers and his cousin Melanie Krieg. They also work for Chronopolis but Ruddy has some different ideas on some things. He and Daniel have history and that gives barbs to their comments to one another. Still, they are committed to saving people and that means they are stuck working together. These 5 young adults make a great team, each one bringing their own unique powers to the story. Later in the tale, we meet Shoto, a swords-smith at Chronopolis. She has some choice words for Daniel, in Japanese. Daniel really does need to get some linguistics lessons.
I loved the bugs! Some are sentient, some aren’t. Some are hive drones, some are brain bugs. These Reavers were all scary and deadly. I especially enjoyed Nicole’s look into the bug leaders’s ideas. While I expected that this story would turn out OK, I did have these little moments where I wasn’t sure if someone would fall to the bugs. They have so many ways to kill humans!
My one little quibble was that I found it a bit unrealistic that Nicole’s parents weren’t more involved. They were quite OK with 16-year-old Nicole and her older sister gallivanting around Europe (that’s the tale they told the parents). So in moments like this, Amy and Nicole felt more like college students instead of high school students. Other than that, I really enjoyed this tale and was entertained throughout it.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Tess Irondale was great for this book. She had plenty of accents to pull off (Russian, British, German, Japanese, American) which she did incredibly well. I was impressed with the speed and accuracy she showed for the various languages. Then there were some emotions in this book and she did great with those as well. Each character was kept distinct and her male voices were believable. A great narration all told!
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jacob Holo. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
First, Nicole was an easy character to like. She does enter the story a bit deer in the headlights but once she accepts this is her new reality, some of her inner spark and humor start to show. I didn’t always care for her passive aggression with her sister Amy, but I did find it added to her character. They’re sisters so there’s bound to be some love and hate all mixed together. Speaking of Amy, I really liked her. She’s got some issues as well but I like that she owns them.
Then there’s Daniel. This guy had me laughing out loud. He’s got this quirky sense of humor and he can be almost innocent at times. But then he’s also a trained assassin with special gifts. So, yeah. He’s a cuddly, friendly dude who kills people for the leadership of Chronopolis. Those two polar opposites in one character made him fascinating to me.
Enter Rudigers and his cousin Melanie Krieg. They also work for Chronopolis but Ruddy has some different ideas on some things. He and Daniel have history and that gives barbs to their comments to one another. Still, they are committed to saving people and that means they are stuck working together. These 5 young adults make a great team, each one bringing their own unique powers to the story. Later in the tale, we meet Shoto, a swords-smith at Chronopolis. She has some choice words for Daniel, in Japanese. Daniel really does need to get some linguistics lessons.
I loved the bugs! Some are sentient, some aren’t. Some are hive drones, some are brain bugs. These Reavers were all scary and deadly. I especially enjoyed Nicole’s look into the bug leaders’s ideas. While I expected that this story would turn out OK, I did have these little moments where I wasn’t sure if someone would fall to the bugs. They have so many ways to kill humans!
My one little quibble was that I found it a bit unrealistic that Nicole’s parents weren’t more involved. They were quite OK with 16-year-old Nicole and her older sister gallivanting around Europe (that’s the tale they told the parents). So in moments like this, Amy and Nicole felt more like college students instead of high school students. Other than that, I really enjoyed this tale and was entertained throughout it.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Tess Irondale was great for this book. She had plenty of accents to pull off (Russian, British, German, Japanese, American) which she did incredibly well. I was impressed with the speed and accuracy she showed for the various languages. Then there were some emotions in this book and she did great with those as well. Each character was kept distinct and her male voices were believable. A great narration all told!
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jacob Holo. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
December 21, 2017
4.5 stars
The very first thing that came to mind when I started this audiobook was that Tess Irondale is one heck of a narrator. She had a rocking good story to work with but she goes way above and beyond most narrators. I have my favorites and, consistently, they all do terrific voices, distinctively and with energy and clear understanding of the characters. Ms. Irondale takes it a step further by doing amazing vocalization of other sounds; in this case, the story is full of roars and screeches and piercing screams and she does the best job with such sounds I've ever heard. I wonder if she had a sore throat after each recording session.
Now, as for the story, kudos to Mr. Holo who, first of all, seems to have the inside track on how a teenaged girl thinks and behaves. Nicole is refreshing and about as normal as she can be in her present circumstances. Daniel makes a nifty sidekick, if you will, and the other players are all just as interesting and appealing. And the plot? Well, put simply, these kids have to fight roving hordes of bugs. Bugs? Yes, bugs, the metallic, highly dangerous sort of insects that can freeze time and there's literally something happening in every chapter, so rapidly that there's no time to get a real sense of place. That's a little disconcerting but it somehow works in this tale, this fight for survival in which Nicole has discovered her power to manipulate time.
Time Reavers was just what I needed on a sleepy kind of day to wake me up and I thoroughly enjoyed this band of Tao guards as they fought to save the world, all with a snarky sense of humor. I do hope to see more of them in the not-too-distant future.
The very first thing that came to mind when I started this audiobook was that Tess Irondale is one heck of a narrator. She had a rocking good story to work with but she goes way above and beyond most narrators. I have my favorites and, consistently, they all do terrific voices, distinctively and with energy and clear understanding of the characters. Ms. Irondale takes it a step further by doing amazing vocalization of other sounds; in this case, the story is full of roars and screeches and piercing screams and she does the best job with such sounds I've ever heard. I wonder if she had a sore throat after each recording session.
Now, as for the story, kudos to Mr. Holo who, first of all, seems to have the inside track on how a teenaged girl thinks and behaves. Nicole is refreshing and about as normal as she can be in her present circumstances. Daniel makes a nifty sidekick, if you will, and the other players are all just as interesting and appealing. And the plot? Well, put simply, these kids have to fight roving hordes of bugs. Bugs? Yes, bugs, the metallic, highly dangerous sort of insects that can freeze time and there's literally something happening in every chapter, so rapidly that there's no time to get a real sense of place. That's a little disconcerting but it somehow works in this tale, this fight for survival in which Nicole has discovered her power to manipulate time.
Time Reavers was just what I needed on a sleepy kind of day to wake me up and I thoroughly enjoyed this band of Tao guards as they fought to save the world, all with a snarky sense of humor. I do hope to see more of them in the not-too-distant future.
October 11, 2021
Time to Fight . . .
When threatened by a rampaging cyborg centipede, Nicole Taylor finds out that she isn’t helpless. She has a rare gift that can save her as well as the universe which she envisions as a hamburger. She is able to bend time around her and even stop it completely when necessary.
With the Reavers’ invasion ramping up, Nicole is our only defense. Well, not entirely the only one. She will have help from a chain-smoking pyromaniac, a neurotic sword-wielding assassin, and an icy Goth chick with a crossbow. Don’t let that scare you though. They are really effective against evil bugs.
The non-stop action and suspense will keep the reader on edge as we follow the attack and retaliation in the battle. Who will win when our heroes come to blows with the enemy? My bet is on Nicole!
When threatened by a rampaging cyborg centipede, Nicole Taylor finds out that she isn’t helpless. She has a rare gift that can save her as well as the universe which she envisions as a hamburger. She is able to bend time around her and even stop it completely when necessary.
With the Reavers’ invasion ramping up, Nicole is our only defense. Well, not entirely the only one. She will have help from a chain-smoking pyromaniac, a neurotic sword-wielding assassin, and an icy Goth chick with a crossbow. Don’t let that scare you though. They are really effective against evil bugs.
The non-stop action and suspense will keep the reader on edge as we follow the attack and retaliation in the battle. Who will win when our heroes come to blows with the enemy? My bet is on Nicole!
September 23, 2021
Think of it all as a big hamburger…
Cybernetic monsters are battling an army of adepts and time-benders between dimensions for the survival of earth. The plot is interesting and has good battles and plenty of action. It’s a good sci-fi and grabbed me from the first page. Kudos to Jacob Holo for an amazing imagination. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.
Cybernetic monsters are battling an army of adepts and time-benders between dimensions for the survival of earth. The plot is interesting and has good battles and plenty of action. It’s a good sci-fi and grabbed me from the first page. Kudos to Jacob Holo for an amazing imagination. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.
November 8, 2020
Time reavers by Jacob Holo.
That’s what sixteen-year-old Nicole Taylor learns when a mysterious time-bending stranger saves her from a rampaging cyborg centipede.
A good read. I loved the cover. It was different. But I did find it slow. 4*.
That’s what sixteen-year-old Nicole Taylor learns when a mysterious time-bending stranger saves her from a rampaging cyborg centipede.
A good read. I loved the cover. It was different. But I did find it slow. 4*.
December 1, 2021
Interesting concept, I'd be interested in seeing more. I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole adopted family thing, I feel like that could have been expanded on/resolved a bit better, especially with the sister getting the powers too. Oh well...
November 22, 2017
Jacob Holo did his self great with this book, I can't wait to read Bane of the Dead. This book is a must read for anyone that likes Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and suspence
December 11, 2017
Wow
This was a great and fascinating read. There were a couple errors the editor(s) missed, but it didn't take away from the story, not pull me out.
I'm gonna look for more.
This was a great and fascinating read. There were a couple errors the editor(s) missed, but it didn't take away from the story, not pull me out.
I'm gonna look for more.
December 1, 2018
I really loved this book. It's funny and at the same time a thriller.
June 9, 2019
Well worth the read
September 14, 2017
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jacob Holo. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
The premise of the book was interesting and if you like urban fantasy, this book will be up your alley. The pacing was good- it kept the plot going at a nice pace. Overall, the writing was also pretty good at describing events that would otherwise be difficult to imagine. And the characters are hilarious in their own right.
However, and this is mostly a symptom of my own preferences, it did not do much characterization-wise. I personally really like books that focus on character development and Time Reavers is definitely more about the plot than anything else. I am glad that I listened to this book rather than read it, I feel like it is more exciting to listen to all the action that is going on.
continue
The premise of the book was interesting and if you like urban fantasy, this book will be up your alley. The pacing was good- it kept the plot going at a nice pace. Overall, the writing was also pretty good at describing events that would otherwise be difficult to imagine. And the characters are hilarious in their own right.
However, and this is mostly a symptom of my own preferences, it did not do much characterization-wise. I personally really like books that focus on character development and Time Reavers is definitely more about the plot than anything else. I am glad that I listened to this book rather than read it, I feel like it is more exciting to listen to all the action that is going on.
continue
January 22, 2018
In Time Reavers, I got a good sense of what the Reavers creatures looked like, as well as their size, which varies immensely. Sound also played a big role, and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing that to life for listeners.
Let's talk a bit about the characters, especially Nicole, the main character. She's a teen female protagonist who Holo captured beautifully. She is likable, yet still reacts in a way that is realistic given the circumstances. She's not whiny, nor does she become overly confident, becoming the kick-ass hero in 0-60. Holo wrote her in a three-dimensional, realistic way, and it was easy to believe her dialog, actions, and reactions. Nicole's sister, Amy, does become a bit whiny, but it's minimal and equally believable and realistic. With the tension between these two characters, Holo managed to find time for character development. However, I found the reason for that tension—their parents—to be superficial and a bit forced.
I found it especially refreshing to read (or rather, listen to) a story with teen and young adult protagonists who weren't forced into love triangles or insta-love situations.
There were a couple of places where the pace seemed to go stagnant, but other than that, it flowed fairly consistently.
Tess Irondale, the narrator, did an excellent job of capturing the various accents, from German to Japanese. And her sound effects for the Reavers were excellent. Her performance added depth to the listening experience. A reader with a paper or electronic copy wouldn't have the same experience—unless they are able to speak with cool accents in their heads. So, in this case, I'd recommend the audiobook over a paper or electronic copy of Time Reavers.
Listen to this audiobook if:
• You are a fan of urban fantasy with monsters.
• You enjoy listening to an excellent performer.
I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the audiobook or the content of my review.
Let's talk a bit about the characters, especially Nicole, the main character. She's a teen female protagonist who Holo captured beautifully. She is likable, yet still reacts in a way that is realistic given the circumstances. She's not whiny, nor does she become overly confident, becoming the kick-ass hero in 0-60. Holo wrote her in a three-dimensional, realistic way, and it was easy to believe her dialog, actions, and reactions. Nicole's sister, Amy, does become a bit whiny, but it's minimal and equally believable and realistic. With the tension between these two characters, Holo managed to find time for character development. However, I found the reason for that tension—their parents—to be superficial and a bit forced.
I found it especially refreshing to read (or rather, listen to) a story with teen and young adult protagonists who weren't forced into love triangles or insta-love situations.
There were a couple of places where the pace seemed to go stagnant, but other than that, it flowed fairly consistently.
Tess Irondale, the narrator, did an excellent job of capturing the various accents, from German to Japanese. And her sound effects for the Reavers were excellent. Her performance added depth to the listening experience. A reader with a paper or electronic copy wouldn't have the same experience—unless they are able to speak with cool accents in their heads. So, in this case, I'd recommend the audiobook over a paper or electronic copy of Time Reavers.
Listen to this audiobook if:
• You are a fan of urban fantasy with monsters.
• You enjoy listening to an excellent performer.
I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the audiobook or the content of my review.
May 15, 2014
A fast-paced and action-packed read, with a strong female protagonist. Jacob Holo manages to capture the reader's attention immediately. I found it refreshing that this was a book with a teenage girl as the lead, but we weren't forced to worry about teenage angst or romance. (I love romance books and books with romance as an element, but I also enjoy seeing girls act independently without focusing on a male love interest all the time...especially when the world is in danger!)
Nicole is focused on learning to use her abilities, and finding out more about the Reavers and figuring out how to stop them. (I get a definite Buffy vibe from her.) The dialogue and characters are realistic and likable, and the Reavers are unique and interesting villains.
My single (small) complaint: I hope in future books Holo develops the characters' back stories a bit more, especially Nicole's. I also felt the step-sister was a bit under-utilized. But these are two minor issues, and overall the book was fantastic.
Nicole is focused on learning to use her abilities, and finding out more about the Reavers and figuring out how to stop them. (I get a definite Buffy vibe from her.) The dialogue and characters are realistic and likable, and the Reavers are unique and interesting villains.
My single (small) complaint: I hope in future books Holo develops the characters' back stories a bit more, especially Nicole's. I also felt the step-sister was a bit under-utilized. But these are two minor issues, and overall the book was fantastic.
February 1, 2014
It was okay.
April 19, 2015
Great read! fun pace with great characters! I look forward to seeing more!
Read
August 25, 2017Got the audio book because of the narrator.
Enjoying exploring new takes on sci-fi universe structures and this one is different than most i have read recently as it plays with local time.
Enjoying exploring new takes on sci-fi universe structures and this one is different than most i have read recently as it plays with local time.
October 7, 2017
Full of action and time-rending bugs! Time Reavers by Jacob Holo Time manipulators, a secret society based in the secret city of Chronopolis, and the Reavers (giant bugs) make this a hell of a fun ride! Nicole unexpectedly finds out that she can manipulate time while on a class trip to Russia. There she meets Daniel, a friendly guy with a sword in a trench coat who slays these gigantic bugs. And that’s just the start. I was caught up in this tale right away and the party continued the whole way through the book.
First, Nicole was an easy character to like. She does enter the story a bit deer in the headlights but once she accepts this is her new reality, some of her inner spark and humor start to show. I didn’t always care for her passive aggression with her sister Amy, but I did find it added to her character. They’re sisters so there’s bound to be some love and hate all mixed together. Speaking of Amy, I really liked her. She’s got some issues as well but I like that she owns them.
Then there’s Daniel. This guy had me laughing out loud. He’s got this quirky sense of humor and he can be almost innocent at times. But then he’s also a trained assassin with special gifts. So, yeah. He’s a cuddly, friendly dude who kills people for the leadership of Chronopolis. Those two polar opposites in one character made him fascinating to me.
Enter Rudigers and his cousin Melanie Krieg. They also work for Chronopolis but Ruddy has some different ideas on some things. He and Daniel have history and that gives barbs to their comments to one another. Still, they are committed to saving people and that means they are stuck working together. These 5 young adults make a great team, each one bringing their own unique powers to the story. Later in the tale, we meet Shoto, a swords-smith at Chronopolis. She has some choice words for Daniel, in Japanese. Daniel really does need to get some linguistics lessons.
I loved the bugs! Some are sentient, some aren’t. Some are hive drones, some are brain bugs. These Reavers were all scary and deadly. I especially enjoyed Nicole’s look into the bug leaders’s ideas. While I expected that this story would turn out OK, I did have these little moments where I wasn’t sure if someone would fall to the bugs. They have so many ways to kill humans!
My one little quibble was that I found it a bit unrealistic that Nicole’s parents weren’t more involved. They were quite OK with 16-year-old Nicole and her older sister gallivanting around Europe (that’s the tale they told the parents). So in moments like this, Amy and Nicole felt more like college students instead of high school students. Other than that, I really enjoyed this tale and was entertained throughout it.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Tess Irondale was great for this book. She had plenty of accents to pull off (Russian, British, German, Japanese, American) which she did incredibly well. I was impressed with the speed and accuracy she showed for the various languages. Then there were some emotions in this book and she did great with those as well. Each character was kept distinct and her male voices were believable. A great narration all told!
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jacob Holo. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
First, Nicole was an easy character to like. She does enter the story a bit deer in the headlights but once she accepts this is her new reality, some of her inner spark and humor start to show. I didn’t always care for her passive aggression with her sister Amy, but I did find it added to her character. They’re sisters so there’s bound to be some love and hate all mixed together. Speaking of Amy, I really liked her. She’s got some issues as well but I like that she owns them.
Then there’s Daniel. This guy had me laughing out loud. He’s got this quirky sense of humor and he can be almost innocent at times. But then he’s also a trained assassin with special gifts. So, yeah. He’s a cuddly, friendly dude who kills people for the leadership of Chronopolis. Those two polar opposites in one character made him fascinating to me.
Enter Rudigers and his cousin Melanie Krieg. They also work for Chronopolis but Ruddy has some different ideas on some things. He and Daniel have history and that gives barbs to their comments to one another. Still, they are committed to saving people and that means they are stuck working together. These 5 young adults make a great team, each one bringing their own unique powers to the story. Later in the tale, we meet Shoto, a swords-smith at Chronopolis. She has some choice words for Daniel, in Japanese. Daniel really does need to get some linguistics lessons.
I loved the bugs! Some are sentient, some aren’t. Some are hive drones, some are brain bugs. These Reavers were all scary and deadly. I especially enjoyed Nicole’s look into the bug leaders’s ideas. While I expected that this story would turn out OK, I did have these little moments where I wasn’t sure if someone would fall to the bugs. They have so many ways to kill humans!
My one little quibble was that I found it a bit unrealistic that Nicole’s parents weren’t more involved. They were quite OK with 16-year-old Nicole and her older sister gallivanting around Europe (that’s the tale they told the parents). So in moments like this, Amy and Nicole felt more like college students instead of high school students. Other than that, I really enjoyed this tale and was entertained throughout it.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Tess Irondale was great for this book. She had plenty of accents to pull off (Russian, British, German, Japanese, American) which she did incredibly well. I was impressed with the speed and accuracy she showed for the various languages. Then there were some emotions in this book and she did great with those as well. Each character was kept distinct and her male voices were believable. A great narration all told!
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jacob Holo. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
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