Escape

by Nikki Haase

Jack and Ryan are two of the nation’s deadliest weapons—elemental super soldiers created by Doctor James Thaddeus. After being implanted with small electrocuting microchips that force them into obedience, the two men are leased to a wealthy family as tools—as violent playthings.

Years of torture and forced battle in the confines of the Lab could never prepare Jack and Ryan for the onslaught of what they must face in the world beyond the walls of the facility. Being used as police artillery and as fighters for illegal underground cage matches, they will do anything to escape their new owners.

Raised on blood, death, and war, Jack and Ryan want only one freedom.

And they’ll stop at nothing to get it.

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2024

About the author

Nikki Haase is an author who writes across genres; mainly dystopian sci-fi, and contemporary new adult fiction. Besides writing, Nikki enjoys reading, dyeing her hair vivid colors, and occasionally long-boarding. When she's not engrossed in a notebook, creating worlds with only the alphabet, she is usually cuddling or playing with her hyperactive dog, Kira, and watching spooky YouTube videos. With an unhealthy love for coffee and tea, she truly does turn caffeine into books.

Reviews

[Ida]

3.5 stars -

I enjoyed this book, although not as much as the first one. Received it as an ARC as I’d already read the 1st book in the series.

This book picks up where the first one ended, and we get to know a bit more about how Jack and his friends will be used in the future. The writing is interesting, keeps you hooked and wanting to read more. I know it’s YA, but it’s still very violent and graphic, so I’d say not the best for the youngest readers.

I will say it did get kind of repetitive. The boys were taken on a mission, beaten/shot, didn’t get enough time to heal, had to fight, new mission… just the same thing with different missions happening over and over again.

Also something I just find kind of annoying is how the author talks about the different people, like “the fire elemental” etc, when we are supposed to be in Jack’s head. They stress the importance of their names a lot, so this seems like a very weird way to disengage from the person they’re thinking/talking about. I could understand it if it was one of the adults in charge talking about them that way, but for them to use anything other than names when talking about each other doesn’t make any sense. It’s not like we’re forgetting what element they are as readers, so can’t really be for us either.

The ending was quite good and leads up to the next books that are interconnected with this series. The story is fast paced despite the repetitive elements and I did enjoy it. The writing style is good and keeps you wanting to read more. So I’ll definitely read the other series as well.

[Zoë Achor]

I wanted to like this book SO much. I knew after reading Elimination, the first book in this series, there would be more developmental issues. I expected as much. What I didn’t expect what the amount of repetition and redundancy. I get using both to create a feel of what the characters, Jack and Ryan, were facing and living every day. But for a 200ish page book, it felt much longer. I kept putting it down, only interested in seeing where the story went. Even that was a disappointment. You don’t get any more answers about the Lab, supposed war, or anything, really. It wasn’t enough to keep me invested. I didn’t understand the jumps near the end and felt confused on the direction the story took. I struggled with the characters, no longer feeling like they were unique, and now I questioned their authenticity. There were moments they came through and I loved, but most of the time they were lackluster.

I still gave it three starts for how unique the story is and the solid foundation. If both Elimination and Escape went through a few more rounds of developmental and micro-editing, I still believe it could be a great series for young adults and jam packed with lessons learned.

[Tristin]

Overall I was a bit disappointed in this installment. I did receive this as an ARC, along with all the books in the Experiment X and Experiment A series. I honestly struggled a little to get through this installment and only pushed through in the interest in seeing how this prequel series tied into the original series. It is expected by this book (the fifth in this world overall) that there is a quite a bit of violence, but at a certain point the excessive violence and the numbness the characters seem to display to it gets a little old. It feels a lot like the same plot points keep happening over and over without the story really advancing any. It gets three stars since it is well written, I just think about 25-30% of the book could have been edited out and it wouldn't have made much a difference to the overall story.

[Sierra]

3.5 ⭐️

I really liked this one after I got through the first 30% (roughly) or so, I feel like the plot picked up more. My main complaint about this series so far is at times I feel like the plot has lulls. The beginning felt a little drawn out and more like slice of life in sections. This is super fast paced but I feel like it mainly runs on vibes or something for the most part. But I still have really enjoyed the story line so far! That ending was great and I’m really looking forward to see where it goes next! Thank you Nikki Haase for the opportunity to read this ARC!!

[Alicia Gillispie]

This book was only 3.5 stars for me if I’m being specific. It was fast paced and enjoyable and let right into the main trilogy but some parts just seemed a little too “filler” material for me. It was violent and showed kinda the breaking point that led to their escape, but for the most part provided no real information that wasn’t in the main series. I did love getting a look into Ryan and Jacks friendships and backstory. I still think it was a fun little series, just overall lacking some of the depth I was hoping for.

[Bellamy]

I really enjoyed reading this book. This book picks up right after where Elimination left off. I thought Jack and Ryan were very lovable characters making you want to root for them. There is a lot of graphic violence and some of it seemed overdone. I really liked how the story unfolded.

[Kaï Teller]

I’ve loved seeing Jack and Ryan’s backstory. It’s pretty violent for those who don’t like that kind of thing, but with this being the fifth book, it’s expected. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

[Cheyanne Haskell]

what an amazing book. can’t wait for the next one because that ending!!! ☺️🤯

[Melissa]

I’m so invested in these characters. This is the second book in the prequel to the Experiment X series. We get some back story on Jack and Ryan and the atrocities they have endured. If I didn’t already love them before, knowing what they go through and STILL become more compassionate than most, would surely make me love them.

[Stephanie Vicente]

This book was a bit fast paced and enjoyable to read , I have been invested in these characters I thought it’s well written and keeps you wanting more