Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Blue Into The Rip

Rate this book
The #1 Amazon Bestseller in time-travel and military science fiction!

HOME IS 400 YEARS AWAY

A Rip in the fabric of time, a far-flung globally warmed future, a flooded Earth and the only remainder of civilisation—a militaristic organisation living underneath 'Desert Amazon'...

Getting back home was the only thing that mattered to messed up, mixed race teenager, Blue (named after his stupid, googly blue eyes) - and that was the problem—home was over four hundred years in the past.

But how does a lowly cadet in a military academy living in a post-apocalyptic future achieve such a goal, especially with the distractions of girls, pilot training, spacewalks and his almost constant unpopularity?

The more Blue found out about this flooded, gung-ho and annoying future, about himself—who and what he was (was he even human?)—and the equally disturbing and shocking truth about his parents, the more he realised getting home was the only solution.

Wasn't it?

If Blue knew one thing, it was that he would at least try.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BLUE INTO THE RIP

"An amazing read and Kev Heritage's writing is superb and unique...I definitely recommend this book to sci-fi adventure readers!"
Girl In The Woods

"Hands-down one of the most creative YA books I've read in a long time." - Reading For Pleasure

"Fast paced, intriguing, thought provoking, character driven science fiction. I loved it." - The Written Universe

"A fun, addictive read from page one." - 40 West Media

"K.J.Heritage seems to understand that you don't need to go 'over the top' in order to make contact with the human heart." - The Underground Treehouse

"It captivated me from the beginning and held me prisoner to the end!" - Author Alliance

"This is one of those books and I was awake into the early hours reading. Young Adult time travel at its best." - A Woman's Wisdom

"I was drawn in hook, line and sinker...an amazing story and a great ending." - Bookaholic Babe

"A winner from the very beginning...an excellent piece of science-fiction that can be enjoyed by adults as well as teenagers."- My Writer's Cramp

"The Rip? Awesome!" - Just Blogging

"All the ingredients for a great scifi teen read...Highly enjoyable." - Liz Loves Books YA

"Fun, heartwarming, made me want to turn the pages faster" - The Book Tart

322 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2013

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

K.J. Heritage

32 books75 followers
"K.J.Heritage's uncanny sense of pacing and story puts him at the forefront of today's speculative fiction writers." Samuel Peralta, Amazon bestselling author and creator of The Future Chronicles

TO ENJOY a K.J.Heritage starter book of his short stories and more, join his Mostly Reader's Club at: http://kjheritage.com/join/

I'D LIKE to thank you for visiting my page. I’ve been amazed by the reaction to my novels and stories, and by the many emails, tweets and posts (not all abuse!) I've received since my first release. In many ways, it’s a dream come true, to write, publish and get such wonderful feedback.

A BIT more about me...

I'M AN international bestselling author mostly writing mystery sci-fi, crime and fantasy.

I WRITE books that I love to read. From science fiction action and adventure mysteries to contemporary thrillers and paranormal fantasy.

MY FIRST sci-fi short story, ‘ESCAPING THE CRADLE’ was runner-up in the 2005 Clarke-Bradbury International Science Fiction Competition.

MY STORIES have appeared in several anthologies with such self-publishing sci-fi luminaries as Hugh Howey, Samuel Peralta and Michael Bunker.

I HAVE worked all the requisite ‘writer jobs' such as driver's mate, factory gateman, barman, labourer, telesales operative, sales assistant, warehouseman, IT contractor, Student Union President, university IT helpdesk guy, British Rail signal software designer, premiership football website designer, gigging musician, graphic designer, stand-up comedian, sound engineer, improv artist, magazine editor and web journo... Although I don't like to talk about it. Mostly.

I WAS born in the UK in one of the more interesting previous centuries. Originally from Derbyshire, I now live in the seaside town of Brighton. I am a tea drinker, avid Twitterer, and autistic (ASD) human being.

FOR ALL media enquiries, event/booking information, signed copies, etc. please email: contact@kjheritage.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
47 (41%)
4 stars
33 (28%)
3 stars
23 (20%)
2 stars
6 (5%)
1 star
5 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
Profile Image for Chloe (Girl In The Woods Reviews).
119 reviews74 followers
November 5, 2013
Check out more of our reviews at:

Photobucket

Detailed Review: << review copy received from the author himself >>

I really LOVE this book!

It was an amazing read and Kev Heritage's writing is superb and unique. When I read this book, I was totally blown away from the first line till the end. The story is about a boy called John"Blue"Smith who is a gangly, big blue-eyed teen who has hippy-terrorist parents and a cute little sister called Annie, whom got pulled into a time rip where he ends up in the future. There he learns about militarism and the meaning of true friendship.

I really enjoyed this book. Heritage's writing is full of potential and notable and I really love the characters' sarcasm. The story was really funny and so were the characters, though there were times when the story became quite serious but there's always this sarcastic atmosphere oozing from the plot.

I guess, that's why it kept me reading and on the edge of seat whenever a new chapter arrives on the next page. There were these twists which kept me confused too! Since the story was written in different peoples' POVs (though most of the time it's Blue) I was pulled here and there through the story because sometimes the story went back to the past, then the future and then to the present so it kinda went here and there.

But...

What can I say? Heritage's style of writing is inventive and quite original, I feel that if you ever this or give it a chance, you'll not regret it!

BLUE; personally, I think he's such a stuck up kid sometimes and other times he's a total nice guy. But other times? He worries too much but he has a hilarious personality and yet an attitude you may find annoying (you'll get over it soon, eventually).

I definitely recommend this book to sci-fi adventure readers!!! It's a book you don't want to miss :)

Don't forget to check out the second instalment, BLUE INTO THE PLANET!

Brief Review: Blue Into The Rip is a futuristic dystopian world set in the future with creatures from space, a militarised setting and a boy who just wants to go home, that will start an adventure of a lifetime. Kev Heritage's writing is detailed and competent as well as exciting. This will definitely catch the attention of sci-fi fanatic readers!

My Rating: 5/5 "Totally Amazing!"
Profile Image for Liz Barnsley.
3,520 reviews1,038 followers
November 23, 2013
Thank you to the author for the review copy.

Blue didn’t want to be in the future
…they didn’t want him there either
A rip in the fabric of time, a far-flung globally warmed future, a flooded Earth and the only remainder of civilisation – a militaristic organisation living underneath ‘Desert Amazon’…

I’ve been reading a plethora of YA lately (and I have plenty more to come on my lists) and I’m often amazed at the quality to be found in fiction aimed at the younger market. This was no exception – an imaginative and involving time distortion tale that held my interest throughout.

“Blue” is a teenager with a right pair of parents and a little sister called Annie, who, whilst searching for his lost sister, ends up 400 years into the future…where life has changed, mostly due to global warming and mass flooding. There he gets involved in all sorts of shenanigans – in a world he does not recognise…

In a lot of ways, despite whats happening around him, Blue is a typical teenager – distracted by girls, often sent off on a tangent by “cool” stuff, but also pretty determined to reach his goal – however from the start and as the story progresses it becomes apparent that he is not quite so “typical” after all..

The story flowed well, had a terrific believable premise as far as how the future of our planet could look and some well imagined characters. There are some twists and turns, add to that an inventive writing style and you have all the ingredients for a great scifi teen read. Or in my case a great scifi 40something read…hey, age is a state of mind right?

Highly enjoyable. I shall look forward to the sequel. Recommended for the young at heart who like scifi and fantasy.

Happy Reading Folks!
Profile Image for Snogged.
653 reviews5 followers
November 29, 2013
ARC Review

I want to thank author, Kev Heritage, for allowing me to receive an advanced e-reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. That was pretty aw-wonder-sum of you.

Blue Into The Rip blends time-travel and science fiction into a young adult novel that is imaginative, exciting, funny, serious, and sad.

The title is based on a combination of the main character's name: John "Blue" Smith and "The Rip," which is how one is able to travel to different planets as well as travel through time. The beginning of the novel switches between the past and the future to provide the reader with some understanding of the adventure they are about to take.

As the book's description states, Blue is ripped forward in time (to 2454) after his sister, Annie, goes missing in Dooley's Woods. Blue's obvious mission is to return back to his time to find his sister and his eccentric parents, Newt and Eddi. In the meantime, Blue is taken to the Academy and learns to live life as a cadet. The Earth has changed significantly in the year 2454 and Blue has to face new challenges, which include bunking with aliens, flying spaceships, and eating slimer worms.

I enjoyed the twists and turns that this book takes and even found myself welling up with tears at one point: .

My only criticism was Blue's internal thought bubble explanations of certain common words and phrases. I felt the context of the story and sometimes even other characters explained these things just as well as Blue's mind did.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading Blue Into The Planet.
Should be a rip-roarin', fun ride
Profile Image for Bodicia.
209 reviews21 followers
November 5, 2013
There are a few occasions when you start to read a book and you get that little spark of 'this is going to be good' early on in the first chapter. This is one of those books and I was awake into the early hours reading it. Always a good sign!

Blue Into The Rip is marketed as YA fiction but as a forty something with a love of all things 'space' related I really enjoyed this book and would rate it very highly in my list to date of this genre and type.

The author has created a future world which is so different from what we know now but it isn't, for a change, all doom and gloom. He has made use of current science (and possibly sprinkled a little Star Trek in there too) to create a place where humans exist with most of their needs catered for. I loved the phrases he used for the military such as 'well met', 'be cool' etc as they are phrases associated with film/literature of today which added a little humour into the writing for me personally. The only critiscm I have is I didn't feel the explanations of words/terms used were needed in the middle of the text but it's a small point and simply a personal preference.

This book is the first installment in Blue's adventures and I will definitely be coming back for more. Young Adult time travel at its best.
Profile Image for Shemeka Mitchell.
Author 10 books44 followers
November 7, 2013
Blue was definitely a brainiac! He gives the readers a vocabulary lesson throughout the novel. With that being said, the readers can tell that the author did a lot of research for this work. By the time I finished the book, I was wondering about what if the world were to become as it stated. It opens your eyes to the possibility of Global Warming going bad. One the other hand, I knew something was up with Blue from the beginning. His peculiar looks and thought process was a giveaway. This story was full of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Foes becoming friends and friends becoming foes. Everything is not what it seems in this story. It captivated me from the beginning and held me prisoner to the end! It was well-written! Great job!
Profile Image for Scott Whitmore.
Author 6 books34 followers
December 7, 2013
A fun, addictive read from page 1. Various genres and sub-genres — Young Adult, time-travel, adventure, sci-fi, dystopian, political thriller — are expertly blended to make a truly unique story that I enjoyed immensely.

There is much about Blue Into the Rip that is familiar and handled differently this debut novel from Kev Heritage (@KevHeritage) might quickly fade from memory. I’m very pleased to report several days after finishing the advance copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review that I’m still thinking about this wonderful story and how Mr. Heritage takes tropes and turns them upside down (read my interview with the author).

Blue, the titular character and protagonist, is very much a “fish out of water” teenager (initially figuratively, soon literally) so-named because of the color of his unusual, “googly” eyes; eyes that give him unusual night vision. While searching for his sister in a nearby wood, Blue stumbles into a “rip” in time, landing four hundred years in the future on an Earth decimated by Global Warming. How messed up is the planet Blue rips to? Try this: England is a swamp and the Amazon is a desert, and much of humanity has moved to colonies off-world.

Blue learns “eggheads” (scientists) in the future know how to open rips in time, making time travel possible, but there’s a twist: it takes enormous resources but they can send you back to a specific place and date, but returning through the rip your arrival back in the “present” can vary by days, months or even years. Because of this time travel has been abandoned but people like Blue periodically pop out of rips and are collected by the Earth Corps, a military-style organization.

With no living relations, Blue becomes a cadet at the Earth Corps Academy, studying alongside a mixture of other humans including some physically altered by having been born off-planet. Blue vows to return to his own time to save his sister, but first he’s got to figure out how to adapt to a future where space flight and travel to other planets isn’t just possible, it’s an every day occurrence. Along the way Blue discovers there is more to the things like his night vision and photographic memory that made him an outsider in his own time than he could have ever imagined, but to say anything beyond that would spoil the fun for future readers.

Frankly, writing a spoiler-free review is as difficult as the story was fun to read. Sub-plots are identified, they come to the fore and then fade into the background as other sub-plots appear; It happens so smoothly, though, that the reader floats blissfully along, taking it all in. There are also some expertly placed twists and turns in the plot; reviewing Mr. Heritage’s biography I was surprised to see magician was not one of the many, many occupations he has held.

In addition to the unique setting, Mr. Heritage has created some interesting and diverse characters. I particularly enjoyed his dialogue, which sounded very natural in my head (if you think all dialogue does, try reading some aloud and you’ll quickly see it isn’t so). In addition to Blue’s own unique words like “awe-wonder-sum” some unusual phrases from our time survive four centuries into the future, causing me to chuckle when a military commander tells the cadets to “be cool” instead of saying “at ease.”

Too often the first novel of a series or trilogy becomes an extended prologue, setting the stage but without paying off any of the issues raised. I’m pleased to report Mr. Heritage avoids this, bringing the major plot points of Blue Into The Rip to a satisfying conclusion while at the same time whetting the appetite to learn more about the few unanswered questions floating just out of easy reach.

I can’t wait to find out what happens to Blue next. With Blue Into The Rip, Kev Heritage has crafted a unique, thrilling and immersive story, all the more impressive as it is a debut novel.
Profile Image for Maria Miaoulis.
379 reviews
December 24, 2015
Summary:
John “Blue” Smith is not your typical teenager. His weird features, striking blue eyes and off-the-charts IQ make him an outcast at school. His hippy parents certainly don’t help matters either. Slaving away in their allotment every day, they pretty much keep to themselves, live without modern conveniences like electricity and forbid Blue from taking school pictures.

One day an accident takes place right in front of Blue. He blacks out, but when he comes to, Blue realizes he saved a family and finds himself on the front page of the newspaper. His parents freak out and pack up to leave, but when Blue’s sister goes missing, they set out to search for her. Blue blacks out again that night, and when he wakes up, he finds himself 400 years into the future. The world he knew is gone, replaced by ruins. A rescue crew brings Blue to the Academy, a militaristic organization where space walking and interplanetary travel is as routine as book reports and school dances. As Blue adjusts to this new life, he finally learns the truth about himself…



My Thoughts:
Sci-fi novels are usually full of clichés when it comes to space, featuring time machines, shimmering portals, beaming, etc. However, “Blue Into The Rip” takes a completely different approach, making it hands-down one of the most creative YA books I’ve read in a long time. Like other stories in the dystopian genre, the world has ended, and a new society has been established. But unlike those novels where war and unrest are to blame, here a deadly combination of pollution, deforestation and genetic testing lead to a globally warmed, flooded Earth.

The only place to take shelter is an underground habitat beneath the Amazon rainforest which is now a desert. As if this isn’t enough to wrap your head around, new species of insects, reptiles and flora and fauna have emerged, too, all with the intent to kill you. And then there are the people themselves. Earth is no longer the only place which can sustain life. All the planets and moons have been colonized, meaning Blue encounters beings from all corners of the solar system.

He may now be 400 years into the future, but one thing hasn’t changed – Blue still doesn’t fit in. It’s clear that his presence at first is more an annoyance than anything, but that gradually changes. I loved watching his transformation from a gangly, sarcastic and rebellious teen to a mature cadet, but especially how he embraces his awkwardness, using it to successfully unite his group during training. Sure it’s 2454, but “human” behavior hasn’t changed that much, if at all. It’s easy to picture yourself in any character’s place reacting to the terrifying situations they find themselves in.

I always say that when you have trouble telling reality apart from fantasy while reading a book, then that’s a sign you’re reading a good one. Author Kev Heritage immerses us into a fantastic world that offers hope for a possible future should Earth not remain sustainable. You truly have no idea what awaits with the turn of every page which makes the tale all the more exciting. Admittedly, the beginning requires a bit of work to get through as you become used to the lingo and fragmented sentence structure. However, once you overcome that hurdle, you’ll fly through the rest.

For a fast-paced adventure into space, do yourself a favor and give “Blue Into the Rip” a try. Also, be on the lookout for the next installment in the series!
Profile Image for T.L..
Author 27 books23 followers
September 1, 2016
If you like fast paced, intriguing, thought provoking, character driven science fiction, then this book is for you.

Blue is a typical teenager, attending school, looking after his little sister, and putting up with his hippie parents. Until, one day, he is ripped out of his present and flung far into a future where the Earth has undergone some extreme changes. One of which is the military academy Blue finds himself rescued by and inducted into, in a future where the world is not what it used to be. Ravaged by climate change the only refuge is an under ground Desert Amazon. Blue finds life quite a bit different, especially as he is inducted into said military academy as a cadet, who only wants to return to the past. His past.

Blue is put to several tests and finds he does have some affinity for what he's supposed to be learning, but along the way, he discovers how the Earth got into it's present state. At one point, he visits the Museum Of Indulgence, which houses such diverse Earth artifacts as Stonehenge, the statue of Michelangelo's David, remnants of the Sistine Chapel, the head of the Statue of Liberty, some of the most famous paintings to have ever existed by the likes of Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Warhol, Picasso, Dali, etc.
He comes upon a gallery with a screen projecting how the world used to be, then another showing the wars, the pollution, the riots and finally the devastation of famine, the disease that followed starvation, poverty, then another gallery depicting the fall of civilization -raging fires in China, the US entirely covered by a hurricane, earthquakes devastating Northern Europe, Tsunamis, volcanic activity on a massive scale.

Still resolved to get through this academy and back home, Blue makes friends with the other cadets in his squad, steeling himself for the day he is instructed in rip technology, the way he will "rip" his way back to his time and his family.
Interspersed throughout the book are definitions of certain words, phrases, or people, which although I knew most of them, I found them a help, expanding on the reading experience the way they were used, much better than the inclusion of a glossary in the back of the book, with the words asterisked for reference or intruding foot notes.

Does Blue make it back to his Earth and his time?
Read the book and find out.

Read the book with the underlying lesson about climate change, which isn't preachy- it's so well woven into the fabric of the story, you don't feel like you're being beaten over the head about an issue which is becoming more clear, day by day - quit hurting the planet we live on, lest we turn our cities into dust, and we along with them.

This is written for a young adult audience and being marketed that way but I can tell you, it's fine science fiction, with a great story and well imagined characters that keep you fully engaged.
I loved it.
Profile Image for Heather.
45 reviews32 followers
Read
December 6, 2013
English high school student John Smith, unremarkable to the outside world except for the striking blue eyes from which he gets his nickname, has always known that he did not want the life that his “nutter” hippy parents laid out for him; but his desire to reach for a different future never prepared him for the moment when the future would reach for him. A search for his lost sister brings “Blue” in contact with the “Rip”, an opening in time-and-space that pulls him into an age in which London is a flooded-out wasteland, ordinary kids live as soldiers in a military installation, and the familiar, 21st century world has been turned on its head. Ignoring his Commander’s instance that this ruined future is now his home, Blue lives among his fellow “cadets” with an agenda of his own: to find a way back into the “past” and rescue his family, who themselves might be something more than what he once believed.
Blue Into the Rip, the first novel in Kev Heritage’s Into the Rip series, is a painful book to summarize; painful because I hate to steal the joy of discovery from other potential readers. Heritage prefers to throw his readers in with the alligators and see whether or not we swim. He tosses us into the future, pulls us into the past, and then throws us back again, points us down unfamiliar roads with nothing but a compass, and drops us in the middle of events without a map—and the process is enthralling. He reveals the world that he’s imagined slowly, in a way that excites a desire to meet the text’s challenge in order to get our questions answered.
This apparently straight-forward time-travel tale surprises you with a presentation of a future undone that is as powerful as it is passionless: visions of the drowned and decayed city of London, presented in an almost clinical narrative style, churned the heart of this Anglophile reader as effectively as if they had been rendered in florid prose. Heritage seems to understand that you don’t need to go “over the top” in order to make contact with the human heart.
Blue into the Rip goes wide on December 7th, 2013. I look forward to being there with Blue through each new release date as his fight through time unfolds, and I certainly hope that many of you will join me.
So, who's ready to follow Blue into the Rip?
Profile Image for Nada Sobhi.
Author 3 books222 followers
November 21, 2013
I received an e-copy of this book for an honest review and here it is:

I was not expecting to be this impressed by the novel, since I’ve had several unhappy sci-fi reads. Blue into the Rip is ‘swick’ and I look forward to its sequel Blue into the Planet.

The story focuses on Blue, who gets his name from his strange blue eyes. He is a fifteen-year-old boy who lives with his odd parents Eddi and Newt and his sister Annie. Blue discovers that he has advanced night and heat vision. The story begins in the past with the setting shifting between the past and the future in the year 2454. We learn that Blue and his parents are in fact from the future and are hiding in the past.

When his sister, Annie, disappears, Blue goes out to search for her in Dooley’s Wood. From there, Blue is hurled 450 years into the future, where he finds himself in The Academy where he is supposed to live, train and study. Blue constantly reminds himself – and the reader – that the future is just a transition and that he needs to go back in time to his parents and younger sister. He eventually realises that The Academy and his friends are all that he has and accordingly goes out of his way to save them.

Blue into the Rip is a post-apocalyptic novel. Many people have died and due to global warming, it has become impossible to live on the earth’s surface. The Amazon Jungle has become the Amazon Desert and it is impossible to endure the scorching sun.

The novel moves at a fairly quick pace with a good tension-relief scheme. The language in Blue into the Rip mixes slang with some interesting blends such as awe-wonder-some and cra-mazing (crazy + amazing), among others. The dialogue is fun, quick-paced and is the main source of information.

Kev Heritage’s use of imagery in Blue into the Rip is just wicked! It fits the sci-fi theme and scenery. Amongst the images I fell in love with are: “Electricity pylons poked from the murky waters like the masts of sunken ships.” (p. 11), and others.

Kev Heritage masterfully ties up all of the loose ends in the final chapters and the Epilogue, all of which are intense, exciting and are a roller-coaster ride of their own.

Check out the complete review here: http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/...
Profile Image for Gyula.
Author 3 books4 followers
November 5, 2013
I went back in time and read this book through the eyes of the teenager myself.

I found the story quite interesting. I love time travel, it's awesome, it's a paradox itself. This time the Blue, the hero travels into the future. I appreciate the novelty in the method of the time travel, it's not the cliché of time machine or shimmering portal, but a brutal force through time and space: the Rip.

In the story the future is similar to other distopian futures: the climate is warmed, the most part of the Earth became desert, the fauna and flora is distorted, new, dangerous species emerged. But. Unlike other books, this one offers several alternatives: underground habitats, space colonies, new worlds discovered through the Rip. The distopian books are on the rise, and I'm starting to be fed up with the dark, ugly picture of the possible future. Blue into the Rip offers a fresh take on the subject. And some hope.

The Crater, the underground cave with artificial sun and rich vegetation is awesome.

The story is full of action. Blue gets into more and more trouble, as he finds out secrets of the future and try to solve puzzles which seems to go beyond his comprehension. And not only the mysterious organisation called SEARCH has secrets, but his superiors and his mates at the Academy. He finds out strange things even about himself as the events unfold. The middle of the story slows down a little as we follow Blue through the military training, but the special tasks the cadets have to perform still grabs the attention of the reader. At the end of the book you have to hang on, because the action really speeds up.

The plot has a big arc, and this book raises further questions making the base for sequels.

good characters

There was one thing which distracted me time after time: the author often used sentences without verbs. This type of writing can be considered as the voice of the writer, however it should be used with care, only sparingly. To make it clear, here is an example: "A warning siren and the porthole closed". I was confused, because the it says that both a warning siren and the porthole were closed. Should be: "A warning siren sounded and the porthole was closed."

The Blue into the Rip is a decent read, I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Moon.
173 reviews18 followers
December 16, 2013
I have so many e-books to read, and so little time... It's so hard for me to read e-books because I don't have a laptop, or a kindle...  photo il_340x270364950831_savt.jpg

So.... when I opened this book, I didn't expect to read more then a chapter or two... gots stuff to do... five hours later I decided to not stop...  photo funny-book-meme-monday-L-ivP2Nn.jpeg
This book is about a teenage boy nicknamed blue (for his unique eyes) that ends up in the future, with no idea how he got there. This was a page turner, very confusing in the beginning, but interesting enough to make me want to keep reading... and keep reading... I loved Wurtz and Herms and it was interesting how the effect of gravity affected them on a different planet.

 photo funny-book-meme-part-vii-L-inROGh.jpeg

I read this book from eleven in the morning until almost midnight... only stopping to walk my dog, shower and eat... It was a really really good book. Well done Kev Heritage :)

 photo iDg9OU66rtDwC.gif


Profile Image for Michelle.
305 reviews7 followers
November 6, 2013
Thank you Kev Heritage for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-------------

Like an artist uses a brush to paint a piece of art Kevin Heritage's use of descriptive words instantly did the same and had me hooked.

Blue Into The Rip is a story centered around John Smith. Nicknamed 'Blue' because of his unique eyes and considered by his peers to be a freak,Blue, albeit intelligent yet sarcastically smart-mouthed seems to be going through the motions, heading down the wrong path in life until he intervenes at the scene of the car accident.

Little do we know that this incident will spur events that would change his life forever. Not only does this seemingly good deed riles up his "hippy" parents but it puts him on the radar of the authorities. Desperate to escape the attention that has been thrust on him he sets out on his own only to return home and find that that his younger sister, Annie, is missing.

It would be this night that everything would change for Blue because not only do we learn that he is more to him then meets the eye but it would be on this search that he is struck in the back of the head and awakens in the year 2454. In this strange new world Blue struggles with finding his place and learning whom he can trust all while trying to find his way back home.

My only criticism was that there seemed to be a lot of characters. While I understood the roles they played when reading a story I tend to focus, care and remember a few.

Just when I thought the story was becoming predictable and that I could see who the untrustworthy characters were the events flipped and I was literally left shaking my head saying "I didn't see that coming".

I will surely check out the next book in this series, Blue Into The Planet.
Profile Image for Michelle.
262 reviews10 followers
December 11, 2013
*I was given a free e copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*

I really, really enjoyed reading this book. So imaginative and captivating. The beginning was kind of confusing and intriguing at the same time. I couldn't put this book down. I needed to know what was happening and what had already happened and why. After a while, I got some answers but not all of them. They were given in snip-ets throughout the book and I loved all the little "aha" moments I had while reading this story. The story certainly sucked me in and took me for a "swick" ride. By the end I felt fulfilled and yet ready for more. Most of it makes sense at the end and yet there are some questions that remain unanswered. I am anxiously awaiting the second installment!!

One request for the author (I will try not to give away anything because I hate spoilers): Chapter "Swamps and Spies" left me wanting more. "Why shouldn't I alter the timeline?" That paragraph and the rest of the chapter summed up what happened to them after but I so badly wanted more right then. Like how?? Would it just be an endless loop? I'd love to know how you think that would work. And what happened to both of them? How did he get there again? Did he follow the other? And where did the other go?? or rather, where did the other end up, after he went where we know he went?? Did he stay or does he come back? Will he show up again in book 2? And what if...???!!! Oh goodness, I could go in circles forever. Maybe I should just stop before I confuse myself any more. LOL I will be thinking about this story for a while!! Will you please write more about this in the 2nd book? please?

Fabulous story, Mr Heritage!
Profile Image for Giselle Marks.
Author 27 books69 followers
November 26, 2013
I received a copy from the author, he's offered a review but I wanted to read it anyway!

Rip into the future, but everything is not as it should be there. Climate change has swamped the earth creating abnormal weather patterns and the Earth is heading for another Ice Age. But our young hero Blue has been plucked forward in time to a world he struggles to recognise. Kev Heritage creates a beautifully detailed post apocalyptic world, but Blue is desperate to return to his family and misses his little sister.
Blue moves back and forth in time from a present that is dull, where he doesn’t fit, into a militarised future that he resents and kicks against. Heritage’s plot twists and turns as Blue tries to discover who he can trust in his new existence. The characters are well formed and utterly believable as Blue questions what is real and what is not. He struggles to uncover who are his friends and who are foes. The complex political situation in the future leaves Blue justly bewildered which side is good or which is evil.
Heritage’s writing luminously offers glimpses of the complicated dichotomy caused by a life after major climatic disaster. But the reader is kept in the dark until the very end of the book as to who can be trusted in the new universe. Rip into the blue is a stylish virtuoso rendering of this electrifying adventure story for young adults. This is not a genre I usually read but I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it wholeheartedly to others. It is a book that teenagers will find absolutely riveting and their parents might enjoy too.
Profile Image for Billi Tiner.
Author 24 books61 followers
December 13, 2013
"Blue Into the Rip" is a time travel, sci-fi book that features 15-year-old Blue. He’s living in London, and like most teenagers, he hates school and thinks his parents are weird. Blue is suddenly pulled through a rip into the future and discovers that his life is not what he thought it was. The author does an excellent job of describing the new world that Blue is thrust into 400 years in the future. I could easily picture the futuristic landscape and environment of Blue’s new home. The story flows along very well and kept my interest through to the end. I did think that there was a section in the middle of the book where the author took the time to get a little “preachy” about the greediness of people today. However, overall, I thought the book was enjoyable and would recommend it for those who enjoy a good sci-fi adventure.
Profile Image for Amie's Book Reviews.
1,567 reviews168 followers
December 24, 2013
I received a free eBook copy of Blue: Into The Rip in exchange for an honest review and now I have to admit: I'm a fan.

The main character begins the story as an ordinary teenager whose only exceptional trait is his piercing blue eyes.

Very quickly the reader realizes that Blue is anything but normal. Blue is transported over 400 years into the future.

Earth is unrecognizable. The population has been decimated & many people have moved off-planet. Survivors have moved underground and many things have changed.

I don't want to give away the plot so I won't say too much more.

However, I will say that I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series and I highly recommend this book. It was engrossing, entertaining and extremely well thought out.

I rate this 5 out of 5 stars.
Profile Image for The Book Tart.
137 reviews124 followers
December 17, 2013
I recorded a video review :) See? http://thebooktart.com/book-review/th...

I finally picked up Kev Heritage’s debut YA/SF novel Blue Into The Rip and now I’m kicking myself. It’s good. Really good! I was sucked into Blue’s adventures and loved the world building and dialogue. I’ll be keeping my eye out for the sequel because I need to know what happens next for Blue!


(((hugs))) Kat

The Queen of Tarts


The Queen of Tarts

♦ eARC provided for review for my honest opinion.
3 reviews
December 9, 2013
"Blue Into The Rip" a treat for Sci Fi and Fantasy lovers! A book has to grip me from the first chapter and "Blue's" adventure certainly did that! A great book not only for YA's but also for the young at heart. Interesting characters and great content. Can't wait for the next instalment and will definitely recommend this book to family and friends!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thanks for a great read Kev - great work!!
Profile Image for Marta.
9 reviews1 follower
September 26, 2014
Loved this book! It's a great multi-age, multi-genre captivating read. Think time traveling Starship Troupers with an eye to the future of Earth after climate change. The characters are nicely developed and well rounded with realistic flaws that allowed me to relate to them. Blue is like so many young men who are discovering themselves and how to function in a community. I don't want to spoil it but it keeps you hooked and guessing to the end.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
4 reviews
February 2, 2014
A fun, entertaining young adult novel, "Blue Into the Rip" is definitely a new favorite. A fast, easy read, but also complex and well written. Authors often struggle with balancing talented writing and ease of reading...Kev Heritage does not suffer from this dilemma. I look forward to the next novel and other works of Mr. Heritage.
10 reviews
June 24, 2022
15 year old John Smith, nicknamed "Blue" because of his rather big blue eyes, really epitomizes being one's own worst enemy. He does not fit in. The other kids are merciless in their picking on him because he is different. While searching for his lost sister in the nearby woods, Blue gets knocked out and wakes up in the same spot, but he finds the woods vastly changed. The world at night is dark, quiet, and there's some new stars in the sky. The woods is now more swamp than woods and he narrowly avoids becoming a croc's snack. What gives? There were no crocodiles in the woods before!

Blue gets rescued by a futuristic jet helicopter and gets deposited at a military academy barracks in the ruins of London. Last he knew London was a vibrant city, not a water logged wrecked ruin. Blue finds himself 454 years in the future in a world absolutely wrecked due to climate change. He is accepted as a cadet in Saturn Squad of the Earth Corps academy.

Blue is told time travel backwards is impossible and he might as well make the best of his future. He tries to fit in with his squad, and he does have his moments, but we also see that he has great skill in doing and saying he wrong thing. He never gives up on his goal of getting back in time to get back to his family. He has to get back. His family is in terrible danger.

This book was well written and a very entertaining read. It is action packed and well developed. The author presented an interesting future. I could see the potential for much more material in this future world. I'd read any sequels if they were written.
302 reviews
May 6, 2020
A Book worth Reading

Mr. Heritage's writing is just spectacular. I've read all his books except two. This book is about a young man who is torn from his life to four hundred years into the future. He's confused, angry, and just wants to get back home. He was looking for his lost baby sister when the Rip took him.

The authors technique of fully developing his characters makes you feel as if you know them; as if you are part of the story he's telling you. The plot line is exciting and full of "I didn't see that coming" moments.

All in all, this is a book you should really read. You'll come away thinking....man, this guy can really write and like me, want to read more.
Profile Image for Elaina Myers.
320 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2018
Interesting story

This is an interesting story from the perspective of a teenager. It has coming of age pieces, as well as intrigue, a mystery and some interesting surprises!

I remember my Dad telling me he had visited relatives in the UK when he was younger and they looked at him a bit askance, since we Americans switch our fork to our right hands to eat. It made me laugh to see mention of the difference in the book. :)

While I would be happy to read more about Blue, I think the story wrapped up nicely; it is fully contained with no cliffhangers.
56 reviews4 followers
February 19, 2019
Despite some awkward phrasing here and there, this was an extremely intriguing novel. I was hooked all the way through! Sure, some things were predictable, but there were enough plot twists to keep it entertaining. Looking forward to reading the sequel!
Profile Image for Scooby Doo.
755 reviews
August 5, 2018
DNF 15%
Young adult. Too much teen drama for me.
Rehashed military boot camp themes.
32 reviews
September 4, 2023
Rip-roaring fun.

A great romp in the present and future. Enjoyed this very much although I am of a mature age. Will be reading more by the author.
Profile Image for Rebecca (Unbound Pages).
636 reviews53 followers
August 6, 2016
This review also on my blog, The Library Canary!

***I received a free copy of this book from the author. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.***

Time travel mixed with space=awesome. I am such a nerd. This book is a story about a boy who, while trying to find his young sister, accidentally gets ripped hundreds of years into the future. He is forced to join a strict military academy and accept his new life after being told there’s no way to go back. But Blue isn’t just going to forget about his family and his old life. He’s determined to find his sister and his parents.

Blue was an interesting character. He does some pretty stupid things throughout the book and at times I wanted to slap him. But he is caring and compassionate and I loved how protective of his sister he was. If a male character is protective over his younger sister I automatically love them. I think it’s because I’ve always wanted an older brother. When Blue was in the past, he was considered a freak. He has huge blue eyes and a photographic memory and everyone made fun of him for it. His eccentric parents didn’t help his case much either. But in the future, suddenly all his strange qualities come in handy. He excels at his military classes and is truly in his element. He even begins to think that maybe he could make a life for himself here. But not without his family. I really enjoyed watching Blue grow and develop throughout the novel. He was a great MC and it was refreshing to read from a male POV.

The supporting characters were also really great. I especially enjoyed Hermans and Wurtz, both humans who have grown up on other planets. Hermans is such a good person. He was determined, intelligent, and was a symbol of integrity. Wurtz was a little rough around the edges and at times, scary, but really he was just a big teddy bear and I loved him.

The author does a really great job of describing this new world. His descriptions of the “rainforest” were absolutely stunning. I felt like I was there, walking along the paths with Blue and his friends. There was also some really cool tech and space travel which of course I loved. I do think that the author could have done a slightly better job of world-building. What happened to the world? Why are there so few humans left? But this is the first in a series so maybe we will learn more in subsequent books.

Something that I really struggled with was the language. It was so different than anything I was used to. The closest thing I can compare it to is the language used by the Gladers in The Maze Runner but in that book I was able to get used to it. I never got used to the language in this book. There were some parts that I genuinely didn’t understand because of the language used.

The other complaint I have is the ending. It was really confusing to me. I think for the most part I understand what happened, but it took me awhile and I had to reread a few sections to figure out what was going on. It was complicated because of the time travel piece, but I think that it could have been done better.

But overall this book was a quick, fun, and interesting read. There are lots of twists in this book and a constant question of who Blue could trust. I thought I knew the answers, but then the author would completely surprise me. I loved that this book was able to shock me so much. If you like space and time travel or enjoyed the CHAOS series, you will definitely enjoy this book. Happy reading all!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.