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Psion #1
Psion Beta
Sammy, a 14-year-old fugitive, accidentally discovers he has the powers of a Psion.
Plucked off the streets, he is thrust into the rigorously-disciplined environment of Psion Beta headquarters. As a new Beta, Sammy must hone his newfound abilities using holographic fighting simulations, stealth training missions, and complex war games. His fellow trainees are other kids competing to prove their worth so they can graduate and contribute to the war effort.
But the stifling competition at headquarters isolates Sammy from his peers. Learning to use his incredible powers is difficult enough, but when things go horribly wrong on a routine training mission, he must rely on the other Betas to stay alive.
The Silent War is at a tipping point; even one boy can be the difference.
But to do so, he must survive.
Plucked off the streets, he is thrust into the rigorously-disciplined environment of Psion Beta headquarters. As a new Beta, Sammy must hone his newfound abilities using holographic fighting simulations, stealth training missions, and complex war games. His fellow trainees are other kids competing to prove their worth so they can graduate and contribute to the war effort.
But the stifling competition at headquarters isolates Sammy from his peers. Learning to use his incredible powers is difficult enough, but when things go horribly wrong on a routine training mission, he must rely on the other Betas to stay alive.
The Silent War is at a tipping point; even one boy can be the difference.
But to do so, he must survive.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 11, 2010
175 people are currently reading
2269 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
March 3, 2011
Well, I wrote it. But I loved writing it and hope people love reading it. Who is it for? People who love YA, thrillers, light sci-fi. What would I compare it to? Psion Beta takes inspiration from books like Ender's Game and The Animorph series, emphasizing character and plot, not science. Others have compared it to Hunger Games and Mistborn. I don't know... You be the judge.
January 24, 2012
I was intrigued by this story, though I think it reminded me a bit too much of Ender's Game. And the characters were all right, though they weren't developed enough. I was interested to know what happened to Sammy's parents, but I just didn't feel like the mystery of it was built up enough. It wasn't a big enough deal when Sammy finally opened up. I just didn't feel his hesitance.
The bottom line is that this book was self-published, and obviously so. The plot has serious potential, as do the characters. The school setting is always a great way to set up friends and enemies, and Gowans tried to set up peripheral characters, but it didn't work for me. I didn't care about them. I couldn't even remember who they were when their names came up again. I know I shouldn't start comparing it to Harry Potter, especially since JK Rowling is pretty much the pinnacle of character writing, but it's just the perfect example of how to set up good, well-developed peripheral characters that readers know and love. That just didn't happen here.
Gowans desperately needs a creative editor. There really is a ton of potential for this to be an awesome story with fantastic characters, but Gowans needs some guidance. He needs help developing a good timeline. Too much time was spent summarizing what Sammy did in training. I wanted the games to be more exciting, and I wanted more detail from the sims. It seemed like Gowans blew through the important parts and stretched out the not-so-important parts.
Basically, I just could not for the life of me shut my editing brain down for this book. From the grammar to the plotline, there were some major things that needed to be addressed.
The bottom line is that this book was self-published, and obviously so. The plot has serious potential, as do the characters. The school setting is always a great way to set up friends and enemies, and Gowans tried to set up peripheral characters, but it didn't work for me. I didn't care about them. I couldn't even remember who they were when their names came up again. I know I shouldn't start comparing it to Harry Potter, especially since JK Rowling is pretty much the pinnacle of character writing, but it's just the perfect example of how to set up good, well-developed peripheral characters that readers know and love. That just didn't happen here.
Gowans desperately needs a creative editor. There really is a ton of potential for this to be an awesome story with fantastic characters, but Gowans needs some guidance. He needs help developing a good timeline. Too much time was spent summarizing what Sammy did in training. I wanted the games to be more exciting, and I wanted more detail from the sims. It seemed like Gowans blew through the important parts and stretched out the not-so-important parts.
Basically, I just could not for the life of me shut my editing brain down for this book. From the grammar to the plotline, there were some major things that needed to be addressed.
March 15, 2011
My general experience with inexpensive, self-published e-books is that they're not good enough to be regular priced, publishing house published, regular books. This book was an exception. As I read it I couldn't fathom why it was only a buck, and when I finished it I didn't understand why it had to be self published.
The plot is pretty standard for a sci-fi/fantasy story. Kid finds out he has special powers and is sent to a special school. Kid likes girl, girl likes older cocky kid, etc. Gowans however does a wonderful job with a pretty stock plot. The characters are dynamic, deep, and interesting. I honestly wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.
Sammy, the main character, is a bit of a "Mary Jane," but it works. He's best at everything and driven to succeed, but doesn't relish in being better. He gets caught in lies, is the butt of jokes, and has trouble relating to other students. In short, even though he's amazing, he's still understandable as a person.
My one true qualm with the book was with the "reveal" at the end. Most of the action in the story was well foreshadowed. The focus on the story was on things that would eventually impact the climax of the book, but the climax didn't mimic the setup to the point where it was obvious or dull. The reveal on the other had caught me totally off guard, and not in a good way. It wasn't that it didn't fit, didn't make sense, or was bad for the story in any way, it just centered around a character that I felt was a virtual stranger. I know there are more books, and I'm sure he'll play more of a role later on, but the end of this one was a minor disappointment.
It was with some trepidation that I put this in YA as well. I've been struggling a lot lately with what makes a book YA. Psion Beta had a teenager as the main character, but also had plenty of blood and guts, and true to life situations. Some of the problems the protagonist dealt with, like the "morality" of "killing" holograms, also didn't seem typical YA stuff. However, the author calls it YA, so I guess I'll go with him on that.
I'm really really looking forward to reading the next book. As soon as I finished my 4 hours of page turning excitement reading this, I immediately looked for the sequel. Since it's not out yet, I feel that everyone needs to get this book, read it, and get the word out about it. While I wouldn't call this a perfect book, it was a good read. It was fun, action packed, and holds the promise of many interesting quandaries and life lessons. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good, fun read.
The plot is pretty standard for a sci-fi/fantasy story. Kid finds out he has special powers and is sent to a special school. Kid likes girl, girl likes older cocky kid, etc. Gowans however does a wonderful job with a pretty stock plot. The characters are dynamic, deep, and interesting. I honestly wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.
Sammy, the main character, is a bit of a "Mary Jane," but it works. He's best at everything and driven to succeed, but doesn't relish in being better. He gets caught in lies, is the butt of jokes, and has trouble relating to other students. In short, even though he's amazing, he's still understandable as a person.
My one true qualm with the book was with the "reveal" at the end. Most of the action in the story was well foreshadowed. The focus on the story was on things that would eventually impact the climax of the book, but the climax didn't mimic the setup to the point where it was obvious or dull. The reveal on the other had caught me totally off guard, and not in a good way. It wasn't that it didn't fit, didn't make sense, or was bad for the story in any way, it just centered around a character that I felt was a virtual stranger. I know there are more books, and I'm sure he'll play more of a role later on, but the end of this one was a minor disappointment.
It was with some trepidation that I put this in YA as well. I've been struggling a lot lately with what makes a book YA. Psion Beta had a teenager as the main character, but also had plenty of blood and guts, and true to life situations. Some of the problems the protagonist dealt with, like the "morality" of "killing" holograms, also didn't seem typical YA stuff. However, the author calls it YA, so I guess I'll go with him on that.
I'm really really looking forward to reading the next book. As soon as I finished my 4 hours of page turning excitement reading this, I immediately looked for the sequel. Since it's not out yet, I feel that everyone needs to get this book, read it, and get the word out about it. While I wouldn't call this a perfect book, it was a good read. It was fun, action packed, and holds the promise of many interesting quandaries and life lessons. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good, fun read.
December 7, 2015
A pleasant surprise
August 7, 2013
This was not the book for me. It had all the elements that I enjoy, superpowers, romance, and futuristic technology, but it suffered from poor plotting. There were way too many characters, but the main character was the only one with a backstory. I felt emersion in the setting, but felt like the world around was all neglected. Would not recommend for high thrills, but possibly if you want to read a rocky love story between 14 year olds.
Lengthy Review:
When I was finished writing my first book, I thought I was brilliant for having 120,000 words, while most authors could only manage 80-90k. I found the error of my ways in all of the unnecessary scenes written in that not only added nothing to the story, but detracted from the pacing. Gowans left his novel lengthy. Writing a piece of work with a word count creeping into the 6 figures isn't a violation of any rule, but with so many words, it get exponentially more likely to lose readers before the climax ensues. Unless the writer has enough to fill the plot. Psion Beta, does not.
Normally, when a writer has too much to say and writes 130,000 words, they might think about splitting the novel into two books. Well this one needs to be combined with the sequel, creating a total of 260,000 words, then chop of about 140,000 words. Then we have a novel. The book plays over so many casual details that are not needed. There are so many insignificant plot developments that no plot ever develops. The main character is too amazing at everything so he is embarrassed. The main character likes a girl, but she doesn't like that he is good at things. The main character has to do trials where there is no danger. Predictable and dull.
The protagonist, Sammy, attends this school for special kids with telekinetic powers. That is the struggle of the book. There is no definitive villain. Sure there are the Thirteens, a bunch of nameless bad guys. But this book lacks a plot. Sammy has nothing in his way from accomplishing his goals. There are a few developments over time, but nothing that sets him back, from his goal of going to school. It is truly a novel about a boy learning how to use his powers to use against a villain that won't even appear for another book.
Now, of course I can't be serious. Well, yes, this book does have a plot strung together through a series of events that in no way impact the ending. The climax gives the reading nothing at stake and instead just describes a normal mission. Things go wrong for the first time in the last 20 pages, when that is what should have been happening all along.
To explain. A novel tells the story of one or more characters struggling to achieve a goal, and are set back by various complications, until the conflict is resolved. A simple version of this is the love story where the two break up, and then one person in the pair seeks out the other person and they get back together. This book decides that the only struggle is Sammy getting through school, and the complication is time. He needs time to train. That is the villain in this novel. Then, the book terminates at the lowest point in the book. The scene where the protagonist is supposed to rise to the occasion and face the enemy, which is still time, is omitted. The author even apologizes at the end of the book. For 120,000 words, it isn't even finished. There is a cliffhanger, which totally misses the point of what a cliff hanger is.
Now to what redeems this book. This book was an enormous undertaking and no matter how much disdain I hold towards it, it is worth more than the $0.99 I paid. The author puts heart into Sammy, not the other 15 characters, but Sammy. The author has a great imagination when the simulators appear. He can also pull a heartstring with the flashbacks to Sammy's parents, which I would normally slow the plot, but turned out to be the better story. Cut 50,000 words, add an actual climax, and edit and maybe this book could have been something.
Plot: 1/5
Characters: 2/5
Writing style: 3/5
Pacing: 1/5
Score: 2/5
Lengthy Review:
When I was finished writing my first book, I thought I was brilliant for having 120,000 words, while most authors could only manage 80-90k. I found the error of my ways in all of the unnecessary scenes written in that not only added nothing to the story, but detracted from the pacing. Gowans left his novel lengthy. Writing a piece of work with a word count creeping into the 6 figures isn't a violation of any rule, but with so many words, it get exponentially more likely to lose readers before the climax ensues. Unless the writer has enough to fill the plot. Psion Beta, does not.
Normally, when a writer has too much to say and writes 130,000 words, they might think about splitting the novel into two books. Well this one needs to be combined with the sequel, creating a total of 260,000 words, then chop of about 140,000 words. Then we have a novel. The book plays over so many casual details that are not needed. There are so many insignificant plot developments that no plot ever develops. The main character is too amazing at everything so he is embarrassed. The main character likes a girl, but she doesn't like that he is good at things. The main character has to do trials where there is no danger. Predictable and dull.
The protagonist, Sammy, attends this school for special kids with telekinetic powers. That is the struggle of the book. There is no definitive villain. Sure there are the Thirteens, a bunch of nameless bad guys. But this book lacks a plot. Sammy has nothing in his way from accomplishing his goals. There are a few developments over time, but nothing that sets him back, from his goal of going to school. It is truly a novel about a boy learning how to use his powers to use against a villain that won't even appear for another book.
Now, of course I can't be serious. Well, yes, this book does have a plot strung together through a series of events that in no way impact the ending. The climax gives the reading nothing at stake and instead just describes a normal mission. Things go wrong for the first time in the last 20 pages, when that is what should have been happening all along.
To explain. A novel tells the story of one or more characters struggling to achieve a goal, and are set back by various complications, until the conflict is resolved. A simple version of this is the love story where the two break up, and then one person in the pair seeks out the other person and they get back together. This book decides that the only struggle is Sammy getting through school, and the complication is time. He needs time to train. That is the villain in this novel. Then, the book terminates at the lowest point in the book. The scene where the protagonist is supposed to rise to the occasion and face the enemy, which is still time, is omitted. The author even apologizes at the end of the book. For 120,000 words, it isn't even finished. There is a cliffhanger, which totally misses the point of what a cliff hanger is.
Now to what redeems this book. This book was an enormous undertaking and no matter how much disdain I hold towards it, it is worth more than the $0.99 I paid. The author puts heart into Sammy, not the other 15 characters, but Sammy. The author has a great imagination when the simulators appear. He can also pull a heartstring with the flashbacks to Sammy's parents, which I would normally slow the plot, but turned out to be the better story. Cut 50,000 words, add an actual climax, and edit and maybe this book could have been something.
Plot: 1/5
Characters: 2/5
Writing style: 3/5
Pacing: 1/5
Score: 2/5
November 14, 2012
Well, this was fun! I'm having fun when I don't want to put the book down until I get to the end, even if the end is a cliffhanger.
I found this book to be a good combination of SF and dystopian elements. Genetic anomaly, advanced tech, and governments in conflict all play a part in a fast paced, well written story. The characters are teenagers, the focus of an intense training program designed for their specific talents. The basic premise is similar to the plot of Ender's Game, but there is a different tone and attitude here. It's hard to describe without detailing a bunch of spoilers. Of the two, I prefer this story.
This is a self published work. It's a real pleasure to say that I saw no errors in the writing. Not. One. This is notable, to say the least.
I felt that the characters were not particularly well developed, as some other folks have noted. But they are teenagers, after all, without a lot of life experience yet. There would be a natural limit to how the characters can be developed. They behaved pretty much as you'd expect for their age groups.
I really enjoyed this very interesting story. I will certainly be reading the sequel.
Appropriate reading for young people, and a good introduction to SF.
I found this book to be a good combination of SF and dystopian elements. Genetic anomaly, advanced tech, and governments in conflict all play a part in a fast paced, well written story. The characters are teenagers, the focus of an intense training program designed for their specific talents. The basic premise is similar to the plot of Ender's Game, but there is a different tone and attitude here. It's hard to describe without detailing a bunch of spoilers. Of the two, I prefer this story.
This is a self published work. It's a real pleasure to say that I saw no errors in the writing. Not. One. This is notable, to say the least.
I felt that the characters were not particularly well developed, as some other folks have noted. But they are teenagers, after all, without a lot of life experience yet. There would be a natural limit to how the characters can be developed. They behaved pretty much as you'd expect for their age groups.
I really enjoyed this very interesting story. I will certainly be reading the sequel.
Appropriate reading for young people, and a good introduction to SF.
July 7, 2013
For a first crack from a self-published author, this one is solid gold. For a short, and hopefully not critical summary, this is Harry Potter meets Ender's Game (sort of).
Sammy is a compelling and complex hero, with the same frustrations that are typically locked in for a teenager. Jacob keeps him human, all the while he discovers his extraordinary abilities.
I got this book for free from Amazon for my Kindle, but it had the desired effect, because I immediately bought the 2nd and 3rd books in the series (there will be 5 in total).
The ending is a little hard to handle emotionally, but being able to jump into the 2nd book quickly resolved that for me.
I look forward to the 4th installment in the Psion series, the author has set this up incredibly well.
Sammy is a compelling and complex hero, with the same frustrations that are typically locked in for a teenager. Jacob keeps him human, all the while he discovers his extraordinary abilities.
I got this book for free from Amazon for my Kindle, but it had the desired effect, because I immediately bought the 2nd and 3rd books in the series (there will be 5 in total).
The ending is a little hard to handle emotionally, but being able to jump into the 2nd book quickly resolved that for me.
I look forward to the 4th installment in the Psion series, the author has set this up incredibly well.
March 7, 2012
What a great book! I imagine a boot camp for teenager matrix peeps and you have "Psion Beta"...fun read with the most intense 20% ever!!!!! Had to put the other 293 books on my THEshortLIST on hold to dive right into book 2!!!
May 8, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book. I enjoy a book that can grab your attention and keep you reading. This book was that exact book for me. Every page kept me turning, not wanting to put it down. The beginning instantly throws you into a battle scene with lots of action. It was a great start that I really enjoyed. Only thing I had a problem with was trying to remember all the names. Since so many people kept getting introduced I kept forgetting who each one was. Eventually after a couple chapters I could remember a good amount, just took some time. The character development of the main characters isn't very good so I think thats why i struggled so much at the beginning. It's a good book if you enjoy action and SyFi. It actually reminded me a lot of the book enders game. They train in a space station with other kids to enhance their abilities. I really enjoyed these parts of the book and could picture the setting perfectly in my head. Many times throughout the book the author is able to create moments of suspense that has you glued to the book. The author chooses to end the book on a cliff hanger which I don't really like. I like being able to finish a book and feel complete and finished. Although I don't know the ending, I'm excited to read the second one. I can't wait to find out what happens and where the book goes.
March 28, 2017
I really liked this book. It kept me interested and involved in the book the entire time. There were always intense moments, and shocking moments that you could feel the pressure build up like you do during an intense part of a movie. The beginning of this book was my favorite part because it made it seem like he was already on a super crazy mission but they were just playing a game with friends, I related to this part of the book a lot and think that is why I was so interested. The plot of this book also developed really fast which is another reason it didn't loose the intriguing part of itself, the style of writing used made it easy to understand and read. All in all I truly did enjoy this book and didn't loose much interest on it which is extremely challenging because I don't like to sit down and read but this book kept me on my toes.
March 28, 2017
my overall opinion of this book is that it has the potential to be a bestseller but lacks a few key components in order to become as good of a book as it could be. the story is great, it reminds me a lot of divergent and hunger games. the main character emerges from an undesirably circumstance to develop heroic traits and accomplish a certain task or goal. i think the book lacks in areas where there needs to be solid character development and a better progression through the story. maybe it was just by my fault reading but i felt like the plot was shallow and didn't find very much significance in the books major events. the book has lots of potential but if your looking for something in this genre you're better off reading something from the "divergent" series or the "stung" series.
May 8, 2020
I have loved reading this book. It was so fun to read I didn’t want to put it down. It helps my interest for the whole time it was so cool. I have never read a book that could keep me as interested as I was in this one. I too thought that Sammy was a wimpy the whole time I just wanted to tell him to man up and get going. I really liked how he was so willing to just forget his old life and move in to the “army” and become a beta. It was so cool to see how quickly he became friends and enemies with some of the other recruits. My favorite part was when he was in solitary confinement and he learned so much about himself. Then when he went to on his first ever mission. Sometimes I wish I could have been there to see it all go down or even just watch from a distance. Overall, I thought this book was very good. I do wish that Sammy would man up a little but that was the only thing I would change. I would give this book a nine out of ten.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2012
Overall the story of Sammy learning to use his "anomaly", or psionic abilities in a school is intriguing. It's not complicated and is entertaining, nor is it a long read.
The character development is somewhat lacking however; the secondary and tertiary characters are bare sketches of people and Sammy himself while more fleshed out, is still basically just a 2 dimensional kid. He's generally likable and some of the social decisions he makes are totally understandable (having been there myself), but there isn't a whole lot of depth. A big secret about his past is mentioned repeatedly, as is his so called inability to trust others with his history, but when it's revealed it seems to fall flat. There are no discernible changes in him or those to whom he's revealed these dark secret pains.
The plot is rather somewhat familiar in that a child prodigy is brought in to a battle type school with other children to learn war skills. There are even weekly battles fought between the students, rankings and rivalries for position (and a particular girl's attention in this story). This book certainly was influenced by Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game", but is it's own story and that's to its favor.
The writing isn't bad, just kind of simplified - - which is rather typical of books aimed at a younger audience. One thing this author did a few times was "cheat" by stating a character is (witty, brilliant, amazing fighter/strategist or whatever superlative you want) or the situation went such-and-such a way due to the characters XYZ special what-have-you-skills - - but never actually SHOW you this.
For example (in general, not from this book): if character X is a brilliant debater, then show me a conversation with a good verbal repartee, don't just say "X had a lively and intelligent discussion with Z". If Ms. AB is empathetic and understanding, then show me a scene in which she actually displays these qualities rather than just having other characters proclaim that she is the sweetest thing ever.
----------------
The action scenes were alright. The author does try in several scenes to explain enough so you know where everyone is (rather than simply saying they won or they lost etc), what they are doing and why, even if they are just in a VR game or a holographic simulator - - but even so they aren't very exciting. I'm not sure why but something is missing. Not being a writer (as you can surely tell by my review ramblings), I can't explain very well what they need, but something is lacking that would hold your attention. I will admit the climactic events at the end do better than expected, not just because there you are wondering if Sammy or any of them will survive. Oops ... spoiler?
I know that what I've said so far seems critical and that I didn't like this book, but I actually did like it, especially as it's a self published (and edited I imagine) work. I also think that an actual teen or pre teen would enjoy this more than I did. Having recently reread many books I'd loved as a child, I was a little disappointed by them when seeing the story through my now adult and jaded eyes.
It's hard to remember sometimes, but YA books are not aimed at my demographic (mid 40's adult). *facepalm* They have a different audience - - young people, who have different requirements in how the story is told and what points within that story are of interest.
So if I found this book reasonably enjoyable at my age now, I imagine my 13 year old self would have totally dug it.
The character development is somewhat lacking however; the secondary and tertiary characters are bare sketches of people and Sammy himself while more fleshed out, is still basically just a 2 dimensional kid. He's generally likable and some of the social decisions he makes are totally understandable (having been there myself), but there isn't a whole lot of depth. A big secret about his past is mentioned repeatedly, as is his so called inability to trust others with his history, but when it's revealed it seems to fall flat. There are no discernible changes in him or those to whom he's revealed these dark secret pains.
The plot is rather somewhat familiar in that a child prodigy is brought in to a battle type school with other children to learn war skills. There are even weekly battles fought between the students, rankings and rivalries for position (and a particular girl's attention in this story). This book certainly was influenced by Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game", but is it's own story and that's to its favor.
The writing isn't bad, just kind of simplified - - which is rather typical of books aimed at a younger audience. One thing this author did a few times was "cheat" by stating a character is (witty, brilliant, amazing fighter/strategist or whatever superlative you want) or the situation went such-and-such a way due to the characters XYZ special what-have-you-skills - - but never actually SHOW you this.
For example (in general, not from this book): if character X is a brilliant debater, then show me a conversation with a good verbal repartee, don't just say "X had a lively and intelligent discussion with Z". If Ms. AB is empathetic and understanding, then show me a scene in which she actually displays these qualities rather than just having other characters proclaim that she is the sweetest thing ever.
----------------
The action scenes were alright. The author does try in several scenes to explain enough so you know where everyone is (rather than simply saying they won or they lost etc), what they are doing and why, even if they are just in a VR game or a holographic simulator - - but even so they aren't very exciting. I'm not sure why but something is missing. Not being a writer (as you can surely tell by my review ramblings), I can't explain very well what they need, but something is lacking that would hold your attention. I will admit the climactic events at the end do better than expected, not just because there you are wondering if Sammy or any of them will survive. Oops ... spoiler?
I know that what I've said so far seems critical and that I didn't like this book, but I actually did like it, especially as it's a self published (and edited I imagine) work. I also think that an actual teen or pre teen would enjoy this more than I did. Having recently reread many books I'd loved as a child, I was a little disappointed by them when seeing the story through my now adult and jaded eyes.
It's hard to remember sometimes, but YA books are not aimed at my demographic (mid 40's adult). *facepalm* They have a different audience - - young people, who have different requirements in how the story is told and what points within that story are of interest.
So if I found this book reasonably enjoyable at my age now, I imagine my 13 year old self would have totally dug it.
November 27, 2013
Overall Psion Beta was a pretty good book. In a future world, there was a plague leading to certain people with supernatural powers. Sammy (the main character) discovers he has these supernatural powers. He is then taken to a secret facility and trained to fight. He must overcome his past and learn to depend on others.
Though Sammy is extremely powerful, Jacob Gowans manages to make him human. Sammy has struggles; though mostly internal they are still major obstacles. This is part of what makes this book good, the simple fact that external and internal struggles combined well.
This book is an interesting type of sci-fi. Instead of choosing an item and mentioning how it functions, the author simply chooses futuristic technologies and lets them be. This works really well, making story flow so that it stays realistic with the thoughts of the character. The only time he strays from this is in the explanation of the supernatural powers.
The action scenes were excellent. They could have been more descriptive and organized, but the lack of these things work because it is in the first person narrative. The main character focuses on important details that help him survive. I feel like this makes the action scenes more realistic.
The author worked really hard to develop the main character Sammy and succeeded. The problem is that he failed to develop secondary characters, they had no back stories and only predictable emotions. In parts it seems like the book is limited and could have been much better.
The plot was splintered in places. Gowan either uses a part of the story for character development or action scenes, failing to combined them to arrive at a better climax. However, he does manage to mix foreshowading with unpredictability.s
One of the better things about the book is that it remains original. As the author says it was inspired by Ender’s Game and Animorph it remained original. Though there were similar ideas, they were used to achieve different plot goals. In Ender’s game, the games are used to show Ender’s skill and give others reasons to hate him. While in Psion, the games are used to force Sammy to learn humbleness and teamwork.
This book was excellent. It had an original plot, good ideas, and some character development. This book is neither super action intense, deeply romantic or descriptive sci-fi. It is a mix so if you are looking for one of these things, you will be disappointed.
Though Sammy is extremely powerful, Jacob Gowans manages to make him human. Sammy has struggles; though mostly internal they are still major obstacles. This is part of what makes this book good, the simple fact that external and internal struggles combined well.
This book is an interesting type of sci-fi. Instead of choosing an item and mentioning how it functions, the author simply chooses futuristic technologies and lets them be. This works really well, making story flow so that it stays realistic with the thoughts of the character. The only time he strays from this is in the explanation of the supernatural powers.
The action scenes were excellent. They could have been more descriptive and organized, but the lack of these things work because it is in the first person narrative. The main character focuses on important details that help him survive. I feel like this makes the action scenes more realistic.
The author worked really hard to develop the main character Sammy and succeeded. The problem is that he failed to develop secondary characters, they had no back stories and only predictable emotions. In parts it seems like the book is limited and could have been much better.
The plot was splintered in places. Gowan either uses a part of the story for character development or action scenes, failing to combined them to arrive at a better climax. However, he does manage to mix foreshowading with unpredictability.s
One of the better things about the book is that it remains original. As the author says it was inspired by Ender’s Game and Animorph it remained original. Though there were similar ideas, they were used to achieve different plot goals. In Ender’s game, the games are used to show Ender’s skill and give others reasons to hate him. While in Psion, the games are used to force Sammy to learn humbleness and teamwork.
This book was excellent. It had an original plot, good ideas, and some character development. This book is neither super action intense, deeply romantic or descriptive sci-fi. It is a mix so if you are looking for one of these things, you will be disappointed.
March 28, 2013
For those lovers of actin sci-fi, this is the book for you. If you like Divergent and Hunger Games, this would be a good read.
Sammy has been living a hard street life since his parents were murdered. It all changes the day he not only runs from the Shocks, but causes their weapons to turn back on themselves. Sammy begins a new life training as a Psion- people with genetic anomalies that allow them to create blasts out of their hands and feet. Sammy does not only have to endure a new life and training regimen which causes some friction due to his intelligence, but he has to learn how to survive against people with the mutation thirteen, cold blooded killers that do not feel anything remotely human.
There were a lot of supporting characters in this novel. Sammy is the main character and is well developed. We get snippets of his life as he finally opens up to friends in the training facility, and it shows more and more why he is the way he is. The supporting characters range from his rival the twin Kobe, Jeffie the love interest, Brickart the roommate and youngest recruit, and recruits Kawai and Natalie, along with the mentor Byron and Al. All of these characters play a part in forming Sammy into a new person. It was a lot to keep track of, but well done.
This sci-fi novel was an action novel and it did not disappoint. The action was continuous with little breaks to catch your breath before something happened again. It made for a quick fun read as you didn’t want to stop. It even ended in action- little disappointed as I am not a fan of cliffhangers.This author created evil that can only be described as really evil. The Thirteens were truly terrifying. I would never want to run across one of these and it didn’t seem like Sammy did either. Sammy was well prepared to fight them, but still did not want to see them.
Sammy has been living a hard street life since his parents were murdered. It all changes the day he not only runs from the Shocks, but causes their weapons to turn back on themselves. Sammy begins a new life training as a Psion- people with genetic anomalies that allow them to create blasts out of their hands and feet. Sammy does not only have to endure a new life and training regimen which causes some friction due to his intelligence, but he has to learn how to survive against people with the mutation thirteen, cold blooded killers that do not feel anything remotely human.
There were a lot of supporting characters in this novel. Sammy is the main character and is well developed. We get snippets of his life as he finally opens up to friends in the training facility, and it shows more and more why he is the way he is. The supporting characters range from his rival the twin Kobe, Jeffie the love interest, Brickart the roommate and youngest recruit, and recruits Kawai and Natalie, along with the mentor Byron and Al. All of these characters play a part in forming Sammy into a new person. It was a lot to keep track of, but well done.
This sci-fi novel was an action novel and it did not disappoint. The action was continuous with little breaks to catch your breath before something happened again. It made for a quick fun read as you didn’t want to stop. It even ended in action- little disappointed as I am not a fan of cliffhangers.This author created evil that can only be described as really evil. The Thirteens were truly terrifying. I would never want to run across one of these and it didn’t seem like Sammy did either. Sammy was well prepared to fight them, but still did not want to see them.
May 21, 2011
There are so many dystopias coming out of the woodworks but this one is one of my very favorites now. I will be anxiously awaiting book two for the next few months until it is hopefully released! Normally, when you see a book that is self published and marked at a low ebook price it is a mix of emotions. You see this great price and then there is that ultimate question of will the book live up to your standards and be something you can enjoy. This book went above and beyond for me. It was great! Amazing Dystopia read, great characters, great overall plot and a new twist of the dystopias that have been coming out recently.
It gives a militaristic twist and the fantasy aspect has a science to it that gives it a more realistic feeling. The main character is very different than most of the character I read about. He was born and lived in Africa before being recruited and the way he thinks is something I think that either gender can relate to. He isn’t perfect and neither are any of the other characters giving them more character depth. Overall, I would suggest it to anyone interested in dystopias. Great book for anyone trying to find something for a younger guy who it might be hard to keep interested or any and all fans of The Hunger Games series.
Sincerely,
Emma Michaels
review from: http://EmmaMichaels.Blogspot.com
It gives a militaristic twist and the fantasy aspect has a science to it that gives it a more realistic feeling. The main character is very different than most of the character I read about. He was born and lived in Africa before being recruited and the way he thinks is something I think that either gender can relate to. He isn’t perfect and neither are any of the other characters giving them more character depth. Overall, I would suggest it to anyone interested in dystopias. Great book for anyone trying to find something for a younger guy who it might be hard to keep interested or any and all fans of The Hunger Games series.
Sincerely,
Emma Michaels
review from: http://EmmaMichaels.Blogspot.com
May 31, 2016
Fairly entertaining. It's superficially like Ender's Game, as mentioned in many other reviews. I also kept connecting it to Artemis Fowl and have no idea why, because on consideration there's no resemblance. I'm assuming at this point it has something to do with writing style.
For reference, I actually like most books I've given two stars. This one is borderline on three, and might get bumped up later depending how my next read of Ender's Game goes (specifically, if I bump EG up a star). It's only at two because EG is at three, and they are not even in any sense. Bumped a star. It has a charm EG lacks, and as enjoyment goes I think I liked this one better (It's been a couple years, so not positive about this). Also the sequels aren't completely bat$#!^.
The love interest seemed forced, particularly at first.
I'd have preferred more time spent on Sammy's (few) flaws. He seemed to get over them ridiculously fast.
It's not any worse than most children's/YA novels from big publishers, and I only noticed one real error in basic editing, which is no worse than some trashy vampire romance novels that I shall not name here. Suffice to say they were not self published, and are quite popular (no it's not Twilight). I think it could have been much better with some truly heartless editing, but at present it's pretty good brain sorbet.
The love interest seemed forced, particularly at first.
I'd have preferred more time spent on Sammy's (few) flaws. He seemed to get over them ridiculously fast.
It's not any worse than most children's/YA novels from big publishers, and I only noticed one real error in basic editing, which is no worse than some trashy vampire romance novels that I shall not name here. Suffice to say they were not self published, and are quite popular (no it's not Twilight). I think it could have been much better with some truly heartless editing, but at present it's pretty good brain sorbet.
April 25, 2014
Jacob Gowans crafted an interesting and entertaining future world that leaves you ready for more.
Psion Beta is set around the year 2085, many years after a supervirus killed off over forty percent of the world's population. The story centers on 14 year old Samuel "Sammy" Harris Berhane. A series of tragic events have stripped Sammy of his childhood and left him unable to trust anyone especially those in authority. In the face of what looks to be yet another tragedy Sammy is given a fresh start because of some special gifts he possesses. These gifts make him an important government asset to protect peace as he and others are trained to fight "The Silent War."
The story follows Sammy's training as he discovers the limits of his gifts and pushes himself to do extraordinary things. While he learns to push his physical limits he must also wrestle with his own fear and distrust of others.
I highly recommend this book to anyone (of any age) who enjoys a good science fiction novel. The characters are well developed and the plot is engaging. I would love to say more but I don't want to spoil it for you. If you liked the Ender series by Orson Scott Card it is fair to say that you will be equally entertained and drawn in by this book.
Psion Beta is set around the year 2085, many years after a supervirus killed off over forty percent of the world's population. The story centers on 14 year old Samuel "Sammy" Harris Berhane. A series of tragic events have stripped Sammy of his childhood and left him unable to trust anyone especially those in authority. In the face of what looks to be yet another tragedy Sammy is given a fresh start because of some special gifts he possesses. These gifts make him an important government asset to protect peace as he and others are trained to fight "The Silent War."
The story follows Sammy's training as he discovers the limits of his gifts and pushes himself to do extraordinary things. While he learns to push his physical limits he must also wrestle with his own fear and distrust of others.
I highly recommend this book to anyone (of any age) who enjoys a good science fiction novel. The characters are well developed and the plot is engaging. I would love to say more but I don't want to spoil it for you. If you liked the Ender series by Orson Scott Card it is fair to say that you will be equally entertained and drawn in by this book.
May 13, 2012
Got this one for free on the kindle and it is one of the most surprisingly enjoyable books I've read. I typically don't expect much from a free book and this far surpassed my expectations. This book reminded me a ton of Ender's Game. It is quite similar through the first 3/4ths of the book. Sammy is recruited into the Beta squadron training program after he discovers some odd powers that he has. As he excels in his studies and lessons, things take an interesting turn. My big complaint about this book is the huge cliffhanger ending that I wasn't expecting. Add on top of that that at the end of the book was a note from the author that he didn't know when the second book would be out and I was worried. Fortunately it's already out.
***SPOILERS***
This book was so similar to Ender's Game I seriously thought it was going to be a copy of the book. It was for awhile. That being said, the end of the book turned out quite a bit different than Ender's Game (thankfully as I was a bit disappointed in how Ender's Game ended). I'm excited to learn how Sammy returns home and survives.
***SPOILERS***
This book was so similar to Ender's Game I seriously thought it was going to be a copy of the book. It was for awhile. That being said, the end of the book turned out quite a bit different than Ender's Game (thankfully as I was a bit disappointed in how Ender's Game ended). I'm excited to learn how Sammy returns home and survives.
January 9, 2011
With an abandoned store as their base, Sammy and his friends craft war games to stay entertained. But soon their escapades are interrupted, and the boys are on the run from the truly dangerous "Shockers." Gowans jumps right into the action with this great science fiction adventure. After a surprising encounter with the Shockers, Sammy finds himself at a special training facility for teenagers with genetic anomalies. There, Sammy must learn to trust his friends -- and enemies -- while training to protect a world at war. He faces the demons of his past, the usual trials of being a teenager, and his own insecurities in this well-crafted story.
Fans of Hunger Games, rejoice! This is the next must-read for your list. You won't find this book in your library, however. It is available for purchase through Amazon.com in print and for Kindle. Just be sure to check out the acknowledgments page; you'll find yours truly merited her own mention. :) Happy reading!
Fans of Hunger Games, rejoice! This is the next must-read for your list. You won't find this book in your library, however. It is available for purchase through Amazon.com in print and for Kindle. Just be sure to check out the acknowledgments page; you'll find yours truly merited her own mention. :) Happy reading!
March 23, 2011
Really enjoyed this book. Thanks for the recommendation Kristen. An up and coming author starts his career with a fun Sci-Fi book. I have never been really big into the Sci-Fi mode, but I did enjoy this book. I felt that details were enough for you to get the point, but not too graphic to make me uncomfortable. It was a clean read and I would recommend it to my niece or nephew to read (my own daughters are still too young :) )
Some people have compared it to a similar feel as Hunger Games and the Ender Games (I haven't read the latter, but it has sparked my interest). I, like most others who have read the book, can't wait for the next book to be published.
Some people have compared it to a similar feel as Hunger Games and the Ender Games (I haven't read the latter, but it has sparked my interest). I, like most others who have read the book, can't wait for the next book to be published.
May 2, 2011
This was written by a guy on Cougarboard. I'd seen others discuss it enough that I decided to pay the 99 cents for the Kindle version. Very well worth the 99 cents. It's a fun, easy read. Kind of like Hunger Games mixed with Harry Potter in a school-type setting. Very entertaining. The cliffhanger ending is kind of brutal, but hopefully BYUJacob (as he's known on CougarBoard) gets enough interest to be able to write a followup book and finish the story.
Definitely worth the 99 cents!
Definitely worth the 99 cents!
January 14, 2017
I really enjoyed this book (although towards the end it gets pretty violent, so be warned). It is a great pace. The only downside to reading it is my house is messy and to-do list unattended to. Also, my dentist from Cleveland wrote it, so that's pretty cool! It seems similar to Ender's Game at first but is definitely its own story. I'm currently inhaling the rest of the books in the series--gotta know what happens!
March 20, 2011
wow so far - can't wait to finish! Loved it! I couldn't wait to find out what happened, and now I'm left wanting more! Felt like a combination of Ender's Game & Hunger Games. A little violent for my taste, but I'm not a gamer, so all the sim stuff seemed a little too real for me. I was sympathizing with the characters, which is always a good thing.
January 1, 2012
I really liked this story; it was highly reminiscent of Ender's Game. The characters were well-developed and some parts of the story were very exciting. However, this is a self-published book and it kind of shows. It desperately needed an editor and a few parts were a little confusing because of how it was written. But it was good enough that I will eventually read the next installment.
April 20, 2012
I absolutely loved this book and encourage others to read it word for word page for page. From the moment I started readingI could not put it down. When I completed it I begged my mum to buy the second one, it was just that good. Words cannot explain this perfectly crafted and writtan book and I support the author to write more.
June 19, 2012
I thought this book was absolutely amazing! It is a fast read and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I have read this book twice and recommend anyone read it! It reads like a video game in my mind!! Love it!!
July 7, 2012
What a complete surprise! I got this free from Amazon as an e-book promo and I was completely sucked into the world. I don't think I put it down all night! Zoomed through Psion Gamma and can't wait for the next.
September 3, 2011
One of the best books I have read. I can't wait for the next.
Want to read
June 1, 2013This book is free today for kindle! 6/1/13!
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