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Beta Rising
In a divided world where alphas are born to rule, while betas are doomed to serve, Dane Hasler thinks life is pretty sweet. He’s the hottest dude in high school, captain of the gridball team, and son of the mayor. If he can just keep acting straight, he’s sure to claim his rightful place among the alpha elite. But Dane’s dreams are shattered on graduation day when his test result reveals he’s a beta.
Shunned by family and friends, Dane struggles with life on the streets until he runs into a former classmate and joins her queer rebel collective. Finally free to be himself, Dane is just starting to enjoy his new life when a shocking revelation presents him with a stark choice: should he return to the closet to reclaim his alpha status or fight for his boyfriend and the revolution?
Shunned by family and friends, Dane struggles with life on the streets until he runs into a former classmate and joins her queer rebel collective. Finally free to be himself, Dane is just starting to enjoy his new life when a shocking revelation presents him with a stark choice: should he return to the closet to reclaim his alpha status or fight for his boyfriend and the revolution?
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2023
3 people are currently reading
566 people want to read
About the author
Graham Bower
5 books10 followersGraham Bower is usually up to no good. When he’s not writing about himself in the third-person, he works as a designer, journalist, app developer, fitness expert and raconteur.
Born and raised near London, he studied graphic design at Central St Martins. He was the creative director of Black Cat, a marketing agency acquired by Wunderman Thompson and went on to run his own award-winning agency, Polymath, specializing in kids entertainment. Clients included Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and the BBC. After years of promoting other people’s stories, he decided it was time to start writing his own.
Going through cancer treatment and recovery inspired Graham to get into fitness. He’s now a CYQ Level 3 qualified personal trainer and NLP Master Practitioner. His bodybuilding app, Reps & Sets, has been featured on the App Store and he writes about fitness for tech news website Cult of Mac. His hobbies include drinking coffee, watching American football and learning Spanish.
Graham lives in Barcelona with his husband Martin and their dog, Lulabelle.
Born and raised near London, he studied graphic design at Central St Martins. He was the creative director of Black Cat, a marketing agency acquired by Wunderman Thompson and went on to run his own award-winning agency, Polymath, specializing in kids entertainment. Clients included Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and the BBC. After years of promoting other people’s stories, he decided it was time to start writing his own.
Going through cancer treatment and recovery inspired Graham to get into fitness. He’s now a CYQ Level 3 qualified personal trainer and NLP Master Practitioner. His bodybuilding app, Reps & Sets, has been featured on the App Store and he writes about fitness for tech news website Cult of Mac. His hobbies include drinking coffee, watching American football and learning Spanish.
Graham lives in Barcelona with his husband Martin and their dog, Lulabelle.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 7, 2023
ヽ(•‿•)ノ
Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we're discussing Graham Bower's book, Beta Rising. This was my first experience with Bower's work, and after reading this story, I'm eager to explore more of his books in the future. I'd like to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of Beta Rising in exchange for an honest review. I had the pleasure of reading this captivating novel in March 2023, spending almost an entire day engrossed in its pages. Recommended for readers aged 16 and above, Beta Rising is set to be published on Kindle on June 1, 2023. The narrative, told from Dane's first-person perspective, spans 32 chapters and 266 pages.
Summary:
In a divided world where alphas are born to rule and betas are destined to serve, Dane Hasler believes life is quite favorable. As the most popular guy in high school, captain of the gridball team, and son of the mayor, he anticipates joining the alpha elite if he maintains his facade. However, Dane's dreams are crushed on graduation day when his test results reveal that he is a beta.
Ostracized by family and friends, Dane grapples with life on the streets until he encounters Effie, a former classmate turned freedom fighter. He joins her unconventional rebel group, where he meets his first boyfriend. Dane, adjusting to his new life, faces a shocking betrayal that leaves him with a critical decision: should he regain his alpha status or defend his boyfriend and the revolution?
Review:
-I think that the book was created with some exceptional writing skills and an outstanding focus on details that kept me engrossed throughout the story. I feel that the technique that the author use while introducing us to the main character at the beginning of the story defined the character's distinct voice and personality and was quite effective in capturing my attention. I feel that the book's pacing was well executed, demonstrating the author's ability to sustain a captivating rhythm throughout. I appreciated the book's inclusion of fascinating technological elements within its world. I was fond of the compact Beta Rising logo artwork that was used as section dividers throughout the book.
-Upon delving into the book, I felt a strong connection between characters Tobyn and Dane, leading me to support their potential relationship. I appreciated Dane's significant character development, evident from the beginning to the end. The character Lol caught my attention and piqued my interest. I found myself wanting to know more about his story.
-I particularly enjoyed the dynamic action throughout the book, especially in the thrilling scenes towards the end. The conclusion was satisfying, but I would have appreciated more information on Bard's whereabouts, Dane's brother in the story. If the book becomes available in paperback or hardback, I will certainly pick up a physical copy. Personally, I would appreciate if this book were adapted into a TV show, and if it ever is, I would definitely watch it.
I rate each story I read out of 10, and for this one, I give it an 8.6. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.
Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we're discussing Graham Bower's book, Beta Rising. This was my first experience with Bower's work, and after reading this story, I'm eager to explore more of his books in the future. I'd like to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of Beta Rising in exchange for an honest review. I had the pleasure of reading this captivating novel in March 2023, spending almost an entire day engrossed in its pages. Recommended for readers aged 16 and above, Beta Rising is set to be published on Kindle on June 1, 2023. The narrative, told from Dane's first-person perspective, spans 32 chapters and 266 pages.
Summary:
In a divided world where alphas are born to rule and betas are destined to serve, Dane Hasler believes life is quite favorable. As the most popular guy in high school, captain of the gridball team, and son of the mayor, he anticipates joining the alpha elite if he maintains his facade. However, Dane's dreams are crushed on graduation day when his test results reveal that he is a beta.
Ostracized by family and friends, Dane grapples with life on the streets until he encounters Effie, a former classmate turned freedom fighter. He joins her unconventional rebel group, where he meets his first boyfriend. Dane, adjusting to his new life, faces a shocking betrayal that leaves him with a critical decision: should he regain his alpha status or defend his boyfriend and the revolution?
Review:
-I think that the book was created with some exceptional writing skills and an outstanding focus on details that kept me engrossed throughout the story. I feel that the technique that the author use while introducing us to the main character at the beginning of the story defined the character's distinct voice and personality and was quite effective in capturing my attention. I feel that the book's pacing was well executed, demonstrating the author's ability to sustain a captivating rhythm throughout. I appreciated the book's inclusion of fascinating technological elements within its world. I was fond of the compact Beta Rising logo artwork that was used as section dividers throughout the book.
-Upon delving into the book, I felt a strong connection between characters Tobyn and Dane, leading me to support their potential relationship. I appreciated Dane's significant character development, evident from the beginning to the end. The character Lol caught my attention and piqued my interest. I found myself wanting to know more about his story.
-I particularly enjoyed the dynamic action throughout the book, especially in the thrilling scenes towards the end. The conclusion was satisfying, but I would have appreciated more information on Bard's whereabouts, Dane's brother in the story. If the book becomes available in paperback or hardback, I will certainly pick up a physical copy. Personally, I would appreciate if this book were adapted into a TV show, and if it ever is, I would definitely watch it.
I rate each story I read out of 10, and for this one, I give it an 8.6. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.
May 26, 2023
After reading Earthshine by Graham Bower, I had been eagerly waiting for the release of the second book. So when I saw his book for review I grabbed the opportunity knowing fully well that my coming days were going to be great. My expectations had been high after Earthshine. So when I received Beta Rising I was thrilled. I was right Graham Bower delivers yet another gem that will bowl you over.
Beta Rising will be released on Kindle on June 1, 2023, and is advised for readers 16 and older. Recounted in first-person by Dane, it has 32 chapters and 266 pages. The book is not only well written but an outstanding attention to detail will keep the readers interested in the plot the entire time. The method used by the author to introduce the main character to us at the beginning of the novel defines the character's unique voice and personality. The pace of the book is so well-executed that the book keeps you engrossed throughout.
Beta Rising delves into the topic of whether any of us are superior to others . In Sky City, betas are the underclass, submissive to the alphas, frequently mistreated, and destitute. To be able to join the Alphas one must pass a test. The upper class is then formed. Dane expected to be the alpha when he takes the exam because he is the mayor's son, but due to deception, he ends up being the beta. The story of how he dealt with that, came out to himself and others, and agreed to join the Beta Rising rebels makes up for a very intriguing book. Beta Rising highlights the dichotomies that exist in our society and also depicts what happens when society gives some groups more privilege than others.
I found Bower's story to be engrossing, not just because of its fast-paced plot, but also because of its thematic content. The book serves as a dark reminder of how grim some of our lives may be due to circumstances beyond our control. The author makes us shed our egos and our obsession with individualism within the framework of this theme endeavour and teaches to fight inequality as a group.
Besides the captivating story and inspiring message, Bower's writing is superb—clear, succinct, and enjoyable to read. He creates a convincing lead character who begins as a self-described "jackass" and ends up still being one, albeit a changed one. Without using common linguistic or behavioural tropes, the author successfully writes from the stance of a teenager in a young adult novel while yet giving the character complexity and room for development. I connected strongly with the characters Tobyn and Dane, which made me want to believe that they could be together. Dane saw substantial character growth throughout the story, which I loved. I was drawn to and interested in the character Lol. I found myself curious to learn more about his experience
I liked how the novel included interesting technology aspects into its world. I also liked how the book's sections were divided by the small Beta Rising logo illustrations.
Throughout the entire novel, there was a lot of dynamic action, but my favourite parts were the suspenseful sequences near the finish. Although I was happy with how the narrative ended, I would have liked to know more about Bard, who played the role of Dane's brother. I highly recommend to readers looking for some power packed reading.
Beta Rising will be released on Kindle on June 1, 2023, and is advised for readers 16 and older. Recounted in first-person by Dane, it has 32 chapters and 266 pages. The book is not only well written but an outstanding attention to detail will keep the readers interested in the plot the entire time. The method used by the author to introduce the main character to us at the beginning of the novel defines the character's unique voice and personality. The pace of the book is so well-executed that the book keeps you engrossed throughout.
Beta Rising delves into the topic of whether any of us are superior to others . In Sky City, betas are the underclass, submissive to the alphas, frequently mistreated, and destitute. To be able to join the Alphas one must pass a test. The upper class is then formed. Dane expected to be the alpha when he takes the exam because he is the mayor's son, but due to deception, he ends up being the beta. The story of how he dealt with that, came out to himself and others, and agreed to join the Beta Rising rebels makes up for a very intriguing book. Beta Rising highlights the dichotomies that exist in our society and also depicts what happens when society gives some groups more privilege than others.
I found Bower's story to be engrossing, not just because of its fast-paced plot, but also because of its thematic content. The book serves as a dark reminder of how grim some of our lives may be due to circumstances beyond our control. The author makes us shed our egos and our obsession with individualism within the framework of this theme endeavour and teaches to fight inequality as a group.
Besides the captivating story and inspiring message, Bower's writing is superb—clear, succinct, and enjoyable to read. He creates a convincing lead character who begins as a self-described "jackass" and ends up still being one, albeit a changed one. Without using common linguistic or behavioural tropes, the author successfully writes from the stance of a teenager in a young adult novel while yet giving the character complexity and room for development. I connected strongly with the characters Tobyn and Dane, which made me want to believe that they could be together. Dane saw substantial character growth throughout the story, which I loved. I was drawn to and interested in the character Lol. I found myself curious to learn more about his experience
I liked how the novel included interesting technology aspects into its world. I also liked how the book's sections were divided by the small Beta Rising logo illustrations.
Throughout the entire novel, there was a lot of dynamic action, but my favourite parts were the suspenseful sequences near the finish. Although I was happy with how the narrative ended, I would have liked to know more about Bard, who played the role of Dane's brother. I highly recommend to readers looking for some power packed reading.
April 23, 2023
4.5 stars Heteronormative and queer, rich and poor, alpha and beta. Beta Rising shines a light on dichotomies such as these and tells a story that captures what occurs when society privileges some groups over others.
I found Bower’s tale captivating throughout, not only for its fast-paced cyberpunk adventure plot but also for its thematic content that reminds us how shitty some of our lives can be for reasons outside our control. It is within the confines of this thematic project that the author suggests we lose our egos, our infatuation of individualism, and combat inequality as a collective. I appreciate the drastic measure the protagonist takes to address his city’s tyranny; I believe most authors would caution against including a rebellion group such as Beta Rising into their novels, especially with such a positive approach. Thankfully, Bower did not.
On top of the engaging plot and compelling message, Bower’s writing is excellent—clear, concise, and easy to read. He also crafts a believable main character who starts off a self-proclaimed “jackass” and ends up a jackass, albeit a changed jackass. The author pulls off writing a teenager in a young adult novel without resorting to typical cliches, linguistic or behavioural, offering the boy complexity and room for growth.
What keeps this book from reaching five stars is its lack of in-dialogue tension. In one scene, the protagonist asks his commander for something, the commander says no, a third-party says “but yes,” and the commander changes her mind automatically. Interactions such as these showcase important decisions the characters must deliberate and could have added more depth to their relationships if more space was spent on them. I also wish ideas associated with “fitness” and body were a bit more problematised. In a story that aims to subvert the status quo through its discussion of a variety of topics ranging from capitalism to race, the book could have benefited from highlighting a subject that continues to plague the gay community. However, based on the protagonist’s history, I can understand why he might place premiums on thinness and musculature.
Beta Rising tells a fun, lively story that addresses timely issues. Here, Bower balances camp with grace in his exploration of difficult situations, some of which mirror his lived experience. I want to say thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I’m glad I was able to discover this author through this gift. I will definitely pick up the physical book once it becomes available and will check out Bower’s other work. Also, a prequel or sequel for Beta Rising would be lovely.
I found Bower’s tale captivating throughout, not only for its fast-paced cyberpunk adventure plot but also for its thematic content that reminds us how shitty some of our lives can be for reasons outside our control. It is within the confines of this thematic project that the author suggests we lose our egos, our infatuation of individualism, and combat inequality as a collective. I appreciate the drastic measure the protagonist takes to address his city’s tyranny; I believe most authors would caution against including a rebellion group such as Beta Rising into their novels, especially with such a positive approach. Thankfully, Bower did not.
On top of the engaging plot and compelling message, Bower’s writing is excellent—clear, concise, and easy to read. He also crafts a believable main character who starts off a self-proclaimed “jackass” and ends up a jackass, albeit a changed jackass. The author pulls off writing a teenager in a young adult novel without resorting to typical cliches, linguistic or behavioural, offering the boy complexity and room for growth.
What keeps this book from reaching five stars is its lack of in-dialogue tension. In one scene, the protagonist asks his commander for something, the commander says no, a third-party says “but yes,” and the commander changes her mind automatically. Interactions such as these showcase important decisions the characters must deliberate and could have added more depth to their relationships if more space was spent on them. I also wish ideas associated with “fitness” and body were a bit more problematised. In a story that aims to subvert the status quo through its discussion of a variety of topics ranging from capitalism to race, the book could have benefited from highlighting a subject that continues to plague the gay community. However, based on the protagonist’s history, I can understand why he might place premiums on thinness and musculature.
Beta Rising tells a fun, lively story that addresses timely issues. Here, Bower balances camp with grace in his exploration of difficult situations, some of which mirror his lived experience. I want to say thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I’m glad I was able to discover this author through this gift. I will definitely pick up the physical book once it becomes available and will check out Bower’s other work. Also, a prequel or sequel for Beta Rising would be lovely.
May 16, 2023
The main thing this book needed was a big dose of subtlety. There were lots of interesting ideas, relationships, and characters floating around, but they all needed to be treated with a lighter hand in general. For instance, the whole premise of the book is that society has been divided into Alphas and Betas, with Betas being treated as inferior and abused constantly. Although I was definitely weirded out by the concept at first (sorry, it was just giving wayy too many omegaverse vibes), it was alright in practice – especially once I read the author’s note explaining the story’s origins. But it wasn’t hugely effective as a dystopia because it was lacking subtlety. It was just straight-up the Betas are basically slaves and are abused constantly and drugged. But it was really unclear how society had progressed to this point from presumably current times in a single generation because there was no subtlety – how did society come to accept this? Why? What was society like that made people so desperate for structure that they would accept such an arbitrary designation? The same goes for the characters. Dane’s character arc makes plenty of sense in theory, but it seemed like he went from one beat to the next without making the transitional periods clear. And his feelings about his former friends and family were similarly lacking in nuance. Generally, no matter how horrible the things someone has done to you, if they’re that close to you you don’t just turn your feelings for them off like a light switch; you feel something. And that was missing in this case. Same goes for his relationship with Tobyn and his feelings about rebellion. Like I said – everything needed just a little bit more nuance. Maybe another hundred pages to explore these things? The other main thing was that there were just a lot of world-building details that were thrown out without a ton of thought given. For instance: if there are almost no flying shuttles and even most of the ultra-rich couldn’t afford them, why could one be used to travel between cities for sports? There were just a few different things like that throughout the book that made the world feel a bit muddled. I also wasn’t entirely satisfied with the extent the sexism and racism in the society were addressed. But I did actually quite enjoy elements of it; once I got past the alpha-beta thing and Dane’s sort of irritating teenage boy voice, there were lots of other characters to enjoy, and Dane and Tobyn’s relationship was very sweet. Lots of potential, but needed just a bit more polishing and development.
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April 27, 2023I was provided with an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
This book was a hard read for me. There are many content warnings to be aware of: body horror, hate speech/crimes, abuse, violent caste systems. Then there are themes that deal with toxic masculinity, gender identity, societal oppression.
Beta Rising is a novel about a dystopian world where people are separated into alphas and betas after they graduate high school. It is all based on luck and genetics. The alphas are the ones in charge while the betas are the ones who serve. The main character starts out as an entitled jackass who gets a rid awakening when he is not the alpha he always thought he would be. He is a typical male teenager that we have seen in most young adult novels.
The rebellion and political plot point came about as too unbelievable. This didn't seem to come about naturally for the book but considering this is a young adult book I can forgive it. At the same time, I don't think this is meant for the lower end of the young adult demographic. I would think maybe 16+ with a good support system because of the content warning I mentioned earlier.
The world building is good and the writing will make you feel what the author wants you to feel. Now those feelings are usually brought about by difficult scenes that can be hard read. I don't think I can recommend this book to everyone but if you are interested in the genre this book can be for you. That is why I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.
This book was a hard read for me. There are many content warnings to be aware of: body horror, hate speech/crimes, abuse, violent caste systems. Then there are themes that deal with toxic masculinity, gender identity, societal oppression.
Beta Rising is a novel about a dystopian world where people are separated into alphas and betas after they graduate high school. It is all based on luck and genetics. The alphas are the ones in charge while the betas are the ones who serve. The main character starts out as an entitled jackass who gets a rid awakening when he is not the alpha he always thought he would be. He is a typical male teenager that we have seen in most young adult novels.
The rebellion and political plot point came about as too unbelievable. This didn't seem to come about naturally for the book but considering this is a young adult book I can forgive it. At the same time, I don't think this is meant for the lower end of the young adult demographic. I would think maybe 16+ with a good support system because of the content warning I mentioned earlier.
The world building is good and the writing will make you feel what the author wants you to feel. Now those feelings are usually brought about by difficult scenes that can be hard read. I don't think I can recommend this book to everyone but if you are interested in the genre this book can be for you. That is why I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.
April 29, 2023
The premise of this book held so much potential. The uprising of social/political castes, coming of age, learning who you truly are…I was so ready to be impressed. Instead I’m left wanting, and not really in a positive way.
The MC had every chance to change his POV and thought process but even up until the end of the book continued to push misogyny and homophobic rhetoric. The use of “no homo” with his friends even after coming to terms with his queerness, his use of the “Betty” slur towards his fellow betas…it just didn’t sit right to me. This is partially due to a case of “old habits die hard” but for a book that was supposed to show his growth, it really wasn’t much of a change.
Overall it was a fun and quick read and did enjoy the other characters.
I did receive this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review
The MC had every chance to change his POV and thought process but even up until the end of the book continued to push misogyny and homophobic rhetoric. The use of “no homo” with his friends even after coming to terms with his queerness, his use of the “Betty” slur towards his fellow betas…it just didn’t sit right to me. This is partially due to a case of “old habits die hard” but for a book that was supposed to show his growth, it really wasn’t much of a change.
Overall it was a fun and quick read and did enjoy the other characters.
I did receive this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review
July 18, 2023
GoodRead giveaway win..
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews