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The Beam #1
The Beam: Episode 1
In 2097, the world is as perfect as you want it to be.
Choose Enterprise and the government stays out of your way, leaving you free to sink or swim — no help for the drowning.
Choose Directorate and all are equal, fed, sheltered and entertained by the government, every need provided for, and every man another cog in society's machine.
Every six years during Shift, citizens decide who they are. Enterprise or Directorate, lives are lived inside the North American Union, walled off from the rest of the world and the Wild East beyond the shell, enhanced by incredible A.I., nanobots that monitor and support daily living, and The Beam: the network connecting every human in the NAU.
New powers are rising as emergent technology blooms from an unknown source, and threatens to shatter peace and throw the nation into chaos.
What does the future mean when our present is stretched and reality blurred?
This is the first episode in the epic sci-fi saga, The Beam, by breakout indie authors Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant.
WHO ARE YOU?
Choose Enterprise and the government stays out of your way, leaving you free to sink or swim — no help for the drowning.
Choose Directorate and all are equal, fed, sheltered and entertained by the government, every need provided for, and every man another cog in society's machine.
Every six years during Shift, citizens decide who they are. Enterprise or Directorate, lives are lived inside the North American Union, walled off from the rest of the world and the Wild East beyond the shell, enhanced by incredible A.I., nanobots that monitor and support daily living, and The Beam: the network connecting every human in the NAU.
New powers are rising as emergent technology blooms from an unknown source, and threatens to shatter peace and throw the nation into chaos.
What does the future mean when our present is stretched and reality blurred?
This is the first episode in the epic sci-fi saga, The Beam, by breakout indie authors Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant.
WHO ARE YOU?
95 pages, ebook
First published June 18, 2013
28 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
Sean Platt
334 books826 followersSean loves writing books, even more than reading them. He is co-founder of Collective Inkwell and Realm & Sands imprints, writes for children under the name Guy Incognito, and has more than his share of nose.
Together with co-authors David Wright and Johnny B. Truant, Sean has written the series Yesterdays Gone, WhiteSpace, ForNevermore, Available Darkness, Dark Crossings, Unicorn Western, The Beam, Namaste, Robot Proletariat, Cursed, Greens, Space Shuttle, and Everyone Gets Divorced. He also co-wrote the how-to indie book, Write. Publish. Repeat.
With Collective Inkwell
Yesterday's Gone: Post Apocalyptic - LOST by way of The Stand
WhiteSpace: Paranoid thriller on fictitious Hamilton Island
ForNevermore: YA horror that reads nothing like YA Horror
Available Darkness: A new breed of vampire thriller
Dark Crossings: Short stories, killer endings
With 47North
Z 2134: The Walking Dead meets The Hunger Games
Monstrous: Beauty and the Beast meets The Punisher
With Realm & Sands
Unicorn Western: The best story to ever come from a stupid idea
The Beam: Smart sci-fi to make you wonder exactly who we are
Namaste: A revenge thriller like nothing you've ever read
Robot Proletariat: The revolution starts here
Cursed: The old werewolf legend turned upside down
Greens: Retail noir comedy
Space Shuttle: Over the top comedy with all your favorite sci-fi characters
Everyone Gets Divorced: Like "Always Sunny" and "How I Met Your Mother" had a baby on your Kindle
Sean lives in Austin, TX with his wife, daughter, and son.
Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seanplatt (say hi so he can follow you back!)
Together with co-authors David Wright and Johnny B. Truant, Sean has written the series Yesterdays Gone, WhiteSpace, ForNevermore, Available Darkness, Dark Crossings, Unicorn Western, The Beam, Namaste, Robot Proletariat, Cursed, Greens, Space Shuttle, and Everyone Gets Divorced. He also co-wrote the how-to indie book, Write. Publish. Repeat.
With Collective Inkwell
Yesterday's Gone: Post Apocalyptic - LOST by way of The Stand
WhiteSpace: Paranoid thriller on fictitious Hamilton Island
ForNevermore: YA horror that reads nothing like YA Horror
Available Darkness: A new breed of vampire thriller
Dark Crossings: Short stories, killer endings
With 47North
Z 2134: The Walking Dead meets The Hunger Games
Monstrous: Beauty and the Beast meets The Punisher
With Realm & Sands
Unicorn Western: The best story to ever come from a stupid idea
The Beam: Smart sci-fi to make you wonder exactly who we are
Namaste: A revenge thriller like nothing you've ever read
Robot Proletariat: The revolution starts here
Cursed: The old werewolf legend turned upside down
Greens: Retail noir comedy
Space Shuttle: Over the top comedy with all your favorite sci-fi characters
Everyone Gets Divorced: Like "Always Sunny" and "How I Met Your Mother" had a baby on your Kindle
Sean lives in Austin, TX with his wife, daughter, and son.
Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seanplatt (say hi so he can follow you back!)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 7, 2013
Well, Amazon hasn't been letting my reviews through in a while, so I'm forced to post here.
DISCLOSURE: I started as a listener of the authors' two podcasts. As of June 2013 am currently working with Sean on other writing projects not related to this title. My opinions are in no way influenced by my other projects with Sean. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What is Sci-Fi?
Sci-Fi usually projects a future that humanity will find itself within, where the rules have changed and the ethics and morality of the past — i.e. TODAY — are put to the question.
Ender's Game dealt with the moral question, not yet posed by reality, of "What should humanity do when we encounter an alien race that seems hostile?" Further books in the series broadened this to, "What about if we meet a new, benign race of primitive technology?" and "What are humanity and sentience?"
Asimov's I, Robot dealt with the future of robotics that he saw swiftly approaching and how humanity would have to deal with it. Among the questions he posed are, "Does artificial life deserve the rights of all life?" and "Do we have the right to remove from our creations the same free will that God has given to us, his own creations?"
And so we come to the Beam.
SLIGHT SPOILERS:
The Beam deals with a futuristic America in which our two current political parties are extrapolated to their extremes. There are only the two parties: Enterprise and Directorate.
Members of Enterprise enjoy the ultimate in free-market capitalism, free from regulation or restraint, but have no safety net. If they fail, they starve. If they succeed, they become the richest people on the planet.
Members of Directorate have their every basic need tended to by the government. They will never starve, never die of illness, and only have to work if they want to (as most menial tasks are automated in this future world of the late twenty-first century). Their trade off comes from the fact that they cannot rise above their position: they receive their dole and must accept it, because they may receive no other income directly. All in Directorate are equal.
In Enterprise, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In Directorate, all are equal in their mediocrity.
Political affiliation is a choice, and binds one to the party he or she has chosen. But every six years comes Shift, where a member of society may (if they wish) change from one party to the other.
The balance of the parties' power can change dramatically during Shift. Senate seats are determined by how many citizens belong to each party. Hence, both parties work hard to ensure as many people choose to join or remain with their party as possible.
In the midst of this — only hinted at in this, the first episode — a new technology is emerging that could change the balance of power, and perhaps the very bedrock of society, forever. Its source is uncertain, and only one of The Beam's main characters knows about it: Doc, a grey-market nano enhancement vendor who caters to clients with a flair for the unusual in their bionic enhancements.
Aside from Doc, an impressive cast of characters populates this book, ranging across the entire spectrum of society, from ultra-rich Enterprise agents, party-ruling Directorate members, vapid artists, high-class escorts and members of the mysterious, only-hinted-at Organa (who I suspect will have a LARGE role to play as the series unfolds).
The question posed by The Beam is: Who would you be? What would you choose? Would you rather be cared for by a government, entrusting them with all responsibility for your life, and thereby ensuring safety for yourself and those dearest to you, your family and friends? Or are you a risk-taker? Would you rather cast yourself recklessly into the jaws of society and battle your way to the top in a winner-takes-all gamble?
I know my choice. Do you?
I will be reading every installment of this series the moment it comes out. I have already highly recommended it to others. I will continue to do so.
It is the best science fiction I have read in a long, long time. Not since I was a teenager reading Ender's Game have I felt this involved in a series.
5 Stars.
DISCLOSURE: I started as a listener of the authors' two podcasts. As of June 2013 am currently working with Sean on other writing projects not related to this title. My opinions are in no way influenced by my other projects with Sean. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What is Sci-Fi?
Sci-Fi usually projects a future that humanity will find itself within, where the rules have changed and the ethics and morality of the past — i.e. TODAY — are put to the question.
Ender's Game dealt with the moral question, not yet posed by reality, of "What should humanity do when we encounter an alien race that seems hostile?" Further books in the series broadened this to, "What about if we meet a new, benign race of primitive technology?" and "What are humanity and sentience?"
Asimov's I, Robot dealt with the future of robotics that he saw swiftly approaching and how humanity would have to deal with it. Among the questions he posed are, "Does artificial life deserve the rights of all life?" and "Do we have the right to remove from our creations the same free will that God has given to us, his own creations?"
And so we come to the Beam.
SLIGHT SPOILERS:
The Beam deals with a futuristic America in which our two current political parties are extrapolated to their extremes. There are only the two parties: Enterprise and Directorate.
Members of Enterprise enjoy the ultimate in free-market capitalism, free from regulation or restraint, but have no safety net. If they fail, they starve. If they succeed, they become the richest people on the planet.
Members of Directorate have their every basic need tended to by the government. They will never starve, never die of illness, and only have to work if they want to (as most menial tasks are automated in this future world of the late twenty-first century). Their trade off comes from the fact that they cannot rise above their position: they receive their dole and must accept it, because they may receive no other income directly. All in Directorate are equal.
In Enterprise, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In Directorate, all are equal in their mediocrity.
Political affiliation is a choice, and binds one to the party he or she has chosen. But every six years comes Shift, where a member of society may (if they wish) change from one party to the other.
The balance of the parties' power can change dramatically during Shift. Senate seats are determined by how many citizens belong to each party. Hence, both parties work hard to ensure as many people choose to join or remain with their party as possible.
In the midst of this — only hinted at in this, the first episode — a new technology is emerging that could change the balance of power, and perhaps the very bedrock of society, forever. Its source is uncertain, and only one of The Beam's main characters knows about it: Doc, a grey-market nano enhancement vendor who caters to clients with a flair for the unusual in their bionic enhancements.
Aside from Doc, an impressive cast of characters populates this book, ranging across the entire spectrum of society, from ultra-rich Enterprise agents, party-ruling Directorate members, vapid artists, high-class escorts and members of the mysterious, only-hinted-at Organa (who I suspect will have a LARGE role to play as the series unfolds).
The question posed by The Beam is: Who would you be? What would you choose? Would you rather be cared for by a government, entrusting them with all responsibility for your life, and thereby ensuring safety for yourself and those dearest to you, your family and friends? Or are you a risk-taker? Would you rather cast yourself recklessly into the jaws of society and battle your way to the top in a winner-takes-all gamble?
I know my choice. Do you?
I will be reading every installment of this series the moment it comes out. I have already highly recommended it to others. I will continue to do so.
It is the best science fiction I have read in a long, long time. Not since I was a teenager reading Ender's Game have I felt this involved in a series.
5 Stars.
April 18, 2015
*This book was supplied to me by AudiobookReviewer.com. This review was originally published on ABR's website.*
The synopsis for this book doesn’t do it justice. It’s only one nano connection in the broad spectrum that is The Beam. Whether the topic is politics, technology, or the backstory of The Beam, the plot is always moving forward. In fact, it’s so chock full of constantly evolving plot lines and subplots that if you stop reading for too long, you need to really take a few minutes to remember where you were. Because of that and its addictive nature, this is a book best read binge-style.
The characters are varied, ranging from a famous singer to political leaders to hippie rebels and beyond. You won’t find yourself wishing there was more diversity, and the character development is done slowly and carefully. It felt as if the technology introduced throughout the book, including The Beam itself, was its own character, with its own backstory, development, and mysteries. The Beam’s personification put this book well beyond the usual dystopian sci-fi bounds and dips into literary fiction in an unexpected way. I was very impressed with that.
The one disclaimer I have to give is that there are parts that seem like the authors wrote them separately and didn’t review each other’s work – they seem to overlap in ways that don’t fit. Be patient. At first I thought there was some huge editing oversight, but later on I saw everything come together and make sense.
The audio talent is good and plentiful with 12 narrators of very different timbres and tones. I’ve seen in many reviews that the voice of Doc is the most criticized, and while I found Doc’s voice to take a little bit of getting used to, I grew fond of him quickly and looked forward to his narrations. I did, however, feel that there were far too many narrators. While I understand the parallel of an epic amount of narrators with an epic technology thriller series, the sheer volume of voice talent confused me, especially as new talent was introduced well into the book, and some voice talent read the same characters in ways different enough from other voice talents that I noticed and concentrated on the difference. Any facet of a book or audiobook that takes away from the writing is less than ideal, in my opinion.
In true Platt and Truant style, The Beam ends in a way no one could guess and leaves you hanging on an uncertain yet satisfying set of facts. A set of facts that will make you read Season 2, which I’m about to start doing right now.
The synopsis for this book doesn’t do it justice. It’s only one nano connection in the broad spectrum that is The Beam. Whether the topic is politics, technology, or the backstory of The Beam, the plot is always moving forward. In fact, it’s so chock full of constantly evolving plot lines and subplots that if you stop reading for too long, you need to really take a few minutes to remember where you were. Because of that and its addictive nature, this is a book best read binge-style.
The characters are varied, ranging from a famous singer to political leaders to hippie rebels and beyond. You won’t find yourself wishing there was more diversity, and the character development is done slowly and carefully. It felt as if the technology introduced throughout the book, including The Beam itself, was its own character, with its own backstory, development, and mysteries. The Beam’s personification put this book well beyond the usual dystopian sci-fi bounds and dips into literary fiction in an unexpected way. I was very impressed with that.
The one disclaimer I have to give is that there are parts that seem like the authors wrote them separately and didn’t review each other’s work – they seem to overlap in ways that don’t fit. Be patient. At first I thought there was some huge editing oversight, but later on I saw everything come together and make sense.
The audio talent is good and plentiful with 12 narrators of very different timbres and tones. I’ve seen in many reviews that the voice of Doc is the most criticized, and while I found Doc’s voice to take a little bit of getting used to, I grew fond of him quickly and looked forward to his narrations. I did, however, feel that there were far too many narrators. While I understand the parallel of an epic amount of narrators with an epic technology thriller series, the sheer volume of voice talent confused me, especially as new talent was introduced well into the book, and some voice talent read the same characters in ways different enough from other voice talents that I noticed and concentrated on the difference. Any facet of a book or audiobook that takes away from the writing is less than ideal, in my opinion.
In true Platt and Truant style, The Beam ends in a way no one could guess and leaves you hanging on an uncertain yet satisfying set of facts. A set of facts that will make you read Season 2, which I’m about to start doing right now.
August 17, 2013
I would rate this book 5 stars for the writing alone. But it is not a complete book. It is more like some sample chapters to introduce you to the rest of the book. It would be nice if it was advertised as sample chapters (13 of them, actually). As a stand-alone piece, it sucks. But then, it wasn't meant to be a stand-alone piece. I forgive this trespass for one reason only - it rocks. I immediately bought the set of 6 for my Kindle when I got done with chapter 13. It is a dirty trick to set it up like they did... yet they haven't destroyed my goodwill just because it's so good. If they had advertised it as introduction chapters to the rest of the series (I suspect that all 6 parts together are ONE book, truly), I would have given it 5 stars. If it wasn't so darn good, this move would have earned them 1 star.
Be aware that a LOT of characters are introduced in these 13 chapters. It can be confusing. I had to remind myself frequently, by turning back several pages, who the character was and what he or she was doing last time we "saw" them. I'm into the second part now - and the characters are fleshed out much more, so it's becoming even more enjoyable. I am particularly loving Nicolai... and starting to hate Doc. We'll see how I'm feeling about those two when all is said and done.
Overall, I do highly recommend it. I think the marketing decision was crappy, but that could be remedied simply by changing the description on Amazon, Goodreads, and where ever else they are promoting this "book."
Be aware that a LOT of characters are introduced in these 13 chapters. It can be confusing. I had to remind myself frequently, by turning back several pages, who the character was and what he or she was doing last time we "saw" them. I'm into the second part now - and the characters are fleshed out much more, so it's becoming even more enjoyable. I am particularly loving Nicolai... and starting to hate Doc. We'll see how I'm feeling about those two when all is said and done.
Overall, I do highly recommend it. I think the marketing decision was crappy, but that could be remedied simply by changing the description on Amazon, Goodreads, and where ever else they are promoting this "book."
July 27, 2015
A masterful story telling experience set in an interesting landscape. The method of portraying each of the characters wonderfully described their situations while still hiding enough that you are constantly left wondering if the character you are exposed to , is actually who they are.
The episodic nature of the book/audiobook meant that it was easy to stop listening if you needed at regular intervals, except you never would. The authors have written it in such a way that you always want to listen to the next episode. It really hooks you very deeply, the beauty of each episode is that you arent bombarded with tons of information resulting in a slow down of the pace of the book, yet over the course of the season you build a deep understanding of the world from the different perspectives of each of the chars in the book.
The episodic nature of the book/audiobook meant that it was easy to stop listening if you needed at regular intervals, except you never would. The authors have written it in such a way that you always want to listen to the next episode. It really hooks you very deeply, the beauty of each episode is that you arent bombarded with tons of information resulting in a slow down of the pace of the book, yet over the course of the season you build a deep understanding of the world from the different perspectives of each of the chars in the book.
July 27, 2016
Good introduction to a new sci-fi series co-written by Sean Platt (of Yesterday's Gone: Season One fame - a series I love) and Johnny B. Truant (a name I love).
After reading Yesterday's Gone and other serials by Platt and writing partner David Wright, I've grown very fond of reading books episodically, I find it's a great way to be introduced to a new story and new author(s) so it's a relief that this episode was not disappointing. I feel a bit more world-building and clearer characterisations are needed but as this is not a full book, I can look past that and hope/assume it is something that has been addressed in later episodes.
After reading Yesterday's Gone and other serials by Platt and writing partner David Wright, I've grown very fond of reading books episodically, I find it's a great way to be introduced to a new story and new author(s) so it's a relief that this episode was not disappointing. I feel a bit more world-building and clearer characterisations are needed but as this is not a full book, I can look past that and hope/assume it is something that has been addressed in later episodes.
January 4, 2014
A great start to the series. As many have said, this is a teaser for the rest of the story.
February 7, 2018
My rating in this instance comes with a caveat - I think plenty of people will enjoy The Beam; my rating is down to personal taste and the things I'm interested in in a story.
In such novels* I like to see solid world building and preferably main characters who are middle of the range or lower on the socio-economic ladder. I NEED to see thorough characterisation. I'm most interested in seeing sci-fi/futuristic/dystopian/in some way different worlds through the eyes of someone I could identify with in some small way, were I in their shoes. Try as I might, I just could not bring myself to care about the lives of most of the characters in this episode. In several cases, it was because of their extreme wealth, but in all cases it was because the characters were not fleshed out at all. There was no chance of identifying with any of them. The writing was a particularly detached 3rd person and all of their stories felt emotionally remote.
Of course, plenty of people won't care about connecting with the characters. I think The Beam would probably be better suited to you if you like thriller-style writing.
*or episodes in this case
In such novels* I like to see solid world building and preferably main characters who are middle of the range or lower on the socio-economic ladder. I NEED to see thorough characterisation. I'm most interested in seeing sci-fi/futuristic/dystopian/in some way different worlds through the eyes of someone I could identify with in some small way, were I in their shoes. Try as I might, I just could not bring myself to care about the lives of most of the characters in this episode. In several cases, it was because of their extreme wealth, but in all cases it was because the characters were not fleshed out at all. There was no chance of identifying with any of them. The writing was a particularly detached 3rd person and all of their stories felt emotionally remote.
Of course, plenty of people won't care about connecting with the characters. I think The Beam would probably be better suited to you if you like thriller-style writing.
*or episodes in this case
December 26, 2017
Damn! Read 1000 pages, to have the story just be dropped in mid conversation! The story was decent enough to hang on to see how it would play out. I probably would have given this two or three stars, but the cliff hanger ruined it. (I HATE cliff-hangers. I wish the book cover, or prologue would warn the reader ‘this book had no ending...’)
This story has chamber pot full of characters, plus the chapters, or episodes, or somewhat careen back into the past then blast forward to the present. Sometimes the chapter headings tell you what the ‘date’ is, sometimes they don’t. And it seems every chapter hopscotches from one character to a different one. The collaboration between the two authors was less than satisfactory. It isn’t worth it to find out how the stories end. It is an interesting concept, how people are consumed by being connected to an internet for everything, home appliances, transportation, communication, etc., it’s just not well done. Sort of like a Michael Crichton novel done poorly.
This story has chamber pot full of characters, plus the chapters, or episodes, or somewhat careen back into the past then blast forward to the present. Sometimes the chapter headings tell you what the ‘date’ is, sometimes they don’t. And it seems every chapter hopscotches from one character to a different one. The collaboration between the two authors was less than satisfactory. It isn’t worth it to find out how the stories end. It is an interesting concept, how people are consumed by being connected to an internet for everything, home appliances, transportation, communication, etc., it’s just not well done. Sort of like a Michael Crichton novel done poorly.
February 17, 2015
Great start to a new series. The concept for the world draws you right in, the political landscape seems scarily possible (republicans and democrats taken to extremes in enterprise and directorate) and an interesting cast of characters I could see myself caring about once we've had a chance to spend more time with them.
I hope that Crumb, especially, plays a big role later in the series; his zaniness is pulled off perfectly and definitely makes you want to know what sort of history he has and whether he'll be able to affect the future in the story.
I hope that Crumb, especially, plays a big role later in the series; his zaniness is pulled off perfectly and definitely makes you want to know what sort of history he has and whether he'll be able to affect the future in the story.
November 30, 2014
The world of The Beam sucked me in immediately. It's what I imagine the future could be for us: computer screens on every available surface and people physically and emotionally hooked into a network called The Beam. Throw in some dirty politics, corporate secrets and greed, psychological games, and a group of non-conformists trying to throw a wrench in things and you have a fast-paced thriller with bite.
Where does our humanity end and The Beam take over? Interesting and scary as hell.
Where does our humanity end and The Beam take over? Interesting and scary as hell.
September 14, 2013
The Beam is a sci-fi serial set in the future. Episode 1 is setting up characters, setting, and plot. I like what the authors have written so far, the writing is solid, and I am intrigued. However, I am not sure if I am sold on the serial model yet. I still would rather read a full length novel, which I could have bought the whole first season to do that. But, I wanted to see if I liked it first since I'm not a huge science fiction reader. I will pick up the whole season soon and re-evaluate.
November 16, 2017
Could be interesting but...
...I’ll never know unless I can overcome my abhorrence of the way the book just ended, practically mid-sentence, just as I was beginning to figure out some of the characters and a bit about the world the author had built.
...I’ll never know unless I can overcome my abhorrence of the way the book just ended, practically mid-sentence, just as I was beginning to figure out some of the characters and a bit about the world the author had built.
April 14, 2020
I love sci fi, i loved the idea this book brought, i loved where it was trying to go.
But it was just entirely difficult to enjoy due to the pacing and lack of anything happening for way too long of stretchs. Some of the chapters just did not reapect my time and felt like filler.
I understand the need to world build and bring in characters but i feel like the style this was written for just was all over. It jumped too fast between characters and events to really get a grasp on anyone by the time they jump back to a character that it's difficult to place who they are again or why you should care.
This was a ambitious book, but i wouldn't recommend it to anyone that needs a better hook.
For example, why am i 4 hours in and absolutely nothing interesting is happening that i care about. Get me invested into a character by now. Ugh.
But it was just entirely difficult to enjoy due to the pacing and lack of anything happening for way too long of stretchs. Some of the chapters just did not reapect my time and felt like filler.
I understand the need to world build and bring in characters but i feel like the style this was written for just was all over. It jumped too fast between characters and events to really get a grasp on anyone by the time they jump back to a character that it's difficult to place who they are again or why you should care.
This was a ambitious book, but i wouldn't recommend it to anyone that needs a better hook.
For example, why am i 4 hours in and absolutely nothing interesting is happening that i care about. Get me invested into a character by now. Ugh.
May 7, 2017
This is a "taster" of the full book, and it's interesting enough.
I'm not sure it's going to make me spend time and money on the actual book, but I'm curious as to what will happen next so maybe I will in the future :)
I'm not sure it's going to make me spend time and money on the actual book, but I'm curious as to what will happen next so maybe I will in the future :)
April 23, 2018
There is way to many characters in this book to keep track of what is going on. It also doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the rest of the series besides the fact that they say the beam a lot.
I couldn’t even finish the book, it was boring and not interesting at all.
I couldn’t even finish the book, it was boring and not interesting at all.
July 11, 2021
This is the book that introduced me to Johnny Truant and Sean Platt. I've been working my way through their books ever since.
April 3, 2015
I read all of this. The Beam, the erotica spinoff Future of Sex, and Plugged. Oh god, Plugged. This book has no freaking clue what it's talking about. The story is about 5 minutes before the singularity, where the US of A has cut itself off from the rest and let the world burn, while they pimp up their buttcheeks and do business.
While reading Beam, I was always under the impression that something was off. Way off. It all clicked when I read Plugged. It all made sense, because nothing makes sense.
1. The internet will not fall. The internet is designed to exist, even if there are only two nodes left in the world.
2. The rest of the world will not be left with no electricity. You can generate electricity with a bicycle. A FUCKING BICYCLE. Talking about not having anything to trade between USA and the rest of the world because they no longer use electronics is so godawful bullshit.
3. High tech is used as magic. Ugh.
4. The worldbuilding was so illogical that I half expected it to be a facade from a rising AI, that showed falsified images to the USA population. I would have loved that twist. But no, it is played straight, USA sends drones to the rest of the world, sees the hunger and the horror, and goes back to resting their legs on hovering furniture.
5. Hacking does not work like that. It never will. Trust me, it never will.
6. Nicolai. Oh man, did he turn into a whiny weakling as soon as he got his memories erased. The only badass in the whole world is left crazy and paranoid because he lost a day of memories. A day is like what you lose after a good party.
7. The book tells, never shows. Everyone is presented as badass, noone does anything badass. Except the hooker-assassin-with-a-heart-of-gold.
8. The humor is infantile. And all the characters have the exact same humor. Their reactions are immature, they lash out at friends and strangers alike and they are all the same. CEO's and all-powerful politicians act like toddlers.
9. After reading Plugged; If a country has all the awesome tech in the world, and Europe does not have it, we will pry it from your cold dead hands. We are explorers, conquerors, inventors. That nanotech you so casually show off at that diplomatic event? We will cut you open on the bargaining table and examine your guts. And if it doesn't work outside your body, we will just keep you alive and plug you into our MS-DOS machines.
We will find a way.
While reading Beam, I was always under the impression that something was off. Way off. It all clicked when I read Plugged. It all made sense, because nothing makes sense.
1. The internet will not fall. The internet is designed to exist, even if there are only two nodes left in the world.
2. The rest of the world will not be left with no electricity. You can generate electricity with a bicycle. A FUCKING BICYCLE. Talking about not having anything to trade between USA and the rest of the world because they no longer use electronics is so godawful bullshit.
3. High tech is used as magic. Ugh.
4. The worldbuilding was so illogical that I half expected it to be a facade from a rising AI, that showed falsified images to the USA population. I would have loved that twist. But no, it is played straight, USA sends drones to the rest of the world, sees the hunger and the horror, and goes back to resting their legs on hovering furniture.
5. Hacking does not work like that. It never will. Trust me, it never will.
6. Nicolai. Oh man, did he turn into a whiny weakling as soon as he got his memories erased. The only badass in the whole world is left crazy and paranoid because he lost a day of memories. A day is like what you lose after a good party.
7. The book tells, never shows. Everyone is presented as badass, noone does anything badass. Except the hooker-assassin-with-a-heart-of-gold.
8. The humor is infantile. And all the characters have the exact same humor. Their reactions are immature, they lash out at friends and strangers alike and they are all the same. CEO's and all-powerful politicians act like toddlers.
9. After reading Plugged; If a country has all the awesome tech in the world, and Europe does not have it, we will pry it from your cold dead hands. We are explorers, conquerors, inventors. That nanotech you so casually show off at that diplomatic event? We will cut you open on the bargaining table and examine your guts. And if it doesn't work outside your body, we will just keep you alive and plug you into our MS-DOS machines.
We will find a way.
March 26, 2014
This was an awesome 'pilot' to what will be my first ever book series: The Beam: The Complete First Season. I'm assuming, since each portion of the series is called an 'episode', that this is meant to be a series similar to what you would think of with a television series. It's a new idea to wrap my head around, as far as the way it might read, but this story was a great intro.
The world of The Beam is sometime in our future, the internet is everywhere, in your walls, counter tops, windows, under your skin, in your clothes, in your brain, everywhere. People are integrated with their machines to the point that they seem to no longer know where machine stops and they start, if there even is such a point. It's a fantastic, sinister, world, but, as the old saying goes, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
Politics have evolved to a two party system, one which allows infinite growth, or catastrophic failure, and one that takes care of all followers in a mediocre, but safe way. Once every six years everyone has a chance to change which party they belong to, and when it's time for that shift the parties clash and sling mud just like old fashioned Americans used to, but things can be a little more intense when everyone is connected and the news can encompass all five senses...
Then there are the Organas, the rejectors of progress, those who are not connected, though they may still have have devices that can connect. No chips in their brains, no nanobots in their blood, but still full of their own secrets. Can they survive without the beam? No power tools, or even power sources, work without the beam to control them. Farming with had tools and horses, is that any way for a human to live?
This book is not a complete story, it is one hell of an introduction though. It is packed full of introductions and hooks, and it ends on a cliffhanger to boot, but what good series doesn't? I'll definitely be picking up The Beam: The Complete First Season once payday rolls around again, and I expect I might be giving five stars to the season.
The world of The Beam is sometime in our future, the internet is everywhere, in your walls, counter tops, windows, under your skin, in your clothes, in your brain, everywhere. People are integrated with their machines to the point that they seem to no longer know where machine stops and they start, if there even is such a point. It's a fantastic, sinister, world, but, as the old saying goes, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
Politics have evolved to a two party system, one which allows infinite growth, or catastrophic failure, and one that takes care of all followers in a mediocre, but safe way. Once every six years everyone has a chance to change which party they belong to, and when it's time for that shift the parties clash and sling mud just like old fashioned Americans used to, but things can be a little more intense when everyone is connected and the news can encompass all five senses...
Then there are the Organas, the rejectors of progress, those who are not connected, though they may still have have devices that can connect. No chips in their brains, no nanobots in their blood, but still full of their own secrets. Can they survive without the beam? No power tools, or even power sources, work without the beam to control them. Farming with had tools and horses, is that any way for a human to live?
This book is not a complete story, it is one hell of an introduction though. It is packed full of introductions and hooks, and it ends on a cliffhanger to boot, but what good series doesn't? I'll definitely be picking up The Beam: The Complete First Season once payday rolls around again, and I expect I might be giving five stars to the season.
December 10, 2015
This story presents a dystopian and futuristic society set in 2097, about 80 years in the future. The history that gave rise to their "present" is that from 2020-2040 was global climate changes that resulted in the melting of all the polar ice, flooding coastal areas. The major developed world economies were utterly destabilized, particularly in Europe, which did away with the European Union, splitting into its individual countries again. Without a stabilizing force to help the millions of coastal refugees, the various populations became violent and desperate. On the American continent, to protect their own interests, the US, Mexico, and Canada merged into one mega empire and completely sealed off all borders to prevent needy refugees from the rest of the world (the Wild East) from entering. The world-building by the authors fleshes out the political, economic, technological, and social circumstances that arise in their continental isolation. The Beam refers to an interconnected system based on the idea of the current internet, but much, much more advanced. The Beam is everywhere and technological "add-ons" have enhanced people's health, strength, skills, artistic abilities, and everything else too. What makes the story fascinating is how crime, drug addictions, concentrations of political power and wealth, lifestyles of the haves and have-nots are expressed in this dystopian future. It is a very compelling story, because it is so plausible. The science is pretty good and the way that politics weaves its way into their civilization is very much like what we see in the real world. The Beam: Season 1 is a mystery, a thriller, and a sci-fi story all wrapped up in one. I look forward to reading Season 2.
October 30, 2015
This review contains no spoilers.
The Beam: Episode One kicks off a science fiction serial by Realm & Sands author Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant. Like all of the pair’s serials, the first episode is a short novella that establishes the setting’s premise and introduces the principal characters and themes that we can expect to see in the following arc. It ends on a cliffhanger that practically begs you to buy the followup collection of The Beam, and the idea is an enticing one.
Like all good science fiction, where The Beam shines is in the portrayal of a future dominated by ubiquitous social media and commuting, an extrapolation of social and technological trends present in the world of today. This is blended with a social situation mirroring contemporary politics, where society is sharply and artificially divided between those who prefer security without prospects, and those who are willing to gamble on success without a safety net. That fundamental conflict sets up much of the story seeds we see in Episode One.
The characters are all fascinating and portrayed well enough that we can quickly grasp who they are and where they’re after. Each has his or her own troubled arc to follow, one that will no doubt be explored in further episodes of The Beam.
At the end of Episode One nothing is resolved and we’re left with nothing but dangling questions, but that’s precisely what it sets out to do, and in reading the first part of a serial you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. I found The Beam’s pilot to be an enjoyable read, and will certainly check out the rest of the serial in the future.
The Beam: Episode One kicks off a science fiction serial by Realm & Sands author Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant. Like all of the pair’s serials, the first episode is a short novella that establishes the setting’s premise and introduces the principal characters and themes that we can expect to see in the following arc. It ends on a cliffhanger that practically begs you to buy the followup collection of The Beam, and the idea is an enticing one.
Like all good science fiction, where The Beam shines is in the portrayal of a future dominated by ubiquitous social media and commuting, an extrapolation of social and technological trends present in the world of today. This is blended with a social situation mirroring contemporary politics, where society is sharply and artificially divided between those who prefer security without prospects, and those who are willing to gamble on success without a safety net. That fundamental conflict sets up much of the story seeds we see in Episode One.
The characters are all fascinating and portrayed well enough that we can quickly grasp who they are and where they’re after. Each has his or her own troubled arc to follow, one that will no doubt be explored in further episodes of The Beam.
At the end of Episode One nothing is resolved and we’re left with nothing but dangling questions, but that’s precisely what it sets out to do, and in reading the first part of a serial you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. I found The Beam’s pilot to be an enjoyable read, and will certainly check out the rest of the serial in the future.
January 25, 2017
This book initially sounded interesting to me, but I wasn't sure if it would be anything new from the rest of its field within the science fiction genre: stories about a world run completely by technology. For the first 8 chapters or so, my worries seemed realized. The writing was good but I wasn't connecting to the characters, nor could I feel an interesting story coming on. As I progressed into the chapters in the 20's through, the pace started to pick up and the plot started to get much more interesting. It started to become clear that this story really was a complex web woven by the actions and experiences of each of the dozen or so main characters and that only we as readers could see the entire mural coming together with each of the characters as a unique color making it up. By the time I had passed chapter 40 I had started to love the book and now, quite contrary to my initial thoughts, I can't wait to read the sequel, and I no longer feel that the story is vague or that the characters are uninteresting to me.
This story gives us as readers a vision of a future very probable for us, given the current rate and direction of growth in technology in our world, and I recommend it as a worthwhile time investment for anyone interested with or concerned by the pace and direction of technology and/or the impact it has/is/will have on our political, cultural, family and personal lives.
This story gives us as readers a vision of a future very probable for us, given the current rate and direction of growth in technology in our world, and I recommend it as a worthwhile time investment for anyone interested with or concerned by the pace and direction of technology and/or the impact it has/is/will have on our political, cultural, family and personal lives.
July 24, 2016
This is some good sf. What I like most is the class allegory. The society portrayed in this serial is divided between two factions, one representing an entrepreneurial, free market mentality, and the other a social welfare mindset. The fascinating twist is that these are political parties, and, every six years, people choose which camp they want to follow. The tension, then, is between these different classes, and the fight to win more members.
The other major tension that I find quite promising is that between those who have a lot of nanotechnology embedded in their bodies and those that resist the technology. The gadgetry is cool and imaginative, but far from utopian.
This is the first episode in a serial, and I think it shows a lot of promise. The different factions are complex, and the representative characters in each are drawn well, not caricatures but multi-dimensional. Throw in some corporate espionage and intrigue, as this series promises to do, and you've got the makings of an entertaining and insightful sf series.
Also, I understand that the authors have opened the world up to other writers, so expect short stories from others residing in this universe. Very cool.
The other major tension that I find quite promising is that between those who have a lot of nanotechnology embedded in their bodies and those that resist the technology. The gadgetry is cool and imaginative, but far from utopian.
This is the first episode in a serial, and I think it shows a lot of promise. The different factions are complex, and the representative characters in each are drawn well, not caricatures but multi-dimensional. Throw in some corporate espionage and intrigue, as this series promises to do, and you've got the makings of an entertaining and insightful sf series.
Also, I understand that the authors have opened the world up to other writers, so expect short stories from others residing in this universe. Very cool.
March 10, 2014
Whereas I thought this book started out a little slow, the world that I was introduced and the amount of intentional work that went into crafting the central focus of the story really grabbed me closer to the end. This is definitely an ambitious work, everything considered, and I am really enjoying seeing where the book is going.
I am always entranced by stories that seek to dive a little deeper, think a little broader, and take a few more risks. I really think that the authors tried to do just that, but I do believe that their model of working quickly sometimes shows through in the editing and tightening of the story.
I am very pleased to see this work join the others of this writing duo, though. Despite its shortcomings, the writers have stories to tell and I am happy to see those play out over time.
Overall, if you're looking for popcorn fiction (who isn't?), this is a good start to something with a tinge of depth and a valuable premise. The writing, while still good, suffers at times from a lack of brutal editing, but that doesn't detract from the overall too much for me. Give it a shot, I think the whole will be worth the sum of its parts.
I am always entranced by stories that seek to dive a little deeper, think a little broader, and take a few more risks. I really think that the authors tried to do just that, but I do believe that their model of working quickly sometimes shows through in the editing and tightening of the story.
I am very pleased to see this work join the others of this writing duo, though. Despite its shortcomings, the writers have stories to tell and I am happy to see those play out over time.
Overall, if you're looking for popcorn fiction (who isn't?), this is a good start to something with a tinge of depth and a valuable premise. The writing, while still good, suffers at times from a lack of brutal editing, but that doesn't detract from the overall too much for me. Give it a shot, I think the whole will be worth the sum of its parts.
August 17, 2013
Be aware: episodes NOT self-contained; must buy more to get story. Frankly, I prefer a complete story when I get a book. The best series keep you in the same universe and often have at least some repeating characters, but at least give you a satisfying ending, even if it leaves you wanting more. Breaking a story up just to make readers buy the continuation is shoddy. At the very least, the reader should be warned before purchasing (or reading if it's offered for nothing).
There's some very good writing here, with a minimum of copy editing errors. The premise is also wonderful (and real enough to be scary). This combination is enough that I was tempted to give another star, but there's a serious flaw: it's hard to care much about the characters, in part because we're whipped back and forth between too many of them, even while being given too little to help us really sympathize.
So will I continue with later installments? Gladly, if I can borrow them. Will I buy them? No.
There's some very good writing here, with a minimum of copy editing errors. The premise is also wonderful (and real enough to be scary). This combination is enough that I was tempted to give another star, but there's a serious flaw: it's hard to care much about the characters, in part because we're whipped back and forth between too many of them, even while being given too little to help us really sympathize.
So will I continue with later installments? Gladly, if I can borrow them. Will I buy them? No.
June 2, 2015
My partner and I are releasing the first episode of our audio drama The American Fathers next week. We're doing it through Audible, so I've spent the last month researching the platform. At some point in this process, I stumbled upon the Near Future Fiction serial The Beam. So much of what I love about this serial is captured by a meme that is quintessential to the serial's Near Future World - Noah Fucking West!
I love The Beam's cynical ethos, which is conveyed so well thought Doc, the apologetically entrepreneurial technology dealer introduced in chapter four of the first episode of the serial.
The serials story arch is complicated but revealed in tantalizing chapter sized bits through several compelling characters. I've actually read all the way to episode three, and have been enjoying it tremendously.
I love The Beam's cynical ethos, which is conveyed so well thought Doc, the apologetically entrepreneurial technology dealer introduced in chapter four of the first episode of the serial.
The serials story arch is complicated but revealed in tantalizing chapter sized bits through several compelling characters. I've actually read all the way to episode three, and have been enjoying it tremendously.
April 9, 2015
This basic idea was interesting enough, but the way the two authors wrote it was even better. There are a bunch of characters that are all connected, and it is not really clear who is the main character (like GoT, in a way). There are some mysterious things going on that are of course left open by cliff hangers. The writing is light, one almost does not notice something is happening. Quite a few of the characters are really complex and I would love to learn more about them. In a way, I hope this book will not go the usual dystopian way of destroying the present government, but who knows. I will surely buy and read the whole first season as soon as possible.
March 15, 2015
It has taken me a long time to write this review, because it was difficult to rate it. I really liked the story and thought it had great potential, but I expected it to be a whole book and it´s not. It´s more of a sample of what appears to be a great book. It has no proper end and not even a cliff hanger. It just stops. Even if it is the first episode of a season, it should be a complete story within the bigger story. Now it reads like someone took a complete story, chunked off the beginning and published it as a book.
So, don´t read the first episode. Get the full season instead.
So, don´t read the first episode. Get the full season instead.
August 30, 2013
I really enjoyed The Beam even though SciFi isn't really my thing. I enjoy the authors other works and thought this one sounded really good as well. It's well written and highly believable. I liked how they revealed the story and also leave you wanting to know more. I do hope that we get to know the characters more deeply in the following installments. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here. I particularly enjoyed the last chapter which really makes you wonder what's coming next.
May 19, 2014
Okay, I'm hooked.
Half the fun of The Beam is getting to look into this futuristic world and its culture. The plot is interesting, but not arresting (yet), and the characters are all vivid enough that they don't seem to blend together.
Also, this is part of a longer work. Apparently, it's throwing people off that this isn't a "complete novel." Think of it as an extended sample reading from the full novel, which I fully intend to purchase.
Half the fun of The Beam is getting to look into this futuristic world and its culture. The plot is interesting, but not arresting (yet), and the characters are all vivid enough that they don't seem to blend together.
Also, this is part of a longer work. Apparently, it's throwing people off that this isn't a "complete novel." Think of it as an extended sample reading from the full novel, which I fully intend to purchase.
September 17, 2014
Talk about a detailed story! Just in the first episode here a lot of characters are introduced and a lot of ideas of brought up. Not just that, but you start to see how they're all connected, although I have a feeling that it will be twisted throughout the rest of Season One and Season Two. I'll definitely be picking up the rest of Season One and later Season Two. This is an interesting world and I'd like to know more.
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