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The PROX Transmissions
SETI radio astronomer Dr. Stephen Browning wakes disoriented and confused in a dingy gas station bathroom. He stumbles home trying to put the pieces of his night back together, only to discover that there are new tenants living inside his apartment when he arrives. This leads him to a shocking realization – over a month has passed since his last recollection. Oddly, these new tenants provide him with one clue, a letter - written in his own handwriting - instructing him what to do next:
Shave your head.
Eager to uncover the reason for his memory lapse, Browning complies and finds a string of coordinates tattooed onto the side of his head, which inevitably lead him to the discovery of a cryptic signal from far outside our solar system.
Enlisting the help of a wealthy Silicon Valley engineer and a brilliant NASA robotics programmer, Dr. Browning begins a journey to decipher the meaning of the transmission, only to find he has become an unwitting pawn in a much bigger game.
Soon it becomes apparent that the transmission is not only a message from the farthest reaches of the galaxy, but a warning from the future. Unless Browning and his team can protect the information from falling into the wrong hands, its message – and its warning – will be lost forever.
Shave your head.
Eager to uncover the reason for his memory lapse, Browning complies and finds a string of coordinates tattooed onto the side of his head, which inevitably lead him to the discovery of a cryptic signal from far outside our solar system.
Enlisting the help of a wealthy Silicon Valley engineer and a brilliant NASA robotics programmer, Dr. Browning begins a journey to decipher the meaning of the transmission, only to find he has become an unwitting pawn in a much bigger game.
Soon it becomes apparent that the transmission is not only a message from the farthest reaches of the galaxy, but a warning from the future. Unless Browning and his team can protect the information from falling into the wrong hands, its message – and its warning – will be lost forever.
259 pages, Paperback
Published February 4, 2016
117 people are currently reading
976 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 27, 2016
If I review The Prox Transmissions as a stand alone novel written by an ordinary author, I would point out the few typos and grammatical errors that I (as a part-time proofreader) did find to be a bit distracting from the story. However, I'm not reviewing a typical novel written by a typical author at all here. The Prox Transmissions is a one-of-a-kind novel designed as a companion to the brilliant music of the band Starset. It explains the lyrics of the music, the backstory of the music videos, and sheds more light on the background of the mysterious Starset Society. Instead of a long, technical account of The Starset Society's history, they chose to present the story to the public in the form of a fast-paced action novel with well-developed characters. Never before have I seen a rock band with such far-reaching scope to attempt an endeavor such as this. I applaud the imagination that went into creating a unique multi-media project such as this one, and I look forward toward seeing what's yet to come.
November 24, 2022
3.5 stars
This is a fun sci fi thriller that mixes together multimedia elements. As a book commissioned by a music group, I didn't expect this to be a literary masterpiece and well it wasn't. However it was a really fun pageturner to read in the middle of the reading slump. This book was a gift and I really appreciated the chance to check out such an underhyped science fiction novel.
This is a fun sci fi thriller that mixes together multimedia elements. As a book commissioned by a music group, I didn't expect this to be a literary masterpiece and well it wasn't. However it was a really fun pageturner to read in the middle of the reading slump. This book was a gift and I really appreciated the chance to check out such an underhyped science fiction novel.
February 23, 2016
The moment I heard Starset's music, I became hooked; therefore, as soon as the opportunity to learn more about the band's vision behind their album, Transmissions, arose, I jumped at it. While there were a few typos (possibly due to a rushed proofread), I was intrigued by this story. It's a skin-crawlingly bleak vision of the future (and, perhaps, the present)- will science save us or damn us? And will we learn the truth and be set free? Or has it always been too late? I could've done with another hundred pages or so, but, a solid, thoughtful read overall.
June 23, 2023
One of my sweet friends gifted me an autographed copy of this book - I had NO idea The Starset Society had written a book, so huge shout out and thank you to Amanda for getting this one on my radar! (And buddy reading it with me!)
Take the pacing and action of an A.G. Riddle book with the Sci Fi thriller premise of a Blake Crouch book and you'd get THE PROX TRANSMISSIONS . There are lots of fun Easter eggs throughout the story that refer to songs/albums written and performed by the band. I've been told to go and watch the videos for the first and second albums as they tie in to the book as well.
First and foremost, if you're a reader who gets upset with a book if it has a couple of typos or formatting issues, then keep scrolling. This a good book that could be great if a good editor got hold of it. I have never, ever (to date) said that about a book I've read before, but it's true here. There is overuse of italics, which can be a bit confusing because one line italics will be used for inner dialogue of a character and the next line they're used to show emphasis on a word(s). There were a couple little plot holes in there as well, but those might sneak under your notice.
Right away, the reader is pulled in from the first page when Stephen Browning wakes up on the bathroom of a gas station bathroom, with no recollection of how he got there. When he steps out of that bathroom looking for answers, the action starts rolling and doesn't let up! Well, except for Chapter 34 where an insane amount of info dumping occurs, but the ending of that chapter gets the hamster wheel off and spinning again and you just better hang on because it's a wild ride to the finish. I love mystery/thrillers in the sci fi genre like this where I never feel like I can catch my breath because there is just so much going on.
I was surprised, shocked really, at how it wrapped up...but I also really loved it after I processed what it meant. I can't say that I loved Stephen Browning as a main character, but I was completely invested in his story. That looks really contradictory after I read that last statement, lol. It would probably make more sense to you if I said I was just really nosy and wanted to see the mystery solved. I actually liked the characters of Dana and Aston a little more - probably because Aston reminded me a lot of Tony Stark. The plot and intrigue were my favorite elements with the mixed media format adding a really nice touch to the reading experience.
The premise was so unusual and I was left wanting more!! I need the next book in this series yesterday. (PROX could totally make this happen....)
Take the pacing and action of an A.G. Riddle book with the Sci Fi thriller premise of a Blake Crouch book and you'd get THE PROX TRANSMISSIONS . There are lots of fun Easter eggs throughout the story that refer to songs/albums written and performed by the band. I've been told to go and watch the videos for the first and second albums as they tie in to the book as well.
First and foremost, if you're a reader who gets upset with a book if it has a couple of typos or formatting issues, then keep scrolling. This a good book that could be great if a good editor got hold of it. I have never, ever (to date) said that about a book I've read before, but it's true here. There is overuse of italics, which can be a bit confusing because one line italics will be used for inner dialogue of a character and the next line they're used to show emphasis on a word(s). There were a couple little plot holes in there as well, but those might sneak under your notice.
"There are truths, which have been kept hidden from us. Kept locked away in the dark. Kept there to control us. Yet, to remain in the dark is not an option. To do so is to meet our demise. We must reclaim the truth. Still, the truth can be dangerous. In fact, you may be in peril for just holding this book in your possession. But it is better to die free than to live as a slave."
Right away, the reader is pulled in from the first page when Stephen Browning wakes up on the bathroom of a gas station bathroom, with no recollection of how he got there. When he steps out of that bathroom looking for answers, the action starts rolling and doesn't let up! Well, except for Chapter 34 where an insane amount of info dumping occurs, but the ending of that chapter gets the hamster wheel off and spinning again and you just better hang on because it's a wild ride to the finish. I love mystery/thrillers in the sci fi genre like this where I never feel like I can catch my breath because there is just so much going on.
I was surprised, shocked really, at how it wrapped up...but I also really loved it after I processed what it meant. I can't say that I loved Stephen Browning as a main character, but I was completely invested in his story. That looks really contradictory after I read that last statement, lol. It would probably make more sense to you if I said I was just really nosy and wanted to see the mystery solved. I actually liked the characters of Dana and Aston a little more - probably because Aston reminded me a lot of Tony Stark. The plot and intrigue were my favorite elements with the mixed media format adding a really nice touch to the reading experience.
The premise was so unusual and I was left wanting more!! I need the next book in this series yesterday. (PROX could totally make this happen....)
February 29, 2016
I don't normally read fiction. But I love the band Starset, which has a mysterious backstory 'The Starset Society'. This is the first novel from this group. The story gives information and sheds light onto the lyrics and videos of the band's songs.
The book itself was a fun read. I enjoyed the ideas expressed about communism, capitalism, and how humans organize themselves in the future through technology. Ideas are what will be valuable once production of goods becomes so cheap. We have a duty now to protect the future, with purpose.
The book itself was a fun read. I enjoyed the ideas expressed about communism, capitalism, and how humans organize themselves in the future through technology. Ideas are what will be valuable once production of goods becomes so cheap. We have a duty now to protect the future, with purpose.
March 30, 2016
This is difficult to review due to the manner in which the material is presented. The Starset Society offers this up as their group's origin story, told from the perspective of several individuals that played key roles in the events that would push Dr. Aston Wise to decide on the need for this society to exist. There is an entire multimedia campaign that includes graphic novels and music videos, as well as the live band, Starset. For me, the music is by far the best part, and seeing the live "demonstrations" and hearing the band talk about the message finally made me curious enough to read the book.
The good news is that if you already like the band and the music, then the book probably won't detract from the overall enjoyment of their performances. For simplicity, I'm just going to write my review of the book as if it is a regular fiction novel.
The novel follows astrophysicist Dr. Stephen Browning as he awakens from an apparent drinking binge that leaves him in a gas station bathroom. He proceeds to learn that his memory is missing way more than one night of partying and that he is sporting a nifty head tattoo. He decides to crash the Wise Engineering New Year's Eve party in order to get some help from billionaire genius Dr. Aston Wise even though Aston is a drunken jerk. But when you have big problems, having a genius billionaire handy is probably worth putting up with a bit of abuse. The two of them start chasing down leads to try to figure out the meaning of the signal that Steve had intercepted. There are lots of quests and subplots here which culminate in Steve getting dumped in a pretty harsh way and Aston facing down a bad guy with a supersize 3D printer.
It didn't provide that much clarity about how The Starset Society plans to keep dangerous technology out of the hands of megalomaniacs or what alternatives are out there to save our economic structure from eventual collapse. That's a pretty big ask from a first novel though, so I can cut them a break and say that it raised several deep questions about the effects of technology on society and what can be done to prevent a scary outcome. The book could have benefited from a little editing and the characters needed a little more depth to be really engaging, but the idea behind the story is interesting.
The good news is that if you already like the band and the music, then the book probably won't detract from the overall enjoyment of their performances. For simplicity, I'm just going to write my review of the book as if it is a regular fiction novel.
The novel follows astrophysicist Dr. Stephen Browning as he awakens from an apparent drinking binge that leaves him in a gas station bathroom. He proceeds to learn that his memory is missing way more than one night of partying and that he is sporting a nifty head tattoo. He decides to crash the Wise Engineering New Year's Eve party in order to get some help from billionaire genius Dr. Aston Wise even though Aston is a drunken jerk. But when you have big problems, having a genius billionaire handy is probably worth putting up with a bit of abuse. The two of them start chasing down leads to try to figure out the meaning of the signal that Steve had intercepted. There are lots of quests and subplots here which culminate in Steve getting dumped in a pretty harsh way and Aston facing down a bad guy with a supersize 3D printer.
It didn't provide that much clarity about how The Starset Society plans to keep dangerous technology out of the hands of megalomaniacs or what alternatives are out there to save our economic structure from eventual collapse. That's a pretty big ask from a first novel though, so I can cut them a break and say that it raised several deep questions about the effects of technology on society and what can be done to prevent a scary outcome. The book could have benefited from a little editing and the characters needed a little more depth to be really engaging, but the idea behind the story is interesting.
January 29, 2025
I read this so fast. I love this band so much and was pleasantly surprised at how genuinely interesting and exciting this book was. It was very thought provoking and full of twists and turns keeping you on the edge of your seat. It is so fascinating to see how it ties in with their music, but would also still be good and work just fine as a stand alone book.
September 29, 2023
This novel is one for fans of the band Starset. They’re my favorite band, which is why I picked up this book. The Prox Transmissions, written by the singer of the band, is a prequel of sorts to their first album, Transmissions.
If you’re not familiar with the lore of the band, Starset was “commissioned by The Starset Society to spread broad awareness of The Message through music and media. The Message contains the knowledge necessary to spare the future of humanity.” The primary objective of the Starset Society is “to shed light upon various emerging near-future technologies, investigating the potential and inevitable social, economic, political, and philosophical impacts thereof,” and one of the ways they do that is through the band Starset. The Message was received by the Society in a mysterious transmission from space, and the known details of that transmission are laid out in the book The Prox Transmissions.
(If you’re confused and want clarification, listen to the band. 🙂)
I thought the premise of the novel was quite interesting. I’m not a huge sci-fi reader, but I was able to follow along just fine and stay engaged the whole story. The writing style is a bit amateurish, but I didn’t really have a problem with it.
The plot itself is intriguing—our protagonist Stephen receives a mysterious message leading him to obtain a mysterious transmission, and he has to decode its meaning before the enemy corporation steals the data from him. Even though Stephen receives more than one transmission from the planet Prox, this book only delves into the first transmission, leaving this book feeling incomplete in a sense, like not all the questions were answered. It does end on a cliffhanger though, and I know the Starset Society has more books planned for release in the future.
I thought the plot was the strongest part of this book as neither the characters nor the setting were very fleshed out. There was only the tiniest bit of backstory given to Stephen, but everyone else felt rather one-dimensional to me. Unfortunately, every female in this book is described as “beautiful” in a way that is cliched and over-sexualized, not to mention that the word “sensuous” is used as a synonym for “female” in one instance.
My biggest complaint, however, was that this novel badly needs a copyeditor. There are typos on nearly every page: incorrectly used punctuation, misspelled words, poor grammar choices, inconsistent word usage, and even some words cut off due to poor layout choices. Did I mention improper punctuation? The biggest offenders are missing quotation marks and missing hyphens, which made for a few confusing sentences as my brain was trying to figure out the intended meaning. As an editor, I could feel my eyes burning as I read this book. But if you can get past all that, then the story is actually worth reading if you’re a Starset fan.
I would recommend this book only to hardcore fans of Starset who want to know more about the lore behind the band. There are a handful of references to lyrics and other things related to Starset lore, such as mentions of “Carnivores” and the “BMI” and the “Everything Machine,” among others. Any regular sci-fi reader would be able to understand this novel just fine, but I don’t think it would be as enjoyable or meaningful if you aren’t familiar with the band because you wouldn’t understand the references, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you aren’t a fan—and frankly, there are better sci-fi novels out there to read instead.
My Book Blog: Storeys of Stories
If you’re not familiar with the lore of the band, Starset was “commissioned by The Starset Society to spread broad awareness of The Message through music and media. The Message contains the knowledge necessary to spare the future of humanity.” The primary objective of the Starset Society is “to shed light upon various emerging near-future technologies, investigating the potential and inevitable social, economic, political, and philosophical impacts thereof,” and one of the ways they do that is through the band Starset. The Message was received by the Society in a mysterious transmission from space, and the known details of that transmission are laid out in the book The Prox Transmissions.
(If you’re confused and want clarification, listen to the band. 🙂)
I thought the premise of the novel was quite interesting. I’m not a huge sci-fi reader, but I was able to follow along just fine and stay engaged the whole story. The writing style is a bit amateurish, but I didn’t really have a problem with it.
The plot itself is intriguing—our protagonist Stephen receives a mysterious message leading him to obtain a mysterious transmission, and he has to decode its meaning before the enemy corporation steals the data from him. Even though Stephen receives more than one transmission from the planet Prox, this book only delves into the first transmission, leaving this book feeling incomplete in a sense, like not all the questions were answered. It does end on a cliffhanger though, and I know the Starset Society has more books planned for release in the future.
I thought the plot was the strongest part of this book as neither the characters nor the setting were very fleshed out. There was only the tiniest bit of backstory given to Stephen, but everyone else felt rather one-dimensional to me. Unfortunately, every female in this book is described as “beautiful” in a way that is cliched and over-sexualized, not to mention that the word “sensuous” is used as a synonym for “female” in one instance.
My biggest complaint, however, was that this novel badly needs a copyeditor. There are typos on nearly every page: incorrectly used punctuation, misspelled words, poor grammar choices, inconsistent word usage, and even some words cut off due to poor layout choices. Did I mention improper punctuation? The biggest offenders are missing quotation marks and missing hyphens, which made for a few confusing sentences as my brain was trying to figure out the intended meaning. As an editor, I could feel my eyes burning as I read this book. But if you can get past all that, then the story is actually worth reading if you’re a Starset fan.
I would recommend this book only to hardcore fans of Starset who want to know more about the lore behind the band. There are a handful of references to lyrics and other things related to Starset lore, such as mentions of “Carnivores” and the “BMI” and the “Everything Machine,” among others. Any regular sci-fi reader would be able to understand this novel just fine, but I don’t think it would be as enjoyable or meaningful if you aren’t familiar with the band because you wouldn’t understand the references, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you aren’t a fan—and frankly, there are better sci-fi novels out there to read instead.
My Book Blog: Storeys of Stories
July 16, 2022
In a nutshell, the book is about intercepting a transmission and the quest to piece together what it means. What I found enjoyable about the Prox Transmissions was not the characters or plot, but the ideas that stitched them together. It's trying to reach the heights of something like Tenet, but it's not quite there. It feels unfinished. Perhaps when we get the full story, I can reevaluate the series.
It's fun piecing together the visuals of the Starset albums. Check out My Demons after reading this one. All in all, I liked it but did not love it.
It's fun piecing together the visuals of the Starset albums. Check out My Demons after reading this one. All in all, I liked it but did not love it.
April 22, 2023
This book is about what I expected. I liked the story, but the writing was quite amateurish. But I like the idea of a band having a backstory in novel form. Really inventive idea. I also liked the beginning and the ending of this book quite a bit.
June 25, 2016
WANT TO WIN AN ECOPY OF THE PROX TRANSMISSIONS AND STARSET'S FIRST ALBUM, TRANSMISSIONS? GO HERE! https://onebooktwo.wordpress.com/2016...
Kat Mandu says...
THE FOLLOWING DRAMATIZATION HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED BY THE STARSET SOCIETY.
In this action-packed science-fiction novel, Stephen Browning wakes up with no memory of the last couple months and a tattoo on his head that leads him into a deadly game of hide and seek. What’s locked away in his head could kill him – or it could save the future. With the lines between friend and enemy crossing and dangerous people watching his every move, Browning will have to remember what’s lost before it’s too late.
When the top technology falls into the wrong hands and sets in motion a series of events that will forever impact generations to come, Browning knows he and his allies, brilliant and sarcastic Anton Wise, and “hacker-girl” Dana, must get a message from a devastated future into the open and prevent it from ever happening. But along the way he must deal with some serious trust issues, two warring societies known as the Collective and The Order of Teslonia, and a mass of secrets he’ll have to unravel if he wants to save the world. Not to mention the betrayal of some of the people he loves the most.
"Even a well-lit place…can hide salvation… a map to a one-man maze…that never sees the sun…"
I found this book fascinating. Full of the most knowledgeable theories on science, economics, history, and engineering, it’s a whirlwind of genre-bending storytelling. Though yes, there are quite a few grammatical and spelling errors, they’re easy to ignore because the concept is so much more enticing. From start to finish, The Prox Transmissions delivers page after page of mind-bending theory you want to believe, principles that make you ask yourself:
Once you had the power to affect monumental change – would you let fear consume you? Or would you overcome?
The ending is a bit rushed but there’s so much action that you find yourself reading through it super fast anyway, just to get the adrenaline pumping and to find out what happens. It’s left with a lot of questions that remain unanswered and I’m wondering if they have a sequel planned out? I mean, there’s a lot of story left to tell. And there’s always another message to transmit.
So what else makes this book so damn good? It’s not just the meaning behind the book – or the story. It’s the alternate way the story is told. Because YES. There are two narrators. One who explains the message. And the other who broadcasts it across the world.
If you’re a fan of rock music and science fiction, you’re in luck. Cinematic rock band Starset is just for you.
"Mayday, mayday, the ship is slowly sinking…they think I’m crazy but they don’t know the feeling… "
Born from the belief in the Starset Society, Starset’s first album, “Transmissions” is a detailed account of The Prox Transmissions story. The entire album is a book in itself and each song, a chapter. With a hard-rock and science fiction sound, Starset brings the message to life in pulse-pounding songs like “My Demons” and “Carnivore” and beautiful ballads like “Dark On Me” and “Telescope.” Every song follows the story of Thomas (another character in The Prox Transmissions book) and Stephen Browning as they race against time to prevent a disastrous future from occurring. Intertwined with genres of action, romance, and science, the album presents itself as a wonderful presentation of a journey through time and space. It begins with a mission and ends with hope.
Want to see for yourself? Check out the music videos below. Each follows the storyline of The Prox Transmissions novel, though My Demons follows the plot of the book more closely.
My Demons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-N_y...
Halo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwiYf...
Carnivore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tkok...
Starset Homepage: http://starsetonline.com/index.php
As you could probably tell, yes, I’m a huge fan of these guys. I pre-ordered the book back in December and I probably should have read The Prox Transmissions sooner, but alas, sometimes life gets a little rough. But if you ever get the chance to see these guys in concert, take it. The band members wear real space suits and the whole show gives you the feeling you’ve entered an entirely different world. There’s so much beauty in what these guys do and I’m super stoked for the new album, which I believe is currently in production. Can’t wait.
Readers, I highly recommend this book. Help spread the message. And always remember:
IGNORANCE :: SLAVERY:: KNOWLEDGE :: FREEDOM
"Yesterday is nothing… I have half a life to rewrite… Flying into this future, I will let the science bring the change. This will be the FINAL cure. I am gonna take the past away…
Kat Mandu says...
THE FOLLOWING DRAMATIZATION HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED BY THE STARSET SOCIETY.
In this action-packed science-fiction novel, Stephen Browning wakes up with no memory of the last couple months and a tattoo on his head that leads him into a deadly game of hide and seek. What’s locked away in his head could kill him – or it could save the future. With the lines between friend and enemy crossing and dangerous people watching his every move, Browning will have to remember what’s lost before it’s too late.
When the top technology falls into the wrong hands and sets in motion a series of events that will forever impact generations to come, Browning knows he and his allies, brilliant and sarcastic Anton Wise, and “hacker-girl” Dana, must get a message from a devastated future into the open and prevent it from ever happening. But along the way he must deal with some serious trust issues, two warring societies known as the Collective and The Order of Teslonia, and a mass of secrets he’ll have to unravel if he wants to save the world. Not to mention the betrayal of some of the people he loves the most.
"Even a well-lit place…can hide salvation… a map to a one-man maze…that never sees the sun…"
I found this book fascinating. Full of the most knowledgeable theories on science, economics, history, and engineering, it’s a whirlwind of genre-bending storytelling. Though yes, there are quite a few grammatical and spelling errors, they’re easy to ignore because the concept is so much more enticing. From start to finish, The Prox Transmissions delivers page after page of mind-bending theory you want to believe, principles that make you ask yourself:
Once you had the power to affect monumental change – would you let fear consume you? Or would you overcome?
The ending is a bit rushed but there’s so much action that you find yourself reading through it super fast anyway, just to get the adrenaline pumping and to find out what happens. It’s left with a lot of questions that remain unanswered and I’m wondering if they have a sequel planned out? I mean, there’s a lot of story left to tell. And there’s always another message to transmit.
So what else makes this book so damn good? It’s not just the meaning behind the book – or the story. It’s the alternate way the story is told. Because YES. There are two narrators. One who explains the message. And the other who broadcasts it across the world.
If you’re a fan of rock music and science fiction, you’re in luck. Cinematic rock band Starset is just for you.
"Mayday, mayday, the ship is slowly sinking…they think I’m crazy but they don’t know the feeling… "
Born from the belief in the Starset Society, Starset’s first album, “Transmissions” is a detailed account of The Prox Transmissions story. The entire album is a book in itself and each song, a chapter. With a hard-rock and science fiction sound, Starset brings the message to life in pulse-pounding songs like “My Demons” and “Carnivore” and beautiful ballads like “Dark On Me” and “Telescope.” Every song follows the story of Thomas (another character in The Prox Transmissions book) and Stephen Browning as they race against time to prevent a disastrous future from occurring. Intertwined with genres of action, romance, and science, the album presents itself as a wonderful presentation of a journey through time and space. It begins with a mission and ends with hope.
Want to see for yourself? Check out the music videos below. Each follows the storyline of The Prox Transmissions novel, though My Demons follows the plot of the book more closely.
My Demons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-N_y...
Halo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwiYf...
Carnivore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tkok...
Starset Homepage: http://starsetonline.com/index.php
As you could probably tell, yes, I’m a huge fan of these guys. I pre-ordered the book back in December and I probably should have read The Prox Transmissions sooner, but alas, sometimes life gets a little rough. But if you ever get the chance to see these guys in concert, take it. The band members wear real space suits and the whole show gives you the feeling you’ve entered an entirely different world. There’s so much beauty in what these guys do and I’m super stoked for the new album, which I believe is currently in production. Can’t wait.
Readers, I highly recommend this book. Help spread the message. And always remember:
IGNORANCE :: SLAVERY:: KNOWLEDGE :: FREEDOM
"Yesterday is nothing… I have half a life to rewrite… Flying into this future, I will let the science bring the change. This will be the FINAL cure. I am gonna take the past away…
September 16, 2017
Starset is my favourite band. They make cinematic nerd rock into art form. This book only gets 3 stars due to the fact it is part of their origin backstory. If it was stand alone, it'd get 1.
I won't list the plot of the story, that's listed already in the book description on the main page, and you've probably read it.
Let's start with what bothered me. I'll skip the bad editing, and Italic font where it shouldn't be etc etc and just cut to the actual writing. Basic at best; filled with misogynistic, shallow men.
Dr Aston Wise is described as "an asshole with a heart of gold." The guy has zero redeemable qualities. Rich, frat boy type, alcoholic, genius. Think Tony Stark but with zero of the charm. By the end he straight up kills someone and doesn't seem to have any remorse about it.
All the women are put there purely to be sexualised. You work for NASA? You won't get to NASA AT ALL - you're just there for protagonist Steven Browning to lust after and admire the way your ass jiggles while you go cook him eggs.
Now Dana's back story is that she's a single mum, who-rather than go pick her daughter up from the baby daddy's place-instead drives across country with a man she just met after they've been shot at (and in doing so got the man who they'd gone to see who'd been successfully under the radar for decades killed-again, no remorse there). That kinda back story is infuriating. No mention if she called the baby daddy to make other arrangements for her daughters care. That kinda thing would raise custody issues. Also no mention of where her job thinks she is all this time.
Why would someone who is "Audrey Hepburn" type of beautiful, who works for NASA, and a single mother find anything about Stephen-a still married, jobless, alcoholic-attractive?? Especially since his back story essentially boils down to "I got over the death of my new born baby in two months, but when my wife left me, I lost my shit and spiralled into a black hole of whiskey, turning up to work drunk or just not turning up at all." Those two reactions don't really line up.
Plus, everything out of her mouth comes off as bitchy, which goes to show that weak men will put up with being treated like shit if the woman is hot. Which makes your protagonist shallow, spineless, and one dimensional.
Now turns out she wasn't on the good team - so I understand the context of the bullshit love interest angle of the story. But your protagonist should've seen the red flags about all of this. The author doesn't really understand single mothers, or intelligent women, or attractive (or not so attractive) women, or women in general.
To be fair, he doesn't paint men in a brilliant light either. They're all cheating, playboy, alcoholic, murderers who are all very shitty people.
At 249 pages, I should've read this in a day. I wanted to throw it against the wall so many times that I stopped and started it a lot. It took far too long for the book to start to Prox Transmission.
The last ten or so chapters (from about when they're in New York & get separated) did pick up the pace a bit - this is mostly because the bs "romantic" storyline wasn't there-and I did enjoy it when it started to get into the actual science of it all. The only exception of this was at the end under Aston's voice, as once again a woman character is introduced just to be sexy and that's it. Oh and if you're not an attractive women in this story, then you'll be shamed for your size, and any attempt at being nice will be perceived as unwanted flirting (hey Stephen, you're not a catch, maybe stop leering at Dana & stay on point with the mission and cook your own fucking eggs).
Do you get more questions raised than answers from this book? yes. But what you do get by the end is a little more of the understanding of how the themes in the music videos and music are interwoven.
I look at this book as the Downplay (Dustin's former band) of novels. I'm hoping the next one will be elevated in terms of content, the way Dustin's song writing and musical composition went from average radio rock in Downplay to cinematic art in Starset.
Will I be buying the graphic novel? No, this story with pictures doesn't sound at all appealing.
I applaud the concept. I applaud a band that is multi-dimensional and engaging audiences across different platforms. It's a big endeavour, one which is in need of more time and attention to work out the kinks.
Starset is still my favourite band, even if I may have lost a little bit of respect for the author after reading the limited portrayal of women in this book. But like I once told him, I'm very forgiving, and very patient in the waiting game for answers which comes with the territory for any Starset fan.
I won't list the plot of the story, that's listed already in the book description on the main page, and you've probably read it.
Let's start with what bothered me. I'll skip the bad editing, and Italic font where it shouldn't be etc etc and just cut to the actual writing. Basic at best; filled with misogynistic, shallow men.
Dr Aston Wise is described as "an asshole with a heart of gold." The guy has zero redeemable qualities. Rich, frat boy type, alcoholic, genius. Think Tony Stark but with zero of the charm. By the end he straight up kills someone and doesn't seem to have any remorse about it.
All the women are put there purely to be sexualised. You work for NASA? You won't get to NASA AT ALL - you're just there for protagonist Steven Browning to lust after and admire the way your ass jiggles while you go cook him eggs.
Now Dana's back story is that she's a single mum, who-rather than go pick her daughter up from the baby daddy's place-instead drives across country with a man she just met after they've been shot at (and in doing so got the man who they'd gone to see who'd been successfully under the radar for decades killed-again, no remorse there). That kinda back story is infuriating. No mention if she called the baby daddy to make other arrangements for her daughters care. That kinda thing would raise custody issues. Also no mention of where her job thinks she is all this time.
Why would someone who is "Audrey Hepburn" type of beautiful, who works for NASA, and a single mother find anything about Stephen-a still married, jobless, alcoholic-attractive?? Especially since his back story essentially boils down to "I got over the death of my new born baby in two months, but when my wife left me, I lost my shit and spiralled into a black hole of whiskey, turning up to work drunk or just not turning up at all." Those two reactions don't really line up.
Plus, everything out of her mouth comes off as bitchy, which goes to show that weak men will put up with being treated like shit if the woman is hot. Which makes your protagonist shallow, spineless, and one dimensional.
Now turns out she wasn't on the good team - so I understand the context of the bullshit love interest angle of the story. But your protagonist should've seen the red flags about all of this. The author doesn't really understand single mothers, or intelligent women, or attractive (or not so attractive) women, or women in general.
To be fair, he doesn't paint men in a brilliant light either. They're all cheating, playboy, alcoholic, murderers who are all very shitty people.
At 249 pages, I should've read this in a day. I wanted to throw it against the wall so many times that I stopped and started it a lot. It took far too long for the book to start to Prox Transmission.
The last ten or so chapters (from about when they're in New York & get separated) did pick up the pace a bit - this is mostly because the bs "romantic" storyline wasn't there-and I did enjoy it when it started to get into the actual science of it all. The only exception of this was at the end under Aston's voice, as once again a woman character is introduced just to be sexy and that's it. Oh and if you're not an attractive women in this story, then you'll be shamed for your size, and any attempt at being nice will be perceived as unwanted flirting (hey Stephen, you're not a catch, maybe stop leering at Dana & stay on point with the mission and cook your own fucking eggs).
Do you get more questions raised than answers from this book? yes. But what you do get by the end is a little more of the understanding of how the themes in the music videos and music are interwoven.
I look at this book as the Downplay (Dustin's former band) of novels. I'm hoping the next one will be elevated in terms of content, the way Dustin's song writing and musical composition went from average radio rock in Downplay to cinematic art in Starset.
Will I be buying the graphic novel? No, this story with pictures doesn't sound at all appealing.
I applaud the concept. I applaud a band that is multi-dimensional and engaging audiences across different platforms. It's a big endeavour, one which is in need of more time and attention to work out the kinks.
Starset is still my favourite band, even if I may have lost a little bit of respect for the author after reading the limited portrayal of women in this book. But like I once told him, I'm very forgiving, and very patient in the waiting game for answers which comes with the territory for any Starset fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2016
If I just picked this book up at random and read it, I'd probably give it two stars. The writing is fair, the characters are shallow, and there are some irritating typos/font issues/grammar issues (in the kindle version, at least). The story itself was entertaining - the best way to describe it is as a mix of The Da Vinci Code and Atlas Shrugged, with a fair shake of Andrew Ryan's Rapture from Bioshock included.
But this isn't just any book written by just any author. This is the first of the Message Transmissions from The Starset Society! A companion piece to the incredible music of Starset! I'm in love with how the book sheds light on the band's lyrics and music videos. (I barely restrained myself when they mentioned Carnivores!) Whatever my critiques about the actual writing, I absolutely praise the band's (the Starset Society's? I HAVE NO IDEA) imagination and dedication to presenting such a multi-media experience to their fans. I can't wait for the next Transmission, be it a new album, a new book, or whatever else they have in store for us!
But this isn't just any book written by just any author. This is the first of the Message Transmissions from The Starset Society! A companion piece to the incredible music of Starset! I'm in love with how the book sheds light on the band's lyrics and music videos. (I barely restrained myself when they mentioned Carnivores!) Whatever my critiques about the actual writing, I absolutely praise the band's (the Starset Society's? I HAVE NO IDEA) imagination and dedication to presenting such a multi-media experience to their fans. I can't wait for the next Transmission, be it a new album, a new book, or whatever else they have in store for us!
March 23, 2023
I want to start by saying that I love Starset and was excited to learn that there was a book explaining the lore. However, the lore is the only good thing about this book.
This is obviously a rushed piece, with significant editing errors and seemingly no proof-reading before being printed. There are serious formating issue like italics that innocuously span several lines and missing speech marks.
Formatting aside, the writing itself is shoddy at best and insulting at worst. Almost every woman in the story is sexualised to the nth degree, the characters are rudimentary charicatures, the plot is handled so poorly that it feels cliched, and the narrarive voice reads like teenage fanfiction.
It's a real pity, because I expected much better. I still love the band and their music and I'm glad that I understand the lore better. But unless you want to understand the band's backstory and themes, it's not really worth reading.
This is obviously a rushed piece, with significant editing errors and seemingly no proof-reading before being printed. There are serious formating issue like italics that innocuously span several lines and missing speech marks.
Formatting aside, the writing itself is shoddy at best and insulting at worst. Almost every woman in the story is sexualised to the nth degree, the characters are rudimentary charicatures, the plot is handled so poorly that it feels cliched, and the narrarive voice reads like teenage fanfiction.
It's a real pity, because I expected much better. I still love the band and their music and I'm glad that I understand the lore better. But unless you want to understand the band's backstory and themes, it's not really worth reading.
May 9, 2016
There are truths, which have been hidden from us. Kept locked away in the dark. Kept there to control us. Yet, to remain in the dark is not an option. To do so is to meet our demise. We must reclaim the truth. Still, the truth can be dangerous. In fact, you may be in peril just for holding this book in your possession. But it is better to die free than live as a slave.
April 7, 2024
It’s Starset, what more do I need to say
April 13, 2023
My friend bought this for me for Christmas about a year and a half ago, which happened to be about three weeks after our first Starset show (thanks Hannah!).
Like I mentioned as a status update, there are numerous nods to Starset’s songs, music videos, shows, and especially the interludes on the albums. Other reviews mentioned this is a multimedia novel, and I’d go a step further and stay it’s a multimedia project. The live shows, the albums, music videos, interludes, and website changes are all a part of the story Starset is telling- what their media refers to as The Message.
And what is the Message? That technology is evolving faster than we can keep up, and the world moves so quickly it can be difficult to tell who, or what, we are believing in. That’s a statement I can get behind.
Expect to find references to Starset’s first album, Transmissions, scattered throughout the book. There are also references to the interludes from the third album, DIVISIONS. This strung together some bits of information that aren’t touched on in Starset’s other media.
I had to dock a star because some of the scientific jargon was over my head and the typos were driving me crazy. Now I’m second guessing myself. The story is a written account of one of the characters, and as it’s a written account, I’m wondering if the typos were intentional- a contrast between the perfection of the tech discussed in the novel and the imperfection of humans. But I’m probably overthinking it.
All in all, I will read this again. Likely before Starset’s concerts, since if history repeats itself, we’re due for an album and tour this year.
Brb going to listen to Transmissions and wait for the next show.
Like I mentioned as a status update, there are numerous nods to Starset’s songs, music videos, shows, and especially the interludes on the albums. Other reviews mentioned this is a multimedia novel, and I’d go a step further and stay it’s a multimedia project. The live shows, the albums, music videos, interludes, and website changes are all a part of the story Starset is telling- what their media refers to as The Message.
And what is the Message? That technology is evolving faster than we can keep up, and the world moves so quickly it can be difficult to tell who, or what, we are believing in. That’s a statement I can get behind.
Expect to find references to Starset’s first album, Transmissions, scattered throughout the book. There are also references to the interludes from the third album, DIVISIONS. This strung together some bits of information that aren’t touched on in Starset’s other media.
I had to dock a star because some of the scientific jargon was over my head and the typos were driving me crazy. Now I’m second guessing myself. The story is a written account of one of the characters, and as it’s a written account, I’m wondering if the typos were intentional- a contrast between the perfection of the tech discussed in the novel and the imperfection of humans. But I’m probably overthinking it.
All in all, I will read this again. Likely before Starset’s concerts, since if history repeats itself, we’re due for an album and tour this year.
Brb going to listen to Transmissions and wait for the next show.
January 11, 2025
I love Starset! The way they have incorporated the lore into this book is really well done and a fun way to learn more about them and their history. It's well written and I really enjoyed reading it. It shed light on a lot of questions I didn't know I had. Can't wait to read their next novelization!
August 10, 2024
Okay this book is hard to review. As a big Starset fan I loved the book and the ideas in it. But I also thought it was pretty badly written, especially on line level, and could do with a line editor haha. But for a book written by a band, I think it fulfilled its intention quite well.
May 4, 2025
This was a pretty fun little book to read. It didn't take me very long, it was easy to get through and understand, and interesting enough to keep me engaged. I do listen to the band Starset's music, and this book references many of their song lyrics. I think people who haven't heard of them would still like the book, but I think I enjoyed this a lot more because I picked up on a lot of the song references. I like all this sci-fi lore, I think it adds more dimensions to the music.
February 2, 2024
It’s incredibly fine. It’s a thriller with sci fi aspects. I’d prefer more sci fi. It also felt jumpy and disconnected. Written like a action movie watches. The twists are twisty and the main bad guy is barely a threat. I want more about this futuristic proxy earth.
February 22, 2023
A must read for people invested in STARSET's music. It gives a window into the world they've created and helps interpret their work beyond its initially simple themes
August 25, 2016
Although I finished reading this unusual book/story two and one half months ago, the experience still haunts my waking thoughts. Rather than give a detailed description, as other reviewers have, I would like to add an air of mystery here by stating it is an UNUSUAL story & book and well worth anyone's investment of the effort and time to read the 245 pages. It will leave you partially mystified, no doubt, but on the other hand highly energized that one, there is a Starset Society (Search it online) and two, it corroborates and enhances the evidence of extra-terrestrial life forms from signals received via the SETI movement and society of much fame. This book was a gift to me from a musician to whom I delivered a common service well enough for him to hand to me directly after the service was delivered.
August 11, 2020
This book is a must-read for any Starset fan. I'd say the book itself could be even considered a mediocre sci-fi story (if you're considering reading this book not knowing Starset's music, I would not recommend you to do it), but the thing is that 'The Prox Transmissions' is more like a background, one of the many media Starset uses to spread a message. So it is a tool to understanding the Starset lore: the meaning of the songs, of the music videos, of their 'demonstrations'... And, at this purpose, the book is just amazing, for it allows to assemble many pieces and connect deeper with Starset's content. In this sense, Starset is great at engaging their fans and immersing them in something that is beyond their music; Starset is more than a band, is kind of an 'experience'.
July 14, 2018
So I bought this at the Starset concert, as this novel was comissioned by the band as part of their...message(?). The Prox Transmission is a wild ride from start to finish, but its best quality is that its story isn't far from the realm of possibility. Sadly, somewhat amatuerish writing left numerous typos and an unsatisfyingly rushed ending. All in all, a good book with an intriguing tale of our possible future.
December 28, 2022
Read it because I'm a fan of Starset. Nice to know their "backstory" but it's also good as a stand alone spacey sci-fi novel even if you've never heard of them. Dustin knows his space stuff and the details were very realistic.
October 28, 2022
I love this comic/book it really adds to the lore (ig thats what you'd call it) it reminds me of tjere song halo. ether way i look at it, this was amazing to read
April 15, 2024
It started off better than I expected. My main issue with this novel was the weirdly misogynistic writing, which I found to be jarring and detracted from the story and messages of the book. It seems that with the cast of characters and descriptions of people they were just replicating the general style and tropes of the sci fi genre which included misogyny and generally shallow and objectifying depictions of women. Expected more from a band that includes incredibly talented women.
At first the lore was better than I expected it to be, politically speaking. I was impressed that they actually named free-market capitalism (as exemplified through the rise of the Free Energy Corporation) as a threat to the environment and human freedom.
But then the Order of Teslonia was introduced and, as expected, the lore turned out to be half-baked. I would honestly really love to see this lore developed to a higher level of political consciousness but the neoliberal "capitalism good but just needs more restrictions!" is ... Not exactly radical (or true). First of all the evolutionary psychology theories that Gregor espouses as fact are just that: speculation. Cannot be tested via the scientific method. Secondly, communism is not stagnant or lacking purpose- there will always be healthy competition among comrades and the human desire to innovate. The competition just wouldn't be based on acquiring more material wealth than others. Hence the Monopoly game analogy falls flat.
Also the idea that the average person is living better than an emperor in 1900 is laughable imo. Like sure you have a coffee machine and random conveniences like that but do you really think working a 9-5 and having hardly any time to live your life is better than the life of an EMPEROR? Be serious.
The idea that they have to gatekeep this world-altering technology rather than give everyone the same high standard of living and save the planet from infinite exploitation and ecological collapse because they think that people Might become lazy is so unimaginative. Why don't you try to imagine a world where all your needs are met? What would you do? If your answer is that you would lie around in lazy gluttonous hedonism then that reflects on your failure as an individual, not on the entire rest of society lol. Many people would be finally able to pursue their creative passions. People would have all the time in the world to create art, books, philosophy, science, medicine, everything would flourish. If you would just sit there and watch TV while drinking infinite red bull that's you!!! Don't project that onto the rest of us!!
Just really disappointing how politically underdeveloped the climax is. Whoever ghost wrote this, hit me up! Let's talk about it! Let's read some Fanon and Césaire etc and clean this thing up <3 It'll be worth it I promise.
The ending was fun (although idk why Aston of all people was chosen to be the head of the Starset Society), and I am curious to read the next book. I'm worried it will also have half-baked politics but hopefully the story will be exciting! Am definitely curious about Thomas. (Normally I don't hold media to a high political standard but when the Point is to make a statement I give them the respect of taking their politics seriously).
Overall had so much potential and the overall concept enriched my enjoyment of the album Transmissions but the sloppy politics/evolutionary psuedoscience psychology along with the unnecessary and jarring misogynistic writing really took me out of it!
At first the lore was better than I expected it to be, politically speaking. I was impressed that they actually named free-market capitalism (as exemplified through the rise of the Free Energy Corporation) as a threat to the environment and human freedom.
But then the Order of Teslonia was introduced and, as expected, the lore turned out to be half-baked. I would honestly really love to see this lore developed to a higher level of political consciousness but the neoliberal "capitalism good but just needs more restrictions!" is ... Not exactly radical (or true). First of all the evolutionary psychology theories that Gregor espouses as fact are just that: speculation. Cannot be tested via the scientific method. Secondly, communism is not stagnant or lacking purpose- there will always be healthy competition among comrades and the human desire to innovate. The competition just wouldn't be based on acquiring more material wealth than others. Hence the Monopoly game analogy falls flat.
Also the idea that the average person is living better than an emperor in 1900 is laughable imo. Like sure you have a coffee machine and random conveniences like that but do you really think working a 9-5 and having hardly any time to live your life is better than the life of an EMPEROR? Be serious.
The idea that they have to gatekeep this world-altering technology rather than give everyone the same high standard of living and save the planet from infinite exploitation and ecological collapse because they think that people Might become lazy is so unimaginative. Why don't you try to imagine a world where all your needs are met? What would you do? If your answer is that you would lie around in lazy gluttonous hedonism then that reflects on your failure as an individual, not on the entire rest of society lol. Many people would be finally able to pursue their creative passions. People would have all the time in the world to create art, books, philosophy, science, medicine, everything would flourish. If you would just sit there and watch TV while drinking infinite red bull that's you!!! Don't project that onto the rest of us!!
Just really disappointing how politically underdeveloped the climax is. Whoever ghost wrote this, hit me up! Let's talk about it! Let's read some Fanon and Césaire etc and clean this thing up <3 It'll be worth it I promise.
The ending was fun (although idk why Aston of all people was chosen to be the head of the Starset Society), and I am curious to read the next book. I'm worried it will also have half-baked politics but hopefully the story will be exciting! Am definitely curious about Thomas. (Normally I don't hold media to a high political standard but when the Point is to make a statement I give them the respect of taking their politics seriously).
Overall had so much potential and the overall concept enriched my enjoyment of the album Transmissions but the sloppy politics/evolutionary psuedoscience psychology along with the unnecessary and jarring misogynistic writing really took me out of it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2017
PROX Transmissions is not a book to read if you are not already familiar, or understand that it has an upbringing. The story is one that reflects the lyrics and concepts of the band Starset’s discography. The plot follows themes related to the ones reoccuring in the band’s music; somewhat personifying it. The story opens up very abruptly, giving the entire book a sort of fast paced, suspenseful feeling. Background knowledge allows the entire, deeper meaning of the story more to be seen in more light, but the story can still be read with no knowledge of the band it is based off of.
The entire meaning, and theme of the story is one that will undoubtedly grab the reader’s attention. The story starts off with a man who awakens, disoriented and with no memory, in an unfamiliar gas station bathroom. Throughout the book he pieces information of his life back together, and attempts to discover what happened to him with the cryptic words he found tattooed on his head, which turn out being much more important than he ever expected. Though that is the same summary anyone will give you for the book, any more information would be to much more anyone to know before reading the book. It is a very detailed story, full of information that all links back, and that is important to future events.
The characters, most prominently the main character, Dr. Stephen Browning, are very dynamic in their own ways. As in the case of Dr.Browning, he is a character that the reader learns much about, in the senses of his attitude and personal tendencies, but not even Dr.Browning himself knows of his past. Recovering that lost information, and allowing the readers to discover the information at the same time as the readers is a very rewarding method of connection.
The book is very science fiction oriented, as the basis, and the entire plot is one that deals heavily with outer space, and even the future. It is no normal crime thriller, it requires an imagination, and definitely a liking of sci-fi themes. The setting is yet another factor that the reader discovers along with the main character, as it is impossible for him to describe any place familiar to him, as he knows of nothing. That again adds to the air of suspense. The entire feeling and writing style of the book is very complex and is an undeniable attention grabber
I myself would strongly recommend PROX Transmissions. That recommendation is strengthened even more if you are a fan of Starset, as you will be provided with more insight to the meanings of the stories discoveries. If you are not a fan of the band, I still believe this would be a very enjoyable book to read, but knowing that it does have an unfamiliar basis is valuable information. Another slight preference is if you are not a fan of science fiction, this is not the book for you. WIth all of those factors acknowledged, I believe anyone could enjoy this story, it demands your attention, and has no lack of entertainment or new and exciting discoveries.
The entire meaning, and theme of the story is one that will undoubtedly grab the reader’s attention. The story starts off with a man who awakens, disoriented and with no memory, in an unfamiliar gas station bathroom. Throughout the book he pieces information of his life back together, and attempts to discover what happened to him with the cryptic words he found tattooed on his head, which turn out being much more important than he ever expected. Though that is the same summary anyone will give you for the book, any more information would be to much more anyone to know before reading the book. It is a very detailed story, full of information that all links back, and that is important to future events.
The characters, most prominently the main character, Dr. Stephen Browning, are very dynamic in their own ways. As in the case of Dr.Browning, he is a character that the reader learns much about, in the senses of his attitude and personal tendencies, but not even Dr.Browning himself knows of his past. Recovering that lost information, and allowing the readers to discover the information at the same time as the readers is a very rewarding method of connection.
The book is very science fiction oriented, as the basis, and the entire plot is one that deals heavily with outer space, and even the future. It is no normal crime thriller, it requires an imagination, and definitely a liking of sci-fi themes. The setting is yet another factor that the reader discovers along with the main character, as it is impossible for him to describe any place familiar to him, as he knows of nothing. That again adds to the air of suspense. The entire feeling and writing style of the book is very complex and is an undeniable attention grabber
I myself would strongly recommend PROX Transmissions. That recommendation is strengthened even more if you are a fan of Starset, as you will be provided with more insight to the meanings of the stories discoveries. If you are not a fan of the band, I still believe this would be a very enjoyable book to read, but knowing that it does have an unfamiliar basis is valuable information. Another slight preference is if you are not a fan of science fiction, this is not the book for you. WIth all of those factors acknowledged, I believe anyone could enjoy this story, it demands your attention, and has no lack of entertainment or new and exciting discoveries.
January 23, 2026
As a Starset fan, especially of their first album Transmissions from which this book is based off of, I highly recommend reading this book while listening to said album. Titles of various songs are referenced to throughout the book, although sometimes it can fall a little flat when there really was potential for a more impactful moment. The book also occasionally recontextualises some of the songs, most notably the song Carnivore, in which
The story is quite cleverly constructed, reaching the end makes you want to go back to the start and see what you missed. This is very possible, as reading this book only took me about three hours. At only 183 pages long, it makes for a quick but very captivating read. The tone is often gritty and dark, with reoccurring themes of fighting a losing battle against unseen, mysterious forces. Despite this, the relationship between Stephen and Aston is at times comedic, but not in such a way that it detracts from the overall serious tone. It is just enough to make you fond of the characters, and to establish their personalities, although it very much is a 'Red Oni, Blue Oni' type relationship.
The reason this review is not 5 stars is because of the portrayal of the the deuteragonist Dana. There are certain remarks about her appearance that occasionally would leave a bad taste in my mouth.
The story is quite cleverly constructed, reaching the end makes you want to go back to the start and see what you missed. This is very possible, as reading this book only took me about three hours. At only 183 pages long, it makes for a quick but very captivating read. The tone is often gritty and dark, with reoccurring themes of fighting a losing battle against unseen, mysterious forces. Despite this, the relationship between Stephen and Aston is at times comedic, but not in such a way that it detracts from the overall serious tone. It is just enough to make you fond of the characters, and to establish their personalities, although it very much is a 'Red Oni, Blue Oni' type relationship.
The reason this review is not 5 stars is because of the portrayal of the the deuteragonist Dana. There are certain remarks about her appearance that occasionally would leave a bad taste in my mouth.
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