Get Your Free Audiobook
-
The Beam: Season 1
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller, Tara Sands, Ralph Lister, Ray Chase, R.C. Bray, Jeffrey Kafer, Chris Patton, Rachel Fulginiti
- Series: The Beam, Book 1
- Length: 18 hrs and 3 mins
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction
Non-member price: $51.25
People who bought this also bought...
-
Legacy of War: The Complete Series (Books 1-3)
- First Encounter, Enemy Lines, Invasion Force
- By: Joshua James, Daniel Young
- Narrated by: Daniel Dorse
- Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A fragile truce hides a deadly deceit. A century ago, an alien fleet attacked Earth. After decades of bitter war, a truce was struck. The aliens disappeared. Humanity stood down. But the captain of the aging battleship Walker Pierce will never forget. He has spent the last months in disputed space, against the wishes of his superiors and many of his weary crew, looking for proof of alien treachery and afraid of what he might find. Because this time, if the aliens attack, humanity won't be so lucky.
-
Shattered Galaxy
- The Complete After the Galaxy Series Box Set
- By: Scott Bartlett
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
- Length: 27 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Raised fatherless in a galactic Brinktown, Joe Pikeman only ever wanted to escape. The Galactic Guard offered that escape, with the promise of regular meals to boot. Now Joe is a full Guardsman, with his own ship and a snide partner bot who hates humans almost as much as he hates other bots. To the pirates he hunts, Joe is known as the Butcher. His bloody reputation has landed him in the center of a sweeping conspiracy that threatens to stamp out the galaxy’s last surviving human settlements.
-
-
The story seemed promising...
- By Steve on 03-12-2020
-
1st to Fight: Earth at War
- By: Rick Partlow
- Narrated by: Scott Aiello
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a sci-fi author with a hit TV show, I have a few ideas about what alien invaders are supposed to look like. In my stories, they’re technologically advanced monsters, with tentacles, and no faces. Turns out I was right about the technology. And about how angry they’d be. But the way they look is more terrifying than even I could have imagined. They look exactly like us. Because they are us.
-
Toy Soldiers
- Books 1-6 Box Set
- By: Devon C. Ford
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 38 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Disorder and chaos ravage London when thousands are contaminated by the accidental discharge of an experimental bioweapon. The disease robs its hosts of rational thought, giving them a singular desire - find more living flesh to infect.
-
-
excellent
- By Anonymous User on 14-12-2020
-
The Salvage Crew
- By: Yudhanjaya Wijeratne
- Narrated by: Nathan Fillion
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An AI overseer and a human crew arrive on a distant planet to salvage an ancient UN starship. The overseer is unhappy. The crew, well, they're certainly no A-team. Not even a C-team on the best of days. And worse? Urmahon Beta, the planet, is at the ass-end of nowhere. Everybody expects this to be a long, ugly, and thankless job. Then it all goes disastrously wrong. What they thought was an uninhabited backwater turns out to be anything but empty.
-
-
Disappointing
- By THOMAS on 16-11-2020
-
The Forgotten: The Complete Trilogy
- By: M. R. Forbes
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 29 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Contains books 1-3 of The Forgotten. Sheriff Hayden Duke was born on the Pilgrim, and he expects to die on the Pilgrim, like his father, and his father before him. That's the way things are on a generation starship centuries from home. He's never questioned it. Access points to the ship's controls are sealed, the systems that guide her automated and out of reach. Until a malfunction forces his engineer wife to the edge of the habitable zone to inspect the damage. Until she contacts him, breathless, to tell him she found a body, and it doesn't belong to anyone on board.
-
-
Gunslinger on spaceship
- By Anonymous User on 25-10-2020
-
Legacy of War: The Complete Series (Books 1-3)
- First Encounter, Enemy Lines, Invasion Force
- By: Joshua James, Daniel Young
- Narrated by: Daniel Dorse
- Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A fragile truce hides a deadly deceit. A century ago, an alien fleet attacked Earth. After decades of bitter war, a truce was struck. The aliens disappeared. Humanity stood down. But the captain of the aging battleship Walker Pierce will never forget. He has spent the last months in disputed space, against the wishes of his superiors and many of his weary crew, looking for proof of alien treachery and afraid of what he might find. Because this time, if the aliens attack, humanity won't be so lucky.
-
Shattered Galaxy
- The Complete After the Galaxy Series Box Set
- By: Scott Bartlett
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
- Length: 27 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Raised fatherless in a galactic Brinktown, Joe Pikeman only ever wanted to escape. The Galactic Guard offered that escape, with the promise of regular meals to boot. Now Joe is a full Guardsman, with his own ship and a snide partner bot who hates humans almost as much as he hates other bots. To the pirates he hunts, Joe is known as the Butcher. His bloody reputation has landed him in the center of a sweeping conspiracy that threatens to stamp out the galaxy’s last surviving human settlements.
-
-
The story seemed promising...
- By Steve on 03-12-2020
-
1st to Fight: Earth at War
- By: Rick Partlow
- Narrated by: Scott Aiello
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a sci-fi author with a hit TV show, I have a few ideas about what alien invaders are supposed to look like. In my stories, they’re technologically advanced monsters, with tentacles, and no faces. Turns out I was right about the technology. And about how angry they’d be. But the way they look is more terrifying than even I could have imagined. They look exactly like us. Because they are us.
-
Toy Soldiers
- Books 1-6 Box Set
- By: Devon C. Ford
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 38 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Disorder and chaos ravage London when thousands are contaminated by the accidental discharge of an experimental bioweapon. The disease robs its hosts of rational thought, giving them a singular desire - find more living flesh to infect.
-
-
excellent
- By Anonymous User on 14-12-2020
-
The Salvage Crew
- By: Yudhanjaya Wijeratne
- Narrated by: Nathan Fillion
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An AI overseer and a human crew arrive on a distant planet to salvage an ancient UN starship. The overseer is unhappy. The crew, well, they're certainly no A-team. Not even a C-team on the best of days. And worse? Urmahon Beta, the planet, is at the ass-end of nowhere. Everybody expects this to be a long, ugly, and thankless job. Then it all goes disastrously wrong. What they thought was an uninhabited backwater turns out to be anything but empty.
-
-
Disappointing
- By THOMAS on 16-11-2020
-
The Forgotten: The Complete Trilogy
- By: M. R. Forbes
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 29 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Contains books 1-3 of The Forgotten. Sheriff Hayden Duke was born on the Pilgrim, and he expects to die on the Pilgrim, like his father, and his father before him. That's the way things are on a generation starship centuries from home. He's never questioned it. Access points to the ship's controls are sealed, the systems that guide her automated and out of reach. Until a malfunction forces his engineer wife to the edge of the habitable zone to inspect the damage. Until she contacts him, breathless, to tell him she found a body, and it doesn't belong to anyone on board.
-
-
Gunslinger on spaceship
- By Anonymous User on 25-10-2020
-
The Last Voyage
- Star Smuggler, Book 1
- By: T.S. Snow
- Narrated by: Gary Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He's a criminal. She's far from it. Together, they’re Earth's last hope...they just don’t know it yet. Sinbad Singh had everything. A thriving smuggling career, his hologram on wanted posters on eleven planets, and plenty of women. Then she walked into his life. Andrea Talltrees, member of a backwards cult not believing in space travel or anything else invented after the 20th century. She wants him to find her husband, a fugitive accused of being an Albegensian spy, the planet currently at war with Earth.
-
The Roach
- By: Rhett C. Bruno
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Reese Roberts was the guardian of Iron City. Its fearless protector. The only one willing to do whatever it takes...until he was shot on the streets and left paralyzed from the waist down. Now, the vigilante known as the Roach has disappeared. It’s been years since Reese could take on crime and clean up the streets. He’s a shriveled old drunk. But when a copycat steals his suit and takes justice into his own hands, a new killer emerges. It’s time for Reese to re-emerge from his shell and fight back.
-
-
not what you might expect
- By brian fahrendorf on 14-01-2021
-
Star Kingdom Omnibus
- Star Kingdom, Book 1-3
- By: Lindsay Buroker
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 28 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is a time of treachery, terrorism, and tyranny in the Star Kingdom. The king cannot be trusted, the galaxy is on the brink of war, and a notorious mercenary is destroying everything - and everyone - in his path on his quest for vengeance. The Star Kingdom is in dire need of heroes. What it gets is a band of misfits and underdogs:
-
-
loved it!
- By Trevor Murkin on 14-09-2020
-
Refuge
- An Intergalactic Space Opera Series (Tradepoint Saga, Book 1)
- By: JJ Blacklocke
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nine hundred Vennans undertake a cultural exchange to Tradepoint, a space station where aliens from different worlds meet to do business. A young and gifted Speaker, Gredin, is translator and diplomat for the happy occasion. But a horrific vision shatters her first night’s sleep on Tradepoint. Venna, their home world, has been destroyed. Now the safety of the delegation, the only Vennans left in all of time and space, rests on Gredin’s young shoulders.
-
Entanglement Bound: An Epic Space Opera Series
- Entangled Universe, Book 1
- By: Mary E. Lowd
- Narrated by: Sierra Kline
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When money trouble forces Clarity and her traveling companion, Irohann, to take on passengers, Irohann worries his secret identity will be revealed. He's a canine alien on the run from an empire of sentient plants, and their queen has a personal vendetta against him. But Clarity believes his fears are unfounded and the Doraspians gave up on him long ago.
-
Echoes of War: Books 1-3
- An Epic Military Science Fiction Box Set
- By: Daniel Gibbs
- Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
- Length: 30 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Terran Coalition faces repeated and brutal attacks from the repressive League of Sol. To defend his home planet, David trades his dream of becoming a rabbi for a battlefront in the far reaches of space. When particle beams fly, his courage under fire brings quick promotion. But in the lulls between battles when he must confront his soul, David finds a different enemy: the ghosts of those killed under his command. Yet in war, it’s kill or be killed - and the enemy shows no mercy.
-
Empire Earth: A Space Opera Boxed Set
- The Complete Trilogy
- By: Chris Pourteau, David Bruns
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 26 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Expanse meets The Godfather in Empire Earth (The Complete Trilogy): A Space Opera Boxed Set. Three full Books. 1,000 pages of space opera filled with intrigue, betrayal, and high-octane action that will keep you turning pages long into the night.
-
-
Enjoyable Space Opera
- By Andrew Ross-Gowan on 17-11-2020
-
Triton
- The Descendants War, Book 1
- By: John Walker
- Narrated by: Seth Thompson for HotGhost Productions
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Commander Titus Barnes struggles to save his ship. War brews on the horizon and the crew of the TCN Triton get caught in the middle. When they answer a distress call from one of their colonies on the edge of their space, they end up outmatched and outgunned by an unknown force. This conflict may well push humanity into a new age...or spell the beginning of the end for their race. Meanwhile, two archaeologists work to uncover evidence of alien life on a far off planet.
-
Machinations
- Last Resistance, Book 1
- By: Hayley Stone
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rhona has battled the malevolent AI intent on wiping out humanity since the first Machinations began - until she’s killed during a rescue mission gone wrong. Now, Rhona awakens to find herself transported to a new body, complete with her DNA and her personality. She's a clone...of herself. Except for her missing memories. Some of which could potentially turn the tide of the war.
-
Optional Retirement Plan
- By: Chris Pourteau
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stacks Fischer is a killer for hire. For more than three decades, he’s loyally served the Syndicate Corporation as its most-feared and respected enforcer around the solar system. He’s buried the company’s dirty laundry six feet deep, no matter who had to be taken out to do it. Now, Stacks has a problem - he’s losing his mind to incurable form of dementia, and unwittingly spilling corporate secrets in public. When SynCorp decides Fischer has outlived his usefulness, they decide it's time to permanently retire him. But Stacks isn’t quite ready to go.
-
The Planetsider Trilogy
- A Post Apocalyptic Science Fiction Boxed Set
- By: GJ Ogden
- Narrated by: J.S. Arquin
- Length: 32 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A century ago, the world fell - but the war never ended. Now, the survivors of the apocalypse are reunited, and a new fight begins. A century after the war that destroyed the planet, the UEC and GPS remain locked in a generational conflict. Split between a vast orbital space station and a base on the moon, neither faction can return to the scorched and irradiated planet.
-
Dead City, Book 1
- By: Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One bite used to be the difference between life and death, until biotech giant Hemisphere developed Necrophage - the drug that stopped the zombie plague in its undead tracks. But quick solutions often come with steep consequences. The Sherman Pope virus is no longer a death sentence to the infected, but only if they receive treatment in time. Clarifiers must decide who will be treated and who is turned out into the Yosemite Preserve to turn feral and be hunted for sport.
-
-
Fantastic concepts
- By Terri-ann on 05-07-2017
Publisher's Summary
A sci-fi political thriller set in a terrifyingly real future
When all of humanity is connected, the center of the web is the seat of true power.
The world's old political borders have dissolved. The NAU is civilization's carcass, a nation ruled by two political parties: Enterprise, the sink-or-swim party where each party member has no one else to blame for their starvation or astronomical wealth; and Directorate, whose members have a guaranteed safety net but can never rise above their station.
Every six years, an election determines the NAU's future. The process is called Shift, and the next one is approaching. With humanity intertwined by way of the Beam—a hyper-advanced version of the Internet that serves every whim and need—Shift is the be-all and the end-all. More than an electoral method, it is the future's political discourse.
In the midst of tumultuous politics, some players are making their own moves. Doc, a black-market nanoenhancement vendor, discovers a disturbing trend of upgrades among his clientele. Nicolai, political speechwriter for the head of Directorate, struggles to find his independence in a life that is supposed to be devoted to the Party, all the while unaware of his own terrifying connection to the Beam. And Kai, an escort and assassin as lethal as she is flexible, becomes embroiled in the machinations of her top clients—because after all, the political elite choose only the best to warm their sheets at night.
And through it all, a shadowy group is pulling strings behind the scenes, guiding Shift exactly where they want it to go. Their identities are unknown to all but a few, and anyone who stumbles upon them by accident—or, worse, learns their true goal—is swiftly disposed of. But if their power goes unchecked, they will shape the fate of millions for years to come …
Plug your mind into The Beam. It's been waiting for you.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Beam: Season 1
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- karl
- 04-08-2015
Just not my kind of book
It's good, but it's just not for me... But to be fair to this book I've just finished yesterday's gone and ready player one, which I really loved..... In the beam though I didn't care much for the characters, I just don't find them relatable
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- cristina
- 09-07-2015
Sheer entertainment
A perfectly crafted not-too-distant future world. A cast of fully developed characters. Intersecting story lines. And A+++++ narrators. I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. Can't wait to download the second one.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Emma
- 02-07-2015
Fantastic
This was the first audio book that I have listened to and it took a bit for me to adjust, but once that happened, I was hooked.
I love this story and the questions it raises about our own addictions and technology use.
The storyline, though complicated at first, is intriguing and draws you in. The characters are full and well fleshed out and the world is a feat in and of itself, making it believable and almost a possibility for our own future.
If you like a Science Fiction/Fantasy than this is a must read/listen
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Tim Kaiver
- 26-02-2015
Landmark exploration of future nanotech & Internet
The Beam's greatest quality is in showing us how nanotechnology and an Internet 2.0 could shape the future, eighty years from now. You can tell they put a lot of thought into new technologies, how they would be used, and how a political and economic system would develop.
As for the story, there are a lot of pieces being set up in Season 1, and while I enjoyed it throughout, I was able to put it down until about the last fifteen percent. I am eager for the next season and hopeful that enough foundation has been laid so they can spend less time explaining the history. That said, a revelation about the early history of this technological revolution is shown at the very end, which makes me want to know more about the past, and maybe see if we are on the verge of watching it all collapse.
The plot is essentially a bad guy wants to monopolize a new technology and the large cast that we meet is all related to that pursuit. Who is the bad guy and who will survive to fight another day? Some don't even realize they are in such a battle, and those who are unaware become more interesting as they are forced to fight. I liked all of the characters and enjoyed how diverse the cast was (though not necessarily Diverse with a capital D that we see being called for of late--at least one person is Black, there are three female POVs, some of the names suggest non-USA natives, but no LGBT that I can remember.) I don't really care what people's races are, so I was more interested in their personalities and the passion in their hearts. When I say that they were diverse, I was referring to their different goals, qualities, and problems. Platt and Truant did a great job linking them together and making their desires conflict with each other.
I listened to the audiobook. Overall a great production, though sometimes I felt one of the narrators emphasized the wrong words. Not a big quip, and really, outstanding job to only have that one critique.
In short, I am excited to see where the story goes and continue to experience life eighty years in the future.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Erin M.
- 13-01-2015
An Immersive World - Great Read & Listen
Would you listen to The Beam: Season 1 again? Why?
I would definitely listen to this book again. It was the first time that I listened to an audiobook with multiple narrators in the production, and I think that it worked really well with the multiple points of view that this book is told from.
Which scene was your favorite?
I especially enjoyed the scenes with Crumb, and none more than the ones from his point of view while he is still crazy.
Any additional comments?
I'm really looking forward to listening to The Beam: Season 2, which I've already read but can't wait to hear. Hopefully it coincides with the third book coming out so I can refresh my memory about what has been happening before starting the third one.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- James
- 13-12-2015
Absolutely masterful
I'm a big fan of Platt and Truant, and this is the first audiobook I've listened to.
It's very well written and incredibly engaging. As well, it's masterfully performed by a huge cast. To be sure, I think this has spoiled me for audiobooks.
A must-listen for science fiction fans.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- T. Bennett
- 22-10-2014
Gritty Dystopian SF at its BEST!!!
The first thing you need to know is that this book should be rated M for mature. From the first chapter there is a lot of adult language related to sex and drugs, so don't listen to this book around your kids.
I'm a huge fan of Johnny and Sean's so I was bound to like this story.
That said this book is their best effort so far. My favorite living authors include Spider Robinson, Jim Butcher, and now Johnny B. Truant and Sean Platt.
This book is Atlas Shrugged meets The Matrix meets Yesterday's Gone. Yet that comparison doesn't do justice to the scope of the world these guys have imagined. The world of The Beam is as big as the Star Wars universe, or Robert Heinlein's future history stories, or Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.
I started this book 2 days ago and I couldn't stop listening. This audiobook is a fully immersive experience. I usually don't like full cast readings where each narrator narrates from a particular point of view. But all of these narrators worked very well together.
What I particularly liked was that each character had their own voice. And the narrators really made an effort to make each character's voice performance uniform throughout. Each character's particular accent was maintained as much as possible by every narrator reading the book. Each narrator shift was seamless and felt like a point of view shift in the movie or television show. This performance sets the standard of excellence for books that have multiple narrators.
If you enjoy dystopian futures, richly developed characters and landscapes, fully developed worlds with their own stories to tell and gritty SF you will LOVE this book!
25 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Erik Marshall
- 06-11-2014
Great audio to a very good story
I had already read the book, but I thought it would be interesting to listen to the audiobook as well. The story is quite complicated, and I figured it would be nice to get a refresher.
I don't know what I expected, but what I got was amazing. This audiobook has an amazing cast of voice actors, one for each point of view character in the book. This really helps keep the characters straight, and keeps me from driving off the road in boredom from listening to the same voice over and over.
Not only are there many voices, but the voices are *good*. Each one captures the spirit of the character and makes listening to this book a dynamic, pleasurable experience. I am confident that if I hadn't read the book first, I would still be able to follow along with no problem.
Overall, some great audio to an intriguing, complex, satisfying sf story.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Monica Leonelle
- 06-11-2014
Excellent
Would you consider the audio edition of The Beam: Season 1 to be better than the print version?
As amazing as the print version! When you start with a great story, and then go above and beyond on the audio production, you are going to create magic. That's what this audiobook does, and the quality and thoughtfulness truly shines through. Even traditional publishing isn't doing stuff like this—but that's the beauty of owning your properties.
What did you like best about this story?
The Beam is easily my favorite of the Realm and Sands franchises. I love sci-fi and write sci-fi, and this cast doesn't disappoint with a diverse cast of characters who all have different, opposing goals. The larger themes this writing duo explores are also fascinating.
What about the narrators’s performance did you like?
I loved that this book was truly "cast" and there were multiple actors reading. It mixed it up and gave it a cinematic audio experience. Really loved everyone's performance!
21 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Tara
- 01-12-2014
Interesting & Thought Provoking
Would you listen to The Beam: Season 1 again? Why?
Yes! There are multiple story lines that all weave in and out throughout the book. It is super interesting to see how each character meets up with others in the storyline. I would definitely listen again as there is plenty to follow and understand about this world.
What did you like best about this story?
I liked that it was not made up or fantastical. It is definitely futuristic but you can see the foundations of what is happening during the story. I feel like the future advancements are as cleverly weaved in as the technology of JD Robb in the Eve Dallas books.
What about the narrators’s performance did you like?
I loved multiple of the characters but my favorites were Ray Chase as Doc and Rachel Fulginiti a Kai (sp). They were easy to distinguish and the readers made them seem likable and realistic.
Any additional comments?
This is the first fiction work that I have listened to by these authors and I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. I was sorry that season one ended and I can't wait until there are more seasons available on audio! I will definitely be getting the next season to find out about the characters. PS - It wasn't in the questions but I liked the plot line of the two parties (Enterprise and Directorate) the best! I am definitely team Enterprise!
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Paul
- 03-03-2015
Great story, unusual style
I wasn't sure what to expect when I purchased this story. the title seemed to indicate that it was more of a serial than a novel, and as I listened, I found it to be true. The performances were good, although I could have done without some of the stereotype affectations. I did get used to those affectations and it became a part of the story.
I think that the format of this story felt like I was reading an HBO series rather than a novel. In this case, it worked well. I just purchased season 2, and I will be listening on my drive home today.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- redfeend
- 14-03-2015
I enjoyed this
It took a little while before I started to enjoy this book, but once I had my bearings I really enjoyed it. The story groups characters into four strands as we follow their lives and their relationship with The Beam. The overall story and the sub plots within are believable and well written, full of detail and inter connectivity. The narrators are all good. My only slight gripe is with the ending. I was left with the unsatisfactory situation where all of the characters stories just stop in mid stream. For this reason the book doesn't end well as a self contained novel. If I want to find out what has happened to the characters that I have invested 19 hours listening to, then I must buy part two. I intended to get it anyway as I enjoyed this volume so much, but it is a minus point.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Stuart Grant
- 22-07-2018
Epic! Written like a TV show
I really enjoyed this! A fantastic vision of the future and some really really cool ideas. The different narrators for each character takes a little bit of getting used to and it can’t be a little disorientating to start with. It’s a little bit of a slow burner but I really got into the characters after a while. There is no ‘2nd’ act where something twists or happens, it’s just a winding story of a vision of the future. But enjoyable and clever at times. I have also listened to Part 2. This part is much stronger tbh. This has Great performances and good story.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- fuzzy
- 13-07-2017
Couldn't wait.......
Struggled to listen to this at first but once I had, I couldn't wait to be able to listen to it again. Thankyou to all concerned with this story. Loved it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 01-04-2017
Ambitious beggining of a promising Trilogy.
What made the experience of listening to The Beam: Season 1 the most enjoyable?
The variety of characters/settings/sub-plots and the successful balance between plot and worldbuilding kept me hooked throughout the book. There was not a single chapter that I thought was dragging too long, even the philosophy interjections (an interesting blend of non-dualistic philosophy and fururism/information theory) were short and did not disrupt the story.
Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favourite?
With such a diverse cast it is difficult to pick a single narrator as favourite. What I can definitely say, though, is that the narration was clearly enriched by having a big cast instead of a single narrator.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Chris Morgan
- 12-01-2016
I'm left wanting more.....
Political intrigue, creative vision of technology and some great plot twists. I'm off to buy the next series.
16 Best Audiobooks by Aboriginal Authors
Across genres, there’s no shortage of brilliant titles from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers of Australia.



25 Best Celebrity Audiobooks
It’s always a pleasant surprise to pick up a familiar story and find an unexpected famous friend in the narrator’s booth.



Best Audiobooks of 2020
We've crunched the numbers, heard from our listeners and gotten expert opinions to round up the best listens of 2020.


