Beacon 23

By: Hugh Howey

Narrated by: Peter Ganim

For centuries, men and women have manned lighthouses to ensure the safe passage of ships.

It is a lonely job and a thankless one for the most part. Until something goes wrong. Until a ship is in distress. In the twenty-third century, this job has moved into outer space. A network of beacons allows ships to travel across the Milky Way at many times the speed of light.

These beacons are built to be robust. They never break down. They never fail.

At least, they aren’t supposed to.

©2015 Hugh Howey (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Interesting Story

This was an interesting story. At first it seems a bit slow but picks up quickly. Before I knew it I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I had to find out what happened next. There are some intense moments that have you holding your breath. check it out.

Character driven story

I enjoyed the characters in this book in the different stories And it was a nice conclusion

War, war never changes.

Turns out it is more of an idealist allegory to PTSD and the struggles of war taking toll on its participants. Towards the end of the book, it slightly brings up memories of Mass Effect 3’s ending. There are some lite Serenity thoughts through the head around the middle as well. Not very overtly grounded sci-fi if you're expecting something more like The Expanse, as it leans more to the monotony and routine of something less taxing than Mark Watney in The Martian.

Slow burn through a healing mind

Great performance as we witness one man gradually unfold his own wartime trauma. The book focuses on the inner monologue of the protagonist, delivering a more personal experience than the tv show.

Wild Ride

At first I was wondering what kind of book this was, if it was meant to be a comedy or a tale of a man slowly losing his mind. I'm pretty sure I get it now, but it was touch and go for a while. Overall a good read