Alex reviewed Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey
Dark
2 stars
It was dark and a little depressing, but with a good end.
paperback, 252 pages
Published Aug. 12, 2015 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
4 stars
(46 reviews)
Zivan reviewed Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey
Review of 'Beacon 23' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
An episodic series of short stories about a veteran with PTSD who lives alone in a space lighthouse / beacon.
As he struggles with his internal demons and the crisis of the week, the story builds up to an epic finalle.
I found the final episode to be out of proportion to the others and my credulity was stretched beyond its limits.
felienne reviewed Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey
Review of 'Beacon 23' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Howley's weakest book I read so far. The setting is compelling, a man, along in a lighthouse in space. The story is interesting too, weird things happen in the lighthouse and there is a war, from which our hero tried to escape by taking up the post in the lighthouse. But the pace is off, it is nothing like the slumbering, creeping narrative of Wool, or the fast pace of Molly Fyde. Stuff happens, but it does not really build up on other events, and the ending comes quick and unanticipated. Disappointing.
Pentapod reviewed Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey
Review of 'Beacon 23' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
In the 23rd century, as Earth is embroiled in a bitter war with various other alien races, "lighthouses" are now Beacons out in space which warn jump ships away from dangerous asteroid fields and similar. They are manned by a single person, and Beacon 23 is manned by "Digger", a war hero clearly suffering from significant PTSD who requested the posting in order to be alone. He intends to stay in isolation out in space until he dies and his plan starts out okay, but over the course of the book a number of things happen that affect his plans. This is a short book comprised of 5 short stories, each of which is a chapter in the story of Beacon 23. The earlier ones are more setting the scene and groundwork, and the latter ones are increasingly connected. The protagonist is reasonably likeable outside his clear PTSD issues, and …
In the 23rd century, as Earth is embroiled in a bitter war with various other alien races, "lighthouses" are now Beacons out in space which warn jump ships away from dangerous asteroid fields and similar. They are manned by a single person, and Beacon 23 is manned by "Digger", a war hero clearly suffering from significant PTSD who requested the posting in order to be alone. He intends to stay in isolation out in space until he dies and his plan starts out okay, but over the course of the book a number of things happen that affect his plans. This is a short book comprised of 5 short stories, each of which is a chapter in the story of Beacon 23. The earlier ones are more setting the scene and groundwork, and the latter ones are increasingly connected. The protagonist is reasonably likeable outside his clear PTSD issues, and has a decent sense of humour, and meets various interesting characters in the course of the stories. I did find the ending a bit abrupt and a little hard to swallow, but still enjoyed the stories very much.
B. Zelkovich reviewed Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey
Review of 'Beacon 23' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Super fast-paced, with a (somewhat?) unreliable narrator that keeps you guessing. By the end I'm still not 100% what was real and what was delusion. Either way, this book was a fresh look at PTSD, and a interesting twist on Sci-Fi warfare.
