Review: The Beam by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant
Some have argued the science fiction novel is destined for the scrap heap. Movies, television, and graphic novels are superior mediums for portraying speculative worlds. Others say novels are in trouble because of the steadily shrinking attention spans of readers. Their only hope is for authors shorten their novels or release them section by section.
John Scalzi’s The Human Division was released by section, as well as Hugh Howey’s Wool, which is actually a collection of short stories. Indie authors have taken notice and begun releasing their own works in shorter sections in hopes of encouraging skeptical readers to pick up part 1. Committing to reading a 80 page section is easier than a 400+ page novel.
I came across an intriguing sci-fi series published in episodes like a TV drama, perhaps preparing for the inevitable TV deal. The Beam, by Sean Pratt and Johnny B. Truant blends the gritty and sometimes graphic style of an HBO drama with impressive imagination.
The premise of The Beam is fascinating with formidable world-building to go with it. In the 22nd century, society is divided into two co-existent factions: Enterprise and Directorate. The Enterprise faction is an ultra capitalist, minarchistic society where there is limited public services and no welfare programs at all. On the other hand, individuals can fly to incredible financial heights without limitation, whether taxation or otherwise. The Directorate is a step or two short of a Communist regime, with equal wages paid to all whether you work or not. Life is tough but there is a complete safety net in place.
Two of the main characters are brothers and major political rivals. Micah Ryan is the younger but seems to be the more talented one. Micah is a prominent figure in the Enterprise faction and fits it well. He is a crafty politician, ruthless, and Machiavellian in his tactics. Isaac is older but immature and unsteady. His role in the Directorate is a gaping contradiction; he is given a generous salary well above the standard wage of the regular people.
Unfortunately the political and philosophical discourse in the book is limited, usually nothing more than short vulgar arguments between brothers or the other characters. The internal monologues are better but get repetitive towards the end. Oddly, the characters seem similar regardless of what faction they belong to. Perhaps this was the hidden message of the author concerning political systems.
The episodes are told from the point of view of various characters orbiting the two brothers. There is Natasha, Isaac’s wife and famous pop star. She is well into her sixties but pays enormous amounts for cosmetic enhancements to look young. Nicolai is Isaac’s speech writer. He is a refugee from Europe, and has a Machiavellian streak in him that makes one wonder why he is in the Directorate. Then there is Kai the high-priced prostitute, a guy known only as Doc, police captain Dominic Long, Leah the hacker, Leo the hippie radical, and Crumb the crazy old man.
You can see the problem. There are at least nine points of view, creating a vast and complicated story arc. The characters are pretty well developed but have a lot in common in terms of demeanor and language. It takes a while for them to become distinctive. There is plenty of swearing and a general disregard for any form of polite conversation. Sex is a joke and all manner of social norms or structures are ignored. It reminded me of Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction with a linear plot, or maybe a futuristic version of Game of Thrones.
The format seems to emulate the HBO-style drama. The episodes are about 70-90 pages, which fit a one hour TV time slot. The graphic content fits on HBO as well. The large number of POV characters is similar to the enormous world of Game of Thrones. While the authors deserve credit for taking on such an ambitious project, I’m not sure their execution was successful. There is a lot to like about The Beam but the early episodes are weighed down by numerous POVs and heavy exposition.
Episodes 4 and 5 really open things up, so if you can get to that point (about page 300), it’ll be worth it.
While the characters seem to develop in the later episodes, I don’t know if it is really a character-driven series. With no clear protagonist, the story plods along with three subplots with no clear picture of how they are intertwined. At least, not yet. For me, the most likable character is Kai, the high class escort. Unfortunately, most of the rest come off as sociopaths. The anti-technology group, known as Organas, are Leah, Leo and Crumb. I think they might become my favorite later in the series.
If this were an HBO drama, I’d say the show struggles for a hook thru three episodes. If readers can get past the slow buildup, the pay off is worth it. It would also help if the series had some sort of central unifying conflict. More character diversity in terms of personality also would’ve helped. The nihilistic, overly-cynical, sex-obsessed array of characters in The Beam are appealing to some but probably will turn off others.
Fans of Game of Thrones, Pulp Fiction, and Sopranos will like the realistic, gritty style of the first season. The quality world-building will appeal to traditional high tech science fiction fans looking for a serious future. At the same time I am not sure fans of young adult fiction or classic space operas will enjoy this one. There are no true heroes in this one. Season 2 is available and received strong reviews. Overall, I’d say this one is worth picking up.
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