Review: Psion Beta

Psion Beta
by J.W. Gowans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Psion Beta / B003CV7TDA

Sammy and his friends are on the run from the law. Fugitives, and yet still youths, they do what they have to in order to survive - stealing food, rummaging through dumpsters, and working together as a team - while still finding time to play war games in the abandoned shops and buildings of the city. When the local police - the Shocks - find them in the midst of one of their games, however, they have to run for their lives and hope that those left behind will somehow be able to rejoin them.

This is a very interesting excerpt, and puts me somewhat in mind of recent titles such as "Lockdown" and "The Maze Runner". Like those titles, I think that this novel will nicely capture the male young adult demographic. The characterization is excellent, and the plot so far is interesting, with a sprinkling of science fiction hints overall. If I could make one recommendation, it would be that some of the dialogue seems a tiny bit forced - especially when the boys are running at full speed. For the sake of realism, that section might need to be edited to an internal 'discussion' rather than an external one. Overall, I would enjoy reading more.

NOTE: This review is based on a sample excerpt of this book provided through the ABNA contest.

~ Ana Mardoll

View all my reviews

UPDATE: The author of "Psion Beta", Jacob Gowans, has kindly agreed to be interviewed here.