Psion Beta (Psion series #1) [Kindle Edition]

Jacob Gowans (Author)

Book Description

Sammy, a 14-year-old fugitive, accidentally discovers he has the powers of a Psion.

Plucked off the streets, he is thrust into the rigorously-disciplined environment of Psion Beta headquarters. As a new Beta, Sammy must hone his newfound abilities using holographic fighting simulations, stealth training missions, and complex war games. His fellow trainees are other kids competing to prove their worth so they can graduate and contribute to the war effort.

But the stifling competition at headquarters isolates Sammy from his peers. Learning to use his incredible powers is difficult enough, but when things go horribly wrong on a routine training mission, he must rely on the other Betas to stay alive.

The Silent War is at a tipping point; even one boy can be the difference.

But to do so, he must survive.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

I think this is a very strong beginning to what could be an interesting book. If the writing stays as tight as that in the excerpt, the reader should be swept along. However, if there are too many instances of inconsistency, the reader will quickly become frustrated.

Amazon.com Review

A must read, especially for boys - a very hard audience to impress. It would be very easy to get teens to read writing of this caliber. Wonderful!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 505 KB
• Print Length: 374 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004G5Z44W
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,839 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #68 in Books > Children's Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book! Read this book! Hurry, do it. Do it! ;) March 31, 2011

By T. Parks

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Jacob Gowans crafted an interesting and entertaining future world that leaves you ready for more.

Psion Beta is set around the year 2085, many years after a supervirus killed off over forty percent of the world's population. The story centers on 14 year old Samuel "Sammy" Harris Berhane. A series of tragic events have stripped Sammy of his childhood and left him unable to trust anyone especially those in authority. In the face of what looks to be yet another tragedy Sammy is given a fresh start because of some special gifts he possesses. These gifts make him an important government asset to protect peace as he and others are trained to fight "The Silent War."

The story follows Sammy's training as he discovers the limits of his gifts and pushes himself to do extraordinary things. While he learns to push his physical limits he must also wrestle with his own fear and distrust of others.

I highly recommend this book to anyone (of any age) who enjoys a good science fiction novel. The characters are well developed and the plot is engaging. I would love to say more but I don't want to spoil it for you. If you liked the Ender series by Orson Scott Card it is fair to say that you will be equally entertained and drawn in by this book.

68 of 80 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read for Everyone October 6, 2011

By J. Kane

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

It really irks me when my colleagues go on about how our middle school students should read more classics because this YA fiction just isn't of "substance." I'm not sure which YA books they actually read...maybe just Twilight? Anyway, ever since I started teaching, I've read almost exclusively YA fiction and constantly find ways to bring it into my classroom. No matter what we're going over, they're always more interested if we do it in the context of literature. I can't read anymore without stalking lines and hoping to be able to steal something to use in my classroom. This book provided me with plenty of ammunition.

Let me give you an examples of how I've written this book into my plans so far:

My students have a hard time describing settings without just listing everything out with lots and lots of adjectives...something like, "The book with the green and yellow writing and a white spiral in the center was on the extra short desk with the blue chair and fake wood top." Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with that...they are being descriptive. However, they're not being descriptive in a way that engages or even matters to a reader. So, I showed them the excerpt from Psion Beta when Sammy described the night after his mom bought him the red sweater (I'm being intentionally vague here. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read that far) and then I asked them, "What did Gowans do well here? Can you see this happen? Why?" We just talked about it for a few minutes. My 7th grade students came up with things like,"He shows me what he sees and what he feels and what he smells and all of that." Exactly. My next question to them was, "I know we've all read books when the author just drones on and on about a particular scene or what a person sees.... What does Gowans do to make us care what he has to say?" This one was a little bit tougher for them. They knew they cared, just not why. I let them discuss it in their groups for a few minutes and then they shared their answers with the class. They decided that they cared because Sammy was actually doing something. He wasn't just describing what he saw, he was walking through the house, "try[ing] to keep it together," following the smells, etc. Also, he didn't waste a lot of time talking about meaningless things - he only described what mattered (I'm sorry that I can't give specific details here!) My students hit the nail on the head...and it shows in their writing. When students read excellent writing (this book), they become better writers.

Okay, enough about the teaching side of this...

I'd like to finish up by saying that this book isn't the typical "page turner" that I see in most YA fiction. They usually provide just enough suspense to keep you reading to find out what happened next. This book was the complete opposite. I kept reading because the characters were interesting and did exciting things...all the time. When the book ended, I wasn't disappointed because I didn't know what was going to happen next; I was disappointed because I couldn't spend any more time with the characters.

Good work, Jacob Gowans. My students and I appreciate your work and look forward to the next installment in the series. Read more ›

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable January 11, 2012

By Henry Spalding

Format:Paperback

This is one of the most engrossing, heartfelt, and fun books I've ever read. Instantly comparable to Ender's Game without the overriding out of control Science Fiction that made the later books more difficult. It isn't dumbed down and can appeal to all audiences. The world created in the book is one of the most well-thought out I've ever seen, and there is a payout to every single thing you imagine or want to see in the book. Likable characters, fast moving narrative, constant page turning action, and true to life character interactions make this book one of the best I've ever read. Read it, cherish every page, and hope the book never ends.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I want more! (three cheers for Gamma!) April 8, 2010

By Adam J. Morris

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

UPDATE: I am updating my review of this novel. The initial review that you can read below was for Mr. Gowan's Amazon contest entry.

After reading the initial preview that was entered in the Amazon contest, I was thrilled to find out that the novel was published and made available to the public! I couldn't be happier with my purchase of this novel. I couldn't wait to find out what happened to little Brains (Sammy)! It was altogether enjoyable, suspenseful, and entertaining.

Mr. Gowans is an excellent story teller who has the ability to keep you wanting more. At times I couldn't help but fly through certain chapters (haha, which had to go back and re-read), because I had to know what happened next.

In short, this will definitely be a novel I go back and read again. It's not a story the gets old after the first read, but one that is fun to go back and experience again and again.

SECOND UPDATE:
After my second read, my enthusiasm for this novel has only grown. I can attest to my previous comments about this being a "timeless" story. I have lent out my copy a couple times now and will definitely be handing it to my children once they can appreciate it. Perhaps to give some context to one experience I have while reading Psion Beta, there are books like Da Vinci code, Harry Potter, or Dune, where for large spans of the book you can't stop, you simply MUST find out what is going to happen, I experienced this multiple times while reading this book, so Jacob, keep up the good work!

Honestly, it is a shame that talent like this is "unharvested", maybe the agent/"scout" system is broken, or maybe they just had a bad day when Jacob sent out his manuscript.... In any event, I'm glad to have stumbled upon a great novel, and what I truly hope ends up being a great series!

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I really enjoyed the beginning here. Jumping into the action really grabbed me and beckoned me to read more. It is a bit troublesome to follow all of the characters with their various nicknames, but I'm going to guess that this is immaterial as it appears many of them might drop out of the story rather quickly.

The language is clear and relevant, and even though it may be directed at a more youthful audience, I, in my late 20's, would love to finish the balance of this novel. Not only do I wish that I could keep reading the story for my sake, but I'm sure that some of the concerns that have been voiced thus far would be cleared up or put to rest with a further reading of the story.

In short, I feel this is a strong entry, and I will be looking forward to a chance to read this in its entirety. This appears to be the kind of story that I would love my children to pick up and enjoy. It doesn't appear to be too graphic or offensive in any way. Yet, it has the potential to expose them to conflict and teach them the importance of morals and decision-making, while remaining enjoyable and engaging.

Thank you Mr. Gowans, I wish you well. Read more ›

More About the Author

Jacob Gowans is a resident of Arizona, working as a dentist for the Indian Health Services. He is husband to a beautiful wife, and father to three children. When not working or writing, he enjoys watching sports, reading YA novels or the works of Stephen King, running, and chasing his kids around the house.

Psion Beta was his first novel, and he is currently working on books in two series: Psion Alpha (Psion Series #4) and The Storyteller's Tale Volume Two. His favorite music artists are blink-182 (and their spin-offs) and Brandon Flowers. His favorite book is Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, and thinks the greatest film ever made is Dead Poets Society.

He was raised in Papillion, Nebraska, served a two-year mission in Baltimore, graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in theater studies, and moved to Cleveland shortly thereafter for dental school at Case Western Reserve University.

He roots for BYU football and basketball, and the New York Yankees.

For more info check out http://www.jacobgowans.com