This book has a lot of potential, which I do not think it fully lived up to. I was entertained throughout, though, so I would reccommend to others.

The main thing this book needed was a big dose of subtlety. There were lots of interesting ideas, relationships, and characters floating around, but they all needed to be treated with a lighter hand in general. For instance, the whole premise of the book is that society has been divided into Alphas and Betas, with Betas being treated as inferior and abused constantly. Although I was definitely weirded out by the concept at first (sorry, it was just giving wayy too many omegaverse vibes), it was alright in practice – especially once I read the author’s note explaining the story’s origins. But it wasn’t hugely effective as a dystopia because it was lacking subtlety. It was just straight-up the Betas are basically slaves and are abused constantly and drugged. But it was really unclear how society had progressed to this point from presumably current times in a single generation because there was no subtlety – how did society come to accept this? Why? What was society like that made people so desperate for structure that they would accept such an arbitrary designation? The same goes for the characters. Dane’s character arc makes plenty of sense in theory, but it seemed like he went from one beat to the next without making the transitional periods clear. And his feelings about his former friends and family were similarly lacking in nuance. Generally, no matter how horrible the things someone has done to you, if they’re that close to you you don’t just turn your feelings for them off like a light switch; you feel something. And that was missing in this case. Same goes for his relationship with Tobyn and his feelings about rebellion. Like I said – everything needed just a little bit more nuance. Maybe another hundred pages to explore these things? The other main thing was that there were just a lot of world-building details that were thrown out without a ton of thought given. For instance: if there are almost no flying shuttles and even most of the ultra-rich couldn’t afford them, why could one be used to travel between cities for sports? There were just a few different things like that throughout the book that made the world feel a bit muddled. I also wasn’t entirely satisfied with the extent the sexism and racism in the society were addressed. But I did actually quite enjoy elements of it; once I got past the alpha-beta thing and Dane’s sort of irritating teenage boy voice, there were lots of other characters to enjoy, and Dane and Tobyn’s relationship was very sweet. Lots of potential, but needed just a bit more polishing and development.

Beta Rising is not a bad or uninteresting story but the writing did not do it for me and I could not get past it.

The premise of this book held so much potential. The uprising of social/political castes, coming of age, learning who you truly are…I was so ready to be impressed. Instead I’m left wanting, and not really in a positive way.
The MC had every chance to change his POV and thought process but even up until the end of the book continued to push misogyny and homophobic rhetoric. The use of “no homo” with his friends even after coming to terms with his queerness, his use of the “Betty” slur towards his fellow betas…it just didn’t sit right to me. This is partially due to a case of “old habits die hard” but for a book that was supposed to show his growth, it really wasn’t much of a change.
Overall it was a fun and quick read and did enjoy the other characters.

I did receive this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

I was provided with an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

This book was a hard read for me. There are many content warnings to be aware of: body horror, hate speech/crimes, abuse, violent caste systems. Then there are themes that deal with toxic masculinity, gender identity, societal oppression.

Beta Rising is a novel about a dystopian world where people are separated into alphas and betas after they graduate high school. It is all based on luck and genetics. The alphas are the ones in charge while the betas are the ones who serve. The main character starts out as an entitled jackass who gets a rid awakening when he is not the alpha he always thought he would be. He is a typical male teenager that we have seen in most young adult novels.

The rebellion and political plot point came about as too unbelievable. This didn't seem to come about naturally for the book but considering this is a young adult book I can forgive it. At the same time, I don't think this is meant for the lower end of the young adult demographic. I would think maybe 16+ with a good support system because of the content warning I mentioned earlier.

The world building is good and the writing will make you feel what the author wants you to feel. Now those feelings are usually brought about by difficult scenes that can be hard read. I don't think I can recommend this book to everyone but if you are interested in the genre this book can be for you. That is why I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

This book is terribly written — like I understand that the main character is supposed to be obnoxious at the beginning, but the whole book is just incredibly immature. This book is for "16+" but it reads like the target audience is twelve year olds.

Heteronormative and queer, rich and poor, alpha and beta. Beta Rising shines a light on dichotomies such as these and tells a story that captures what occurs when society privileges some groups over others.

I found Bower’s tale captivating throughout, not only for its fast-paced cyberpunk adventure plot but also for its thematic content that reminds us how shitty some of our lives can be for reasons outside our control. It is within the confines of this thematic project that the author suggests we lose our egos, our infatuation of individualism, and combat inequality as a collective. I appreciate the drastic measure the protagonist takes to address his city’s tyranny; I believe most authors would caution against including a rebellion group such as Beta Rising into their novels, especially with such a positive approach. Thankfully, Bower did not.

On top of the engaging plot and compelling message, Bower’s writing is excellent—clear, concise, and easy to read. He also crafts a believable main character who starts off a self-proclaimed “jackass” and ends up a jackass, albeit a changed jackass. The author pulls off writing a teenager in a young adult novel without resorting to typical cliches, linguistic or behavioural, offering the boy complexity and room for growth.

What keeps this book from reaching five stars is its lack of in-dialogue tension. In one scene, the protagonist asks his commander for something, the commander says no, a third-party says “but yes,” and the commander changes her mind automatically. Interactions such as these showcase important decisions the characters must deliberate and could have added more depth to their relationships if more space was spent on them. I also wish ideas associated with “fitness” and body were a bit more problematised. In a story that aims to subvert the status quo through its discussion of a variety of topics ranging from capitalism to race, the book could have benefited from highlighting a subject that continues to plague the gay community. However, based on the protagonist’s history, I can understand why he might place premiums on thinness and musculature.

Beta Rising tells a fun, lively story that addresses timely issues. Here, Bower balances camp with grace in his exploration of difficult situations, some of which mirror his lived experience. I want to say thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I’m glad I was able to discover this author through this gift. I will definitely pick up the physical book once it becomes available and will check out Bower’s other work. Also, a prequel or sequel for Beta Rising would be lovely.

4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.

All around a great read. The first person narrative worked really well. This book is one of the few times I wish it was a trilogy. I would have loved to spend more time with these characters. A very easy read . I would definitely recommend this book.

A spoiler-free review:

Serious content warnings: Body horror (forced "medical" procedures), hate speech/crimes, abuse, violent caste systems, and visceral descriptions of profoundly uncomfortable scenes. I felt genuinely sick at times despite being generally capable of such content.

I will not be describing the content warnings in detail in this review. If you can stomach the warnings, then maybe continue.

About the book

This book primarily explores the themes of gender identity, toxic masculinity, societal oppression, and power dynamics. The author paints a painful picture of a dystopian society that separates people into "alphas" and "betas" as determined by destiny and genetics. In this dystopian society, the ruling class (the alphas) are not only entitled to their caste but necessary to bring order in this post-apocalyptic world.

Can you spot the thinly veiled analogy? It becomes very clear through the book what demographics belong in the alpha group and the beta group.

The world in this book is well-built but perhaps not well thought out. It felt like the author needed to cheat a little to develop the story to its conclusion. the result is a story with some questionable plot holes. The book is ultimately about gender identity and toxic patriarchal themes. It does not claim to be a book about political maneuvering or reasonable acts of revolution, but at some point, these plot shortcomings feel too convenient or unbelievable. Regardless, I cannot penalize the book much considering the plot issues are on par with many other young adult novels.

Young adult novel?

The young adult genre is a very forgiving one, so most of these plot issues can perhaps be overlooked. The trouble is, I am not sure the disturbing content in this book is appropriate for the 'young adult' demographic (12-18). Perhaps 17+, but supervised to ensure the reader has support.

To be clear, I am referring to scenes involving the mentioned content warnings. Unquestionably, it is more important than ever for today's youth to study the themes presented in this book. Unfortunately, this book does not deliver enough on its profound lessons to warrant the potential distress it could cause for an adolescent reader. When it comes to these uncomfortable themes, there is better literature available that can communicate the lessons this book explores.

Conclusion

The content, regardless of age rating, will succeed to make you feel the emotions the author intended to convey. Depending on the individual, the reader can expect strong feelings... It could be anger, perhaps despair, or maybe eventual cathartic joy. Unfortunately, these feelings are largely achieved with difficult scenes and general narrative milestones rather than masterfully crafted chapters.

I did not know how to provide a rating for this book. It is not a masterpiece, but thanks to its use of rather disturbing content, the book communicates its themes to the reader. This book has a few shortcomings; however, it is made with love and has drawn inspiration from the author's personal experiences. I have settled on 3/5 simply because I am not sure the distress was worth what I gained from this book.

I will not give this book a general recommendation. I can only recommend this book if you are interested in the genre and subject matter and can stomach profound discomfort in the pursuit of the story.

Disclaimer: I was provided with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we're discussing Graham Bower's book, Beta Rising. This was my first experience with Bower's work, and after reading this story, I'm eager to explore more of his books in the future. I'd like to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of Beta Rising in exchange for an honest review. I had the pleasure of reading this captivating novel in March 2023, spending almost an entire day engrossed in its pages. Recommended for readers aged 16 and above, Beta Rising is set to be published on Kindle on June 1, 2023. The narrative, told from Dane's first-person perspective, spans 32 chapters and 266 pages.


-I think that the book was created with some exceptional writing skills and an outstanding focus on details that kept me engrossed throughout the story. I feel that the technique that the author use while introducing us to the main character at the beginning of the story defined the character's distinct voice and personality and was quite effective in capturing my attention. I feel that the book's pacing was well executed, demonstrating the author's ability to sustain a captivating rhythm throughout. I appreciated the book's inclusion of fascinating technological elements within its world. I was fond of the compact Beta Rising logo artwork that was used as section dividers throughout the book.

-Upon delving into the book, I felt a strong connection between characters Tobyn and Dane, leading me to support their potential relationship. I appreciated Dane's significant character development, evident from the beginning to the end. The character Lol caught my attention and piqued my interest. I found myself wanting to know more about his story.

-I particularly enjoyed the dynamic action throughout the book, especially in the thrilling scenes towards the end. The conclusion was satisfying, but I would have appreciated more information on Bard's whereabouts, Dane's brother in the story. If the book becomes available in paperback or hardback, I will certainly pick up a physical copy. Personally, I would appreciate if this book were adapted into a TV show, and if it ever is, I would definitely watch it.


I rate each story I read out of 10, and for this one, I give it an 8.6. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.

DNF @20%

I never DNF books, like ever, and I personally just could not get into this book. Especially our main character was so obnoxious and cocky, and his friends were all like it, and I knew that I was not able to go through with this. Maybe sometime I will get back to this since I think the topic and synopsis was actually really cool and interesting, but I just can't for now. I think it does have lots of potential, and probably when I am not in a stressful time right now, I will give this another chance.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honeset review

Beta Rising is a clever and intelligently written novel about the question of whether any of us are better than others. Betas in Sky City are the lower class, subservient to the alphas and often mistreated and impoverished. The alphas are those who have passed a test to determine that status. They then form the upper class. When Dane takes the test, as the son of the mayor he expects to be alpha, but deceit occurs and he becomes a beta. His adjustment to that, his coming out to himself and others, and his willingness to join the Beta Rising rebels make for a very interesting tale. Kudos to author Graham Bower.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.