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Bang to Begin
- Narrated by: Alan Weyman
- Length: 5 hrs
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Anthologies & Short Stories
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Summary
Reality is relative.
There is no such thing as universal truth. But lies are always lies.
From auctions to assassinations, from cosmos to subconscious mind, the roots feeding into these short stories start fine, but thicken and tangle as they grow deeper.
Follow these wayward souls through their darkest moments, each beginning with a bang and each trying desperately to avoid ending with the same.
A metaphysical, visionary exploration of the human psyche and all that it means to be real - discussed via an anthology with a difference.
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What listeners say about Bang to Begin
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Stevo
- 15-06-22
Dark, ominous and a roller coaster of a ride!!
I was told it was quite “dark” and I don’t mind dark but this is……. “DARK”!!
But, you know what? every once in a while, you dive into something or somewhere you have never been before and this was that time and place.
Oh yes, was it ever! So glad I did. A roller coaster ride from start to finish. Good, evil. Past future, Space. It had everything. Well done Jethro!! Great effort and look forward to the next one?!
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- S
- 05-12-20
Cloud Atlas meets Black Mirror
I was given a free audible code by the author in exchange for an honest review and had no expectations about it (one shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, after all). I have to admit; I was not prepared for this.
What immediately caught my attention was the writing. It's not just good, it's extraordinary. First person present is my favourite perspective, but few writers manage to get it right. Weyman does. His writing is witty, sharp and concise. There's never a dull moment between sentences. And the stories are brilliant! The different genres and the way they fit together got me praising and cursing the author in equal amounts.
Definitely the most original read of the year for me.
I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a complex and well written story.
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- Mariam Naeem
- 24-11-20
Great listen!
I found the narration by Alan Weyman to be endearing and it was like listening to someone telling you a bed time story. I loved it!
The storyline itself was full of action and the scenes just kept you listening and waiting to hear what would happen next. A very colourful imagery described in this book and well worth the listen!
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- Rue S
- 29-06-21
Intense and Unexpected
I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into when I read on Bang to Begin. That's probably for the best, because nothing I would have imagined would have prepared me for the reality.
The opening story started innocuous enough, though with an eerie atmosphere that left me supposing all was not well. Sure enough, everything soon became disjointed and frail at its seams, taking an intense and catastrophic turn in the story "After the End" that deftly clinched this title into its 'horror' genre. Each subsequent story a new terror, until about halfway through, the tells started to take shape. Like a slow revealed blueprint, a picture takes form that ties all the disparate tales together.
I'll be blunt: if you're squeamish, this is not the book for you. There's gore, disturbing images, kidnapping, murder, assassinations ... but an ending that oddly sets a tone that almost erases that which comes before. That said, in order to get to the end, you do have to get through a lot of darkness, so be prepared.
As far as the writing itself, it's quite a strange combination of sparse and detailed. It takes some getting used to in a few of the stories that are more disjointed. Because of that, as well as the plot, this isn't a set of stories that you can skim and be able to follow along. I'd dedicate some time to read this in small spurts rather than binging it.
Overall, if you're a fan of horror, dark fantasy, or science fiction with a twilight zone twist, I'd take a chance on this book.
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- Lane Northcutt
- 03-03-21
Exciting, Chilling, and Terrifying
An excellent collection of stories that flows from one to another very well. There were only small moments that I felt it was difficult to understand/stay connected because of audio/performance, but overall an excellent collection.
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- JayJ
- 16-12-20
Engaging story
As soon as it started, the story got me engaged, t was intriguing. The voice was nice and easy to listen to. I really enjoyed it
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- SJ Cuellar
- 03-12-20
Thought Provoking - equal parts structure & chaos!
Jethro Weyman’s Bang to Begin is a puzzle of deliciously dark and intertwining short stories.
Each story, as told by a buffet first-person narrators, is charged enough to stand alone, but even as they come together, they keep you thinking.
Weyman’s style is fast paced, clever and sharp. His use of imagery and language are perfectly executed, and he offers the occasional hint of humor to lighten up some heavy themes.
The highs and lows of narrator Alan Weyman’s voice really brought this story to life for me!