Beyond

By: Ambrose Ibsen

Narrated by: Joe Hempel

Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Erich Tellier died. Then, he came back to life....

On the night of a long-awaited comet sighting, Erich, a university student, comes back from the dead. Making a miraculous recovery after a horrific car accident, he quickly returns to his musical studies and seems to have a new zest for life. Though he mingles with his fellow students and dedicates himself to his work, those close to him can't help but notice something is wrong, however.

Very wrong.

Erich isn't himself anymore. His personality has changed radically, and where he was once a middling musician, he's suddenly and unaccountably developed a virtuosic talent. He spends his nights awake, walking the streets or throwing lavish parties.

What's more, those who spend time alone with him tend to go insane.

Amid a string of suicides and government conspiracies, the denizens of Moorlake, Ohio find themselves at the center of a blossoming cosmic horror. If they don't find out who - or what - Erich Tellier has become, the horror is bound to spread beyond the confines of their quiet college town.

Beyond is a supernatural thriller by Ambrose Ibsen.

©2019 Ambrose Ibsen (P)2019 Ambrose Ibsen

Beyond The Grave

Have been a fan of Ambrose Ibsen for a while. He definitely has a style that works very well, occasionally he strays from his norm and it is amazing to see how reviews are either love or hate. I think this story exemplifies his ability to write a different kind of story while sticking to the same style and tone that we have come to know and love from his haunted stories. I actually think this could have gone a bit further down the rabbit hole and pushed everything a bit further and still have come out a great story.

I enjoyed how the plot played out. Had enough of the horror/supernatural element that are consistent in Ibesn’s stories, but also had a mystery conspiracy angle that I really enjoyed. Again, I would have been happier if the book were a bit longer and that whole angle was explored a bit more. To me it just quenched my thirst enough that I wasn’t parched anymore, but could have had some more to drink. The ending was not quite where I saw the story going, but looking back I think it made total sense and couldn’t have gone any other way.

The characters were good. There really are only a few that you get to meet consistently, but I liked how they interacted. The tension between Erich and Julian was great and I loved what seemed to be a cat and mouse game between the two of them. The tinfoil hat wearing Brock, was probably favorite as I like the good ol’ conspiracy nut. I thought that there was a clear difference in the type of characters in this story that worked well with the way the plot was laid out.

The Ibsen – Hempel team is fantastic. The two work very well together and between Hempel’s fantastic narration and Ibsen’s ability to create tension, I couldn’t stop listening. Hempel provided, as always, a narration that brings you into the story and provides the right amount of emotion and personality to each character. I was super excited to start this book and now that I’m done I can’t wait for the next.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Not Ambrose’s best but it was decent

I’ve listened to a few of his books and normally love them, this one was ok but not his best. But it wasn’t a terrible story just not what I normally like. If aliens are your thing I would recommend it. I was given this audiobook for free in exchange for voluntary and honest review.

A master of of the macabre turns his stories towards the stars

Let’s face it, if you like Horror and you haven’t acquainted yourself with Ambrose Ibsen yet then you need to ask yourself why you haven’t and give yourself a good lecture. Ibsen is today’s Stephen king, lovecraft, etc. his stories are masterfully told to ring the most child and shivers from your soul as can be done...this tale brings the horrors from the stars. His tales of ghosts and haunting have chilled me to the bone. This tale from the star freezes the marrow in the bone. The true horror of it can’t be known or seen until the very end of the tale. However everything leading up to it will leave you saying. I hope we are alone in the galaxy. Get ready to enjoy this horror from the stars well written by Ibsen end expertly narrated by hempel (a master narrator). I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher

Creepy

Ambrose Ibsen is becoming one of my favorite modern horror authors, mainly for the stories of haunted places of his I've enjoyed. This one was a little bit different as a music student, Erich, dies and makes a sudden recovery but is different. Like really different, in that where he was once a mediocre player he is now a fantastic player, and his personality is completely different. It's up to Julian to make a connection between Erich's miraculous recovery, a comet that happened the same night, and some government hush hush before Erich can have a drastic effect on the rest of the students.

It's fun and fast, and there are some nods to famous works in the genre that will be nice for anyone familiar with them. But almost too fast, in that marinating a little more in the doomed feeling would've been worthwhile. But as this author is pretty good at trimming the fat, nothing is missing. And Joe Hempel is the best narrator for a book by Ibsen, honestly he might be my favorite horror narrator yet as he does a solid job of carrying modern horror.

I received the review code for this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this honest review.

A different spin for Ibsen.

Every book I have listened to by Ambrose have been disturbing ghost stories, this one takes a different spin into the more sci-fi ET genre, although with plenty of horror. This book provided plenty of anxiety and stress for me. Erich a d-bag college student studying music is a D's get degrees kind of student, The night of a rare comet passing, Erich totals his car and his body and is pronounced dead, until he isn't. He comes back, but a little different than before and nobody else notices except for one fellow student Julian. Thinking he is either losing his mind or that there really is something sinister going on Julian begins to watch this new version of Erich. Government coverups, suicides, conspiracy abound. It is a little slow at times, but it's a very good extraterrestrial horror. As always Joe Hempel does a great job. I received a free review copy of this book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Beyond

Beyond was an interesting book. I don't think there was anything particularly groundbreaking in the narrative, but it was a fun and pretty short book. It felt like an elongated short story. I liked the character of Erich more than I liked the protagonist Julian. I liked how it touched on cosmic horror, but I found it to be more of a mystery or maybe more a suspense than a horror book. Either way, I liked it overall and Joe Hempel did his usual great job of narration.

This audiobook was given to me at my request for my free and unbiased review.

What really happened the night of the comet?

Beyond by Ambrose Ibsen was a fun, pleasant surprise. Being a huge fan of Ibsen's well-crafted tales of of the supernatural, this wasn't in his usual realm. Not saying that this doesn't involve the supernatural-it's definitely has a bit of that feel, but it's got much more of a sci-fi feel in there as well. If you're looking for Ibsen's typical horror/supernatural story, just know that this isn't one of those. Dang, do I ever love how unique his stories are though!

Erich is a piano student and it sounds like he was pretty mediocre. Until the night of the comet, anyways. Erich dies and comes back, though he isn't quite the same...Julian is sent to visit him in the hospital and give him a card from his class. Things start to get weird from that point on. Erich all of the sudden is an amazing musician, with unbelievable charisma and class...and then people around him start killing themselves.

Joe Hempel, as always, does a phenomenal job narrating this story. He brings life to the characters and in turn draws you right into the story. I don't think I've ever been unhappy with a performance of his, and this is no exception! I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.

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Next generation of the classic 1984 'Night of the Comet!'

Loved the book, read it in less then two days! Erich is very sly, but yet very evil! It's one of those books, were it keeps you on your toes through out the whole book!

Outstanding horror story

This is the first horror story from Ambrose Ibsen that I've enjoyed. The story is well-crafted and keeps the reader intrigued. I loved the conspiracy theory element that compels Julian to battle the evil that has overtaken Erick and is causing suicides. A clever twist gives this story a fresh take on "invasion of the body snatchers".

Joe Hempel, the narrator, gives an excellent performance that keeps the story moving and the reader engaged. I completed listening in two sittings and was disappointed when the terrifying experience concluded.

Horror fiction fans should definitely check out this recommended read.

I received a free review download for this audiobook. All opinions and ratings are my own.

SciFi Mystery Thriller, suspense, and the stars.

An interesting journey through Comets, Scientists, Musicians, College and an extraterrestrial devil with a twist.