Beyond the Blue Event Horizon

By: Frederik Pohl

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's Summary

Frederik Pohl was on a streak when this Hugo Award-finalist novel was published in 1980. Now back in print after an absence of nearly a decade, this unique science fiction novel is as fresh and entertaining as ever. The story begins when the hero of Gateway finances an expedition to a distant alien spaceship that may end famine forever. On the ship, the explorers find a human boy, and evidence that reveals a powerful alien civilization is thriving on a transport ship headed right for Earth….

©1980 Frederik Pohl (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

“Certainly very few books have ever held my attention in such an iron grip right up until the last paragraph, built so irresistibly to such a satisfying series of blockbuster punch lines, left me so breathless with admiration, achieved such truly cosmic scope.” ( Analog)

“The kind of mind-opening conceptualization that makes the universe seem very vast and beautiful indeed. In short, this is a book that fulfills SF’s ability to entertain intelligently.” ( The Chicago Sun-Times)

SHE SURPRIZES ME MOST WHEN I LEAST EXPECT IT

I give this five stars, but it is not as a strong five star as Gateway. You want to read Gateway first.
SHANTY TOWNS NEVER DISAPPEAR THEY BECOME INSTITUTIONALIZED.
I read Gateway when I was in my 20's and then I read this. At the time I could not understand it enough to enjoy it. I don't know if it is because I am older or because I listened on audible, but I found I really liked it this time around. I like Sci-Fi and I like reading about space travel. It is amazing how little Sci-Fi actually has space travel. When they have space travel it usually involves the military. This has a family in space, making it easier for me to picture myself in space.

This kept my attention. Toward the end there was some heavy math and physics. I had a little problem staying with Pohl on that, but as a whole I enjoyed the read and want to go on to the third book. As I grow older I seem to appreciate Pohl's ability to look into the future and write about it.

This book feels very dated

After enjoying the first book in this series, Beyond the Blue Event Horizon was quite a let down.

I believe that part of the problem here is Pohl broke the story into segments following different characters. Instead of focusing on a single narrative, this time Pohl jumps from one point of view to another. This tempo isn't always a bad thing, but here its stopping somewhat interesting story lines in there tracks and its a little jarring.

The ideas of what a computer could be is dated. Sort of like the computer on original Star Trek. Makes for some hard reading when a computer plays such an integral role.

Dumb characters. I really got to hating the family that is on a several year mission to an artifact. They are supposed to be the brightest of humanity, but they come off as petty and idiots. The decisions they make are awkward. And speaking of awkward, the heavy sexual narrative of a girl on her first period written by an old man... yikes.

Stay away from this book. Its not good.

Another Winner

It may just be because I'm rereading a series I really enjoyed in my youth, but I just can't stop listening to this series. I'm picking up on stuff I missed the last time I read this series and the story is keeping me very focused. Must get some sleep tonight!!! No more marathon listening sessions. I may need Sigmund to help me through this problem.

Terrific Extension of Gateway

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely! Pohl is an underrated author. He comes out of the classic Sci Era of Asimov and Clarke and I think compares favorably to both. This is big concept Sci Fi, without a lot of action relative to fighting or horror. Much of the narrative is similar to Asimov (logic and plot conveyance) but with a significant amount of hard science. Astrophysics is at the heart of this second novel in the series and I thought it was terrific. I do not understand why Pohl is to regarded more highly, maybe because the novel format moved away from these internally driven narratives to more outward, action based stories at home in the movies or TV.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Well Robin is the star here but honestly I thought Albert Einstein was just as engaging as Siegfried Von Shrink in Gateway. This is not as heavy of a novel and Albert adds some coif relief and is a great device to explain astophysics. Very clever of Pohl.

Have you listened to any of Oliver Wyman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Well his work in Gateway was tremendous, this is just as good. His voice for Robin shows his advanced age and the other characters are great.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Hope you paid attention in high school physics"!

Any additional comments?

This is a solid series. Because Gateway was such a classic book, some readers might be put off by this second installment. It is a much different narrative and style. Don't compare the two, Pohl is moving the story forward and to do that he needed to tell the story differently. After a bit I got used to it and I was rewarded a story that I very much enjoyed. I plan on finishing the remaining books in the series. If you like Asimov, Clarke and Bradbury you will enjoy this book. Its clever, a little corny and educational.

It depends on what the definition of "beyond" is

Would you listen to Beyond the Blue Event Horizon again? Why?

Chock full of spoilers (generalized). In this book, which is a sequel to Gateway, you've got new characters, you've got new aliens. Pohl zooms in on various characters, light years away from one another, and follows specific individuals. Wyman's vocalizations are distinct. One of them is very annoying--a young character that he feels compelled to always have shouting as if they are trying to prevent someone from yanking their shorts up their ass-crack.

Pohl gloriously zooms out in the book's latter part, allowing three major aspects of the Heechee phenomenon to be told. Just when you think the telescope has brought you to a logical end view of the picture, Pohl either backs away to a whole new extensions, or directs you to a microscope or CAT Scan of the subject at hand.

My big problem--which may or may not be cleared up in later installments--is that there is no action regarding Clara's plight. I thought "beyond" meant into, past, pioneering, discovering--as in "into." Instead, it's about dismissing, "getting over with," setting aside.
In that sense, I was really disappointed.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Beyond the Blue Event Horizon?

Finding the cause of the madness that recurred on earth on a regular basis--and how that madness changed according to the specific transmitter. Finding the purpose of the ubiquitous Heechee artifacts.

What about Oliver Wyman’s performance did you like?

The variety of voices--except the hysterical one mentioned above. Boy, did that grate on my nerves.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The meeting of the travelers and the young castaway. The description of the activity of "first contact" was outrageous, pathetic, natural, shocking, and liberating!

Not as good as Gateway

I got thru the book. I'm a huge fan of the Heechee but this one isn't written as well as the first. It moves the story along and is the weakest of the three in my opinion.

Follow-on to Gateway with more Heechee

Beyond the Blue Event Horizon is Frederik Pohl's sequel to Gateway. Robin Broadhean has sponsored an expedition to a recently discovered Heechee food factory at the edge of the solar system. A small crew of four makes the four year journey and not only find the food factory, but a young human who migrates between the food factory and another Heechee ship called Heechee Heaven. On Heaven are the Dead Men who turn out to be simulacras of lost Gateway pilots as well as old ones who appear to be degenerated Heechees. The crew is captured and Robin, after dealing with multiple business issues makes his way out there in a Gateway vessel and rescues the the crew, brings the food factory home, and solves the mystery of Heechee controls. The ending suggests the mysterious Heechee have been toying with humanity in order to create a buffer between them and something even more powerful.

Pohl throws quite a bit of science into the story with much discussion about black holes. He creates AI avatars that provide legal and accounting services as well as a digital Albert Einstein. The Heechee prayer fans turn out to be information storage devices as well as another Heechee technology to digitize a person. A 'dream chamber' has been used to direct human evolution. The last chapter is from the perspective of the Heechee captain who oversaw the Earth project with the idea that the Heechee are on the run from an entity with the power to rearrange the fundamental constants of the universe and they were hoping to set up humans and other intelligent species as a buffer.

The narration is well done with excellent character distinction and overall quick pacing. The Albert Einstein accent is nicely done, but can get a bit annoying.

Great addition to the Hechee saga

If you liked gateway, you’ll either love or hate this one. It is a little different than Gateway, but continues the story of Robinette Broadhead beyond gateway and toward the Hechee. Give it a shot! I promise it is worth it.

The narration was the best part!

fantastic narration with many voices for all the characters. I found the story a little difficult to follow at times though, and still have a couple of lingering questions about it.

Good but no Gateway

Good book however the more I learn about the Heechee the less interested I am.

As Good As Gateway

What made the experience of listening to Beyond the Blue Event Horizon the most enjoyable?

The story was progressed in a brilliant way. Excellent story telling. Fiction at its best.

What did you like best about this story?

The fact that the characters were very believable and the story moved on in a very logical and enjoyable way.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I enjoyed the introduction of new characters and their story lines.

Escapism at its best

Well written,excellently narrated and right up my street. Good descriptive passages created vivid pictures in the mind.

An incomplete book with a dreadful ending

What a fascinating set-up the first 80% of this book had. So many interesting scenarios and questions it raises. The claustrophobic setting of a family trapped on a long-distance spaceship paired with a billionaire trapped by his own investment interests. There was so much potential.

And then for the last two chapters, it was as if Pohl got fed up of writing the book and just wanted to finish it and publish it as quickly as possible. At literally the most exciting point in the plot, he skips ahead to a time where everything worked out perfectly and then retells how everything was resolved as a recollection. Then to make matters worse - obviously panicking and realising with this unsatisfying ending people might not buy the next book in the series - he tacks on an expositional chapters which removes ALL the mystery about the Heechee race and explains everything, setting the scene for a confrontation in the sequel. It's an appalling betrayal of the reader and one all the more poignant because of the excellence of what came before.

I'm (generously) giving this book 3 stars as 80% of it was really good. Next to Gateway though the book appears hugely flawed.

A good progression of the Heechee series

This is the second book in the series and if you haven't already go and read Gateway first. Like Gateway this is a science fiction story focused on exploration, concepts, relationships, science and even politics rather than action sequences. This story is set some years later than Gateway and sees Robin as an older man and head of a company but is a clear progression of the themes and issues explored in Gateway. The new cast of characters are really interesting as is the mission central to the narrative. All in all a good progression of the story and a bit like a lot of middle stories it is setting up future stories rather than wrapping up everything nicely. All in all I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to the next chapter.