This weekend, we’ll be watching the premiere of Beacon 23, a new sci-fi show coming to MGM+ that stars Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) and Stephan James (Race). Beacon 23 tells the story of two people stranded together on a deep space lighthouse, and the contest of wills that ensues when they realize they may have conflicting agendas.
Even before seeing Beacon 23, one of the things that makes this new show so exciting is that it’s based on a story by Hugh Howey, the author who wrote the Silo series. So if you’re wondering if Beacon 23 is based on a book, the answer is a yes. Read on for the details!
What book is Beacon 23 based on?
Beacon 23 is a little different than your usual novel. Rather than release it all in one go, Howey serialized Beacon 23 in five different parts, creating bite-sized episodes of storytelling that kept readers coming back for more. Howey spoke about the decision to serialize Beacon 23 on his website:
"Why release this series in parts? For several reasons. The most important to me is the ability to slow down the reading process and have each work linger with the reader for a while. When you order a five-course meal, the chef doesn’t bring it all out at once. He or she controls the timing of each dish, making sure you digest and savor as you go. Even though I’m going to release a print omnibus (and eventually an ebook omnibus), I hope readers take a while to pause between each section. The first four parts tell their own stories, but all weave together and culminate in the fifth."
Following its serialization in summer 2015, the five different parts of Beacon 23 were later collected in an omnibus that released in September of the same year. So these days you can either practice extreme self-restraint to give yourself some natural breaks between chapters, or you can blast through the whole thing.
The Beacon 23 television show premieres Sunday, November 12 on MGM+.
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