Preview
  • Before Us

  • The Abyss, Book 2
  • By: Nathan Hystad
  • Narrated by: Marc Vietor
  • Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (103 ratings)

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Before Us

By: Nathan Hystad
Narrated by: Marc Vietor
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Publisher's summary

They came from below, but were they also here before us?

Wyatt survived the initial destruction, but he’s lost someone important to him. While he fights to distract himself from harsh realities, he ventures for the rendezvous point, eager to reconnect with his past.

Blaze and his son, Luke, travel south, deeper into Mexico, in an effort to shut the remaining Rings off at the Nu-En facility. But Alan’s odd behavior and sordid past leave many questions unanswered.

Luna discovers just how strong she can be and treks across the deadly country with her new friend. While reluctant to trust anyone, Luna finds she has no choice.

Before Us continues the adventure started in Below Us, from Nathan Hystad, the best-selling author of The Other Place, First Life, and The Event.

©2023 Nathan Hystad (P)2023 Audible Inc.
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About the Creator - Nathan Hystad

About the Creator

Nathan Hystad is the bestselling author of Below Us, Lost Contact, The Other Place, The Event, and many others. He often merges his love of thrillers and mysteries into his science fiction, while using dynamic characters to tell the story. He lives in Alberta, Canada, with his wife and two cocker spaniels. When he’s not reading a book, writing a book, or dreaming about books, you’ll find him swinging a golf club.

About the Performer

Marc Vietor is a writer, director and voice actor who has narrated many audiobooks, including the Audie nominated 1Q84, the Audie winning Dracula, The Deptford Trilogy, The Listener, The Mayor of Castro Street, Lucifer’s Hammer and Hyperion. He’s also the recipient of five Earphone Awards, the most recent of which was for the Audible original, Second Hand Curses.

What listeners say about Before Us

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A most confusing book

The premise is interesting but there are so many characters I have given up keeping them all straight . The main villain is incomprehensible. It's like the author changed his mind, and kept changing it, about the character's motivation.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent performance by Marc Vietor

There are a lot of moving parts in Before Us, Book 2. I think it is very good sci-fi fiction, but I admit, I had to re-read portions of the book to keep the characters and relationships straight in my mind. That's probably more about me and not the book. I do recommend the book because author Nathan Hystad has created an amazing reality that will appeal to many readers. Also, I recommend the Audible book performed by the talented Marc Vietor.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

sorry keeps getting worse, I'm stopping with book 2

great idea for a story and the reader is good but this should have been abridged

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great continuation of the story!

I started this in the morning while driving and couldn't stop listening. Normally I listen to music when I'm working on the yard but this was just so good. Finished it later that day! Can't wait for the next book!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Very slow start but took off in the middle

I enjoyed the first book a bit better. I found this one super slow until about the middle, and then it got really good! love the character and stroy development, especially towards the end!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

I really like the robots

I like the first book in the series better but I have consistently liked the robots. Particularly as an audiobook you have to pay attention with this, because there are a lot of characters and things bounce around but the premise is interesting and there are definitely some plot twists.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great follow up!

Really enjoyed the second book on the series! I’m a bit nervous that the print version of Book 3 has been out for a while, yet no sign of the Audible version? Don’t leave me hanging, Hystad

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not enough action!

IDK if I’ve become insensitive to these types of stories, but I kept expecting “more“. This book was just OK, I was looking for more interaction with the aliens. But this is more about Mr. Vicus and his robots. I was hoping book 2 would give me more closure, but it has not. So this is where I leave the series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Book two was phenomenal. Every bit as good as the first.

On to book three!!! I gotta see how this ends. The journey has been a pleasure Nathan and Marc. Thank you for your passion and dedication.

-Bobby Lewis
Lake Worth, FL

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

I couldn’t keep track of anything

Too many characters, too many locations, too many monsters. At the beginning I kept rewinding to listen again, but gave up at some point. I liked the first book better. I’m not going to listen to the third.

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