Rating: 
Summary: A Quasi-Classic for Gen-Xers
Review: True, this book is slightly overrated. Yes, the parallels to Lord of the Flies, Heart of Darkness, Animal Farm, On the Road, and Treasure Island are somewhat overdone. However, this may be the best novel to come out of Generation X thus far. It is rare to find a true page-turner that does not fall into the monstrous pile of best-selling trash that crowds the shelves of your local bookstore. This is a story about human interaction, disillusionment, and finally, the nature of mankind. At the same time it is a subtle commentary on modern society and how we are influenced by our surroundings (some may squawk at the use of pop-culture references, but these references are in the book for a reason). In the end, what separates this debut novel from many of the classics is style. Garland may not yet be the master of prose that Golding and Conrad were, but give him time. Definately a recommended read.
Rating: 
Summary: a boring book filled with boring people
Review: Take a wonderful beach, fill it with boring, naive people, who has no fun, no sex, no emotions, just a lot of work the whole week, and who smokes cigarettes or dope all the time. Well - you got The Beach in a nutshell.
Rating:
Summary: A smoothly written classic for Generation X
Review: Garland's first novel is smoothly written with hidden parallelisms that catch the reader off guard. His subtle humour and talent make the book a worthwhile read. Anyone who is interested in the backpack aspect of travel or a member of the presigious gen X label will find this book gratifying and appealing. The depth and feeling the author has embassed in his words truly are those of a classic.
Rating: 
Summary: This book tested my willpower (and I lost)
Review: I loved this book. Garland is an excellent writer -- his descriptions and the flow of his words made me thirst for the book everytime I put it down. I read it in two days, but I was completely torn the entire time -- do I read it like I can't get enough of it or do I read slowly, pacing myself, so I can savor it? I couldn't help myself and thus finished it much too quickly. It's been several weeks, and I feel like a drug addict -- I read voraciously, hoping to reclaim the high that The Beach gave me.
Rating:
Summary: Kerouac for my generation? Damn straight.
Review: I read On the Road awhile ago, but I just didn't *get* it. It didn't have the impact on me that I expected it would. The Beach did. All of Garland's references, his attitudes, his style of writing, all relate to -my- generation (or close enough; I'm 16).. hell, I didn't need the description of Street Fighter II, I *knew* what it looked like!Apart from that... incredible, incredible book. What I tell people who are reading it: around page 200, the book gets cool. Around 300, it gets surreal. Read it, now.
Rating: 
Summary: A puerile rip off of heart of darkness and lord of the flies
Review: I really wanted to like the book but I found the characters hollow and any "tension" to be superficial. This is a pop culture book that has no soul. Alex steals from Heart of Darkness (specifically Apocalypse Now) and Lord of The Flies. Unfortunately, the pieces do no fit very well and leaves the reader with a bad taste in the mouth. Most of my friends love this book but I had to force my way through it. YMMV
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS I'VE READ IN YEARS
Review: Yeah, this is the book that will fascinate the young student/intellectual/traveller-type from Page 1 all the way to the back cover... Its minimalist dialogues, brief allusions to modern psychoanalytic theory along references to Tetris and Street Figther II are those necessary literary elements which should make this book an instant bestseller all over the world. As a matter of fact, I am currently trying to get the Hungarian rights to publish the book in the Hungarian language. There is no doubt in my mind that the 'conspirational charm' of the prose (and not only that of the Thai cab driver) will appeal to many a young disillusioned member of our increasingly globalized world. 'Read it, man, it cool,' as the shrivelled-up Thai lady would say leaning on her mop in that dusty corridor of the run-down Khao San hostel.
Rating: 
Summary: Second-rate LORD OF THE FLIES
Review: Don't misunderstand me - you cannot put this book down. Garland masterfully maintains the suspense from the first page to the last. However, the literate subtlety and depth of William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" is missing - thus the vague feeling of dissatisfaction when the book ends. Some of the problems are card-board characters, and sledge-hammer symbolism borrowed from Hollywood and video games. However, if you have a day or two to kill (preferrably on a lonely beach somewhere), then this book is a MUST READ!
Rating:
Summary: the beach brings you back to your innocence and honest times
Review: Although I am not a voyager (and Alex Garland uses this expression as an opposite to the word tourist - at least in the portuguese version)i must confess that this book is, has been and will allways be the book which I most liked to read in the past 4/5 years. in fact, the way Alex Garland picks your attention to every chapter is quite impressive and imposes that one reads the book in 2/3 days. the relationship between myself, as a reader, and the characters (and with the narrator/ author?), brought me back to my adolescence, trying to pick the group's attention and love, regardless of the fact if our personalities match. Nevertheless, the reader experiences the importance of the transparence of feelings in the human relationship and, in the end, the importance of great friendship. It is absolutely mandatory reading for all.
Rating:
Summary: can you say OVER-RATED!!!
Review: While in Italy a "friend" recommended this book. Anyone who has ever traveled alone, like Richard in Garland's waste of shelf spacing, knows how shallow friendships on the road really are, and this was no exception... Oh and speaking of shallow, this book is a farce! I only wish the story was only half as deep as the lagoon that provides the utopia with substance! Garland makes a number of vain attempts to be sharp and witty, neither flies well! His stereotypes are juvenile, pathetic, and bothered me to no end! The only portion of the plot that was of interest (conflict between Richard and his French companions) fizzed out faster than Crition's "Andromeda Strain." In short, wait for the movie to come to a blockbuster near you, and don't get your hopes up! As for this book as a whole... I still have the scars!
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