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“A bold, beautiful, gut-punch of a story, at turns ferocious and poetic—and sometimes both at once.”—Veronica Roth, New York Times bestselling author of Chosen Ones
“[Those Beyond the Wall] reads like Mad Max: Fury Road was written by Phillip K. Dick and N.K. Jemisin.”—CrimeReads
SHORTLISTED FOR THE URSULA K. LE GUIN PRIZE FOR FICTION • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Elle
In Ashtown, a rough-and-tumble desert community, the Emperor rules with poisoned claws and an iron fist. He can’t show any sign of weakness, as the neighboring Wiley City has spent lifetimes beating down the people of Ashtown and would love nothing more than its downfall. There’s only one person in the desert the Emperor can fully trust—and her name is Scales.
Scales is the best at what she does: keeping everyone and everything in line. As a skilled mechanic—and an even more skilled fighter, when she needs to be—Scales is a respected member of the Emperor’s crew, who’s able to keep things running smoothly. But the fragile peace Scales helps to maintain is fractured when a woman is mangled and killed before her eyes. Even more incomprehensible: There doesn’t seem to be a murderer.
When more bodies start to turn up, both in Ashtown and in the wealthier, walled-off Wiley City, Scales is tasked with finding the cause—and putting an end to it by any means necessary. To protect the people she loves, she teams up with a frustratingly by-the-books partner from Ashtown and a brusque-but-brilliant scientist from the City, delving into both worlds to track down an invisible killer.
But the answers Scales finds are bigger than she ever could have imagined, leading her into the brutal heart beneath Wiley City’s pristine façade and dredging up secrets from her own past that she would rather keep hidden. If she wants to save the world from the earth-shattering truths she uncovers, she can no longer remain silent—even if speaking up costs her everything.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
March 12, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593823842
- File size: 440610 KB
- Duration: 15:17:56
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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January 15, 2024
In a telling introductory note to this fierce, noir vision of a postapocalypse Earth, Compton-Crook Award winner Johnson (The Space Between Worlds) distinguishes between rage, which has a target, and anger, which has none. Conceived during the 2020 sit-in at Nashville’s People’s Plaza aimed at “institutionalized racialized violence,” this thought-provoking novel’s rage is fueled by “dreams of a different but possible future.” Scales, the most effective enforcer for the ruler of the Black community of Ashtown, witnesses her friend Helene X inexplicably torn to pieces by an unseen force. After more, similarly shattered bodies appear throughout Ashtown and the neighboring, walled-in white enclave of Wiley City, Scales is ordered to investigate. Her quest is textured by her anger issues, lingering trauma from childhood abuse, and unrequited love for a man she’ll never have. Also complicating things is the sinister influx of “dops,” alternate versions of existing people from parallel universes. Wrenching scenes of physical and psychological torture are tempered only slightly by a closing vision that things could be better, “by fire if necessary.” This searing and demanding novel is sure to stir readers. -
Angel Pean sounds young, sweet, and tough as nails in her impressive narration of this second novel by the author of the Earphones Award-winning sci-fi debut THE SPACE BETWEEN WORLDS. Set on an alternate, perhaps future, Earth, where Wiley City residents guard their walled community from gritty Ashtown, this is both a thriller and social commentary. Scales is a mechanic and warrior who is trusted by Ashtown's emperor. When Ashtown residents start to be mysteriously murdered, she is tasked with stopping the crimes. Honeyed tones and audible bravado make Scales achingly real as she faces all manner of threats, which Pean performs with edge-of-your-seat pacing. A growling emperor, condescending scientist, straightlaced colleague, and other characters contrast evocatively with Scales, raising listeners' involvement with this fierce morality tale. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from June 1, 2024
Johnson's sequel to The Space Between Worlds begins with a gruesome mystery that readers of the first book will immediately understand. Still, Scales, keeper of the peace in Ashtown, and her people don't have that information. Scales is a character full of compassion and rage, which grew from her traumatic past and her relationship to a brutal emperor. As she works to solve the mystery, she must also contend with the inequities of life on either side of the wall, the precarious balance of power, and the family bonds. Her powerful voice is performed by Angel Pean, whose narration distinguishes ignited wrath and calculated violence just as clearly as it does weary tenderness. Through Scales's voice, Pean guides listeners through her difficult journey. She keeps the tension high as new revelations upturn Scales's understanding of the world, and she learns who of the large cast can truly be trusted. Several characters hold opposing beliefs about how to enact societal change, and Pean's delivery communicates this tension. However, whether they represent fury or compromise, the importance of mental health care is a strong undercurrent throughout. VERDICT This thrilling sequel exploring justice and change would enhance any audio sci-fi collection.--Matthew Galloway
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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