Science fiction is not a genre that I typically read, although about once a year I push out of my comfort zone. Last year, I read and absolutely loved The Space Between Worlds, so I was excited to get a copy of Micaiah Johnson's second book in the series even though I was very intimidated to start it, knowing I was going to have to stretch my brain to comprehend the worlds that Johnson creates. Oh boy am I glad I finally read this one, and I am sorry that I took so long to do so.

Cara from book one returns as a minor-ish character in Those Beyond the Wall, with a woman named Scales taking the lead role. While I saw others' reviews that said Scales was not a likable character, I disagree, and found her story (told in first person) relatable and the character empathetic. This new novel is a bit more blatantly political, and there is quite a bit of violence and death throughout.

The books definitely need to be read in order, as there are numerous aspects of the story that would not make sense without the background of The Space Between Worlds. While neither book ends on a cliffhanger, there is opportunity for future novels in the series, and I, for one, am hopeful that this is not the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for the digital copy of Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson. The opinions in this review are my own.

Definitely liked that there was a continuation of [book:The Space Between Worlds|43301353] but it was kind of as lackluster as the first was. I wanted more technology/science explanation, I think. I liked the interwoven relationships that were laid out as the book progressed. I will read more from this author.

I am so happy the I read this book! I have found myself diving more into sci-fi and I have been missing out on some fantastic worlds. I was so interested in the concept of reading about a main character that wasn't completely likeable. The fact that this book is a companion to the first and not a direct sequel is not like anything I've ever read before. Having the main characters from the first fade into the background was so unique and I loved it. This book did start of slower for the second installment but the last half made up for it. I typically don't always read the author note but I feel like it is so important for this story to read about Micaiah Johnson's inspiration behind this story. I could feel the emotion. Over all I enjoyed this book and would be interested to read more from this world.

I was a huge fan of "The Space Between Worlds," the first book in the series and was excited to hear there was a sequel! While I think this title could work as a stand alone, the first book gives context to characters and fleshes out some things only alluded to in this one.

Mr. Scales is a mechanic and favorite of Nik Nik, the emperor of Ashtown, a desert community formed in the wasteland outside of the utopian (and walled) Wiley City. When a close fried is brutally murdered in front of her by an invisible assailant, Scales becomes involved in the hunt for answers, which makes her confront her past and accept her future. In the process, she must learn to work with those she despises, a former religious Ruralite turned runner for the emperor, and a scientist from Wiley City, the last place Mr. Scales feels comfortable. When love, loyalty, and brutality all live in the same space, how can you save the world? Scales must find that balance in a deft science fiction thriller that asks hard questions not too far removed the from the social stratification that informs Black Lives Matter and other movements for change. Highly recommended!

I loved the world build and the heaviness that this story had. The dystopian added to the desperation in the story.

What a follow up to a super solid debut. Although this is a different main character form The Space Between Worlds, I would recommend reading that entry first. This has a much angrier tone than the first book, which made it a different experience but not a worse one for me. I loved having this flawed narrator show us the world outside the walled city and the thought experiment of how this situation would play out was fascinating and has solidified Micaiah Johnson as an autoread author for me.

This book held up so well against the first. I definitely loved the first more (I am a huge multiverse girlie) but I loved Scales' story, and I really enjoyed diving back into this verse. Definitely love Micaiah's writing style, as well!

In Ashtown, a 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 broken when a woman is mangled and killed before her eyes. Even more incomprehensible is that there doesn’t seem to be a murderer. When more bodies start to turn up, both in Ashtown and in 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 partner from Ashtown and a 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 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.

This science fiction thriller is a rousing, red-hot excursion into the dynamics between the powerful and the powerless, the elite and the excluded, the rich and the poor, the dead-enders and the visionaries. While Johnson is intent on maintaining these polarities, she is also careful not to color either side pure evil or pure good. There’s plenty of human failings to go around, and in fact at one point our protagonist thinks: “I’ve been looking for a villain this whole time. Every story needs a villain, especially one with as many dead as this tale has. I just didn’t know it was going to be me.” It’s an excellent book to read.

Darker, grittier, and more violent than The Space Between Worlds (which was already pretty dark, gritty, and violent), Those Beyond the Wall really pushes the envelope when it comes to unlikable protagonists. The thing that makes me appreciate Mr. Scales, however, is the depth of the character and the growth shown throughout the book. This is beautifully written and also unrelentingly brutal to read. A character driven sci-fi like no other.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sharing an early copy. I ended up buying the finished copy and reading that around release day. I loved this book just as much as I loved the first one. Mr. Scales was an excellent main character. Her anger was palpable and I couldn't look away. I had to know all of her secrets and what she planned on doing with them. I will be recommended this series forever and ever.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. Maybe I'll try it again in a different headspace. The premise of the book is good/interesting.

I absolutely adored Johnson's debut, The Space Between Worlds so I was thrilled when I saw that her sophomore release was going to be a companion sequel to that. This follows a side character from the first book in the years following those events. I don't necessarily think you have to read The Space Between Worlds to understand this, but it would probably help.

That being said, tonally this book is much angrier. Mr. Scales is just as complex and interesting as Cara was in the first book but where Cara has managed to leave Ashtown behind, Mr. Scales is firmly enmeshed as an enforcer in Ashtown so we get to see more of their society, which is fascinating to me.

There are so many twists and turns here that I don't want to say much about the plot other than, there is a coming apocalypse and I found myself fully engrossed in the story being told. I didn't love this as much as I loved the first book, mostly because there were some character decisions that seemed questionable to me, but I did really have a good time with this story. The discussions of xenophobia and comparisons to real-world events are even more on the nose here and I think the author's note really sets the tone for where this story goes. I'm not sure if Johnson would ever write more in this world, but if she does I would absolutely pick it up.

Also, while not in any way a major plot element, there was a romantic pairing that had me absolutely feral in a very unexpected way and I loved it.

4/5 Stars

Those Beyond the Wall was a powerful, darker and solid follow up to The Space Between Worlds.
The main character was easy to connect with, as were most of the characters throughout the book. I appreciated having multiple POV's in this book as it added depth and another perspective of the conflict. While I don't think it will surpass the first one for me, I was able to delve into the story Johnson crafted quite easily. TBTW tends to blur the line between fiction and reality, with some heavy handed political messages that sometimes overtook the narrative of the book, but it did not overpower the book entirely.

Johnson’s second novel set in the universe of Ashton and Wiley City moves us forward a decade, from the point of view of Runner Mr Scales. Traversers from another world have figured out a way to kill their doppelgängers, threatening everyone. The story dragged on a bit much for me, and it was really necessary to have read the first book to get everything that was happening, but the book had a satisfying conclusion.

If you haven’t read the first in this series, do it now. I loved this one as much as the first. We’re back in the multiverse with complex characters making difficult choices, and dealing with loss and otherness. Yeah, it’s confusing at times, but life is too. I’ll be waiting for whatever this author writes next.

I couldn't finish this book but it was not the fault of the book or author. To put it simply, I think I'm just too dumb to understand the way this is written and the details of the story. I really like the idea and the setting and the characters seem very interesting. The details are packed in and there is a lot thrown at you from the very beginning. I can tell the world building will be complex. The writing is very descriptive. I like that is has queer representation. If I felt I could wrap my mind around it, I'm confident it would be at least a 4 star book.

This universe is one my favorites to be in. This author writes intricate sci-fi with mystery and depth. You would be a fool not to love this story from beginning to end.

I'm a bit embarrassed by how much The Space Between Worlds blew my mind. The book is a great example of intersectionality in Science Fiction, particularly Dystopian Fiction.

Those Beyond the Wall takes place 10 years after The Space Between Worlds. It focuses on Scales, an enforcer serving the Emperor of Ashtown. People in the walled city of Wiley start dying violent deaths seemingly at random and Scales is on the team to figure out what is happening before it effects Ashtown.

This is a great sequel. I didn't remember most of the plot of Between Worlds, but the 10 year time gap made this book easy to follow. I would still recommend reading the first book in the series.

Those Beyond the Wall is a powerful and immersive novel that solidifies Micaiah Johnson's place as a significant voice in contemporary science fiction. It is a must-read for fans of the genre and anyone interested in stories that challenge societal norms and inspire deeper contemplation. With its richly imagined world and compelling characters, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Also didn’t realize this was a sequel so will be going back to read first book.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Space Between Worlds and was excited to find that there would be a sequel/spin-off. The complicated world that Micaiah Johnson builds explores real world disparities and human nature as the characters struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world . It is speculative fiction in the highest form and depths of the characters as cope with morally, love, trauma and survival.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.