Unfortunately this one was just okay for me. The Space Between Worlds is one of my favorite sci fi books so I had high hopes for this one and it just felt flat for me. I did like the mystery plot itself. However I deeply did not enjoy Scales as a main character or as a narrator so that just really put a damper on it because I never wanted to be in her head. Stream of consciousness style narration can work for me but I gotta like the character who's doing it.

And while I liked the mystery plot, often it felt like the book would veer off to other focuses for chapters at a time and I just never felt engaged and interested in those other parts either

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Because I’m very silly, I actually put in the request for this a couple of weeks before I actually picked up The Space Between Worlds, which had been hyped up to me by anyone and everyone (and! they were right! it’s a banger). Still, I was excited to read this one, especially after seeing other early reviews (I love Mad Max: Fury Road). And I did, in fact, really like this one, if only a bit less than Johnson’s debut.

Those Beyond the Wall trades the multiverse for one iteration of Ashtown and Wiley City and focuses on the disparities between the two. This really does shine when it comes to interpersonal relationships and rage. I loved the relationships that Johnson portrayed here: they were interesting and complex and messy and so, so human. Though I guess I’d been expecting there to be more world hopping, I did think Johnson’s approach to depicting rage and justice and what is and isn’t acceptable was well done and forced the reader to engage in some chewy questions. This really does shine when it comes to interpersonal relationships and rage.

I found the quality of Johnson’s writing excellent. Scales is a strong narrator, though at times her narration didn’t perfectly work for me. I do think that’s more on me not being in the mood for a character breaking the fourth wall than anything else. I really liked that the narrative didn’t pull any punches, though it did mean Scales was a little harder to get on with than Cara (I do actually like her, though!!). While it didn’t hit as hard for me as its predecessor, I do genuinely think it’s a book I will come back to and re-read at the right time for it to be a homerun.

Unsurprisingly, what made the first book a strange delight is still here to some degree, and I'm glad for the kind of sequel this is, taking the opportunity to tell a different story that in some ways is a direct continuation yet in others feels utterly disconnected. Science and mythology/religion continue to merge in interesting ways, and the worldbuilding (well, universe-building. or multiverse-building) is as strong as ever. I appreciate too that the edges of this novel are even more gnarly than the first. Maybe it overcorrects in that regard, but Johnson's ability to write a strange sort of tenderness into an incredibly dark story comes through a lot here. That all being said, what I loved about the first book is definitely here to a smaller extent. It takes around half the book for a lot of those elements to really kick in, and the multiversal exploration of technology and spirituality is less present overall in favor of a focus that isn't as up my alley. For the first half of the novel, the voice felt somewhat more generic than in the first, making it hard for me to fully connect with Scales. I mentioned about the first that the revelations could be somewhat unnatural, and here I feel that extends to much of the backstory and exposition around the main character, whereas Cara's story felt more casually intertwined with the narrative in the first. Still, the web of characters and relationships is well-done here, and I'm impressed with how clearly the complex feelings characters have for one another are conveyed.

I'm not usually one to read sequels, but this one is very strong, and I continue to relish in the weird, dark vibes Micaiah Johnson concocts.

I requested this but didn't realize it was a second book in a series, so I appreciate the opportunity to read, but will likely not have time to provide early feedback.

Visceral, violent and vibrant-a narrative that wounds and characters that cut, this sequel to The Space Between Worlds gives us the even grittier side of the multiverse. You’ll never find a better antihero!

I think you’ll love the stark imagery and raw rage that infuses this story. And you’ll be mesmerized by the glowing heart at its center. So well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

This book is a book that you revisit in different areas of your life. Very “growth” type of book and the author gave me a perspective of it may not be great today but it gets better and better as time progresses.

Those Beyond the Wall is a searing sci-fi thriller about a woman reckoning with her past to solve a series of sudden and inexplicable deaths in the face of a coming apocalypse.

Takes place some years after the events on the first book. Written from the point of view of one of Ashtown gang. Cara does appear, as doe many other characters from the first Novell.
I loved revisiting this world. Didn’t think it needed a sequel, but I was proven wrong.

I next-level loved the author's debut (and first book set in this world!), The Space Between Worlds. So needless to say, I was thrilled to hear there would be more coming from this world! Now, I did not love this one quite as much, I have to admit. But I did like it! My biggest complaint about this one is the lack of world jumping, really. We're pretty grounded, and that is not a terrible thing, but I did love the concept of the many worlds!

Anyway, this has a very dystopian feeling to it, which I dug. Scales is a badass character, but also has a vulnerable side, which I loved. She's very rough around the edges, but in this world, I guess you have to be. The first half dragged a bit for me at times, but by the second half, I was definitely invested. I was not sure at first what the character connection to the first book would be, but trust me, it is there, and will become evident in due time! The ending was also really solid, which for me made up for the slower pace of the start and the lack of world jumping shenanigans. Also, there were a lot of times that the story gave me a The 100 vibe, which I am obviously always here for. So while this one didn't quite hit the same, it was still a solid story, and I eagerly await more from the author!

Bottom Line: A pretty solid sequel with a little less excitement, but still a world and characters I definitely grew to care about.

A fantastic follow-up to The Space Between Worlds, one of my favorite books I read in 2023. Those Beyond the Wall focuses on a different character, Mr. Scales, a number of years after the first book, but it's a clear continuation of the first story, with plenty of character and story continuity with its predecessor.

Johnson has done an amazing job building out an elaborate but plausible future, a post-environmental-collapse society that is a thought-provoking reflection on our flawed present. Ashtown can be brutal or accepting, deadly or supportive. Wiley City is a depressing evolution of late-stage capitalism. Both places, and the social structures within, are wonderfully crafted and consistent, and never feel implausible or preachy.

Johnsons' characters, and their evolution as they deal with the circumstances that made them into who they are, have an engaging depth. Everything about the story, from the action to the relationships to the revelations, had me excited for the next moment where I'd have time to read a few pages.

Highly recommend both books in The Space Between Worlds series, and I'm anxious to see what Micaiah Johnson comes up with next.

This review is based on a galley copy received from NetGalley.

This didn’t have the magic that The Space Between Worlds did for me. I kept getting confused with who was talking, who they were talking about, who was who, etc.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I devoured Micaiah Johnson's debut The Space Between Worlds, so I had high hopes for Those Beyond the Wall. I'm delighted to say I loved it!

Those Beyond the Wall is a sequel to The Space Between Worlds (even though it doesn't seem to be described as such? Which feels misleading to me, but I'm not overly familiar with sci-fi as a genre, so maybe I'm missing something here - either way, it's not a book I'd recommend approaching if you don't have the rich context of the first). That said, it's a creative rather than straightforward continuation - in the first book our protagonist was Cara, and while she's still present in Those Beyond the Wall (twenty or so years after we last saw her), she's no longer the focus. Rather, our. protagonist is Scales, an enforcer for the emperor of Ashtown. She's not the most reliable of narrators, as we quickly discover, but she's got good reasons for keeping secrets.

I won't go deep into the synopsis, but at a high level, this is a powerful, propulsive book - and as futuristic as it is, it's got more than a few gut-punch connections to contemporary society. I'll also say that, as with The Space Between Worlds, the world-building is spectacular - AND there's very little hand-holding. This isn't the kind of book that serves up maps, or lists of characters, or explicit definitions on a silver platter; you're thrown into it and expected to figure it out (which in many ways mirrors the experiences of Cara in book one and Scales in book two). The first few chapters aren't confusing but they are disorienting; they're well worth pushing through.

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This pains me to say, but I'm DNFing at about 27% or just over 100 pages in.

I absolutely loved The Space Between Worlds. It was my favorite book the year it came out.

However, I did not like this one. I did not like the narrative voice. I did not understand what was going on (in plot or character relations). I usually can forgive a lot of the plot if I care about the characters. But here I wasn't.

I also don't see how this connects to the first book. Maybe this should have been a standalone because I came in with expectations that were not met. I really wanted to try more with this, but it took me a few days to read the first 100 pages, and I keep avoiding picking it back up.

I know that the author's note said that this was a book that was written to express her anger, which is very valid, but I just don't think that this is doing what I thought it was going to.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book and the way we got a different perspective of the same world that was created in the first installment of this series. I think it added more layers to the lore and understanding of the people of Ashtown and their way of life. My one and glaring critique of this book is in the ending. No spoilers here....even though I thought the pacing throughout the book was well done, the climax left a bit to be desired as well as a lack of suspense and believability for the outcome of some of the characters we had been following throughout the course of the story.

I feel that Micaiah is brilliant with the way she parallels this story with issues of today. A separate issue I have, but not with the book itself..... I've seen commentary that believes these connects distract from the story but I think the crucial point being missed here is that the point of the dystopian genre is to have you think critically of how their issues parallel ours. There are a lot of "dystopian novels" that have this underdeveloped baseline of what are considered popular tropes that make it feel like it fits the genre when really it doesn't (examples like Divergent come to mind). This, in my opinion, waters down the intended messaging for this genre which in turn makes novels that are actually trying to say something (like this one) fall under the scrutiny of "trying to say too much".

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more stories that Micaiah Johnson is willing to grace us with. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this piece of work early.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This review was originally posted on Goodreads.

This book was right up my alley. I loved it. It is raw and honest and twisty and relevant. And it even made me choke up at the high moments, which is very rare for me.

For the first pages of the book my brain was full of ???, making me question my decision to jump in without a reread of Space Between Worlds and even question my understanding of language. I adjusted fairly quickly--the language adds flavor to the world--but it still required a lot of focus. Slip and you'll miss things. This isn't a book that lets you skim or mind-wander. It tosses you in the deep and just zooms away.

But I like how the book doesn't make it easy. Connections are given in flashbacks where you have to watch for the details. Information is earned. Reveals are doled out in crumbs and then puzzle pieces before finally confirmed with a punch. It's tough though, because the book makes me want to read fast--or at least, each chapter ends with a hook for the next. Some chapters bogged down a bit in the middle, but they always picked up speed by the end--and the last half just went bam-bam-bam.

I especially like how this series treats ... everything. Race. Gender. Orientation. Ability. "We like genders like landmasses here, like puddles that congregate, evaporate, and re-form." The book is flush with a spectrum of identity, and even includes conversations on etiquette regarding pronouns and choice. It doesn't shy away from the elephants in the room, but faces them head-on and welcomes them in.

The book is thick with thought--the current political climate oozes through the cracks at the beginning but then smooths into the climate of the story itself. The MC--Mr. Scales--her rage is palpable. She is a very different narrator from Cara (and I understand from other reviews that that dissonance can be jarring--so maybe it's a good thing I skipped a reread). But her rage is also very... honest. And her self-journey, especially in regards to Mr. Cross, is an exploration of rage and its internal and external sources.

I loved the worldbuilding--given through *living* the traditions, a true example of show-don't-tell--balanced with universal human topics like crushes and unrequited love, and that "wanting to shift someone else’s boundaries is a burden and a threat, not a gift or a compliment." That Scales is mature enough to know this, and injured enough not to believe herself worthy of love--made me love *her*, and want her to have people around her to prove her beliefs wrong. I *felt* for Scales, in every emotional punch and shock hit me as they did her, reminding me of my own ghosts, insecurities, and times when my illusions and security blankets were torn away.

So I also love that in the midst of all this rawness and chaos, we get a solid found-family and even a little bit of a romance. Johnson-sensei even mentions in the Acknowledgments, a nod to fans who enjoy arguing about ships: "have fun with this one lol"--and oh I did, I did!

I loved the first book, The Space Between Worlds, in this series.

Those Beyond the Wall is even better. In this book, about a decade after the end of The Space Between Worlds, we meet the protagonist, Mr. Scales. Mr. Scales, a runner for the emperor of Ashtown, has secrets only few know and even fewer acknowledge. As conflict with the City comes closer and closer, Mr. Scales and her friends, family, enemies, and heroes scheme and eventually fight to protect their people. Relationships come full circle and flip back again. Truths come into shocking focus.

Johnson weaves for her readers a thoughtful, lyrical, and futuristic tale of family, obligation, violence, friendship, and what it really means to be an anti-hero. In fact, the entire book is from Mr. Scales's POV and so we see it all from her (anti-hero) perspective. Those Beyond the Wall addresses climate change, colonialism, racism, misogyny, police violence, the abuse of marginalized communities by the powerful, gender fluidity, consent, and trauma with such a graceful skill I really don't have the words to describe how moving it is.

Johnson is officially an auto-buy author for me.

While this novel certainly stands alone, I think the experience is made richer by reading book 1 first. Plus you get a glimpse of important characters from that book.

I read Those Beyond the Wall with my eyes and ears and while I certainly recommend both, I thought the narrator was perfect and added even more to the story.

Lots of CWs - this book is gritty, violent, bloody, and frightening.

This was a stunning follow-up to The Space Between Worlds, and in many ways, functions as theoretical counterpoint to that narrative. Where TSBW tells us the story of a hero, Those Beyond the Wall tells us the story of an anti-hero. Where TSBW shows us evil being held accountable, Those Beyond the Wall shows us the extent to which evil will avoid accountability. Where TSBW focuses on change from within, Those Beyond the Wall focuses on revolution from without. Micaiah Johnson is explicit in her inspiration for this book, telling readers in the dedication that this book was born out of her experience as part of the 62-day sit-in at The People's Plaza in Nashville, and you feel it on every page. This is the book you write about revolution when your peaceful resistance was met with state-sanctioned violence.

Most interesting is the return of Cara from TSBW as an on-page foil to our main character and narrator in Those Beyond the Wall, Mr. Scales. As Scales and Cara circle each other on page, you can see warring philosophies played out, and as readers, we are challenged with uncomfortable questions: can abusive people be redeemed in their lifetimes, does violence ever engender peace, can apartheid states ever achieve equity without retribution? This is a violent narrative, dark and unforgiving and at times incredibly bleak, but Johnson has this unparalleled ability to weave into even the darkest moments glimmers of human connection and community. She credits this, too, to her experience in resistance movements, and you can feel its authenticity.

Foundational to Johnson's beyond-the-wall community is The House. We were introduced to The House and its sex workers in TSBW, but we see so much more of its rehabilitative work in this installment, and Johnson's portrayal of healing - physical, sexual, emotional, communal - is remarkably nuanced. We also have a broader discussion of gender identity and gender fluidity in this installment that speaks to the battles we've seen play out over trans rights in the years since TSBW was published.

This duo should, ideally, be read in order, because the two books are speaking to each other in a way that evidences Johnson's own political experiences and the years in which they were written. That said, she does an excellent job rebuilding the world in a way that I think even a new reader would be able to connect to the world-building and character arcs in Those Beyond the Wall as an entry point.

This book is an example of sci fi at its most relevant and its most insightful. As Johnson notes in her author's note at the book's start:

"Science fiction is fueled by dreams of a different, but possible, future. The same is true for Rage. While bitterness is an isolator, a repellent to community, Rage is a beacon calling out to others. It is as much a communal invitation as any bonfire.

Come join me, Rage says, at this spark that is lit by the distance between what the world is, and what we could make it."

"Those Beyond the Wall" by Micaiah Johnson is a gripping sequel that immerses readers in a world of intrigue, danger, and complex characters. Set in a divided society where the rich reside in the walled city of Wiley and the poor struggle to survive in Ashtown, the novel follows protagonist Scales, a mechanic/runner with a fiery disposition and a troubled past.

As mysterious murders plague both cities, Mr. Scales is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the killings. With the help of allies from both sides of the divide, including her partner, Cross, and a scientist from Wiley City, she navigates a web of secrets and betrayal that leads to shocking revelations about her own identity and the world she thought she knew.

The novel excels in its character-focused narrative, delving into themes of class, race, and the quest for justice in the face of systemic oppression. Johnson's writing is raw and visceral, capturing the simmering rage of her protagonist and the harsh realities of life beyond the city walls.

While the plot takes some time to unfold fully, the payoff is well worth it, delivering a gut-wrenching conclusion that leaves a lasting impact. My only criticism lies in the development of the romance subplot, which, feels somewhat lacking in depth.

Overall, "Those Beyond the Wall" is a thought-provoking and action-packed novel that builds upon the strengths of its predecessor. Johnson's skillful storytelling and compelling characters make this a must-read for fans of speculative fiction and social commentary alike.

Genre: science fiction

Beyond the rural outskirts of sophisticated Wiley City lies Ashtown, a sprawling town where Emperor Nik Nik holds unrelenting power by way of force. Mr. Scales (she/her) is a runner in the brutal fighting forces for the Emperor and a mechanic - Mister is an honorific, a holdover from a rebellion against the Wileyites - and, known only to her and Nik Nik, the Emperor’s half-sister. She’s seen brutality in all its forms, has been tortured and has killed others. A string of occurrences with mangled bodies but no apparent murderers brings Scales to her other half-brother, the mad-scientist Adam Bosch, and the legendary Traverser Cara. Yet again it becomes Ashtown vs Wiley City, even as they all try to work together to uncover the cause of the deaths.

The heavy lift of worldbuilding comes in book one: Technology and science exist to allow people to travel between worlds. Cara is from Ashtown, but lives in Wiley City as a world-traverser. She’s selected because her counterpoint in most other worlds is dead, and traversing is limited to realms where your counterpoint does not exist; but this power gives her very little privilege. Wiley City is climate regulated towers, with the wealthier living on high floors. Ashtown has a bit of a Mad Max feel: desert rules for desert survival. High tech equipment exists in both Wiley City and Ashtown, but Ashtown relies on the gritty force of the runners to keep people in check while Wiley City appears more “civilized” (the overall point, though, is that they conveniently ignore the problems of others.)

Those Beyond the Wall is a sequel to The Space Between Worlds. That said, the book takes place ten years later and from the perspective of a side character who gets fewer than ten mentions in the first book. It focuses on the runners of Ashtown, the wastelands of the world, and the lives of the less privileged. It’s gritty. The characters are messy because their lives are messy.

The shape of Scales’s life is complex, and she navigates her brutal life with equal brutally, and also still compassion. Scales has faced abuse, torture, and death, bridging a complicated gap between unwanted in Wiley City and in the shadows in Ashtown. She recognizes her unique position in her world and doesn’t flinch when she’s called to act. “Family is what we choose, not what leaves us behind,” Nik Nik says, and Scales knows what she’s chosen: Ashtown and the runners, Nik Nik, the House. And ultimately, the choice of the future of her world is in her hands.

Those Beyond the Wall engages with social science fiction as well. Johnson is engaging with critical race theory with her writing, but also embraces a queer normativity on a level I don’t often see even in queer normative science fiction. Gender is removed from the Ashtown titles - Emperor and Mister are genderless - and has no relationship with power: you have a job and you do it or you don’t, whether it’s as a runner or in the House (a pleasure house with a unique philosophy and social structure). There are nonbinary and trans characters throughout both books. Many of the characters are explicitly bisexual as well, and Johnson writes that in such a way that makes the sexual encounters feel ordinary no matter the genders involved. It’s a worldbuilding element that she captures to give not only more character depth, but a vision of the rules outside of the box (or, the literal walls of Wiley City, as it were).

Micaiah Johnson’s writing is insightful and sharp, but never veers towards preachy. The balance between Wiley City science, the Ruralites’ spirituality, and Ashtown’s mistrust of both could easily overshadow the plot and character development, but Johnson guides each with a firm hand. It's gritty science fiction at its best: asking readers to analyze science, religion, social structures, and the shape of reality through an action-driven and high stakes plot.

I can't recommend these two books enough. Those Beyond the Wall effortlessly engages with gender, time and space, and power.

What a stunning follow up to The Space Between Worlds - this is a story that delivers itself like a punch straight to the gut. In Those Beyond the Wall, Micaiah Johnson shifts her focus from multiverse traveling to one specific version of Ashtown and Wiley City, and more closely examines the relationship, history, and divide between these two communities, through the character of Mr. Scales, a side character from SPACE given the main stage here.

The plot focuses on a series of deaths, the cause of which is mysterious and unknown to Scales, but very familiar to those used to traveling the multiverse. While this investigation is interesting in its own right, with further exploration of the science behind multiverse travel and familiar faces popping up, where BEYOND really shines is in its depiction of relationships - the relationship between the rich and powerful Wiley City and the poor and resource-starved Ashtown just outside its wall, and the relationships between Scales and those in her lives - and its depiction of power and justice.

BEYOND simmers with rage, forcing the reader to consider what is acceptable, what is right, when the path forward for justice and equality can only be paved with violence and sacrifice. Johnson paints a stark contrast between the brutal but straightforward justice of Ashtown, and Wiley City's insidious cruelty in the name of the law, hidden behind a veneer of policy and politeness. In between the violence and injustice shown, Johnson also depicts a community that deeply prioritizes caring for one another, respecting each other's choices and identities, and embracing love and kindness where and when it can be found - despite or because of the violence that surrounds it and that it itself commits. With this underpinning of respect and loyalty, BEYOND reaches beyond its rage to add a note of hope as well.

The writing in this book is beautiful and Scales is a complicated character with a lot to their growth. I loved that even if you haven't read the book before this one you can still understand the world building and the characters. I did get confused a few times cause of the nicknames but it's my own fault. I enjoyed this read and the banter between a few characters.
Thank you Micaiah Johnson for the opportunity to an advanced reading of your book.