Into the Beyond Books 1-3

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

A downtrodden High school boy's life changes for the better with the arrival of a tiny vicious immortal. He is promised a special destiny... soon.

A tale oftwistedfate…

Eerie & Mysterious, Guillermo del Toro vibes.

High school sophomore Lewis Graham is awoken by aseemingly all-knowingcreature appearing through aportalin his bedroom. The impish fellow tells him he is important later, and that in order to reach his destiny it is imperative hedoes exactly what he’s told.

When he follows the creature’s instructions, the cheerleader he’s been crushing on is suddenly within his grasp—bullies start dropping like flies!

But then a Native American girl sneaks Lewis a note containing three simple words, launching him down a frightening and thought-provoking path:

Don’t Trust It.

This time-bending series packs a psychologically spine-chilling punch.

Part 3 Complete

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2022
Author: Paul James Keyes

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 333
Views: 101,774

Chapters(74 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

prodigyabRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Ohh wow, reading this was honestly such a pleasant surprise. From the synopsis, I realized I would be in for something good, but it turned out that good was a massive understatement. I actually really enjoyed it, it's great!
First of all, the writing style is absolutely amazing. Leagues above what the majority of the rest of the site is like. This is at a professional level, the author could be an actual big-name writer someday.
But of course, writing style merely makes a story better and more enjoyable. What really shines is the incredible creativity the author has infused into this work. The story is original and suspenseful, full of life and detail. It's like you're actually transported into a different world, it's like watching a movie. The words paint a very vivid picture in your head, and you are never bored for even a second.
I love the attention to detail, and just how much information is packed into every paragraph. It feels like every word is worth reading, every word is important like a painter's brushstrokes on his magnum opus.
The style is absolutely fantastic, the grammar is top-tier, but what really has me hooked is the story and the characters. Wow, I was eating dinner and I kept thinking about the story! Usually I daydream about something random, but this time I just kept playing the movie of this novel in my head, eager to figure out what would happen next.
It's an amazing story, and I can't wait to read more of it. I'm more excited for it than any other novel!
mneueRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall Review: This is a masterclass work that deserves to be boosted, especially in the context of this site. There was not much to complain about by the stopping point that I reached. If you happen to hit this story around Halloween and want to read a solid horror novel, then look no further.
Style Score: The pacing, prose, and stylistic choices are what makes this so strong. No parts are a struggle to get through, and the chapters are short and sweet. This cannot be underscored enough. The author knows what's he's doing.
Story Score: It might be a little presumptive to apply a value this early in, but I do think it is worth pointing out how solid the premise is. Ordinary small town has an encounter with extraordinary creature, and it does not go well. What bits that have been revealed have all been compelling, and there's enough meat fed in to keep wanting to come back for more. Should the plot take a turn later, I'll adjust accordingly, but at this point, it is really good.
Grammar Score: Nothing stood out worth mentioning. This has been revised and edited more than once, and it shows.
Character Score: Here was where I lost some points. Because the setting is an ordinary small town, all the characters are also... Completely ordinary. It felt like generic boy deals with generic bully while fawning over generic hot girl, and I had no investment for him. In the context of the greater story, they all fit like nice little pieces, but it all felt... Too safe? Like there were plenty of opportunities to flesh out our MC to be deeper, but he's so pitifully normal, and it comes off as shallow at times. That said, Mr. Gray is so deliciously ominous, all the way down to the tenses he'll use when he speaks. He is very well constructed. Like the story, I can see this changing over time as the characters evolve, but for now, this was my take.
DestroyatronMk8Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A downtrodden High School boy's life changes for the better with the arrival of a tiny vicious immortal. He is promised a special destiny so long as he obeys. Will Lewis follow orders and accept the devastation that follows, or will he dare to disobey? This is a good one, boys and girls. I couldn't put it down until I ran out of chapters.
STYLE: The story is written with a mix of prose and simple descriptions that give it a fairy tale feel. Some of the prose in the beginning is a little wordier than I'd like, but it sets and maintains a tone that is both wistful and ominous. It is well paced, and the twists and turns are shocking while at the same time make perfect sense. I give it 4.5 stars.
STORY: This is where the series shines. Mysteries and set ups that pay off in unexpected ways. A reluctant MC alternates between revelling in his newfound success and recoiling at the consequenses of his actions. It's tense and gripping and bittersweet, a perfect underdog tale with a mix of slice of life and slow burn horror. 5 stars, no question.
CHARACTER: I expected to see the usual High School tropes, and I did, but these aren't cardboard cutouts. Even the bully has enough depth to feel real, and the beautiful love interest is a far cry from the perfect paragons you usually see in these things. Everyone's fleshed out at least a litte, but the MC is the one that really pulls you in. He's a nice boy in over his head, confused and afraid and doing the best he can. His sadness and his hope, those brief moments of glorious joyful surprise, they make you love him a little. Root for him. Fear for him. 5 stars again.
GRAMMAR: The grammar's pretty good, but not perfect. There are a few mistakes here and there, but not enough to break immersion. I give it a 4.5.
I'll say it again. This is a damn good series.
Hasegawa KeinRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I started reading the story today and finished it in an hour. While the story has only a few chapters so far, the pace of development is starting to get pretty fast as the chapters go by.
Overall Review: The story is engaging and easy to follow and has a solid build up of the characters as well as the settings are well described.
Style: English is not my first language but I use it almost 70% of the day. That said, I must point out that the pacing and prose of the story is very good and I definitely enjoyed it. Easy to read and understand without leaving out Lewis' descriptions and feelings about the strange situation he is in with Mr. Grey.
Story Score: At this point I wouldn't know very well what to say since it has 10 chapters and I think it is a story that presumably will be much longer. So far the premise is very interesting and I like it, I have no complaints whatsoever.
Grammar Score: I didn't detect any problems at this point.
Character Score: Lewis is a normal boy with the problems that any other boy his age would have. He has problems with girls and the bullies at school, but he is still trying to adjust to his new reality with Mr. Grey.
Mr Grey on the other hand is a character that seems much more sympathetic even though his advices doesn't seem to be very good sometimes, although this may be because he is a being that is out of human understanding and with completely different moral values. Even so, the dichotomy between the two is interesting and we will have to wait in the future to see how they continue. I can't say much about the other characters since the story is short for now but I like the development.
JusttryingtofindawayRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall this story is quite literally exactly what I wanted it to be. It's so refreshing to read a chapter with perfect grammer and pacing. I can say I didn't get bored for even half a seconf from the first to the last of chapter 14 and I cant watit to read more.
Style: The actual font that the story is written is is different from almost every other story writing in arial size 12, and the dialogue is extremely well crafted and placed. If this author ran a workshop I'd sell my arm and leg to attend or even listen it it.
Story: With more foreshadowing than you can shake a stick at every single interaction with Mr.Grey hangs heavy in my mind as I read more about what Lewis gets up to. The setting is masterfully described and leaves almost nothing to the imagination besides the future of Lewis.
Grammar: Again I have found no issues with the grammar and even the tense changes of Mr.Grey is clearly intentional and very very interesting.
Character: Each of the characters is well placed and fits perfectly into their spots in the story. Some might find that each is too simple or overdone but I think thats exactly whats needed in the story at the time of this writing. Its a simple town with ominous undertones that will need a bit more time to fully run into the story and turn it all upside down.
Lara Zanatti ReisRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
From the First word to the Last one from chapter eight, I couldn't stop being immersed in this little urban story. About a boy meeting a mythical (modern version) of Fate - Mr. Grey.
Although the scenario and characters seem out of a typical teenage movie - the description, dialogue, and little plot twists fall perfectly into each other. It is such a remarkable work!
The story has me immersed until the end. I have nothing to point out besides when chapter 9 comes. Seriously, when is it published?
PizzaPizzaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Into the lands of civilisation came Nyarlathotep, swarthy, slender, and sinister, always buying strange instruments of glass and metal and combining them into instruments yet stranger. He spoke much of the sciences – of electricity and psychology –and gave exhibitions of power which sent his spectators away speechless, yet which swelled his fame to exceeding magnitude. Men advised one another to see Nyarlathotep, and shuddered. And where Nyarlathotep went, rest vanished; for the small hours were rent with the screams of a nightmare.
What can I say? I'm at chapter 12 right now, and this story is a masterpiece that got an immediate follow from me. It has a pretty typical start for a small town 'rural' horror piece, with extra care given to small details. I may be a bit off base, but it seems to me like there's a build-up to a cosmic horror payoff, and all the eerie, ambient suspense that entails. Have you ever looked at a scene and figured out something was 'off' about it? It's kinda like that all the time.
If that sort of story is your cup of tea, this is about as good as it gets.
Real TensaiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This novel is a well-written easy to understand horror story perfect for Halloween. Lewis is a young high school boy who is getting bullied but one day Mr. Gray appears. If he follows Mr. Gray his social life will improve a lot however Lewis soon finds out that Mr. Gray may not be as good for him as he thought in the beginning.
Style score: The story is fast-paced and easy to understand. With the short chapters, it is easy to binge in one go. The way the author describes things also is incredible. It really creates an image in your head.
Grammar score: The grammar is good and I don't have anything to complain about.
Story score: The premise of the story is very clear. It is a well-thought-out story with a lot of mysteries yet to be revealed. It is because the story seems so simple it is so good, and you already know there is more behind it.
Character score: The main characters are Lewis and Mr. Gray and both of them are well-written. Lewis is the typical young boy who gets bullied but even though he gets the chance to become popular through Mr. Gray he still is suspicious and shows that he still has some morals, which I find really good. Mr. Gray on the other hand is an all-knowing creature who wants to help Lewis, that is what he says at least. His character is mysterious and you can see the evil in him.
Sketch SanchezRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Multiple times while reading this story this far have caused goosebumps to rumble up and down my arms. I'm not easily creeped out but this author paints incredible pictures with their prose I just get sucked in. I can hear the school bell go off, the sounds of children bounding about, and the revving of a loud engine...
The characters all feel authentic. Bullies like Landon make me laugh one minute and piss me off the next. "Lewser" is next level punnery and I'm here for it.
I really feel for Lewis. He's sympathetic and a massive dork; I loved his plan with the two drinks! I fear for him too.
Mr Gray is incredibly creepy, I'm keen to see what the author chooses to reveal about its true nature.
Story score is only "low" because this is ongoing and more is clearly to come. Grammar looked just fine go me. I never got lost or had to backtrack for any reason.
All in all, this chapter was so good that I knew I was going to finish this. I see that it is currently on going with a chapter queued up; it deserves a rating and review!
Can't wait to see how this ends.
*Updated score now that story is finished. What a ride from start to finish, you wont regret it.
StorypicklerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall Review: Well worth a read! Starts a bit slow, but just gets stronger and stronger as it goes along. Characters that seem simple at first rapidly gain complexity, the plot quickly goes beyond the initial premise, and by the end I was wanting more. Good news is, there’s more! Recommend if you like a sinister mystery and a protagonist with lots of room for growth.
Style Score: Solid. Flows well from the start and stays consistent or even improves throughout.
Story Score: The initial story seems simplistic at first, but quickly gets more sinister and intriguing. The interplay of characters as the story goes along keeps you guessing, as information is slowly revealed about what’s really going on. OR IS IT?
Grammar Score: No issues, has as much or more polish than some of the top stories on RR.
Character Score: Saw some criticism that some of the characters are shallow, but I didn’t really get that impression. There’s a difference between a character (or person) being shallow, and a character who is not explained at great depth. We see what we need to see of the characters to move the story along, and also some of them are just shallow characters, but that’s by design. Mr Gray is fascinating, and makes for an intriguing…villain? Sinister for sure, but also leaves you guessing about his real motivation. I love that style of unreliable narrator, and the mystery was well woven. The protagonist isn’t an idiot, but isn’t a perfect wish-fullfilment trope either. Comes across as what he is, a slightly awkward teenager with a decent moral compass, which I appreciated.