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Nick Child’s “Realms Beyond” opens with thirty passengers from a Los Angeles airport shuttle awakening on a mysterious grassy plain beneath towering stone monoliths. What begins as confusion quickly escalates into a survival story that blends portal fantasy with coming-of-age themes, as a diverse group of strangers, ranging from children to elderly couples, must navigate an alien yet familiar world where latent abilities begin to emerge.
The story centres on Rico, a shy Costa Rican teenager, along with fellow passengers including sharp-minded 13-year-old Tabbi, charismatic footballer Sam, and quiet animal-lover Suzume. Under the reluctant leadership of Yang, a martial artist, the group must survive encounters with dire boars and other fantastical creatures while slowly discovering they possess supernatural abilities. When they’re eventually rescued by mysterious elf-like riders called the Wyrun, the survivors realize their journey has only just begun. Though they appear to still be on Earth, this version of their world is populated by mythical creatures and governed by very different rules, in a premise evoking the TV show La Brea.
Child excels at creating a memorable ensemble cast, particularly the teenage protagonists. Rico, the shy Costa Rican teen with uncanny luck; Tabbi, the sharp 13-year-old with eidetic memory; Sam, the charismatic footballer; and Suzume, the quiet runaway who can communicate with animals. Their abilities feel earned rather than arbitrary, growing organically from their personalities and backgrounds. The character dynamics are particularly strong and the dialogue between them enjoyable to read.
Child employs a smooth, easy-to-read prose style that focuses on accessibility for the book’s primarily younger audience. His use of tight third-person perspective prose, shifting between focal characters, works perfectly. Child also demonstrates a talent for pacing, using short, punchy paragraphs during action sequences while allowing quieter character moments to breathe. One of the novel’s most fun aspects is how it blends modern and mythic elements. The characters’ use of pop culture references, such as Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars and Lost will make the novel enjoyable for a younger audience, although some older readers may feel that it dates the novel.
While the character development is strong, the plot occasionally feels a tad static. Extended flashback sequences such as in the opening chapter sometimes slow the momentum. While the teenage protagonists are well-realized, many of the adult passengers remain sketchy. Given the ensemble nature of the story, more development of the supporting cast would strengthen the overall narrative. Nonetheless, since this is only the first novel in the series, I’m sure these minor issues will all be improved in the future instalments, and they didn’t impede my enjoyment of it.
To sum up, “Realms Beyond” is a gripping read that young adults and older kids will surely be unable to put down. It thoughtfully explores themes of identity and coming of age. Fans of The Maze Runner and Percy Jackson will enjoy the blend of mythic elements with contemporary characters. However, “Realms Beyond” carves out its own identity through its focus on the way ordinary people adapt to extraordinary circumstances. Overall, Child has created a gripping adventure that feels both mysterious and believable, populated by characters readers will genuinely care about.
You can get your copy of “Realms Beyond” or read for free on Kindle Unlimited here!
