Michael Reid Jr. | THE BEYOND EXPERIENCE

Plot (via Goodreads):

Dr. Lewis had always found a way to hide his deepest secrets: the abuse as a child, the loss of his fiancé, the reasons why he rejected the lucrative offer from Harvard. But, when Kyle, his lab assistant, convinces him to push the limits of the drugs he'd spent a decade perfecting, his lies begin to unravel. 

Kyle's emotional events during treatment forced him to believe it was an event on another plane of life, a spiritual experience at its highest echelon. Thousands of people all over the world were experiencing similar events to Kyle's, claiming they'd been to heaven. However, Dr. Lewis disagreed, and spent countless hours searching for a neural pathway within the brain itself as the source of the augmented reality. 

More secrets, lies, and love drive the two close friends apart, beginning a cascade of events that point Dr. Lewis toward entering The Beyond Experience himself. He fought the treatment for nearly two decades, convinced his terrifying past would confront him. What he experiences becomes far more world shattering than he'd ever imagined possible, but will finally give him the answer to why his fiancé, Lily, had spoken her haunting final words: "forgive me."

Review:

I had the opportunity a few months ago to have a great chat with Michael Reid Jr. about his novel THE BEYOND EXPERIENCE and immediately had to order a copy. I was so intrigued with the plot to this novel and knew that once I read it was going to be in for an interesting journey that would take me completely out of my comfort zone. Being a "mood reader", I often find myself at times looking for something to take me by surprise and kind of knock me out of my norm. This was that novel and I was not disappointed. I was immersed, obsessive, and completely taken back with how this reading experience was unlike any I've ever had the joy of reading. 

The plot to this novel is so intricate and diverse that I was genuinely shocked with the world I was entering that was so foreign to something I usually read. While this one is labeled as a medical suspense that flirts with science fiction, it was so much more than that. This novel is genuinely fantastic and lyrically written. The plot is merely a verse with the dazzling character development acting as its chorus. With most novels, I find that I pay attention more to the plot and good (and or decent) character development is something that I merely enjoy as rather a palette cleanser in between plot twists. This novel was built on character development. While the medical and science fiction aspect was a bit intimidating at first, I was finding myself nervous that I wasn't fully grasping the terminology and what was happening, but in between the luxurious vocabulary, Reid does a phenomenal job of taking the reader on an adventure and using character development and the sequence of events to ensure that the reader has a full understanding of each and every turn in this addictive and remarkable tale. The drama and the heart and soul that went into these characters is not only palpable, but an effective tool that makes this novel an experience that is beyond in itself. 

I would say this novel is a multi-genre layered masterpiece that focuses so much on love, loss, and friendship that at times, I didn't even focus on what was going to happen with the novel, whether any parts were slower than others, or try to guess the ending because I was so invested in these characters and genuinely cared with how their lives were going to turn out. The first half of the novel reads as a medical drama, but not in a cliched way. It gives you the character development you want, the drama you crave, and the beautiful map of where each and every character is in their life. In an artistic and brilliant fashion, the second half really picks up with suspense and twists and turns that were unlike any. Within 300+ pages, I was left breathless, curious, and anxious to see where this story would go and how it would end. I was not disappointed with this story and as much as I have to read in the upcoming months, I didn't want it to end. With a prose that is dangerously luminous and revelations that would send chills up the spine of even our dear Stephen King, this novel is one that has it all and is relentless with its grip. If you're looking for something that is unlike any novel out there and will draw you in, this is the one for you. I cannot recommend this one enough. 

Rating: 5/5