Those Beyond the Wall

A Novel

By: Micaiah Johnson

Narrated by: Angel Pean

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—from the Compton Crook Award–winning author of The Space Between Worlds.

“A bold, beautiful, gut-punch of a story, at turns ferocious and poetic—and sometimes both at once.”—Veronica Roth, New York Times bestselling author of Chosen Ones

“[Those Beyond the Wall] reads like Mad Max: Fury Road was written by Phillip K. Dick and N.K. Jemisin.”—CrimeReads

SHORTLISTED FOR THE URSULA K. LE GUIN PRIZE FOR FICTION • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Elle

In Ashtown, a rough-and-tumble 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 fractured when a woman is mangled and killed before her eyes. Even more incomprehensible: There doesn’t seem to be a murderer.

When more bodies start to turn up, both in Ashtown and in the wealthier, walled-off 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 frustratingly by-the-books partner from Ashtown and a brusque-but-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’s pristine façade 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.

Critic reviews

“A bold, beautiful, gut-punch of a story, at turns ferocious and poetic—and sometimes both at once.”—Veronica Roth, New York Times bestselling author of Chosen Ones

“Those Beyond the Wall is a standout novel with painful clarity of voice; [it is] savage, yet humane. Micaiah Johnson has more than delivered on the promise of her exceptional first novel with a follow-up that is even more tightly plotted and more vividly characterized.”—Elizabeth Bear, Hugo Award–winning author of Ancestral Night

“[Those Beyond the Wall] reads like Mad Max: Fury Road was written by Philip K. Dick and N. K. Jemisin.”—CrimeReads

“Gritty like desert sand, shiny like a too-hot sun on chrome, armored in its finest battle leathers, but beneath all that, Those Beyond the Wall is an exploration of community and found family and what happens when the real enemy is a society that refuses to recognize the humanity of others. This book is a fierce love letter to everyone who has ever found themselves beyond the wall. Wonderful stuff, but I wouldn’t expect any less from Micaiah Johnson.”—Sarah Pinsker, Nebula and Hugo Award–winning author of Lost Places and A Song for a New Day

“[Those Beyond the Wall] packs an emotional punch, as brutality lies next to the thin edge of caring, wrapped up in friendship and rage, and love will not stop hearts from shattering.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Johnson’s riveting dystopian story . . . will appeal to fans of classic SF that portrays parallels to current social issues.” —Booklist, starred review

Beautifully powerful

Johnson created such a rich world. I love the way she wrestles with loyalty and violence. Her writing is so beautiful and the narration enhances it. Highly recommend.

Can’t get enough

Absolutely loved it!! Can’t wait for more. She. Knows how to bring the characters to life in a way that makes them seem familiar, you get to know them intimately..

A tale our world needs right now!

I am not often lost for words, but am on my third attempt at trying to convey how much room this book has taken up in my heart and mind. I never thought I would enjoy it as much (or even more!) than the first, “The Space Between Worlds,” but I did. I can’t wait to listen again in awe of how the author weaves the seemingly disparate characters and stories together… peppering the pages with insights into the cyclical waves of humanity, generational trauma & violence, oppression and poverty and the fluidity of compassion, gender, and sexuality. I believe this is book that can only open doors in the minds of all who read it and it should be a recommended read for all- from middle graders to high school and college student to c-suite execs and HR professionals.

An unusual, unexpected, fantastic voice in sci-fi

Loved the story line. Plenty of twists and turns. Brings the problems of inequity we see in our world into another. Feels very Star Trek to see our issues in a completely different setting . So happy to have a sequel to the previous book. My favorite part was to have 2 women of color, 1 who wrote and one who read the story give a rarely heard perspective in sci-fi. We need more women in this genre.

Finally, not another trash sci-fi sequel

Great mix of new ideas complementing the first book’s references and humorous storyline tangents. The characters continue to develop even further than I believed possible. I was so excited to see a sequel come out and my high hopes weren’t let down one bit.