Christopher John Chater

Review by Carla Trueheart for Readers' Favorite

Out of Body opens with a bit of a mystery and keeps going, full speed, from there. Harley, a twelve-year-old boy, is in a car accident with his parents, and all three die—until Harley is brought back to life. Just before the accident, Harley’s mother gives him a silver star necklace and tells him to never take it off. Fast forward ten years and his best friend Darren rips the necklace off Harley’s neck, thinking it’s just a silly New Age piece of jewelry. From there, Harley continues an obsession with out-of-body experiences (astral projection), having been close to death and longing to return to that otherworldly state. Unfortunately, Harley, unprotected and not knowing some important things about his past and his parents, becomes stuck in the astral world while a demon steps into his physical body and assumes his life. The demon entices Darren, begins a romantic relationship with the girl Harley is interested in, and does some funky things to Harley’s bank account. Stuck, Harley can only watch helplessly while the demon destroys his life and his relationships.

There are quite a few vivid and imaginative scenes in this book. In astral projection, Harley is able to travel to other places in the world, and he can see every person in his life without their knowledge. He can also see demons, which is interesting, as they appear in unlikely places. Harley tells his tale from the perspective of a brooding college-aged boy, and he is easy to identify with and has a strong voice and unique demeanor. Having said that, it was difficult to understand why his best friend Darren would believe Harley’s personality changed so much and so quickly after the demon stepped in and took over. I don’t believe Darren was meant to be a likable character, but I do believe he was Harley’s friend long enough to notice the abrupt change. Stephanie—Harley’s love interest—also went back and forth from being a likable working girl to a shallow girl who was interested in Harley’s demon impostor for his money. Still, Harley’s voice and the intriguing plot was enough to save the story.

Overall, Out of Body is a quick read and moves along at a good pace, never once straying from the plot. I would recommend the book to paranormal/supernatural fans or anyone who enjoys fast-paced reads with edgier occult story lines.
… (mais)

22 year old Harley lost his parents in a car crash when he was 12, a crash that changed his life in more ways than one. We join Harley 10 years later at university as he searches for answers regarding the afterlife and the white light he saw on the night of the crash.

Death is a key theme and helps to immediately hook the reader from the start- 'I died that day. Twice.' Harley's need to uncover the truth about the afterlife leads to drama and the destruction of the life he has built for himself. His quirky style of humour had me in stitches at times and made him a rather likable character. When he succeeded in his trials, I felt as though I'd shared in that success. The same applies to Harley's failings.

Out of Body is a dark, gripping read that talks in depth about astral projection, a unique ability whereby someone can leave their own body and have their spirit travel in the astral realm. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and would gladly read this book again and again.

My rating: 5 stars.
I would recommend this to lovers of dark fantasy and thrillers.
… (mais)