Review of The Middle Reaches (Episodes 1-8)

[sayjil gordhan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Middle Reaches (Episodes 1-8)" by L. Andrew Cooper.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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L. Andrew Cooper tells a heart-pounding tale. The first episode opens up the fantasy world involving Nick lucid dreaming about his friend, Sheldon, in peril because of a monster. Nick and his four other estranged friends, Ambrose, Celia, Leslie, and Pedro, meet up and realize they all have something strange in common besides the fact that they were involved in the disappearance of their friend. A decade ago, the group of friends followed the whims and fantasies of Sheldon Vere and ventured into the woods between two streets. The teens had entered an alternate dimension called “The Middle Reaches,” containing alluring monsters and a place not bound by Earth’s physics. Everyone had escaped except Sheldon Vere. The group of friends has vague memories of how they escaped, but they all share dreams of The Middle Reaches in the present. The reader, with an increased heart rate, discovers more of the truth through the view of each enthralling character.

The story is written in the third person, and Cooper does an excellent job of allowing the reader to slip into multiple characters' minds as though it were written in the first person. All characters were written with depth and great detail. The skilled prose makes you feel as though you are one of the friends in this strange, bizarre world. The plot was woven together with such ardent choice of words at times that the reader can tell from the beginning of the story that it’s going to be good. I have a few criticisms of this series, and none of them drastically affect the rating I will give this book. The author appears to cushion the horrific scenes in a way that makes the reader feel curious and comfortable. For example, I do think this is why the sexual elements were added to the story to cushion the horror. I would like to state that the reader is always in suspense despite this technique and therefore it’s not something that should deter readers. I think that if the prose changed slightly, the reader would be more in shock, and the suspense in the plot would become more impactful. I think that the cover needs to be changed to attract readers to this amazing story. I would’ve liked to read this as a full book or short story rather than in episodes on Kindle Vella. I am utterly devastated that I wasn’t able to read further than eight episodes.

I recommend this to readers interested in fantasy, horror, and thrillers. I would emphatically state that this book should be read by lovers of Stranger Things. This book does not seem appropriate for young readers as it contains profanity, sexual content, and gory graphic scenes. It appears to be well-edited, as I have not found any errors or typos. I rate The Middle Reaches five out of five stars.

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The Middle Reaches (Episodes 1-8)
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[Gerry Steen]

What happened to Sheldon Vere in the Middle Reaches? What are the dangers in the Middle Reaches? I look forward to finding out through the thoughts of the diverse and well-developed characters in this story. Thank you for reviewing this book.