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Out of Body
Out of Body is a dark fantasy thriller from multi-award-winning author Jeffrey Ford.
A small-town librarian witnesses a murder at his local deli, and what had been routine sleep paralysis begins to transform into something far more disturbing. The trauma of holding a dying girl in his arms drives him out of his own body. The town he knows so well is suddenly revealed to him from a whole new perspective. Secrets are everywhere and demons fester behind closed doors.
Worst of all, he discovers a serial killer who has been preying on the area for over a century, one capable of traveling with him through his dreams.
A small-town librarian witnesses a murder at his local deli, and what had been routine sleep paralysis begins to transform into something far more disturbing. The trauma of holding a dying girl in his arms drives him out of his own body. The town he knows so well is suddenly revealed to him from a whole new perspective. Secrets are everywhere and demons fester behind closed doors.
Worst of all, he discovers a serial killer who has been preying on the area for over a century, one capable of traveling with him through his dreams.
176 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2020
41 people are currently reading
1891 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Ford
238 books507 followersJeffrey Ford is an American writer in the Fantastic genre tradition, although his works have spanned genres including Fantasy, Science Fiction and Mystery. His work is characterized by a sweeping imaginative power, humor, literary allusion, and a fascination with tales told within tales. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he studied with the novelist John Gardner.
He lives in southern New Jersey and teaches writing and literature at Brookdale Community College in Monmouth County. He has also taught at the summer Clarion Workshop for science fiction and fantasy writers in Michigan. He has contributed stories, essays and interviews to various magazines and e-magazines including MSS, Puerto Del Sol, Northwest Review, Hayden's Ferry Review, Argosy, Event Horizon, Infinity Plus, Black Gate and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.
He published his first story, "The Casket", in Gardner's literary magazine MSS in 1981 and his first full-length novel, Vanitas, in 1988.
He lives in southern New Jersey and teaches writing and literature at Brookdale Community College in Monmouth County. He has also taught at the summer Clarion Workshop for science fiction and fantasy writers in Michigan. He has contributed stories, essays and interviews to various magazines and e-magazines including MSS, Puerto Del Sol, Northwest Review, Hayden's Ferry Review, Argosy, Event Horizon, Infinity Plus, Black Gate and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.
He published his first story, "The Casket", in Gardner's literary magazine MSS in 1981 and his first full-length novel, Vanitas, in 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
April 16, 2020
I've been dying to jump into Jeffrey Ford's work, and perhaps this wasn't the best one to do that with. Out of Body is quite binge-worthy, and at 176 pages easily consumed in one sitting. The idea here is excellent, and I'm not sure if it just needed to be fleshed out a little more, or if the portion that was written needed to be condensed, and where the story ends becomes the actual taking off point for a really cool adventure, but either way this felt middle of the line for me. There is true talent between the lines though, and I'm looking forward to diving into The Shadow Year and The Twilight Pariah, both of which are on my backlist bookshelf. I'd recommend picking this up for a quick read that dips its toe in the horror genre without getting too scary.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
March 14, 2020
Book 1 of 30 for my 30 day reading challenge!
I think I enjoyed this but need a little more time to think on it and write a full review. Thanks to Tor for providing this to me!
I think I enjoyed this but need a little more time to think on it and write a full review. Thanks to Tor for providing this to me!
July 1, 2020
3.5 stars
Given the ratings, I was surprised at how much in enjoyed this slim novel about dream walking and monsters. It’s a odd one.
Concept: ★★★★
Pacing: ★★★
Memorability: ★★★
Out of Body is definitely a polarizing novella. For me, it was a clear winner—but that's because it felt like the darker, grown up version of one of my favorite young reads. This reminds me SO MUCH of Scott Westerfeld's The Midnighters.
Owen is a librarian living out his days of monotony in a haze of repetition. He's 35, but he feels both ancient and young. (He dresses like an old-school businessman, yet survives on boxed mac and cheese and frozen pizza.)
One day, Owen witnesses a robbery-turned-murder at his local gas station, where he's viciously knocked out with a head injury. After his head injury, Owen discovers that something about his reality has changed.
Now, he can dream walk. But other things also walk the nights...and not all of them are friendly.
The novel's so short I have to stop there - spoilers!
What I loved:
I LOVED the similarity in concept between this novel and Scott Westerfeld's The Midnighters. Both involve a select group of people who are active during the nighttime due to speculative circumstance. (Beyond that, the concepts are very different.) I loved Owen's bland character—yes, I know that sounds like a negative, but hear me out. Owen's lack of character distinction perfectly represents the feeling of detachment that a surrealist dreamscape requires. It was the perfect amount of distance vs. Other.
What I didn't love:
I can see why others didn't enjoy the pacing of this novel. It was slightly odd, and slow for the beginning bits. However, I think that is also an intentional part of the distanced narrative, so this "negative" was neutral at best for me.
Thank you to TOR via NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
Given the ratings, I was surprised at how much in enjoyed this slim novel about dream walking and monsters. It’s a odd one.
Concept: ★★★★
Pacing: ★★★
Memorability: ★★★
Out of Body is definitely a polarizing novella. For me, it was a clear winner—but that's because it felt like the darker, grown up version of one of my favorite young reads. This reminds me SO MUCH of Scott Westerfeld's The Midnighters.
Owen is a librarian living out his days of monotony in a haze of repetition. He's 35, but he feels both ancient and young. (He dresses like an old-school businessman, yet survives on boxed mac and cheese and frozen pizza.)
One day, Owen witnesses a robbery-turned-murder at his local gas station, where he's viciously knocked out with a head injury. After his head injury, Owen discovers that something about his reality has changed.
Now, he can dream walk. But other things also walk the nights...and not all of them are friendly.
The novel's so short I have to stop there - spoilers!
What I loved:
I LOVED the similarity in concept between this novel and Scott Westerfeld's The Midnighters. Both involve a select group of people who are active during the nighttime due to speculative circumstance. (Beyond that, the concepts are very different.) I loved Owen's bland character—yes, I know that sounds like a negative, but hear me out. Owen's lack of character distinction perfectly represents the feeling of detachment that a surrealist dreamscape requires. It was the perfect amount of distance vs. Other.
What I didn't love:
I can see why others didn't enjoy the pacing of this novel. It was slightly odd, and slow for the beginning bits. However, I think that is also an intentional part of the distanced narrative, so this "negative" was neutral at best for me.
Thank you to TOR via NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
April 11, 2020
I wanted to like this more than I did. After all, Jeffrey Ford has generally been a fantastic writer for me and I jumped on this ARC expecting some solid creepiness or twists or thoughtful fantasy.
But this one? Eh... it was fine for what it is, but it reads more like a snippet taken out of a White Wolf Mage CoreBook regarding astral projection and some of the dangers therein. Add a dash of normal, a bit of peeping tom, and a big bad with a penchant for paint, and the entire tale ends where it probably ought to have begun... with a bigger adventure. Or at least a convention-balking one.
*shrug* It was okay, but it wasn't anything special.
But this one? Eh... it was fine for what it is, but it reads more like a snippet taken out of a White Wolf Mage CoreBook regarding astral projection and some of the dangers therein. Add a dash of normal, a bit of peeping tom, and a big bad with a penchant for paint, and the entire tale ends where it probably ought to have begun... with a bigger adventure. Or at least a convention-balking one.
*shrug* It was okay, but it wasn't anything special.
April 3, 2020
I have a lot of mixed thoughts on this book. On one hand I was intrigued and entertained enough to read this in one night, but at the same time it seemed like not a whole lot happened? The horror aspect wasn’t very spooky either, but that could just be me. If you go into it not knowing much about the book you’ll probably like it more.
* I was sent an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
* I was sent an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
June 1, 2020
Owen is an introverted small town librarian who, following a traumatic event, gains the ability to astral project into the “night world” while he sleeps. At first his disembodied observations offer him a deeper connection to the neighbors he mostly avoids in his waking life, but soon he discovers a hidden world of secret societies and horrifying monsters and must put his life on the line to save his small corner of the world from evil. Ford takes time exploring the nooks and knacks of his night world before bringing the frights; thankfully, his adeptness at everyday observation matches his skill at delivering creature feature thrills. The climactic set piece is intense and beautifully constructed.
May 29, 2020
This is way too short and seems to skim through its entire story, beginning to end. Every chapter includes 3x as many scenes as it should and they're all summarized rather than told immersively. Nothing else about it really matters given that it feels more like reading a synopsis than a book.
May 13, 2020
If you would like to read more of my reviews, check out my writing on www.grimdarkmagazine.com or www.beforewegoblog.com
Something wicked this way comes.
I am new to the church of Jeffrey Ford. Pretty much any die-hard horror fans will be familiar with his massive catalog of work. His stories have appeared everywhere, from anthologies of fantasy to his stand-alone novels. Knowing all that, I still hadn't picked up one of his stories and jumped in. It was always a convergence of wrong time, wrong book for me. This is why it was such a pleasure to be sent an advanced copy from Macmillan-Tor/Forge for his newest novella, Out of Body.
Also, at 176 pages, this is not a huge undertaking. I was looking for bite-sized horror, something that would grab me by the throat, and scatter my body in chills. What I got was... eh.
This is a decent story. I loved the librarian angle as I tend to think of librarians as superheroes. I thank my childhood visits to the library, and A Witch's Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies, a short story by Alix E. Harrow. That short story replenished my love and admiration of librarians. I was tickled that the main protagonist was one. Owen, the main protagonist, leads a complacent life where he seems happy with the routine. "It was time to wash out his coffee cup and dress for work. That day it was the blue-gray suit, white shirt, no tie. The only alternative was the brown suit, white shirt, no tie. Locking the door behind him, he walked to the corner and turned left, making for town along a tree-lined sidewalk. The rain had stopped overnight, but the wind was raging, and the new leaves on the spring trees made a rushing noise like a rain-swollen creek." Until one day, his seemingly charming if lackluster life is cracked open like a pinata. He witnesses the murder of a friend of his while in the local deli for his usual breakfast sandwich. This murder sends him for a loop, it traumatizes him emotionally, and the injury that occurred to him changed him physically. As a child, Owen suffered a terrible sleep disorder called sleep paralysis. This disorder that stalked him as a child is back. Not only has It come back, but it has also changed, giving Owen a chance to leave his body for another plane. Owen pushes out from his body and can wander the Earth as an OBE or out of body entity. He has a duty now to observe and bear witness to the world that only night can bring.
By about this point in the story, there isn't much going on. Owen is going day to day and night to night. He views the quirks and curiosities that only come out at night. Owen watches men who eat bugs to get high one night, a loving family the next, an author, and finally an old painter. On one of his nightly runs, he meets another OBE, she takes him under her wing and begins to explain the terrible and frightening things that lurk in this plane, things that can sever the cord to your body, or boil your soil out of existence. There are things of real horror in this world between life and death. And, sometimes, things that see you in the spirit realm can find you in the real world.
This story is as advertised, a cool take on night paralysis and out of body experiences. It was a nice story to read, even with the horror angle that comes the last 1/3 of the story. I enjoyed reading it. The issue that I had with the story and why I didn't give it a much higher review was I found Owen to be unlikeable. Not all protagonists need to be liked by their readers, but Owen was so unlikeable to me that I had a difficult time latching onto his plight and being concerned about what was befalling him. That, coupled with the shorter length of the story, didn't allow me to invest the mental energy that I would have loved to had it been longer.
All that being said, this is a good story and should be added to your reading list if you are a horror lover. The writing is solid, and the plot was interesting. The pacing lagged in the beginning but picked up dramatically at about the 50% mark. Plus, the story has elements of fantasy as well as horror so that it will appeal to a broader audience. Check it out. Though, I think I am going to try another collection of his books, The Well-Built city trilogy, to get a real sense for him as a writer.
Out of Body comes out on May 26, 2020, and can be pre-ordered or purchased wherever books are sold.
Something wicked this way comes.
I am new to the church of Jeffrey Ford. Pretty much any die-hard horror fans will be familiar with his massive catalog of work. His stories have appeared everywhere, from anthologies of fantasy to his stand-alone novels. Knowing all that, I still hadn't picked up one of his stories and jumped in. It was always a convergence of wrong time, wrong book for me. This is why it was such a pleasure to be sent an advanced copy from Macmillan-Tor/Forge for his newest novella, Out of Body.
Also, at 176 pages, this is not a huge undertaking. I was looking for bite-sized horror, something that would grab me by the throat, and scatter my body in chills. What I got was... eh.
This is a decent story. I loved the librarian angle as I tend to think of librarians as superheroes. I thank my childhood visits to the library, and A Witch's Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies, a short story by Alix E. Harrow. That short story replenished my love and admiration of librarians. I was tickled that the main protagonist was one. Owen, the main protagonist, leads a complacent life where he seems happy with the routine. "It was time to wash out his coffee cup and dress for work. That day it was the blue-gray suit, white shirt, no tie. The only alternative was the brown suit, white shirt, no tie. Locking the door behind him, he walked to the corner and turned left, making for town along a tree-lined sidewalk. The rain had stopped overnight, but the wind was raging, and the new leaves on the spring trees made a rushing noise like a rain-swollen creek." Until one day, his seemingly charming if lackluster life is cracked open like a pinata. He witnesses the murder of a friend of his while in the local deli for his usual breakfast sandwich. This murder sends him for a loop, it traumatizes him emotionally, and the injury that occurred to him changed him physically. As a child, Owen suffered a terrible sleep disorder called sleep paralysis. This disorder that stalked him as a child is back. Not only has It come back, but it has also changed, giving Owen a chance to leave his body for another plane. Owen pushes out from his body and can wander the Earth as an OBE or out of body entity. He has a duty now to observe and bear witness to the world that only night can bring.
By about this point in the story, there isn't much going on. Owen is going day to day and night to night. He views the quirks and curiosities that only come out at night. Owen watches men who eat bugs to get high one night, a loving family the next, an author, and finally an old painter. On one of his nightly runs, he meets another OBE, she takes him under her wing and begins to explain the terrible and frightening things that lurk in this plane, things that can sever the cord to your body, or boil your soil out of existence. There are things of real horror in this world between life and death. And, sometimes, things that see you in the spirit realm can find you in the real world.
This story is as advertised, a cool take on night paralysis and out of body experiences. It was a nice story to read, even with the horror angle that comes the last 1/3 of the story. I enjoyed reading it. The issue that I had with the story and why I didn't give it a much higher review was I found Owen to be unlikeable. Not all protagonists need to be liked by their readers, but Owen was so unlikeable to me that I had a difficult time latching onto his plight and being concerned about what was befalling him. That, coupled with the shorter length of the story, didn't allow me to invest the mental energy that I would have loved to had it been longer.
All that being said, this is a good story and should be added to your reading list if you are a horror lover. The writing is solid, and the plot was interesting. The pacing lagged in the beginning but picked up dramatically at about the 50% mark. Plus, the story has elements of fantasy as well as horror so that it will appeal to a broader audience. Check it out. Though, I think I am going to try another collection of his books, The Well-Built city trilogy, to get a real sense for him as a writer.
Out of Body comes out on May 26, 2020, and can be pre-ordered or purchased wherever books are sold.
August 20, 2022
It felt like all events were summarized instead of actively happening.
Technically interesting things were taking place but they were described in the most boring and nonchalant way possible. This makes for a very puzzling reading experience.
Overall this book wasn’t bad, it just also wasn’t good.
Technically interesting things were taking place but they were described in the most boring and nonchalant way possible. This makes for a very puzzling reading experience.
Overall this book wasn’t bad, it just also wasn’t good.
November 2, 2020
I liked this horror story - it was a quick read and was engaging from the start. I liked the fact that the deli owner had some paranormal powers and was able to help find serial killer.
October 11, 2022
This book was for me and probably nobody else idc 🫶
May 11, 2020
It feels weird saying that something from Tor felt too short, but here we are. It felt that this work didn't get a chance to feel attached to the characters or the plot because of how quickly the story needed to progress. That being said, the author does have a very enjoyable writing style that makes you want to keep reading.
I received an ecopy of this through Netgalley; however, all opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this through Netgalley; however, all opinions are my own.
September 2, 2020
Jeffrey Ford is one of my favorite speculative fiction authors. His book The Portrait of Mrs. Charbuque is on my top 20 best ever list. This little novella was good, but not one of my favorites by him. The main character, a small town librarian was never fully realized as a character. Or, maybe I just didn’t fall for him the way I wanted to. The story is absurd and fun, and goes somewhere I really didn’t expect. Without giving any spoilers, all I will say is that the title gives a bit away. The librarian after experiencing a tragedy does go walkabout through an out of body experience. I will say nothing more than that, as what happens as a result is the fun part of the book. Well, fun and a bit icky.
I would highly recommend Jeffrey Ford’s books, but perhaps don’t start with this one.
I would highly recommend Jeffrey Ford’s books, but perhaps don’t start with this one.
May 21, 2020
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: This short novella was disappointing, unfortunately, due to a disjointed plot and bland characters.
I’m afraid this book just didn’t work for me at all, which is a shame because I loved the idea and I was looking forward to reading something from Jeffrey Ford. Unfortunately, this novella reads almost like a first draft, with a convoluted story, underdeveloped characters, and subpar writing. I hate to write negative reviews, and I always try to find the positive elements in every book I read, but there wasn’t much to like in this one, I’m sorry to say.
The story revolves around a lonely librarian named Owen who witnesses a convenience store shooting one day and later discovers he has the ability to leave his body at night. These out of body experiences, or OBE, give Owen the freedom to roam the neighborhood without anyone seeing him. At first his voyeuristic journeys are new and exciting, since he’s able to literally walk through walls into people’s homes and spy on them. But soon he meets another “sleeper,” a woman named Melody, who warns him about night time dangers, like a killer yellow mist called the miasma, or entities that try to cut the cord that connects sleepers to their bodies.
Owen and Melody find themselves in the middle of a mystery when they discover a reclusive painter who is killing people and drinking their blood. And how does this vampire-like creature relate to the strange tattoo that was found on the shooter?
Yeah, I’m confused too. This was an odd story, and maybe I just didn’t get it. At first I was drawn into the mystery of the strange tattoo—which appears on the convenience store shooter as well as several other characters in the story—and Owen seems to want to solve the mystery, although to be honest, Owen didn’t get excited about much in this story (more on that later). Then there’s the mystery of the painter/vampire and his connection to the people with the tattoos. Owen discovers that the painter is the very same artist who created the Sleeping Beauty mural at his library, which is fading and needs to be restored. To add even more confusion to this set-up, Owen visits the house of a different painter who doesn’t appear to be connected to anything else in the story. All these disparate elements do come together, sort of, but the connections are tenuous at best. The main plot centers around Owen’s plan to destroy the vampire, and we do get a resolution at the end. But getting there was a confusing process, sort of like stepping off the trail and finding yourself wading through a bog by accident.
On top of this strange plot, I found all the characters to be rather bland and uninteresting. Owen plods through his days without much joy, and it’s only when he’s able to leave his body that he finally shows a glimmer of happiness. The other characters just weren’t developed enough to make an impression on me. And that’s really all I have to say about them.
And oh dear, the writing was so awkward. I’m not sure why, because Jeffrey Ford has quite a few books under his belt. But some of the writing needed serious editing, unfortunately. I also ran across a few sentences that made absolutely no sense: “Melody had been right; it stank like chopped meat gone bad, but on a supernatural level.” What?
There were some exciting moments when Owen and Melody are in their sleeper bodies and are trying to avoid the miasma and the creatures who want to cut their cords, but while I enjoyed those moments, they felt oddly disconnected from the rest of the story. I would have preferred that the story focus more on the creepy twilight world of those out of body experiences, rather than the confusing cult/vampire story. But maybe that’s the whole point, that the story is about being disconnected. I don’t know. If anyone else has read this novella, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
With thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
I’m afraid this book just didn’t work for me at all, which is a shame because I loved the idea and I was looking forward to reading something from Jeffrey Ford. Unfortunately, this novella reads almost like a first draft, with a convoluted story, underdeveloped characters, and subpar writing. I hate to write negative reviews, and I always try to find the positive elements in every book I read, but there wasn’t much to like in this one, I’m sorry to say.
The story revolves around a lonely librarian named Owen who witnesses a convenience store shooting one day and later discovers he has the ability to leave his body at night. These out of body experiences, or OBE, give Owen the freedom to roam the neighborhood without anyone seeing him. At first his voyeuristic journeys are new and exciting, since he’s able to literally walk through walls into people’s homes and spy on them. But soon he meets another “sleeper,” a woman named Melody, who warns him about night time dangers, like a killer yellow mist called the miasma, or entities that try to cut the cord that connects sleepers to their bodies.
Owen and Melody find themselves in the middle of a mystery when they discover a reclusive painter who is killing people and drinking their blood. And how does this vampire-like creature relate to the strange tattoo that was found on the shooter?
Yeah, I’m confused too. This was an odd story, and maybe I just didn’t get it. At first I was drawn into the mystery of the strange tattoo—which appears on the convenience store shooter as well as several other characters in the story—and Owen seems to want to solve the mystery, although to be honest, Owen didn’t get excited about much in this story (more on that later). Then there’s the mystery of the painter/vampire and his connection to the people with the tattoos. Owen discovers that the painter is the very same artist who created the Sleeping Beauty mural at his library, which is fading and needs to be restored. To add even more confusion to this set-up, Owen visits the house of a different painter who doesn’t appear to be connected to anything else in the story. All these disparate elements do come together, sort of, but the connections are tenuous at best. The main plot centers around Owen’s plan to destroy the vampire, and we do get a resolution at the end. But getting there was a confusing process, sort of like stepping off the trail and finding yourself wading through a bog by accident.
On top of this strange plot, I found all the characters to be rather bland and uninteresting. Owen plods through his days without much joy, and it’s only when he’s able to leave his body that he finally shows a glimmer of happiness. The other characters just weren’t developed enough to make an impression on me. And that’s really all I have to say about them.
And oh dear, the writing was so awkward. I’m not sure why, because Jeffrey Ford has quite a few books under his belt. But some of the writing needed serious editing, unfortunately. I also ran across a few sentences that made absolutely no sense: “Melody had been right; it stank like chopped meat gone bad, but on a supernatural level.” What?
There were some exciting moments when Owen and Melody are in their sleeper bodies and are trying to avoid the miasma and the creatures who want to cut their cords, but while I enjoyed those moments, they felt oddly disconnected from the rest of the story. I would have preferred that the story focus more on the creepy twilight world of those out of body experiences, rather than the confusing cult/vampire story. But maybe that’s the whole point, that the story is about being disconnected. I don’t know. If anyone else has read this novella, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
With thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
September 26, 2020
i read this within 2 hours. it was really fast paced and interesting, and i really wanted to read until the end to find out what happens. this is a really strange but interesting book, and not at all what i expected. i anticipated this to be more horror, and while there are horror elements in it, it’s more like an action-horror (if that makes sense?)
while this is a good short story, i wonder if it being longer would have helped develop it more. i wish we got more information about the characters, and at times it felt like one weird thing would happen after the other, throwing it all on the wall to see what sticks. but i think this was a quick, interesting story to get my horror fix.
while this is a good short story, i wonder if it being longer would have helped develop it more. i wish we got more information about the characters, and at times it felt like one weird thing would happen after the other, throwing it all on the wall to see what sticks. but i think this was a quick, interesting story to get my horror fix.
December 29, 2025
That was a nice, easy-to-binge story.
May 1, 2024
3.75 stars
Chose this book to fulfil a readathon prompt. Hadn't heard about it, didn't know anything about it so went in with no expectations, and perhaps because of that I was pleasantly surprised. I do like paranormal reads, mysteries and loveable characters and this book had all of that.
Characters 8
Atmosphere 8
Writing Style 7
Premise 8
Execution/Plot 8
Execution/Pace 8
Execution/Setup 7
Enjoyment/Engrossment 7
Narration 7
Chose this book to fulfil a readathon prompt. Hadn't heard about it, didn't know anything about it so went in with no expectations, and perhaps because of that I was pleasantly surprised. I do like paranormal reads, mysteries and loveable characters and this book had all of that.
Characters 8
Atmosphere 8
Writing Style 7
Premise 8
Execution/Plot 8
Execution/Pace 8
Execution/Setup 7
Enjoyment/Engrossment 7
Narration 7
December 29, 2021
I don't know whether to give this three or four stars. Hear me out.
I first heard about Out of Body in a video by BooksandLala, who didn't seem to love it. However, when she talked about not liking it because creature horror wasn't for her, this immediately started to call to me. When I then saw it at my local bookshop some months later, I was immediately drawn to it, but it was impossibly expensive for a 160-page novella with, apparently, some critical reviews. So I left it there, until I suddenly came across it more than a year after initially watching the video, marked down to something actually affordable! Naturally, I grabbed it immediately.
Out of Body follows Owen, a small-town librarian, who, after witnessing a murder and getting hurt in the process, suddenly finds himself able to engage in some sort of state of dreamwalking. While initially, this world seems peaceful and quiet, it quickly becomes clear that nothing is what it seems.
Initially, I wasn't completely captured by the novella, but then I had a nightmare about one of the creepy aspects of the night world (the creepy clouds!! Love em!!) and it just hit me. If anyone knows more books with creepy killing clouds, please hmu. When the plot then got going a bit more, roughly halfway through the text, it became really captivating and I couldn't stop reading. For some reason, I just happened to have put the book down for a week right before the big turn happened.
Anyway, I found the world that was established just SO well done. It was incredibly creepy and mysterious, and I wish there'd be more books set in this world. Amazing. I also enjoyed the characters; nothing wrong with those. However, I think my issue is with the writing. Don't get me wrong - reading the book itself felt like a breeze, as the writing flows well and suits the story. However, there were just some cringy lines that stood out to me, and the pacing, especially in the first half, felt a bit off. It was so night-day-night-day, that it seemed like everything got equal amounts of focus, regardless of how relevant it was. Something in the writing just felt a bit cheap, if that makes sense. It didn't really provide a deep look into the world and the characters; it all stayed very on the surface. Combining that with that this text just could have been more - there was SO MUCH in the world-building that was very promising - I'm giving it three stars for now. Regardless, I would definitely recommend it for fans of horror about dreams and monsters!
I first heard about Out of Body in a video by BooksandLala, who didn't seem to love it. However, when she talked about not liking it because creature horror wasn't for her, this immediately started to call to me. When I then saw it at my local bookshop some months later, I was immediately drawn to it, but it was impossibly expensive for a 160-page novella with, apparently, some critical reviews. So I left it there, until I suddenly came across it more than a year after initially watching the video, marked down to something actually affordable! Naturally, I grabbed it immediately.
Out of Body follows Owen, a small-town librarian, who, after witnessing a murder and getting hurt in the process, suddenly finds himself able to engage in some sort of state of dreamwalking. While initially, this world seems peaceful and quiet, it quickly becomes clear that nothing is what it seems.
Initially, I wasn't completely captured by the novella, but then I had a nightmare about one of the creepy aspects of the night world (the creepy clouds!! Love em!!) and it just hit me. If anyone knows more books with creepy killing clouds, please hmu. When the plot then got going a bit more, roughly halfway through the text, it became really captivating and I couldn't stop reading. For some reason, I just happened to have put the book down for a week right before the big turn happened.
Anyway, I found the world that was established just SO well done. It was incredibly creepy and mysterious, and I wish there'd be more books set in this world. Amazing. I also enjoyed the characters; nothing wrong with those. However, I think my issue is with the writing. Don't get me wrong - reading the book itself felt like a breeze, as the writing flows well and suits the story. However, there were just some cringy lines that stood out to me, and the pacing, especially in the first half, felt a bit off. It was so night-day-night-day, that it seemed like everything got equal amounts of focus, regardless of how relevant it was. Something in the writing just felt a bit cheap, if that makes sense. It didn't really provide a deep look into the world and the characters; it all stayed very on the surface. Combining that with that this text just could have been more - there was SO MUCH in the world-building that was very promising - I'm giving it three stars for now. Regardless, I would definitely recommend it for fans of horror about dreams and monsters!
March 4, 2022
I really wanted to like this book. I found the concept really interesting and I’ve never read anything that has to do with outer body experiences. I was disappointed though, sadly.
My main issue with the book is that it was very fast paced. I don’t mean that in the sense where there’s a lot of things going on and you’re speeding through the pages in excitement. I mean it in a way that it seems like the author was telling the story in a hurry as if he just wanted to get it over with. It lacked detail at times where it was needed and some scenes abruptly ended while a new one suddenly began. I know it’s a short read and all but still, it could’ve benefited more with just a little bit of depth and development.
There were bits of it I enjoyed. The first couple of nights the main character spends exploring his neighborhood in the sleep realm, learning the ins and outs were really cool. But then there’s a point where things sort of shift and a new element is added into the story that I didn’t much care for.
At least this book got me looking into reading more about OBE’s and lucid dreaming, so that’s a good takeaway.
My main issue with the book is that it was very fast paced. I don’t mean that in the sense where there’s a lot of things going on and you’re speeding through the pages in excitement. I mean it in a way that it seems like the author was telling the story in a hurry as if he just wanted to get it over with. It lacked detail at times where it was needed and some scenes abruptly ended while a new one suddenly began. I know it’s a short read and all but still, it could’ve benefited more with just a little bit of depth and development.
There were bits of it I enjoyed. The first couple of nights the main character spends exploring his neighborhood in the sleep realm, learning the ins and outs were really cool. But then there’s a point where things sort of shift and a new element is added into the story that I didn’t much care for.
At least this book got me looking into reading more about OBE’s and lucid dreaming, so that’s a good takeaway.
March 2, 2023
2,5/5. That was my second book by Jeffrey Ford and it will most probably be the last. I don't think he is a terrible author, but the lack of consistency inside his story just don't work for me. The first part of this book was nice. The setup was interesting, the writing was good, poetic at time without over doing it and the main protagonist had potential. But then the story became very light, easy to not say lazy and we find ourselves reading a pastiche of Dracula, could even say Insomnia meeting Salem's Lot for the King fans, but all that in a way too small book to give it true justice, give it depth and space to breath. It's one of those (I should stop reading novella honestly, even if I did find some gem through the years, but so few...) novella that felt more like the sketch of a novel than an actual book by itself. All that leading us to a very unsatisfying ending.
October 7, 2020
This slim novel tells the story of Owen, a librarian who witnesses a horrific event which causes his sleep paralysis to start up again. Then during an episode he finds himself outside of his body and able to wander through the night, slipping in and out of people's houses and lives. It's fantastic and amazing and addictive. He soon finds he isn't the only one, however. A woman who is also a sleeper takes him on to mentor, telling him some of the things she has learned from her own mentor... and to warn him that there are dangerous things lurking in the night as well, creatures and THINGS that will end a sleeper. One night Owen finds such a thing, and knows that no one in the town is safe-- awake or asleep.
I could wish that Ford had developed some of the characters more fully, or rather let us know them better. On the other hand, I have to say that it is refreshing to find a book with a story to tell and which tells it without padding or embellishment. Too many books drag things out. There was some very evocative writing there; I enjoyed the dreamlike quality of Owen's nighttime rambles, no pun intended. I'd really give it about a 3.7.
I could wish that Ford had developed some of the characters more fully, or rather let us know them better. On the other hand, I have to say that it is refreshing to find a book with a story to tell and which tells it without padding or embellishment. Too many books drag things out. There was some very evocative writing there; I enjoyed the dreamlike quality of Owen's nighttime rambles, no pun intended. I'd really give it about a 3.7.
May 15, 2020
“What’s the point of this special power if not to see what is otherwise unseen?”
Out Of Body by Jeffrey Ford is a dark tale about a small town librarian who witnesses a murder at a local deli. From that day he begins to experience sleep paralysis which leads him to something unsettling. A town he once knew becomes foreign once he sees what really dwells there, a serial killer.
This novella begins with a shocking event which quickly leads to something unthinkable. The story has that claustrophobic small town feel to it where everybody knows each other well. For the character of the librarian, he has a fixation which ties in with what he soon discovers through his new found ability.
The story is fast paced and this was easy to devour in one go. The characters are unique, some you love and others you want to hate. The beating heart of this story is what comes to be discovered, which you sense from the start.
This novella was an enjoyable read, it felt like events were unfolding fast and with so many great ideas from the beginning, it would make a great novel or movie.
Many thanks to @torbooks our sending me a copy of this book which is published on 26th May 2020
Out Of Body by Jeffrey Ford is a dark tale about a small town librarian who witnesses a murder at a local deli. From that day he begins to experience sleep paralysis which leads him to something unsettling. A town he once knew becomes foreign once he sees what really dwells there, a serial killer.
This novella begins with a shocking event which quickly leads to something unthinkable. The story has that claustrophobic small town feel to it where everybody knows each other well. For the character of the librarian, he has a fixation which ties in with what he soon discovers through his new found ability.
The story is fast paced and this was easy to devour in one go. The characters are unique, some you love and others you want to hate. The beating heart of this story is what comes to be discovered, which you sense from the start.
This novella was an enjoyable read, it felt like events were unfolding fast and with so many great ideas from the beginning, it would make a great novel or movie.
Many thanks to @torbooks our sending me a copy of this book which is published on 26th May 2020
May 28, 2020
The rules of the magic are revealed pretty much as they're needed for the story, and the ending comes quickly and suddenly (enough so that I feel like this should have been developed into a novel), but damn, I was caught up in the characters and the plot so much that it was hard to care at the time. This is probably more a 3.5-star book, but I rounded up because it was so gripping.
I need to move his fiction closer to the top of my TBR list.
I need to move his fiction closer to the top of my TBR list.
May 3, 2020
Librarians, out of body experiences triggered by sleep paralysis, and strange vampire-like monsters? Out of Body by Jeffrey Ford had everything I wanted and more. Like many novellas from Tor, this one packs so much into so few pages.
The story follows Owen, a small town librarian who, in the first chapter, witnesses a murder at his local deli. This is obviously traumatizing, and Owen begins to feel mixed emotions: sadness, grief, and guilt, among others. He’s suffered bouts of sleep paralysis in the past, but after seeing a young girl killed, it becomes harder and harder for him to get a good night’s rest.
But this time, things are different.
Instead of normal episodes, his sleep paralysis turns into strange out of body experiences. When he leaves his body he is able to wander around his small town and observe whatever is happening. He can walk through houses and watch people live out their lives without anyone seeing him.
At first he thinks he’s having weird dreams, until he meets a woman who also has out of body experiences, and explains that Owen is, in fact, spending time in the night world. What is the night world? It’s pretty much the same as what you see during the day, expect there are strange, eerie things that want to kill you.
I didn’t know what to expect at all going into this short book and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a dark fantasy with some elements of horror sprinkled in. Not everything is explained in full, but I find that’s usually the case with novellas because they are short on space. However, everything made enough sense to be enjoyable, and there weren’t any glaring plot holes.
Personally, I enjoyed reading the unique take on sleep paralysis and how it served as a sort of portal into the night world. In order to have an out of body experience, Owen had to have an episode of sleep paralysis. I’ve had episodes of sleep paralysis somewhat regularly (once every few months) since my early 20s. It’s an absolutely terrifying feeling, waking up and not being able to move, and seeing it blend into an even more frightening out of body experience was unreal.
If you’re looking for a quick read that blends elements of fantasy and horror, check this book out.
Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, for an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. Out of Body comes out on May 26, 2020, and can be pre-ordered or purchased wherever books are sold.
The story follows Owen, a small town librarian who, in the first chapter, witnesses a murder at his local deli. This is obviously traumatizing, and Owen begins to feel mixed emotions: sadness, grief, and guilt, among others. He’s suffered bouts of sleep paralysis in the past, but after seeing a young girl killed, it becomes harder and harder for him to get a good night’s rest.
But this time, things are different.
Instead of normal episodes, his sleep paralysis turns into strange out of body experiences. When he leaves his body he is able to wander around his small town and observe whatever is happening. He can walk through houses and watch people live out their lives without anyone seeing him.
At first he thinks he’s having weird dreams, until he meets a woman who also has out of body experiences, and explains that Owen is, in fact, spending time in the night world. What is the night world? It’s pretty much the same as what you see during the day, expect there are strange, eerie things that want to kill you.
I didn’t know what to expect at all going into this short book and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a dark fantasy with some elements of horror sprinkled in. Not everything is explained in full, but I find that’s usually the case with novellas because they are short on space. However, everything made enough sense to be enjoyable, and there weren’t any glaring plot holes.
Personally, I enjoyed reading the unique take on sleep paralysis and how it served as a sort of portal into the night world. In order to have an out of body experience, Owen had to have an episode of sleep paralysis. I’ve had episodes of sleep paralysis somewhat regularly (once every few months) since my early 20s. It’s an absolutely terrifying feeling, waking up and not being able to move, and seeing it blend into an even more frightening out of body experience was unreal.
If you’re looking for a quick read that blends elements of fantasy and horror, check this book out.
Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, for an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. Out of Body comes out on May 26, 2020, and can be pre-ordered or purchased wherever books are sold.
May 27, 2020
Review in the April 2020 issue of Library Journal and on the blog: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2020/03/...
Three Words That Describe This Book: librarian main character, captivating, character centered
Draft Review:
Small town librarian Owen is a man of routine, until the day his regular morning stop at the local store is interrupted by a violent robbery, an event that leaves one dead and Owen with PTSD in the form of a sleep paralysis during which he is able to leave his body behind and travel in the world of “the sleepers.” As Owen is taught the rules of this night world by a new friend, he is simultaneously tempted and repulsed by the dark allure of voyeurism. But his travels in the dream world turns serious as he discovers a centuries old serial killer and is determined to use his powers to help put an end to the reign of terror.
Verdict: A short, captivating tale of terror about the strength and sacrifice of the “invisible,” that forcibly grabs readers from the first page, dragging them into the novels dreams and nightmares. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Ocean at the End of the Lane, Samanta Schweblin’s Fever Dream and Keith Donohue’s The Motion of Puppets.
Three Words That Describe This Book: librarian main character, captivating, character centered
Draft Review:
Small town librarian Owen is a man of routine, until the day his regular morning stop at the local store is interrupted by a violent robbery, an event that leaves one dead and Owen with PTSD in the form of a sleep paralysis during which he is able to leave his body behind and travel in the world of “the sleepers.” As Owen is taught the rules of this night world by a new friend, he is simultaneously tempted and repulsed by the dark allure of voyeurism. But his travels in the dream world turns serious as he discovers a centuries old serial killer and is determined to use his powers to help put an end to the reign of terror.
Verdict: A short, captivating tale of terror about the strength and sacrifice of the “invisible,” that forcibly grabs readers from the first page, dragging them into the novels dreams and nightmares. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Ocean at the End of the Lane, Samanta Schweblin’s Fever Dream and Keith Donohue’s The Motion of Puppets.
May 31, 2020
*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book definitely went places I was not expecting it to. I didn't know much going in except that it had to do with sleep paralysis and out of body experiences, but it definitely took a lot of twists and turns from there. From the very start unexpected things are happening to the main character, Owen, whose life is rather mediocre and unexciting. He goes through a traumatic experience and suddenly his life becomes much more active and full of adventure. Each night he learns more things about people and the world as it lives at night, as well as what dwells in the dark.
The writing flowed well and the descriptions were fledged out, but I did feel that the story might have benefited by being a little longer. When the climax happened it felt like everything suddenly happened all at once and was wrapped up rather quickly. I would have liked a little more in depth into the 'big bad' and what their actual purpose was, rather than a sudden climax and conclusion. Still it was pretty fast paced and an enjoyable read overall.
This book definitely went places I was not expecting it to. I didn't know much going in except that it had to do with sleep paralysis and out of body experiences, but it definitely took a lot of twists and turns from there. From the very start unexpected things are happening to the main character, Owen, whose life is rather mediocre and unexciting. He goes through a traumatic experience and suddenly his life becomes much more active and full of adventure. Each night he learns more things about people and the world as it lives at night, as well as what dwells in the dark.
The writing flowed well and the descriptions were fledged out, but I did feel that the story might have benefited by being a little longer. When the climax happened it felt like everything suddenly happened all at once and was wrapped up rather quickly. I would have liked a little more in depth into the 'big bad' and what their actual purpose was, rather than a sudden climax and conclusion. Still it was pretty fast paced and an enjoyable read overall.
May 11, 2020
The pacing in this one was... Off. There's a lot of immediate trust established between characters and a lot of time just spent wandering around. When there's a sudden shift at 60% it caught me totally off guard. I don't think we ever really got a handle on what kind of person Owen is. Nor do we get much explanation for the creatures of the night world - beyond the fact that they seem to be immune to rules.
It felt more like a cool idea being entertained than a story with beginning, middle, and end. The epilogue in particular, while rather cool, didn't fit with anything that came before it. This felt like a tiny piece of a much larger world-within-our-world rather than a story in its own right. I would have much rather been following along with Kiara in her quest to defeat the Ambrogio than watching Owen bounce around spying on people and feeling bad about it.
TL;DR cool concept but no logical flow and very little substance.
Thank you to Tor.com and NetGalley for the advanced review copy!
It felt more like a cool idea being entertained than a story with beginning, middle, and end. The epilogue in particular, while rather cool, didn't fit with anything that came before it. This felt like a tiny piece of a much larger world-within-our-world rather than a story in its own right. I would have much rather been following along with Kiara in her quest to defeat the Ambrogio than watching Owen bounce around spying on people and feeling bad about it.
TL;DR cool concept but no logical flow and very little substance.
Thank you to Tor.com and NetGalley for the advanced review copy!
Want to read
November 8, 2019Official cover reveal and excerpt from Jeffrey Ford's upcoming novella, Out Of Body. Hos prose pulled me in right away, and I couldn't put it down. I need to know where it's going.😃
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/s...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/s...
This was about as far as he got in his calculations every morning while watching the birds. It was time to wash out his coffee cup and dress for work. That day it was the blue-gray suit, white shirt, no tie. The only alternative was the brown suit, white shirt, no tie. Locking the door behind him, he walked to the corner and turned left, making for town along a tree-lined sidewalk. The rain had stopped overnight but the wind was raging and the new leaves on the spring trees made a rushing noise like a rain-swollen creek."
May 10, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.
This is a perfectly fine story. The plot, while a little slow, is interesting and it has a tight ending. There isn't much to the characters, but it is enough for the story which is more plot focused than anything else. My main reason for giving this book three stars is that, while there is nothing objectively wrong with the book, it was difficult to feel like you were actually engaged with anything that was happening. There isn't much depth to the characters and for much of the book the reader is "watching" the character(s) watching something happen to someone else, so it was easy to feel detached from what was taking place.
When the action did pick up in the last third of the story it was good and there were some genuinely creepy things that happened, especially the last line of the book. I probably would not re-read this, but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another by Jeffrey Ford.
This is a perfectly fine story. The plot, while a little slow, is interesting and it has a tight ending. There isn't much to the characters, but it is enough for the story which is more plot focused than anything else. My main reason for giving this book three stars is that, while there is nothing objectively wrong with the book, it was difficult to feel like you were actually engaged with anything that was happening. There isn't much depth to the characters and for much of the book the reader is "watching" the character(s) watching something happen to someone else, so it was easy to feel detached from what was taking place.
When the action did pick up in the last third of the story it was good and there were some genuinely creepy things that happened, especially the last line of the book. I probably would not re-read this, but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another by Jeffrey Ford.
April 28, 2020
I seen a few people receive an arc of this and became very intrigued so I decided to request it on Netgalley and got accepted for it. Ford's writing really sucked me in and I fell into this story. The main character was really bland and boring but had me intrigued due to him witnessing a murder. I wasn't sure on the actual premise of this story and was not expecting the turn it took which intrigued me a lot more.
Unfortunately, I felt like the tension and the stakes of this story were lacking. Once we come across the serial killer things moved way too quickly and I felt that it was very rushed.
Out of body was a really quick read and all in all a pretty okay read. Although this story was meh and not amazing but I definitely enjoyed Ford's writing style and would definitely pick up more from this author.
Unfortunately, I felt like the tension and the stakes of this story were lacking. Once we come across the serial killer things moved way too quickly and I felt that it was very rushed.
Out of body was a really quick read and all in all a pretty okay read. Although this story was meh and not amazing but I definitely enjoyed Ford's writing style and would definitely pick up more from this author.
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