OUT OF BODY: STRAIGHT TO HELL
Review by K.C. FINN, Readers' Favorite
Review Rating: 5 Stars - Congratulations on your 5-star review!
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
Out of Body: Straight to Hell by Christopher Chater is a work of supernatural fiction. Harley's life has been one long losing streak until he learns that the visions he had as a child weren’t delusions at all. Now twenty-two and wheelchair-bound, he discovers that the medication meant to ‘help’ him actually blocked his psychic abilities and allowed the Prince of Hell to take over his body. With Satan using his physical form to go after the girl of his dreams, Harley must fight from the astral plane to reclaim his life. Armed with the ghost of a psychic CIA agent and a borrowed ‘meatsuit,’ he launches a last-ditch effort to stop the apocalypse...and maybe win the girl, too.
Author Christopher Chater knows how to fill a story with suspense, and this fast-paced, wildly original twist on supernatural thrillers and astral projection takes readers on a ride they’re not likely to forget in a hurry. I’ve not read anything like this story before. I loved the unique blend of attitudes in the narrative, which delivers a mix of dark humor, cosmic stakes, and deeply human moments of vulnerability. The plot is well-structured to stay logical and grounded, even when the narration feels totally otherworldly, and the twists keep the reader off balance until the very end. This novel is also unique in that it can be read as a standalone despite being the third in a series. This makes for an accessible and engaging introduction to an author who offers a unique blend of spiritual horror and action-packed adventure. Overall, Out of Body: Straight to Hell is a highly recommended read for fans of dark supernatural literature to sink their teeth into.
OUT OF BODY: STRAIGHT TO HELL
Review by C.L. HUTH, Reedsy Discovery
Review Rating 4
Loved it! 😍
Chater is at it again! A solid sequel to his first book in this series, I was happy to read this one!
Synopsis
When paraplegic Harley Baker astral projects to track down a mysterious girl who haunts his dreams, Satan hijacks his body and takes over his life. Trapped outside his own body, Harley must outsmart the Prince of Darkness to reclaim his life and save the girl of his dreams before both are lost forever.
Harley Baker is back, and I am so happy to see him again. An interesting foray into his past, we see how he transformed from a vivid dreaming twelve-year-old to the young adult set on saving the world, and more importantly, the girl he's had a crush on for years.
Mr. Chater does a great job setting up a fast and engaging read.
The characters feel realistic, from the conceit of Satan to Harley's anger over adults who didn't take him seriously to Stephanie's personal struggles. There's no pretense or pandering. Instead, the story believes the reader is smart while drawing them into this world of astral projection and demon possession.
I also love the way mental health meds are portrayed in the earlier chapters. As someone with mental health issues, it was refreshing to see how neurotypical people--his parents and therapist--work so hard to normalize overmedicating Harley, when all he needed was a little respect and acknowledgement that his dreams were real and not dangerous to him.
Their disregard leads to tragedy, leaving Harley in a wheelchair, while they continued to pretend that his medicated state was his true self before their own character arcs with a few surprises of their own.
I really liked how he kept moving forward on his mission to find (and save) the girl of his dreams. Again, refreshing! Besides mental health issues, I'm disabled, and Mr. Chater did a fantastic job illustrating the frustration of the body's betrayal and the joy of finding ways to have a life anyway.
Every chapter built the tension, and I needed to keep reading to see what happened next. And I'm so glad I did! The fast-paced action had me rooting for Harley and Stephanie as they both worked through their circumstances. Even when Satan took over his body and pretended to be him to further his sinister plans. The twists and turns, not to mention Harley's ultimate understanding of the whole of his existence, ends in a way that makes me want more.
If you enjoy a solid, fast-paced paranormal read, Out of Body: Straight to Hell is a great choice. (I do recommend reading the preceding book, too!) Definitely recommended, and if you've read my reviews, you know how rarely I say that.
Great job, Mr. Chater. I look forward to your next book.
OUT OF BODY: STRAIGHT TO HELL
Review by Literary Titan
Review Rating: 5
Out of Body: Straight to Hell is a wild, genre-defying ride that blends psychological drama, speculative science, supernatural horror, and heartfelt coming-of-age storytelling. The novel follows Harley Baker, a paralyzed young man who, after a childhood trauma tied to a dream-world soulmate and a very real fall from a second-story window, sets off on a determined, mind-bending journey to rediscover the truth of those dreams. Armed with government-declassified astral projection guides, banned hallucinogens, and a stubborn belief in the soul’s reality, Harley risks everything to find Stephanie—a woman who may or may not exist. Along the way, he tangles with literal demons, the CIA, and the biggest enemy of all: his own doubt.
I didn’t expect to get sucker-punched by emotion so often in a story that features Satan as a literal antagonist. But Chater does something special here. His writing has this knack for yanking you through a dozen moods in a single chapter. One minute, I’m laughing at Harley’s razor-sharp sarcasm and tragically millennial monologues, and the next, I’m stunned into silence by the sincerity of a line about loneliness or parental love. Chater’s voice is sharp, raw, never too polished, and it suits Harley’s inner chaos perfectly. Some of the scenes, especially those involving the black-eyed dream demon or Harley’s aching memories of his dog Barney, hit harder than I expected. And while the dialogue flirts with melodrama at times, it never crosses into the unbelievable. Harley’s voice is exactly what it needs to be: brutally honest, emotionally bruised, and relatable.
Now, the ideas in this book? They’re bonkers—in the best way. We’re talking government-funded psychic training, astral projection as espionage, spirit dogs quoting hip-hop, and an actual demon with a libido and a vengeance. And yet… it works. Chater doesn’t dump exposition on your head. He lets you piece together the crazy through Harley’s obsession. There’s a surprising amount of research under the hood—Gateway tapes, Monroe Institute lore, CIA documents—and it’s all used not to impress, but to deepen Harley’s desperate search for truth. The line between madness and metaphysics is always razor thin, and Chater walks it like a tightrope artist. Sure, some plot turns stretch credibility, but so does reality when you’re twenty-two, emotionally shattered, and chasing your dream girl through multiple dimensions. I bought in—and I stayed in.
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if The OA made out with Stranger Things while reading a Monroe Institute report high on DMT, this book is your answer. It’s heartfelt sci-fi for the spiritual misfit, horror for the sensitive soul, and a love story written in the language of astral projection, regret, and raw hope. I’d recommend this to readers who crave deep weirdness with emotional bite—fans of Chuck Palahniuk, Neil Gaiman, or anyone who’s gone down a rabbit hole at 2 a.m. and come out wondering if any of it was real.
Rating: 5
Thank you,
Thomas Anderson
Editor In Chief
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OUT OF BODY: MASTER OF THE ARCHONS
Review by Grant Leahman, Readers' Favorite
Review Rating: 5 Stars - Congratulations on your 5-star review!
Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers’ Favorite
Out of Body: Master of the Archons by Christopher Chater is a supernatural thriller that will take readers on a rollercoaster of emotions. To save his girlfriend’s life, Harley Baker sold his soul to the Devil. Although this achieved his desired effect of saving Stephanie’s life, he now has to cut himself off from his best friend and his beloved. His contract with Satan now means that his corporeal body is an inviting host to any manner of demons who decide to occupy it. His latest body invader is a demon known as Yaldabaoth, a narcissistic false god, who desires total control of humanity. When Yaldabaoth begins to make contact with Stephanie and Harley’s best friend Darren, Harley must do something to stop this evil demon in his tracks. Using astral projection, Harley can enter the bodies of sinners for about an hour. He must use these convenient 'meat suits' to warn Stephanie and Darren that the Harley they are dealing with is not him but rather an evil demon. When Yaldabaoth discovers there is new technology being developed that allows users to immerse themselves in an artificial reality, he must have and control it at all costs to enable him to rule humanity.
Supernatural fiction is not a genre I am generally attracted to but the premise of Out of Body grabbed my attention and I’m so glad it did. It is a fantastic story, beautifully woven together by author Christopher Chater. Despite the presence of demons, archons, and other strange beings, the author manages to make it not only believable but also relatable. Harley Baker is an unlikely hero, a man who has sold his soul to the Devil, yet despite this, his love and devotion to Stephanie, his parents, and his best friend Darren shine through in his determination to correct the wrongs caused not only by the demon Yaldabaoth but also those being perpetrated by an insanely wealthy and power-crazed family, the Wrothmores. I particularly liked the character of Mike Wrothmore who was determined, in his way, to break the secrecy and skullduggery of his parents and the Wrothmore clan and to use his wealth and power to do positive things for society. The clever plot twists were a highlight and if you like fast-paced, thoughtful, and redeeming stories with a supernatural flair, then this book is definitely for you. My mind has been opened to the possibility of enjoying the supernatural genre and I look forward to the continuation of Harley’s story. I can highly recommend this read.
OUT OF BODY
Review by Carla Trueheart, Readers' Favorite
Review Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Carla Trueheart for Readers’ Favorite
Out of Body by Christopher John Chater 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 had given him a silver star necklace and told 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. Readers will enjoy Harley’s voice and the intriguing plot. 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.
DATING IN THE APOCALYPSE: SARAH: "THE ONE"
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley, Readers' Favorite
Review Rating: 5 Stars - Congratulations on your 5-star review!
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers’ Favorite
Dating in the Apocalypse: Sarah “The One” is an adventure by Christopher John Chater. Tom Collins tries to live normally in the apocalypse ruined city. He wants to have a meaningful relationship, but finding a soulmate isn’t easy. Ruthless clans frequently abduct women for the sex slave trade, including someone he just met. His mother, Lilith, is known for making deadly dresses for women so Tom uses the opportunity to date a few. When Lady Sarah walks into Lilith’s shop, Tom manages to get a date with her, but it turns into a bloody massacre when marauders invade the restaurant. They escape, but the only way Tom can see Lady Sarah again is to agree to her risky terms that could cost him his life.
It was the attractive novella cover of Dating in the Apocalypse that first held my attention and curiosity before I read its synopsis. The story is cleverly written with moderate action from wonderful characters. It is also amusing, which is mainly due to Tom Collins’s witty narration. He is confident, fearless, and slightly arrogant in his romantic gestures to women. Lilith and Lady Sarah are also smart, courageous females who can defend themselves in the war-torn environment. This is book 1 from the series Dating in the Apocalypse by Christopher John Chater. It is an extremely short and pleasant novella that ended in suspense, but the story continues in Book 2. Readers will enjoy this.