Out of the Dark

by David Payne

Jo lost their sibling, Alex, to a strange portal. Searching relentlessly for a way to go after them, an officer reveals he has also witnessed a portal - the first person to validate their own experience in 15 years. With his help, they find out that these portals haven't just taken a couple of children.

The lost children are not the only ones on the other side of the portal, and they'll have to first protect themselves if they want to save everyone.

184 pages, Paperback

Published February 3, 2026

Reviews

[Hilde Høgsnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book as an arc. Enjoyed it! I like the relationship between Jo and Sanchez, and I liked how the other side of the portal felt! I wish it had been a bit longer maybe so we have gotten to know the characters and the world a bit more :)

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short book. The gender stuff got a little confusing, but once I understood that 'they' 'them' 'their' was substituted for him, her, his, her, etc, it was easier to get through. However, some traditional usages for the pronouns are plural, and using 'their' for ''her' or 'his' was a bit overdoing the gender thing. Everyone would forgive you for gender pronouns, I think, unless the person in question was specified as gender neutral. Anyway, it was too short, and I think I detected a spark between Jo & Sanchez, which could have been explored - it didn't have to be explicit, but a little relationship would have intensified the story a bit and made it more human. Good luck with fiture endeavors David. Their stories are ok. I try to keep in mind that reality is a matter of personal perception, and I believe we need to respect the perception of everyone, so what I perceive may not be what someone else perceives, but both should be respected, and we shouldn't force our perception on anyone else.