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The Reapers Trilogy #2
Beyond the Gateway
Beyond the Gateway is book #2 in The Reapers Trilogy. Reapers collect the souls of the dead, including wayward ghosts who wander the city streets, and transport them to the eternal Gateway, believing they are going to a better place. But are they? Phoenix and Shanghai find a holographic recording left behind by a fellow Reaper who was recently executed. The message leads them on a journey to learn the answer to a crucial Does the Gatekeeper, the tyrannical ruler of the world, consume energy from souls in order to maintain power and live for centuries? If so, Reapers have betrayed every soul they have ever collected and delivered them to eternal torture.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2015
18 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Davis
98 books991 followersBryan Davis is the author several speculative-fiction series, including Dragons in Our Midst, Oracles of Fire, Children of the Bard, Dragons of Camelot, The Reapers Trilogy, The Time Echoes Trilogy, Tales of Starlight, Dragons of Starlight, the Oculus Gate, Not So Famous Dog Tales, Astral Alliance, and Wanted: Superheroes.
Bryan and his wife, Susie, have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.
Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including fantasy, theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor.
Bryan and his wife, Susie, have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.
Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including fantasy, theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 6, 2025
I struggled for months to get through this. I was disappointed because I had really liked the first one, but this one seemed to drag on forever.
Phoenix chose the strangest moments to have an epiphany yet I felt like he wasn’t really learning anything or getting character growth.
Shanghai backtracked from the end of the first one and was bound and determined to have Phoenix, never mind that his girlfriend and close friend just died; although he allowed this kind of behavior from her and quickly got over Misty and Sing.
And Alex is way too obsessed with a minor. She’s a little too close for comfort.
I will eventually finish the trilogy but right now I feel drained from this one.
Phoenix chose the strangest moments to have an epiphany yet I felt like he wasn’t really learning anything or getting character growth.
Shanghai backtracked from the end of the first one and was bound and determined to have Phoenix, never mind that his girlfriend and close friend just died; although he allowed this kind of behavior from her and quickly got over Misty and Sing.
And Alex is way too obsessed with a minor. She’s a little too close for comfort.
I will eventually finish the trilogy but right now I feel drained from this one.
November 10, 2016
Lots of creativity and fun twists. Full review tomorrow!
November 11, 2019
I'm so mad! I read this book a couple of years ago and remember loving it. Unfortunately, I recently learned what good writing looks like and now all I see is everything that is wrong with this book. The plot tries to be dramatic, but it's not and just tells you why something happened instead of giving you pieces to put together. The dialogue is stupid. They are in the middle of a fight and then they try to have this heartfelt conversation because they're about to die. This book is also very telly. You only learn what's going on because two characters are talking about it. It also tries to deal with the morality of guy/girl relationships and it felt so wrong. Again, I'm mad!
March 10, 2022
I just reread this one recently. I can't believe I liked it more than book one the first time I read this series.
There are no issues with the main plot - it's actually really good. But the writing is not. It feels rough. Like it wasn't well edited.
Book one had such a good set-up for this book. Unfortunately, "Beyond the Gateway" disappoints because of seemingly small (but, IMO, fatal) issues like believability issues, unrealistic character reactions, and way too much schmaltz.
People should not be having heartfelt conversations in the middle of battles. Too much sentimentalism is just corny and kills tension.
There are no issues with the main plot - it's actually really good. But the writing is not. It feels rough. Like it wasn't well edited.
Book one had such a good set-up for this book. Unfortunately, "Beyond the Gateway" disappoints because of seemingly small (but, IMO, fatal) issues like believability issues, unrealistic character reactions, and way too much schmaltz.
People should not be having heartfelt conversations in the middle of battles. Too much sentimentalism is just corny and kills tension.
December 18, 2016
Beyond the Gateway is a definite improvement over the first Reapers book. I think the fact that Sing is no longer in the story very much helps- while I wanted to like her, I got mixed messages from her, and she and Shanghai blended together. Here, Shanghai gets her chance to shine, we get some answers, and the murky waters of this world become a bit more clear.
August 27, 2016
Review coming!!!
October 9, 2017
Oh. My. Goodness. Beyond the Gateway blew my expectations out of the water in a really, really good way!!! Review to come!
February 25, 2019
This second book in the trilogy took me longer to get through than the first installment; sequels are usually hard to make as great as the first, and I felt like that here. Yes, it deals a lot with questions of morality and faith ─ both very good subjects ─ but at times it felt awfully preachy, some things dragged out a bit too long, and the dialogue didn't always feel natural. It is quite obviously Christian fantasy for a Christian audience, and there is nothing wrong with that at all, but I do have to wonder at the potency of Phoenix's principles right off the bat without being taught a few things beforehand. But the greatest take-home point for me was this: Alex is, beyond a doubt, a vixen. A snake. A crawly, icky thing. So far I think her character has been well played.
July 5, 2017
As always, Bryan Davis writes a gripping tale with incredible depth. Just layers upon layers of motives, character development, and intrigue. He is truly a master of the craft.
I almost didn't read this book, because the first novel was so depressing I couldn't stand it. Thankfully I decided to give the series another chance and this one was much better. It's still very bittersweet - leaning toward bitter - but this time we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I truly hope our characters get their happy ending. After everything they've been through, they deserve it.
I almost didn't read this book, because the first novel was so depressing I couldn't stand it. Thankfully I decided to give the series another chance and this one was much better. It's still very bittersweet - leaning toward bitter - but this time we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I truly hope our characters get their happy ending. After everything they've been through, they deserve it.
July 1, 2020
Beyond the Gateway is another wonderful fast-paced read from the Christian author Bryan Davis. If you enjoyed reading The Giver, Divergent, or The Hunger Games you will love this book. Full of Action, Adventure, Mystery, and a hint of Romance. A captivating read from cover to cover. I highly recommend this book for teens and young adults.
August 9, 2022
Dangerous travels
Phoenix and his companions are determined to learn the truth behind the Gateway. This one has a more complex plot as more details are revealed. Good characterization, and themes about sacrifice, compassion and duty.
Phoenix and his companions are determined to learn the truth behind the Gateway. This one has a more complex plot as more details are revealed. Good characterization, and themes about sacrifice, compassion and duty.
October 12, 2023
I am not sure what it is about this book or this series, but I have tried reading it for more than a year and finally decided to DNF.
The idea is interesting and I genuinely do not know why I did not like it, but it is what it is.
The idea is interesting and I genuinely do not know why I did not like it, but it is what it is.
August 9, 2019
Really enjoyed this book. It is a way to witness without saying a word. Really like the characters. You get emotionally attached to them. This book made me cry.
April 14, 2022
As usual Mr Davis stuns with a gripping, fast paced, original story that blows the mind. His usual twists and turns kept me wanting more. Can’t wait to read the final book in the battle for death.
November 15, 2016
I loved the first book in the series, Reaper, for its great set up in the world that its characters inhabit. I always love reading Bryan Davis' books because he weaves together such a wonderfully, believable world that feels so real. This second installment did a great job of building on that enriched world and adds great moral dilemmas for our main character, Phoenix, which I enjoyed. Can't wait for the third book!
May 16, 2018
Beyond the Gateway is the sequel to the book Reapers by Bryan Davis. This book continues after the events of The Reaper where Phoenix tries to get to the gateway and take down the Gatekeeper. A lot of struggles and betrayal happened in this book and I feel like it was a very good book and would recommend it if you liked the first one.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews