Outview by Brandt Legg is a coming-of-age fantasy about a teenager named Nathan Ryder and his struggles learning modern-day psychic magic.
Nate has suffered for a year from paralyzing nightmares. In these night terrors he runs from enemies, but they always catch and kill him. He struggles to live a teen’s normal life with his best friends Kyle and Linh, but his father died four years ago and Nate feels responsible. The loss estranged him from his mother. Even worse, she sent his brother Dustin to a mental institution two years ago and she refuses to let Nate visit. Now the worsening nightmares have convinced Nate that he is going crazy like Dustin.
Kyle and Linh sneak him in to visit Dustin. They discover a lucid older brother who guides Nate to seek out their Aunt Rose and investigate their father’s death. Nate learns from Rose that his nightmares are the forerunners of exceptional psychic powers. His innocent Internet search about their father alerts a clandestine government agency. This agency, lead by an Agent Fitts, will stop at nothing to acquire Nate and his growing powers.
Outview is a dandy fantasy thriller. Woven throughout was an intricate and well-designed fantasy world of psychic powers and government shenanigans. Lita wished that she could just pick up a book, hold it closed between her palms, and absorb its knowledge the way Nate could.
The story’s ever-growing plot dangers made for an absorbing read. Brandt Legg used a deft hand in creating teens that were a pleasing blend of naïveté and intelligence. The story also had a nice balance of description and dialogue that kept things moving. Lita very much enjoyed the detailed descriptions of psychic magic, but some Gentle Readers might find them too lengthy for their tastes.
Outview is one of those excellent stories where Lita wanted to give it more than five stars. She cannot wait to read the sequel, Outin. Since Lita cannot absorb a book through her palms like Nate, she will read Outin from her Kindle the usual way.
