Title: Ride the Spiral

Author: Ben Young

Release Date: May 26, 2026

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Spiral-Cosmic-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0GSH29CHQ

Summary

A mind-bending psychological horror thriller exploring the terrifying cost of unconditional love.

To save his son, he must leave reality behind.

It’s been 32 years since a massive dimensional rift opened in the sky, and in that time The Ripped Sky Event has been largely covered up and denied. Spencer Smith has vague memories of what happened during those few hours, though, including the strange behavior exhibited by kids all over the world.

Now, his five-year-old son Luke is acting strangely too, and Spencer thinks there’s a connection.

When Luke’s behavior becomes increasingly frightening and violent, Spencer grows desperate to discover the root cause and help him before any permanent damage is done. After exhausting every available option, Spencer uncovers a means to reach higher planes of existence and perception, through a process his former physics teacher calls “riding the spiral”.

By doing this, he hopes to see what’s happening inside Luke’s brain with his own eyes.

But, as Spencer travels through the coils of reality beyond the human experience, an inhuman presence is stalking him. And he learns that, to help Luke, he may have to ride the spiral so far that he can’t come back.

Perfect for fans of Blake Crouch and Stephen King, Ride the Spiral is a mind-bending psychological sci-fi thriller that explores the terrifying cost of unconditional love in a universe that doesn’t care if you survive.

My Review

5/5 Stars

When Spencer was a kid, the sky ripped open. 32 years later, the event is a conspiracy theory, but he knows what he saw. The effects are ongoing, still affecting him. And worse? Now it might be affecting his son too.

I just…I loved this book so much. I have no idea how to put into words exactly how much I loved it. I want to start by saying that as a parent of a child with DMDD (Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder) I have never related to characters more than I did Marty and Spencer. Their struggle with Luke was so heartbreakingly real and relatable to me.

I loved the idea of the ghost tunnel and how string theory tied into everything. There was a lot of research that went into this book but there’s still plenty of room for creativity too. I loved the balance.

When I finished this book, I sat in silence for a while because it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that put me in my feels like this.

I’d give this book 5000 stars if I could, but I guess I’ll settle for five. Seriously. If you’re a fan of cosmic horror and sci-fi, don’t sleep on this one!