Professor Stan Christen struggles to come to terms with a dark moment in his past. Driven to write to ease the pain, The Giant of the Beyond is his therapy. The Giant sees Stan as a 10-year-old boy. With his friend, Walter Davidson, they both conjure up a plan to take an ill-advised bike trip in Rougemont Forest. Driven by a sense of adventure and a cavalier attitude, they each defy the stern warnings of their parents and Mrs. F., their teacher. To some, the forest was hell. To Stan and Walter, it represented freedom. To one man, it was the chance to mop up unfinished, twisted family business.