Review by Lorelei
Mar 29, 2024Do you like creepy space horror? Did you like Barnes's first book, Dead Silence? Then you're really going to like her newest book, Ghost Station.
Dr. Ophelia Bray is a psychologist specializing in ERS, a space induced psychosis that can turn anyone into a raving murderer. She joins a small band of explorers on a mission to study a planet with alien ruins, hoping to help them avoid ERS. Despite her good intentions the crew resents her and her ties to her megacorp, ultra rich family. Amid the tensions she begins to notice that things don't quite seem right on this supposedly lifeless planet. What happened to the crew that was here before them? What secrets are the crew keeping, and can she hide her own? Is there really something going on, or is it all in her head?
This book was a fast read for me, because I couldn't put it down. It's very atmospheric; we have the backdrop of a universe filled with planets with alien ruins, but no aliens. What happened to them all? Points for mentions of the Great Filter and the Fermi Paradox! We have an eerie, storm lashed planet, isolated from any chance of help or escape. And a tight knit team that is clearly hiding something from Ophelia. The story builds tension and pacing to an explosive finale.
Ophelia is a mixed bag. She's here out of a sincere desire to help these people, but she's also assuaging her own guilt at the excesses and actions of her family. She tries to remain calm and patient, but also has to fight the urge (sometimes unsuccessfully) to pop off whenever the team smartass makes a cutting remark. She comes across very young and a touch naive, quite vulnerable, but sincere. She feels more like a grad student than a full doctor; does she really have enough experience to be out here in space on her own yet? She mentions previous patients so we know she's been practicing for a while, but some of her decisions and reactions feel like a much more inexperienced doctor.
We get some flashback action, alternating between the horrors of the current dilemma and the past in a way that gives us a greater insight into her character. Poor Ophelia, she's had a rough time of it. We get nail biting suspense, the fear of not being alone in the house, body horror, alien horror, space horror.
Part of me wishes this was a series instead of a standalone, so we could explore this universe more, learn more about the dead civilizations, really delve into that wider world... but I also recognize that's not what this story is about. It's about this woman, and this team, and this planet. The tight focus really keeps the narrative moving and keeps us focused on what matters.
I loved how Ghost Station dropped small creepy things here and there. A tooth all by itself. How random! Wait, what are those long scratch marks there? I'm sure that's fine. Who moved my shoe in the middle of the night away from my bed? Ok, that's weird... Building up the horror drip by drip. I really enjoyed this book, and I think it will appeal to anyone looking for a creepy, one-off space thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Do you like creepy space horror? Did you like Barnes's first book, Dead Silence? Then you're really going to like her newest book, Ghost Station.
Dr. Ophelia Bray is a psychologist specializing in ERS, a space induced psychosis that can turn anyone into a raving murderer. She joins a small band of explorers on a mission to study a planet with alien ruins, hoping to help them avoid ERS. Despite her good intentions the crew resents her and her ties to her megacorp, ultra rich family. Amid the tensions she begins to notice that things don't quite seem right on this supposedly lifeless planet. What happened to the crew that was here before them? What secrets are the crew keeping, and can she hide her own? Is there really something going on, or is it all in her head?
This book was a fast read for me, because I couldn't put it down. It's very atmospheric; we have the backdrop of a universe filled with planets with alien ruins, but no aliens. What happened to them all? Points for mentions of the Great Filter and the Fermi Paradox! We have an eerie, storm lashed planet, isolated from any chance of help or escape. And a tight knit team that is clearly hiding something from Ophelia. The story builds tension and pacing to an explosive finale.
Ophelia is a mixed bag. She's here out of a sincere desire to help these people, but she's also assuaging her own guilt at the excesses and actions of her family. She tries to remain calm and patient, but also has to fight the urge (sometimes unsuccessfully) to pop off whenever the team smartass makes a cutting remark. She comes across very young and a touch naive, quite vulnerable, but sincere. She feels more like a grad student than a full doctor; does she really have enough experience to be out here in space on her own yet? She mentions previous patients so we know she's been practicing for a while, but some of her decisions and reactions feel like a much more inexperienced doctor.
We get some flashback action, alternating between the horrors of the current dilemma and the past in a way that gives us a greater insight into her character. Poor Ophelia, she's had a rough time of it. We get nail biting suspense, the fear of not being alone in the house, body horror, alien horror, space horror.
Part of me wishes this was a series instead of a standalone, so we could explore this universe more, learn more about the dead civilizations, really delve into that wider world... but I also recognize that's not what this story is about. It's about this woman, and this team, and this planet. The tight focus really keeps the narrative moving and keeps us focused on what matters.
I loved how Ghost Station dropped small creepy things here and there. A tooth all by itself. How random! Wait, what are those long scratch marks there? I'm sure that's fine. Who moved my shoe in the middle of the night away from my bed? Ok, that's weird... Building up the horror drip by drip. I really enjoyed this book, and I think it will appeal to anyone looking for a creepy, one-off space thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
