Ghost Station - New S.A. Barnes!!!
‘“Besides, don’t you feel it?” Suresh asks, his voice softer. “It wants us to come back. To come home.”’
We’re big fans of S.A. Barnes over at Horror Bound so when Tor Nightfire reached out with her upcoming release, I obviously had to jump at the chance. In Ghost Station, Psychologist Dr. Ophelia Bray is assigned to a space crew to study the effects of isolation and the potential for something called “ERS”, which is like a dangerous mental break that usually ends in violence. But as quickly as they arrive at the planet they’re sent to work on, strange occurrences start to happen and Ophelia begins having flashbacks of something terrible from her past. Is this ERS taking hold? Or something even deadlier?
Ghost Station is on shelves April 9th.
‘“No one runs toward certain death unless there’s something forcing them to it.” Extraterrestrial or not, there are just some instincts that nearly all species are going to share, assuming evolution is in play - like the overwhelming drive to survive.’
Here’s what I loved:
This is very much a character driven story which I loved. The first half is only a slightly slower pace as we meet all the characters and understand the backstory. But the second half definitely picks up while still balancing the character’s motivations and development.
The planet that the group are on is so uber creepy and as the history of the planet is revealed it just ups the creep factor. I love this world that Barnes has built which mirrors ours so cleverly.
I can’t say too much without spoilers but the reveal of what’s actually going on in this space station is superb. It’s such a creepy, gross, and unique take on this subgenre and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s a lot of jump scares mixed with some real dread inducing moments.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the sort of “fuck capitalism” vibe going on in the layers of this story. It had a lot to say and it said it well.
“It feels like corrosion creeping up and down your skin. Like being made up of already damaged parts and struggling to make sure you’re functioning as you’re supposed to.”
Overall, this is an amazing space horror and I’d expect nothing less from Barnes. A massive thank you to Tor Nightfire for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Pick up a copy for yourself when Ghost Station hits shelves April 9th!
