Loved this!

The Scourge Between Stars is a perfectly paced, entertaining, and highly consumable horror/sci-fi novella featuring a queer Black protagonist. If you don't have a high tolerance for horror, this is creepy without being too disturbing and is also surprisingly heartwarming and thought provoking.

Jack is a very easy character to root for, but Watson takes the cake in my book. Watson reminded me a little bit of Mosscap from Becky Chamber's A Psalm for the Wild-Built in that they are somehow more human than other members of the crew despite being an android, providing a depth to the story that I wasn't expecting from a horror novella.

While I was impressed by Ness Brown's ability to juggle so many plot points and so many dynamic characters in so little pages, that page time could have been used to flesh out certain relationships/parts of the story instead. The plot twist towards the end fell flat for me, and I really would have rather learned more about Jack's family and history than the different factions/insurrections on the ship. But all in all, a very solid read and very impressive as a debut novella! Can't wait to see more by this author.

I gave this a three out of five stars. I enjoyed this book but wasnt a favorite, it took a bit to get into this book. It makes me want to read more scifi.

Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown is a debut sci-fi horror novella and one of my most highly anticipated reads of April. It's engaging, action packed, and has a great cast of characters. If you're a fan of horror set in space, you'll definitely want to check this out but it could definitely use a bit more polishing up. That said I do hope this will expand into a full length series and I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future.

Jacklyn Albright is the First Mate and stand-in captain for her absent father and leads the investigation into the odd sounds, heard on the ship, aided by the data droid Watson. Before long, Albright realises they are not alone and are being stalked or hunted, and must do all she can to keep her crew alive, while her father continues to hide in his quarters.

The novel is a tense, claustrophobic sci-fi/horror blend set aboard a doomed generation ship harboring something terrible. The story nails the claustrophobia and loneliness of space. I liked how the author smoothly combines horror and science fiction in this novel.

~ 3.5 ☆ rounded up ~

If you're looking for a book that epitomizes the classic sci-fi horror scenario, this is the book for you! A starship in dire straits, crew members turning up dead, an alien predator stalking the corridors; this story really covers all the bases, and frankly, it was a fun read. It delivered on exactly what it promised. Could the characters have been a little more developed? Maybe. Could the world-building have been fleshed out a little more? Absolutely. But honestly, I went into this wanting a fast, action-packed read, and that's exactly what I got. If you're a fan of the Alien franchise or you just want a plot-driven story about murderous aliens, pick this up.

Horror set within the confines of a spaceship/space station/submarine is just a special kind of terrifying to me. Where can you go? Who's going to save you if you can't save yourself? What in the world haunts or hunts in such an isolated setting? It's so freaking scary.
The Scourge Between the Stars is a quick read, but the author packs in so much fear, not to mention heartbreak and even a little redemption.
I give this book 4 stars instead of 5, because, in the end, some things happened that didn't make sense to me. Still loved it though.

The characterization was really well done and I felt invested in everyone's fate even though it was a short book.

This was a fun, tense, at times gruesome read! What a great novella. If you like space horror, I definitely recommend checking this out!

So I don't have a lot to say about this book because I don't like to say bad things about upcoming authors when I begin reading it I did not realize that it was a novella so I started getting into the story and it seems like as soon as something started to happen 10 pages later it was over very much disappointed with this book it had such potential it just feels like it went flat sometimes more is better thank you to netgalley for giving me a chance to read this advanced readers copy of this ebook even though it wasn't that great maybe in the next one will be better

Wow, this book was action-packed from start to finish.
I really felt like I couldn't catch my breath with this book.
Jacklyn Albright is the acting captain of the Calypso, deep in space when they're faced with all kinds of trouble you just don't want.
I love a strong female character and Jack gave us that in this too short book.
She was relentless when trying to find the trouble messing with her crew and even more so when she exacts retribution.
A solid read

Rating: Enjoyed It, 3.5 stars rounded to 4

The Scourge Between Stars is a horro/sci-fi novella that takes place on a space ship that is caught between the failed colony they abandoned and the earth their ancestors fled. They have lost touch with other ships in their fleet, begin getting garbled messages indicating danger, and they soon discover that they may not be alone on the ship.

This was a short and fast read, and it kept me engaged the whole time. It definitely is creepy and I think that it was written really well! I think that it just didn't quite evoke the dread that I feel like it was meant to. I am still discovering what brand of horror works well for me, and I think that the sci-fi horror is certainly the thing that works best so far. I just think that the novella format was perhaps a little too short - while I feel that the length and pacing was appropriate for the story that was being told, I didn't connect to the characters as much as I would have liked. I certainly liked the characters quite a lot, I just never got super emotionally invested. I think there were some themes that I enjoy that were touched on as well, but not delved super deep into by nature of being a novella.

Overall there were elements that I really enjoyed, and I think this is the author's debut, so I would love to read more by them as they write more.

I was provided an eARC by Netgalley / Tor Nightfire in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

From the moment I saw that cover, I have been dying to get my hands on this book. Yes, please give me all the bad-ass women in space!

“Please. Don’t open the door.”


Two hundred years ago, the Calypso and the rest of the Goddess Flotilla left a ravaged Earth behind, setting out for Proxima b and a new future. Several decades ago, their descendants finally accepted that life there was not sustainable and reboarded their ships to head back to Earth. The Calypso is the only thing Jacklyn has ever known. But a series of engagements – mysterious attacks from unknown sources – have caused a great deal of damage to the ship and many of the others have gone silent. Of course there’s the usual worries about rations work hours, but when a new threat suddenly appears, Jacklyn is thrust into command. With no one to lean on but an unsettling android, can Jacklyn deal with the numerous threats facing the Calypso before their time runs out?

“Jacklyn was the last Albright left. While that was still the case, she had to do what she could.”


Jacklyn is the acting captain of the Calypso and, to put it mildly, she’s doing her best but still feels like she’s falling short. I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot as it’s best experienced for yourself, but one of the characters she interacts with the most is Watson, an android created by the extraordinarily creepy Otto. Watson may be their best hope of getting home but she’s also unsettling for ways that Jacklyn doesn’t want to think about too much. And when the alien is discovered, she’s Jacklyn’s staunch backup. The relationship between the two of them, between an AI and a human, with several other layers of emotion and trauma on top was one of the best parts of the novella for me.

It’s a fast-paced plot, one that sucks you in and keeps you there until the last pages. As the reader, we know what the crew will eventually find and what Jacklyn will have to deal with. There’s a good amount of suspense built up around that as things around the ship (the possibility of starvation, a mutiny) build to the big alien reveal. With that being said, there’s quite a bit of elements brought in – Jacklyn’s grief, her relationship with Watson, the engagements, the aliens themselves, a hint of sapphic romance – for a novella, and it probably could’ve benefited from either a little less of them or more word count. The ending is blatant deus ex machina but by that point I was too invested in Jacklyn to care.

I’ve seen a lot of others comparing it to Alien and I can certainly see why. There’s the kickass female main character, the murderous alien, an android, and some of that same feeling of being hunted. There are certainly bits that are reminiscent of it but there’s enough to make this a wholly different story. If you like Alien, will you like this, though? Of course!

“In the dark, Watson’s eyes were luminous and eerie as the full moon Jacklyn had seen in pictures. “The Centauri gave him what he deserved.”


Overall, a great debut space horror perfect for fans of Alien and a new author that I’ll definitely be watching! I’m hoping for a full-length novel next!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I live and die for space horror, y’all. The sheer joy that I get from people being horribly imperiled in the depths of space, let me tell you. Which is why I’ve been excited about The Scourge Between Stars since it was announced and oh, gosh, did it give me everything I was hoping for and more: the uncaring void of space, being trapped in the uncaring void of space (!!), being beset by terrifying alien stowaway bug things while trapped in the uncaring void of space (!!!). Wonderful yikes.

Get ready to be STRESSED, because this novella had me on my toes.

In my eyes, any space horror is good horror 🙌

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Happy publication day to The Scourge Between Stars!

If you've been feening for more space horror since Dead Silence, I think you'll enjoy this quick read.

What I loved, the gore and action was incredible! It played out like a movie in my mind and I was really digging the description of the nasty stuff going on with these aliens attacks. I loved the lore of the aliens and pretty much everything from the first mention of the creature on.

Unfortunately, I think the story suffers a bit from its length (176 pages). Because I knew it was short, I felt like the beginning was a bit slow and I was waiting for it to get into the action. Along with that, I thought the beginning was missing the suspense I love from these type of stories. Once it did get into it, I didn't feel like I knew the characters well enough to care about their demise.

If this book had more of what I loved and a little less of what I didn't like, I think it would have been a slam dunk. But really, couldn't you say that for any book that isn't five stars 🤷‍♀️

Ness Brown is a name to watch in horror sci-fi! I came into this novella expecting a couple of jump scares and a fun story, but Brown delivers realistic characters with problems of their own--- in addition to the freaky Alien vibes they throw in right from the beginning. The Scourge Between Stars needs to be a full-length novel because I need so much more! Brown captured the feeling of claustrofobia in space with the ship having no outside sensors. You need to read this if you liked Alien or Event Horizon.

This was a fun trippy little novella that holds you in its grip from the very beginning.

This is classified as a horror and it’s tense but not super scary. I can picture it as a movie and it would be hella jumpy and quite gory but would keep you quite entertained.

It’s a novella so there’s not much time for character development but the MCs Jack and Watson are well nuanced and emotive. Plot line is also very interesting and keeps you on your toes till the very end.

This one is a shorty that packs a walloping punch. It tumbles through crisis on top of crisis (starvation! insurrection! monsters!) all the way through the end in an exhilarating ride.

Jack Albright is first mate on a doomed generation ship that's part of a flotilla on its long way back to Earth after abandoning the failed colony on Proxima B. The ship is falling apart, moving on last fumes, and supplies have been severely depleted. Naturally, there's unrest among the ship passengers wondering whether wrong choices have been made -- I mean, Jack is wondering that too! And then she keeps hearing this knocking in the walls...something has hitched a ride.

There's a ton going on in this book, and yet it expertly flows seamlessly through action sequences. It reads like your favorite tense space horror movie. The world building is excellent and there are plenty of characters to stress about dying. Highly recommend for fans of Alien and other movies I'm usually too scared to watch! It was excellent!

TL;DR

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown is a fun, imaginative debut novella. This story is filled with a down-but-not-out captain, an abused robot, and one hell of an atmospheric setting. The Scourge Between the Stars marks the arrival of an excellent new talent on the SFF/Horror scene. Recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

As I grow older, I’m enjoying Science Fiction Horror more than ever. The mashup of the two genres is rife with possibilities about the human condition and just an excellent way to push characters to the limit. In The Scourge Between Stars, Ness Brown drives their characters to extremes, and the results are lovely. This novella takes place on a generation ship and features an interesting concept that I haven’t encountered yet: survivors from a failed colony heading back to Earth. Most science fiction authors kill off their colonies to indicate failure. But in The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown, the colonists packed up their colony and headed back to Earth. Now, their descendants are trying to survive in the desert between stars when it seems as if the entire universe is out to end their journey.

Jacklyn Albright, or Jack to the crew, is the acting captain of a generation ship as it heads from Alpha Centauri back to Earth. Jack is the acting captain because her father, the real captain, refuses to leave his cabin. Jack and the crew aren’t even sure he’s alive in there. And they need his help. The ship faces many problems. Supplies are running low and they’re not even halfway to Earth. The various Wards of the ships are threatening to riot if they don’t get supplies. The ship can’t structurally handle many more faster than light jumps. Their trip home takes them through an interstellar battlefield between forces unknown to the crew. They’ve lost contact with the other ships in their convoy, and crew members are being ripped apart by what seems like large animals. Jack tries to hold everything together, but it’s all falling apart. She’s just one person, and without help, she can’t protect the ship. As she begins to investigate the deaths of her crew members, Jack finds that the ship has a stowaway on board.

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown is a third person novella. It’s a fast paced, fun adventure with a bleak atmosphere. Brown excels at creating a mood in their settings. Quickly, I began to feel as overwhelmed as Jack did. The character of Jack was well done, sympathetic, and compelling.

A Rich, Stressful Setting

I found this novella claustrophobic in the best way. Brown portrayed crises on an older generation ship very well. Supplies are often hand waved away in science fiction because, well, logistics isn’t terribly exciting. Yet, Brown uses that to their advantage here. Because logistics aren’t exciting if things are fine but are terrifying if things are going bad. Humans, generally, like to eat, and being unable to feed them has historically been bad for leadership. The same will be true on generation ships. In the event of low supplies, someone will have to make hard decisions, and those decisions will likely lead to increased reactionary individuals. It’s a cascading problem that hasn’t worked out well here on Earth and will be a nightmare in the desert of space. Where amongst the stars will Jack get enough food to feed the crew?

In addition, the crew are terrified of Engagements. Yes, the capital E is required. The ship is traversing an interstellar battlefield or maybe minefield. Who knows? The ship randomly is damaged by forces beyond the ship and its crews comprehension. Using data from sensors, a robot aboard the ship may be the key to plotting a safe route home. Brown did an okay job portraying the confusion the crew had from these Engagements. I would have liked more information about them as they’re a fascinating part of Brown’s world building.

Jack is doing the best she can while she’s grieving her mother’s suicide. She grieves the death of her sister, and she misses her father. Jack needs help from her father the captain. Brown captures Jack’s internal turmoil well. I really felt for Jack, and it seemed like she didn’t have the time she needed to grieve.

These threats simmer the reader until Brown turns up the heat by placing an unknown threat on board the ship. The long term threats take a backseat to the short term threat that is killing crew members. By this point, Brown has the reader on edge, and the unknown threat tips us over. Brown paces out the action scenes and makes them as atmospheric as the rest of the novel.

Overall

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown is a promising debut. It balances action, horror, internal and external threats, pacing, and character development in a tight concise story. Tor Nightfire says this is around 170 pages. It took me about half the time to finish it that I had planned to read it . I didn’t want to put it down. Brown created a setting, a universe, and characters that intrigue.

The ending to the short term threat was very satisfying, but the overall ending was a bit of a let down. It was a deus ex machina ending. That, by itself, isn’t a negative. No, the ending just reminded me that we didn’t learn anything about the deus, itself. The deus ex machina wasn’t set up. We were given hints about the powers outside the ship, but at no point was it setup that the ending that happened was possible.

Conclusion

Ness Brown’s The Scourge Between Stars is an excellent debut, and it showcases a talent worth watching in the SFF field. While the ending didn’t work for me, I still loved the setting. I hope Brown returns to it, and that readers get more information about the Engagements and their causes. The Scourge Between Stars is worth reading to experience Brown’s ability to set a scene. This imaginative debut will make you a fan of Ness Brown. Recommended.

4.5/5!

The Scourge Between Stars is an excellent example of what makes space horror so great! From the start, this novella is claustrophobic and radiating feelings of unease. There is clearly something wrong, but what that wrong is turns out to be much more than I could ever imagine. Space is all about the great unknown and Brown captures that perfectly with their story featuring an intruder that kept me on the edge of my seat in suspense. Propelled forward at a lightning fast pace, you can’t help flipping the pages as fast as possible to know what will happen next.

Our main character, Jacklyn Albright, guides us through the chaos onboard the Calypso in a way that feels entirely realistic. There is panic, doubt, anger, and all the human reactions you would expect given the situation at hand. While the novella is short, Brown manages to add in a few secondary characters that are fully realized enough to add depth to the story.

If you’re a fan of movies like Alien, are fascinated by space, or just want to check out some space horror for the first time, this novella is for you!

This is a brilliant debut and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Ness Brown!

A huge thank you to Tor Nightfire for my gifted copy!

"The Scourge Between Stars" is action-packed science fiction horror written by a new-to-me author, set on a generation-class starship that's trying to find its way home, if it can. The Calypso is being captained by the first mate, Jacklyn Albright, as the captain has holed himself up in his private quarters for the past week.

As the ship flees the remnants of a failed colony on a faraway planet, the rest of the fleet with which they are sailed slowly grows silent. Have they also run out of supplies? Have they fallen victim to mysterious sounds and lights that throw the ship's systems into disarray? Have they been overcome by internal mutiny, as some of the lower decks are threatening to do on the Calypso? Or, is there an even deadlier, more immediate threat, present? One that is creeping in the walls of the ship, silently terrorizing the passengers and making mincemeat out of them when they are isolated and alone?

All of this is great stuff, and the author's writing style is clear and direct, the action is plot-driven, and I was completely enthralled with the story. I did have areas of concern, however, particularly with the similarities to the Aliens franchise. The comparison of Jacklyn to Ellen Ripley is obvious, as is the android Watson to the film's version of Ash. There are evil apex predators who drop from ceilings and eviscerate the crew. There are eggs in the walls. And there's even a blow-out scene at the end, when both female leads blow the aliens out into the vacuum of space.

For a novella length story, there was quite a lot happening here. I would have loved to have seen this story expanded to better depict some of the many events happening, or to have had the story's plot points culled a bit. Otherwise, I truly enjoyed this story and will definitely be on the lookout for more by Ness Brown!