My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Tor Publishing Group- Nightfire for an advance copy of this novel dealing with space, madness, and secrets that can never be outrun, no matter how fast a spaceship travels.

I remember distinctly the first time that science fiction scared me. I was young, had an illegal cable box, and saw that a movie called Alien was going to be on. Oh Alien, I expected a romp sort of like Star Wars. Two hours later I was wrecked, and I had to sleep with my lights on, and cursed my parents for not paying attention to me. I think it was then that my interest in horror started. I know its when I started looking at film magazines, because I didn't want to be taken by surprise like that again. Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes, is one spooky tale, a perfect mix of both horror and science fiction, that might keep more than a few people up at night.

A small crew of explorers are travelling to a small planet, sent by a corporation to check out their new investment. This crew has recently had a loss of a member due to space psychosis, or ESR, a condition that effects people in different ways. Some harm themselves, some harm others, sometimes a lot of others. Accompanying the team is Dr. Ophelia Bray, a psychologist, who lost a patient to ESR, and who has some interesting new ways of helping space explores deal with the horrors of space. Bray is also the daughter of one of the richest families on Earth, who had previously owned the planet Bray and her team are traveling too. Bray also has some darker secrets, as does a lot of her new companions. They arrive at the planet and things don't seem right. A lot of personal belongings are still present, the station has not been shut down correctly, and things start to go wrong. Deadly wrong.

A real spooky tale, with a lot of familiar elements, but mixed together to create something new, scary and quite good. The universe the book takes place in is interesting, as is the added element of ESR, to explain what is going on. The characters are pretty distinct, with Bray being a person totally out of her element, yet at the same time with an inner toughness that comes to the surface. I like the idea in that there are a lot of possible explanations for what is going on, I won't list them, but it makes one wonder what is going on, until it becomes clear. Barnes also is quite good at using the fact they are on a distant, unfriendly planet to give the reader a sense of claustrophobia, knowing that one just can't get out of the house, if one can't breathe the air.

Recommended for people who like jump scares, in their books about jumping around space. This is the first book I have read by Barnes, but have read good things about Barnes' and can't wait to read more. I hope there are more books set in this universe.

In "Ghost Station" by S.A. Barnes, readers are transported into the chilling realm of space exploration, where loneliness and isolation serve as the backdrop for a gripping tale of mystery and horror.

Dr. Ophelia Bray, a dedicated psychologist focused on understanding and preventing the effects of ERS (space-based mental deterioration), finds herself thrust into a harrowing situation when assigned to a small exploration crew. As the crew sets foot on an abandoned planet, ominous secrets emerge, culminating in grisly murders and escalating paranoia.

Barnes masterfully crafts an atmosphere of tension and unease, enveloping readers in the eerie silence of the abandoned station. Despite a slow start, the narrative gradually builds momentum, plunging readers into a whirlwind of psychological terror and suspense.

Through Ophelia's perspective, readers are offered glimpses into her inner turmoil and the complex dynamics among the crew. While some may find it challenging to connect with the characters, the relentless pace and mounting dread keep the pages turning.

"Ghost Station" is a haunting exploration of the human psyche in the unforgiving vastness of space. Barnes delivers a chilling blend of mystery and horror that will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the final, spine-tingling conclusion.

This had a lot of my favorite things: suspense, claustrophbic space, the creep-factor, can't tell whether the characters are losing their mind or not. I was engrossed from start to finish.

If you like to feel like you have no idea what's going on in the vacuum of space- this book is for you! It's suspenseful, there's tension, drama, a sense of dread: that "something isn't right" prickly skin feeling. Phe is running from something - but we don't know what, we don't know why, and we don't know if this mission is going to help or hurt her. She's got a serious savior complex, but can she still save everyone when she might be losing her mind?

I enjoyed the suspense, but where this book gets 4 stars is I wanted more history. I know that's not always possible, but I think this story needed it. That's one thing that this book didn't have that her last novel did- is a strong backstory. This backstory was weak, and added into the story in places it didn't always fit. I didn't have enough in the first chapter to immediately fall in love with Phe. I warmed up to her later, but not enough to really feel for her. I loved the rest of the crew and felt a closer connection to them than the main character.

I hope that S.A. Barnes writes more in this universe, and more with these characters, because the tech is fascinating - but still highly believable, I want to know more about the explored planets, and I need to know more information about that ending!!

Overall I give this a solid 4-stars. Thank you to Netgalley, S.A. Barnes, and Tor Nightfire.

Dr. Ophelia Bray, a psychologist specializing in a space-induced psychosis known as ERS (and who is also burdened by its looming specter in her family history) joins a small crew tasked with a seemingly routine exploration of an abandoned alien planet. However, beneath the mission's scientific veneer lurks a sinister agenda, and Ophelia soon finds herself entangled in a web of secrets held tight by her motley band of untrustworthy crewmates. As they investigate the mysteries of the derelict planet and its buried civilization, tensions rise, a crew member meets a gruesome end, and Ophelia's worst nightmare unfolds as she puzzles with whether this is the descent into madness she has long feared or is there something far more sinister at play? Ghost Station was a gripping sci-fi horror adventure much like the author's previous offering and what elevated it in my opinion was that though it skirted around a burgeoning romantic element, it thankfully did not involve as much of that sort of thing as Dead Silence did.

I loved Barnes' first Sci-Fi book-Dead Silence, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on an ARC of Ghost Station.
This book follows main character, Ophelia Bray-psychologist, who chooses to be assigned to a space ship mission with an exploration crew that "lost" a member on their last mission. She is basically there to make sure they do not lose another team member and that no one ends up with ERS-a mental condition that causes astronauts to become insane with long periods of space travel.
Her new crewmates do not like her and think she's a burden to the mission. But she puts on a brave face and goes to this hastily abandoned planet. It seems she, and everyone on the ship have some dark secrets, and even dark pasts, that unravel throughout the book. Especially when one of the crew members end up dead...or murdered?...

This one was not as eerie or spooky as her first space novel (that one was like Ghost Ship and space Titanic mixed in one). It did keep a steady pace, and I could not figure out the big plot twist until it was told. For the most part the non-main characters are stereotypical and unlikable. I was disappointed there were not more advanced technology for a future world that has accomplished space travel. I am excited to see what Barnes will come up with next though.

Ghost Station was a fantastic read following a small exploration crew as they investigate an abandoned planet.

Psychologist Dr. Ophelia Bray has dedicated her life to preventing Eckhart-Reiser syndrome, a PTSD-like condition that has proven deadly for space explorers. When she's assigned to a crew in the hope of treating the condition before it becomes fatal, she's eager to get started. But the crew doesn't trust her and as they begin their exploration of an abandoned planet, it becomes clear they're hiding something. After their pilot is found viciously murdered, Ophelia fears she's too late to help. Isolated on an ancient planet, Ophelia and the crew will have to figure out how to trust each other if they want to have any chance of making it back home.

Horror is not a genre I typically read but after really enjoying the author's first book, Dead Silence, I was excited to pick this one up. Ghost Station opens with Ophelia preparing for her journey to Lyria 393-C, an ancient planet that was previously abandoned as a research station, before the book jumps forward in time three months to the crew's arrival at the planet. Aside from Ophelia there are five members in the crew; Ethan Severin (mission commander), Birch Osgoode (pilot), Kate Wakefield (engineer), Suresh Patel (inventory specialist), and Liana Chong (scientific coordinator).

I was intrigued by the idea the crew were heading to a previously abandoned station and wondered what caused the last group to leave. It's clear right away that something went wrong on the last crew's mission based on the condition of the station when our group arrives. Soon after the group's arrival, strange things start happening which Ophelia initially fears is the onset of ERS symptoms in the crew. When Birch is found dead in a gruesome manner not long after, the group realize something is very wrong on this planet. The direction the plot goes was incredibly interesting and I found myself unable to put the book down as I was so engrossed in what was happening. The ending was very well done with the perfect mix of action and suspense to keep you guessing until the last page.

Overall Ghost Station was an amazing read and I would highly recommend it if you're looking for a great sci-fi horror novel.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

You know movies like Aliens, Event Horizon, Pandorum? Yeah, this is the book version of those books. So pretty much you should read it RIGHT NOW. <em>Dead Silence</em> was one of my favorite books last year, and this is ranking up there for me for this year. This one didn't scare me as much as <em>Dead Silence</em> (for reals, y'all, I was leery about leaving my bed after a certain scene), but it was still up there with the creepy factor.

This was a great follow up to Dead Silence. It's a space horror so a lot of the "scare" is the emptiness and hollowness of space along with the dread of isolation with nowhere to run. This played with a lot of space elements in both sci-fi and somewhat of a fantasy way.

Having really liked Barnes’ 2022 novel “Dead Silence”, I was pretty pumped for this new sci-fi thriller and while I was pleased to get some of the same vibes, I unfortunately found it to be too much of a slow burn with an unrewarding ending. The characters were decent, however not very memorable. The premise of space travellers potentially contracting a mental illness that causes it's sufferers to severely harm themselves is pretty damn scary though and if you dig a claustrophobic type read, it certainly gets that box ticked.
Overall for me, it did not surpass ‘Dead Silence’ and I'll likely not remember the plot next week.

S.A. Barnes’ second space thriller, Ghost Station (a follow up to 2022’s Dead Silence), gives the exact vibes of an Alien movie, which is exactly what I was hoping for. We’ve got evil corporations, an isolated crew in an abandoned hab on a snow-swept planet with the eerie remains of an alien civilization. This is precisely what I wanted.
Dr. Ophelia Bray and the crew of the Resilience are tasked with fairly routine sample gathering and investigation of a far-off planet, Lyria 393-C. She is a psychologist with a hidden past who just wants to prevent a form of space psychosis, which is all too common now that humanity has taken to the stars. So she’s been tasked with trying to test a new tech and research how her crew is reacting to their situation. So, of course, dark hijinks and paranoia ensue! I really enjoyed this novel, though it was maybe 30 pages too long at times, for its worldbuilding. I want all of Barnes’ books to be in a shared spacefaring world!
I will always pick up an S.A. Barnes Book—she writes fast-paced, mind-bendy, suspenseful space thrillers that compel me to keep reading!

I really wanted to like it. I really did. I loved Dead Silence so I was really looking forward to this one. I have one word for Ghost Station: Boring. This is supposed to be a space horror and there wasn’t anything scary about this at all. The scene setting was over described. The characters were unlikable. It felt like slogging through a swamp to finish it. I felt ghosted by Ghost Station.

The story starts a little slow and I had a difficult time becoming invested in the characters. Some of the plot was easy to figure out regarding the abandoned station, but there was still some mystery to be had regarding the crew. The book was solid in the sci-fi category, but it didn’t strike the note of horror for me. Overall, not a bad way to spend a few hours.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire, and S.A. Barnes for the eARC.

I found Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes to be a pretty decent debut horror novel, perhaps with some plot holes, but the setting was atmospheric enough that I really enjoyed it. I quite looked forward to Ghost Station, because I wanted to see Barnes improve as an author, when their debut had so much potential. However, I found the two books to be rather similar in execution. Ghost Station was entertaining horror, but not so engaging and well-written that I'll pick it up again. The side characters weren't very memorable, emphasized by the fact that some of them weren't around for very long. I wish I found Ophelia, the main character to be more compelling, but her personality was buried under her flashbacks to her childhood trauma. I pitied her, but Barnes didn't really provide the reader with any reason to like her or root for her.

In the end, this was a bit forgettable, which was unfortunate considering that space horror/scifi-horror is a sub-genre that I'd love to see explored more.

I must admit I struggled hard with this book. Where the first one gripped me instantly this one took almost a full week to read. I didn’t realize this book would also follow Dead Silence. Sure the adventure and action arrives but it seems to all coalesce in the end. Main character Ophelia is also a bit of a conundrum making it harder to root for her when on the one hand she blames herself for the mistakes of her family and the other she does not mesh with the crew at all making her a bit of an awkward outcast. Not only do her new peers have secrets, Ophelia being a Dr. has them all leery of her keeping their distance. Overall it was a decent read but just really calm until at least halfway in.

Dead Silence was highly memorable and impactful. Ghost Station has an interesting premise, but I would not recommend it unless readers already enjoy space horror or stories of isolation. The pacing in the beginning made me think it was going to be a slow-paced character study, and when it became more of a mystery/thriller I was a bit surprised (despite it being advertised as such). Ophelia is not a super likable character, so luckily you don't have to spend too much time within her character's mind.

I really loved her first book, so I’m sad that I didn’t like this one as much. I found Ophelia’s voice to be very grating, which made it difficult for me to connect to the story. I think some people won’t mind Ophelia, but I’m a very character-centric reader so it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Between this book and Dead Silence, I think Barnes is quickly becoming a favorite author for sci-fi horror for me. If you liked books like Contagion by Erin Bowman and Dead Silence, then you'll like this one.

This book has one of my favorite sci-fi topics, an abandoned station on a spooky planet. This is one of the few planets to have shown evidence of extinct aliens, but oddities make the crew question what happened to the research team before them. Then their own odd symptoms start, making them wonder if they are doomed too.

I liked Barnes' take on the aliens and ruins. The towers made for some creepy visuals and it was refreshing having a crew fighting to help each other survive. I enjoyed watching Ophelia slowly become part of the crew as she faced her own past. So if you like space horror mixed with characters having to decide who they want to be as they face down hard decisions, then grab a copy of Ghost Station.

Thanks to the publisher for letting me have an ARC copy.

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, S.A. Barnes, and everyone else involved in making it possible for me to read this book before its publication! You know how sometimes you finish reading a book and then just stare into space thinking, “I’m going to be thinking about this book for the next couple weeks.” Ghost Station did that to me. Sometimes, thinking about a book for a while after you finish it isn’t good because you’re thinking about how much you didn’t like it or something. That was not the case here. I am haunted by this book, which is exactly what you want from a good horror book.

Do I have some complaints about the book? Well, yeah. But that’s because every book is always going to have some kind of issue–despite how much I may desire it, there’s no such thing as a perfect book. My disappointment with this book really came from its ending. The resolution happens off-page where our narrator is not witness to it, which means there is so much about what happened to resolve the story that we don’t get to see. And I want those details; I need them. Having the ending happen this way made it feel very sudden and jarring. Does it make sense for the world in which the story is placed? Well, yeah. And it even makes sense to have this kind of open ending from a story standpoint, but that doesn’t mean I like it.

What did I like, though, you may be asking. Well, for one, the world. Barnes has created such an entrancing science fiction futuristic world. One of the things I love about it is there are events that happened to make the world like it is that are just mentioned off-hand. The narrator will just be like “oh, yeah, the fire that destroyed Chicago a few decades ago” or whatever, and I’m just like “of course, yes.” Do I actually know anything about this fire? No, because we aren’t given the details, but I don’t care to have the details because the off-hand mentioning does the job it needs. It indicates that this is such a normal part of everybody’s life in this world that it would never occur to them to explain it. Plus, the lack of details prevents this fire from distracting from the story overall. We don’t need to know about the fire, and any world-building elements that require us to get some kind of explanation are explained to the reader. I don’t know if this is a world Barnes will ever return to, even if the characters aren’t, but I hope she does because I would love to learn more about the world these characters inhabit.

As for the characters themselves…they are part of what I can’t get out of my head. The way each of the crewmembers, as well as Ophelia herself, react to the everything that’s happening around them–it’s so interesting. We only get snapshots of the backgrounds of most of the characters other than Ophelia, as she’s our narrator, we can only know about them what she knows. Despite this, we are still able to get to know the characters so much because of how they react as things get more and more unsettling in their base. When one character reacts with violence, another with by asserting dominance, another by making jokes, and another by seeking support… We may not really know where these characters come from or what precisely they experienced up to this point, but we know these characters. I think Barnes does a fantastic job of balancing the reader’s need to know the characters intimately while also maintaining the distance required of having a narrator who does not know the characters intimately.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book, and I’d definitely recommend it to horror sci-fi fans. While I don’t think it’s a ground-breaking concept Barnes has gone with, I do think she’s executed in a way that makes it enjoyable. And the little details of that execution may just stick in your head the way they have in mine.

I have loved space horror ever since the first time I saw Event Horizon. There’s something absolutely terrifying that lies in the unknown of space. Since the vast majority of us have never experienced it, it’s easy to take advantage of a reader’s natural fear of something they could only ever guess at. At least in our lifetime. This book absolutely capitalizes on that. While it wasn’t as fast and furious as Event Horizon, and nowhere near as bloody, it definitely makes its mark in the space horror subgenre. The characterization and pacing were on point. Personally, I would have liked a little more bloody action, but that’s just me. All in all it was a fantastically entertaining book and I would definitely read more from this author!

Huge thanks to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

I was very happy to have received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, since the premise sounded very interesting.
I really wanted to love the book more than I did, there was so much inner dialog that I felt I never really got to know the characters very well. The storyline unfolded very slowly and not until the end did it really speed up which made the ending feel rushed. Overall it was an interesting read but it won't make my list of books that I love to read over and over again.