This book was frustrating for me; it's written in present tense, which is a style of these times that I can't wait to go out of fashion, and there's too much going on. Rather than hone in on and really sharpen a few plot points, like say character Ophelia Bray's work on ERS and what it's like to be on a space exploration crew that's being exploited by evil corporations, Barnes adds to these elements a whole pile of other mysterious deaths, one character's endlessly traumatic backstory, and evil goo (among other things), and as a result much of what could have been icky or scary if given room the breathe gets smothered under one more hastily shoved in component.

Ghost Station begins by introducing Dr. Ophelia Bray, a psychologist from a wealthy family who had some some initially unspecified troubles. She had a background of studying a condition called ERS that can result in psychosis, and decided to join an exploration crew as their therapist. The first part of the novel provides an opportunity to get to know Ophelia and the rest of the crew, after which odd and disturbing things start happening.

The book is very well written, and pulls the reader in immediately. The world building is well done, and after initial character development, the atmosphere gets quite creepy and disturbing quickly. I could barely put it down!

4.5 stars

Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes blew me away. As far as space horror goes, this author has already one the title of outstanding authors in just two books because I cannot get enough of them.

The atmosphere of this novel is next level. If there’s one thing S. A. Barnes excels at, it’s the horror inducing tension of a creepy environment in space. This author is unmatched in the bone chilling settings they are able to create, making the reader feel as if they are there themselves, and providing a sense of paranoia with just the words on the page. Just reading this book had me on the edge of my seat with tension, waiting for something horrifying to happen or jump out and provide an intense scare. The ability of the author to create these feelings in the reader is one of the reasons I have become an immediate fan of their science fiction horror creations and has made anything they come out with an automatic read for me.

The mystery both of what was going on throughout this book, and the information Ophelia was missing that the crew was clearly keeping from her had me beside myself needing to know what was going on. The way that this kept me hooked and coming up with all kinds of theories as to what was going on beneath the surface was perfect. If I had been able to I would have sat down and read this book in one go because I did not at any point want to stop.

Liana was a quick and easy favourite character. She is the quintessential teachers pet but in the sweetest, most eager way. Volunteering for extra duties because she genuinely enjoys it, wanting to be the first on planet for bragging rights, open minded where the others are cautious and wary. I also had a big soft spot from tough, in charge Severin because he was for sure the kind of male character I love. Large and in charge, I felt he and Ophelia had such outstanding chemistry and despite this being a horror sci-fi novel, I was desperately hoping for a romance to spring forth between these two (I am what I am, ok?).

Ophelia herself was also a great main point of view character. The book is told entirely from her point of view, and she has such a fascinating backstory that plays out throughout the course of the book, both in its telling, and in its significance to her present. I loved learning more and more details about her past, and about the trauma she has been fighting to work past her entire life which has dictated who she is, how she acts, and the distance she maintains between herself and others. In the present it becomes significant in how the other team members react to her, and in the similarity of events that start to happen while on the planet they are exploring and researching.

Now for my current conundrum. I’m so ready for the next book in this genre by S. A. Barnes and have to deal with the fact that Ghost Station hasn’t even been released yet and I somehow have to wait for another one, when for all I know the next hasn’t even been thought of yet. The eternal struggle of a reader. If/when it comes, I’ll definitely be reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC, and to Tor Publishing/Nightfire for sending the invite to read this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Do you like The Shining? What if the Overlook were moved to an isolated space station?

Yes, please!

While I am a fan of horror, I have not spent much time in the realm of Space Horror. Ghost Station from S.A. Barnes is an excellent introduction to the genre. I have not read their previous work, but I am very excited to backtrack based on my experiences. A speed bump I often get tripped up on with Space fiction is believable technology and interactions with foreign/interstellar species. True, it's all in the imagination of the author -- their choice! Barnes' take on new planetary exploration and the crews manning these missions felt the most "real" so far.

Ophelia Bray, our protagonist and specialized psychologist, needs a therapy session of her own before agreeing to aid a mission to Lyra (insert number I always skipped over). This is in no way a slam to the character. Her setting her personal trauma aside to help others is an endearing part of her personality. Plus, the slow-trickle leak of the baggage she carries amps up the tension throughout the novel.

The rest of the crew has their own baggage, creating a landmine of secrets, betrayals, mistrust, and stress. Despite that, they have such an adorable family dynamic that gradually opens up to Ophelia (some more than others), revealing the honeycomb of a mess in the entire industry. The clustercuss of late-stage capitalism reaches into the future.

The horror aspects were a delicious slow burn. With the readers introduced to ERS early on, it's easy to attribute the initial creepiness to mental distress. Mental Health in high stress careers is a huge issue, even today, so transferring that to space explorers makes perfect sense. When other symptoms begin to surface, the solution is nowhere in sight; but, goodness, did I enjoy the trip.

Bleeding gums, sleepwalking, hallucinations, rashes (that move!), mysterious nosebleeds, temper flares, and inhuman strength. If you are squeamish around body-horror, tread lightly.

With incredibly believable spacey tech, deep characters, stupendous pacing, and the use of current day fears to propel a future society, Ghost Station is a beautifully whole package.

An intense, space thriller that left me chilled to the bone! This is my first read by Barnes and will not be my last. The writing was superb and drew me in right away to this creepy atmosphere with "Alien-like" vibes. I could feel the fear and isolation that the characters were experiencing. It felt like I was right there with them, stuck on a deserted planet in whiteout conditions with crazy weird shit happening. I loved every second of this book until I reached the end. I was hoping for a little more and felt that the story was over too soon and left me hanging. I would have liked to have at least one or two more paragraphs with an insinuation of what will happen next as well as a more detailed explanation of the "mystery" and what it wants. I'm using that quoted term as to not give any spoilers away. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to other fans of the horror/sci-fi genre.

Thank you to the author, Tor Publishing Group, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Absolutely thrilling sci-fi horror! I really enjoy this author writing style and the creepy atmosphere she creates. Highly recommended!

This was one of those stories that was gripping right from the start, it just grabbed my attention. I enjoyed the characters and pacing, it was so good!

This is a new to me author. I wouldn't say I'm impressed, but I'm not unimpressed. The dialuge was a tad flat and the atmosphere wasn't well built. Other than that, it was alright. I'd read another book by this author.

"Ghost Station" by S.A. Barnes offers an intense and suspenseful space horror novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The story follows Dr. Ophelia Bray, a psychologist dedicated to studying and preventing ERS, a space-based condition known for a notorious case that resulted in the gruesome murders of twenty-nine people. When she's assigned to a small exploration crew, she's eager to make a difference in her field. However, as they begin to establish residency on an abandoned planet, Ophelia becomes aware that her crewmates are hiding something from her.

While Ophelia focuses on her role, her crewmates are more interested in investigating the eerie, ancient planet and uncovering the secrets behind the previous colonizers' abrupt departure. The tension rises when their pilot is found brutally murdered. Ophelia faces the terrifying prospect of a wave of violence and mental deterioration due to ERS, similar to the past case. Yet, she can't ignore the possibility of something more sinister at play.

As fear and mistrust mount, Ophelia and the crew must work together to unravel the mysteries of the abandoned planet and their fellow crewmates. But trust is in short supply, and they're not the only ones harboring secrets.

"Ghost Station" has received praise for subverting genre expectations and delivering a gripping and terrifying narrative. It's a thrilling exploration of space horror that will leave readers captivated and on the edge of their seats.

You know that piece of writing advice about starting a book in the middle of the story, wherever the action is? S. A. Barnes certainly does.

Psychologist Dr. Ophelia Bray joins a small space exploration crew, intending to monitor them for signs of ERS—a space-based condition known for a case that resulted in the brutal murders of twenty-nine people. The crew doesn’t trust Ophelia, and she doesn’t trust them. They’re more focused on investigating the ancient planet and discovering the reason behind the previous colonizer’s hasty departure than opening up to her.

Then the crew’s pilot is found brutally murdered. Is it ERS, or something else? Secrets abound, no one knows what’s going on, and Ophelia has her own past she’s keeping hidden. The result is a claustrophobic and eerie read.

Ghost Station doesn’t waste any time to drop crumbs of drama and suspense. The first chapter plants the seed that no one can be trusted, which means that for the rest of the story you’re questioning people’s intentions and whether or not they’re being truthful.

It’s been years since I’ve been so immediately hooked and enthralled by a novel. I read the entirety of Ghost Station on Halloween, which was a phenomenal choice. The story is highly suspenseful and keeps you turning pages to get answers. Then when there’s horror and you finally get answers, you’re not sure if you want them anymore. There are some elements that remain a mystery to the very end however, and it comes across a little like these threads were forgotten as opposed to the answers intentionally being withheld.

Even with a cast of five pivotal characters plus Ophelia as our main character, they all manage to feel both realistic and distinct. Whether watching them nettle one another or learning to communicate and try to establish trust, you get a good understanding of who each person is and how they might set one another off.

Despite how fast paced and tense most of the novel is, the ending is a tad anticlimactic and a little too neat. I can’t help wishing that Ophelia had a more active role in it, though I did enjoy how things mentioned in the very beginning become important during the resolution.

Even with some seemingly forgotten elements and a questionable resolution, the novel is no less enjoyable, and highly devourable. It’s a fast-paced and spooky read that makes me want to exclusively read sci-fi horror, if this is what I have to look forward to. The majority of my notes from while reading are along the lines of fucking hell, this is good. If you want a one sentence review of Ghost Station, there it is: fucking hell, this is good.

Holy shit I loved this book. It was so many absolutely wild things all wrapped up in one- space archeology, mass murderers, Kardashians In Space, space therapy, so many steaming hot messes. It was terrifying. I was holding my breath. I was also incredibly on board with watching someone who should Absolutely Not Be A Therapist try to be a therapist while shit hit the fan. So good.

4.5 stars

Phenomenal, unputdownable. I read this in a single sitting. It was totally enthralling and exciting. I really enjoy the way that Barnes writes. It keeps me turning the page, and wanting more.

I loved Dead Silence and was super excited to get an arc of Ghost Station. It took me less than 24 hours to finish. I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed the characters, especially Ophelia and Ethan. I do wish there were just a couple more pages at the end with just a little more information, but it was a really good book. I can’t wait to have it on my bookshelf!

While I thoroughly enjoyed “Dead Silence” by S.A. Barnes, there were some spots that I didn’t entirely love…but I enjoyed it to the point where I knew Barnes was headed places. It was a solid debut that nearly stuck the landing.

“Ghost Station” was just totally awesome. I read it in a day. The problems that I had with Barnes’ debut? Not in this novel. It’s a tight claustrophobic read. It feels like “Alien” meets “The Thing” meets slasher film. The landing stuck with this one.

I honestly can’t wait to suggest this one. I also honestly can’t wait to see what S.A. Barnes writes next.