This was a psychological horror story set in space but I did not feel any connection to the characters, and that made the plot feel a bit boring to me. The atmosphere and setting were interesting and at the beginning I felt like I’d enjoy the book, but then I started getting bored. Around halfway through there’s a reveal that caught my attention again but it didn’t totally work because (again) it relied on feeling something for the characters. I think the book actually may have benefitted from some flashback chapters for better worldbuilding, or something along those lines. The last part of the book is pretty much one nonstop action scene and I felt tired reading it. I would recommend the author’s other space horror before this one. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

After a small exploration crew loses one of its members under mysterious circumstances, psychologist Dr. Ophelia Bray is assigned to join them on their next trip. Phe has dedicated her life to the study and prevention of ERS—a space-based condition that can lead one to experience paranoia and hallucinations, and they may become a threat to themselves and others, among other symptoms. The crew is less than happy to have Phe with them as they begin to establish residency on an abandoned planet, but that should be the least of their worries when it becomes clear that this planet has some secrets of its own...

Before entering this novel, it is important to know that this read is a slow burn. The tension and suspense come from atmospheric tension, environmental stressers, and strained relationship dynamics among the crew members. The novel eventually barrels you to the end once the true threat is established, but the book is far slower in pace compared to SA Barnes's Dead Silence. Elements I loved include the social commentary on corporate greed, the moments in which Phe feels she is being watched, and the bread crumbs we got surrounding Phe's life before she and her mother moved back on Earth in her childhood. With that said, I did find the depiction and development of interpersonal relationships to be weak and surface level in this narrative. This may be rooted in Phe acting as outsider, so she has only known the crew for this single brief trip. I found the romantic subplot in these pages to be forced and unnecessary; it was a bit awkward at times. While I appreciated the uniqueness of the threat the crew faced, I think I would have liked more answers/explanation surrounding that threat by the story's close. I also just wanted these characters to have more common sense. I would certainly try this author again, because I loved Dead Silence and ultimately liked Ghost Station for what it was. NOTE: I buddy read this with two friends who only had access to the audio, and we seemed to agree that I was the best one off with the ebook, as there are some information heavy passages.

Actual Rating: 3.25 stars
Original Pub Date: 9 April 2024
Reading Format: ebook

PREVIOUS BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:
Dead Silence—5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Tor Publishing Group for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!

I just was not interested in this one. I didn't care for the main character and I felt like it was just dragging along. I think if the main character had been a bit more likable and had a bit more spine I would have enjoyed it more.

Thank you to Tor/Nightfire Publishing for providing me with an eARC of Ghost Station for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed S.A. Barnes' previous book, Dead Space, so I was excited to dive into Ghost Station and see what else she had come up with.

While there were aspects of this book I enjoyed, I don't think it was particularly strong, especially coming after having read Dead Space. A lot of the elements felt repeated between books, making it difficult for Ghost Station to stand on its own.

The writing was engaging and easy to get through, so it was a quick read, but I didn't finish the book feeling that attached to any one part. The main character, Ophelia, was alright, but her and her story were made weaker by the fact that this book is written in first person. Ophelia was keeping secrets that should have been on her mind and affecting her actions constantly, yet we only find these out later on in order to add a twist to the story. Despite being literally in her head.

I liked the dynamic between the romantic leads, but their romance developed too quickly and Ophelia was irritatingly jealous of normal interactions.

I did like the actual horror and sci fi concepts within this book, which helped me stay interested once I got that far. The untangling of the mystery of the planet was well done and Barnes did a good job slowly pacing through tension and into the eventual climax. I quite enjoyed the insidious nature of the 'villain' and I did like the ending, but many of the previous aspects just dragged it down.

First off, thank you for the chance to read this early.
I am a big fan of Dead Silence, but not so much Ghost Station.
2.5

It's like that Apollo 11 movie but with extra steps. I found the character arc in this book to be quite unbelievable. It's hard to believe that a psychiatrist who has been through so much trauma would have multiple episodes of seeing things and spacing out in the middle of conversations. I couldn't understand how she managed to hold down a job before this mission because she seemed to be struggling the whole time. I had high hopes for this book, especially after enjoying "Dead Silence," but unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations. I'm glad I opted for the audiobook because it would have been a slow read otherwise – not much seemed to happen. I also found the ending to be poorly done. I can't say I'd recommend this book since there wasn't much character development, and the addition of romance felt unnecessary. If anything, a cool friendship would have sufficed. I was also disappointed by the lack of meaningful conversations considering the protagonist is supposed to be a therapist.

thank you for listening to my critical and nonbiased review.

This was enjoyable but not as compelling as Dead Silence but a solid entry to the scifi horror genre.

This author knows how to write exploration horror. Everything felt very realistic and the plot was engaging. I look forward to more. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy.

although I ended up enjoying this book in the end I do feel like it has been mis marketed as a horror story. to me this is completely a sci-fi and I wish I had known that so I could have stopped waiting for horror elements. also because of the name and title and a blurb on the front comparing it to haunted house stories, I was 100% expecting ghosts. I realize now they meant ghost as in abandoned. But I truly just think this was mis marketed.

As for the story it self I really liked the first 10% and the last 30% the rest left me feeling kind of bored. Not enough happened. I wish it was faster paced. And I wish all the answers weren't saved until the end. I think having things revealed throughout the story would have kept me more engaged. But in the end I liked the concept and how it all wrapped up!

Space exploration can be exciting, it can be dangerous, it can be lonely, it can feel claustrophobic, it can be exhilarating, and it can be deadly. Ghost Station has that trapped feeling which I enjoy in books. I found this book to be enjoyable and I can see this being made into a movie.

Once again Barnes knocks space horror out of the park. I’m always impressed with the impending dread, character backstory, and scientific details that were included!

Personally, I had VERY high expectations for Ghost Station and it didn't quite meet them. I found the first half of this book to be extremely slow and I probably would have DNF it if I wasn't reading it for a review. I found myself enjoying it a bit more after that halfway mark, but not enough for me to rate it more than 3 stars. I wish that either the characters were more interesting early on or that there was a bit more action sooner. I just had a tough time with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes was my first encounter with this author, and while I had high hopes given my interest in both science fiction and horror, the experience was a bit of a mixed bag.

The novel combines elements of science fiction with horror, a combination that initially intrigued me. However, while the premise had potential, some aspects of the book left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. Certain parts of the story felt confusing, which detracted from the overall experience and made it harder to fully engage with the narrative.

I was particularly hoping for a suspenseful, atmospheric type of horror, but instead, the book leaned more towards monster horror. This shift in focus didn’t align with my expectations and, as a result, the suspenseful tension I was hoping for was somewhat lacking.

That said, Ghost Station still has its merits. Barnes’ writing shows promise, and there are elements of the story that might appeal to readers who enjoy monster-driven horror. If you’re a fan of this subgenre, it might still be worth a read. For those seeking a more suspenseful and atmospheric horror experience, it may not fully satisfy those expectations.

I know it is cliched, but this is the perfect example of "it's me, not the book." I don't fully understand why, but I believe that S.A. Barnes is not for me. I should love Sci-Horror. I love horror and science fiction. I love the movies in this vein, but I have tried two books by Barnes, and they don't work for me. I struggle with the writing and have failed to connect to any of the characters. I wish I did.

The narrator was fantastic. I have listened to other works narrated by Zura and have enjoyed her narration each time.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Tor Publishing for advanced copies in exchange for an honest review.

not sure this author is for me, i was expecting something very different going into this book and sometimes i feel like the horror in her books are very lack luster

S.A Barnes made a huge impact with her debut space horror novel, Dead Silence, and now we’re returning to the terrifying void for more terrors with Ghost Station.

Psychologist Dr. Ophelia Bray is assigned to work with a small space exploration crew, to study a condition called ERS, which is kind of like whatever Jack Torrance had in The Shining, but in space. Bray comes with her own baggage; one of her former clients died by suicide, and her family have somewhat of a bad reputation. Dr. Bray sees this new opportunity as a fresh start, but the crew are hesitant to trust her. And then they land on an abandoned planet, where the fun really starts.

I enjoyed this so much. Ophelia is a unique character, and while she isn't always completely honest to those around her, I never doubted her good intentions for a second. I love the complex relationship she has with her family, and their questionable history.

While the novel is long (almost 400 pages), I thought it was very well-paced. The creeping dread builds up to such a satisfying conclusion. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook, and performer Zura Johnson held my undivided attention throughout.

Space horror is such a rich genre, and I consider S.A. Barnes as the leading author of exciting cosmic fiction. I see she has a new book out next year, Cold Eternity, and I am all in!

This is definitely more psychological 'horror' than alien/monster horror, which I would've been fine with if I had felt at all invested in our narrator, Ophelia. I didn't connect with her and if anything wanted her to fade into the background. The overall plot was interesting in that I wanted to know what was up, but character wise and ending wise it fell flat for me.

Lots and lots of reviews re: Ghost Station” by S.A. Barnes. And Barnes’ sci-fi mystery story has evoked much good,,and some disappointment, to which I strongly agree with both the pluses and the minuses. I am an avid reader of mysteries and science fiction: and Ghost Station has plenty of both.. I kept waiting for the “big reveal(s)” concerning the creepy going-ons concerning an angry small group of workers exploring a long-dead (or is it?) alien world….however, I shant give away any of the storyline.
I’m glad I read this book; but I do wish the author had given us a bit more of, well, ——————.

Some of us are broken enough that we don’t get to be fixed. And maybe we’re better off that way. Not hiding from the damage like everyone else. Just accepting it and figuring out how to work around it. Just like we’re doing. Like you’re doing.” His gaze meets hers and holds it. “It takes guts to face the worst of yourself, the worst of your fears.”

Holy crow this book was amazing!! It was creepy in all the right ways. There have been movies that made me think space exploration is a bad idea but this book made me think that my feet are staying on the ground and I hope we never find out about life on other planets! S.A. Barnes truly took horror in space to an all new level. Every moment of this book kept me on the edge of my seat. Barnes truly has a talent at blending horror and sci-fi in a way that almost creates a whole new genre. This is the second book of hers that I've read and both had me feeling like I was in the middle of the action. And her characters? I loved the interactions between them. I love how the teams she writes feels like a family. They pick on each other but they're there for each other no matter what. Liana was definitely my favorite character in this book. And, I could really relate to how both Ophelia and Ethan had so much trouble forgiving themselves for their pasts. It can be difficult to truly let go of the trauma of the past and not let it shape your present and future. Their inner struggles were portrayed so well in this book. Keep writing, S.A. Barnes. I can't wait to read more of your writing.

"Space exploration can be lonely and isolating."
Ghost Station is about a crew that must try to survive on an ancient and abandoned planet. The book is a page turner from beginning to end and has anxiety-inducing suspense. This was written really well and I loved the dark atmosphere with the book. The characters were great in this and I loved every twist and turn in the book. I highly enjoyed reading this and would recommend this book to any reader who loves a good space horror. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this spooky read in exchange of my honest review of Ghost Station by S.A Barnes.

Dead Silence is possibly my favorite horror novel, so when I saw Ghost Station on Net Galley I was pumped. A doctor with a troubled past, an ancient and abandoned station on a far away planet, a space travel disease that causes violence and mental deterioration; the plot has all the things. The pacing just didn’t work out for me.

Ghost Station is atmospheric and creepy. It’s an unreliable narrator story where you never quite know if the crew is telling the truth or if they’re trying to cover up being affected by ERS (above mentioned space travel mental deterioration). There are scenes that read like a horror movie, and you feel like you’re there in the room.

Highly recommend Dead Silence, everyday…to anyone who will listen. For this one, be ready for a slower pace and more of a mental game. There are still the epic horror scenes to keep you up at night!