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!

Ophelia Bray is a psychologist whose specialty is a space-related PTSD-like symptom called ERS which can bring on violent episodes. She's now assigned to be a part of a small exploration crew. This crew is being sent to a remote, old, abandoned planet.
The crew has been together for awhile now and they're not too keen to have a shrink aboard and they don't bother hiding their distaste and distrust for Ophelia. Having a 'head doctor' must be an indication of something they're heading in to.

At first, things seem to go as planned on this once-thriving, now empty planet. But as the crew explores, there's evidence that prior crews sent to explore apparently left in a hurry and without trace where they may have gone.

The planet holds mystery and danger, which Ophelia is meant to keep an eye on, but Ophelia has secrets of her own that she's trying to work through.

I don't know that I've read anything by S.A. Barnes before, but I was looking forward to what I expected to be a sci-fi horror/thriller. It's *sort* of that, but this has a number of small problems that are difficult to overlook and which bring the enjoyment level of the read down a notch or two.

The biggest issue is with our protagonist, Ophelia. Sure, it's good to have a leading character with flaws but this intelligent doctor makes some really questionable choices that don't seem in keeping with a woman of her education and skill.

From the descriptions of events (Barnes is a fine writer) we get the sense that we're almost in an Alien situation, and while I like a slow build of horror, there's a difference between a slow build-up and a drawn out story.

In some ways, there's just too much going on. We're set up with multiple storylines pretty much from the start and we add a few as we go and we need to have some sort of resolution amid the horror that's built up. And on the other hand, there's not enough *actually* going on. The stories are mostly psychological and we're passive observers with little to bring us in to feel the fear.

Overall, this was disappointing.

Looking for a good book? Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes is a roiling, bubbling, scifi horror story that doesn't quite create the horror or thrill that is intended.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up
this book unfortunately did not work for me. I did not find myself liking the main character enough for the story to focus so much on family drama and character background. I felt dragged along as a reader as the MC grappled with her past, yet she was not reflective or deep when it came to the subject and the reader was not let in for awhile. I found myself getting very bored. I wanted way more space horror. The more "spacey" parts we got around the 80% mark were really cool, and I wish it was expanded upon and made up way more of the story.

I really enjoyed my first novel by S. A. Barnes! Something isn't right on the abandoned planet that Dr. Bray's crew is clearing up for possible terraforming. Strange black structures in the distance, dead aliens in the structures, a human body found outside of the habitat. Dr. Bray is trying to prevent ERS, where being too long in space causes hallucinations and violence. But is it ERS or something more sinister? A good read and a good audiobook!

I loved Dead Silence so I wanted to love this too but I just didn't. It felt a bit slow, not nearly as much ghost and horror as I wanted, and I wanted more of the third act and to know more about *redacted.*

Yes, yes, yes! SA Barnes is so good at creating a sense of foreboding in a sci-fi horror. Ghost Station was a bloodier entry into the genre for Barnes, but that ominous sense of dread was able to build more organically through the slow burn of the first half of this book. I kept referring to it as fear edging…. Or I suppose fear foreplay. I loved that the looming horror reveal was truly different from her first sci-fi horror book; however, both female protagonist had similar tragic childhood events that kind of brought me out of the unique story a little bit. I hope that the next book she releases doesn’t have constant childhood trauma flashbacks as these first two have. Ultimately this is what kept it at a four star for me instead of being a five star as Dead Silence was.

I really tried to enjoy this one but it did not appeal to me like the first book did.
It was a bit slow and I felt the plot kind of wanders a bit.
Almost like filling in space with words just to make a whole page.
The world-building took up a majority of the story itself and things just never seemed to pick up after that.
I was really hoping to love this one too.

I recently finished "Ghost Station," and it turned out to be a really fascinating read. The pacing was a bit slow at first, but it steadily picked up, and the unfolding details and tension were ultimately satisfying. I loved the setting and the blend of science fiction and mystery. The author did a great job of combining these genres, making the story both interesting and engaging. I am definitely happy to have a read a second novel by S.A. Barnes and plan to read more in the future!

S.A. Barnes' "Ghost Station" thrusts readers into the unsettling world of Dr. Ophelia Bray, a psychiatrist grappling with personal and professional turmoil. Seeking solace from a recent patient's tragic suicide, she embarks on a space mission to investigate Eckhart-Reiser Syndrome (ERS), a mysterious affliction with eerie implications. The crew she joins, initially skeptical of her presence, adds layers of tension and complexity, with each member harboring secrets and simmering conflicts that threaten to unravel in the isolation of deep space.

Barnes excels in character development, particularly with Ophelia, whose intricate backstory and inner contradictions make her both relatable and enigmatic. Her interactions with the crew, notably Birch and Suresh, reveal a dynamic interplay of suspicion, resentment, and dark humor. Birch stands out with his tightly wound demeanor and palpable disdain for Ophelia, while Suresh injects unexpected tension through his unsettling antics.

The narrative's strength lies in its gradual escalation of suspense, from eerie encounters on an abandoned planet with ancient alien ruins to Ophelia's descent into uncertainty and self-doubt. Barnes employs Ophelia's perspective as an unreliable narrator effectively, blurring the lines between reality and perception, echoing the thematic undercurrents of mental unraveling and existential dread.

Overall, this is an interesting, complex, and entertaining foray into sci-fi for both avid fans of the genre and newbies alike.