Very cool and unique story. This is my first read by S.A. Barnes and they are a great writer and storyteller. I am particularly interested in the horror/scifi genre and this book fits the bill just right. Barnes adds some major creepy crawlies in the mix making this one is a winner!

Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this book. This review is my own and unbiased.

Book Review | GHOST STATION by S.A. BARNES

4/5 ⭐’s |  ARC Review | PUB DATE: 9 April 2024

Read if you're looking for:
* A sci-fi & horror novel
* A female main character with a checkered past
* A mysteriously abandoned station on a frozen planet
* Body horror: something moving under the skin
* Psychological horror: can’t trust what you’re seeing & hearing
* Greedy corporations doing something shady
* Alien ruins

This is the second sci-fi, horror novel from S.A. Barnes, and I really enjoyed it. Our main character, Ophelia, is a psychologist with some terrible incidents in her past, so in order to escape she signs on to an exploration team who are tasked with surveying a far planet that has ancient alien ruins in order to determine if it has valuable resources. The team she joins also has a recent tragedy in their past, and are not friendly to having a corporate psychologist delving into their business. After they arrive at the planet and start to use the abandoned station that a previous survey team has established, very strange and terrifying events begin to occur. The team can no longer trust their own minds, unsure if they are seeing and hearing things that aren’t there. And, the black alien ruins seem to be calling to them.

Barnes does a great job of building the suspense and the creepy atmosphere of the station and the planet. The body horror is real in this one, so look into the content warnings a little more if that is something that bothers you. I enjoyed how the story also delved into corporate greed and corruption, and how that harms workers and average folks. The main character does have a traumatic past, and seems to have anxiety and some anger issues. As we are in her head in this book, sometimes it did become a little repetitive to hear her continuously trying to control here emotions. Overall, this was a super creepy and fun read if you enjoy space horror, or S.A. Barnes’ previous novel, Dead Silence.

CW: Death, Blood, Violence, Gun violence, Medical content, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Child death

3.5 stars - While this one was a bit of a let down from Barnes' previous work Dead Silence, I think this is purely because I was anticipating it just a little too much because overall, I still found this to be quite the solid read. You can definitely tell the Barnes has improved with this book; her characters have more depth and the story, while still focusing on one specific character, Ophelia, took the time to develop the side crew that she travels with. I really enjoyed the planet this book was set on; the snowstorm ravaging our characters made it feel as though our characters began to develop cabin fever, which is one of my favourite tropes. I love when characters begin to imagine things and the twist that Barnes pulled on this familiar trope was so fun (and spooky, of course)! Without going into spoilers, the issues I have with this one fall more onto our main character and the decisions she would make that felt really immature to me? I did not feel as though a psychologist assigned to a space crew whom have already dealt with the death of a crew member would behave the way she did and it really pulled me out of the story. But! This was still really spooky and still a really fun read.

I liked the overall concept of this book but I think that the execution didn't work. The beginning was slow, repetitive and I struggled to stay interested in the plot. I stuck with the story and the last few chapters were good. Overall, the writing was solid and I would have liked the book a lot more if it had gotten to the action a little sooner.

I got an ARC of this book.

This book was weird. It wasn’t weird enough to be like notably weird, but it was weird nonetheless.

The horror built very slowly. It was quick things, would have made decent jump scares. The true horror though was the slow loss of sanity through invasion of the body. This is much harder to really comprehend, but it was also much more traumatizing that just losing control. They knew they were losing control and couldn’t stop it. They were on their own. It was delicious.

The characters were pretty distinct, though there was not a lot of growth. The focus was on destruction, not building. That is fair, but it feels worth mentioning. It is a very character led horror, so the character devolvement being the key feature is interesting. There were some plots that felt thrown on and then not addressed, like some hints at romance. The romance wasn’t really adding anything and never developed beyond some thrown away lines here and there.

The background of the characters was fascinating. I wanted more. It was wonderful. I wanted to know exactly how hiding in a hole, hoping to not die felt. It felt like it didn’t give quite enough horror from the past, but it was horrific enough to still build the intensity of the current horror. It sort of felt like the past was being drafted along with the story so the build up never really hit the same level of high notes.

I will for sure be tracking down Barnes’ other book. I loved reading this one. I didn’t know I needed sci-fi horror, but I really did.

It had a similar horror feel to possession movies mixed with The Blair Witch Project. That slow descent into madness mixed with watching it happen. It is far more deliberate than the Blair Witch Project and the descent into madness being the similarities. This book goes much further and is much scarier.

Huge thanks to the publisher for providing me an advance reader copy in return for an honest review!

Ghost Station had all the markings of a fascinating sci-fi horror book, but fell flat in trying to be scary. With too many intertwined mystery elements trying to throw off the reader, I left this wanting more.

Dr. Ophelia Bray has taken an assignment as the team psychologist for a small mining team tasked with gathering samples from a former corporate planet known for having harbored intelligent life millennia ago. This team is being assigned a psychologist after the death of one of their team members from a suspected mental illness that affects members of such teams. But Ophelia is not going purely out of the goodness of her heart, but in part to escape a controversy in which a former patient of hers committed suicide despite her treatment. This is further complicated by the fact that she is part of the extremely wealthy and powerful Bray family who owns Pinnacle, one of the massive mega corporations and former owner of the planet Ophelia is headed to. The moment she is awoken from cryosleep and introduced to the team, Liana, Birch, Suresh, Kate, and team commander Ethan, suspicions arise and tensions flare. Immediately Ophelia starts to question what really happened to their former teammate as she clashes with some members about her own identity and past. Ophelia also has to reconcile with her own traumatic past while keeping her own secrets from this new team. But as mysterious symptoms and behaviors among team members start to manifest, the team has to try to put their differences aside to survive, unless it is someone on this very team that they need to try to survive against..

That blurb made this out to be more interesting than it ended up being. I say it for every horror book I read: the primary objective is to scare/horrify/disturb me. If you don’t do that, even if you do everything else right, you can’t consider yourself a successful horror book. And unfortunately this fell into that category. While thrilling and psychological at times, at no point was I ever scared or on the edge of my seat while reading this.

Firstly, there were just too many story threads trying to resolve themselves here. We have the mystery behind the former teammate, the mystery of Ophelia’s former patient, the mystery of Ophelia being the child of a immensely wealthy family, the mystery of Ophelia’s childhood, the mystery of the sleeping headsets, the mystery of why one team mate seems to know who she is, the mystery of the planet they are on, the mystery of why the reports of the former habitat they’re staying in aren’t matching up to reality, the mystery sickness that is infecting them one by one… there’s just too much going on that the narrative tries to incorporate. It was never going to be a clean execution. Add to this the completely out of left field attempt at a romance? Why was that at all incorporated?

Secondly, the character work leaves a lot to be desired. Ophelia is the worst psychologist I’ve ever seen, and she should never have become one. While she often worked well under pressure and was a half-decent trauma doctor, at no point was she a competent psychologist. Constantly second guessing herself, riddled with unresolved trauma and PTSD, a consistent emotional punching bag for the rest of the team, subject to anger issues yet an utter pushover.. she could literally have been any other profession, yet it was decided that she would be the galaxy’s worst psychologist? Why not just make her like a replacement crew mate for the one that died? I have no idea.

The actual, real mystery of the book ended up being underwhelming. Undeveloped enough to be unsatisfactory for a mystery thriller, but not enough to be, well, mysterious and unpredictable in a Lovecraftian sense. After the first half, there’s a decent bit of action, but none of it is really interesting, just running around the station screaming at each other.

If I were reviewing this as a thriller rather than a horror, I think I’d be more forgiving, but I just wish it was scarier. I’m not really sure what to compare this to, but it seems like the author’s first book was similar, so I guess if you really enjoyed that one you could pick up this one. That or if you want like a worse version of Alien or Prometheus.

This book solidified S. A. Barnes as an author I definitely want to keep tabs on. I really enjoyed their debut, Dead Silence, and Ghost Station provides a strong follow up. All the wonder and advanced tech of a sci-fi novel blended with the tension and anxiety of a good thriller. I enjoyed the characters and felt the plot moved along at a good pace. Ophelia is an especially interesting character and her twisted backstory adds a lot more depth to the overarching story. Barnes does a great job building so much paranoia into this book - I constantly found myself second guessing the things happening on the page, which played really well with the primary storyline. The body horror was top notch and it was difficult not to itch while reading!

Added bonus: some great conversations surrounding mental health and trauma. Very unexpected in this context, but ended up being a very well-executed surprise.

The only thing keeping this from being a solid five stars is that I did want a little more from the ending. It felt a bit rushed at the very end and I wasn't entirely settled afterwards. I'll be eager to see what other reviewers think about this.

4.5 stars! Top tier creepy things happening in space - highly recommend!

Special thanks to Tor and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for review.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I would best describe this as fleeting moments of truly suspenseful events that were overshadowed by a rather bland story. I absolutely loved Dead Silence, and this was one of my most anticipated books of 2024. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. Without taking account for the last book, and how good it was, this one was just sort of forgettable with a story I feel like I've read before. Not horrible, not fantastic, just middle of the road book. There were a few chilling parts, but a majority of the book was not spent on those aspects.

3.5 rounded up

Dr. Olivia Bray has volunteered to go to space to observe a crew who has lost one of its members. Sealing with her own grief and trying to redeem herself in the eyes of her harshest critic, herself. When an unknown threat happens on an abandoned planet, can she keep the dysfunctional crew and herself together to survive?

So this is my first foray into "space horror," and my first time reading this author. The premise sounded amazing, but in some ways it was disappointing. The beginning of this book is so slow. I understand the need to build suspense, but at times I was bored and it left me wondering if anything would happen. Once the action picks up though, this is an excellent read. I think if the build up had been a little shorter, this would've been closer to a 5-star read.

Ophelia's character growth was well done and I did enjoy seeing her growth, as well as Ethan's growth. I liked the body horror and the psychological horror aspects, they left me unnerved. To say more would be spoilers, so I'll leave it at that. This book touches on things like corporate greed, the negatives of a capitalist society, grief, and loss. These were all pretty well done. If you like a slow burn space exploration mixed with psychological and body horror, this will be your jam

My thanks to Tor Nightfire, author S.A. Barnes, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Terrifying story on alien first contact and full of body horror. This thing is nightmare fuel!

I think you’ll love the mystery and the complex characters. Ophelia and Ethan really leap off the page. The images are stark and compelling and the tension is palpable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

Interesting concept but too slow-paced. I ended up not finishing the book because I found the characters too unengaging and the progress to be sluggish.

This had a decent plot, but I hated the characters. They were all stupid and selfish and immature. And if they had communicated their problems earlier instead of just worrying about themselves, they could have resolved the life threatening issues earlier.

In S. A. Barnes' gripping novel, "Ghost Station," psychiatrist Olivia's journey to counsel a bereaving crew spirals into a haunting labyrinth of personal trauma and extraterrestrial treachery. The author skillfully weaves a narrative that captivates readers with its psychological depth and atmospheric setting. Olivia's past becomes a haunting specter, blurring the lines between reality and the uncanny as she navigates an isolated alien outpost. Barnes evokes a palpable sense of isolation and paranoia, leaving readers on the edge of their seats as Olivia fights for survival and sanity. Through Olivia's struggles, "Ghost Station" explores the complex interplay between personal resilience, the power of the mind, and the indomitable spirit that emerges in the face of adversity.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book sounded really intriguing,,,a space illness, murder, mystery all layered with horror vibes.. I don't know if I built the book up more in my head or if the execution was lacking, but it was just okay to me. Parts felt really slow and I just couldn't get fully invested. Some questionable decisions of our main character, Ophelia, and by the end of the book, I just was ready to be done.

2.5 stars

I haven’t read many sci-fi horror books and I think Ghost Station is the first space horror story that I’ve read. It turns out I really enjoy space horror! Ghost Station follows a crew of space explorers (and a psychologist) on an abandoned planet where strange things start occurring. When one of the crew members ends up dead, the remaining crew members seek to find out what happened.

I loved the mystery and the tension that spread throughout this story. I felt claustrophobic and a sense of dread as the story went on. I didn’t have a clue who or what was responsible for the horrific events that took place. The main character, Ophelia, is an unreliable narrator, so I didn’t know whether she had something to do with what was happening or not.

There were some slow parts and I wasn’t a fan of the ending. I liked the build-up but the actual reason for all this stuff happening was kind of odd. It’s just not what I was expecting.

I do love the author’s writing and I will definitely be reading her other books. I’m looking forward to reading more space horror. 👩🏻‍🚀🪐🩸

If you’re a fan of space horror books or you love movies like “Life” or “Solaris,” you should pick up this book.

3.75 stars

There wasn’t a dull moment in this book.

When Ophelia Bray is added to a team going to explore an abandoned station on another planet, she has no idea what creepy hardships she’ll encounter. The isolation and the team dynamic is the least of it.

I loved the setting of this book, and the sense of dread in pretty much every page.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author, who have given me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🛸 Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes🛸

Pages: 377
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Goal 2024: 43/100

Wow wow wow!

Thank you so much Tor Publishing for the arc copy of Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes! This book!!! Chefs kiss! 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 S.A. Barnes you have made a masterpiece.

I went into this book blind and I have a few books on my TBR from this author but I didn’t know what to expect. I will be honest that at first the book didn’t hook me. It was a slow burn but then about half way through I was wondering what in the world was going on! Was it paranoia? Was it aliens? Was it ERS? I couldn’t tell!!! I really wanted to know what was happening. I also loved the relationship building! 👌🏼😍

This story is dark and anxiety inducing and I kept feeling my heart rate sky rocket during certain scenes! It was a very wild space ride and I’m here for all the Alien vibes.

I highly recommend for friends who like sci-fi and who also like thrillers! This book will keep you wondering what’s going to happen to Dr. Ophelia Bray!

#0to100 #books #reading #readmore #bookworm #ghoststation #sabarnes #netgalley

Ghost Station is the new entry in space horror by this horror and I definitely liked it better than the first book. I am fascinated by the concept of space travel and exploration, and love the idea that we are not alone out there and those who are out there are not always welcoming and may be far superior to us. Space exploration can be deadly, yes, but it can also be lonely as well as exciting. You have to depend on others to survive so what happens when you don't necessarily have confidence in others on your team?

The story revolves around Ophelia, the ship's psychologist, who is sent to assess the mental well-being of the crew on an isolated planet where one of their crew mates has died. Wanting to do good, she is surprised when she is given the cold shoulder as the crew understands that a poor evaluation could get them sent home and make them unemployable. Ophelia is a bit of a mess during this book and I enjoyed her journey as she explored the impact her past had on her choices and her behaviour, but the fact she is ignorant of the impact she could have on the crew mates blows me away. She constantly talks about how different she is from her family, but doesn't really consider the implications of why she is sent there in there in the first place.

The first half of the book is quite slow as it deals a lot with Ophelia and her family and the secrets she has kept from everyone; there is so much going on in her head that it sometimes becomes repetitive. It's not that the introspection wasn't interesting, but it has to balance more with the action and this didn't happen until the second half of the book. A lot of the information was important to the second half of the book, but you had to be really patient for the action to start happening.

As mentioned previously, the plot was quite slow in the beginning, but I did enjoy the build-up of the tension. It revolved mainly around Ophelia's issues and whether what she was seeing was real or not as well as the issues she was having with other crew mates. I listened to the audiobook as well as read an ARC kindle version, and I really enjoyed the audiobook. Zura Johnson did a great job narrating the book and the other crew members were easily distinguishable. Personally, I preferred the audiobook.

Once the action picked up in the second half, it was good and there was a big secret to be revealed, something I already suspected. I wish the author had kept up this kind of tension and pace throughout the novel as the last quarter was the best of the book.

Ghost Station was an improvement for me as I DNF the last one, but it did get bogged down in the first half with too much introspection. With such an intriguing narrative, I wish the author had balanced the mental health aspects of doing such a job with the action a bit more as I felt like they were two separate things in this book. I definitely enjoyed it, and am looking forward to reading more by this author in the future. And I will also be searching for more by this narrator as well.

What an utter disappointment!

I'll be honest, I couldn't even properly finish "Ghost Station". I was so bored that I just ended up skimming the rest of the novel after getting through half of it, and nothing I saw convinced me that I needed to actually read the rest. It's not even an awful book, but it's just so bland and boring.

I'm not even going to talk about how this is another case of bait-and-switch from S.A. Barnes because, just like "Dead Silence", this novel is marketed as sci-fi horror, but in reality it's a thriller. But the better question is, how is it possible to waste such a fantastic premise? An abandoned planet, a ghost town, a psychological syndrome that starts with paranoia but can escalate into murder... Sounds like a great setup for a sci-fi horror/thriller, right? Well, I thought so too. Turns out, this is filled with melodrama, corporate drama, and wooden characters, with a few tense, unsettling scenes here are there. I just couldn't bring myself to care about any of this - everything between those scenes was a chore to get through. On top of it all, the main character, who is supposed to a psychologist keeping the exploration crew in check, is clearly far from doing well herself. This is obvious from the very beginning, to the point that it should be also obvious to her. The fact that she's even out there, on this mission, is bizarre. Almost as bizarre as the interactions of the characters because this crew is as bland as it is dysfunctional.

The two stars are for the setting and the few great tense scenes only.
No more S.A. Barnes for me.

3.5 stars

This was my first book by this author and I thought it was pretty good. It was a slow burn, although I think it was to build suspense and to help us understand Ophelia better.

In terms of the characters, Ophelia was not my favorite. She was okay, but she didn't make the best decisions. While the author does a good job of helping us understand her by the end, it took half the book for us to better understand her decisions in the second half. That said, I thought the last 25% or so was very well done.

Ethan was someone who I did not initially like, but over time, I both respected him and liked him more. Ophelia did not make it easy for him. Liana's role was more the baby of the group, and I did like her, but I didn't understand why she had that role. As for the rest of the crew? I didn't like them for various reasons.

Overall, this was a slow burn of a novel with the last 25 percent moving at quite a clip. I did like who Ophelia became and the author did a good job of incorporating what she went through on the station with her personal growth.

While this was not my favorite of novels, I enjoyed it well enough that I would love to read more books by this author.