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Red Space #2
Revenant-X
Revenant-X is the terrifying second novel in a new trilogy of survival and exploration in deep space, from Clarke Award-nominated author David Wellington.
FEAR THE DARK.
The crew of the Artemis - led by Firewatch agent Alexandra Petrova - have survived the furious onslaught of the Basilisk and broken through the space blockade around Paradise-1. Now they can pursue their original mission and investigate why Earth's first deep space colony has fallen silent.
The answer seems the site is deserted.
Or so they think.
Some of the colonists remain. They're no longer human.
Petrova and her crew now face a desperate struggle to survive as they attempt to uncover the mystery of what has befallen the colony.
If they fail, the darkness that has fallen over Paradise-1 will consume them.
FEAR THE DARK.
The crew of the Artemis - led by Firewatch agent Alexandra Petrova - have survived the furious onslaught of the Basilisk and broken through the space blockade around Paradise-1. Now they can pursue their original mission and investigate why Earth's first deep space colony has fallen silent.
The answer seems the site is deserted.
Or so they think.
Some of the colonists remain. They're no longer human.
Petrova and her crew now face a desperate struggle to survive as they attempt to uncover the mystery of what has befallen the colony.
If they fail, the darkness that has fallen over Paradise-1 will consume them.
512 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2024
157 people are currently reading
1487 people want to read
About the author
David Wellington
74 books1,152 followersDavid Wellington is a contemporary American horror author, best known for his Zombie trilogy as well as his Vampire series and Werewolf series. His books have been translated into eleven languages and are a global phenomenon.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
December 9, 2024
3.0 Stars
After having such a strong reaction to the first book, I went into this book nervously. Paradise-1 ended on a cliffhanger that left me irritated and unsatisfied. Even if a book is part of a series, I believe each book should have a certain amount of conclusion or at least a resting point for the reader. I shouldn't have to wait a year with the story hanging off a cliff.
However I was surprised to find that my emotional response had dampened. I was surprised to find interest in the series again. If I could have read this book immediately, I don't think I would have been as annoyed how the first book ended.
As far as a space horror, this one is more action than I personally prefer. For example, I love the suspense of the first Alien movie over the non-stop action of the franchise sequel. I wish book was more suspenseful. The characters are fine, but not especially compelling.
Overall, I would say that this book was a good addition to the series but the overall story is still falling short of it's potential.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
After having such a strong reaction to the first book, I went into this book nervously. Paradise-1 ended on a cliffhanger that left me irritated and unsatisfied. Even if a book is part of a series, I believe each book should have a certain amount of conclusion or at least a resting point for the reader. I shouldn't have to wait a year with the story hanging off a cliff.
However I was surprised to find that my emotional response had dampened. I was surprised to find interest in the series again. If I could have read this book immediately, I don't think I would have been as annoyed how the first book ended.
As far as a space horror, this one is more action than I personally prefer. For example, I love the suspense of the first Alien movie over the non-stop action of the franchise sequel. I wish book was more suspenseful. The characters are fine, but not especially compelling.
Overall, I would say that this book was a good addition to the series but the overall story is still falling short of it's potential.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
September 22, 2024
A bit over a year ago, I called David Wellington's Paradise-1 "a fine example of just how fresh and enjoyable sci-fi horror can be when an author fully commits to an original premise." I wish I could say the same of its sequel, Revenant-X, which is largely content to play it safe as an overly familiar and overstuffed zombie book on an alien planet.
Picking up right where Paradise-1 left off, Petrova and her small group of companions and formidable survivors are stranded on the empty world. She has a psychic alien monstrosity, which she calls a basilisk, living in her head. Her lover, Sam Parker, is essentially a computerized ghost given shape and form by hard light. Zhang, the group's doctor, is kept habitually medicated by the device on his wrist lest he spiral out of control and kill himself. And then there's the appropriately named, anti-human robot, Rapscallion, who has deliberately built himself out of the most offensive toxic green-colored plastic a 3-D printer can produce.
The colony that once kept Paradise thrumming is a ghost town, as is the secret mining town that never made it ways into the official reports Petrova had access to when launched on this journey in the prior book. The entire settlement is dead. Or, more accurately, undead, thanks to all the colonists having been turned into ravenous hordes of monsters that exist only to kill. Lucky for them, they have four new candidates on the chopping block!
As the second in a trilogy, Revenant-X suffers from middle book syndrome. Whereas Paradise-1 felt fresh and exciting, with Wellington setting up a number of unique and horrifying set-pieces as if it were a haunted corn maze in outer space, Revenant-X is simply tiresome. Wellington wears out his welcome quickly with an over-reliance on rinse-and-repeat scenarios and lack of meaningful consequences (save for one instance particularly, but with Book 3 still on the docket, we'll just have to file that one under TBD). For a book about being stuck on a massive, dead world, this second Red Space title feels just as large and empty.
Petrova and company explore a facility and get attacked by revenants. They manage to escape and run elsewhere, where they get attacked by revenants. Rapscallion gets damaged and has to print off new body parts. They try to get to a communications tower to reestablish contact with Petrova's higher-ups at Firewatch and get attacked by revenants. Rapscallion gets damaged and has to print off new body parts. They craft a makeshift boat to sail down a river to get to the mining town, where they, of course, are attacked by revenants. Rapscallion gets damaged and has to print off new body parts. There's only a few small ideas tucked away within these 5oo-plus pages, and Wellington returns to them over and over and over with too little new to say about any of them. By the time we get some nuggets of fresh information to move the overarching plot of this series along, the book is just about over, with little in the way of either closure or fanfare because there's still a whole other book to wait for. We, along with Wellington, have simply been spinning our wheels this whole time.
Revenant-X didn't excite me the way Paradise-1 did, and although Paradise-1 was significantly longer than its follow-up, Revenant-X feels bulkier and longer by far. The repetition of ideas and scenarios make this book feel more cumbersome than it is, giving it a sluggish and tiresome pace. Instead of varied, threatening encounters, we're left feeling little more than, "Oh, this again?" Little of consequence occurs within these pages, despite the frequency of all its happenings. To his credit, Wellington does keep the action coming, even if it feels more like being beat over the head than anything approaching suspense or tension in the narrative.
With a bit more authorial self-control or firmer editorial oversight, Revenant-X could easily lose a few hundred pages and remain largely unchanged. As it stands now, it's more like the literary equivalent of those "this meeting could have been an e-mail" memes.
Picking up right where Paradise-1 left off, Petrova and her small group of companions and formidable survivors are stranded on the empty world. She has a psychic alien monstrosity, which she calls a basilisk, living in her head. Her lover, Sam Parker, is essentially a computerized ghost given shape and form by hard light. Zhang, the group's doctor, is kept habitually medicated by the device on his wrist lest he spiral out of control and kill himself. And then there's the appropriately named, anti-human robot, Rapscallion, who has deliberately built himself out of the most offensive toxic green-colored plastic a 3-D printer can produce.
The colony that once kept Paradise thrumming is a ghost town, as is the secret mining town that never made it ways into the official reports Petrova had access to when launched on this journey in the prior book. The entire settlement is dead. Or, more accurately, undead, thanks to all the colonists having been turned into ravenous hordes of monsters that exist only to kill. Lucky for them, they have four new candidates on the chopping block!
As the second in a trilogy, Revenant-X suffers from middle book syndrome. Whereas Paradise-1 felt fresh and exciting, with Wellington setting up a number of unique and horrifying set-pieces as if it were a haunted corn maze in outer space, Revenant-X is simply tiresome. Wellington wears out his welcome quickly with an over-reliance on rinse-and-repeat scenarios and lack of meaningful consequences (save for one instance particularly, but with Book 3 still on the docket, we'll just have to file that one under TBD). For a book about being stuck on a massive, dead world, this second Red Space title feels just as large and empty.
Petrova and company explore a facility and get attacked by revenants. They manage to escape and run elsewhere, where they get attacked by revenants. Rapscallion gets damaged and has to print off new body parts. They try to get to a communications tower to reestablish contact with Petrova's higher-ups at Firewatch and get attacked by revenants. Rapscallion gets damaged and has to print off new body parts. They craft a makeshift boat to sail down a river to get to the mining town, where they, of course, are attacked by revenants. Rapscallion gets damaged and has to print off new body parts. There's only a few small ideas tucked away within these 5oo-plus pages, and Wellington returns to them over and over and over with too little new to say about any of them. By the time we get some nuggets of fresh information to move the overarching plot of this series along, the book is just about over, with little in the way of either closure or fanfare because there's still a whole other book to wait for. We, along with Wellington, have simply been spinning our wheels this whole time.
Revenant-X didn't excite me the way Paradise-1 did, and although Paradise-1 was significantly longer than its follow-up, Revenant-X feels bulkier and longer by far. The repetition of ideas and scenarios make this book feel more cumbersome than it is, giving it a sluggish and tiresome pace. Instead of varied, threatening encounters, we're left feeling little more than, "Oh, this again?" Little of consequence occurs within these pages, despite the frequency of all its happenings. To his credit, Wellington does keep the action coming, even if it feels more like being beat over the head than anything approaching suspense or tension in the narrative.
With a bit more authorial self-control or firmer editorial oversight, Revenant-X could easily lose a few hundred pages and remain largely unchanged. As it stands now, it's more like the literary equivalent of those "this meeting could have been an e-mail" memes.
November 13, 2024
I definitely had to reread the first book, Paradise-1. These are very long books. I couldn't remember as much as I wanted before diving into this next book of the series.
I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed the first book more this second time. It made everything fresh in my memory.
The second installment did not disappoint! Well-written, exciting, and tense. The depth and length of these books allow the reader to get even closer to the main characters. It creates more in-depth personal feelings towards them. As noted, the books are quite long. Still, I was ready for more!
The only con here is having to wait to read the final book in the trilogy!
I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed the first book more this second time. It made everything fresh in my memory.
The second installment did not disappoint! Well-written, exciting, and tense. The depth and length of these books allow the reader to get even closer to the main characters. It creates more in-depth personal feelings towards them. As noted, the books are quite long. Still, I was ready for more!
The only con here is having to wait to read the final book in the trilogy!
January 19, 2025
I gotta admit I was pretty disappointed with this sequel. I gave four stars to the first book in the series, Paradise-1, deducting a star just for the lack of character complexity. Despite that, it engaged with the topic of AI in a serious and engaging manner, and the story had plenty of intense and thrilling scenes. I also really liked the threats posed by both humans, AI and monsters. Paradise-1 was as such a lot more suspenseful, engaging and exciting read, because "Revenant-X" falls short on all aspects.
I mean, the characters have not changed one bit. There’s a complete lack of suspense, as there’s too much action going on. Senseless and random action, in my opinion. So much so that things become tedious, even cumbersome towards the end. There’s generally very little breathing room to reflect on either technology or what it means to be human. Both for the characters and the reader. All meaning and depth and critical thinking is tossed out the window. Some of the new monsters and alien menagerie were interesting on paper, but they never got to truly shine and feel like real threats. Therefore, the best parts of science fiction are missing, as well as the best parts of horror.
I listened to the audiobook version again, though, and the narrator, Laurel Lefkow, is still excellent. This book is so long, and I’m impressed by how she manages to stay consistent with each character, even AI characters, all the way through. She does not miss a beat and her shift in tone and pronunciation is impeccable!
I would recommend listening to the audiobook version of the first book, even if you don’t intend to move on to Revenant-X. It’s good enough to stand on its own! Sadly, if there’s a third book in this series, I probably won’t listen to it. I just lost all interest.
I mean, the characters have not changed one bit. There’s a complete lack of suspense, as there’s too much action going on. Senseless and random action, in my opinion. So much so that things become tedious, even cumbersome towards the end. There’s generally very little breathing room to reflect on either technology or what it means to be human. Both for the characters and the reader. All meaning and depth and critical thinking is tossed out the window. Some of the new monsters and alien menagerie were interesting on paper, but they never got to truly shine and feel like real threats. Therefore, the best parts of science fiction are missing, as well as the best parts of horror.
I listened to the audiobook version again, though, and the narrator, Laurel Lefkow, is still excellent. This book is so long, and I’m impressed by how she manages to stay consistent with each character, even AI characters, all the way through. She does not miss a beat and her shift in tone and pronunciation is impeccable!
I would recommend listening to the audiobook version of the first book, even if you don’t intend to move on to Revenant-X. It’s good enough to stand on its own! Sadly, if there’s a third book in this series, I probably won’t listen to it. I just lost all interest.
November 11, 2024
Ok so i know book 2 just came out but where is book 3?
November 20, 2024
This book seemed to take a big step back from any originality. It was just Meh for me, especially after the first one.
October 24, 2024
Revenant-X picks up right where Paradise-1 left off with Petrova, Zhang, Rapscallion, and Parker finally crashed on the planet to which they fought so desperately to get. As they explore the deserted down and (nearly) barren wilderness, they begin to find breadcrumbs indicating that they're part of a much larger and older mystery than they thought. David Wellington introduces more interesting ideas with an abstract ominous antagonist but, unfortunately, Revenant-X suffers from some of the same pacing issues as Paradise-1.
First, the book is just too long. This story does not need over 500 pages to be told. I had a similar feeling in the first book, but to a lesser extent; the different ships and varied ways in which the basilisk presented kept the story interesting, if not a little repetitive. That repetition is dialed up in Revenant-X with our characters exploring vast areas of an uninhabited planet over and over until their attackers, the Revenants, arrive each time. These zombie-like creatures who are hellbent on stopping anyone from finding what's on the planet are interesting at first, but they play the same role throughout the book. Many of these "travel, search, get attacked, somehow get out" scenes blend together since they added little to the overall plot.
With that being said, Wellington has a crisp, clear writing style paired with short chapters that makes it easier to keep going from the reader's perspective when the narrative slows. He does a great job of keeping the structure and pacing moving in individual scenes.
The plot progressed the most rapidly in the last quarter of the book. While I appreciated learning more about the central mystery and finally moving the story forward, it felt abrupt compared to the rest of the reading experience. If Wellington had spaced some of this out earlier in the book (or at least built up some of these elements more than the planet exploration) the ending would have felt more satisfying. Pacing issues aside, the final few chapters were an exciting ride that both answered many of our crew's questions and set the stage for a high-stakes, climactic conclusion in the third book. Without spoiling anything, I’m excited to learn more about this new evil force and its relationship to the basilisk and the basilisk's creators.
I enjoyed Revenant-X overall. Wellington created an interesting world with relatable characters and several compelling threads, but a little more focus is needed on tightening these up. I'm invested in the crew and will definitely read the final installment in the series once it comes out. However, I hope it is more succinct with satisfactory conclusions to the stories introduced so far.
Thank you to NetGalley an the publisher for a review copy of the eBook in exchange for an honest review.
First, the book is just too long. This story does not need over 500 pages to be told. I had a similar feeling in the first book, but to a lesser extent; the different ships and varied ways in which the basilisk presented kept the story interesting, if not a little repetitive. That repetition is dialed up in Revenant-X with our characters exploring vast areas of an uninhabited planet over and over until their attackers, the Revenants, arrive each time. These zombie-like creatures who are hellbent on stopping anyone from finding what's on the planet are interesting at first, but they play the same role throughout the book. Many of these "travel, search, get attacked, somehow get out" scenes blend together since they added little to the overall plot.
With that being said, Wellington has a crisp, clear writing style paired with short chapters that makes it easier to keep going from the reader's perspective when the narrative slows. He does a great job of keeping the structure and pacing moving in individual scenes.
The plot progressed the most rapidly in the last quarter of the book. While I appreciated learning more about the central mystery and finally moving the story forward, it felt abrupt compared to the rest of the reading experience. If Wellington had spaced some of this out earlier in the book (or at least built up some of these elements more than the planet exploration) the ending would have felt more satisfying. Pacing issues aside, the final few chapters were an exciting ride that both answered many of our crew's questions and set the stage for a high-stakes, climactic conclusion in the third book. Without spoiling anything, I’m excited to learn more about this new evil force and its relationship to the basilisk and the basilisk's creators.
I enjoyed Revenant-X overall. Wellington created an interesting world with relatable characters and several compelling threads, but a little more focus is needed on tightening these up. I'm invested in the crew and will definitely read the final installment in the series once it comes out. However, I hope it is more succinct with satisfactory conclusions to the stories introduced so far.
Thank you to NetGalley an the publisher for a review copy of the eBook in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2024
Maybe blnot quite 5 stars, but I did really enjoy it. I feel that he really thought out the world and the mechanics in it, it felt realistic to me and I appreciated that even though that made the pace much slower especially around the middle. But regardless, i loved it.
December 10, 2024
It’s slightly less enjoyable than the previous one. The first book had a strong horror vibe, reminiscent of Event Horizon and all that. The second one… still retains some of that, sure, but it’s just not the same. The entire story feels like characters walking from point A to point B, with a lot of action happening along the way. It’s never boring, I’ll give it that, but I wish the darkness that this story introduced wasn’t slowly fading away. That said, things are now set up for a very interesting follow-up, and I’m really looking forward to more books in the series.
September 30, 2025
Red Space 02 Revenant-X by David Wellington
4.25 Stars
challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense
Medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus: Yes
This was a very strong sequel to the Paradise-X novel in the Red Space "duology", though I hope these authors (whoever they are) can/will write more. I have so many questions.
In many ways, it is a zombie novel, but also a parasite novel, but also...it feels like something that could be in the alien franchise (loosely).
There is a real threat in this novel, and there are times that our characters JUST want to die, but they trudge/fight on.
As a reader, at times (for me), I felt defeated and frustrated with what I thought was the finale of this book, though...there has to be another story...for there are a number of threads that haven't been tied up.
If this is end of the Red Space story, I will be disappointed. There is more to this story. Please.
I enjoyed it. Well, it had me on the edge of my seat, as I was thrust into a world that is constantly trying to kill you, even more than space itself is doing without vindictiveness...but in their belief, it is truly vindictive...by the corporation and the people who sent them there...to die.
If another book is written, I will definitley buy it, and read it.
4.25 Stars
challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense
Medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus: Yes
This was a very strong sequel to the Paradise-X novel in the Red Space "duology", though I hope these authors (whoever they are) can/will write more. I have so many questions.
In many ways, it is a zombie novel, but also a parasite novel, but also...it feels like something that could be in the alien franchise (loosely).
There is a real threat in this novel, and there are times that our characters JUST want to die, but they trudge/fight on.
As a reader, at times (for me), I felt defeated and frustrated with what I thought was the finale of this book, though...there has to be another story...for there are a number of threads that haven't been tied up.
If this is end of the Red Space story, I will be disappointed. There is more to this story. Please.
I enjoyed it. Well, it had me on the edge of my seat, as I was thrust into a world that is constantly trying to kill you, even more than space itself is doing without vindictiveness...but in their belief, it is truly vindictive...by the corporation and the people who sent them there...to die.
If another book is written, I will definitley buy it, and read it.
October 10, 2025
I really enjoyed the first book of this series, Paradise 1. I appreciated the alien's different and myriad ways of trying to communicate by infecting the AI's and thus the Captains and Crew. However, Revenant-X is becoming a bit like another zombie book.
Maybe I'll come back to this when the final book comes out as I do like the characters.
Maybe I'll come back to this when the final book comes out as I do like the characters.
November 27, 2025
Usually long books intimidate me, but I wish this book was longer so I could spend mire time in this world. Thankfully there's a third book coming out next year, but that might be the last in the series which is so sad! Plus I still have so many unanswered questions and I'm worried they're not all going to be answered in one book.
Even though this is technically a horror book, it feels more like a thriller to me. It was such a page turner and there was always something happening, but I was never truly scared. Although that cave scene...I haven't been as physically uncomfortable while reading a book in a long time. My entire body felt itchy and I was truly horrified. That scene is basically my worst nightmare.
The writing isn't anything special (and there were actually a few lines I thought were quite cringey), but the plot and characters more than made up for it. There are basically only 4 characters in this book and I loved all of them. If I had to choose Rapscallion would be my favorite, but I was super invested in the other 3 as well. I just have a soft spot for robots. (Though Zhang is also becoming a standout character! I really love him) I love these characters and I am living for their found family dynamic. I will be devestated if anything happens to them.
I don't think this book is completely perfect. While I'm giving it 5 stars, it's probably more like a 4.5/4.75 star read. I still had an amazing time reading this, but I didn't love it quite as much as the first book. The ending was a bit too ambiguous and I'm very confused with Parker's character and what the hell is going on with him. Still, I'm extremely excited for the next book. Hopefully it lives up the first two!!
Even though this is technically a horror book, it feels more like a thriller to me. It was such a page turner and there was always something happening, but I was never truly scared. Although that cave scene...I haven't been as physically uncomfortable while reading a book in a long time. My entire body felt itchy and I was truly horrified. That scene is basically my worst nightmare.
The writing isn't anything special (and there were actually a few lines I thought were quite cringey), but the plot and characters more than made up for it. There are basically only 4 characters in this book and I loved all of them. If I had to choose Rapscallion would be my favorite, but I was super invested in the other 3 as well. I just have a soft spot for robots. (Though Zhang is also becoming a standout character! I really love him) I love these characters and I am living for their found family dynamic. I will be devestated if anything happens to them.
I don't think this book is completely perfect. While I'm giving it 5 stars, it's probably more like a 4.5/4.75 star read. I still had an amazing time reading this, but I didn't love it quite as much as the first book. The ending was a bit too ambiguous and I'm very confused with Parker's character and what the hell is going on with him. Still, I'm extremely excited for the next book. Hopefully it lives up the first two!!
November 11, 2024
4.5*
I am digging this series so much. It is huge- as in, big ol' books huge- but don't let that deter you! It's meaty, but in the good way where you don't even realize how long it is until you see the page count (I guess unless you're hefting around physical copies). Anyway, this book picks up where the series left off, and we're back with this wonderful group of characters that has become a found family to each other. The stakes are just as high as ever as they travel to a virtually unknown planet to see what the heck happened to the folks living there who the rest of the universe has lost contact with.
What they find is shocking and messed up and will test them at every single step. And then when you think things cannot get more dire... they do. My only slight qualm was that maybe a few of the scenes felt a little repetitive, but this is truly a minor gripe, because I loved seeing how our space crew would get their way out of the direst of straights. If you love an intense, thought provoking space thriller, this is a series you won't want to miss! Now, I just have to somehow wait for the next installment!
Bottom Line: Just as exciting and thrilling as the first book but I felt even more connection to the characters. Need more immediately!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I am digging this series so much. It is huge- as in, big ol' books huge- but don't let that deter you! It's meaty, but in the good way where you don't even realize how long it is until you see the page count (I guess unless you're hefting around physical copies). Anyway, this book picks up where the series left off, and we're back with this wonderful group of characters that has become a found family to each other. The stakes are just as high as ever as they travel to a virtually unknown planet to see what the heck happened to the folks living there who the rest of the universe has lost contact with.
What they find is shocking and messed up and will test them at every single step. And then when you think things cannot get more dire... they do. My only slight qualm was that maybe a few of the scenes felt a little repetitive, but this is truly a minor gripe, because I loved seeing how our space crew would get their way out of the direst of straights. If you love an intense, thought provoking space thriller, this is a series you won't want to miss! Now, I just have to somehow wait for the next installment!
Bottom Line: Just as exciting and thrilling as the first book but I felt even more connection to the characters. Need more immediately!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
September 10, 2025
really good for sci fi lovers! Glad to hear there will be a third book, because the ending left me wanting more!
January 7, 2025
Too repetitive and lacking the visceral horror of the first one. However, it was still a page turner and enjoyable.
June 9, 2025
Loved this second book in this series. Good ole sci fi horror.
November 7, 2024
The action in this book starts so early that at first I though it was one of those fake chapter cliffhangers. But nope, you get an encounter with the first zombie in the first 10 minutes. And then the characters spend 30 minutes trying to figure out that it was actually a zombie. I wish we would've spent more time with a tension build-up, but oh well. There are so few sci-fi horrors that beggars can't be choosers.
The story is fast pased, reads as an action movie. It's set on an alien planet but could've been anywhere on earth except for a couple scenes where some kind of alien flora was desribed.
The audiobook is not the best. The narrator has a very wistful voice that would be great for fairy tales but sounds out of place in a zombie action story.
If you like the idea of sci-fi with zombie-esque creatures set on an alien planet but with a touch more and better romance try The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe.
The story is fast pased, reads as an action movie. It's set on an alien planet but could've been anywhere on earth except for a couple scenes where some kind of alien flora was desribed.
The audiobook is not the best. The narrator has a very wistful voice that would be great for fairy tales but sounds out of place in a zombie action story.
If you like the idea of sci-fi with zombie-esque creatures set on an alien planet but with a touch more and better romance try The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe.
December 25, 2025
I had my issues with Paradise-1, but at its core it was a decent sci-fi horror. The sequel (part 2 of what I’m assuming is gonna be a trilogy?) trades tense space paranoia and a struggle against an unknown maddening force for… zombies. Kind of a pivot from horror to action, like Alien to Aliens (actually that’s a really good comparison for a lot of aspects here, huh) but ultimately it just lacks any real impact; like it’s *fine* but fine just isn’t cutting it. At least this one is shorter, but once again almost nothing is actually answered, like this is just teasing barely enough to maintain a baseline level of interest. It’s just cliffhanger after cliffhanger and tbh it’s making me a little crazy. 2.5⭐️, next book isn’t out for a while so maybe this can simmer a bit and the conclusion will make me look back more fondly.
December 1, 2024
2.50 Stars.
This was just Meh! A big step back from Paradise- 1
This was just Meh! A big step back from Paradise- 1
December 17, 2024
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2024/12/16/...
When David Wellington’s Paradise-1 came out, it wasn’t exactly to rave reviews, though I found myself enjoying it all the same—far more than I expected, in fact. That experience (along with that infuriating cliffhanger) actually left me eager to see how the space horror action will continue, and I was quite excited to check out Revenant-X. In the end, I thought it was an engaging sequel, stronger than its predecessor in some areas, but there were some weaker parts as well.
The story picks up right where the first book left off (so make sure you’re caught up before you read this next part!), with Firewatch agent Alexandra Petrova and her team stranded on a desolate, nightmarish planet. Her team has dwindled to include her former flame Sam, whose physical form is now a digital projection; Zhang, the nervous medic forced into a leadership role; and Rapscallion, their puckish artificial intelligence which resides in the patchwork robotic body that he cobbled together from a mess of printed parts.
The environment they’ve found themselves in is equally disorienting and bleak. Petrova is still dealing with a psychic alien presence that has invaded her mind, and occasionally takes control. The planet’s former colony along with its mining operation has been completely destroyed, overrun by a mysterious plague which has turned its residents into a horde of feral, bloodthirsty creatures called revenants that bring to mind space zombies. For this already broken down and fragile team, simply staying alive at this point seems straight-up impossible.
Not unexpectedly, the horror elements are more in-your-face this time, leaning heavily into the action. Despite the high stakes though, the main problem with Revenant-X comes down to its massive page-count, which really doesn’t warrant 500+ pages (as I recall, this was a similar complaint I had with the first book, which was 700ish, so an improvement, I guess). After the short intro, I noticed a pattern in the story, which pretty much boils down to our characters embarking on a long quest to get from Point A to Point B. Along their journey, they encounter many difficulties that range from getting lost to revenant attacks—lots and lots of revenant attacks. These scenes, while full of thrills and excitement, are nevertheless light on depth and unfortunately start to get a little tiresome after the first half-dozen times it happens.
That said, I’m still enjoying the character interactions and the gradual development of their relationships. Each member of the group has a unique backstory and a personal arc that continues to evolve as they confront their individual challenges, like Petrova’s struggle with the entity known as the basilisk, everyone’s adjustment to Sam’s current existence as a hard light construct, Zhang’s battle with his own mental health, and of course who can forget my favorite, Rapscallion and his peculiar approach to his human crew’s hangups. All the revenant activity in narrative somehow manages to avoid overshadowing all these moments of character growth, keeping me invested in their survival.
Ultimately, Revenant-X is a solid sequel that builds on the foundation of Paradise-1, even if it does run a little long and doesn’t fully capitalize on its action-heavy potential. But if you enjoy sci-fi horror movies like Alien and especially the later ones in the franchise, then I think you’ll feel right at home.
When David Wellington’s Paradise-1 came out, it wasn’t exactly to rave reviews, though I found myself enjoying it all the same—far more than I expected, in fact. That experience (along with that infuriating cliffhanger) actually left me eager to see how the space horror action will continue, and I was quite excited to check out Revenant-X. In the end, I thought it was an engaging sequel, stronger than its predecessor in some areas, but there were some weaker parts as well.
The story picks up right where the first book left off (so make sure you’re caught up before you read this next part!), with Firewatch agent Alexandra Petrova and her team stranded on a desolate, nightmarish planet. Her team has dwindled to include her former flame Sam, whose physical form is now a digital projection; Zhang, the nervous medic forced into a leadership role; and Rapscallion, their puckish artificial intelligence which resides in the patchwork robotic body that he cobbled together from a mess of printed parts.
The environment they’ve found themselves in is equally disorienting and bleak. Petrova is still dealing with a psychic alien presence that has invaded her mind, and occasionally takes control. The planet’s former colony along with its mining operation has been completely destroyed, overrun by a mysterious plague which has turned its residents into a horde of feral, bloodthirsty creatures called revenants that bring to mind space zombies. For this already broken down and fragile team, simply staying alive at this point seems straight-up impossible.
Not unexpectedly, the horror elements are more in-your-face this time, leaning heavily into the action. Despite the high stakes though, the main problem with Revenant-X comes down to its massive page-count, which really doesn’t warrant 500+ pages (as I recall, this was a similar complaint I had with the first book, which was 700ish, so an improvement, I guess). After the short intro, I noticed a pattern in the story, which pretty much boils down to our characters embarking on a long quest to get from Point A to Point B. Along their journey, they encounter many difficulties that range from getting lost to revenant attacks—lots and lots of revenant attacks. These scenes, while full of thrills and excitement, are nevertheless light on depth and unfortunately start to get a little tiresome after the first half-dozen times it happens.
That said, I’m still enjoying the character interactions and the gradual development of their relationships. Each member of the group has a unique backstory and a personal arc that continues to evolve as they confront their individual challenges, like Petrova’s struggle with the entity known as the basilisk, everyone’s adjustment to Sam’s current existence as a hard light construct, Zhang’s battle with his own mental health, and of course who can forget my favorite, Rapscallion and his peculiar approach to his human crew’s hangups. All the revenant activity in narrative somehow manages to avoid overshadowing all these moments of character growth, keeping me invested in their survival.
Ultimately, Revenant-X is a solid sequel that builds on the foundation of Paradise-1, even if it does run a little long and doesn’t fully capitalize on its action-heavy potential. But if you enjoy sci-fi horror movies like Alien and especially the later ones in the franchise, then I think you’ll feel right at home.
October 4, 2024
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Alexandra Petrova and her small crew - Dr. Zhang, the ghost of Sam Parker and that rascally robot Rapscallion, have managed to survive the mind parasite known as basilisk, and have landed on the first deep space colony, Paradise-1. Though it seems the colonists have all mysteriously vanished, the group soon discover they wish that were the case. What's left of the colonists are vicious zombie-like bodies, which they dub revenants, that seem hell bent on stopping them from finding what secrets the planet its mining operation have in store.
Though, again, Wellington has written a doorstop of a novel, he's done so in short chapters that nonetheless always contain a lot of action and constantly propel the narrative forward at a rapid clip. While I likened the previous book to The Walking Dead meets Event Horizon, this one felt a bit more like the movie version of World War Z but in space. The heroes find themselves in overwhelming peril time and again, mostly from hordes of revenants, though the basilisk in Petrova's head means she's never fully safe from it either. As there was an abundance, and maybe even an over-abundance, of scenes where it seemed like there was no way the characters would survive, it did eventually get to a point where it felt like some of that could have been left out, as all it did was lengthen the story and stretch credulity. After another long journey in this world, as much as I enjoyed the story, 'm not that excited it's only part two of a trilogy. Not sure there needs to be another 600 pages to wrap the story up.
Alexandra Petrova and her small crew - Dr. Zhang, the ghost of Sam Parker and that rascally robot Rapscallion, have managed to survive the mind parasite known as basilisk, and have landed on the first deep space colony, Paradise-1. Though it seems the colonists have all mysteriously vanished, the group soon discover they wish that were the case. What's left of the colonists are vicious zombie-like bodies, which they dub revenants, that seem hell bent on stopping them from finding what secrets the planet its mining operation have in store.
Though, again, Wellington has written a doorstop of a novel, he's done so in short chapters that nonetheless always contain a lot of action and constantly propel the narrative forward at a rapid clip. While I likened the previous book to The Walking Dead meets Event Horizon, this one felt a bit more like the movie version of World War Z but in space. The heroes find themselves in overwhelming peril time and again, mostly from hordes of revenants, though the basilisk in Petrova's head means she's never fully safe from it either. As there was an abundance, and maybe even an over-abundance, of scenes where it seemed like there was no way the characters would survive, it did eventually get to a point where it felt like some of that could have been left out, as all it did was lengthen the story and stretch credulity. After another long journey in this world, as much as I enjoyed the story, 'm not that excited it's only part two of a trilogy. Not sure there needs to be another 600 pages to wrap the story up.
June 2, 2025
The Red Space trilogy is my first real dive into sci-fi, deep space exploration and I am obsessed. This book was even better than Paradise-1.
The character development was great - Dr. Zhang’s character really deepened and his bravery and care for his friends was really cool to me.
Rapscallion, the precious and toxic green robot, will forever be my favorite character in this world. He is so relatable and makes me laugh. I will say, I could do without the constant fear of Rapscallion’s death though. That robot’s life was threatened way more than my little heart could take.
The plot was phenomenal, the world building is super cool, the characters are complex and interesting.
4.5 stars ⭐️
PS
Dear David Wellington and Orbit Publishing,
I need y’all to release the third book - I cannot wait much longer…
Thank you ✨
The character development was great - Dr. Zhang’s character really deepened and his bravery and care for his friends was really cool to me.
Rapscallion, the precious and toxic green robot, will forever be my favorite character in this world. He is so relatable and makes me laugh. I will say, I could do without the constant fear of Rapscallion’s death though. That robot’s life was threatened way more than my little heart could take.
The plot was phenomenal, the world building is super cool, the characters are complex and interesting.
4.5 stars ⭐️
PS
Dear David Wellington and Orbit Publishing,
I need y’all to release the third book - I cannot wait much longer…
Thank you ✨
December 2, 2024
I was excited to get Revenant-X because I do enjoy horror sci-fi, but I did not pay attention to the listing saying this was book 2 of a planned series. This was an oops on my part, but I did read the first book Paradise-1 which did have all the expected body horror. Revenant-x was less gruesome and more of an eerie horror. The setting of a desolate planet with zombies really did keep me reading and I was anxious to see what would happen to Petrova and Zhang. I liked the deepening of their relationship (this is NOT a romance book), and I continued my deep abiding appreciation of Rapscallion. I thought Wellington wrapped this book up nicely, while planting the seeds for book 3.
Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for the arc for review purposes.
Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for the arc for review purposes.
January 4, 2025
There are some end notes where David thanks everyone for all of the edits… I’d like to see the first draft please, because this wasn’t it. Did I enjoy it? Of course, Paradise-1 is one of my favorite books. But this did not give me the same feeling as book 1, and quite frankly, I’m really upset over the ending. Where’s the fear? The horror? The sci-fi even? The first book made me sleep with the light on and had me screaming for them to run- this one just didn’t do it for me. Granted, I don’t care much for zombies, and this one was chock full of them- so there’s a chance that’s what my issue is. The first one was so creative, so well done… this just felt easy. I’ll still recommend this series and gosh I hope David doesn’t see this review.
January 14, 2025
4.5 ⭐ rounded up
This book doesn't have the most likeable characters, except for Rapscallion-- he runs the show-- but this book was so intriguing!!
There were still some parts that drug on a bit for me, but not nearly as much as the first book and I think that was largely due to the fact that this book was about 200 pages shorter.
I flew through this book and the twist at the ending-- or a couple of them I should say, I loved that.
The atmosphere was well done and the descriptions were perfectly eerie and creepy. I can't wait to see what the third and final installment to this series brings!!!
This book doesn't have the most likeable characters, except for Rapscallion-- he runs the show-- but this book was so intriguing!!
There were still some parts that drug on a bit for me, but not nearly as much as the first book and I think that was largely due to the fact that this book was about 200 pages shorter.
I flew through this book and the twist at the ending-- or a couple of them I should say, I loved that.
The atmosphere was well done and the descriptions were perfectly eerie and creepy. I can't wait to see what the third and final installment to this series brings!!!
March 25, 2025
Action packed. It did drag through the middle (hence the 4 stars), with characters complaining about injuries the entire time, it really seemed like the middle part of the book was () a macguffin that didn't need to be included. But I get why it was. all of the plot that was included within that section of the book could have been done in a different way.
I do however look forward to the conclusion of the trilogy! It is panning out to be another action packed book just like the first two!
I do however look forward to the conclusion of the trilogy! It is panning out to be another action packed book just like the first two!
January 1, 2025
Cosmic horror at its best!
David has revived cosmic sci-fi horror at a grandiose scale. An amalgamation of psychological terror, body horror, and intense dread making you feel like a small speck in the vastness of space time.
Fabulous story telling and character development that'll keep you up all night!
David has revived cosmic sci-fi horror at a grandiose scale. An amalgamation of psychological terror, body horror, and intense dread making you feel like a small speck in the vastness of space time.
Fabulous story telling and character development that'll keep you up all night!
November 19, 2024
Just obliterated this book in a few days. Very gripping follow-up to a paradise-one which held my scared little hand and wouldn’t let go even when I wanted to. I’m hooked.
November 20, 2024
3.75 🤷♀️ This was likeable enough but definitely suffered from middle book syndrome with not a lot actually happening. Hoping the 3rd wraps it up nicely and is a little more intriguing
June 24, 2025
What a phenomenal follow up to the first book. Just as fast paced and with an ever evolving mystery. i hope the third book is in the works!
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