What do you think?
Rate this book
Shadow Lab: A Blackstone Publishing Anthology
In Shadow Lab, a brilliant roster of speculative fiction writers pull readers into a diverse and genre-bending collection of stories, each as irresistible as the last.
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith comes X and Miles, a tale of the lost years, set in the world of the Hell Divers series. In the radioactive wastes of what was once known as Earth, a man and his dog fight nightmarish creatures in order to return to their home in the sky.
In Clouds by Brian Francis Slattery, a happily married couple finds their relationship strained when they end up on opposite sides of a brewing conflict in the aftermath of the arrival of an alien species from outer space.
In Her Eyes by Rebecca Webb tells the story of Addie, a woman who discovers a pair of eyeglasses that offer a portal into the minds of their previous owners. Soon her obsession with a reckless woman named Nima begins to change everything …
These stories and more await the curious reader in Shadow Lab, a brand-new anthology from Blackstone Publishing.
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith comes X and Miles, a tale of the lost years, set in the world of the Hell Divers series. In the radioactive wastes of what was once known as Earth, a man and his dog fight nightmarish creatures in order to return to their home in the sky.
In Clouds by Brian Francis Slattery, a happily married couple finds their relationship strained when they end up on opposite sides of a brewing conflict in the aftermath of the arrival of an alien species from outer space.
In Her Eyes by Rebecca Webb tells the story of Addie, a woman who discovers a pair of eyeglasses that offer a portal into the minds of their previous owners. Soon her obsession with a reckless woman named Nima begins to change everything …
These stories and more await the curious reader in Shadow Lab, a brand-new anthology from Blackstone Publishing.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2024
2 people are currently reading
2709 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 4, 2024
Review in the October 2024 issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: SF Horror (full range), engaging narrators, thought provoking
Draft Review:
Shadow Lab edited by Brendan Deneen
The evolutions of both the Science Fiction and Horror genres have brought them closer together than they have ever been. Both look at the terror of living in our current timeline, pushing the limits of reality in order to allow readers to process the horror inherent in a 21st Century existence. This anthology not only takes advantage of the increased interest but also uses its 7 stories to showcase the depth of the genre blend. Not limiting itself to space horror or dystopian or climate horror, Shadow Lab contains stories that are each of those and more. They focus on concepts as varied as the horror of the human response when aliens come and do not try to take over, glasses that open an illicit portal, being stranded on a ruined earth populated by vicious monsters, even a horrific, dystopian twist on “The Gift of the Magi.” While at first glance, they all seem very different, even disconnected, as readers work their way through the book it becomes clear that they are all united by the authors’ intimate focus on the personal relationships and interactions at the heart of these vast ideas, and that narrative choice anchors the existential fear allowing it to resonate with readers in their heads and hearts, even as it hits them solidly in the gut.
Verdict: Science Fiction-Horror has been gaining in popularity and this anthology provides a great overview of what readers can expect across this broad genre blend. Readers who have enjoyed recent titles like Womb City by Tsamaase, The Luminous Dead by Starling, Paradise-1 by Wellington or anything by S.A. Barnes and Blake Crouch will want to check this volume out.
Good overview/survey of what SF-Horror looks like right now-- it is not just space horror or near future dystopias, it is complex thought provoking, and varied. 7 stories, but 7 different authors is a good option. After finishing all 7 I think they are united by taking big ideas and concepts often explored in the scariest of SF, but focusing on these big ideas and concepts through personal relationships and interactions. There is the grand ideas one would expect but also an intimate focus that makes these stories memorable and also even more terrifying.
Since there are only 7 I will share notes on each:
The Lost Years by NICHOLAS SANSBURY SMITH : longest story in the anthology. It is a diary of sorts, by an explorer on the now uninhabitable earth after WWIII who gets separated from his shipmates on Hive (the last bastion of humanity floating in space). Very real, violent monsters are now in charge of earth. A good "slice of life" story-- but it is a very stressful slice of his life-- 703 days
LINEAGE X BY ED CHO : A near future dystopia where people have star ratings based on their DNA and what their ancestors have or have not done. But I am going to be book talking this one as a horrific twist on The Gift of the Magi. Easy sell to readers.
IN HER EYES BY REBECCA WEBB : Psychological Horror involving a portal opening when the main character put on a pair of glasses. What/Who she sees. Immersive and terrifying.
RED ICE BY TOM RADFORD: corporate greed meets the water from Mars giving people super powers
REDSHIFT BY NICK HERBERT: The name refers to the most dangerous race in the galaxy, but it is an intense and personal story of 1 person and their robot who are stranded in a ship boneyard
INCARNATION BY MARIE HOY-KENNY: A great Blake church readalike involving someone waking in the hospital over and over again trying to complete a quest but is it a just quest?
CLOUDS BY BRIAN FRANCIS SLATTERY: I would say this is my favorite. Also a longer story. It is about an alien invasion but they are aliens who are not trying to take us over, just help us to evolve and be better, of course, much of humanity is awful it doesn't go well. Again, a personal telling of this though 1 married couple.
Reminded me of Womb City and books by Blake Crouch. Also SA Barnes for some stories.
Luminous Dead by Starling, Paradise-1 by Wellington. It takes a lot of readalikes because there are 7 stories
Three Words That Describe This Book: SF Horror (full range), engaging narrators, thought provoking
Draft Review:
Shadow Lab edited by Brendan Deneen
The evolutions of both the Science Fiction and Horror genres have brought them closer together than they have ever been. Both look at the terror of living in our current timeline, pushing the limits of reality in order to allow readers to process the horror inherent in a 21st Century existence. This anthology not only takes advantage of the increased interest but also uses its 7 stories to showcase the depth of the genre blend. Not limiting itself to space horror or dystopian or climate horror, Shadow Lab contains stories that are each of those and more. They focus on concepts as varied as the horror of the human response when aliens come and do not try to take over, glasses that open an illicit portal, being stranded on a ruined earth populated by vicious monsters, even a horrific, dystopian twist on “The Gift of the Magi.” While at first glance, they all seem very different, even disconnected, as readers work their way through the book it becomes clear that they are all united by the authors’ intimate focus on the personal relationships and interactions at the heart of these vast ideas, and that narrative choice anchors the existential fear allowing it to resonate with readers in their heads and hearts, even as it hits them solidly in the gut.
Verdict: Science Fiction-Horror has been gaining in popularity and this anthology provides a great overview of what readers can expect across this broad genre blend. Readers who have enjoyed recent titles like Womb City by Tsamaase, The Luminous Dead by Starling, Paradise-1 by Wellington or anything by S.A. Barnes and Blake Crouch will want to check this volume out.
Good overview/survey of what SF-Horror looks like right now-- it is not just space horror or near future dystopias, it is complex thought provoking, and varied. 7 stories, but 7 different authors is a good option. After finishing all 7 I think they are united by taking big ideas and concepts often explored in the scariest of SF, but focusing on these big ideas and concepts through personal relationships and interactions. There is the grand ideas one would expect but also an intimate focus that makes these stories memorable and also even more terrifying.
Since there are only 7 I will share notes on each:
The Lost Years by NICHOLAS SANSBURY SMITH : longest story in the anthology. It is a diary of sorts, by an explorer on the now uninhabitable earth after WWIII who gets separated from his shipmates on Hive (the last bastion of humanity floating in space). Very real, violent monsters are now in charge of earth. A good "slice of life" story-- but it is a very stressful slice of his life-- 703 days
LINEAGE X BY ED CHO : A near future dystopia where people have star ratings based on their DNA and what their ancestors have or have not done. But I am going to be book talking this one as a horrific twist on The Gift of the Magi. Easy sell to readers.
IN HER EYES BY REBECCA WEBB : Psychological Horror involving a portal opening when the main character put on a pair of glasses. What/Who she sees. Immersive and terrifying.
RED ICE BY TOM RADFORD: corporate greed meets the water from Mars giving people super powers
REDSHIFT BY NICK HERBERT: The name refers to the most dangerous race in the galaxy, but it is an intense and personal story of 1 person and their robot who are stranded in a ship boneyard
INCARNATION BY MARIE HOY-KENNY: A great Blake church readalike involving someone waking in the hospital over and over again trying to complete a quest but is it a just quest?
CLOUDS BY BRIAN FRANCIS SLATTERY: I would say this is my favorite. Also a longer story. It is about an alien invasion but they are aliens who are not trying to take us over, just help us to evolve and be better, of course, much of humanity is awful it doesn't go well. Again, a personal telling of this though 1 married couple.
Reminded me of Womb City and books by Blake Crouch. Also SA Barnes for some stories.
Luminous Dead by Starling, Paradise-1 by Wellington. It takes a lot of readalikes because there are 7 stories
January 10, 2025
There was only one story I didn't vibe with but overall, good anthology!
December 3, 2024
When I was offered an advance copy of the new science fiction anthology “Shadow Lab,” through Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley, I was a bit hesitant. I’d only heard of one author in the collection, Nicholas Sansbury Smith, and my experiences with similar collections in the past had often been disappointments. However, I agreed to do so and was pleasantly surprised. Smith’s story was the best in the collection, but five of the other six stories were enjoyable or better. Further, the anthology contains tales to please fans of any science fiction subgenre.
“Shadow Lab” comprises seven stories, edited by Brendan Deneen, himself an accomplished science fiction author. I’m not sure what Deneen’s contribution to the anthology was other than lending his name. The book has no introduction, editor’s note, forward, or story description and only a one-paragraph biographical sketch of each author as an afterword. The stories speak for themselves, however.
“Shadow Lab” begins with its best work, the novella-length “The Lost Years” by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. It’s a variant of the stranded astronaut scenario in Andy Weir’s “The Martian,” except here, the main character is abandoned on a post-apocalyptic Earth. The author only provides scattered bits and pieces of backstory because “The Lost Years” is part of the author’s “Hell Divers” series (which I have not read). This story is easier to understand for those familiar with the series.
As “The Lost Years” begins, the remaining survivors of World War III live in a giant ark-like airship named “The Hive.” The crew periodically sends skydivers to the planet’s surface to scavenge needed supplies. The protagonist, a man named X (for Xavier), crash lands on one mission and must find a way to survive until rescue. He must avoid the usual toxic environment and various deadly mutant creatures now inhabiting the Earth’s surface. The story recounts X’s years on the planet, aided eventually by a dog he befriends. Although I would have preferred a more detailed backstory, “The Lost Years” has plenty of action and offers an intriguing look at a futuristic scientific facility X finds and lives in for much of the story.
“Lineage X” by Edward Cho presents a futuristic caste system that governs society. The titular Lineage X is an agency that assigns everyone a one- to four-star rating based on their ancestry and any skeletons in the family closet. Four stars have cushy jobs and all the luxuries society can provide. One and two stars are blue-collar and administrative workers, doomed to a menial existence. The narrator’s wedding is put on hold when his fiancée is reclassified as a one star because of some unspecified transgressions her ancestor committed. The story is far more enjoyable for the detailed picture of the star-rating-governed society than the actual plot. However, the author delivers a terrific surprise ending.
“In Her Eyes” by Rebecca Webb is a story that could have been a “Twilight Zone” episode. A woman buys a pair of spectacles at a secondhand store. She learns that, when she wears them, she relives the experiences of previous owners of the glasses. Eventually, she identifies a bit too closely with one previous owner, an adventurous woman with no inhibitions. “Incarnation” by Marie Hoy-Kenny could also be a “Twilight Zone” episode. In a scenario reminiscent of the movie, “Groundhog Day,” a woman relives the same day over and over, interacting with the same four people. However, their stories are different every time. One time, she and the others were office workers. The next, she’s an executive in charge of the others. Later, they all work in the same bar. Some readers might guess the story’s explanation, but it’s good.
In “Red Ice” by Tom Radford, the titular substance is frozen water mined from the surface of Mars and returned to Earth by a multi-billionaire. He intends to bottle it and sell it to the rich and powerful as the ultimate luxury beverage. Some people believe the red ice is hazardous and are trying to stop it from being offered to the public. A woman named Cerise breaks into the bottling plant to steal a sample. Readers won’t be surprised to learn red ice isn’t the harmless status symbol the entrepreneur claims. However, the ultimate revelation of what red ice does makes for an entertaining finale.
“Redshift” by Nick Herbert has a similar title to the previous story, but it’s an entirely different type of story. The narrator is a young woman who’s an outer space racing junkie, taking part in a cross-galaxy rally through the most dangerous areas of the known universe. When her ship is damaged and becomes inoperable, she and her robot co-pilot go in search of another abandoned spacecraft she can use to survive and finish the race. This story has the least amount of hard science or speculative futuristic elements in the anthology. It’s just a survival adventure, but it’s suspenseful and entertaining.
The only story I didn’t like was the last one in the collection, “Clouds” by Brian Francis Slattery. Alien spaceships land on Earth, and the seemingly benevolent inhabitants offer people the chance to become a different, improved life form. I don’t want to give too much away here, but I also don’t want readers to think this is a variant of the classic “Twilight Zone” episode, “To Serve Man.” It’s just difficult to describe what the aliens are offering in a sentence or two and what happens to the people who take them up on the offer. While I can’t explain the story briefly, I can sum up my reaction: a massive shoulder shrug. I know the author’s point, but it didn’t elicit any response from me.
Anthologies like “Shadow Lab” that don’t offer a common theme to their stories often have works that vary wildly in tone and quality. Each of these seven stories is entirely different from the others, besides sharing the broad classification of science fiction. However, six of them are quality works with a few minor flaws. Any anthology should be proud of an 86% success rate. “Shadow Lab” will entertain science fiction fans and introduce many of them to some talented new writers.
NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.
“Shadow Lab” comprises seven stories, edited by Brendan Deneen, himself an accomplished science fiction author. I’m not sure what Deneen’s contribution to the anthology was other than lending his name. The book has no introduction, editor’s note, forward, or story description and only a one-paragraph biographical sketch of each author as an afterword. The stories speak for themselves, however.
“Shadow Lab” begins with its best work, the novella-length “The Lost Years” by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. It’s a variant of the stranded astronaut scenario in Andy Weir’s “The Martian,” except here, the main character is abandoned on a post-apocalyptic Earth. The author only provides scattered bits and pieces of backstory because “The Lost Years” is part of the author’s “Hell Divers” series (which I have not read). This story is easier to understand for those familiar with the series.
As “The Lost Years” begins, the remaining survivors of World War III live in a giant ark-like airship named “The Hive.” The crew periodically sends skydivers to the planet’s surface to scavenge needed supplies. The protagonist, a man named X (for Xavier), crash lands on one mission and must find a way to survive until rescue. He must avoid the usual toxic environment and various deadly mutant creatures now inhabiting the Earth’s surface. The story recounts X’s years on the planet, aided eventually by a dog he befriends. Although I would have preferred a more detailed backstory, “The Lost Years” has plenty of action and offers an intriguing look at a futuristic scientific facility X finds and lives in for much of the story.
“Lineage X” by Edward Cho presents a futuristic caste system that governs society. The titular Lineage X is an agency that assigns everyone a one- to four-star rating based on their ancestry and any skeletons in the family closet. Four stars have cushy jobs and all the luxuries society can provide. One and two stars are blue-collar and administrative workers, doomed to a menial existence. The narrator’s wedding is put on hold when his fiancée is reclassified as a one star because of some unspecified transgressions her ancestor committed. The story is far more enjoyable for the detailed picture of the star-rating-governed society than the actual plot. However, the author delivers a terrific surprise ending.
“In Her Eyes” by Rebecca Webb is a story that could have been a “Twilight Zone” episode. A woman buys a pair of spectacles at a secondhand store. She learns that, when she wears them, she relives the experiences of previous owners of the glasses. Eventually, she identifies a bit too closely with one previous owner, an adventurous woman with no inhibitions. “Incarnation” by Marie Hoy-Kenny could also be a “Twilight Zone” episode. In a scenario reminiscent of the movie, “Groundhog Day,” a woman relives the same day over and over, interacting with the same four people. However, their stories are different every time. One time, she and the others were office workers. The next, she’s an executive in charge of the others. Later, they all work in the same bar. Some readers might guess the story’s explanation, but it’s good.
In “Red Ice” by Tom Radford, the titular substance is frozen water mined from the surface of Mars and returned to Earth by a multi-billionaire. He intends to bottle it and sell it to the rich and powerful as the ultimate luxury beverage. Some people believe the red ice is hazardous and are trying to stop it from being offered to the public. A woman named Cerise breaks into the bottling plant to steal a sample. Readers won’t be surprised to learn red ice isn’t the harmless status symbol the entrepreneur claims. However, the ultimate revelation of what red ice does makes for an entertaining finale.
“Redshift” by Nick Herbert has a similar title to the previous story, but it’s an entirely different type of story. The narrator is a young woman who’s an outer space racing junkie, taking part in a cross-galaxy rally through the most dangerous areas of the known universe. When her ship is damaged and becomes inoperable, she and her robot co-pilot go in search of another abandoned spacecraft she can use to survive and finish the race. This story has the least amount of hard science or speculative futuristic elements in the anthology. It’s just a survival adventure, but it’s suspenseful and entertaining.
The only story I didn’t like was the last one in the collection, “Clouds” by Brian Francis Slattery. Alien spaceships land on Earth, and the seemingly benevolent inhabitants offer people the chance to become a different, improved life form. I don’t want to give too much away here, but I also don’t want readers to think this is a variant of the classic “Twilight Zone” episode, “To Serve Man.” It’s just difficult to describe what the aliens are offering in a sentence or two and what happens to the people who take them up on the offer. While I can’t explain the story briefly, I can sum up my reaction: a massive shoulder shrug. I know the author’s point, but it didn’t elicit any response from me.
Anthologies like “Shadow Lab” that don’t offer a common theme to their stories often have works that vary wildly in tone and quality. Each of these seven stories is entirely different from the others, besides sharing the broad classification of science fiction. However, six of them are quality works with a few minor flaws. Any anthology should be proud of an 86% success rate. “Shadow Lab” will entertain science fiction fans and introduce many of them to some talented new writers.
NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.
October 14, 2024
I honestly really liked this collection. But I also happen to like Sci-fi like this a lot as well and I can see how someone that is more into horror, would have to slog through this.
Personally I thought it ws a great, creepy read.
I like that each story was so different, it gave me a fun mix up between stories and kept me guessing.
If they had been all the same, I don't thinn I'd have enjoyed it, I like being a little off kilter. But kept me reading more.
This had Outer Limits vibes, and that was one of my favorite shows, definitely reccomend this collection if you enjoyed that.
This was an ARC off Netgalley, so thank you.
Personally I thought it ws a great, creepy read.
I like that each story was so different, it gave me a fun mix up between stories and kept me guessing.
If they had been all the same, I don't thinn I'd have enjoyed it, I like being a little off kilter. But kept me reading more.
This had Outer Limits vibes, and that was one of my favorite shows, definitely reccomend this collection if you enjoyed that.
This was an ARC off Netgalley, so thank you.
November 12, 2024
Definitely a hit-or-miss collection of sci-fi short stories. Some were only okay, but others were quite good.
November 26, 2024
“Hell Divers: The Lost Years, Part I”
2.5 ⭐
Long and kind of boring
“Lineage X”
5 ⭐
“In Her Eyes”
4 ⭐
Most of the story was 3.5. The ending was good and brought it up to a 4
“Red Ice”
3.5 ⭐
Dialogue was kind of chunky, cliche, and unnatural. Was not expecting the cliffhanger ending
“Another dying world? Maybe. The difference was that this world, unlike Mars, was being murdered by a population of creatures unable to come to terms with the consequences of their own appetites. Eating away at the branch on which they stood.”
“Redshift”
4 ⭐
“This could’ve been a mass grave. Instead, it’s a solitary tomb.”
Love interest/plot came out of nowhere and was a little fumbled and rushed
“Incarnation”
4 ⭐
“Clouds”
5 ⭐
December 18, 2024
What a fantastic group of stories! There wasn’t a single one that I didn’t enjoy. I’ve never read Helldivers, but I downloaded it as soon as I was done reading this story. I guess that’s cheating a bit since I’m going into it already knowing what happens to X, but it was intriguing enough that I wanted to know more. Something about Redshift reminded me a lot of Alastair Reynolds, but I can’t put my finger on why exactly. Maybe it was the mention of the bioship. In any case, that story was my favorite out of all of them.
Although all the stories were wildly different, they all had the theme of human nature in common. It’s interesting to see how each author used the idea of it to a different end. This was a fantastic collection and I highly recommend it so fans of SFF!
Huge thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
Although all the stories were wildly different, they all had the theme of human nature in common. It’s interesting to see how each author used the idea of it to a different end. This was a fantastic collection and I highly recommend it so fans of SFF!
Huge thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
January 21, 2025
Really enjoyed this. Like any anthology, I find it's usually half and half, the stories that stand out to me and those I've forgotten almost as soon as I've read them. Luckily, most of these stood out to me.
Especially the first story that is pulled from the Hell Divers series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. It was good enough that I'll be reading that series for sure.
Clouds was another great idea about aliens when, trust me, I am completely sick of alien stories. So for me to be interested in an alien story is telling.
In Her Eyes was an idea that's been churned over a few times but still succeeded in keeping my attention all the way through to see where it would lead.
Red Ice also has a neat concept and has a bit more action when compared to the other ones.
There are a few other stories in there, but those are the notable ones. A good read. I'd recommend it!
Especially the first story that is pulled from the Hell Divers series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. It was good enough that I'll be reading that series for sure.
Clouds was another great idea about aliens when, trust me, I am completely sick of alien stories. So for me to be interested in an alien story is telling.
In Her Eyes was an idea that's been churned over a few times but still succeeded in keeping my attention all the way through to see where it would lead.
Red Ice also has a neat concept and has a bit more action when compared to the other ones.
There are a few other stories in there, but those are the notable ones. A good read. I'd recommend it!
March 9, 2025
This is one of the best sci fi collections I've read in a while, and I'm surprised I don't already know the authors, because the stories were so good. The one thing they had in common for me was that they were all haunting in some way. There was someone who may have been the last human who finds a pet, someone who makes a life-altering decision in a world with different societal rules, someone trying to escape from a simulation.. and more, all very different kinds of stories. I love finding new authors who know how to present interesting ideas like this. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for letting me read this.
July 28, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Eerie dark sci fi can be good, but I think you need to truly enjoy that genre to have a lot of fun with this book. If you're someone, like me, who has to be convinced to sit down and absorb it, this was an unfortunate slog - particularly the first story, which just never seemed to end. The vibes of this one are very "Alien" with a bit of "Twilight Zone". I think if you love those franchises, you'll enjoy this!
Eerie dark sci fi can be good, but I think you need to truly enjoy that genre to have a lot of fun with this book. If you're someone, like me, who has to be convinced to sit down and absorb it, this was an unfortunate slog - particularly the first story, which just never seemed to end. The vibes of this one are very "Alien" with a bit of "Twilight Zone". I think if you love those franchises, you'll enjoy this!
July 13, 2024
Thank you for the opportunity to preview Shadow Lab. What a great mix of short stories. I enjoyed most of them. Especially loved the first one and the last one. These short stories are science fiction but also scary good. Great summer read! 3.5 stars
December 5, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this! Reads like Black Mirror in book form. Each story was so gripping and unsettling that the only reason I put the book down was to sleep. Starting volume two asap
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews