Shattered

by Pauline Yates, Jodi Christensen (editor)

In the vast, unforgiving expanse of space, Kate, now living under the alias Grace, is on a desperate mission—disguised as a Space Corp employee, she’s determined to uncover the truth behind her brother’s mysterious disappearance.

On a routine debris collection mission, her world is shattered when she discovers a clue that could expose Space Corp’s darkest secrets.

Thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, Grace must navigate the treacherous void, facing not only the perils of space but also the haunting memories of her past captivity.

With her crewmates’ lives hanging in the balance, she must decide who she can trust as she races against time to unravel the conspiracy threatening to consume her.

A pulse-pounding sci-fi thriller that delves deep into the human spirit, exploring themes of identity, betrayal, and resilience.

The intricate plot and breathtaking depiction of space will captivate you from the first page to the last.

Perfect for fans of intense, character-driven narratives and gripping science fiction, promising a journey that is as emotionally compelling as it is thrilling.

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 16, 2024

About the author

Pauline Yates is an award-winning author from Australia. A BookFest, Aurealis, and Australasian Shadows Awards winner, her work spans novels, novellas, short fiction, and poetry, often exploring themes of memory, identity, and the uncanny. Visit her at paulineyates dot com.

Reviews

[Brent McGregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there anything more terrifying than the vastness of space? Between the lack of air, the radiation, and freezing temperatures, no other environment is more hostile. It would make a great setting for a novel, right? Enter award-winning Australian author, Pauline Yates with her book “SHATTERED.” This is solid, tightly written sci-fi thriller designed to curl your toes, and cure you of space-travel forever. Objective achieved. Tick! The story is immersive, and the characters are realistic. Kudos to Yates for authoring such a rip-snorting novel. It’s a short snappy read and it packs a punch.

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find this review and all my others over at Read Book. Repeat

Kate, who is living under the alias of Grace, is a crew member of a Space Corp vessel doing routine debris collection. Her goal? Uncover and expose the truth of Space Corp and find out what really happened to her brother. She must navigate the haunting memories and perils of space while her crew mate's lives hang in the balance, all while not being discovered. Things aren't exactly what she thinks, and life will never be the same.

I was super keen for this one because not only is it a shorty, it's a sci fi with horror which I'm so excited about right now. For me, personally, I feel like there's not enough sci-fi horror around which is a travesty. This one was a fantastic addition to the sub-genre and I am here for it. I've already recommended it to a close friend who immediately bought a copy (from my horror bookstore no less).

I loved how Yates was able to imbue so much personality into her cast of characters in a shorter page count, this to me really illustrates Yates' ability in her craft. I was here for Kate's mission, and I was super intrigued to learn more about her backstory and even more intrigued the more we learnt about her brother's disappearance. The supporting characters were fantastic, and I was here for all of them. I felt like they all really complimented each other quite well. I'd honestly be keen for a story about Kate's brother and the incident that happened on the ship that he was on. I feel like there's a lot of stuff that could be explored and it'd be a great addition to the Shattered world.

The story started off with a solid mystery, sci-fi elements that really brought everything I love about a sci fi movie and story, and the way that it slowly shifted into a horror story was masterful. I was honestly glued to the page with this one, I needed to know what was going to happen, and I needed to uncover the truth as much as Kate did. As said above, the story was a riveting one and I feel like there's things here that could be further explored and I'm really hoping that Yates will revisit this world eventually. I need moooorrreee.

All in all, I don't want to go too much into this one because I feel like it's better going in with what the blurb gives, but trust me, it's a page turner, it's sci fi horror done well. This is a solid read and one that I'll be shouting about for ages to come. I highly recommend this one. It was ace.

[Matt Tighe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am familiar with this author's work and was keen to read Shattered. I devoured the novella in a couple of sittings. The story is a fast-paced industrial sci-fi mystery which morphs into horror. The protag Kate is unnervingly realistic with her mix of uncertainty and dogged determination, and almost the entire work is set in the claustrophobic surrounds of a near-future debris-mining shuttle. The work has echoes of Alien and Event Horizon but is still its own unique story.

The author Pauline Yates is extremely skilled in balancing hope, desperation and despair in her characters, and plays the rise and fall of tension like a virtuoso. I enjoyed this work immensely, and recommend it thoroughly.

Black Hare Press supplied an e-ARC of this work in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Alexander Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Shattered' moved like a bullet, and it won the 2024 Aurealis Award, and was nominated for an Australian Shadows Award.

This novella was my first introduction to the work of Pauline Yates, and she created a believable and terrifying situation. The concept of shattering is true, and if you read the novella you'll know what I'm talking about. The fact Pauline used that term as the title of the book was genius.

What happens when you combine space, mystery, past secrets, and a terrifying situation? A wild ride.

This is great writing, and some of the scenes and images are still fresh in my mind. I'll be checking out more of Pauline's work soon.

[K.M. Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tense space thriller that moves at a rapid pace. After Kate's brother supposedly dies on a mining ship in space, she goes undercover to find out what happened. On board a scavenging ship, the crew picks up something that could prove her theories, but also wipe out humanity. Filled with snappy scenes, interesting characters, horror elements, and an ending that is perfection, this is one for fans of gripping novellas that will keep you entertained.

[Laurie Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'll start with the fact that I should not have read this on an airplane. I was extremely conscious of being enclosed in a small tin can flying through the air with no safe way to get out. (Yes, I know airplanes are a little more technical than a "tin can" but while reading a novella like this one that was all I could think about.) That being said, it might also be the best place to read something like Shattered, especially if you love creepy science fiction and horror. Though, I now have a number of new nightmares to wake me from in the middle of the night. And perhaps don't read this one if you have arachnophobia. Being an Australian... this one pressed all the "fear" buttons for me. BUT what a brilliant story. I couldn't put it down. It's a short read that flies along at a ripping pace. All the best bits of Sci-fi are here - including traveling through space on a spaceship that is falling apart while surrounded by people you cannot trust despite knowing you already have justifiable trust issues. It's like a horror version of Star Trek mashed with the grit and despair of Star Wars and the fear from the Alien franchise. Throw in an unstoppable invasion of deadly critters, body horror, hidden agendas, secret identities, this one is a MUST READ for sci fi fans who love a scare. Pauline Yates once again knocks it out of the park. Weeks later I am still thinking about it. 

[Dawn DeBraal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered 5 STARS!!!

This is sitting on the edge of your seat, holding your breath kind of reading. Loved the story, and I am not a sci-fi person, but the concept of not knowing what happened to your brother and finding a space suit floating in a mining area, risking everything to retrieve the astronaut. Will they be frozen and shattered to be taken back to Earth? What they find is totally unexpected and unbelievable. And just when you think you are safe…..
Excellent read!

[Andrea Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered by Pauline Yates is a short read that packs a punch. Kate, masquerading as Space Corp employee, Grace, is on a mission to find her brother. Did he suffer an accidental death, or is his disappearance part of a coverup for misdeeds by Space Corp?
Yates’s visceral prose takes us deep into Kate’s world and left me wanting more.

[Graham Wienert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered is a really great read. Pauline builds tension exquisitely, then let's the reader down softly only to blind side them with their guard down. This novella delivers a delightful shot of horror that will leave the reader exhilaratingly disturbed. Loved it!