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Inhuman
A remote resource planet. A mysterious illness. And a rescue team frighteningly out of their depth.
It was supposed to have been an easy go in, kidnap or kill his mark, get out. Shine's done plenty of jobs like this before, no problem. But when it all goes suddenly wrong, he has only one option left to save his skin.
He finds himself an unwilling volunteer on a medical mission to a remote resource planet. It sent in a distress call a week earlier, and then promptly went silent. No one knows why, and no one can contact them to find out. And, Shine is increasingly beginning to realize, every person on this mission is politically unimportant--a perfect crew of disposables. Their mission is to go in and figure out what happened, and save whoever they can. But he's smart enough to realize that anything that could cause an entire mining colony to go silent is probably not something accustomed to leaving its victims alive. And after meeting the rest of the crew, he's not sure that they're any safer than what's waiting for him out on the planet ...
Set in the world of The Devil and the Dark, Inhuman is the first book in R.M. Olson's gripping new space-horror series, The Dark Between Stars.
It was supposed to have been an easy go in, kidnap or kill his mark, get out. Shine's done plenty of jobs like this before, no problem. But when it all goes suddenly wrong, he has only one option left to save his skin.
He finds himself an unwilling volunteer on a medical mission to a remote resource planet. It sent in a distress call a week earlier, and then promptly went silent. No one knows why, and no one can contact them to find out. And, Shine is increasingly beginning to realize, every person on this mission is politically unimportant--a perfect crew of disposables. Their mission is to go in and figure out what happened, and save whoever they can. But he's smart enough to realize that anything that could cause an entire mining colony to go silent is probably not something accustomed to leaving its victims alive. And after meeting the rest of the crew, he's not sure that they're any safer than what's waiting for him out on the planet ...
Set in the world of The Devil and the Dark, Inhuman is the first book in R.M. Olson's gripping new space-horror series, The Dark Between Stars.
272 pages, Paperback
Published September 25, 2024
About the author
R.M. Olson
33 books58 followersR.M. Olson writes queer, feel-good space opera, featuring diverse casts, found families, and loads of action. R.M. has ridden the Trans Siberian railway, jumped off the highest bungee jump in the world, gone cage-diving with great white sharks, faced down a charging buffalo bull, and knows how to milk a goat. Currently they reside in Alberta, Canada with their four children, three cats, and a dog the size of a small bear. R.M. goes hiking and skiing more often than they probably have time for, eats more chocolate than is probably good for them, and reads more books than is probably prudent.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 11, 2025
This is my first book from this author and I really loved it.
Shine is a terrorist from the Stacks, and when he’s asked to kidnap or kill a scientist on death row named Jem, it’s just another mission.
But things go wrong when Jem is given a last minute pardon and taken away by a man called Puppy—someone Shine’s leader, Recoil, calls a most dangerous man. Shine is given new orders to kill Jem so Puppy won’t have her.
Puppy is putting together a medical team to go to a resource planet on a rescue mission. He’s already recruited Jem and Knives, a surgeon from the stacks, who’s also handy with her fists and guns.
When Knives intervene in Shine’s subtle attempts to abduct Jem, Shine volunteers to go on the mission with Puppy’s team, though he doesn’t understand why Puppy, who’s awkward and clumsy and seems unable to cross the street safely should be considered dangerous by Recoil who asks Shine to kill him as well as Jem.
Thaddeus is a doctor with a secret: he was in the navy before his sister’s death forced him into medicine. It’s a secret that could make it unable for him to work anywhere, but when Cassius, a government representative asks him to go with Puppy to spy on the man in exchange for keeping his secret, he has no choice but to agree.
But the resource planet will test them to their limits, bring out secrets, and force them to trust one another, against their will.
This was a book I adored. Seriously. The fate of the miners in the resource planet, the reason why they turned out the way they were, gutted me. This may be titled inhuman, but it’s about humanity and what it means to be human in the end. This is an action packed book with never a dull moment, but it also provokes very deep questions.
If you love medical and adventure sci fi, with a blend of cosmic horror, this is the perfect book for you.
Shine is a terrorist from the Stacks, and when he’s asked to kidnap or kill a scientist on death row named Jem, it’s just another mission.
But things go wrong when Jem is given a last minute pardon and taken away by a man called Puppy—someone Shine’s leader, Recoil, calls a most dangerous man. Shine is given new orders to kill Jem so Puppy won’t have her.
Puppy is putting together a medical team to go to a resource planet on a rescue mission. He’s already recruited Jem and Knives, a surgeon from the stacks, who’s also handy with her fists and guns.
When Knives intervene in Shine’s subtle attempts to abduct Jem, Shine volunteers to go on the mission with Puppy’s team, though he doesn’t understand why Puppy, who’s awkward and clumsy and seems unable to cross the street safely should be considered dangerous by Recoil who asks Shine to kill him as well as Jem.
Thaddeus is a doctor with a secret: he was in the navy before his sister’s death forced him into medicine. It’s a secret that could make it unable for him to work anywhere, but when Cassius, a government representative asks him to go with Puppy to spy on the man in exchange for keeping his secret, he has no choice but to agree.
But the resource planet will test them to their limits, bring out secrets, and force them to trust one another, against their will.
This was a book I adored. Seriously. The fate of the miners in the resource planet, the reason why they turned out the way they were, gutted me. This may be titled inhuman, but it’s about humanity and what it means to be human in the end. This is an action packed book with never a dull moment, but it also provokes very deep questions.
If you love medical and adventure sci fi, with a blend of cosmic horror, this is the perfect book for you.
October 9, 2024
Inhuman
R. M. Olson has written a stirring story about a small disparate group of people all possessed of their own demons sent to a resource planet as a medical emergency team. Whilst action packed it is also emotionally charged as they try to come up with a cure and deal with their own situations.
This is not your usual gang ho adventure but delves deeper into what makes a person human.
R. M. Olson has written a stirring story about a small disparate group of people all possessed of their own demons sent to a resource planet as a medical emergency team. Whilst action packed it is also emotionally charged as they try to come up with a cure and deal with their own situations.
This is not your usual gang ho adventure but delves deeper into what makes a person human.
December 1, 2024
Great story
I was pleased to discover this was the same world as the devil and the dark series.
I have to say so far I have loved every striy from the author and wish I hadn't read them so I could read them all fresh again.
Another great story and looking forward to reading more of the series as they come.
I was pleased to discover this was the same world as the devil and the dark series.
I have to say so far I have loved every striy from the author and wish I hadn't read them so I could read them all fresh again.
Another great story and looking forward to reading more of the series as they come.
November 29, 2024
This was a thrill ride from start to finish. I love the cast of characters that Olson brought together for this series, especially Puppy. I am unhealthily invested in Puppy. The horror concept was really intriguing, and it took several fun turns I didn't see coming. I can't wait for the next book!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews