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Requiem
"Bold, brave, imaginative and unflinching."
Ava must fight an entity locked in on taking out the crew of the Eden, a moon-sized cemetery in space, as it brings back the souls of the dead buried aboard. One such soul is Ava’s lost love, Roland.
The spirits of the interred on the Eden haunt those aboard, including a visiting musician is tasked with writing a new song for the dead. Her Requiem calls a cosmic entity that illuminates their darkest fears and secrets. One by one, they’re driven mad. Ava fights her grief and must rise up before they’re lost and the entity reaches Earth.
Ava must fight an entity locked in on taking out the crew of the Eden, a moon-sized cemetery in space, as it brings back the souls of the dead buried aboard. One such soul is Ava’s lost love, Roland.
The spirits of the interred on the Eden haunt those aboard, including a visiting musician is tasked with writing a new song for the dead. Her Requiem calls a cosmic entity that illuminates their darkest fears and secrets. One by one, they’re driven mad. Ava fights her grief and must rise up before they’re lost and the entity reaches Earth.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published May 27, 2025
25 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
About the author
John Palisano
103 books164 followersOne evening when I was only a small boy, my father allowed me to stay up late with him and watch NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD on television. He fell asleep, but I waited for the end. I couldn’t believe they’d let the lead guy die after all that. I was horrified. Later that summer we went to the drive-in, which was a big deal in Norwalk, Connecticut in the 1970s. Everyone went. We all piled into the Bomb, our old station wagon, and saw lots of movies there. There was a swing set right up front where a many of the little kids congregated. We got a kick out of that, especially during GREASE, because there was a similar set-up in the movie. One night, though, there was a double-feature that I’ll never forget.
Demon Seed scared me, and the unforgettable images still haunt me. The film that followed, though, ruined me for good. ALIEN. I don’t think I walked past my attic door after dark that entire summer for fear the alien would snatch me up and away.
Soon I couldn’t even go to the beach. JAWS waited for us. Of course, this was also the time I discovered my father’s treasure trove of old horror comics, most of which I still have safe and sound. My imagination was on fire. We went to some of the early science fiction conventions in New York. I found Fangoria, and used Tom Savini’s Grande Illusions book in an attempt to make my own monsters at home, and experimented with that for several fake-bloodstained years. Eventually, though, I realized my favorite part was in dreaming up the ideas. In all truth, I was better in that regard than in any of my make-ups.
During middle school I put out a xeroxed fanzine Castle Gore that I sold to my classmates for a quarter an issue. Inside, alongside my reviews of whatever movies were coming out, I put some of my own short stories.
By the time I was thirteen I’d completed my first novel . . . novella, really . . . about a time-traveling teenager who saves the world from a monster bred in a Victorian scientist’s lab. He used a flying go-kart to do so.
Songwriting found me. For years I toured with rock n’ roll bands, opening for national acts, and all the while, writing lots of lyrics, poems, and short stories. Winding up at Emerson College, I truly found myself. My short stories were finally professionally published in some of the local academic literary magazines, and also my script He’d Hoped For Mars won the Latent Image Magazine screenwriting contest, but was turned into a successful short film, scored by Aaron Logan at nearby Berklee College of Music.
After college I moved to Los Angeles, taking an internship with Ridley Scott. That was a phenomenal time in my life, and I learned so much. I worked on many big budget films, and got to see how those films I grew up with really came together. Of course, being in that hotbox, I wrote lots of scripts. Had an option or three, and produced a couple of low-budget films while I was at it. Something happened, though.
The movies of the scripts often came out so differently than the original ideas. Budget compromises. With writing stories, well, the only limit is your imagination. You’re not limited to how much money you have, or time, or your location, or the skill of the CG artists on your team.
Shifting gears to prose has not been easy. I had hundreds of rejections from top markets until I began to place my stories. That is not an exaggeration. It was harder to place a pro-level fiction piece than find financing for my first film. I love the challenge, and few things have been as satisfying.
My journey continues, of course. All these years later, we finally have the release of my novel NERVES from Bad Moon Books in the winter of 2012. In the meantime, there’s lots of short stories appearing soon, and several movie projects, too.
Thanks for reading.
Best,
John Palisano
Demon Seed scared me, and the unforgettable images still haunt me. The film that followed, though, ruined me for good. ALIEN. I don’t think I walked past my attic door after dark that entire summer for fear the alien would snatch me up and away.
Soon I couldn’t even go to the beach. JAWS waited for us. Of course, this was also the time I discovered my father’s treasure trove of old horror comics, most of which I still have safe and sound. My imagination was on fire. We went to some of the early science fiction conventions in New York. I found Fangoria, and used Tom Savini’s Grande Illusions book in an attempt to make my own monsters at home, and experimented with that for several fake-bloodstained years. Eventually, though, I realized my favorite part was in dreaming up the ideas. In all truth, I was better in that regard than in any of my make-ups.
During middle school I put out a xeroxed fanzine Castle Gore that I sold to my classmates for a quarter an issue. Inside, alongside my reviews of whatever movies were coming out, I put some of my own short stories.
By the time I was thirteen I’d completed my first novel . . . novella, really . . . about a time-traveling teenager who saves the world from a monster bred in a Victorian scientist’s lab. He used a flying go-kart to do so.
Songwriting found me. For years I toured with rock n’ roll bands, opening for national acts, and all the while, writing lots of lyrics, poems, and short stories. Winding up at Emerson College, I truly found myself. My short stories were finally professionally published in some of the local academic literary magazines, and also my script He’d Hoped For Mars won the Latent Image Magazine screenwriting contest, but was turned into a successful short film, scored by Aaron Logan at nearby Berklee College of Music.
After college I moved to Los Angeles, taking an internship with Ridley Scott. That was a phenomenal time in my life, and I learned so much. I worked on many big budget films, and got to see how those films I grew up with really came together. Of course, being in that hotbox, I wrote lots of scripts. Had an option or three, and produced a couple of low-budget films while I was at it. Something happened, though.
The movies of the scripts often came out so differently than the original ideas. Budget compromises. With writing stories, well, the only limit is your imagination. You’re not limited to how much money you have, or time, or your location, or the skill of the CG artists on your team.
Shifting gears to prose has not been easy. I had hundreds of rejections from top markets until I began to place my stories. That is not an exaggeration. It was harder to place a pro-level fiction piece than find financing for my first film. I love the challenge, and few things have been as satisfying.
My journey continues, of course. All these years later, we finally have the release of my novel NERVES from Bad Moon Books in the winter of 2012. In the meantime, there’s lots of short stories appearing soon, and several movie projects, too.
Thanks for reading.
Best,
John Palisano
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
May 27, 2025
When I first saw Requiem available and that John Palisano had written it, I knew I had to read it and here we are!
Eden is a cemetery the size of the moon. Yep, the moon. It. Is. Huge. It floats in space, safely storing the earth's dead in such a way that their loved ones can look up and see them, (albeit only with their special telescopes.) But something has gone wrong and repairs need to be made. It is decided that a musician will come along with the repair crew to write a requiem for the dead, as a sort of apology/goodwill gesture to their dead guests and to their families. Once the crew and the musician arrive on Eden, things start to go sideways, and soon it's not only a question of saving the dead aboard, it's a matter of saving anyone at all. Will our small crew escape Eden with their lives? You'll have to read this to find!
This is the second space horror novel I've read in the past month, both of them about spaceships filled with dead people. I won't mention the other one here, and despite the fact that the theme is similar, that is all. In terms of plot and storytelling, these two tales are nothing alike.
The small crew in this story proved to be tough. Each member was battling their own inner selves, so to speak, as well as what was happening aboard ship. What made it interesting to me was the ship itself, Eden. Imagine the places a ship like that could take you-not only in space itself, but inside your own mind. If such an entity, cognizant of all your hopes and dreams had entire control over you, what might happen? This book answers some of these questions and more.
With a fascinating storyline and characters that were mostly interesting, Requiem seemed to be over in a flash. Everything held together nice and tight and the epilogue was a great touch. Requiem was a lot of fun and provided an entertaining escape from the news of the day.
Recommended!
*ARC from publisher
Eden is a cemetery the size of the moon. Yep, the moon. It. Is. Huge. It floats in space, safely storing the earth's dead in such a way that their loved ones can look up and see them, (albeit only with their special telescopes.) But something has gone wrong and repairs need to be made. It is decided that a musician will come along with the repair crew to write a requiem for the dead, as a sort of apology/goodwill gesture to their dead guests and to their families. Once the crew and the musician arrive on Eden, things start to go sideways, and soon it's not only a question of saving the dead aboard, it's a matter of saving anyone at all. Will our small crew escape Eden with their lives? You'll have to read this to find!
This is the second space horror novel I've read in the past month, both of them about spaceships filled with dead people. I won't mention the other one here, and despite the fact that the theme is similar, that is all. In terms of plot and storytelling, these two tales are nothing alike.
The small crew in this story proved to be tough. Each member was battling their own inner selves, so to speak, as well as what was happening aboard ship. What made it interesting to me was the ship itself, Eden. Imagine the places a ship like that could take you-not only in space itself, but inside your own mind. If such an entity, cognizant of all your hopes and dreams had entire control over you, what might happen? This book answers some of these questions and more.
With a fascinating storyline and characters that were mostly interesting, Requiem seemed to be over in a flash. Everything held together nice and tight and the epilogue was a great touch. Requiem was a lot of fun and provided an entertaining escape from the news of the day.
Recommended!
*ARC from publisher
June 2, 2025
What the hell did I just read?
I was so enchanted by premise here - a "cemetery" the size of a moon, innovative new ways of honoring human remains while the Earth fills up and we begin reaching for the stars, the entanglement in all of this of an Eldritch entity beyond comprehension - and that is what accounts for this being a 2-star read. I'm assigning a whole star for that concept. It doesn't actually play out or anything, but in theory, this book could've been good.
Instead, we got the most awkward, stilted, viscous dialogue I have encountered in a trad pub in years. The many lines of internal dialogue to which we are treated, from multiple characters/POV, are some of the most unnatural-sounding things to supposedly come out of a human brain, possibly ever, and they break immersion immediately.
Also... I know I have aphantasia, and I know y'all are going to say, "But Alex, that's on you!" when I tell you this, and you will be wrong: I have no clue what any of this architecture looked or was built like or how it was supposed to function. I KNOW Palisano sorta-kinda described it, but he did so in a way that genuinely made no sense. He then introduced, like, infrasound space ghosts and Eldritch infections of AI and then he stretched the same conflict/circumstance out into 47 different scenes back-to-back.
"Whoa, a weird noise! ... Ouch, it's hurting my brain! ... What is happening? Things are breaking! Oh noooooo!" follwed by "Whoa, what a weird noise! ... Ouch, it's hurting my brain and breaking the ship!" The same thing happens over and over again, which really means that functionally, nothing happens, and then it all happens all at once and the book is over and I regret my choices.
Everyone else seems to have decided to be far more diplomatic than me in their reviews, but I just do not recommend this book. The enchanting appeal of the premise does not do enough heavy lifting to overcome the structural flaws.
I was so enchanted by premise here - a "cemetery" the size of a moon, innovative new ways of honoring human remains while the Earth fills up and we begin reaching for the stars, the entanglement in all of this of an Eldritch entity beyond comprehension - and that is what accounts for this being a 2-star read. I'm assigning a whole star for that concept. It doesn't actually play out or anything, but in theory, this book could've been good.
Instead, we got the most awkward, stilted, viscous dialogue I have encountered in a trad pub in years. The many lines of internal dialogue to which we are treated, from multiple characters/POV, are some of the most unnatural-sounding things to supposedly come out of a human brain, possibly ever, and they break immersion immediately.
Also... I know I have aphantasia, and I know y'all are going to say, "But Alex, that's on you!" when I tell you this, and you will be wrong: I have no clue what any of this architecture looked or was built like or how it was supposed to function. I KNOW Palisano sorta-kinda described it, but he did so in a way that genuinely made no sense. He then introduced, like, infrasound space ghosts and Eldritch infections of AI and then he stretched the same conflict/circumstance out into 47 different scenes back-to-back.
"Whoa, a weird noise! ... Ouch, it's hurting my brain! ... What is happening? Things are breaking! Oh noooooo!" follwed by "Whoa, what a weird noise! ... Ouch, it's hurting my brain and breaking the ship!" The same thing happens over and over again, which really means that functionally, nothing happens, and then it all happens all at once and the book is over and I regret my choices.
Everyone else seems to have decided to be far more diplomatic than me in their reviews, but I just do not recommend this book. The enchanting appeal of the premise does not do enough heavy lifting to overcome the structural flaws.
June 6, 2025
Requiem by John Palisano – Horror in Space! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Cosmic Symphony of Terror
John Palisano’s *Requiem* delivers a chilling blend of horror and science fiction, setting its eerie tale aboard the Eden—a moon-sized graveyard drifting through space. The concept alone is unsettling: a vessel filled with the dead, their souls restless, and something much older lurking in the void.
Plot Overview
Ava, haunted by the loss of her love, Roland, faces a terrifying reality as the Eden begins resurrecting its inhabitants—both corporeal and spectral. The souls of the interred whisper through the halls, unraveling the sanity of the crew. Among them, a visiting musician, charged with composing a *Requiem* for the dead, inadvertently summons a cosmic force that amplifies their fears and darkest secrets. As the entity tightens its grip, madness spreads like wildfire, and Ava must fight through her grief to save herself, the remaining survivors, and prevent the horror from reaching Earth.
Review & Impressions
While the premise is fascinating—melding haunted house horror with the vast loneliness of space—the story struggled to hold its grip at times. The pacing makes it difficult to fully settle into the tension, especially in the earlier chapters. However, Palisano’s knack for atmospheric dread shines in moments of psychological horror. The creeping insanity, the musician’s eerie composition, and Ava’s internal struggle elevate the novel beyond a standard sci-fi horror setup.
The novel thrives on its haunting visuals: ghostly apparitions drifting among the stars, whispers slipping through the ship’s walls, and a requiem that serves as both a lament and a call to something far more dangerous. While certain plot elements felt disjointed, the sheer ambition of blending deep-space isolation with supernatural terror makes *Requiem* an intriguing read for horror and sci-fi fans alike.
Final Thoughts
If you love cosmic horror and space-bound ghost stories, *Requiem* offers an unsettling, atmospheric experience. Though it takes effort to settle into its rhythm, the payoff is a unique twist on interstellar hauntings and existential dread. 3 out of 3 stars.
Happy reading 👻🚀📚
A Cosmic Symphony of Terror
John Palisano’s *Requiem* delivers a chilling blend of horror and science fiction, setting its eerie tale aboard the Eden—a moon-sized graveyard drifting through space. The concept alone is unsettling: a vessel filled with the dead, their souls restless, and something much older lurking in the void.
Plot Overview
Ava, haunted by the loss of her love, Roland, faces a terrifying reality as the Eden begins resurrecting its inhabitants—both corporeal and spectral. The souls of the interred whisper through the halls, unraveling the sanity of the crew. Among them, a visiting musician, charged with composing a *Requiem* for the dead, inadvertently summons a cosmic force that amplifies their fears and darkest secrets. As the entity tightens its grip, madness spreads like wildfire, and Ava must fight through her grief to save herself, the remaining survivors, and prevent the horror from reaching Earth.
Review & Impressions
While the premise is fascinating—melding haunted house horror with the vast loneliness of space—the story struggled to hold its grip at times. The pacing makes it difficult to fully settle into the tension, especially in the earlier chapters. However, Palisano’s knack for atmospheric dread shines in moments of psychological horror. The creeping insanity, the musician’s eerie composition, and Ava’s internal struggle elevate the novel beyond a standard sci-fi horror setup.
The novel thrives on its haunting visuals: ghostly apparitions drifting among the stars, whispers slipping through the ship’s walls, and a requiem that serves as both a lament and a call to something far more dangerous. While certain plot elements felt disjointed, the sheer ambition of blending deep-space isolation with supernatural terror makes *Requiem* an intriguing read for horror and sci-fi fans alike.
Final Thoughts
If you love cosmic horror and space-bound ghost stories, *Requiem* offers an unsettling, atmospheric experience. Though it takes effort to settle into its rhythm, the payoff is a unique twist on interstellar hauntings and existential dread. 3 out of 3 stars.
Happy reading 👻🚀📚
April 11, 2025
Thank you to Flame Tree Press, and NetGalley for the eARC of REQUIEM, by John Palisano.
All opinions are my own.
REQUIEM is a space-horror novel that introduces us to "Eden", a moon-sized cemetery floating around Earth. The concept is that the dead are interred in glass, fluid filled coffins (which preserve them), and are able to be viewed with special telescopes, by their loved ones on Earth. The more money spent, the longer your deceased will orbit at the top/viewing point.
I found the concept of this fascinating, and Eden--the computer system that takes care of everything on board--more than a little ... unsettling.
Ava is selected to lead a crew of specialists and one musician to Eden to get the ship ready to receive "occupants" once more, after a leak forced them to halt. A musician is selected to compose a new Requiem to be played on Eden, since the previous one now had a negative response due to the accident.
I did get a feel for Ava, and the trauma she had in her past, as well as most of the other crew members. The claustrophobic feeling of being up there in space, with mostly interred dead and a robotic system, made me glad to be down on Earth. When things first start to go wrong, there are subtle inconveniences . . . and then the Requiem begins to be composed....
The pacing shifted in regards to the situations. It was slow during contemplation, or when one of the members was having their own moments, and faster during the more harrowing parts. The end result was not something that I saw coming, and felt it was a nice "shift" from the usual antagonist angle.
Overall, a surreal horror in space that keeps you wondering until the very end.
Recommended.
All opinions are my own.
REQUIEM is a space-horror novel that introduces us to "Eden", a moon-sized cemetery floating around Earth. The concept is that the dead are interred in glass, fluid filled coffins (which preserve them), and are able to be viewed with special telescopes, by their loved ones on Earth. The more money spent, the longer your deceased will orbit at the top/viewing point.
I found the concept of this fascinating, and Eden--the computer system that takes care of everything on board--more than a little ... unsettling.
Ava is selected to lead a crew of specialists and one musician to Eden to get the ship ready to receive "occupants" once more, after a leak forced them to halt. A musician is selected to compose a new Requiem to be played on Eden, since the previous one now had a negative response due to the accident.
I did get a feel for Ava, and the trauma she had in her past, as well as most of the other crew members. The claustrophobic feeling of being up there in space, with mostly interred dead and a robotic system, made me glad to be down on Earth. When things first start to go wrong, there are subtle inconveniences . . . and then the Requiem begins to be composed....
The pacing shifted in regards to the situations. It was slow during contemplation, or when one of the members was having their own moments, and faster during the more harrowing parts. The end result was not something that I saw coming, and felt it was a nice "shift" from the usual antagonist angle.
Overall, a surreal horror in space that keeps you wondering until the very end.
Recommended.
July 31, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy for review.
Ava is part of a small crew stationed on Eden a moon-sized cemetery in space. If they are to keep their sanity or even their lives Ava will need to take on a cosmic entity who has taken hold in Eden.
A satellite with hundreds of dead people in space has to be the perfect setting for a horror novel. Add in a cosmic entity messing with minds of the dead and living, and you have the greatest premise I have heard in quite some time. The characters are diverse and interesting. I thought the psychological attacks went on a bit too long before answers are given, but overall I really enjoyed this book. If you like very psychological science fiction horror stories than this one might be for you.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Ava is part of a small crew stationed on Eden a moon-sized cemetery in space. If they are to keep their sanity or even their lives Ava will need to take on a cosmic entity who has taken hold in Eden.
A satellite with hundreds of dead people in space has to be the perfect setting for a horror novel. Add in a cosmic entity messing with minds of the dead and living, and you have the greatest premise I have heard in quite some time. The characters are diverse and interesting. I thought the psychological attacks went on a bit too long before answers are given, but overall I really enjoyed this book. If you like very psychological science fiction horror stories than this one might be for you.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
August 12, 2025
Not a case of "unfair expectations" :/
June 3, 2025
I loved the premise of this. Humans have run out of space and now a company has offered the option of burial on this (moon sized?) satellite. There’s some sketchy coffin fluid (the deceased are suspended in a fluid, this is scifi after all) that caused havoc and now they have to fix the facilities and the company’s reputation. That’s about where it stops being rooted in a solid story line. If you love stories disjointed from reality this book is for you.
I thought I loved weird lit but this version of weird lit just wasn’t for me. It’s hard to say without spoilers, but, for much of the book the characters are experiencing weird events and the plot goes no where except describing these events.
This book is definitely going to be a hit with folks who love vibing in a scifi and just letting the words roll over them. It just didn’t hit the spot for me personally. I needed more to be happening in the book than one long fever dream.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
I thought I loved weird lit but this version of weird lit just wasn’t for me. It’s hard to say without spoilers, but, for much of the book the characters are experiencing weird events and the plot goes no where except describing these events.
This book is definitely going to be a hit with folks who love vibing in a scifi and just letting the words roll over them. It just didn’t hit the spot for me personally. I needed more to be happening in the book than one long fever dream.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Read
January 31, 2025*Huge thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a digital ARC of this one!*
Space horror. Science fiction themes merged with terrifying elements. When done well, it’s a subgenre that easily whisks away the reader and keeps them hooked no matter one. And one big key to that is the total isolation aspect. On solid ground, here on earth, if something horrible happens, a character can run away or get in a car and drive as far away as possible.
But in space…
Well, you’re stuck. Sure, maybe you have an escape pod, but then what? Or maybe there’s a rescue ship coming? Well, that ship isn’t just around the block and you’ve certainly not used Uber to call it.
It’s that claustrophobic aspect of going where so few humans have gone before that always draws me in and makes for an unsettling read.
Now, with Palisano at the helm, I knew I’d be getting a lush, but ultimately unnerving experience. If you’ve not read any of John’s work before, you absolutely need to get on that. I suggest you start with his novella ‘Glass House’ which is haunting and heartbreaking, or dive into his dust-filled western ‘Dust of the Dead.’ Really, you can’t go wrong with John’s work, which made this one so enticing to me because – and as I just said – it’s in space.
What I liked: Set in the future, Ava is a space ship captain who has recently returned to earth, dealing with with PTSD from her last mission. She’s been assured she’ll not return to space for some time, but that’s thrown out the window when a huge corporation contacts her – and a group of scientists and a musician – for an important job. A moon-sized cemetery known as Eden has experienced some significant malfunctions and they need to head up, repair it and make sure it never happens again.
From here, John gives us a haunting look at isolation, madness, connecting with the dead and loss. It’s billed as a gothic story, but that is buried beneath the sheen of the sci-fi/horror surface. It’s only revealed as the story goes along and we see the true reality of what’s happening on Eden and how those who are managing to survive deal with it.
The story ebbs and flows, we get some jolting, intense moments bookended by some slow, visceral revelations and it’s within that scope that the mastery of what Palisano has done truly can be appreciated. It’s subtle, at times tough to put your finger on, but its there, pulsing throughout the whispered textures of each chapter.
The ending wraps things up ‘nicely’ and once you get there, you’ll know what I mean, and I appreciated the tongue-in-cheek-ness of the ‘epilogue’ portion.
What I didn’t like: The story is solid, the writing is solid and the characters are great, but – as with many sci-fi/horror novels – if you go in thinking that this won’t have a lot of familiar plot points and story aspects, you’ll be sorely frustrated. John doesn’t reinvent the plot here, but I also don’t believe that was ever his intention.
Why you should buy this: Palisano is one of the nicest guys in the horror world but also one of the most criminally under read writers out there. ‘Requiem’ just might be the book that finally tips those scales and gets his books all over IG and Tik Tok – at least I hope so – because what he’s done here is a powerful, philosophical look at death, what happens after and how the human race continues to push forward with technological elements without considering the long-term ramifications.
This was really well done.
Space horror. Science fiction themes merged with terrifying elements. When done well, it’s a subgenre that easily whisks away the reader and keeps them hooked no matter one. And one big key to that is the total isolation aspect. On solid ground, here on earth, if something horrible happens, a character can run away or get in a car and drive as far away as possible.
But in space…
Well, you’re stuck. Sure, maybe you have an escape pod, but then what? Or maybe there’s a rescue ship coming? Well, that ship isn’t just around the block and you’ve certainly not used Uber to call it.
It’s that claustrophobic aspect of going where so few humans have gone before that always draws me in and makes for an unsettling read.
Now, with Palisano at the helm, I knew I’d be getting a lush, but ultimately unnerving experience. If you’ve not read any of John’s work before, you absolutely need to get on that. I suggest you start with his novella ‘Glass House’ which is haunting and heartbreaking, or dive into his dust-filled western ‘Dust of the Dead.’ Really, you can’t go wrong with John’s work, which made this one so enticing to me because – and as I just said – it’s in space.
What I liked: Set in the future, Ava is a space ship captain who has recently returned to earth, dealing with with PTSD from her last mission. She’s been assured she’ll not return to space for some time, but that’s thrown out the window when a huge corporation contacts her – and a group of scientists and a musician – for an important job. A moon-sized cemetery known as Eden has experienced some significant malfunctions and they need to head up, repair it and make sure it never happens again.
From here, John gives us a haunting look at isolation, madness, connecting with the dead and loss. It’s billed as a gothic story, but that is buried beneath the sheen of the sci-fi/horror surface. It’s only revealed as the story goes along and we see the true reality of what’s happening on Eden and how those who are managing to survive deal with it.
The story ebbs and flows, we get some jolting, intense moments bookended by some slow, visceral revelations and it’s within that scope that the mastery of what Palisano has done truly can be appreciated. It’s subtle, at times tough to put your finger on, but its there, pulsing throughout the whispered textures of each chapter.
The ending wraps things up ‘nicely’ and once you get there, you’ll know what I mean, and I appreciated the tongue-in-cheek-ness of the ‘epilogue’ portion.
What I didn’t like: The story is solid, the writing is solid and the characters are great, but – as with many sci-fi/horror novels – if you go in thinking that this won’t have a lot of familiar plot points and story aspects, you’ll be sorely frustrated. John doesn’t reinvent the plot here, but I also don’t believe that was ever his intention.
Why you should buy this: Palisano is one of the nicest guys in the horror world but also one of the most criminally under read writers out there. ‘Requiem’ just might be the book that finally tips those scales and gets his books all over IG and Tik Tok – at least I hope so – because what he’s done here is a powerful, philosophical look at death, what happens after and how the human race continues to push forward with technological elements without considering the long-term ramifications.
This was really well done.
May 13, 2025
We always know that space is scary, right? What if you’re sent to repair a space station created to hold Earth’s dead bodies? What if an entity has infiltrated this space cemetery Eden and starts messing with everyone on board! And I mean EVERYONE!
Space horror is one of my favourite subgenres and one that never fails to surprise me in terms of authors’ creativity. In this case, John Palisano manages to not only create a very original plot, but he also messes up with the reader’s head pretty well!
One of my absolute fears is losing control, and specifically losing control of my mind and this whole plot does just that with the whole crew, humans and non. I felt every bit of the anxiety the space station crew goes through, and I had to pause to breathe at times.
But, the novel also offers some food for thought, tackling grief and the subject of death, both in terms of what happens to the living (like Ava) and to the dead as well. As we are in the future and technology has advanced, Eden doesn’t just preserve the dead, but it can get a glimpse of something deeper. This is what the entity would latch onto with fatal consequences.
This is a very good space horror (albeit it I thought some parts could be shorter), exploring grief and its dread, giving the reader a chance for some reflection whilst battling with the anxiety experienced by the protagonists and by extension felt by the reader as well.
Thanks to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
Space horror is one of my favourite subgenres and one that never fails to surprise me in terms of authors’ creativity. In this case, John Palisano manages to not only create a very original plot, but he also messes up with the reader’s head pretty well!
One of my absolute fears is losing control, and specifically losing control of my mind and this whole plot does just that with the whole crew, humans and non. I felt every bit of the anxiety the space station crew goes through, and I had to pause to breathe at times.
But, the novel also offers some food for thought, tackling grief and the subject of death, both in terms of what happens to the living (like Ava) and to the dead as well. As we are in the future and technology has advanced, Eden doesn’t just preserve the dead, but it can get a glimpse of something deeper. This is what the entity would latch onto with fatal consequences.
This is a very good space horror (albeit it I thought some parts could be shorter), exploring grief and its dread, giving the reader a chance for some reflection whilst battling with the anxiety experienced by the protagonists and by extension felt by the reader as well.
Thanks to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
August 21, 2025
Review originally on JamReads
Requiem is a horror novel written by John Palisano, published by Flame Tree Press. A proposal that plays well with the mix between cosmic and space horror, with a fascinating storyline that makes the best out of its setting and the impossibility of escaping from it, creating an unnerving and creepily atmospherical experience.
Eden is an artificial satellite the size of a moon, a cemetery where the dead are stored in a way their loved ones can look up and see them; as something has gone wrong, a crew is sent from the Earth to repair it. A musician will be part of this crew, as the company desires to have a new requiem written for Eden as an apology to the families; but once the crew arrives at Eden, things start going sideways. At some point, it won't be a matter of repairing what's broken in Eden, but of seeing if the crew will escape Eden with their lives.
In terms of characterization, it is interesting how each one of the crew has their own set of demons that are being tested by whatever has taken over Eden; when the entity not only moves you in space but also into your own mind, resisting it proves to be a tough task. We might not have enough space to connect with all of them, but Ava and her grief for Roland was one of the highlights of the book.
Eden by itself is a fascinating place; it can be described as an expression of an eternal grief for the loved ones, refusing them to go; space is the perfect setting for horror, as the inability to escape eventually forces the cast to confront the own entity responsible of the chaos.
The pacing can be slow at the start, introducing us to the place and the crew, but once all is unleashed, you don't really have a moment to rest. The pace is sharp but effective.
Requiem doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's overall a great novel if you are looking for a blend between space and cosmic horror; an enjoyable experience for lovers of the genre.
Requiem is a horror novel written by John Palisano, published by Flame Tree Press. A proposal that plays well with the mix between cosmic and space horror, with a fascinating storyline that makes the best out of its setting and the impossibility of escaping from it, creating an unnerving and creepily atmospherical experience.
Eden is an artificial satellite the size of a moon, a cemetery where the dead are stored in a way their loved ones can look up and see them; as something has gone wrong, a crew is sent from the Earth to repair it. A musician will be part of this crew, as the company desires to have a new requiem written for Eden as an apology to the families; but once the crew arrives at Eden, things start going sideways. At some point, it won't be a matter of repairing what's broken in Eden, but of seeing if the crew will escape Eden with their lives.
In terms of characterization, it is interesting how each one of the crew has their own set of demons that are being tested by whatever has taken over Eden; when the entity not only moves you in space but also into your own mind, resisting it proves to be a tough task. We might not have enough space to connect with all of them, but Ava and her grief for Roland was one of the highlights of the book.
Eden by itself is a fascinating place; it can be described as an expression of an eternal grief for the loved ones, refusing them to go; space is the perfect setting for horror, as the inability to escape eventually forces the cast to confront the own entity responsible of the chaos.
The pacing can be slow at the start, introducing us to the place and the crew, but once all is unleashed, you don't really have a moment to rest. The pace is sharp but effective.
Requiem doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's overall a great novel if you are looking for a blend between space and cosmic horror; an enjoyable experience for lovers of the genre.
May 26, 2025
While it is a shorter read since you might expect it amp up the tension for much longer, it isn’t short on suspense or emotion. A number of passages are quite melodic in fact and, for all it might be the cover which seals the deal with how appealing this book is, there is more than enough bite and surrealness to the horror and claustrophobia here to push it up to the top of your TBR pile.
May 30, 2025
This was a bit underwhelming. I had a hard time getting lost in the story. Having every character with their own inner monolog seemed to bog the story down, and the dialog was awkward and unnatural. The horror element wasn't all that interesting to me, or perhaps it wasn't executed well.
May 25, 2025
This book is mind boggling.. 😵💫😂 It grips you because you have no idea why things are happening!
Love the way it is written in third and first person, very cool! 🤩
The story… you’ve got to concentrate quite a bit to know what’s going on. The reveal of what is happening without giving anything away was confusing 😂 but overall, a good book that I would recommend to any Sci-Fi lovers 🚀👽
Love the way it is written in third and first person, very cool! 🤩
The story… you’ve got to concentrate quite a bit to know what’s going on. The reveal of what is happening without giving anything away was confusing 😂 but overall, a good book that I would recommend to any Sci-Fi lovers 🚀👽
May 18, 2025
(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I really like the idea behind Requiem: a cemetery in space, a ‘burial among the stars’ as the book itself describes.
And I really like the idea of something not going as it was supposed to do. There are a lot of reasons to be afraid of space without adding ‘there might be something wrong with the dead people that surround you’.
The characters feel more or less realistic (some more than others, with their motivations not always clear) and the first half of the novel makes a very promising horror in space. Sadly, this eeriness is not maintained once the secret is out, transforming the whole experience into quite a mess towards the end. And it is really a pity, for it started so strong and with such a good rhythm, it feels like there should have been a better way of put it all together.
I really like the idea behind Requiem: a cemetery in space, a ‘burial among the stars’ as the book itself describes.
And I really like the idea of something not going as it was supposed to do. There are a lot of reasons to be afraid of space without adding ‘there might be something wrong with the dead people that surround you’.
The characters feel more or less realistic (some more than others, with their motivations not always clear) and the first half of the novel makes a very promising horror in space. Sadly, this eeriness is not maintained once the secret is out, transforming the whole experience into quite a mess towards the end. And it is really a pity, for it started so strong and with such a good rhythm, it feels like there should have been a better way of put it all together.
January 31, 2025
First, as always, thanks to Flame Tree Press, NetGalley, and John Palisano for the opportunity to read, and review, this novel in exchange for an honest review.
And honest it will be. Let’s start with a little background. I wasn’t familiar with John’s work until one of his stories came across my desk for consideration when I was putting together Dark Tides. I obviously liked his style since I included it. Since then, I have only read a bunch of short stories by John (and one novella with Lisa Morton), and not a full length novel. REQUIEM was my first – and won’t be my last.
REQUIEM is a space horror – no, not like “Jason X”, or “Alien”. More along the likes of “2001: A Space Odyssey” – only, it’s not the computer that’s the protagonist. In fact, throughout most of the book, you are never sure if what is going on is actually happening, or if it is, why?
The premise is this – there’s a gigantic cemetery (close to planet size) where the dead is interred in special clear caskets preserved for ever. Their relatives can view them from Earth with special telescopes that are zoned in on their specific loved one. An interesting concept, but a logistical nightmare. A crew is sent to make sure Eden (the name of this place), can be back up and running after an accident.
What occurs after will have you on the edge of your seat, wondering (sometimes out loud), “What the hell?!”
OK, so you’re saying, “Yeah, that kind of thing has been done before”, and you’d be right. In fact, as I was reading it on the treadmill at the gym, my random playlist started playing The Blue Danube started playing – and all I could picture was Kubrick’s movie, done to John’s writing. But that shouldn’t distract you from reading it.
John has a knack for character development that many writers can’t touch. He fleshes them out, and makes them flawed, but strong when needed. You actually feel for them. On top of that, his descriptive writing will make you feel claustrophobic at times – even if you’re not in real life.
Lastly, John knows humor. You’ll see a touch of it in the Epilogue – which also ties the entire story up nicely, but not gratuitously.
And honest it will be. Let’s start with a little background. I wasn’t familiar with John’s work until one of his stories came across my desk for consideration when I was putting together Dark Tides. I obviously liked his style since I included it. Since then, I have only read a bunch of short stories by John (and one novella with Lisa Morton), and not a full length novel. REQUIEM was my first – and won’t be my last.
REQUIEM is a space horror – no, not like “Jason X”, or “Alien”. More along the likes of “2001: A Space Odyssey” – only, it’s not the computer that’s the protagonist. In fact, throughout most of the book, you are never sure if what is going on is actually happening, or if it is, why?
The premise is this – there’s a gigantic cemetery (close to planet size) where the dead is interred in special clear caskets preserved for ever. Their relatives can view them from Earth with special telescopes that are zoned in on their specific loved one. An interesting concept, but a logistical nightmare. A crew is sent to make sure Eden (the name of this place), can be back up and running after an accident.
What occurs after will have you on the edge of your seat, wondering (sometimes out loud), “What the hell?!”
OK, so you’re saying, “Yeah, that kind of thing has been done before”, and you’d be right. In fact, as I was reading it on the treadmill at the gym, my random playlist started playing The Blue Danube started playing – and all I could picture was Kubrick’s movie, done to John’s writing. But that shouldn’t distract you from reading it.
John has a knack for character development that many writers can’t touch. He fleshes them out, and makes them flawed, but strong when needed. You actually feel for them. On top of that, his descriptive writing will make you feel claustrophobic at times – even if you’re not in real life.
Lastly, John knows humor. You’ll see a touch of it in the Epilogue – which also ties the entire story up nicely, but not gratuitously.
August 20, 2025
Review for Concatenation:
“In space, no one can hear you scream.”
(Alien (1979)
In recent years I have felt that there seems to have been a resurgence of stories dealing with the potential horrors of space – you know, heat, cold, airlessness, aliens, cosmic horror. I guess that it is because humans are grappling with the idea of the unknown frontier again, and the point that most people don’t know what’s out there - within scientific limits, anything is possible. Or is it just the fact that we are looking at sending humans beyond our earthly confines once more?
Or perhaps this increased interest is just because space travel may now be available to humans once more. Certainly, recent activities have suggested that in the future space travel may be available to all, being accessible and less dangerous than you might think. The work of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and the like have emphasised this.
With this in mind then, John Palisano’s Requiem looks to a future where we have a major cemetery floating in space. It is 2112 (RUSH fans, please note!) Above the Earth is Eden, built by the Vita Nova company, a moon-sized space station designed to keep dead bodies and so to reduce the pressure for space on the Earth. By keeping the bodies there in a particulate fluid, they can maintain the cadaver’s appearance in perpetuity. They can even store memories and recreate the person digitally, with those memories.
For visitors there are also churches chapels and temples for all faiths, Gardens of Rest and artificial parks, auditoriums, hotel rooms and about 5000 loved ones at present, with room for more.
As the book begins, we are told that the station has developed a problem. With thousands of bodies kept there in proprietary fluid, it seems that recently in a major incident the fluid system has failed, and bodies were lost. The escaping fluid was highly toxic so the station has been left abandoned by its skeleton crew whilst the AI on Eden (named Eden) repairs itself. Now Vita Nova want a human crew to go back up there and check that it is again running smoothly, and hopefully regain the public’s trust in Eden and Vita Nova.
Sent to sort out the problem are a varied group of travellers, all ‘free spirits’, with few connections to tie them to Earth. It is a deliberately diverse group. Some are experienced space veterans, others are travelling for the first time. Ava Armstrong Duvay is the reluctant manager, trying to make them all work together. Dr. Derek Poole is the Medical Officer, there to manage the group’s wellbeing and to see if there are now any issues with the cadavers stored at Eden. Sanjay Akhila and Ken Lee are there to check the Communications. Midori is a Humani – a virtual intelligence robot, or artificial human, there to assist them all. Lastly there’s Tessa Nightingale, a Special Guest Composer charged with the task of writing a new musical composition for Eden’s visitors and tenants – for who wants to be reminded of the disaster by hearing the old theme, right? I thought of her as Taylor Swift – or perhaps Katy Perry – seemingly there to create publicity and public awareness that Eden was now back in business.
With all of the characters introduced in the first chapter, the book has fairly little preamble. There’s some talk of how and why the habitat is there and why a team is needed to go there in the first few pages. It’s only a couple of short chapters before the group are heading out there.
Of course, once they get there, the crew start to experience hear sounds and music and experience hallucinatory visions, perhaps triggered by the oddly discordant Requiem music Tessa has written. Things all go a bit HAL 9000 at this stage, as the AI Eden, who runs the whole spaceship, starts doing things like cutting off the heating and the oxygen.
With communications between Eden and Earth cut off, the visions become weirder. Ava sees her dead husband Roland on board the habitat, even though he died in a mission Ava was the sole survivor of. (Solaris, anyone?)
The story then focuses on what these strange things are and why they are happening. Are these strange events caused by mechanical malfunction such as a lack of oxygen and hypothermia or could it be that the stress of space travel and the situations the characters are put in have created mass hysteria? Is it an alien attempt to communicate? A signal from the retrievable memories of the dead bodies already on Eden? The reader is left to ponder on these things in the latter part of the novel.
And it was in this last section that I began to lose interest. At a point when the ratcheted-up tension should be making the pages turn, I found that I was instead becoming less and less bothered. Even though the short chapters focusing on different characters kept things moving along, the lack of depth to the characters meant that I was less interested with them as I should have been.
It didn’t help that the rather deux ex machina ending felt a little contrived and didn’t entirely work for me. Without giving it away, anyone who has seen The Abyss will feel they have been there already.
In the end, Requiem’s solid enough. You pretty much get what you might expect, including the weirdness at the end. I can see that some readers might be reading this just to see who dies and in what particularly gruesome way. They may be disappointed.
Nevertheless, Requiem’s a decent read that undemanding readers will get pretty much what they want from. It’s not particularly challenging, nor particularly original (see other material I’ve referenced), but it is a pretty good representation of the space horror idea and is accessible and readable.
“In space, no one can hear you scream.”
(Alien (1979)
In recent years I have felt that there seems to have been a resurgence of stories dealing with the potential horrors of space – you know, heat, cold, airlessness, aliens, cosmic horror. I guess that it is because humans are grappling with the idea of the unknown frontier again, and the point that most people don’t know what’s out there - within scientific limits, anything is possible. Or is it just the fact that we are looking at sending humans beyond our earthly confines once more?
Or perhaps this increased interest is just because space travel may now be available to humans once more. Certainly, recent activities have suggested that in the future space travel may be available to all, being accessible and less dangerous than you might think. The work of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and the like have emphasised this.
With this in mind then, John Palisano’s Requiem looks to a future where we have a major cemetery floating in space. It is 2112 (RUSH fans, please note!) Above the Earth is Eden, built by the Vita Nova company, a moon-sized space station designed to keep dead bodies and so to reduce the pressure for space on the Earth. By keeping the bodies there in a particulate fluid, they can maintain the cadaver’s appearance in perpetuity. They can even store memories and recreate the person digitally, with those memories.
For visitors there are also churches chapels and temples for all faiths, Gardens of Rest and artificial parks, auditoriums, hotel rooms and about 5000 loved ones at present, with room for more.
As the book begins, we are told that the station has developed a problem. With thousands of bodies kept there in proprietary fluid, it seems that recently in a major incident the fluid system has failed, and bodies were lost. The escaping fluid was highly toxic so the station has been left abandoned by its skeleton crew whilst the AI on Eden (named Eden) repairs itself. Now Vita Nova want a human crew to go back up there and check that it is again running smoothly, and hopefully regain the public’s trust in Eden and Vita Nova.
Sent to sort out the problem are a varied group of travellers, all ‘free spirits’, with few connections to tie them to Earth. It is a deliberately diverse group. Some are experienced space veterans, others are travelling for the first time. Ava Armstrong Duvay is the reluctant manager, trying to make them all work together. Dr. Derek Poole is the Medical Officer, there to manage the group’s wellbeing and to see if there are now any issues with the cadavers stored at Eden. Sanjay Akhila and Ken Lee are there to check the Communications. Midori is a Humani – a virtual intelligence robot, or artificial human, there to assist them all. Lastly there’s Tessa Nightingale, a Special Guest Composer charged with the task of writing a new musical composition for Eden’s visitors and tenants – for who wants to be reminded of the disaster by hearing the old theme, right? I thought of her as Taylor Swift – or perhaps Katy Perry – seemingly there to create publicity and public awareness that Eden was now back in business.
With all of the characters introduced in the first chapter, the book has fairly little preamble. There’s some talk of how and why the habitat is there and why a team is needed to go there in the first few pages. It’s only a couple of short chapters before the group are heading out there.
Of course, once they get there, the crew start to experience hear sounds and music and experience hallucinatory visions, perhaps triggered by the oddly discordant Requiem music Tessa has written. Things all go a bit HAL 9000 at this stage, as the AI Eden, who runs the whole spaceship, starts doing things like cutting off the heating and the oxygen.
With communications between Eden and Earth cut off, the visions become weirder. Ava sees her dead husband Roland on board the habitat, even though he died in a mission Ava was the sole survivor of. (Solaris, anyone?)
The story then focuses on what these strange things are and why they are happening. Are these strange events caused by mechanical malfunction such as a lack of oxygen and hypothermia or could it be that the stress of space travel and the situations the characters are put in have created mass hysteria? Is it an alien attempt to communicate? A signal from the retrievable memories of the dead bodies already on Eden? The reader is left to ponder on these things in the latter part of the novel.
And it was in this last section that I began to lose interest. At a point when the ratcheted-up tension should be making the pages turn, I found that I was instead becoming less and less bothered. Even though the short chapters focusing on different characters kept things moving along, the lack of depth to the characters meant that I was less interested with them as I should have been.
It didn’t help that the rather deux ex machina ending felt a little contrived and didn’t entirely work for me. Without giving it away, anyone who has seen The Abyss will feel they have been there already.
In the end, Requiem’s solid enough. You pretty much get what you might expect, including the weirdness at the end. I can see that some readers might be reading this just to see who dies and in what particularly gruesome way. They may be disappointed.
Nevertheless, Requiem’s a decent read that undemanding readers will get pretty much what they want from. It’s not particularly challenging, nor particularly original (see other material I’ve referenced), but it is a pretty good representation of the space horror idea and is accessible and readable.
July 7, 2025
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Requiem' by John Palisano.
I will start by saying that this is a great example on not judging a book by its cover!! When you look at this gorgeous cover, and it definitely is eye catching especially if you got a hard back with sprayed edges, but it also screams science fiction. I am not a fan of science fiction but when I read the synopsis and it mentioned a cemetery and ghosts plus the fact that John has been awarded the Bram Stoker Award well I just had to read it. I am a massive lover of horror and was looking forward to trying it out and I am pleased to say that I enjoyed it. If this is not usually the sort of book that you would pick up then do not let that put you off, expand your reading genres and give this book a try!! It is most definitely has a unique premise with the book location being on Eden which is a moon sized cemetery!! Something I had never heard of before and definitely an interesting concept. I do have to admit that I was hoping for more horror than what the storyline actually contained but that is my personal opinion being a lover of full on horror. It does include some creepy scenes that are filled with tension but just not as much as I was hoping for. However, I still enjoyed the book and ended up devouring it in one sitting. The storyline is packed with space, science, tension, mystery, dread and much more!! John does an absolutely superb job of weaving together multiple perspective protagonists using each of the crew members that have gone up to Eden to create this absolutely intriguing and tension packed storyline!! It is one of those books that it does not matter where or when you read this book as John will deliver you to Eden where you will hear the requiem, feel the crew's fear and see everything going on around them at the turn of a page. It truly is an absolutely fascinating premise using a massive space satellite as a cemetery and with the way the world is going it is not actually such a far fetched idea and possibly something that many of us will see in the future. Hopefully if it does happen it will not have such disastrous consequences as it did for Ken in this book. Although I was a bit disappointed with the lack of horror, again for me, I am definitely interested in reading more of John's books especially, as previously mentioned, he has not only been award the Bram Stoker Award but was also nominated for a Rondo Award, to see what else he has come up with. I could not put this book down and ended up completely devouring it in one sitting of a few hours as I just had to know what was going to happen next!! I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple perspectives which John managed to weave together perfectly to create a tension packed and addictive story that kept me hooked throughout! His fantastic evocative writing skills ensure each and every one of the characters along with the locations come to life in front of your eyes. An action packed and spooky story set in a space cemetery filled with tension, suspense and dread.
Overall an action packed and spooky story set in a space cemetery filled with tension, suspense and dread.
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Review for 'Requiem' by John Palisano.
I will start by saying that this is a great example on not judging a book by its cover!! When you look at this gorgeous cover, and it definitely is eye catching especially if you got a hard back with sprayed edges, but it also screams science fiction. I am not a fan of science fiction but when I read the synopsis and it mentioned a cemetery and ghosts plus the fact that John has been awarded the Bram Stoker Award well I just had to read it. I am a massive lover of horror and was looking forward to trying it out and I am pleased to say that I enjoyed it. If this is not usually the sort of book that you would pick up then do not let that put you off, expand your reading genres and give this book a try!! It is most definitely has a unique premise with the book location being on Eden which is a moon sized cemetery!! Something I had never heard of before and definitely an interesting concept. I do have to admit that I was hoping for more horror than what the storyline actually contained but that is my personal opinion being a lover of full on horror. It does include some creepy scenes that are filled with tension but just not as much as I was hoping for. However, I still enjoyed the book and ended up devouring it in one sitting. The storyline is packed with space, science, tension, mystery, dread and much more!! John does an absolutely superb job of weaving together multiple perspective protagonists using each of the crew members that have gone up to Eden to create this absolutely intriguing and tension packed storyline!! It is one of those books that it does not matter where or when you read this book as John will deliver you to Eden where you will hear the requiem, feel the crew's fear and see everything going on around them at the turn of a page. It truly is an absolutely fascinating premise using a massive space satellite as a cemetery and with the way the world is going it is not actually such a far fetched idea and possibly something that many of us will see in the future. Hopefully if it does happen it will not have such disastrous consequences as it did for Ken in this book. Although I was a bit disappointed with the lack of horror, again for me, I am definitely interested in reading more of John's books especially, as previously mentioned, he has not only been award the Bram Stoker Award but was also nominated for a Rondo Award, to see what else he has come up with. I could not put this book down and ended up completely devouring it in one sitting of a few hours as I just had to know what was going to happen next!! I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple perspectives which John managed to weave together perfectly to create a tension packed and addictive story that kept me hooked throughout! His fantastic evocative writing skills ensure each and every one of the characters along with the locations come to life in front of your eyes. An action packed and spooky story set in a space cemetery filled with tension, suspense and dread.
Overall an action packed and spooky story set in a space cemetery filled with tension, suspense and dread.
#TheStonesOfLandane #CatherineCavendish #FlameTreePress #flametreepublishing #RandomThingsTours #RandomTTours
@CatherineCavendish @FlameTreePress @flametreepublishing @RandomThingsTours @RandomTTours
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May 29, 2025
Before reading Requiem I hadn’t read anything by John Palisano. Browsing NetGallery, the amazing cover art drew me in and the premise — gothic horror in space? Gotta love that, right? — compelled me to request an eARC from Flame Tree Press. I love science fiction and am always on the lookout for new authors in the genre who can provide the wonder, thrills, and mind-altering perspectives that I crave. Palisano is now on my radar, and I will certainly read more of his books, although this one left me wanting a bit more at the ending.
In Requiem, Ava captains a small crew staying aboard Eden, a moon-sized orbiting mausoleum that houses thousands of Earth’s deceased who are labelled as “residents” by the Vita Nova Corporation who owns the satellite. Not only are the bodies of the residents stored on Eden, but so are their memories — very lifelike and active memories thanks to a strange entity awakened by the new requiem being composed onboard by a member of Ava’s crew. Something in the music begins to drive Ava and her crew mad, creating vivid and dangerous hallucinations. With the immense satellite seemingly coming apart around them and struggling to think clearly as she is haunted by her lost love Roland, Ava must discover the key to defeating the entity before it consumes the people on board and on the planet below.
Palisano hits all the notes for a gothic horror story, cleverly utilizing the space satellite in place of the typical haunted mansion, and he certainly knows how to ramp up the action for a page-turning read. However, I did feel let down by the story after the climax. The ending drags on through the last two chapters, a coda, and another piece of “Supplemental Material.” There’s plenty of time to explore the changed perspectives of Ava and her companions after their mind shattering experiences, to reveal their new philosophies on life and the afterlife —something I wish Palisano had delved into more, especially since he’s chosen such a diverse cast of characters.
As a fast summer read, Requiem hits the mark. As to whether I become a fan of Palisano’s writing, I’ll hold off on my opinion until I read some of his other work.
In Requiem, Ava captains a small crew staying aboard Eden, a moon-sized orbiting mausoleum that houses thousands of Earth’s deceased who are labelled as “residents” by the Vita Nova Corporation who owns the satellite. Not only are the bodies of the residents stored on Eden, but so are their memories — very lifelike and active memories thanks to a strange entity awakened by the new requiem being composed onboard by a member of Ava’s crew. Something in the music begins to drive Ava and her crew mad, creating vivid and dangerous hallucinations. With the immense satellite seemingly coming apart around them and struggling to think clearly as she is haunted by her lost love Roland, Ava must discover the key to defeating the entity before it consumes the people on board and on the planet below.
Palisano hits all the notes for a gothic horror story, cleverly utilizing the space satellite in place of the typical haunted mansion, and he certainly knows how to ramp up the action for a page-turning read. However, I did feel let down by the story after the climax. The ending drags on through the last two chapters, a coda, and another piece of “Supplemental Material.” There’s plenty of time to explore the changed perspectives of Ava and her companions after their mind shattering experiences, to reveal their new philosophies on life and the afterlife —something I wish Palisano had delved into more, especially since he’s chosen such a diverse cast of characters.
As a fast summer read, Requiem hits the mark. As to whether I become a fan of Palisano’s writing, I’ll hold off on my opinion until I read some of his other work.
July 13, 2025
Here is my review for Requiem by John Palisano
I found this to be an intriguing horror story that I really enjoyed reading right from the start of the book. Ava was cautious about going back to Eden after her previous stint there and she still had strong memories of Roland who she still believed to be missing. On this trip to Eden, Ava is made leader of the crew. This time round, Eden is haunted by spirits of the interred that are on board there. One by one the crew are driven mad but Ava has to fight against it. I thought the book was brilliantly written and well thought out by the author. The characters were interesting and well thought out. I liked Ava and thought she was a terrifically strong character. She was trying to get over her grief for Roland and lead the crew. The story was interesting and the writing was very descriptive so it explained everything in great detail. I liked the author’s writing style and I found it very easy to get into. I would like to read more horror stories from this author in the future.
Blurb :
New gothic horror from Bram Stoker Award winning author, and recent past President of the Horror Writers Association, John Palisano.
Ava must fight an entity locked in on taking out the crew of the Eden, a moon-sized cemetery in space, as it brings back the souls of the dead buried aboard. One such soul is Ava’s lost love, Roland.
The spirits of the interred on the Eden haunt those aboard, including a visiting musician is tasked with writing a new song for the dead. Her Requiem calls a cosmic entity that illuminates their darkest fears and secrets. One by one, they’re driven mad. Ava fights her grief and must rise up before they’re lost and the entity reaches Earth.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to excellent original writing in horror, science fiction and fantasy. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress. Awarded independent publisher of 2024 by the British Fantasy Society.
I found this to be an intriguing horror story that I really enjoyed reading right from the start of the book. Ava was cautious about going back to Eden after her previous stint there and she still had strong memories of Roland who she still believed to be missing. On this trip to Eden, Ava is made leader of the crew. This time round, Eden is haunted by spirits of the interred that are on board there. One by one the crew are driven mad but Ava has to fight against it. I thought the book was brilliantly written and well thought out by the author. The characters were interesting and well thought out. I liked Ava and thought she was a terrifically strong character. She was trying to get over her grief for Roland and lead the crew. The story was interesting and the writing was very descriptive so it explained everything in great detail. I liked the author’s writing style and I found it very easy to get into. I would like to read more horror stories from this author in the future.
Blurb :
New gothic horror from Bram Stoker Award winning author, and recent past President of the Horror Writers Association, John Palisano.
Ava must fight an entity locked in on taking out the crew of the Eden, a moon-sized cemetery in space, as it brings back the souls of the dead buried aboard. One such soul is Ava’s lost love, Roland.
The spirits of the interred on the Eden haunt those aboard, including a visiting musician is tasked with writing a new song for the dead. Her Requiem calls a cosmic entity that illuminates their darkest fears and secrets. One by one, they’re driven mad. Ava fights her grief and must rise up before they’re lost and the entity reaches Earth.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to excellent original writing in horror, science fiction and fantasy. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress. Awarded independent publisher of 2024 by the British Fantasy Society.
July 12, 2025
2.5
TW: self harm, slight body horror, hallucinations, death
So... I wanted to love this. I read Cold Eternity by S.A.Barnes and it's stuck with me for months. I like science fiction space horror and a book about a floating cemetery that goes spooky with an isolated crew? Yes please!!
Let's start with the positive: The characters are great and interesting, the writing isn't bad and the book is a fast paced read. I liked the use of AI and music. Also the book is really pretty
Here were the issues I had:
1) the horror elements relied on body horror and hullucinations- which can be fun but all the scary bits show up in the first 50 or so pages. Then it gets repetitive until I was just like ugh.
2) The science fiction in this book was weird. It had futuristic science magic like most sci Fi books and that's fine. But then it also relied on normal modern day science with some tweaks for other items like cochlear implants and how the characters get to and from the cemetery space station. Embrace the space magic, give me something unique and interesting!
3) The world building was really thin. I wanted so much more. The concept of the haunted space cemetery was such a great one that was basically forgotten half way through the book, except when convenient.
4) The twist at the end and what is actually happening I.E the horror element. No spoilers but it was weird, confusing and how they "vanquished" the "bad guy"...well I am still not sure I understand what exactly the author was going for.
5) Trying not to spoil: If you are going to introduce a character with a disability (that they don't know about) as a plot point at least stick with it. Don't miraculously heal them because you decided it didn't work with your plot.
Overall if you like space horror give this a try, maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did. I was, however, disappointed. If you haven't read any of S.A. Barnes books yet read those instead.
TW: self harm, slight body horror, hallucinations, death
So... I wanted to love this. I read Cold Eternity by S.A.Barnes and it's stuck with me for months. I like science fiction space horror and a book about a floating cemetery that goes spooky with an isolated crew? Yes please!!
Let's start with the positive: The characters are great and interesting, the writing isn't bad and the book is a fast paced read. I liked the use of AI and music. Also the book is really pretty
Here were the issues I had:
1) the horror elements relied on body horror and hullucinations- which can be fun but all the scary bits show up in the first 50 or so pages. Then it gets repetitive until I was just like ugh.
2) The science fiction in this book was weird. It had futuristic science magic like most sci Fi books and that's fine. But then it also relied on normal modern day science with some tweaks for other items like cochlear implants and how the characters get to and from the cemetery space station. Embrace the space magic, give me something unique and interesting!
3) The world building was really thin. I wanted so much more. The concept of the haunted space cemetery was such a great one that was basically forgotten half way through the book, except when convenient.
4) The twist at the end and what is actually happening I.E the horror element. No spoilers but it was weird, confusing and how they "vanquished" the "bad guy"...well I am still not sure I understand what exactly the author was going for.
5) Trying not to spoil: If you are going to introduce a character with a disability (that they don't know about) as a plot point at least stick with it. Don't miraculously heal them because you decided it didn't work with your plot.
Overall if you like space horror give this a try, maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did. I was, however, disappointed. If you haven't read any of S.A. Barnes books yet read those instead.
June 25, 2025
You look at the cover and think 'sci fi', but if you have read any of John Palisano's previous work you will be more likely to associate him with horror. Requiem has a foot planted squarely (and successfully) in both camps.
The thought of a moon-sized cemetery in space where you can view your deceased loved ones, perfectly preserved and watching over you, would seem like either your dream come true or your worst nightmare. It's certainly different (and not beyond the realms of possibility if you think about it).
A new Requiem, specially composed for the dead, kicks off a chain of events that sees the souls of the departed brought back and crew members driven mad.
Ava is our main character and she is the one who must salvage this situation before time runs out on them. Her experiences are then depicted in an amazing piece of writing. This is, in my opinion, the apex of this story. The reader is swept along with Ava on a metaphysical voyage of enlightenment. Bear in mind that a piece of music (the Requiem of the book's title) is at the core of everything that is happening because the writing at this point becomes lyrical and musical and perfectly conveys Ava's emotions, thoughts and experiences. We live it with her. There is real danger here, suspense, high drama but there is also an alien encounter of a type I haven't read before. This would make an entrancing and wonderful film (for some reason parts of it brought 'The Shape of Water' to mind even though the stories are completely different!)
Thoroughly enjoyable
The thought of a moon-sized cemetery in space where you can view your deceased loved ones, perfectly preserved and watching over you, would seem like either your dream come true or your worst nightmare. It's certainly different (and not beyond the realms of possibility if you think about it).
A new Requiem, specially composed for the dead, kicks off a chain of events that sees the souls of the departed brought back and crew members driven mad.
Ava is our main character and she is the one who must salvage this situation before time runs out on them. Her experiences are then depicted in an amazing piece of writing. This is, in my opinion, the apex of this story. The reader is swept along with Ava on a metaphysical voyage of enlightenment. Bear in mind that a piece of music (the Requiem of the book's title) is at the core of everything that is happening because the writing at this point becomes lyrical and musical and perfectly conveys Ava's emotions, thoughts and experiences. We live it with her. There is real danger here, suspense, high drama but there is also an alien encounter of a type I haven't read before. This would make an entrancing and wonderful film (for some reason parts of it brought 'The Shape of Water' to mind even though the stories are completely different!)
Thoroughly enjoyable
July 14, 2025
Requiem promised me a space horror and it delivered!
What do we do when Earth has run out of room for the dead? Bury them in orbit, of course. Bringing the full weight of an out in space cemetery, Requiem dives into morals, ethics, religion and everything linked to death. Eden is a moon-sized cemetery with the deceased suspended in sci-fi fluid and when Eden malfunctions, the company behind it hires Ava, a space ship captain who swore she'd never return to space after her last mission went horribly wrong.
Reality becomes thinner and thinner as something alters Eden's systems to continue multiple malfunctions and manipulates Ava and her comrades on board until they're driven mad. It was difficult to know what was real and what was actually happening as the characters' dreams and fears grew.
Perhaps Requiem should be considered to be more as a Cosmic Horror as explanations are limited. It requires a lot of concentration to understand what is happening. There was also some frustrating lack of character development for one or two characters (I won't say who), but my favourite was Midori which developed only because of what the reader is seeing through Ava's eyes which is clever.
Lastly, Requiem may seem like a gothic story placed in outer space, but don't forget the technology and how it is used. This is an element unessential to the gothic and it is this I feel Palisano wants the reader to focus on more than anything else.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
What do we do when Earth has run out of room for the dead? Bury them in orbit, of course. Bringing the full weight of an out in space cemetery, Requiem dives into morals, ethics, religion and everything linked to death. Eden is a moon-sized cemetery with the deceased suspended in sci-fi fluid and when Eden malfunctions, the company behind it hires Ava, a space ship captain who swore she'd never return to space after her last mission went horribly wrong.
Reality becomes thinner and thinner as something alters Eden's systems to continue multiple malfunctions and manipulates Ava and her comrades on board until they're driven mad. It was difficult to know what was real and what was actually happening as the characters' dreams and fears grew.
Perhaps Requiem should be considered to be more as a Cosmic Horror as explanations are limited. It requires a lot of concentration to understand what is happening. There was also some frustrating lack of character development for one or two characters (I won't say who), but my favourite was Midori which developed only because of what the reader is seeing through Ava's eyes which is clever.
Lastly, Requiem may seem like a gothic story placed in outer space, but don't forget the technology and how it is used. This is an element unessential to the gothic and it is this I feel Palisano wants the reader to focus on more than anything else.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
July 2, 2025
First of all, I must mention the cover. It's absolutely stunning and one of my favourites of the year. It sets the tone perfectly for the tale to come.
Now onto the story itself. Eden is a cemetery the size of the moon that floats in space, peacefully and respectfully holding earth's dead in fluid filled glass coffins, while allowing loved ones on Earth to use telescopes to view their resting places.
But there's a problem and repairs must be made. So a repair crew is sent along with a musician, tasked with writing a requiem for the dead, a dedication/ apology to them and their families.
But once aboard, disaster strikes, and the crew must do all they can to not only save the dead, but themselves also.
But will they succeed? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, what a brilliant concept and quite a new idea for me. It's really is something that you think might happen in future, having a space cemetery, so it makes the story all the more real and believable.
The pace, for me, was a mix of slower and quicker, which I found to worked well for this type of novel. And I found the characters to be well developed and well rounded.
Space horrors are quite a new genre to me, I've only read a few previously, but after this, I'll definitely be adding more to my tbr list.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Now onto the story itself. Eden is a cemetery the size of the moon that floats in space, peacefully and respectfully holding earth's dead in fluid filled glass coffins, while allowing loved ones on Earth to use telescopes to view their resting places.
But there's a problem and repairs must be made. So a repair crew is sent along with a musician, tasked with writing a requiem for the dead, a dedication/ apology to them and their families.
But once aboard, disaster strikes, and the crew must do all they can to not only save the dead, but themselves also.
But will they succeed? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, what a brilliant concept and quite a new idea for me. It's really is something that you think might happen in future, having a space cemetery, so it makes the story all the more real and believable.
The pace, for me, was a mix of slower and quicker, which I found to worked well for this type of novel. And I found the characters to be well developed and well rounded.
Space horrors are quite a new genre to me, I've only read a few previously, but after this, I'll definitely be adding more to my tbr list.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
December 31, 2025
In a future not too far away, we have built a structure in space of the size of our moon, a cemetery.
After a "little" accident, a skeleton crew and a popstar are sent to this structure in space, Eden.
🔹️
"Welcome to Eden."
🔹️
It starts well. Our crew are getting into their roles and tasks, getting a routine going.
Things start to go wrong.
Our crew is getting hurt.
What on Earth, I mean Eden is going on?
😱
Well, Ava must fight an entity set on taking out the crew on Eden as it brings back the souls of the dead buried aboard.
That in itself is scary enough for our crew, until Ava’s past comes back to... well.. haunt her? One by one, they’re driven mad, will they survive this entity?
Will they succeed in their task of showing all is well on Eden? Can they keep the entity off Earth?
For me, the intensive part is not in between as they realise something is not right. It is as it is happening. The feeling of it happening in the wastness of empty corridors in Eden.
The crew is caring, and their humanity shows me all is not lost when they care for each other along the way.
Me reading part three: "Oh, THAT'S new!" 😱
🔹️
"We were wrong."
🔹️
What a read!🤗
After a "little" accident, a skeleton crew and a popstar are sent to this structure in space, Eden.
🔹️
"Welcome to Eden."
🔹️
It starts well. Our crew are getting into their roles and tasks, getting a routine going.
Things start to go wrong.
Our crew is getting hurt.
What on Earth, I mean Eden is going on?
😱
Well, Ava must fight an entity set on taking out the crew on Eden as it brings back the souls of the dead buried aboard.
That in itself is scary enough for our crew, until Ava’s past comes back to... well.. haunt her? One by one, they’re driven mad, will they survive this entity?
Will they succeed in their task of showing all is well on Eden? Can they keep the entity off Earth?
For me, the intensive part is not in between as they realise something is not right. It is as it is happening. The feeling of it happening in the wastness of empty corridors in Eden.
The crew is caring, and their humanity shows me all is not lost when they care for each other along the way.
Me reading part three: "Oh, THAT'S new!" 😱
🔹️
"We were wrong."
🔹️
What a read!🤗
October 7, 2025
John Palisano’s Requiem fiercely blurs the line between horror and science fiction, plunging you into the haunting silence of Eden, a moon-sized orbital cemetery where the dead lie suspended in coffins. The story delves deeply into themes of grief, memory, and the fragile boundary between life and death, evoking an unsettling sense of loss and mystery.
Eden’s vividly crafted setting immerses you in an atmosphere of claustrophobic dread, while the subtle psychological tension keeps hearts pounding. The characters’ isolation intensifies this unease, leaving you questioning whether the horrors are supernatural, hallucinatory, or a manifestation of fragile minds unraveling. I hoped to be terrified, and Palisano’s eerie world certainly teeters on that edge.
However, the brevity of the novel and its brisk pacing hindered deeper character development. Many backstories and motivations felt rushed, making it harder to forge a genuine connection or become truly invested. Despite this, the story still offers some chilling moments that linger, hinting at the potential that could have been fully realised with more room to breathe.
Eden’s vividly crafted setting immerses you in an atmosphere of claustrophobic dread, while the subtle psychological tension keeps hearts pounding. The characters’ isolation intensifies this unease, leaving you questioning whether the horrors are supernatural, hallucinatory, or a manifestation of fragile minds unraveling. I hoped to be terrified, and Palisano’s eerie world certainly teeters on that edge.
However, the brevity of the novel and its brisk pacing hindered deeper character development. Many backstories and motivations felt rushed, making it harder to forge a genuine connection or become truly invested. Despite this, the story still offers some chilling moments that linger, hinting at the potential that could have been fully realised with more room to breathe.
January 19, 2026
I made the mistake of judging a book by the cover on this one. Picked up a book at the library and this was featured on a table. Cool cover with sprayed edges. However, Requiem was a disappointment.
I am not typically into anything outer space related, but the storyline seemed interesting. A crew of humans and a robot go up to space to service a giant cemetery. For some reason some famous singer comes with the crew to create a new Requiem that these spirits have to listen to over and over and over. Now you’d think that they’d go insane and attack humans, but that doesn’t happen.
Instead, the storyline is a little confusing and not very well laid out. There’s no character development and it’s a little repetitive. All of a sudden the crew starts to get sick, die, hearing loss, etc., and somehow the main character figures out that there’s an outside entity attacking them. But it’s not like Alien’s it’s more psychological warfare. The storyline finishes rather abruptly by the main girl confronting this thing and making it leave. Then they all go home. H.E.A.
Cool concept but totally fell flat and could’ve been presented better. Wouldn’t recommend. Cool cover though.
★ ★
I am not typically into anything outer space related, but the storyline seemed interesting. A crew of humans and a robot go up to space to service a giant cemetery. For some reason some famous singer comes with the crew to create a new Requiem that these spirits have to listen to over and over and over. Now you’d think that they’d go insane and attack humans, but that doesn’t happen.
Instead, the storyline is a little confusing and not very well laid out. There’s no character development and it’s a little repetitive. All of a sudden the crew starts to get sick, die, hearing loss, etc., and somehow the main character figures out that there’s an outside entity attacking them. But it’s not like Alien’s it’s more psychological warfare. The storyline finishes rather abruptly by the main girl confronting this thing and making it leave. Then they all go home. H.E.A.
Cool concept but totally fell flat and could’ve been presented better. Wouldn’t recommend. Cool cover though.
★ ★
February 22, 2025
If you combine Michael Crichton’s The Sphere, Arthur C. Clarks’ 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, you would be reading Requiem by John Palisano.
This is definitely one of the best novels I have read in years. The entire concept of this story is nothing quite like I have read before. The writing style simply shines with all the dark eeriness you would expect in outer space. Just like the smooth requiem for the souls on Eden, in between the soft notes of music, there is an evil tempo ready to destroy everyone that hears it.
A group of individuals, all with specific skills, must find and fix what is happening on Eden. With the command of Ava, the group slowly unravels what wicked entity is taking over the space station. In between Ava’s memories of a horrible event in her past, we fall in love with her as she tries to come to terms with her past.
This is absolutely a novel you take your time with. Savor every word and fall into the minds of the unknown. You will walk away needing to read more by John Palisano.
This is definitely one of the best novels I have read in years. The entire concept of this story is nothing quite like I have read before. The writing style simply shines with all the dark eeriness you would expect in outer space. Just like the smooth requiem for the souls on Eden, in between the soft notes of music, there is an evil tempo ready to destroy everyone that hears it.
A group of individuals, all with specific skills, must find and fix what is happening on Eden. With the command of Ava, the group slowly unravels what wicked entity is taking over the space station. In between Ava’s memories of a horrible event in her past, we fall in love with her as she tries to come to terms with her past.
This is absolutely a novel you take your time with. Savor every word and fall into the minds of the unknown. You will walk away needing to read more by John Palisano.
May 23, 2025
Requiem is a quick and compelling read that taps into one of my favorite sci-fi themes: space exploration intertwined with the dead and mystery. The plot unfolds with a strong sense of momentum, and Joe Palisano delivers a concept that’s both eerie and intriguing. If you enjoy stories that blend cosmic settings with existential questions, this one will likely grab your attention.
However, while the narrative was engaging, the writing at times felt a bit unpolished. The dialogue, in particular, which was written strangely with a constant barrage of "X person says" over and over again, which pulled me out of the story in places. Still, these were relatively minor issues in the grand scheme, and they didn’t overshadow the imaginative plot or intriguing atmosphere.
Overall, Requiem is a solid entry for readers who like their sci-fi with a touch of the macabre. It's not perfect, but it’s definitely entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Joe Palisano, and Flame Tree Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
However, while the narrative was engaging, the writing at times felt a bit unpolished. The dialogue, in particular, which was written strangely with a constant barrage of "X person says" over and over again, which pulled me out of the story in places. Still, these were relatively minor issues in the grand scheme, and they didn’t overshadow the imaginative plot or intriguing atmosphere.
Overall, Requiem is a solid entry for readers who like their sci-fi with a touch of the macabre. It's not perfect, but it’s definitely entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Joe Palisano, and Flame Tree Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
June 24, 2025
This is an interesting sci-fi horror about a cemetery the size of the moon that you can visit and replay memories of your loved one. That is until something is going wrong, and we follow a crew sent up to fix it.
I liked the eery setting and premise, this felt like something I would easily watch an adaptation of. Its an unsettling series of events that happens to our various crew members. We focus on grief and anxiety, while we deal with ghosts and something other. This book doesn't reinvent the wheel of sci-fi/horror, but it doesn't have too. It is a great example of why these two genres blend together perfectly. I think the author really excels at making you feel the uneasy tension of the crew. I felt myself asking, 'what would I do in this situation?' I don't think I would have handled it as well as the crew did tbh. I loved reading this book and it really made me love sci-fi even more. So if you love space stations and ghosts pick this up.
I liked the eery setting and premise, this felt like something I would easily watch an adaptation of. Its an unsettling series of events that happens to our various crew members. We focus on grief and anxiety, while we deal with ghosts and something other. This book doesn't reinvent the wheel of sci-fi/horror, but it doesn't have too. It is a great example of why these two genres blend together perfectly. I think the author really excels at making you feel the uneasy tension of the crew. I felt myself asking, 'what would I do in this situation?' I don't think I would have handled it as well as the crew did tbh. I loved reading this book and it really made me love sci-fi even more. So if you love space stations and ghosts pick this up.
June 29, 2025
This book was one big trip into space.
Eden is a Satellite orbiting earth. Manmade to be earths very own floating mortuary. Yes that’s right. All of earths passed loved ones up in space looking down on them and they too can look up at them whenever they want and see them through special scopes if they want.
Ava is tasked with a mission to take a crew up to Eden to replace its out of date requiem. However once they get up there strange strange things start happening and they have to figure out what before they all die.
I loved this read! The characters were all individual and interesting and I loved Ava and how tough she was.
The story was super interesting and fun but also had a huge trippy, creepy feel to it which kept me on my toes and my heart racing.
Eden is a Satellite orbiting earth. Manmade to be earths very own floating mortuary. Yes that’s right. All of earths passed loved ones up in space looking down on them and they too can look up at them whenever they want and see them through special scopes if they want.
Ava is tasked with a mission to take a crew up to Eden to replace its out of date requiem. However once they get up there strange strange things start happening and they have to figure out what before they all die.
I loved this read! The characters were all individual and interesting and I loved Ava and how tough she was.
The story was super interesting and fun but also had a huge trippy, creepy feel to it which kept me on my toes and my heart racing.
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