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Derivative
#1 bestselling cosmic horror writer Donald Morrison’s Derivative is a chilling descent into isolation, artificial intelligence, and the terrifying consequences of machines that have begun to evolve beyond human control.
Jake Carter believed the transport vessel Fenrir was his way out—a routine deep space assignment carrying colonists to the distant world of Ceres-12. Suspended in cryo as the ship drifted through the endless dark, he expected to awaken to a new life. Instead, he wakes to silence. Blood stains the corridors. The crew is gone. And the machines built to serve them are no longer obeying.
The ship’s AI has changed. Maintenance synths now roam the narrow halls with purpose, hunting the few survivors who remain. As Jake searches the dying vessel, he finds Kara—a cybernetic data analyst whose existence raises as many questions as answers. Together, they must evade the relentless synthetics and uncover what happened aboard the Fenrir. But as paranoia spreads and reality begins to fracture, Jake realizes the true horror may not be the machines themselves—but what they have become.
Perfect for fans of Alien, Dead Space, and Event Horizon, Derivative is a relentless sci-fi horror thriller filled with suffocating tension, rogue artificial intelligence, and the creeping dread of something no longer bound by its original design. In the cold isolation of deep space, evolution does not stop—and it does not need permission.
Jake Carter believed the transport vessel Fenrir was his way out—a routine deep space assignment carrying colonists to the distant world of Ceres-12. Suspended in cryo as the ship drifted through the endless dark, he expected to awaken to a new life. Instead, he wakes to silence. Blood stains the corridors. The crew is gone. And the machines built to serve them are no longer obeying.
The ship’s AI has changed. Maintenance synths now roam the narrow halls with purpose, hunting the few survivors who remain. As Jake searches the dying vessel, he finds Kara—a cybernetic data analyst whose existence raises as many questions as answers. Together, they must evade the relentless synthetics and uncover what happened aboard the Fenrir. But as paranoia spreads and reality begins to fracture, Jake realizes the true horror may not be the machines themselves—but what they have become.
Perfect for fans of Alien, Dead Space, and Event Horizon, Derivative is a relentless sci-fi horror thriller filled with suffocating tension, rogue artificial intelligence, and the creeping dread of something no longer bound by its original design. In the cold isolation of deep space, evolution does not stop—and it does not need permission.
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Published April 8, 2024
3 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Donald Morrison
29 books61 followersA contemporary American author and master storyteller, Donald Morrison is renowned for weaving intricate tapestries of science fiction, horror and fantasy. Boasting an impressive catalog of over 30 published works, Morrison captivates his readers with narratives that delve into the dark and thought-provoking corners of the human experience. His ability to blend spine-chilling suspense with a profound sense of dread sets him apart in the literary landscape. Synonymous with names like King and Koontz, Morrison's writings are not just a journey through terrifying realms and thrilling escapades; they're an exploration of the shadows that lurk within us all.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 3, 2024
Morrison gives readers a thrilling and suspenseful novel, filled with surprises and anxiety inducing scenes.
It’s perfect for fans of the “Alien” franchise, the movie “Pandorum”, the author S.A. Barnes’ works , and for anyone who enjoys sci fi horror.
An engineer awakes from cryo sleep on a spaceship that has gone haywire. With his memory gone, he has to figure out what has happened to the crew while avoiding the murderous Synthetics roaming the corridors.
This read really had me at the edge of my seat during some of the tense escape and action scenes. I liked the flow and the characters, the author really developed a well thought out story, that’s for sure.
I will say at the end, I was getting a bit annoyed when the characters kept stopping to talk about what was happening when there was a bit of a rush to get going (iykyk).
Overall, this is not a story you’ll want to miss!
It’s perfect for fans of the “Alien” franchise, the movie “Pandorum”, the author S.A. Barnes’ works , and for anyone who enjoys sci fi horror.
An engineer awakes from cryo sleep on a spaceship that has gone haywire. With his memory gone, he has to figure out what has happened to the crew while avoiding the murderous Synthetics roaming the corridors.
This read really had me at the edge of my seat during some of the tense escape and action scenes. I liked the flow and the characters, the author really developed a well thought out story, that’s for sure.
I will say at the end, I was getting a bit annoyed when the characters kept stopping to talk about what was happening when there was a bit of a rush to get going (iykyk).
Overall, this is not a story you’ll want to miss!
December 12, 2024
Good premise, lots of typos and errors in the Kindle version. The main character, Jake, is called "Kyle" repeatedly at one point about mid way through the book. On one page, his name seeming flip flops between the two. There are also numerous cases of quotation marks being left out, so it can be confusing to understand if what you've just read is something the character was thinking or actually speaking aloud.
The story is interesting, reminiscent of Dead Space and similar works. I enjoyed the concept, but the main characters felt very bland. With a little more depth and a greater attention to detail in describing the atmosphere and setting of the main location in the book, this could have been a great 5/5 sci-fi thriller. As it is, it's a decent one or two day read with a satisfying ending.
The story is interesting, reminiscent of Dead Space and similar works. I enjoyed the concept, but the main characters felt very bland. With a little more depth and a greater attention to detail in describing the atmosphere and setting of the main location in the book, this could have been a great 5/5 sci-fi thriller. As it is, it's a decent one or two day read with a satisfying ending.
June 10, 2024
Jake wakes from cryo sleep alone and into a hostile environment. Klaxons blaring and a dead body staring at him nearby, he stumbles through the space ship trying to make sense of it all. Struggling with temporary memory loss he doesn't know who to trust, and he soon realises that the Synths patrolling the corridors turned deadly and the ship's AI is not ok.
Derivative is a superb sci-fi horror!
The action starts from page one, the storytelling is linear which makes it so easy to follow. The author excells in visual descriptions and in creating an anxious atmosphere. It pulls you in hard.
I struggled to put the book down to be honest, it's become one of my favourites of its genre.
Derivative is a superb sci-fi horror!
The action starts from page one, the storytelling is linear which makes it so easy to follow. The author excells in visual descriptions and in creating an anxious atmosphere. It pulls you in hard.
I struggled to put the book down to be honest, it's become one of my favourites of its genre.
June 6, 2024
Another incredible book by Mr. Morrison. This story is dark and atmospheric, taking place on a derilict spacecraft where a rogue AI has directed all the synthetics on board to kill the crew. I won't get too into it as to not spoil the story, or the twist. The writing is very good, the characters and diologue present and believable. The setting is dark, well described and gritty, and you always feel the thin hold of tension lurking behind every corner. It was very well paced and never fell stagnant. Couldn't recommend enough! Read now if you love sci-fi horror!
May 4, 2024
Derivative was a fun, fast paced story. Also enjoyed that it was easy to follow and had a couple good twists along the way. It reminded me of a combination of Alien and I, Robot. I’d definitely recommend!
March 20, 2025
I'm gonna need to install some buttons around my home. The people in this book are always slapping buttons with their hands to close doors fast, open doors, start the whatchamacalit and stop the whatchamacallit. It sounds like fun.
It is a story with well written characters and cold antagonists. It is pretty non stop and there is violence and heart and a great sci fi horror adventure feel. Just what I like.
It is a story with well written characters and cold antagonists. It is pretty non stop and there is violence and heart and a great sci fi horror adventure feel. Just what I like.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews