The Night Ship

by Alex Woodroe

An apocalyptic world turned into a pitch-black sea of nothingness, but smuggler Rosi and her crew of survivors aren't alone. Something hungry lurks below...

Driving a logging truck through the Romanian mountains, smuggler Rosi and her crew come across a radio signal that hints at impending doom. As the world goes completely dark, their truck becomes a vessel sailing across a sea of nothingness.

But they’re not transmissions trickle in through the radio from similar isolated islands across the country, from amateur radio hobbyists and police cars and customs facilities.

Attempting to rescue survivors and find a way out, the group save more lives, but soon discover that something hungry lurks below, and it's sending up agents – and transmissions – of its own.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress

Genres: Horror, Dystopia, Novels

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 20, 2026

About the author

Romanian writer and editor of dark speculative fiction. Editor-in-chief of Tenebrous Press and writer of WHISPERWOOD, THE NIGHT SHIP, and TATRATEA, as well as short stories and articles.

Reviews

[OutlawPoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a four star read that was almost a DNF. It stalled out for me roughly halfway through. If this happens to you, stick with it. It ended up being a very good read!

The Romanian setting and historical/cultural references were terrific. I loved reading a horror novel that was far removed from my everyday existence. It's also a dark and eventually gruesome little book.

Oddly, my favorite character was not a main character at all. While Rosi was scrappy, I adored Adina.

The concept of the book is original and I'd love to read something even more epic within this same world.

A good read!

* ARC via Publisher

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

75% WHOA! So interesting and bizarre.
25% what am I missing here? Lost and confused just like the characters.

I was captivated at the beginning, but definitely became more frustrated with how vague certain aspects of the story were. Somewhat enjoyed the ending, but still a mixed bag of emotions.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Flame Tree Press for a copy!

[Olivia Solbrig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!


I really loved the unique concept of this one, the innate fear all humans have of being alone in the dark is definitely no joke! I could really picture the empty black nothingness looking back at them outside of their truck & the feeling of something watching them that they couldn’t see.

All in all, I do definitely recommend this to speculative and horror readers who want something different from the typical gory killers or the haunted houses. This book does a great job developing a sense of dread.

[Micah Castle]

Unique, weird, and interesting concept and handled it in a satisfying way, never getting boring or dragging along. Love the comedic elements, and really enjoyed all the characters. Also with the subtext about communism (and the other historical elements) isn't in your face and somewhat subtle, but really adds to the book.

Highly recommend when it releases in January.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for an early copy of the book.

[Lupita_333 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of descriptive dreadful, scary, and suspenseful moments involving the characters survival and the setting itself. I loved how the setting was in Romania and how its history was part of the story. Interesting characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jamedi]

rtc

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for an eARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Okay, so this one grew on me. I saw another reviewer say to push through the beginning because the rest is well worth the experience, and I wholeheartedly agree.

It’s the end of the world. Probably. Maybe. At least as far as Rosi’s concerned. The world has gone dark, totally, completely, but the semi is still running and occasionally other voices sound off on the radio, searching for connection through the dark. Rosi, Gigi, and Sorin were together when the world ended, and now they’re stuck together, trying to chase down others stuck in dark, fighting to stay alive from the vines pulling everything they touch into the abyss where the ground used to be, and hoping that there’s an end to the suddenly eternal darkness.

I’ll admit, this book is hard to get into. It really shoves you into the deep end when you start, and it took me a long time to get my bearings. I really struggled with Rosi and Gigi’s names being too similar; I kept mixing them up, but that may just be a skill issue. I also found the language hard to digest at the beginning, but either I became used to it, or it stopped being so vague, because about a quarter of the way in, the book really hits a stride, and halfway through it’s a breakneck race for the end.

Post apocalypse are always an interesting read for me, and I found this one to be unique. It’s a world where someone (or thing) turned off the sun, essentially. That’s ignoring the giant chasm that’s become the ground, of course, but the dark feels like the more important thing. It’s also an apocalypse that is never fully explained, because the people living it never really find the answers themselves. The goal is just to make it to the end alive. The epilogue and flashes of the monster living in the depths give a bit of context, but I’d be completely game for a follow-up novel of adventurers probing into how and why everything happened.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the characters in this one. They all felt a little flat, or maybe traumatized, but overall, I just found them pretty difficult to tell apart. Everyone felt relatively static. They’re antagonistic, closed off, and bitter, which makes sense given the context, but makes for a rather dull read. We don’t get a lot of their thoughts and motivations, because they all just seem to be thinking about finding an end to their suffering. I don’t know. I’m torn, because I understand that they’re all going through the same trauma so all have similar reactions, but at the same time, it feels like none of them have the agency to make their own decisions.

Unrelated, but there’s a bit of magic thrown in toward the end that felt terribly out of place even given the plot.

This book’s strength really lies in the plot and atmosphere for me. I also think it does really well in not giving away its secrets. It’s easy to try to overexplain, to give a reason for each and every way the world has changed; instead, this book gives away almost nothing, and I really like that nebulous ambiguity in a book. Part of the horror is that there is no explanation.

With that in mind, I think it’s important to recognize that this book isn’t going to give you all the answers by the time you get to the end. I know that can ruin books for people, so it’s something to acknowledge before diving in. Ride the experience. It’s not the greatest book I’ve ever read, but I do think it’s worth the read.

[Chewable Orb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Ship by Alex Woodroe
3.75 rounded up to 4 🔮🔮🔮🔮 orbs
Pub. Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Flame Tree Press

In the eternal darkness…….

💡 Orbs Prologue: crackle…crackle… Does anyone… crackle…static…me…hiss… Is anyone…out…static…there? My life consists of interruptions. People reaching out from impromptu places, seeking refuge in the comfort of communication with other lost souls in this godforsaken world, seemingly smeared by God himself dipping his thumb in charcoal and smudging out human existence. Whatever could you be talking about, Orb? Dear readers, picture this. As you sit on your back porch sipping on a pumpkin spice latte, enjoying the sunrise, an ebony coating contrasts your gorgeous backdrop, like a giant squid squirting an inky fluid over the defenseless world. The sun fades to nothing as the dark spreads like a black mold, devouring everything in its wake. Items left and right sink into a bottomless void of nothingness. With rope and chains, I attempt to tether myself to the Earth, and yet all is for naught. Perhaps someone will save me; one of these faraway correspondents of peculiar information will carry me out of this nightmare. As the time slips by, I am left to wonder, why did this happen?

🔩 Nuts & Bolts: Meet Rosi, our smuggler with ideas of beating the authoritarian regime that rules with an iron fist. Rosi’s manipulation of a man named Gigi, a truck driver with whom she can conceal her illegal bounty, becomes nothing more than a sidenote in this frightening tale conceived by author Alex Woodroe. Woodroe stands above the audience, his readers fully seated in the auditorium, eagerly awaiting the novel’s reveal. In a sudden turn of events, Woodroe rises from the shadows with a can of paint in hand. In a casual pouring motion, the gloomy darkness spills over the crowd, leaving them stunned. All is dim, ever-consuming, extinguished! I wish this were a dream, but for Rosi, Gigi, and a young man named Sorin, it is most certainly not. As confusion lingers in the air, the sun has been squelched, and an otherworldly presence with ever-extending tentacles has emerged from a cavern of listlessness. A graveyard of humanity lies at the feet; however, one can only imagine this outcome since the night blinds all those trying to navigate its unknown pathways. Through the air, the group has managed to stave off death. In Gigi’s semi, they have found safety, cruising through space, searching for survivors who are broadcasting information through the airwaves. What awaits them are others… I say "others" as in humans, but this would only be partly correct. Survival is the theme in a world where hope is lost. Difficult decisions come with a hefty price, often to the detriment of the mental well-being of those involved. What happens when the lights go out, and fear has taken every ounce of life with it?

👍 Orbs Pros: Creative! A terrifying take on an alien-like contact, who renders humankind rudderless in an ocean of spatial turbulence. Through a direct approach, Woodroe guides the truck into the unknown, begging the reader to ask, Where do we go from here? Splashes of plans fizzle under the weight of simply not knowing the full extent of the problem. Woodroe’s writing style was easily consumed, and I coasted through this in no time at all.

👎 Orbs Cons: Catalina, a character? The antagonist? I still don’t fully understand it, to be honest. Without giving anything away, let’s just say that Orb was lost in portions of the plot. However, it isn’t anything that seriously broke my enjoyment, for this was a multifaceted affair with which to try and unravel.

Recommended! Exciting and downright horrifying! Can a horror story be fun? I was clinging to my chair, subsequently tethered to my floor, as if at any moment this novel might become real-life cinema. Those who love that space horror element will most certainly have a good time.

💡 Orbs Epilogue: Sitting back in the trailer, I gnawed on some pork and beans from a can. The warmth from the circular fire shed some glow on the faces of survivors around me. Their faces suggested tiredness, stained with the decay of the moment. I am a master of improvisation, and even I feel defeated. When will it end? I have resigned to the fact that we will run out of food and water long before we find a miracle exit sign with which to make our harrowing escape. Is this it? Was this our destiny?

Many thanks to Flame Tree Press for the ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Ed Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if society was already almost as bad as the apocalypse that followed it? This is a question that Alex Woodroe asks in The Night Ship—a post-apocalypse cosmic and survival horror action thrill ride—and it leads to some chilling and very human avenues. Woodroe’s previous book was the ambitious and sinister forest folklore tale Whisperwood, and she’s in similarly ambitious territory with this tale of the survivors of a bizarre Romanian apocalypse riding around in a truck in a sea of black nothing searching for a way out. Woodroe is also the editor-in-chief of acclaimed indie horror press Tenebrous, which publishes exceptional Weird horror fiction, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that this is also an intriguing sandwich of your standard end-of-days survival thrill ride and some very Weird, very cosmic moments, making this, if you give it your full attention, one of the most startlingly original horrors you’ll read this year.

Plot-wise, The Night Ship takes place in Communist Romania, 1987, shortly after something terrible has happened, as communicated in variously helpful or nonsensical radio transmissions. These are received by smuggler Rosi, who, together with her crew, must ride around in their truck seeking answers. The problem is that the world around them has vanished, being replaced by a sea of, apparently, black nothing, though it’s a nothing they can still drive through, physical laws having apparently taken an extended vacation. To say what’s in that nothing would be a spoiler, but it’s terrifying, sinister, and is coming to consume or even worse replace them.

Now even if this was your standard tale of survivors in transit during the apocalypse it would still be very entertaining. We have all the ingredients here… survivor groups with dictatorial leaders taking advantage of the end of days; action set pieces of escape from the threat; and strange new refuges that might offer safety—or be a trap. This is made all the more chilling and paranoia-filled by the fact that, and I’m skirting round spoilers here, not everyone can be trusted to be themselves—we’re firmly in Invasion of the Body Snatchers territory, though not in the way we know this trope.

But The Night Ship is not your average post-apocalyptic tale, because Woodroe has two very interesting ingredients to add to this horrific hotpot. The first is the nature of the threat, which is utterly weird and cosmic in ways vaguely hinted at. When it attacks, it’s straightforward terrifying, but the nature of it and what it wants is explored in teasingly vague ways by Woodroe. When you add to this the chapter epigraphs—which consist of radio transmissions from survivors, which are alternately funny, terrifying or eerily nonsensical—then there is a sense of disembodiment you feel reading this book, like along with the laws of physics the laws of reality are sliding together like hot wax.

Second, as I hinted at the start of this review, this is an apocalypse that occurs in a society that was hardly your cheery everyday democracy, but rather the ruthlessness of the Soviet Union even shortly pre-collapse, Romania in the 80s being firmly in police state territory, and several of the key cast members have already had their lives badly affected by it. For example one character, a student, was already on their way to an ominous summons to, presumably, be killed for his political beliefs when the others picked him up.

What this means for the story is that the survivors are already, in their various ways, traumatised by the act of simply living, and this manifests itself in many of the decisions they make, which are at times heroic, unpredictable, or brutal, or sometimes all three at once. One moment of brutal emotional strength caught me completely off guard; one of many small character moments away from the main plot. It gives this creepy end of days tale a strong streak of trauma and resistance, and means that the battle for survival when so many of these characters were already battling feels particularly human and resonant, especially in our current times.

Overall, The Night Ship is a police-state-gone-apocalyptic tale that offers a ride as dark as its name: tense, chilling survival horror with a gloriously bizarre cosmic threat… and a beating heart of resistance and humanity at its core.

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

Rosi is a smuggler, riding in a log truck with her future husband. On a routine trek through the Romanian mountainside, Rosi and Gigi pick up hitchhiker Sorin, shortly after this, they hear a transmission followed by the world going black. Soon they're floating along in their truck intercepting other transmissions and trying to unravel what has actually happened. They no longer feel so alone, especially when they realise that there's something lurking below. Now it's a race against the non-existent clock to rescue as many people as they can and find a way out, if there is one, before they meet the thing down below...

When I first started this, I didn't think I was going to finish it, I'll be honest. The start felt a bit dry and then you were thrown into darkness, just like the characters. But as the story progressed, I became attached to the characters, we learn more about them, about their circumstances and also a bit about the oppressive conditions that they live in. This story is set in the 80s in Romania, need I say more? Our characters went from a bad situation to one that I wasn't sure whether it was better or worse. Contraband didn't seem like such a bad thing when the whole world fell away. Initially you have no idea what's going on, and to be fair, this is cosmic horror, which always makes me feel stupid. I'm never sure if I'm "getting" it. Whether I missed things or fully comprehended the story. I think I got it this time. Maybe. I'm still not sure.

The story pacing feels a bit slow initially, but once things go dark, you're floundering around just like the characters, I feel like this endeared them to me quicker, I felt like I was experiencing what they were, that I was there in the darkness with them. The confusion over what had happened, the fear that they're the only ones left, the anxiety over trusting others that you encounter, and let's not forget the simmer every present fear of the thing down below. One minute I didn't know how I felt, and the next I was invested. By the end I was so glad that I read this, and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. I felt like the story wasn't just about the cosmic horror, but it was also illustrating the horror of the daily lives that the characters lived before the darkness came.

The characters, initially felt rather dry, as said above, but soon their individual personalities began to shine and I found myself smiling and laughing along with them, and my heart breaking when theirs did. The relationships between the characters are one built through necessity, but some become so much more. I loved the dynamic of Rosi and Gigi's relationship once things began to come out. I feel like they were finally able to be themselves when they didn't feel the need to hide anymore. There's a strong sense of isolation in this story, and it's funny, because I've never read a horror story where I ended up preferring the isolation, but here we are.

I don't want to say too much about this because I don't want to give too much away. Just know that it's a strong story, and if you're struggling initially, please stick with it, I'm glad that I did. I really enjoyed the ending as well, I thought it was done well.

[Helen Whistberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The place: Communist Romania; the year: 1987; the setting: the claustrophobic cabin of a heavy-duty truck hauling a load of logs through the countryside. Gigi is the driver and Rosi, his fiancée with secrets and schemes for a future that don't necessarily include him. Sorin is the hitchhiker they pick up just hours before the world goes black and a gulf of nothingness opens up all around them. What follows is a nail-biting weird horror adventure as they attempt to navigate (both literally and figuratively) the void of darkness which hides unimaginable dangers that they must scramble to meet with their limited resources and fraying wits.

This novel by Alex Woodroe brings together a raft of classic horror themes: the sudden, inexplicable calamity, an apparent apocalypse that wipes out most of the population leaving a plucky band of survivors who must constantly intuit whether others they encounter are friend or foe if they want to live even a few more hours. This may sound dismissive, but there's a reason these themes, which play upon some of our darkest human fears, are a staple in horror. Which of us hasn't wondered how we would react to such extreme circumstances? Would we be among the first to perish or would we find the strength to battle on? What (or who) would we be willing to sacrifice? Could we keep our faith in ourselves and each other in a world gone mad?

This is a hugely enjoyable take on these themes with the truck itself becoming almost another character as it navigates the void like a ship lost at sea. Rosi is a wonderful character, capable of making both brilliant decisions and naïve mistakes, full of guilt and hope, bravery and fear, often all at the same moment. The Communist setting (and its parallels to current authoritarian regimes) adds a layer of complexity and paranoia to our protagonists' plight, and their struggle to determine what is real from unreal instantly brought to mind the dilemma AI-generated images pose in creating convincing fakes that may lead to humanity's doom in one way or another.

There's plenty of other metaphors and deep meaning one can assign to both the journey and the ultimate explanation, but beyond all of that, this is just a great yarn. A thrilling adventure from the first paragraph to the last that rarely lets up and allows you to draw breath. I love a good page-turner, especially one where you really come to care about the fate of the main characters and the other folks whose lives they intersect with, however briefly or momentously. Fans of weird horror with cosmic and survivalist themes will surely enjoy this expertly plotted and thrilling take on the genre.

This review is based on the NetGalley ARC provided by the publisher.

[David Corse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Woodroe has crafted a sophomore effort that’s all gas, no breaks. I read THE NIGHT SHIP in two delirious sittings and came away with nightmares and complex questions about the nature of traumatic experiences—5 out of 5 stars, highly recommend.

Set in the ‘80s in Romania, the novel follows Rosi, a spirited smuggler, Gigi, her fiancé and semi-truck driver, and Sorin, an indecisive academic. At the outset, the trio is plunged into a nightmare scenario: the world is consumed by complete darkness, and they must squeeze inside Gigi’s semi to stay alive. Even more distressing, the truck floats through the preternatural night like a boat or spacecraft, and if one of them were to go overboard, they’d fall to their death.

What follows is a complex tale of growth as the unlikely passengers embark on a desperate search for a way out of the darkness that leads them to confront fellow survivors, interdimensional entities, and themselves. Think of THE NIGHT SHIP as THE MIST meets THE THING, JAWS, and MAD MAX: FURY ROAD.

There is a lot of love in here, more than I can write in a short review, but my favorite aspects are:

Woodroe doesn’t bog the story down by overexplaining the nature of the darkness or the entity that caused it to manifest. Not only does this decision keep the pace moving, but it also leaves plenty of room for readers to discuss their theories. It also keeps the focus on the characters, not exposition. Speaking of…

Woodroe has a knack for writing complex, determined women. Rosi shares more than a bit of DNA with the MC in Woodroe’s first novel, WHISPERWOOD.

The author's prose is a delight to read. Woodroe has a propensity for quippy, natural dialogue, and she regularly drops unexpected phrases, metaphors, and analogies that can be either funny or terrifying depending on the scene.

Remember how I mentioned nightmares at the start of the review? More than a few segments kept me up at night. The entire concept of floating in a void is more terrifying to me than burning in Hell. The fate of one of the side characters also left me cold and forced me to put the book down for a few minutes. You'll know it when you get there.

There is meat on this bone. Woodroe weaves a unique character arc for each of the trio that forced me to put a ton of thought into the nature of traumatic experiences and how people behave as more and more horrors stack up. Can you stay a decent person as the situation grows more desperate? Woodroe wants you to ponder this question.

Simply put, THE NIGHT SHIP trucks.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A claustrophobic collision of apocalyptic dystopia and cosmic horror, The Night Ship traps you in a world of darkness as complete as your deepest nightmare.

Set against the oppressive backdrop of totalitarian Romania, the novel bleeds genres with confidence. Dystopia curdles into thriller, thriller dissolves into cosmic horror. There's a near constant state of unease - a creeping sense that something vast and alien is pressing in from the dark. The suspense is toe curling, the foreboding expertly layered, building toward moments of genuine cosmic horror.

Catalina's chapters unfortunately actively weaken that cosmic horror. Broadening the context and shining a light on the threat, this perspective ultimately feels more explanatory than necessary. It offers answers - but not enough to satisfy - while simultaneously diluting the terror of the unknown. By naming and framing what should remain vast and unknowable these sections soften the horror without fully replacing it with deeper insight.

What truly drives the book is its escalating survival narrative. One disaster follows another, each narrowing the margins further, until the question is no longer 'how will they escape?' but whether escape is even possible. The environment itself becomes an antagonist and the mounting failures create a brutal momentum that keeps the stakes high.

However the middle section steps back from that urgency, shifting focus from survival and threat to interpersonal dynamics and private dilemmas. This lull blunts the razor sharp tension established earlier and the pacing loosens its grip only to strain to reclaim that intensity for the finale

The Night Ship succeeds where it matters most - atmosphere, dread and escalation. It’s understands how horror thrives on pressure - historical, psychological, and cosmic - and when it leans into that suffocating convergence it’s gripping and unsettling even if the journey there is uneven.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for the arc.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Night Ship” by Alex Woodroe is a post-apocalyptic survivor story about Rosi (Rosalba), a smuggler, and her crew, who have to figure out how they’re going to survive as everything falls to pieces. It is set in the Romanian mountainside in the 1980s, which was very cool and is a unique setting. Part of Rosi’s crew is Sorin, the man to whom she is engaged, and Gigi, who had a kind of Furiosa from Mad Max energy, especially with the a modified flatbed truck. Rosi has worked hard to carve out as much of a pathway that doesn’t involve a government-selected job, a spouse pre-approved by parents, and everything dictated in terms of how many friends she is allowed to meet up with to what kind of music is allowed, number of children (mandatory), and other limitations. In spite of the “it’s the apocalypse so all of the things that dictated the way of life have gone poof,” the novel has a deep undercurrent of what Romania was like in the Soviet era, and at a time when radio was a vital medium. Radio transmissions form a huge part of the novel’s narrative. Rosi quickly learns that not all of the received or intercepted transmissions are… benevolent, for lack of a better term, and that it’s very difficult to verify who is on the other end and that they are who they say. The characters have to contend with supernatural terrors, with the narrative featuring a Lovecraftian undercurrent — the fear of the unknown and how to face it. The story also called to mind for me some of the vibes of “Resident Evil” and “Silent Hill.” The horrors are gripping, and Woodroe is a fantastic writer of the macabre. She weaves together Romanian history and supernatural terrors with dynamic characters in a way that is unexpected and fresh. Highly recommended! (Review based on ARC provided by the publisher).

[Rhiannon Boyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique end-of-the-world setting in 80s East Bloc Romania as the world literally disappears out from underneath the feet (and wheels) of citizens, and a black void begins to claim survivors stranded on islands floating in the abyss. And there’s some provocative and appealing philosophical debates about gender and class roles mixed in.

I was really curious to see how such a peculiar physical premise could play out in this kind of a story (I’m always doing the “but what about… this and that and how would that work” questioning of plot. So, I was pleasantly surprised that the author addressed my own questions and doubts in a way that made sense to the plot but also addressed those metaphysical questions in my own head.

“…it was all too strange to be meaningless, but also too strange to be meaningful.”

As the main characters, Rosi, Sorin and Gigi are spurred on in their logging truck by phantom radio signals, they navigate this eerie and terrifying new world (or, non-world) encountering survivors, unseen entities trying to drag them into the void, and creatures that look like humans infiltrating their space.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology,” Sorin chimed in, “is indistinguishable from magic. Clarke’s third law.”

“I’m just saying that if we had no trouble embracing things we didn’t really understand before, why is it so different now?”

Overall, I really enjoyed the plot and the characters’ development was strong and engaging. I look forward to a (hopeful?) sequel to this and exploring this author’s other works!

My thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Shannon Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

The Night Ship is definitely a unique story: a truck running through inescapable darkness in 1987 Romania, trying to escape... something. Main character Rosi and her quasi-fiancé are driving along as truckers do when everything around them goes dark. And not just dark, something is lurking, and it doesn't mean them any good. The atmosphere was completely on point here, through the whole story, even when I hadn't a clue what was going on. I liked Rosi as a character, and frankly, quite enjoyed learning a bit about Communist Romania. I also didn't fully understand what the heck was going on, and perhaps that was intentional? Was I supposed to be as "in the dark" as the characters? (Forgive the pun!) Regardless, I had a hard time understanding the "whys" of the thing, and especially in the first half of the book, it was a little off-putting. But eventually I got over it? Like- I never really got the answers I wanted, but it also became less of an issue as I got invested in the story. I was quite invested in the characters and their fates, and the vibes were amazing, so I went with it, and it ended up working out just fine!

Bottom Line:   Incredible atmosphere and characters I cared about, while I didn't really understand the world, I was still invested in the survival plot.

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let The Night Ship serve as an excellent reminder that a good mystery need not always be an Agatha-Christie-style whodunnit, nor need the horrifying be wet and gory (or even visible, for that matter).

Smuggler Rosi, good boy Gigi, and philosophy student Sorin see a day that goes from mid (living in a Soviet-adjacent dystopian Romania, ostensibly during the last two years of civil unrest preceding the 1989 Romanian revolution) to SHTF when, with little warning, much of the world around them is simply... gone. There is no light. There is no ground, save for what manages to cling to radio towers and vehicles with receivers. They are adrift in a world entirely unknown and clearly dangerous - what else is there to do but push onward toward a series of mysterious radio broadcasts coming from all over the country?

"Listen, you." He playfully shoved her shoulder but then continued more seriously. "Nothing is what it is anymore, is it?"

After a bit of a slow start, The Night Ship finds its own sort of high-brow existentialist survival horror groove quite nicely. This is the kind of horror that makes you feel a bit fancy and a bit philosophical when you describe it to your friends. It's a layered meditation on individualist and collectivist mentalities, the ways we bestow and acquiesce to authority, and what it looks like to finally begin living at the end of the world... and it's also freaking eerie. Well done, Woodroe!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the chance to share my thoughts on this ARC.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting read. I really enjoyed it right from the first page. The setting, communist Romania, was great and not something I have read in a book before. I loved the characters and the whole idea of the book. It wasn't that spooky to me, but I loved it nonetheless.

Rosi and Gigi are transporting lumber when they hear an odd radio transmission. They had picked up a hitchhiker as well so the three of them are left to try and figure things out when the world goes dark. When everything disappears. Radios still work, cars still exist, but everything else is gone. Add to that the whole communist country so you are used to living a certain way and I found it fascinating. How the characters interacted and reacted to what was happening was great. It was a really interesting read that had me hooked the whole time.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book

[RavenReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

I’ll admit, I spent the first quarter of this book completely disoriented, but eventually realized that was entirely by design. Woodroe drops the reader into the same swirling confusion, fear, and “what on earth is happening?” mindset as the characters themselves, and once that clicked, the narrative really took off for me.

I love a good apocalyptic tale, especially one that leans into alien horror, and this novel absolutely delivers on atmosphere. The sense of dread and creeping paranoia is palpable, building that perfect tension I look for in this genre. While the story can feel a bit messy at times, the strength of the concept (and the emotional punch behind it) more than make up for any rough edges. A uniquely disorienting, unsettling, and ultimately rewarding read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Alex Woodroe, and Flame Tree Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[AitziST · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

An unknown part of the world succumbs to darkness, and three survivors cruise in a truck in order to find food, shelter and answers to a lot of questions.
This is a very claustrophobic story, with some specific scenes able to induce nightmare-like scenarios. Neither enemies nor allies can be distinguished, and even some of the allies may not even be what they appear to be.
There are some aspects of the novel I did not vibe with: the point of view of someone who is deep in this mystery, for one, because I think it takes some of the mysticism of what is happening; or the whole reality of the society described, which I did not feel added anything vital, and the ending feels quite abrupt, but I enjoyed this reading.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when the whole world melts away into darkness, and your only refuge is a logging truck? For Gigi, Rosi, and Sorin they turn that logging truck into a mobile rescue station.

This book is lean, mean, and un-put-down-able. Great character work, interesting premise, and an author who is writing from a place of authority as a Romanian-based writer. At different points this novel is evocative of Stranger Things, The Last of Us, and The Thing. There's even some great bits of nautical horror in here, despite there being no ocean. With epistolary transmission logs and flashbacks sprinkled without, the world feels lived in and purposeful. And after the epilogue, I would kill for a sequel.

[Steven Patchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adrift on an impossible sea of darkness, can a group of survivors find sanctuary?

The Night Ship is Romanian Author Alex Woodroe's second novel, following from the excellent Whisperwood, published in 2023.

Firmly in the court of weird horror, with elements of body horror thrown in for good measure, the fantastical world focuses the action to the few floating remains of Romania and the environs of the truck itself. Set during the oppressive Ceausescu regime, the denigration of the people during the dictatorship is a heavy veil over the entire story, akin to the darkness Rosi and the crew find themselves in. Trust is the most important thing in this world.

My full review can be found on my website: https://stevenpatchettwriter.home.blo...

[Anemone Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

received ARC from the author

a journey through the darkness. i really appreciate how this story is all about a political situation without being didactic; it's a good speculative horror story with the chill coming as much from the real life horror being evoked as from the supernatural elements. the pacing drags a little in the middle but it's worth sticking with for the compelling final act. the whole story has this dreamlike quality, being trapped in an endless nightmare, struggling to hold onto dwindling hope. highly recommended for fans of survival horror type fiction.

[Angela Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

With echoes of King and Lovecraft, this is a book you can't really pigeon hole in terms of genre. The pace is steady, with most of the book confined to a single truck/ship, and yet the ever evolving story keeps you reading. A strange mix of people in a horrifyingly strange situation causes emotional uprisings, constantly asking and answering questions about those people. Although the situation is core to the story, it's the characters that maintain the interest and suspense.
An unusual, but worthwhile, read.

Received as an ARC through NetGalley.

[MaggieDay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for an ARC of this book. Set in Communist Romania, Gigi and his fiancé, Rosi, are delivering a load of lumber when a bizarre communique comes from their radio -get to a radio transmitter because the world is ending! From there Gigi, Rosi, and a hitchhiker, Sorin, are faced with darkness. Trying to outrun this living darkness, they try to survive and find a way out.

I really liked the concept, but at times I found the book repetitive. The metaphors of living in a society where anyone can report you to the government with trying to determine what is real were obvious and took me out of the enjoyment of the story at times.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this stately, heartfelt, sad-yet-determined horror novel. The story has a languorous pace and the characters are full and believable. The overriding motif (the crushing alien darkness) is a very accessible metaphor for life under totalitarianism and despair. There are still glimmers of hope, however, and they all come from people's ability to connect to each other. Highly recommend.

[Zoe Forever Reading 16 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had an interesting and unique concept and I really liked the Romanian setting and a different culture to experience as the reader. Made it very different to my usual horror reads. You can definitely feel the tension, unease and dread build throughout. The characters all have some form of trauma that they’ve experienced and are dealing with which affects the way they approach the goings on throughout the book. I loved getting to know the characters especially Rosi and Gigi when they felt able to be themselves and not what others wanted them to be. There are funny moments and tense moments throughout. I would definitely read from this author again.

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was quite excited by this book in the beginning but I really lost my way with it and ultimately didn’t really enjoy it. I spent a lot of time confused as to what was going on and began to not look forward to reading it. It might have been better if I had read it in one sitting but I found it hard going. Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the ARC.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apocalyptic, Cosmic horror.

The best part about this book was the main character, Rosi. She is extremely tough, quick to share her opinions, doesn’t just go along with the status quo, but also shows extreme empathy and kindness. This is an impossible life or death situation, where she’s thrust into a leadership role with strangers.

Lots of cosmic, space and lovecraftian monsters. Very Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

ty to netgalley for the arc. this was a super interesting read, the stroy, while it left some questions unanswered, didn't feel unfinished at all. the characters were well-rounded. i wish the science behind the darkness would have been a bit more explained, but that's just me personally.