Metropolis Down

by Vesper Doom

A relationship broken. A ship in distress.
Horrors that shatter minds. A song that changes reality
Jett Valla and Eddie Stone stand between life and death for a million souls.
But can they save each other?

The QSR Neo-Tokyo was the first ship in the Quasar Metropolis-class fleet: an immense spaceship housing a glittering, neon-lit city and half a million people. For forty-five years, it has traveled from Jupiter to Pluto and back without incident. For the last six years First Officer Eddie Stone and Head of Security Jett Valla have built a life together aboard the ship. But no longer.

When the Neo-Tokyo intercepts a corrupted distress signal, Jett and Eddie are forced back together to plan a rescue mission to the Golden Lion. But within the code lies an eerie song that haunts them both. They see and hear things that do not exist, and are bound together by its strange tune, forcing them to reckon with their lingering feelings for each other.


The song swells within the confines of the ghost ship, where only corpses and questions await them. Something within the hold tormented the ship and those horrors follow an unraveling Jett and Eddie back to the Neo-Tokyo. And when they think they are finally safe, the crowded streets of their city run red with blood. They must confront cosmic horrors once more, and there’s no guarantee that they, or the Neo-Tokyo, will survive.

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Queer, Adult, M M Romance, Fiction

414 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2026

About the author

Vesper Doom (she/they) is a queer, autistic writer from the greater Washington, DC area. She lives with her husband and two cats. When she isn’t writing, Vesper enjoys reading, playing video games, painting, and summoning forgotten gods for coffee.

You can find her online as @vesperdoom, and at vesperdoom.carrd.co.

Reviews

[S.S. Genesee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 2025 - Sooooo amazing, ever still! I will always enjoy Doom's writing and I love Jett and Eddie with all my heart. Everything from my original review still holds true! 💕

Original review, 2023:
WOOOOO BOY. THIS WAS INTENSE. Even from the very beginning, our boys Jett and Eddie go through SO much. And just when you think things are getting better, it only gets ✨worse✨ but don't let that stop you. Because the cosmic horrors are SO worth it.

The bloody, gorey imagery with everything that happens with dead bodies, the ships, the mystery, ACK, ITS WHAT I LIVE FOR. And throw in a couple who's terribly co-dependent on each other, madly in love and suffering together?? That is the SHIT 🤌🤌 I want Jett and Eddie together forever. I am obsessed with these boys AHHHH 😭😭💕💖💕💖

[Ash’s reading corner ✨🌈 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for the ARC. Overall, this was an interesting read, but I don’t think it was fully for me. I can see it being very hit or miss, depending on the reader.

The setting was one of the strongest parts. The worldbuilding felt natural, and the body horror was genuinely unsettling in a good way. Anything involving deep space and the Void really worked for me, it was eerie, intense, and easily the most gripping aspect of the story.

That said, I struggled with the characters. For a romance especially, I need to feel invested, and I just didn’t connect the way I wanted to. The side characters were particularly flat and mostly existed to be supportive without much personality or conflict, which made everything feel a bit... meh.

I did really appreciate how inclusive the book was, especially in terms of gender identity, sexuality, trauma, and disability. I also loved that the main characters were in their 40s, which is something you rarely see and usually enjoy.

Unfortunately, the pacing dragged a lot. It took nearly half the book for the plot to really get going, and by then I wasn’t emotionally invested enough for the big moments to land. I also found it frustrating that the characters avoided basic communication in ways that felt more fitting for people in their early 20s. I understand the emotional baggage, but at that age it felt a bit hard to buy.

Still, there’s a lot here that will work for the right reader, and I’m curious to see how the series develops.

[Menoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I will act once I’ve got my hand on this book. Sorry not sorry

Edit : I read it.

I finished reading Metro, and I had to read through my tears. Thank you very much Doom.
I was one of the lucky person who got the privilege to beta read Metro, and I’m so glad Dom is publishing it next year so I won’t have another favourite to choose from at the end of the year.

Metropolis down is a space opera, with a second chance romance, fucked up gods and HORROR.
If you know me, you know I don’t read horror because I like to sleep at night thank you very much. But I became SO obsessed with Jett and Eddie, every snippet I read made me go feral, so Dom let me read it as she wrote it. And I was probably the least efficient beta in the history of beta 🫡 sorry bout that doom.

It’s a dual PoV story, you follow Jett and Eddie as they try to navigate their break up but still have to work together. I know people will hate on Eddie, but consider this : I love him and I will kick your ass 🥰.

They’re both miserable and terrible at being adults : finally some representation for me.

And while trying to distract himself Eddie stumble upon something that will change the course of their destiny.

I won’t say more about the plot, it’s best to discover as you read I think.

Jett is a feral a dangerous baby girl. He went through so fucking much and he deserves nothing but to be bubble wrapped and protected from the world. I love him so much.
Eddie is an idiot. But a smart one, and I love him. And he can’t do anything bad ever. (I don’t care about his haters : meet me in a parking lot 🔪).

The writing was super good, and you can see how much the author love to write horror stuff, and she’s good at it. She gave me lots of new nightmares fuel 🫡

AND SHE MADE ME CRY. And she will never get out of the grounded zone.

Anyway. Add metro to your tbr, keep your eyes open for the preorder stuff and cover reveal. And be ready to be flooded by metro by me. Because I won’t shut up about it. Ever. 🥰🔪

[Brittany Willows]

Many thanks to the author for sending me a beautifully-packaged ARC copy.

It was great getting to know Vesper Doom's characters beyond the snippets and art on social media. These boys cannot communicate to save their lives! GUYS, GO TO THERAPY. Do you think they do Couples & Cosmic Horror therapy in this world? Speaking of cosmic horror, the segment that sticks with me most from this story is probably the rescue mission on the Golden Lion. Doom does a lovely job building up the tension there and executing the gruesome reveal. Another highlight is the worldbuilding, which left me eager to learn more about this universe in the sequel(s?). The interior design and the character index at the end is a very nice touch as well, loved getting to see the everyone's faces.

I would've liked more elaboration on the other humanoid species, as I don't believe we really got a clear vision of what they looked like or who they are. Maybe we'll learn more about them and their history next time. Similarly, more screen time for the supporting cast would've helped me feel a lot more immersed not only in the world, but the main characters' lives. And, hey, I'll be honest, the romance didn't really hit for me haha, but that's alright. I'm glad to see many other readers clicked with the MCs and the romance on a deeper level!

The horrors are not yet over, and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next book.

[Rita Rubin]

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much I read it in only two days. That had me so engrossed I couldn't bear to put it down even for a minute. Hats off to Vesper Doom for this fantastic sci-fi with romance and horrors aplenty.

[Raquelio poop · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a magnificent read. I truly could not get enough of this story and these characters, I was sucked in from beginning to end, and I can not wait for this series to continue. The way the pain, the trauma, the yearning, the love, the passion, and how it's all described are just so real, I felt this book deeply while reading it. The world building is great. The characters and their development and relationships are so vivid and real. I loved reading this story.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, regretfully, I am fundamentally disappointed in this story.

From the prequel chapter, I was looking forward to a mad acolyte stalking a spaceship for sacrifices while there’s a complex maybe doomed relationship occurring between two of the crew. What I read was two adults acting first like teenagers going through a breakup and then morphing into self-reflective therapy speak to get back together. The horror was minimal and delivered with the same impact to the character’s as a newsreader listing out the day’s events. The body horror is done well, but that alonedoesn’t make it a cosmic horror story.

We are told Everything. A confusion in one POV is clarified immediately in the second POV. There was no tension, no build-up, and I wasn’t invested in either their struggles or their relationship. Not even a suitable side character involved for my last bastion of hope for this story.

Also, incredibly human centric for a scifi story that has aliens in. There’s a vague mention of other species but there’s nothing further, no adaptions needed, no history.

There’s a suggestion of good bones for this story, and in the blurb, it’s got everything I like in a scifi story. The only way it could be more for me is if the ship had a jail broken AI. But this just wasn’t it.

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC.e

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh I wanted to love this so much, but the writing style just wasn’t for me. I love horror, I love romance but I feel that it’s one of the hardest pairings to balance a story and I felt this one just didn’t work for me. There were definitely some elements that I enjoyed; the world-building, the weird body horror, the general vibes, but I just didn’t love out two main characters.

They’re both in their 40s but they act like lovesick teenagers; they both want to be together, but can’t because Eddie broke up with Jett and now regrets it. Jett wants to get back with Eddie, but Eddie won’t ask him because he now doesn’t feel like he’s good enough for Jett. Jett, instead of being royally pissed off, mopes around and is sad about it… and when Eddie does go to apologise, Jett shuts him down. Ugh. I understand that Jett has PTSD and Eddie is neurodivergent, but even so I just couldn’t warm to them at all with all this dithering. This carries on until almost the 50% point and completely overshadows any horror build up that we might get.

The second half was much better (and pulls this book from a 2 star to a 3 star for me) with a sinister force taking over the ship and a weird illness befalling the crew. There was more action here and I started to feel the dread, but after the slog of the first half, I wasn’t invested in the MCs, which is an issue for me.

I think some people will absolutely love this and whilst I wasn’t for me, if you like space horror with plenty of gore I think this is a good bet!

[Arcturus170 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance copy through BookSirens and this is my honest review.
2*
This book has vision, but the execution is frustrating. A few other early reviewers point out the disconnect between the gory horror and the YA-level romantic melodrama. The horror aspects are mostly pretty impressive, as is the world building. The romantic angst is its own kind of torture, though. About half the book is utter, abject miscommunication. Jett and Eddie are almost hyper-aware of their problems and how to fix them, but then say the exact opposite things out loud to each other and double-down when challenged. It happens over and over and it’s maddening from a reader perspective. Half the book, in the realm of 180 pages, is failure to communicate while knowing better. I cannot emphasize enough how frustrating it is.

Moreover, that time is spent weeping and wallowing in self-recrimination, substance abuse, self-harm, isolation, and other aspects of depression spirals. So that’s miscommunication, heavy depression, angry outbursts, and weeping. For the record, the weeping continues for the entire book. My recollection is that there’s full crying in almost every MC chapter, start to finish. I’ve never read a book with more crying.

Now let me say, as other reviewers note, these characters have severe challenges that play into their behavior. Abuse, manipulation, abandonment, trauma, torture, grief. It’s not fully clear, but at least Eddie is neurodiverse, seemingly on the autism spectrum, with difficulty interpreting and expressing emotion. Both MCs are in their 40s and have led independent lives with high achievements, despite challenges. They had been in a long-term, committed relationship that ended suddenly, without explanation, just prior to the start of the book.

With all of that laid out, I still cannot rationalize the melodrama that consumes half the book. It feels like a telenovela or a soap opera. Many scenes involve weeping and shouting and the highest drama. All of that turns out to be for not very much—a somewhat simple explanation delivered to a side character in a few minutes. Afterward, the MCs are quietly ok ...and I thank the Void for my rescue from the daytime TV portion of the story.

This is the point in the book when the horror plot begins in earnest. It’s far more interesting than the first half, but fair warning, it’s also gory and disgusting at every opportunity. Eddie and Jett had already listened to a corrupted message from a ship needing rescue. The corruption does something significant to them both, linking them together with some kind of limited telepathic/empathic/psychic abilities which they decide not to investigate or talk about or tell anyone about. That whole business gets backburnered for most of the book. Sudden visions, haunting sounds of chaos, sensing thoughts and emotions… Don’t worry about it. These two dumb-dumbs aren't concerned.

Then something terrible happens, but we don’t know how or what due to *reasons.* Everything is awful and "permanent," until the terrible thing is easily fixed. Like in a soap opera. We're back on TV again. Huge crescendo of drama, but then everything is back to normal next episode.

Now a question: in a crisis, should the characters evacuate, quarantine, or get married? Eh, do all of it at the same time. Amidst the infection, death, zombies, and horror, have a quickie wedding. 👌 We also get the first and only spicy scene in the book, which is a pretty good scene, circumstances aside.

The end of the book continues the trend of Eddie and Jett making bad choices. Jett decides he’s gotta find the bad guy and stab them, regardless of the risk to his own life or others, and regardless of whether there’s a bad “person” at all or even something capable of being stabbed. The entire time, I wanted to strangle Jett on the way to dumping him in an escape pod and then nuking the horror problem from afar, *like a reasonable person.* 🙄

Even though I didn’t like the book overall, I still wanted the MCs to be together in the end. They’re broken men who find peace in each other, and I’m a sucker for that. The plot climax is decent and things play out for a book 2 to pick up afterward. I won’t continue, but for those that do, I hope you get more horror than melodrama in the next book.


Note: There is a continuity issue toward the end. Jett goes to a specific dance club. Then Eddie uses his special powers/senses to go directly to Jett’s location, avoiding the Larva and going to the same club. Then Jett seemingly walks into the club to find a mountain of bodies and the Larva, but we already know these are at a different location. Then Eddie doesn't find Jett at the club and goes to the Larva's location, where he finds Jett. No explanation is given for any of this. There are other continuity issues, but this one bothered me most.

[Ghosty · Rating 5 out of 5]

**spoiler free review**

I’m not usually into 3rd person pov style books (I’ve said this before and I will die on this hill) but I was enraptured within the first chapter and could not put it down. Do keep in mind it is SLOW paced until it’s not.

The world building is astronomical and expansive (heh, see what I did there? No but seriously-). As someone who struggles immensely to picture things in my brain, there was NO guesswork involved in this. The world itself, the cosmic horrors that arise, the body horrors that seemingly never end- chef’s kiss📝

Also I am a sucker for mlm books or anything under the queer umbrella, and this PROVIDES. I absolutely ADORE the inclusivity of both the main characters and all the side cast/crew. Maria personally has my heart 🫶🏻 I love them so much!!

I would like to point out a few things (as lightheartedly as I can):

1) Our autistic and trauma riddled boys cannot communicate to save themselves for a good chunk of this book 💀 and as someone who struggles with both neurodivergence and trauma- I GET IT. I cannot communicate for shit if my life and the entire galaxy as I know it, depended on it. They are raw. They are real. And fuck, it makes me feel seen. They aren’t without flaws and neither are we. “It’s like cringey wattpad romance” You leave those space himbos ALONE you bullies 🫵 I’ll throw rocks through your windows!!

2) If you are specifically looking for fast paced, instalove/insta-mending second chance, chaos upon opening- this isn’t for you, and that’s okay. This book (as previously stated) is SLOW. Agonizingly slow burn in all regards but oh my stars, praise the void, sweet baby neptune does it kick OFF around 50% of the way in. You have to buckle in for the journey, not just a short ride.

3) What the fuck did I just read???? I beg your finest pardon????????

Anyway, all that said:

I’m so glad the author finally published this one! It’s been a long journey but it was so fucking worth it. Keep it up Vesper

Praise the Void 🖤 The Void is Eternal ✨

[Faye Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Vesper Doom for providing me with an eARC of Metropolis Down. All opinions are my own.

I am a sucker for space horror, and this delivered exactly the kind of gritty, neon lit atmosphere I was hoping for.

​The setting of the Neo-Tokyo is basically its own character. It feels both massive and claustrophobic at the same time, and the shift into pure sci-fi horror once the rescue mission begins is incredibly effective. I loved the eerie, cosmic horror elements and how genuinely unsettling the song within the code felt throughout the story. Vesper Doom is great at building a world that feels heavy and lived in.

​The queer representation and the romance were definitely a highlight for me. Jett and Eddie have such an unapologetically messy and layered dynamic, and their history as a broken second-chance romance added a lot of emotional weight to the high stakes. Seeing two neurodivergent men navigate that kind of trauma while fighting off mind-shattering horrors was exactly the kind of representation I want to see more of in this genre. It makes the characters feel so much more grounded than your standard sci-fi leads.

​I am landing on a very solid four stars for this one. Like some other reviewers have mentioned, the pacing felt a little bit sluggish in the middle before picking back up for the finale. However, the world-building and the absolute gut punch of an ending made it a completely worthwhile read. If you want a bleak, atmospheric space horror with actual heart and complex characters, you should definitely pick this up.

[avis03 · Rating 3 out of 5]

MM, Sci-fi, Horror, 3rd Dual POV

Status: KU, Same Couple Series, Third Act Conflict - External, Mild Cliffhanger (Start of a Series)

Jett (Ji-tae): 46 Yrs Old, Lieutenant, Former Head of Security for Neo-Tokyo, Former Emergency Response (20 Yrs), Now Quasar Corperate Security, Cyborg (Eye, Tendon and Muscle Replacements), Scarred (Face, Body), Abandoned at Birth, Verse

Mental Health Notes: C-PTSD, Depression, On Medication, Previous Suicidal Ideation, Past Self-Harm, Fight Picking, Overstimulation, Issues with Physical Intimacy, Trust Issues, Emotional Outbursts, Self-Harm (Scratching, ), Drinks to Cope, Starts Therapy, Mention of Co-Regulation

Eddie: Autistic, 45 Yrs Old, First Officer of Neo-Tokyo, Tech Division, Offered Position of Captain of the Golden Lion (Yacht-Class Ship), Curly Hair, Abusive Family, Verse

Autism Notes: Own Voices, Main Theme, Diagnosed, Social and Communication Differences, Masking, Scripting, Consistent, Blunt, Mention of Overstimulation, Autistic Meltdown, Stimming (Tapping, Swimming), Hyper-Fixations, Emotional Detachment, Difficulty with Tone

Rep: Autism (Own Voices), C-PTSD, Queernorm and Gender-Diverse Normative

Side/Background Character Rep: POC, Women, NBi, Ace/Aro, ADHD, Cane User

Notes: 40+ MCs, City on a Ship in Space (Neo-Tokyo, Leviathan Class), Second Chance, Previous 6 Yr Relationship (2 Month Breakup), Found Family, Distress Signal from Ship Leads to Rescue Mission, Sci-fi Bond, Marriage

Sex Notes: Blowjob, Lube Use, Fingering, PIA, Cowboy, Creampie

CWs: Mentioned - Parental Neglect, SA, DV, Suicide, Vomiting; Detailed - Sci-fi Gun and Knife Violence, Torture, Blood, Gore, Dead Bodies, Side Character Death, Self-harm; Mental - Autistic Meltdown, Depression, Manipulation, Angst, Breakdowns, Panic Attacks, Obsession, Breakup, PTSD Nightmares, Family Trauma, Suicidal Ideation; Horrors - Cosmic, Body, Psychological, Sensory

Author Notes: (Vesper Doom) She/They, Aro/Ace Lesbian, Autistic/ADHD/MDD, Anti-fascist, Anti-GenAI

Personal Notes: AuDHD Reader Approved

[Menoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I need to be honest, Doom is one of my friend, also one of my favorite people 🫡. My opinion is very biased buuuuut HEAR ME OUT.

Metropolis down is a story I had the pleasure to read multiple times, I’ve learn to love both Eddie and Jett in every aspect of their personalities.
Are they both stubborn and can’t communicate for shit ? Hell yeah.
Do they deal with their traumas in an healthy way ? Nooope.
Are they frustrating??? I MEAN THEY’RE MEN. WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING???

I still had so much fun with my read. Well, as much fun as we can have with horror in space.

Fun fact I CANNOT read horror stuff, like nope, but still the things I do for my friends 💛. But with my little knowledge about horror, THE HORROR WAS DISGUSTINGLY DISGUSTING and I need to bleach my brain. This is nightmare fuel at its finest for real.

Doom put soooo much into this book and I’m so proud of the final result. And I hope everyone will love and care about those saucy space boys as much as I do.

🫶

[Willow Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing to read as my first ARC! First and foremost, I LOVE the character index that was included in my copy. It's such a small detail yet helped me understand the characters and fully invest into the story. The book is very inclusive to: gender identities, sexual orientation, trauma, and disabilities! I also love that the main plot follows characters 40 y/o and above. I don't get to see that very often and made the read more interesting. All in all, this was a lovely read and am looking forward to the next one!

[Shane Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold on because I can’t see anything through my tears and I’m only halfway through 😭💔😭😭💔😭💔

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd sincerely like to thank Vesper Doom for accepting me onto their ARC Team for this fantastic read. I feel so honored to be one of the first of many to read this amazing novel.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐

A Short Summary:
Metropolis Down follows Head of Security Lieutenant Jett Valla and First Officer Eddie Stone as they struggle in their relationship coming to an end. They live and work on the Neo-Tokyo, the first ever metropolis sized ship fit to hold half a million people. Now estranged, they have to work together with a group of their friends and their trusted Captain to plan a rescue mission when they receive a distress call from an elite ship the Golden Lion. Jett, who is trained in rescue maneuvers takes in a team and what they learn on the ship in distress is horrifying. Seeing and hearing things that aren't there, Jett and Eddie must work together to stop the thing that followed them back to the Neo-Tokyo, to stop it from destroying the only real home they've ever known.

My Thoughts:
I have so many complex feelings surrounding Metropolis Down.

First, the plot. It was so in depth, it had such an epic scope of action and emotion and tiny tidbits of things you can feel will be brought up in later books. The story feelings unfinished, because it is. You can feel the broadness of the plotline Doom has developed, and I'm so excited to continue it.

Second, the characters. I am so drawn to Jett, he and I have the same PTSD trauma response, which while unhealthy sure, I've never seen in a character before. I have also learned quite a bit about myself through Eddie's chapters, I am fast to get annoyed with him and his actions. I have often stated to neurotypical people that introducing two autistic people is like introducing new cats to each other, you need time to warm up to them. Which I did, in the end. It was interesting to read this though, because I've never experienced this feeling with a character before, I knew where he was coming from, and why he felt that way but the way he reacted was not the way I would've reacted and I ultimately found my response to him very interesting. I loved the way he was written, I've never read such an accurate autistic character before.

I loved the gore and the body horror that persisted from the prologue to the last page. The imagery really paints a picture in my head and I'm so interested to see more art of the inside of Neo-Tokyo to know if my imagination is accurate to Doom's. I can also envision myself drawing something for this book and its series in the future, the imagery like I said is very cool. The concept of a city in space on a ship is so cool, with cyberpunk-esque bars and body parts and tablets. I also loved that while the romance was There in the plot it was soft without being fluffy, it was as intense as the plot was and while they dance around each other, the plot is moving and its rough and wild and dangerous.

Trying to think of people to recommend this book to is interesting. It's such an intense read that my first thought is, for fans of You Weren't Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White. Though its less sexually explicit, it shares a weird creature and has a cultish vibe to it, a religious creature god aspect for sure. I think it's action and body horror scenes really would fit well for fans of Run Like Hell by Eira Brand, its very descriptive and if you can handle one I think you could handle the other. I think if anyone loved the in space living feel of The Darkness Outside Us but wanted more of an adult relationship and maybe some weird horror, I'd recommend it to that crowd.

Metropolis Down really is what it's advertised as; Adult Sci-Fi Horror Romance that deals with trauma accurately with the backdrop of an epic scope cosmic nightmare.

Trigger Warnings I Gathered: body horror, self harm, PTSD, Anxiety, mentions suicide, torture, plague/epidemic, mentions SA of a minor

[Azalea Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not normally a book I would pick up, namely that it is a book full of horrors!

Jett Valla recounts his recent breakup with the love of his life--and not by his choice. We're shown as the duo fights through their collective common (and not so common) sense and trauma--the trauma winning out, of course--and get a glimpse of their codependent but passionate past.

Outside of that hurt, something sinister is growing in the Void of space, far beyond the perceived safety of their city-ship, the Neo-Tokyo. We get to see the strengths of Jett and Eddie, being opposites in many ways, but also how they complement each other.

Doom does a fantastic job in describing the horrors of space, of gods, and of fellow man (and the like). I enjoyed reading the angst of Jett and Eddie's fallout, and the friendships and found family--I do wish we could have seen more of the friends and family. Their past together in the good times sounded like a blast.

What good times are had in Metropolis Down, however, don't last. Much of the latter half of the book is a seemingly neverending horror--not to the detriment of the book, but certainly for the characters themselves. There are many questions still to be answered and I hope these boys can get through it!

Note that there is spice in this book! 🔥🔥🔥 About a chapter and a half of it.

[Leigh Gaskill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting to read Metropolis Down for quite some time, so I appreciate the ARC from the author very much.

I would categorize this first as a second chance romance and second as a sci-fi space horror. Doom is a very visual writer so I had no issues being drawn into this world that they created.

I liked how both MCs were older, in their 40s, and the autism and PTSD rep was represented well (from someone with no diagnosis but working in the healthcare field, so take that as you will).

I would have liked to see more of the horror aspect. Once things started moving quickly there were jumps in time where we are told what is going on but not shown, and I would have liked to be immersed in that a bit more. Not everyone will share my sentiment because they don’t reach out for horror.

You’re left with a lot of questions, so it’s good that Doom plans to continue this as a series.

*𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.*

[vi_iv · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this eARC for free in exchange for my honest review.*

If you enjoy space horror with a little second-chance romance, this book is for you.

The story mainly focuses on the romance between Jett and Eddie after their initial breakup. I really appreciate how all of the characters are older adults, in their 30s and 40s, and some of the drama between the main characters could be resolved through talking it out. I wished to see more interactions with some of the side characters like Jack and Ell.

The plot felt a little slow in the beginning when it focused on the relationship between Jett and Eddie, and picked up once we were introduced to the tragedy on the Golden Lion. The worldbuilding is definitely the strength of the novel. The setting felt gritty like Cyberpunk with the tension and horror of Alien. It was very immersive and gave me a sense of dread while reading.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is a bit different from what I normally read, but I'm glad I took the risk of trying something new. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series!

[Soren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I started getting into horror a couple of years ago, this sort of cosmic horror has been one of my favorites to get to return to. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and had a great time reading it. The plot flowed very smoothly, the characters were fun to get to know, and I really liked the diverse cast we got to meet. I’ve already recommended this to a couple of my horror-loving friends, and I highly recommend it for anyone else who loves a good horror story. I received a free ARC of this, and I’m choosing to leave an honest review.

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I have no words... This book was unexpected, it was complex and full of horrors and heartbreaks, it was intriguing, with twists and turns on every corner, but it was also about a second chance at love.

The way the author described the characters and their feelings was captivating, and I could easily lose myself in the story and couldn't tear myself away from it.

Overall, it was amazing and I can't wait for the story to continue.

[Kile White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading this book and it did not disappoint.
The characters were wonderful and endearing and as always, I fell in love with one of them. Eddieeeee, my Shayla.
The world was incredibly developed and I felt immersed in the story immediately.
This story was beautiful and unsettling and will be hard to beat as my favorite read of the year.

[Meghan Reads MM · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a 4 star story but it had consistent editing issues, mostly of sentences changed midway, but not double-checked and completed. Story-wise it is super horrifying Sci-Fi. Wow! On par with Clive Barker or Event Horizon.

[Jennifer Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was insane from the very beginning. It was interesting and I loved the plot. I loved the characters. Eddie and Jett were beautifully written

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite an enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes. I really loved the body horror aspect.

[mace]

My brain isn't happy with the writing style and I'm done with reading ARCs that have punctuation errors.

[Kate Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Vesper Doom and team for the ARC!

There were parts of this that I really loved, and parts that I felt needed some work. The setting was fleshed out through very natural descriptions, and the body horror was grotesquely lovely. Deep space is truly terrifying to me, so the parts concerning the Void and all its horrible power were fascinating!

Unfortunately, I didn’t click with the characters as much as I’d hoped, which is important for a romantic plot. The biggest issue for me was the side characters; They were all flat, approached problems the same way, and fell into the category of “Supportive of one or both love interests” without much conflict or anything. In a science fiction horror, to me, the ensemble is as important as the main characters. What’s Alien without the clashing team dynamic? What’s Aniara without the denizens’ conflict? The two leads were the only characters that got real depth, which kept me on the edge of immersion for the duration of the novel.

I’d recommend this to folks that want second chance romance first and syfy-horror second. I’m excited to see what Doom writes next, especially if they lean into the body horror. It gave me chills and made me gag. Excellent.

[Amanda]

I feel kinda bad cause this was an ARC but DNF at 52%

This book just wasn't for me. Jett and Eddie's relationship was less yearning and more tedious than I typically enjoy, and the plot doesn't really begin until the 40% mark of the book. Failed to pique my interest when it did start so it's time to bail.

[Siavahda · Rating 2 out of 5]

*received an arc from the author, doesn't affect my opinions, etc*

I never got to the horror elements, but these characters are horrifying enough all by themselves!

The cover that went out with the advanced reading copy is WILDLY different from the final cover. I would not have signed up for an arc of a book with the final cover. That is clearly a book that had high odds of being Not For Me. But I think it’s a good thing that the final cover is much more clearly pushing the romantic elements, because this is a book that is a (second-chance) romance first, and a sci fi horror second. Nothing whatsoever wrong with that, but I was never going to be the right reader for the book this ended up being.

With that caveat out of the way: wow, I hate this. These characters are pathetic idiots getting extremely maudlin and overdramatic over a Refusal To Communicate. When the book opens, Jett and Eddie are two months into a break-up. Despite things being pretty (not completely, but mostly) perfect, Eddie inexplicably broke-up with Jett and Jett has been left wondering why. He is heartbroken! And that’s perfectly fair! But in the second chapter, we jump to Eddie’s POV, and learn that the break-up…was primarily driven by Eddie’s abusive relatives and Eddie’s fear that Jett doesn’t love him, and/or that Eddie will never be good enough for him. I would normally be understanding of the former – abusive families are abusive, they mess up your mind, make you do things that are not in your best interest, sure. But Eddie knows and acknowledges that they are and always have been abusive, so…why on earth would he take their dating advice?! And the ‘oh no you don’t love me and I'm not good enough for you anyway’ thing is something that always drives me up the wall. It is so unbelievably idiotic and it always feels so contrived and pathetic.

The contrived feeling gets worse when, still in chapter two, Jett and Eddie meet to discuss the break-up. Eddie goes in with the intent of explaining all and begging Jett to take him back, because he is, of course, still fully in love with Jett. But somehow~ those words never make it out of his mouth, and Jett is the most stereotypical Scorned Lover, hissing and snarling and making ridiculous accusations for which there are no evidence. It’s beyond ridiculous. Eddie is so full of yearning but gives voice to none of it! For some inexplicable reason!!!

“It is done. We are over. And soon I will never have to see you again.”

The words slipped out again, harsh, distorted, wrong. He wanted Jett more than anything in the Three Systems. He loved Jett with his whole being. But that love made him uniquely capable of hurting Jett, which he’d done. Again.

Sir, I say this as a someone who is also autistic with an abusive family: what the actual fuck. If you love him more than anything, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAY WHAT YOU JUST SAID?

I’m sorry but there is no planet on which I can put up with this nonsense. I definitely can’t get behind their relationship. I despise them as people and wow they are clearly not good together. What even.

The glimpse of horror we got in the prologue…it was certainly gory! But it also felt incredibly meh to me: we have an eldritch god-being-thing that is Pure Ultimate Evil, and people worshipping it for some inexplicable reason (why does no one ever come up with understandable reasons to worship evil? There are more than a few!) It’s very – simplistic and obvious? The body-horror elements are a nice touch, and are wonderfully messed-up and creepy, but the context of the body-horror is very dull to me.

The prose is not a disaster, but it’s a few steps below my standard. There are a number of grammar errors I assume will be fixed before publication day, and the phrasing is occasionally kind of awkward, especially when it comes to metaphor and simile imagery. That too might be polished away before release day, though.

The main issue is that I hate these characters with the passion of a thousand burning suns and I find the set-up for their romance just embarrassing for everyone. Definitely don’t jump into this book unless you are someone for whom that set-up appeals!

[Kieran · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star - I really wanted to like this one. From the description, it seemed to have everything I love, but it failed to deliver in a lot of ways.

I don't think the setting was established well and I think the world building was weak. I didn't really understand where the characters were ever, I also didn't fully understand what Neo-Tokyo was or how it worked. I would have liked at least a vague idea of how the government or society works there, just SOMETHING.

The way the story is structured is very odd. The pacing can be really weird at times as well, especially in the beginning. There were a lot of time skips, but it never felt like any time passed at all.

I think the conflict between Eddie and Jett is resolved way too quickly, and it didn't feel very believable, either. Way too many things are told to the reader just outright. In Eddie's POV, it's just outright stated what his issue is, why he has this issue/trauma, what he did wrong, how he can fix it, etc. in like one chapter. I think this story would have benefited greatly from Eddie slowly realizing these things about himself throughout and coming to a conclusion in the/near the end. There should have been more tension between Jett and Eddie, the resolution between them should have been harder to get to—they should have had to actually work towards it, instead of it being solved almost instantly. It didn't feel earned. And also the conflict was just... not that tense or interesting, so I can see why it would be hard to write a compelling story around it.

I didn't really care about Eddie or Jett. They didn't feel particularly unique, they weren't very interesting to me as characters. They were very immature, kind of stupid sometimes. Their relationship seemed a little toxic and codependent. The side characters were also very devoid of personality, I couldn't tell any of them apart and didn't care for them either and didn't really care when any of them died.

For all the talk of Eddie's family being the main driving force behind so many of the decisions he makes, you never really see it or learn much about them.

The dialogue feels very clunky. And the excessive use of pet names between Jeff and Eddie really took me out of it, it was just unrealistic and corny.

The chapter where Jett died for a split second was really strange. Eddie watches Jett die, and then like not even two pages later we learn that Jett is fine. We didn't even get a second to sit in the reality that Jett could actually be dead, so when you find out he's actually alive, you feel nothing. It's built up to be this dramatic thing, and it leads to nothing.

Eddie proposing to Jett and them getting married was really out of place. It didn't seem like the right time and like it was just shoved into a random point in the story. Again, didn't really feel earned, just rushed to get to the 'good part'.

Towards the end, there's talk of so many people on Neo-Tokyo being affected by some disease, but you don't really see it. It's just told to the reader that people have been affected, that there was testing done on them and they seemed strange and distant and totally out of it. You don't see this actually happen, you don't see this build up. Just all of a sudden this affliction is affecting a lot of people and everyone needs to evacuate and they need to self-destruct the ship like what??? Hold on!! It all happened so fast, I didn't know what was happening. And I didn't care! There were no stakes, no tension. I think Eddie and Jett should have come to realize something was off, noticed that some people seemed odd. We should have seen them present for these tests and in the world of Neo-Tokyo observing these changes as it all builds up to this unmanageable disaster that ends up in them having to destroy it. It would have really amped the horror aspect of this story!

Overall, I like the premise. I think this book has a good idea behind it, the main issues just lie in structure and pacing, along with a lot of telling instead of showing, and lackluster character and relationship development.