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Galleria
Not yet published
Expected 19 Jan 27Chuck Palahniuk's first forray into science fiction, following a young man searching through old scifi pulp magazines for clues to find the father who disappeared into space years ago.
On Earth, a young man named Grunt is searching for his father, a writer it seems has vanished off the face of the planet. But Grunt is convinced his father left behind clues in his writing. In a pulp magazine called Rockets Ho!!, Grunt discovers a curious series--Welcome2 Homestead1--that is out of this world, but something about it hits very close to home. Maybe Grunt has always been destined for bigger things.
Homestead1 is perfect, where everyone is beautiful, fit, and smart. Where Bradbury9 and Ursula6 do calisthenics by the Fountain of Authors and children hop on the bus for field trips back to the home planet, gleefully learning to kill Earthlings. But when Tomisina8 goes missing on one of the field trips, Homestead1's facade begins to crack.
As Grunt creeps ever closer to finding his dad, and the leaders of Homestead1 frantically search for their missing colonist, things take a turn revealing that sometimes the facts are stranger than fiction.
On Earth, a young man named Grunt is searching for his father, a writer it seems has vanished off the face of the planet. But Grunt is convinced his father left behind clues in his writing. In a pulp magazine called Rockets Ho!!, Grunt discovers a curious series--Welcome2 Homestead1--that is out of this world, but something about it hits very close to home. Maybe Grunt has always been destined for bigger things.
Homestead1 is perfect, where everyone is beautiful, fit, and smart. Where Bradbury9 and Ursula6 do calisthenics by the Fountain of Authors and children hop on the bus for field trips back to the home planet, gleefully learning to kill Earthlings. But when Tomisina8 goes missing on one of the field trips, Homestead1's facade begins to crack.
As Grunt creeps ever closer to finding his dad, and the leaders of Homestead1 frantically search for their missing colonist, things take a turn revealing that sometimes the facts are stranger than fiction.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 19, 2027
About the author
Chuck Palahniuk
183 books132k followersWritten in stolen moments under truck chassis and on park benches to a soundtrack of The Downward Spiral and Pablo Honey, Fight Club came into existence. The adaptation of Fight Club was a flop at the box office, but achieved cult status on DVD. The film’s popularity drove sales of the novel. Chuck put out two novels in 1999, Survivor and Invisible Monsters. Choke, published in 2001, became Chuck’s first New York Times bestseller. Chuck’s work has always been infused with personal experience, and his next novel, Lullaby, was no exception. Chuck credits writing Lullaby with helping him cope with the tragic death of his father. Diary and the non-fiction guide to Portland, Fugitives and Refugees, were released in 2003. While on the road in support of Diary, Chuck began reading a short story entitled 'Guts,' which would eventually become part of the novel Haunted.
In the years that followed, he continued to write, publishing the bestselling Rant, Snuff, Pygmy, Tell-All, a 'remix' of Invisible Monsters, Damned, and most recently, Doomed.
Chuck also enjoys giving back to his fans, and teaching the art of storytelling has been an important part of that. In 2004, Chuck began submitting essays to ChuckPalahniuk.net on the craft of writing. These were 'How To' pieces, straight out of Chuck's personal bag of tricks, based on the tenants of minimalism he learned from Tom Spanbauer. Every month, a “Homework Assignment” would accompany the lesson, so Workshop members could apply what they had learned. (all 36 of these essays can currently be found on The Cult's sister-site, LitReactor.com).
Then, in 2009, Chuck increased his involvement by committing to read and review a selection of fan-written stories each month. The best stories are currently set to be published in Burnt Tongues, a forthcoming anthology, with an introduction written by Chuck himself.
His next novel, Beautiful You, is due out in October 2014.
In the years that followed, he continued to write, publishing the bestselling Rant, Snuff, Pygmy, Tell-All, a 'remix' of Invisible Monsters, Damned, and most recently, Doomed.
Chuck also enjoys giving back to his fans, and teaching the art of storytelling has been an important part of that. In 2004, Chuck began submitting essays to ChuckPalahniuk.net on the craft of writing. These were 'How To' pieces, straight out of Chuck's personal bag of tricks, based on the tenants of minimalism he learned from Tom Spanbauer. Every month, a “Homework Assignment” would accompany the lesson, so Workshop members could apply what they had learned. (all 36 of these essays can currently be found on The Cult's sister-site, LitReactor.com).
Then, in 2009, Chuck increased his involvement by committing to read and review a selection of fan-written stories each month. The best stories are currently set to be published in Burnt Tongues, a forthcoming anthology, with an introduction written by Chuck himself.
His next novel, Beautiful You, is due out in October 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 3, 2026
Chuck Palahniuk has been one of my favorite authors for decades at this point, though as I’ve covered in previous reviews, his older work is by far my favorite. (From “Fight Club” up until “Rant” was the Renaissance, I would say, but I’ve really enjoyed a few others since then.) And even though I’m not always in love with the newer books, I do keep coming back because I’m a loyal reader and he’s treated me well in the author/fan relationship. (The man has been known to personally answer letters, send little handmade gifts, etc.)
This one was a bit confusing at first. The chunks of sci-fi serial are chopped up and swished around like little beans under a plastic cup, and since the story is given to you out of order like that it’s disorienting. Luckily, you can pay attention to the installment numbers to keep track of how far in the past/present you are. I would say I was about a third of the way through the book before I really started to get a grasp on what was going on within that storyline, but once I started to realize some things I admit it: I was on board for the ride and I didn’t even need to take a space pill.
The more I read, the more involved I became and the faster I finished it. I admit that I was worried going in, because I’m not a Sci-Fi reader. But I trusted that this would be a thoroughly Palahniuk version and that’s definitely what I got. There were parts that I found upsetting (example: animal cruelty), and parts that made me sad (tough to explain without spoilers.) But a story that both entertains and inspires emotion has done its job. Plus, Chuck made the act of being a writer a major part of the plot in a hugely intriguing way. There are deep metaphors at work pertaining to authors giving birth to their creations and sending it out into a dangerous world. There is oddly beautiful messaging about the act of storytelling, and sharing your art with strangers, as well as how that art can make a difference in unexpected ways. I didn’t expect to be moved in the middle of feeling disgusted, but sometimes that’s what happens.
The best part for me, though: There are echoes of “Fight Club” in this story, if you squint. At one point, he also name dropped Book Soup on Sunset Blvd, where I once saw him do a reading and got my copy of “Haunted” signed after we had a conversation about my favorite story in the collection.
There’s a passage in which a character is making the decision to act violently, which is against his nature, and it’s described as a train pulling away from a station, with all the different stops flashing by. I’m not doing it justice, but anyone who has ever had racing thoughts might find this as perfect as I did. The novel overall felt like old Palahniuk and new Palahniuk had merged into one being to write this book together.
I will say that the surprises at the end contained a thing or two that I figured might be coming, and something I feel like I’ve already seen once or twice at this point. However, other elements left me with lingering questions. Nothing that prevented me from enjoying it, but I will have to return for another read through at some point. The ending was yet another thing that reminded me why I’m such a fan of Chuck Palahniuk’s work, as it brought things back to a proper mix of disturbing and…cute in a strange way?
I don’t know if I would completely call this a “true return to form,” but I certainly did like it quite a bit. More than I expected to, honestly! I would say mind the trigger warnings if you’ve never read a Palahniuk, but also, if you’ve never read a Palahniuk and you’re starting here, you’re already in for a wild ride. (All the way to the Pinwheel Galaxy!)
Thank you to Netgalley for this early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own and I am beyond honored to be one of the first people to read and review this.
Biggest TW: Harm/cruelty to animals, Grown men being gross about underage girls, Slurs, Abortion/Loss of pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Suicide, *Substance abuse.
This one was a bit confusing at first. The chunks of sci-fi serial are chopped up and swished around like little beans under a plastic cup, and since the story is given to you out of order like that it’s disorienting. Luckily, you can pay attention to the installment numbers to keep track of how far in the past/present you are. I would say I was about a third of the way through the book before I really started to get a grasp on what was going on within that storyline, but once I started to realize some things I admit it: I was on board for the ride and I didn’t even need to take a space pill.
The more I read, the more involved I became and the faster I finished it. I admit that I was worried going in, because I’m not a Sci-Fi reader. But I trusted that this would be a thoroughly Palahniuk version and that’s definitely what I got. There were parts that I found upsetting (example: animal cruelty), and parts that made me sad (tough to explain without spoilers.) But a story that both entertains and inspires emotion has done its job. Plus, Chuck made the act of being a writer a major part of the plot in a hugely intriguing way. There are deep metaphors at work pertaining to authors giving birth to their creations and sending it out into a dangerous world. There is oddly beautiful messaging about the act of storytelling, and sharing your art with strangers, as well as how that art can make a difference in unexpected ways. I didn’t expect to be moved in the middle of feeling disgusted, but sometimes that’s what happens.
The best part for me, though: There are echoes of “Fight Club” in this story, if you squint. At one point, he also name dropped Book Soup on Sunset Blvd, where I once saw him do a reading and got my copy of “Haunted” signed after we had a conversation about my favorite story in the collection.
There’s a passage in which a character is making the decision to act violently, which is against his nature, and it’s described as a train pulling away from a station, with all the different stops flashing by. I’m not doing it justice, but anyone who has ever had racing thoughts might find this as perfect as I did. The novel overall felt like old Palahniuk and new Palahniuk had merged into one being to write this book together.
I will say that the surprises at the end contained a thing or two that I figured might be coming, and something I feel like I’ve already seen once or twice at this point. However, other elements left me with lingering questions. Nothing that prevented me from enjoying it, but I will have to return for another read through at some point. The ending was yet another thing that reminded me why I’m such a fan of Chuck Palahniuk’s work, as it brought things back to a proper mix of disturbing and…cute in a strange way?
I don’t know if I would completely call this a “true return to form,” but I certainly did like it quite a bit. More than I expected to, honestly! I would say mind the trigger warnings if you’ve never read a Palahniuk, but also, if you’ve never read a Palahniuk and you’re starting here, you’re already in for a wild ride. (All the way to the Pinwheel Galaxy!)
Thank you to Netgalley for this early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own and I am beyond honored to be one of the first people to read and review this.
Biggest TW: Harm/cruelty to animals, Grown men being gross about underage girls, Slurs, Abortion/Loss of pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Suicide, *Substance abuse.
September 10, 2026
First off, to be given the opportunity to arc read for one of my favorite authors is amazing. Seriously, I was completely over the moon.
That said, my brain is complete mush😂 I can't say I'm surprised because I've read the majority of Palahniuk's work and he's never written a story that's very straightforward. There are twists and turns and all sorts of directions, you gotta think outside the box and that's what I appreciate about his work.
Galleria is no different. The story seems like a simple plot of a boy searching for his father. Again, it's Palahniuk so it's more than that. The writing uses different POVs and formats to get its point across, I'll admit I got a little mixed up between the magazine pieces and the IRL moments but it's something you just have to stick with.
I do want to mention that there are parts in here that may be uncomfortable for some. Chuck doesn't shy away from the occasional body horror and other potential triggers, so consider this your warning.
To say this is sci-fi was a bit of a stretch but that's because I know the entirety of the story. It's very unique, it's twisted and gross, and at times effing hilarious. Seriously, there were some parts that had me rolling😂
The way the writing paints the picture of how art is created, trying to perfect it, discarding it when it doesn't seem quite right, and then dropping it into the world, was interesting. I also felt like there was a bigger picture at work regarding the Pinwheel Galaxy…
I can't really say anything else for fear of ruining the book, just that if you do decide to pick this one up you have to do it with the intent of sticking with it. Otherwise, you're probably going to hate the book.
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the arc, I truly enjoyed it!
That said, my brain is complete mush😂 I can't say I'm surprised because I've read the majority of Palahniuk's work and he's never written a story that's very straightforward. There are twists and turns and all sorts of directions, you gotta think outside the box and that's what I appreciate about his work.
Galleria is no different. The story seems like a simple plot of a boy searching for his father. Again, it's Palahniuk so it's more than that. The writing uses different POVs and formats to get its point across, I'll admit I got a little mixed up between the magazine pieces and the IRL moments but it's something you just have to stick with.
I do want to mention that there are parts in here that may be uncomfortable for some. Chuck doesn't shy away from the occasional body horror and other potential triggers, so consider this your warning.
To say this is sci-fi was a bit of a stretch but that's because I know the entirety of the story. It's very unique, it's twisted and gross, and at times effing hilarious. Seriously, there were some parts that had me rolling😂
The way the writing paints the picture of how art is created, trying to perfect it, discarding it when it doesn't seem quite right, and then dropping it into the world, was interesting. I also felt like there was a bigger picture at work regarding the Pinwheel Galaxy…
I can't really say anything else for fear of ruining the book, just that if you do decide to pick this one up you have to do it with the intent of sticking with it. Otherwise, you're probably going to hate the book.
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the arc, I truly enjoyed it!
July 27, 2026
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Saga Press.
This is my first Chuck Palahniuk book or story... though I did know to expect some sort of twist or surprise. I give it 3.5 stars, but I rounded up.
I enjoyed the pulpy sci fi. I liked imagining this world where some kids at a Con could help start a new world. As the book went on, I felt for several of the characters more and more. Then... I kind of fell away from it a bit because parts made me sad. But... that's real and that's life.
I don't want to give any spoilers, but it did end differently than I thought it would. I did NOT see the twist coming. I hadn't even thought of it, which is definitely worth something. Interesting read. Fictiony and not... at the same time.
This is my first Chuck Palahniuk book or story... though I did know to expect some sort of twist or surprise. I give it 3.5 stars, but I rounded up.
I enjoyed the pulpy sci fi. I liked imagining this world where some kids at a Con could help start a new world. As the book went on, I felt for several of the characters more and more. Then... I kind of fell away from it a bit because parts made me sad. But... that's real and that's life.
I don't want to give any spoilers, but it did end differently than I thought it would. I did NOT see the twist coming. I hadn't even thought of it, which is definitely worth something. Interesting read. Fictiony and not... at the same time.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
TL;DR: A wacky, weird SF satire that’ll leave you saying “What did I just read?”.
Source: NetGalley, so many thanks to the publisher!
Plot: Grunt is looking for his father in the pages of a scattered story, while we see the development of Homestead1.
Characters: A whole bunch of unlikable but hilarious characters. I simultaneously loved and hated them.
Setting: Part of this was in our ‘normal’ world, but the other this spacey location. I enjoyed both.
Science-Fiction/Satire: Hilarious but also left me going “What on earth?”.
Thoughts:
This is told in two different ways. We have Grunt, telling us the story of hunting down his father. To do that he is following the trail of stories his father had published in a serialized science-fiction magazine, with a sprinkling of some of his father’s more original works. And I say ‘more original’ because we quickly find out that the stories in these magazines are the story of a settlement, Homestead1, that his father and his friends created in the PinWheel Galaxy.
Now, the story unspools from there and we watch it move the crash landing we all know it’s going to reach. And it’s such a ride. The prose is classic Palahniuk, at least as far as I remember it (it’s been a while), and it makes the story move quickly and it’s punchy. So your gobbling up page after page and boy does it get wacky.
If you want something that’s a mix of science-fiction, some satire, and even elements of body horror, come here. This is what you need. It’s such a weird and wild ride and I had a great time.
Source: NetGalley, so many thanks to the publisher!
Plot: Grunt is looking for his father in the pages of a scattered story, while we see the development of Homestead1.
Characters: A whole bunch of unlikable but hilarious characters. I simultaneously loved and hated them.
Setting: Part of this was in our ‘normal’ world, but the other this spacey location. I enjoyed both.
Science-Fiction/Satire: Hilarious but also left me going “What on earth?”.
Thoughts:
This is told in two different ways. We have Grunt, telling us the story of hunting down his father. To do that he is following the trail of stories his father had published in a serialized science-fiction magazine, with a sprinkling of some of his father’s more original works. And I say ‘more original’ because we quickly find out that the stories in these magazines are the story of a settlement, Homestead1, that his father and his friends created in the PinWheel Galaxy.
Now, the story unspools from there and we watch it move the crash landing we all know it’s going to reach. And it’s such a ride. The prose is classic Palahniuk, at least as far as I remember it (it’s been a while), and it makes the story move quickly and it’s punchy. So your gobbling up page after page and boy does it get wacky.
If you want something that’s a mix of science-fiction, some satire, and even elements of body horror, come here. This is what you need. It’s such a weird and wild ride and I had a great time.
September 5, 2026
It seems like there's a lot being made of this being Chuck Palahniuk's first science fiction novel, but to me it didn't really feel too different from his other works. And are we forgetting the time traveling in Rant? Am I wrong for considering that to be at least sci-fi adjacent?
Anyway, I really enjoyed this novel. I still stand by my statement that Palahniuk's more recent books just aren't as good as his earlier ones, but with Shock Induction and this book, it's getting closer. While reading this one, I found myself thinking a lot about my personal favorite of his, Invisible Monsters, and I could almost believe this book was born out of some of the ideas first explored in Invisible Monsters about how we used to view the future. Also I really liked this dead mall setting here, it felt very fitting.
I'll go with four stars for this book. It's good but you have to stick with it. I found the format of "IRL" chapters mixed with serialized novel excerpts to be a bit annoying at first, but I soon got used to it. I think that format did make it hard to keep track of the characters, though, and I feel like I should probably reread some of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!
Anyway, I really enjoyed this novel. I still stand by my statement that Palahniuk's more recent books just aren't as good as his earlier ones, but with Shock Induction and this book, it's getting closer. While reading this one, I found myself thinking a lot about my personal favorite of his, Invisible Monsters, and I could almost believe this book was born out of some of the ideas first explored in Invisible Monsters about how we used to view the future. Also I really liked this dead mall setting here, it felt very fitting.
I'll go with four stars for this book. It's good but you have to stick with it. I found the format of "IRL" chapters mixed with serialized novel excerpts to be a bit annoying at first, but I soon got used to it. I think that format did make it hard to keep track of the characters, though, and I feel like I should probably reread some of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Thank you to Saga Press and Edelweiss for the ARC.
A phenomenal sci-fi satire from Chuck Palahniuk! I loved this!
Galleria is a total mind-bender. It’s also seasoned with nostalgic scifi pop-culture references that I couldn’t help but eat up. Wookies, LARPing, and Logan’s Run are all casually mentioned in just the first few pages. And while you don’t need to be a complete scifi nerd in order to appreciate this book, it will definitely enhance the experience if you are familiar with a few cult-classics.
Like other Palahniuk books, this one is layered and provocative. There are a lot of nuanced and even unlikable characters and it is unapologetically sharp and weird. But nobody walks in L.A. So if you’re up for a ride go ahead and jump aboard. Just don’t forget to take your space vitamins.
A phenomenal sci-fi satire from Chuck Palahniuk! I loved this!
Galleria is a total mind-bender. It’s also seasoned with nostalgic scifi pop-culture references that I couldn’t help but eat up. Wookies, LARPing, and Logan’s Run are all casually mentioned in just the first few pages. And while you don’t need to be a complete scifi nerd in order to appreciate this book, it will definitely enhance the experience if you are familiar with a few cult-classics.
Like other Palahniuk books, this one is layered and provocative. There are a lot of nuanced and even unlikable characters and it is unapologetically sharp and weird. But nobody walks in L.A. So if you’re up for a ride go ahead and jump aboard. Just don’t forget to take your space vitamins.
September 8, 2026
Blessed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews