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Empty
There are terrors still waiting to be discovered in the vast emptiness of space. After millennia of travel through the void, man has convinced himself he is master of the stars.
Down-on-his-luck, stuck performing punishment duty in the lower levels of the Penrose, Junior Engineer 3rd Class Hansen wants nothing more than to see the wreckage of a newly discovered ship dating back to man's earliest deep space explorations.
The engineer is about to get his wish, and in the process come face-to-face with a long-dormant horror waiting patiently for the perfect vessel. What he'll uncover in the darkness will threaten to consume him, body and soul.
Down-on-his-luck, stuck performing punishment duty in the lower levels of the Penrose, Junior Engineer 3rd Class Hansen wants nothing more than to see the wreckage of a newly discovered ship dating back to man's earliest deep space explorations.
The engineer is about to get his wish, and in the process come face-to-face with a long-dormant horror waiting patiently for the perfect vessel. What he'll uncover in the darkness will threaten to consume him, body and soul.
81 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 22, 2016
23 people want to read
About the author
Ty Arthur
5 books40 followersTy Arthur has worked as a freelancer for a variety of gaming, heavy metal, tech, and cannabis publications. His grimdark fantasy novel "Light Dawning" is out now, with many more dark tales still to come. Arthur writes to exorcise his demons and resides in the cold, dark north with his amazing wife Megan and infant son Gannicus Picard.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 31, 2016
I received a copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this book.
Empty is a mix of science fiction and horror. This novella has a claustrophobic and lonely feel to it. We get to know Hansen as he roams the lower depths of the ship he works on. Since he works in nearly complete isolation he's the only character we learn anything about. The creatures in the story, reminiscent of the fungus that kills Jordy Verrill in Creepshow, are impossible to escape. Although it's well written I had a hard time connecting to this story because it felt like a snippet out of a longer work. It was like one of the Kindle samples, a good beginning that gave me just enough to make me want to read the rest of the story. I think that Ty Arthur shows a lot of promise as a new author and I would definitely check out more of his work. Unfortunately I can only give this one a 3 star rating.
Empty is a mix of science fiction and horror. This novella has a claustrophobic and lonely feel to it. We get to know Hansen as he roams the lower depths of the ship he works on. Since he works in nearly complete isolation he's the only character we learn anything about. The creatures in the story, reminiscent of the fungus that kills Jordy Verrill in Creepshow, are impossible to escape. Although it's well written I had a hard time connecting to this story because it felt like a snippet out of a longer work. It was like one of the Kindle samples, a good beginning that gave me just enough to make me want to read the rest of the story. I think that Ty Arthur shows a lot of promise as a new author and I would definitely check out more of his work. Unfortunately I can only give this one a 3 star rating.
October 8, 2016
I really like the cover on this one-the artist did a great job with a scene that could easily fit in the novella, with perfect detailed coloring and shading. Judging by the expression on the man's face, however, a small part of me wonders if this cover would have worked even better tied to a comedy, which Empty is certainly not. That is a minor opinion however, and it certainly works a million times better than the cover on my ARC copy (which was a big white page of nothing!)
I'll start with the positive on this one. It is a refreshing to see a science fiction novel where the focus is on a junior engineer instead of any of the main officers, whom the reader will almost never, ever see. The entire ship is very large, pitch-black, and atmospheric, and it is almost impossible for one crew member to see another without the aid of a hovering light. Overall the author puts a great deal of descriptive language in this which the setting very claustrophobic.
Since there is not a great deal of character interaction, most of the novella is focused on Hansen, a junior engineer. And, unfortunately, we don't get a great deal of background about Hansen, save that he has a bit of a rebellious streak in the beginning, when one of his pranks gets him in trouble and forced to do isolated duties below decks. A little bit more background would have been appreciated, especially when he makes some questionable decisions. He also seems to have free reign of the ship in the second half, and while I did say it was interesting not to have any command staff involved, having more idea of what they were up to in order to stop Hansen would have also been interesting. It might have even added to the atmosphere as Hansen sees the black shadows of security looking for him.
From a technical side, the novella could have also used some more editing. Empty has a great deal of descriptive language, but also has a great deal of prose as well. Having someone trim this down and also fix the occasional past/present/future error tense would have made this read far more enjoyable.
Overall, some ideas were interesting, but another round of editing and more internal dialogue would have given this a higher grade. This is a short read (about 90 pages) so if you would like an atmospheric novella with some interesting ideas this would be a good one to check out.
I'll start with the positive on this one. It is a refreshing to see a science fiction novel where the focus is on a junior engineer instead of any of the main officers, whom the reader will almost never, ever see. The entire ship is very large, pitch-black, and atmospheric, and it is almost impossible for one crew member to see another without the aid of a hovering light. Overall the author puts a great deal of descriptive language in this which the setting very claustrophobic.
Since there is not a great deal of character interaction, most of the novella is focused on Hansen, a junior engineer. And, unfortunately, we don't get a great deal of background about Hansen, save that he has a bit of a rebellious streak in the beginning, when one of his pranks gets him in trouble and forced to do isolated duties below decks. A little bit more background would have been appreciated, especially when he makes some questionable decisions. He also seems to have free reign of the ship in the second half, and while I did say it was interesting not to have any command staff involved, having more idea of what they were up to in order to stop Hansen would have also been interesting. It might have even added to the atmosphere as Hansen sees the black shadows of security looking for him.
From a technical side, the novella could have also used some more editing. Empty has a great deal of descriptive language, but also has a great deal of prose as well. Having someone trim this down and also fix the occasional past/present/future error tense would have made this read far more enjoyable.
Overall, some ideas were interesting, but another round of editing and more internal dialogue would have given this a higher grade. This is a short read (about 90 pages) so if you would like an atmospheric novella with some interesting ideas this would be a good one to check out.
February 2, 2016
'Empty' is a captivating atmospheric science fiction tale that certainly finds inspiration from genre staples like 'Alien' and 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. While the source material sounds familiar, it is Arthur's fantasy telling that catapults the story into a gripping and claustrophobic crescendo. His storytelling skills are firmly grounded in classic sci-fi of old and is delivered with technical charm like Arthur Machen. I am looking forward to Arthur's next creation.
August 24, 2016
EMPTY offers us layered reading from a talented author who held me captive throughout this mysterious yarn. My kind of storytelling ... which is the most important element of the tale. Even if slightly horrifying sci-fi is not your norm, you're bound to find nothing empty about this story or Arthur's head.
January 23, 2016
Suspense--from Start to Finish!
The writer pulls you into this quest for answers to a perplexing mystery. Through each turn, just when you think you might have figured out the answer, a new twist occurs. This story will keep you guessing right to the end!
The writer pulls you into this quest for answers to a perplexing mystery. Through each turn, just when you think you might have figured out the answer, a new twist occurs. This story will keep you guessing right to the end!
July 13, 2016
I found this to be an entertaining combination of hard sci-fi and horror. The author does a great job with the details, really painting a picture for the reader. He makes you really think about what kind of unknown terrors might await us out there.
July 14, 2016
“There’s a crushing silence when moving through the void of space. The night sky paints a false picture of the cosmos, giving the impression that reality is filled with objects and phenomena. Truthfully it’s more empty than full. Nothing but seemingly unending blackness in all directions, punctuated by brief flashes of deadly light.”
This excerpt was taken from chapter two of Ty Arthur’s wonderful scifi/horror novella, Empty. The writing is this strong throughout the piece. At no point did the tension waver. From beginning to end, you feel Junior Engineer 3rd class Hansen’s claustrophobia and isolation–his sense of existential despair coupled with a crawling anticipation.
COVER BLURB:
There are terrors still waiting to be discovered out in the vast emptiness of space. After millennia of travel through the void, man has convinced himself he is master of the stars.
Down-on-his-luck, stuck performing punishment duty in the lower levels of the Penrose, Junior Engineer 3rd Class Hansen wants nothing more than to see the wreckage of a newly discovered ship dating back to man’s earliest deep space explorations.
The engineer is about to get his wish, and in the process come face-to-face with a long-dormant horror waiting patiently for the perfect vessel. What he’ll uncover in the darkness will threaten to consume him, body and soul.
I loved this little book. Clocking in at seventy-seven pages, Arthur manages to create a world worthy of seven hundred. Although, despite what many readers have suggested, I think the book is perfect at its current length. The pacing and the flow of the prose just feel right. I would love to see a follow-up novel, however, that lingers a little longer and expands on the idea presented here.
If you’re a fan of Alien or the Dead Space video games, you will probably enjoy this book. But one of the things I truly enjoyed most about it was Ty’s prose. He manages to combine elegance with bluntness, and insight with action in a way that keeps you thinking about the story even after you have stepped away from it.
This excerpt was taken from chapter two of Ty Arthur’s wonderful scifi/horror novella, Empty. The writing is this strong throughout the piece. At no point did the tension waver. From beginning to end, you feel Junior Engineer 3rd class Hansen’s claustrophobia and isolation–his sense of existential despair coupled with a crawling anticipation.
COVER BLURB:
There are terrors still waiting to be discovered out in the vast emptiness of space. After millennia of travel through the void, man has convinced himself he is master of the stars.
Down-on-his-luck, stuck performing punishment duty in the lower levels of the Penrose, Junior Engineer 3rd Class Hansen wants nothing more than to see the wreckage of a newly discovered ship dating back to man’s earliest deep space explorations.
The engineer is about to get his wish, and in the process come face-to-face with a long-dormant horror waiting patiently for the perfect vessel. What he’ll uncover in the darkness will threaten to consume him, body and soul.
I loved this little book. Clocking in at seventy-seven pages, Arthur manages to create a world worthy of seven hundred. Although, despite what many readers have suggested, I think the book is perfect at its current length. The pacing and the flow of the prose just feel right. I would love to see a follow-up novel, however, that lingers a little longer and expands on the idea presented here.
If you’re a fan of Alien or the Dead Space video games, you will probably enjoy this book. But one of the things I truly enjoyed most about it was Ty’s prose. He manages to combine elegance with bluntness, and insight with action in a way that keeps you thinking about the story even after you have stepped away from it.
April 15, 2016
"The atmosphere that is portrayed in this story genuinely scared the wee out of me. I felt very alone and very in need of a hug when I finished this story. I was cold and scared."
See here for the full review:
Empty
See here for the full review:
Empty
May 4, 2016
Disappointing. No one to really care about.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews