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The Hematophages
Doctoral student Paige Ambroziak is a “station bunny” – she’s never set foot off the deep space outpost where she grew up. But when she’s offered a small fortune to join a clandestine salvage mission, she jumps at the chance to leave the cutthroat world of academia behind.
Paige is convinced she’s been enlisted to find the legendary Manifest Destiny, a long-lost colonization vessel from an era before the corporations ruled Earth and its colonies. Whatever she’s looking for, though, rests in the blood-like seas of a planet-sized organism called a fleshworld.
Dangers abound for Paige and her shipmates. Flying outside charted space means competing corporations can shoot them on sight rather than respect their salvage rights. The area is also crawling with pirates like the ghoulish skin-wrappers, known for murdering anyone they can’t extort.
But the greatest threat to Paige’s mission is the nauseating alien parasites which infest the fleshworld. These lamprey-like monstrosities are used to swimming freely in an ocean of blood, and will happily spill a new one from the veins of the outsiders who have tainted their home. In just a few short, bone-chilling hours Paige learns that there are no limits to the depravity and violence of the grotesque nightmares known as…THE HEMATOPHAGES.
Paige is convinced she’s been enlisted to find the legendary Manifest Destiny, a long-lost colonization vessel from an era before the corporations ruled Earth and its colonies. Whatever she’s looking for, though, rests in the blood-like seas of a planet-sized organism called a fleshworld.
Dangers abound for Paige and her shipmates. Flying outside charted space means competing corporations can shoot them on sight rather than respect their salvage rights. The area is also crawling with pirates like the ghoulish skin-wrappers, known for murdering anyone they can’t extort.
But the greatest threat to Paige’s mission is the nauseating alien parasites which infest the fleshworld. These lamprey-like monstrosities are used to swimming freely in an ocean of blood, and will happily spill a new one from the veins of the outsiders who have tainted their home. In just a few short, bone-chilling hours Paige learns that there are no limits to the depravity and violence of the grotesque nightmares known as…THE HEMATOPHAGES.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2017
45 people are currently reading
1778 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Kozeniewski
46 books437 followersStephen Kozeniewski (pronounced "causin' ooze key") is a Splatterpunk Award-winning author and two-time World Horror Grossout Contest champion. His published work has also been nominated for the Voice Arts and Indie Horror Book Awards, among other honors. He lives in Pennsylvania with his fiancée and their two cats above a fanciful balloon studio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
July 13, 2017
Five stars are not enough. My favorite read (so far) of 2017. A fast-paced story with some subtle world-building and some very well-written female characters. Think ALIEN meets EVENT HORIZON meets THE RISING. Fantastic, funny, gory horror/sci-fi novel. I absolutely loved it!
October 25, 2019
If this book had been written in 1987 John Carpenter would have made it into a movie, and it would have been awesome. This is a great mix of science fiction and horror in that the setting is science fiction and the story and action/gore are all horror. Its got a whole bunch of cool and crazy ideas and even a gigantic blood planet called a fleshworld that is totally gnarly. Kozeniewski maintained a dark and claustrophobic atmosphere throughout but it was a lot of fun to read, if that makes sense, and it was neither too long or too short. I'm doing all horror this month and this was a fine addition to that streak. Four, worth your time, stars.
August 8, 2022
Having just read Stephen Kozeniewski's SKINWRAPPER with the Horror Aficionados group, some of us decided to read this book together as well. What an adventure!
Set in the same world as SKINWRAPPER was, we join all-around bad-ass Paige as she signs on to a crew headed out into space, looking for a long lost ship named Manifest Destiny. Of course, nothing goes as planned and before you know it, everyone on this ship is in danger. Will Paige make it out alive? Will anyone? You'll have to read this book and to find out!
This novel was tightly written, there's no slow burn here. The action was fast, but easy to follow; which pushed the plot forward quickly. I thought the skill with which the author made this happen was impressive. No words are wasted here and that made for a quick read as well.
I think Stephen Kozeniewski is an excellent author and I believe he's someone to watch. I've read two novels and one novella of his so far, and none of them have let me down.
Highly recommended- especially to fans of space horror and action!
**I bought this book with my hard earned cash.**
Set in the same world as SKINWRAPPER was, we join all-around bad-ass Paige as she signs on to a crew headed out into space, looking for a long lost ship named Manifest Destiny. Of course, nothing goes as planned and before you know it, everyone on this ship is in danger. Will Paige make it out alive? Will anyone? You'll have to read this book and to find out!
This novel was tightly written, there's no slow burn here. The action was fast, but easy to follow; which pushed the plot forward quickly. I thought the skill with which the author made this happen was impressive. No words are wasted here and that made for a quick read as well.
I think Stephen Kozeniewski is an excellent author and I believe he's someone to watch. I've read two novels and one novella of his so far, and none of them have let me down.
Highly recommended- especially to fans of space horror and action!
**I bought this book with my hard earned cash.**
February 7, 2018
“Alea iacta est”
Out surfing the ink. A simple salvage job. Well…not exactly simple. Fleshworlds are never simple. And kind of gross, really. Still, it should be easy peazy.
Fishing for fauna in a sea of blood, lampreys up the vajayjay, Breaking Bad arm bands, Nia the Skin Wrapper pirate, an eye-popping good finger bang, and insane in the eel brain.
Damn.
I’m not much of a sci-fi guy, but there were enough horror elements here to keep me satisfied and engaged, even though it really didn’t get rolling until about 60%. Once it did get rolling, it took off. A nicely done and appropriately bloody, outer space horror tale.
Out surfing the ink. A simple salvage job. Well…not exactly simple. Fleshworlds are never simple. And kind of gross, really. Still, it should be easy peazy.
Fishing for fauna in a sea of blood, lampreys up the vajayjay, Breaking Bad arm bands, Nia the Skin Wrapper pirate, an eye-popping good finger bang, and insane in the eel brain.
Damn.
I’m not much of a sci-fi guy, but there were enough horror elements here to keep me satisfied and engaged, even though it really didn’t get rolling until about 60%. Once it did get rolling, it took off. A nicely done and appropriately bloody, outer space horror tale.
August 28, 2022
A fun sci-fi/horror crossover that doesn’t pull any punches! Lots at action and gore, wrapped in an interesting storyline. 4/5 stars for me.
July 4, 2018
They say in marketing that you have to hear a pitch a couple times before it hooks you. That I am afraid is why we talk so often about our books. This is a classic example. I first heard of this novel and Kozeniewski on The Horror Show with Brian Keene. When Kozeniewski was on the podcast the second time he talked about this book and I thought the novel sounded right up my alley. I requested it at the library as I do many books. (By the way if you can get a library to to get an author's book that is better than just buying a copy)
I checked the library website a few times but every time Brian Keene mentioned Kozeniewski on the podcast which is often I would think about The Hematophages. So a few months back I bought a copy and saved it for an airplane read. Yesterday thanks to a delayed flight and long lay-over I read this book in about 4 hours during a trip from Indiana back to San Diego.
The Hematophages is a blend of horror and science fiction. Kozeniewski is most well known for his zombie detective bizarro novel Brain-eater Jones. I hope this novel signals a blending of genre he will continue. The story of Paige Ambroziek a young woman who has lived the majority of her life on a space station. Paige's history makes her a perfect narrator, because she has no experience out in the ink(cool slang for space) or being on worlds. This fish out of water aspect is thankfully not used for comedy but is subtly applied to help world-build in the narrative.
Paige is a student who has expertise on ship salvage and is given a mission by a mega-corporation to find the wreck of a famous spaceship lost for hundreds of years. The major problem with this operation is the ship is on a fleshworld with oceans of blood. I enjoyed the universe of this novel that involved nasty corporations, wormy blood drinking monsters, cancer-ridden zero-g Mutant pirates (the Skin-wrappers) and a planet with bat-shit crazy ecologically that was more surreal than hard sci-fi.
It is clear that Kozeniewski was inspired by Aliens and the Thing and working from that sense he came up with a cool hook for this kind of Sci-fi tale. Once he got to the insanity of the Fleshworld I was sold. If it seems like I am harsh or critical of the book it is important to that I am doing that because I really really LOVED it. There were just a few things that kept it from being a masterpiece for me. That is no slight, I loved it and I think you should read it. It is 1,000 better than most attempts to marry sci-fi and horror.
Let us start with what is great about this novel. I liked that Kozeniewski didn't bother trying to explain the science of deep space travel. He assumes in this first person narrative Paige would expect understanding from her readers. When writing about a coast to coast car trip do modern writers feel the need to explain the science of cars? I suspect that will turn off a few sci-fi readers stuck in their ways, but I found it was refreshing. My mind filled in the gaps.
The world(universe)building is effective, with enough clever and sometimes funny elements like the opening interview and the skin-tight airlocks. The Skinwrapper pirates who lived in zero-G for so long they barely looked human were so well realized that Nia was one of my favorite characters. The paranoia in the second half is well done, never going overboard but just enough to give us a sense of distrust the survivors at the end felt. The planet is soaked in blood before the over the top gore comes in but it is done in smart was, including a fantastic chapter break in the last act that got a "Oh shit" out of me.This universe that Kozeniewski has built is rich and deserves more stories set in it.
That said I had a few minor problems. I have seen the society in this book described as Matriarchal. It is true that in this future men are extinct and referred to as the dead gender. This is a cool set up, and certainly enjoyed this aspect of the novel. I might be nitpicking without men or patriarchy the society is not matriarchy it just is. I felt like this culture just seemed like any other corporate structure in our world. There was not enough of what makes a a woman's society for me. There was some ball-busting and macho behavior that I think undermined the potential of a different looking future with-out us men.
Sci-fi has played with those gender roles as far back Leguin's Left Hand of Darkness and bit more subtle in Carrie Vaughn's Coast Roads books. I loved the idea of a all-woman culture but thought that was weakest part of the execution. If Kozeniewski returns to this universe needs some attention to that aspect.
Also one aspect that this novel is rightly getting lots of praise for is world-building. The Fleshworld is a crazy and cool place that this novel visits. The problem for me is that it is very similar to the world of Splatterjay from the Neal Asher novel The Skinner. I suspect Kozeniewski has not read the Skinner, but the eco-system of the Flesh world is very close. The Skinner is my favorite Sci-fi novel of the 21st century so it was a little hard for me to ignore. In the end they are different enough that I am glad both exist.
The Hematophages is one of the best books I have read so far this year. It is bold and weird science fiction that feels old school and insane at the same time. It is bizarro, dark sci-fi and horror in equal measure. A super neat book that I am glad I picked up.
I checked the library website a few times but every time Brian Keene mentioned Kozeniewski on the podcast which is often I would think about The Hematophages. So a few months back I bought a copy and saved it for an airplane read. Yesterday thanks to a delayed flight and long lay-over I read this book in about 4 hours during a trip from Indiana back to San Diego.
The Hematophages is a blend of horror and science fiction. Kozeniewski is most well known for his zombie detective bizarro novel Brain-eater Jones. I hope this novel signals a blending of genre he will continue. The story of Paige Ambroziek a young woman who has lived the majority of her life on a space station. Paige's history makes her a perfect narrator, because she has no experience out in the ink(cool slang for space) or being on worlds. This fish out of water aspect is thankfully not used for comedy but is subtly applied to help world-build in the narrative.
Paige is a student who has expertise on ship salvage and is given a mission by a mega-corporation to find the wreck of a famous spaceship lost for hundreds of years. The major problem with this operation is the ship is on a fleshworld with oceans of blood. I enjoyed the universe of this novel that involved nasty corporations, wormy blood drinking monsters, cancer-ridden zero-g Mutant pirates (the Skin-wrappers) and a planet with bat-shit crazy ecologically that was more surreal than hard sci-fi.
It is clear that Kozeniewski was inspired by Aliens and the Thing and working from that sense he came up with a cool hook for this kind of Sci-fi tale. Once he got to the insanity of the Fleshworld I was sold. If it seems like I am harsh or critical of the book it is important to that I am doing that because I really really LOVED it. There were just a few things that kept it from being a masterpiece for me. That is no slight, I loved it and I think you should read it. It is 1,000 better than most attempts to marry sci-fi and horror.
Let us start with what is great about this novel. I liked that Kozeniewski didn't bother trying to explain the science of deep space travel. He assumes in this first person narrative Paige would expect understanding from her readers. When writing about a coast to coast car trip do modern writers feel the need to explain the science of cars? I suspect that will turn off a few sci-fi readers stuck in their ways, but I found it was refreshing. My mind filled in the gaps.
The world(universe)building is effective, with enough clever and sometimes funny elements like the opening interview and the skin-tight airlocks. The Skinwrapper pirates who lived in zero-G for so long they barely looked human were so well realized that Nia was one of my favorite characters. The paranoia in the second half is well done, never going overboard but just enough to give us a sense of distrust the survivors at the end felt. The planet is soaked in blood before the over the top gore comes in but it is done in smart was, including a fantastic chapter break in the last act that got a "Oh shit" out of me.This universe that Kozeniewski has built is rich and deserves more stories set in it.
That said I had a few minor problems. I have seen the society in this book described as Matriarchal. It is true that in this future men are extinct and referred to as the dead gender. This is a cool set up, and certainly enjoyed this aspect of the novel. I might be nitpicking without men or patriarchy the society is not matriarchy it just is. I felt like this culture just seemed like any other corporate structure in our world. There was not enough of what makes a a woman's society for me. There was some ball-busting and macho behavior that I think undermined the potential of a different looking future with-out us men.
Sci-fi has played with those gender roles as far back Leguin's Left Hand of Darkness and bit more subtle in Carrie Vaughn's Coast Roads books. I loved the idea of a all-woman culture but thought that was weakest part of the execution. If Kozeniewski returns to this universe needs some attention to that aspect.
Also one aspect that this novel is rightly getting lots of praise for is world-building. The Fleshworld is a crazy and cool place that this novel visits. The problem for me is that it is very similar to the world of Splatterjay from the Neal Asher novel The Skinner. I suspect Kozeniewski has not read the Skinner, but the eco-system of the Flesh world is very close. The Skinner is my favorite Sci-fi novel of the 21st century so it was a little hard for me to ignore. In the end they are different enough that I am glad both exist.
The Hematophages is one of the best books I have read so far this year. It is bold and weird science fiction that feels old school and insane at the same time. It is bizarro, dark sci-fi and horror in equal measure. A super neat book that I am glad I picked up.
August 22, 2022
Spectacular Sci-fi horror! Really fun, gory and emotional. It had great characters, really cool biology and a big bad creature that is absolutely gross in the best way! Recommend for sure!
August 21, 2017
Those unfamiliar with this author's work, Stephen Kozeniewski marches to the beat of his own drummer, and that's a very good thing. Take THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO, his zombie apocalypse novel...who decides to set zombies in the south Pacific? With his trademark snark, wit, and plenty of gore, this relatively new horror author is an original.
In his latest novel, set in the distant future where men are inexplicably not part of the equation, a matriarchal , corporate-driven space world is exploring the far reaches. Our protagonist, Paige, a station bunny, is about to embark on her first voyage "into the ink." But those aboard the Borgwaldt are seemingly unaware of what they will ultimately encounter as they explore what they believe is a fleshworld...an entire planet that's a living organism. However, upon reaching the planet, Paige and crew discover the fabled, crashed ship The Manifest Destiny, long thought to have vanished with no survivors. But there have been survivors, decades ago, and their offspring. And their hostility is the last thing the crew of the Borgwaldt should be worried about...
Fans of Alien, and the like, will enjoy this cleverly written novel, but it does take a bit for the action to kick in. But when it does, watch out! And the world building Kozeniewski does within the scope of the book is impressive.
In his latest novel, set in the distant future where men are inexplicably not part of the equation, a matriarchal , corporate-driven space world is exploring the far reaches. Our protagonist, Paige, a station bunny, is about to embark on her first voyage "into the ink." But those aboard the Borgwaldt are seemingly unaware of what they will ultimately encounter as they explore what they believe is a fleshworld...an entire planet that's a living organism. However, upon reaching the planet, Paige and crew discover the fabled, crashed ship The Manifest Destiny, long thought to have vanished with no survivors. But there have been survivors, decades ago, and their offspring. And their hostility is the last thing the crew of the Borgwaldt should be worried about...
Fans of Alien, and the like, will enjoy this cleverly written novel, but it does take a bit for the action to kick in. But when it does, watch out! And the world building Kozeniewski does within the scope of the book is impressive.
March 25, 2020
I “started” this book three days ago. I actually started reading just yesterday, and over the course of 5 hours I completely devoured the entire 300+ pages of delicious, disturbing Sci-Fi horror. I normally read about 12-15 books a month, but this month, underneath all of the health and economic uncertainty the world is facing (plus a totaled car!), I just couldn’t focus on reading. At all.
This book wound its tentacles into my brain and whisked me away from all of that. I read the first chapter and before I knew it I was almost done and PISSED that I didn’t have 1,000 more pages to go. Not because the story felt undone, but because I didn’t want to leave.
Why? Why did THIS book lift me out of real life so completely? First, Kozeniewski sets up this story perfectly. Set in the future, in space, some authors might over-explain, thinking the reader NEEDS piles of background and technical details. We don’t. Kozeniewski cuts out all the bullshit and leaves the story, making the reader fill in the blanks as they desire. There are no wordy info dumps or unnecessary backstory shoved in front of us. What this does is allow us to interact in a way that’s personal for each reader. Do I still have questions? ABSOLUTELY. Do they need to be fully answered for me to appreciate the world and story crafted here? Nope. Reading and writing are solitary activities, this book gives readers the space to mesh with the story, rather than being spoon-fed the details.
There is so much more to say. The horror, the pacing, the characters, and the Sci Fi portions work together like a machine and readers will find themselves cruising through, alternately curious and disgusted, and thoroughly entertained. More Kozeniewski , please.
This book wound its tentacles into my brain and whisked me away from all of that. I read the first chapter and before I knew it I was almost done and PISSED that I didn’t have 1,000 more pages to go. Not because the story felt undone, but because I didn’t want to leave.
Why? Why did THIS book lift me out of real life so completely? First, Kozeniewski sets up this story perfectly. Set in the future, in space, some authors might over-explain, thinking the reader NEEDS piles of background and technical details. We don’t. Kozeniewski cuts out all the bullshit and leaves the story, making the reader fill in the blanks as they desire. There are no wordy info dumps or unnecessary backstory shoved in front of us. What this does is allow us to interact in a way that’s personal for each reader. Do I still have questions? ABSOLUTELY. Do they need to be fully answered for me to appreciate the world and story crafted here? Nope. Reading and writing are solitary activities, this book gives readers the space to mesh with the story, rather than being spoon-fed the details.
There is so much more to say. The horror, the pacing, the characters, and the Sci Fi portions work together like a machine and readers will find themselves cruising through, alternately curious and disgusted, and thoroughly entertained. More Kozeniewski , please.
December 31, 2019
I really liked the originality of this story and the flesh world setting but I was hoping to get more answers about the Skinwrapper's in this book but that was not the case. I felt like the author never fully explained their backstory and how or why they became the way they are. Nor was it fully explained how the flesh world came to be the way it is. Just a few too many holes or I would have given it 5 stars.
July 3, 2022
Outer space horror the way it should be written.
August 6, 2021
I absolutely loved Stephen Kozeniewski's The Hematophages!!
This is a space horror story about Paige, a scientist who is hired to lead a salvage team that is supposedly headed for the wreck of a legendary colonization vessel. Unfortunately, that ship landed on a "fleshworld," which is covered by an ocean of blood where these nasty, lamprey-like creatures called hematophages live. Yuck!
This book is fairly short (314 pages), but despite that the worldbuilding was excellent.
First of all, this is a future where males are the "dead gender" so every single character in this book is a woman. And they are ALL badass bitches! I genuinely enjoyed every character in this book, flaws and all.
Second of all, there are so many unique and interesting things in this book! I don't want to discuss too much, but some of those things include: deep space living, pirates, oppressive corporate entities, dangerous space travel, fleshworlds, and all sorts of gross things.
Third of all, Kozeniewski wastes no time explaining all the tedious sci-fi crap that makes some books in the genre a slog. I hate it when sci-fi books spend any time describing how space travel works or how space suits work or how space ships work. If it's not essential to the progression of the story or character development, then I don't care to hear it.
I appreciate authors who understand that readers can understand things without being told every little explicit detail.
If you like body horror, this book might be for you. Not only do we have the titular hematophages that... do things when inside humans, but we also have a group of people called "skinwrappers," which might be the most unique and awesome human monsters I've ever read about. Nia, a skinwrapper who ends up on board with Paige and her team, was such a cool character. I've already bought Kozeniewski's novella Skinwrappers and I'm SO excited to get to it.
The last thing that I want to discuss is that there is a bit of a romance in this book. And if you know me, you know I hate romance. HOWEVER. I felt that the romantic relationship built in The Hematophages was both believable and purposeful to the narrative. It was too well done not to like.
I rated Stephen Kozeniewski's The Hematophages 5 out of 5 stars. I can't wait to read more from this author!
You might like this if you like: bad bitches, bold and bloody sci-fi, and gore.
This is a space horror story about Paige, a scientist who is hired to lead a salvage team that is supposedly headed for the wreck of a legendary colonization vessel. Unfortunately, that ship landed on a "fleshworld," which is covered by an ocean of blood where these nasty, lamprey-like creatures called hematophages live. Yuck!
This book is fairly short (314 pages), but despite that the worldbuilding was excellent.
First of all, this is a future where males are the "dead gender" so every single character in this book is a woman. And they are ALL badass bitches! I genuinely enjoyed every character in this book, flaws and all.
Second of all, there are so many unique and interesting things in this book! I don't want to discuss too much, but some of those things include: deep space living, pirates, oppressive corporate entities, dangerous space travel, fleshworlds, and all sorts of gross things.
Third of all, Kozeniewski wastes no time explaining all the tedious sci-fi crap that makes some books in the genre a slog. I hate it when sci-fi books spend any time describing how space travel works or how space suits work or how space ships work. If it's not essential to the progression of the story or character development, then I don't care to hear it.
I appreciate authors who understand that readers can understand things without being told every little explicit detail.
If you like body horror, this book might be for you. Not only do we have the titular hematophages that... do things when inside humans, but we also have a group of people called "skinwrappers," which might be the most unique and awesome human monsters I've ever read about. Nia, a skinwrapper who ends up on board with Paige and her team, was such a cool character. I've already bought Kozeniewski's novella Skinwrappers and I'm SO excited to get to it.
The last thing that I want to discuss is that there is a bit of a romance in this book. And if you know me, you know I hate romance. HOWEVER. I felt that the romantic relationship built in The Hematophages was both believable and purposeful to the narrative. It was too well done not to like.
I rated Stephen Kozeniewski's The Hematophages 5 out of 5 stars. I can't wait to read more from this author!
You might like this if you like: bad bitches, bold and bloody sci-fi, and gore.
August 12, 2022
THE HEMATOPHAGES, by Stephen Kozeniewsi is the second work of his that I have read; the first being the novella, SKINWRAPPERS. This sci-fi/horror mix was fast paced, and featured some memorable characters. Paige, who signs up for a large sum of money, is by far my favorite.
The beginning sets the stage for what's to come, with the dreaded Skinwrappers making an appearance. There is no shortage of gore in this novel! After 2/3 or so, the action is virtually non-stop. This was not a novel I could "guess" at much, as the subject matter was more "new" to me. I love the feeling of going into a novel without any preconceived notions, and just riding with it.
The only part I'm still on the fence about is the ending. (No spoilers!). Overall, I was satisfied with the author's choice, but there were some inconsistencies that bothered me a bit. Still, a very solid read from an author I look forward to hearing more from in the future.
Recommended.
The beginning sets the stage for what's to come, with the dreaded Skinwrappers making an appearance. There is no shortage of gore in this novel! After 2/3 or so, the action is virtually non-stop. This was not a novel I could "guess" at much, as the subject matter was more "new" to me. I love the feeling of going into a novel without any preconceived notions, and just riding with it.
The only part I'm still on the fence about is the ending. (No spoilers!). Overall, I was satisfied with the author's choice, but there were some inconsistencies that bothered me a bit. Still, a very solid read from an author I look forward to hearing more from in the future.
Recommended.
April 7, 2017
Stephen Hozeniewshi provides the reader a breathe of futuristic fresh air with his novel The Hematophages. Given an offer that can't be refused, the main character becomes part of a funeral shrouded expedition assigned to explore a planet described by scientists as a spinning organism. Salvaging an appointed derelict seed ship on the celestial body turns quickly into a gut wrenching mission which Hozeniewshi has described with seemingly flawless Sci-Fi accuracy and believability. Not only has the author successfully created a creepy alternate flesh world but descriptions of terrestrial hematophage creatures bring an all too real horror to the inventive storyline. The Hematophages is an unexpected blindside of literary fantasy horror that will keep the reader on the edge of their spacecraft seat.
December 27, 2017
I went into this with zero expectations, which is probably the best way to experience it. The Hematophages wriggles through several different genres, inhabiting each one like it belongs there. The sci-fi worldbuilding is beautifully subtle, the horror is beautifully unsubtle, and the comedy is like Office Space in, uh, space. I think what I like most is how each of these elements are thematically connected, but the action moves so quickly that there’s never time to beat you over the head with deeper meaning. Instead, the novel’s depth comfortably nestles into your brain as it races along.
October 27, 2022
Easily one of the best Sci-fi/horror novels I've ever read. Stephen Kozeniewski knocked it out of the park on this one. A wild and original story with the combined feel of Classics like Alien, Event Horizon, and Starship Troopers.
December 12, 2017
I entered a world these past few days that I have not entered before. My experience with science fiction/horror for years was a child’s memory of “Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal…” Enter center stage, a mini alien tearing open a guy’s stomach from Space Balls.
Yes, I honestly thought this was incredibly disturbing and horrific for years, until I actually saw the real thing. Once. And never again.
So, I was a bit shocked as I began reading this — not just because this is a genre I have worked very hard at pretending does not exist, but also because I felt I was reading something from a completely different author.
Absent was the usual sarcastic humor that twists and spans throughout the story from Kozeniewski. Instead, this was dark. Not dark funny. Just dark, with a hearty side of tentacle porn. It brought images of HR Giger’s artwork to mind.
So, considering this is a genre that gives me nightmares, I will concede that it is quality work. It is dark, disturbing and carnal. I have to say I feel oddly closer to the writer, for no other reason than perhaps there was something raw about this story that I feel exposes a vulnerability? A kink? Or reminds me of someone from my past? I don’t know, maybe all three, but this was an excellent, gruesome creation. And even though I was uncomfortable for the duration, and I am sure that it will haunt me for longer than I care to admit, I accept that it is well-written and a welcome addition to its genre.
If you are in the mood for something tantalizingly inky and skin cripplingly sinister then you found your story.
https://cellardoorbooks.wordpress.com...
Yes, I honestly thought this was incredibly disturbing and horrific for years, until I actually saw the real thing. Once. And never again.
So, I was a bit shocked as I began reading this — not just because this is a genre I have worked very hard at pretending does not exist, but also because I felt I was reading something from a completely different author.
Absent was the usual sarcastic humor that twists and spans throughout the story from Kozeniewski. Instead, this was dark. Not dark funny. Just dark, with a hearty side of tentacle porn. It brought images of HR Giger’s artwork to mind.
So, considering this is a genre that gives me nightmares, I will concede that it is quality work. It is dark, disturbing and carnal. I have to say I feel oddly closer to the writer, for no other reason than perhaps there was something raw about this story that I feel exposes a vulnerability? A kink? Or reminds me of someone from my past? I don’t know, maybe all three, but this was an excellent, gruesome creation. And even though I was uncomfortable for the duration, and I am sure that it will haunt me for longer than I care to admit, I accept that it is well-written and a welcome addition to its genre.
If you are in the mood for something tantalizingly inky and skin cripplingly sinister then you found your story.
https://cellardoorbooks.wordpress.com...
April 4, 2018
It is rare that I purchase a book anymore, but after a number of high reviews and an endorsement from a trusted review source (RA for All: Horror), I decided to buy it.
Space lampreys!
Good world building!
Humor!
Well-placed and effective gore!
It was just well written and a heck of a fun ride to go on. I will definitely be checking out (and probably purchasing) more of this author.
Space lampreys!
Good world building!
Humor!
Well-placed and effective gore!
It was just well written and a heck of a fun ride to go on. I will definitely be checking out (and probably purchasing) more of this author.
April 15, 2019
Raramente ho letto una quarta di copertina che rendesse meno giustizia a un romanzo. Leggendo quella quassù ciò che mi aspettavo dal libro era di non capirci niente: coniglietta di stazione, nave semina, mondo di carne... non riuscivo a visualizzare niente di concreto. Poi è arrivata l’ultima parola. Ematofagi. E mi ha preso all’amo, complice anche (va detto) la cover da urlo di Carolina Fiandri.
Se anche a voi la quarta ha lasciato qualche dubbio, vi capisco, ma mettetelo da parte. Fidatevi del titolo. Fidatevi della cover. Fidatevi di quella parte di voi che vi suggerisce di leggere questo libro. Leggetelo, fidatevi anche di me.
Andiamo allora a mettere un po’ d’ordine in questa trama, in realtà concettualmente molto semplice e narrativamente molto lineare.
La protagonista Paige Ambroziak è anche la voce narrante. La storia ci viene raccontata in prima persona proprio da lei, giovane coniglietta di stazione (no, playboy non c’entra niente, sono solo personale di stazione) che viene assunta per il recupero di un’antica nave spaziale precipitata su un pianeta lontano. La nave era di quelle un tempo usate per colonizzare altri mondi, ma quello in cui si è schiantata non è un mondo come gli altri. È un mondo fatto di carne e sangue, abitato da creature simili alle nostre lamprede che si cibano di carne e sangue. Se ci pensate, niente di così diverso da un mondo fatto di piante e erba abitato da erbivori che si cibano di esso.
Tutte queste informazioni, che non sono spoiler perché sono le stesse della quarta, a Paige (e al lettore) vengono date a missione iniziata. Non ci sono scelte da fare. Non ci si può tirare indietro. Si può solo trovare il modo migliore per compiere la missione nel tempo previsto e con il minor rischio possibile.
Sono ben attrezzate a farlo: hanno addette alla sicurezza, scienziate, dottoresse e infermiere, ingegnere...
Avete per caso notato che ho usato solo il femmine? Bene, perché è uno degli elementi più interessanti del background della storia, quella impalcatura che non necessariamente sostiene l’intera trama (a volte è persino marginale) ma sostiene l’universo in cui quella trama si svolge.
In questo caso è un universo tutto al femminile.
Non ci è dato sapere perché, cos’è successo al genere maschile, definito soltanto estinto, ma è evidente che con la tecnologia a disposizione il problema della riproduzione è stato superato. Personalmente immagino banche di sperma clonato più e più volte, ma non è detto che la soluzione sia proprio questa. Se, quando leggerete il libro, ne immaginerete un’altra, tornate qua e fateci sapere la vostra versione.
È evidente, quindi, che l’aspetto fantascientifico è fondamentale in questo horror, non solo una nota di colore o una trovata per un’ambientazione più originale. The Hematophages è un vero fantahorror, con i due generi che si spalleggiano a vicenda e traggono forza l’uno dall’altro per creare una storia credibile e terribile.
Questa contaminazione si può vedere anche come una sorta di staffetta tra i due generi perché la partenza e tutta la prima parte del romanzo sono pura fantascienza. Certo, l’idea degli ematofagi è sempre lì, è nel loro mondo che terminerà il viaggio e la loro presenza viene già ipotizzata, ma siamo totalmente immersi nel viaggio spaziale, nella tecnologia, nella nuova società umana.
Finché non si arriva sul mondo di carne ed è lì che entra in scena l’horror, con gli ematofagi che fanno... beh, gli ematofagi, certo, ma anche qualcosa di più.
Lo vedrete.
Se anche a voi la quarta ha lasciato qualche dubbio, vi capisco, ma mettetelo da parte. Fidatevi del titolo. Fidatevi della cover. Fidatevi di quella parte di voi che vi suggerisce di leggere questo libro. Leggetelo, fidatevi anche di me.
Andiamo allora a mettere un po’ d’ordine in questa trama, in realtà concettualmente molto semplice e narrativamente molto lineare.
La protagonista Paige Ambroziak è anche la voce narrante. La storia ci viene raccontata in prima persona proprio da lei, giovane coniglietta di stazione (no, playboy non c’entra niente, sono solo personale di stazione) che viene assunta per il recupero di un’antica nave spaziale precipitata su un pianeta lontano. La nave era di quelle un tempo usate per colonizzare altri mondi, ma quello in cui si è schiantata non è un mondo come gli altri. È un mondo fatto di carne e sangue, abitato da creature simili alle nostre lamprede che si cibano di carne e sangue. Se ci pensate, niente di così diverso da un mondo fatto di piante e erba abitato da erbivori che si cibano di esso.
Tutte queste informazioni, che non sono spoiler perché sono le stesse della quarta, a Paige (e al lettore) vengono date a missione iniziata. Non ci sono scelte da fare. Non ci si può tirare indietro. Si può solo trovare il modo migliore per compiere la missione nel tempo previsto e con il minor rischio possibile.
Sono ben attrezzate a farlo: hanno addette alla sicurezza, scienziate, dottoresse e infermiere, ingegnere...
Avete per caso notato che ho usato solo il femmine? Bene, perché è uno degli elementi più interessanti del background della storia, quella impalcatura che non necessariamente sostiene l’intera trama (a volte è persino marginale) ma sostiene l’universo in cui quella trama si svolge.
In questo caso è un universo tutto al femminile.
Non ci è dato sapere perché, cos’è successo al genere maschile, definito soltanto estinto, ma è evidente che con la tecnologia a disposizione il problema della riproduzione è stato superato. Personalmente immagino banche di sperma clonato più e più volte, ma non è detto che la soluzione sia proprio questa. Se, quando leggerete il libro, ne immaginerete un’altra, tornate qua e fateci sapere la vostra versione.
È evidente, quindi, che l’aspetto fantascientifico è fondamentale in questo horror, non solo una nota di colore o una trovata per un’ambientazione più originale. The Hematophages è un vero fantahorror, con i due generi che si spalleggiano a vicenda e traggono forza l’uno dall’altro per creare una storia credibile e terribile.
Questa contaminazione si può vedere anche come una sorta di staffetta tra i due generi perché la partenza e tutta la prima parte del romanzo sono pura fantascienza. Certo, l’idea degli ematofagi è sempre lì, è nel loro mondo che terminerà il viaggio e la loro presenza viene già ipotizzata, ma siamo totalmente immersi nel viaggio spaziale, nella tecnologia, nella nuova società umana.
Finché non si arriva sul mondo di carne ed è lì che entra in scena l’horror, con gli ematofagi che fanno... beh, gli ematofagi, certo, ma anche qualcosa di più.
Lo vedrete.
March 24, 2019
Un libro davvero particolare (che tanto per cambiare ho preso per la copertina) a metà tra horror e fantascienza. Soprattutto la parte finale è un crescendo fantastico. Forse avrei preferito qualche spiegazione in più, ma nel complesso mi è piaciuto moltissimo.
September 23, 2017
A brilliant sci-fi horror novel that begs for the big screen.
A corporate, and slightly illegal, salvage operation discovers the wreckage of the famous Manifest Destiny. An ancient earth "seed ship" that disappeared 200 years before on a journey to spread humanity into deep space, aka "The Ink".
Xeno-climatologists confirm the planet where the ship went down is proof of a theoretical "blood planet". A planet that is, itself, a living organism with a blood like soupy atmosphere.
As they race to salvage anything they can from the shipwreck, they must battle an attack by the ruthless and terrifying pirates known as the "skin-wrappers" first. When they finally arrive at their destination, they discover not only a generation of survivors, but indigenous alien life in the form of hematophages; intelligent parasites that live for blood.
A corporate, and slightly illegal, salvage operation discovers the wreckage of the famous Manifest Destiny. An ancient earth "seed ship" that disappeared 200 years before on a journey to spread humanity into deep space, aka "The Ink".
Xeno-climatologists confirm the planet where the ship went down is proof of a theoretical "blood planet". A planet that is, itself, a living organism with a blood like soupy atmosphere.
As they race to salvage anything they can from the shipwreck, they must battle an attack by the ruthless and terrifying pirates known as the "skin-wrappers" first. When they finally arrive at their destination, they discover not only a generation of survivors, but indigenous alien life in the form of hematophages; intelligent parasites that live for blood.
December 7, 2022
Reminiscent of Event Horizon and Pandorum, The Hematophages is a richly layered exploration of deep space horror. There are cutthroat corporate politics, vile skin-wrapper pirates, and the most revolting foe of all...the parasites themselves.
The story is slow burn and the dread takes its time to build, but when the chaos starts, it is a breakneck pace that forces the characters to confront some of their darkest fears.
This story infests the reader, and be careful that the lamprey teeth don't bleed you dry...
The story is slow burn and the dread takes its time to build, but when the chaos starts, it is a breakneck pace that forces the characters to confront some of their darkest fears.
This story infests the reader, and be careful that the lamprey teeth don't bleed you dry...
May 12, 2018
Space oddity?
I have a warm place in my heart for sci-fi horror stories and or novels. Alien, Aliens, Predator, The Thing with Kurt Russell are some of my favorite sci-fi horror films. The Hematophages stands equal with those classic sci-fi movies. This read was a slowly intense burn of an experience or is that the hematophage in my brain!?!
I have a warm place in my heart for sci-fi horror stories and or novels. Alien, Aliens, Predator, The Thing with Kurt Russell are some of my favorite sci-fi horror films. The Hematophages stands equal with those classic sci-fi movies. This read was a slowly intense burn of an experience or is that the hematophage in my brain!?!
July 3, 2017
unexplained lesbians in space and blood sucking Hematophages, what isnt to like about this book.
November 18, 2018
Interesting, fascinating, and then shocking. When the s*** hits the fan, and it does, it happens FAST! I enjoyed every moment of the book and was sorry when it ended.
November 14, 2020
Ridiculous, schlocky, eye-popping, space horror fun.
The ending was to be expected, fulfilling both genre conventions and a sense of satisfaction, yet the book failed to make it feel like it’s also coherent. Several other instances in the plot felt contrived or without any logic or clear motivation.
But I guess looking for coherence and logic might be missing the point when one is dealing with a story about bloodsucking brain-eating alien lampreys lodged in ones skull.
3,5/5*
The ending was to be expected, fulfilling both genre conventions and a sense of satisfaction, yet the book failed to make it feel like it’s also coherent. Several other instances in the plot felt contrived or without any logic or clear motivation.
But I guess looking for coherence and logic might be missing the point when one is dealing with a story about bloodsucking brain-eating alien lampreys lodged in ones skull.
3,5/5*
April 2, 2017
When I see a new book from Stephen Kozeniewski, I buy it. There are not many authors that I do that for. Mainly because my "to read list" is just way too long and I would constantly be reading authors that I already know instead of being introduced to amazing authors that are new. Stephen's work, however, is always top notch, chew your nails off intense, bloody, horrific, and so fun to read!
With a name like The Hematophages, I knew this was going to get good. It starts innocently enough, introducing the reader to the main character Paige while she's in an interview. I love this because it allows us to see exactly how she thinks. With what she's going to face the reader has to believe that she's smart enough to get out of the frying pan without putting herself into the fire. In this interview she is basically told that she cannot know what the job is without being a part of corporate espionage. Paige is smart enough to understand the concept that this job is so extraordinary that a normal layperson cannot know about it. It's sort of like "if I tell you, I have to kill you". Paige gets the picture and decides it's worth the effort to find out.
"How you feeling, virgin?" I'm breathing into a paper bag, so I suspect the question is rhetorical.
I was worried that this being placed in space would throw me off but it was like reading The Event Horizon, scary as all get out. Plus, even scarier was the fact that, much like Event Horizon, although a completely different plot, they were going to salvage a ship that was lost in space 200 years ago. They had no idea what they were getting into or if a competing ship was going to try to blast them out of the sky once they were there. I was just telling my husband that I was sad that horror films and books today allow the reader to see what is happening. This is not the case here. Nobody has an idea of what is going on so of course the reading wouldn't either.
So much happens at the beginning of the book. What bit of hesitation I had about this being in space was squelched almost immediately. It doesn't take long to see that Paige is intelligent and can fight back but she is not just a fighter she is also vindictive, assertive, and ambitious but people are looking to her for answers. She's supposed to be the expert on a ship that hasn't been seen in hundreds of years and she only found out about it the day before! Talk about pressure.
The other characters are just as interesting although I don't remember reading why there were only females. Zanib was really interesting and I love her zeal for other lifeforms. She's as excited for blood suckers as I get over butterflies. This gal is awesome!
But Stephen doesn't just stop at crafting unique characters, his ideas would be great for this world. I could imagine some of this in our actual future, which makes the story even better. Maybe not the horror though. He has some horrific ideas as well, and that could stay in his head. Or in some strange Clive Barker universe.
This is action packed from start to finish. I felt like there was a reason for every word. From the interview to the drama and excitement surrounding the crew. It also seems like he put a lot of foreshadowing into the story. There also isn't gore added in just to have gore. People die. This is a horror. But there are reasons for every drop of blood, especially considering we're talking about blood drinkers.
She leaves chunks of her body and a long slug's trail of blood behind her.
For hard core horror lovers this will be a walk in the park but with some elements of surprise that'll leave you wanting more. There weren't any parts that freaked me out, and I didn't have nightmares, although I purposefully stayed up just to finish this. The story is fantastic with horror elements thrown in.
I feel like Stephen Kozeniewski must have had a lot of fun writing this. I certainly had fun reading it.
In short: Exciting, horrific, fantastic! A must read for fans of horror.
With a name like The Hematophages, I knew this was going to get good. It starts innocently enough, introducing the reader to the main character Paige while she's in an interview. I love this because it allows us to see exactly how she thinks. With what she's going to face the reader has to believe that she's smart enough to get out of the frying pan without putting herself into the fire. In this interview she is basically told that she cannot know what the job is without being a part of corporate espionage. Paige is smart enough to understand the concept that this job is so extraordinary that a normal layperson cannot know about it. It's sort of like "if I tell you, I have to kill you". Paige gets the picture and decides it's worth the effort to find out.
"How you feeling, virgin?" I'm breathing into a paper bag, so I suspect the question is rhetorical.
I was worried that this being placed in space would throw me off but it was like reading The Event Horizon, scary as all get out. Plus, even scarier was the fact that, much like Event Horizon, although a completely different plot, they were going to salvage a ship that was lost in space 200 years ago. They had no idea what they were getting into or if a competing ship was going to try to blast them out of the sky once they were there. I was just telling my husband that I was sad that horror films and books today allow the reader to see what is happening. This is not the case here. Nobody has an idea of what is going on so of course the reading wouldn't either.
So much happens at the beginning of the book. What bit of hesitation I had about this being in space was squelched almost immediately. It doesn't take long to see that Paige is intelligent and can fight back but she is not just a fighter she is also vindictive, assertive, and ambitious but people are looking to her for answers. She's supposed to be the expert on a ship that hasn't been seen in hundreds of years and she only found out about it the day before! Talk about pressure.
The other characters are just as interesting although I don't remember reading why there were only females. Zanib was really interesting and I love her zeal for other lifeforms. She's as excited for blood suckers as I get over butterflies. This gal is awesome!
But Stephen doesn't just stop at crafting unique characters, his ideas would be great for this world. I could imagine some of this in our actual future, which makes the story even better. Maybe not the horror though. He has some horrific ideas as well, and that could stay in his head. Or in some strange Clive Barker universe.
This is action packed from start to finish. I felt like there was a reason for every word. From the interview to the drama and excitement surrounding the crew. It also seems like he put a lot of foreshadowing into the story. There also isn't gore added in just to have gore. People die. This is a horror. But there are reasons for every drop of blood, especially considering we're talking about blood drinkers.
She leaves chunks of her body and a long slug's trail of blood behind her.
For hard core horror lovers this will be a walk in the park but with some elements of surprise that'll leave you wanting more. There weren't any parts that freaked me out, and I didn't have nightmares, although I purposefully stayed up just to finish this. The story is fantastic with horror elements thrown in.
I feel like Stephen Kozeniewski must have had a lot of fun writing this. I certainly had fun reading it.
In short: Exciting, horrific, fantastic! A must read for fans of horror.
April 8, 2017
Kozeniewski adds his usual light touch in the social commentary in his world building – humanity has screwed its way across the cosmos, now populating several planets and space stations. Instead of nations, humanity is now divided by the companies that they work for and everything is done with the bottom-line in mind.
This book manages to be stomach churningly gory, but by stimulating the imagination rather than through graphic description.
Ambroziak is a brutally ambitious scientist who has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime to set the trajectory of her career. She joins a mission to recover the Manifest Destiny, a vanished ship with all the celebrity of the Titanic , but a couple of things stand in her way. Namely, space pirates and evil leeches.
Space pirates, captained by the best literary character of all time: Nia.
That’s right! There’s finally a ‘Nia’ in an English language book!!
There pirates aren’t your usual swashbucklers and for me, the horror started when the pirates arrived, their physical appearance was nasty enough but their back story is even worse.
Once our intrepid explorers have landed on the blood planet, the story shifts tone and becomes more claustrophobic and genuinely terrifying. I’m a sucker (pun intended) for alien parasites and horror mixed with sci-fi, Kozeniewski managed to gather all of my favourite things, wrap them up in a writing style I adore and advertise it on Facebook at a moment I was looking for a new horror read.
I couldn’t put the book down a and felt a little nauseous at times, Kozeniewski is getting more twisted as time goes by and I’m both eager and terrified to read whatever he releases next.
This book manages to be stomach churningly gory, but by stimulating the imagination rather than through graphic description.
Ambroziak is a brutally ambitious scientist who has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime to set the trajectory of her career. She joins a mission to recover the Manifest Destiny, a vanished ship with all the celebrity of the Titanic , but a couple of things stand in her way. Namely, space pirates and evil leeches.
Space pirates, captained by the best literary character of all time: Nia.
That’s right! There’s finally a ‘Nia’ in an English language book!!
There pirates aren’t your usual swashbucklers and for me, the horror started when the pirates arrived, their physical appearance was nasty enough but their back story is even worse.
Once our intrepid explorers have landed on the blood planet, the story shifts tone and becomes more claustrophobic and genuinely terrifying. I’m a sucker (pun intended) for alien parasites and horror mixed with sci-fi, Kozeniewski managed to gather all of my favourite things, wrap them up in a writing style I adore and advertise it on Facebook at a moment I was looking for a new horror read.
I couldn’t put the book down a and felt a little nauseous at times, Kozeniewski is getting more twisted as time goes by and I’m both eager and terrified to read whatever he releases next.
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March 23, 2020I couldn't tell you the last time I read a sci fi horror. It's 2020 and I'm trying to expand my reading. At least this one was a bloody good mess of a sci-fi read.
At first I was overwhelmed by the futuristic jargon and space stuff. A quarter into the book, I was digging it. At the end, I wished it wasn't over.
Let's recap this story. In an all female future, Paige, a historian, is taking her first trip in space. The mission is to find a space shipwreck and salvage it.
Along the way there are space pirates. When they get to their destination, there's even worse dangers.
Paige was a kick butt main character that I grew to love. I absolutely loved the end of the book. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but my eyes kinda ache right now.
I want to thank the author for a free review copy of this book.
At first I was overwhelmed by the futuristic jargon and space stuff. A quarter into the book, I was digging it. At the end, I wished it wasn't over.
Let's recap this story. In an all female future, Paige, a historian, is taking her first trip in space. The mission is to find a space shipwreck and salvage it.
Along the way there are space pirates. When they get to their destination, there's even worse dangers.
Paige was a kick butt main character that I grew to love. I absolutely loved the end of the book. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but my eyes kinda ache right now.
I want to thank the author for a free review copy of this book.
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