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Leech
The only thing scarier in outer space is the fear of the unknown.
Captain John Lancaster’s ship is critically damaged in an asteroid storm, leaving John and his crew stranded. Drifting off course.
He was returning to earth with supplies and samples from planet Sol. When he and his team discover they are not alone on the ship.
Something is hiding onboard and is taking the crew members out, one by one.
Will John make it home to see his wife and child? Can he save his remaining crew?
- GenresScience Fiction
Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2019
1 person is currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Douglas
28 books190 followersI’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror, the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic, and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror story.
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store :) I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it :)
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store :) I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it :)
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 28, 2019
Humanity ends, not with a bang, but with a slithering black ooze.
This is the author at her best with this short, sharp read of SciFi space horror. When you’re in space, there’s really nowhere to run so the story has to flow at a great pace. Ellie Douglas has no problems in moving her favourite genre into space, an environment that is wonderfully suited to her unique style.
Five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars for this great foray into space.
This is the author at her best with this short, sharp read of SciFi space horror. When you’re in space, there’s really nowhere to run so the story has to flow at a great pace. Ellie Douglas has no problems in moving her favourite genre into space, an environment that is wonderfully suited to her unique style.
Five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars for this great foray into space.
January 2, 2020
This terrifying sci-fi story by Ellie Douglas is fast paced and action-packed. From the creepy colorful planet Sol that humanity is banking on, to the below pay-grade panicked ships crew that have no idea how to handle the infestation brought on board. I love the gore, the tension, the in-your-face descriptions that horror author, Ms. Douglas is best known for. If you’re looking for a quick science fiction fix, LEECH is a perfect 5 star read that sticks in your mind. Loved it!
June 28, 2020
Fun sci fi horror
If the plot of this short story rings a bell, it’s because you may have seen it in movie form more than a few times.
Human explorers to an alien planet discover a parasite hiding in a rock which quickly infects the crew.
You know exactly what is going to happen, but it’s a fun diversion for 30 minutes or so. I loved the descriptions of Sol at the beginning of the story.
If the plot of this short story rings a bell, it’s because you may have seen it in movie form more than a few times.
Human explorers to an alien planet discover a parasite hiding in a rock which quickly infects the crew.
You know exactly what is going to happen, but it’s a fun diversion for 30 minutes or so. I loved the descriptions of Sol at the beginning of the story.
April 26, 2021
Leech is a short and enjoyable horror sci-fi. Author Ellie Douglas’s imaginative and descriptive writing style is gripping and easy to follow.
Captain John Lancaster and his crew were on a mission to study and collect samples on an Earth-like planet called Sol. The year was 3010, and mankind traveled through space at warp speed, so they went back and forth, to and from, Earth in only a few days, and the captain had been on many missions to Sol. On one of Captain John’s missions, a meteor crashed on Sol. John picked up a smooth, black stone from the crash site and decided to take it back to Earth with him to gift it to his young daughter as a souvenir.
On the voyage back to Earth the rock fell to the floor and broke in half. John’s friend, Nico, picked up the stone and black goo that was stored inside it got all over his fingers and then was quickly absorbed into his skin. After this incident, all hell breaks loose.
Nico became infected with a parasite that ate him from the inside out, multiplied, and then left his body in search of other hosts. With each host, the parasites grew larger until they would no longer need a host. One by one, the crew became infested until it seemed no one would survive.
I enjoyed this fascinating short story. The characters were lifelike and the dialogue believable. Lovers of horror and sci-fi would enjoy this book.
Captain John Lancaster and his crew were on a mission to study and collect samples on an Earth-like planet called Sol. The year was 3010, and mankind traveled through space at warp speed, so they went back and forth, to and from, Earth in only a few days, and the captain had been on many missions to Sol. On one of Captain John’s missions, a meteor crashed on Sol. John picked up a smooth, black stone from the crash site and decided to take it back to Earth with him to gift it to his young daughter as a souvenir.
On the voyage back to Earth the rock fell to the floor and broke in half. John’s friend, Nico, picked up the stone and black goo that was stored inside it got all over his fingers and then was quickly absorbed into his skin. After this incident, all hell breaks loose.
Nico became infected with a parasite that ate him from the inside out, multiplied, and then left his body in search of other hosts. With each host, the parasites grew larger until they would no longer need a host. One by one, the crew became infested until it seemed no one would survive.
I enjoyed this fascinating short story. The characters were lifelike and the dialogue believable. Lovers of horror and sci-fi would enjoy this book.
January 15, 2020
Ellie Douglas has a keen eye for thrill! And she proves it through her delivery of this heart-pounding thriller of a space exploration gone horribly wrong. Humanity looked to the planet Sol as a promise for a future in a new world, only to find that they are in over their heads when they encounter a parasitic alien species that behaves and spreads unlike anything they have seen before. If you want an adrenaline rush of sci-fi that will keep you on edge from start to finish, this is a story you definitely want to read!
June 7, 2020
Ok, but not recommended.
Wow. This was a super condensed version of the movie Life. Needs some work, esp with unimportant details and plot.
Wow. This was a super condensed version of the movie Life. Needs some work, esp with unimportant details and plot.
February 28, 2020
In the same vein (oops, spoiler!) of Alien, Leech is a sci-fi thriller that kept me awake at night thanks to the author’s great story-telling ability!
Like Alien, Leech is a tale of an invasion of a not-so-kind species aboard an intergalactic flight. Captain John and his crew are on a mission to bring back information about planet Sol and before they know it, they’ve brought a life form back onto the ship that should have stayed where it was!
This is a short story, a rapid read for this very slow reader, because once I got into it, the story took hold of me and sped up to warp speed. It wasn’t possible to put this book down when I was traveling at warp speed, especially when my heart was accelerating faster than the velocity of the asteroids that hit the ship.
I really enjoyed the characters on board the ship - Captain John who isn’t perfect by any means, but who cares very deeply for his wife and child is a strong lead, but I especially liked feisty Bridgette, who puts the captain in his place when she feels it’s needed. With the author’s cosmically-fantastic descriptions, it put me right into Leech’s action, which wasn’t always a safe place to be! Crawling into a black hole to escape the invasion did cross my mind.
I felt this book was much more of a suspense thriller than a horror book, which is good for me, since I’m way too chicken to read horror any longer. So if you’re worried it’s too scary, it’s not. It’s just intense, like a good thriller should be.
I thoroughly enjoyed this alien invasion short story and would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys sci-fi!
Like Alien, Leech is a tale of an invasion of a not-so-kind species aboard an intergalactic flight. Captain John and his crew are on a mission to bring back information about planet Sol and before they know it, they’ve brought a life form back onto the ship that should have stayed where it was!
This is a short story, a rapid read for this very slow reader, because once I got into it, the story took hold of me and sped up to warp speed. It wasn’t possible to put this book down when I was traveling at warp speed, especially when my heart was accelerating faster than the velocity of the asteroids that hit the ship.
I really enjoyed the characters on board the ship - Captain John who isn’t perfect by any means, but who cares very deeply for his wife and child is a strong lead, but I especially liked feisty Bridgette, who puts the captain in his place when she feels it’s needed. With the author’s cosmically-fantastic descriptions, it put me right into Leech’s action, which wasn’t always a safe place to be! Crawling into a black hole to escape the invasion did cross my mind.
I felt this book was much more of a suspense thriller than a horror book, which is good for me, since I’m way too chicken to read horror any longer. So if you’re worried it’s too scary, it’s not. It’s just intense, like a good thriller should be.
I thoroughly enjoyed this alien invasion short story and would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys sci-fi!
May 19, 2020
John Lancaster is on his 70th voyage to the super Earth-like planet, Sol. He and his team have been on a multi-year series of missions to collect samples from the planet in preparation for human occupancy. He misses his wife and daughter immensely, but knows in the long run his work and prolonged absences will be worth it to his family. When he and his team investigate a meteor shower that deposits little black rocks on Sol’s surface, he takes one of them as a souvenir for his daughter, Lucy. Back on the ship, heading back to Earth for a brief stop, a kidding episode with teammate Nico leaves the rock in pieces, with a black goo oozing from the rocky center. As they clean up for the landing on Earth, the alien goo is forgotten as Nico sets out for a fast food gorge and John lovingly mails the rock specimens to his daughter as her Sol souvenir.
A quick earthly turnaround has the crew once again on the voyage back to Sol for the next expedition. An unplanned encounter with an asteroid storm stops the ship in its tracks, but that is the least of the crew’s worries. One by one the members of the crew are stricken down by a gooey extraterrestrial parasite that thrives on its victims flesh and blood. Will the survivors be able to find the scourge and destroy it? Or will they all succumb to its deadly hunger?
A terror filled hunt for the hunted makes for a page turning tale; Author Douglas once again delivers deadly chills and thrills and an ending that will leave you wondering! A suspense filled read, highly recommended!
A quick earthly turnaround has the crew once again on the voyage back to Sol for the next expedition. An unplanned encounter with an asteroid storm stops the ship in its tracks, but that is the least of the crew’s worries. One by one the members of the crew are stricken down by a gooey extraterrestrial parasite that thrives on its victims flesh and blood. Will the survivors be able to find the scourge and destroy it? Or will they all succumb to its deadly hunger?
A terror filled hunt for the hunted makes for a page turning tale; Author Douglas once again delivers deadly chills and thrills and an ending that will leave you wondering! A suspense filled read, highly recommended!
September 19, 2020
It's a plot used in countless horror novels and movies but it's a plot that works. A group of people, isolated with little-to-no chance of rescue, being picked off one by one by a deadly monster. In Leech, a novella by Ellie Douglas, this monster happens to be an Alien parasite, the setting a spaceship drifting helplessly through the void of space. The most obvious comparison to this trope is the classic first movie in the Aliens franchise, but despite the similarities Leech is still a good read.
For any readers looking for a happy ever after, or happy for now scenario, then look away, you won't get that in this book, and that's totally fine with me. I prefer books that don't deliver everyone safely to the other side with limited collateral damage and heartache. No one is safe on this spacecraft and that's exactly how it should be. Lovers of gory horror, like myself, will enjoy what's in these pages as the deaths detailed are not for the squeamish. Douglas doesn't spare the horses when it comes to killing off her characters—again, another plus in this reader's eyes.
But, with the exception of one or two characters, most of them lacked depth of backstory with little to lose which made me care very little about their demise. While this story has a nice build-up to the do-or-die finale the delivery happens too quickly, without much detail, and this left me underwhelmed. With that said, if you’re looking for a novella-length read to make you squirm a little, then this is a good book to pick up.
For any readers looking for a happy ever after, or happy for now scenario, then look away, you won't get that in this book, and that's totally fine with me. I prefer books that don't deliver everyone safely to the other side with limited collateral damage and heartache. No one is safe on this spacecraft and that's exactly how it should be. Lovers of gory horror, like myself, will enjoy what's in these pages as the deaths detailed are not for the squeamish. Douglas doesn't spare the horses when it comes to killing off her characters—again, another plus in this reader's eyes.
But, with the exception of one or two characters, most of them lacked depth of backstory with little to lose which made me care very little about their demise. While this story has a nice build-up to the do-or-die finale the delivery happens too quickly, without much detail, and this left me underwhelmed. With that said, if you’re looking for a novella-length read to make you squirm a little, then this is a good book to pick up.
July 21, 2020
When ‘Alien’ meets ‘Serenity’!
A crew of nine members is returning to Earth with supplies and samples, and what they don’t know is they’re not alone in their spaceship. And that whatever is hiding onboard is taking the crew members out, one by one. And yes, this is where ‘Alien’ comes to mind. However, this is also where the similarities end.
When Douglas introduces us to the crew, the characters are not as dark as the ones in ‘Alien’; they’re much more reminiscent of ‘Serenity’ characters. The interesting thing here is how the author manages to introduce us to each character before the action really starts.
I've read a lot of the ‘Horror Queen’s books before, and I admit I was surprised to see her exploring the Sci-Fi genre this time. Don't get me wrong, it’s still a horror story, but the author took a totally different course than what I’m used to seeing with her style. And I loved it!
As an avid reader of the horror genre, I was able to predict the ending, but even so it didn’t diminish the effect that the author wanted to have on the reader.
One more 'must read' from Ellie Douglas!
A crew of nine members is returning to Earth with supplies and samples, and what they don’t know is they’re not alone in their spaceship. And that whatever is hiding onboard is taking the crew members out, one by one. And yes, this is where ‘Alien’ comes to mind. However, this is also where the similarities end.
When Douglas introduces us to the crew, the characters are not as dark as the ones in ‘Alien’; they’re much more reminiscent of ‘Serenity’ characters. The interesting thing here is how the author manages to introduce us to each character before the action really starts.
I've read a lot of the ‘Horror Queen’s books before, and I admit I was surprised to see her exploring the Sci-Fi genre this time. Don't get me wrong, it’s still a horror story, but the author took a totally different course than what I’m used to seeing with her style. And I loved it!
As an avid reader of the horror genre, I was able to predict the ending, but even so it didn’t diminish the effect that the author wanted to have on the reader.
One more 'must read' from Ellie Douglas!
March 9, 2020
This gripping short horror story involves a space colony of the future in a frighteningly believable scenario. I can't say too much without giving the story away but I was fascinated by the insidious nature of the alien perpetrator, which made the story sickeningly compelling reading. It's a fairly quick read and when I finished I simultaneously wanted the story to go on and at the same time was relieved that it didn't. Each interaction with the alien creature was more gruesome than the last and the descriptions were vivid and visual without being overdone. This is the first book I have read by author Ellie Douglas and if you're a fan of the horror genre I'm sure you will enjoy it. There isn't too much 'space' stuff, so don't dismiss it, thinking you're not into scifi. It's a full on, awfully graphic and disturbing horror.
December 19, 2019
Author Ellie Douglas brings us a tale of colonization and the alien life that humanity comes across that beings to wipe them out. On the Plaent Sol, the planet that humanity had calmed for its new home the commanding officer of the USS Genesis stumbles upon a rock that he thinks his daughter would like to add to her collection. John is is name and he hands the rock to his chief engineer asking him to drop it as his house when they got back to Earth. Several days later on their return trip to Sol the thing in the rock hatches and begins to take the crew one by one and it doesn't help that they got pulled off course by an meteor shower. This starts events that will leave you wanting to read more of Ellie's work. This is a great novella and I highly recommend it for all sci-fi horror fans.
December 2, 2019
There is nothing better than a short story told well. Ellie Douglas has done just that. This SciFi space horror has everything you can imagine. The alien in it is the stuff from nightmares and it played havoc in my dreams. It flows well and she writes descriptive scenes that pull you in. All the characters were fleshed out exceptionally well and that is no easy task to pull off in a short story, yet Douglas seems to master this ability. With this horrifying tale you will get a thrill out of the unknown, it captures you, giving you a sense of utter fear. I highly recommend and give this a well deserved five stars. It is something I would expect to see on Netflix.
May 22, 2020
Humans messed up again! It doesn’t take much to screw up an entire…
An out-of-this-world horror story beginning on a world far, far away. A planet brimming with curious and exotic life—then to outer space. Descriptive, colorfully painted in my mind. Terrifying. This is the third book I’ve read from this amazing author. Ellie’s unique storytelling style packs a punch. If you liked the movie Aliens, or Life, you’ll love this short, descriptive and original tale. Something you can really get into! Something that can get into you. LEECH!
An out-of-this-world horror story beginning on a world far, far away. A planet brimming with curious and exotic life—then to outer space. Descriptive, colorfully painted in my mind. Terrifying. This is the third book I’ve read from this amazing author. Ellie’s unique storytelling style packs a punch. If you liked the movie Aliens, or Life, you’ll love this short, descriptive and original tale. Something you can really get into! Something that can get into you. LEECH!
October 12, 2021
While the plot was rather ordinary - astronaut brings back an alien artifact that he shouldn't have - I still enjoyed the book. You know nothing good will come from him having that rock. There were times I wished for a bit more. I have read other books by Ellie Douglas that seemed more developed. I just kept wanting something more from this one. I do recommend it for a good horror read. I'd say it is a 3.5 rating. I like Ellie's writing and style with great descriptions.
November 29, 2019
A horrifying journey into the mysterious world of outer space and aliens, Ellie Douglas's LEECH delivers on all fronts. If you're looking for a graphic and engaging read from a writer who possesses a prodigious gift, stop right here.
May 17, 2020
Lovely little novella. Classic alien take-over story, told in a very nice way. Enjoyable!
January 2, 2020
A Must Read for Sci-fi Horror Fans
Often the simplest acts, the ones we don’t think through, lead to the most damaging consequences. In Leech by Ellie Douglas, that’s precisely the case after the Captain grabs a souvenir from planet Sol for his daughter. The fast-paced action propels the story forward, leaving the reader wishing for more horrific scenes.
Often the simplest acts, the ones we don’t think through, lead to the most damaging consequences. In Leech by Ellie Douglas, that’s precisely the case after the Captain grabs a souvenir from planet Sol for his daughter. The fast-paced action propels the story forward, leaving the reader wishing for more horrific scenes.
May 20, 2022
My love of sci fi horror knows no bounds. The setting was perfect and the story was easy to get into, the creepies were very gross and holy crap fast. I liked the characters and it moved along very quickly so it was hard to put down. Great little book.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews