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Dark Galaxy #1
The Void Beyond
In the vastness of space, something lurks in the darkness.
Captain Morgan Starling and her crew travel the stars, shipping cargo from one system to the next. Easy work, until first contact with another race devolved into all-out war.
Now, they’re under attack from humanity’s mysterious alien foe, ambushed in the void between systems. When an unknown vessel comes to their aid, events spiral out of control, a twisted secret within its haunted corridors threatening to consume them, body and soul.
What they discover within will shatter what they know of life and death. Dragged into a battle with monstrous, unfathomable forces, they must escape the nightmare creatures that lurk out amongst the infinite black of space.
Forced into a desperate struggle for life, the crew must survive, if they ever want to get home
Captain Morgan Starling and her crew travel the stars, shipping cargo from one system to the next. Easy work, until first contact with another race devolved into all-out war.
Now, they’re under attack from humanity’s mysterious alien foe, ambushed in the void between systems. When an unknown vessel comes to their aid, events spiral out of control, a twisted secret within its haunted corridors threatening to consume them, body and soul.
What they discover within will shatter what they know of life and death. Dragged into a battle with monstrous, unfathomable forces, they must escape the nightmare creatures that lurk out amongst the infinite black of space.
Forced into a desperate struggle for life, the crew must survive, if they ever want to get home
269 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2020
97 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
P.W. Hillard
18 books22 followersCurrently living in South Wales with his beautiful wife and two cats, P.W Hillard is a writer of horror and dark urban fantasy. His major influences are Stephen King, Clive Barker and especially the works of John Carpenter. As well as horror, he reads fantasy and science fiction, and is a voracious consumer of novels.
Outside of fiction, his other obsessions are tiny toy soldiers and giant monster movies. He also spends far too much time playing video games when he should be writing books.
Outside of fiction, his other obsessions are tiny toy soldiers and giant monster movies. He also spends far too much time playing video games when he should be writing books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 25, 2020
Although this book wasn't in my usual genre, I liked it. Some parts lost me a little when it really went into the Sci-Fi aspect talking about the ship and stuff. I got a little confused with the characters for the first couple of chapters. I think that's where maybe a paper book would have come in handy. I could have flipped back and forth to understand earlier.
It was creepy to think something like this could actually be out there in space somewhere. It was an interesting story. If you like stories about the world beyond our planet, you should read this.
I received this free Audiobook from StoryOrigin in exchange for my honest review.
It was creepy to think something like this could actually be out there in space somewhere. It was an interesting story. If you like stories about the world beyond our planet, you should read this.
I received this free Audiobook from StoryOrigin in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2023
I bought this book in search of a good combination of my two favorite genres: sci-fi and horror. There aren’t too many of these books out there. I would say I got what I paid for, easily able to feel immersed in the story I was reading - I finished the book in less than a week. It was an exciting read, full of eerie scenery and action, but I have to knock this 4 star book down to 3 stars because of the proofreading. This book has to have hundreds of spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, and missing punctuation. Character’s names were even misspelled. It became distracting at times, taking away from the excitement of the book. I understand this is an independent publishing, so I’m cutting the author some slack, but it’s as if this book was never proofread at all.
December 12, 2024
This space horror novel is engaging, surprising, and a touch cumbersome. The plot is well thought through and descriptive with multiple points of view, a gnarly antagonist, and fully-realized cosmic locations. Unfortunately, most characterization is thin and same-y, but a couple characters really shine—especially the captain and a surprising guest. The writing itself can get a little clunky at times, with unnecessary dialogue and exposition that tend to explain the same thing multiple times. Overall, though, this is a quick, fun, enjoyable read and I give it a 3.75 rating.
September 14, 2024
This was me judging a book by it's cover and synopsis. Both intrigued me and enticed me to read this
space "horror" novel. I was not impressed by anything this book gave me. The story was contrived and boring despite a real winner of a plot! The character development was nonexistent and boring. The "horror" of the novel happened in the last 3 chapters and were very lackluster. I understand why the writer let the book end the way it did, u gotta have a sequel, but I will not be reading the 2nd book.
space "horror" novel. I was not impressed by anything this book gave me. The story was contrived and boring despite a real winner of a plot! The character development was nonexistent and boring. The "horror" of the novel happened in the last 3 chapters and were very lackluster. I understand why the writer let the book end the way it did, u gotta have a sequel, but I will not be reading the 2nd book.
June 9, 2021
Audiobook Version? Yes, based on audiobook version
Story? 3/5 - Somewhat well-paced and extensive background given on the historical conflict between the humans and mentioned alien creatures. The background information is good throughout the story, but eliminates any suspense factor of humans encountering the aliens for the first time. Story itself was just ok, and improved by a pretty effective ending.
Characters? 4/5 - Characters given a sense of personality (by the book, not by the narrator), and manages to carry the story along. However, the antagonistic aliens don't come across as very intimidating.
Voice Acting (if audiobook) 1/5 - For me, this was the weakest part of the audiobook, and almost killed the experience for me. Went into this book expecting a sci-fi horror story but the voiceover made it seem like a mere dark comedy and not so frightening as expected. Review would've been higher if it was the physical or ebook version of the book, but this is strictly based on my experience with the audiobook, so the review is what it is.
Worth a read? Yes, once
Worth reading again? Only if it's the physical or ebook copy. Can't recommend the audiobook version.
Overall rating and summary? 2/5 - As mentioned before, review and associated rating would've been higher if not for the voiceover. Overall, the book was ok, but not a memorable experience.
Story? 3/5 - Somewhat well-paced and extensive background given on the historical conflict between the humans and mentioned alien creatures. The background information is good throughout the story, but eliminates any suspense factor of humans encountering the aliens for the first time. Story itself was just ok, and improved by a pretty effective ending.
Characters? 4/5 - Characters given a sense of personality (by the book, not by the narrator), and manages to carry the story along. However, the antagonistic aliens don't come across as very intimidating.
Voice Acting (if audiobook) 1/5 - For me, this was the weakest part of the audiobook, and almost killed the experience for me. Went into this book expecting a sci-fi horror story but the voiceover made it seem like a mere dark comedy and not so frightening as expected. Review would've been higher if it was the physical or ebook version of the book, but this is strictly based on my experience with the audiobook, so the review is what it is.
Worth a read? Yes, once
Worth reading again? Only if it's the physical or ebook copy. Can't recommend the audiobook version.
Overall rating and summary? 2/5 - As mentioned before, review and associated rating would've been higher if not for the voiceover. Overall, the book was ok, but not a memorable experience.
April 10, 2020
The crew of the Newport are enjoying a normal cruise until they are engaged in combat with an alien ship. Mysteriously, a large battleship, the Flying Terran, appears and destroys the alien ship. Damage to the Newport is massive, and most of the crew is killed. Although it seems that even though they are dead, they have reanimated and are attacking their living comrades. The remaining crew decide to take a shuttle destined to be the plaything of a wealthy governor, and go to the Flying Terran to obtain help for their crippled ship. The crew, along with a lone alien, Seven, will go on a voyage that sends them to the depths of terror. This story is totally absorbing and will have you on the edge of your seat. I absolutely enjoyed it and would recommend it to all sci-fi and horror fans.
February 22, 2020
A cargo ship is attacked by their alien enemies, not realising that petty interspecies squabbles are about to become the least of their worries.
I really enjoyed this novel. The world-building was very well done. The salient points to the plot development were all covered, but I would have liked a bit more information to help me figure things out. My biggest sense of confusion involves when these events occur. There was no mention of events that I would recognise (and how far in the past those happened), although we do learn that one of the ships was at least 150 years old, so I think it's fairly safe to assume that the setting is a minimum of 200 years in the future. I am also confused about the sociopolitical structure of human society. We learn roughly about how humanity came to be united, (although the nomenclature would suggest that this may be a tenuous alliance), but nothing really of how society has evolved (e.g. family structure, how government works, who oversees the space transport industry, etc). While these details don't pertain to the main story, they do provide context and a sense of background (which likely would shape assumptions and attitudes) for the characters.
The characters really stood out to me as being well-developed, fully human (even the alien), and vividly portrayed. I think that layer of context (to understand their culture) would have added yet another dimension to them - this was very well done in the case of Seven-Twenty-Nine and it made me wish for more on the human side. Incidentally, I loved Seven-Twenty-Nine - I wanted to hear more from him.
The pacing was excellent.
Another editing pass would really help this novel along. Plurals, possessives, and plural possessives were confused more often than they were correct. There was also some odd punctuation placement that should be corrected. Finally, "hanger" and "hangar" were used interchangeably (the place were you hang your coat is most definitely not suitable for parking your space ship). Cleaning this up would really help the book to shine.
My own personal preference, when it comes to reading any genre set in a different time or cultural space, is to see language that is specific to that setting. For example, in medieval-era fantasy novels, I like when they take their Gods' names in vain, and when their profanity comes from their own cultural touchstones. It's a tiny detail that I find enriches the world and makes it feel more real. I would have liked to have seen the evolution of slang, profanity, and language as a whole in this novel.
Another element that I noticed and would have liked to have had explained was how the human body has adapted (or technology assists) in mitigating the effects of zero-G. It was a nice idea that people can just float around for extended periods of time, but the reality is that modern astronauts have to work extremely hard to maintain muscle tone for their relatively short stints on the ISS. Not to mention the effects of fluid redistribution, reproductive concerns, and so on. This isn't a detail that has a serious impact on the story, but even a toss-off comment about being unable to return to worlds with a certain gravitational force (or some tech that helps regulate these effects) would have made this feel more realistic.
The way the author treated the horror elements of this story was excellent and it certainly made for terrifying events, so I believe the choice to reduce backstory and explanation for these elements was likely intentional. I would have appreciated more context - even if the characters didn't know, as in the case of Seven-Twenty-Nine (we learn about his culture, but the human characters remain ignorant), which was handled brilliantly. (What level of conscious intent was present? Was there a social structure or hierarchy in their culture? What about the "ghost" - was he aware?)
I also want to add, for the record, that the ending was perfect.
I really enjoyed this novel. I'm definitely going to be reading more from this author!
I received an ARC via the author.
I really enjoyed this novel. The world-building was very well done. The salient points to the plot development were all covered, but I would have liked a bit more information to help me figure things out. My biggest sense of confusion involves when these events occur. There was no mention of events that I would recognise (and how far in the past those happened), although we do learn that one of the ships was at least 150 years old, so I think it's fairly safe to assume that the setting is a minimum of 200 years in the future. I am also confused about the sociopolitical structure of human society. We learn roughly about how humanity came to be united, (although the nomenclature would suggest that this may be a tenuous alliance), but nothing really of how society has evolved (e.g. family structure, how government works, who oversees the space transport industry, etc). While these details don't pertain to the main story, they do provide context and a sense of background (which likely would shape assumptions and attitudes) for the characters.
The characters really stood out to me as being well-developed, fully human (even the alien), and vividly portrayed. I think that layer of context (to understand their culture) would have added yet another dimension to them - this was very well done in the case of Seven-Twenty-Nine and it made me wish for more on the human side. Incidentally, I loved Seven-Twenty-Nine - I wanted to hear more from him.
The pacing was excellent.
Another editing pass would really help this novel along. Plurals, possessives, and plural possessives were confused more often than they were correct. There was also some odd punctuation placement that should be corrected. Finally, "hanger" and "hangar" were used interchangeably (the place were you hang your coat is most definitely not suitable for parking your space ship). Cleaning this up would really help the book to shine.
My own personal preference, when it comes to reading any genre set in a different time or cultural space, is to see language that is specific to that setting. For example, in medieval-era fantasy novels, I like when they take their Gods' names in vain, and when their profanity comes from their own cultural touchstones. It's a tiny detail that I find enriches the world and makes it feel more real. I would have liked to have seen the evolution of slang, profanity, and language as a whole in this novel.
Another element that I noticed and would have liked to have had explained was how the human body has adapted (or technology assists) in mitigating the effects of zero-G. It was a nice idea that people can just float around for extended periods of time, but the reality is that modern astronauts have to work extremely hard to maintain muscle tone for their relatively short stints on the ISS. Not to mention the effects of fluid redistribution, reproductive concerns, and so on. This isn't a detail that has a serious impact on the story, but even a toss-off comment about being unable to return to worlds with a certain gravitational force (or some tech that helps regulate these effects) would have made this feel more realistic.
The way the author treated the horror elements of this story was excellent and it certainly made for terrifying events, so I believe the choice to reduce backstory and explanation for these elements was likely intentional. I would have appreciated more context - even if the characters didn't know, as in the case of Seven-Twenty-Nine (we learn about his culture, but the human characters remain ignorant), which was handled brilliantly. (What level of conscious intent was present? Was there a social structure or hierarchy in their culture? What about the "ghost" - was he aware?)
I also want to add, for the record, that the ending was perfect.
I really enjoyed this novel. I'm definitely going to be reading more from this author!
I received an ARC via the author.
September 29, 2020
Captain Morgan Starling and the crew of the Newport are in the middle of a battle against alien enemies. Then, a huge battleship appears and "saves" them. But, who (or what) is controlling the ship?
This book was very reminiscent of the movie "Alien" and just as creepy. It is hard to imagine something more horrific than being trapped on a ship in space with an entity that slowly kills off everyone onboard.
The characters were likeable and realistic and the dialogue between them was enjoyable. The alien, 729, was refreshing and quickly became my favorite character. The author did a great job with building the tension as the book progressed. The world building and character development were perfect and the book was well-written.
The narrator did a great job and the pacing was perfect. My only complaint was his (supposedly) Texas-type accents, which were pretty bad. All in all, this was a great book with enough Sci-fi to please fans of that genre without being too over the top for the horror fans. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
I was given the chance to listen to the audiobook version of this book through StoryOrigin and chose to review it.
This book was very reminiscent of the movie "Alien" and just as creepy. It is hard to imagine something more horrific than being trapped on a ship in space with an entity that slowly kills off everyone onboard.
The characters were likeable and realistic and the dialogue between them was enjoyable. The alien, 729, was refreshing and quickly became my favorite character. The author did a great job with building the tension as the book progressed. The world building and character development were perfect and the book was well-written.
The narrator did a great job and the pacing was perfect. My only complaint was his (supposedly) Texas-type accents, which were pretty bad. All in all, this was a great book with enough Sci-fi to please fans of that genre without being too over the top for the horror fans. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.
I was given the chance to listen to the audiobook version of this book through StoryOrigin and chose to review it.
December 14, 2021
I am trying to read more lesser known authors on Kindle Unlimited, and this came recommended to me on Reddit. It was an interesting concept with an interesting universe, but not really my thing. I would have given the story a higher rating, but it was in desperate need of an editor. I know I am being nit-picky here, but every time the author used the word "Manoeuvre", I had to do a double take. Yes, that is how they spell it in Canada and the UK, but I have never seen it written like that and every time I saw it, I always thought, that can't be right.
I found the beginning of the book to be really slow and I struggled to get through it. It picked up around the 20% mark, but didn't really get going until at least halfway through. The characters were okay, with the alien being the most memorable of the bunch. I honestly didn't feel anything when any one of them were killed off. The banter between crew members was also a bit cringey, but I see this with even successful, famous writers. It is really hard to pull off.
Overall, it was okay, but not really my thing.
I found the beginning of the book to be really slow and I struggled to get through it. It picked up around the 20% mark, but didn't really get going until at least halfway through. The characters were okay, with the alien being the most memorable of the bunch. I honestly didn't feel anything when any one of them were killed off. The banter between crew members was also a bit cringey, but I see this with even successful, famous writers. It is really hard to pull off.
Overall, it was okay, but not really my thing.
May 25, 2020
I received a copy of “The Void Beyond: A Science Fiction Horror Novel” (Dark Galaxy Book 1) by P.W Hillard in exchange of my honest review. This is the first book I read from P.W Hillard and let me tell you the story line will grab you and suck you in. You have a bit of everything in this book, from ghosts, aliens, and what sounds like the eating death. You can feel the hopeless you feel lost in a shipwreck yard out of space, but they still try to everything they can to get back home. It is a journey you will not want to miss. Cannot wait to get the second book in the series to find out what happens next.
June 2, 2020
This is a sci-fi, paranormal, horror story. It’s a well-written story with an intricate plot and well developed characters. It’s a stand-alone book that keeps your attention so you don’t miss something. Matt Jenkins does an amazing job with the narration. His ability to differentiate voices between characters makes him an absolute pleasure to listen to. P.W. Hillard is one of maybe two science fiction writers who have made me interested in reading sci-fi again. It’s an absorbing, intense horror ride through space.
January 28, 2020
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
June 22, 2020
Gripping SciFi Horror Tale!
This fast paced drama is an excellent start to the Dark Galaxy Series. It is very well written and Matt Jenkins narration definitely added to the creep factor and suspense. Lots of action, aliens, mutilated flesh-eating monsters, and ghosts makes it an intriguing space adventure. I received a free audiobook and am happy to leave my honest review. I’m looking forward to the next book. Enjoy!
This fast paced drama is an excellent start to the Dark Galaxy Series. It is very well written and Matt Jenkins narration definitely added to the creep factor and suspense. Lots of action, aliens, mutilated flesh-eating monsters, and ghosts makes it an intriguing space adventure. I received a free audiobook and am happy to leave my honest review. I’m looking forward to the next book. Enjoy!
March 6, 2023
(As audiobook) Intense from the start. I like these kind of books because they are easy. Not the greatest of all time but that is also not what I expected. I wanted sci-fi horror and that is exactly what was given. Sure the characters could’ve been more developed and overall the details are a bit lacking. Nevertheless this fast paced horror captivated me always wanting more when I needed to pause the book.
February 15, 2020
This book has the most amazing characters that I really care about and are believable. I love the storyline and I was drawn in quickly. This is an amazing story that was unpredictable. This kept me guessing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 20, 2020
Great book, solid story, scary,as well.... kept us listening via audiobook, (-I don't commute as much as I used to so audiobooks go slower), pleasant narration, I received this book through an ARC reading group that I belong to,and it was an excellent choice! I chose this book for my adult son who has a brain injury and can not read print.
January 2, 2025
This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and pages turning. The crew of the Newport is faced with some pretty nightmare inducing stuff. The way the crew works through the problems and how the speak is so real you feel like you’re there with them.
Anything is a weapon If you’re persistent enough.
Anything is a weapon If you’re persistent enough.
February 6, 2020
Need more like this
Been a fan of cosmic horror since my first Lovecraft novel and I read any new ones I can get my hands on. Liked this one and would love author to revisit this idea.
Been a fan of cosmic horror since my first Lovecraft novel and I read any new ones I can get my hands on. Liked this one and would love author to revisit this idea.
May 19, 2020
This is an awesome horror story! Well developed characters, lots of creep factor and scary to listen to! The narrator did a great job adding to the creepiness of this story that already was truly great horror! If you like horror stories, you'll love The Void Beyond by P.W. Hillard!
January 28, 2021
I thought this book was a good read. I thought the narrator did a good job and the story held my interest. I would recommend. (I received this audible book as an arc and am leaving a voluntary honest review)
May 7, 2021
Amazing!
Loved this story! I have always wondered what we humans would find in the galaxy of space. Other life forms? Good,,,or evil! I loved the main character Morgan and her crew all who have more guts than the average person!
Loved this story! I have always wondered what we humans would find in the galaxy of space. Other life forms? Good,,,or evil! I loved the main character Morgan and her crew all who have more guts than the average person!
December 27, 2021
An Epic Space Horror Adventure
This novel keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s an action packed, original mystery of a lost crew facing the horrors of the unknown that lurk in the infinite darkness between stars.
This novel keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s an action packed, original mystery of a lost crew facing the horrors of the unknown that lurk in the infinite darkness between stars.
May 25, 2023
Got better the more I read
At first this seemed like a basic sci fi story, aliens vs. humans. Then a dead person spoke and things got interesting. And scary. And sad.
Good thing I already have the next book.
At first this seemed like a basic sci fi story, aliens vs. humans. Then a dead person spoke and things got interesting. And scary. And sad.
Good thing I already have the next book.
August 26, 2025
I really enjoyed this book
When I started this book, I had no idea that I was starting a three book series, but here we are. This is a really good story, and I loved how well the characters were written ,I hope that book two is as good as the first book
When I started this book, I had no idea that I was starting a three book series, but here we are. This is a really good story, and I loved how well the characters were written ,I hope that book two is as good as the first book
May 11, 2020
A fun, Lovecraftian/Alien-like adventure of survival on a mysterious ghost-ship.
May 25, 2020
Excellent story! Very captivating indeed, I enjoyed it very much. I shed some tears at the end thanks to Charlie.
August 17, 2020
Enjoyed it very much!
February 20, 2021
It was a good book. It got 3 stars because I found some of the techno babble distracting.
December 19, 2022
Amazing Space Book
The only thing keeping it from five stars was because there was lots of language in it. Apart from that it was an excellent book.
The only thing keeping it from five stars was because there was lots of language in it. Apart from that it was an excellent book.
May 20, 2024
Great
A haunting space horror. Aliens, war and the Harvesters. A great group of characters. Can't wait to see what happens next.
A haunting space horror. Aliens, war and the Harvesters. A great group of characters. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews