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Screams from the Void
For two years in deep space, the freighter Demeter and a small crew have collected botanical life from other planets. It's a lesson in patience and hell. Mechanics Ensign Reina is ready to jump ship, if only because her abusive ex is also aboard, as well as her overbearing boss. It's only after a foreign biological creature sneaks aboard and wreaks havoc on the ship and crew that Reina must find her grit - and maybe create a gadget or two - to survive...that is, if the crew members don't lose their sanity and turn on each other in the process.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 18, 2021
26 people are currently reading
547 people want to read
About the author
Anne Tibbets
6 books135 followersAfter writing for television, Anne Tibbets found her way to writing novels by following what she loves: books, strong female characters, twisted family dynamics, quick moving plots, and stories with punch.
Anne is the author of the space horror, SCREAMS FROM THE VOID (2021), and of the New Adult speculative series The Line: CARRIER and WALLED (2014). Anne also co-authored, under the pen name Addison Gunn, the first book in the hard military science fiction series EXTINCTION BIOME: INVASION (2016), and authored the second, EXTINCTION BIOME: DISPERSAL (2017), also as Addison Gunn.
Anne divides her time between writing and working as a literary agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency.
Find her on Twitter and Instagram @AnneTibbets
Anne is the author of the space horror, SCREAMS FROM THE VOID (2021), and of the New Adult speculative series The Line: CARRIER and WALLED (2014). Anne also co-authored, under the pen name Addison Gunn, the first book in the hard military science fiction series EXTINCTION BIOME: INVASION (2016), and authored the second, EXTINCTION BIOME: DISPERSAL (2017), also as Addison Gunn.
Anne divides her time between writing and working as a literary agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency.
Find her on Twitter and Instagram @AnneTibbets
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 22, 2021
Where do I start -------- I just loved this book!
The airship the "Demeter" with a crew of twelve has been in space for two years collecting species of alien plant life to bring home to earth. Sgt. Pollux is in charge of the greenhouse and any policies involving the plant life. She has been having issues with a rash for a few weeks that continues to worsen and the itching is driving her crazy causing her focus to be distracted. Unbeknownst to anyone on the ship an alien biological has been living, growing and watching the crew because it is very hungry. Raina who is an ensign mechanic is struggling with issues of an angry and verbally abusive boss and also an abusive ex who is also an ensign and aboard this ship. There are only two months left until the Demeter returns home and the crew is tired of one another and their problems, exhausted from their rigid work routines and last but not least very excited to be returning home. As each team member must deal with their own personal problems that will lead to mistrust and a possible breakdown with the safety of the crew, they will find there is more than one monster on board their spaceship and each one is as deadly as the other. Within a twenty-four hour period it will be a survival test for all that no-one was prepared to handle even with the most advanced weapons in their arsenal because the monsters on board this ship have only one thing on their mind and no one will be safe even if they are allowed to survive!
I just loved this book. There is action from the first several pages and then never stops. The characters drew me in whether I liked or despised them and I couldn't wait to find out what each one would do and how they would handle the entities aboard the craft. I was tense throughout the story and it never let me down with all the thrills and spills never letting up. The writing was excellent. I could envision everything in complete detail what was taking place and was feeling emotional, disgusted, angry, fearful etc. I love when stories can elicit many feelings about the characters and their situations. I can't wait to read more books similar to this so I guess my next read will have to take place in space as well. If you enjoy outer space books or shows don't hesitate to read this book. It was just so much fun in a gory, horror filled way (Yay)!
I want to thank the author Anne Tibbets and the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this Sci-fi horror novel and have given a rating of 5 Thrilling Outer Space 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
The airship the "Demeter" with a crew of twelve has been in space for two years collecting species of alien plant life to bring home to earth. Sgt. Pollux is in charge of the greenhouse and any policies involving the plant life. She has been having issues with a rash for a few weeks that continues to worsen and the itching is driving her crazy causing her focus to be distracted. Unbeknownst to anyone on the ship an alien biological has been living, growing and watching the crew because it is very hungry. Raina who is an ensign mechanic is struggling with issues of an angry and verbally abusive boss and also an abusive ex who is also an ensign and aboard this ship. There are only two months left until the Demeter returns home and the crew is tired of one another and their problems, exhausted from their rigid work routines and last but not least very excited to be returning home. As each team member must deal with their own personal problems that will lead to mistrust and a possible breakdown with the safety of the crew, they will find there is more than one monster on board their spaceship and each one is as deadly as the other. Within a twenty-four hour period it will be a survival test for all that no-one was prepared to handle even with the most advanced weapons in their arsenal because the monsters on board this ship have only one thing on their mind and no one will be safe even if they are allowed to survive!
I just loved this book. There is action from the first several pages and then never stops. The characters drew me in whether I liked or despised them and I couldn't wait to find out what each one would do and how they would handle the entities aboard the craft. I was tense throughout the story and it never let me down with all the thrills and spills never letting up. The writing was excellent. I could envision everything in complete detail what was taking place and was feeling emotional, disgusted, angry, fearful etc. I love when stories can elicit many feelings about the characters and their situations. I can't wait to read more books similar to this so I guess my next read will have to take place in space as well. If you enjoy outer space books or shows don't hesitate to read this book. It was just so much fun in a gory, horror filled way (Yay)!
I want to thank the author Anne Tibbets and the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this Sci-fi horror novel and have given a rating of 5 Thrilling Outer Space 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
April 5, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free via NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My sincerest thanks to the publisher and author. :)
This one is a hard one to review for me. It had some very interesting premises but I felt they were poorly executed and not pulled off so well. I really enjoyed the backwards set up of delivery, not sure the official literary term for it, but the author introduces the characters and plot in present day then does flash back chapters to provide back story on said characters. So while the present is getting worse the flashbacks, in general, are getting better. I dug that.
What the author tries to do to set this book apart from being just another Sci-Fi "OMG there's an angry foreign biological aboard!" story is to introduce the interactions of the crew, particularly the main character's ex. So rather than everyone being united to against this threat it actually causes rifts in their dynamics. Which is very cool as an idea. Sadly until the big reveal these human failings were just very annoying to me. Not that I expect perfect characters, quite the opposite. It just wasn't executed well and was too much drama for me until the reveal. I found myself rolling my eyes and going "No one cares" or "Wow, just...wow you are being a complete idiot right now".
After the reveal? Amazing pace and story, Raina comes into her own as this bad ass woman lead much in the vein that Ripley was in the Aliens series. Before that she's troubled sure and makes some horrible decisions but again these decisions didn't feel like lending contrast to her character but rather like she was in middle school with all the stereotypical drama it entails.
A shame that the big reveal happens in literally the last 50 or so pages and to get there was an irritating slog. I would not consider the end, despite its excellence, to be worth that slog.
This one is a hard one to review for me. It had some very interesting premises but I felt they were poorly executed and not pulled off so well. I really enjoyed the backwards set up of delivery, not sure the official literary term for it, but the author introduces the characters and plot in present day then does flash back chapters to provide back story on said characters. So while the present is getting worse the flashbacks, in general, are getting better. I dug that.
What the author tries to do to set this book apart from being just another Sci-Fi "OMG there's an angry foreign biological aboard!" story is to introduce the interactions of the crew, particularly the main character's ex. So rather than everyone being united to against this threat it actually causes rifts in their dynamics. Which is very cool as an idea. Sadly until the big reveal these human failings were just very annoying to me. Not that I expect perfect characters, quite the opposite. It just wasn't executed well and was too much drama for me until the reveal. I found myself rolling my eyes and going "No one cares" or "Wow, just...wow you are being a complete idiot right now".
After the reveal? Amazing pace and story, Raina comes into her own as this bad ass woman lead much in the vein that Ripley was in the Aliens series. Before that she's troubled sure and makes some horrible decisions but again these decisions didn't feel like lending contrast to her character but rather like she was in middle school with all the stereotypical drama it entails.
A shame that the big reveal happens in literally the last 50 or so pages and to get there was an irritating slog. I would not consider the end, despite its excellence, to be worth that slog.
July 9, 2021
So this was terrible.
Brief and non-spoilery: it's a bad Alien knockoff that fails at almost every level.
Detailed and very spoilery:
At the end of a two year botanical research mission investigating alien planets and returning a greenhouse full of alien plants back to Earth things go terribly wrong when a "foreign biological" appears on board and begins killing the crew. Raina is an ensign on board, brilliant and unorthodox, but with a self-destructive streak a mile wide. She's also got an abusive lazy boss who she can't help but antagonize (mostly by existing) and one of her crew-mates who she had an illicit relationship with until he turned physically abusive with her.
On the subject of the writing itself: the story has the alien loose on board the ship and the struggle of the crew to survive as they get picked off one by one. It's interspersed with flashbacks of Raina's relationship with Morven moving backwards in time towards where their relationship first started as well as a few other flashbacks showing backstory for the alien plot.
The flashbacks are a problem because you would think that they would show a "boiling of the frog", a slow ratcheting up of control and abuse between Raina and Morven, and they do to an extent. What they actually show is a range between the murderous and psychotic present-day Morven through to a slightly less murderous and psychotic Morven when their relationship was still going through to even the beginning of the relationship where there are clear warning signs. At no point do you think Raina is making good decisions and the story is pretty clear that at every point where Raina has a choice, she chooses the self-destructive one (or at least until she actually leaves Morven).
The whole exercise undermines the alien plot because while you're rooting for Raina's brilliant mind to save the day, you're constantly confronted with her bad decision-making in the past.
In terms of plot and world-building: we have a ship that's on a mission of biological exploration that seems to be only playing lip service to bio-security protocols (which you would think would be even more important in this sort of scenario than at bio-secure facilities in the present day). Instead, we have a non-isolated airflow system between the biosecure areas and the rest of the ship, no way to securely transport biomaterial from outside the ship to the biosecure area and no decontamination protocols for equipment or people who do so.
How did it take two years for this crew to die? I think they were lucky.
On top of that, this is a two year mission in complete isolation with a lackadaisical Captain (his handling of the Raina/Morven relationship and assault is ridiculous). Does no-one do psych evaluations in this future?
Finally, there's a sub-plot throughout where contact with a slime that's associated with the alien causes a horrible skin condition in the people who touch it. Throughout the story there are undertones that something horrible is going to happen to people with this skin condition. What actually happens? Nothing. No payoff to a major recurring story element at all. Why is it even in the book?
Again, this is terrible.
Brief and non-spoilery: it's a bad Alien knockoff that fails at almost every level.
Detailed and very spoilery:
At the end of a two year botanical research mission investigating alien planets and returning a greenhouse full of alien plants back to Earth things go terribly wrong when a "foreign biological" appears on board and begins killing the crew. Raina is an ensign on board, brilliant and unorthodox, but with a self-destructive streak a mile wide. She's also got an abusive lazy boss who she can't help but antagonize (mostly by existing) and one of her crew-mates who she had an illicit relationship with until he turned physically abusive with her.
On the subject of the writing itself: the story has the alien loose on board the ship and the struggle of the crew to survive as they get picked off one by one. It's interspersed with flashbacks of Raina's relationship with Morven moving backwards in time towards where their relationship first started as well as a few other flashbacks showing backstory for the alien plot.
The flashbacks are a problem because you would think that they would show a "boiling of the frog", a slow ratcheting up of control and abuse between Raina and Morven, and they do to an extent. What they actually show is a range between the murderous and psychotic present-day Morven through to a slightly less murderous and psychotic Morven when their relationship was still going through to even the beginning of the relationship where there are clear warning signs. At no point do you think Raina is making good decisions and the story is pretty clear that at every point where Raina has a choice, she chooses the self-destructive one (or at least until she actually leaves Morven).
The whole exercise undermines the alien plot because while you're rooting for Raina's brilliant mind to save the day, you're constantly confronted with her bad decision-making in the past.
In terms of plot and world-building: we have a ship that's on a mission of biological exploration that seems to be only playing lip service to bio-security protocols (which you would think would be even more important in this sort of scenario than at bio-secure facilities in the present day). Instead, we have a non-isolated airflow system between the biosecure areas and the rest of the ship, no way to securely transport biomaterial from outside the ship to the biosecure area and no decontamination protocols for equipment or people who do so.
How did it take two years for this crew to die? I think they were lucky.
On top of that, this is a two year mission in complete isolation with a lackadaisical Captain (his handling of the Raina/Morven relationship and assault is ridiculous). Does no-one do psych evaluations in this future?
Finally, there's a sub-plot throughout where contact with a slime that's associated with the alien causes a horrible skin condition in the people who touch it. Throughout the story there are undertones that something horrible is going to happen to people with this skin condition. What actually happens? Nothing. No payoff to a major recurring story element at all. Why is it even in the book?
Again, this is terrible.
July 11, 2021
So, this was not good, and the problems were myriad. The basic issue is this: if you're going to do Alien, it has to be at least as good or better. Instead of going on and on, I'll refer to my friend Lindsay's review, which details the main problems with this book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After we finished this, Lindsay and I went through a bit of "is it just me, or...?" on this together, and so it's safe to say that no, it isn't just me (or Lindsay).
However, I did give double the rating Lindsay did, because generally 1 star is saved for cases where I'm angry I read the book. I'm not angry, but I am very disappointed, so 2 stars from me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After we finished this, Lindsay and I went through a bit of "is it just me, or...?" on this together, and so it's safe to say that no, it isn't just me (or Lindsay).
However, I did give double the rating Lindsay did, because generally 1 star is saved for cases where I'm angry I read the book. I'm not angry, but I am very disappointed, so 2 stars from me.
February 15, 2021
Being the first person to rate and review the book always brings out a sort of uncharacteristic generosity. But the goal is objectivity. And objectively, I’m not in love. Or like, even. I’m…mildly entertained. At best.
Actually, I read the author before, a forgettable novella titled Shut Up that seemed too young. Because it was forgettable I did forget about it, so I requested this one from Netgalley based on just on the description and the fact that it’s Flame Tree press, which has fairly decent quality control. And usually very reasonable page count, so you don’t get too stuck with a dud.
So anyway, second experience with the author has been objectively more favorable by comparison, but then again the bar was pretty low. This is one of those creature feature in space things that’s been done and done and done before. They are tons of fun cinematically, usually. In fact, this might have been more fun as a movie. It would have a young cast, a bunch of 20somethings, who cuss up a storm, to showcase their toughness or angst or something. Seriously, so much cussing. And I don’t even care about that sort of thing as a prude might, for me it’s more of a linguistic thing…language evolves, there are abundant epistemological evidence of that, so why hasn’t anyone come up with some new fun ways to cuss in the year 2231?
Anyway, that aside…so a bunch of these youngsters are on a spaceship Demeter…yes, seriously, someone went and named the ship Demeter and thought that was a good and safe and not at all ominous choice. Maybe Dracula’s gone out of print by then?
Anyway, that aside…the team is on a mission, the mission is to gather biological samples from other planets in order to bring them back to Earth and find out if they can be of use. Let’s pause to appreciate that terrible idea. Why would you want to screw around with biodiversity like that? Or take those kinds of risks? Australia won’t even let people bring pets in. Not even Johnny Depp, for crying out loud. Imagine that. And that’s all on the same planet. Imagine how many things can go terribly wrong by dragging things in from outer space.
Anyway, that aside…one day close to the two year mission’s end it turns out there’s a foreign biological creature on the ship. Free and murderously rummaging around. And now everyone has to overlook their differences, band together and fight. And the death toll goes up. And up. And up
So pretty standard fair, right? Space terror, horrific sci fi…one of those. But wait, there’s an angle. In fact, it is this angle that got the book sold. The book that’s originally been passed around and rewritten for years (the author rewrote Shut Up a bunch too, she must be very passionate about rewrites, it explains a fairly limited literary output). But then #MeToo era rolled in and all stories having to do with some sort of abuse of women gained new relevance and Flame Press not wanting to miss the train, grabbed this book. Because this book is indeed about an abusive relationship, in fact it hinges on it.
Yeah, tricky, right. You thought you were just getting a creature feature, but no, you’re getting also a relationship drama, a relationship so messed up ,dysfunctional and violent, it makes Ike and Tina (or we can use Johnny Depp again) look like that nice old couple form the first five minutes of Up. The couple here are Raina (GR’s description’s got a typo) and Moe.
Raina’s our protagonist, actually, the intrepid mechanic who has to deal with both a sh*tty boss and a lunatic for a bf. But, you know, a hot lunatic. They have spaceship quaking sex, despite strict orders not to fraternize, but then Moe turns psycho and starts confusing Raina for an emotional and/or physical punching bag. Raina puts up with it for a good while, because he’s so fine, he’s so fine, he blows her mind, even overlooking his rapey moments, but eventually she ever so reluctantly drags herself away from him and the entire novel is essentially that dynamic between them, they are fighting each other while fighting the larger scale fight of staying alive. And yes, it does get tiring. But it’s also the backbone of this entire production, because Raina and Moe are born survivors while the rest of the team are creature snacks.
So that’s the entire story. You can scream if you want to. It goes by fairly quickly, It still has some of that YA energy the author can’t seem to get all the way away from, but it’s for adults, adults are in it, technically. There’s action, alien scares, all sorts of things you’d expect.
The story is interspersed with the account of Raina/Moe sh*tshow of a relationship. That line of narrative goes backwards (an actually inspired choice) right to when first they met and sparks went wild. While the actual story is bullettraining forward over the course of a single day. I believe the novel is actually meant to be one of those female empowerment stories with Raina getting her groove and all that, but really her likeability is questionable and I suppose will depend on a reader.
And that’s that. Yes, I’m aware it isn’t the most encouraging of reviews, but it’s detailed, honest and might give you an idea about whether this book may be right for you. It isn’t terrible by any means, it does a fairly decent job of telling the same old story, it is, as mentioned earlier, mildly entertaining. Your mileage may vary. Thanks Netgalley.
Actually, I read the author before, a forgettable novella titled Shut Up that seemed too young. Because it was forgettable I did forget about it, so I requested this one from Netgalley based on just on the description and the fact that it’s Flame Tree press, which has fairly decent quality control. And usually very reasonable page count, so you don’t get too stuck with a dud.
So anyway, second experience with the author has been objectively more favorable by comparison, but then again the bar was pretty low. This is one of those creature feature in space things that’s been done and done and done before. They are tons of fun cinematically, usually. In fact, this might have been more fun as a movie. It would have a young cast, a bunch of 20somethings, who cuss up a storm, to showcase their toughness or angst or something. Seriously, so much cussing. And I don’t even care about that sort of thing as a prude might, for me it’s more of a linguistic thing…language evolves, there are abundant epistemological evidence of that, so why hasn’t anyone come up with some new fun ways to cuss in the year 2231?
Anyway, that aside…so a bunch of these youngsters are on a spaceship Demeter…yes, seriously, someone went and named the ship Demeter and thought that was a good and safe and not at all ominous choice. Maybe Dracula’s gone out of print by then?
Anyway, that aside…the team is on a mission, the mission is to gather biological samples from other planets in order to bring them back to Earth and find out if they can be of use. Let’s pause to appreciate that terrible idea. Why would you want to screw around with biodiversity like that? Or take those kinds of risks? Australia won’t even let people bring pets in. Not even Johnny Depp, for crying out loud. Imagine that. And that’s all on the same planet. Imagine how many things can go terribly wrong by dragging things in from outer space.
Anyway, that aside…one day close to the two year mission’s end it turns out there’s a foreign biological creature on the ship. Free and murderously rummaging around. And now everyone has to overlook their differences, band together and fight. And the death toll goes up. And up. And up
So pretty standard fair, right? Space terror, horrific sci fi…one of those. But wait, there’s an angle. In fact, it is this angle that got the book sold. The book that’s originally been passed around and rewritten for years (the author rewrote Shut Up a bunch too, she must be very passionate about rewrites, it explains a fairly limited literary output). But then #MeToo era rolled in and all stories having to do with some sort of abuse of women gained new relevance and Flame Press not wanting to miss the train, grabbed this book. Because this book is indeed about an abusive relationship, in fact it hinges on it.
Yeah, tricky, right. You thought you were just getting a creature feature, but no, you’re getting also a relationship drama, a relationship so messed up ,dysfunctional and violent, it makes Ike and Tina (or we can use Johnny Depp again) look like that nice old couple form the first five minutes of Up. The couple here are Raina (GR’s description’s got a typo) and Moe.
Raina’s our protagonist, actually, the intrepid mechanic who has to deal with both a sh*tty boss and a lunatic for a bf. But, you know, a hot lunatic. They have spaceship quaking sex, despite strict orders not to fraternize, but then Moe turns psycho and starts confusing Raina for an emotional and/or physical punching bag. Raina puts up with it for a good while, because he’s so fine, he’s so fine, he blows her mind, even overlooking his rapey moments, but eventually she ever so reluctantly drags herself away from him and the entire novel is essentially that dynamic between them, they are fighting each other while fighting the larger scale fight of staying alive. And yes, it does get tiring. But it’s also the backbone of this entire production, because Raina and Moe are born survivors while the rest of the team are creature snacks.
So that’s the entire story. You can scream if you want to. It goes by fairly quickly, It still has some of that YA energy the author can’t seem to get all the way away from, but it’s for adults, adults are in it, technically. There’s action, alien scares, all sorts of things you’d expect.
The story is interspersed with the account of Raina/Moe sh*tshow of a relationship. That line of narrative goes backwards (an actually inspired choice) right to when first they met and sparks went wild. While the actual story is bullettraining forward over the course of a single day. I believe the novel is actually meant to be one of those female empowerment stories with Raina getting her groove and all that, but really her likeability is questionable and I suppose will depend on a reader.
And that’s that. Yes, I’m aware it isn’t the most encouraging of reviews, but it’s detailed, honest and might give you an idea about whether this book may be right for you. It isn’t terrible by any means, it does a fairly decent job of telling the same old story, it is, as mentioned earlier, mildly entertaining. Your mileage may vary. Thanks Netgalley.
May 21, 2021
There is a lot going on in this story! I'm going to have to read this a second time just to catch all the nuances! On the surface, the story is a space opera. The crew of the Demeter has been in space for two years on a mission to gather plant life from other planets. The routine mission becomes much more dangerous when an alien biological is loosed in the ship. But underneath, the story is also about the crew dynamics. The main character, Reina, is stuck on the ship (her first voyage, too) with a completely overbearing boss and.....her abusive ex. As if that wouldn't make a first mission really really suck....then....alien biological. Yikes! Her first mission is definitely not textbook!
I loved how the story not only hits those exciting points: space mission, ahhhhh aliens!, survival, etc, but also delves into the behavior of the crew, the psychology of being in space stuck on a ship, and then being in danger.... and how Reina and the crew have to adapt and learn in order to survive.
I enjoyed this book! I will definitely be looking to read more by this author.
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**
I loved how the story not only hits those exciting points: space mission, ahhhhh aliens!, survival, etc, but also delves into the behavior of the crew, the psychology of being in space stuck on a ship, and then being in danger.... and how Reina and the crew have to adapt and learn in order to survive.
I enjoyed this book! I will definitely be looking to read more by this author.
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**
May 12, 2021
SCREAMS FROM THE VOID is a fascinating and intriguing space opera set in the somewhat distant future (2231 A. D.) Exploratory missions of the United Space Corps search for habitable exoplanets for future colonization, and an essential aspect is botanists traveling to new planets to sample alien plants for study. On the vessel Demeter, the Chief Science Officer develops bizarre physical symptoms; then a highly aggressive unstoppable "foreign biological" is discovered on board. The other botanists begin to exhibit similar symptoms, while the unidentified creature wreaks bloody havoc throughout the ship. Woven throughout is a stunning tapestry of interpersonal interaction, psychosis, psychological disorders, and abuse.
Caution: violence, extreme gore, abusive encounters.
Caution: violence, extreme gore, abusive encounters.
May 22, 2021
Nonstop action onboard a spaceship! At the end of a two-year mission to gather exotic plant specimens, the main character’s nerves are frayed. She is an inventive junior engineer and this is her first voyage. The problem is that she’s been stuck with a boss who punishes brilliance and an ex-lover who’s playing cat-and-mouse mind games. She just wants the trip to be OVER.
However, a biological hazard gets loose, and our engineering-minded MC must rely on her ingenuity, courage, and physical strength to survive. The story moves forward in chronological order with nonstop carnage and mayhem from one scene to the next. Between each scene, flashbacks revealed in reverse chronology with character reveals enable us to piece together what has lead up to this moment, especially in terms of its #METOO dating disaster motif. The alternating chapters ratchet up the tension so it felt like ongoing, expanding, suspended animation—like anticipating a train wreck while simultaneously living in that wreck while it’s occurring. Luckily the book is a very quick read. I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it.
You want gripping action? This delivers nonstop action. Due to the gory violence, this is NOT for the faint of heart.
I will be looking for more books by this author!
Thank you for the sneak peek, NetGalley.
However, a biological hazard gets loose, and our engineering-minded MC must rely on her ingenuity, courage, and physical strength to survive. The story moves forward in chronological order with nonstop carnage and mayhem from one scene to the next. Between each scene, flashbacks revealed in reverse chronology with character reveals enable us to piece together what has lead up to this moment, especially in terms of its #METOO dating disaster motif. The alternating chapters ratchet up the tension so it felt like ongoing, expanding, suspended animation—like anticipating a train wreck while simultaneously living in that wreck while it’s occurring. Luckily the book is a very quick read. I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it.
You want gripping action? This delivers nonstop action. Due to the gory violence, this is NOT for the faint of heart.
I will be looking for more books by this author!
Thank you for the sneak peek, NetGalley.
May 24, 2021
Screams from the Void is a book that hits the ground running and doesn’t really stop until the end, and right from the first page, we know that something is wrong. I will admit I found the first couple of pages a little stilted and I wasn’t sure how I was going to find the book, and then chaos erupted and I found myself immediately hooked, and unable to put the book down.
Sci-Fi Horror isn’t a genre I’m well versed in, but where I think Screams from the Void takes it to the next level, is that this book merges together that ‘other’ horror of a foreign, biological creature and the threat it poses in an environment that lends itself to its success over that of the crew, with a complex web of human relationships and issues. The creature itself is deadly, there is no denying that, but to some extent it felt like a pressure cooker – with the crew, and the underlying issues – the tensions between Raina and her boss, the relationship past and present with her ex-lover, general agitations between people trapped together in a limited space – and turns it all up to the boil, creating a roiling, devastating mix of fear and hate, survival and sacrifice and it works brilliantly. Tibbets knows how to portray those emotions, to bleed them out of each character, until the reader is swept along for the ride.
The world-building was a little on the lighter side with this one, with just enough to set the scene of a ship deep in space, and the unique challenges that posed, without being bogged down in the hard sci-fi elements which can sometimes be a distraction. Here, that light touch helped, because it exacerbated the strangeness of the creature, and the rash that afflicts several members of the crew, and also heightened the atmosphere of fear – because how do you fight and survive, when you’re trapped in a limited space with nowhere to go? There were a few threads that I think might have benefited from a little more development, but for the most part, everything was honed to deliver the biggest emotional impact.
The characters were definitely the focus here, and Tibbets created a beautifully complex cast of characters, each with their own issues and unique voice, and it was easy to envision how this group of people would be in the situation because they were so vividly realised. Raina was a fantastic character, and as chilling as her relationship with her former lover is throughout – and a source of much breath-holding particularly towards the end – you can’t help but want to read more of them. He is not a comfortable character to read, and my skin crawled more than once – and in some ways, he was worse than the creature, a very human monster. The rest of the cast was just as well realised, and even those we see less of or are written for us to dislike (scowls at Raina’s boss) – each pulls us further into the story. They’re messy, they’re human, and it works so well because it is easy to imagine yourself in their shoes – to ask yourself if their reactions would be your reactions if you were in the same situation.
This is not an easy read for many reasons. Some of the relationships between the characters are difficult to read, and there are few moments of being a crew, of being together, to ease the pressing darkness – although fitting for the situation, it might have been nice to have those moments. Then there is the horror aspect, which when paired with the creeping tension of being hunted by the creature, as well as the twists and turns of the crews' actions, which settles uneasily beneath your skin. There is also plenty of gore and death, although it never felt as though it went too far, but it might not be for everyone.
That said, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed how the author played with the horror aspect, and her ability to create such a charged, emotional atmosphere that took me beyond the pages and right into the action, and this would be such a fun book to see adapted on the screen – because it’s already so vivid. This is a book for anyone who enjoys sci-fi horror, and especially those who want a healthy, complicated doze of humanity alongside the unknown.
Sci-Fi Horror isn’t a genre I’m well versed in, but where I think Screams from the Void takes it to the next level, is that this book merges together that ‘other’ horror of a foreign, biological creature and the threat it poses in an environment that lends itself to its success over that of the crew, with a complex web of human relationships and issues. The creature itself is deadly, there is no denying that, but to some extent it felt like a pressure cooker – with the crew, and the underlying issues – the tensions between Raina and her boss, the relationship past and present with her ex-lover, general agitations between people trapped together in a limited space – and turns it all up to the boil, creating a roiling, devastating mix of fear and hate, survival and sacrifice and it works brilliantly. Tibbets knows how to portray those emotions, to bleed them out of each character, until the reader is swept along for the ride.
The world-building was a little on the lighter side with this one, with just enough to set the scene of a ship deep in space, and the unique challenges that posed, without being bogged down in the hard sci-fi elements which can sometimes be a distraction. Here, that light touch helped, because it exacerbated the strangeness of the creature, and the rash that afflicts several members of the crew, and also heightened the atmosphere of fear – because how do you fight and survive, when you’re trapped in a limited space with nowhere to go? There were a few threads that I think might have benefited from a little more development, but for the most part, everything was honed to deliver the biggest emotional impact.
The characters were definitely the focus here, and Tibbets created a beautifully complex cast of characters, each with their own issues and unique voice, and it was easy to envision how this group of people would be in the situation because they were so vividly realised. Raina was a fantastic character, and as chilling as her relationship with her former lover is throughout – and a source of much breath-holding particularly towards the end – you can’t help but want to read more of them. He is not a comfortable character to read, and my skin crawled more than once – and in some ways, he was worse than the creature, a very human monster. The rest of the cast was just as well realised, and even those we see less of or are written for us to dislike (scowls at Raina’s boss) – each pulls us further into the story. They’re messy, they’re human, and it works so well because it is easy to imagine yourself in their shoes – to ask yourself if their reactions would be your reactions if you were in the same situation.
This is not an easy read for many reasons. Some of the relationships between the characters are difficult to read, and there are few moments of being a crew, of being together, to ease the pressing darkness – although fitting for the situation, it might have been nice to have those moments. Then there is the horror aspect, which when paired with the creeping tension of being hunted by the creature, as well as the twists and turns of the crews' actions, which settles uneasily beneath your skin. There is also plenty of gore and death, although it never felt as though it went too far, but it might not be for everyone.
That said, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed how the author played with the horror aspect, and her ability to create such a charged, emotional atmosphere that took me beyond the pages and right into the action, and this would be such a fun book to see adapted on the screen – because it’s already so vivid. This is a book for anyone who enjoys sci-fi horror, and especially those who want a healthy, complicated doze of humanity alongside the unknown.
May 18, 2021
4.5 Recommended for fans of Alien and Cube. I love science fiction horror. To me it’s one of the most honest subgenres, along with body horror. It allows us to look at real potentialities and the very real dangers and threats they could bring. It is exploring both the unknown and the very possible. At this point in our existence, humans are dealing with existential dread on a daily basis, and because of that I think scifi horror is more appropriate than ever. Anne Tibbets absolutely hits the elements that makes scifi horror so strong with Scream From the Void. While the setting and the immediate situation seem fantastical, the threats are very real and much closer to home than one might expect.
Reina is a mechanics ensign on a research mission for the United Space Corps. They’re only two months away from the end of the mission and their return to Earth, which couldn’t happen soon enough in Reina’s opinion. Her supervisor has it out for her, and she’s stuck on the ship with her abusive ex-boyfriend who, not so long ago, beat her senseless. But of course, a smooth ending to a horrifically bumpy experience is not in the cards for Reina. Something is on the ship with them, something vicious, hungry, and seemingly unkillable. Can Reina use her exceptional skill and intelligence to survive the creature? And if she does, will she be able to escape the human monsters onboard as well?
Screams From the Void is a fierce, action-packed, feminist story that was a pleasure to read. I loved the nonlinear narrative structure Tibbets uses to acquaint us with the characters and their complicated relationships, especially when exploring Reina’s relationship with her ex. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where a survivor of intimate partner violence is trapped in close proximity with their abuser in this way, especially in such a creative setting. And Tibbets’ characters are strong, relatable, and clearly well thought out. I felt like I was an additional crew member trying to survive alongside them.
The external threat to the group is not something new. We’ve seen alien/space monster horror before, but Tibbets’ vision of the creature they’re fighting is vivid and terrifying. And while the concepts of space explorers battling conflict both external and internal is again familiar, the details of the plot, characters, and setting really lift Screams From the Void to an elevated place for me. If you enjoy scifi horror, you will certainly enjoy this book.
Reina is a mechanics ensign on a research mission for the United Space Corps. They’re only two months away from the end of the mission and their return to Earth, which couldn’t happen soon enough in Reina’s opinion. Her supervisor has it out for her, and she’s stuck on the ship with her abusive ex-boyfriend who, not so long ago, beat her senseless. But of course, a smooth ending to a horrifically bumpy experience is not in the cards for Reina. Something is on the ship with them, something vicious, hungry, and seemingly unkillable. Can Reina use her exceptional skill and intelligence to survive the creature? And if she does, will she be able to escape the human monsters onboard as well?
Screams From the Void is a fierce, action-packed, feminist story that was a pleasure to read. I loved the nonlinear narrative structure Tibbets uses to acquaint us with the characters and their complicated relationships, especially when exploring Reina’s relationship with her ex. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where a survivor of intimate partner violence is trapped in close proximity with their abuser in this way, especially in such a creative setting. And Tibbets’ characters are strong, relatable, and clearly well thought out. I felt like I was an additional crew member trying to survive alongside them.
The external threat to the group is not something new. We’ve seen alien/space monster horror before, but Tibbets’ vision of the creature they’re fighting is vivid and terrifying. And while the concepts of space explorers battling conflict both external and internal is again familiar, the details of the plot, characters, and setting really lift Screams From the Void to an elevated place for me. If you enjoy scifi horror, you will certainly enjoy this book.
February 15, 2021
Flame Tree has a killer 2021 lineup, and I was thrilled to be approved for Screams from the Void. After a string of YA horror, I was looking forward to diving into something a little meatier and this title did not let me down.
At the tail-end of a two year mission, mechanic Raina has reached her wits end. Her superior officer is degrading, dismissive and verbally abusive, her ex, Ensign Morven, is a ticking time bomb, and the ancient ship is falling apart. But the biggest problem comes when an unexpected foreign biological breaches command, sending the mission, and their survival, into chaos.
I loved this book.
Told primarily from Raina and Sergeant Pollux's perspectives, I was pleased to see not only a variety of strength-defining moments, but also two iterations of what a strong woman could look like. In Sergeant Pollux's case, she possessed several classic traits: top of her class intelligence, bravery, no-nonsense attitude, limited tolerance for bullshit, yet humanized by the conflict in her past. In her narrative moments, I appreciated the almost visceral foil to Raina's more restrained nature. That didn't make Raina any less strong, however, and I loved the fact that she wasn't portrayed as "book smart." She' was clever, intuitive, and flexible--able to work through difficult problems by experimenting and doing. Rarely do we see both types of intelligence portrayed in female characters, and I think it's so important to acknowledge that these attributes aren't one size fits all. Clashing personalities aside, I think many readers will relate to both voices and their response to crises.
And there was *plenty* of crisis. Tibbets did an excellent job with pacing and structure, weaving tension and dread into every chapter. From brutally-graphic gore to that glorious moment of silence right before the creature makes itself known, this isn't the kind of book you'll want to put down, if only to save yourself from the nightmares.
On a final note, I will say that there was some subject matter that might warrant a trigger warning. Tibbets explored the complex, oftentimes conflicting, emotions a survivor of domestic abuse might struggle with--and while there were depictions of violence, the descriptions weren't gratuitous, voyeuristic, or suffer-for-the-sake-of-redemption arcs.
Overall, Screams from the Void is a fast-paced, insightful, bloody good read that isn't satisfied to rest on its laurels. I'd recommend for fans of the Expanse, the Ryan Reynolds space horror: Life, or anyone looking for a gripping trapped-in-space read.
Thank you to Flame Tree and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.
At the tail-end of a two year mission, mechanic Raina has reached her wits end. Her superior officer is degrading, dismissive and verbally abusive, her ex, Ensign Morven, is a ticking time bomb, and the ancient ship is falling apart. But the biggest problem comes when an unexpected foreign biological breaches command, sending the mission, and their survival, into chaos.
I loved this book.
Told primarily from Raina and Sergeant Pollux's perspectives, I was pleased to see not only a variety of strength-defining moments, but also two iterations of what a strong woman could look like. In Sergeant Pollux's case, she possessed several classic traits: top of her class intelligence, bravery, no-nonsense attitude, limited tolerance for bullshit, yet humanized by the conflict in her past. In her narrative moments, I appreciated the almost visceral foil to Raina's more restrained nature. That didn't make Raina any less strong, however, and I loved the fact that she wasn't portrayed as "book smart." She' was clever, intuitive, and flexible--able to work through difficult problems by experimenting and doing. Rarely do we see both types of intelligence portrayed in female characters, and I think it's so important to acknowledge that these attributes aren't one size fits all. Clashing personalities aside, I think many readers will relate to both voices and their response to crises.
And there was *plenty* of crisis. Tibbets did an excellent job with pacing and structure, weaving tension and dread into every chapter. From brutally-graphic gore to that glorious moment of silence right before the creature makes itself known, this isn't the kind of book you'll want to put down, if only to save yourself from the nightmares.
On a final note, I will say that there was some subject matter that might warrant a trigger warning. Tibbets explored the complex, oftentimes conflicting, emotions a survivor of domestic abuse might struggle with--and while there were depictions of violence, the descriptions weren't gratuitous, voyeuristic, or suffer-for-the-sake-of-redemption arcs.
Overall, Screams from the Void is a fast-paced, insightful, bloody good read that isn't satisfied to rest on its laurels. I'd recommend for fans of the Expanse, the Ryan Reynolds space horror: Life, or anyone looking for a gripping trapped-in-space read.
Thank you to Flame Tree and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.
September 20, 2021
What an absolute blast this whole story was from start to finish. I was extremely hesitant going in at first because I am not a huge SCI-FI reader and when things are marketed as SCI-FI/Horror the story tends to end up being the ladder. But to my surprise, Anne Tibbets delivered BEAUTIFULLY when it came to SCREAMS FROM THE VOID.
200+ years in the future, an unknown creature finds its way onboard the Demeter and just rains absolute havoc in the best way possible. The creature was nicely described and all the characters just pulled me into their stories. Particularly Raina, I really loved her voice and character, but Sgt. Pollux although she bad ass I feel I didn't get enough from her. I love strong women characters especially the ones who find their voice as I read along. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID has survival, gore, and hella female power which are all things I root for when reading. I do wish some parts of the story were played to more (the gruesome parts okay, sue me) and Raina's relationship with Moe was dragged out more than I cared for. But I enjoyed it and would totally recommend it to my friends who want a little "ALIEN" esc in their life. Happy Reading!x
200+ years in the future, an unknown creature finds its way onboard the Demeter and just rains absolute havoc in the best way possible. The creature was nicely described and all the characters just pulled me into their stories. Particularly Raina, I really loved her voice and character, but Sgt. Pollux although she bad ass I feel I didn't get enough from her. I love strong women characters especially the ones who find their voice as I read along. SCREAMS FROM THE VOID has survival, gore, and hella female power which are all things I root for when reading. I do wish some parts of the story were played to more (the gruesome parts okay, sue me) and Raina's relationship with Moe was dragged out more than I cared for. But I enjoyed it and would totally recommend it to my friends who want a little "ALIEN" esc in their life. Happy Reading!x
July 9, 2021
Did the author just tried to make the plot as disturbing as possible without enough reasoning?
Seriously, the whole lot of problems started where there should be no problem at all. You are so distant in the future that you are able to explore Habitable planets in a different galaxy and have no security at all for consequences? How's that even possible?
Again, I don't have time to talk about the ridiculous characters. If you don't want to read something completely impossible, better waste time in some other book.
Seriously, the whole lot of problems started where there should be no problem at all. You are so distant in the future that you are able to explore Habitable planets in a different galaxy and have no security at all for consequences? How's that even possible?
Again, I don't have time to talk about the ridiculous characters. If you don't want to read something completely impossible, better waste time in some other book.
June 27, 2021
Ostensibly a book about an extraterrestrial lifeform invading a starship and slaughtering the crew (think Alien but with a more mammal-like monster), Screams from the Void delivers on that promise well enough. People die badly, right from the jump, and the book's relentless pacing keeps the pages turning as the bad deaths continue and the remaining crew's mental and physical health begins to break down. If you've seen Alien, you'll have a pretty good idea of how this is all going to go, but that doesn't make it less satisfying to follow along as it happens.
What I found more interesting than the creature feature--which is solid if not terribly groundbreaking--was the way the main character's past relationship, and her dealing with the fallout from it, is interwoven in mostly reverse-chronological order throughout the main plot. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that Raina, the protagonist, has just come out of an abusive relationship with a fellow crewmember, and I think Tibbets does a good job of fleshing the relationship and her abuser out, making for a complex but understandable series of conflicts. I appreciated that nothing was black and white, that Raina herself still felt tremendously conflicted even though she'd obviously done the right thing, and that her abuser was portrayed as a human being, even if also a monster. There are *many* moments where you want Raina to do better than she does, but her inability to completely discard her old feelings and see her fellow crewmember for who and what he truly is felt very real to me, and I felt sympathy even while feeling frustration with her.
Minor issues: I don't know why practically every current book is set in present tense, but I sometimes find it jarring, especially in a book that's leaping around in time, Pulp Fiction-style. There were a few typos that made it through the publishing process (which I don't care about but I know some readers have a hard time with). The climax is about as telegraphed as a climax can be, but still satisfying. The ending's a little abrupt; I don't need Lord of the Rings levels of denouement, but a little more clarification on a few things like the rashes that several characters develop would've been nice. I also kept expecting the faulty ventilation system to mean more than it ended up meaning, and there's a task in the middle of the book that's accomplished with relative ease that might've been better served with the addition of a few more roadblocks.
Overall a fun, fast read anchored by a solid depiction of a complex, abusive relationship. Well worth a look!
What I found more interesting than the creature feature--which is solid if not terribly groundbreaking--was the way the main character's past relationship, and her dealing with the fallout from it, is interwoven in mostly reverse-chronological order throughout the main plot. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that Raina, the protagonist, has just come out of an abusive relationship with a fellow crewmember, and I think Tibbets does a good job of fleshing the relationship and her abuser out, making for a complex but understandable series of conflicts. I appreciated that nothing was black and white, that Raina herself still felt tremendously conflicted even though she'd obviously done the right thing, and that her abuser was portrayed as a human being, even if also a monster. There are *many* moments where you want Raina to do better than she does, but her inability to completely discard her old feelings and see her fellow crewmember for who and what he truly is felt very real to me, and I felt sympathy even while feeling frustration with her.
Minor issues: I don't know why practically every current book is set in present tense, but I sometimes find it jarring, especially in a book that's leaping around in time, Pulp Fiction-style. There were a few typos that made it through the publishing process (which I don't care about but I know some readers have a hard time with). The climax is about as telegraphed as a climax can be, but still satisfying. The ending's a little abrupt; I don't need Lord of the Rings levels of denouement, but a little more clarification on a few things like the rashes that several characters develop would've been nice. I also kept expecting the faulty ventilation system to mean more than it ended up meaning, and there's a task in the middle of the book that's accomplished with relative ease that might've been better served with the addition of a few more roadblocks.
Overall a fun, fast read anchored by a solid depiction of a complex, abusive relationship. Well worth a look!
June 18, 2021
I am torn between really loving this novel for the chances it took, and loving this novel because it succeeded in entertaining the hell out of me. Maybe that doesn't make much sense, but if you read it I think you will understand what I mean.
In Screams from the Void Tibbets succeeds in the way Ridley Scott did in Alien (obvious comparison), and making a statement about unhealthy, toxic people and relationships. I think this is a very strong book for balancing entertainment value and a Romero-esque sense of semi-allegorical storytelling about violence against women (physical, psychological, and systemic).
Definitely recommended. 4.25/5
In Screams from the Void Tibbets succeeds in the way Ridley Scott did in Alien (obvious comparison), and making a statement about unhealthy, toxic people and relationships. I think this is a very strong book for balancing entertainment value and a Romero-esque sense of semi-allegorical storytelling about violence against women (physical, psychological, and systemic).
Definitely recommended. 4.25/5
June 14, 2022
I enjoyed it! I see people comparing it to Alien in some ways; the main character is a woman, there's a monster, they're in space.. Its a formula that works. It was gripping and kept me engaged throughout. Bit gory though. :)
April 17, 2021
I’ve had a real slump with Sci-Fi lately - the last 5-6 Sci-Fi books I’ve read I’ve really struggled to engage with and had difficultly picturing the worlds portrayed so they’ve ended up taking me ages to read. I’m pleased to say that Screams from the Void really broke this pattern and I finished it in a day due to its engaging narrative and action-packed plot.
The story is set on the spaceship Demeter; a science biology research ship with small crew who are at the end of their 2-year mission and about to head back to earth. The ship and the chain of command were very easy to picture and I really felt invested and immersed into the setting as a whole. The story begins by jumping perspectives, but our main character is Raina; a very relatable mechanic who is fed up with a boss who treats her badly and takes credit for her work and her ex-boyfriend on the ship who she is still trying to get over despite a problematic and abusive relationship. Raina is a great character and as a woman she is someone I think we can all empathise with. The book also uses a good technique of starting in the present day and then introducing flashbacks which work their way backwards to show us more about Raina and her relationship with Morven. This is a really nice way of giving the character’s backstories without it feeling too forced and jarring you out of the action in the present for exposition’s sake.
The ship is attacked by a foreign biological and the crew must have their wits about them to capture it. I loved the characters in the crew and we really got a feel for each of their distinct personalities (although Tasmin was extremely annoying but I forgive the author as Raina is such a strong female lead!). I also liked that Tibbett pulls no punches in killing off characters as we go and it does get a little gory at times but the action is well paced. I really enjoyed the human-focused twist towards the end (no spoilers, sorry) and it was a nice take on what could have been a simple alien invasion story. I would have perhaps liked a little more information on the rash which a few characters had – I was wondering if it was an infection or something which would change the characters in some way. I think there was a slight missed opportunity to make a real twist ending out of the last few pages if this had been explained further.
Overall, I really recommend Screams from the Void – it’s a gory Sci-Fi which is engaging and tells a good story. Thank you to NetGalley & Flame Tree Press for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
The story is set on the spaceship Demeter; a science biology research ship with small crew who are at the end of their 2-year mission and about to head back to earth. The ship and the chain of command were very easy to picture and I really felt invested and immersed into the setting as a whole. The story begins by jumping perspectives, but our main character is Raina; a very relatable mechanic who is fed up with a boss who treats her badly and takes credit for her work and her ex-boyfriend on the ship who she is still trying to get over despite a problematic and abusive relationship. Raina is a great character and as a woman she is someone I think we can all empathise with. The book also uses a good technique of starting in the present day and then introducing flashbacks which work their way backwards to show us more about Raina and her relationship with Morven. This is a really nice way of giving the character’s backstories without it feeling too forced and jarring you out of the action in the present for exposition’s sake.
The ship is attacked by a foreign biological and the crew must have their wits about them to capture it. I loved the characters in the crew and we really got a feel for each of their distinct personalities (although Tasmin was extremely annoying but I forgive the author as Raina is such a strong female lead!). I also liked that Tibbett pulls no punches in killing off characters as we go and it does get a little gory at times but the action is well paced. I really enjoyed the human-focused twist towards the end (no spoilers, sorry) and it was a nice take on what could have been a simple alien invasion story. I would have perhaps liked a little more information on the rash which a few characters had – I was wondering if it was an infection or something which would change the characters in some way. I think there was a slight missed opportunity to make a real twist ending out of the last few pages if this had been explained further.
Overall, I really recommend Screams from the Void – it’s a gory Sci-Fi which is engaging and tells a good story. Thank you to NetGalley & Flame Tree Press for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
May 9, 2021
Couldn't put it down. Moves at a rollicking pace. Very filmic,
February 19, 2021
Scary in space has always spoken to me as being like Alien in terms of suspense; there is a monster in the dark, and you know its coming.
Tibbets places you on the page with an ominous whisper in you ear; its already here. It’s behind you.
There is no hesitation, no stopping, and no escape aboard the freighter Demeter. The gradual introduction of the crew while unknown havoc explodes (literally) across the ship promises a story of high stakes, and with more than one element of horror.
The main protagonist, Ensign Reina, speaks to many of us as putting up with an awful situation for the “job” until enough is enough. From a boss who constantly degrades her to make up for his own ineptitude (who hasn’t been there?), to a sexy ex who’s bad boy side is way badder than any of us wants, Reina’s got her hands full. But her patience is running out quicker than the crew has members left.
Alongside Reina’s struggle is chief science officer Pollux who’s drive for constant improvement allowed dangerous cargo aboard. Something that’s hidden among the greenery of her collection of alien plant life to bring back to Earth. And when it bursts out of those early pages of the book, I wondered for the briefest moments if this fluffy critter wasn’t totally misunderstood.
Cue gore.
There are visceral moments of this book I won’t be able to scrub off my mind imagining. I’m not a big fan of bloody scenes, my empathy/imagination can’t hack it, but while the body count triggered my gross meter, it wasn’t the only vileness on the ship.
SPOILERS:
There is an alien on board. Its going to kill them all, and have I mentioned yet, that laser fire can’t kill it? Forget running out of ammo, throwing it out the airlock, or just plain wrestling it to death, lets start with the fact its invisible. You can’t see the damn thing. Pollux bought an invisible death machine on board and now she’s got to get rid of it.
Pollux’s zero BS attitude and Reina’s adaptability on a very dysfunctional ship give a hope that vanishes as quickly as the pace advances. Separated early on, the two differing viewpoints each add their own aspect of terror. Reina, side by side with her abusive ex, and Pollux, fighting off a debilitating rash that’s slowly stealing her thoughts.
For all their ingenuity, their struggle paints a horrible picture of how very f***ed they all are. And this was my one contention with the book. There were a couple of scenes were there was an over emphasis of the fact they had zero chance, but once that was done, I got on with seeing exactly how they were going to get out of it.
Because as much as you’re wondering what they’re going to do about this creature, it was only a part of the stakes. Reina’s ex Morven isn’t so much her ex as the guy from her past she can’t escape; from falling in love with, from still loving despite all he’s done, let alone what he’s about to do.
The two intertwining threads of Reina’s personal demons vs the actual one roaming the ship weave a tangled terrified stream through the story. How you can be mentally trapped, as well as physically, and the emotional turmoil trying to extract from that situation. Reina spoke to a part of me that has cringed when a man raises his voice.
Tibbets proves there’s more than one way to scare a reader and I’m not ashamed to say I kept the lights on and watched Disney after finishing this book. Thoroughly recommend for the well balanced characters you can empathize with in their weakness, the science fiction elements made believable, and the kind of horror that leaves you terrified of the void. When science advances far enough for intergalactic travel, nobody sign me up for space botany.
Tibbets places you on the page with an ominous whisper in you ear; its already here. It’s behind you.
There is no hesitation, no stopping, and no escape aboard the freighter Demeter. The gradual introduction of the crew while unknown havoc explodes (literally) across the ship promises a story of high stakes, and with more than one element of horror.
The main protagonist, Ensign Reina, speaks to many of us as putting up with an awful situation for the “job” until enough is enough. From a boss who constantly degrades her to make up for his own ineptitude (who hasn’t been there?), to a sexy ex who’s bad boy side is way badder than any of us wants, Reina’s got her hands full. But her patience is running out quicker than the crew has members left.
Alongside Reina’s struggle is chief science officer Pollux who’s drive for constant improvement allowed dangerous cargo aboard. Something that’s hidden among the greenery of her collection of alien plant life to bring back to Earth. And when it bursts out of those early pages of the book, I wondered for the briefest moments if this fluffy critter wasn’t totally misunderstood.
Cue gore.
There are visceral moments of this book I won’t be able to scrub off my mind imagining. I’m not a big fan of bloody scenes, my empathy/imagination can’t hack it, but while the body count triggered my gross meter, it wasn’t the only vileness on the ship.
SPOILERS:
There is an alien on board. Its going to kill them all, and have I mentioned yet, that laser fire can’t kill it? Forget running out of ammo, throwing it out the airlock, or just plain wrestling it to death, lets start with the fact its invisible. You can’t see the damn thing. Pollux bought an invisible death machine on board and now she’s got to get rid of it.
Pollux’s zero BS attitude and Reina’s adaptability on a very dysfunctional ship give a hope that vanishes as quickly as the pace advances. Separated early on, the two differing viewpoints each add their own aspect of terror. Reina, side by side with her abusive ex, and Pollux, fighting off a debilitating rash that’s slowly stealing her thoughts.
For all their ingenuity, their struggle paints a horrible picture of how very f***ed they all are. And this was my one contention with the book. There were a couple of scenes were there was an over emphasis of the fact they had zero chance, but once that was done, I got on with seeing exactly how they were going to get out of it.
Because as much as you’re wondering what they’re going to do about this creature, it was only a part of the stakes. Reina’s ex Morven isn’t so much her ex as the guy from her past she can’t escape; from falling in love with, from still loving despite all he’s done, let alone what he’s about to do.
The two intertwining threads of Reina’s personal demons vs the actual one roaming the ship weave a tangled terrified stream through the story. How you can be mentally trapped, as well as physically, and the emotional turmoil trying to extract from that situation. Reina spoke to a part of me that has cringed when a man raises his voice.
Tibbets proves there’s more than one way to scare a reader and I’m not ashamed to say I kept the lights on and watched Disney after finishing this book. Thoroughly recommend for the well balanced characters you can empathize with in their weakness, the science fiction elements made believable, and the kind of horror that leaves you terrified of the void. When science advances far enough for intergalactic travel, nobody sign me up for space botany.
April 25, 2021
This is a story that is scary, suspenseful and scream worthy.
Told using past and present. Flashbacks that with each one go further back in time, giving details of certain characters that reveal traits that were missed.
There is action and plenty of gore.
With the main bulk of the story set over one day, it is fast paced (seriously I finished the book in less than 3 hours).
Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, Screams From the Void is Sci-Fi mixed with horror which for me was a fantastic combo.
Told using past and present. Flashbacks that with each one go further back in time, giving details of certain characters that reveal traits that were missed.
There is action and plenty of gore.
With the main bulk of the story set over one day, it is fast paced (seriously I finished the book in less than 3 hours).
Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, Screams From the Void is Sci-Fi mixed with horror which for me was a fantastic combo.
March 11, 2021
Screams from the Void
[Blurb goes here]
I had a lot of fun reading the novel, although I read it in my own terms. A bit on that later. The writing is superb, loved it. What I have a problem with is one of the characters and first and foremost, the editing. Let me explain:
It's kind of 'à la mode' thing, to start of a TV series in the present, and then, after a few minutes, have a flashback of the main character. After that, is back to the present, and then back to the past, ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Well, this novel reads like that. We start in the present, when the crew of an exploratory vessel, collecting life samples in different planets, is in danger. Guts fly through the cabin of the ship, blood spattered in its walls. So far so good. Then a flashback. A good one, no problem. This goes on through out the book, and here is where all starts to go sideways. The flashbacks become repetitive. There's no new information in them either, since most of that information, we already read from situations taking place in the 'present'. The flashbacks seem to be in reverse chronological order.
One of the antagonist is, simply put, a piece of human trash. A real monster of a man. We know he is, since we read it in one of the first flashbacks. Do we really need to know, nearing the end of the book, that he seemed like a genuine good guy, but was a manipulative monster from the beginning? Obviously, we don't. Those flashbacks become repetitive real quick, so yea, I ended up skipping them, making for a more pleasant read.
The main character. Ugh! Dear author, you should have kill this one first. Let me elaborate. She was in a relationship with the 'monster of a man' and has been abused by him physically, time and again. He has a temper and he's the stereotypical wife-beating red neck, only handsome, burly and tall. He has been consistently showing his true colors. Consistently. Other members of the crew know this. At some point she's in real peril, he purposely decreases her chances of survival, she notices. She knows what happened. Still she decides to trust him at every turn, even when he keeps on betraying her at every turn. Her life at risk because of him over and over again. And then come the -by now- infamous flashbacks, describing how sweet he used to be, at first. Nothing like a flashback to justify her putting her life in the hands of the man who was trying to get her killed a few moments earlier, and a few moments before that, and so on.
The creature. All I have to say is this: really?
Yes, I know, after what you read here, me recommending this novel seems hypocritical. Still, I do. I enjoyed the action, the suspense, the horror and the gore. Really enjoyed it. My suggestion would be, read it on your own terms, if you want to have fun.
Thank you for the advanced copy!
[Blurb goes here]
I had a lot of fun reading the novel, although I read it in my own terms. A bit on that later. The writing is superb, loved it. What I have a problem with is one of the characters and first and foremost, the editing. Let me explain:
It's kind of 'à la mode' thing, to start of a TV series in the present, and then, after a few minutes, have a flashback of the main character. After that, is back to the present, and then back to the past, ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Well, this novel reads like that. We start in the present, when the crew of an exploratory vessel, collecting life samples in different planets, is in danger. Guts fly through the cabin of the ship, blood spattered in its walls. So far so good. Then a flashback. A good one, no problem. This goes on through out the book, and here is where all starts to go sideways. The flashbacks become repetitive. There's no new information in them either, since most of that information, we already read from situations taking place in the 'present'. The flashbacks seem to be in reverse chronological order.
One of the antagonist is, simply put, a piece of human trash. A real monster of a man. We know he is, since we read it in one of the first flashbacks. Do we really need to know, nearing the end of the book, that he seemed like a genuine good guy, but was a manipulative monster from the beginning? Obviously, we don't. Those flashbacks become repetitive real quick, so yea, I ended up skipping them, making for a more pleasant read.
The main character. Ugh! Dear author, you should have kill this one first. Let me elaborate. She was in a relationship with the 'monster of a man' and has been abused by him physically, time and again. He has a temper and he's the stereotypical wife-beating red neck, only handsome, burly and tall. He has been consistently showing his true colors. Consistently. Other members of the crew know this. At some point she's in real peril, he purposely decreases her chances of survival, she notices. She knows what happened. Still she decides to trust him at every turn, even when he keeps on betraying her at every turn. Her life at risk because of him over and over again. And then come the -by now- infamous flashbacks, describing how sweet he used to be, at first. Nothing like a flashback to justify her putting her life in the hands of the man who was trying to get her killed a few moments earlier, and a few moments before that, and so on.
The creature. All I have to say is this: really?
Yes, I know, after what you read here, me recommending this novel seems hypocritical. Still, I do. I enjoyed the action, the suspense, the horror and the gore. Really enjoyed it. My suggestion would be, read it on your own terms, if you want to have fun.
Thank you for the advanced copy!
February 16, 2021
Really enjoyed this book, a first time read of Anne Tibbets. Science fiction, horror, and thriller elements, all mixed in. Great characters, and lots of action. Can't wait for more from Anne Tibbets. #ScreamsfromtheVoid #NetGalley
May 26, 2023
Short little sci-fi. Alien invader on ship. Too much focus on the abusive relationship of main character. And hard for me to take serious a killer alien that is basically an R-rated version of Disney’s “Stitch” …
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2022
A bad Alien ripoff with no likable or even relatable characters and a bunch of really bad decisions. Also a really hamfisted and unnecessary DV plotline that contributed nothing to the plot.
September 27, 2022
I could not figure out what the point was. I understand what they were attempting to show but every character was a caricature. Every situation was drawn out and painful. And for what?
December 21, 2022
Very disappointing shallow horror tale
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
July 12, 2021
Anne Tibbets’s horror/science fiction story Screams from the Void owes “Alien” a nod for the basic premise (alien creature gets loose aboard spaceship and starts killing everyone), but it has plenty of original material to add to the basics. When our story starts, Ensign Kris Cunningham notes a reading that doesn’t make sense: it indicates a foreign biological is quickly making its way toward the flight deck of the Demeter through the air vent system. What emerges is roughly dog-sized, furry, has six legs and four eyes, and can camouflage itself. It also has quick reflexes and claws like you wouldn’t believe. Meanwhile, three others are returning to the ship from the planet they’re studying (Planet Gliese). One of them, Technical Sergeant Pollux, has damaged her suit controls and is in danger of literally roasting to death. Mechanics Ensign Raina attempts to jury-rig a fix, knowing all the while that it’s yet another “unregulated” repair and that her boss will report her yet again. As people start to realize that there’s something horrible going on, the living split into two teams: the officers go after the biological, and the ensigns are made to hide away in the galley. Unfortunately for Raina, her ex, Ensign Morven, is also there. Not only is he the person who badly abused her in the past, but he has some goals and ambitions that don’t mesh well with working together as a team.
This is a great combination of creature-horror and emotional horror. Half of the story takes place in the present, and half of it takes place in inverse chronological order in parallel (it makes sense when you read it). Tibbets was seriously courageous to work this kind of tale of domestic violence into a horror/sci-fi novel. There’s a lot of very realistic stuff in Raina’s relationship with Morven. He manipulates her perfectly. She ignores warning signs. The captain just sees it as a natural consequence of the fraternization that he always warns his crew against, and doesn’t do anything other than telling the two to stay away from each other.
It makes some sense that the ensigns lack a certain amount of common sense, since they’re fresh out of training. So I can forgive most of them for putting down bait to catch the creature, only to stay nearby arguing loudly. Most character mistakes are entirely believable in here.
If you like claustrophobic creature-horror tales aboard old, junky spaceships, this one’s perfect.
Content notes: gore, death, domestic violence, partner rape, sex.
Original review posted on my blog: https://www.errantdreams.com/2021/07/...
This is a great combination of creature-horror and emotional horror. Half of the story takes place in the present, and half of it takes place in inverse chronological order in parallel (it makes sense when you read it). Tibbets was seriously courageous to work this kind of tale of domestic violence into a horror/sci-fi novel. There’s a lot of very realistic stuff in Raina’s relationship with Morven. He manipulates her perfectly. She ignores warning signs. The captain just sees it as a natural consequence of the fraternization that he always warns his crew against, and doesn’t do anything other than telling the two to stay away from each other.
It makes some sense that the ensigns lack a certain amount of common sense, since they’re fresh out of training. So I can forgive most of them for putting down bait to catch the creature, only to stay nearby arguing loudly. Most character mistakes are entirely believable in here.
If you like claustrophobic creature-horror tales aboard old, junky spaceships, this one’s perfect.
Content notes: gore, death, domestic violence, partner rape, sex.
Original review posted on my blog: https://www.errantdreams.com/2021/07/...
May 27, 2021
I am rather partial to a space adventure, especially one with some strong female characters, and Screams From The Void proved to be just the thing to satisfy my galactic leanings!
The Demeter is on a two year mission to collect specimens of alien plant life from planets in deep space, before returning to Earth with their potentially valuable load. The small crew is made up of a few experienced officers, including the brooding Science Officer Pollux who is sick to death of her colleagues, and a handful of ensigns on their first United Space Corps mission - one of whom, Mechanics Ensign Raina, is finding the last few months of the trip pretty hard to bear too. Her boss has turned out to be a lazy, boorish, regulation obsessed chauvinist, who belittles her at every turn and is quick to quash any ideas she may have of showing her technical flare, even though her skills are just about the only thing holding the 'bucket of bolts' Demeter together, and she is trying to extricate herself from a disastrous affair with another of the crew, Morven, who has turned out to be a far from ideal partner.
When a biological creature sneaks aboard the ship after one of their planetary sample collecting trips, it spells disaster for the crew. With officers dropping like flies, it is up to the ensigns to try to pull together to save the ship - a task that proves far from easy considering the aggression and robustness of the creature; the total inability of some of them to cope with danger; Morven's simmering hatred for anyone who dares to gainsay his ambition to be in charge - and his vicious resentment of Raina, who no longer wants anything to do with his controlling and downright abusive behaviour.
As the situation escalates and the blood and guts fly, it is two women on board that are the ones to grasp the off-worldly nettle and show their strength and intelligence to deal with the rampaging creature - Raina, with her quick mind, reflexes and technical prowess, and Pollux, who channels her battle with the demons from her past into the kind of force they desperately need to survive.
This is a fast and furious space drama, with chilling echoes of Alien, that is hugely entertaining, and rather intriguingly runs the history of Raina and Morven's toxic relationship in a back to front timeline alongside the current events playing out on the ship. But it also has some very interesting things to say about sibling rivalry; the struggle of women to earn recognition and promotion in the workplace (albeit a workplace in space), and about the insidious way abusive relationships can take over your life - especially when you cannot escape the clutches of your abuser. Rather deliciously, our two women manage to kick back against all that is thrown at them in this book, and come out firmly on top, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
It was interesting to note that Anne Tibbets says in her Acknowledgements that she had little success getting this book published until after the advent of the #MeToo movement, which I think says a lot about the distorted perception about who actually reads books in the sci-fi genre - contrary to popular belief, women do read sci-fi and they want to read about the kind of strong female leads in this book, who refuse to fit into sexual stereotypes. I loved it! More please sci-fi publishers!
The Demeter is on a two year mission to collect specimens of alien plant life from planets in deep space, before returning to Earth with their potentially valuable load. The small crew is made up of a few experienced officers, including the brooding Science Officer Pollux who is sick to death of her colleagues, and a handful of ensigns on their first United Space Corps mission - one of whom, Mechanics Ensign Raina, is finding the last few months of the trip pretty hard to bear too. Her boss has turned out to be a lazy, boorish, regulation obsessed chauvinist, who belittles her at every turn and is quick to quash any ideas she may have of showing her technical flare, even though her skills are just about the only thing holding the 'bucket of bolts' Demeter together, and she is trying to extricate herself from a disastrous affair with another of the crew, Morven, who has turned out to be a far from ideal partner.
When a biological creature sneaks aboard the ship after one of their planetary sample collecting trips, it spells disaster for the crew. With officers dropping like flies, it is up to the ensigns to try to pull together to save the ship - a task that proves far from easy considering the aggression and robustness of the creature; the total inability of some of them to cope with danger; Morven's simmering hatred for anyone who dares to gainsay his ambition to be in charge - and his vicious resentment of Raina, who no longer wants anything to do with his controlling and downright abusive behaviour.
As the situation escalates and the blood and guts fly, it is two women on board that are the ones to grasp the off-worldly nettle and show their strength and intelligence to deal with the rampaging creature - Raina, with her quick mind, reflexes and technical prowess, and Pollux, who channels her battle with the demons from her past into the kind of force they desperately need to survive.
This is a fast and furious space drama, with chilling echoes of Alien, that is hugely entertaining, and rather intriguingly runs the history of Raina and Morven's toxic relationship in a back to front timeline alongside the current events playing out on the ship. But it also has some very interesting things to say about sibling rivalry; the struggle of women to earn recognition and promotion in the workplace (albeit a workplace in space), and about the insidious way abusive relationships can take over your life - especially when you cannot escape the clutches of your abuser. Rather deliciously, our two women manage to kick back against all that is thrown at them in this book, and come out firmly on top, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
It was interesting to note that Anne Tibbets says in her Acknowledgements that she had little success getting this book published until after the advent of the #MeToo movement, which I think says a lot about the distorted perception about who actually reads books in the sci-fi genre - contrary to popular belief, women do read sci-fi and they want to read about the kind of strong female leads in this book, who refuse to fit into sexual stereotypes. I loved it! More please sci-fi publishers!
May 26, 2021
𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗱
𝗕𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘀
👩🏻🚀👨🏽🚀👩🏻🚀🧑🏾🚀
Thank you for my #gifted copy @annecater14 #randomthingstours @flametreepress and @annetibbets for my honest review.
*Synopsis*
For two years in deep space, the freighter Demeterand a small crew have
collected botanical life from other planets. It's a lesson in patience and hell.
Mechanics Ensign Raina is ready to jump ship, if only because her abusive ex is also aboard, ĺas well as her overbearing boss. It's only after a foreign biological creature sneaks aboard and wreaks havoc on the ship and crew
that Raina must find her grit - and maybe create a gadget or two - to survive...
that is, if the crew members don't lose their sanityand turn on each other in the process.
I think this is the first sci-fi book I've enjoyed. It's not too heavy in regards to space terms as this book follows more character dialogue. In also found this sci-fi to have a horror/thriller tone in the story which really made it a yay for me. From get go you're dived right into an attack in the United Space Corps Vessel- Demeter, where an Ensign and Captain find a foreign creature in there air vent. From then on chaos happen. But we don't just have a monster about, we also have a murderer! The book says it's a game of cat and mouse, and it sure was. I was sat on the edge of my seat wondering how everything played out and damn this book had a LOT of death!
I absolutely loved Raina and gosh has she been through hell! I felt absolutely horror for at times, especially with the vile Osric. Though the woman knows how to not put up with crap and damn she told him one! Loved that scene. I also liked Tamsin, who is the youngest on the ship, but definitely extremely clever. I'm glad she had Raina's back. There banter is brilliant. The males on this ship bar Niall and Avram, are just awful. Sexist and just utterly horrid, at times I thought they were worse than the monster.
I loved the writing style, you have a nice bit of world building but not too much that I'm confused on what is going on. You are thrown into different time zones, which helps give you a background on both the characters and what the ship and the crew are there to do. I absolutely loved how fast paced this book is, with quick chapters and even with the book being 200 odd paged long, it really is jammed packed and felt like a big chunky book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and I think it's because of the horror/thriller aspect. I was left wondering how everything will play out and it's not completely a happy ever after ending. It felt very post-apocalyptic in the ship! I loved how it ended and it certainly gives room for this story to be a series, which I hope is the case. If you're like me and very new to sci-fi, I definitely recommend this book, it's short but definitely not sweet. You're not overwhelmed by the science and space dialogue and you're more engrossed in the monster and all these killings. I'm impressed and definitely glad I got the chance to read this awesome book.
𝗕𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘀
👩🏻🚀👨🏽🚀👩🏻🚀🧑🏾🚀
Thank you for my #gifted copy @annecater14 #randomthingstours @flametreepress and @annetibbets for my honest review.
*Synopsis*
For two years in deep space, the freighter Demeterand a small crew have
collected botanical life from other planets. It's a lesson in patience and hell.
Mechanics Ensign Raina is ready to jump ship, if only because her abusive ex is also aboard, ĺas well as her overbearing boss. It's only after a foreign biological creature sneaks aboard and wreaks havoc on the ship and crew
that Raina must find her grit - and maybe create a gadget or two - to survive...
that is, if the crew members don't lose their sanityand turn on each other in the process.
I think this is the first sci-fi book I've enjoyed. It's not too heavy in regards to space terms as this book follows more character dialogue. In also found this sci-fi to have a horror/thriller tone in the story which really made it a yay for me. From get go you're dived right into an attack in the United Space Corps Vessel- Demeter, where an Ensign and Captain find a foreign creature in there air vent. From then on chaos happen. But we don't just have a monster about, we also have a murderer! The book says it's a game of cat and mouse, and it sure was. I was sat on the edge of my seat wondering how everything played out and damn this book had a LOT of death!
I absolutely loved Raina and gosh has she been through hell! I felt absolutely horror for at times, especially with the vile Osric. Though the woman knows how to not put up with crap and damn she told him one! Loved that scene. I also liked Tamsin, who is the youngest on the ship, but definitely extremely clever. I'm glad she had Raina's back. There banter is brilliant. The males on this ship bar Niall and Avram, are just awful. Sexist and just utterly horrid, at times I thought they were worse than the monster.
I loved the writing style, you have a nice bit of world building but not too much that I'm confused on what is going on. You are thrown into different time zones, which helps give you a background on both the characters and what the ship and the crew are there to do. I absolutely loved how fast paced this book is, with quick chapters and even with the book being 200 odd paged long, it really is jammed packed and felt like a big chunky book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and I think it's because of the horror/thriller aspect. I was left wondering how everything will play out and it's not completely a happy ever after ending. It felt very post-apocalyptic in the ship! I loved how it ended and it certainly gives room for this story to be a series, which I hope is the case. If you're like me and very new to sci-fi, I definitely recommend this book, it's short but definitely not sweet. You're not overwhelmed by the science and space dialogue and you're more engrossed in the monster and all these killings. I'm impressed and definitely glad I got the chance to read this awesome book.
May 30, 2021
As promised, here is my extended review of Screams from the Void by Anne Tibbets. I received an ARC to review as a participant in a blog tour. Now, a few days late, I have finished the novel.
My overall feeling about this book is the same as my first impression. It’s damn good. I especially like how it starts off with a bang. The expectation is set in the first few pages that the book will deliver gruesome sci-fi terror in the vein of Ridley Scott’s Alien. The novel delivers on this promise.
Raina, the protagonist, is a sympathetic character who we learn made the mistake of getting involved in an abusive relationship during a two-year voyage aboard an interstellar spacecraft. At the beginning of the novel, she’s recently broken off a relationship with her abuser and reported him to the captain. As is often the case in he said/she said situations, Raina receives little support from the captain, and it is intimated that the whole predicament is her fault.
Utilizing a timeline alternating from the present to months earlier, while Raina was still in the relationship with her abuser, we learn how horrible her domestic situation was. This is especially poignant in light of the recent MeToo movement. It is also a clever device to differentiate Screams from the Void from other horrifying tales of deadly aliens running amok aboard starships. I will go so far as to say that the tale of abuse that continues throughout the novel and is only resolved at its climax is more terrifying and ultimately satisfying than the crew battling to survive the alien encounter.
This fast-paced novel is gory good fun. Intertwining a tale of domestic abuse with a space monster story makes for a unique read. The supporting characters are cut from typical sci-fi cloth that will make them readily recognizable to readers. But have no fear; Raina and her abuser are not stereotypical, both being well characterized. My one quibble is that in places, profanity is ever so slightly overused to show emotional distress.
I will reiterate that aspiring authors will do well to study the opening chapter of this book. It really does start off with a big bang that immediately pulls the reader into the story. Also, it’s worth reading the acknowledgments, which is not something I typically do. In this case, it is 100% worth it. Anne talks about the struggles she had getting this book published and indicates that perhaps current events such as the MeToo movement helped get it over the finish line from manuscript to novel. I think this reminds us all that perseverance is an essential trait for any fiction writer.
My overall feeling about this book is the same as my first impression. It’s damn good. I especially like how it starts off with a bang. The expectation is set in the first few pages that the book will deliver gruesome sci-fi terror in the vein of Ridley Scott’s Alien. The novel delivers on this promise.
Raina, the protagonist, is a sympathetic character who we learn made the mistake of getting involved in an abusive relationship during a two-year voyage aboard an interstellar spacecraft. At the beginning of the novel, she’s recently broken off a relationship with her abuser and reported him to the captain. As is often the case in he said/she said situations, Raina receives little support from the captain, and it is intimated that the whole predicament is her fault.
Utilizing a timeline alternating from the present to months earlier, while Raina was still in the relationship with her abuser, we learn how horrible her domestic situation was. This is especially poignant in light of the recent MeToo movement. It is also a clever device to differentiate Screams from the Void from other horrifying tales of deadly aliens running amok aboard starships. I will go so far as to say that the tale of abuse that continues throughout the novel and is only resolved at its climax is more terrifying and ultimately satisfying than the crew battling to survive the alien encounter.
This fast-paced novel is gory good fun. Intertwining a tale of domestic abuse with a space monster story makes for a unique read. The supporting characters are cut from typical sci-fi cloth that will make them readily recognizable to readers. But have no fear; Raina and her abuser are not stereotypical, both being well characterized. My one quibble is that in places, profanity is ever so slightly overused to show emotional distress.
I will reiterate that aspiring authors will do well to study the opening chapter of this book. It really does start off with a big bang that immediately pulls the reader into the story. Also, it’s worth reading the acknowledgments, which is not something I typically do. In this case, it is 100% worth it. Anne talks about the struggles she had getting this book published and indicates that perhaps current events such as the MeToo movement helped get it over the finish line from manuscript to novel. I think this reminds us all that perseverance is an essential trait for any fiction writer.
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