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The Dead Sun Chronicles #1
The Beast From Beyond: A Science-Fiction Horror Novel
The sun is dying and with it the Earth. Ryon Barker is a young man aboard a ship fleeing into the unknown abyss of space, but where exactly are they heading? Inter-dimensional demons lurk in the shadows beyond reality, waiting to guide Ryon and the ship towards a horrifying destiny no one is prepared to confront. As the Beast looms in his waking nightmares and terrifying visions haunt his fevered mind, Ryon must navigate his parent’s high expectations for his future while living up to his own hopes for love and purpose.
But how will he overcome the cosmic forces which seek to use him as a pawn in a game bigger than reality itself?
But how will he overcome the cosmic forces which seek to use him as a pawn in a game bigger than reality itself?
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 9, 2022
I don’t know about you, but I’m attracted to stories that stand out as unique. And while I do have a preference – you know, a style, a theme and a genre that I always seem attracted to – I also like to keep my eye open for those examples that differ from the norm.
And ‘different’ is what you get with Sam Phillips’ The Beast From Beyond, Book 1 of the Dead Sun Chronicles.
Here’s the blurb:
******
The sun is dying and with it the Earth. Ryon Barker is a young man aboard a ship fleeing into the unknown abyss of space, but where exactly are they heading? Inter-dimensional demons lurk in the shadows beyond reality, waiting to guide Ryon and the ship towards a horrifying destiny no one is prepared to confront. As the Beast looms in his waking nightmares and terrifying visions haunt his fevered mind, Ryon must navigate his parent’s high expectations for his future while living up to his own hopes for love and purpose.
But how will he overcome the cosmic forces which seek to use him as a pawn in a game bigger than reality itself?
******
Our story develops from the perspective of Ryon Barker. A young man who, for all the wrong reasons, stands out from the rest of the crew. His mother just so happens to be the ship’s captain. His father is the chief medical officer. And Ryon himself? He’s something of a social misfit who doesn’t fit in. He’s ‘complicated’ and has a tendency to avoid everyday challenges by overanalyzing everything and procrastinating. This makes him come across as an obstinate whiner. Don’t get me wrong, he has a small circle of friends. But even they are irritated by his attitude, because, instead of making any attempt to integrate himself into the sterile environment and routine aboard the ship, Ryon holds them at arm’s length, preferring the solitude of the engine room over the company of friends.
And that’s a problem, because the engine room is where the void drive is housed, a physics-warping dynamo that wreaks havoc on human physiology. As you can imagine, Ryon soon falls ill, and succumbs to a malady that is more like an invasive infection that exotic radiation poisoning.
An apt analogy, for as the infection spreads, Ryon finds himself able to peer through the veil separating the real world from what lies beyond/within/without, making him question his grasp on reality, and reminding us of an old adage: when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you . . .
Only in this case, it speaks!
Eerie, insidious stuff.
I will admit that it took me a while to adapt to Phillip’s writing style, but once I had, I was able to progress at a comfy pace and relate to how the story arc was developing. And it develops well, containing insidious, classic sci-fi elements that help reveal what’s going on inside Ryon’s head as much as it lays the foundations for what’s to come. And I get the feeling the crew of this ship had better hold on.
Spacefaring spookiness.
And ‘different’ is what you get with Sam Phillips’ The Beast From Beyond, Book 1 of the Dead Sun Chronicles.
Here’s the blurb:
******
The sun is dying and with it the Earth. Ryon Barker is a young man aboard a ship fleeing into the unknown abyss of space, but where exactly are they heading? Inter-dimensional demons lurk in the shadows beyond reality, waiting to guide Ryon and the ship towards a horrifying destiny no one is prepared to confront. As the Beast looms in his waking nightmares and terrifying visions haunt his fevered mind, Ryon must navigate his parent’s high expectations for his future while living up to his own hopes for love and purpose.
But how will he overcome the cosmic forces which seek to use him as a pawn in a game bigger than reality itself?
******
Our story develops from the perspective of Ryon Barker. A young man who, for all the wrong reasons, stands out from the rest of the crew. His mother just so happens to be the ship’s captain. His father is the chief medical officer. And Ryon himself? He’s something of a social misfit who doesn’t fit in. He’s ‘complicated’ and has a tendency to avoid everyday challenges by overanalyzing everything and procrastinating. This makes him come across as an obstinate whiner. Don’t get me wrong, he has a small circle of friends. But even they are irritated by his attitude, because, instead of making any attempt to integrate himself into the sterile environment and routine aboard the ship, Ryon holds them at arm’s length, preferring the solitude of the engine room over the company of friends.
And that’s a problem, because the engine room is where the void drive is housed, a physics-warping dynamo that wreaks havoc on human physiology. As you can imagine, Ryon soon falls ill, and succumbs to a malady that is more like an invasive infection that exotic radiation poisoning.
An apt analogy, for as the infection spreads, Ryon finds himself able to peer through the veil separating the real world from what lies beyond/within/without, making him question his grasp on reality, and reminding us of an old adage: when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you . . .
Only in this case, it speaks!
Eerie, insidious stuff.
I will admit that it took me a while to adapt to Phillip’s writing style, but once I had, I was able to progress at a comfy pace and relate to how the story arc was developing. And it develops well, containing insidious, classic sci-fi elements that help reveal what’s going on inside Ryon’s head as much as it lays the foundations for what’s to come. And I get the feeling the crew of this ship had better hold on.
Spacefaring spookiness.
January 6, 2022
This book is a must read. Sam M. Phillips is a sci fi master whose words paint extraordinary worlds and situations unlike anything I've ever read. There is loyalty to classic sci fi themes and aesthetics but I also found this book and the writting style to be reminiscent of Hunter S.Thompson, not afraid to delve into the muck and mire of human experiences. Instead, this book plunges right into it with a healthy dose of surrealism.
I loved, loved, loved it.
I loved, loved, loved it.
December 31, 2022
A metaphysical journey.
After being exposed to radiation poisoning, Rion, a member of a spaceship colony fleeing a doomed Earth, embarks on another trip . . . one inside of his mind. His uncertain destiny is conformity, freedom, or death, with the lines between these fates blurred. An effective sci-fi novel, although I believe multiple perspectives might have made the novel even more dynamic.
After being exposed to radiation poisoning, Rion, a member of a spaceship colony fleeing a doomed Earth, embarks on another trip . . . one inside of his mind. His uncertain destiny is conformity, freedom, or death, with the lines between these fates blurred. An effective sci-fi novel, although I believe multiple perspectives might have made the novel even more dynamic.
October 8, 2022
Not normally a fan of science fiction, the premise of the story intrigued me. I'm glad I gave it a chance as it was a very good story with enough horror elements to keep me interested. It was visceral and at times trippy with a bit of a Lovecraft vibe as the hidden creatures pull Ryon to the furthest reaches of his sanity. A great first installment.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews