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Paused
People are stopping, bodies halting regardless of situation or location. They are still alive but completely unresponsive, vulnerable statues utterly at the mercy of their environment. Unable to run from fire, some burn. Unable to return to shore, some drown. Unable to move from the path of a truck, some are crushed. Nor are you safe at home—unable to move, you starve.
Dr Alex Griffiths heads a research department in a university hospital. As more and more succumb to this strange affliction—including his own family—it becomes a race against time for his team to find an answer before they too are affected.
Humanity has been put on pause. Will it ever restart?
Dr Alex Griffiths heads a research department in a university hospital. As more and more succumb to this strange affliction—including his own family—it becomes a race against time for his team to find an answer before they too are affected.
Humanity has been put on pause. Will it ever restart?
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 11, 2022
About the author
Stephanie Ellis
177 books120 followersStephanie Ellis writes dark speculative prose and poetry and has been published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. Her longer work includes the novels, The Five Turns of the Wheel, Reborn and The Woodcutter, and the novellas, Paused and Bottled. Her new post-apocalytpic/sci-fi/horror novel, The Barricade is due out this year!
She is a Rhysling and Elgin nominated poet, co-authoring the poetry collection, Foundlings, with Cindy O'Quinn, Lilith Rising with Shane Douglas Keene and solo work Metallurgy.
She can be found at https://stephanieellis.org
She is a Rhysling and Elgin nominated poet, co-authoring the poetry collection, Foundlings, with Cindy O'Quinn, Lilith Rising with Shane Douglas Keene and solo work Metallurgy.
She can be found at https://stephanieellis.org
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 9, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Stephanie Ellis for providing me with this novella for an honest review.
The plot was a unique idea and I can appreciate that.
It's very fast-paced and I couldn't put it down, due to the fact I was wanting to know what was going to happen next.
It's written well with great characters.
Nice, short, fun read.
The plot was a unique idea and I can appreciate that.
It's very fast-paced and I couldn't put it down, due to the fact I was wanting to know what was going to happen next.
It's written well with great characters.
Nice, short, fun read.
December 15, 2022
A Non-Stop Page Turner!
Out of nowhere a new disease is quickly rising to pandemic status worldwide. Where did it originate from? Scientists are working day and night to find answers and a cure as the population is attacked seemingly, randomly. Hospitals are overflowing because patients check-in but they never check-out. When a person is attacked by this disease it is sudden where they immediately become stuck immobile whether they are just sleeping, walking, driving a car or any daily activity yet they are completely conscious of their surroundings. Why is this happening? If scientists don't discover answers soon they will also be struck down by this unknown pathogen and then the world could end in a matter of weeks.
This was a frightening novella which was well-written and entertaining. The author "Stephanie Ellis" created a story that was imaginative, realistic and oh, so terrifying. The length of the book was perfect instead of having a long drawn out medical drama rambling on and on. This is my first book by this author but certainly not my last and I highly recommend it to any reader who enjoys a good pandemic story although I found it quite horrifyingly scary when I thought if this pandemic became a reality. The good news though, this was a fictional horror or science fiction thriller. PHEW!
I want to thank the publisher "Bridgid's Gate Press, LLC" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novella and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 4 DROP DEAD 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
Out of nowhere a new disease is quickly rising to pandemic status worldwide. Where did it originate from? Scientists are working day and night to find answers and a cure as the population is attacked seemingly, randomly. Hospitals are overflowing because patients check-in but they never check-out. When a person is attacked by this disease it is sudden where they immediately become stuck immobile whether they are just sleeping, walking, driving a car or any daily activity yet they are completely conscious of their surroundings. Why is this happening? If scientists don't discover answers soon they will also be struck down by this unknown pathogen and then the world could end in a matter of weeks.
This was a frightening novella which was well-written and entertaining. The author "Stephanie Ellis" created a story that was imaginative, realistic and oh, so terrifying. The length of the book was perfect instead of having a long drawn out medical drama rambling on and on. This is my first book by this author but certainly not my last and I highly recommend it to any reader who enjoys a good pandemic story although I found it quite horrifyingly scary when I thought if this pandemic became a reality. The good news though, this was a fictional horror or science fiction thriller. PHEW!
I want to thank the publisher "Bridgid's Gate Press, LLC" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novella and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 4 DROP DEAD 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
January 19, 2022
Where to start!
When I first saw this being advertised, I think I said oooooh out loud. It looked like the kind of book I usually love and I adore the author's other books too. I thought it might be science fiction and it kind of is but it manages to be horror ( it truly would be a horrible situation) and also a mystery/ thriller in my opinion.
This is a fast-paced book and it is brilliant. The concept is unique and it's very clever. It is also a study of human behavior in a way and actually, it isn't an unbelievable plot because it plays into several collective fears and warnings. The characters are great, particularly Alex. The whole book works and you find yourself burning through it, eager to find out what happens next.
Really impressive and I hope we get to see more like this from the very talented Stephanie Ellis.
Just imagine though, what if this occurred! Oh my.......
5 huge stars
When I first saw this being advertised, I think I said oooooh out loud. It looked like the kind of book I usually love and I adore the author's other books too. I thought it might be science fiction and it kind of is but it manages to be horror ( it truly would be a horrible situation) and also a mystery/ thriller in my opinion.
This is a fast-paced book and it is brilliant. The concept is unique and it's very clever. It is also a study of human behavior in a way and actually, it isn't an unbelievable plot because it plays into several collective fears and warnings. The characters are great, particularly Alex. The whole book works and you find yourself burning through it, eager to find out what happens next.
Really impressive and I hope we get to see more like this from the very talented Stephanie Ellis.
Just imagine though, what if this occurred! Oh my.......
5 huge stars
January 18, 2022
This is a novella that could easily have been an epic.
Absolutely loved this one from Stephanie Ellis. My favourite of hers so far.
Pick this up now. You won't be able to PAUSE for a second.
I know... I'll get me coat.
Easy five stars.
Absolutely loved this one from Stephanie Ellis. My favourite of hers so far.
Pick this up now. You won't be able to PAUSE for a second.
I know... I'll get me coat.
Easy five stars.
October 27, 2022
Until now I’d resisted the temptation of reading any of the many post-Covid pandemic novels, but finally caved in with this one. The idea at the heart of it is such a good one: for anyone who’s read Jean-Dominique Bauby’s first-hand description of it from the inside (in
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
), how about if what’s ripping though the population is an unstoppable epidemic of Locked-in Syndrome? Nightmare.
Alex Griffiths’s first encounter with it is on his way home from work one evening when he spots a neighbour still sitting on the same park bench he’d seen him sitting on that morning. Although alive, the man is rigid, like a seated statue, apparently comatose. During the days which follow, a trickle of similar cases turns into a flood and, online, videos are being posted showing people frozen in mid-stride on street corners—as if “paused” there, hence the book’s title. Before long the whole human world is beginning to unravel.
Alex himself is head of one of the labs at Southampton University in the south of England, and as the cases pour in his team set about identifying and isolating the virus—if it is a virus, that is, because there are other possibilities too. Seen from the outside, as with Locked-in Syndrome, whatever is causing it seems to leave its victims in a vegetative state; on the inside though they are still horribly conscious, trapped within their own inert bodies. It is a nightmarish idea: you could be anywhere at the moment you freeze like this: safely at home maybe, perhaps even tucked up in bed—but then again, you might be outdoors, with night falling…or driving a car…
Although I thought the writing itself could have used one final edit perhaps (just very occasionally had to go back through a paragraph a second time) this is a decent read, just right for a pouring wet afternoon curled up in an armchair. And as for the author’s portrayal of the media during this pandemic: “There was almost a gloating element to the coverage, a competitive edge between the channels as they sought to outdo each other on the fear scale…triggering terror amongst the population, whipping up people’s anxieties.” Yep, clearly Stephanie Ellis hasn’t forgotten that part of it just as I haven’t.
Alex Griffiths’s first encounter with it is on his way home from work one evening when he spots a neighbour still sitting on the same park bench he’d seen him sitting on that morning. Although alive, the man is rigid, like a seated statue, apparently comatose. During the days which follow, a trickle of similar cases turns into a flood and, online, videos are being posted showing people frozen in mid-stride on street corners—as if “paused” there, hence the book’s title. Before long the whole human world is beginning to unravel.
Alex himself is head of one of the labs at Southampton University in the south of England, and as the cases pour in his team set about identifying and isolating the virus—if it is a virus, that is, because there are other possibilities too. Seen from the outside, as with Locked-in Syndrome, whatever is causing it seems to leave its victims in a vegetative state; on the inside though they are still horribly conscious, trapped within their own inert bodies. It is a nightmarish idea: you could be anywhere at the moment you freeze like this: safely at home maybe, perhaps even tucked up in bed—but then again, you might be outdoors, with night falling…or driving a car…
Although I thought the writing itself could have used one final edit perhaps (just very occasionally had to go back through a paragraph a second time) this is a decent read, just right for a pouring wet afternoon curled up in an armchair. And as for the author’s portrayal of the media during this pandemic: “There was almost a gloating element to the coverage, a competitive edge between the channels as they sought to outdo each other on the fear scale…triggering terror amongst the population, whipping up people’s anxieties.” Yep, clearly Stephanie Ellis hasn’t forgotten that part of it just as I haven’t.
February 8, 2022
When I learned of the premise for this novella, I was immediately interested. Stephanie Ellis' treatment of this clever speculation did not disappoint.
PAUSED is a taut science mystery/thriller that reads almost as fast as the immobilization malady spreads. I could have easily finished this the same night that I began reading it, but decided it would be better to spread it out longer for a greater appreciation. Besides, when I read too fast I miss things.
I was reminded of the science/thriller novels of Robin Cook while reading this. Ellis ramps it up another notch with an horrific element that is all the more disturbing for how palpable it seems, especially in our current pandemic times. There's a subtle message about the capabilities of modern science as well as the limitations (trial and error takes time) that sometimes is forgotten in our divided society. The science-deniers distrust all information from the medical professionals while the believers expect instant answers, solutions, and to be right the first time. Nobody is perfect.
In the reveal as to the cause of this strange epidemic is another example of new ways our planet might respond to the damage that humanity is incurring upon it. Kudos to Ellis for provoking these kinds of thoughts within such a short tale.
The characterization is well done, and concise. A lot is revealed in reactions and shared thoughts. What was especially impressive is that Ellis presents the reactions to the pandemic from the point-of-view of not just the unaffected (and diminishing) characters but also that of the afflicted. Some of the more terrifying scenes are those that reveal the thoughts of infected victims, unable to speak, move, blink an eye or physically react in anyway to let others know they are still alive and cognizant rather than just a vegetative state of being. Well done.
PAUSED is a taut science mystery/thriller that reads almost as fast as the immobilization malady spreads. I could have easily finished this the same night that I began reading it, but decided it would be better to spread it out longer for a greater appreciation. Besides, when I read too fast I miss things.
I was reminded of the science/thriller novels of Robin Cook while reading this. Ellis ramps it up another notch with an horrific element that is all the more disturbing for how palpable it seems, especially in our current pandemic times. There's a subtle message about the capabilities of modern science as well as the limitations (trial and error takes time) that sometimes is forgotten in our divided society. The science-deniers distrust all information from the medical professionals while the believers expect instant answers, solutions, and to be right the first time. Nobody is perfect.
In the reveal as to the cause of this strange epidemic is another example of new ways our planet might respond to the damage that humanity is incurring upon it. Kudos to Ellis for provoking these kinds of thoughts within such a short tale.
The characterization is well done, and concise. A lot is revealed in reactions and shared thoughts. What was especially impressive is that Ellis presents the reactions to the pandemic from the point-of-view of not just the unaffected (and diminishing) characters but also that of the afflicted. Some of the more terrifying scenes are those that reveal the thoughts of infected victims, unable to speak, move, blink an eye or physically react in anyway to let others know they are still alive and cognizant rather than just a vegetative state of being. Well done.
January 24, 2022
I’d read The five turns of the wheel, and Stephanie’s Cry me a river in the anthology “What one wouldn’t do” from Scott J.Moses, so as soon as I saw Paused on Twitter, I rushed over to Amazon, read the blurb, and bought it straight away.
I fell in love with the concept here, that of people, for no explainable reason, pausing. Stopping in their lives, unable to react, frozen in the moment. A pandemic of unexplained phenomenon and Stephanie wrote this book exactly how I was hoping – from a scientific standpoint. The horror here is that phenomenon, the myriad ways that that basic anomaly can destroy your life. Unable to react, unable to have any control of your life – that is the horror here, and Stephanie illustrates it wonderfully, with POV’s from the affected person and those around them.
That all sides of the afflicted person are viewed is the selling point here. We have the frozen perspective of the victims themselves. We have the perspective of loved ones, having to adapt and care for those stricken with the problem. We have people taking advantage of the unfortunate circumstance, the depravity of control over another person’s body once they are unable to respond or protest (and the abuse thereof). We have scientists, forsaking their own families in order to try and study and understand the problem, desperately searching for the reason of it all, in order to find a cure. We see those same scientists struck down by the affliction themselves, the growing fear of the ticking clock and the dwindling community that can do anything about it.
It’s divine, it really is a kick-ass situation Stephanie has illustrated here, with all the horror that comes with it. A simple alteration of a normal world, one element, and all hell breaks loose. A crane driver in the middle of a movement, freezes, the crane left out of control. A zookeeper feeding tigers suddenly becomes the main meal. Bus drivers traveling through a town, ambulance drivers rushing to pick up victims… Stephanie manages to invoke your own imagination here, all of the possible moments in your life where suddenly being frozen might mean your death… Fantastic. Imagine crossing a train track… Imagine being on a windy roof… Swimming… the possibilities are limitless, and that those frozen are cognizant of what happens after they are frozen, is yet another layer of horror grafted onto the problem.
So – I loved the situation even before I read the book, and Stephanie’s handling of that world is as thorough and gripping as the premise itself. Her voice is as easy to read as it was in Five turns. Each turn of the page brings more tension and problems. It’s a rollercoaster ride that doesn’t stop to give you a breath, is as relentless as a Tsunami, and equally as devastating. The ending is as good as it gets (no spoilers here), with an unspoken question only partially answered.
I can’t recommend this enough. I loved the book (premise) even before I received it, and Stephanie has written a fantastic psychological horror here. I read it in one sitting, and probably broke the land speed mile record for speed reading. That Silver Shamrock provided illustrations between the chapters as they did with Kev Harrison’s played well here, it was a nice touch.
Great work, Stephanie. 5 out of 5 ⭐ ‘s.
I fell in love with the concept here, that of people, for no explainable reason, pausing. Stopping in their lives, unable to react, frozen in the moment. A pandemic of unexplained phenomenon and Stephanie wrote this book exactly how I was hoping – from a scientific standpoint. The horror here is that phenomenon, the myriad ways that that basic anomaly can destroy your life. Unable to react, unable to have any control of your life – that is the horror here, and Stephanie illustrates it wonderfully, with POV’s from the affected person and those around them.
That all sides of the afflicted person are viewed is the selling point here. We have the frozen perspective of the victims themselves. We have the perspective of loved ones, having to adapt and care for those stricken with the problem. We have people taking advantage of the unfortunate circumstance, the depravity of control over another person’s body once they are unable to respond or protest (and the abuse thereof). We have scientists, forsaking their own families in order to try and study and understand the problem, desperately searching for the reason of it all, in order to find a cure. We see those same scientists struck down by the affliction themselves, the growing fear of the ticking clock and the dwindling community that can do anything about it.
It’s divine, it really is a kick-ass situation Stephanie has illustrated here, with all the horror that comes with it. A simple alteration of a normal world, one element, and all hell breaks loose. A crane driver in the middle of a movement, freezes, the crane left out of control. A zookeeper feeding tigers suddenly becomes the main meal. Bus drivers traveling through a town, ambulance drivers rushing to pick up victims… Stephanie manages to invoke your own imagination here, all of the possible moments in your life where suddenly being frozen might mean your death… Fantastic. Imagine crossing a train track… Imagine being on a windy roof… Swimming… the possibilities are limitless, and that those frozen are cognizant of what happens after they are frozen, is yet another layer of horror grafted onto the problem.
So – I loved the situation even before I read the book, and Stephanie’s handling of that world is as thorough and gripping as the premise itself. Her voice is as easy to read as it was in Five turns. Each turn of the page brings more tension and problems. It’s a rollercoaster ride that doesn’t stop to give you a breath, is as relentless as a Tsunami, and equally as devastating. The ending is as good as it gets (no spoilers here), with an unspoken question only partially answered.
I can’t recommend this enough. I loved the book (premise) even before I received it, and Stephanie has written a fantastic psychological horror here. I read it in one sitting, and probably broke the land speed mile record for speed reading. That Silver Shamrock provided illustrations between the chapters as they did with Kev Harrison’s played well here, it was a nice touch.
Great work, Stephanie. 5 out of 5 ⭐ ‘s.
Read
February 6, 2022A very unsettling idea with deft execution. A strange outbreak of people being paused, frozen and immobile yet alive, occurs all over the world with no rational explanation. Scientists race against the clock to cure or reverse the syndrome while the strange ailment takes down everyone around them. Author Stephanie Ellis pulls off a very creepy apocalyptic tale that cuts too close to the bone in these pandemic times.
April 23, 2022
Ellis ventures into thriller territory with Paused, and her careful prose serves the genre perfectly. The premise of the novella is as follows: something is causing people to freeze in place, and it's occurring piecemeal, striking one individual at a time. It unfolds like a disease.
One of the greatest things about this book is the true to life anxiety it teases out of the reader. Ellis uses a number of devices to achieve this with impact, from text messages to social media posts, to online videos, to newscasts around the world. All of those things work to envelop the reader, and when you're there, you're not too certain time won't stop for you.
The fact that this was released during the COVID-19 pandemic only enhances the palpable fear of the story. You feel like you can relate to the characters, and your hope for the cure is in their hope for the cure. Wonderful book!
One of the greatest things about this book is the true to life anxiety it teases out of the reader. Ellis uses a number of devices to achieve this with impact, from text messages to social media posts, to online videos, to newscasts around the world. All of those things work to envelop the reader, and when you're there, you're not too certain time won't stop for you.
The fact that this was released during the COVID-19 pandemic only enhances the palpable fear of the story. You feel like you can relate to the characters, and your hope for the cure is in their hope for the cure. Wonderful book!
August 28, 2022
This is the way the world ends: not with a bang but a whimper. T.S. Eliot
But is this the end? I’ll not tell.
PAUSED by Stephanie Ellis is a remarkable novella. Suddenly people are pausing. Not dead, but neither are they alive. And it’s spreading. An no one seems immune.
Much of the story follows a researcher who is racing against time to discover the cause, and hopefully, a cure. “Believe in a disease and you could believe in a remedy.” (Quote from the book)
The story is fast paced but includes deep characters and explores the motivations, fears, and reactions of all of us when facing a truly horrific reality.
This book is highly recommended for those who enjoy mysteries, thrillers, and apocalyptic horror.
A favorite line: He could only watch as the world around him exploded and he went with it.
But is this the end? I’ll not tell.
PAUSED by Stephanie Ellis is a remarkable novella. Suddenly people are pausing. Not dead, but neither are they alive. And it’s spreading. An no one seems immune.
Much of the story follows a researcher who is racing against time to discover the cause, and hopefully, a cure. “Believe in a disease and you could believe in a remedy.” (Quote from the book)
The story is fast paced but includes deep characters and explores the motivations, fears, and reactions of all of us when facing a truly horrific reality.
This book is highly recommended for those who enjoy mysteries, thrillers, and apocalyptic horror.
A favorite line: He could only watch as the world around him exploded and he went with it.
December 5, 2022
**Review originally published in SCREAM Magazine**
Imagine suddenly being struck immobile, unable to move or speak. Your brain and bodily functions are still active, but you’re trapped inside a body that has become like a stone prison. Hopefully, you didn’t freeze somewhere dangerous. Hopefully, you didn’t shut down away from others. Your very existence now depends on whether someone will find you and care for you.
This terrifying scenario is at the heart of Stephanie Ellis’s speculative sci-fi thriller Paused. A mysterious epidemic is quickly spreading across the globe. People are freezing without warning, hospitals are filling up, and chaos is spreading. No one knows what’s happening or who the disease will strike down next. It’s up to Dr. Alex and his research team to find a cure before it’s too late. But, the clock is quickly winding down, and each day, each hour, brings humanity one step closer to total shutdown.
The novella is reminiscent of science thrillers like those of Michael Crichton, with its rapid pacing, intentional focus on characters, and a conflict that examines both global devastation and individual panic. The author shows how this mysterious plague affects all people, and I appreciate that the POV changes some throughout the story. Some of the best chapters are the ones told from the perspective of the afflicted, as we see first hand how they become helplessly trapped in their own skin. It’s harrowing and quite disturbing, especially when their untimely inaction leads to their own death or the deaths of others. Imagine all the worst ways to die and not being able to do anything about it…chilling stuff.
The writing is fast-paced and urgent. You really feel the tension and fear of the scientists as they race against the clock, and the suspense continues to ratchet up as more and more people fall prey to the invisible enemy. I love the concept and the characters, but my biggest issue is that there’s not enough here. The pace, ironically, almost moves too quickly. There’s a lot tossed at the reader, but not all of it is fully fleshed out. I want more scenes of disaster, more insight into the malady, more trips out of the lab and into the real world, longer moments of character development, and so on. In short, I want Ellis to turn this into a full novel.
Thankfully, this is more than just another pandemic story. It serves as a thoughtful commentary on the various ways a society can break down. From individuals’ and governmental responses to research scientists and conspiracy theorists, Ellis has provided a full picture of how society can descend into chaos. An enigmatic disease that seemingly strikes at random is a terrifying force to reckon with, and you’ll be rooting alongside the scientists as they test every possible alternative to find the explanation. Despite the few qualms I have, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Paused by Stephanie Ellis.
Imagine suddenly being struck immobile, unable to move or speak. Your brain and bodily functions are still active, but you’re trapped inside a body that has become like a stone prison. Hopefully, you didn’t freeze somewhere dangerous. Hopefully, you didn’t shut down away from others. Your very existence now depends on whether someone will find you and care for you.
This terrifying scenario is at the heart of Stephanie Ellis’s speculative sci-fi thriller Paused. A mysterious epidemic is quickly spreading across the globe. People are freezing without warning, hospitals are filling up, and chaos is spreading. No one knows what’s happening or who the disease will strike down next. It’s up to Dr. Alex and his research team to find a cure before it’s too late. But, the clock is quickly winding down, and each day, each hour, brings humanity one step closer to total shutdown.
The novella is reminiscent of science thrillers like those of Michael Crichton, with its rapid pacing, intentional focus on characters, and a conflict that examines both global devastation and individual panic. The author shows how this mysterious plague affects all people, and I appreciate that the POV changes some throughout the story. Some of the best chapters are the ones told from the perspective of the afflicted, as we see first hand how they become helplessly trapped in their own skin. It’s harrowing and quite disturbing, especially when their untimely inaction leads to their own death or the deaths of others. Imagine all the worst ways to die and not being able to do anything about it…chilling stuff.
The writing is fast-paced and urgent. You really feel the tension and fear of the scientists as they race against the clock, and the suspense continues to ratchet up as more and more people fall prey to the invisible enemy. I love the concept and the characters, but my biggest issue is that there’s not enough here. The pace, ironically, almost moves too quickly. There’s a lot tossed at the reader, but not all of it is fully fleshed out. I want more scenes of disaster, more insight into the malady, more trips out of the lab and into the real world, longer moments of character development, and so on. In short, I want Ellis to turn this into a full novel.
Thankfully, this is more than just another pandemic story. It serves as a thoughtful commentary on the various ways a society can break down. From individuals’ and governmental responses to research scientists and conspiracy theorists, Ellis has provided a full picture of how society can descend into chaos. An enigmatic disease that seemingly strikes at random is a terrifying force to reckon with, and you’ll be rooting alongside the scientists as they test every possible alternative to find the explanation. Despite the few qualms I have, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Paused by Stephanie Ellis.
March 22, 2022
Whether Bottled or The Five Turns of the Wheel, Stephanie Ellis perpetually delivers with her Silver Shamrock releases. Paused is no exception.
Ellis takes a stunningly original and terrifying idea—what if we had to deal with a plague of unresponsiveness? People’s bodies shut down, but their minds continue to function as usual. Ellis introduces the idea from an outsider’s perspective, but it’s when she delves into the mind of a victim of this plague that the novella hits true horror territory.
Paused makes use of short chapters to deliver a book just shy of 120 pages that reads like a bullet thriller, keeping the reader turning pages and making it a real challenge to stretch this book across multiple sittings. There’s a tangible tension dropped in our laps and plucked like a guitar string as we join in the mystery of how this came to be, how it spreads, and how the characters we follow can avoid it.
Paused is a timely novella that references and has more than a few parallels with the pandemic we’ve lived with for two years now. At its heart is humanity, as Ellis refuses to relegate the story to the area of medical drama, focused on the humans locked inside their own bodies and the way that those around the world react to this strange phenomenon.
If you enjoyed Stephanie Ellis’ previous work, Paused is a worthy addition. If the author is new to you, this is a hell of a place to start.
Ellis takes a stunningly original and terrifying idea—what if we had to deal with a plague of unresponsiveness? People’s bodies shut down, but their minds continue to function as usual. Ellis introduces the idea from an outsider’s perspective, but it’s when she delves into the mind of a victim of this plague that the novella hits true horror territory.
Paused makes use of short chapters to deliver a book just shy of 120 pages that reads like a bullet thriller, keeping the reader turning pages and making it a real challenge to stretch this book across multiple sittings. There’s a tangible tension dropped in our laps and plucked like a guitar string as we join in the mystery of how this came to be, how it spreads, and how the characters we follow can avoid it.
Paused is a timely novella that references and has more than a few parallels with the pandemic we’ve lived with for two years now. At its heart is humanity, as Ellis refuses to relegate the story to the area of medical drama, focused on the humans locked inside their own bodies and the way that those around the world react to this strange phenomenon.
If you enjoyed Stephanie Ellis’ previous work, Paused is a worthy addition. If the author is new to you, this is a hell of a place to start.
January 24, 2022
This is my first Stephanie Ellis story and I really enjoyed it. I bought it last night and read it this afternoon which is very unusual for me!
We follow Alex and his team as they battle against the clock to find both a reason and cure for why humans are suddenly shuting down. All over the world, people find themselves paused right in the middle of their everyday lives. But think of the things you could be doing in a day, crossing a road? Going for a swim? Flying a plane? Now imagine your body just... stopping.
I was intrigued by the premise as I've long been interested (petrified) by the idea of being locked inside your body, unable to communicate. (Those stories of people being wide awake during operations leave me cold).
Told in a post Covid world, Paused definitely draws on the feeling of panic we've been subject to over the last couple of years. Ellis does really well to capture that mood here. The scenarios the characters find themselves in just before they are frozen in time are both inventive and horrifying.
Paused is a short, snappy novella and it's well worth a read.
We follow Alex and his team as they battle against the clock to find both a reason and cure for why humans are suddenly shuting down. All over the world, people find themselves paused right in the middle of their everyday lives. But think of the things you could be doing in a day, crossing a road? Going for a swim? Flying a plane? Now imagine your body just... stopping.
I was intrigued by the premise as I've long been interested (petrified) by the idea of being locked inside your body, unable to communicate. (Those stories of people being wide awake during operations leave me cold).
Told in a post Covid world, Paused definitely draws on the feeling of panic we've been subject to over the last couple of years. Ellis does really well to capture that mood here. The scenarios the characters find themselves in just before they are frozen in time are both inventive and horrifying.
Paused is a short, snappy novella and it's well worth a read.
January 11, 2022
Ellis proves there IS a place for pandemic-related literature right now. We may all be sick of Covid to the point of not wanting to read about it...but this book isn't about that. It references things, of course, which serves to ground the story and lend believability.
I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. It's fast paced, with a unique concept that I haven't seen anywhere else.
I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. It's fast paced, with a unique concept that I haven't seen anywhere else.
October 13, 2022
The human race is being PAUSED one by one. People are just stopping, unable to move or communicate. Hospitals are filling up with living bodies that need to be nourished and cared for, but how long will it be before the paused outnumber the mobile?
Alex and his team of scientists are working around the clock hoping to solve the problem before they succumb themselves.
Truly a nightmare scenario of being conscious of all that is going on around you but being unable to let people know that you are silently screaming in the husk of an unresponsive body.
Stephanie Ellis, @stephanieellis7963 really brings the feelings of dread and helplessness to life in this novella where anyone could be the next victim.
“Was mankind going out, not with a bang but a whimper? Switched off by a god who had become disenchanted with his toys, was moving on to something new, improved, shinier.”
Alex and his team of scientists are working around the clock hoping to solve the problem before they succumb themselves.
Truly a nightmare scenario of being conscious of all that is going on around you but being unable to let people know that you are silently screaming in the husk of an unresponsive body.
Stephanie Ellis, @stephanieellis7963 really brings the feelings of dread and helplessness to life in this novella where anyone could be the next victim.
“Was mankind going out, not with a bang but a whimper? Switched off by a god who had become disenchanted with his toys, was moving on to something new, improved, shinier.”
February 18, 2022
When I read the back cover copy of Paused, I knew I had to get my hands on this book. Love the idea of exploring the concept of what would happen if the world's population just started stopping in their tracks. Stephanie does a good job of exploring the consequences of human's inexplicably 'pausing' in a variety of situations. The pace of this novella ramps up faster than the pandemic it is following. One barely has time to digest the enormity of the situation before it gets worse. Nice, short, fun read.
February 2, 2022
3.5/5*
An interesting premise whereby people all around the world suddenly "pause," just stopping in place wherever they are, though they continue to breathe despite an otherwise catatonic state. Doctor/scientist Alex is already on a team at a university hospital which has begun seeing patients with this affliction when his family is stricken and end up in his hospital ward. Will he be able to lead his fellow scientists to find a cure and save his family?
The early parts of the story reminded me o early James Herbert, the way you're thrown right into the who catatonia thing in the opening pages and as the book goes on, seeing how it affects people from first-hand views of several characters. In the end I would like to have more of an explanation/solution to the issue at hand, but overall it was an entertaining read.
An interesting premise whereby people all around the world suddenly "pause," just stopping in place wherever they are, though they continue to breathe despite an otherwise catatonic state. Doctor/scientist Alex is already on a team at a university hospital which has begun seeing patients with this affliction when his family is stricken and end up in his hospital ward. Will he be able to lead his fellow scientists to find a cure and save his family?
The early parts of the story reminded me o early James Herbert, the way you're thrown right into the who catatonia thing in the opening pages and as the book goes on, seeing how it affects people from first-hand views of several characters. In the end I would like to have more of an explanation/solution to the issue at hand, but overall it was an entertaining read.
February 25, 2022
What a intense read! It’s well written, entertaining and suspenseful. It’s a nail biting race against the clock kinda read. What causing everyone to just stop? Will Dr. Alex Griffiths find the cause & cure in time? Only one way to find out!
February 22, 2022
I read Paused by Stephanie Ellis straight through without pause. Pardon the pun. 😂
I’ve been craving pandemic horror. I’m starting to see more and more narratives with Covid as a current crisis or as a past crisis. Paused takes place in the very near future with Covid still present but not a national emergency. An new, scarier and more out of control disease is infiltrating causing people to have a version of “locked in syndrome”. Still being aware and thinking but unable to move. Anyone’s worst nightmare.
“She had been following thread after conspiracy theory thread, just in case. “You never know,” she’d said, “might be something in it.” It had become an escape of sorts, the fantastical ideas proposed providing some much-needed respite with their ridiculousness.”
I found this very relevant to me. I follow the conspiracy threads as well for a since of escapism. So many parts of this story are relevant to a reader that it was like reading a story where you are the main character. Great fun to read and enjoy while quarantined in your home! ☺️
I’ve been craving pandemic horror. I’m starting to see more and more narratives with Covid as a current crisis or as a past crisis. Paused takes place in the very near future with Covid still present but not a national emergency. An new, scarier and more out of control disease is infiltrating causing people to have a version of “locked in syndrome”. Still being aware and thinking but unable to move. Anyone’s worst nightmare.
“She had been following thread after conspiracy theory thread, just in case. “You never know,” she’d said, “might be something in it.” It had become an escape of sorts, the fantastical ideas proposed providing some much-needed respite with their ridiculousness.”
I found this very relevant to me. I follow the conspiracy threads as well for a since of escapism. So many parts of this story are relevant to a reader that it was like reading a story where you are the main character. Great fun to read and enjoy while quarantined in your home! ☺️
October 25, 2022
Paused, a book written by Stephanie Ellis, was a real page-turner. The premise is that a pandemic has swept through the world which causes people to “pause”, rendering them unable to move or speak but leaving them cognizant of what’s happening around them. The book starts off with great momentum and continues throughout. The characters are well-thought out and relatable, making it that much more heartbreaking when a character succumbs to the disease. The end of the book is very thought provoking, leaving one to ponder what the world would look like after this type of pandemic, especially how much the world changed after COVID. Paused wasn’t a long book, which made it easy to read; however, I felt a little more substance related to the main character’s family could have been added to build up to the end. I would rate this book 5 stars because I enjoyed the dramatic, nail-biting development of the events.
December 21, 2023
Despite rushing through this book in almost one sitting, despite the action starting almost from page 1, the story felt somehow slow and especially 'silent' - but in a weird, good way. Does that make sense?
The subject of the book was really scary, most of all I guess because it was based on current conditions - so what if something like the disturbing scenario would happen in reality? It doesn't seem that far-fetched, or does it?
While the novella was too short to delve into all characters with decent depth, it provided enough information to feel connected to and care about them. This was in equal measure an uncomfortable and unputdownable read.
The subject of the book was really scary, most of all I guess because it was based on current conditions - so what if something like the disturbing scenario would happen in reality? It doesn't seem that far-fetched, or does it?
While the novella was too short to delve into all characters with decent depth, it provided enough information to feel connected to and care about them. This was in equal measure an uncomfortable and unputdownable read.
July 9, 2022
First of all, what an excellent concept! This certainly feels like a fairly unexplored idea which seems more terrifying the more you're left to think about it. There are of course some horror style set-pieces (the crane scene was awful in a good way) in Paused but scratch the surface and you'll find much more. I actually found large portions of the book to be quite emotional as it seems to draw heavily from the hard lessons we learnt during the pandemic. Ellis explores isolation, grief, and loss in really interesting ways within a narrative which suffocates as you sense time is running out. There's a nod to the soulless media in how they deal with tragedy on such a large scale but I think at the heart of it the harsh lesson is to not take the little things for granted. I felt the science side of things had a good balance to it and was well put across without drowning the reader in information. Paused is as much a thriller as anything else and I was thrilled and entertained throughout.
August 12, 2022
"How had it come to this? In three weeks? The hundred admissions of only two nights ago were already a distant memory, wards overflowing, corridors full of a continual stream of victims. Was mankind going out, not with a bang but a whimper? Switched off by a god who had become disenchanted with his toys, was moving on to something new, improved, shinier."
-
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hibernate? What if you didn't have a choice of when or where it would happen?
Dr. Alex Griffiths and his research team are fighting against an ever louder ticking clock to find an explanation for the sudden new pandemic causing people to stop functioning normally. Whether it be sitting on park benches completely still for days, or driving a car and becoming unable to move, to slam on the brakes and prevent an accident, people all over the world are stopping everywhere, whatever they're doing.
Once Alex learns that his family has become afflicted and sees his colleagues suffering the same fate, he knows his days are numbered as well. Can he and his team of researchers figure out the cause behind the Pause before they succumb to the disease? Will they discover a cure only to be too late and unable to share it?
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I know, I know, aren't we all a little pandemic-ed out? You'd think so but I can't seem to stop reading them so I guess not.
I liked this story. It's a unique approach to the pandemic genre, the characters are interesting, and it's novella length so short and sweet, as they say.
If you're looking for a fast paced pandemic style medical thriller then this is the story for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Stephanie Ellis for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
-
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hibernate? What if you didn't have a choice of when or where it would happen?
Dr. Alex Griffiths and his research team are fighting against an ever louder ticking clock to find an explanation for the sudden new pandemic causing people to stop functioning normally. Whether it be sitting on park benches completely still for days, or driving a car and becoming unable to move, to slam on the brakes and prevent an accident, people all over the world are stopping everywhere, whatever they're doing.
Once Alex learns that his family has become afflicted and sees his colleagues suffering the same fate, he knows his days are numbered as well. Can he and his team of researchers figure out the cause behind the Pause before they succumb to the disease? Will they discover a cure only to be too late and unable to share it?
-
I know, I know, aren't we all a little pandemic-ed out? You'd think so but I can't seem to stop reading them so I guess not.
I liked this story. It's a unique approach to the pandemic genre, the characters are interesting, and it's novella length so short and sweet, as they say.
If you're looking for a fast paced pandemic style medical thriller then this is the story for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Stephanie Ellis for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2022
People are becoming immobile and it’s spreading across the globe quickly. Scientists are racing the clock to find out what is causing people to “pause” before they themselves fall victim. As scientists and doctors give up after a month’s research and tests, some go to more extreme means and start scrolling conspiracy theory forums. Is is cell towers or bears? Have you checked the zoo lately? Hospitals are over capacity and hope is waning as the nurses themselves fall victim and there is no one to care for patients anymore.
A very quick medical drama sci fi novella that goes into the pandemic genre. Praise to the author of Bottled. Stephanie Ellis continues to deliver original and well executed ideas.
https://piratetwinkiereadsblog.wordpr...
A very quick medical drama sci fi novella that goes into the pandemic genre. Praise to the author of Bottled. Stephanie Ellis continues to deliver original and well executed ideas.
https://piratetwinkiereadsblog.wordpr...
March 20, 2023
PAUSED – by Stephanie Ellis
‘A terrifying pandemic sweeps the world, rendering its victims completely immobile but leaving them conscious with their minds intact.’
‘Was mankind going out, not with a bang but a whimper? Switched off by a god who had become disenchanted with his toys, was moving on to something new, improved, shinier. Theories had gone viral.’
My Heart! I love the premise, characters, and story, though I am a bit perplexed by the mention of an important detail at the beginning of the book that never comes to light, from the scientist's perspective, until much later.
Thank you, NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press, for providing me with an eBook of PAUSED at the request of an honest review.
‘A terrifying pandemic sweeps the world, rendering its victims completely immobile but leaving them conscious with their minds intact.’
‘Was mankind going out, not with a bang but a whimper? Switched off by a god who had become disenchanted with his toys, was moving on to something new, improved, shinier. Theories had gone viral.’
My Heart! I love the premise, characters, and story, though I am a bit perplexed by the mention of an important detail at the beginning of the book that never comes to light, from the scientist's perspective, until much later.
Thank you, NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press, for providing me with an eBook of PAUSED at the request of an honest review.
January 22, 2022
From the brilliant Stephanie Ellis we find the world on the brink of annihilation when people become infected by a condition that “locks you up” but are still entirely conscious. The rapid speed that people are dropping is terrifying especially when you get the inside feeling about how it feels to be “paused”. The medical community is racing against time or answers and a cure.
No spoilers as this is a novella. This medical drama is the best one I’ve read. Characters you care about deeply and the you shared the hope, hope everything might turn out okay.
Read immediately! Highly recommended!
No spoilers as this is a novella. This medical drama is the best one I’ve read. Characters you care about deeply and the you shared the hope, hope everything might turn out okay.
Read immediately! Highly recommended!
July 10, 2022
Such an interesting read! I think it’s safe to say, we are all sick of the word “pandemic”, but this story has such a fresh and unique premise it’s entirely relevant to today’s times and not overdone at all. I loved the fast pace, and while most of the story takes place in a research lab, there is no science jargon to sludge through, which I can appreciate. The “disease” in itself is terrifying- what if your physical body was paused but your mind was all there? The thought alone is scary beyond imagination. Well done, will absolutely pick up more from Ellis.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2023
4.5⭐️
I enjoy a good pandemic story and this one sounded absolutely terrifying. Being alive but unable to move? That is scary. I mean, seeing the danger coming towards you but unable to stop it or get out of the way is just a whole new level of horror.
I found this book to be well-written and fast-paced. I absolutely loved the different take on the pandemic. I find some many pandemic/apocalypse books can be repetitive, but this was new and refreshing.
I will definitely be picking up more from this author!
Thank you to Stephanie Ellis and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoy a good pandemic story and this one sounded absolutely terrifying. Being alive but unable to move? That is scary. I mean, seeing the danger coming towards you but unable to stop it or get out of the way is just a whole new level of horror.
I found this book to be well-written and fast-paced. I absolutely loved the different take on the pandemic. I find some many pandemic/apocalypse books can be repetitive, but this was new and refreshing.
I will definitely be picking up more from this author!
Thank you to Stephanie Ellis and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2022
Very nice execution of the premise by the author. It doesn't fall flat and actually delivers on imaging how a more vicious sickness strucks humanity in a few weeks. Hope something like this doesn't happen in the future to humanity, although covid already paves the way of what the future will look like.
Great book, I recommend it.
Great book, I recommend it.
January 22, 2022
Review TBC - but I absolutely loved this!
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