[Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

This debut novella has the feel of a full-blown SF novel, and very nearly as much plot. Set aboard a colony ship escaping a failed attempt to settle an unsuitable world, it combines a terrifying onboard threat with some dark interpersonal problems. The general feel is a bit Alien-ish, though the actual situation is not. There is, however, at least one pretty memorable "bug hunt." Ness Brown writes action skillfully, and the pages turn (or swipe) at an increasingly rapid pace.

With an emphasis on female leadership and diversity among the crew, Scourge is an up-to-date space opera with many sympathetic characters -- at least one of them nonhuman. After a while, however, keeping track of their motivations and relationships becomes a little difficult. This novella really wants to be bigger than it is. Some of the most tantalizing subplots are never fully worked through, and the end comes -- for this reader, anyhow -- a bit too abruptly.

That said, this was still an exciting and atmospheric read for those of us who enjoy deep space drama -- and I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next. Three stars (3.5, if I could), heading for four.

This was an entertaining sci-fi novella. It really gave me some serious Alien Isolation vibes but was still it's own story. I loved Watson and Jack as characters and they really shone throughout the story. The twist for me towards the end was a bit shaky but still believable and worked for the overall plot of the book.

I really wish this was a full length book only because I was having such a good time and felt like the story could have worked even better with more pages. There was also a huge cast of characters whom I would have loved to have spent more time with but really couldn't in under 200 pages.

That being said, I truly enjoyed this author's writing style and will definitely be picking up more of her books.

i think if this was longer and i spent more time with the characters i would’ve cared about this story. i couldn’t find myself really too much interested the story because i didn’t really know the story. i like how big the cast was but at the same time it didn’t matter because i didn’t know anyone.

I have to say, one of my favorite genres is scifi horror books. This one is classified as a novella but it didn't really feel that short to me. Jacklyn was a really great character to root for and if you loved the movie alien you definitely will really enjoy this story. Definitely will recommend to scifi lovers. Thanks netgalley for the e-arc of this novella.

Dead Space meets Alien in Ness Brown's The Scouge Between Stars.

That said, I think this story could've been better told from the perspective of the AI character, and there were many times that I felt the pace was too slow (which is surprising in a novella, usually they go too quick).

I had my dislikes, but ultimately I would still recommend this quick read to fans of sci-fi monster hunts.

When aliens invade the Calypso, Jacklyn must take charge as the crew's numbers dwindle.

This was definitely one of the better novellas I've read recently because it felt like a full story. Sometimes I'll pick up a novella where the concept was interesting but the execution is shaky.

The crew members of the Calypso are the remaining people from a failed colonization attempt of another planet called Proxima B. They are on a journey back to Earth to see if it can be salvaged. Tensions have been high on the ship for months with various rebellions breaking out due to the scarcity of food and uncertainly of survival.

I had a very clear visual of what the ship was like and how it function and Ness Brown weaves their astrophysics background into the story while also keeping it relatively easy to read. As someone who sometimes struggles with the language in sci-fi books I appreciated that this didn't feel overly complicated.

For readers worried about it being too dark and gruesome, you get just enough detail to know what's going down but the body horror isn't too graphic

The Scourge Between Stars was exciting and riveting. The drawback of it being a novella instead of being a full-length novel was it felt as though I was dropped into the story 1/3rd in. There wasn’t time for character development, especially for any character who wasn’t the main character, so one didn’t stand out from another.

I hope author Ness Brown has the opportunity to have a full-length sci-fi novel published, one I will gladly read. I recommend this novella to sci-fi horror fans looking for an action-packed quick read.

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

The Scourge Between Stars is a gripping sci-fi/horror novella with POC, queer protagonists. Years away from Earth, returning from a failed colony on Proxima B, the captain is holed up in his cabin while factions are rioting, the ship is being attacked by mysterious engagements, food sources are rationed, and there's an unexplained death.

First Mate and daughter of the captain, Jacklyn "Jack" has to deal with the above, while also reeling from the deaths of her mother and sister.
The murderer is an undiscovered entity of the sealed ship.

Full of action and spinge-tingling thrills, the novella is also a must-read for its depictions of the relationships.

4.1/5

"They're opening the door..."

The Scourge Between Stars is an incredibly atmospheric, heart-pounding novella that's perfect for devouring in one bite. Despite its small size, the writing style is descriptive and haunting. Brown's main character, Jacklyn Albright, is fleshed out, and her emotions, thoughts, and actions are three-dimensional. Her trauma and grief felt incredibly real to me, along with the crushing responsibility she had to face as acting captain. Every turn of the page felt like peeking around the corner with her, unsure of what was waiting on the other side. In all honesty, I think there is something incredibly creepy about being stuck on a ship in the deep, all-encompassing darkness that is space with no exit or way out. Especially when you know something is hunting you just as you are hunting it. Despite how the novella ends, I was left wanting to know more, but I believe Brown wraps it up quite nicely.

We needed more Black leads in horror/sci-fi, and Brown's novella makes a great addition.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for the ARC!

The Scourge Between the Stars promises sci-fi/horror, and delivers on that promise. If I had to make a comparison, I would call this Alien/Aliens meets Battlestar Galactica. Jacklyn Albright is the acting captain of the Calypso, one of a flotilla of ships carrying the remaining humans on a trek back from Proxima b, a planet the remnants of Earth failed to successfully colonized. Plagued by space "events" that damage the ship and its occupants, depleting supplies and a population on the verge of mutiny, the ship soon finds itself with an even bigger threat - something has made its way onboard and is killing the passengers.
This novella could have been made into a longer book with more details about the ship, the colony, what happened to Earth, etc., but by keeping it shorter Brown instead of giving us a long space opera produces produces a fast-paced action story that doesn't slow down. While at times it borrows a little too much from well-known sci-fi like Alien/Aliens, it nonetheless is a pretty exciting tale with a couple of nice twists.

Definitely a must-read for fans of the Alien franchise looking for a new take on a closed-ship alien threat story! The stakes couldn't be higher for our main character, Jacklyn, as she uncovers a threat to her ship and the lives it carries. The Calypso carries what could be the last humans across the galaxy following a failed attempt at colonizing a distant planet following a climate collapse on Earth. This book features bipoc characters and sapphic love interests, tackles mental health issues, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat with action.

I see some folks tying it to Event Horizon as well (a film that truly scared the pants off of me as a child) but for the most part, I disagree. There is one minor spoilery story element that has a strong through line between the two, but don't go in to The Scourge Between the Stars expecting demonic ships and blood orgies.

With that warning out of the way, I am so so glad that I picked this up. I adore Sci-Fi Horror, especially ship-based horror and this certainly scratched that itch. I immediately requested the ARC on NetGalley the moment that S.A. Barnes recommended this novella. Novella is my biggest criticism of this piece. I feel like Ness Brown had more to explore here, I would have happily stayed with this character on this ship for far far longer than I was allowed.

Jacklyn "Jack" Albright is first mate of the colony ship Calypso, en route back to earth after a failed attempt to permanently colonize another planet called Proxima b. Jack is in this position somewhat against her will - her father is the actual captain, but he retreated to his private quarters and sealed himself in weeks ago. he won't speak to anyone; nonetheless Jack insists on covering for him and giving him time.

unfortunately, this is arguably one of the worst periods to be captain of this ship. their communications array has been down for years so they can't speak to their sister ships, and any long-range scanning equipment quit working forever ago. there's windows that human eyes can peek out of but they can't see what's around them with any technological detail. is the flotilla still with them? are any of their silent sister ships nearby? nobody knows.

if all that wasn't enough, tons of other things are breaking down around the ship. the lights keep flickering and the lifts are acting weird and there's a strange banging coming from behind the walls. any time there's even the smallest moment to take a breath, the ship experiences what they call "engagements". basically, something they cannot see or any in way detect smacks their ship around like a cat toy. people frequently die during these, as sections of the ship are crushed or sheared off.

Jack barely has time for any of that though because she's trying to solve the ship's largest crisis - food. they are dangerously low on stores and way too far away to survive until earth. the on-board farms have exhausted the soil and the yields feed fewer people with every passing season. there's silos of food stored on the ship but Jack is reluctant to open them, especially without her dad's advice.

she waffles between some of these decisions, cornered into making difficult calls when a munity breaks out in the wards in the belly of the ship. this is what kicks off everything else.

the pacing in this novella is awesome. the ship is subtly built up around you while you follow Jack on her desperate missions; the different sections, the bridge crew, the ward representatives, Watson and the other droids, the crumbling tech. things really start jumping a little before the halfway point of the book but there's been an insidious dread growing since page four. space horror is hands-down one of my favorite subgenres and it's largely because it lends itself automatically to some of the most frightening tropes. the complete isolation, the crippling fear of the unknown, the self-doubt when you see things that realistically cannot be there. just delicious !!!

Jack is such an interesting character and imo made a fascinating protagonist. she's quick on her feet and reads as widely well-loved, though she seems ignorant of the latter. she's bright but definitely not perfect and is never afraid to ask for help. the supporting cast is all a delight and I ended up extremely partial to Wang, the ship's CMO. frankly I just really enjoyed the hell out of this story and I cannot wait for the publication date.

my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc 🚀

The Scourge Between Stars is a face-paced space horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This book hits all the right notes of fear, isolation, and terror associated with being millions of miles from anywhere safe, on a ship with a monster.

This novella focuses on Jacklyn, the reluctant captain of the Calypso, as the crew realizes they are not alone. She is challenged to keep everyone together as the understand and counter an alien threat. This book was a great read, and i recommend it to any fans of horror, sci-fi, and specifically space horror, of which there is not nearly enough around!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an eGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Instagram post scheduled for March 28th
Blog Review goes live March 28th 2023

Source: NetGalley, many many thanks to the publisher!
TL;DR: A short action sci-fi novella that I really wish was a full length novel
Plot: Monsters are on board and the crew must save themselves! It was a bit overcomplicated, but enjoyable
Characters: There were very few characters that we got to know besides our main character honestly
Setting: Pretty believable, I actually super enjoyed the setting for most of this. It felt very Star Trek
Magic: There is some magic (not going to specify) which was odd and weirdly placed. The Science Fiction aspects were interesting and felt as genuine as you can get in 176 pages.


The Scourge Between Stars is a short, action packed sci-fi novella about a generation ship fleeing from one home to another while facing a mysterious threat on board. Our main character, the acting captain of the ship, Jacklyn is forced time and time again to make hard decisions to save the crew she can as monsters become real.
This sounded fantastic to me and I was super hyped for this, to only feel more than a little let down. My major issue with this story was simply the length. This clocks in at less than 200 pages and this ultimately affects everything in the story. From the characters, to the setting, to the scifi/magic elements and even the possible themes that could have been explored.
The only character we get any real depth too is Jacklyn as we're getting her inner feelings and emotions. She has connections and deep ties to characters - for example the Security head on the ship. We are told in a series of three lines or so that this individual was crucial to helping Jack grow up and trained her. Yet when something happens that affects that individual we are left feeling... nothing. It's off page and as I don't even recall the body being viewed. This sums up pretty much all the other characters besides Watson, a droid that Jacklyn is forced into working with.
Watson was another character I wanted so much more from. There is implied abuse with Watson and their creator, they seem to be more 'alive' and intelligent than any other droid on the system. Yet they're reduced to effectively a Monster Radar and ultimately a walkie-talkie.
There is so much I wished we could have seen explored more here. From the idea behind the monsters that ran amuck in the ship, to the weird and unexplained resolution to the story. The story of the ship's flight from their home world and how it had deteriorated over time would have been just as good, especially had it led up to the point of this novella. Instead everything feels dropped, a ship full of empty promises and a short action scene that left me frustrated more than excited.
Ultimately it wasn't a bad story - in fact I'd happily pick up anything that Ness Brown puts out that's a full length. I loved the premise of this but nothing felt truly resolved and the story seemed cut off abruptly. Go in knowing it's short and with little besides the action and you'll likely enjoy it.

I really enjoyed The Scourge Between Stars and will go so far as to call it a page turner. This tale of an alien life form invading the space ship Calypso is in the tradition of the Alien movies, but works so much better in writing. Following along as Jaclyn and her crew seek the source of the pounding inside the walls of their ship, as they track and fight it was suspenseful in a way that puts you alongside them.. They are the last remnant of humanity struggling to get home again to a planet that is centuries away and the last thing they need to confront is an alien stowaway. Can they defeat it? At what cost?

I do recommend this novella to lovers of Sci-Fi.

I absolutely loved The Scourge Between Stars!! It’s a mix between sci-fi and horror and I definitely got creeped out when I was reading this at night. I truly rooted for all the characters (save a couple) and loved how the characters made sound decisions. Sometimes in books you get frustrated with decisions the main character makes but Jack was sound in all of her decisions. I would absolutely love to read a full size novel from this author with these characters. The ending could definitely be a setup for that so I’ll keep my fingers crossed! I can’t wait to but this when it comes out next year!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and TOR Publishing Group/Forge for an advanced readers copy of this book.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

They sell The Scourge Between Stars as a mix between Aliens and Event Horizon. But given that I've never watched Event Horizon, I can only say that this is a combination of Aliens and a bit of the book Mass Effect Andromeda: Nexus Uprising's plot happening in the background. All mixed together to bring you a fast-paced, claustrophobic thrill ride of a novella from the mind of Ness Brown.

This book takes place in the starship Calypso, a failed colony ship that had to leave their previous colonized planet and instead take the risk on a journey back to Earth. The condition of the ship is deteriorating, supplies seem to be dwindling for reasons unknown to the crew, and they keep suffering strange space storms. Sadly the problems just keep piling up as soon as the novella begins, and at points it seems like it can only end one way. There was a point in this book where I personally would have broken down and that would have been it for me and the crew. I can only congratulate Ness Brown on doing such an amazing job in making sure that the hopelessness of the situation was properly portrayed.

I will definitely recommend this novella to my friends, and I can't wait to see what else Ness Brown has in store for the future.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

The Scourge Between Stars is a sci-fi horror action novella that was an incredible fun ride! This action novella is a blend of the Alien franchise vibes and Sunshine movie with a dash of The Relic. The characters are fantastic and beautiful in their relatability, and you genuinely wish everyone on the ship/s to pull through. Unlike other horror films, every decision made by the entire cast of characters was logical and heart wrenching at times. Jack, our main character, was born on this ship like many others as the flotilla of ships are coming from a failed colony. It will take centuries to get back but supplies and moral is dangerously low. When strange knocks on the walls and a sense of uneasiness plague our characters, their darkest fears are brought to the present. A body is found, and it is ruled that the murderer is from an impossible source. Jack becomes thrust in the seat of captain after the previous one locks themselves away and every decision is not just life or death for her but for the entire flotilla. There is also several robots and androids of various degrees exist in this story which is refreshing in sci-fi horror that seems to like to leave them out. My only wish for this is that the horror tone and atmosphere was more of a focus. I came into reading this expecting deep horror but it came off as more action adventure with horror themes. Which, I still love but I wish I got more time to feel what the characters must have been feeling. I would also love to see this expanded upon into a longer format. I can’t get enough of everyone and their stories!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the eARC of this novella. I cannot wait for its release!

4.5 rounded up

This was a fast-paced and eerie read that was exactly what I wanted it to be. The author did a good job building suspense and maintaining the tension. I also was rooting for the main character and was invested in her survival. I read this at night and actually felt creeped out!

A fantastic, quick novella for anyone looking for a horror/sci-fi read!