Thanks to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio/TorNightFire for this audiobook ARC!

Firstly, I want to say that I love the ability to get audiobook ARCs! As my preferred way of reading, audiobook ARCs give me a lot more flexibility in my reading which is especially great for reading ARCs. I enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook.

As for the book itself...I hate to say that this novella felt run of the mill, but it did. The set up was very classic sci-fi Alien-esque which is entirely overdone for me personally. Once you've read/watched one alien hidden in a spacecraft story, you've read/seen them all. The writing was accessible and easy to follow, but didn't do much beyond tell the story.

A frequent complaint for novellas is that it should have been longer...I think I'd argue that this could have been shorter, more streamlined. I think too much time was spent at the beginning hearing bumps in the ship and wondering what it could be. The different aspects introduced in the story could have been streamlined as well. We've got past/current family issues, the slightest little hint of a romance, and an android that embodies a whole slew of other topics. I think with how few pages this had, it could have focused more on one of those issues and stuck with it. Personally, I liked the android and the questionable things going on with it. But I think logically, the family issues with our main character would have been the best focus.

This is by no means a bad book. I just think it falls into the basic sci-fi story bin and barely even capitalized on the horror aspects. This is better labeled as a sci-fi thriller. I do think this novella is a good introduction to science fiction for those new to the genre.

This was a fantastic novella. I really enjoy when horror books are short and everything just feels like a frantic race for survival and this had that exact vibe.
Also this narrator can do no wrong in my eyes so be aware of that.

Finally! A Space horror book… that is actually a space opera.

This is a simple but enjoyable piece of space horror. It was fairly predictable and tropey, but it delivered what was promised. This is a great novella for readers looking for a creepy space romp.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This was a pretty intriguing read. Though a lot of the plot was fairly cookie-cutter 'murderous intruder aboard a spaceship' though with the little sprinkles of the role of the AI robot, that kept things intriguing. I kept wondering 'just how big are the vents, anyway?'.
"Jack' was the only real character we get to connect with, and I appreciated that she was not impenetrable. I liked the intrigue of the 'engagements' though never explained. So there were some parts of the book that I enjoyed though this may be a great pick for someone who doesn't read sci-fi but likes the movie Alien. I felt like I've read at least 3 or so other books that were exactly like this.

The spooky parts were SOLID - the stress and anticipation as they work through the dark, cold ship deck by deck, occasionally being confronted with some leftover gore or a sudden attack really ramped up the tension. Jack was also a really good, complex MC and Ness did a fantastic job of teasing out the various layers to her personality and her relationship with her role, her family, and the rest of the officers.

Where things didn’t hold up was mostly in the background/worldbuilding part. We didn’t have enough of a look at what “normal” looked like before things started going wrong. Like, there are riots and mutinies but we don’t understand enough about what caused them and what daily life looks like for the regular citizens on the ship. There’s also not much sense of scale. I couldn’t figure out how many people were on the Calypso, how many ships were in the Goddess class (fleet?), or how many other fleets there were. Like it’s just the barest hint of “there’s way more people out there” but I couldn’t comprehend the scale. And also, like, comms between ships, and why all of this was going down at the same time was pretty unclear.

Read it for the vibes and take it as self-contained, and you’ll enjoy it much more than trying to tease out more details where they aren’t offered. Overall, great debut, and I can’t wait to see what Ness comes up with next!

Can more horror science fiction release please? I need more content like this novella!

I binged this audiobook in less than ten hours, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was immediately sucked back into my thirteen year old self when I watched Alien for the first time, and while this novella isn't QUITE like that movie, the nostalgia was through the room. Now I am not a stem girlie, but surprisingly, Ness Brown did a fantastic job utilizing engineer and scientific language without overwhelming me. I wouldn't have initially expected this story to be a debut because it has a strong overarching plot with great spaceship world building. You can tell that Ness is a scientist purely from her writing style because she's very direct. The writing doesn't have any lyrical prose because she's describing the scenes to a point and then jumping into what's next for the characters. This type of writing style, in my opinion, is less common because people like to create lush descriptions of the scenes or whatever, so Ness was refreshing in that she doesn't mess around with her writing. Moreover, this writing style led the story to be fast paced with constant action around nearly every corner and sometimes... even within the walls. See what I did there? Hehe.

Anyway, switching gears to characters, Jacklyn Albright was another refreshing element to this novella. Her father, the Captain of the ship Calypso, is unresponsive in his room, and she's forced to take up the mantle of running the ship, which only worsens due to the fact that Calypso has limited fuel and supplies. Can they make it back to Earth? Can they even turn back to Proxima b, their failed colony on another planet? The centuries worth of their journey ahead doesn't look so promising. All of these thoughts are plaguing Jack as she tries to pick the best course of action, particularly as a possible coup is forming from the civilian passengers on board. And then, finally, to make matters worse, an intruder arrives, so all hell truly breaks loose. The entire time Jack is a solid force even as her own terror completely envelopes her. She is the sort of Captain anyone on board a ship would be honored to have because protecting her ship and passengers always comes first. She's certainly put through the ringer throughout this 176 page novella, but she sticks the landing as one of my favorite characters.

Also, for anyone curious, the diversity within this novella was THROUGH THE ROOF. The entire crew was basically BIPOC, and Jack is even LGBTQ+ due to her relationship with fellow crew member Jolie. While they're a few characters that reflect the lesser versions of humanity, the crews constant empathy and communication towards one another was really nice to see. There's a genuine respect and care for safety, so Jack is again a perfect example of a Captain who will not let her crew do anything that she doesn't also do. It's just refreshing to see such a natural and realistic depiction/ reflection of the world's diversity but in a space setting. I'm really hyped to see what else Ness releases in the future because if it was anything like this, then I'll be lined up front and center to get a copy myself.

Lastly, as any great horror book has Ness Brown brought the creepy crawlies. I felt transported back to Alien (but honestly even better because there's a whole crew and not just one women fighting the intruder) whenever Jack is forced to confront whatever cam aboard the Calypso. From the eerie darkness unfurling before here to the nearly inhumane screams down the hallway, I had goosebumps all over my body. It was a blast (literally haha *cue the plasma blasters*) reading this book, and I'm definitely going to recommend it to any sci-fi or horror fans.

Rating: 3.5

Sci-fi is always a hit or a miss for me. This one wasn't bad, but I don't have much feelings about it. I liked Jack and Watson.

This review was originally published on NetGalley.com. I was given an ebook freely by NetGalley and the book’s publisher in return for a voluntary and honest review.

The Scourge Between Stars is a great debut novel. It’s a quick reader with an engaging protagonist. Jacklyn is the daughter of the Captain of a fleet of ships looking for a new home in the stars. She’s become the de facto leader when her Father stops showing up and hides in his cabin. The fleet is running out of supplies and risking a mutiny on several of the ships and then things get bad. A cryptic message from another ship warns Jacklyn not to open the doors.

The rest of the book is a breakneck run until the end as Jacklyn tries to save everyone from a nightmare stalking them in the ship.

For a debut this is a fun read and I will definitely be keeping an eye on Ness Brown. The descriptions and sentence structure in parts is a little weak but I’m forgiving when it comes to debuts. I love the length of the book, it doesn’t get bogged down. The antagonist is a little too similar in appearance to a popular villain so I would like to see a little more originality in the next go.

This plot was a great example of the credo, 'Things can always get worse'! The setting is a generation ship trying desperately to return to Earth after an unsuccessful attempt to colonise a different planet around Proxima Centauri. Running out of food and with mutiny afoot, the crew realise that they're not alone on the ship and a fight for their lives ensues. It took me a while to get into the narrative, as I found the first third of the novella a bit confusing. However, with the addition of the aliens, the plot became a lot more streamlined and action-packed and I really enjoyed the latter two thirds. I thought Jack was a likable protagonist with an interesting back story that meant her motivations were always believable. I also really enjoyed Watson and it's growth throughout the story. Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys the 'Alien' movie franchise and anyone who likes claustrophobic, space settings.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A solid, enjoyable sci-fi story.

Jack is the acting captain of a spaceship on a trip back to Earth. In the face of tough calls and unknown dangers, the mission seems doomed to failure. Jack's dedication and ability will be tested to her limits if she and her people are going to survive.

Because this isn't a full length novel, larger background explanation is ignored in favor of a focus on the here-and-now plot. The current event storyline is pretty great though, featuring a little body horror, some light space sci fi, and a healthy dose of suspense. And with the incredible Bahni Turpin as narrator, the audiobook could hardly be better!

3.5 stars rounded up

The Scourge Between Stars is an entertaining scifi/horror novella following the acting captain of a large spaceship trying to return to Earth when things begin to go very wrong. Jacklyn is a queer Black woman willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people in her care from the unknown threat stalking them from inside the ship. It's action-packed and creepy, but without being outright terrifying. There is casual queer representation and over all I really enjoyed it. Some elements of the ending are a bit convenient and not super believable, but it offers high entertainment value and a complete story in not too many pages. The audio narration is well-executed. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Content warnings include gore, death, bug-like aliens, a character sexually abusing an android (not on page or explicit), killing a loved one

This was an unfortunate dnf but I don’t believe that reflects that content of the book. It reflects my personal taste. When i saw Bahni Turpin was narrating this I was SO excited to get my hands on a listening copy. Bahni Turpin did an incredible job here and from the 40% i’ve listened to I am sure the rest is just as good. Unfortunately there were a bit too many characters and sci-fi elements going on for me to keep up with the audiobook. I will be giving this one another shot when I can read a physical copy!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader and audiobook copy of The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown in exchange for an honest review. This was a wonderful book that reminded me a bit of Alien and a bit of Lost in Space. I really enjoyed it and the fast pace of the book.

This one was a tad hard to follow. I felt like i didn’t know what was happening to start off with. Also reminiscent of Alien. I think i struggle with short stories because i tend to need or want more.

This wasn’t too sci fi that i think people who don’t enjoy that genre will like it tho.

I enjoyed the narration tho. I liked the narrator. She has a familiar voice. She’s theatrical and i love that in a narrator

I love science fiction. So many books fail to capture my love for the genre, The Scourge Between Stars is not one of them.

This is a short book coming in under 200 pages so it's a very quick read. With that said, for me, it started very slowly. It did not seem all that tense or interesting for about the first half of the book. That changed for the better and this was everything I wanted it to be.

It is hard to take a story like this and not compare it to Alien. Like Alien, we have a strong female lead, and a killing machine lose on a spaceship. There is also a life like android to help that comparison even more. This could have just been a copy of Alien and I would have loved it but it tried to be its own thing and it mostly succeeds.

I hope this becomes a series and I get to go back to space and see how this journey continues.

Having read a physical copy of this I wanted to test out the narrator's approach and holy crap, I was obsessed with this. High stakes, fast paced, and a hell of a journey.