This book offers a mix of fiction stories that, some of them don't always hit the mark. The variety of genre-bending tales, from post-apocalyptic survival to sci-fi relationship drama, each with its unique spin. However, the collection's uneven pacing and varying story quality detract from the overall experience.

Some stories, like Nicholas Sansbury Smith's Hell Divers: The Lost Years, Part I, stand out with vivid world-building, but others feel underdeveloped or fail to fully engage. The anthology is a decent read for fans of speculative fiction, but it lacks the cohesion and impact needed to truly shine. A solid 3-star collection that could benefit from more consistent storytelling throughout

Eerie dark sci fi can be good, but I think you need to truly enjoy that genre to have a lot of fun with this book. If you're someone, like me, who has to be convinced to sit down and absorb it, this was an unfortunate slog - particularly the first story, which just never seemed to end. The vibes of this one are very "Alien" with a bit of "Twilight Zone". I think if you love those franchises, you'll enjoy this!

Thank you for the opportunity to preview Shadow Lab. What a great mix of short stories. I enjoyed most of them. Especially loved the first one and the last one. These short stories are science fiction but also scary good. Great summer read! 3.5 stars