Halley is on the run due to a political scandal that has put a target on her back. She gets a job on a defunct space barge that houses wealthy “ residents” who have had their bodies cryogenically frozen. There is only one other caretaker on the barge with her, Carl, who is extremely secretive. What could go wrong? Well, Halley starts to see scary things and it goes down hill for her from that point on. Barnes excels at creating a creepy and downright horrifying atmosphere, but Halley was a little too slow on the uptake, if you ask me and plausibility was difficult.

Recommended for die-hard fans of science fiction/ horror.

Just keep on reading...because you will not be disappointed. That is what I would tell prospective readers of this novel. The novel starts off slow, but it is slow for a reason with the world building, the main character, her background/ backstory, why she is running away, etc. Then why she accepts this job and is this job what she thinks it is. The author makes this whole descriptive world with this character and even Karl, then her parents, and people she even talks about...or to. Just so much thought, as if she had gotten into some of their heads (more of the main characters) and lived a bit in their shoes.

It is just so much detail and yes, things did drag on a bit. Like it starts off very interesting, then it slows down for a while about 30-40 percent through, but towards that 70 percent mark, dang...did things really pick up. Nothing like I would had expected at all. The ending will surely not disappoint. It also serves as a life lesson, without spoiling the book...there is just no cheating death.

Hats off to Barnes for doing it once again, she's written a wonderfully spooky space horror novel, and this time I was honestly kept in suspense for basically the entirety of the book. I can legitimately say that I didn't really see where this book was going, and for someone who reads as much as I do that was really refreshing. I think the best thing here is to go into this book blind, although with the semi-generic space horror synopsis you do get there's enough vagueness that I would honestly be surprised if anyone manages to guess all of the twists here. Barnes does an excellent job writing the eeriness that comes with an isolated job, as well as the general creepiness of space. Without giving too much away I also think her main character was a refreshing choice, because at her core she's not an overly heroic Ellen Ripley or the like, she's just a regular woman trying to survive a crappy turn of events in her life and a potentially deadly job posting (and aren't we all, at some point). The only thing that didn't make this a complete 5+ star read was the odd secrecy our main character has about keeping the circumstances of her self-imposed exile from the reader. It doesn't seem overly necessary and almost becomes somewhat built up, so that when everything is finally revealed it feels almost like a let down. But that's really just a small nit-pick. Barnes kills it with the atmosphere and creepy elements of this story, and I can't wait for it to come out so I can push it on anyone who even remotely seems interested in the space horror subgenre. I'll be happily penning a shelf talker in the next few weeks, and will eagerly be hand selling this to anyone who will listen (and probably even some people who won't). I certainly will be eagerly awaiting whatever Barnes comes up with for her next read, and will be happily adding this to my collection in an effort to do my part so that she can continue writing more novels like this one.

A huge thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the opportunity to read "Cold Eternity" as an eARC.

I'm just going to go right ahead and say that I have found a new go-to author for sci-fi horror with S.A. Barnes. Horror and sci-fi have been the genres I have read relentlessly for my entire life, always on the look out for new authors to curb my appetite, and I am ashamed I hadn't hit on Barnes earlier. I already have Barnes' two previous books added to my collection as a result of "Cold Eternity".

Halley is on the run. Her privileged life destroyed by a political scandal. Going underground, she ends up with a job aboard a barely functioning, veritable derelict of a craft that slowly trawls the space around the colonies of the solar system; a craft manned by a single mechanic/engineer who needs to spend all his time in the engine room keeping the failing ship together and filled with dozens of century old bodies held in cryostasis. But within hours of arriving aboard the craft, while learning her caretaker duties, Halley sees something that just can't be, and the more she investigates, the more frightening discoveries she makes.

"Cold Eternity" is filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. With the perfect balance of gore and dread, with psychological and physical horror, Barnes has crafted a story that will keep any reader entertained and guessing right to the very end.

My Rating: ⭐️3.5⭐️

In S.A. Barnes’s new novel, we follow Halley Zwick, a whistleblower who is on the run from a political scandal, forced to seek illegal employment on Elysian Fields, a derelict spaceship built to store the cryogenically preserved bodies of wealthy early space colonists. As the eerie atmosphere and isolation take a toll on Halley, she realizes she may be trapped in a far more dangerous situation than the one she is running from.

The start of this book pulled me in quickly and I was in love with Barnes’s world building. I typically struggle to fully appreciate sci-fi novels, but I found Cold Eternity to be well crafted and easy to grasp. The premise of this book is everything I wanted in a sci-fi horror book, and I really enjoyed the slow burn of the horror mystery that developed throughout the narrative. The atmospheric setting and prolonged tension were all very well done. I also loved Halley as a main character. She felt flawed and realistic, and I loved her desire to want to do the right thing as often as possible.

As the book continued though, I found it focusing more on the political turmoil the main character was running from vs focusing on the horror elements I was craving. It felt repetitive with the constant return to the scandal and MC’s backstory, and even with the wordy explanations, I am still a bit confused about what fully happened. The AI friendship in the book felt contrived, and I struggled to believe a connection could be formed the way it was. The ending felt rushed, and ultimately, I was left wanting more horror elements.

Overall, I am a bit disappointed with this book. While I loved the premise and the writing, I was really hoping this would scratch my sci-fi horror craving, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for granting me access to the eARC of this book for my honest review.

I was surprised to find out that Barnes isn't also a screenwriter because this would make a superb movie/series with enough cinematic scares and action to keep people on the edge of their seats. I imagine it's hard to write horror because so much of the effectiveness is based on getting the audience to really envision it, but Barnes did a great job making very scary and horrifying scenes spring off the page. Our heroine is accepting a shady deal to man the button on a freighter that theoretically houses the cryogenically frozen bodies of many people, but are they really frozen? Will the reasons for her secrecy catch up to her? There were so many strings to pull and I feel like they all got tugged on equally, with the reasons behind the ship being better than I imagined, but also nothing I would have guessed at in a million years. This is a great read for anyone who loves horror or a different take on the space genre.

Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes is a dark, thrilling horror novel. Our heroine, "Halley", is well-formed with strong opinions and a capable attitude that makes her someone we want to root for. The mystery behind the story is compelling and the creature is deliciously grotesque. I've enjoyed all of Barnes' novels thus far, and this one is just as fulfilling!

"Cold Eternity" by S.A. Barnes is a gripping space horror novel that masterfully blends psychological tension with visceral scares. The story follows Halley, a former government official fleeing a political scandal, who seeks refuge aboard a derelict space barge filled with cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth's wealthy elite. As she navigates the ship's eerie corridors, unsettling noises and haunting visions blur the lines between reality and hallucination, leading Halley to question her own sanity.

Barnes excels in crafting a claustrophobic atmosphere reminiscent of classic haunted house tales, but set in the isolating expanse of space. The novel delves into themes of corporate corruption and the ethical dilemmas of whistleblowing, adding depth to the chilling narrative.

I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I read my first S.A. Barnes book last year (Ghost Station) and enjoyed it well enough, even though I found it to be more atmospheric than scary or even tense. Ever since seeing "Alien" when I was far too young, I have been a bit obsessed with space horror. The video game "Dead Silence" and the movie "Event Horizon" are also faves of mine, so I was down to give Barnes another go. I'm happy to say that this book was definitely creepier and more of what I am looking for in a space horror book.

The novel follows Halley, a fugitive trying to escape a political scandal that has put a target on her back. Desperate to disappear, she accepts a job on an abandoned space barge that holds the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth's wealthiest citizens. The program was initially set up to allow people to freeze themselves before they died so that one day when medical advancements had made it possible, they could reawaken, be cured of what ailed them, and live even longer. These efforts have long since been abandoned, leaving the ship as nothing more than a floating tomb in the middle of space. But soon after her arrival, Halley begins to sense that something else might be happening on the ship. Strange noises keep her on edge, and, worst of all, she starts to see figures moving, crawling, and slinking in the shadows. This is made all the more terrifying when you realize that Halley is floating out in the middle of space with nowhere to run if/when things get dangerous (and they do - fairly quickly).

Barnes does a fantastic job of building a creepy and often disturbing atmosphere. From the moment Halley steps aboard the ship, there's an overwhelming sense of isolation and dread. The descriptions of the cryogenically frozen bodies are haunting. I wouldn't want to be stuck in a morgue with my feet firmly planted on Earth for five minutes, so I certainly would be on the edge of completely losing my shit if I were stuck on a spaceship in the middle of nowhere with a ship full of frozen people. Add in the threat that something might be lurking within, and it ups the creepiness even more.

Halley is a well-developed protagonist. She's resourceful, tough, and deeply flawed, making her an interesting character to follow. I appreciated that she wasn't just reacting to the horror around her - she was actively trying to solve the mystery while also dealing with her own inner demons.

I also felt the pacing was much stronger in this book. Unlike "Ghost Station", which leaned heavily on a slow-burning mystery, this novel hits the ground running. There's a constant feeling of tension and unease, and once things start happening, they don't stop. The horror elements are well-executed, relying more on psychological fear and paranoia rather than outright gore and it works really well. There's a strong feeling of helplessness as Halley tries to figure out what's going on while floating in the middle of nowhere.

The biggest drawback of the novel, in my opinion, was the ending. After such a strong buildup, the resolution felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped. It's not that the reveal was disappointing - on the contrary, I really enjoyed the way Barnes tied everything together - but I wanted more time spent exploring the ramifications of the final events. It felt like the book was racing toward the finish line instead of letting the conclusion breathe.

I read this book in both print and audiobook format, and I have to give credit to Amara Jasper's narration. She did a fantastic job capturing the tension and fear in Halley's voice, and her ability to differentiate characters made the story easy to follow. Her pacing and delivery enhanced the creepiness, making the audiobook a great option for those who enjoy a more immersive horror experience.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging and atmospheric sci-fi horror novel that delivers on its eerie premise. The setting is fantastic, the tension is palpable, and the mystery unfolds at the perfect pace. While the ending could have been fleshed out more, it didn't ruin the experience for me. This is the kind of book that's perfect for anyone who enjoys the idea of being trapped in deep space with an unseen horror lurking nearby. It's a solid read for horror and sci-fi fans alike.

I think this may be my favorite S.A. Barnes book yet! This was so creepy and claustrophobic. Barnes writes amazing space horror.

All I can say is read this if you want to be creeped out by a museum of cryogenic rich and famous with all of their possessions, glitchy holographic performers who scream deadly messages in your face, or if you vibe with that desolate, lost out in space isolation... you will not regret it!

S.A. Barnes is one of those authors who's an automatic read for me. I loved Dead Silence but not so much Ghost Station. I was worried I wouldn't like Cold Eternity, but I think I might like it even better than Dead Silence...

10/10, no notes. Can't wait to see what S.A. Barnes writes next!!

(I also received and reviewed the audiobook version of Cold Eternity)

I love all things space horror, but this authors previous two books fell a little flat for me. Not so much as to where I wouldn’t try this one out, though. I’m glad I did! It wasn’t as gruesome as I’d have hoped, but it definitely kept my attention much better. The creativity of Barnes’ mind is unmatched. Yet it’s written in such a way that I can visually picture this otherworldly atmosphere and the creatures within it. I like how we have a pretty minimal cast of characters. It keeps the eeriness and loneliness of the situation in the forefront of the readers mind. Cold Eternity delves into some themes of the cost of immortality as well as the corruption of the political world, and I ate it up. The weird romantic tension I sensed threw me off but it wasn’t a huge point of contention.

I just…god, these books are all so good. Barnes KNOWS what she’s doing, and she does it so so well. Cold Eternity feels more isolated and sadder maybe than I expected; the protagonist is alone for a lot of this novel, and the core connection/relationship in this one actually WRECKED ME. It’s insanely tough to write a book with so few characters, where so much is happening inside the mind/experience of just one person bopping around on their own, and Barnes truly knocked it out of the park. Never once did I feel like it slowed down to a degree it didn’t NEED to.

I also really appreciated the exploration of what it means to do good in a system too large to effectively change on your own, and a lot of the larger worldbuilding and themes felt insanely relevant to the here and now.

I thought the plot and pacing were both very solid, the tension and spooky levels were HIGH, despite it being such an introspective book, and I loved Halley and the other sympathetic character. I’ll be thinking about the tragedy of that plot line for a LONG time, I think.

Of course this book is going on my list of recommendations for sci-fi horror. Barnes and Starling are my top recommendations these days and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

Oof - this one really missed the mark for me, which is surprising because I'm usually a big fan of Barnes's books. She does a great job crafting interesting characters that feel believable and easy to relate to. Her books are packed with dramatic tension, eerie settings, and all the gross and creepy details a space horror reader could want. While this book delivered on the tension and the creep factor, everything else fell somewhat flat.

I liked our main character to start, but there wasn't much to her beyond the surface level. Her backstory felt contrived and hamfisted - almost as if the author drafted a cool story idea then remembered at the last minute that her character needed an origin story. Maybe other readers will have a different experience, but I found it messy and difficult to follow.

I also wasn't a fan of the big reveal. Instead of the shocking "omg!" moment I expected I ended up with more of a "wait... what?" moment. Just like the struggles with character development, this felt like the author started with a cool premise then didn't quite know how to tie it all together in the end.

But for all my struggles with execution, there's no denying that I had fun reading this book. The pacing moved forward at a solid rate and I was always eager to see what happened next. The tension was top tier and I definitely had a few moments where I wanted to switch to another book for a bit because I was getting creeped out. So even if the complete package was a bit of a flop for me, I still consider myself a Barnes fan and will absolutely check out whatever she writes next.

Special thanks to Tor for an ARC in exchange for review.

4.5 stars.

COLD ETERNITY, the latest Space/Horror novel from author S.A. Barnes, is my favorite one yet!
"Halley" is lying low until an interplanetary political scandal cools off. This isn't as easy as it sounds, as everything is electronically monitored in this future. She is able to find what seems like the perfect location--the Elysian Fields; a ship carrying the cryogenically frozen bodies of the wealthiest people, wishing to defy death by "returning" when technology was sufficiently advanced to cure whatever ailed them. After about two centuries, most other ships that tried to capitalize on this venture went out of business, but somehow, the original started up by Zale Winfield was still out there.

Through a very sketchy "interview", Halley is brought aboard the ship--surrounded by frozen capsules of people who will likely never be resuscitated--and is tasked with making meaningless "rounds", pressing a "check in" button every few hours. The perfect place for someone who doesn't want to be found to hide out.

Except that she begins seeing things she can't explain...things that defy logic.

We learn about Halley's past throughout the novel--piece by piece as part of the whole, instead of one giant info dump. Even events from her childhood that had an effect on her situation, to an extent. I feel this was very well integrated, and helps the reader get to understand her motivations and beliefs. The story had some fantastic scenes that I did not see coming, and once begun, the pacing picked up dramatically.

Overall, I honestly loved the ideas in this story, the world building, and the other sub-genres of horror that were included. My only reason for the half-star deduction in my rating was the ending--everything was wrapped up too quickly, and with all of the issues taking place, I felt that more time should have been spent there.

Recommended.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publishers. All opinions are uniquely my own.*

It's always difficult to write a review for a book that's not final, while also having only read one other book by the author. In this case, I fell in love with Barnes' horror and world building with her first book, Dead Silence, something I bought on a whim but wasn't sure I would ultimately finish. Dead Silence took me by surprise, a disturbing horror ride that had my heart nervously racing, something I couldn't put down. There was never a moment where I thought, "man, I wonder when this will be over", as some science fiction does for me.

I am definitely pleased to say that Cold Eternity hits the spot just the same.

It follows a woman, Halley, who is on the run from something huge and messy, and who has made every effort to cut herself off from the life she previously lead. She applies to a space Craigslist ad (I'm joking, kind of, but you get my point), and what follows is Karl, looking for the big space ship equivalent of a night guard, only the pay is horrible and the atmosphere somehow even worse. Halley of course accepts the job, because it seems like the perfect opportunity to get away from what she needs to, ominous bartender warnings and Karl's poor phone etiquette be damned! What leads from there is a paranoid and secluded exploration of a barely functioning ship, the only company being Karl, some jittery holograms, and hundreds of human popsicles. Or so it seems.

What starts as a book trying to find its footing and confidence (both in writing and narration) ends with a story that makes me long for a connection I never had, and ultimately stands on its own two feet, blood, loneliness, and all. It's not often a book gets a physical reaction out of me, but this one I threw myself back in my office chair and kicked my feet about, agonizingly bittersweet. UGH! I never thought I'd ever say, "I'm pining for a hologram", but S.A. Barnes, you went and got me! How'd you DO that?!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this eARC in exchange for my honest review! I am STILL kicking my feet about this!!

Before I get into the review, a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Tor Nightfire for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Cold Eternity follows a woman on the run who decides to take a not entirely above board job on a museum ship in order to save up some money to continue living life on the run. But once there she realizes that there's more to this ship than meets the eye and the caretaker might be more sinister than she ever thought possible. Sci-Fi Horror is just a combo that works so well for me so getting access to this ARC was amazing. Cold Eternity comes out on April 8th and is available for preorder now.

Two things at the top of this review: 1) while reading this book, I got some devastating real life news which ultimately led to losing a family member so know that I wasn't in a good place while reading this one and 2) it only took this long to read because of that--it had nothing to do with the quality of the book. We all know I would have crushed this book in like three days if I were in the headspace to do so. I wanted to start my review by saying that because I think it did ultimately effect my reading experience. I really enjoy this author and this mashup of genres just works for me. But by only being able to read a chapter or two a day most days it made it easy for me to pick apart the mystery and the oncoming reveals. The story was working in the back of my mind even while I was unable to really focus on anything in my life. There was an aspect to the story that I didn't expect that I really enjoyed. It calls into question what makes us human (which we love in a SciFi) and it leaves you emotionally attached to a couple of these characters. I wish we had gotten more there, but this is a pretty short novel so I think we got about as much as we could in the time we had.

The characters were done really well and I appreciated the fact that they were all flawed in some way. (Some way more than others.) And I liked that the end of this novel got raw and gritty and real. It's hard to make a Horror gory without going over the top, but I feel like the author did a great job with it. I was on edge the whole time I was reading this one so the author does a good job keeping the tension front of mind for the reader. I just wish we had gotten a few more character moments to really enjoy them together. As well, I wish the main character had questioned a little bit more going into it, but what are you going to do when you're on the run and your hard credit is getting low?

Overall, this was a good time when I was reading it. I think it's best consumed at a more rapid pace than what I was able to do, but I still enjoyed my time with this one.

Halley Zwick is on the run. After a political scandal put a target on her, making it impossible to get an above the table job, she turns to answering an illegal job posting. This job is simple, watch over a ship full of the earth's elite and wealthiest, who are in cyro-sleep, and push a button every few hours to let the cooperate overlords know everything is okay. Things turn this simple job into something horrifying when Halley starts seeing things out of the corner of her eye.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The middle and ending weren't as strong as the beginning of the story, but I still had a really fun time reading this. There was never a moment where I felt like I wanted to put down the book because I was bored or thought the pacing was weird.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the Arc for an honest review!

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Cold Eternity in exchange for an honest review.

Halley is on the run. Fleeing from a dangerous political scandal, she's desperate to find a place to hole up for a while. When she receives an extremely sketchy offer to act as caretaker on a ship full of cryogenically preserved people, she takes it. She can hide out, save up money, and hopefully ride out the political storm in near perfect isolation.

Her misgivings regarding her new job begin as soon as the airlock closes behind her. The enormous ship, with its eerily preserved residents, is isolated, malfunctioning, and weird. Her responsibilities require tours among the residents, and hitting a peculiar button, every three hours, so she quickly develops sleep deprivation. She hears strange noises all the time. The man who hired her, the only other awake person aboard, is hostile and elusive. There are clues that previous caretakers did not live comfortably and did not leave happily. Then the ship starts malfunctioning and things get even weirder, very quickly. To say more would be to provide serious spoilers.

It's a great, fast read. Twisty, exciting, creepy-as=heck sci-fi horror and easily a "read in one sitting" kind of story. It's not perfect; there are plenty of questions left unanswered, but if you're looking for the kind of scares that only an ominous spaceship can provide, definitely read this book. It's gonna get weird and sometimes gross, but the story will stick with you long after you put it down.

Recommended for readers who enjoy a growing sense of unease, readers who love a good scare, and people who think, "Yeah, a mostly deserted former hospital ship sounds like the perfect hideout."

Womp, there it is.

I had thought GHOST STATION would be the exception but turns out DEAD SILENCE was; as in, it was the exception to what is turning about to be the rule when it comes to me and this author. I think we've broken up.

There was nothing wrong with this premise, and indeed it was what drew me in even after the disappointment of the sophomore release by this author, but I found myself experiencing a story through the eyes of a character I found very lackluster, who also bore similar resemblance (or at least her backstory did) to the last character this author featured, and whereas this at least did run horror instead of mystery it was just.. kind of ridiculous?

Basically, to come straight to the point, this just didn't feel well put together. The elements were all there to make this compelling but the execution just failed.

Sadly I don't think I'll be picking up another Barnes which means I guess I have to find a new author to fill this space horror sized hole in my life.