With a mix of genres, all from sci-fi, thriller, mystery and even horror, this is a book I really enjoyed. Original and well-written. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A book that blended different genres. It starts as a far futuristic military thriller as a Space Ranger responds to a derelict ship floating through space. With the help of his personal droid/robot they board and explore the ship looking for answers. What they find shifts the genre to noir, almost horror. Entertaining read.

This was everything that I was looking for from a sci-fi thriller novel, it had that feel that I was hoping for and enjoyed in the space element. The plot was everything that was promised and was invested in what was happening. The characters were everything that I wanted and were written perfectly for the story. John McCool did a great job in writing this and am excited for more.

Ranger Locilette patrols deep space. He responds to an assignment for a ship that appears to be have been abandoned. All is not as it seems. The longer he and his robot Brinks search, the more horrors and destruction is found. The relationship between ranger and robot grows stronger as the plot progresses. This is hard sci-fi book with a lot of emotions and violence.

Thought it was time to return to SciFi after about a 60 year break and the description sounded inviting. Ranger Locilette goes to investigate a call from an apparent derelict, the 'Yanagi' reflecting on his life and family as he travels through space as well as preparing for the unknown (in terms of tech, armour, resources etc). It took him to 35% of the book to reach the 'Yanagi'. Finally arriving he 'fired up' his security drone (think BIG but with a heart) and they docked with the 'Yanagi'; leaving their ship they wandered around the derelict with a lot of nasty smells, rotting food and so on. Eventually they discovered life, amongst a lot of gory death, and a cult based upon the deranged beliefs of someone (can't say who as that's a giveaway). Oh dear, we were at about 70% by now and the subsequent 30% or so was being chased around the ship, fired upon, tortured, dismembered before returning to their ship and home. I'm sorry but the story really wasn't that exciting - gory and violent yes, but nothing really new. Perhaps I'm not ready to return to SciFi after all. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

I will admit to having high hopes for this book - the blurb made me think it would be some cool sci-fi horror, and I'm always on the lookout for those. Unfortunately, I found this just...okay?

Our main character, Locilette, is a Ranger. Imagine him like a park ranger, only he's in space and has a spaceship. He's called to investigate an abandoned haulier to make sure it's abandoned, but he's pretty suspicious. As a result, he ends up docking onto the ship and going out on foot with his security droid, Brinks. The droid gives another POV, so you're not just with Locilette, but it's still very much his story.

The ship isn't abandoned, as you might expect, and I was excited for some cool horror stuff. Unfortunately, it felt more campy than scary, and I soon found my mind wandering. I personally found it obvious what was happening, and I really wanted it to delve into some good horror, but obviously, that isn't the genre this book went for. It's not the book's fault; it does what it does very well!

My main issue is that the book doesn't decide it's necessary to name Locilette's wife until 96% of the way through. That's right, she doesn't get a name until then; she's just called 'my wife' or 'his wife' in his head—it seems petty, but it really annoyed me for some reason!

I'm still on the lookout for my sci fi horror, but I'm sure this author will do great things in the sci fi world and with his Ranger series! It's great for anyone looking to pick up a sci-fi thriller and get stuck in.

Echoes From A Distant Star is a gripping sci-fi thriller that plunges readers into the eerie depths of space. Ranger Locilette’s investigation of the abandoned vessel Yanagi uncovers chilling secrets and unspeakable horrors. The suspense and tension in this book kept me on the edge of my seat. I particularly enjoyed the well-crafted atmosphere and the constant sense of dread. This book is a great read for anyone who loves a good mystery in space.

Ever wondered what’s lurking in the dark corners of space? Echoes From A Distant Star had me hooked from the first page! Locilette’s journey into the haunted Yanagi is a wild ride full of twists, turns, and spine-tingling moments. The suspense is killer, and I couldn't put it down. If you're a fan of sci-fi thrillers, trust me, you need this book in your life! 👽🚀

There's something solidly old-fashioned in a pulp way about John McCool's Echoes From A Distant Star. It concerns a solitary space ranger patroling his patch of the galaxy coming across a derelict hulk of a ship, and investigating what happened, whilst retrospectively reflecting on his career and missing his family. It could be torn from a Western, this solitary lawman in the wilderness of outer space - though even that wouldn't have him working for a space monarchy. Once he decants his security robot/sidekick the book however shifts into yet another genre, the cult horror, because the spaceship isn't empty and as they work their linear way through the corridors (with their escape barred), they come across more atrocities. So this cycles through Wetsern and Horror with the sci-fi architecture there to change the magnitude of peril, the charismatic cult leader who wants to join a space pantheon via diving into the sun.

Passibly pulpy, it also has the horror trope of people doing dumb things to get them into even more trouble (both antagonist and protagonist alike here), and the introduction of a third party suddenly to slide in some exposition (including an external recommendation as to how great our hero is), and to ultimately facilitate the conclusion was a little unsatisfactory. But if you want some agreeably nasty pulp space horror that's really a Western. you could do worse.