Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an eARC of Exiles in exchange for my honest review!

I've had my eye on the work of Mason Coile (which is the pseudonym for Andrew Pyper) for some time now, especially since a buddy of mine had previously recommended a book of his, William. And let me tell you, I can understand why she did that, because I have a proper appreciation of Coile's writing after finishing up the suspenseful, fast-paced, and thought-provoking journey that is Exiles. Right from the start, it grips me within the tension between Dana (whose backstory can get quite dark), Blake, and Kang, the three astronauts that we're following as they embark on their mission to Mars—the planet on which they've been assigned to live for the rest of their mortal lives. Oof, a daunting task to consider there.

And of course, it's not a task that these humans can accomplish in a completely smooth fashion, can they? No, no, they do run into suspicious issues that leave us wondering what's going on here and what may be threatening the crew. It's interesting how there's one specific aspect of the narrative that I wasn't expecting it to explore, but once it arrives, then I'm going, "Ohhh, okay, so these are the tropes we're going to navigate." Maybe I should have foreseen that happening, considering the material that this is operating with inside its genre boundaries. And even though what Exiles ends up doing in that territory isn't anything too groundbreaking, it remains riveting to see how Coile uses that to amplify the thrills and open up the floor for questions about what it means to exist and have feelings, trauma and guilt that we poorly deal with, misogynistic beliefs, and fallible humans being unable to prevent any problems from occurring despite how carefully they may have crafted their plans and protocols.

Overall, I'm officially rating Exiles four out of five stars. I'm glad to have enjoyed this as much as I did, although there's a strangeness that comes with the experience now that I've just learned about Coile having passed away back in January. I'd become accustomed to thinking of him as just being alive and writing, but now, poof, I'm aware that he's shuffled off this mortal coil. Oh well, I hope people will give Exiles a shot when it gets published this fall, and I'll certainly bump William up my TBR pile.

Exiles by Mason Coile is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller that had me guessing until the very end. As an ARC, it came with a lot of promise—and an intriguing concept that immediately caught my attention: the first human mission to Mars, and the deepening role of AI in shaping the future of off-world colonization. As a lover of speculative fiction, I was excited to imagine what this scenario could look like—and Coile delivers on atmosphere and suspense.

::WHAT I LIKED::

👉 The concept is absolutely compelling—Mars, AI, and the survival of humanity make for a gripping setup.

👉 The pacing keeps you on your toes, with scenes that feel intense and cinematic.

👉 There’s a constant thread of mystery that pulled me through the pages.

::WHAT I WONDERED ABOUT::

👉 I found myself questioning the believability of the characters—especially considering they were supposed to be the elite chosen for such a high-stakes mission.

👉 The main female character’s concerns about sexism didn’t feel entirely authentic to me.

👉 The story’s rhythm was jarring at times, shifting quickly between internal musings and sudden, dramatic events—it made it hard for me to get lost in the world.

::YOU WILL LIKE THIS BOOK IF YOU…::

👉 Enjoy fast-paced, suspenseful sci-fi that keeps you guessing.

👉 Are fascinated by AI and what life on Mars might look like.

👉 Like books that ask big questions and explore psychological tension.

Exiles by Maison Cole is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that blends suspense, mystery, and rich character development. The story explores intriguing themes of belonging, identity, and the complexities of human relationships, drawing you in with its emotional depth. The pacing is steady, with just the right amount of tension to keep you engaged. While the characters are well-crafted and relatable, some of their actions felt a bit predictable, and the resolution didn't pack the punch I was hoping for. Despite this, Cole’s writing shines, and the narrative is compelling enough to make it a very enjoyable read. A strong 4-star book for those who appreciate thoughtful storytelling with a touch of suspense.

This thriller is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read that keeps you guessing until the very last page. The plot is tightly woven with clever twists and unexpected turns, and the tension builds masterfully throughout. The protagonist is compelling and easy to root for, while the antagonist adds just the right amount of menace to keep the stakes high. The author does an excellent job of balancing action with psychological depth, making the story both suspenseful and emotionally satisfying. If you're a fan of thrillers that combine smart writing with heart-pounding suspense, this one is not to be missed.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

For a short book, a lot happened. There were a few different reveal moments - the one that surprised me the most was a flashback scene. The story was interesting and moved along at a good pace. I also liked the ending. It made sense for the story, and I'm glad it didn't try to manufacture a happy solution.

What a book! A Martian thriller/mystery/horror, with a hint of “The Thing”, that highlights that AI and misogyny are not just global concerns, they’re interplanetary! This was an exciting and twisty read that you can conquer in an afternoon.

While the book is exhilarating in action it made me genuinely scared at the thought of the boundlessness of AI, which could be far out of our control..

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for early access to this title!

I wanted to like this book. I did like it. And then the ending happened. And it felt so...anticlimactic. I wish we could have dispensed with Shay's plot line in favor of the actual ending. The writing was solid, and I enjoyed Gold's character. Blake's character was a true asshole and I didn't care much about Kang.

SPOILERS BELOW
I was hoping that Mission Leader was somehow Gold's mother, but no. That was disappointing.

Intriguing, fast read. The pace was good and the mystery and competing narratives kept me wanting to to come back to the story. The characters were a bit one-dimensional and the end wrapped up somewhat rushed, and those are probably a product of the book being short.

I devoured this in two sittings! Creepy, claustrophobic, and a page turner. I was shocked by the twists and loved that it kept me guessing until the end.

Mason Coile/Andrew Pyper hits such a good combination of campy, body, and existential horror in Exiles. I’m a huge sci-fi horror fan myself so this read was especially enjoyable!

When three humans are sent to Mars to be the first to settle the planet, things quickly go awry. Not sure who to trust or what to do next, everyone faces their greatest fears.

I knew there would be twists but I didn’t expect any of these, which made it really fun to read. The writing is thoughtful and straightforward but sometimes lacked the next-level atmosphere I was looking for. The strongest element of this book was the depths to which the concept of “Exiles” was explored, which I really enjoyed and could resonate with.

Overall, this solidifies Coile/Pyper as a must-read for me! Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for the ARC!

Three astronauts, 2 male and 1 female, are sent to Mars to occupy the first outpost for settlement. Bots were sent ahead to build and prepare a habitat for the humans. What could go wrong? There is no communication from the bots so they crash land. The habitat has been attacked. Who attacked? Was it a rouge bot or an alien? This is a many layered tale which raises many topics for discussion.

⭐️4.25⭐️

In Mason Coile’s new sci-fi mystery, a three-person human crew is sent to prepare the first colony on Mars. Upon arrival, they find communications have been severed, the new base half-destroyed, and the three robots stationed to prepare for their arrival in disarray. Dana Gold, the medical officer in this crew, works with her two male counterparts to discover the mystery of what happened while also wrestling her own demons brought on by the strangeness of Mars.

This short novel kept my attention the entire time. It was fast-paced and tense, just what I needed to get me out of my reading funk. Coile did an amazing job setting up the location and developing the characters in so few pages. It was atmospheric and packed full of twists that kept me doubting my confidence in what I assumed was happening.

There are lots of interesting themes woven in this book, such as self-identification, gender social struggles, and grief/trauma response. I was genuinely shocked to discover the haunting elements that plagued the main character’s past. And the ending was everything I didn’t know I needed.

I wished this story was a bit longer and more fleshed out. The pacing was super quick, which isn’t entirely a bad thing for a mystery novel, but I wanted the details to be explored more. I also struggle when female gender themes are explored by male authors. It feels a bit unnatural to me and ultimately contrived. This is just a personal preference.

Overall, I really enjoyed this short book. It did a great job of scratching my sci-fi horror itch I’ve been having! I highly recommend checking this one out if you enjoy a good, locked-room mystery with science fiction elements!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for approval of this fantastic eARC exchange for my honest review!

I was expecting something, I don't know. More? Different?

We follow a 3-person crew that is set out on a mission to be the first people to live (and die) on Mars. When they wake up from a deep sleep before ascending to Mars' surface they realize that something is wrong; they've lost contact with the bots that were supposed to be maintaining the base until the crew's arrival. Their only direction from their mission leader on Earth is to continue.

I couldn't be bothered to really care about the characters because I didn't have time to get to know them. They weren't very well fleshed out. The book was too short to get to know them. It was predictable for the most part. The only real part I found unique or interesting was the twist with Dana's mother.

This was a quick and easy read. The writing style flowed well. It lacked character development and depth to the story. I would be rating it lower if not for the one twist I did like.

Thank you, Mason Coile, Andrew Pyper, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Space horror hits my sweet spot—Exiles was a fast, guilty-indulgence from one of my favorite sub-genres.

A one way trip to Mars for Three astronauts. Three AI Robots waiting for them there. But something has gone terribly wrong…

From the start, some compelling existential questions are interwoven throughout this well-paced sci fi horror story that gave it an added depth that I particularly enjoyed. The plot and characters grip you. I read this one quickly. The voice, tone, and writing style are easy to enjoy. There are horrors and there are twists.

I would definitely watch a movie for this one! I felt it playing out in my head as I read.

5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Have you ever read a book and immediately started a film adaptation in your head? Exiles is that kind of book.

Very tense and compelling - enough to make me want to finish it in 24 hours. Some great unexpected twists and fleshed out, emotional backstory for our main character Dana. Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

I really liked this book. I thought it was smart and well written. My lazy comparison is to say it is like Andy Weir’s,The Martian in content, crossed with Isaac Asimov’s “i Robot” turned on its head, but the whole thing is more fun and edgier. Because I think it’s well written I know there’s more layers and thematic exploration to it than that, but I don’t think I need to go into all of that to convey how much I iked book.

I loved the author’s tone of voice immediately and I thought it was a very compelling writing style for the content. While this book did not entirely invent the space horror genre I thought I did a good job with telling an entertaining and interesting story.

Like other reviews, I will mention my one complaint is that the book was probably a little too short. We did not get a lot of time to sit with these characters before things started happening. I would not go so far as to say that I did not develop any attachment to them, but I will say that I wanted to see more happen before everything resolved.

I will also disagree with those who say that the ending was predictable, which don’t seem to be very many people. But I did not find it predictable at all. I was not surprised, but I did not see the twist coming, which made the whole thing pretty fun in the end.

All in all, cool book, fun read, would recommend to anybody who enjoys this genre. I really loved it. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy.

Interesting! The sense of dread and mystery throughout the book is good. It does have a lot of twist and turns that’ll keep you engaged but I think this book could’ve benefited from being a bit longer. It tried to do a lot for such a short book.

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting, which isn't surprising considering I did the same with Mason Coile's William. A human crew of three is sent to Mars to prep for the first colony. They know this is a one-way ticket because they will never return to Earth. Three robots made the trip before them to set up their dwelling. When the crew arrives, the lab has been destroyed, the codes changed, and only two robots are there. The robots have changed too, and they both have disturbing tales to tell. This was fast paced, with multiple events going on at the same time. I absolutely loved it!

I could not read this book fast enough! There were so many dramatic things happening at the same time with jump scares and twists! However, it just needed an epilogue (or just one more chapter) for me to give it 5 Stars instead of 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this copy!

Exiles was an amazing thriller. The setting was so creepy and atmospheric without being too heavy-handed with the descriptions. The plot was fast-paced and kept you hooked. I enjoyed reading this, and would recommend it to a friend (and have).