The Scourge Between Stars

Jacklyn “Jack” Albright unexpectedly finds herself acting as captain of the ship Calypso in Brown’s debut science-fiction novella. Earth has long been uninhabitable, owing to climate disasters. Centuries ago, its people unsuccessfully relocated to a distant planet and are now heading back, hoping to start anew. Jack’s father, the ship’s original captain, is locked in his chambers, completely uncommunicative, ever since an unknown force killed Jack’s mother. Now Jack must deal with infighting among the ship’s different factions, drastic rationing of supplies, and bizarre, violent attacks from an unknown being that lives somewhere inside the vessel and is devouring people, one at a time. Characterization is sacrificed for the plot-driven story, which is clearly inspired by Ridley Scott’s Alien films. Bahni Turpin is, as always, a fantastic narrator, perfectly conveying Jack’s mounting panic, despair, and anger toward her father and her circumstances.