The entire solar system is watching as Asphodel Station conducts its first official use of the WarpLine gun (think the transporter array from Star Trek but not) ... and then disappears. Flung far away, to the other side of the cosmos, the personnel aboard the station find themselves caught up in an ancient war against Lovecraftian monstrosities that serve the destructive Outer Gods. And their only hope of surviving is an alien technology that resurrects the dead and harvests their souls.

So, maybe it goes without saying that Jonathan Maberry's NecroTek is kind of dark, and at times feels stiflingly oppressive, with even those slim shards of hope offered with a seriously aching catch. This all fits in wonderfully, of course, with the ethos of cosmic horror, wherein the universe and the immortal deities as old as time itself (if not older) that are dwelling amongst the stars are cold and uncaring, and oftentimes violently so.

Maberry certainly doesn't skimp on the violence. Asphodel Station's reappearance amidst an impossible stellar constellation is shockingly horrific as the space station and its denizens reestablish their dimensional bearings. Maberry's descriptions of the effects of the WarpLine gun recall the urban legends of the Philadelphia Experiment, with bodies becoming fused to the bulkheads, or skeletons and internal organs being transported away from beneath skin and muscle to leave the tragic victim little more than a puddle of collapsed, oozing flesh. To say that this first use of the WarpLine gun goes awry is to seriously undersell the negative effects suffered by the unfortunates aboard Asphodel. Maberry takes the transporter accident from Star Trek: The Motion Picture and magnifies it, thinking, "OK, now, how can I make it a thousand times worse?" Take, for instance, the young couple skipping the celebrations of the WarpLine gun's ribbon cutting for a romp in the metaphorical hay, only to find themselves coitus interruptus by way of vivisection and parts of their bodies shot into space. Even Asphodel's AI is not immune to the tragic malfunction of the WarpLine gun and begins suffering from schizophrenic breakdowns, at times sounding it's transmitting straight from Matthew Bartlett's nightmarish version of Leeds, MA. You know you're in a bad way when the computer starts reciting funereal prayers unprompted.

Faster than you can say conflict escalation, the station and its military contingent find themselves under assault by a fleet of Shoggoths, the erstwhile amorphous, protoplasmic monsters from H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. They've already destroyed all sentient life in the system Asphodel Station has materialized in, and they'll be damned if they're gonna allow the puny humans that now find themselves stuck there a chance to catch their breath. Maberry feels much the same about his readers, driving the plot forward with countless action beats both aboard the station and amongst the aerial hot-dogs taking the fight to the stars, pushing the crew of the Lost Souls naval contingent to the titular alien NecroTek technology that will either save them or damn them, or a little bit of both.

NecroTek is both captivating and exhausting in equal measure, but it's exhausting in a good way. Maberry has crafted here a marathon read, one that keeps the adrenaline pumping rapidly as both his characters and readers are thrust into one high-octane confrontation after another. At times it does feel a bit much, and I found myself wishing there were a quicker way through, but that, I suppose, is war. And make no mistake, NecroTek is first and foremost a war story, albeit one with monsters, ghosts, and gigantic, loud, boisterous alien technology that wouldn't be out of place in a Transformers movie, if only the Autobots found themselves fighting tentacled kaiju on a dead alien world. In short, it's a Jonathan Maberry book -- whatever delineations exist between genres are broken down in a brash everything including the kitchen sink approach, and then pureed in a blender until smooth and yummy. I mean, where the hell else are you going to find giant robots fighting even bigger monstrosities in a galaxy far, far away, all wrapped up in a horrifyingly bloody cocoon of cosmic horror? And this is just book one, for Cthulhu's sake! I can't even imagine what might be coming our way in the sequel. horror netgalley sci-fi-fantasy4 s J R1,032 12

Weird unique and pretty cool sci-fi book. Thanks for the arc! I found it pretty nice so I appreciate it2 s Matthew DavenportAuthor 45 books53

NecroTek by Jonathan Maberry

I had the pleasure of delving into this title as an ARC, and from the moment I picked it up, I was captivated. Initially drawn by its intriguing premise, which evoked images of a Lovecraftian twist on the classic sci-fi horror of Alien, I found myself immersed in a narrative that far exceeded my expectations.

The tale begins with a catastrophic mishap on launch day for a revolutionary teleportation device, resulting in the entire space station, along with its inhabitants, being flung to the farthest reaches of the universe. What follows is a gripping saga of survival, as 12,000 souls grapple with the terrors of unfamiliar dimensions, cosmic warfare, and the unsettling revelation of life beyond death.

However, while the horror elements initially drew me in, it was the intricate web of interpersonal relationships that truly stole the show. Each character, no matter how briefly introduced, is imbued with depth and humanity, inviting the reader to empathize with their struggles and sacrifices. This emotional investment lends weight to every twist and turn of the plot, elevating the stakes to dizzying heights.

What truly sets NecroTek apart, though, is its masterful blend of familiar tropes into something wholly original. From echoes of Farscape's accidental voyages across the cosmos to the eerie resonance of Event Horizon's interdimensional travel, the narrative deftly weaves together elements from a myriad of science fiction classics. Yet, it is the infusion of Lovecraftian horror that gives the story its uniquely chilling edge, elevating it to a league of its own.

In essence, NecroTek is a love letter to the genre, a thrilling amalgamation of its most iconic elements brought to life with Maberry's signature flair. With its pulse-pounding action, richly drawn characters, and spine-tingling atmosphere, it's no surprise that I found myself eagerly anticipating the next installment. Without a doubt, this is a stellar addition to the pantheon of science fiction classics, deserving of every bit of its five-star rating.

"NecroTek Forever!"1 Lou884 914

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