Book Review – Skinwrapper by Stephen Kozeniewski

Title: Skinwrapper

Author: Stephen Kozeniewski

Edition: Paperback

Page Count: 81 pages

Rating: 3.5 / 5 ✨✨✨✨✨

Short Summary:

A single word strikes fear into the hearts of even the most experienced starship crews…

Aboard the freighter Blue Whale, a young girl’s day begins like any other: texting her friends while her parents bicker about breakfast. Then, with a loud, sickening pop, their domestic tranquility is shattered.

A single word goes out over the emergency warning system…

The galaxy’s shipping lanes are plagued by a gang of vicious pirates. Suffering from all manner of terminal diseases, they require zero gravity to live. They also need a constant influx of fresh blood and organs, so their victims also become their unwilling donors. The band is so ruthless, so violent, that its very name has become a synonym for terror.

A single word that chills the blood, even in the utter cold of space…

The little girl finds herself alone, lost, and trapped aboard the vessel she called home, praying it won’t also become her tomb. She is about to learn there is nothing in the universe worse than being hunted by a SKINWRAPPER.

Goodreads

Another Night Worms book party happened recently, and I know I’ve said this before, but I’m so glad to be a part of the team! These book parties are so much fun, and I love seeing all the different reactions and ratings from some of the bookworms whose opinions I value most in the community!

I didn’t know much about this one going in, as I typically prefer not to read much about a book before reading it. I did see a lot of comments in our group chat, and started it right away ’cause everything I heard sounded great! And wow, what a ride! This is a super short little novella, but it makes a big impact by not holding back in terms of action and excitement going on.

When starting, you’re put immediately into the main character’s life. We’re privy to the conversations she hears, we learn about her family – all in just a couple of short pages. From there, we’re thrown right in to a horrific tragedy, and the subsequent chaos and bloodshed that ensues from a group of Firefly’s Reaver-esque murderers taking over. I loved the Dead Space vibes I got from some of the scenes – scary stuff in space is absolutely terrifying to me, folks!

I really enjoyed this for what it was: a short, fast, action-packed sci-fi horror thrill ride. I wouldn’t say there was a whole lot of character development or that the plot was completely original, but I enjoyed the time I spent reading the pages, and I was thoroughly entertained throughout.

I will admit that I may have enjoyed this a bit more as a fully fleshed out novel rather than a novella where we’re thrown in, given little detail other than what’s happening in the moment, and then having that end while being left wanting to know more. On the plus side to that, this is actually a prequel novella to a book called THE HEMATOPHAGES, which I assume expands more on the universe created here – and I’ve already added it to my wishlist, ’cause based on this alone, I absolutely want to check it out!

Overall, if you’re a fan of horror sci-fi, check this one out. It’s quick, gritty, and accessible even if you’re not a huge science fiction nerd!