Parasite by Darcy Coates is a science fiction horror that takes place on different space stations. Each time the reader goes to a different space station the reader and the people aboard the space station know a little bit more about the enemy which is a plant-based lifeform that can borrow the skin and mimic the human they have just killed. This leads to a lot of mistrust and suspicion just amongst regular humans not infected. This novel is intense as each station is a fight for human life thrill ride. The premise reminds me of John Carpenter’s The Thing mixed with Aliens, where the thing is a threat but the biggest threat is paranoia from humans. The novel works as a series of vignettes since each station is its own story but also works as a larger story by way of knowledge. We follow 5 different women on space stations with different job titles one is a captain while another is the lowest person on the space station. The women portrayed all have inner strength even if they don’t realize it. The characters are different and each own individual. The stories are all paced very well, there was only one story that took me a while to get into as the lead character is an asshole (self-admitted) and takes a bit to warm up to but by the end, I was very invested in the story. I will say it was pretty bold of Darcy Coates to tell a completely different story with a whole new set of characters each time, but every time by the end of the story I was invested. The fourth story was my favorite and I could argue that that story should have been last. This is a fun novel that reads very quickly. I would have liked one chapter where all the survivors from the stations meet up and kick some alien butt but Coates stuck to each story being self-contained where no characters from other stories meet. The stories were originally written as short stories and put together as an omnibus. I would like to think Netgalley and Poisoned Press Books for a free copy in exchange for a review. I read this as part of the rerelease. Parasite was first published on August 6, 2016.

Plot Summary: While outside of Space Station 331, a crew member spots something large and black wrapped around the satellite. The crew member attempts to dislodge it but it attacks. The crew member comes back to the airlock without their helmet seeming fine. do they let them in or not? this starts the nightmare of a parasite that can mimic the way we think and talk. how can humans defeat such a thing? As the story unfolds and humans interact with this deadly new species they learn their strengths and weaknesses giving humanity a chance to defeat them.

What I Liked: How intense and sometimes gory the stories got. I love kick-ass women and this book is full of them. I loved the paranoia aspect of the book and how far that went sometimes. I loved when space madness is involved in the story and how chaotic that is mixed with aliens that can mimic people. Story 4 was my absolute favorite it was intense, had many twists and turns, was a love story, was funny, and had the best ending. The first story is short but kind of jarring before you realize the story is completely new. I liked the weakness of the Cymic when not in the human body can not see only hear.

What I Disliked: The survivors never meet up or there is any connection at all. Smart women kept making too dumb of mistakes not thinking of the enemy at all times.

Recommendations: Parasite is a really fun easy read that is intense in all the right places. The book has kick-ass female leads that are all written differently and for the most part, rise to the challenge. Despite the book’s dark subject, it finds ways to inject humor throughout. This is my first Darcy Coates novel and I’m charmed. I recommend you read Parasite.

Rating: I rated Parasite by Darcy Coates 4.1 stars out of 5.