The Void. JournalStone

Talley's second novel opens in a futuristic world where faster-than-light space travel is possible, but at a great cost. Passengers are placed in a deep sleep during travel, and consequently experience horrifying dreams that culminate in madness and murder. Protagonist Aidan Connor wakes up on the spaceship Alabama, after being rescued from his escape pod somewhere between Pluto and Neptune. Suffering from amnesia due to the traumatic destruction of his own ship, the Vespa, Connor begins the chilling journey of uncovering the truth behind the dreams that drive humans mad. While the genre is unmistakably Lovecraftian horror, with its examination of the horrific and cosmic unknown, the book's content is not. The narration drags a bit when the author pauses to explain to the reader the basics of space and physics, but the horror elements are very well written and fascinating. Talley's debut novel, That Which Should Not Be, was nominated for the 2011 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement for a First Novel.