10 SCARY Sci-Fi Book Recommendations

Summary

In this thrilling Booktube collaboration, Jonathan is joined by Rachel from Shades of Orange to explore the chilling intersection of horror and science fiction. They delve into a diverse selection of scary sci-fi books, discussing titles like 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons and 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood, which range from cosmic horror to dystopian nightmares. The conversation also touches on lesser-known gems, providing a comprehensive guide for readers seeking a literary adrenaline rush.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video is a collaboration between Jonathan and Rachel discussing scary science fiction books.
• 👻 Rachel admits to having a love for both science fiction and the dark, creepy, and disturbing elements often found in horror.
• 🎢 Jonathan differentiates between different kinds of 'scary', noting that what frightens one person may not affect another in the same way.
• 🕰 The first book recommendation is 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons, which features a terrifying creature called the Shrike and explores themes of body horror and AI technology.
• 🌊 Rachel's first recommendation is 'Starfish' by Peter Watts, a claustrophobic sci-fi horror set in an underwater rig with morally complex characters.
• 👽 'Roadside Picnic' by the Strugatsky brothers is suggested for its eerie and mysterious zones left behind by aliens, creating a sense of suspense and existential dread.
• 📖 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood is recommended as a dystopian novel that feels increasingly possible and relevant in today's society, causing fear through its plausibility.
• 📡 '1984' by George Orwell is highlighted for its portrayal of a totalitarian government with constant surveillance, making it a classic dystopian tale that remains chillingly relevant.
• 🤯 'Full Immersion' by Gemma Moore is a sci-fi horror novel that deals with postpartum depression and virtual reality, offering an emotionally raw and unsettling narrative.
• 🌌 'Pandora's Star' by Peter F. Hamilton is noted for having a particularly shocking chapter amidst a grand space opera setting involving the disappearance of a star and alien encounters.
• 🚢 'Ship of Fools' by Richard Paul Russo is a space horror novel that subverts expectations, focusing on suspense and an unsettling atmosphere aboard a seemingly abandoned ship.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the video?

The main topic of discussion in the video is scary science fiction books, with a focus on recommendations from Jonathan and Rachel.

What is the relationship between Jonathan and Rachel in the context of the video?

Jonathan and Rachel are both booktubers who collaborate in this video to discuss and recommend scary science fiction books to their audience.

How does Jonathan describe the book 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons?

Jonathan describes 'Hyperion' as a series with seven pilgrims traveling to the planet Hyperion, featuring the terrifying Shrike and elements of body horror and AI technology.

What is the premise of 'Starfish' by Peter Watts?

'Starfish' takes place on an underwater rig where the crew members are not the most desirable individuals in society, creating a claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere.

Why does Rachel recommend 'Roadside Picnic' by Katie and Boris Chugatsky?

Rachel recommends 'Roadside Picnic' for its eerie and tense mystery surrounding alien visitation sites and the existential questions it raises about humanity's significance.

What is the dystopian setting of 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood?

In 'The Handmaid's Tale', a dystopian future is depicted where women who can conceive are treated as property and used for surrogacy by the wealthy.

How does Jonathan describe the feeling of reading '1984' by George Orwell?

Jonathan describes '1984' as a book that makes the reader feel the oppression of a totalitarian government with constant surveillance and severe consequences for disobedience.

What is the unique aspect of 'Full Immersion' by Gemma Moore that Rachel finds compelling?

The unique aspect of 'Full Immersion' is the author's personal experience with postpartum depression, which she incorporates into the story, making it emotionally raw and authentic.

What is the main theme of 'Ship of Fools' by Richard Paul Russo?

'Ship of Fools' is a space horror novel that explores themes of purposelessness and religious fanaticism aboard a ship wandering aimlessly in space.

What makes 'Tender Is the Flesh' by Agustina Bazterrica stand out as a horror recommendation?

'Tender Is the Flesh' stands out for its disturbing premise of a future where humans are used as a special type of meat, challenging readers' comfort levels and beliefs.

What is the general consensus on the 'The Three-Body Problem' series by Liu Cixin?

The general consensus is that 'The Three-Body Problem' series is a hard science fiction that raises existential and philosophical questions about humanity's place in the universe.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Scary Sci-Fi Book Discussion

In this introductory paragraph, Jonathan and Rachel from the booktube channel 'shades of orange' set the stage for a discussion on scary science fiction books. Jonathan expresses his excitement about the crossover between sci-fi and horror, acknowledging his own preference for the dark and disturbing. Rachel, despite initially claiming to dislike scary content, admits her enthusiasm for the topic, highlighting the subjective nature of what constitutes 'scary'. They agree to focus on sci-fi elements to make the content more accessible to a general audience. Jonathan begins with a recommendation of 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons, noting its scary aspects involving a mysterious creature called the Shrike and themes of body horror and AI technology.

05:01

🌊 Starfish by Peter Watts: Underwater Horror

Rachel recommends 'Starfish' by Peter Watts, a sci-fi horror novel set on an underwater rig. She describes the setting as a place for society's outcasts, which adds to the story's dark atmosphere. The claustrophobic and deep-sea environment is portrayed as inherently scary, with the characters facing not only the dangers of the ocean but also the psychological strain of working in such a hostile environment. The book is part of a trilogy and is described as atmospheric and disturbing, though not overly terrifying.

10:02

👽 Roadside Picnic: Mysterious Alien Visitation

Jonathan's second recommendation is 'Roadside Picnic' by the Strugatsky brothers. The book explores the aftermath of an alien visitation to Earth, where mysterious and dangerous zones have been left behind. People venture into these zones, despite the risks, in search of alien artifacts. The story is not a traditional horror but has an eerie and tense atmosphere, with an undercurrent of existential dread about humanity's place in the universe.

15:05

🚨 The Handmaid's Tale: Dystopian Fears

Rachel discusses 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood, a dystopian novel set in a future where women are treated as property and used for surrogacy due to a decline in fertility rates. The story follows the life of 'Offred', highlighting the oppressive regime and the surveillance state. Rachel emphasizes the book's relevance and its chilling plausibility, noting how Atwood's speculative fiction is rooted in real-world possibilities.

20:07

📡 1984: Totalitarian Dystopia

Jonathan's third recommendation is George Orwell's '1984', a classic dystopian novel that explores the theme of totalitarian government and constant surveillance. The story is known for its portrayal of a society where thought control and the manipulation of reality are the norm. Jonathan finds the book particularly scary due to its high stakes and the severe consequences of dissent.

25:07

🤔 Full Immersion: Virtual Reality and Postpartum Depression

Rachel recommends 'Full Immersion' by Gemma Moore, a book that combines elements of sci-fi and horror with the author's personal experience of postpartum depression. The story involves a woman who enters a virtual reality therapy to cope with her condition. The book is noted for its emotional rawness and the exploration of the blurred lines between reality and virtual experiences.

🌌 Pandora's Star: Space Opera with a Horrific Twist

Jonathan's fourth recommendation, 'Pandora's Star' by Peter F. Hamilton, is a space opera set in a future with advanced technology like wormholes. The story involves the mysterious disappearance of a star and the subsequent encounter with aliens. While not primarily a horror novel, it contains a particularly shocking and horrific moment that left a strong impression on Jonathan.

🛸 Ship of Fools: Space Horror with a Twist

Rachel's next pick is 'Ship of Fools' by Richard Paul Russo, a space horror novel that subverts typical tropes of the genre. The story follows a crew on a ship that has lost its purpose and has been taken over by a religious group. The suspense builds as they explore an abandoned ship, with the narrative playing with the reader's expectations and creating an unsettling atmosphere.

🌌 The Three-Body Problem: Cosmic Horror and Philosophy

Jonathan's final recommendation is 'The Three-Body Problem' by Liu Cixin, the first book in the 'Remembrance of Earth's Past' trilogy. The novel is a hard sci-fi story that raises existential questions about humanity's place in the universe. Set against the backdrop of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, it involves strange occurrences affecting scientists and a secret mission sending messages into space.

🥩 Tender Is the Flesh: Dystopian Cannibalism

Rachel concludes with a daring recommendation, 'Tender Is the Flesh', a dystopian novel where animal consumption is forbidden, leading to the government-sanctioned use of human meat. The story is told from the perspective of a man working in a production facility who is given a living human specimen to raise. The book is described as deeply unsettling and thought-provoking, challenging the reader's comfort zones and ethical considerations.

Keywords

💡Scary Sci-Fi

Scary Sci-Fi refers to a sub-genre of science fiction that incorporates elements intended to provoke fear or unease. In the video, this concept is the central theme, as the hosts discuss books that blend science fiction with horror to create a sense of dread or terror. For example, the series 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons is mentioned for its scary elements involving the mysterious and deadly creature, the Shrike.

💡Body Horror

Body horror is a genre that focuses on the grotesque and the abject, often involving the violation or transformation of the human body. In the context of the video, 'Hyperion' is noted for its inclusion of body horror elements, specifically with the 'cruciform,' a device that raises questions about the nature of life and the ethics of prolonging it through unnatural means.

💡Dystopian

Dystopian fiction is a sub-genre of speculative fiction that explores societies characterized by oppression or error. The video mentions 'The Handmaid's Tale' and '1984' as examples of dystopian novels that present terrifying futures where individual freedoms are suppressed, and the state exerts total control over its citizens.

💡Existential Crisis

An existential crisis is a moment at which an individual questions the meaning and purpose of their life or existence. In the video, 'Roadside Picnic' is discussed for causing an existential scare by posing questions about humanity's significance in the universe, especially in the face of indifferent or malevolent extraterrestrial beings.

💡Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. In the video, 'Full Immersion' by Gemma Moore is highlighted for its use of VR as a form of therapy, which leads to a narrative that is both emotionally raw and questions the nature of reality.

💡Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth, which can affect both physical and emotional well-being. The video discusses how 'Full Immersion' authentically portrays the experience of postpartum depression, adding a layer of emotional depth and relatability to the story.

💡Space Opera

Space opera is a sub-genre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, melodramatic adventure, interplanetary battles, and risk-taking. 'Pandora's Star' by Peter F. Hamilton is mentioned in the video as a space opera with a particularly horrific moment that left a strong impression on the host.

💡Cosmic Horror

Cosmic horror is a sub-genre of horror fiction that focuses on the idea that life is incomprehensible to human beings and that the universe is hostile or indifferent. The video touches on 'The Three-Body Problem' as an example of cosmic horror, where the vastness and mystery of the universe provoke existential questions and fear.

💡Suspense

Suspense is the feeling of excited or anxious anticipation or suspense caused by someone saying or doing something that is surprising or not expected. The video describes 'Ship of Fools' as a book that plays with suspense, creating an atmosphere of unease and anticipation as the crew of a space vessel explores an abandoned ship.

💡Special Meat

In the context of the video, 'special meat' refers to a dystopian concept from the book 'Tender Is the Flesh,' where human flesh is used as food due to a disease that has rendered animal meat inedible. This concept is used to provoke a strong emotional response and to explore themes of morality and societal norms.

Highlights

Introduction to the collaboration between Jonathan and Rachel discussing scary sci-fi books.

Rachel's confession of her love for scary things, despite not enjoying horror movies.

Jonathan's intention to focus on sci-fi elements that are scary to make the content accessible to a broader audience.

The importance of understanding that what is scary is subjective and varies from person to person.

Recommendation of 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons, highlighting its scary aspects involving time tombs and the creature Shrike.

Discussion on 'Starfish' by Peter Watts, focusing on the claustrophobic and atmospheric horror of an underwater rig.

Jonathan's mention of 'Roadside Picnic' by the Strugatsky brothers, noting its eerie and mysterious zones left by aliens.

Rachel's choice of 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood, emphasizing its dystopian and terrifyingly possible future.

Jonathan's pick of '1984' by George Orwell, discussing its oppressive and totalitarian themes that feel relevant today.

Recommendation of 'Full Immersion' by Gemma Moore, blending sci-fi with the raw emotion of postpartum depression.

Jonathan's mention of 'Pandora's Star' by Peter F. Hamilton, with a particular focus on a shocking chapter involving alien capture.

Rachel's choice of 'Ship of Fools' by Richard Paul Russo, a space horror with a unique take on the genre's tropes.

Jonathan's final recommendation of 'The Three-Body Problem' by Liu Cixin, praising its blend of hard sci-fi with existential questions.

Rachel's daring final pick, 'Tender Is the Flesh', a dystopian novel that challenges readers with its disturbing premise of human consumption.

The hosts' mutual appreciation for the discussion and their respective channels, encouraging viewers to explore more sci-fi content.

Transcripts

if you're interested in scary sci-fi

books you're in the right place hello

booktube I'm Jonathan and today I'm

joined by the amazing Rachel from shades

of orange Rachel do you like scary books

scary movies scary video games not at

all no I'm kidding I love scary things

so I was so excited when you invited me

on for this topic because as anyone who

follows my channel knows I not only love

science fiction but I also have to but I

also happen to have this strange love

for the dark and creepy the dark and

disturbing a lot of horror books and so

it actually crosses over really nicely

I'm going to try to be fair in this

video and focus more on science fiction

that's scary so that it's a bit more

accessible to those of you I assume

you're a regular audience may not

necessarily read a lot of horror and so

I definitely want to make sure that this

is safe a safe space for everyone but I

enjoy being scared it's fun what about

yourself like do you watch this scary

movie I don't watch many horror movies I

don't I don't I don't mind the

adrenaline like I can do roller coasters

but you know I'm I do much better with a

bungee jump than a jump scare I'm

I get very easily scared so some of my

recommendations probably gonna be more

scary conceptually as opposed to

actually terrifying I think Rachel's

recommendations might be a little bit

hairy on the on the scary meter that's a

good point because you I even asked you

before we got started being like okay

well what do you mean by scary like

what's what's the plan here what's our

prompt and I wanted to make sure that I

was going in the right direction and not

going off of the feeding path but I

actually really love that you're going

to be talking about different kinds of

scary because that's something that

while I do read a lot of Horror

there is such a difference when it comes

to what one person will think is scary

versus another it's very personal it's

very subjective so maybe before we even

get into this let me give a huge

disclaimer that if you have read one of

these books we're talking about and you

say well that's not scary it's not scary

for you it might be scary for someone

else so keep that all in mind uh because

that's something I run into a lot is

that someone will say well this book

didn't scare me and well maybe certain

things scare you that don't scare me and

vice versa so I think this will be a lot

of fun to talk about

absolutely well let's dive into some

scary sci-fi books we're going to give

five recommendations each I'll kick us

off with one that you're probably

familiar with it's one of my favorite

series one that gets a lot of love from

the Sci-Fi community and that is

hyperion by Dan Simmons so a lot of

people talk about this book they

recommend it but I don't necessarily

hear a lot of people always talk about

how scary it is I thought it was pretty

scary so Hyperion we have seven pilgrims

traveling to the planet of Hyperion to

visit the time tombs which are moving

backwards in time and are guarded by the

mysterious shrike and the shrike

definitely one of the scariest aspects

of this of this book of this series The

strikes massive covered in spiky Thorns

red eyes they got forearms even though

the covers only depict him with two arms

the first three books anyway this guy

terrifying

laws of space time physics don't apply

to the shrike the shrike can kill you in

an instant the strike can impale you on

the tree of thorn tree of pain

I found this like more upsetting than I

was than I was prepared for and the

series also has a lot of stuff to do

with like body horror with the cruciform

and then also like the threat of AI

technology with the technicore and

things like this so I think if you are

into horror if you are into some scary

things not the whole book of Hyperion

not the whole series but there are going

to be moments that I think are going to

gonna scratch that horror itch for you

that sounds so good I still need to read

Hyperion but no one has ever told me

that it has those scary elements so I

would have moved it way off the TBR if

someone had pitched that to me sooner

because that sounds really fun it sounds

cool like there's this like creature in

there and I don't know yeah I love

everyone's like it's the Canterbury

Tales and someone sort of said it's a

horror book or it's scary they would

have gone to read a lot sooner

I've seen that in every review but it's

like which is cup I mean how many people

have actually read the Canterbury Tales

like how to watch

maybe smarter more literary people than

me but anyway yes Canterbury Tales meet

sci-fi meets horror that's we'll say

that that's the pitch yeah well I'm sold

on that

so should I go next yes what is your

first recommendation all right I had to

narrow it down I had more than five but

the first one I want to go with is

starfish by Peter watt have you read

this one

I know I haven't I haven't read any

Peter Watts but blindsight is on the TBR

ah you know that's one of my favorites

so I could have gone with that one but I

felt like starfish it better fit the

prompt even though both of them could be

classified as sci-fi horror So within

the story it all takes place in this

underwater rig and the idea is that it's

deep in the ocean and it's just not a

very desirable place to work so I love

this setup because it's all about the

idea that

nice people don't go there to work on

the rigs pretty much you either have to

be this like low life of society you

have to be someone who's been abused or

has been abuser yourself or just had a

terrible terrible life because otherwise

you find a better job and so that's a

whole setup for the story which I think

frames it really interestingly because

you don't have the character surrounded

by nice people and they themselves are

not nice and then I like to recommend

this book as something scary just

because you can imagine underwater deep

in the ocean it's so claustrophobic you

just can feel the ocean and the pressure

just crushing on the characters the idea

that if something goes wrong out when

they're working on the rig they're in

the same safety mechanisms in place and

I just found the book scary as anything

I often say actually I'm a terrible

swimmer so anything involving the ocean

is scary enough but I think even for

those of you that hopefully have a

better sense of swimming and a you know

are a bit more adapt in the water that

it's still terrifying when you get that

far down because again so much can go

wrong and it's kind of like a mystery

like you're like oh who to trust and all

that and I don't want to spoil much of

it I'm someone who often likes to just

give more of a feeling about a book than

like a really long synopsis because the

book itself is fairly short it's the

first in the series and first in Trilogy

specifically and you just kind of want

to experience it for yourself but yeah

claustrophobic atmospheric really messed

up but not too scary I promise you

actually would enjoy it I swear I

promise

I like the the kind of feeling of being

under the water because I'm not

certified but I've gone scuba diving a

couple of times and it's really fun but

when you're when you're a newbie they

only let you go down like 20 feet 30

feet and it's like okay if something

were to go wrong you know I could

probably swim up to the surface would be

okay but you know if you're hundreds of

thousands of feet deep especially as as

you described not surrounded by the best

people uh that might be a rather

claustrophobic and uncomfortable feeling

so

uh yeah I'm gonna be reading Blindside

in April so I might if I might have to

add this one because that seems to be

the main what's book that I hear

recommended but I might have to add this

one to the TBR as well that sounds kind

of creepy yeah if you love Blindside I

definitely think it's the next one to go

awesome

well for my second scary sci-fi book I'm

gonna go with one that I read recently

and that is roadside picnic by Katie and

Boris chugatsky and this one it's

definitely not out and out horror but

there is

aliens have come then visited Earth and

there are these sites which people go

into kind of off the books they're not

supposed to go in there to explore and

find things and there's this kind of

mystery of why did the aliens come was

it for sinister reasons were they just

passing by do they not even care about

humans

but the science the zones that you can

go into they're very mysterious they're

very dangerous it kind of has this Eerie

tense mystery about them and it feels a

little bit like I think this was

possibly an influence on Annihilation I

haven't read the book but I watched the

movie and it kind of reminded me and as

I was going through the zone you know I

I was I was kind of on the edge of my

seat wanting to find out what was going

to happen next what kind of weird thing

was going to go down in the zone next

and that also kind of existential crisis

that the aliens cause was a little bit

scary as well are we insignificant by

comparison you know are they going to

destroy us like do they would they not

even notice us that's just how like

insignificant we are as humans so yeah

that kind of edge of the seat and then

back of the Mind

scare as well I got from roadside picnic

oh that's interesting and the other one

on my TBR

then be a video of Shame for me all the

Sci-Fi I need to read but I'm sharing

good good

um but yeah that sounds really

interesting and I like again that you

make the point of like something being

scary there's different layers of that

and that's almost like intellectually

scary I would say yeah I love that

awesome so my next pick is a little bit

of an obvious one I promise I'll have

some more under hyped ones as well but

when I think scary science fiction my

mind immediately goes to dystopians so I

could have done a lot of different ones

but the one I want to go with is the

handmaid's tale by Margaret Atwood I am

Canadian so I joke but it's part of my

obligation to keep my citizenship is to

constantly be recommending Margaret

Atwood every single time I can and she

of course is known in circles of saying

that she doesn't write science fiction

that is literary fiction and speculative

fiction it's science fiction

don't tell don't tell her that and so of

course I think everyone knows the

stories they'll kind of be very brief

that is said in a dystopian future where

women have become less fertile in

general and so the women who are able to

conceive and have children are treated

as property by those that are more rich

and they use them as kind of for

surrogacy and so we follow a woman who

is known as of Fred because she is

simply Fred's property and it's her

responsibility to Bear the children that

will be owned or the children of him and

his wife and

yeah it's a terrifying book I read it

years ago when I was a teenager myself

because again that's what you do in high

school is you read Margaret Atwood but

then I read it again very recently the

Canadian syllabus exactly you just

basically read it again and again and I

read it again quite recently in light of

everything going on in the United States

with some of the legal things I don't

want to get too political here but I

think everyone knows what I'm talking

about and it's just frightening how

accurate she was with some of the

predictions she made how it sounds like

the most far-fetched plot you could

imagine and then when you're actually

reading in the details she puts in

you're like oh oh oh and it just that

book is scary because it feels possible

and that's the reason that Margaret

Atwood always says that her books aren't

science fiction they're speculative

fiction is that she really posts the

fact that everything that she writes is

possible and often has roots and things

that are already happening in the world

today so that's her argument for it but

regardless the book is absolutely

terrifying I think it's gotten more

terrifying as I've gotten older and more

savvier and more aware of what's

happening in the world and it completely

holds up so if you haven't read Margaret

Atwood that's a great place to start

I didn't I didn't take the Margaret

Atwood masterclass but I got all the

YouTube ads for it and she's like I only

include things in my books that have

happened somewhere in the world

throughout history so when people are

accused of being far-fetched so I can

say look this is where it happened

um I haven't read the handmaid's tale

but I have read oryx and Craig which is

also in that kind of dystopia world and

that was yeah that was pretty

confronting that was a bit of a tough

read at times some kind of scary ideas

scary moments and yeah uh yeah I think

I think she does that that rather well

and yeah definitely need to handmaid's

tale big big kind of dystopian book that

I need to check off the list yeah you

have to be in the mood for her

dystopians and post-apocalyptic stories

like with Orcs and Craig's I appreciate

it but I remember reading it and just

being like this is not the right time it

was in the last few years and I was like

I'll come back to this book again later

it's a rough one for sure

definitely well I

I'll continue that theme I'll go with

the dystopian dystopian theme because uh

dystopians they're scary and I think so

I made a video recently on some

dystopian Classics and of the ones that

I talked about the one that I think was

the scariest for me was 1984. yeah so a

lot of people probably read 1984 uh but

I've been thinking about this one ever

since I've read it it's obviously

well known for its kind of like literary

merits like it's historical importance

it's kind of uh reflection of the time

but also projecting into the future but

I think this was like the best written

of the dystopian Classics in terms of

making you feel that oppression that

that totalia totalitarian government

where their surveillance is constant you

can't do anything without being seen you

can't not only do things you're not

supposed to say things you're not

supposed to you can't even think things

that you're not supposed to and the

consequences are very severe uh in terms

of the the violence the torture the

manipulation this is the book which of

this dystopian Classics which I felt

like had the highest Stakes it's like if

I got caught doing the wrong thing I

would not want it to be in the universe

of 1984. so if you like dystopian books

and you haven't read 1984 for some

reason I think it lives up to the hype I

think it's definitely a must read I

completely agree with that's one again I

read in high school between the Margaret

Atwood books and I think it's everyone

should read it because everyone goes

around saying oh it's 1984 or big

brother is watching and all that and I

do think people need to know where those

references are coming from and I think

it completely held up I'm not always the

biggest fan of Classics in the past I

can struggle with them but that one is

just solid it just it you know it rings

through today just as much as it did

when it was written

awesome

what is your third recommendation all

right going for something a little bit

more underhyped hopefully one that a lot

of your viewers haven't heard of or read

and that is full immersion by Gemma

Moore and this is a sci-fi horror book

but I don't think it's too scary it's

scary but it's it's I think it's

approachable and this story is written

by a woman who is actually bringing a

lot of herself into the story uh the

story itself follows a woman who has

just given birth and is dealing with

postpartum depression and so she decides

to take on this virtual reality therapy

to try to work through this and this

book is so

um authentic because the author really

brings her own experience her own

postpartum depression that she was

dealing with and she wrote this book

through that so that's part of what I

find makes this book so scary is the

fact that it feels incredibly

emotionally raw the author just lays

herself out on the page and is very open

about the dark thoughts that she has and

it's a tough book to read but it's

excellent and then of course we get into

the actual science fiction Elements

which are probably what your viewers are

more interested in so again we have the

virtual reality and we as the reader get

to see her within the reality and the

question of like is this actually real

is this happening but then we also get

the framework of getting to see what is

happening outside of that so those are

actually putting on this experiment and

this book read to me so much like the

movie I hope you've watched it

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

the one with Jim Carrey yes and so it's

definitely his own but you can tell that

it's inspired by that and so it has

those off-kilter creepy Vibes where

again you don't really know what to

believe and it's just about you know

if something is in your mind is it real

or you know does there does it actually

have

is it actually tangible it's so hard to

describe but it's just a brilliant book

I love that movie and so anything that

reminds me of that is just equally

brilliant and like I said it just has

layers to the story and I think I found

it scary again because especially as a

mother myself having those darker

thoughts and going through a lot of that

myself and just really be able to look

back and again just not being able to

trust your own mind and I don't know

it's it's it hits me on a whole lot of

levels so that's one I definitely

recommend it's a newer release it came

out in 2022 so hopefully it's a new

recommendation for a lot of people

very interesting there's a couple of uh

things that you mentioned there which

stood out to me one was that the person

the author was writing from their own

experience obviously great writers I

think can create uh imaginary scenarios

based on uh research or other things but

there does some seem to be something

about a personal experience coming

through like often I've read a book

without knowing much about the author

and I was like oh the description of

this was really powerful and then I read

up on the author and

you know they they went to war

themselves or you know they they had

like you know depression or suicide in

their family or something you know

there's it's it's directly affected and

then and that's put directly on the page

I think you know just kind of adds to

the power of of what they're talking

about and the second thing was that that

feeling of not knowing what's real or

not real which I think is a great aspect

of a number of sci-fi novels it's

something that I really like about some

uh Philip K dick novels that sense of

surreal weird what's real not what's not

real what is it are you influenced by

drugs or technology are you just crazy

or is everybody else crazy uh so I yeah

I love that kind of kind of weird aspect

coming through in in my sci-fi books

yeah it's one of my favorite sci-fi

horror tropes it's exactly it's like can

you trust your own mind and it works in

so many movies and books and it's one

that I've seen over and over again but I

never get tired of it it's so good

awesome well for my next recommendation

I'm gonna go with one that is not

particularly scary overall but there was

one chapter that left me absolutely

Shook and that is Pandora's Star by

Peter F Hamilton

so this is book one of a duology Pandora

star for a few hundred years in the

future where technology like wormholes

have been invented and off in the

distance a star disappears

think okay that's a bit weird let's go

check this out you know what's going on

there what does that mean for Humanity

and this isn't too much of a spoiler

because at the start of the book you

find out that that aliens exist and at

some point

a person is captured

and anytime you get captured if I would

if I were to get captured I wouldn't be

too psyched about that but I think you

would have sort of an understanding of

what humans are capable of you're like

okay I've seen this in a movie here's

none of it's good for me but here here's

sort of a potential range of things that

could go down

but you you get captured in space who

knows what's gonna happen to you and

it it absolutely blew my mind yeah I was

I was stunned for hours after reading

that chapter so

not really horrifying in in general more

just like a general big Grand Space

Opera but with one really really cool

horrific moment

oh now well it's only my TBR surprise

surprise and I'm going to be reading the

whole book waiting for that part but if

you can make such a good point that I

think some of the scariest scenes I've

read in books aren't necessarily in

books that are overall scary but I think

again a really talented author can make

a really interesting isolated scary

moment and often perhaps those are some

of the scariest because they're not

expected if I pick up a horror book I

expected the author to be trying to

scare me the whole time if I pick up

something else that I don't think is

labeled as horror or sci-fi horror or

something like that I'm more likely to

be bothered by something because I kind

of let my guard down if that makes sense

gotcha well

I'll be interested to hear your

reactions to this one yeah I'll send you

my horrified thoughts when it comes up

uh awesome what do you have for us next

Rachel next

I go with Ship of Fools by Richard Paul

Russo and this is another science

fiction horror book and I think it's a

little bit more off the beaten path I

believe it has a different

um title and cover in the UK so maybe

you wanted to look that up uh but

basically this follows a ship that have

lost their purpose in space they are on

a ship and they no longer know what

their mission is they are just wandering

around quite aimlessly the ship has been

taken over by this religious group I

believe they're Catholic and you just

have these religious figures that are

trying to give them meaning and so

that's the setup for the book and then

it turns into more of a space horror

when they come across this supposedly

abandoned ship and they managed to go

inside of it and look around and of

course I'm just gonna say things go from

there as you would expect in a space

horror book but I will say that probably

a lot of people watching this have seen

a lot of the really classic like Alien

movies and other space horror that is

out there and this one is different it

definitely plays with the tropes but it

doesn't quite go where you expect

and I think what I like so much about

this book is the fact that it more plays

with suspense and it's more about

creating that atmosphere right from the

beginning again there's something

unsettling about this crew they don't

know what they're doing or why they're

there and it's just it feels slightly

wrong the entire time you're reading it

and that's not in as farther away at all

it's just simply how you feel when

you're reading it you're like this isn't

right and so I like it because again it

sounds like a very classic trophy space

horror but it's so unique and you just

have to experience it for yourself it's

one that I love and of course when

you're actually going into the ship and

trying to figure out what's going to be

there and all of that anticipation again

this book is all about the build and

you're just waiting for it because again

it plays with the tropes they're like

all right give me you know I know what's

coming give it to me and it it's Unique

I know that sound and that is not a good

sound exactly oh it's so fun so I think

I would actually love to see you read

that one I could see you having

interesting reaction to it

oh interesting I'm definitely definitely

adding all of these to the TBR and when

I'm feeling brave enough

oh I'll give it a go

uh awesome well for my let me see for my

fifth and final scary sci-fi book one of

my favorite series one that I always

enjoy talking about and that is the

three body problem the first book in the

remembrance of Earth's past Trilogy by

XI Shin Liu and this one is kind of

Cosmic Cara it's kind of it created a

lot of existential questions for me kind

of really questioning my understanding

of physics of mathematics of space the

universe

humans are kind of place within the

universe

uh for those that don't know the quick

premise is that

kind of set against the cultural

backdrop of the Chinese Revolution weird

things start happening to prominent

scientists and that could be connected

to this secret mission that is sending

messages out into space

and

this book is is a this series is a hard

Sci-Fi series but I think it also really

balances things nicely with interesting

philosophical questions so it's not just

a scientific exercise it's like a

scientific exercise that has like

real thought-provoking mind-bending uh I

kind of just need to like hold my knees

and just kind of rock back and forth

while I think about this series for a

while kind of Vibes yeah

is that one you've read Rachel I have

I've read the first book but shamefully

I still need to finish out the trilogy

which everyone says the second book is

even better

I think that the sequels were kind of

bigger and better in terms of the ideas

that's what everyone says they're like

they say like the first book is just set

up and so I don't know what my problem

is I want to continue on story my life

you know and then I get distracted by

some other book yeah but that's

interesting I admit and that's where

again I definitely see that like you

know scariness is like very unique to a

person that it's not one I would have

thought of but I don't mean it in a bad

way I'm just like oh I hadn't thought

about that as a scary book I thought it

was super interesting

yeah oh I love that yeah I'll be I'll be

Keen to see see your thoughts uh when

you get to the sequels it's yeah it's

it'll it'll make your brain bleed that's

what I've heard and I kind of feel like

it's one where I read the first book but

I didn't really know what I was getting

myself into everyone gives us a short

synopsis and so I feel like it's almost

one where I need to see where the series

goes and then go back to the beginning

and once I'm back there then I'll

actually know what's going on hopefully

or my brain will be bleeding by then

yeah

yeah maybe that's a scary part of this

book

now I get it

yeah I think it'll be one that I I'd

like to do a reread for I think I think

I'd pick up a lot on the uh a second

time around

uh so there we go coming to our fifth

and final recommendation Rachel what do

you have for us okay well I feel like

I'm almost cheating

on brand and go a little bit left field

is one I almost don't recommend to you

Jonathan but I want to lean a little bit

more into the horror side and so my

final pick is another dystopian but this

one is pretty intense and that's called

Tender Is the Flesh and this is set in

an ambiguous future where the animal

meet in this world has become impossible

to consume it's basically dangerous it's

infected by something and so rather than

becoming vegetarian or vegan like you

know normal people would do instead the

government allows the production of

special meat which I don't know if you

need to worry about your channel

monetization I've given up on YouTube

it's used to me but basically you can

imagine they commission that certain

humans are able to be used as special

meat and for production and so the story

is told from the production I'm sorry

Jonathan you're probably dying over

there very good I like it you're just

like oh why did I ever let her on

um but basically the story is told from

the perspective of a man who works in

the one of the production factories and

he understandably is isn't always

feeling great about his job and you know

it starts to have some feelings and

mixed feelings about everything that's

happening

and then this becomes more complicated

when one of his co-workers I believe

gives him a special meat specimen that's

still alive to raise in his house and so

he has this young woman special mate

that he goes to live with him this book

is definitely one of the most mark this

book is definitely one of the most

messed up and disgusting books I've read

but it also really made me think it

actually made me question why I eat meat

it made me think about becoming a

vegetarian or vegan and as someone who's

a pretty die-hard carnivore that says a

lot so this one I'll be honest is a

little bit of left field it's a little

bit of a kind of fun cheeky end one

because if you want a scary sci-fi

horror book this is it it may not be for

everyone and I completely respect anyone

who chooses to pass on this one I think

everything else we recommended is great

but for Jonathan when you asked me to be

on here I was like oh I wonder if I can

get away with recommending this book and

so I did it so if you're going to really

really want to lean into it if you

really want to be scared I pretty much

dare anyone to read this book and not

feel uncomfortable at certain points

because it will make you feel things and

not in a good way

I like it I it's perfect for this video

I think it's a great recommendation it's

the kind of thing where like without any

context if you just came up to me like

oh hey Jonathan check out this book it's

called Tender Is the flesh no way I can

tell already like hey hey oh there's

this 8 30 screening of this great movie

Jonathan you love it Tender Is the flesh

it's a romance it's beautiful you'll

love it I'll catch you next time I'll

I'll with Toy Story five I'll see you

there pal

um

but no I think this is a great premise

eating people uh

it's yeah it sounds like it sounds kind

of like silly and weird and gross and

fun but also kind of thought provoking

at the same time uh which is kind of fun

and I'm sure there's some weird

sci-fi stuff in there as well so yeah if

you clicked on this on this video I

think and wanting some scary books and

you're like ah these don't sound scary

enough then maybe this is the one to

kind of turn it up or not

uh awesome I was gonna say well it's

good I left that to last because where

do you go from there right yeah

apparently be eating people yeah uh

awesome well that was a lot of fun

everybody go check out Rachel's Channel

shades of orange if you like sci-fi

horror all kinds of good stuff and

yeah

I don't really have anything else Rachel

that's good I think I left you

speechless and for anyone who's checking

out your video from my channel if you're

new to subscribe to me please go and

actually click subscribe down below I

love Jonathan's Channel I'm actually

shouting him out I think next week but I

pre-filmed that which is the only reason

I'm not talking about this video and

that one but definitely it was a lot of

fun to do this and like I said hopefully

you didn't regret it too much by the end

but when it comes to talking scary

sci-fi I was pretty honored that you've

thought of me because this is kind of my

favorite thing so this was so much fun

to do thanks again Jonathan yes this is

a lot of fun Rachel did a better job of

plugging my own channel than I do anyway

listen to Rachel click all the buttons

you can find more sci-fi contents over

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