Scan barcode
netslummer's review
5.0
This is a little prequel novella to the author's book The Hematophages.
I think I ought to have read this actually AFTER the novel and it would've had more impact? I imagine the reveal of the name of the main character in this novella would've had more impact that way.
However it was really fun to read and I'm definitely going to be reading The Hematophages. The world building presented just within this novella is enough to hook me and I want to learn more about this 'world'.
I think I ought to have read this actually AFTER the novel and it would've had more impact? I imagine the reveal of the name of the main character in this novella would've had more impact that way.
However it was really fun to read and I'm definitely going to be reading The Hematophages. The world building presented just within this novella is enough to hook me and I want to learn more about this 'world'.
phronk's review
5.0
This is a short companion to The Hematophages, but it stands on its own as an intense and satisfying novella. The story is almost like an episode of the show 24—there are no chapter breaks, and no breaks for the nameless girl whose brain we’ve entered and can’t turn away from. It makes for a quick and exciting read, especially with the clear and evocative writing that never slows down to take us out of the story.
There are connections to The Hematophages to spot if you’ve read that novel, but I think the reverse order would work just as well, if you want to read Skinwrapper first.
As a special bonus in the print edition, there’s no text on the spine, so it kinda looks like a slice of meat on your bookshelf. Delicious!
There are connections to The Hematophages to spot if you’ve read that novel, but I think the reverse order would work just as well, if you want to read Skinwrapper first.
As a special bonus in the print edition, there’s no text on the spine, so it kinda looks like a slice of meat on your bookshelf. Delicious!
abookplaylist's review
2.0
Non mi ha convinta moltissimo. Carina l'idea di base ma poteva essere sviluppata meglio, specialmente se il bello é arrivato tutto alla fine
mikekaz's review
4.0
I'm going to mini-cheat on this review. Since SKINWRAPPER is directly connected to THE HEMOTAPHAGES, I'm going to point you to that review first. Then come back here. I'll wait. Cool. Now while SKINWRAPPER is actually a prequel to THE HEMOTAPHAGES, I did read it second. Personally I think it works better this way. The ending would have been a bit anti-climatic if I didn't already know what happened next. I'm not going to say anything about the story because I think it will be better experienced fresh. If you like the one book, then you'll like the second. This one is probably more action packed than the other. At the same time, a bit less gory. The book was a great continuation of that world/universe; it was great getting a chance to visit it again. I would love to see more but at the same time, I'm good with whatever Kozeniewski wants to write next.
david_agranoff's review
4.0
My two favorite genres are Science Fiction and Horror so when I first heard about The Hematophages I was stoked. The Hematophages is a blend of horror and science fiction. Kozeniewski had been most well known for his zombie detective bizarro novel Brain-eater Jones. The Hematophages is clearly Aliens worship and that is OK because it was awesome. Without standard tropes, it is a space vampire novel that was overflowing with ideas. I had it as a 'Dick like suggestion' on an episode of the Dickheads podcast and reviewed that novel here.
I said: "The Hematophages is one of the best books I have read so far this year. It is bold and weird science fiction that feels old school and insane at the same time. It is bizarro, dark sci-fi and horror in equal measure. A super neat book that I am glad I picked up. It is a little bit a parallel of Aliens, A reversal of Carpenter's The Thing (paranoia with all women) and with a world-building that reminded me of Neal Asher's The Skinner. That is a good mix."
Why have I spent so much time talking about that book? Well, Skinwrapper is a prequel and expansion of one of the coolest ideas found in The Hematophages was Cancer-ridden mutant mummy-like pirates that are forced to live in Zero-G called Skinwrappers.
Yes you read all that that correctly. The chaaracters in the first book that introduced the Skinwrappers was so powerful that I thought they deserved their own book. They only had one chapter in the first book. So thank you Mister Kozeniewski because you delivered more texture to a universe I already enjoyed. Now a 81 page novella is fun but I still could have lived with a whole novel with this story, in this universe. I didn't read the back cover and went in spoiler free and I suggest you do that. I hope I sold you on the bat-shit crazy bizarro space opera that has tons of ideas per page. Both books are super recommended. Anyhoo Spoiler warning has been given.
So this book is a prequel and gives an effective back story to one of the Skinwrapper pirate characters from The Hematophages. SK uses vivid description and characterization to make this world feel lived in. I think the story benefits from the first book but I suppose it could stand on it's own. The descriptions of the Skinwrappers and their lives are pretty powerful. It is funny because I thought this was almost a perfect novella. Almost, except for two things, the major problem is it was painful realizing that I only had 60 pages left as soon as I was totally invested. Damn you Kozeniewski I am going to end up reading The Hematophages again. The other complaint is silly and might just be me but for some reason, a character described herself as falling on her butt, and later the word butt was used and it just kinda amused me and took out of the story for a moment. I know that is a silly complaint after reading such a neat book.
Alright Kozeniewski you are hereby ordered to write a dozen more books in this universe. I am a fan.
I said: "The Hematophages is one of the best books I have read so far this year. It is bold and weird science fiction that feels old school and insane at the same time. It is bizarro, dark sci-fi and horror in equal measure. A super neat book that I am glad I picked up. It is a little bit a parallel of Aliens, A reversal of Carpenter's The Thing (paranoia with all women) and with a world-building that reminded me of Neal Asher's The Skinner. That is a good mix."
Why have I spent so much time talking about that book? Well, Skinwrapper is a prequel and expansion of one of the coolest ideas found in The Hematophages was Cancer-ridden mutant mummy-like pirates that are forced to live in Zero-G called Skinwrappers.
Yes you read all that that correctly. The chaaracters in the first book that introduced the Skinwrappers was so powerful that I thought they deserved their own book. They only had one chapter in the first book. So thank you Mister Kozeniewski because you delivered more texture to a universe I already enjoyed. Now a 81 page novella is fun but I still could have lived with a whole novel with this story, in this universe. I didn't read the back cover and went in spoiler free and I suggest you do that. I hope I sold you on the bat-shit crazy bizarro space opera that has tons of ideas per page. Both books are super recommended. Anyhoo Spoiler warning has been given.
So this book is a prequel and gives an effective back story to one of the Skinwrapper pirate characters from The Hematophages. SK uses vivid description and characterization to make this world feel lived in. I think the story benefits from the first book but I suppose it could stand on it's own. The descriptions of the Skinwrappers and their lives are pretty powerful. It is funny because I thought this was almost a perfect novella. Almost, except for two things, the major problem is it was painful realizing that I only had 60 pages left as soon as I was totally invested. Damn you Kozeniewski I am going to end up reading The Hematophages again. The other complaint is silly and might just be me but for some reason, a character described herself as falling on her butt, and later the word butt was used and it just kinda amused me and took out of the story for a moment. I know that is a silly complaint after reading such a neat book.
Alright Kozeniewski you are hereby ordered to write a dozen more books in this universe. I am a fan.
raforall's review
4.0
Full review here:
https://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2019/10/31-days-of-horror-day-18-what-im.html
Three Words That Describe This Book: dark humor, strong world building, terrifying
https://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2019/10/31-days-of-horror-day-18-what-im.html
Three Words That Describe This Book: dark humor, strong world building, terrifying
johnlynchbooks's review
4.0
Skinwrapper, the latest from Stephen Kozeniewski, is a short novella serving as a prequel to his novel Hematophages. What first struck my interest in this book was the awesome cover. I haven’t read Hematophages yet, but after finishing Skinwrapper, it’s certainly coming off my shelf and onto my TBR pile.
Skinwrapper follows a young girl as she makes her way through the spaceship she lives on. Due to certain events, she may be the only person left aboard.
This book is fast-paced, tense, and atmospheric. The main character is slowly making her way through the ship, trying to avoid the Skinwrappers at all costs. It reads like a game of hide and seek, where the cost of losing is your life. It’s hard to say much about the book without giving it away, due to the length. What I can say is that I really dig the Sci-fi and horror blend, though short in length, Kozeniewski does an excellent job of using the pages to create a constant sense of tension and danger. No need to worry if you aren’t a fan of sci-fi, this book is an excellent fit for anyone looking for a gripping read.
4/5
Skinwrapper follows a young girl as she makes her way through the spaceship she lives on. Due to certain events, she may be the only person left aboard.
This book is fast-paced, tense, and atmospheric. The main character is slowly making her way through the ship, trying to avoid the Skinwrappers at all costs. It reads like a game of hide and seek, where the cost of losing is your life. It’s hard to say much about the book without giving it away, due to the length. What I can say is that I really dig the Sci-fi and horror blend, though short in length, Kozeniewski does an excellent job of using the pages to create a constant sense of tension and danger. No need to worry if you aren’t a fan of sci-fi, this book is an excellent fit for anyone looking for a gripping read.
4/5
biteintobooks's review
4.0
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book is not in-your-face and that's a writing style that I like. You figure out things along the way. While reading I also noticed that I didn't know the main-characters name, which I found pretty cool.
I loved the inner speech that's going on in this book. At some point there wasn't much dialogue and I found the inner speech to be a clever solution for that
A longer review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
The book was really gross, and although I'm a fan of gross books, I do believe that can scare away people. It almost did that to me... It almost crossed my line in groseness.
The ending in this book was clever, smart and really unexpected.
The book is not in-your-face and that's a writing style that I like. You figure out things along the way. While reading I also noticed that I didn't know the main-characters name, which I found pretty cool.
I loved the inner speech that's going on in this book. At some point there wasn't much dialogue and I found the inner speech to be a clever solution for that
A longer review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
The book was really gross, and although I'm a fan of gross books, I do believe that can scare away people. It almost did that to me... It almost crossed my line in groseness.
The ending in this book was clever, smart and really unexpected.
ladilira's review against another edition
5.0
If you are a fan of the bad guys known as Reavers, from the beloved show Firefly, then a Skinwrapper may be the next best thing. The Skinwrappers from this story share a lot in common with the Reavers of that story.
This story branches off from Kozeniewski’s novel The Hematophages, a totally different and darker world from Firefly, but still just as awesome.
In an hour you can whip through this tale that keeps you sucked in to the very end. Everything Kozeniewski writes is original, imaginative, often creepy and always edgy. Skinwrapper is no exception. I never know where the story is going because every development is fresh and unforeseen.
There are many good storytellers in existence, but the great are hard to come by. Kozeniewski is a great, and with each new story he creates, his footprint grows bigger in the literary world of horror and science fiction. It is only a matter of time before Kozeniewski is a household name.
If you have never read anything by Kozeniewski, why not take a chance on this?
This story branches off from Kozeniewski’s novel The Hematophages, a totally different and darker world from Firefly, but still just as awesome.
In an hour you can whip through this tale that keeps you sucked in to the very end. Everything Kozeniewski writes is original, imaginative, often creepy and always edgy. Skinwrapper is no exception. I never know where the story is going because every development is fresh and unforeseen.
There are many good storytellers in existence, but the great are hard to come by. Kozeniewski is a great, and with each new story he creates, his footprint grows bigger in the literary world of horror and science fiction. It is only a matter of time before Kozeniewski is a household name.
If you have never read anything by Kozeniewski, why not take a chance on this?
rachelunabridged's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Blood, and Death of parent