Mycophage

By: J.C. Ahern

Narrated by: A.J Carter

ZOMBIES IN SPACE: If that sounds like a corny B rate horror to you, you’re probably right, it probably is. Or it could be a commentary on current aspects of society, but, it’s probably just that first thing. That’s okay, though, I love B rate horrors and you might too!

It’s over two hundred years in the future and humans have begun to travel the cosmos, colonizing multiple inhabitable planets. They’ve found no new intelligent life, or have they? One such planet is small and very Earth-like, it has been labeled QCV2020. Why? Well that’s classified, for a very good reason--at least the government thinks so. But, if you don’t follow safety protocols, you’ll soon learn why it’s so classified. And then, the question won’t be if it is too late for you, it’ll be, “Is it too late for mankind?”

©2026 Joni Ahern (P)2026 Joni Ahern

Quirky and Thoughtful

Zombies in Space" gleefully embraces its B-movie premise while delivering something surprisingly effective: a story that operates on multiple levels simultaneously. Yes, the title is delightfully corny, and yes, the setup feels like classic pulp sci-fi horror—but that's precisely where the book's charm and cleverness reside. The author demonstrates self-awareness about the genre conventions they're working within, and that winking acknowledgment somehow makes the scares land harder and the social commentary resonate deeper. The premise is deceptively simple: colonists on a classified planet discover that safety protocols exist for terrifyingly good reasons, and their failure to follow them unleashes consequences that threaten not just their survival but humanity's future. What elevates this beyond straightforward zombie-in-space schlock is how the setup suggests genuine stakes—this isn't just about individual survival but about whether humanity can learn from its mistakes before repeating them on a cosmic scale. The classified nature of QCV2020 hints at institutional secrecy, cover-ups, and the recurring human tendency to ignore warnings until catastrophe strikes. For readers who love B-rate horror for exactly what it is—entertaining, unpretentious, and unafraid to have fun with genre tropes—"Zombies in Space" delivers the goods. But for those willing to look slightly deeper, there's social commentary lurking beneath the creature-feature surface about how power structures conceal dangerous truths and how individual negligence can cascade into civilizational threat. It's the kind of story that works as pure entertainment and as something slightly more thoughtful—the best kind of B-movie experience.

Very suspenseful

It's a pretty suspenseful book. Even though it is a whole thing about zombies in space, I didn't find it to be an especially scary book, though I consume a lot of fantasy content which lends itself to such already. Despite that, it was exciting and I totally found myself on edge at tense moments.

I do feel that the narrator wasn't especially emotive and it would benefit from a bit more, though I could feel the effort.

Scifi Horror

Good voice variety and an enjoyable scifi story. Horror-esque but not so solidly horror that it is a turn off. The fungus aspect reminds me of the mycellium network in Star Trek.

Gripping

Mycophage is a gripping story that blends suspense, mystery, and speculative storytelling into a compelling experience. The narrative unfolds with a sense of unease that keeps you fully engaged from start to finish. It’s an immersive audiobook that leaves a lasting impression and keeps you thinking long after the story ends.

Suspenseful & Interesting

Trying to avoid big spoilers for my review!

This wouldn't be my usual read, but this actually turned out to be quite interesting. There was an overall mystery and suspense to it that had me wondering what would happen next. The ending was an absolute shock as well, I don't know if I could have chosen what Jocelyn did. Like I said, not my usual book choice, but it was overall pretty good. It was a little slow at times pacing wise, other times there was a lot happening very fast. For that I knocked off one star.

The narrators did really well though, which made listening a bit easier with the slight pacing inconsistencies.