Review - Darker Space by Lisa Henry
Darker Space
by Lisa Henry
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Volume 2 of Dark Space
Tags: Science Fiction
Posted in Book Reviews on 14 October, 2026
Brady and Cam are back on Earth, where they share an apartment with Brady’s little sister Lucy. They’re still in the military, but the top brass clearly don’t believe that either of them has told everything they know about the Faceless. Both men still have nightmares about their time with the alien commander, even though Brady’s time there was very short. His dreams at first involve witnessing what Cam was put through, but then disturbingly, Lucy also starts appearing. That’s when the two men realize their mental link is activating again. They resolve not to tell their commanders about it, but circumstances soon make it impossible to avoid.
This second book of the Dark Space trilogy continues the story of Brady and Cameron, adding in a rich background to the post-apocalyptic world they live in. This story clarifies that the Earth Brady was born on is not only ravaged by climate change, but by the initial attack of the Faceless, which wiped out most of the planet’s major cities. Even two or three generations after the attack, the children of the refugees like Brady are second class citizens, with few rights or opportunities.
Another aspect of this story I like is how elegantly and naturally it makes a very uncommon point in science fiction: the near impossibility of ever comprehending an alien race. Even basic communication requires a common frame of reference, which may be lacking. There’s a common trope in sci-fi about how math is a universal language, but it really isn’t, if you think about it. What’s the mathematic equation for love? Family? Freedom? This point is well made as we experience Brady’s frustration that the military officers want to know everything about the Faceless’ advanced technology, yet it’s something Brady can’t even begin to understand, even if he were a genius, which he isn’t.
As in the first book, the story is told entirely from Brady’s point of view. The young man hasn’t made much progress on his anger issues. Brady’s default setting of speaking his mind and lashing out is incompatible with military service, always getting him into trouble. Cameron tries to soften Brady’s hard edges, but it’s a monumental task. In some ways, Cam seems almost too good to be true in his love for Brady, but as he tries to explain to his lover, Brady is the one that’s truly heroic.
“Darker Space” is available from Smashwords or buy from independent booksellers through Bookshop.org.