4.5 stars rounded up! Thrum is an excellent little cosmic horror novella that I devoured in a single sitting! Following the sole survivor of the first manned expedition outside the solar system, you watch unfold the most one-sided first contact interaction out there, with an alien species with a vast technological superiority over mankind. What I particularly liked about Thrum is the gradual realisation that you’re reading a horror story, with a plot that starts firmly in science fiction and then gradually slips into horror as the tension and apprehension grows. It was effortlessly readable, and paced just right for a shorter novella. I was originally going to pull up the book for repetitive segments and interactions, but having finished the book and considering it as a whole, I think it was justified. I’d encourage readers to certainly stick around to the end if you have even a passing interest in this novella. I’ll avoid any spoilers and vaguely praise Thrum for a really punchy ending that provides SOME answers, but not necessarily the ones you were wanting or expecting.

What a fast paced delight, thriller/horror/romance hell yeah This book is only a short read and keeps you gripped from start to finish, I loved the writing style, it was descriptive and built tension.I was equally enthralled with the MMC, and felt like I was second guessing myself when the FMC was questioning her reality. I did NOT guess the ending either which is rare for me.Oh if you've watched the live death and robots episode called "Beyond the Aquila Rift" you'll love this

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 I had to take a moment to collect my thoughts and stare at a wall when I was done with it, and now that it's a few days later and my thoughts are in order, I'm here with a short review. This was fun. Creepy and unsettling, which is exactly what I expected. It was the kind of amuse-bouche that I needed, well written, although sometimes the purple prose made me roll my eyes. There are times where it's well used, and times where it's a little bit off-putting. While Ami didn't do much for me as a character (she doesn't really have a personality - which, given the context, is absolutely FAIR), I enjoyed watching her slow descent into madness. I don't think I'd qualify the book as horror, because there aren't quite enough horrific moments, and when they do occur, they don't last long enough to be really, truly horrific. But yes, a fun time. I would recommend it to people who want unsettling sci-fi in a short, easy to read in one setting kind of format.