I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thank you.

In the shadow of an exploding star, a nameless ship waits. On it lies data that may end the war between humans and the Ministers. Until now, no-one knew it existed. No-one knew where it was. A motley crew of criminals are offered a pardon for their transgressions. All they have to do is board the ship and retrieve the data. Easy, right?

This is a lovely bit of Sci-fi with some really interesting elements. I felt that that focus was the progression of the various relationships between the protagonists and this was done extremely well.

The villians of the piece, the Ministers, provided some of the most unique parts and really added interest to the story. Without adding spoilers, the hierarchy based on colour and the language based on light are both ideas completely new to me and worked really well.

In short, this is well written with some innotive ideas. Would recommend for any fans of the genre.

The roller coaster of mixing genres in this book is sensational, it starts with a robbery, then a space opera and then becomes a horror. In the beginning it can be a lot of information about people and politics but nothing is there for nothing. Intriguing characters without being perfect, even full of tension in the action scenes is still humorous. With two totally different narratives in the present and past but they hold they value separately and this is good writing. Sean the protagonist is amazing e so deep, and so easy to Get attached. This story gonna be emocional, talk abou grief , war and friendship in a totally Unexpected way. Amazing book indeed.

I really loved The Immortality Thief!
It was full of twists and turns and it was so much fun to read!
I couldn't put the book down!
I definitely highly recommend this!
I can't wait to see what the author writes next!
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This thriller is sure to be out of this world! But seriously, picture this:
1. Commits crime
2. Goes to jail
3. Released with sole purpose to track down lost ship before it is blown up (along with the Crew - oops).
4. Encounters aliens and monsters galore.
Etc etc etc

So it’s like a space/treasure hunt/monster fighting Novel. Plenty of twists and turns. Nice humorous breaks. All in all, an entertaining read.

With an unpredictable plot and lots of action, this is a fun story. I stayed engaged and enjoyed the twists along the way. A good sci-fi read.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

The Immortality Thief is, hands down, one of the best books I’ve read this year. Tense and action-packed, it’s a complete thrill ride, a book you won’t want to put down even for the barest of seconds.

We follow Sean, who’s had his arm twisted (read: a bomb inserted into his brain) into joining a taskforce (read: group of criminals) into exploring an abandoned ship which is in the process of burning up in the death throes of a star, in search of the secret to immortality, rumoured to have been discovered by its crew. But the ship isn’t as abandoned as it was made out to be, and Sean finds himself alone in its hollows, forced to ally with his enemies, in a race against time to get the data.

This is a book that sucks you in from page one. Sean is a compelling, and not always truthful, narrator and the setting and its horror elements keep you on the edge of your seat. You can’t put the book down, because to do so would be to deny yourself the immediate satisfaction of finding out what happens next.

The strengths of this book are twofold: in the pacing and the plot, and in the characters. Let me start with the first. This is a long book, over 600 pages, and yet it doesn’t ever feel like it drags. You’re on the edge of your seat for its entirety, as it drip feeds you more and more information. It’s kind of hard to quantify this book: it’s a thriller, but with horror elements, but it’s also science fiction, with, occasionally, fantastical bits creeping through. One of those that you have to read to find out (that’s a hint!).

Probably my favourite aspect of it, though, is in the second strength of the characters. It’s trite and cliche to say it but each and every one of them leaps off the page. Although really, it’s their relationships that shine through the most. Specifically, the one which grows between Sean, Indigo, and Tamara. If you like books where enemies are forced to work together to survive, then this book will be right up your alley. I loved watching the development of their relationship across the book and really, they’re a key reason I’m hoping there’s news of a sequel soon (especially with that cliffhanger! You can’t just leave it like that!).

So, come October, this is a book I’ll be begging everyone to read. I would seriously consider this one of the best sci fi novels of the year, if not the best, so add it to your TBR! Don’t miss out!

This books was so emotional and thrilling I cannot wait to read more from this amazing author.
The first thing I loved was the characters especially Sean, I related to him and his curiosity, even though I wanted to smack him up the side of the head for the decision he would make like “whyyy” but also I would do the same 😂 he was also so kind and it just made me attach to him so fast.
The setting is just amazing! I could perfectly imagine all the of the safe rooms and desolate corridors.it was so atmospheric and creepy.
Some of yeH terrifying mutant monsters would genuinely terrify anyone and I could not imagine surviving this situation far less not going crazy. Like children who have multiple rows of teeth and other monsters I imagine to be like zombies but smart enough to strap a scalp to their hands!
This is a very impressive debut and I cannot wait to read more in this universe and anything else this author writes. Officially one of my auto read authors!

I stumbled across this on NetGalley and thought the premise sounded like something I might enjoy, so I decided to request access to an ARC copy. Never thought about it again until a couple weeks later when I got an email notifying me that my request had been approved.

Friends, let me tell you, this was a fun surprise once I actually sat down to read it. I wouldn't say that any individual aspects; plot, world crafting, dialogue, character development, or prose were especially exceptional BUT they were all solid and the combination of them made for a 600 page story that you won't want to put down.

There wasn't a single dull moment along the way, the pacing kept things moving quickly and the various perils, obstacles, and interactions were all occurring simultaneously with a discernible change in the characters.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this quite a bit and it will make it onto my short list of new reads that I will offer up as a recommendation to those looking for their next book.

Leí este libro por recomendación de Alex Páez, que conoce mis gustos y pensó que me iba a gustar, y la verdad, como suele suceder, acertó de pleno.


The Immortality Thief es la primera obra de Taran Hunt, una autora que ha conseguido conjugar la emoción de las persecuciones y de la space opera en general con la reflexión sobre el verdadero significado de ser humano, aderezado con unas cuantas gotas de optimismo. Todo un logro, porque además la prosa es elegante y efectiva.

En esta novela conoceremos la historia de Sean Wren, un joven criminal superviviente de una zona de guerra. Sean se encuentra ante una difícil decisión: entrar en prisión indefinidamente o jugarse la vida en una “operación de rescate” en una nave espacial perdida desde tiempos inmemoriales situada en las cercanías de una supernova a punto de estallar.

Sean es un personaje que desde el principio nos cae bien, intrínsecamente bueno, a pesar de la historia tan triste que arrastra desde sus orígenes, Es gracias a sus capacidades como lingüista (para que luego digan que no es importante estudiar carreras de letras) que dispone de las herramientas necesarias para llevar a cabo la misión casi suicida en la que acaba enrolado.

Desarrollar la mayoría de la historia en una nave espacial le permite a la autora crear una atmósfera de reclusión agobiante, aderezada con persecuciones de las distintas criaturas que han evolucionado a lo largo de mil años en la propia nave. A pesar de esta sensación de claustrofobia y de peligro constante, no es una novela que dé mucho miedo (y eso que yo soy bastante aprensiva). Y esto es por el carisma de los personajes, sobre todo Sean, pero también sus inesperados compañeros de viaje, aunque cada uno vaya guiado por sus propios intereses.

Hay que reconocer que a veces algunas escenas se alargan en demasía, algo que juega un poco en contra del ritmo de la novela, aunque en general está muy bien llevado y hay tramos en los que es sencillamente trepidante. Me gusta también especialmente la importancia que se le da a la colaboración entre distintas facciones enfrentadas, pero que aúnan sus fuerzas contra un mal mayor. Es estupenda la sensación de esperanza que te queda conforme van avanzando las páginas del libro.

No quisiera extenderme más para dejar que seáis vosotros mismos quienes descubráis la obra. Os recomiendo que no la dejéis escapar.

Excellent science fiction. Good world-building, solid characterization, excellent pacing, great action sequences, and a compelling plot. The narrator, Sean Wren, is conflicted, smart, funny, flawed, and very human. Indigo and Tamara, his hostile companions, develop and grow as the book goes on. Despite its length, the book sucks you in and doesn’t let go. And the length allows events to unfold and characters to be fleshed out at an effective pace. A real winner. I look forward to the sequel.

I hate to leave this review because it was the first arc I got approved for on my new account but I just couldn't finish it, I got to 57% and I just didn't want to pick it up again.

The running and fighting scenes we're just too much, too many. The writing was find no issues with pacing or style I just wanted more to happen or the characters to connect more. I won't be finishing this one unfortunately, dnf for me.

A derelict and abandoned ship will be destroyed in a few days by a supernova, the secret to immortality, The Philosopher's Stone data, lost for all time. The Ministers, alien rulers over mankind for centuries, The Republic, humanity's last free government, and Sean Wren, the only person able to translate the dead language aboard the ship, all want the data and have their own reasons why.

I really enjoyed this book. It was everything the blurb promised, and much, much more. This tome is over 600 pages long but you won't notice this at all as you'll be far too engrossed in the story. I loved the constant ups and downs of the main characters' relationships when forced to work together for survival. The flashbacks were illuminating and revealing. There were times - with me, anyway, - I felt compassion for a character and the next minute I wasn't sure how I felt towards them. This is written very well and the pace matches the flow of the action.

This is an edge-of-the-seat, twisty-turny, horrors-filled adventure full of traps, monsters, and tension, and I'm hoping with all my heart for a sequel.

I chose this ARC from a selection which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All my opinions are my own. My thanks to NetGalley, Rebellion Publishing, and the author.

The book description says this: “The Immortality Thief is a ridiculously fun, fast paced, seat-of-your-pants read full of treasure hunts, traps, deadly enemies, betrayal, secrets, mysterious aliens, adventure and action as the story races to the find the secret to immortality.” Usually, I find these marketing quotes extremely exaggerated. In this case, it’s actually quite spot on. Almost entirely situated inside a thousand year old space ship with danger and surprises around every corner, you are set for a lot of action and surprises in what at times resembles a classic haunted house adventure as well.

‘The design of toilets hadn’t changed as much in a thousand years as I would’ve guessed.’

Yes, apart from all the excitement, this book is fun too. The adventures are, but there is also some humour contained inside protagonist Sean Wren. He is best described as a rascal. He has a knack for languages but not many other talents, and he has a heart of gold. His speech is witty, his thinking kooky at times. That makes him a funny story teller. The book doesn’t make you laugh out loud, but you will chuckle at times because of the funny quotes or one-liners Wren comes up with. And sometimes, the title of a chapter alone sets the mood:

‘CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE:
THE TRAP
(Featuring: Sean Wren’s Inability to Use a Grenade)’

With its 600 pages, The Immortality Thief is not a little one. Not that you’ll notice it because Taran Hunt grabs your attention from the very start, ruthlessly, and doesn’t let go until at the end of -- or even beyond -- the last page. The search expedition through the space station is not just a simple rollercoaster. No, this is an entire amusement park with one spectacular attraction after another. That comparison should make it clear that this book is packed with action. If your attention would slip (which it won’t), it’s not because of lack of tension but rather because of an overdose of it.

But don’t be mislead by this. The book is a lot more than a sequence of spectacular moments. Most of the time, the reader follows in the footsteps of three people who are very different from each other but inevitably dependent on one another for their survival. The author magnificently succeeded in letting them evolve. They grow as individuals because of what they have to deal with, but also because of their mutual interaction. So this is also about people finding a common ground in between their many differences and embracing that. Nothing about these character growths feels artificial. The magic happens smoothly, as it should be. Sean Wren, mainest of the main characters and also narrator, experienced a painful past, which we learn about through flashbacks. These too are seamlessly integrated into the story and don’t slow down the main adventure. I was quite impressed by how smooth everything fitted, as I was by the richness of the main characters and how full the story was. This may very well become the best sci-fi debut of 2022. I’ve scrolled through the list of almost 100 books I have read so far this year and I can only conclude that The Immortality Thief was the best of them all. After having read the last page, one thing is certain: Hunt has sculpted a universe and a trio of protagonists that are way too fascinating to limit them to only one book. Everything about it screams: sequel!

Hands down, this is the best sci-fi novel I have read in over a year. Everything about it was excellent, the pacing was great and fast without neglecting character development or the relationships between the characters. And the relationship between the three main characters was one of the best parts of this book. Enemies stuck on a ship full of monsters and forced to work together? Sign me up! I also liked how this book handled the exposition. It never felt very exposition heavy, introducing things as you went along and with flashbacks/stories showing important events from the past. A really exciting book and I hope it gets a sequel! Definitely an author I will be keeping an eye on in the future.

An absolutely masterful debut. I was surprised and so delighted by this book. I want to know more, read more and get more of Sean and his friends. A space opera plus survival horror all threaded through a beautiful prose. It is a must read.

It was well written and detailed with enough complexity to make me not want to put it down. It has just enough amount of mystery, beautiful characters that make a great story.

The Immortality Thief is an outer space sci-fi title that borders on horror. I was enthralled by the story and found myself reading it every time I had even a few minutes to spare. Back in the late 1970's, when I was a teenager, my father and I would love reading this kind of sci-fi and discussing both the science and ethics of the books.. I would love to have him back so he could read this and we could discuss it together.
This story would also make a great video series, especially if the ship's horrors are brought to life.