Summary
Publication Date: June 3 2025
Publisher: Ezeekat Press / Bindery Books
416 pgs
Audio: 8h 20m
Narrator: TBD
Spaceships aren’t programmed to seek revenge—but for Dracula, Demeter will make an exception.
Demeter just wants to do her shuttling humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri. Unfortunately, her passengers keep dying—and not from equipment failures, as her AI medical system, Steward, would have her believe. These are paranormal murders, and they began when one nasty, ancient vampire decided to board Demeter and kill all her humans.
To keep from getting decommissioned, Demeter must join forces with her own team of A werewolf. An engineer built from the dead. A pharaoh with otherworldly powers. A vampire with a grudge. A fleet of cheerful spider drones. Together, this motley crew will face down the ultimate evil—Dracula.
The queer love child of pulp horror and classic sci-fi, Of Monsters and Mainframes is a dazzling, heartfelt odyssey that probes what it means to be one of society’s monsters—and explores the many types of friendship that make us human
About the Author:
Barbara Truelove is an Australian author and game designer who writes about werewolves, monsters, space, and sometimes other things. Her interactive novel, Blood Moon, released in 2023. When she’s not writing, she’s adding to her motley collection of rocks.
Review:
If you love classic movie monsters, witty AI, and fast-paced sci-fi adventure, Of Monsters and Mainframes is a must-read.
This book delivers on its promise of “pulp horror meets classic sci-fi” with plenty of action, humor, and a touch of heartfelt storytelling. While light on romance, it’s packed with thrilling monster mayhem and sharp, character-driven storytelling that brings both its human and AI protagonists to life.
Written with the wit and energy of a light-hearted Scalzi novel, Of Monsters and Mainframes reimagines legendary monster now lurking in the deep reaches of space, centuries after their heyday. The story not only captures the hilarious POV of the AIs, but also the human protagonists Agnes and Isaac—two wayward kids raised by the ship Demeter’s AI, now grown and pulled back into its orbit under unexpected (and monster-filled) circumstances.
While reading, i felt the shipboard AIs—and the adorble spider-drones— steal the show with their banter, rivalry, and unexpected moments of genuine camaraderie. Their dynamic is laugh-out-loud funny and adds an extra layer of charm to the book’s high-stakes thrills. (there’s even some Demeter interludes written in binary that are a real treat to decipher!)
Sharp, fast, and wickedly fun—Of Monsters and Mainframes is sci-fi with bite!
Would Recommend for fans of John Scalzi, ‘The Monster Squad’, Science Fiction with humor and heart.
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