Inner Space, Jakub Szamalek
Inner Space, Jakub Szamalek
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Inner Space
A Novel

Author: Jakub Szamalek

Narrator: Sophie Amoss

Unabridged: 12 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperVia

Published: 07/15/2025

Synopsis

*Spotify best of the month* *Gizmodo best new sci-fi, fantasy, and horror* * BOOKISH 20 Debut Novels to Read This Year *"A Crichtonesque cascade of mistakes and misunderstandings in an all-too-plausible but entertaining thriller."—BooklistAmerican and Russian astronauts are trapped together in the International Space Station as war breaks out in Ukraine and life support functions begin to fail in this action-packed debut technothriller that ripples with the tension and danger of Solaris and Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary.When an ammonia leak threatens the astronauts on the International Space Station, NASA directs Lucy Poplasky, one of the ISS’s first female commanders, to investigate the cause. Russia has just invaded Ukraine and tensions are running high—could the leak be a brazen act of sabotage?The Russian cosmonauts aboard deny tampering with the ship’s systems and insist on the issue stems from the American side. As levels of the poisonous gas rise, Lucy’s investigation shatters trust between the Russian and Western crews, exposing deep fissures in the partnership thousands of miles below.Intense and unrelenting, Inner Space questions what truly draws us to the stars: the urge to explore the unknown, selfish ambition, or an instinct to run away from the entrenched troubles on Earth?Translated from the Polish by Kasia Beresford

About Jakub Szamalek

Jakub Szamalek is Narrative Director at Rebel Wolves game studio. Born in Poland in 1986, he studied in the UK, at Oxford and then Cambridge, where he was a Cambridge Gates Scholar. He is an author and the writer behind the international video game bestsellers, including The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Blood of Dawnwalker. He lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with his family. He wrote the award-winning The Hidden Web series of thrillers, which has been adapted into a major motion picture by Monolith Films, and his crime novels have been awarded the Best Polish Crime Novel and Zloty Pocisk prizes. Jakub has been named among Eastern and Central Europe’s Young Leaders by the Res Publica Foundation.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jay on June 19, 2025

Fans of hard sci-fi figure-it-out stories will be in for a treat with this tale of sabotage on the International Space Station. With tensions high between Russia and the US and internal strife among the crews of both nationalities, you can question anyone, and the mystery is carefully constructed to......more

Goodreads review by Laura on May 18, 2025

Okay, this was awesome! It was tense, it felt authentic (though the complete lack of any mention of COVID even though the book takes place in 2021 kind of threw me, if I’m being honest), and it married the tension and danger of space with human politics and the very real and messy history of space t......more

Goodreads review by Natalia on May 29, 2025

I loved this book - it’s the perfect blend of suspense and crime, infused with the thrill of space and driven by a strong female lead. An unexpected mix, but it works brilliantly. Gripping and exceptionally well written: once you start, it’s hard to put down!......more

Goodreads review by Dave on May 31, 2025

The International Space Station is a cramped outpost that has been continuously occupied by scientists and astronauts since November 2000. An ungainly structure comprised of sections from various nations, it's also one of the few places where American and Russian scientists work side by side. Except......more

Goodreads review by skhye ♡ on February 04, 2025

I requested a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Synopsis: As war breaks out in Ukraine, American and Russian astronauts are trapped on the International Space Station when an ammonia leak threatens their lives. Lucy Poplasky, the ISS’s first female commander, investigates, suspect......more

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