Sinking Ship Terror Among the Stars: "Titan of the Stars" by E.K. Johnston’s Dazzling YA Sci-Fi Horror
- Kim Bartosch
- Jun 13
- 5 min read
When Titan of the Stars first slipped into my hands, I was instantly swept up by the promise of a Titanic-style disaster hurtling through the void. Published by Tundra Books on May 27, 2025, and book tour sponsored by Toppling Stacks Tours, E.K. Johnston’s latest offers a pulse-pounding ride that marries YA sci-fi with horror—think Titanic meets Alien. Johnston, already a #1 New York Times bestseller, proves once again that she knows how to craft high-stakes worlds and unforgettable characters.
Learn more about the book and read my full review below!
Title: Titan of the Stars
Author: E.K. Johnston
Pub. Date: May 27, 2025
Publisher: Tundra Books
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Fantasy
Buy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Synopsis:
Titanic meets Aliens in this tense YA science fiction horror series by #1 New York Times bestselling author E.K. Johnston.
Celeste knows every inch of this ship. She’s proud of her work as apprentice engineer. And as the maiden voyage of the Titan launches, she’s optimistic for the promises of this new journey from Earth to Mars — this new life.
Dominic arrives at his suite where his valet is busy unpacking his things. His chest is tight, already feeling anxious inside his dad’s precious new ship. Once it launches, he’s trapped, inside the ship and inside the life his father has chosen for him — a life that will leave his dreams of art school behind.
Discovered under melted ice caps, ancient aliens have been brought onto the Titan as well, and stored in display cases for the entertainment of the passengers . . . until an act of sabotage releases them into the ship, with zero discrimination for class, decks or human life . . .
Content Warning: class privilege
My Review of "Titan of the Stars" by E.K. Johnston
At its core, Titan of the Stars follows two protagonists whose lives collide aboard the maiden voyage of the Titan. Apprentice engineer Celeste knows every bolt and panel of this lavish spacecraft, her optimism as boundless as space itself. In contrast, Dominic spends his days cloistered in luxury, suffocated by his father’s expectations and terrified of the life he’s inherited. When ancient aliens—unearthed from melting Martian ice caps—are paraded as curiosities, everything goes off the rails. A single act of sabotage unleashes these otherworldly creatures, and the ship quickly transforms into a claustrophobic death trap where class divisions mean nothing and survival is the only currency.
Johnston’s greatest strength here is her knack for character-driven tension. Celeste’s technical know-how and fierce loyalty to her crewmates shine against Dominic’s internal turmoil: he’s torn between filial duty and a dream of art school that may never be. Their parallel arcs converge beautifully, giving readers both grit and heart. Watching Celeste wrestle with guilt over decisions she must make—and Dominic face the consequences of privilege—elevates the narrative beyond a simple monster mash. Their internal struggles anchor the chaos, making every whispered corridor and blood-soaked corridor feel deeply personal.
Pacing in Titan of the Stars is nothing short of relentless. Johnston ratchets up the tension with surgical precision: one moment, you’re marveling at the Titan’s gleaming hull; the next, alarms blare and corridors flood with steam as the aliens strike. There’s zero downtime for breathers, which is exactly what fans of “everyone for themselves” survival scenarios crave. Each deck the characters traverse deepens the sense of inescapable doom, and Johnston peppers in twists—a secret passage here, an unexpected betrayal there—that keep you guessing until the final pages.
Beyond the thrills, class conflict looms large. The Titan’s multi-tiered decks are a literal microcosm of Earth’s social hierarchies: first-class suites bubble with oblivious luxury, while lower decks house the engineers and workers who keep the ship alive. Johnston doesn’t shy away from this divide; instead, she uses it to sharpen the horror. When the aliens are unleashed, privilege offers no shield. Celeste’s and Dominic’s journeys underscore the moral that in life-and-death moments, the rules change—and empathy can be the greatest tool of all.
The horror elements here are expertly deployed. Johnston leans into the unknown—shadows that twitch, silvery shapes that skitter down vents, gurgled screeches echoing through empty corridors. The creatures themselves remain mysterious for much of the book, their motivations inscrutable and their senses alien. This slow-burn reveal makes every encounter gut-wrenching. And when the monsters finally strike in force, the devastation is both viscerally brutal and emotionally resonant.
Stylistically, Johnston’s prose balances technical detail with lyrical moments. She captures the hum of the Titan’s engines and the cold gleam of Martian ice in equal measure, grounding the sci-fi trappings in tactile realism. Dialogue zips along, offering moments of light banter before lurching back into terror. Her world-building is economical—just enough to sketch out the Titan’s wonders without slowing the narrative treadmill.
What truly sets Titan of the Stars apart is its emotional core. Celeste’s fierce protectiveness, Dominic’s guilt-laden brush with change, and the fleeting alliances they forge under siege all underscore a simple truth: humanity’s greatest asset is its capacity to care for each other, even in the darkest moments. This beating heart keeps the story from feeling hollow; instead, it resonates long after the last page.
If there’s a minor quibble, it’s that secondary characters sometimes feel like catalysts rather than fully fleshed individuals. A handful of engineers and passengers flash into view just to meet a grisly end. Still, given the breakneck pace, this slight shorthand is forgivable—and it never distracts from the central duo’s journey.
All told, Titan of the Stars is a masterclass in YA sci-fi horror: richly imagined, emotionally charged, and unrelenting in its suspense. Whether you’re drawn to high-concept world-building, class-war commentary, or simply a terrifying ride through space, E.K. Johnston delivers. Buckle up—this voyage will haunt your dreams.
Recommendation: Perfect for fans of Firefly’s rogue camaraderie, The Expanse’s hard sci-fi grit, and classic survival horror. Add Titan of the Stars to your TBR for a journey you won’t soon forget.
Meet the author:
E.K. Johnston had several jobs and one vocation before she became a published writer. If she’s learned anything, it’s that things turn out weird sometimes, and there’s not a lot you can do about it. Well, that and how to muscle through awkward fanfic because it’s about a pairing she likes.
Her books range from contemporary fantasy to fairy-tale reimaginings, from hopeful sci-fi to quiet epics, and from small town Ontario to a galaxy far, far away. She has no plans to rein anything in.
You can follow Kate online (@ekjohnston) to learn more about her Dragon Age decisions than you really need to know, or on Tumblr (ekjohnston) and Instagram (ek_johnston) if you’re just here for pretty pictures.
E.K. Johnston is represented by Adams Literary
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