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Genre Defying Science Fiction: Written in Starlight and Prophet

13 Oct
Cover of Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks. Features a man in uniform holding a woman dressed as a Victorian maid. On the side of the man is a futuristic city and on the side of the woman is an old fashioned town and an open book near her foot.
Cover of Prophet by Sin Blanche and Helen MacDonald. Features two men standing beside a car at night.

Sometimes novels fit easily into categories, but these two Science Fiction novels cross boundaries. Written in Starlight merges space opera with romance, fantasy, and historic fiction. Prophet on the other hand is a technothriller with horror and romance.

Written in Starlight
by Sloane Brooks
Written in Starlight is the new novel by Sloane Brooks. A maid, Della, living in a city similar to Victorian London finds a book about a daring space captain, Ansel, but she soon learns that he also has found a book about her. They soon discover though finding the books was only the start of each other’s stories and they are still being written. Could they be meant for each other even though they are worlds apart? Della and Ansel are engaging main characters and the other supporting cast are also a fun bunch and form a strong found family. This story will appeal to those who enjoy romantic speculative fiction and readers who are fans of metafiction, which is cleverly handled. The ending left room open for future stories and I’d personally love to revisit the world Brooks created. If you love Written in Starlight, you can also check out her previous novel, another portal fantasy, The Underachiever’s Guide to Love and Saving the World. She also has a paranormal rom-com, Every Wish Way, under the name Shannon Bright.

Prophet
by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché
Prophet is an intriguing novel written by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché together online during the global Pandemic. We read it for the Hoboken Public Library’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Group for our May discussion in 2026. The group felt even though the book had two authors that it still felt cohesive. While some members loved the book, others were less enthralled, but all had a lot of interesting thoughts on the book which brought some mystery and romance into the mix. The story focuses on two estranged partners who come from vastly different backgrounds, but must come together again when a mysterious substance is discovered that can make people’s fondest nostalgic objects into reality. I found the start and the ending particularly strong and the group agreed that it would make a terrific movie adaptation. If you are looking for a timely novel that merges a variety of genres than check out Prophet and let us know what you think! Helen Macdonald is also the author of the best-selling memoir, H is for Hawk.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Group meets once a month on Mondays. See the library’s calendar for details on upcoming discussions. We also have Mystery, Horror, and more great discussions!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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July Horror/Thriller Scary Movie Night & Book Club Pick: Watchers by Dean Koontz

17 Sep

Watchers (1987) is the title that solidified Koontz as a bestselling author. It was thought Koontz would be the horror rival to King, but with Watchers Koontz decided to separate and move into more thriller/suspense territory. Watchers is part thriller, part horror, part human love story, part man-and-his-dog story, and part ethics morality. I fell in love with the dog and wanted nothing more than to see him, Einstein, succeed on every page.

Book cover for 'Watchers' by Dean Koontz, featuring a blue-toned nighttime image of a golden retriever against silhouetted trees and two humans walking in the background before a picnic table.

But, enter the genetically engineered killing machine loose in California and the government agency trying to cover it up.

This is one of Koontz’s most beloved novels. The movie, though, had a limited budget and only a 1.5-hour run time and not much of an emotional element. Instead, it was narrowed to being just a monster movie. Still a valuable watch (with a few eye rolls in between), but nowhere near the enduring test of literature as the novel.

The Book (1987): A Sci-fi Thriller that Dabbles in Horror

Travis Cornell is a former military operative with a secret, a secret Koontz doesn’t quite reveal in chapter one because before he can, or at least before you, the reader, think he is going to reveal it, in comes Einstein – a golden retriever sprinting as if being chased by the devil.

It’s Dean Koontz’s classic story structure to a T: throw your main character into terrible trouble and in every scene going forward have their predicament get subtly worse. Maybe a few wins in between but always one step forward, two steps back.

Travis doesn’t know it, but the dog does – the monstrous, grotesque, and intelligent Outsider is on the loose, and it’s after the dog, for they both are from the same lab and only one can win.

Einstein is an absolutely brilliant spin of the pen from Koontz. A dog with moods, ethics, humor, integrity, heart, and trauma. The Outsider has these qualities too, albeit far more beastly in execution. Both know what they are – genetically altered life forms that must live in the body and mind man made for them.

Watchers is a sci-fi thriller that dabbles in horror.

The Movie (1988): A Creature-Feature Monster-on-the-Loose Movie Starring Corey Haim.

Movie poster for 'Watchers' showing a young man crouched with a shotgun beside a golden retriever baring its teeth, illuminated by blue light from a shattered, fiery window. A police officer and patrol car with flashing lights are in the background.

There isn’t much more to it than that. (My guess is Travis Cornell was aged down to make room for teen heartthrob Haim.)

While the novel was a slow burn, the movie compresses much of the emotional core into more on-screen body-horror situations and imagery. It plays out like a made-for-TV movie, where the scares are more anticipated.

The novel’s commitment to showing how humans and animals can survive trauma, guilt, and emotional damage is essentially wiped clean in the novel-to-movie translation.

The movie is worthwhile as a fun Friday night flick, but don’t expect a direct translation from book to screen or even an accurate portrayal of Koontz’s characters.

Expect an 80s monster movie with a dog.

If you enjoy the movie, there are three sequels, too.

Have you read Watchers, seen the movie, or both? Comment below.

You can reserve the book in the BCCLS system here.

You can watch the movie on Hoopla here.

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Written by:
Sean Willey
Information and Digital Services Assistant

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