Cosmic Horror Nether Coming from the Director of Event Horizon
From Paul W.S. Anderson and writer Kevin J. Anderson comes the Cosmic Horror movie based on the books Nether Station and Nether Vortex.
This is kind of big news because of the love fans have for Event Horizon, the 1997 film that starred Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, Joely Richardson, Kathleen Quinlan, Richard T. Jones, Jack Noseworthy, and Jason Issacs.
Some Background
First, let’s define “Cosmic Horror.” The following is from a quick Google search:
“Cosmic Horror is a subgenre of horror fiction that focuses on the existential terror of the unknowable, the incomprehensible, and the indifference of the universe.”
And the “Core Characteristics:”
“Cosmic Indifference: The entities, forces, or truths of the universe do not hate humanity or plot against us; they simply do not care. Our moral codes, survival efforts, and achievements mean nothing to them.”
“The Unknowable and Incomprehensible: The threat is often shape-shifting, non-Euclidean, or dimensional. True forms cannot be processed by the human brain.”
“Forbidden Knowledge: Characters who try to investigate or understand the truth do not solve the mystery—instead, learning the reality shatters their sanity or leads to a despair worse than death.”
“Insignificance and Powerlessness: The horror arises from realizing that humanity is completely exposed and powerless against forces that have existed for eons before.”
The subgenre of Cosmic Horror does not necessarily take place in outer space, though often it does, OR, it involves an alien intelligence, alien life on Earth, or forces that are simply out of our control and beyond our understanding. Examples include:
True Detective, The Thing, Event Horizon, Nope, Sunshine, The Lighthouse, Underwater, Hereditary, and The Mist
There is a lot of love out there for both this genre and some of the movies, in particular, such as The Thing and Event Horizon.
The Story
Deadline is reporting this news. The story is:
The novels follow Cammie Skoura, a brilliant, neurodivergent young scientist aboard a deep-space expedition that uncovers a trail of ancient ruins and long-dead alien civilizations leading toward a mind-shattering discovery.
Also news is that Anderson is set to direct two films based on the two Kevin J. Anderson books.
Kevin J. Anderson, at the Deadline article, is quoted as saying the following:
“Space is scary—think of how terrifying it would be all alone out in the cold, dark, oblivion? … I tried to put all my fears and paranoia into Nether Station, and powerful films like Event Horizon were extremely influential in the writing. I couldn’t imagine a better director for this project than Paul W.S. Anderson.”
As more news arrives about these projects, I’ll post it here at Life After Gateway. Watch this space! Here is bonus video from Event Horizon — Sam Neill’s character explaining the mission and that the missing and presumed-destroyed ship Event Horizon has returned … somehow. Credit to YouTube channel JoBlo Movie Clips:
Source: Deadline
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A Blanket of Steel by Timothy S. Johnston and from Fitzhenry & Whiteside, LTD. is the recipient of the 2024 GLOBAL Thriller Award GRAND PRIZE and the 2024 CYGNUS Award First in Category.
— Timothy S. Johnston, 12 November 2026
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Praise for Timothy S. Johnston’s A Blanket of Steel
“Fans of Clive Cussler’s NUMA Files will be delighted with Timothy S. Johnston’s undersea novels. Truman McClusky and Dirk Pitt are cut from the same adventurer’s cloth.” — Nick Cutter, author of The Deep and The Troop
“Action that ranges from close range combat to torpedo-fueled attacks. The result is a thriller that keeps moving from confrontation to confrontation … with constant danger and the vast depths of the ocean as a setting, there is always reason to keep reading.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Read the book and prepare to be blown away by one of the best writers I have ever had the pleasure to read. Timothy S. Johnston is simply amazing.” — FIVE Stars from Readers’ Favorite
“A Blanket of Steel is not simply a ‘daring do’ thriller … It’s prescient.” — Amazing Stories
“A priority selection. An action-packed story that is hard to put down. A Blanket of Steel is outstanding.” — D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“Innovative technology, Mac taking risks no one else would dare and thinking his way through to brilliant solutions … But the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been before. This is it. The countdown to the final battle … Johnston does an excellent job of keeping the tension taut as he plays with the reader’s perceptions of characters we thought we knew and trusted …” — SFcrowsnest
“Expect to be left breathless. Trust me here. Please. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.” — Michael Libling, author of The Serial Killer’s Son Takes A Wife and Hollywood North: A Novel in Six Reels
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A BLANKET OF STEEL is out now!
WATCH THE GRIPPING BOOK TRAILER HERE.
FOR PURCHASE OPTIONS CLICK HERE
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A Blanket of Steel from Timothy S. Johnston and Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Ltd.
Book Cover & Jacket Copy:
AN UNSTOPPABLE THREAT!
A mysterious assassin has murdered Cliff Sim, Chief Security Officer of the underwater colony, Trieste. Cliff was a mountain of a man, highly trained, and impossible to defeat in combat. And yet …
Someone brutally beat him and left his broken body in a secret Chinese facility at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
And included a calling card for Truman McClusky, Mayor of Trieste.
Taunting him.
Mac has led the underwater colonies in their fight against the world’s superpowers. Climate change has devastated the surface; nations suffer famine, drought, rebellion, rising waters, and apocalyptic coastal flooding. But now, as Mac leads the underwater colonies to freedom and independence, he’s faced with the gravest threat of his life: a Russian assassin, hellbent on killing Mac and everyone he cares for. Now Mac must uncover the identity of the killer, face him in combat, and at the same time lead people in battle against the largest underwater force ever assembled. It’s Mac’s final test, and to win the war, he must use every tool at his disposal, including the most surprising and devastating underwater weapons ever invented.
If Mac fails, all hope is lost for the future of human colonization on the ocean floors.
But the assassin could be anyone …
Watch your back, Mac.
A Blanket of Steel is the most gripping thriller yet in The Rise of Oceania.
FOR PURCHASE OPTIONS CLICK HERE
The other books in The Rise of Oceania series by Timothy S Johnston:
The War Beneath 9781771484718
The Savage Deeps 9781771485067
Fatal Depth 9781554555574
An Island of Light 9781554555819
The Shadow of War 9781554556007
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TSJ’s Awards
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THE WAR BENEATH: FIRST PLACE 2018 GLOBAL THRILLER Action / Adventure Category Winner, 2019 Silver Falchion Award Finalist, 2018 CLUE Award Semi-Finalist, 2019 Kindle Book Awards Semi-Finalist, & 2019 CYGNUS Award Shortlister
THE SAVAGE DEEPS: FIRST PLACE 2020 CYGNUS Award Winner, 2019 GLOBAL THRILLER Awards Finalist, 2022 Kindle Book Awards Semi-Finalist; 2019 CLUE Award Shortlister
FATAL DEPTH: FIRST PLACE 2021 GLOBAL THRILLER Award Winner, 2022 Silver Falchion Award Finalist (Best Action Adventure), 2021 CYGNUS Award Semi-Finalist
