| Category: | Fiction - Science Fiction |
|---|---|
| Author: | Costi Gurgu |
| Publisher: | Kult Books |
| Publication Date: | April 1, 2026 |
| Number of Pages: | 234 |
| ISBN-13: | 978-1738659388 |
| ASIN: | B0GLHW9245 |
Costi Gurgu’s The Cursed is a rollicking
blend of sci-fi horror and space opera. When headstrong young archaeologist and
the heiress of Warwick Galactic Enterprises, Jo Warwick, leads a dig in the
Carpathian Mountains on a quarantined Earth, she accidentally awakens an
ancient curse: a bio-weapon engineered millennia ago to destroy a godlike alien
civilization. Her crew mutates into insectile monsters, and Jo survives only as
the curse’s unwilling carrier. Rescued by the Pandora, a ragtag
pirate ship of eco-saboteurs led by grieving Captain Toshi Hunter, she finds
herself hunted by the ruthless Imperial Captain Vandermeer and betrayed from
within. A desperate race across the galaxy follows, toward the home world of a
Lost Civilization, where ancient documents, pictographs, and one very angry
sleeping “god” hold the answers. Along the way, the crew — gentle scientist
Gato among them — becomes Jo's unlikely second family as she fights to find a
cure before the curse consumes everything.
The Cursed is a science fiction with
elements that drive infectious enthusiasm. The worldbuilding is a treat: the
Dark Matter Cores, a forbidden Earth, a pirate city, and scheming galactic
oligarchs give the Imperium a unique texture, while the eco-sabotage storyline
provocatively examines humanity as a plague burning through living worlds. The
characters are vividly drawn, and they light up with the sparkling dialogue and
become complex in their backstories. Jo's arc from spoiled heiress to
self-sacrificing hero is satisfying, while Toshi's memories of his late wife
Rose are deeply moving. I loved the short, punchy chapters and alternating
viewpoints that keep the pacing breathless, with scenes cleverly written, such
as the shuttle chases through asteroid fields, a sword duel with an alien god, and
a mountain that turns out to be a spaceship. It is pure, pure cinematic fun.
The structure is part treasure hunt, part contagion thriller, and it keeps the plot moving. If the prose occasionally favors speed over
polish, the imaginative sweep and pulpy heart more than make up for it. A fast, gripping,
and wildly entertaining ride.
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