Book Review: The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

The emotional rollercoaster of this gay space thriller is heart-wrenching, mind-twisting, and unlike anything I’ve read before—it’s so worth the ride. The Darkness Outside Us follows Ambrose and Kodiak, two teenage boys from enemy nations who find themselves alone in space on a highly coveted mission. They’ve trained to become elite spacefarers, and everything aboard the Coordinated Endeavor is going according to plan—until things start to feel off. And I don’t just mean gravity.

From the beginning, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading from Ambrose’s perspective. The book is written in first person, and if your immediate reaction is, “A sixteen-year-old boy’s thoughts? I’ll pass,” I get it. But Ambrose is thoughtful, sarcastic, a little dorky in the best way, and completely unafraid to put himself out there. Kodiak, however, is more reserved—a perfect foil to Ambrose, who eventually draws him out of his shell. They’ll have you hoping, gasping, and wondering how two teenagers in space manage to out-emote half the adult protagonists out there.

Despite being set hundreds of years in the future and far from Earth, the story doesn’t shy away from themes like homophobia, capitalism, and war. And then there’s the humanity of it all: life, love, and hope. What makes this book so compelling is how these heavy topics are handled—not through preachy monologues or dry exposition, but through character-driven dialogue that shows us how far society has come (and how far it still has to go).

One conversation stands out in particular: Kodiak asks Ambrose about his sexuality. By this point, it’s clear to us as the reader that he’s attracted to all genders—what we’d call pansexual. When Kodiak asks, rather bluntly, if he’s bisexual, Ambrose’s immediate reaction is essentially, “Bisexual? Don’t embarrass yourself with that archaic terminology.” That conversation made me pause. At what point in the future does it become embarrassing to ask someone’s sexuality? Or their pronouns? And again…this kid is 16.

This book is dark, thrilling, and, at times, completely shocking. But it’s real and raw and hopeful and funny. And hey, I love the cover, but don’t be fooled: if you’re expecting a cute, gay space romance…that’s not what you’ll get. Ambrose will crack you up and Kodiak will worm his way into your heart. Their journey, both through the cosmos and with each other, will make you cry happy tears and sad ones.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – It’s safe to say I highly recommend The Darkness Outside Us.