A Review of Audible’s ‘The Space Within’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Audible Original, ‘The Space Within’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that stories that feature otherworldly contact between mankind and an alien species… have grown a touch stale in nature. Not because they’re bad, quite the contrary. Great effort goes into telling those stories and they are indeed compelling. But what makes them feel stale is the sheer fact that they all tend to follow fairly familiar formulas. For instance, a great deal of these stories either feature a friendly, and lighthearted encounter with an alien species, wherein humanity’s better angels are put on display to create some good feels. Or… the aliens in question are as evil as they come, and variants of that formula are the most common of all.
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Wherein they bring war to our planet and mankind must respond, or they terrorize communities by feeling the need to abduct as many people as possible before disappearing into the night sky. All of which is stuff we’ve seen before and doesn’t quite engage us or enthrall as it used to. But, as time rolls on and new forms of entertainment arrive, there are creative minds working to freshen up every type of story out there, including this one, as evidenced by the brand-new Audible Original series, The Space Within. For this story, the brainchild of Josh Fagin and Greg O’Connor, does indeed feature an encounter with an alien species, but it is how that is accomplished that matters most.

Because… there are no lighthearted cute scenes here about phoning home. Nor is there an invasion and horrors untold. Just… a reveal that we are not alone and how that plays out… is simply amazing. For this is a supremely organic and human story, one that never once informs us of what is to come, nor does it foreshadow in a manner that makes things obvious. It is simply a story about people going about their lives, and dealing with some strange occurrences that transform into something so much more and that is a powerful way to draw us into this story and stun us. Since that creates a world that feels very much akin to our own, something that is reinforced the well-written nature of the characters, since they are fleshed out and complete and we are quite curious about them, and their struggles.

Which allows for us to care about them and their well-being deeply, because they too are relatable, and that raises the stakes when the weird stuff starts coming into play, and the arrival of something else, is also quite refreshing. Since what lies in the shadows is mysterious, and fascinating, and sinister all at once, and it all feels… alien. Which is key because there should be no familiarity with something from the stars, it should be uncomfortable and weird and strange and leave us out of sorts. Which is accomplished here in a magnificent manner, one that evokes feelings of dread and wonder and fear, that only a handful of films in this genre have ever accomplished. That in turn allows for this story to basically offer up some grand homages to Fire in the Sky, and Communion, while forging its own path.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt… that the cast here… is as stellar as it gets. Since you’ll find Jessica Chastain, Bobby Cannavale, Academy Award-winner Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist), Michael Stuhlbarg (Your Honor), Shea Whigham (Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, Gaslit), Michael Shannon (George & Tammy) and Carmen Ejogo (True Detective) in this story and that... is an incredible roster. And really, all of these elements make this a worthwhile and incredible story. One that captivates you and surprises you, and most important of all… draws you deeply into a world where everything we’ve ever known is turned upside down and the best news of all… is you can enjoy this amazing Audible Original right now and we here at NTG hope you give it a listen. Simply because it is original and refreshing, and you can never go wrong with that.

To listen to ‘The Space Within’, click here. To learn more about its genesis, check out our interview with series creators, Josh Fagin and Greg O’Connor.

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