They by Eileen Sheehan is a chilling descent into a universe where humanity is both predator and prey, and survival is measured in seconds. When humans are mysteriously abducted and placed on a distant alien world, they awaken to a terrifying reality: the greys, cold and methodical, are harvesting life in ways that defy comprehension. Among the captives is Bill, whose intelligence and knowledge of animals make him a key player in the aliens' sinister plans. As he navigates the labyrinthine corridors of the alien ship, he must confront not only the horrors imposed by his captors but also the creeping disorientation caused by alien experimentation.
Meanwhile, on Earth, a covert team that is fierce and determined races against time. With limited resources and a network of spies and technology, they uncover disturbing truths about the Zeltian greys, and their harvest of humans that are destined for a fate worse than death. But the closer they get to rescuing their people, the more they realize that the enemy is cunning, adaptive, and perhaps already several steps ahead. They will need real creative ingenuity to succeed.
They is a story of suspense, psychological terror, and interstellar intrigue, where every decision carries life-or-death consequences and trust is a fragile illusion. Eileen Sheehan masterfully blends science fiction with horror, creating a tense, immersive world where alien intelligence clashes with human ingenuity, and the line between hunter and hunted blurs in haunting, unforgettable ways. Readers will find themselves questioning not only who will survive, but whether survival is even possible against an enemy that sees them as nothing more than, "They."
What Reader's Favorite 5-star award had to say: Eileen Sheehan's "They" is a magnetic sci-fi and horror novel that blends small-town suspense with large-scale extraterrestrial conflict. Sheehan's prose keeps you interested and describes things clearly, especially the alien scenes, which are unsettling. The rural Arizona setting also gives the story a tense but exciting feel. Jodie develops naturally as someone grounded in science and compassion, while the alien characters introduce moral debates about survival, consumption, and intelligence. The contrast between human relationships and alien calculation is sharp and effective. I was intrigued by the way the author explores themes like desperation, denial, and ethical compromise. Overall, this story works well for readers who enjoy sci-fi books with horror elements and a quick-moving plot. Fans of alien contact stories that feel dark and a little creepy will also like this tale.
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
...They by Eileen Sheehan is a science fiction horror story that forced me to keep the hall light on every night for a week. I hate to say that I had to keep putting it down because that is usually a bad thing, but in this case, the story is so terrifying that I needed breaks. Alien novels that involve the Greys tend to feel more real because, due to the prevalence of true stories, fictional accounts fall within what many consider to be the realm of possibility. This is what Sheehan does, and it is brilliant, especially since she gives us multiple points of view. The author then expands the speculative scope by disrupting a simple human-versus-alien structure. We meet the alien Olliem, whose presence reframes Earth as a contested territory, not an alignment with human priority. It intelligently flips the entire "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" trope. With solid writing and a narrative with the wings to carry it into a series, lovers of classic science fiction will adore this book. Very highly recommended.
