Does 'The Darkness Outside Us' Have A Sequel Or Spin-Off?

I've scoured every reliable source and fan forum about 'The Darkness Outside Us', and there's no official sequel or spin-off announced yet. The novel stands strong as a standalone masterpiece, wrapping up its interstellar mystery and emotional arcs in a way that feels complete yet leaves room for imagination. Eliot Schrefer hasn't dropped any hints about continuing Ambrose and Kodiak's story, though fans (myself included) keep hoping for more in this universe. The closest thing to extended content are some brilliant fan theories on Reddit exploring what might happen if their ship encountered other colonies. Until we get official news, I'd recommend diving into Schrefer's other works like 'Threatened' for similarly gripping survival narratives.

Digging through publisher catalogs and author Q&As, it's clear 'The Darkness Outside Us' was conceived as a one-shot—but its world absolutely deserves more. The AI characters alone (shoutout to the ship's OS with its creepy maternal vibes) could carry a short story collection. I’d kill for a spin-off about the other ships mentioned in the data logs, especially the ones that mysteriously went dark. Schrefer’s worldbuilding drops so many breadcrumbs about Earth’s collapse and the corporate wars that any follow-up would be gold.

What makes this lack of sequel especially painful is how perfectly the ending sets up future stories without cliffhangers. That final transmission from Earth? Chilling. The implication that their mission was just one of hundreds? Spine-tingling. For now, I’m getting my fix through fanworks—there’s an amazing webcomic adaptation on Tapas that expands some of the zero-G scenes. If you want another mind-bending space thriller with queer romance, check out 'The Disasters' by M.K. England—it’s like if 'The Darkness Outside Us' had a rowdy younger sibling.

I can confirm 'The Darkness Outside Us' remains a solo act for now. The 2021 release was designed as a self-contained story, which is rare these days when everything gets stretched into trilogies. Schrefer mentioned in a BookPage interview last year that he prefers writing standalones because they force tighter storytelling. That said, the novel's explosive finale on Mars does leave one tantalizing thread—the fate of Earth—that could fuel a spin-off.

What fascinates me is how the book's structure almost dares you to imagine sequels. Each major reveal about the mission's true purpose opens new existential questions perfect for expansion. A prequel about the first lunar colony's collapse would be incredible, or maybe a parallel story following another paired astronaut duo on a different ship. The fanbase has created entire wikis speculating about these possibilities. If you're craving similar vibes, try 'Project Hail Mary' by Andy Weir—it's got that same mix of cosmic isolation and scientific wonder.