Dead Space: Martyr is a 2010 science fiction horror novel written by B. K. Evenson, published by Tor Books. Martyr forms part of the Dead Space survival horror media franchise developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts. A prequel entry in the franchise, the novel is set centuries before the events of the main series and follows geophysicist Michael Altman as he investigates an alien artifact called the Black Marker. The novel concludes with Altman being unwillingly used to found Unitology, a religion that worships the Marker. Martyr was created as part of the wider media expansion leading up to 2011's Dead Space 2. When Evenson was contacted, he accepted the job based on his liking for the series. Although he faced some restrictions imposed by the developer and publisher, Evenson was allowed to flesh out Altman's backstory and question the origins of Unitology within the book. Reception to the novel was generally positive, with journalists noting the new light it brought to the Dead Space universe. Background The Dead Space series originated in 2008 with the release of the titular original, developed by Visceral Games. Based on its success, publisher Electronic Arts expanded the series into a "trans-media franchise", with pieces of the series lore distributed through means outside the main series including spin-off titles, movies, and printed media. A core aspect of the game's universe was Unitology, a religion formed around the Markers of the storyline which acts as a recurring antagonist. Inspired by observations on science in Carl Sagans book The Demon-Haunted World, Unitology was created to represent irrational thought and action prompted by the unknown, together with a need for simple answers in a complex world. Dead Space: Martyr formed part of this later media expansion, expanding upon the Unitology religion and helping promote the series leading up to the 2011 release of Dead Space 2. It was produced alongside the graphic novel Dead Space: Salvage, the spin-off game Dead Space Ignition, and the animated feature Dead Space: Aftermath. Novelist B. K. Evenson, known for original and licensed work and a dark style of writing and world building, was contacted to create the novel, and accepted due to his liking for the Dead Space series and setting. Evenson wanted to communicate several themes with the narrative; these included the effect of stressful situations on people, the behavior of individuals during societal collapse, and the