SPSFC 4 Quarterfinalist: Drowning Earth

Ground Control to Major Tom, a team of judges for the fourth Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC), began reading 32 books in September to determine which six should be our quarterfinalists. The time of choosing has begun. The next six posts on this blog will reveal those novels.

Our first quarterfinalist is Drowning Earth by Sean Willson.

Drowning Earth is a thriller about a technologically peerless British submarine racing to claim a wealth of undersea biomass before the Russians and Chinese get there first. The story takes place in 2055 on Earth, where rising waters and other environmental calamities have left humanity in rough straits. Captain Kel Williams helms the HMS Bancroft, the first stealth submarine built since the UK quit and rejoined and left again and rejoined the European Union. Her boat serves a global coalition that also includes Australia, Africa and the United States, taking her manifestly competent crew into the world's deepest oceans.

After their sub had slipped through the frigid waters near the remains of the southern ice shelf, they headed northwest and were now crawling into the southern end of the Mariana Trench, the front line of a new war. One not waged over traditional land grabs but instead fought over biomass: untouched and pure biological material that could hold the cures to diseases or possibly form the foundation for new crops. ... Believe it or not, there were actually a few deeper sections of the ocean that the deadly touch of humanity had yet to infiltrate.

This plot sounds like present-day Tom Clancy and has a capable female protagonist in Williams who is as courageous, determined and indefatigable as Jack Ryan. But Willson takes things in a direction so otherworldly it would give Ryan the screaming heebie-jeebies. While the HMS Bancroft pursues its mission beset by enemies and sabotage, it's being watched by two godlike beings of science called Builders. They carry on a meta-narrative that includes debate over whether humans are necessary at all, which is not a great step for humankind.

Team judges praised the novel.

Richard's Reviews (Goodreads)

Drowning Earth is a well-written, dystopian science fiction book that takes place decades in the future aboard an advanced naval submarine. With a strong female protagonist, a cast of well-fleshed out supporting characters, pulse raising action, political intrigue, well-disguised saboteurs, and even an evil ex-husband, Sean Willson has written an exciting book.

R. K. Stumblingbear (YouTube)

A sci-fi thriller set on an experimental submarine that everyone wants to get their hands on. Really loved this fast past story, especially because by the end you are questioning if you can trust anyone.

Shadowcat (Goodreads):

Drowning Earth is a well-written technological thriller set on a near future Earth. If political intrigue, claustrophic atmospheres and sabotage are your thing, this could be the book for you. For me, I came for the amazing technology and will stay for the surprising god inclusions. I need to know how this ends.

Despite admitting that gods "give me pause," one judge loved the writing and is completely on board for the next book in the series. This is a good time to mention that the sequel, Dead in the Water, just came out in January.

SPSFC · SPSFC 4 · Sean Willson ·

2025/02/17 · Link

Add a Comment

All comments are moderated before publication. These HTML tags are permitted: <p>, <b>, <i>, <a>, and <blockquote>.