scijessreads

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Michael Crichton’s Sphere were mashed up with James Corey’s The Expanse, but also it has sorta-zombies? And takes place on what amounts to a submarine version of the Titanic, in a world that gives off art deco steampunk vibes? Oh, and it has former lovers that are now very much not friends, but have to work together to solve a mystery involving possible illness, lots of blood, a whole lot of dead people, and a mined substance that is relied upon for everything. But also might be the cause of all the troubles that keep adding up. And throw in some political treachery and war for good measure. That whole mix is This Gilded Abyss.

I was sucked in from page one and by the end, ready for the next book in the series. The pacing kept ramping up as more and more of the mystery unraveled. It also reminded me of why I could never spend time on a cruise ship, under water, or in space (not that all of those things would ever happen). The claustrophobia feels real here, with everything being hemmed in by the setting. If everyone is trapped on a ship, there are only so many places you can go when all hell breaks loose.

The relationship between Kess – who amounts to political royalty – and Nix, our soldier that has a lot of grudge leftover from what happened between her and Kess years before, is dynamic. There is push and pull, a hint of blackmail, and long-simmering emotions that threaten to overtake the real and present dangers they face as they traverse to the bottom of the sea to get answers to the questions Kess wants to unravel.

I loved the cinematic feel to the story. There were twists and turns throughout the plot, and there is so much left to go in future books that I cannot wait to read. I don’t want to spoil anything, but be careful in characters you get attached to in this book. No one is safe in the deep.

I read this early as an ARC. All opinions are my own. Book comes out tomorrow (11/11)!