Into the Drowning Deep

I got an eGalley of this book through NetGalley to review. This book was an interesting read that followed up the events that took place in the Rolling in the Deep novella. It got a bit long at times but overall I enjoyed it.

This is definitely one of those slow-boiling horror types of novels with a heavy paranormal bent to it. The whole time you know things are going to go very poorly for the characters on the next mission. I liked the suspense but was a bit disappointed that the story was so predictable.

I also felt like given the deliberate pace of the rest of the story the ending was very rushed. The pace of the story was a bit slower than I would have liked; too many of the same issues were addressed over and over again.

I did enjoy all the scientific research the characters were doing. I also enjoyed the characters in general; even the side characters have a lot of depth to them and are interesting. I also liked the near future setting of the book and how global issues of ocean temperature and global warming were discussed.

Overall this was a good book about horrific mermaids and the future of our world as a whole. I think it should have been shorter and that the ending was rushed. I will most likely read future books in this series because, in general, I like Grant’s writing style.

Into the Drowning Deep is one of those books that lingers in your mind every time you put it down. It is delightfully creepy, immensely compelling, and a book that I desperately want more of.

Seven years before the events of this book, a "mockumentary" company sent a large ship into the Mariana Trench to determine whether or not mermaids actually exist. Tragedy struck when the ship was attacked and the entire crew was killed, presumably by the horrifying creatures that live in the depths of the water. Some people do not believe this tragic event was real and unplanned by the company, while others are convinced that mermaids are real. This book begins when the company sends a new vessel with a new crew of many scientists and new crew members back into the deep to find out exactly what happened to the original ship and whether mermaids do or do not exist

Into the Drowning Deep is, at its core, as story about terrifying, violent mermaids and the quest to uncover the truth behind the mysterious creatures that are believed to dwell in the Mariana Trench. Along the way to this discovery, however, we realize that there is much more to this story than just that. This story is also about science and how scientists work, the moral and ethics of using, training, and killing animals, what is considered a sentient being or an animal, and many more fascinating topics.

This is a fascinating book that is written in an incredibly accessible manner. There are a lot of topics in this book that are very intricate and specialized in nature, which causes Grant to include a rather hefty amount of info-dump style areas throughout this book. I found this a bit cumbersome at times, but a part of me also appreciated getting a crash course in things like marine biology and sound waves--things which I really didn't know the fine details of until now. I definitely feel like I've come away smarter after reading this book than I was before. These info dumps also make it clear that Grant did a lot of research for this book, which is always appreciated, but I do still wish she had cleaned them up slightly. Despite this, I still found myself incredibly bewitched by this story and how carefully it was told. This isn't a super fast-paced novel, but it's definitely not slow, either. Grant seems to have captured the ability to write a wonderfully paced horror book that reveals just enough details and hints at just the right times.

There are a lot of interesting characters in this book that I enjoyed following, whether they were likable or not--and there are plenty of unlikable characters int his book. I also really liked that Grant included some LGBT representation (though I cannot speak on behalf of whether the representation is considered good or not, it seemed very positive), a deaf character, and more that added so much to this book. The main protagonist that we follow is Victoria Stewart, whose sister was lost in the original accident. Her goal on this ship is twofold: 1) to advance science and discover mermaids, and 2) to discover the truth of her sister's death. Victoria is an exceptionally capable, intelligent woman with an interesting storyline. I can't say that she was my favorite character, but I was definitely interested in her and was intrigued by what she brought to the story. Victoria is accompanied on this trip by her lab partner, Luis Martines, who brings with hi his own unique personality that is both amusing and also obsessive. Among other characters are the owner of the company, Theo Blackwell; a professional academic in the field of mermaid research, Dr. Jillian Toth; two big game hunters that are brought along for protection (but who each personally want the acclaim of being the first two to ever hunt mermaids), Jacques and Michi Abney; and a spokesperson/host for the company's new vessel, Olivia. Whether I liked all of these characters or not, I loved what they added to the story and was invested in all of their storylines. I also found myself yelling at almost all of them at some point to stop being so stupid, but I feel like that's part of any classic horror story, so it felt right to be doing that.

Into the Drowning Deep was such a fascinating book. I personally love books like this that explore new territories and test out theories about beings or myths that could be real. There's something about the potentially horrifying unknown that majorly entices me and led me to really enjoy this book. What I particularly loved about the mythical mermaids in this book was how well Grant made them realistic. They weren't some mythical being that defied reality, but beings that seemed scientifically plausible and more developed by Grant in a way that seemed authentic in appearance and anatomy. It made them so much creepier and left me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. Also as a head's up--this book is very violent and gory, so if you think reading about mermaids brutally attacking people and the aftermath of that might bother you, you might want to read this book with caution.

On a final note: I've always had a slight fear of the ocean, and I'm pretty sure this book confirmed it. It's not that I think there are mermaids (but, I mean, there are some whacky monsters creatures out there), but that the ocean is decidedly not a place for us clumsy two-legged humans. As this book mentions, the ocean is not a gentle mistress, and I think humans are meant to be on dry land. Let's just let the scary ocean creatures do their thing and not be bothered by us, okay?

Overall, I've given Into the Drowning Deep four stars! Despite the occasionally dense writing, I enjoyed this book so much and I cannot recommend it enough. I so badly want a sequel, but I don't know if we'll get one.

If I trust anyone to write a story about bloodthirsty mermaids it’s Mira Grant (Seanan McGuire) and she didn’t disappoint.

If you love mermaids, being creeped out, nautical stuff, science facts, LGBT rep, possibly having nightmares, and horrible things that lurk in the great depths of the ocean, you will probably love this book as much as I do. If you love the ocean, it might make you not love it any more! Good thing for me, I already hate water and most of what’s in it.

I know basically nothing about science. So I can’t speak to the authenticity of the science that went into this book. However, it’s convincing to a plebe like me! I’m willing to bet that Mira did her research based on the way she writes and the fact that she loves animals and also really creepy stuff. In order to write about creepy horrors that lurk deep in the ocean, you have to at least know a little about the creatures that already live down there. Mira built a mermaid that could believably lurk in the dark, highly pressurized depths of the ocean. She somehow managed to craft a monster that I imagined to be both beautiful (though not remotely close to the usual mermaid standards, ie: Ariel) and terrifying. Their teeth. Oh, gourd, their teeth!

Her characters, per usual, are on point. Mira writes strong women very well. I love her focus on science and women in the field. Five of the main females in this book work in the science field and they know their stuff. These ladies are diverse, smart, and believable. They’re not just caricatures of strong women; they have faults and flaws. They are sometimes annoying or make bad decisions. There are certainly main male characters too, but it feels like they very subtly play second fiddle. It’s hard to describe, but the way it felt for me was that Mira was able to pull of having the female cast be the focus of the novel without demeaning the men in any way. The cast is diverse too, including two deaf characters, a character dealing with paralysis and bisexual and lesbian characters.

Despite this book being a chunkster, it never felt slow. Despite this book containing a lot of science, I never felt bored. Despite this book containing a lot of scary scenes, I never felt…oh wait, I was definitely scared! Mira is a master of what I’ve dubbed the “subtle freakout”. She uses little snippets and quick details to build an incredible sense of foreboding in me. Having read her work before, I know that something creepy is coming, or characters will die, or horrible things will eventually be lurking around the corner, so when she gives these little clues I’m immediately on high alert. I LOVE IT.

Sort of side note, one of the things that freaks me out the most is when I read about technological failures that occur without notice, or with little notice – you know it’s totally going to mess something up later, and yet people are just going on with their merry lives, while the little failures happen in the background. I CAN’T EVEN! If, like me, you enjoy this type of detail, Into the Drowning Deep has it.

Mira Grant is quickly becoming an all-time favorite author of mine. I still need to dive into more of her fantasy works, and read her Newsflesh series, but she’s already on my auto-buy list and I’m going to build up my collection of her already published works as soon as I can.

If you like strong female characters (written by a strong female), diversity and LGBT rep and horror with a heavy dose of science (but written in an accessible and totally creepy way) then I highly recommend any of her work. If you love tales about flesh-eating monsters that dwell in the depths of the ocean, I highly recommend Into the Drowning Deep!

"Mankind has a responsibility to the Sea."

I loved this book! It is a little bit of everything. I loved that it was intelligent, well researched, fascinating, entertaining and had me at the edge of my seat. This was a real page turner for me combining horror and mystery with science. A book about Mermaids you say? I say it is a book about greed, the quest for knowledge, a quest for answers, sea life, scientific exploration and of course, mermaids. This book is also about what happens when what you go searching for, finds you. What happens when your need for answers clouds your judgement? What happens when the worse happens and you are on a boat in the middle of the Ocean?

"Nothing is worth the risk of being lost."

Seven years ago, the Atargatis, set off to film a “mockumentary” off the Marina Trench. No one survived that voyage. Footage was found that showed a horrible slaughter on board. The footage was written off as a hoax. But there are those who thought the footage was real. There were surviving friends and family members who wanted answers. There were those who saw this as an answer to his/her life's work. There were those who saw this as the opportunity of a lifetime to do research, to hunt and to find answers. They know the risk and they are all happy to undertake it. This will make them famous. They will be the ones who can validate if mermaids really do exist, or they will be the ones to dispel the myth. They see this voyage as a win-win situation.

Thus, a new ship sets off for the Marina Trench. Full of scientists, doctors, hunters, dolphins, the latest technology and a journalist to record it all. These people have seen the footage. Some believe the footage to be real, some believe it is fake, others go believing they will not survive the scientific exploration. There are a lot of crew members and scientists on this ship (cruise ship). I will not describe the individual people except to say that one character, Victoria Stewart, a marine biologist, lost her sister on the Atargatis so hers is the most personal story, but is still one of many. Another positive of this book is that although the book has a lot of characters, it was not distracting in the least bit. This book is so wonderfully written and thought out that having a huge case of characters is not confusing at all. It is easy to keep track of them as they all have distinct personalities. You will never confuse one character for another - even in the case of twins, YAY! Speaking of the characters, they were all believable. Some are instantly like-able, some seem a little aloof, some had ulterior motives, etc. These characters had flaws and felt very real.

"It was beautiful, in its own terrible way. So many monsters are."

Once the ship gets to the Marina Trench, the Mermaids make their appearance. Yes, readers, characters you find like able will meet their demise. The Sea can be a cruel place and mermaids are NOT Ariel from the Little Mermaid. They are intelligent, brutal, violent, crafty and dangerous. The crew and scientists quickly learn that they are dealing with creatures who have adapted so well over time that they can survive in the sea and on the boat for periods at a time. The scientist believe they are on the safest boat, it was designed to keep them safe, it is technologically advanced and built to withstand almost anything - ALMOST anything.

I was not expecting to LOVE this book as much as I did. This book is so wonderfully written and there are sections that are told from various points of view. We see the POV of a dolphin, a mermaid, and several characters. This was done brilliantly! I honestly think this was one of the smartest horror books I have ever read. The scientific terms, the medical terms, etc. never weigh down the story or make it hard to understand. I think they actually enhance the story. I don't think I have ever said that before. I think it is a rare gift to be able to make, say, marine biology make sense to a non-scientist.

Plus, this book is pretty much non stop suspense. I was actually nervous while reading this in parts. Who will live? Who will die? Don't forget they are on a boat in the middle of the ocean, who will save them? Can they be saved? Will they save themselves? What happens when you walk into a lions den - or in this case explore a mermaid's trench? Well, what did you think was going to happen?

"And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee." -Nietzsche

This book is beautifully written, clever, creative, suspenseful, thought provoking, creepy, eerie and at times horrific. The storytelling is riveting. I literally could not put this book down. This book does not disappoint. As the "pages" turned this book got better. The story built and there were so many characters to like and root for. Knowing that they all can't survive adds to the suspense and drama of the book. Grant also has very vivid descriptions in this book, I could imagine what the mermaids looked like, I had images in my mind for all of the characters.

Not a fan of horror? Take a chance on this book! It's intelligent, entertaining and so damn good! A book about mermaids? One might say, "eh, not for me" well, think again! I LOVE when a book can knock my socks off. This one did it. It's a heart pounding voyage that I am glad I took while sitting safely in my chair.

I highly recommend this book!!!

Thank you to Orbit books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I never knew I needed a horror novel about mermaids so badly until I read Mira Grant's Into the Drowning Deep. And when I say "horror novel about mermaids," I'm not talking about some rogues from the Disney archives. Oh no, friend. Here, there be monsters.

Remember a few years ago when the Discovery Channel (or whoever) aired that "docufiction" special about how mermaids were supposedly real? Into the Drowning Deep takes a similar concept and takes it into a terrifying, but very interesting direction. It's been seven years since the original crew and there ship, the Atargatis, set out to film a "mockumentary" featuring the discovery of what could only be called mermaids. All that is found of the cast and crew sent to the depths of the Mariana Trench is their bloody, deserted ship and some video footage. Now, after years of the footage being dissected and legal litigation Imagine Entertainment is putting together a new team of scientists, cryptozoologists, filmmakers, and crew to try and solve the mystery of what happened to the Atargatis and her crew. And to confirm whether the mermaids, those terrible creatures glanced in the original footage, are real.

What I love the most about this book is how sciency it is. Not in the way The Martian is sciency, but in that there's enough discussion of (what I presume to be) real-world biology and evolutionary, and behavioral concepts to make much of the events of the novel that much more convincing. The characters' varying backgrounds and personalities open up some thought-provoking dialogue about conservation and the environment as well without being preachy. Grant is also an expert at scene transitions and multiple perspectives. She is an admitted horror film buff and it often shows in her writing and pacing.

Another notable inclusion in this story is its representation of American Sign Language. There aren't any actual pictographs of signs, but the inclusion of two deaf characters and their interpreter puts a lens on a specific condition and respectfully explores the joys and prejudices possible by giving the reader a glimpse into another experience.

My only real criticism about this novel is that there are times when Grant is sometimes repetitive in terms of expressing a character's motivations or intentions. But it's never enough to be annoying, it's just sort of...there.

More of a heads-up: this is also very clearly set up for a sequel or two. I believe there already is a prequel novella. I'm not the biggest fan of series but I read them when they're good. And this is a good, fun, thrilling, story that I'm excited to continue reading. I hope it's not too long before the next volume!

It should come as no surprise that I really loved this book. I've pretty much raved about the books by Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire in the past and she's definitely still at the top of her game.

As Mira Grant, the author is best known for her Newsflesh Trilogy books - a series set in a world where zombies are a terrifying reality. In her Parasitology series, Grant introduces the reader to the beginning of a zombie-like take-over. Now, in this Rolling in the Deep series, Grant takes the reader away from zombie and on to a journey to discover a new horror ... mermaids.

A few years back a ship was at the Mariana Trench to do some filming of a phony story about mermaids. But there was a disaster of some sort and all hands were lost. Now another ship is setting off for their last location, this one staffed with scientists and guards and the ship has been specially rigged to protect the crew. On board is Dr. Jillian Toth, a noted scientist who has written and lectured about the reality of mermaids. She is certain that this ship will produce evidence of the often-considered-mythical creatures.

And it does.

And we wish it hadn't.

Grant's mermaids are nothing like the Disney singing princess. These creatures are malevolent feeders with a taste for human flesh. They are fast and they are strong and they are on the offensive and from the moment of their first appearance in the book, Grant keeps the reader on edge all the way through the rest of the book. It is a true page-turner as we can't wait to get into the next chapter to see who has survived or if another wave of killers has attacked.

Grant is a tremendous writer and it's hard to even begin to say what she does so well.

First, there's her world-creation. Although set in the near future, this world is very recognizable. This is our world and we'd better be careful because there's something here we're about to discover. And when she gives us the monsters, just as she did with the zombies in her other series', she has clearly thought it through and created rules by which these creatures have existed and flourish. She even gives us plausible science to explain how these sea monsters can move between the heavy pressure of the ocean depths and the world above the water.

Next, Grant shows her skill by recognizing that this isn't just a scifi/fantasy/horror novel about a sea monster - this is a book about people, humans like us, <em>discovering</em> the new horrors, and then about how we react and survive (or not) this new beast. Essentially, Grant knows that a good book is about people, even if what we remember most vividly are the scenes of chaos and death.

And because of these things - a familiar world and a story about people we can recognize - we are fully drawn into the story. The action is immediate and terrifying and I'm not sure I want to take a cruise ever again because Grant makes me believe in these creatures.

This is highly recommended and if you've never read Mira Grant and like a little horror in your sci-fi, then this is a must read.

Looking for a good book? Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant is a wild ride on an ocean vessel, making contact with what was once believed to be only a myth, and it will have you believing in mermaids and fearful of ever encountering one.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book features humanoid-looking, bioluminescent deep-sea carnivores, reminiscent of Lovecraft's "Deep Ones," but updated with enough modern marine science to be credible as an ancient species of saltwater amphibians. There's one really major technical flaw, though, that made me rate it one point lower than I would have. The "mermaids" are represented as being able to climb the ship's steel hull by literally clawing grooves in the metal! This is lamely compared to goanna lizards, which can actually climb smooth walls, but they are much lighter, and do it using electrostatic effects of feathery toe fringes. For claws to scratch steel, they'd need to be made of something harder, such as silicon carbide, which I don't think is a feasible biological product. Even then, I doubt that the animals could exert the necessary leverage to make the claws bite in. The story would have been much more believable (and even creepier) if the mermaids had been given arrays of sucker discs on the ventral surface.

Aside from that, the crisis handling was pathetically incompetent. Even knowing that the previous research ship had been boarded and all aboard slaughtered, the officers, security, and scientists let the mermaids climb the hull unopposed. Had I been in charge, I would have deployed bright lights along the entire rail on arrival, and stationed armed guards to watch the whole exposed surface, strafing any climbers that were spotted. If any still got aboard, I'd not have dithered, but hoisted anchor at once, and gotten under way at high speed until well out of the danger zone. The desired specimens to prove the creatures' existence would already have been aboard, and the ship could have returned when better defended (including the ill-fated shutter system which had never passed a proper testing--a clear predictor of trouble ahead).

The ocean has many mysteries and when the ship Atargatis left to search for mermaids for a mockumentary, it did so with lots of fan fair. Until it came back with no crew and no bodies. What happened to that ship is a mystery that has haunted the families and in particular, Victoria Stewart, who lost her sister that fateful day. Now Imagine Entertainment has assembled a crew, a top-notch ship and is going back to the one place that has haunted many- the Mariana Trench. A place where legends already haunt the place, of missing boats and people, of secrets in the depths that are out of reach to the humans. Are mermaids real? The new voyage to this cursed place will answer yes or no but woe to those who disturb what’s in the darkness….

Sweet lord, this new book by author Mira Grant left me reeling as well as having nightmares over mermaids, death and more. It’s a book that will draw you in right off the bat, keep you glued to the pages into the wee hours and cause you to dream about creatures that are not like Ariel in the Little Mermaid story/movie. INTO THE DROWNING DEEP is a fast-paced thriller that left me reeling-in a good way- and one that I had to stop reading at 1 am just so I could get some sleep. It’s a story that has intriguing characters, a unique storyline that will enthrall you and a new take on mermaids. If you think these are busty female sirens than you got another thing coming. These are deadly creatures and Mira Grant delivers a fresh unique take on the mermaid myth that literally had me in its grasp. The story flows swiftly and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough to see what would happen next.

INTO THE DROWNING DEEP is the first full length book in the new series by the author & it was also one of the first books I read of hers. The story centers on the missing crew of the Atargatis and what, exactly, happened those years before. What should have been a routine voyage to film a mockumentary about mermaids turned into something else. Victoria Stewart lost her sister on that voyage and she is determined to find out the truth of the matter, even if it kills her. But things in the Mariana Trench stay hidden…until they don’t. What a great character Victoria was and it added a personal portion of the story that called to me. She was feisty, interesting and determined. You couldn’t help but feel for the girl as she searched for answers about that horror of a voyage. Add in some other great characters that you get to fall for and you got the earmark of a great story going on. What I love about INTO THE DROWNING DEEP was how different many of the characters were and it helped keep the story moving along nicely. Once they get to the Mariana Trench, things move even faster and as danger mounts, the reader is on the edge of their seat with bated breath, waiting to see what is down there and what it will do once it sees us. The characters are very well written, almost life like and there were some I really hope the author expands on in more books in this series.

Mira Grant delivers some of the best work here in her latest novel, filled with characters that fairly brim with life and step out of the pages, a creature only found in myths and legends (and an occasional Disney movie) and one so different that the reader will shudder with horror as they take center stage in the book. This is an author who knows how to keep her readers glued to the pages of the book, with a fast-paced storyline that will leave you breathless even as you take a breath from the horror of the last few chapters. If you enjoy new takes on mythological creatures, an edge of the seat ride from start to finish, then try INTO THE DROWNING DEEP and I recommend not reading in the wee hours of the night, you just might dream of mermaids that are not like what you though t they should be. I can’t wait to check out this author’s other books to see what else they tease my imagination with and I am really hoping after that ambiguous ending that book two is coming soon.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

Take a mystery, some mythology, some science, a dash of romance, and some horror, stir together, add in Mira Grant, and the result in an engrossing, suspenseful, richly detailed story.

You can read this without having the first book, "Into The Rolling Deep" as Grant provides more than enough background. The background info was repetitious at times but maybe it wouldn't feel that way to someone who hasn't read the first story. There was also a LOT of both dialog and monologues. This slowed down the pace at times, as did the details for various processes or events. That said, it was clear that Grant researched and thought about different aspects of the story. I learned some biology and a few other things, which was fun.

"The standards for being considered a mammal are narrow, and very specific: lactation, hair, and three bones in the inner ear. Nothing else is required."

This was fascinating to me especially as Grant told us why. How does this relate to the story? Well, of the many puzzles being examined, one is what, exactly, are mermaids, assuming they exist?

"...the problem with trying to define nature is that nature is bigger than we are, and nature doesn't care whether we know how to define it. Nature does what nature wants."

A group of scientists from a wide range of disciplines plus a TV host are in search of the Atargatis, a ship that went in search of mermaids seven years ago in order to film a mockumentary but never came back. Footage, however, survived, but was publicly called a hoax. The company that financed that initial expedition has also financed and put together this one, in hopes of regaining its reputation, and of course, ratings. A key factor in this effort is decoding the language the mermaids use and one of those researchers is Tory Stewart. Her sister was on the Atargatis, and Tory wants to find out what happened, get some measure of closure for herself and for their parents. Tory is one of several main characters. Grant uses 3rd person POV for four or five people, giving us different glimpses of events and a range of perspectives. Keeping track of everyone was confusing at times as there were so many primary and secondary characters.

I wanted this expedition to succeed yet a part of me was sure that, like the Atargatis, no one would survive. And some people don't. Grant displays her typical willingness to kill off characters, even key ones. I both love and hate that willingness of hers to take chances and to break our hearts.

The Atargatis had found the mermaids because the people on the ship were made of meat, and the mermaids had empty stomachs that they wanted to fill. That was how you found things, in the sea. Be delicious. That was all you ever had to do.

They were still miles from home, adrift on an uncaring sea, and the worst was yet to come. The worst was always yet to come.

The scientists work together, most of them, first to acquire information and knowledge, and then to survive. I really didn't know whether Grant would kill off everyone or if anyone would survive. Despite the large cast, I was attached to quite a few and cared about them. Grant kept me in suspense, and kept me reading, with her deft use of tension, terror, humor, romance, characterization, and story telling. The book ties up some threads while leaving others open and the possibility of a sequel open.

Kudos Ms. Grant on another terrific story!

I received a copy from the publisher for review.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Balancing on a thin point between Science Fiction, Thriller, and Horror, INTO THE DROWNING DEEP transcends genre to be an engrossing, heartbreaking, thrill ride. Reminiscent of JURASSIC PARK, but with oh so much more science and process to enjoy, this meticulous world captivates even as it kills.

My favorite urban fantasy worlds posit one magical addition, one transformative difference, and spin from that a world both familiar and fundamentally different. INTO THE DROWNING DEEPtakes place less than a decade in our future and instead of adding magic builds a terrifyingly realistic scenario of what will be revealed in the world we already live in. Each change is a tiny delight, made all the more realistic by the meticulous scaffolding connecting back to our present day. Engrossing from the start, my only disappointments lie with the ending, where the constraints of starting a series seemed to short circuit the realistic world building up to that point. This is a criticism that can only be supported by further research, however, and I will gladly dive in to future books to test my hypothesis. A long time fan of Mira Grant's fantasy persona, Seanan McGuire, INTO THE DROWNING DEEP will definitely lure me into Grant's back catalog as I wait for Rolling in the Deep to continue.

A terrifying adventure for process nerds and science enthusiasts, INTO THE DROWNING DEEP spares no expense in humanizing the characters that followed a siren song out into the unforgiving ocean. With one notable, and ultimately forgivable, exception, Grant lavishes detail and humanity on her characters, but not much sympathy in the face of danger. Nature is red in tooth and claw, and in this world, and perhaps our own, that is magic enough.

Sexual Content: Kissing, non-explicit sex scenes.

Seven years ago, the Atargatis was found empty after a voyage to make a faux documentary about mermaids, funded by a sci-fi channel Imagine. No one was ever found. Now, in 2022, a new ship is chartered by the same company, much more prepared, with a crew of all different types of (mostly skeptical) marine scientists, a pair of big game hunters, and cutting edge technology to find out what happened. Will they find nothing or something the world has never seen?

Into the Drowning Deep takes place in the near future of 2022 where things are just a little bit different. Advances in medical technology have been made including repairing spinal injuries that would normally leave a person without use of their legs. Self driving cars are a typical sight on the road. Unfortunately, pollution and climate change have taken a small but significant toll on day to day life. Human sympathy and care for animals and the environment is outweighed by indifference at best and greed or flat out ignorance at worst. This sets the stage for what will come later for both a creature relegated to myth and intelligent beings relegated to entertainment and containment. There is a running discussion about marine mammals and how sentient they are. Legislation was passed to improve treatment of marine mammals, but they are continually used selfishly by humans no matter how well meaning.

Seanan McGuire especially excels at getting into the heads of each and every character. Each one of their unique experiences and points of view is showcased without judgment or censorship. The cast of characters is large and diverse with different ethnicities and expressions of sexuality in addition to numerous disabled people. It felt like real life where people aren’t homogenous. My favorite character is Tory, a marine biologist focused on marine sounds, who lost a sister in the Atargatis. Her life’s obsession has been finding out what happened to her, working as a whale watching guide for use of the boat on its off time. Olivia is an unexpected character as a person with autism working as a reporter for Imagine. She copes with intense social situations by exploring the place thoroughly in advance and always being accompanied by her camera man. I love Olivia because she goes against so many stereotypes of people with autism and shows that they aren’t limited to certain industries or activities.

Less sympathetic characters, such as the Australian poacher couple, are given the same treatment. Their hatred of and blatant disregard for animal preservation laws and enthusiasts is on display along with their love of the hunt, the kill, and each other. All of the characters are well rounded no matter their politics or opinions. Jillian Toth has been talking about mermaids for years and knows she’s right. She didn’t want to go on the first voyage because she rightfully had no desire to encounter them. Filled with guilt over the first voyage, she feels obligated to be on the second one, accompanied by Theo, her estranged husband who she still loves but refuses to be around. I loved the inclusion of complex, unconventional relationships. Human emotions and situations are messy and not always easily defined.

The horror elements of the novel are amazing. It’s starts off like a typical horror film with the last footage of the Atargatis. The plot reflects that of Aliens, seen in many horror sub genres, and feels familiar even with the difference in creature and location. The ocean is so unknown that the story feels plausible. The mermaids themselves are slender with fish tails, humanoid upper bodies, and full lips. Other than their basic shape and lips, they are eerily inhuman with bioluminescent fibers like hair on their heads. They masterfully mimic other sounds when hunting and have a sort of sign language to speak to each other. As amphibians, the mermaids can survive out of water for a time, trailing slime to move around more easily and moving with much swifter speed than expected. Their attacks are savage, quick, and incredibly bloody. Their bodies are host to its own ecosystem never before seen that is deadly to humans. While these creatures are deadly and frightening, human shave some culpability for forcing them to the depths of the ocean and invading the only territory they have. A discussion for their preservation is posed with both sides being argued. One side arguing that they are dangerous and the other arguing that humans should preserve all life, not jus the cute and cuddly.

Into the Drowning Deep is a well researched, engrossing novel that speculates on where we are going as a world. It has everything: an exploitative corporation, science, gore, horror, suspense, dynamic characters, romance, and critique of society. The only small problems I had were in the pacing (but science takes a while to explain) and the fairly abrupt ending. I hope there will be a continuation to the story. In the meantime, I will be reading the short story prequel, Rolling in the Deep.

"The Ocean is the last great mystery of the world."

Mira Grant's Into the Drowning Deep is the first standalone novel from the author while being set in an entirely new world. The premise of sea creatures of legend coming to life is perfectly suited for what fans have come to expect from Grant: unique characters, illuminating and fun science, and a singular ability to play on our most basic fears. For those who are saying,"Hey, wait a minute! This isn't a standalone! It's part of a series!" I say undo thee, NOPE! Here is where things really get twisted.

In 2015, Grant released a prequel called Rolling in the Deep, which I did not read nor do I believe that you have to in order to enjoy what Grant is trying to put together in this story. Rolling is a story that is set in 2015, seven years before this story takes place. In the prequel, the author tells the story about the Atargatis which traveled to the Mariana Trench to do a so called cryptid mockumentary about mermaids. What the crew never expected to find was actual mermaids. Unfortunately, all hands were lost. Footage that was leaked has been deemed both a hoax and proof that mermaids really do exist.

Fast forward to the year 2022. Imagine Network, which sent out the Atargatis in 2015, has spent the past 7 years putting together an entirely new ship, and now it's time for a different cast of characters. When approached by Theodore Blackwell, Victoria "Tory" Stewart, agrees to go along with a group of new scientists and researchers as brilliant as she is. Others include her partner Luis Martines, Dr. Jillian Toth, (who has been warning about the existence of mermaids for years), Olivia Sanderson is the media personality this time around taking the position that Anne Steward held onboard the Atargatis, and, of course, Theodore Blackwell as representative of the Imagine Network.

For Tory, this is all about closure. Tory's older sister Anne was onboard the Atargatis when it was attacked and her body was never found. For 7 years, Tory has been guided by a determination to find out what really happened to her sister and bring back closure to her family. Armed with state of the art technology which she has spent years accumulating, hunters, and experts across almost all fields of scientific research, Tory may find what she's been searching for. But, will that search lead to history repeating itself? 

Mira is a brilliant writer, of that you should never doubt. She is able to cobble up twisted as well as interesting facts that highlight the danger that this cast will face this new expedition to the darkest, deepest part of the ocean. I will say this, have patience with this book from the start. There is a whole lot of science-y stuff that Grant uses to fill her world, and why her characters are so important to the telling of this story. At about 50%, things really get swinging into motion and all hell breaks loose. Grant is blood thirsty. She loves to put her characters in terrifying positions and let them struggling to get themselves out. 

I requested this book from the publisher because I've been interested in marine biology for years. While growing up, I was a fan of French explorer Jacques Cousteau, and others that came after him. I was impressed not only by the technology that he was credited with, but by his discoveries as well. When it comes to researching the depths of the ocean and what it may or may not hold within the deepest, darkest places like the Mariana Trench or the Challenger Deep, my imagination runs wild. While the richest countries in the world have been spending trillions of dollars on space exploration, the oceans of the worlds have gone largely unexplored. Grant leaves readers with the theory that mankind walked away from the waters, but the waters, and the mysteries it contains, never forgot about mankind. 

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Creatures, animals, monsters - it's all degrees, isn't it?
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Nature is bigger and weirder than anyone ever wants to think it is.
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I LOVE Mira Grant (and her other writings as Seanan McGuire). She has a totally immersive storytelling style that I nearly always lose myself in (the lone exception: Swallow Road)... This latest is no exception - this time, she's tackling mermaids. Yes, you heard me - mermaids. But don't picture Disney - these are mermaids red in tooth and claw, and they're fantastic!!

The story is a quest to discover what happened to the Atargatis - a ship sent on expe"dition by a "mockumentary" entertainment company into the deeps of the Marianas Trench. The ship is lost at sea (well, technically its crew is - the ship is eventually found) but some mysterious leaked video footage has raised more questions than answers - and those questions are decidedly weird. Tory lost her sister on the Atargatis, and she's not at all put off by the weird - so when an opportunity arises to join the follow-up expedition in search of "the Truth", she's in.

The resulting story is full of mystery, secrets, weird science, even weirder flora and fauna, and an incredible cast of main and supporting characters that are sneaky and glorious and strong and weak and thoroughly marvelous. In her inimitable style, Grant not only creates an entire world, she populates it in an entirely original fashion - and throws in a twist at the end (literally the end - like 3% of the book left, the end) that ties it all together but not entirely and leaves just enough room for more books... That's one of the things I love about her, incidentally - most of her books can be read as one-offs because the stories do have resolution of their major arcs, but there's nearly always a "but what about..." moment (or two or three) that lure you back in.

The other thing I love is her writing style and way with words. Simply told, she's a great lyrical writer who manages to keep the pace steady and the tension constantly building and ebbing, in a tidal sway of teasing excitement and creepy suspense. She always has at least one super-snarky female lead character (here it is without a doubt Dr. Toth) with biting insights into the human condition (even when the condition at issue isn't human). She writes great characters and gives them great lines - and those are peppered throughout great stories. You can't ask for much more in a horror story/thriller...

You won't look at the ocean in exactly the same way again - this is Jaws for the 2010s. It's brilliant and a head rush of a read and I couldn't put it down - except at night, because I'm a little wimpy... ;)

I received my review copy through NetGalley.

I received this free physical ARC from the publisher, Orbit, in exchange for my honest review.

Long Build
This isn’t a book you’re going to finish in one sitting (unless you’re that super insane, mega-fast reader.) But I don’t say that just because of the sheer length of the book, I also say it because of the way the story builds and the way it flows. It’s not a fast-paced read. It has a lot of back-story to build up and it really gives you insight into who characters are, which takes extra time and space. Additionally, the very way the story is written is a bit more languid, offering extra detail in just about every place possible. Some times interesting, other times a tad overdone.

Characters
Something I found quite interesting about this particular book is that it doesn’t follow just one character. In fact, it follows quite a variety of characters and some are only in there as needed, meaning that each character is given an unequal amount of ‘screen time.’ I say ‘screen time’ because the story actually progresses much like a movie would, introducing and developing character and scenes quite in the same manner. It was an interesting observation, but if anything it enhanced my reading experience. I built my own idea of what was happening and the style of writing helped to do that.

Horror
So… some people are classifying this book as horror and I mean, I suppose, but I personally didn’t find it very scary or very jump-worthy or tension-filled. Yes, there was debate about how it would end (which I wasn’t really a huge fan of the way it ended, mind you), but I don’t personally qualify this story as horror. That being said, should you have a weak stomach, you have been warned.

Concept
Oo! I love this! Everyone knows what a mermaid is and you so you have an idea going in, but then they throw all this science at me!!! I was dying! In a good way. ? I loved all of the tech stuff and the science talk. If this expedition were a real thing, you know dang well I’d wanna be on it to do some fancy research and chat with other scientists. (Of course, this book also reminded me why scientists are sometimes a plague upon the world. -.- The matter of ethics was brought up lightly in this story, but I personally would have loved to really delve into the ethics. [Then again. I love debating and scientific ethics is one of my favorite topics. :p ])

Set roughly a decade after the ill-fated research sojourn of the Atargartis (depicted in the novella Rolling in the Deep), the Imagine Entertainment network has once again set its eyes on the mermaid prize, assembling a new crew to set sail aboard the Melusine. Acting as right-hand man to the CEO of Imagine, Theo Blackwell has put together a crew of the world's foremost marine scientists, including Victoria (Tory) Stewart, sister to Anne, an Imagine corespondent whose life was claimed aboard the Atargartis; his ex-wife, Dr. Jillian Toth, the world's foremost expert on mermaid mythology and one of the few believers in the legitimacy of the Atargartis footage; and new Imagine correspondent, Olivia Sanderson, an autistic Olivia Munn-like figure who explores her world through the safety net of cosplay, a videocamera and constant reportage.

Into the Drowning Deep is both a sequel to, and a minor reboot of, Rolling in the Deep, and oftentimes feels like a deeper, expanded edition of that former novella. This is by no means a bad thing, though. While I enjoyed Rolling in the Deep a great deal, I also felt it was too short; it sped by too quickly and the characters didn't get a lot of attention before they were torn apart. In a lot of ways, this novel corrects some of the issues I had with Rolling in the Deep and is a better work for it.

At over four hundred pages, this is a pretty thick novel. Mira Grant spends plenty of time developing her large cast, providing us with plenty of richly diverse heroines to root for, and a few unsavories to cheer toward their demise. Equally rich, perhaps even richer, is the science itself. Grant has a terrific knack for taking the mermaids of mythological legend and giving them an incredibly strong scientific foundation and a real-world basis to exist. These creatures come across as a realistic and terrifying threat, and once the action heats up in the close quarters of the Melusine, there's a thick Jaws meets Aliens vibe that I flat-out loved. Few authors combine scientific realism with horrifying madness as well as Mira Grant. People looking for a natural successor to Michael Crichton would do well to read Grant's work immediately, and I suspect she'll be doing for mermaids what Crichton did for dinosaurs.

My only complaint is that the ending gets a bit rushed and some of the threats presented do not get the payoff they deserve. However, I'm weighing this against the implicit promise of the book's epilogue, and this novel's billing as the first book in what looks to be a new series (with Rolling in the Deep listed as a 0.5), that we'll be getting at least one more dose of mermaid mayhem somewhere down the pike. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that such a release comes soon because, frankly, I need that sequel right freaking now.

[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]

Did you really think we were the apex predators of the world?

###

“You still chasing mermaids, Vic?” he asked.
“I’ve never been chasing mermaids,” she said. “I’ve only ever been chasing Anne.”

###

I’m a huge Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire fan, and her mermaid stories are among my favorites. (Zombies are grrrrrrate, but no one does mermaids quite like Mira Grant.) When I saw the prequel to INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, a novella called ROLLING IN THE DEEP, I snatched it up…but, being a mere 123 pages long, it just left me wanting more: more science (fiction), more killer mermaids, more heart-stopping suspense, more blood and gore and viscera. Somewhere in between a short story and a full-length book, it lacked the crisp concision of the former and the delicious, drawn out horror of the latter.

Enter: INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, which is exactly what I was craving. Pro tip: read ROLLING IN THE DEEP as if it was a prologue to INTO THE DROWNING DEEP. It’ll feel so much more satisfying that way.

In 2015, the Atargatis set off on a scientific expedition to the Mariana Trench. Ostensibly, their mission was to find evidence of mermaids. Really, though, they were there to film a mockumentary on behalf of their employer, an entertainment network called Imagine (think: SyFy). The hoax quickly turned into a bloodbath when they discovered what they were/weren’t looking for.

The Atargatis was found six weeks later, floating several hundred miles off course, completely devoid of human occupants. The only clue as to what became of her two hundred crew and passengers was a smashed up control room and shaky film footage showing what looked like – but couldn’t possibly be – a mermaid attack.

Seven years have passed, and Imagine – led by its aging founder and CEO, James Golden – is determined to salvage its reputation … and maybe even make a killing (financially) in the process. In the years since the loss of the Atargatis and the ensuing court cases, Imagine has quietly been assembling a new ship and crew. With the August 24th launch date fast approaching, Imagine – represented by Golden’s right-hand man, Theodore Blackwell, estranged husband of none other than Dr. Jillian Toth, the sirenologist whose life’s work birthed the first voyage – is about to recruit the project’s star scientist.

After the loss of her older and only sister Anne at sea, Tory Stewart devoted her life – and scientific career – to hunting down the creatures who killed Anne, an up-and-coming reporter who hoped to use her time at Imagine as a springboard to better (and more SERIOUS) things. As a specialist in acoustic marine biology, Tory’s expertise could prove invaluable in locating and communicating with the mermaids – and the salaciousness of her connection to the Atargatis can only boost ratings.

The crew is rounded out by a dizzying roster of scientists – deep-water explorers, marine biologists and botanists, sign language experts, geographers, you name it – as well as a security team recruited and trained by Imagine and led by infamous big game hunters Jacques and Michi Abney.

Though the Melusine appears more prepared than its predecessor, can one ever really be ready to take on killer mermaids on their home turf? (Especially with corporate interests at the helm?)

INTO THE DROWNING DEEP is a mermaid story with teeth. Needle-thin ones crammed into a mouth that stretches open wider than any mouth should. There are plenty of tense moments that explode into violence and carnage, interspersed with some pretty cerebral scenes. The science fiction elements are great, from the exciting – yet very modest and grounded – technological advances humans have made just five years into our future, to the specifics surrounding the mermaids’ biology, evolution, and behavior. In this way, it has a lot in common with Grant’s NEWSFLESH series; think of it as FEED, but at sea, and with mermaids.

As per usual, the cast of characters is large and compelling and fairly diverse. There’s a F/F romance; one openly bisexual character; a television host who started cosplaying at the suggestion of her therapist, to combat social anxiety; a gross, stalkery Nice Guy ™ who – spoiler alert – totally gets what’s coming to him; three sisters – all of whom are scientists; two of them deaf – who speak ASL; and a number of POC. I especially loved the Wilson sisters (though their very similar names – Holly, Heather, and Hallie – while realistic, made them a little hard to keep straight) and the relationship between Tory and Luis, and Tory and Olivia (not a love triangle, don’t worry!).

I’m a vegan, and so any stories that incorporate nonhuman animals pique my interest (and, let’s be honest, usually my ire as well). Many of the scientists aboard the Melusine are conservationists; some, like Theodore and Dr. Toth, even have a background in animal activism, e.g. thwarting whaling ships (think: the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society). Though the Melusine is home to her fair share of doubters, once the evidence of mermaids becomes impossible to deny, arguments abound as to what they should do with this information: Wipe them out? Attempt to make contact? Turn tail and leave them be? Go home with irrefutable proof, to help with conservation efforts?

Of particular interest is the mermaids’ language, of which they have three: They communicate via sign, as well as vocally, and also seem to “borrow” snippets of sound from other inhabitants of the sea. Some of the scientists, like Tory, argue that these forms of communication indicate intelligence, arguing from a pretty anthopocentric perspective.

Worse, Grant uses the terms “sentience” and “intelligence” interchangeably, though they are not the same thing: sentience simply refers to an animal’s capacity for sensation or feeling. Intelligence is a much higher – and more subjective – bar.

###
“If they have a language—not just one language, but two languages, one spoken and one not—and if the complexity of their spoken language is anything like the complexity of their signing, they must be sentient,” said Tory. She sounded reluctant, like this was the last thing she wanted to be saying. “There’s no way they’re not.”
“Cats meow and know what they’re saying,” said Olivia. “Birds sing. That doesn’t make them smart.”
###

Cats and birds are sentient; so are the mermaids, regardless of whether or not they use language.

This is a pet peeve of mine, since sentience is the foundation for my own (and many others’) argument for animal rights: “The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?.”

The result is a somewhat convoluted but wholly expected view of nonhuman animals; one that purports to be welfare-based, but isn’t really. This is perhaps best exemplified by the three dolphins secretly recruited by Imagine to help locate and communicate with the mermaids. Raised in captivity, Twitter, Cecil, and Kearney have been promised their freedom in exchange for their cooperation – a term that, time and again, Theodore uses to justify their exploitation (and near-certain death). Yet this assumes that the dolphins are negotiating from a position of equal footing, when they’re not. They’re slaves. Property. Captive animals making a dangerous trade to regain their own self-agency, which shouldn’t be up for dispute to begin with.

To add insult to injury, there’s this passage, written from the dolphin’s perspective:

“Dolphins were good. Humans had the potential for good, although they did not always make the effort. But the creatures born from blending the two, the claw-and-tooth children of the deepest depths…they were not good. They had never been good, would not know how to be if the opportunity was offered to them. They existed only to catch and snatch and devour. They sang no songs of their own, only songs stolen from the victims of their hunger. They were voiceless and cruel and terrible, and if not for them, the dolphins would never have needed to seek the shallows, or put themselves into the path of men, or choose the safety of cages over the freedom of the sea. Mankind could go hunting for mermaids as much as they liked. The dolphins had known where to find them all along. […] and when the human ship had come to catch and keep them, their response had been gratitude. Humans meant safety. Confinement, but safety.”

Self-awareness and reason? Good. Happiness in slavery? Not so much.

Honestly, it just makes me feel yucky inside.

In summary, the many discussions about nonhuman animals are kind of a mixed bag. Some will have you pumping your fist while others might cause you to throw your Kindle across the room in disgust. Unless you’re like 96% of Americans, in which case you won’t see anything amiss here.

Also, what’s up with the date in the epilogue? Either my ARC has a pretty major typo, or there’s some wacky time travel stuff to be explored in the sequel!

Seven years ago the Atargatis set off into the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary, before they all disappeared. What actually happened to the cast and crew is made all the more infamous when discovered footage is leaked to the media. Some doubt its authenticity, and others say there is a predator of mythical proportions out in the sea. One thing that cannot be denied, however, is the fact that the Atargatis disaster affected everyone connected to those on board.

Now a new crew is assembling. A chance for the survivors to finally get some peace of mind. That is, unless they, too, fall prey to what lives beneath the waves.

There is an accompanying novella to this story which I believe details out the actual expedition of the Atargatis, but I found the opening of Into the Drowning Deep to cover everything quite thoroughly. In fact, I didn't even know until after I started reading the book that there was a prequel story, so it shouldn't affect your understanding of this story.

Despite having read a fair number of books by Seanan McGuire, this is my first book by Mira Grant. When reading a book by an author using a pseudonym, it can be easy to credit the ease of falling into a story based on the fact that you've, in reality, read that author before. Well, I find that I did quite easily fall into reading this story, but I enjoyed the subtle differences from the Seanan McGuire name. While both authors can be thought to write in a fantastical / science fiction style. I felt like Mira Grant (and this story in particular) is more grounded in reality with hints of sci-fi.

There is a lot of technological / oceanic jargon involved in the story, and for the most part I found it quite fascinating and only mildly confusing at times. The descriptions are detailed and do much to enhance the truly eerie aspect to the story:

The idea that mermaids are real, but they aren't necessarily your Disney variety, no way. It's true that sinister reiterations of the mermaid (or siren) mythology is nothing new, but in Mira Grant's hands there a freshness to the story that makes it feel utterly unique. The idea of these creatures lurking in the dark depths of the sea is a truly chilling mental image in my opinion and driving the story forward is finding out what actually happened to the Atargatis all those years ago. Actually coming face-to-face, as it were, with the mysteries below the surface of the sea and if it's all as horrifying as it seems to be.

Despite the narrative sometimes going off on long explanations dealing mainly with background info on characters and their lives / research, the read was pretty solidly paced and I'm now anxiously waiting to see what could possibly happen next.

After devouring and loving Rolling In The Deep, I couldn’t wait to get on the ocean, set sail, and see how this next venture would wind up.

It’s been seven years since all were lost on the Atargatis. It’s no longer top news and many think it was a hoax. Imagine Network isn’t done yet. They commission a new ship, a much larger crew, security guards, and supposedly failproof systems to protect them from what they now know lives under the waves, deep in the Marianna Trench.

Among the crew is a girl who wants vengeance, a reporter trying to make her name, two big game hunters looking to add mermaid heads to their walls, more scientists than you can shake a stick at, and some who feel it’s their duty to be there.

There is a lot more character development in this second book. It’s a longer story and I needed that. Sure, I couldn’t wait for the mermaid scenes, and there were were plenty of crazy ones, but I wanted to care about the character’s, feel their hopes and fears, and worry for their safety. I also wanted to select the ones I’d feed to the mermaids. It’s fun to have some that you loathe. I imagine how they might meet their sticky ends. And Mira Grant doesn’t disappoint with any of this.

And the mermaids. We learn quite a bit about them. We already know they’re killers. Now we find out what they really are. What it might mean to mankind, and the world. Scary stuff, indeed.

If you like your mermaids dark and lethal, you’ll love this one. You don’t have to have read Rolling In The Deep to enjoy it. Mira does a great job of filling in the blanks without breaking the easy flow of the story. But why miss out on more fun. I’d recommend you read them both.

And I’m hoping for more in this series. That titillating ending has me crossing my fingers that the author hasn’t weighed anchor on these mermaids yet.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

Seven years ago, Imagine Entertainment sent the Atargatis and its crew to film a “mockumentary” to bring to life the ancient sea creatures of legend. They didn’t expect to actually find anything. They certainly didn’t expect to find anything capable of killing everyone on the ship. But, that’s what they found. Everyone aboard the Atargatis was violently killed. Most people wrote the whole thing off as a hoax but some know the truth. Now, Imagine is sending a new crew but, this time, they’re not going with the intention to entertain. Some are scientists who seek to validate their life’s work while others are trying to make a name for themselves in their chosen field. One of the scientists, Victoria Stewart, simply wants to find out what happened to her sister ok the last expedition. Well, they’re all getting their wish because they’ve made contact and the creature who killed everyone the first time are on their way. Will anyone actually make it home this time

Honestly, this is one of those books that are difficult to write a review for. I was hooked from the very beginning and didn’t want to stop reading. The storyline flowed perfectly and made you feel like you were actually part of the story. It played perfectly in my mind’s eye and I could easily see this becoming a hit horror movie. All of the characters were so well written and developed. I hesitate to say more for fear of giving spoilers so I’ll just say that if this isn’t on your “to read” list, it needs to be.

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” about ancient sea creatures of legend. Onboard were the crew, scientists, artists and employees of Imagine Network; the sponsors of the film. None returned, raw footage found aboard the ship were released. It is believed to be a hoax. No survivors were ever found.

Grant through interviews, newspaper articles, scientific papers and virtual blogs shared events from the Atargatis, how it was perceived by the media and the fallout. Scientists dispute whether such a creature could exist. Most refer to them as pure myth and those that believe lose credibility. I love all of the details that set up the story as Grant introduced us to the principal characters in Into the Drowning Deep. She makes events, characters, and these creatures come to life with her vivid details and creative writing style.

Imagine Network has quietly been putting together plans to send a second ship to the Marina Trench and prove once and for all whether these creatures exist. They’ve amassed all kinds of scientific equipment and invited experts in every field. Victoria “Tory” a scientist and the sister of an Imagine reporter aboard the Atargatis. is one of the first to accept. The story that unfolds felt eerily realistic and delivered all the suspense, thrills and chills one could expect.

From Tory to Dr. Jillian who has stood by her beliefs the tale Grant delivered was seriously addictive. It started off a little slow as we met characters, learned details and boarded the ship, but all of those details connected me with the story. The build-up and reader only knowledge created suspense and lent authenticity to events. We get some side threads, including an LGBT romance, scientists struggling to make a name for themselves, nerdy deets and underwater exploring.

Since first seeing the cover and hearing the description, I have been looking forward to reading this one. I have never read anything from this author before, but the description and the fact that the deep sea is involved makes this right up my alley! I do love a good creature-feature, and am excited to read about “real” mermaids – which reminds me of that faux-documentary that the Discovery channel produced a few years ago. I like the style here, too, that creates a sort of multi-media approach to the narrative. And, I must admit I have a special fondness for the main character’s name (despite it being spelled wrong!). I completely wanted to read this one sitting, but unfortunately real life got in the way, and I had to space it out a bit over a few nights. At least this way, I got to savor it a bit more because it was definitely one of those books that made me feel like I must secretly know the author and that she wrote this one just for me!

It's just what I thoroughly love – a bloody creature feature, filled with character names from my own life! And I love having the deaf characters here as well. This one did remind me a bit of Daryl Gregory’s Harrison Squared (and interestingly, there is also a Daryl and a Gregory who are together on the ship). But, ultimately, this was a super fun read and I am so thrilled that this is planned to be a series!! I can’t wait for more in the series, and also to check more from this author!!

This book was so AWESOME! I read Grant's "Parasitology" series and had nightmares for weeks. I highly suspect this book will keep my subconscious just as involved.
This book takes horror to a whole nother level. My fingers are so cramped from holding on so tight to my Kindle that I can barely type this review. Take Jurassic Park and Jaws and mix them together and you've got maybe a tenth of the horror and nonstop action in this book. While it did drag a bit in the beginning, you've got to spend some pages getting the background and getting familiar with the characters, I swear the last 300 flew by in a blast. Everytime my husband has tried to talk to me today, or the phone would ring, I'd let out a stream of cuss words that had the air turning blue for being interrupted and forced to take time away from this book.
I gotta tell you, this ain't your momma's mermaid story. These suckers were vicious, teeth gnashing, bone crunching, creatures of nightmares. Grant again has you so caught up in this horror that you will think twice, no three times before strolling that deck at night on a cruise in the future. Nope, not me. I'm staying on dry land and in lots of light where the only thing I have to worry about taking bites out me are pesky mosquitoes. It was amazing how realistic Grant can make a story like this seem. I was often stopping and Googling sea creatures mentioned in the story and being flat out amazed at the amount of science here. It was just horrifying how real it read.
This book is definitely my read of the year. Jeez, everything else I read for awhile is just going to be so bland. I can't even work up the enthusiasm to get excited about the new season of The Walking Dead starting this Sunday after this. It has spoiled my entertainment for the rest of the year.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

Interesting dive into the sci-fi /horror genre. It's as if someone took the 'Towering Inferno' turned the building on it's side, waterproofed it, and set sail, replacing the fire with a creature from the depths. I say that because everybody on board are quickly drawn caricatures who face one crisis or another from the entertainment company to the central characters to the disposable characters we are given quick flashes of their character setting up a mystery for our heroine who is reckless in her own right and the usual over the top scientist up to no good and the entertainment company desperate to keep it's head above water along with the ship (a previous attempt sank without a trace). My allusion to the Towering Inferno is because the interplay of all these disparate characters is what keeps the story moving forward toward its conclusion.

The mystery is a clever one. The ultimate creature responsible for all this is uniquely drawn and quite satisfying (albeit a bit omnipotent at times).
You don't get too invested in the ones who die leading to our ending. Victoria the central heroine is fraught with self doubts and driven to find the cause of her sister's death ( an earlier tragedy before our story begins which is the crux of her mindset throughout). There are conspiracies and groupings reminiscent of Survivor. Enough science to make it plausible (just) and a righteous amount of horror mixed in with the Sci-Fi to keep you up and reading.

It's not perfect, but it is entertaining and the first book I've read by this author. I'll read more.

I'll give it four stars because the author is a tad preachy about the environment and should leave that to be drawn from the story's inference.

This followup to Mira Grant's novella, Rolling in the Deep, is exactly as creepy, gory and terrifying as you would imagine from author of the world's best book about evil and dangerous mermaids!

The book follows the adventure of Victoria "Tory" Stewart, who sets out to avenge the sister who was lost on the first excursion by Imagine television crews to find mermaids in the deep. The additional characters (a reporter, big game hunters, a research scientist and more) are all well-written and integral to the story as it unfolds. Some of the more violent scenes were hard to read, mostly because they were so very well-written and the details lodged in my brain and made vivid pictures.

It was good to get back into the world we knew from the original Rolling novella, and to learn more about the situation that caused the loss of the Atargatis and it's crew. There was also some really creative new discussion of the biology and orgins of the mermaids, and some really intense delving into interpersonal relationships and the nature of being human.

This is not a book for someone who wants to avoid scary thoughts or situations, but if you're a lover of fantasy horror then it's definitely a well-crafted and recommended read.

An entertainment company fills a luxury ocean liner with research scientists and engineers for its maiden voyage. It takes place in September 2022. It’s a last-ditch effort for the failing entertainment company. Each person onboard is there for different reasons. For some it’s an opportunity to right a wrong, advance their career, or the thrill of a first contact (or proof of a hoax). The first part of the story introduces us to the characters and their reasons for being on the voyage. Here’s a few samples: a third-generation tech giant billionaire’s son, a couple whose passion is game hunting, and a professor who’s credibility is questioned because of her beliefs. It brings us up to date on the technology of the time while setting up for action that is somewhat reminiscent of Agatha’s Christie’s, And Then There Were None. The last half of the book is like a Michael Crichton horror thriller. It’s primarily a science and horror adventure book. It’s well written and a page turner. The characters have depth as shown through their messy and complicated lives.

The author’s October Daye series (Urban Fantasy) is one of my favorites and this is the first book I’ve read as Mira Grant. I enjoyed the story telling just as much, despite it being one of my least favorite genre, horror.

Review: INTO THE DROWNING DEEP by Mira Grant

I've often noted in reviews that I am an aficionado of marine horror, also marine science fiction and marine exploration. I am as fascinated by the Earth' s oceans as I am by space, and the Poles. All this is to say that I leaped headfirst into INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, found it non stop reading, and loved it immensely. This novel has it all: exploration, lots and lots of science (yes, I love that too), human interaction, horror, strong human spirit, human frailty, greed and concupiscence, SCARY "monsters," cryptids and cryptozoology, and an excellent writing style which kept me riveted at seat's edge from the very beginning.

I am so thankful this is a series debut; I can't wait to read what the author will come up with next in this series!

I reviewed a digital ARC generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley, at no cost, obligation, or remuneration. I opted to review this title.

"Into the Drowning Deep" was that rare horror story I really enjoy, creepy without being too scary to let me sleep at night -- I think this is because it's written almost more as a tragedy than as horror. Mira Grant's mermaids are full of teeth and bloody appetite and nightmare biology and she's so delightfully enthusiastic about sharing them with you. Things only go wrong because of human hubris and their penchant for seeing an obvious trap and poking it to see what happens. (As one of the characters notes, emergency distress buttons are painted black, because a bright _red_ panic button is too tempting a target.) Even when the mermaids are eating people's faces, it's because some choices have horrible consequences, rather than because some things should not be. Also, I love how varied and wonderful all her characters are, both the ones I want to see eaten, and the ones I want to protect, even when I can't. So if 'killer mermaids' sounds at all interesting, check this book out.

An excellent page-turner! If somehow mermaids were real, this book shows what they would be like. Even if it sounds like a contradiction, this is a realistic view of these mythological creatures. They are not what we think but, somehow, everything makes sense. The story reads like the plot of a horror movie. All the characters are introduced and we get to know them. Then... well, you're better off not getting too attached to any of them because they may not make it. The pacing is excellent and the suspense almost unbearable. The science is realistic and the characters easy to like. The one thing I think could be improved was the ending, which seemed a little rushed c0nsidering the time the autor took to establish the story and characters. Still, I loved this book and couldn't read fast enough. Five stars!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Orbit Books!

I really enjoyed reading Into the Drowning Deep. The main characters are intelligent and strong women and I could see a young Angelina Jolie or a couple of the other female action heroes playing a part in a movie made from this book. At first I questioned whether the idea of the discovery of mermaids could be "pulled off" as the main story line in a book without seeming silly or too unrealistic.
The story is very solid with great characters and is a very good thriller. It turns out that the mermaids are far from the Little Mermaid image. They are dangerous predators. The depth of the descriptions and abilities of these intelligent beings was extremely well done by the author, Mira Grant.
As I read, I found that the book had a very good lead up to the great thriller ending. I like strong book endings and this is a one that keeps you guessing and is finished with a flare.
For those who like a bit of SciFi in their readings and an excellent thriller, this is one you will probably enjoy.

I received an ARC ebook from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

4.5 out of 5 stars

"Into the Drowning Deep" came as a recommendation. So, without reading the book blurb, I dug into the story, which took me by surprise--I was NOT expecting the turn of events, and that made me like the book a lot. Unfortunately, there are hiccups. For example, the narrative often goes on tangents with long parenthetical flashbacks (yup, enclosed in parenthesis, like this comment). Which slows down the overall pace and at the time, made me want to skim-read. Also, some heavy descriptions ask for lots of patience. Other than those problems, book's excellent, if you like horror and gore and science thrown together!

In summary, "Into the Drowning Deep" is a great, entertaining novel for Science Fiction/horror fans.

Incredibly creepy new take on mermaids! LOVED it! And, holy cats, I hope to never encounter those bloodthirsty mermaids that Mira Grant created. They'd pull me down into the deep and devour me right quick.

Grant is an expert in anticipation and building suspense. Our main character's sister disappears on an ocean voyage and Victoria is bound and determined to find out what happened. So she joins another expedition to the Mariana Trench to find answers. The whole voyage is filled with tension, as some are out to prove their life's work while others are trying to make peace with what happened on the other expedition. Grant incorporates enough hard science and statistics that you *almost* believe there are actually mermaids hiding in the depths of the trench...and you hope to never find them.

(Originally written for and posted on Facebook)
Anyone that knows me knows I can talk at length about the books I enjoy. Some, if I'm uninterrupted, I can talk about for hours. And yet, I have never actually written a book review, for some reason. I finished a book today that I honestly feel I need to tell people about.

Written by Mira Grant, Into the Drowning Deep follows a team of researchers searching for mermaids, bankrolled by an entertainment company. It's mostly suspense, though (and as a person who does not get most genre delineations) could be considered horror. Honestly, the title tells you enough about the general contents of the book. I don't usually go for suspense, or horror, or anything that isn't high-fantasy magical world escapism. I also usually devour books in a matter of days, falling into and out of them with equal ease. In contrast, it took me a good few weeks to actually finish it; start-to-finish, it took me the longest period of time to finish this than any book has since before middle school. Part of that was certainly because I am an adult and have to go to work and generally attempt responsibility, but I found myself deliberately reading more slowly than normal, simply because I wanted to absorb as much of the action as possible. It grabbed me and, instead of losing focus and wandering away, kept me coming back, it swept me away and taunted me with the pieces of the puzzle that the cast of characters was working to uncover.
It has a wonderful cast of actually diverse people, in terms of sexuality, in neurodivergence, and in disability. Immediately springing to mind are the autistic lesbian woman, the deaf twins (both of whom were experts in their chosen fields) and the main character, a bisexual woman. Multiple people in the cast had things that disadvantaged them at times, and which both contributed to their personalities and actively contributed to their varied successes. None of them are caricatures, and they weren't relegated to moralizing subplots.

I could go on, but I'd rather not venture into possible spoiler land. If it's even halfway something you might be interested in, I highly encourage you to read this. I loved it.

Mira Grant delivers once again with all new monsters in this sci-fi thriller.

Mermaids. Fact or fiction? That's the question that leads the first group of victims...err...researchers into the deeps of the Mariana Trench. None make it home. What captured and killed them in the depths of the ocean? What of the mysterious and frightening footage recovered from the ship devoid of bodies?

Graced with Mira's beautiful voice, you'll get drawn into the mystery to discover what exactly lurks beneath the surface of still waters...Maybe you'll make it out alive.

**I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Small press author Mira Grant, the pen name for Seanan McGuire, has created a well-written thriller that should hopefully gain her a wider audience.

A mockumentary took place where a film crew allegedly explored legendary sea creatures in the Mariana Trench. This journey is followed by a more serious crew out to debunk what they deemed nonsense created by the previous expedition while also exploring the unknown. However, there is one member of the second journey who has her own agenda. Scientist Victoria Stewart wants to find the sister she has lost --- and the answers she will receive as she explores the deep ocean will change her life.

Loads of suspense, creepy creatures, bloody guts & gore. Entertaining characters & loads of action. Plenty of fun. The Newsflesh trilogy is still my favorite Mira Grant series, but I really enjoyed listening to “Into the Drowning Deep.” PS: please, somebody tell narrators & directors how to pronounce “familiar.” ?? I never knew how common a word it is until I began listening to audio books, getting jolted with “fermiliar” so often.

I've never read anything by Mira Grant before reading this book. I came upon this book a few months ago where it talked about underwater horror. With. Mermaids. I was sold. I mean, killer mermaids? Awesome! I enjoy horror from time to time but it has to be something that genuinely freaks me out. I have exactly two crippling fears 1) Dolls 2) open water. Were talking middle of the ocean deserted with just miles and miles of water in sight and nothing else. Yup. I'm freaking myself out right now just thinking about it. So, this book sounded perfect.

The book tends to be a little wordy. Which sounds stupid since its a book and books are made up of words. What I mean is that it felt as if the author had to add really long descriptions to everything to make a certain word count. It made the story very, almost, overly descriptive in places. After a little while I ended up skimming some of the longer descriptions.

The best parts are the build up to the mermaids. Merpeople? Mermen? Not sure what to call them but the way Grant's mind came up with her concept of her merpeople was very well done. Nothing was scarier then when some of the crew realized they had nowhere to go. Literally. You're in the middle of the ocean. In literally the deepest part of the ocean (Mariana Trench). She did a splendid job of making these creatures her own for sure. Forget what you think you know of mermaids. These are not your singing Disney version.

If you're looking for something different other than the same old clowns, dolls, ghosts, zombies, axe-murderer horror try Mira Grant's Into the Drowning Deep. Killer mermaids. That's pretty far off of the regular horror but oh so good!

Ahoy there me mateys! Well all ye landlubbers, this is how the mermaids of the deep truly be. Not some beautiful singing maiden longing to be on land but menacing fierce fighting and killin' machines that will rip yer face off and guzzle yer flesh. Arrrrr! Nasty creatures they be. Much thanks to Mira Grant fer giving up a better understanding of the denizens of the deep sea.

Mehaps it just be me but this took awhile to be engaging. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the science of it right fine. I enjoyed the characters in it. It just took too much time to get into the nitty-gritty of the beasts and action. I didn't get hooked onto the story until 63% and it only really gripped me until 85%. Plus I did not really enjoy the ending. But me mateys were chatterin' in excitement about this one and plus I adore the author's other work so I was determined to finish this.

I am glad I did. I loved the reality behind the mermaid myths. I loved the biology of the mermaids. I thought the killin' be awesome though I don't fancy fighting one of these beasties meself anytime soon. Many of the ideas in this novel float me boat. Sadly the execution just didn't thrill me.
But I wouldn't hesitate to give this one a go if ye be interested.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for me honest musings. Arrrrr!

Loads of suspense, creepy creatures, bloody guts & gore. Entertaining characters & loads of action. Plenty of fun. The Newsflesh trilogy is still my favorite Mira Grant series, but I really enjoyed listening to “Into the Drowning Deep.” PS: please, somebody tell narrators & directors how to pronounce “familiar.” ?? I never knew how common a word it is until I began listening to audio books, getting jolted with “fermiliar” so often.

I've never read anything by Mira Grant before reading this book. I came upon this book a few months ago where it talked about underwater horror. With. Mermaids. I was sold. I mean, killer mermaids? Awesome! I enjoy horror from time to time but it has to be something that genuinely freaks me out. I have exactly two crippling fears 1) Dolls 2) open water. Were talking middle of the ocean deserted with just miles and miles of water in sight and nothing else. Yup. I'm freaking myself out right now just thinking about it. So, this book sounded perfect.

The book tends to be a little wordy. Which sounds stupid since its a book and books are made up of words. What I mean is that it felt as if the author had to add really long descriptions to everything to make a certain word count. It made the story very, almost, overly descriptive in places. After a little while I ended up skimming some of the longer descriptions.

The best parts are the build up to the mermaids. Merpeople? Mermen? Not sure what to call them but the way Grant's mind came up with her concept of her merpeople was very well done. Nothing was scarier then when some of the crew realized they had nowhere to go. Literally. You're in the middle of the ocean. In literally the deepest part of the ocean (Mariana Trench). She did a splendid job of making these creatures her own for sure. Forget what you think you know of mermaids. These are not your singing Disney version.

If you're looking for something different other than the same old clowns, dolls, ghosts, zombies, axe-murderer horror try Mira Grant's Into the Drowning Deep. Killer mermaids. That's pretty far off of the regular horror but oh so good!

Ahoy there me mateys! Well all ye landlubbers, this is how the mermaids of the deep truly be. Not some beautiful singing maiden longing to be on land but menacing fierce fighting and killin' machines that will rip yer face off and guzzle yer flesh. Arrrrr! Nasty creatures they be. Much thanks to Mira Grant fer giving up a better understanding of the denizens of the deep sea.

Mehaps it just be me but this took awhile to be engaging. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the science of it right fine. I enjoyed the characters in it. It just took too much time to get into the nitty-gritty of the beasts and action. I didn't get hooked onto the story until 63% and it only really gripped me until 85%. Plus I did not really enjoy the ending. But me mateys were chatterin' in excitement about this one and plus I adore the author's other work so I was determined to finish this.

I am glad I did. I loved the reality behind the mermaid myths. I loved the biology of the mermaids. I thought the killin' be awesome though I don't fancy fighting one of these beasties meself anytime soon. Many of the ideas in this novel float me boat. Sadly the execution just didn't thrill me.
But I wouldn't hesitate to give this one a go if ye be interested.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for me honest musings. Arrrrr!

This was a great “monster” book! I always saw mermaids as beautiful and ethereal creatures but this book has definitely rewritten some of my original thoughts. The author does an excellent job of making the story seem believable. She uses scientific explanations and lingo without bogging down the story but adding “truthness” to it. I’ll be adding the next installment to by TBR list!

Okay, so the earth is important. This we know. Don’t litter, stop using plastic bags. Eat sustainably raised or caught seafood.

There, I saved you 15 bucks.

In a nutshell, the writing (pithy and a little tongue in cheek, like a, say, marine biologist in their late twenties trying to prove they can turn their witty blog into a novel) just isn’t enough to cover the “protect our oceans” propaganda shoehorned into every third paragraph. If that’s your bag, you might dig this book, but I (full disclosure) couldn’t get past page 45. The dialogue, too, makes me think the author has only read about conversation on Internet forums and never heard one in real life. Maybe it’s a grad school thing:

“You’re making the scary face again.”
“Which one?”
“The one that says you’re going to burn down the world if that’s what it takes to get what you want.”

It also ruins the suspense of a thriller on page three, which was a bummer.

In short, I would have preferred this as a grad student’s dissertation. As a novel, I had to leave it at the train station. Maybe the next person will have a better time.

Just when you think all monsters have been written about, along comes this story! How did I miss this one and so glad I found it! Ms. Grant takes on Mermaids, which have been present since man has sailed the seas!! Bravo!! I enjoyed this soo much!!

This is a taughtly written thriller with very believable characters. Mira Grant gives George RR Martin a run for his ‘killing characters I really like’ award. Even the dolphins ? are threatened. Who doesn’t love a dolphin named Twitter?
The good guys do their heroing, the bad folk are finally seen in a bad light. No details, you need to read this. It really is excellent. Even if it means I may be a little scared the next time I get to go night diving.

Having read Grant's Newsflesh trilogy I was excited to read a new original horror work. Grant does not skimp on the science or terror throughout the story. Given the large entertainment entity only interested in the looks of science and not the terrifying nihilistic realities, it's hard not to see parallels with Crichton's Jurassic Park. Just as that book developed its world and its characters well, this one makes you so fascinated to be a voyeuristic observer even as carnage unfolds. It was a worthwhile read, and I look forward to seeing Grant further develop this world as she did with the Newsflesh series.

I never thought I would enjoy a book about mermaids, but Mira Grant writes captivating prose and great suspense with a dark creepy monster story style. I'm immediately a fan of her work now. Glad I gave it a chance! They story-telling style of Jaws but with a twist!

Mira Grant is an amazing author who's books range from the light and easy to read to something you sit and chew on not just during the reading but after. This is one of the books where you are going to chew, mull over , want to reread, and continue to enjoy for years to come.

Captivating suspenseful tale that delivers mystery and clarity in icy doses. I’m not usually a fan of horror, however the mix of gore and mythology kept me beyond interested! The mastery of writing helped lend credence to such a gripping tale. Not the book to read at night if you are typically subject to nightmares, but worth carving out the time to read.