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Drowning Earth
In 2055, with global tensions nearing the breaking point, humanity teeters on the brink of annihilation. Their only hope lies with Captain Kel Williams and her loyal team, crewing what some call the deadliest submarine ever built.
Kel races to stake a claim to valuable undersea biomass—a lifeline that could prolong humanity’s demise. But deadly Russo-Chinese factions lurk in the lightless depths, determined to stop her at every turn.
Besieged by threats within and without, Kel finds herself walking a razor’s edge to maintain control. Surrounded on all sides, she relies on her crew’s dedication and her Bull Nuke Oscar Allen to maintain order and avert disaster.
Yet unbeknownst to all, salvation may lie in secrets lurking deep beneath the waves. Hidden truths once dismissed as myth. Whispers of impossible doorways and gods long forgotten.
With danger at every turn, will anyone escape the deadly snare, or do ancient myths hold the key to humanity’s survival?
Drowning Earth is the pulse-pounding first book in the Portalverse Elemental Origins science fiction techno-thriller series. If you like bold characters, dystopian conflicts, and wild surprises, then you’ll love Sean Willson’s plunge beneath the waves.
Buy Drowning Earth to stare into the abyss today!
Kel races to stake a claim to valuable undersea biomass—a lifeline that could prolong humanity’s demise. But deadly Russo-Chinese factions lurk in the lightless depths, determined to stop her at every turn.
Besieged by threats within and without, Kel finds herself walking a razor’s edge to maintain control. Surrounded on all sides, she relies on her crew’s dedication and her Bull Nuke Oscar Allen to maintain order and avert disaster.
Yet unbeknownst to all, salvation may lie in secrets lurking deep beneath the waves. Hidden truths once dismissed as myth. Whispers of impossible doorways and gods long forgotten.
With danger at every turn, will anyone escape the deadly snare, or do ancient myths hold the key to humanity’s survival?
Drowning Earth is the pulse-pounding first book in the Portalverse Elemental Origins science fiction techno-thriller series. If you like bold characters, dystopian conflicts, and wild surprises, then you’ll love Sean Willson’s plunge beneath the waves.
Buy Drowning Earth to stare into the abyss today!
- GenresScience Fiction
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 5, 2024
6 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Sean Willson
11 books11 followersSean Willson lives in North Carolina with his wife and three beautiful children. He’s a Computer Engineering in his day job, and when he’s not busy being a father, you can find him peering though his telescope, reading, or enjoying a great cup of coffee. Only after having kids and teaching them they can do anything they put their mind to did he resolve to rekindle his passion for writing.
If you’re interested in learning more about his Dark Nebula, Portalverse, or other series and books, you can subscribe to his newsletter at:
seanwillson.com/join
If you’re interested in learning more about his Dark Nebula, Portalverse, or other series and books, you can subscribe to his newsletter at:
seanwillson.com/join
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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February 16, 2025Disclaimer: I read this as a judge for SPSFC#4, as part of Team Ground Control to Major Tom. However, the following is my own personal review and does not reflect on the team's score.
Drowning Earth presents a little bit of a quandery for me. 95% of the book is a near-future Sci-fi thriller with some pretty special technology on show. Climate change brings about the expected environmental disasters and mankind is forced to look below the waves for its food source. However, the various factions are still not playing nicely and political intrigue abounds. Add in a bendy submarine that can do some very interesting things and we have a rip-roaring rollercoaster beneath the waves. Excellent! But then, at various points, the book breaks out in a rash of mythological. Gaping Greek Gods! Where did they come from? And where is this going?
Having said all that, I enjoyed Drowning Earth. I think the technological thriller side is done really well. The characters are strong, with some suitably sympathetic good guys and some punchable bad guys. We're just not sure who is who at some points. There are various twists, esponiages and sabotages to keep anyone on tenderhooks. It does get very nervy at some points. Anyone of a claustrophobic nature may not enjoy this - for one, it's mainly based on a submarine which are not known for their spacious natures. Also, although we are beneath the sea (which might be its own problem for some), there are twisty tunnels and tight caverns. But what might really tip some over the edge is the atmosphere. It is close, tight and a bit sweaty. Many people are crammed into a technologically advanced tin can and sent into some of the deepest trenches under the waves. They listen for tiny sounds in the darkness that might be the last thing they hear. They wonder who they can trust in an environment that will kill them in nanoseconds. It is enough to send your pulse racing and it is done exceptionally well.
As a naval caper, there is quite a bit of naval terminology and procedures included. I could follow along without knowing what they all where and a quick search generally provided information on any that I was interested on. I can't say whether the information provided is accurate, having no naval experience, but it reads well. The technology is fascinating but again I don't know how true to life the physics is. For me, it doesn't really matter how "real" it is, as long as it is sustainable in the story. Although the thought of being at the bottom of the ocean gives me the heaving skeeves, I love the idea of the HMS Bancroft and all the knowledge behind it.
I am no novice when it comes to genre-blending and I am all for it. I do not mind traditionally fantasy elements turning up in Sci-fi books as long as they make sense and are done well. There is a strong mythological bend to this book with several intermissions involving Greek Gods. At this moment, having only read the first book in this series, I can't really marry the two aspects together. They are obviously part of the same story, expecially as what occurs in the last few chapters of the book. And there are also Sci-fi elements to this mythology, with hints of alternative timelines, multiple universes and various portals connecting them all. However, I don't know where this is going and that frustrated me a little bit. I can't work out the End Game, which is usually very good in a book! But with two very distinct elements, I can't see how they will come together. I guess the answer would be to keep reading and find out!
Drowning Earth is a well-written technological thriller set on a near future Earth. If political intrigue, claustrophic atmospheres and sabotage are your thing, this could be the book for you. For me, I came for the amazing technology and will stay for the surprising god inclusions. I need to know how this ends.
Drowning Earth presents a little bit of a quandery for me. 95% of the book is a near-future Sci-fi thriller with some pretty special technology on show. Climate change brings about the expected environmental disasters and mankind is forced to look below the waves for its food source. However, the various factions are still not playing nicely and political intrigue abounds. Add in a bendy submarine that can do some very interesting things and we have a rip-roaring rollercoaster beneath the waves. Excellent! But then, at various points, the book breaks out in a rash of mythological. Gaping Greek Gods! Where did they come from? And where is this going?
Having said all that, I enjoyed Drowning Earth. I think the technological thriller side is done really well. The characters are strong, with some suitably sympathetic good guys and some punchable bad guys. We're just not sure who is who at some points. There are various twists, esponiages and sabotages to keep anyone on tenderhooks. It does get very nervy at some points. Anyone of a claustrophobic nature may not enjoy this - for one, it's mainly based on a submarine which are not known for their spacious natures. Also, although we are beneath the sea (which might be its own problem for some), there are twisty tunnels and tight caverns. But what might really tip some over the edge is the atmosphere. It is close, tight and a bit sweaty. Many people are crammed into a technologically advanced tin can and sent into some of the deepest trenches under the waves. They listen for tiny sounds in the darkness that might be the last thing they hear. They wonder who they can trust in an environment that will kill them in nanoseconds. It is enough to send your pulse racing and it is done exceptionally well.
As a naval caper, there is quite a bit of naval terminology and procedures included. I could follow along without knowing what they all where and a quick search generally provided information on any that I was interested on. I can't say whether the information provided is accurate, having no naval experience, but it reads well. The technology is fascinating but again I don't know how true to life the physics is. For me, it doesn't really matter how "real" it is, as long as it is sustainable in the story. Although the thought of being at the bottom of the ocean gives me the heaving skeeves, I love the idea of the HMS Bancroft and all the knowledge behind it.
I am no novice when it comes to genre-blending and I am all for it. I do not mind traditionally fantasy elements turning up in Sci-fi books as long as they make sense and are done well. There is a strong mythological bend to this book with several intermissions involving Greek Gods. At this moment, having only read the first book in this series, I can't really marry the two aspects together. They are obviously part of the same story, expecially as what occurs in the last few chapters of the book. And there are also Sci-fi elements to this mythology, with hints of alternative timelines, multiple universes and various portals connecting them all. However, I don't know where this is going and that frustrated me a little bit. I can't work out the End Game, which is usually very good in a book! But with two very distinct elements, I can't see how they will come together. I guess the answer would be to keep reading and find out!
Drowning Earth is a well-written technological thriller set on a near future Earth. If political intrigue, claustrophic atmospheres and sabotage are your thing, this could be the book for you. For me, I came for the amazing technology and will stay for the surprising god inclusions. I need to know how this ends.
January 7, 2025
DISCLAIMER - I received a free copy of this book to review for the 2024/25 Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC).
What is classified as Science Fiction evolves over the years. Early on Jules Verne imaged trips to the moon long before space exploration was an actual goal. Then it became pulp fiction full of “loose” women and R rated pornography. Seventy years ago it became focused on actual science and imagining a better future world. A couple of decades ago the focus shifted to a dystopian future and humans striving to survive in a post apocalyptic world. Interspersed in there came mythical science fiction with “the force”, ghosts, and gods.
Drowning Earth is a well written, dystopian science fiction book that takes place decades in the future aboard an advanced naval submarine. With a strong female protagonist, a cast of well fleshed out supporting characters, pulse raising action, political intrigue, well disguised saboteurs, and even an evil ex-husband, Sean Willson has written an exciting book.
My problem is that it is all set among the backdrop of a couple of Greek gods observing and manipulating the action. Willow (aka Helice) is the good god and Helios is the chauvinistic, interfering pain. Without these “gods”, this book is a great piece of military/apocalyptic science fiction which I would recommend whole heartedly. Gods, however, give me pause. Willson hints that his gods are just advanced and evolved lifeforms, an avenue available to humans should they take it - kind of like advanced aliens.
I loved the writing, the characters, the naval setting, and more. I’ll put my concern about the gods aside for now and hope that it all becomes clearer as the story evolves in the sequel, Dead in the Water, as well as a 1.5 book Martian Tide.
What is classified as Science Fiction evolves over the years. Early on Jules Verne imaged trips to the moon long before space exploration was an actual goal. Then it became pulp fiction full of “loose” women and R rated pornography. Seventy years ago it became focused on actual science and imagining a better future world. A couple of decades ago the focus shifted to a dystopian future and humans striving to survive in a post apocalyptic world. Interspersed in there came mythical science fiction with “the force”, ghosts, and gods.
Drowning Earth is a well written, dystopian science fiction book that takes place decades in the future aboard an advanced naval submarine. With a strong female protagonist, a cast of well fleshed out supporting characters, pulse raising action, political intrigue, well disguised saboteurs, and even an evil ex-husband, Sean Willson has written an exciting book.
My problem is that it is all set among the backdrop of a couple of Greek gods observing and manipulating the action. Willow (aka Helice) is the good god and Helios is the chauvinistic, interfering pain. Without these “gods”, this book is a great piece of military/apocalyptic science fiction which I would recommend whole heartedly. Gods, however, give me pause. Willson hints that his gods are just advanced and evolved lifeforms, an avenue available to humans should they take it - kind of like advanced aliens.
I loved the writing, the characters, the naval setting, and more. I’ll put my concern about the gods aside for now and hope that it all becomes clearer as the story evolves in the sequel, Dead in the Water, as well as a 1.5 book Martian Tide.
January 16, 2024
I don't think this is a mediocre book necessarily. It just wasn't to my taste. I found myself more than halfway through the book and still waiting for it to capture my interest. I never became invested, unfortunately.
There is a lot of technical jargon, or so it seemed to me, and there is a lot of cool descriptions of being on an underwater sub. However, the story itself dragged. What definitely didn't help this book were the random interludes where we cut to the Gods (mostly the Greek pantheon is mentioned), I'm assuming the these are the "builders" behind the portalverse, but I never made it to the part that had originally gotten me interested from the book description. The book just took too long to really get going.
To someone else, this might be a great book, but it just never took off for me.
There is a lot of technical jargon, or so it seemed to me, and there is a lot of cool descriptions of being on an underwater sub. However, the story itself dragged. What definitely didn't help this book were the random interludes where we cut to the Gods (mostly the Greek pantheon is mentioned), I'm assuming the these are the "builders" behind the portalverse, but I never made it to the part that had originally gotten me interested from the book description. The book just took too long to really get going.
To someone else, this might be a great book, but it just never took off for me.
January 19, 2025
Different than typical science fiction (speculative fiction). But the setting is the future and there are sciency things, ... and mythology.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews