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Aegir-7
Beneath the Arctic Circle lies Aegir-7, a research station long sealed in darkness. Forgotten for decades, it awakens with a signal no one can explain.
When Dr. Mara Ellin is sent to investigate, she enters a place where silence is alive and the walls themselves seem to remember her. The deeper she goes, the heavier the pressure becomes. Of the ocean, of the past, of something that will not stay buried.
Aegir-7 is a chilling descent into isolation and dread, where memory falters, reality bends, and the deep refuses to let go.
When Dr. Mara Ellin is sent to investigate, she enters a place where silence is alive and the walls themselves seem to remember her. The deeper she goes, the heavier the pressure becomes. Of the ocean, of the past, of something that will not stay buried.
Aegir-7 is a chilling descent into isolation and dread, where memory falters, reality bends, and the deep refuses to let go.
ebook
First published November 4, 2025
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Ryen Santana
8 books50 followersRyen Santana is an author who has spent her life weaving stories—first in the world of fanfiction and now in dark, emotionally charged novels. A mother of two, she balances the chaos of parenthood with the equally chaotic process of crafting narratives filled with morally grey characters, deep betrayals, and enough trauma to keep her readers up at night.
Her love for storytelling began in her early teens, where she honed her skills writing sprawling, 500k+ word fanfics inspired by Twilight, The Hunger Games, Divergent, and, of course, One Direction. If a fandom existed, she either wrote for it or devoured every story it had to offer.
When she’s not writing, she can be found indulging in her other passions—reading (obviously), rock climbing, spending all of the money she earns from books on commissioning art of her characters, and consuming unhealthy amounts of caffeine. She also enjoys rotting in bed whenever life allows, though with two small children, those moments are rare and precious.
Now, with her original works, she continues to explore the themes that first captivated her: love, power, revenge, and the darker sides of human nature. But this time, the stakes are higher, the characters more twisted, and the endings never quite what you expect.
Her love for storytelling began in her early teens, where she honed her skills writing sprawling, 500k+ word fanfics inspired by Twilight, The Hunger Games, Divergent, and, of course, One Direction. If a fandom existed, she either wrote for it or devoured every story it had to offer.
When she’s not writing, she can be found indulging in her other passions—reading (obviously), rock climbing, spending all of the money she earns from books on commissioning art of her characters, and consuming unhealthy amounts of caffeine. She also enjoys rotting in bed whenever life allows, though with two small children, those moments are rare and precious.
Now, with her original works, she continues to explore the themes that first captivated her: love, power, revenge, and the darker sides of human nature. But this time, the stakes are higher, the characters more twisted, and the endings never quite what you expect.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 9, 2025
okayyy I was so intrigued by this one when I happened to stumble on it on Ryen’s page on release day so of course I picked it up straight away…
If you’re looking for something short, dark, eerie, though provoking & immersive definitely pick this one up!! You know when you read something & you can just see it playing out in your head?? this was giving those vibes like watching a suspense/thriller movie!!
I love anything that makes you feel uneasy & also anything that is set deep in the sea so obviously this was going to be a hit for me, it had the horror vibes and brought along with it the confusion of what am I reading and what’s actually happening… Getting to the end has made me want to go back and read it all again with a fresh mindset, a definite fever dream feeling novella that will have you on edge with your mind reeling the whole time
If you’re looking for something short, dark, eerie, though provoking & immersive definitely pick this one up!! You know when you read something & you can just see it playing out in your head?? this was giving those vibes like watching a suspense/thriller movie!!
I love anything that makes you feel uneasy & also anything that is set deep in the sea so obviously this was going to be a hit for me, it had the horror vibes and brought along with it the confusion of what am I reading and what’s actually happening… Getting to the end has made me want to go back and read it all again with a fresh mindset, a definite fever dream feeling novella that will have you on edge with your mind reeling the whole time
November 5, 2025
Aegir-7 is one of the most dread inducing experiences I’ve ever come across. It’s a slingshot straight into the abyss…,and you don’t even get a map. Think Subnautica meets Alien: Isolation. Yeah. It’s that alarming.
We follow Dr. Mara Ellin, who’s sent to investigate a mysterious signal coming from an old research station 8,000+ meters below the Arctic Circle. She’s completely alone on Aegir-7… or is she?
From the claustrophobia on the submersible to the vast emptiness of the station itself, this story villainizes isolation. The setting is at once both suffocating and eternal. I’m already terrified of the ocean’s surface, so 8,000 meters down is a hell no from me. the horror isn’t just environmental though, it’s also psychological. The idea of being truly alone in what may as well be an alien world got under my skin in a way I CAN’T shake off. There’s also a fascinating auditory element explored through the absence of sound. It’s brilliant and turns the story into a full sensory experience.
The sci-fi hits with cinematic flair. Despite being bite sized, the adrenaline stays high from start to finish. you’ll swear you just stayed up all night reading an epic. The sheer magnitude of this story should NOT fit inside eighty something pages. But Ryen Santana makes it look effortless.
I will read anything this author writes next.
10/10. terrifying, claustrophobic, crap your pants brilliant
Thank you to the author for the #gifted eARC - All opinions are my own.
We follow Dr. Mara Ellin, who’s sent to investigate a mysterious signal coming from an old research station 8,000+ meters below the Arctic Circle. She’s completely alone on Aegir-7… or is she?
From the claustrophobia on the submersible to the vast emptiness of the station itself, this story villainizes isolation. The setting is at once both suffocating and eternal. I’m already terrified of the ocean’s surface, so 8,000 meters down is a hell no from me. the horror isn’t just environmental though, it’s also psychological. The idea of being truly alone in what may as well be an alien world got under my skin in a way I CAN’T shake off. There’s also a fascinating auditory element explored through the absence of sound. It’s brilliant and turns the story into a full sensory experience.
The sci-fi hits with cinematic flair. Despite being bite sized, the adrenaline stays high from start to finish. you’ll swear you just stayed up all night reading an epic. The sheer magnitude of this story should NOT fit inside eighty something pages. But Ryen Santana makes it look effortless.
I will read anything this author writes next.
10/10. terrifying, claustrophobic, crap your pants brilliant
Thank you to the author for the #gifted eARC - All opinions are my own.
October 25, 2025
When I tell you I was on edge the entire time, I mean it. Gritty, immersive, and visceral, this kept me up at night reading. I was in a constant state of "oh my god, wtf," in the best way possible.
The feeling you get at the end of this is reminiscent of watching Interstellar or Tenet for the first time. Everything suddenly reads differently, and all the pieces start clicking. It makes you want to immediately dive back in (deep sea pun lol) and read it with fresh eyes 👁👄👁 (iykyk) was the perfect amount of creepy mindf*ck, and several times I had full-body goosebumps.
I loved this, and it lives rent-free in my head 🙂↕️ 10/10 would recommend.
The feeling you get at the end of this is reminiscent of watching Interstellar or Tenet for the first time. Everything suddenly reads differently, and all the pieces start clicking. It makes you want to immediately dive back in (deep sea pun lol) and read it with fresh eyes 👁👄👁 (iykyk) was the perfect amount of creepy mindf*ck, and several times I had full-body goosebumps.
I loved this, and it lives rent-free in my head 🙂↕️ 10/10 would recommend.
October 30, 2025
I had to stare at the wall for a while after i finished this novella.
Immediately 5 stars for me :')
Immediately 5 stars for me :')
March 17, 2026
So I previously did an ARC read for this author (The Ravens Of London I beloeve) and shortly after received this as a gift (I think)
This isnt my typical book, I wasn't sure I was gonna read it to be honest but I am clearing out my TBR this year and this is what came up when I spun my wheel.
I went into this expecting something intense and mind-bending, and in some ways it definitely delivers, but not fully.
The strongest part of the book is easily the atmosphere. The underwater setting feels oppressive and eerie in a way that really sticks with you, and there’s a constant sense of unease that builds nicely as the story progresses. It’s the kind of book that’s easy to read in one sitting because you want to know what’s going on.
That said, the story leans very heavily into ambiguity and while I can appreciate a narrative that doesn’t spell everything out, this felt confusing to the point where it occasionally pulled me out of the experience. I wasn’t always sure what was happening or why, and by the end, I felt like there wasn’t quite enough payoff for all the mystery.
The characters also felt a bit underdeveloped. They serve the atmosphere well, but I didn’t feel particularly connected to them, which made some of the more intense moments less impactful than they could have been.
This isnt my typical book, I wasn't sure I was gonna read it to be honest but I am clearing out my TBR this year and this is what came up when I spun my wheel.
I went into this expecting something intense and mind-bending, and in some ways it definitely delivers, but not fully.
The strongest part of the book is easily the atmosphere. The underwater setting feels oppressive and eerie in a way that really sticks with you, and there’s a constant sense of unease that builds nicely as the story progresses. It’s the kind of book that’s easy to read in one sitting because you want to know what’s going on.
That said, the story leans very heavily into ambiguity and while I can appreciate a narrative that doesn’t spell everything out, this felt confusing to the point where it occasionally pulled me out of the experience. I wasn’t always sure what was happening or why, and by the end, I felt like there wasn’t quite enough payoff for all the mystery.
The characters also felt a bit underdeveloped. They serve the atmosphere well, but I didn’t feel particularly connected to them, which made some of the more intense moments less impactful than they could have been.
October 2, 2025
As an avid hater of horror and all things deep sea but a die hard for Ryen Santana I gave this a shot as an ARC and my GOD is it addicting!! I WISH I could have put it down to spare my poor heart but I am so glad I couldn’t. Read this in 2 sittings and it has changed my outlook on life and the unknown in the most spine tingling ways. Even if you are skeptical of horror/body horror, I beg you give this a shot regardless; it is sooo worth the discomfort. I was sweating, squirming, and hiding behind my own hands as one eye peeked out to finish each sentence. What a work of art!
November 1, 2025
*ARC*
What the heck did I just read? Like in the best way possible 🤣
Have you ever read a book that you could just see as a movie? Ohmygod, this book would be it. You get the dread, the slight sounds but no one is there, the mind games!
The complete confusion I had reading this book was real. The way Ryen writes Mara and the wheels moving in her head as things get even more confusing is unreal. For a novella under 100 pages, I was completely enthralled, on the edge of my seat, and definitely will never be stepping foot in an abandoned science facility under the ocean any time soon.
What the heck did I just read? Like in the best way possible 🤣
Have you ever read a book that you could just see as a movie? Ohmygod, this book would be it. You get the dread, the slight sounds but no one is there, the mind games!
The complete confusion I had reading this book was real. The way Ryen writes Mara and the wheels moving in her head as things get even more confusing is unreal. For a novella under 100 pages, I was completely enthralled, on the edge of my seat, and definitely will never be stepping foot in an abandoned science facility under the ocean any time soon.
December 26, 2025
This was a wildly unsettling sci-fi suspense that completely disoriented me in the best way. From start to finish, I never quite knew which way was up or down, and that sense of unease only increased as the story progressed.
Despite being a quick novella, it kept me on edge the entire time. I finished it and just sat there, staring at the wall, trying to process what I’d just experienced. Deeply unsettling but intensifying my personal interest in the deepest parts of the ocean, this story will linger for a while.
Despite being a quick novella, it kept me on edge the entire time. I finished it and just sat there, staring at the wall, trying to process what I’d just experienced. Deeply unsettling but intensifying my personal interest in the deepest parts of the ocean, this story will linger for a while.
November 16, 2025
Woah, what the hell did I just read?
It’s been a while since I felt fully immersed in a book, to the point where my surroundings and time seemed to vanished. However, this book did it for me.
I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, the only reason I couldn’t give it a full 5 star rating was because I wanted MORE from it. Although it was so well done as a novella, I crave to know more about that damn ending! 🤯
It’s been a while since I felt fully immersed in a book, to the point where my surroundings and time seemed to vanished. However, this book did it for me.
I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, the only reason I couldn’t give it a full 5 star rating was because I wanted MORE from it. Although it was so well done as a novella, I crave to know more about that damn ending! 🤯
November 8, 2025
Literally read this in one sitting because I absolutely could NOT stop reading. I hate movies about being in submarines and water (I’m claustrophobic and terrified of drowning) so this book made me so uncomfortable, but I HAD to keep reading. I’m glad I made it out, but I’m also still sitting here like “What did I just read?!” In the best way possible
November 2, 2025
I'm obsessed with Ryens writing. She just doesn't disappoint. this deep sea horror feels like an absolute fever dream that pulls you in and gives you whip lash in the best way. I cannot wait to see what she writes next. I will read anything Ryen writes 👏👏👏
December 28, 2025
I have never felt such dread while reading a book. This was beyond phenomenal. Santana writes dread so beautifully. I felt it so completely while reading that I had to stop reading before bed and pick it up in the morning. If you want a book that will scare you, pick this one.
November 1, 2025
I BEG YOUR PARDON??? Formal review to come…
November 8, 2025
Poetically dread inducing. I’m still not sure what I read but the impending doom and eerie vibes really set the tone for this.
March 30, 2026
total mind-fuq
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews