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Sentient
Not yet published
Expected 24 Feb 26Extinction Horizon meets Contagion in this sequel to 2025's sci-fi thriller Symbiote, where the biological threat has escaped the South Pole and is now wreaking havoc upon humanity.
The survivors of the South Pole massacre will find that getting off the Antarctic continent may cost them their lives…
Months after the events of Symbiote, sunrise has come to the ice continent. At the coastal McMurdo Station (77 deg S), that means an annual series of flights to lay the groundwork for the 1,500 summer visitors that will soon call “Mac” home. Among the Winfly crew are the architects of Have Viking, the classified CIA program that unleashed the microbes onto Dome-A. They are determined to discover what happened with their experiment, and harvest samples of the mutated microbes to turn into a biological weapon.
Their plan goes haywire when the microbe-symbiote Ben Jacobs shows up after an impossible walk from Pole. When Ben is reunited with an asymptomatic carrier of the symbiotic microbes (Penny), all hell breaks loose at McMurdo. The microbes have their origins in the icy waters of Antarctic lakes, and the sea ice surrounding the station becomes a fertile breeding ground for a new and more dangerous infestation. Rajan Chariya and his friends will have to join forces with the CIA to fight the onslaught of infected “sea people” roving the snowy streets of McMurdo. But as they dig in to make their new stand, when do they stop being useful to Langley, and start being targets who know too much?
Worse, Penny may not be the only asymptomatic carrier…
The survivors of the South Pole massacre will find that getting off the Antarctic continent may cost them their lives…
Months after the events of Symbiote, sunrise has come to the ice continent. At the coastal McMurdo Station (77 deg S), that means an annual series of flights to lay the groundwork for the 1,500 summer visitors that will soon call “Mac” home. Among the Winfly crew are the architects of Have Viking, the classified CIA program that unleashed the microbes onto Dome-A. They are determined to discover what happened with their experiment, and harvest samples of the mutated microbes to turn into a biological weapon.
Their plan goes haywire when the microbe-symbiote Ben Jacobs shows up after an impossible walk from Pole. When Ben is reunited with an asymptomatic carrier of the symbiotic microbes (Penny), all hell breaks loose at McMurdo. The microbes have their origins in the icy waters of Antarctic lakes, and the sea ice surrounding the station becomes a fertile breeding ground for a new and more dangerous infestation. Rajan Chariya and his friends will have to join forces with the CIA to fight the onslaught of infected “sea people” roving the snowy streets of McMurdo. But as they dig in to make their new stand, when do they stop being useful to Langley, and start being targets who know too much?
Worse, Penny may not be the only asymptomatic carrier…
- GenresScience FictionHorror
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 24, 2026
2 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Michael Nayak
7 books32 followersFollow Michael (Mikey) Nayak on X @mikeynayak and LinkedIn @michael-nayak.
Mikey was born in Los Angeles and now lives in Washington D.C.; he has worked as a planetary scientist, pilot and skydiving instructor, and most recently as a Program Manager with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He has logged 1,000+ hours of flight time in 30+ aircraft including the F-16, T-38 and BE-76, is a US Air Force Test Pilot School graduate, and former NASA Space Shuttle engineer.
Mikey was born in Los Angeles and now lives in Washington D.C.; he has worked as a planetary scientist, pilot and skydiving instructor, and most recently as a Program Manager with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He has logged 1,000+ hours of flight time in 30+ aircraft including the F-16, T-38 and BE-76, is a US Air Force Test Pilot School graduate, and former NASA Space Shuttle engineer.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 6, 2025
This is incredibly thrilling and terrifyingly realistic.
How to get my attention: This publication has been cleared for unlimited public release by the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review.
What makes this so thrilling is the clear research and emotion gone into this. The author himself was deployed to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and you can read the awe and fear of the coldest place on Earth in his writing.
If you are unfamiliar, this is book two set in 2028, the second year of the Pacific Rim War, where Antarctic microbes have evolved to infect humans and make them aggressive, violent, murderous. A hive mind. Maybe a bioweapon, maybe a freak of nature. Definitely a matter of survival for the isolated stations already battling against the deadly conditions.
This switches POV to keep this fast-paced and tense. Whilst the characters take a backseat to the plot, as a character-driven reader, I still knew enough about each one through their actions and dialogue.
I haven’t had any experience with the navy, CIA, research stations, etc. However, the author is a pro at putting you right there whilst also managing to never overwhelm you.
Also, this still isn’t the end?! I was surprised to hear book one wasn’t a standalone, but glad to hear it. However, this doesn’t seem to be a duology either. The stakes could never be higher.
Arc gifted by Angry Robot.
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How to get my attention: This publication has been cleared for unlimited public release by the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review.
What makes this so thrilling is the clear research and emotion gone into this. The author himself was deployed to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and you can read the awe and fear of the coldest place on Earth in his writing.
If you are unfamiliar, this is book two set in 2028, the second year of the Pacific Rim War, where Antarctic microbes have evolved to infect humans and make them aggressive, violent, murderous. A hive mind. Maybe a bioweapon, maybe a freak of nature. Definitely a matter of survival for the isolated stations already battling against the deadly conditions.
This switches POV to keep this fast-paced and tense. Whilst the characters take a backseat to the plot, as a character-driven reader, I still knew enough about each one through their actions and dialogue.
I haven’t had any experience with the navy, CIA, research stations, etc. However, the author is a pro at putting you right there whilst also managing to never overwhelm you.
Also, this still isn’t the end?! I was surprised to hear book one wasn’t a standalone, but glad to hear it. However, this doesn’t seem to be a duology either. The stakes could never be higher.
Arc gifted by Angry Robot.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
January 4, 2026
Most of the South Pole Station crew is dead. The survivors know that the CIA is circling and they’re not looking at a rescue. Chinese agents arrive to investigate the annihilation of their station and personnel in Dome A. The grey generation is not dead. They are waiting. They are hiding. They are hungry.
The Sun is about to rise for the first time in months. Mac Station will be filled with people. This could be salvation for the survivors or the Symbiote. Not both.
Sentient by Michael Nayak plunges us straight back into the frozen chaos where Symbiote left off.
Against the ominous backdrop of a war between China and America, both sides scramble to contain, understand or exploit the consequences of human ambition gone catastrophically wrong.
As the threads converge, old and new enemies threaten our characters. The microbe continues to adapt in unsettling ways. The result is relentless tension, paranoia, and clawing doubt over who may already be compromised.
What elevates Sentient is the feeling of authenticity in setting and place. Nayak takes real care in depicting the landscape and those who live and work there. That realism makes the horrors feel disturbingly plausible. The environment itself can almost become an antagonist. Vast, beautiful, lethal. More aligned with the microbes than humans. The characters are flawed, complex, and deeply human which only sharpens the emotional cost of every choice they make.
If Symbiote was about surviving, Sentient asks the far more unsettling question: is survival worth it and at what cost?
The sequel ramps up in both scale and stakes, blending fast-paced, thriller action with geopolitical intrigue and existential horror. Tense, atmospheric, and full of brutal surprises.
The Sun is about to rise for the first time in months. Mac Station will be filled with people. This could be salvation for the survivors or the Symbiote. Not both.
Sentient by Michael Nayak plunges us straight back into the frozen chaos where Symbiote left off.
Against the ominous backdrop of a war between China and America, both sides scramble to contain, understand or exploit the consequences of human ambition gone catastrophically wrong.
As the threads converge, old and new enemies threaten our characters. The microbe continues to adapt in unsettling ways. The result is relentless tension, paranoia, and clawing doubt over who may already be compromised.
What elevates Sentient is the feeling of authenticity in setting and place. Nayak takes real care in depicting the landscape and those who live and work there. That realism makes the horrors feel disturbingly plausible. The environment itself can almost become an antagonist. Vast, beautiful, lethal. More aligned with the microbes than humans. The characters are flawed, complex, and deeply human which only sharpens the emotional cost of every choice they make.
If Symbiote was about surviving, Sentient asks the far more unsettling question: is survival worth it and at what cost?
The sequel ramps up in both scale and stakes, blending fast-paced, thriller action with geopolitical intrigue and existential horror. Tense, atmospheric, and full of brutal surprises.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sentient by Michael Nayak
3.75 rounded up to 4🔮🔮🔮🔮orbs
Pub. Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Angry Robot Publishing
Antarctic frigidness part deux…
💡 Orbs Prologue: As a CIA agent, I am frequently dispatched to covert missions. My latest, and quite possibly my last, sees me en route to the South Pole. At the McMurdo station, I am debriefed on a new type of problem. Contagion holds life amongst these dead sentient bodies, hellbent on conquering the living, with ringleader Ben Jacobs clearly at the helm. Cresting the sub-zero waves, the dead are coming from the sea as if recharged by a surge of hunger coming from the penguins themselves. Penguins, you say, Agent Orb? With my Glock 19 held in my gelatinous hand, I aim at our enemies wearing their classy tuxedo outfits. The splattering of blood mixed with the ratta-ta-tatting of gunfire only seems to enrage the death marches of birds amidst their dreadful cacophony of hateful squawking. Fully engulfed in the scene playing out, I have been duped. Flanked from behind, I smell the wretchedness before I can turn around. A peculiar sensation is percolating throughout my body as the adrenaline reaches its crescendo. Have I been bitten?
🧐 A small glimpse: In author Michael Nayak’s world, the cold might be the least of our worries. In continuation of the first book, Symbiote, readers will be placed firmly onto the frozen Antarctic snowbanks, looking up into the blistering sky for planes holding nefarious plans to extinguish this scientific experiment gone awry. Or has it truly deviated from the plan at all? Americans are testing a parasite on a Chinese base stationed on soil in a place built upon the rules of an Antarctic Peace Treaty, which seems to be shady indeed. The contagion runs wild, and as the Americans do their best to contain the truth, Marianna Egan, a journalist, looks to bring the truth to the American people. Pulling some strings, Marianna boards the plane bound for the Antarctic. What will she uncover? Is it possible the situation is even more dire than first imagined? Has this parasite somehow evolved into an even more potent enemy?
👍 Orbs Pros: Perfect reading for the winter months! Nayak’s needle injects life into this sci-fi/horror thriller, firmly set in the desolate, cold backdrop. There is a character for everyone! Strong women protagonists, brave men, and a cold, calculating villain. Could this really happen? For those with an interest in conspiracy theories, this will give you something to think about!
👎 Orbs Cons: The black sheep of the family! A tsunami of horror breaches the frosty barrens. The dreaded introduction of a horde of zombie-like penguins. A curious decision by Nayak, and one that added some visual laughs amid a truly terrifying experience. I can liken this to Friday the 13th and Freddy Krueger humor. Does it break the horror experience, rendering it more “fun” instead?
Recommended! First off, let me say, I did enjoy this more than the first novel, Symbiote. The action here is relentless, reminiscent of some of the better Walking Dead episodes. Whether you love SF, horror, political intrigue, or just some fun times, this book will satisfy all those categories.
💡 Orbs Epilogue: A decaying mouth has putridly stripped away some of my flesh. Suddenly, the world has quieted, and blurred senses take hold. Woe is me, the Chewable One, the Fly-Slayer…reduced to a zombie! Driven by an incessant desire to multiply our ranks, I am on a new mission. Overtaken by hive-like thoughts from our leader, Ben Jacobs, I am in attack mode, a circular predator in this godforsaken world. Leaping from my perch high upon the rooftop, I land with some impressive mastery. My skills are enhanced and therefore unrivaled. Using the chattering of thoughts, I stealthily make my way to the nearest facility housing many of the minuscule humans. They disgust me with their intolerant ways and naivety. Simpletons, we must change them into something greater, something far more permanent in the evolutionary chain. Before entering the building, my blue luminous eyes spy a plane banking slightly towards the south. Have they escaped? Overtaken by anger, I once again drop to the blistery surface. We must regroup and rethink this strategy… and then we walk…amongst the frozen trail of blood, bodies, crunchy beaks, and feathers, quite comfortable in this demoralizing environment…
Many thanks to Angry Robot for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
3.75 rounded up to 4🔮🔮🔮🔮orbs
Pub. Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Angry Robot Publishing
Antarctic frigidness part deux…
💡 Orbs Prologue: As a CIA agent, I am frequently dispatched to covert missions. My latest, and quite possibly my last, sees me en route to the South Pole. At the McMurdo station, I am debriefed on a new type of problem. Contagion holds life amongst these dead sentient bodies, hellbent on conquering the living, with ringleader Ben Jacobs clearly at the helm. Cresting the sub-zero waves, the dead are coming from the sea as if recharged by a surge of hunger coming from the penguins themselves. Penguins, you say, Agent Orb? With my Glock 19 held in my gelatinous hand, I aim at our enemies wearing their classy tuxedo outfits. The splattering of blood mixed with the ratta-ta-tatting of gunfire only seems to enrage the death marches of birds amidst their dreadful cacophony of hateful squawking. Fully engulfed in the scene playing out, I have been duped. Flanked from behind, I smell the wretchedness before I can turn around. A peculiar sensation is percolating throughout my body as the adrenaline reaches its crescendo. Have I been bitten?
🧐 A small glimpse: In author Michael Nayak’s world, the cold might be the least of our worries. In continuation of the first book, Symbiote, readers will be placed firmly onto the frozen Antarctic snowbanks, looking up into the blistering sky for planes holding nefarious plans to extinguish this scientific experiment gone awry. Or has it truly deviated from the plan at all? Americans are testing a parasite on a Chinese base stationed on soil in a place built upon the rules of an Antarctic Peace Treaty, which seems to be shady indeed. The contagion runs wild, and as the Americans do their best to contain the truth, Marianna Egan, a journalist, looks to bring the truth to the American people. Pulling some strings, Marianna boards the plane bound for the Antarctic. What will she uncover? Is it possible the situation is even more dire than first imagined? Has this parasite somehow evolved into an even more potent enemy?
👍 Orbs Pros: Perfect reading for the winter months! Nayak’s needle injects life into this sci-fi/horror thriller, firmly set in the desolate, cold backdrop. There is a character for everyone! Strong women protagonists, brave men, and a cold, calculating villain. Could this really happen? For those with an interest in conspiracy theories, this will give you something to think about!
👎 Orbs Cons: The black sheep of the family! A tsunami of horror breaches the frosty barrens. The dreaded introduction of a horde of zombie-like penguins. A curious decision by Nayak, and one that added some visual laughs amid a truly terrifying experience. I can liken this to Friday the 13th and Freddy Krueger humor. Does it break the horror experience, rendering it more “fun” instead?
Recommended! First off, let me say, I did enjoy this more than the first novel, Symbiote. The action here is relentless, reminiscent of some of the better Walking Dead episodes. Whether you love SF, horror, political intrigue, or just some fun times, this book will satisfy all those categories.
💡 Orbs Epilogue: A decaying mouth has putridly stripped away some of my flesh. Suddenly, the world has quieted, and blurred senses take hold. Woe is me, the Chewable One, the Fly-Slayer…reduced to a zombie! Driven by an incessant desire to multiply our ranks, I am on a new mission. Overtaken by hive-like thoughts from our leader, Ben Jacobs, I am in attack mode, a circular predator in this godforsaken world. Leaping from my perch high upon the rooftop, I land with some impressive mastery. My skills are enhanced and therefore unrivaled. Using the chattering of thoughts, I stealthily make my way to the nearest facility housing many of the minuscule humans. They disgust me with their intolerant ways and naivety. Simpletons, we must change them into something greater, something far more permanent in the evolutionary chain. Before entering the building, my blue luminous eyes spy a plane banking slightly towards the south. Have they escaped? Overtaken by anger, I once again drop to the blistery surface. We must regroup and rethink this strategy… and then we walk…amongst the frozen trail of blood, bodies, crunchy beaks, and feathers, quite comfortable in this demoralizing environment…
Many thanks to Angry Robot for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I quite enjoyed the Antarctic parasite thriller "Symbiote" and was delighted to find that "Sentient" is not only a natural continuation of the story, but one that takes place immediately after the end of the earlier title. You'll really want to read "Symbiote" before you jump into "Sentient".
The book is a gripping follow-up that maintains the weirdness and momentum of the first title. In this second installment, the strange parasitic creatures have morphed into a number of different strains, some of which can infect humans with a touch. A few of the survivors seem to have burned out the parasite while still retaining some level of psychic connection with each other and with the humans overtaken by the alien being. The colder the temperature, the more active the parasite, hence it being set at McMurdo Station in the Antarctic.
But the researchers aren't alone in the icy wilderness. A shadowy department of the US government might have been involved with the creation and monitoring of the parasite, and is determined to bring an infected person from "Mac" Station back to the States for research. If they live that long.
Author Michael Nayak has apparently spent time at McMurdo Station in the Antarctic, and it shows with the detailed and believable nuances of life after the onset of perpetual night and storms bring the temperature down to -50F and colder. It adds a powerful verisimilitude reminiscent of Michael Crichton's medical thrillers, and makes for a great sequel. Recommended.
The book is a gripping follow-up that maintains the weirdness and momentum of the first title. In this second installment, the strange parasitic creatures have morphed into a number of different strains, some of which can infect humans with a touch. A few of the survivors seem to have burned out the parasite while still retaining some level of psychic connection with each other and with the humans overtaken by the alien being. The colder the temperature, the more active the parasite, hence it being set at McMurdo Station in the Antarctic.
But the researchers aren't alone in the icy wilderness. A shadowy department of the US government might have been involved with the creation and monitoring of the parasite, and is determined to bring an infected person from "Mac" Station back to the States for research. If they live that long.
Author Michael Nayak has apparently spent time at McMurdo Station in the Antarctic, and it shows with the detailed and believable nuances of life after the onset of perpetual night and storms bring the temperature down to -50F and colder. It adds a powerful verisimilitude reminiscent of Michael Crichton's medical thrillers, and makes for a great sequel. Recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
awesome and thrilling book with intense vibes and deeply tense character development choices. would recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews