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Ice Plague Wars #2
Sentient
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26
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 . . .
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 . . .
Audible Audio
Expected publication March 3, 2026
14 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Michael Nayak
5 books36 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 - 30 of 34 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.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
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
February 21, 2026
’We have made it to our promised land. Our new Eden’
Sentient is the second instalment in Michael Nayak’s Antarctic horror, The Ice Plague Wars. Now, the remaining crew from the South Pole station find themselves embroiled in CIA politics, fighting against an even deadlier strain of the symbiote, and desperate to stop this virus from ever reaching the mainland.
I was sent a copy of this book due to reading and reviewing its predecessor, Symbiote, and while I had quite a few complaints about that book I was still curious to see where the story would go. My primary issue with Symbiote was its reliance on the narratives and story beats of already existing material, most notably John Carpenter’s The Thing, and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later. In short, it lacked identity.
Fortunately, the same cannot be said for Sentient. This instalment deftly stakes its claim as an exciting, original, and utterly engaging new edition into parasite horror. The story develops tenfold, giving us a new perspective into the inner workings of this futuristic CIA, and the men behind the creation of the virus. It completely ups the ante with the parasite itself, Ben Jacobs becoming an even more horrifying villain with his ‘blue generation’. Unlike its slower, more tense predecessor (which could get quite boring at times), Sentient moves at a break-neck pace, capturing your attention at every turn with its varied povs and human vs symbiote battles.
I was particularly fond of two new characters we got with this instalment, Dr Mason (part of the team behind the original experiment) and Jackie Colson (head of the CIA team in charge of fixing the Antarctica outbreak). They added depth to the story, expanding on the politics of this war-torn version of our modern-day world and creating much needed human conflict.
Overall, Sentient was a notable improvement on its predecessor, and an incredibly fun sci-fi horror. 4/5 stars.
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
Sentient is the second instalment in Michael Nayak’s Antarctic horror, The Ice Plague Wars. Now, the remaining crew from the South Pole station find themselves embroiled in CIA politics, fighting against an even deadlier strain of the symbiote, and desperate to stop this virus from ever reaching the mainland.
I was sent a copy of this book due to reading and reviewing its predecessor, Symbiote, and while I had quite a few complaints about that book I was still curious to see where the story would go. My primary issue with Symbiote was its reliance on the narratives and story beats of already existing material, most notably John Carpenter’s The Thing, and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later. In short, it lacked identity.
Fortunately, the same cannot be said for Sentient. This instalment deftly stakes its claim as an exciting, original, and utterly engaging new edition into parasite horror. The story develops tenfold, giving us a new perspective into the inner workings of this futuristic CIA, and the men behind the creation of the virus. It completely ups the ante with the parasite itself, Ben Jacobs becoming an even more horrifying villain with his ‘blue generation’. Unlike its slower, more tense predecessor (which could get quite boring at times), Sentient moves at a break-neck pace, capturing your attention at every turn with its varied povs and human vs symbiote battles.
I was particularly fond of two new characters we got with this instalment, Dr Mason (part of the team behind the original experiment) and Jackie Colson (head of the CIA team in charge of fixing the Antarctica outbreak). They added depth to the story, expanding on the politics of this war-torn version of our modern-day world and creating much needed human conflict.
Overall, Sentient was a notable improvement on its predecessor, and an incredibly fun sci-fi horror. 4/5 stars.
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
February 27, 2026
This was such an exciting, high-stakes sci-fi thriller.
The story drops you straight into the aftermath of catastrophic events in book 1, with an evolving parasitic microbe and rising political tension layered over the survival horror. I did read a recap beforehand, which helped me keep up with the returning characters and ongoing threads, but the main conflict here stands strong on its own.
The Antarctic setting is easily my favorite part. McMurdo Station feels isolated, hostile, and incredibly real and the environment almost becomes its own villain. That realism makes everything feel disturbingly plausible.
I also really liked the added political dimension. It’s not just humans versus infection, it’s governments circling, secrets unraveling, and decisions that could make everything worse.
My one struggle was the number of POVs. We jump between quite a few characters, which expands the scope, but sometimes made it harder to fully connect emotionally.
Overall, this was fast-paced, tense, and genuinely gripping. If you love science-forward thrillers and isolation horror with escalating biological stakes, this one delivers. I had both the audiobook and the arc. the audiobook narrator did a good job. Each character had a distinct voice. Thanks to Angry Robot and Dreamscape media for the gifted ARC and ALC.
The story drops you straight into the aftermath of catastrophic events in book 1, with an evolving parasitic microbe and rising political tension layered over the survival horror. I did read a recap beforehand, which helped me keep up with the returning characters and ongoing threads, but the main conflict here stands strong on its own.
The Antarctic setting is easily my favorite part. McMurdo Station feels isolated, hostile, and incredibly real and the environment almost becomes its own villain. That realism makes everything feel disturbingly plausible.
I also really liked the added political dimension. It’s not just humans versus infection, it’s governments circling, secrets unraveling, and decisions that could make everything worse.
My one struggle was the number of POVs. We jump between quite a few characters, which expands the scope, but sometimes made it harder to fully connect emotionally.
Overall, this was fast-paced, tense, and genuinely gripping. If you love science-forward thrillers and isolation horror with escalating biological stakes, this one delivers. I had both the audiobook and the arc. the audiobook narrator did a good job. Each character had a distinct voice. Thanks to Angry Robot and Dreamscape media for the gifted ARC and ALC.
February 20, 2026
Huge shoutout to Angry Robot for the physical arc! I really enjoyed book 1 of the Ice Plague Wars series so to be offered the follow up was so cool.
Book 2 takes off running. While some of the South Pole Stationers have survived the climax of book 1, as well as the winter, there’s no reprieve in sight. If they want a chance in hell of getting off the ice they’ll need to put their heads together, to work as as much of a team as possible, and to overcome some pretty wild opposition. The northern McMurdo Station is expecting its summer influx of flights and an arrival of over 1500 workers. The CIA must get boots on the ground, must find out what happened to the symbiotes, and how to contain (or maintain) the problem before time runs out. Faces new and old will face off in this wickedly pulse pounding tale of survival. If this book does get a sequel, which I daresay is the plan, I think it will take on some real-world implications, finally making the big leap off of the ice.
This feels like equal parts Michael Crichton and Thomas Harris. It has the scifi thriller down pat, but it’s also so scientific and specific that it has that layer of detail that feels like Harris’ Hannibal series. If a zombie-adjacent contagion story were crushed into the isolated island-like Jurassic Park with the cannibal killer himself. Truly sharp writing and distinct prose make this hard to put down. Book 2 adds so much politics into the story, from the CIA to snooping reporters—exactly what you’d expect with a plague-level illness that threatens the Antarctic treaty, and it’s layered really well.
Rajan, Siri, and Keyon continue their partnership, and I think the way they move through this new layer of messed up makes sense. While they are now telepathically (or arguably even ‘symbiotically’) linked, they still have their own personalities and journeys. All they want is to make it off the ice. The only problem? Ben is not so gone as they thought, and he has nefarious intentions. This book adds a whole new layer of crazy, dangerously raising the stakes, and pushing these people ever closer to the edge of extinction. There are some climactic scenes that felt World War Z level tense.
Fast, bloody, and irresistibly good, this is one hell of a sequel that should be on every scifi/thriller reader’s TBR. If book one is about survival, book two is asking if those choices and decisions were even worth it.
Book 2 takes off running. While some of the South Pole Stationers have survived the climax of book 1, as well as the winter, there’s no reprieve in sight. If they want a chance in hell of getting off the ice they’ll need to put their heads together, to work as as much of a team as possible, and to overcome some pretty wild opposition. The northern McMurdo Station is expecting its summer influx of flights and an arrival of over 1500 workers. The CIA must get boots on the ground, must find out what happened to the symbiotes, and how to contain (or maintain) the problem before time runs out. Faces new and old will face off in this wickedly pulse pounding tale of survival. If this book does get a sequel, which I daresay is the plan, I think it will take on some real-world implications, finally making the big leap off of the ice.
This feels like equal parts Michael Crichton and Thomas Harris. It has the scifi thriller down pat, but it’s also so scientific and specific that it has that layer of detail that feels like Harris’ Hannibal series. If a zombie-adjacent contagion story were crushed into the isolated island-like Jurassic Park with the cannibal killer himself. Truly sharp writing and distinct prose make this hard to put down. Book 2 adds so much politics into the story, from the CIA to snooping reporters—exactly what you’d expect with a plague-level illness that threatens the Antarctic treaty, and it’s layered really well.
Rajan, Siri, and Keyon continue their partnership, and I think the way they move through this new layer of messed up makes sense. While they are now telepathically (or arguably even ‘symbiotically’) linked, they still have their own personalities and journeys. All they want is to make it off the ice. The only problem? Ben is not so gone as they thought, and he has nefarious intentions. This book adds a whole new layer of crazy, dangerously raising the stakes, and pushing these people ever closer to the edge of extinction. There are some climactic scenes that felt World War Z level tense.
Fast, bloody, and irresistibly good, this is one hell of a sequel that should be on every scifi/thriller reader’s TBR. If book one is about survival, book two is asking if those choices and decisions were even worth it.
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.
February 23, 2026
I didn’t realize it was a book 2 and that probably would have helped. I was confused at first but caught on. It was creepy, suspenseful, and I liked the multiple points of view that added to the tensions. I couldn’t imagine being in that situation, it would be terrifying.
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
You know when you absolutely did not do the homework but still show up to class acting like you did the reading? That was me diving into Sentient without touching Symbiote. Confidence of a mediocre white man in a CIA briefing. And honestly? I survived. Which feels on theme.
We’re back at McMurdo Station after the absolute carnage at the South Pole. The Pacific Rim War is simmering, the CIA is lurking like that ex who says they just want “closure,” and Winfly season is bringing in planes full of fresh bodies. Which is a bold choice when there is a parasitic microbe evolving faster than my anxiety in a group chat. The architects of Project Have Viking roll in wanting samples of their little science experiment gone nuclear, because apparently the vibe in this series is “What if we made bioweapons but also oops?”
Then Ben Jacobs shows up after somehow walking from the Pole like a frostbitten cryptid messiah. Fully infected. Fully hive minded. Fully not okay. And when he reconnects with Penny, who is asymptomatic but still tied to the symbiote, things escalate from tense containment thriller to “why are there sea people shambling through the snow” in record time. The microbes start using the surrounding sea ice as a breeding ground, because sure, why not weaponize the entire ocean too. At that point I was clutching my imaginary parka like, maybe let’s just cancel Antarctica.
Dr. Rajan Chariya is stuck playing moral chess while Langley is hovering with that classic government energy of “you are useful until you are inconvenient.” Watching Rajan and the other survivors team up with the CIA to fight infected “sea people” roaming McMurdo is the most aggressively stressful alliance I’ve read in a minute. Every scene feels like someone is about to get shot, bitten, or quietly added to a classified list. Sometimes all three.
The setting absolutely carries. The smell of rotting fish from the penguins, the claustrophobic buildings, the lethal cold that feels more loyal to the parasite than to humanity. It’s bleak in that crunchy, frostbitten way. The cold is not just background, it’s a co conspirator. And the parasite evolving into different strains, some spreading by touch, some maintaining this eerie hive connection, adds that creeping inevitability that makes you want to check your own pulse just in case.
Now. Let’s talk chaos. The infected wildlife. The sea ice horrors. The escalation that just keeps escalating until you’re like, okay, sir, we get it, humanity is on thin ice literally and metaphorically. There are a lot of POVs, and sometimes I did feel like I was being hot potatoed between characters at hyperspeed. Emotional attachment got a little diluted in the shuffle. I wanted to sit with Rajan or Penny longer and really marinate in the trauma. Instead, it’s very much, action, action, more action, now run.
But when it works, it works. The paranoia is delicious. The geopolitical tension layered over isolation horror scratches that 28 Days Later meets The Thing itch. There’s something deeply unsettling about the idea that the biggest threat might not be the hive minded monsters in the snow, but the suits who think they can control them. That’s the kind of existential dread that lingers.
As someone who did not read book one, I will say you can follow along, but I definitely felt like I was walking into a party where everyone already had inside jokes about who survived the massacre. I caught up, but I was squinting a bit at the name tags. Would I have been more emotionally wrecked if I’d done my due diligence? Probably. Do I regret my chaos choice? Absolutely not.
This is a solid 3.5 stars for me. Thrilling, smart, occasionally overwhelming, and just unhinged enough to keep me glued to the page. It’s cold, it’s political, it’s infected penguins adjacent. What more do you want. I will absolutely side eye the ocean for the foreseeable future.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspicious of Literally Every Ice Floe
And a massive thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for handing me a parka, shoving me onto a plane to McMurdo, and trusting me not to get hive minded in the process. Truly elite behavior. I am forever grateful for the frostbite, the paranoia, and the deeply unsettling new fear of penguins. Please keep the icy chaos coming. I will be here, dramatically clutching my headphones and side eyeing the ocean.
We’re back at McMurdo Station after the absolute carnage at the South Pole. The Pacific Rim War is simmering, the CIA is lurking like that ex who says they just want “closure,” and Winfly season is bringing in planes full of fresh bodies. Which is a bold choice when there is a parasitic microbe evolving faster than my anxiety in a group chat. The architects of Project Have Viking roll in wanting samples of their little science experiment gone nuclear, because apparently the vibe in this series is “What if we made bioweapons but also oops?”
Then Ben Jacobs shows up after somehow walking from the Pole like a frostbitten cryptid messiah. Fully infected. Fully hive minded. Fully not okay. And when he reconnects with Penny, who is asymptomatic but still tied to the symbiote, things escalate from tense containment thriller to “why are there sea people shambling through the snow” in record time. The microbes start using the surrounding sea ice as a breeding ground, because sure, why not weaponize the entire ocean too. At that point I was clutching my imaginary parka like, maybe let’s just cancel Antarctica.
Dr. Rajan Chariya is stuck playing moral chess while Langley is hovering with that classic government energy of “you are useful until you are inconvenient.” Watching Rajan and the other survivors team up with the CIA to fight infected “sea people” roaming McMurdo is the most aggressively stressful alliance I’ve read in a minute. Every scene feels like someone is about to get shot, bitten, or quietly added to a classified list. Sometimes all three.
The setting absolutely carries. The smell of rotting fish from the penguins, the claustrophobic buildings, the lethal cold that feels more loyal to the parasite than to humanity. It’s bleak in that crunchy, frostbitten way. The cold is not just background, it’s a co conspirator. And the parasite evolving into different strains, some spreading by touch, some maintaining this eerie hive connection, adds that creeping inevitability that makes you want to check your own pulse just in case.
Now. Let’s talk chaos. The infected wildlife. The sea ice horrors. The escalation that just keeps escalating until you’re like, okay, sir, we get it, humanity is on thin ice literally and metaphorically. There are a lot of POVs, and sometimes I did feel like I was being hot potatoed between characters at hyperspeed. Emotional attachment got a little diluted in the shuffle. I wanted to sit with Rajan or Penny longer and really marinate in the trauma. Instead, it’s very much, action, action, more action, now run.
But when it works, it works. The paranoia is delicious. The geopolitical tension layered over isolation horror scratches that 28 Days Later meets The Thing itch. There’s something deeply unsettling about the idea that the biggest threat might not be the hive minded monsters in the snow, but the suits who think they can control them. That’s the kind of existential dread that lingers.
As someone who did not read book one, I will say you can follow along, but I definitely felt like I was walking into a party where everyone already had inside jokes about who survived the massacre. I caught up, but I was squinting a bit at the name tags. Would I have been more emotionally wrecked if I’d done my due diligence? Probably. Do I regret my chaos choice? Absolutely not.
This is a solid 3.5 stars for me. Thrilling, smart, occasionally overwhelming, and just unhinged enough to keep me glued to the page. It’s cold, it’s political, it’s infected penguins adjacent. What more do you want. I will absolutely side eye the ocean for the foreseeable future.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspicious of Literally Every Ice Floe
And a massive thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for handing me a parka, shoving me onto a plane to McMurdo, and trusting me not to get hive minded in the process. Truly elite behavior. I am forever grateful for the frostbite, the paranoia, and the deeply unsettling new fear of penguins. Please keep the icy chaos coming. I will be here, dramatically clutching my headphones and side eyeing the ocean.
February 26, 2026
I was quite eager to get to Sentient after really enjoying
Symbiote
last year, and it was a satisfying conclusion! The action picks up back at the South Pole, where the survivors of the messiness are trying to figure out their next move. Meanwhile, it's about to be summer in Antarctica, which means an influx of people- bad news for humanity, good news for the symbiote.
Without giving anything about either book away, the atmosphere is equally fabulous, and the tensions are insanely high. Obviously, the stakes are also gigantic, but we know from the start of the first book that some semblance of humanity survives via the first-hand accounts we get over a decade in the future. This, for me, does take a little of the intensity out of the situation, because you do sort of know the outcome of a few things/characters. But, for all those things we don't know, the intensity is there.
I liked that there was a more tightened focus on fewer characters (that might be because so many others are dead, but whatever, it made me feel more connected to the ones who live). There are a ton of morally gray decisions to be made, and a great balance of character moments and action, and I really appreciated that. Now, I thought this was a duology, but I am hearing that maybe it is not? I think I would be content if it wrapped up here, but I would also definitely read more, so bring it on!
Bottom Line: Great follow-up, we love a high stakes, high octane sequel!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Without giving anything about either book away, the atmosphere is equally fabulous, and the tensions are insanely high. Obviously, the stakes are also gigantic, but we know from the start of the first book that some semblance of humanity survives via the first-hand accounts we get over a decade in the future. This, for me, does take a little of the intensity out of the situation, because you do sort of know the outcome of a few things/characters. But, for all those things we don't know, the intensity is there.
I liked that there was a more tightened focus on fewer characters (that might be because so many others are dead, but whatever, it made me feel more connected to the ones who live). There are a ton of morally gray decisions to be made, and a great balance of character moments and action, and I really appreciated that. Now, I thought this was a duology, but I am hearing that maybe it is not? I think I would be content if it wrapped up here, but I would also definitely read more, so bring it on!
Bottom Line: Great follow-up, we love a high stakes, high octane sequel!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
February 9, 2026
A good sequel to the first book in this series. I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley, so thank you to the author and the publisher.
I find the whole concept these two books explore utterly fascinating. It’s such a perilous location anyway, but then throw in this biological threat and it creates absolute carnage. However it’s still relatively contained given the remoteness of the Antarctic setting which gives this strange feeling of isolation in the face of threat. It’s incredibly effective for building jeopardy, terror and also giving this story a unique feel. The level of commitment to detail and background knowledge is really impressive and it does make the story feel immersive. I’m genuinely really engrossed by the Antarctic research stations and the distinct people who choose to live and work there.
Do you need to read these books in order? Yes. I believe I benefited from having read these in order. There’s a succession of events that builds across the two books. There’s also characters who you’ll miss a lot of backstory for if you don’t read these in order. And there’s a lot of new characters introduced in book two. That’s my one complaint, and I think it happens in both books, that there’s too many characters. We swap who we are following constantly across so many different people. It made it quite hard to engage with the characters and it did make it a bit harder (but not impossible) to follow at times. I did really like the journalist character, but she’s one of the only ones I built up any connection with. A lot of characters isn’t the problem, it’s jumping around with who we’re following. I think a little more time with core characters, and seeing the peripheral characters through their context would have really helped.
Overall a fascinating, well-researched and detailed novel that feels unique and provides plenty of action-packed terror in an incredible setting.
I find the whole concept these two books explore utterly fascinating. It’s such a perilous location anyway, but then throw in this biological threat and it creates absolute carnage. However it’s still relatively contained given the remoteness of the Antarctic setting which gives this strange feeling of isolation in the face of threat. It’s incredibly effective for building jeopardy, terror and also giving this story a unique feel. The level of commitment to detail and background knowledge is really impressive and it does make the story feel immersive. I’m genuinely really engrossed by the Antarctic research stations and the distinct people who choose to live and work there.
Do you need to read these books in order? Yes. I believe I benefited from having read these in order. There’s a succession of events that builds across the two books. There’s also characters who you’ll miss a lot of backstory for if you don’t read these in order. And there’s a lot of new characters introduced in book two. That’s my one complaint, and I think it happens in both books, that there’s too many characters. We swap who we are following constantly across so many different people. It made it quite hard to engage with the characters and it did make it a bit harder (but not impossible) to follow at times. I did really like the journalist character, but she’s one of the only ones I built up any connection with. A lot of characters isn’t the problem, it’s jumping around with who we’re following. I think a little more time with core characters, and seeing the peripheral characters through their context would have really helped.
Overall a fascinating, well-researched and detailed novel that feels unique and provides plenty of action-packed terror in an incredible setting.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm giving Sentient by Michael Nayak a 1.5 ⭐️ (rounded up simply because I genuinely couldn't tell if I was just missing the point or being overly critical, but I walked away incredibly disappointed given my high hopes).
I initially loved the concept of a mysterious symbiote originating from the icy Arctic waters ("I am also a we") and was excited by its potential commentary on climate change. It felt like such a fresh take. However, that promising setup was quickly unveiled as a standard bioterrorism plot, devolving into a very basic, predictable dystopian apocalypse storyline where I was able to call every single "twist" long before it happened.
While the overall pacing was technically okay, the narrative suffered from odd gaps and abrupt shifts that disrupted the rhythm. Worse, the whiplash-like POV changes made it virtually impossible to become emotionally invested in any of the characters, leaving the emotional stakes feeling completely flat.
I can always appreciate an author who goes to the extreme with their research, but the constant reliance on dense industry speak—like deep-dive military tactics and weapons terminology—made it incredibly hard to keep my attention. Honestly, the whole reading experience felt less like a gripping sci-fi thriller and more like reading the filler background lore you stumble across in a first-person shooter video game. Ultimately, this feels exactly like the kind of book your dad reads and then brings up at Thanksgiving to start an intense dinner table conversation about viruses and the CIA.
🧊 Symbiote epidemic
🧊 Sci-fi Thriller
🧊 Government cover-ups
🧊 Diverse cast of characters
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I initially loved the concept of a mysterious symbiote originating from the icy Arctic waters ("I am also a we") and was excited by its potential commentary on climate change. It felt like such a fresh take. However, that promising setup was quickly unveiled as a standard bioterrorism plot, devolving into a very basic, predictable dystopian apocalypse storyline where I was able to call every single "twist" long before it happened.
While the overall pacing was technically okay, the narrative suffered from odd gaps and abrupt shifts that disrupted the rhythm. Worse, the whiplash-like POV changes made it virtually impossible to become emotionally invested in any of the characters, leaving the emotional stakes feeling completely flat.
I can always appreciate an author who goes to the extreme with their research, but the constant reliance on dense industry speak—like deep-dive military tactics and weapons terminology—made it incredibly hard to keep my attention. Honestly, the whole reading experience felt less like a gripping sci-fi thriller and more like reading the filler background lore you stumble across in a first-person shooter video game. Ultimately, this feels exactly like the kind of book your dad reads and then brings up at Thanksgiving to start an intense dinner table conversation about viruses and the CIA.
🧊 Symbiote epidemic
🧊 Sci-fi Thriller
🧊 Government cover-ups
🧊 Diverse cast of characters
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the second book of the Ice Plague Wars. I only gave 2.5 stars to the first book (My review), as I struggled with the writing a fair bit. Still, I was not totally opposed to picking up a sequel. Netgalley offered and here we are!
It was slightly better than the first one. The writing flowed a little better. The pacing was ok, but there were odd holes and jumps in the narrative at times. There was an odd amount of weapons mumbo-jumbo. Not enough for a fully blown milfic, just enough to be weird. And I found it odd that two of the characters always appeared with their titles, even when it was their own POV. That‘s just strange.
Around 60% into it, I was pretty much done with the constant escalation. The author didn‘t manage to emotionally engage me. The characters remained too flat and exchangeable. I skimmed a fair bit until 80% or so. I didn’t care. Maybe I would have liked this better if the characters had had more depth or if there had been more detail to the science behind the infection and mutation. The silly penguins did not help.
Glad to be done. Not interested in a third part of the „Ice Plague Wars“. Some more world building on that Pacific Rim War might have been nice. Anyway, let‘s say 2.75/5–🦠🦠¾
PS: The original book blurb is a classic example of a blurb giving away way too much of the plot. Stay away from it, if you can manage!
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.
It was slightly better than the first one. The writing flowed a little better. The pacing was ok, but there were odd holes and jumps in the narrative at times. There was an odd amount of weapons mumbo-jumbo. Not enough for a fully blown milfic, just enough to be weird. And I found it odd that two of the characters always appeared with their titles, even when it was their own POV. That‘s just strange.
Around 60% into it, I was pretty much done with the constant escalation. The author didn‘t manage to emotionally engage me. The characters remained too flat and exchangeable. I skimmed a fair bit until 80% or so. I didn’t care. Maybe I would have liked this better if the characters had had more depth or if there had been more detail to the science behind the infection and mutation. The silly penguins did not help.
Glad to be done. Not interested in a third part of the „Ice Plague Wars“. Some more world building on that Pacific Rim War might have been nice. Anyway, let‘s say 2.75/5–🦠🦠¾
PS: The original book blurb is a classic example of a blurb giving away way too much of the plot. Stay away from it, if you can manage!
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed Symbiote so I was looking forward to its sequel. We’re back in Antarctica, a place Nayak knows well, where a virus has evolved into something even more terrifying. The governments of various nations have sent in teams to handle things in their own way but the stakes are raised with more arrivals to the South Pole and an ever-evolving virus. Symbiote has more The Thing vibes but Sentient scratches that ever present itch I’ve had since wandering into a movie theatre showing 28 Days Later when I was 12. The symbiote has abandoned the subtlety route and is just grabbing whomever/whatever it can so things go south quickly (but not literally obvs cause, Antarctica 😂😉).
I struggled to connect a bit in the beginning as my memory is still chugging along at dialup speeds and I didn’t remember many characters from the first book. And like its predecessor , Sentient has an extensive cast of characters and while most are the type you forget as soon as you turn the page, there is a core that is more distinct. One thing that really grabbed me was the isolation. That’s an obvious attribute (or perk if you’re antisocial like me 😬) to the South Pole but it was wild to imagine having zero contact with any outsiders. Nayak again does a great job of giving the setting dimension due to his time spent there. But tbh I also don’t know what his problem with penguins are ☹️. I don’t care if they smell like rotting fish and have scary mouths. I could sit and watch them slide on their lil bellies all day. All in all this is a book that starts a bit slow but then really dials up the intensity. If you vibe with sci fi isolation horror/thrillers then these two make for a great pair.
I struggled to connect a bit in the beginning as my memory is still chugging along at dialup speeds and I didn’t remember many characters from the first book. And like its predecessor , Sentient has an extensive cast of characters and while most are the type you forget as soon as you turn the page, there is a core that is more distinct. One thing that really grabbed me was the isolation. That’s an obvious attribute (or perk if you’re antisocial like me 😬) to the South Pole but it was wild to imagine having zero contact with any outsiders. Nayak again does a great job of giving the setting dimension due to his time spent there. But tbh I also don’t know what his problem with penguins are ☹️. I don’t care if they smell like rotting fish and have scary mouths. I could sit and watch them slide on their lil bellies all day. All in all this is a book that starts a bit slow but then really dials up the intensity. If you vibe with sci fi isolation horror/thrillers then these two make for a great pair.
February 25, 2026
Sentient by Michael Nayak offers a fascinating, high-concept premise that explores the blurry lines between artificial intelligence, human consciousness, and the ethics of creation. While the core "Big Ideas" are undeniably thought-provoking, the execution in this audiobook format left me feeling more disconnected than enlightened.
The Pros:
Intellectual Ambition: Nayak clearly knows his science. The philosophical questions about what it means to be "sentient" are handled with a level of detail that sci-fi purists will appreciate.
World-Building: The near-future setting is grounded and believable, avoiding many of the tired tropes of the genre in favor of a more clinical, psychological approach.
The Cons:
Pacing and Narration: This is where the 3-star rating comes in. The audiobook's pacing feels uneven; long, dense philosophical monologues often stall the narrative momentum. The narrator’s delivery, while professional, at times felt a bit too "monotone," which made it difficult to stay engaged during the more technical passages.
Character Depth: I found it hard to truly root for the human protagonists. They often felt like vessels for the author's ideas rather than living, breathing people with relatable stakes.
A "Cold" Experience: Much like the AI it describes, the novel feels a bit sterile. It’s an intellectual exercise rather than an emotional journey, which might leave some listeners wanting a bit more "heart" in their sci-fi.
Overall, it’s a solid choice for fans of "Hard Sci-Fi" who prioritize concepts over character, but it might be a bit of a slog for those looking for a fast-paced thriller.
The Pros:
Intellectual Ambition: Nayak clearly knows his science. The philosophical questions about what it means to be "sentient" are handled with a level of detail that sci-fi purists will appreciate.
World-Building: The near-future setting is grounded and believable, avoiding many of the tired tropes of the genre in favor of a more clinical, psychological approach.
The Cons:
Pacing and Narration: This is where the 3-star rating comes in. The audiobook's pacing feels uneven; long, dense philosophical monologues often stall the narrative momentum. The narrator’s delivery, while professional, at times felt a bit too "monotone," which made it difficult to stay engaged during the more technical passages.
Character Depth: I found it hard to truly root for the human protagonists. They often felt like vessels for the author's ideas rather than living, breathing people with relatable stakes.
A "Cold" Experience: Much like the AI it describes, the novel feels a bit sterile. It’s an intellectual exercise rather than an emotional journey, which might leave some listeners wanting a bit more "heart" in their sci-fi.
Overall, it’s a solid choice for fans of "Hard Sci-Fi" who prioritize concepts over character, but it might be a bit of a slog for those looking for a fast-paced thriller.
February 28, 2026
In book two of the Ice Plague Wars series, a deadly biological threat escapes containment at the South Pole and targets a new Antarctic research station, this time with hundreds of potential hosts. If you love high-stakes sci-fi horror, viral outbreak thrillers, and parasite apocalypse chaos… buckle up.
🧊 What I loved most:
Set in 2028, this feels terrifyingly plausible. The speculative science isn’t over-the-top: it’s grounded, which somehow makes it worse. McMurdo Station is bleak, isolated, and brutally hostile. The Antarctic survival setting becomes its own villain, amplifying the claustrophobic tension and isolation horror vibes.
This installment fully claims its place in parasite horror and biological thriller territory. We get deeper insight into the shadowy, futuristic CIA pulling strings behind the scenes and the morally gray men responsible for creating the virus.
And Ben Jacobs? Absolutely unhinged. The evolution of the parasite, especially the “blue generation,” raises the stakes in a way that feels cinematic and relentless.
🧊 Pacing:
Where book one leaned slower and more methodical (and yes, occasionally dragged), Sentient moves at breakneck speed. The rotating POVs keep tension high, and the action never really lets you breathe.
🧊 Would I recommend it?
If you love science-forward thrillers, contagion horror, Antarctic survival fiction, and escalating biological stakes, this absolutely delivers.
🧊 Perfect for fans of: Extinction Horizon and Contagion
🧊 Read if you like: outbreak horror, claustrophobic settings, morally gray villains, and science that feels a little too real 🧪
🧊 What I loved most:
Set in 2028, this feels terrifyingly plausible. The speculative science isn’t over-the-top: it’s grounded, which somehow makes it worse. McMurdo Station is bleak, isolated, and brutally hostile. The Antarctic survival setting becomes its own villain, amplifying the claustrophobic tension and isolation horror vibes.
This installment fully claims its place in parasite horror and biological thriller territory. We get deeper insight into the shadowy, futuristic CIA pulling strings behind the scenes and the morally gray men responsible for creating the virus.
And Ben Jacobs? Absolutely unhinged. The evolution of the parasite, especially the “blue generation,” raises the stakes in a way that feels cinematic and relentless.
🧊 Pacing:
Where book one leaned slower and more methodical (and yes, occasionally dragged), Sentient moves at breakneck speed. The rotating POVs keep tension high, and the action never really lets you breathe.
🧊 Would I recommend it?
If you love science-forward thrillers, contagion horror, Antarctic survival fiction, and escalating biological stakes, this absolutely delivers.
🧊 Perfect for fans of: Extinction Horizon and Contagion
🧊 Read if you like: outbreak horror, claustrophobic settings, morally gray villains, and science that feels a little too real 🧪
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
I so wanted to like this one more! The first book was a 5-star masterclass in suspense and realistic portrayal of science and scientists. The second book, "Sentient," starts equally well, but somehow fails on originality: if you've read the first book (and you definitely should), it's easy to predict the twists, not very hard to see where the author is taking things (despite the way too abrupt shifts in pacing), and the characterization did fall rather flat for me. Apparently, the author tried to convey a strong Crichton feel, with fast-paced story turns and unpredictable changes of POV, but I think he overdid it a bit. I like dystopian storylines as much as the next person, but the book ends up going more for proof of concept and display of personal research than emotional investment in characters and good storytelling: this is OK for an adventure with scientists, but doesn't work so well in a bioterrorist plot, where a information-dense vocabulary about weapons and agencies dominates, and you're just one step away from a standard military SF flick. I kept wondering what was really at stake in this story, and just couldn't find a definite or compelling answer. Ultimately, there was just very little payoff.
Perhaps the book is a sort of filler for the third volume in the series. Or I'm just not the right audience for it. I think people with minimal experience with parasite/symbiote horror fiction, or who enjoy TV portrayals of horror more than horror books will enjoy this a lot.
Perhaps the book is a sort of filler for the third volume in the series. Or I'm just not the right audience for it. I think people with minimal experience with parasite/symbiote horror fiction, or who enjoy TV portrayals of horror more than horror books will enjoy this a lot.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sentient is the sequel to Symbiote in the "Ice Plague Wars” series.
Written by Michael Nayak, a scientist with an extensive resume. Relating to the book, he has been deployed to the South Pole, and worked for the Department of Defense. His expertise really shines in Sentient.
Sentient is well researched and well written. A combination of a secret international crisis and epidemic trying it best to become a pandemic. Multiple POV, including that of contagion.
The virus from the first book killed 80% of the crew. Now Dr. Rajan Chariya cannot let the virus leave the continent, or it will take over the world.
I did not read Symbiote, and maybe my review would be 5 stars if I had. But, I didn't feel like I missed much. I was engaged the whole time. Hopefully, this series is made into a movie.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of this book. Get your copy where ever books are sold on Feb 24, 2026!
#Sentient #NetGalley #MichaelNayak
Written by Michael Nayak, a scientist with an extensive resume. Relating to the book, he has been deployed to the South Pole, and worked for the Department of Defense. His expertise really shines in Sentient.
Sentient is well researched and well written. A combination of a secret international crisis and epidemic trying it best to become a pandemic. Multiple POV, including that of contagion.
The virus from the first book killed 80% of the crew. Now Dr. Rajan Chariya cannot let the virus leave the continent, or it will take over the world.
I did not read Symbiote, and maybe my review would be 5 stars if I had. But, I didn't feel like I missed much. I was engaged the whole time. Hopefully, this series is made into a movie.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of this book. Get your copy where ever books are sold on Feb 24, 2026!
#Sentient #NetGalley #MichaelNayak
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sentient takes everything that made Symbiote compelling and dials it up to white-knuckle intensity. This sequel doesn’t just continue the story; it expands it, deepens it, and pushes the Ice Plague Wars series into even more chilling territory.
Months after the South Pole massacre, sunrise returns to Antarctica, but there’s nothing warm about it. At McMurdo Station, the annual Winfly season should signal renewal and preparation for the busy summer months. Instead, it becomes the stage for escalating catastrophe. The reappearance of Ben Jacobs after an impossible trek from Pole is a brilliantly tense catalyst, and his reunion with Penny sets off a chain reaction that feels both inevitable and terrifying.
Nayak’s greatest strength lies in atmosphere. Antarctica isn’t just a setting; it’s a character: vast, isolating, and utterly unforgiving. The icy waters, the encroaching sea ice, and the claustrophobic sprawl of McMurdo Station create a pressure-cooker environment where survival feels fragile. When the infestation spreads into the surrounding sea ice and infected “sea people” begin roaming the snowy streets, the horror feels visceral and cinematic.
But Sentient isn’t just creature-driven chaos. The moral tension adds real weight to the action. The involvement of the CIA and the shadowy Have Viking programme injects political intrigue and ethical complexity into the fight for survival. The question of when survivors stop being assets and start becoming liabilities adds a constant undercurrent of dread. The stakes are personal, global, and deeply unsettling.
The pacing is relentless without sacrificing character development. Rajan and the returning cast feel layered and believable, and the possibility that Penny may not be the only asymptomatic carrier keeps the suspense razor-sharp. Nayak balances science, horror, and conspiracy in a way that feels grounded yet expansive.
Sentient is a gripping, high-concept thriller that blends bio-horror, geopolitical tension, and survival drama into a compelling sequel. If Book One cracked the ice, Book Two shatters it completely.
Months after the South Pole massacre, sunrise returns to Antarctica, but there’s nothing warm about it. At McMurdo Station, the annual Winfly season should signal renewal and preparation for the busy summer months. Instead, it becomes the stage for escalating catastrophe. The reappearance of Ben Jacobs after an impossible trek from Pole is a brilliantly tense catalyst, and his reunion with Penny sets off a chain reaction that feels both inevitable and terrifying.
Nayak’s greatest strength lies in atmosphere. Antarctica isn’t just a setting; it’s a character: vast, isolating, and utterly unforgiving. The icy waters, the encroaching sea ice, and the claustrophobic sprawl of McMurdo Station create a pressure-cooker environment where survival feels fragile. When the infestation spreads into the surrounding sea ice and infected “sea people” begin roaming the snowy streets, the horror feels visceral and cinematic.
But Sentient isn’t just creature-driven chaos. The moral tension adds real weight to the action. The involvement of the CIA and the shadowy Have Viking programme injects political intrigue and ethical complexity into the fight for survival. The question of when survivors stop being assets and start becoming liabilities adds a constant undercurrent of dread. The stakes are personal, global, and deeply unsettling.
The pacing is relentless without sacrificing character development. Rajan and the returning cast feel layered and believable, and the possibility that Penny may not be the only asymptomatic carrier keeps the suspense razor-sharp. Nayak balances science, horror, and conspiracy in a way that feels grounded yet expansive.
Sentient is a gripping, high-concept thriller that blends bio-horror, geopolitical tension, and survival drama into a compelling sequel. If Book One cracked the ice, Book Two shatters it completely.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I've been *impatiently* waiting for this book to come out since I finished the ARC of Symbiote last year and it definitely did NOT disappoint (Michael, if you're reading this, please tell me this isn't a duology <3).
Like Symbiote, Sentient is a perfect mix of apocalyptic sci-fi and dystopian political thriller that packages science, mystery, politics, action, and psychology tightly together, all the while managing somehow to never overwhelm you and keep you flipping through the pages. While we are introduced to a gaggle of interesting new characters in this sequel, it was super exciting to revisit familiar characters and check in on how they're doing in this new season on the ice. Throughout the story, Nayak does an incredible job of developing complex, multilayered characters, building up suspense, keeping the science realistic and digestible, immersing you in the polies' world, and throwing in twists to keep you on your toes. There wasn't a chapter of this book I didn't enjoy and I will be recommending this series to all my sci-fi loving pals (and probably rereading it with them)!
Sincere thank you to NetGalley, Michael Nayak, and Angry Robots for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
Like Symbiote, Sentient is a perfect mix of apocalyptic sci-fi and dystopian political thriller that packages science, mystery, politics, action, and psychology tightly together, all the while managing somehow to never overwhelm you and keep you flipping through the pages. While we are introduced to a gaggle of interesting new characters in this sequel, it was super exciting to revisit familiar characters and check in on how they're doing in this new season on the ice. Throughout the story, Nayak does an incredible job of developing complex, multilayered characters, building up suspense, keeping the science realistic and digestible, immersing you in the polies' world, and throwing in twists to keep you on your toes. There wasn't a chapter of this book I didn't enjoy and I will be recommending this series to all my sci-fi loving pals (and probably rereading it with them)!
Sincere thank you to NetGalley, Michael Nayak, and Angry Robots for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
March 1, 2026
4 ⭐️
This is an immersive, scarily realistic horror that reminded me of early Stephen King books. Thank you to Angry Robot Books for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Following on from the events of Symbiote, there is a deadly microbe that thrives in the harsh conditions of the Antarctic. Having ravaged the South Pole station, it’s now looking for ways to spread to more people.
There was more of a political influence in this book, with the characters having to navigate interference from the CIA, amid a fictional US-China war.
Most of the book is spent at the McMurdo station, and it was fascinating to be submerged into the isolated and hostile climate again.
The characters were well written too, although with events happening at break-neck speed, I didn’t have time to get attached to many of them! The plot got a little crazy at the end, but I was still gripped throughout.
This is an immersive, scarily realistic horror that reminded me of early Stephen King books. Thank you to Angry Robot Books for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Following on from the events of Symbiote, there is a deadly microbe that thrives in the harsh conditions of the Antarctic. Having ravaged the South Pole station, it’s now looking for ways to spread to more people.
There was more of a political influence in this book, with the characters having to navigate interference from the CIA, amid a fictional US-China war.
Most of the book is spent at the McMurdo station, and it was fascinating to be submerged into the isolated and hostile climate again.
The characters were well written too, although with events happening at break-neck speed, I didn’t have time to get attached to many of them! The plot got a little crazy at the end, but I was still gripped throughout.
February 4, 2026
Book two in the Ice Plague Wars, and honestly - what a ride!
This one grabbed me fast. It’s exciting, creepy and properly bingeable. One of my favourite things about this instalment was the sheer level of detail around the station and life in the Antarctic. The weather, the conditions, what extreme cold actually does - it all feels so well researched and vividly real. And that realness amps up the tension.
The pacing is sharp, helped along by multiple POVs that keep things moving and layered. There’s plenty of politics and action, with tension building steadily. And the science is genuinely fascinating - especially the different strains of the parasite and how they behave.
This was cold, a bit claustrophobic and high stakes dystopia. A strong sequel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This one grabbed me fast. It’s exciting, creepy and properly bingeable. One of my favourite things about this instalment was the sheer level of detail around the station and life in the Antarctic. The weather, the conditions, what extreme cold actually does - it all feels so well researched and vividly real. And that realness amps up the tension.
The pacing is sharp, helped along by multiple POVs that keep things moving and layered. There’s plenty of politics and action, with tension building steadily. And the science is genuinely fascinating - especially the different strains of the parasite and how they behave.
This was cold, a bit claustrophobic and high stakes dystopia. A strong sequel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This follow-up to Symbiote dials up the tension -- and the body count -- as an infected Ben Jacobs shows up at McMurdo Station after (impossibly) walking from the South Pole. It's summer, so planeloads of people are also arriving with supplies, including a reporter who is determined to get the inside scoop on what is happening in Antarctica, and CIA agents determined to check on the status of their bioweapon. It's a story of crossed purposes, cover-ups, and rabid penguins. The author evokes the place quite well, down to the smell of rotting fish (see penguins), and the audiobook is well narrated. There is no easy ending...and I look forward to a future installment in this interesting series.
My thanks to the author, @MichaelNayak, publisher, @DreamscapeMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #Sentient for review purposes. Publication date: 24 February 2026.
My thanks to the author, @MichaelNayak, publisher, @DreamscapeMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #Sentient for review purposes. Publication date: 24 February 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you so much to Angry Robot and the author for a copy to review!!
I absolutely loved the first book in the Ice Plague Wars, Symbiote. It was one of my favorite reads of 2025. I could not have been more excited to receive a copy of Sentient. And it's safe to say that Sentient is one of my favorites for 2026.
It was dread and suspense the whole way through. Once things really hit the fan, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. This was all the chaos of the first book plus some. We have another isolated setting full of people who don't even know the danger they're in. Secretive government agencies trying to get answers and keep things quiet at the same time. Penguins.
I devoured this and already can't wait for more.
I absolutely loved the first book in the Ice Plague Wars, Symbiote. It was one of my favorite reads of 2025. I could not have been more excited to receive a copy of Sentient. And it's safe to say that Sentient is one of my favorites for 2026.
It was dread and suspense the whole way through. Once things really hit the fan, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. This was all the chaos of the first book plus some. We have another isolated setting full of people who don't even know the danger they're in. Secretive government agencies trying to get answers and keep things quiet at the same time. Penguins.
I devoured this and already can't wait for more.
February 2, 2026
Sentient by Michael Nayak
Books 2 of the Ice Plague Wars comes back with a bang! You will get hooked from the first page and not be able to set this one down! It feels very realistic which increases the terror rating up! Multiple povs help you to stay in the action and keep a pacing that doesn’t seem slow but maybe even a little fast in some places!
Ultimately a great addition to this series that keeps you in the action and I can not wait to see where we go with this series!
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Releases: February 24th
Books 2 of the Ice Plague Wars comes back with a bang! You will get hooked from the first page and not be able to set this one down! It feels very realistic which increases the terror rating up! Multiple povs help you to stay in the action and keep a pacing that doesn’t seem slow but maybe even a little fast in some places!
Ultimately a great addition to this series that keeps you in the action and I can not wait to see where we go with this series!
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Releases: February 24th
February 12, 2026
Book 2 and the war continues!
3rd person multi POV
The CIA go in with their usual hubris and need for greed and fuck everything up further. To literally no one’s surprise.
Ben’s mind hive is too smart for them.
The mutations. The survivors. The dormant surprises.
Another really great novel with suspense and death. Science and penguins. It is the South Pole after all.
Can the symbiote be defeated ?! Dun dun dun …
Thanks so much Watkins Publishing for giving me the opportunity to arc read this novel!
3rd person multi POV
The CIA go in with their usual hubris and need for greed and fuck everything up further. To literally no one’s surprise.
Ben’s mind hive is too smart for them.
The mutations. The survivors. The dormant surprises.
Another really great novel with suspense and death. Science and penguins. It is the South Pole after all.
Can the symbiote be defeated ?! Dun dun dun …
Thanks so much Watkins Publishing for giving me the opportunity to arc read this novel!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The second in Michael Nayak’s ICE PLAGUE WAR SERIES sees the virus evolve as it seeks to beak out into the wider world while Raj and the other survivors try to stop it. There’s plenty of action here and I liked the development of the various factions, including the backdrop of the US/China war, which offers depth. There are again too many characters here, which means that many deaths lack impact, but the cliffhanger ending means I want to read on.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A bit slow off the hop, but all around a well researched foray back into the isolated and icy Antarctic lands. The virus has survived and is only gaining momentum. Love that the author has his own experience to add depth and knowledge to the research station experience.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Angry Robot for a copy!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Angry Robot for a copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Received ARC from NetGalley
Symbiote by Michael Nayak is a gripping, science‑driven thriller that kept me hooked throughout. The concept is fascinating, the pacing stays tight, and the twists land well. I enjoyed the characters and the scientific realism, even if a few moments could’ve been explored more deeply. Overall, a compelling and exciting read. Definitely recommended for sci‑fi fans!
Symbiote by Michael Nayak is a gripping, science‑driven thriller that kept me hooked throughout. The concept is fascinating, the pacing stays tight, and the twists land well. I enjoyed the characters and the scientific realism, even if a few moments could’ve been explored more deeply. Overall, a compelling and exciting read. Definitely recommended for sci‑fi fans!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio-ARC of this novel.
A great read that makes the reader realize "this could actually happen". So, in other words, fabulous realistic horror. The setting is so vivid that it almost becomes its own character. It is a book of nonstop action, that kept me gripped the whole time. I listened on audio, and felt the narrator did a great job.
A great read that makes the reader realize "this could actually happen". So, in other words, fabulous realistic horror. The setting is so vivid that it almost becomes its own character. It is a book of nonstop action, that kept me gripped the whole time. I listened on audio, and felt the narrator did a great job.
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