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Capsized
One rogue wave. Two strangers. A fight to survive in the belly of a dying ship.
Sophie Reyes, senior watch engineer aboard the Ocean’s Destiny, fights to stabilize the ship as a violent storm rages. With floodwaters rising and systems failing, Sophie races to save her crew and the passengers who depend on her.
Josh Carter, a young man on his honeymoon, awakens to chaos. As the ship rocks and panic spreads, he must control his fears to lead a small group of survivors to safety.
If you are a fan of Mike Kraus, Justin Bell, Tara Ellis, Kyla Stone, or if you simply love disaster fiction, you will love this one from Kenny!
This is a standalone novel of around 70K words.
Sophie Reyes, senior watch engineer aboard the Ocean’s Destiny, fights to stabilize the ship as a violent storm rages. With floodwaters rising and systems failing, Sophie races to save her crew and the passengers who depend on her.
Josh Carter, a young man on his honeymoon, awakens to chaos. As the ship rocks and panic spreads, he must control his fears to lead a small group of survivors to safety.
If you are a fan of Mike Kraus, Justin Bell, Tara Ellis, Kyla Stone, or if you simply love disaster fiction, you will love this one from Kenny!
This is a standalone novel of around 70K words.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2025
About the author
Kenny Soward
99 books165 followersWelcome to my little space out on the web. I'm Kenny Soward, and I'm an author, musician, and once IT guy. I write books in many sub-genres of Science Fiction and Fantasy, including post-apocalyptic, military science fiction, epic fantasy, and horror. I'm influenced by authors such as Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Anne Rice, J.K. Rowling, Mark Lawrence, Dan Simmons, Robin Hobb, Robert McCammon, Larry Correia, and Mike Kraus.
I love all kinds of movies and shows from Battle Star Galactica (reboot) to the Walking Dead. There's nothing I won't try.
I grew up in Kentucky in a small suburb just south of Cincinnati, Ohio, listening to hard rock and playing outdoors. In those quiet 1970's streets, I jumped bikes, played Nerf football, and came away with many scars.
My grandfather and many of my uncles and cousins served in the United States Military, and my father was a Kentucky State Trooper. Their efforts taught me the meaning of sacrifice and gratitude. I've always had an avid curiosity about the world around me, and I hope my enthusiasm for life carries over into my stories, even the dark ones.
I love all kinds of movies and shows from Battle Star Galactica (reboot) to the Walking Dead. There's nothing I won't try.
I grew up in Kentucky in a small suburb just south of Cincinnati, Ohio, listening to hard rock and playing outdoors. In those quiet 1970's streets, I jumped bikes, played Nerf football, and came away with many scars.
My grandfather and many of my uncles and cousins served in the United States Military, and my father was a Kentucky State Trooper. Their efforts taught me the meaning of sacrifice and gratitude. I've always had an avid curiosity about the world around me, and I hope my enthusiasm for life carries over into my stories, even the dark ones.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 30, 2025
Excellent survival thriller!
Capsized is a disaster survival thriller based on a cruise ship which is hit by a rogue wave and, well, capsized, trapping thousands of people inside as the ship flooded. Josh and Erin are both likeable, standout characters and Frank and Margaret are excellent characters as well. The plot perfectly matches the relentless pace of the story, the dialog is excellent and Soward, in a remarkable feat of writing, manages to convey the disorientation the characters experience while still making the story easy to follow, something I've never experienced before in a novel set on a cruise ship. 5/5 stars, recommended not only to fans of disaster thrillers, but thrillers in general!
Capsized is a disaster survival thriller based on a cruise ship which is hit by a rogue wave and, well, capsized, trapping thousands of people inside as the ship flooded. Josh and Erin are both likeable, standout characters and Frank and Margaret are excellent characters as well. The plot perfectly matches the relentless pace of the story, the dialog is excellent and Soward, in a remarkable feat of writing, manages to convey the disorientation the characters experience while still making the story easy to follow, something I've never experienced before in a novel set on a cruise ship. 5/5 stars, recommended not only to fans of disaster thrillers, but thrillers in general!
March 7, 2026
I listened to the audiobook of Capsized, and overall it was a really engaging disaster thriller that kept me interested the whole way through.
The story follows Sophie Reyes, a senior watch engineer trying to stabilize a cruise ship during a violent storm, and Josh Carter, a honeymooner suddenly thrown into chaos when disaster strikes. The premise is intense right from the start, one rogue wave changes everything, leaving the ship damaged and the passengers scrambling to survive. I enjoyed how the story alternates perspectives, showing both the technical struggle happening behind the scenes and the panic unfolding among the passengers.
The survival aspect is what really drives the book. As the ship takes on water and systems start failing, the tension keeps building. There’s a constant sense of urgency, and I found myself wanting to keep listening to see who would make it out and how the situation would unfold.
I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Bobby Garrison, and he did a solid job bringing the story to life. His narration kept the pacing moving and made the action scenes easy to follow.
If I had one small critique, it’s that some of the characters could have been developed a little more deeply. The action moves quickly, which works well for a thriller, but a bit more emotional connection to the characters might have made some moments even more impactful.
That said, if you enjoy disaster fiction, this is definitely worth checking out.
Overall, it’s a fast-paced, suspenseful listen with plenty of tension and survival drama, a solid four-star read for fans of high-seas disaster stories.
The story follows Sophie Reyes, a senior watch engineer trying to stabilize a cruise ship during a violent storm, and Josh Carter, a honeymooner suddenly thrown into chaos when disaster strikes. The premise is intense right from the start, one rogue wave changes everything, leaving the ship damaged and the passengers scrambling to survive. I enjoyed how the story alternates perspectives, showing both the technical struggle happening behind the scenes and the panic unfolding among the passengers.
The survival aspect is what really drives the book. As the ship takes on water and systems start failing, the tension keeps building. There’s a constant sense of urgency, and I found myself wanting to keep listening to see who would make it out and how the situation would unfold.
I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Bobby Garrison, and he did a solid job bringing the story to life. His narration kept the pacing moving and made the action scenes easy to follow.
If I had one small critique, it’s that some of the characters could have been developed a little more deeply. The action moves quickly, which works well for a thriller, but a bit more emotional connection to the characters might have made some moments even more impactful.
That said, if you enjoy disaster fiction, this is definitely worth checking out.
Overall, it’s a fast-paced, suspenseful listen with plenty of tension and survival drama, a solid four-star read for fans of high-seas disaster stories.
September 3, 2025
Descriptive, engaging and at the perfect pace
I nearly missed this book and I'm so grateful I did not.
The writing was lovely and descriptive. Not overly so, but captivating. One of the scenes had the descriptions of the scattered wreckage and the line about the soggy playing cards floating across the sea like autumn leaves. There are many more just like that.
The characters are average, everyday people reacting to an extreme and harrowing situation. Their movements as they speak, crawl, and climb evolve naturally, as do the events that occur during the capsizing of the ship.
I truly must give this 5 stars for the writing, editing, plot development, and character depth.
If you like disaster stories, this is one you cannot miss.
I nearly missed this book and I'm so grateful I did not.
The writing was lovely and descriptive. Not overly so, but captivating. One of the scenes had the descriptions of the scattered wreckage and the line about the soggy playing cards floating across the sea like autumn leaves. There are many more just like that.
The characters are average, everyday people reacting to an extreme and harrowing situation. Their movements as they speak, crawl, and climb evolve naturally, as do the events that occur during the capsizing of the ship.
I truly must give this 5 stars for the writing, editing, plot development, and character depth.
If you like disaster stories, this is one you cannot miss.
September 16, 2025
Death cruise
The book gripped me with its intense narrative, keeping me in suspense from start to finish. The author masterfully portrayed the characters' raw emotions, vividly capturing their overwhelming sense of desperation as they struggled to survive. With each page, the rising water symbolized their mounting terror, creating a palpable atmosphere of impending doom. The vivid descriptions made me feel as if I were trapped alongside the characters, experiencing their heart-pounding fear and desperate attempts to escape the sinking ship. The emotional depth of the story was so powerful that I found myself completely immersed, feeling every moment of tension and hope as the characters fought for their survival against seemingly insurmountable odds.
The book gripped me with its intense narrative, keeping me in suspense from start to finish. The author masterfully portrayed the characters' raw emotions, vividly capturing their overwhelming sense of desperation as they struggled to survive. With each page, the rising water symbolized their mounting terror, creating a palpable atmosphere of impending doom. The vivid descriptions made me feel as if I were trapped alongside the characters, experiencing their heart-pounding fear and desperate attempts to escape the sinking ship. The emotional depth of the story was so powerful that I found myself completely immersed, feeling every moment of tension and hope as the characters fought for their survival against seemingly insurmountable odds.
February 4, 2026
Audiobook review:
I enjoyed this story and the narration. The narrator spoke well, used different voices and had great voice inflections.
The story held my interest from the beginning. I liked the two different POV, the guest and the senior staff. As an avid cruiser, I was visualizing the routes along the different decks. Also, I am wondering how to check maintenance logs before my future cruises! I found some parts of the storyline a little difficult to believe especially as it related to communication from the staff, but overall it was entertaining.
I received a free copy of this audiobook via StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I enjoyed this story and the narration. The narrator spoke well, used different voices and had great voice inflections.
The story held my interest from the beginning. I liked the two different POV, the guest and the senior staff. As an avid cruiser, I was visualizing the routes along the different decks. Also, I am wondering how to check maintenance logs before my future cruises! I found some parts of the storyline a little difficult to believe especially as it related to communication from the staff, but overall it was entertaining.
I received a free copy of this audiobook via StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
February 16, 2026
Audiobook: This was my first experience with this author's work. I was enthralled from the opening paragraphs until the end. The author's words made me feel as if I was there. After this story, I'm not sure that I'll ever feel light-hearted about going on a cruise again. I admired Sophie Reyes and her bravery. I really liked Josh, Erin, and their friends, and how they all worked together. I thought Bobby Garrison's narration was good, and his performance kept my attention. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.
December 8, 2025
This was a great book. I also loved how the author made it a point to check back in with the surviving characters after the event. It would make an awesome movie too. If you love what could go wrong did go wrong kind of books you’ll love this one too. If you love going on cruises you may want to skip it. 😜
Bobby Garrison is quickly becoming my favorite narrator. He always does such a an amazing job.
Bobby Garrison is quickly becoming my favorite narrator. He always does such a an amazing job.
September 6, 2025
Gut wrenching survival tale!
I was on the edge of my seat for the entire time of reading this exciting story of disaster! Reminded me of one of my favorite old movies. I love cruises, but have only thought about the pleasurable parts, but I am also a sailor, so I know that you never turn your back on the ocean. You won't regret reading this thriller!
I was on the edge of my seat for the entire time of reading this exciting story of disaster! Reminded me of one of my favorite old movies. I love cruises, but have only thought about the pleasurable parts, but I am also a sailor, so I know that you never turn your back on the ocean. You won't regret reading this thriller!
October 5, 2025
A good survival tale
This book kept my attention and I like that it shifted between crew and passengers. I also like that it wrapped things up, revisiting the storytellers years after the tragedy. The writing was crisp with an occasional great turn of a phrase. It was not exactly new territory as it was very reminiscent of Poseidon.
This book kept my attention and I like that it shifted between crew and passengers. I also like that it wrapped things up, revisiting the storytellers years after the tragedy. The writing was crisp with an occasional great turn of a phrase. It was not exactly new territory as it was very reminiscent of Poseidon.
September 1, 2025
Compelling
Two people narrate their separate struggles to get safely out of a sinking cruise ship. In a constant battle for their lives, they describe the horror, fear and soul crushing decisions they make in order to live.
Two people narrate their separate struggles to get safely out of a sinking cruise ship. In a constant battle for their lives, they describe the horror, fear and soul crushing decisions they make in order to live.
October 18, 2025
Nightmare on the Cruise ship Destiny
I really felt like I was there with It was and Josh on that doomed cruise ship. The story was so realistic in the details of how each passenger and crew member was able to make their way through the sinking ship, and survive.
I really felt like I was there with It was and Josh on that doomed cruise ship. The story was so realistic in the details of how each passenger and crew member was able to make their way through the sinking ship, and survive.
October 21, 2025
Cruises
This story, at first, reminded me of the original Posiden Adventure. That was a movie only. The first one wasn't graphic. I never saw the second one. This story is graphically powerful. Please read
This story, at first, reminded me of the original Posiden Adventure. That was a movie only. The first one wasn't graphic. I never saw the second one. This story is graphically powerful. Please read
December 21, 2025
I really wanted to love this one because it’s exactly the kind of story I usually enjoy. The premise is strong and had a lot of potential, but the execution fell a bit short for me. Overall, it was an okay read—solid enough to finish, but not quite what I hoped for. I’d give it 3 stars.
September 5, 2025
Great book
I simply couldn’t put this book down for anything. So well written that I could almost feel like I was as there
I simply couldn’t put this book down for anything. So well written that I could almost feel like I was as there
October 22, 2025
4 stars and a half.
Short story but very good to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Love it.
Short story but very good to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Love it.
October 21, 2025
Loved it
It was not what I expected. The trials of being in a,shipwreck, emotions felt. Can you imagine going thru that the guilt of not being able to save someone.?
It was not what I expected. The trials of being in a,shipwreck, emotions felt. Can you imagine going thru that the guilt of not being able to save someone.?
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews