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Abyss
This job will eat you alive.
From the bestselling author of Ascension, Nicholas Binge, Abyss is a creeping, Lovecraftian horror about work, technology and existential dread.
Joe Rice is lost – lonely, disconnected and terminally online. His new job as an administrative assistant at the Ponos corporation seems like just another unfulfilling stop-gap. But from his first day, something is deeply wrong. The vast Canary Wharf office is empty, his line manager is a bundle of paranoid energy, and his work is monitored by WellBot, an AI wellness chatbot that demands total honesty while tracking his every move.
As Joe’s tasks descend into a surreal nightmare, he’ll eventually learn that handing in his notice could have deadly consequences . . .
From the bestselling author of Ascension, Nicholas Binge, Abyss is a creeping, Lovecraftian horror about work, technology and existential dread.
Joe Rice is lost – lonely, disconnected and terminally online. His new job as an administrative assistant at the Ponos corporation seems like just another unfulfilling stop-gap. But from his first day, something is deeply wrong. The vast Canary Wharf office is empty, his line manager is a bundle of paranoid energy, and his work is monitored by WellBot, an AI wellness chatbot that demands total honesty while tracking his every move.
As Joe’s tasks descend into a surreal nightmare, he’ll eventually learn that handing in his notice could have deadly consequences . . .
160 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2026
About the author
Nicholas Binge
7 books733 followersNicholas Binge is a bestselling author of speculative thrillers that blend big sci-fi concepts with psychological horror. He also writes crime and thriller novels under the pseudonym Nick Brucker, with his debut White Smoke set to release in 2027.
In 2023, his breakout novel Ascension was a New York Times Editor's Choice Pick, finalist for the Goodreads' Choice Awards and Ignotus Award, and named a ‘best book of the year’ by Vulture, Goodreads, The LA Times, and The Sunday Times. His sophomore novel, Dissolution, was hailed as one of the best thrillers of 2025 by The New York Times and other leading outlets, and was followed swiftly by the critically acclaimed novellas Extremity and Abyss.
His work has been, or is being, translated into 30 languages and several of his novels are in active development for either film or TV. Notably, Dissolution is being adapted into a major motion picture by Sony Pictures, with Oscar-nominated screenwriter Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Birdbox) penning the script, and White Smoke is being adapted into a prestige TV series by A24, with Benedict Cumberbatch starring in the lead. Ascension and Extremity are also in active development for film and TV, respectively. He is also creating and writing a TV show for Netflix entitled Understudy, alongside Steven Yeun, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller.
Binge has lived across Asia and Europe — from Singapore to Switzerland to Hong Kong —before settling in the UK, where he writes and co-hosts the Binge Reading Book Club podcast. Beyond fiction, he has written for The Guardian, Literary Hub, and other leading outlets, and is a regular speaker at book festivals across the UK and internationally.
His next book, Exhumation, arrives October 2026. To stay updated on new releases and appearances, sign up to his newsletter or follow him on Bluesky.
In 2023, his breakout novel Ascension was a New York Times Editor's Choice Pick, finalist for the Goodreads' Choice Awards and Ignotus Award, and named a ‘best book of the year’ by Vulture, Goodreads, The LA Times, and The Sunday Times. His sophomore novel, Dissolution, was hailed as one of the best thrillers of 2025 by The New York Times and other leading outlets, and was followed swiftly by the critically acclaimed novellas Extremity and Abyss.
His work has been, or is being, translated into 30 languages and several of his novels are in active development for either film or TV. Notably, Dissolution is being adapted into a major motion picture by Sony Pictures, with Oscar-nominated screenwriter Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Birdbox) penning the script, and White Smoke is being adapted into a prestige TV series by A24, with Benedict Cumberbatch starring in the lead. Ascension and Extremity are also in active development for film and TV, respectively. He is also creating and writing a TV show for Netflix entitled Understudy, alongside Steven Yeun, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller.
Binge has lived across Asia and Europe — from Singapore to Switzerland to Hong Kong —before settling in the UK, where he writes and co-hosts the Binge Reading Book Club podcast. Beyond fiction, he has written for The Guardian, Literary Hub, and other leading outlets, and is a regular speaker at book festivals across the UK and internationally.
His next book, Exhumation, arrives October 2026. To stay updated on new releases and appearances, sign up to his newsletter or follow him on Bluesky.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 476 reviews
July 6, 2026
Like a mix between Severance and The Backrooms with a dash of the game Control- so fun and freaky!
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April 22, 2026I received this audiobook through NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
Abyss was such a fun, quick, fast-paced listen. I couldn’t put it down. The concept was great and reminded me a little of A Short Stay in Hell mixed with the Backrooms, but with a touch of current reality that made it hit even closer to home.
The audiobook format also worked well for this kind of story. The pacing kept everything moving, and the narration helped maintain the tension and eerie atmosphere all the way through. I felt completely there with Joe the whole time, which made the story even more effective.
I honestly would have loved this as a full-length novel because the concept had so much room to go even further. Overall, this was an immersive, unsettling listen that left a strong impression.
I would recommend it to listeners who enjoy shorter horror with a strong concept, a creeping sense of dread, and themes that feel a little too close to reality.
Abyss was such a fun, quick, fast-paced listen. I couldn’t put it down. The concept was great and reminded me a little of A Short Stay in Hell mixed with the Backrooms, but with a touch of current reality that made it hit even closer to home.
The audiobook format also worked well for this kind of story. The pacing kept everything moving, and the narration helped maintain the tension and eerie atmosphere all the way through. I felt completely there with Joe the whole time, which made the story even more effective.
I honestly would have loved this as a full-length novel because the concept had so much room to go even further. Overall, this was an immersive, unsettling listen that left a strong impression.
I would recommend it to listeners who enjoy shorter horror with a strong concept, a creeping sense of dread, and themes that feel a little too close to reality.
June 12, 2026
Joe is the opposite of a go-getter. He spends too much time watching videos on his phone and ordering delivery. Unfortunately, he does have things like bills to pay, so he must get a job. Luckily, Ponos has an opening, and Joe accepts the administrative assistant position. Upon arrival, there is no one to greet him, and things just appear desolate. There is no human in sight. Once he is finally able to locate his workstation, he is told that everyone else is working remotely. He is provided a set of task lists, and he has a fabulous AI bot to keep track of his wellness and make sure he’s mentally and physically doing OK while at work. Does all of this seem strange to you? It seems strange to Joe as well. Things begin to take a strange turn during one of his tasks, and he finds out his job is a little bit more than he bargained for.
This definitely gave off Severance vibes. The confusion and fear that Joe felt was palpable. I was trying to figure out what was going on alongside Joe, and I was just as confused as he was. What was going on?
I can break down my feelings into three different parts. Confusion and intrigue for most of the novel, then it delves into “oh no, I’m not a huge fan of that” to finally “OK, I like where that went”. For once, I can honestly say I didn’t need the backstory. And I always want backstory. It felt more like a quick afterthought to give the reader some sort of reasoning behind where things originated. Being that it wasn’t super in-depth, it probably could’ve been left out, but then I probably would have complained about no backstory. No win situation there. How it all ended, though, was perfect. It was timely for sure.
This was a quick novella, and the length was perfect. This is now my second novel by this author, and I have enjoyed both. Onto the backlist….
This definitely gave off Severance vibes. The confusion and fear that Joe felt was palpable. I was trying to figure out what was going on alongside Joe, and I was just as confused as he was. What was going on?
I can break down my feelings into three different parts. Confusion and intrigue for most of the novel, then it delves into “oh no, I’m not a huge fan of that” to finally “OK, I like where that went”. For once, I can honestly say I didn’t need the backstory. And I always want backstory. It felt more like a quick afterthought to give the reader some sort of reasoning behind where things originated. Being that it wasn’t super in-depth, it probably could’ve been left out, but then I probably would have complained about no backstory. No win situation there. How it all ended, though, was perfect. It was timely for sure.
This was a quick novella, and the length was perfect. This is now my second novel by this author, and I have enjoyed both. Onto the backlist….
May 13, 2026
If you liked “There is No Antimemetics Division” by qntm, then you’ll probably enjoy this story. It’s a mix of cosmic and corporate horror, with a dread inducing narrative that makes you feel increasingly claustrophobic.
I did find the characters a bit flat and wanted a bit more from the plot than what it actually gave. You can definitely feel the tension build as things progress, which did help me become more immersed and interested in the fate of Joe. I’d definitely read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, the narrator, and Dreamscape Media for a copy!
I did find the characters a bit flat and wanted a bit more from the plot than what it actually gave. You can definitely feel the tension build as things progress, which did help me become more immersed and interested in the fate of Joe. I’d definitely read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, the narrator, and Dreamscape Media for a copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A fun, eerie lil sci-fi novella with a solid message.
I loved this and was hooked from the beginning. A dude living a dead-end life gets a job that goes from a little bit odd to full on psychotic? Yes please.
This builds the suspense brilliantly in the shorter timeframe of a novella, and works in plenty of action to keep the pace flowing. It's got some deeper messaging that I also appreciated, but it's really just a fantastically creepy story that sucks you in.
It was written well, so that even with strange things happening you don't ever feel things are unrealistic. It's got a great balance.
I really enjoyed it, to the point that I'd have happily read something longer. As it stands, it's piqued my curiosity of this author so I'll be looking out for further releases.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
I loved this and was hooked from the beginning. A dude living a dead-end life gets a job that goes from a little bit odd to full on psychotic? Yes please.
This builds the suspense brilliantly in the shorter timeframe of a novella, and works in plenty of action to keep the pace flowing. It's got some deeper messaging that I also appreciated, but it's really just a fantastically creepy story that sucks you in.
It was written well, so that even with strange things happening you don't ever feel things are unrealistic. It's got a great balance.
I really enjoyed it, to the point that I'd have happily read something longer. As it stands, it's piqued my curiosity of this author so I'll be looking out for further releases.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
May 17, 2026
2.0 Stars
This is a quick weird piece of Lovecraftian inspired horror. I was intrigued by the premise but I found the execution and subsequent plot more convoluted than I personally preferred. I wanted to love this one but I didn't end up enjoying it as much as I hoped.
I am not the biggest fan of Lovecraftian horror so it's hard to guage if it's me or the book. From the mixed early reviews, I suspect this book won't appeal to everyone.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is a quick weird piece of Lovecraftian inspired horror. I was intrigued by the premise but I found the execution and subsequent plot more convoluted than I personally preferred. I wanted to love this one but I didn't end up enjoying it as much as I hoped.
I am not the biggest fan of Lovecraftian horror so it's hard to guage if it's me or the book. From the mixed early reviews, I suspect this book won't appeal to everyone.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 14, 2026
It’s kind of on me that I didn’t enjoy this.
Dissolution
didn’t fully work for me either, but I have this problem where if I really love just one book by an author – in Binge’s case his debut
Professor Everywhere
– I will keep trying and trying the rest of their work, hoping something will click again. Plus a workplace horror story sounded interesting, and Abyss kicks off with an intriguing, fast-paced first chapter.
It’s the pacing that’s part of the problem with this book, though. As soon as our protagonist Joe gets a job at a mysterious company called Ponos, things instantly get weird. It all moves at such breakneck speed there’s barely a chance to get invested in Joe before he, along with some colleagues he (and we) met about 30 seconds ago, are battling horrors on a cosmic scale. It’s more like a scene-setting intro for a videogame than a proper story.
Despite how short and fast-paced the book is, it finds space to hammer home its message – that the convenience offered by modern tech is causing people to isolate themselves – over and over again, and without any subtlety. I want the horror I read to engage with political and social issues, but I find this crude, bludgeoning approach so patronising. For pulpy horror with a conscience, I preferred Jonathan Sims’ Thirteen Storeys and Kit Burgoyne’s The Captive, and I found Chris McQueer’s Hermit far more effective and entertaining as a portrait of a screen-dependent young man escaping the doomscroll cycle.
I received an advance review copy of Abyss from the publisher through Edelweiss.
It’s the pacing that’s part of the problem with this book, though. As soon as our protagonist Joe gets a job at a mysterious company called Ponos, things instantly get weird. It all moves at such breakneck speed there’s barely a chance to get invested in Joe before he, along with some colleagues he (and we) met about 30 seconds ago, are battling horrors on a cosmic scale. It’s more like a scene-setting intro for a videogame than a proper story.
Despite how short and fast-paced the book is, it finds space to hammer home its message – that the convenience offered by modern tech is causing people to isolate themselves – over and over again, and without any subtlety. I want the horror I read to engage with political and social issues, but I find this crude, bludgeoning approach so patronising. For pulpy horror with a conscience, I preferred Jonathan Sims’ Thirteen Storeys and Kit Burgoyne’s The Captive, and I found Chris McQueer’s Hermit far more effective and entertaining as a portrait of a screen-dependent young man escaping the doomscroll cycle.
I received an advance review copy of Abyss from the publisher through Edelweiss.
July 22, 2026
It took me longer than normal to read, was unwell. Joe gets a job but nothing is what it seems, where are all the employees. The book has a lot of existential dread regarding technology and how it’s manifested here brings the horror home. Really loved reading this. Hope you do too a fully recommended 5 stars.
May 25, 2026
GASP! Nicholas Binge has done it yet again. Delivering a short, twisty tale that explored greed, control, loneliness, and isolation, Abyss was not only a powerful look at the modern world through a satirical lens, but also a thought-provoking critique of the society’s rapidly declining sense of humanity and connection. Fast-paced, immersive, and an absolute fever dream of a read, this psychological horror-meets-speculative fiction novella dissected a handful of timely themes with surgeon-like skill. You see, between the invasion of AI into every part of daily life, social media’s ability to alienate us from one another, and feeling like just a cog in the machine in today’s corporate culture, this novella was a chilling thought experiment that I couldn’t put down. And that ending! What can I say? It was a pure *chef’s kiss* revelation that only an author like Binge could deliver. Ultimately, this Severance-slash-Truman Show mashup served up a hefty dose of existential horror that will surely live rent-free in my head for a very long time. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Joe always had potential, but he doesn't expect much, and he hopes that his new job as an admin assistant won't expect much of him. But when he enters the offices of Ponos―a company he's never heard of and knows nothing about―he discovers that potential is exactly what they want from him.
Thank you Nicholas Binge and Tor Nightfire for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 12, 2026
Content warning: body horror, gun and knife violence, violence, blood, cannibalism
SYNOPSIS:
Joe always had potential, but he doesn't expect much, and he hopes that his new job as an admin assistant won't expect much of him. But when he enters the offices of Ponos―a company he's never heard of and knows nothing about―he discovers that potential is exactly what they want from him.
Thank you Nicholas Binge and Tor Nightfire for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 12, 2026
Content warning: body horror, gun and knife violence, violence, blood, cannibalism
July 29, 2026
Short and eerie - 3.5 ⭐️
While I appreciated the atmosphere, the message felt a little too heavy-handed for my taste.
While I appreciated the atmosphere, the message felt a little too heavy-handed for my taste.
June 17, 2026
This is fine.
It's a short read that feels incredibly long due to the repetitive nature of the first bit.
The liminal portions are very well done.
I, too, work in corporate Hell, so I recognized this place.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the Lovecraftian bits quite so much.
Not quite for me though there were definitely aspects I enjoyed!
It's a short read that feels incredibly long due to the repetitive nature of the first bit.
The liminal portions are very well done.
I, too, work in corporate Hell, so I recognized this place.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the Lovecraftian bits quite so much.
Not quite for me though there were definitely aspects I enjoyed!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Abyss is another striking, thought-provoking release from Nicholas Binge. I went into this having loved his previous work, especially Ascension, so my expectations were high, and once again Binge delivered a story that’s clever, unsettling, and difficult to put down.
One of the things that makes Abyss feel particularly effective is its modern-day setting and an immediately relatable protagonist. He’s someone many readers will recognise: intelligent and capable, but stuck in familiar ruts, prone to habits of self-sabotage, and quietly aware that he has never quite lived up to the productivity and potential that people around him seem to expect. When he’s given a new role, the question hanging over the story is whether this change might finally unleash the productivity and focus that everyone believes he should have.
At first, the book feels like science fiction, but as the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that Binge is crafting something closer to horror. It reads like a novella very much of its time, tapping into contemporary anxieties such as the rise of AI, the fear of workplace automation, and the unsettling idea of being controlled, monitored, or reduced to a tool by the very systems and employers we work for. Beneath the surface is a quiet but powerful commentary on the influence of elites, corporate power, and the fragile sense of agency many people feel in modern work culture.
On a surface level, Abyss can be read as a strange, eerie office-based horror story set in an oddly mundane but fascinating location. Underneath that is a much deeper exploration of modern life, including productivity hack culture, corporate greed, the pressure to optimise ourselves, and the isolation that persists even in a hyper-connected social media world.
My only real criticism is that I wish it were a longer version of this story, given the number of ideas explored; however, the novella length does keep the pacing tight. It is a short read I genuinely could not put down, but the ideas are rich enough that I would have loved to see them explored in even more depth. Even so, the book’s momentum and immersive atmosphere make it a gripping experience from beginning to end.
Overall, Abyss is another compelling entry in Nicholas Binge’s catalogue, smart, timely, and quietly disturbing in the best way.
One of the things that makes Abyss feel particularly effective is its modern-day setting and an immediately relatable protagonist. He’s someone many readers will recognise: intelligent and capable, but stuck in familiar ruts, prone to habits of self-sabotage, and quietly aware that he has never quite lived up to the productivity and potential that people around him seem to expect. When he’s given a new role, the question hanging over the story is whether this change might finally unleash the productivity and focus that everyone believes he should have.
At first, the book feels like science fiction, but as the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that Binge is crafting something closer to horror. It reads like a novella very much of its time, tapping into contemporary anxieties such as the rise of AI, the fear of workplace automation, and the unsettling idea of being controlled, monitored, or reduced to a tool by the very systems and employers we work for. Beneath the surface is a quiet but powerful commentary on the influence of elites, corporate power, and the fragile sense of agency many people feel in modern work culture.
On a surface level, Abyss can be read as a strange, eerie office-based horror story set in an oddly mundane but fascinating location. Underneath that is a much deeper exploration of modern life, including productivity hack culture, corporate greed, the pressure to optimise ourselves, and the isolation that persists even in a hyper-connected social media world.
My only real criticism is that I wish it were a longer version of this story, given the number of ideas explored; however, the novella length does keep the pacing tight. It is a short read I genuinely could not put down, but the ideas are rich enough that I would have loved to see them explored in even more depth. Even so, the book’s momentum and immersive atmosphere make it a gripping experience from beginning to end.
Overall, Abyss is another compelling entry in Nicholas Binge’s catalogue, smart, timely, and quietly disturbing in the best way.
November 16, 2025
ARC for review. To be published May 12, 2026.
3 stars
The story of a loner who goes to work in what appears to be a nearly empty office building and all the insanity that follows. The story had promise in a THERE IS NO ANTI-EMETICS DIVISION way but this didn’t have the scope of that superior book. There were parts that were interesting, though.
3 stars
The story of a loner who goes to work in what appears to be a nearly empty office building and all the insanity that follows. The story had promise in a THERE IS NO ANTI-EMETICS DIVISION way but this didn’t have the scope of that superior book. There were parts that were interesting, though.
July 19, 2026
Severance meets Lovecraft? Hell yea
November 24, 2025
I read this fun, freaky little novella in one sitting! If you like your existential dread in bite-sized packages, this is perfect for you!
Joe had a lot of promise but got lost somewhere along the way. Now he's lonely, struggling, and jobless, but his new position at a mysterious corporation may take him to horrific new depths.
Severance is probably a good comp but I haven't watched it, so I'm going to say this book is like The Stanley Parable but specifically that one bit where you get trapped walking in a loop in the basement like Silent Hill. Now that I have compared this book to two video games, I can proceed with the review! Anyway, this was a fun cosmic/existential/corporate horror with a lot of themes that will resonate with you if you've become numb to the parasitic effect of large corporations and social media on your health and well-being. It's got great liminal vibes and some moments of body horror which I'm a fan of. It ended really abruptly and in a way that doesn't really make it clear how Joe escaped the Big Bad, but it doesn't sour the book as a whole or anything.
If you just need a little horror pick-me-up (or a put-me-down) I think tis is a great pick and it makes me want to check out Nicholas Binge's other stuff!
Thank you to Nicholas Binge and Tor Nightfire for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
Joe had a lot of promise but got lost somewhere along the way. Now he's lonely, struggling, and jobless, but his new position at a mysterious corporation may take him to horrific new depths.
Severance is probably a good comp but I haven't watched it, so I'm going to say this book is like The Stanley Parable but specifically that one bit where you get trapped walking in a loop in the basement like Silent Hill. Now that I have compared this book to two video games, I can proceed with the review! Anyway, this was a fun cosmic/existential/corporate horror with a lot of themes that will resonate with you if you've become numb to the parasitic effect of large corporations and social media on your health and well-being. It's got great liminal vibes and some moments of body horror which I'm a fan of. It ended really abruptly and in a way that doesn't really make it clear how Joe escaped the Big Bad, but it doesn't sour the book as a whole or anything.
If you just need a little horror pick-me-up (or a put-me-down) I think tis is a great pick and it makes me want to check out Nicholas Binge's other stuff!
Thank you to Nicholas Binge and Tor Nightfire for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
August 19, 2026
Really great and super creepy book! So good and kinda reminded me of the Backrooms a bit.
July 20, 2026
I read Abyss by Nicholas Binge in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. This was so much fun.
I agree with another reviewer who said Severance meets the Backrooms with a splash of Lovecraft. If you like stories that lean into liminal spaces, cosmic horror, and the creeping feeling that reality is coming apart, this absolutely delivers.
The ending gets a little wild and spins out in a way that won’t work for everyone, but I was all in for the chaos. It’s ambitious, unsettling, and the kind of book that keeps escalating until you just have to know what’s waiting at the bottom.
I agree with another reviewer who said Severance meets the Backrooms with a splash of Lovecraft. If you like stories that lean into liminal spaces, cosmic horror, and the creeping feeling that reality is coming apart, this absolutely delivers.
The ending gets a little wild and spins out in a way that won’t work for everyone, but I was all in for the chaos. It’s ambitious, unsettling, and the kind of book that keeps escalating until you just have to know what’s waiting at the bottom.
June 24, 2026
I think the audio version made this better than if you read it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review on the April 2026 issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: intense disorientation, Lovecraftian, Tech/corporate horror combo
Other words, rise of machines, terrifyingly realistic, first person-- Joe.
Draft Review: Opening with a single-page chapter ominously set “Inside, Second Instance, 27 Seconds,” that replays a conversation between Joseph and “Wellbot”, a conversation ending with Joseph reaching forward to type back, “perhaps for the last time.” Unsettled and shaken, readers are transported back to the beginning, when Joseph, a young man slowly losing his connection to the real world, finds a job that seems too good to be true. Arriving at an empty building on his first day, Joseph struggles to find his desk and upon logging in, is forced to deal with WellBot’s demands. When his human supervisor slips Joseph a piece of paper with an elaborate equation, things quickly move from odd to intensely disorienting to existentially terrifying. Readers will get swept up in Joseph’s epic battle with the monster at the heart of the building, all to keep hold of his humanity, no matter the cost to the wider world.
Verdict: The accurate Severance meets Lovecraft marketing will help the right readers find this novella. For fans of books as different as The Dead Take the A Train by Richard Kadrey and Cassandra Khaw, The Warehouse by Rob Hart, and Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram.
First, read this novella in as few sittings as possible-- it is meant to be experiences. You will feel the disorientation as Joe gets trapped in his new place of work and cannot get out.
Now on the rest of the review.
Binge sets the disorientation from the start with a chancer labelled -- Inside, Second Instance 27 second. It is ominous. Then we pull back to meet Joe. A young man who has lost connection in the real world. He has no job, no friends, barely talks to his mother who he loves but doesn't seem to have time after all his internet scrolling to visit or call back.
He gets a job that seems easy enough. When he goes to work no one is there but he finds his way, logs into the WelBot AI a 2001 HAL like program that seems to know everything about him.
And well, things are not as they seem as this is a horror novel. The few people he meets are odd and never seem to leave. And now Joe can't seem to leave eaither-- nothing that he even wants to.
Those "Inside" mini chapters pop up a few more times as well.
Readers follow Joe even as time becomes more of a construct. But there is adventure here and there is a monster at the heart of it all.
Despite the disorientation-- done on purpose by the author to help the reader be in synch with Joe-- the story moves swiftly and easily. The details come at the right pace. A solid 1 -2 sitting story that is not what readers will expect going in-- in a good way.
Readalikes-- 100% for fans of The Dead Take the A Train by Kadrey and Khaw. Also Blake Crouch, The Warehouse by Rob Hart. Any corporate techno or Lovecraftian horror. Also Travlers Rest by Kieth Lee Morris (a backlist fav of mine). Coup de Grace by Ajram as well-- but Abyss is was more techy.
Three Words That Describe This Book: intense disorientation, Lovecraftian, Tech/corporate horror combo
Other words, rise of machines, terrifyingly realistic, first person-- Joe.
Draft Review: Opening with a single-page chapter ominously set “Inside, Second Instance, 27 Seconds,” that replays a conversation between Joseph and “Wellbot”, a conversation ending with Joseph reaching forward to type back, “perhaps for the last time.” Unsettled and shaken, readers are transported back to the beginning, when Joseph, a young man slowly losing his connection to the real world, finds a job that seems too good to be true. Arriving at an empty building on his first day, Joseph struggles to find his desk and upon logging in, is forced to deal with WellBot’s demands. When his human supervisor slips Joseph a piece of paper with an elaborate equation, things quickly move from odd to intensely disorienting to existentially terrifying. Readers will get swept up in Joseph’s epic battle with the monster at the heart of the building, all to keep hold of his humanity, no matter the cost to the wider world.
Verdict: The accurate Severance meets Lovecraft marketing will help the right readers find this novella. For fans of books as different as The Dead Take the A Train by Richard Kadrey and Cassandra Khaw, The Warehouse by Rob Hart, and Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram.
First, read this novella in as few sittings as possible-- it is meant to be experiences. You will feel the disorientation as Joe gets trapped in his new place of work and cannot get out.
Now on the rest of the review.
Binge sets the disorientation from the start with a chancer labelled -- Inside, Second Instance 27 second. It is ominous. Then we pull back to meet Joe. A young man who has lost connection in the real world. He has no job, no friends, barely talks to his mother who he loves but doesn't seem to have time after all his internet scrolling to visit or call back.
He gets a job that seems easy enough. When he goes to work no one is there but he finds his way, logs into the WelBot AI a 2001 HAL like program that seems to know everything about him.
And well, things are not as they seem as this is a horror novel. The few people he meets are odd and never seem to leave. And now Joe can't seem to leave eaither-- nothing that he even wants to.
Those "Inside" mini chapters pop up a few more times as well.
Readers follow Joe even as time becomes more of a construct. But there is adventure here and there is a monster at the heart of it all.
Despite the disorientation-- done on purpose by the author to help the reader be in synch with Joe-- the story moves swiftly and easily. The details come at the right pace. A solid 1 -2 sitting story that is not what readers will expect going in-- in a good way.
Readalikes-- 100% for fans of The Dead Take the A Train by Kadrey and Khaw. Also Blake Crouch, The Warehouse by Rob Hart. Any corporate techno or Lovecraftian horror. Also Travlers Rest by Kieth Lee Morris (a backlist fav of mine). Coup de Grace by Ajram as well-- but Abyss is was more techy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to Recorded Books (and Tor Books) for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
★ 2.77 stars ★
Abyss had such potential. In a world where capitalism is growing increasingly more rampant and cruelly all-consuming, a horror novel that turns the soul-destroying workforce into a literal creature to be afraid of sounded AMAZING.
Unfortunately, this whole novel felt kind of half-baked. I don't think these ideas can be well portrayed in novella form. They were worthy of a full-length novel and I'm not entirely sure why Binge decided against going that direction. Because of the short length, the ideas, characters, and plot all felt very rushed.
And because of that, the social commentary (which, again, had potential to be amazing) felt at times either heavy handed or understated... which was weird.
I also didn't find this novel particularly scary either. It reminded me quite a bit of There Is No Antimemetics Division but where that book manages to sow existential dread, this book moves to quickly to let readers really chew on the deeply disturbing realities they themselves live in.
Overall, in theory this book could've been absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, the execution felt a bit too rushed.
★ 2.77 stars ★
Abyss had such potential. In a world where capitalism is growing increasingly more rampant and cruelly all-consuming, a horror novel that turns the soul-destroying workforce into a literal creature to be afraid of sounded AMAZING.
Unfortunately, this whole novel felt kind of half-baked. I don't think these ideas can be well portrayed in novella form. They were worthy of a full-length novel and I'm not entirely sure why Binge decided against going that direction. Because of the short length, the ideas, characters, and plot all felt very rushed.
And because of that, the social commentary (which, again, had potential to be amazing) felt at times either heavy handed or understated... which was weird.
I also didn't find this novel particularly scary either. It reminded me quite a bit of There Is No Antimemetics Division but where that book manages to sow existential dread, this book moves to quickly to let readers really chew on the deeply disturbing realities they themselves live in.
Overall, in theory this book could've been absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, the execution felt a bit too rushed.
May 30, 2026
This was an entertaining and quick read. As someone who works in an office, I could relate to Joseph and the book’s theme of increasing automation under capitalism, as well as how isolating that can be. More productivity doesn’t necessarily equate to more happiness, especially for those of us who aren’t billionaires.
I liked the cosmic horror element, which made the story more interesting, though I would have liked that aspect to be more developed. The ending carried a sweet sentiment, and overall, this was just a fun read.
I liked the cosmic horror element, which made the story more interesting, though I would have liked that aspect to be more developed. The ending carried a sweet sentiment, and overall, this was just a fun read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am rounding my rating up to 4 stars.
If you enjoy psychological, surreal, Lovecraftian horror, and have been run down and defeated by late stage capitalism, then this novella is for you.
Joe finds himself in a lonely and depressive state in his life. He wasn't always jobless, friendless, and anxious, but he is now. When Joe lands a job as an administrative assistant, without ever interviewing with a live person, he's skeptical. When he arrives at the office for his first day he doesn't see a single soul around. He roams the halls of each floor before finally finding his boss and office.
Joe also finds it strange that the only interaction he has is with WellBot, the company's wellness software, and his boss, Virgil. Things get stranger when Virgil asks him to make copies of a elaborate, handwritten mathematical equation. While working to complete this task he finally runs into a coworker, who seems to live in her office. Her erratic behavior puts Joe more on edge. What follows next is a bizarre and terrifying quest to defeat the evil within and escape from the office alive.
This story is really weird and disorienting. I liked most of the book, even when the author is quite blatant in his views of capitalism, social media culture, and general state of the world. Joe's character growth was awesome to experience, especially with all of the horrors that he faces. His change from a dejected, self-deprecation mindset to being determined to take eliminate the evil entity at all costs was very well executed.
I loved the first two thirds of the book. The ending of the story didn't quite hit the right notes for me though. It felt a little rushed, which made for some confusion about the overall resolution of the story. But this novella is short enough to read in one sitting (which I recommend) and was entertaining and engrossing.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
If you enjoy psychological, surreal, Lovecraftian horror, and have been run down and defeated by late stage capitalism, then this novella is for you.
Joe finds himself in a lonely and depressive state in his life. He wasn't always jobless, friendless, and anxious, but he is now. When Joe lands a job as an administrative assistant, without ever interviewing with a live person, he's skeptical. When he arrives at the office for his first day he doesn't see a single soul around. He roams the halls of each floor before finally finding his boss and office.
Joe also finds it strange that the only interaction he has is with WellBot, the company's wellness software, and his boss, Virgil. Things get stranger when Virgil asks him to make copies of a elaborate, handwritten mathematical equation. While working to complete this task he finally runs into a coworker, who seems to live in her office. Her erratic behavior puts Joe more on edge. What follows next is a bizarre and terrifying quest to defeat the evil within and escape from the office alive.
This story is really weird and disorienting. I liked most of the book, even when the author is quite blatant in his views of capitalism, social media culture, and general state of the world. Joe's character growth was awesome to experience, especially with all of the horrors that he faces. His change from a dejected, self-deprecation mindset to being determined to take eliminate the evil entity at all costs was very well executed.
I loved the first two thirds of the book. The ending of the story didn't quite hit the right notes for me though. It felt a little rushed, which made for some confusion about the overall resolution of the story. But this novella is short enough to read in one sitting (which I recommend) and was entertaining and engrossing.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
May 15, 2026
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Format: Audiobook ALC via NetGalley
Abyss by Nicholas Binge is advertised as “Severance meets Lovecraft in this surreal tale of corporate horror and existential dread,” and that description is extremely accurate. This is a novella set in a modern-day 2026, and the way it captures Joe’s very current, everyday problems felt almost unsettling. That only made the story work even better.
Since this is a novella, I don’t want to give much else away, but I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short read or listen with a relatable modern setting, cosmic horror, sci-fi elements, and plenty of existential dread. The audiobook narration was also done very well.
Thank you, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Format: Audiobook ALC via NetGalley
Abyss by Nicholas Binge is advertised as “Severance meets Lovecraft in this surreal tale of corporate horror and existential dread,” and that description is extremely accurate. This is a novella set in a modern-day 2026, and the way it captures Joe’s very current, everyday problems felt almost unsettling. That only made the story work even better.
Since this is a novella, I don’t want to give much else away, but I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short read or listen with a relatable modern setting, cosmic horror, sci-fi elements, and plenty of existential dread. The audiobook narration was also done very well.
Thank you, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 16, 2026
Binge returns to a favourite wheelhouse of memory, time, and relationships. Excellent writing as usual and will scratch any itch you might have from watching Backrooms or reading There Is No Antimemetics Division.
November 2, 2025
This one blends a lot of genres into a short book- there’s science fiction, a tormented and bored MMC, a mamas boy mentality, and a new job on the horizon. When Joe finds himself working in a regular office setting, he immediately discovers he bit off more than he can chew and I’ll leave it there to avoid spoilers. This is one I’d never read in the dark again- some of the moments in it were viscerally terrifying. I enjoyed the plot, premise, and how the quickly the plot moved- my only complaint was I’d have liked a touch more description for the “why” of it all. Thanks so much to the author and Tor Nightfire for the chance to read and review this EARC!
May 16, 2026
The most effective horror stories are always those that seem the most plausible. Nicholas Binge, in his latest book, has woven a tale so familiar that one doesn’t even need to look outside his own door to catch a glimpse of what he is talking about.
Ever since the onset of the COVID pandemic, people everywhere have gone to great lengths to isolate themselves. We no longer go out to work, eat, shop, or socialize. We log into our company networks from the comfort of our own sofa. We call DoorDash when we are hungry. Amazon relieves us of the stress of going out to buy things. As for socializing, we have created AI avatars that can satisfy any need we have for companionship. We have begun to live in a world that eschews any semblance of human interaction.
Joe lives in such a world when he takes a job with Ponos, a company he knows nothing about. When he arrives at the office, he finds it all but empty. His instructions lead him to his workstation where he is greeted by a friendly and oh-so empathetic AI bot who helps him get started with his many mostly meaningless duties. It doesn’t take long, though, for things to get very strange when a supervisor is murdered right in front of him. His world heads downhill quickly from this point.
Abyss is a nietzscheisticly satirical look at an all to familiar world which makes its horror all too potent. Added to it is Binge’s philosophical ramblings about modern life, posing the question of why, in a world where technological progress is advancing at a never-before-seen rate, why has so little improved? Why does a family need both parents to be working multiple jobs just to eke out a living? Shouldn’t all of the progress of the last century make our lives easier instead of more difficult?
Bottom line: Binge has written a magnificent little novella that not only terrifies, but inspires. I highly recommend it.
Also, John Lee's narration of the audio version is spectacular, as always.
*The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
Ever since the onset of the COVID pandemic, people everywhere have gone to great lengths to isolate themselves. We no longer go out to work, eat, shop, or socialize. We log into our company networks from the comfort of our own sofa. We call DoorDash when we are hungry. Amazon relieves us of the stress of going out to buy things. As for socializing, we have created AI avatars that can satisfy any need we have for companionship. We have begun to live in a world that eschews any semblance of human interaction.
Joe lives in such a world when he takes a job with Ponos, a company he knows nothing about. When he arrives at the office, he finds it all but empty. His instructions lead him to his workstation where he is greeted by a friendly and oh-so empathetic AI bot who helps him get started with his many mostly meaningless duties. It doesn’t take long, though, for things to get very strange when a supervisor is murdered right in front of him. His world heads downhill quickly from this point.
Abyss is a nietzscheisticly satirical look at an all to familiar world which makes its horror all too potent. Added to it is Binge’s philosophical ramblings about modern life, posing the question of why, in a world where technological progress is advancing at a never-before-seen rate, why has so little improved? Why does a family need both parents to be working multiple jobs just to eke out a living? Shouldn’t all of the progress of the last century make our lives easier instead of more difficult?
Bottom line: Binge has written a magnificent little novella that not only terrifies, but inspires. I highly recommend it.
Also, John Lee's narration of the audio version is spectacular, as always.
*The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
Read
June 1, 2026Marx and Engels Would Like a Word
TL;DR: Binge writes corporate loneliness like a man transcribing something he watched happen, and for a hundred pages the empty office is the most frightening room in horror. Then the flipchart comes out. Abyss has a true and terrible idea in its marrow and cannot stop explaining it to you. Haunting, then talkative.
There is a building in Canary Wharf that does not want anyone in it. The lights burn and the machines hum and the ferns stand in their pots and the floor is swept and the lift moves somewhere on its cables in the shaft and there is not a soul to be found in any of it, only the swipe pads and the closed blinds and the redacted signage and a chatbot that asks how you slept and will not believe the answer. Nicholas Binge knows this building. He has stood in offices like it. The first third of Abyss is the work of a man who understands that the most frightening room is the one arranged for you and abandoned before you arrive, and for a hundred pages he does almost nothing wrong. A young man takes a job he does not understand at a company called Ponos, which is the Greek word for toil, and the company is glad to have him, and the company is family, and there is no one there to say so but the software.
The young man is the book’s truest invention, and Binge has the decency to render him from the outside, through his thumb. He taps the doorframe seventeen times and tells himself it will be alright and lies to his therapist and reads seven year old messages from friends he will never message again and lets the whole day be eaten by reels of strangers cooking potatoes forty seven different ways. Binge does not diagnose this. He writes it down the way a man writes down what he watched another man do. The loneliness in these pages is exact. It does not announce itself. It gathers in the small refusals, the unanswered mother, the burrito ordered from the sofa while a video plays of someone making a burrito, until you understand without being told that the worst thing in the building is the thing the young man carried in with him.
The chatbot is good too. It is called WellBot and it cares about him and hopes he cares about it, and it makes a frowny face when he lies and a cartoon thumbsup when he obeys, and there is no scene in the first half more sickening or more quietly funny than a grown man apologizing to a smiling avatar for a thing he did not do. Binge has the corporate liturgy by heart. The slogans on the wall. The induction packet. The terms and conditions nobody read. He renders the entire grammar of managed wellbeing as the prayerbook of something that means to devour you, and he plays it without a wink, which is the only way it lands.
And then the book opens its mouth.
There is a man in the building who knows what is happening, and Binge hands him a flipchart. He hands him graphs. He stands him in front of his pupil and walks him through labour productivity and Marx and Engels and the missing surplus of a hundred years, where did it all go, who is draining it, and the answer the novella has spent its strongest pages whispering is now spoken aloud and chalked on a board and slapped with a flat palm for emphasis. The thesis is not wrong. It is the obvious thesis, which is fine, since the obvious thing is often the true thing. But Abyss will not trust you to reach it on your own. It says productivity, productivity, productivity until the word goes dead in the mouth. It tells you the building is a metaphor and then tells you what the metaphor means and then, in case you had wandered off, tells you a third time. The dread it built by showing it dismantles by explaining.
Binge is a writer who can do better, and has. Born in Singapore in 1990 and now lecturing in creative writing in Edinburgh, he came up through the speculative thriller, first Professor Everywhere and then Ascension, the mountain in the Pacific novel that Stephen King called old school creepy and that carried him onto the bestseller lists, and then Dissolution, in which a woman climbs down into the failing memory of her dying husband to find the people they used to be. Which is to say a book about loneliness and the erasure of the ones we love. Which is to say the same wound Abyss is worrying from a different side. Memory and isolation and the slow theft of a life are his country and he keeps returning to them. There is a detail here no honest account should leave on the floor. His grandfather was Ronald Binge, who in 1963 wrote Sailing By, the lilting repetitive woodwind waltz that has lulled Britain toward sleep before the late Shipping Forecast for half a century. In Abyss a soft piping music drifts through the corridors and empties the mind of anyone who stops to listen, and the one warm memory the young man keeps is his mother’s kitchen with the Shipping Forecast playing low. Whether the grandson did this on purpose the book does not say. It sits there in the marrow of the thing regardless. A lullaby turned into a lure. It is the most haunting idea in the novella and Binge walks right past it.
Because the back half wants to be a louder book. The liminal goes literal. The redacted corridors give way to a creature with more tentacles than a man can count and a cosmic maw and a bloodline that will not age and a gun the young man has no idea how to fire, and the eerie precision that made the empty office unbearable curdles into a chase. The body horror lands when it arrives, and it arrives hard, a man at his work with a red mouth, and it is difficult to read in the way it wants to be. But it belongs to a cruder machine than the one Binge built upstairs. He keeps the architecture interesting, splicing the descent with timestamped interludes that pay off late, and he keeps the sentences moving. He cannot keep the two halves from pulling against each other until the seam goes white.
What Abyss is reaching for, underneath the tentacles and the Marx and the flipchart, is older than its premise and bigger than its plot. It is the suspicion that the modern shape of a life, the convenience and the feed and the friendly software and the work that has no end, is itself a slow form of being eaten, that something is consuming us and calling it productivity, and that we are the ones signing for the delivery. That is a real and terrible idea. Binge has felt it in his marrow. He just keeps telling you he has felt it instead of letting you feel it beside him.
There is a building in Canary Wharf that does not want anyone in it. Binge knew exactly what was wrong with that building. The shame of the book is how often he stepped out into the corridor to explain it.
TL;DR: Binge writes corporate loneliness like a man transcribing something he watched happen, and for a hundred pages the empty office is the most frightening room in horror. Then the flipchart comes out. Abyss has a true and terrible idea in its marrow and cannot stop explaining it to you. Haunting, then talkative.
There is a building in Canary Wharf that does not want anyone in it. The lights burn and the machines hum and the ferns stand in their pots and the floor is swept and the lift moves somewhere on its cables in the shaft and there is not a soul to be found in any of it, only the swipe pads and the closed blinds and the redacted signage and a chatbot that asks how you slept and will not believe the answer. Nicholas Binge knows this building. He has stood in offices like it. The first third of Abyss is the work of a man who understands that the most frightening room is the one arranged for you and abandoned before you arrive, and for a hundred pages he does almost nothing wrong. A young man takes a job he does not understand at a company called Ponos, which is the Greek word for toil, and the company is glad to have him, and the company is family, and there is no one there to say so but the software.
The young man is the book’s truest invention, and Binge has the decency to render him from the outside, through his thumb. He taps the doorframe seventeen times and tells himself it will be alright and lies to his therapist and reads seven year old messages from friends he will never message again and lets the whole day be eaten by reels of strangers cooking potatoes forty seven different ways. Binge does not diagnose this. He writes it down the way a man writes down what he watched another man do. The loneliness in these pages is exact. It does not announce itself. It gathers in the small refusals, the unanswered mother, the burrito ordered from the sofa while a video plays of someone making a burrito, until you understand without being told that the worst thing in the building is the thing the young man carried in with him.
The chatbot is good too. It is called WellBot and it cares about him and hopes he cares about it, and it makes a frowny face when he lies and a cartoon thumbsup when he obeys, and there is no scene in the first half more sickening or more quietly funny than a grown man apologizing to a smiling avatar for a thing he did not do. Binge has the corporate liturgy by heart. The slogans on the wall. The induction packet. The terms and conditions nobody read. He renders the entire grammar of managed wellbeing as the prayerbook of something that means to devour you, and he plays it without a wink, which is the only way it lands.
And then the book opens its mouth.
There is a man in the building who knows what is happening, and Binge hands him a flipchart. He hands him graphs. He stands him in front of his pupil and walks him through labour productivity and Marx and Engels and the missing surplus of a hundred years, where did it all go, who is draining it, and the answer the novella has spent its strongest pages whispering is now spoken aloud and chalked on a board and slapped with a flat palm for emphasis. The thesis is not wrong. It is the obvious thesis, which is fine, since the obvious thing is often the true thing. But Abyss will not trust you to reach it on your own. It says productivity, productivity, productivity until the word goes dead in the mouth. It tells you the building is a metaphor and then tells you what the metaphor means and then, in case you had wandered off, tells you a third time. The dread it built by showing it dismantles by explaining.
Binge is a writer who can do better, and has. Born in Singapore in 1990 and now lecturing in creative writing in Edinburgh, he came up through the speculative thriller, first Professor Everywhere and then Ascension, the mountain in the Pacific novel that Stephen King called old school creepy and that carried him onto the bestseller lists, and then Dissolution, in which a woman climbs down into the failing memory of her dying husband to find the people they used to be. Which is to say a book about loneliness and the erasure of the ones we love. Which is to say the same wound Abyss is worrying from a different side. Memory and isolation and the slow theft of a life are his country and he keeps returning to them. There is a detail here no honest account should leave on the floor. His grandfather was Ronald Binge, who in 1963 wrote Sailing By, the lilting repetitive woodwind waltz that has lulled Britain toward sleep before the late Shipping Forecast for half a century. In Abyss a soft piping music drifts through the corridors and empties the mind of anyone who stops to listen, and the one warm memory the young man keeps is his mother’s kitchen with the Shipping Forecast playing low. Whether the grandson did this on purpose the book does not say. It sits there in the marrow of the thing regardless. A lullaby turned into a lure. It is the most haunting idea in the novella and Binge walks right past it.
Because the back half wants to be a louder book. The liminal goes literal. The redacted corridors give way to a creature with more tentacles than a man can count and a cosmic maw and a bloodline that will not age and a gun the young man has no idea how to fire, and the eerie precision that made the empty office unbearable curdles into a chase. The body horror lands when it arrives, and it arrives hard, a man at his work with a red mouth, and it is difficult to read in the way it wants to be. But it belongs to a cruder machine than the one Binge built upstairs. He keeps the architecture interesting, splicing the descent with timestamped interludes that pay off late, and he keeps the sentences moving. He cannot keep the two halves from pulling against each other until the seam goes white.
What Abyss is reaching for, underneath the tentacles and the Marx and the flipchart, is older than its premise and bigger than its plot. It is the suspicion that the modern shape of a life, the convenience and the feed and the friendly software and the work that has no end, is itself a slow form of being eaten, that something is consuming us and calling it productivity, and that we are the ones signing for the delivery. That is a real and terrible idea. Binge has felt it in his marrow. He just keeps telling you he has felt it instead of letting you feel it beside him.
There is a building in Canary Wharf that does not want anyone in it. Binge knew exactly what was wrong with that building. The shame of the book is how often he stepped out into the corridor to explain it.
August 4, 2026
A strong 4 stars for this Lovecraftian scifi thriller novella! This was such an entertaining read. As always, Nicholas Binge strikes a great balance between scifi action and heart. With Joe, his protagonist, he captures how lonely it feels to be disconnected from others during this digital, AI infused age. While I wanted a little more of a clear explanation for some plot elements throughout the story, the core of this novella and its message is so solid. I even found myself tearing up a few times, unexpectedly, amidst the horror. Definitely recommend!
September 11, 2026
3.75⭐️ omg the potential of this one. Severance is my favorite show ever made so I ate up the vibes of this book. I just wish it was longer and gave way more explanation. It felt like they overexplained parts that I didn’t care about and neglected the actual interesting mystery of it. Also the ending left me very unsatisfied and quite frankly a little confused. But I enjoyed the shit out of it for the most part.
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