Both women can be messy, cruel, and selfish, and Starling disregards conventional notions of such women seeking or needing absolution. To survive the darkness and the threats concealed therein, Gyre must confront monsters from her own imagination as well as those from Em's bloody past, and defeat them both. Aware of Gyre's deception, Em, Gyre's controlling, manipulative handler, guides her on a harrowing journey into the depths of a rarely explored cave system on some unexplained, ill-fated errand. Gyre Price, an amateur caver from an impoverished mining world, is desperate to earn enough money to discover the fate of her mother, who abandoned their family when Gyre was young and she isn't above falsifying her qualifications to get the high-paying job she needs. Starling's riveting near-future debut depicts an intense psychological battle of wills between two damaged, deeply flawed women who forge an unbreakable connection in the dark. On her own in this mysterious, deadly place, surrounded by darkness and the unknown, Gyre must overcome more than just the dangerous terrain and the Tunneler which calls underground its home if she wants to make it out alive-she must confront the ghosts in her own head.īut how come she can’t shake the feeling she’s being followed? Lost and disoriented, Gyre finds her sense of control giving way to paranoia and anger. Īs Gyre descends, little inconsistencies-missing supplies, unexpected changes in the route, and, worst of all, shifts in Em’s motivations-drive her out of her depths. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash-and a lash. Keeping her sane.Įm sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. She also thought that the fat paycheck-enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother-meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe.

When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. 'This claustrophobic, horror-leaning tour de force is highly recommended for fans of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation and Andy Weir’s The Martian.' - Publishers Weekly (starred review)Ī thrilling, atmospheric debut with the intensive drive of The Martian and Gravity and the creeping dread of Annihilation, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival.

Bram Stoker Award nominee for Best First Novel!

The luminous dead