Symbiote: A Novel by Michael Nayak
Feb. 16th, 2025 11:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
A group of Chinese scientists arrive at the American research base in Antarctica in search of help. In their truck is a horrifying sight - a mysteriously murdered teammate. With no clear jurisdiction, the Americans don’t know what to do. But they soon realise the Chinese scientists have brought far more with them than just a body …
Within seventy-two hours, thirteen more lie dead in the snow.
An extremophile parasite, triggered by severe cold, is spreading by touch. Learning from them. Evolving. It triggers violent tendencies in the winter crew, and, more insidiously, the beginnings of a strange symbiotic telepathy.
The survivors cannot let anyone infected make it to the summer season or the parasite will be taken back home with them, and be free to take over civilisation.
You can order SYMBIOTE: A NOVEL by Michael Nayak from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK. I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.
Michael Nayak’s debut SF thriller mixes 28 DAYS LATER and THE THING, drawing on his experience of working at the South Pole to lend authenticity. Unfortunately there are too many characters and many are basically names on the page so the deaths have no emotional impact while the relationships lack the development to make you care. Aside from this it’s a solid debut with some interesting ideas and the set-up for a sequel means that I would read on.
SYMBIOTE: A NOVEL was released in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2025. Thanks to Angry Robot for the review copy of this book.
A group of Chinese scientists arrive at the American research base in Antarctica in search of help. In their truck is a horrifying sight - a mysteriously murdered teammate. With no clear jurisdiction, the Americans don’t know what to do. But they soon realise the Chinese scientists have brought far more with them than just a body …
Within seventy-two hours, thirteen more lie dead in the snow.
An extremophile parasite, triggered by severe cold, is spreading by touch. Learning from them. Evolving. It triggers violent tendencies in the winter crew, and, more insidiously, the beginnings of a strange symbiotic telepathy.
The survivors cannot let anyone infected make it to the summer season or the parasite will be taken back home with them, and be free to take over civilisation.
You can order SYMBIOTE: A NOVEL by Michael Nayak from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK. I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.
Michael Nayak’s debut SF thriller mixes 28 DAYS LATER and THE THING, drawing on his experience of working at the South Pole to lend authenticity. Unfortunately there are too many characters and many are basically names on the page so the deaths have no emotional impact while the relationships lack the development to make you care. Aside from this it’s a solid debut with some interesting ideas and the set-up for a sequel means that I would read on.
SYMBIOTE: A NOVEL was released in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2025. Thanks to Angry Robot for the review copy of this book.
