Book cover of The Descent

Book description

In a remote Himalayan cave a group of New Age tourists come across the mummified corpse of an RAF flyer. Before they can investigate the mystery, all except the guide are ritually massacred. In Bosnia, an American Air Cavalry patrol investigates a disturbance at a mass grave site and its…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Descent as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is a curious blend of survival thriller and sci-fi story about a vast hidden world of caves and tunnels beneath the surface of the earth, and a previously unknown civilization of humanoids who live there. Once discovered, the corporations of the world start what becomes known as “the descent” and start founding work colonies, like offshore oil rigs, but this time underground as they mine for resources and additional space for a booming upworld population. The story becomes something of a clash of civilizations, with the blue collar workers looking for a better life coming up against savage underworlders…

I love this book. It’s ambitious and brutal. It’s about the discovery of a civilization—savage, violent—that exists deep within the earth. Humanity, in this novel, comes face to face with what we really are. Religion is a theme, too, as many regard this new world as Hell. And when the world above attempts to quell this fierce race, using military force, it initially comes off second best… and then, the beasts of the Inferno start to ascend. It’s big and bold, brilliantly researched. It inspires me to be authentic, and work at getting facts right.

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