Out of the Drowning Deep

A.C Wise

$39.95

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Titan Books Ltd
02 September 2025

Crime & Mystery; Classic science fiction

In the distant future, when mortals mingle with the gods in deep space, an out-of-date automaton, a recovering addict, and an angel race to solve the Pope’s murder in an abandoned corner of the galaxy.

Dreamy, beautifully written queer science-fantasy novella, for fans of Becky Chambers and This is How You Lose the Time War.

Scribe IV is an obsolete automaton, peacefully whiling away his years on the Bastion, a secluded monastery in an abandoned corner of the galaxy. But when the visiting Pope is found murdered, Scribe IV knows he has very little time before the terrifying Sisters of the Drowned Deep rise up to punish the Bastion’s residents for their crime.

Quin, a recovering drug addict turned private investigator, picks up a scrambled signal from the Bastion and agrees to take the case. Traumatized by a bizarre experience in his childhood, Quin repeatedly feeds his memories to his lover, the angel Murmuration. But fragmented glimpses of an otherworldly horror he calls the crawling dark continue to haunt his dreams.

Meanwhile in Heaven, an angel named Angel hears Scribe IV’s prayer. Intrigued by the idea of solving a crime with mortals, xe descends to offer xer divine assistance (whether those mortals want it or not). With the Drowned Sisters closing in around the Bastion, Scribe IV, Quin, and Angel race to find out who really murdered the Pope, and why. Quin’s missing memories may hold the key to the case―but is remembering worth the price?

By: A.C Wise
Imprint: Titan Books Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 130mm, Spine: 55mm
Weight: 255g
ISBN: 9781803369846
ISBN 10: 1803369841
Pages: 176
Publication Date: 02 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

A.C. Wise is the author of Hooked and the bestselling Wendy, Darling. She also has two short story collections published by Lethe Press, Catfish Lullaby, a novella published by Broken Eye Books (2019), and The Ghost Sequences, a short story collection published by Undertow Books (2021), which was shortlisted for a 2021 Bram Stoker Award. She tweets at @ac_wise.

Reviews for Out of the Drowning Deep

""A unique vision. Automatons, angels, and cosmic horror nuns are only the beginning of a murder mystery wondrously orbited by metaphysical sci-fi as only A. C. Wise can weave together. Out of the Drowning Deep introduces a universe of the undefinable fantastic, gifted by one of our finest imaginations."" Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of A Light Most Hateful ""A strange and singular book. Wise has crafted a story quite unlike any other and it blew my mind. One of the best books I've read in a long time."" Tendai Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead “Full of fantastic queer representation and a broad range of voices within the cast of characters, Out of the Drowning Deep makes each perspective relatable to audiences...Richly textured and easy to imagine."" ScreenRant ""Out of the Drowning Deep is an evocative mystery set in a richly imagined world, populated by a diverse cast of instantly intriguing characters. I loved every word of this gorgeous novella."" Emmi Itäranta, author of The Moonday Letters “Out of the Drowning Deep is entertaining, moving, and gave me a fresh perspective on myself–what more could I want from a novella? It has moments of brilliance, and I highly recommend it to anyone who lives with or around addiction.” Grimdark Magazine