Ever think of what 30 Days of Night meets Cold War would be like? Well this was definitely it. This fed into my obsession for supernatural but with political intrigue and thriller-horror fantasy. The pacing was well thought out, never a dull moment in my opinion, I was either on the edge of my seat or sitting there shivering from what could be happening. It was great pace, definitely not something easily put down once you get started.

I highly recommend this to anyone on the lookout for something chilling, exciting and thought provoking.

4 Stars!

I seem to be on an ocean theme with my reading right now. I had received a copy of 100 Fathoms Below by Steven L. Kent and Nicholas Kaufmann a long time ago but life got in the way and I never got around to it. This submarine horror novel was one that I had really wanted to read and I was happy that I finally got a change to take the plunge.



The USS Roanoke was a nuclear submarine dispatched by the U.S. Navy on a secret mission in 1983. It was believed that the Soviet Union had a new super-submarine that was faster and deadlier than any other sub in the world. If the rumors were true, then this could tip the balance of power in the Cold War and increase the USSR’s dominace of the seas. The USS Roanoke was dispatched to find any evidence and information it could on the sub and bring them back to America. The sub slipped into Soviet seas in search of the information it was seeking. It was only when it was too late did the USS Roanoke realize that Soviet subs may be the least of its worries.



With Soviet subs closing in, the tension in the USS Roanoke is at a peak but the hunters outside of the sub are nothing compared to the hunters inside. As shipmates mysteriously begin to die, it becomes clear that there is something evil hunting on the USS Roanoke. How do you survive when enemy subs are hunting you in the middle of the ocean while vampires are hunting you inside of your sealed craft? The answer is not very easily but it is something that the crew of the USS Roanoke must figure out before it is too late. Unable to escape from the craft, they have to battle with the vampires that are taking over the craft while avoiding being detected by the Soviet subs hunting them. They are trapped 100 fathoms below the surface and fighting to make sure that the USS Roanoke does not become a nuclear-powered coffin.



100 Fathoms Below is an interesting book with an interesting concept. It is a mixture of military thriller and horror novel which could have easily gone wrong. Kent and Kaufmann, however, are able to keep the story together and flowing throughout so that it becomes an entertaining story that stays on course throughout the novel. The military thriller aspect of the story is very well done and there is a lot of submarine action in the novel. It was believable enough to keep me tuned in and the tension from the hunting Soviet subs added a layer of suspense to what was happening inside the USS Roanoke. The crew was literally locked in an aquatic tomb with death stalking them both inside and outside the vessel. This was handled well and an atmosphere of doom hangs over the novel from beginning to end.



Vampires on a submarine is a brilliant move in that it takes away one of the main weaknesses: sunlight. Being in a metal tube in the middle of the ocean ensures that the monsters are free to hunt at will and they take full advantage of that. This is not a story of brooding vampires trying to come to grips with what they are. This is an all-out battle for control of the boat and the vampires will not stop until all the humans are dead. 100 Fathoms Below is a very strong horror novel with a unique premise that is sure to appeal to fans of the genre. I did not really know what to expect when I started the novel but I was not disappointed at all. It is a fun read with a story that is set up and executed well. I am definitely interested to read more from these authors in the future and this book is highly recommended.



I would like to thank Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for this review copy. 100 Fathoms Below is available now.

Just not quite my cup o' tea. Had plenty of suspense and tension and thrill! I suspect that I just caught this one at a bad time for me. I normally love things like this.

The Effect of Horror On Modern Warfare

I've never read a book featuring a Navy submarine before. The idea of being deep underwater for any length of time in a cramped metal tube suggests enough horror, all by itself, to make paranormal threats just the scarier icing on an already terrifying cake.

The authors worked with skill to make the story believably and smoothly told. They included plenty of details to make the rhythms of sailors’ lives aboard a US Navy submarine easy to visualize.

Then they threw an ancient monkey wrench of myth into that finely-tuned modern machine, and the number of victims began growing. As the suspense ratcheted up, the authors were still able to expand the central characters’ backstories without making the plot drag. I really liked some of those guys and dreaded who would die next.

...and who would not.

The following review appears on Goodreads and Amazon US:

This started out very fun, creepy, suspenseful. The sceens in the tight sub atmosphere were descriptive and action packed. The author writes scenery and action very well. When the lights start going out.... Ack!! Such a nice touch.

After the first 60%, I felt the story got long, and a touch cheesy in spots.

A fun story concept. I'd read more from this author.

I received a review copy through NetGalley.

This was a fairly quick read for me, and one I was really excited for. I love underwater or water-related horror, and 100 FATHOMS BELOW delivered in the terrifying aspect!

I didn't know going into this that vampires were the main horror here, and I thought it was really fun to read about. There was just the right amount of tension, gore, and action - and the pacing is phenomenal!

I've not read anything by either of the authors before this, but I was impressed and entertained - I'll be keeping an eye out for more!

100 FATHOMS BELOW is the depth where sunlight no longer penetrates the sea. That depth and further is where you'll find submarines and that's where the USS Roanoke attempted to locate the new class of Russian sub-supposedly in development. Unfortunately, the Roanoke encountered some problems accomplishing their mission.

Set in 1983, during the height of the cold war, the Roanoke and her crew are going about day to day submarine life. Not everyone gets along in such tight quarters, but they make do for the good of the ship. When Petty Officer Stubic becomes ill, the crew isn't worried, they have a medic to help with such things. But thereafter, as officer after officer sickens, and as lights keep getting smashed out on each deck, the crew begins to get frightened, and rightfully so. Will they survive whatever it is that's on their ship? Will they find the new Russian sub? You'll have to read this to find out!

This is my first book from these authors and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it immensely. It's a fun story and it's fast paced with lots of action. I enjoyed the fact that several of the character's names in the book are actually the names of authors I recognize, so that added a bit of fun as well.

What I thought was slightly lacking was character development-I could have used a bit more to add to the depth of the cast. However, I understand this book isn't trying to be a literary classic, and what we do have here is some creature feature fun!

100 FATHOMS BELOW is probably just what you expect it to be, if you're looking for underwater, claustrophobic, B-movie-type fun. If that's what you are in the mood for reading right now? Go ahead, take the plunge: Dive! Dive! Dive!

Recommended!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*

Scary arsed vampires in a submarine? Yes, please! To be completely honest, I'm extremely nitpicky about my vamps. No romance. They dont need to be drop dead gorgeous. I just want them scary and hungry. This book was so good, and slightly claustrophobic. Yep, I'd recommend this one. Can't wait to read more from this author. My thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Hunt for Red October meets 30 Days of Night. There is something terrifying about being trapped in a canister so far below the surface of the ocean that the pressure alone would crush your body. Kent and Kaufmann selected an ideal environment for their tale.

The magic of 100 Fathoms Below was the authors’ description of the internal workings and life aboard an ‘80s era submarine. Combining the descriptions with my memory of The Hunt for Red October, the entire story came alive in my mind – I even had Scott Glenn playing the role of Captain Weber. With this scene set, the rest fell into place. I found myself embedded within the story.

The story was definitely unique, a combination of horror and political intrigue. Personally, I found the horror aspect to be far stronger than the political intrigue portion, then again, that’s really what I wanted from this story. Kent and Kaufmann kept the story tight around the cast, the crew of the Roanoke, and the events on the vessel. The mission became an unimportant afterthought.

If you are in the mood for a well-developed, suspenseful horror, 100 Fathoms Below would be a great choice. It packs a punch with vividly descriptive scenes and a completely new twist on an old style horror story.

*4 Stars

This book is a great read. The first couple of chapters I thought this book is not for me, BUT then I was hooked. It is a different take on the usual vampire books. If done right it will make a great movie. I highly recommend this book.

This book delivers on exactly what it promises: vampires on a submarine.
Initially it was a hurdle getting into the Navy jargon and submarine explanations, and memorizing the names because there were quite a few of them, but once the vampire goodness descended, it became a fun, if bloody and horrifying, ride to the end.

I love a good horror story. Early King, Koontz, Simmons, Rice, they all had something different to say and unique ways to write horror. This book however was as full of cliches and plot holes as they come. All that may have been different was the setting, a submarine. I was into it for the first half of the book then everthing went downhill from there, or sunk shall I say. All I kept thinking was that it could have been a good story if they had kept the vamps out of,it. Rusihed through the rest thoroughly unimpressed.

I got a little hung up on all the nautical terminology in the beginning of this book, and it almost made me stop reading it a few times, but it was compellingly written enough that I kept reading. I also expected it to be about some sort of deep sea beasty, and instead was more of a vampires on a submarine type story. (Which makes sense, because if vampires hate the sun it makes sense they'd like it deep under the ocean where there is no sun, right?) There were a lot of really great, intriguing things about this book. I found myself caring about several of the characters, especially some of the ones who end up surviving (which makes sense, I suppose?) Several times I thought I knew for sure what was coming next, but then was completely (in a good way) surprised by what actually happened next. This book kept me constantly on my toes and it was really great... when it wasn't being bogged down with nautical terminology and by everyone having multiple names.

For example, Jerry White is referred to as "Jerry" in the chapters that are told in the third person limited POV that "follow" him and his limited POV, while he is referred to as "White," unless the person gets to be friends with him at which point he might be called "White" sometimes and then sometimes "Jerry." Then if someone is an officer they might also sometimes be referred to only by their title, which also sometimes is shorted to an acronym, so some people have, like, four names they're referred by. By the end of the book I was used to it, and now I'm primed and ready to read ALL THE NAVY FICTION, haha. I am really glad I stuck with this through the first few chapters of describing all the nautical terms, parts of the sub, explanations about life with 140 men on a submarine and what that means for them, etc. It was necessary world building to set the stage for the story, but it was a bit of a dry slog to get through for the first three chapters or so before the story really picked up steam. But once it got going, MAN, this book was hard to put down.

This book was a good horror read; there wasn't much that took me out of the story and I really liked that there wasn't really anything that seemed like it was tossed in just for shock value. I enjoyed the technical details fleshing out the submarine, and I even think the characters were pretty good.

I do wish that there was more devoted to dealing with the malevolence, but the story works very well anyway.

Fear of drowning, closed in spaces, trying to avoid being detected by Soviet submarines while an unknown entity is killing off your colleagues- this book has it all. 100 Fathoms Below by Steven L. Kent and Nicholas Kaufmann takes place on a nuclear submarine during the Cold War. The authors build the suspense perfectly as the crew has to take time out from their covert mission in Russian waters to battle a different sort of enemy that has taken over their submarine. You just never know what will be lurking in the deeps.

My stepfather was a master chief in the Navy and served on a submarine. He often talked about how tight the quarters were, but I never really "got it" until reading this novel. It is a well-written, atmospheric and suspenseful book about a Navy submarine on a secret mission to Soviet waters during the mid-1980s--right at the height of the Cold War. Unfortunately, one of the crewmen becomes infected by a virus of some sort that turns him into a vampire, and the affliction spreads throughout the entire crew.

As I said, this was really well written, descriptive, and difficult to put down. The only reason I didn't give it a higher rating is that it feels to me like vampires are played out. The setting was unique, but I feel like it would have worked better for me if I had read it five or six years ago.

That said, most of the other reviewers that I have read have raved about it--and I feel rightly so. So, if you are a fan of horror stories, the X-Files or The Hunt for Red October, I definitely recommend that you check this one out.

Readable but rather cheesy

I usually like underwater thrillers. This one takes place in 1983 on the submarine USS Roanoke. It is sent on a secret mission during the Cold War to find out whether the Russians do actually have a new, upgraded submarine.

I really enjoyed the details about the submarine itself - although they caused a major claustrophobia flare up.

Not long after setting out, the submariners find out there is something non-human aboard, killing off the 140 crewmen one by one.

This read like a 1980s grade B monster movie script and a rather poor one at that. I liked the idea, I finished the book, but I felt it could have been much better - with more realistic monster action (too stereotypical).

I received this book from Blackstone Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Submariners based in Hawaii board sub for ninety day exercise. At this point I thought book was a techno thriller. The mission of submarine, was to be inside Russian territorial waters. Then crewmen start dying and the story takes a unexpected turn. No one can explain the deaths. The characters are believable and well developed. I enjoyed the explanations of the sub. By the end of story most of the crew is dead and the sub heads back to Hawaii, but is that the end?.....Surprising ending, I enjoyed the book..

100 Fathoms Below by Steven L. Kent and Nicholas Kaufman was received direct from the publisher. I had not read a Deep sea novel in many years. Some turn out to be classics and others are enjoyable but quickly forgotten. This one will surprise you with the level of detail about submarines and about their uses and their bases. Character development, which can be a thorn in my side when it rambles on inanely, is not an issue with novel as it moved along nicely, not boring me, which is important. I will not tell you what the protaganist(s) are in this book but there are monsters and not ones that come to mind when you think of submarines under the sea. If you, or someone you buy books for likes the Navy, the sea, or submarines, or maybe another reviewer spilled the beans about the monster, definitely give this book a try.

4 stars

On par with the classic "The Thing", but with a toothy twist... and I loved it! There's just something that ratchets up the chill factor when the scenario is underground or underwater, simply because the characters are, well, captive audiences. Thrills a minute, eyes devouring each virtual page a mile a minute! If you love horror, you won't be disappointed.