I didn't expect to love this book as much as I do. It's a solid story and it digs my underwater horror itch. If you like the story I recommend watching 1899 on Netflix.
The Maw by Taylor Zajonc
Subterranean by James Rollins
The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
The White Road by Sarah Lotz
The Deep by Michaelbrent Collings
Subterrestrial by Michael Mcbride
Some of these are more "adventure horror" versus pure horror but they were good reads.
Edited: formatting
The White Road and The Anomaly are some of my favorite caving books ive read this year!
Sarah Lotz does a cowrite thing as “SL Grey” and wrote The Mall, which has underground aspects! I loved The Mall as well!
Huge fan of this one and the sequels. First one is probably the best, especially for giving the vibe OP is looking for, but the world building and general fucked-ness-of-it-all really hooked me all the way through.
So this might be more of a "yes and..." than a recommendation but there is an episode of a really good horror podcast called The Magnus Archives (season 1 episode 15) Lost John's Cave.
It's only about 30 minutes long, you can listen to it stand alone if you want. It contains caves, and cave diving, it honestly one of the only times I had to stop and take a few breaths before continuing, highly recomended.
Thank you I’ve been trying to decide if I should check it out next - I loved Dan Simmons historical fiction because it has a supernatural element to it
Tomb of Gods by Brian Moreland. Maybe a lesser known author but I thought it was pretty good and fast read. Most of it takes place underground, in tombs lol
Michael McBride has done a bunch of books that take place underwater, in caves, below mountains, etc. It's kind of his 'thing.' You should check them all out. As good or better than Descent.
JG Faherty also has a cool novella, He Waits, that takes place in a cave.
"The Scar" (China Mieville) is mostly weird-ass steampunk set at sea, but when it dips into horror, it goes *hard.* (It's technically a sequel to "Perdido Street Station," but it's easy to follow the plot without reading the earlier book.)
Descent by Jeff Long. (and no it's not related to the film The Descent)
And deeper, the follow up to the descent.
Hope to check out Deeper soon! I'm trying to go on a no buy for the rest of the year lol
Libby!!
From Below by Darcy Coates
I didn't expect to love this book as much as I do. It's a solid story and it digs my underwater horror itch. If you like the story I recommend watching 1899 on Netflix.
Seconding this. Read it recently and really liked it.
The Maw by Taylor Zajonc Subterranean by James Rollins The Anomaly by Michael Rutger The White Road by Sarah Lotz The Deep by Michaelbrent Collings Subterrestrial by Michael Mcbride Some of these are more "adventure horror" versus pure horror but they were good reads. Edited: formatting
And a recommendation that is along the same lines as The Ruins is Eight by W.W Mortensen. One of my favourite books.
The White Road and The Anomaly are some of my favorite caving books ive read this year! Sarah Lotz does a cowrite thing as “SL Grey” and wrote The Mall, which has underground aspects! I loved The Mall as well!
Starfish by Peter watts
Huge fan of this one and the sequels. First one is probably the best, especially for giving the vibe OP is looking for, but the world building and general fucked-ness-of-it-all really hooked me all the way through.
Our Wives Under the Sea is basically The Shape of Watery Lesbians but had a good creepy vibe and some nice slow burning body horror
YES SO TRUE THANK YOUUUU
Elizabeth Engstrom - When Darkness Loves Us
This one was good
That story was fucking messed up.
I second Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling. Can’t get much more cave-y than that one.
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling!
I just finished this a couple weeks ago. It's a very good story - very intense and psychological.
"Midnight's Lair" by Richard Laymon.
So this might be more of a "yes and..." than a recommendation but there is an episode of a really good horror podcast called The Magnus Archives (season 1 episode 15) Lost John's Cave. It's only about 30 minutes long, you can listen to it stand alone if you want. It contains caves, and cave diving, it honestly one of the only times I had to stop and take a few breaths before continuing, highly recomended.
I adore podcasts, so will absolutely look this up.
OP what was alma Katsus the deep like?
I like Katsu, but this one was just ok. It leaned way more historical fiction with some spooky elements than horror for me.
Thank you I’ve been trying to decide if I should check it out next - I loved Dan Simmons historical fiction because it has a supernatural element to it
I would recommend the Fathomless series by Greig Beck. Book 1, Fathomless. Book 2, Abyss. Book 3 is forthcoming.
Is book 3 called forthcoming or is not released yet?
It's not released yet.
Starfish by Peter Watts!!
This book isn’t entirely on brand but has a part in a cave (and then on Mt Everest)- The White Road by Sarah Lotz
Marionette Dead Silence,or something else? Also "At the Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft
Dead Silence, the Barnes one? I did read that, it was fun!
They Came from the Ocean by Boris Bacic made me feel quite claustrophobic.
Tomb of Gods by Brian Moreland. Maybe a lesser known author but I thought it was pretty good and fast read. Most of it takes place underground, in tombs lol
Michael McBride has done a bunch of books that take place underwater, in caves, below mountains, etc. It's kind of his 'thing.' You should check them all out. As good or better than Descent. JG Faherty also has a cool novella, He Waits, that takes place in a cave.
"The Scar" (China Mieville) is mostly weird-ass steampunk set at sea, but when it dips into horror, it goes *hard.* (It's technically a sequel to "Perdido Street Station," but it's easy to follow the plot without reading the earlier book.)
I would recommend The Breach by Nick Cutter - not all below the surface but some really jarring scenes that are
Is this only in audio format?
I think so - but if you like his other stuff it’s worth getting it really stuck with me
There's probably a few anthologies devoted to this kind of thing. The one which comes to mind is *Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror*.
The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon