In the Doldrums

By Simon Dieppe

A strategic, manmade global pandemic.
A nuclear response.
A new, dark age for humanity.

Two weeks before, washed-up writer, Donal O'Brien, boards the container ship Thalassa. In a last-ditch attempt to gain literary immortality, he has left his life behind to immerse himself in a new world - a world he hopes will inspire him to create his masterpiece. He is to tell the story of those who live at sea, those whose work invisibly greases the cogs of modern consumerism. It is a world of ingrained inequality, a melting pot of nations, a soup of stories.

Then, as the ship reaches the quiet of the Mid-Atlantic Doldrums, humanity implodes.

Unsure of what remains of the world they left behind, the crew of twenty-two must find a way to survive - not only from the catastrophe that surrounds them, but from each other.

In the Doldrums is a speculative psychological thriller, murder mystery and examination of the human condition all rolled up into one.

For lovers of literary dystopian, post-apocalyptic fiction who enjoyed novels such as Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven and Hannah Jameson's The Last.

"In the Doldrums felt like an old school dystopian novel in terms of pacing and its character-driven plot. It took its time but never in a way that felt slow or unnecessary. The writing was confident, succinct and captivating, and a must if you love the works of John Wyndham and the likes. If you take a chance on a self-published novel this year, I couldn't recommend In the Doldrums enough." Dystopic.co.uk

★★★★★ "I feel like I discovered an unknown gem, and I want everyone to read this." Adele, Booksirens

★★★★★ "A beautifully written post-apocalyptic tale. The juxtaposing themes of hope, despair, loneliness, fear, paranoia and friendship are all explored and navigated expertly. The geographically, scientifically and historically accurate facts grounds the story in realism and allows you to truly picture the settings and places from the story." John Athan

★★★★★ "Clever writing in a future that is entirely believable." S.Bowsher

★★★★★ "Really good, chillingly appropriate for the times." N.J. Blake

In the Doldrums is a must-read for anyone who loves intelligent post-apocalyptic literary fiction with a twist, like: The Road - Cormac McCarthyThe Last - Hannah JamesonEnd Of The World Running Club - Adrian J. WalkerStation Eleven - Emily St John MandelThe Parable of the Sower - Olivia. E. ButlerA Boy And His Dog At The End Of The World - C.A. FletcherThe Wall - John Lancaster

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CSB652P1
• ISBN13: 9798873538942
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 8.0"