Based on real-world experiences at the South Pole.
Join me at one of several author events supporting Symbiote — details here.
Play the Symbiote sticker game! Join us here.
SYMBIOTE:
now available!
“Compulsively readable and utterly chilling […] The tension increases on every page.”
“A grim, violent tale as hard to resist as the rapidly evolving symbiote.”
“The imaginative and beautifully descriptive language Nayak employs ensures you feel the tension [...] This is a fast-paced horror set at the extremes of the human condition, that will grab you by the throat and drag you along for the ride.”
“Sparse but effective scene-setting [...] Readers looking for thrills [...] will find plenty of them here.”
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GUEST POST: THE BIG IDEA (john scalzi blog)
On John Scalzi’s Hugo award winning blog “Whatever”, I discuss the “Big Idea” behind my debut novel “Symbiote”. Check it out!
Desolation: what does nothing really look like?
Isolation: A petri dish for the human psyche
The South Pole as a setting: More than just a backdrop
The Biological Threat: A metaphor for human fragility
Why This Story Matters
…and more! Check it out here.
“This is a sci-fi thriller in the vein of Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy! ”
SYMBIOTE recommended by THE GUARDIAN
Thrilled to be favorably reviewed by the “The Guardian”!
See “The best science fiction, fantasy and horror – reviews roundup” for more.
“The author of this debut novel has worked at an Antarctic research station, and excels in capturing the wonder as well as the fear it inspires [...] A grim, violent tale as hard to resist as the rapidly evolving symbiote.”
PODCAST ALERT: EPISODE 650, The functional nerds
I was thrilled to join Tracy Townsend and two-time Hugo Award Winner Patrick Hester on the marquee 650th episode of their podcast, The Functional Nerds. We chatted Antarctica, Symbiote, living in the cold, OK Go, and so much more!
Check out Episode 650 of the Functional Nerds podcast, located here!
GUEST POST: SPACE, on EARTH (FanFIADDICT)
Check out the full post on FanFiAddict, located here!
REVIEW: SF BOOK REVIEWS
Check out the review and blog post here!
“An entertaining and tense horror tale that uses intelligent science to enhance the scares.”
Image courtesy of @egobookclub
“The characters felt real, and complex; and the world-building seems frighteningly likely given everything going on in the world recently.
I’m glad this is book 1 in a series, because it means I get to find out what happens next. [...] Book two please. Soon.”
SYMBIOTE RECOMMENDED by GRIM DARK MAGAZINE
“This is a fast-paced horror set at the extremes of the human condition, that will grab you by the throat and drag you along for the ride.”
“Symbiote blends “The Thing” with “28 Days Later” and a dash of “Alien”.”
Read the full review here.
SYMBIOTE recommended by DCTRENDING
As an author, it’s always a special privilege to be recognized by bookstores in your local area! Symbiote was recommended by DCTrending for its 2024 Winter Booklist!
Full list here.
“Nayak’s upcoming Symbiote is genre-bending, blending elements from science fiction, climate fiction, and military thrillers [...] Every turn of the page is tense and atmospheric, and it makes for a perfect wintertime read.”
SYMBIOTE recommended by NEW SCIENTIST
“Symbiote” makes New Scientist’s list of “The best science fiction novels to look forward to in 2025”!
Full list and article here.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW, LIBRARY JOURNAL
“As an author, I found myself wondering [...] what if, instead of forging [the crew] together, something rips them apart? Turns them against each other? Then the unique beauty of the South Pole morphs. The persistent darkness becomes sinister.
Sitting at South Pole Station with my pen in my hand, I looked out of the window and imagined what the scenery might look like with no sunlight, and my imagination took off from there. And that’s how Symbiote was born. ”
“In many ways, DARPA and being a science-fiction author have a lot in common. You imagine a future. You try to ground it in reality [...] You have to believe in the vision so much that it becomes true.”
“I would love for a reader to turn to the last page and ask themselves: How much of that was science fiction, and how much of it was science fact? ”
Full interview here: “LJ Talks with Michael Nayak, Debut Author and DARPA Program Manager”.
SYMBIOTE LISTED IN “25 Science Fiction Books to Read in 2025”
Courtesy Books, Bones & Buffy (Adventures in Speculative Fiction).
Full list of 25 sci-fi books for 2025 here.
SYMBIOTE LISTED IN LIBRARY JOURNAL’s “SF & FANTASY TRENDS AND TITLES TO KNOW”
“The science-lab side of sci-fi horror is chillingly represented in Michael Nayak’s debut novel Symbiote.”
Full article here: “Expanding Worlds | SF & Fantasy Trends and Titles to Know”.
Announcement: STARRED LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW! SFF DEBUT OF THE MONTH
“Compulsively readable and utterly chilling SF thriller by DARPA researcher and polar scientist Nayak… The tension increases on every page.”
Full review here.
Announcement: PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW
“Nayak enhances the familiar setup with sparse but effective scene-setting […] and a fascinating focus on the psychological effects of isolation and sun depravation. […] readers looking for thrills and thrills alone will find plenty of them here.”
Full review here.
Announcement: AUTHOR PAGE
My author page at Angry Robot Books is now live! Click HERE to check it out.
Author page live on the publisher’s website (Courtesy Angry Robot Books)
Announcement: COVER REVEAL FOR SYMBIOTE!
I’m excited to reveal the cover for my debut novel: Symbiote, coming February 2025 from Angry Robot Books. Huge thanks to FanFiAddict for the reveal!
Click here for more information:
Announcement: TWO-BOOK PUBLISHING DEAL!
I'm thrilled to announce that my debut sci-fi novel (and its sequel) have been acquired by Angry Robot Books!! The two-book deal will be distributed in the USA by Penguin Random House.
If you're interested in a story about extreme environments, human isolation and its effects, biological science-fiction, and mil/intel action... stay tuned! The first book will be released in February 2025.
If you'd like to follow my writing adventures, join me on Twitter/X @mikeynayak #amwriting #amwritingfiction.
Huge kudos to my wonderful agent Lindsay Guzzardo from Martin Literary Management for cinching this deal!