This was an interesting, if short read. The characters drew me in quickly...I liked that all were very dedicated to the end purpose, albeit different reasons. Yes, I would have liked a "little" more substance to them, but maybe that's for a different story? The setting was obviously claustrophobic (and well done).

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a masterpiece in the making. A beautifully written dystopian, nautical, and nuclear armageddon tale, following Remy in learning truths hidden by religious brainwashing.

I’ll start with the style. I don’t usually like purple prose or writing that is too lyrical, and while this book seemed that way especially in the beginning, i absolutely loved the writing style in this book. I got absorbed into the story and the author weaved the tale, wrote the book, in a way that captures my attention solely to character and the plot. I only had a vague reminder of the writing style being that lyrical as i read through simply because i was too focussed on the character. Remy, oh remy. I have no words to describe how much her story impacted me. It was the perfect mix of character depth, backstory and development that continued to move the story forward.

The plot I believe was one of the most unique plots ive ever read!! The beginning and ending breaks my heart, and the middle kept me at the edge of my seat. The sombre undertone and the atmospheric way it was written just makes the plot so much more worthwhile. There was a clear and distinct voice leading a carefully laid out plot that had build up, tension and pay off. The themes it explored were handled so well. Religious trauma and cult, the way it was executed felt like the necessary research was done! And an amazing story all round.

I can think of few things that could’ve been done better. Maybe this is just my preference but i’d have loved to know more about the world building. Im left with WANTING SO MUCH MORE FROM THIS WORLD!!!! and i wish id gotten it especially considering the way it ended. On top of this side characters could’ve been developed more!

All in all this was a great read, and a short one too! So definitely give it a try!! Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/ Forge for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

Trigger warnings: castration, blood, religious cults

Thanks for Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This novella blew me away. It's set entirely on a submarine peopled with men who have survived the end of the world and formed a heavily Catholic-influenced religion to keep themselves together. Our protagonist is a castrati who provides a window into this harsh world.

The imagine of sublime, pure music rising through the decaying, creaking decks of the weathered submarine is so beautiful to me. This contrast runs through the book.

I slowed down reading this towards the end because I simply did not want it to end. My favourite novella of 2021 so far, easily.

A short novella with more action than many books twice its size. The characters are all vividly portrayed, even the ones in the background. I’m glad that I didn’t know anything about the plot so that all the twists were unexpected, even from the start. There are so many things I loved about this read. A Gothic atmosphere inside a submarine is genius, as is setting a monastery under the sea. There are many suspenseful moments told in beautiful prose. It is apocalyptic science fiction, speculative fiction, a spy thriller and a truly original story. Remy, the main character is compelling, resourceful and damaged - trying to do the right thing when it’s hard to know what that is. And the ending is so poignant and emotional. There aren’t enough words in the dictionary to describe how good this novella is so I’ll give 5 enthusiastic stars.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Macmillan-Tor/Forge!

I have eagerly been awaiting this novella since it was announced. I pre ordered it and since I was off from work today, finished it within a few hours. Imagine my surprise when a email notification confirmed that I had been selected to review this book on NetGalley. Insert shrug emoji 🤷🏼‍♂️! Oh well, im happy to say I would have purchased it anyways. This is a story I hope to return to time and time again. A bunch of fantatics roaming around a submarine waiting for a sign to unleash the final nail in humanities coffin, you can't go wrong with that. A deep sense of claustrophobia begins early on and doesn't let up until a powerful ending... To say more would spoil some surprises that you will not see coming. I would definitely recommend this novella, you won't be disappointed.

Happy Publication Day!
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We Shall Sing A Song Into The Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart, was an eerie read that captured my attention from the start. Hook, line and sinker!
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This is a short story with less than 200 pages, perfect for a quick read or readathons! It was so original - I wish I had more of the story, and more time with these characters... but I enjoyed the book regardless.
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Thank you Tor Publishing and NetGally for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Andrew Kelly Stewart's debut novella, We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep has got to be one of the most unique reads I've ever had the luxury of experiencing, and I would like to think that this is saying something.

Remy is a Chorister, and while they remember a life before that, they don't remember much. Now it is their job to sing the Hours and keep the mission going. To keep souls and beings soothed. It's a sacred job, or so Remy has been told.

Remy and their cohorts all live onboard the Leviathin, one of the last nuclear subs – with a deadly mission. However, Remy has a secret of their, or rather, her own. She's a girl hidden in a group of boys, a secret which belies her sweet singing voice. And it's that difference that results in her getting tasked with an all-new mission.

“Our collective hum joins the unending chorus of loud pinging, knocking, clanging.”

I can tell you with complete and total honesty that I have never read a novella quite like We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep. It was richly detailed, wonderfully written, and oh so compelling. It also did an excellent job of getting that brain of mine working, coming up with theories and much more.

It took me a little bit of time to get into Remy's story, but once I did, boy was I invested in what was happening! It was fascinating, trying to figure out how the world got to this point, what was actually happening, and who was trying to get what done.

The best part? Or perhaps the worst, depending on how you want to look at it. There's this lingering sense of paranoia and claustrophobia. It gets worse with time, as it feels like the submarine which has been Remy's home begins to close in on her. It's terrifying. And brilliant.

This is one of those novellas that makes me excited to see what else an author will create in time. I can't wait to see what Andrew Kelly Stewart writes next, and I know I'll be reading it, whatever it is.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this sci-fi novella eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

A story about a cult in a dystopian future that takes place in a submarine?  Aye!  This debut fit me mood perfectly and I loved it.  Though don't read the blurb if ye don't want spoilers galore.

The highlight of this book for me was the setting and atmosphere.  A doomsday cult hides out in a submarine waiting for the day to release the last nuke on board.  The main character, Remy, holds a special position on the sub but even that doesn't have a ton of perks.  Seriously life onboard is harsh.  I felt that this book captured life on an ancient, failing machine quite well.

Remy was a fun character to follow, if a bit naïve.  I did enjoy the world-building of a religious order on a sub.  It was fun to see the elements of Catholic monastery life mixed in with ship life.  The plot was a little bit unrealistic in terms of probability at times and needs some suspension of disbelief.  But I didn't ultimately care because I enjoyed it so.  Plus it is a super quick read as well.

This novella reminded me a bit of sisters of the vast black and I enjoyed comparing the two takes on religious fervor of the future.  I highly recommend both novellas and I will be checking out more of the author's work in the future.  Arrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Tor.com!

My thanks to NetGalley And Tor publishing for an advanced copy of this novel.

In We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart, a young Chorister with secrets by the name of Remy lives on a decaying submarine somewhere in the Pacific. Crewed by monks, some from the original crew of the Leviathan as they call the submarine, and some taken from raids on the surface world, where Remy is from. Upon the death of their Chaptain(sp) their new leader decides the time of Judgement is upon them and their final nuclear v middle should be launched to cleanse the Earth of wickedness and evil.
The world depicted in the book though claustrophobic is well thought out and fascinating to watch unfold, with characters that are interesting and you can't help but root for. The book is novella length, hopefully van intro to this brave new world, as I would love to know more about it. Once the story unfolds it seems amazing that something like this never happened. And looking at the world today hope it never will. A very interesting well thought out novel, one of my favorites I feel for the year.

In this post-apocalyptic SF, as the world very slowly recovers from a nuclear holocaust, one nuclear submarine continues to prowl under the oceans with a cult-like mission - to trigger the Second Coming at the right time.

The submarine steals (they claim rescues) young boys from the wickedness Topside, and castrates them to keep their singing voices pure. The boys are the submarine's Choristers who must sing at specified times of day in this monastic life.

Remy is a Chorister and a girl, but keeps that secret. Gradually, she learns things that change her view of the world and Topside. Remy comes of age and finally rejects the cult that has brought her up.

This book is such a refreshing, interesting read, I couldn't put it down! I loved the idea of a story set inside a submarine. The author does a great job of making the reader feel just how isolating and vulnerable it can be to be part of the crew, especially a young crew, knowing nothing of the world but what they've been told by their superiors. Remy is a great, compelling character that is developed in a beautiful manner throughout the story, you can really feel what she feels and have the same questions she has.
The revelations about the status of the world and what it means for the mission that this crew so firmly believe in are done in a way that makes you question everyone and everything, which makes this book an amazing page-turner. My favourite part about it is the ending, it's perhaps not your traditional ending, but it is the one that feels the most relatable and natural given the tone of the book as a whole.
I found this story to be captivating and I haven't stopped talking about this book since I read it, it stays with you and that is the sign of a great book in my opinion.

I really liked the beginning of the story, with its strong atmosphere and original setting. While reading I felt more and more oppressed, which wasn't surprising for a dystopian "huit-clos" in a nuclear submarine. The story is interesting, and the development is quite good for the first part, as we learn more and more about Remy, the whole situation, the context.
Alas I found very difficult to finish this novella, even as short as it is. I felt the story dragging and a bit repetitive, even in full action. I felt uncomfortable, and of course it's not supposed to be a feel good story, and all in all it's not unduly dark or intolerable in any ways. It probably wasn't the right time to me to read this story, a case of "it's not you, novella, but me". Still, the end was a deception, the author uses a rather classical way of finishing its story which I never liked, with many questions unanswered, in a vague way.
So rather a deception for me but probably not a reason not to read for anybody who's inspired by the presentation, as the story has many qualities.

A fresh take on a nuclear apocalypse that also manages to avoid the novella sin of not feeling like a complete story; I for one was perfectly satisfied with the somewhat open-ended final chapter. I found the prose to be incredibly evocative, especially concerning the sounds of the submarines and whales combined with the hymns Remy sang. It felt like I was there.

I do however have one incredibly petty criticism, namely that there were too many ellipsis in the dialogue! For some reason, once I noticed this I couldn’t unsee it and felt rather taken out of the story whenever they were used.

The increasing popularity of post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction makes finding an original story somewhat difficult. "We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep" is not completely unique, but it certainly stands apart from many others. I actually felt like the book could have been longer, which is a testament to its story. I wanted to have a little more time to understand some of the characters and their relationships, especially toward the latter stages of the tale, as well as the origin of the chaplain + captain AKA caplain. That said, I still think the author did wonderful work and kept the story alive and moving despite the dreary, dark setting. I wanted more from the ending, as well as a more nuanced take on how gender played a role in the story (which may have been difficult for a male author to provide). Thank you to the publisher ad Netgalley for the ARC.

A truly interesting and original story in the post-apocalyptic space. The prose definitely takes some time to get used to, I wouldn't say it's an easy read, particularly the beginning, but once it gets going it gets good. A powerful story about friendship, community, and questioning one's faith. The story covers a lot of ground as Remy struggles with some pretty major thems -- right and wrong, and truth and deception, deciding who to trust and who to help. And her ultimate decision to take a stand was exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. I didn't love the singing/choir aspect of it just because I struggled to really connect with that but that may just be me and the rest of the world was so different and specific that I got on board anyway. Strange, brutal at times, but ultimately a beautiful experience.

What an original book, I really enjoyed reading this. The story unfolds through Remy, a Chorister, who has lived on an old nuclear submarine with one nuclear missile left. On board with Remy are a group of monks who take care of the submarine, they also fish for food, something that is quite dangerous. The monks gather at Vespers, Compline, Matins etc to sing, the monks are all men, Remy is a woman she has a beautiful voice. All the men have been castrated prior to puberty to retain their voices, Remy is nearing that age when it will happen to her and her secret will become known. Women who had been previously encountered by the men when 'topside' have been left to their own devices while men have been brought into the submarine. When the old captain of the sub passes away, the new captain makes it known he wants to bring about the last judgment by launching the last missile. The missile launch process requires repairs and the monks kidnap a 'topsider' female to make them. One can certainly feel the claustrophobic atmosphere and the stress of wondering if the next dive is going to cause the sub to be crushed by external forces. I highly recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

What a haunting, brutal, and strange novella. A strange sect of submariner monks survive beneath the seas of a post-nuclear holocaust world, waiting for a final day of judgment to arrive. For such a short tale, there's a lot packed in here. For the first half of the book (until you get more information) the story felt completely out of time - it could have been set in an alternate past, present, or future. Remy, the main character, is complex and has to grapple with the nature of truth and faith. Other characters, however, aren't as compellingly drawn, likely due to the length constraints of the novella. If you want to read some unique post-apocalyptic or cult-centered fiction, absolutely check this debut out.

In "We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep" by Andrew Kelly Stewart, a group of monks prowl the devastated seas of a post-nuclear Earth in an aging submarine. On board is a single nuclear missile, and the monks' mission is to wait for God to declare the Last Judgment.

Remy, head Chorister on the submarine, Leviathan, has a secret. She's the only girl aboard the all-male vessel. Her golden voice saved her life when she was captured by the crew, but she's at the age where the other choristers undergo castration, so her secret won't be hers for much longer.

The Leviathan's captain dies, and the new "Caplain" is a much stricter master. He wants the Last Judgment to be called, so he can rain down nuclear fire on "Babylon." There's a problem with the controls, though, leading the crew to conduct a raid and capture a "Topsider" technician to repair the equipment.

The technician is a woman, and Remy visits her nightly to hear stories of the world above. They formulate a plan to keep the missile from being launched. Remy must choose between the world above and the world below, and whom to save or cast away.

The story is somehow spare and lush at the same time. A lot is packed into this short book, which has a taste of "A Canticle for Leibowitz" and "The Hunt for Red October," but is also unique. Some of the characters are not as well-drawn as others, but it's Remy's tale, and she is engaging.

The prose is descriptive, and I felt I could hear the groan of the metal as the submarine was under pressure, and the whale songs that contrasted with the Latin mass the Choristers sang.

Highly recommended.

I received an advanced copy from Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Aboard a submarine called the Leviathan lives a doomsday brotherhood who believe it is their sacred duty to bring about the Final Judgment and the End of Days. Among them is a chorister named Remy who is prized for his lovely singing voice.

However, Remy has a secret.

He is actually a she, and she must disguise the fact that she is a girl, and on top of that, the dying captain gives her the key to the Leviathan’s final launch missile.

Now she must grapple with her faith as she tries to figure out what is right and what is wrong.

We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart presents a richly imaginative alternative history to the Cold War, and honestly, I can say I haven’t been this engrossed in a story for a long time. It’s a nail-biting page-tuner that kept me up late at night to finish it, and even after I finished the final pages, the story still lingers with me.

Lyrical and haunting, the story borders almost into cosmic horror and magical realism territory, leaving readers to question what IS the truth alongside Remy. Overall, it's a stellar, well-thought-out novella, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Short but imaginative. Patriarchal doomsday cult (except the MC, a genderbending girl) in a submarine, plotting to use the world’s last nuke. Makes an impression but the ending is lacks the closure necessary ★★★½