Review of The Deep and the Drowned by Ian Green

It's always exciting to discover an unexpectedly good book by a new-to-me writer. The story lingers and there is hope of goodness to come—a back catalog to comb for more gems. Ian Green's Extremophile was such a moment for me, and upon completion, I noticed Green was releasing a new novel this year, The Deep and the Drowned (2026). He did it at least once, can he do it again?

The Deep and the Drowned is the genre opposite of Extremophile. Not a bad thing, just am observation for would-be readers. Where Extremophile is edgy cyberpunk, The Deep & the Drowned is pirate fantasy adventure. Readers follow in the footsteps of Killian Heroneye, captain of the Cutlass Hawk. He and his crew pilot the isles, looking for buried treasure. And treasure is needed, not just because Heroneye wants the plaque above his door to remain valid, but he is also deep, deep in debt. Every island and every port runs the risk of debt collectors looking to collect, usually at the point of a sword. If that isn't bad enough, a powerful mage sees Heroneye as the key to meeting a sea god. The mage forces the captain into a mission that may just never see dry land again.