Symbiote

Contagion meets The Walking Dead in this new sci-fi thriller where a biological threat ravages scientists and military personnel at the South Pole.

As World War III rages, the scientists in Antarctica are thankful for the isolation – until a group of Chinese scientists arrive at the American research base. In their truck is a dead body, the first murder in Antarctica. The potential for a geopolitical firestorm is great, and, with no clear jurisdiction, the Americans don’t know what to do. But they soon realize the Chinese scientists have brought far more with them than the body…

Within seventy-two hours, thirteen others lie dead in the snow, murdered in acts of madness and superhuman strength.An extremophile parasite from the truck, triggered by severe cold, is spreading by touch. It is learning from them. Evolving. It triggers violent tendencies in the winter crew, and, more insidiously, the beginnings of a strange symbiotic telepathy.

Exhausted by suspicion and fear, with rescue impossible for months, the desperate crew members turn on each other. A small group of survivors try to resist the siren call of the growing hive mind and stay alive long enough to solve the mystery of the symbiotic microbe’s origins. But the symbiote is more than a disease – it is a biological weapon that can change the balance of power in a time of war.

The survivors cannot let anyone infected make it to the summer season, when planes will arrive to take them – and potentially the symbiote – back to civilization."Compulsively readable and utterly chilling... Highly recommend for readers of sci-fi thrillers, cli-fi, bioterrorism fiction and Tom Clancy fans who enjoy a bit of SF in their political thrillers."
– Library Journal (Starred Review)

"A fascinating focus on the psychological effects of isolation...readers looking for thrills and thrills alone with find plenty of them here."
– Publishers Weekly

"Fantastic...A sci-fi thriller in the vein of Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy!"
– Book Riot

“An entertaining and tense horror tale that uses intelligent science to enhance the scares.”
– Science Fiction Book Reviews

"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.”
– Grim Dark MagazineMichael Nayak was born in Los Angeles and now lives in Washington, DC. By day, he is Doctor/Major Nayak, working for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). He is a USAF Test Pilot School graduate, Rotary National Award for Space Achievement recipient, and has 1,000+ hours of flight time in 40+ aircraft including the F-16, T-38, EA500 and BE-76. His real-world experience in the science and intelligence communities adds next-level authentic details and a touch of hyper-realism to his work.