Cathedral of the Drowned

by Nathan Ballingrud
Cathedral of the Drowned cover
Good Books rating 4.33
Science Fiction (Sci-Fi)
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  • ID: 9298
  • Added: 2025-12-23
  • Updated: 2025-12-23
  • ISBN: 9781250347695
  • Publisher: Tor Nightfire
  • Published: 2025-10-21
  • Reviews: 3

Cathedral of the Drowned is a chilling sequel that delves into the grotesque and the surreal. Charlie Duchamp's brain is split between a jar on Io and his body on Earth's moon, both halves grappling with their own horrors. One half yearns to return to his loved one, while the other is consumed by rage and the parasitic Moon Spiders. Their paths converge in the submerged ruins of a Cathedral ship, where a monstrous centipede called the Bishop controls the drowned astronaut-clergy./n/nThe novel explores themes of identity, transformation, and the struggle for control, all set against a backdrop of cosmic horror. The publisher has chosen to release this title without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM), allowing for a more accessible reading experience.

Reviews
Reading Reality · Marlene Harris · 2025-10-31
surreal 4.00

The book is even stranger than its predecessor, with a focus on gang warfare and drug running that adds a new layer of complexity. The reviewer appreciates the surreal and vivid storytelling.

Marlene Harris from Reading Reality notes that Cathedral of the Drowned is even stranger than its predecessor, with a focus on gang warfare and drug running that adds a new layer of complexity. They appreciate the surreal and vivid storytelling, which makes the book a unique and engaging read. The reviewer also highlights the disturbing imagery and the way the story weaves together different elements to create a cohesive and intriguing narrative.

Quick quotes

    Things that are even stranger yet in this second book, with gang warfare over the spidersilk trade devolving into lunar drug running and earthly ...

    A strange and surreal book that follows on beautifully from Book 1.

    Some disturbing imagery that revulses and fascinates.

Reddit - HorrorLit · 2025-08-26
rad 4.50

The book is just as good as its predecessor, with a phantasmagorical and rad storytelling style. The reviewer appreciates the unique and disturbing elements that make the book stand out.

A Reddit user in the HorrorLit community shares their enthusiasm for Cathedral of the Drowned, stating it's just as good as its predecessor. They highlight the phantasmagorical and rad storytelling style, which makes the book a standout in the genre. The reviewer appreciates the unique and disturbing elements that add depth and complexity to the narrative, making it a compelling read for fans of horror.

Quick quotes

    I am happy to report that CATHEDRAL OF THE DROWNED by Nathan Ballingrud is just as rad as its predecessor, 2024's Phantasmagorical masterpiece ...

    The book is just as good as its predecessor, with a phantasmagorical and rad storytelling style.

    The reviewer appreciates the unique and disturbing elements that make the book stand out.

Grimdark Magazine · 2025-08-06
engaging 4.50

The writing is entrancing and the characters are delightfully disturbed, making for an eerie and engaging horror experience. The story has a lot of depth and strange elements that keep the reader hooked.

Grimdark Magazine praises the entrancing writing and delightfully disturbed characters in Cathedral of the Drowned. The reviewer finds the eerie horror and strange elements particularly compelling, making it a standout in the genre. They appreciate the depth and complexity of the story, which keeps the reader engaged throughout. The reviewer also highlights the unique and disturbing imagery that adds to the overall atmosphere of the book.

Quick quotes

    Cathedral of the Drowned has even more entrancing writing, delightfully disturbed characters, eerie horror, and a whole lot more legs, eggs, and ...

    The story has a lot of depth and strange elements that keep the reader hooked.

    The writing is entrancing and the characters are delightfully disturbed.

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