Unaware of his condition, he boards the Roanoke shortly before it begins a classified mission to the Kamchatka Peninsula, where it is supposed to spy on the development of an advanced Soviet submarine.

The book received generally positive reviews, with particular praise for its use of the claustrophobic environment of a submarine as a source of horror and suspense.

[4] Thomas Joyce of This Is Horror praised the well-researched portrayal of naval terminology and submarine operations, as well as the book's fast pace.

[2] Max Pfeffer of Geeks of Doom criticized the ensemble cast of characters, which he felt were flat and did not have enough time to develop.

However, he praised the novel's atmosphere, writing that "the novel's main source of tension comes from the ever-present comprehension of the men that there really isn't anywhere to run when things go horribly wrong.