Flood

Stephen Baxter's 'Flood' plunges humanity into an unprecedented global catastrophe as sea levels begin to rise at an alarming, inexplicable rate – not inches, but metres per year. Within mere years, iconic global cities like London and New York are swallowed by the relentless waters, reducing once-vibrant metropolises to submerged tombs. Scientists grapple with the terrifying truth: ancient waters, long locked within Earth's mantle, are somehow being released, threatening to return the planet to a primordial, oceanic state. As the world drowns, survivors flee to ever-dwindling high ground, battling dwindling resources, rampant disease, and the crushing weight of despair. Nuclear submarines navigate the ruins of drowned civilizations, encountering ghastly fields of corpses, while populations are decimated. The novel meticulously tracks the desperate struggle of a small group of individuals, their personal stories interwoven with the unfolding global nightmare. With the horrific realization that escape is futile and the entire planet will soon be submerged, a desperate, final hope emerges for a select few: a modern-day ark, offering a slim chance at survival against the backdrop of humanity's final years on Earth.