Down in the Sea of Angels

Lambda Literary Award finalist and longlisted for the British Science Fiction Association Award for Best Novel for The Circus Infinite

Down in the Sea of Angels is an intense and thoughtful time-travelling dystopian fantasy where three individuals, psychically linked through time, fight enslavement, exploitation, and environmental collapse. A great read for fans of Emily St. John Mandel.

In the year 2106, climate change has altered the world, transforming borders, cities, and socioeconomic structures. Additionally, a cosmic event known as the “Bloom” has awakened psionic abilities in a small percentage of the population.

One such individual is Maida Sun, who possesses the ability to know the history of objects she touches. In the course of her new job with a cultural recovery project in San Francisco, she comes across an object that plunges her into the lives of Li Nuan, a sex-trafficked girl in a Chinatown brothel in 1906 longing for freedom, and Nathan, a tech-designer and hedonist in 2006 seeking greater purpose.

When a chance encounter with a political leader’s watch reveals a plan to eliminate psions – people like her – Maida must find a way to stop his agenda before it gains traction.

Flashes of the past and glimpses of the future provide Maida, Li Nuan and Nathan clues to help their own situations as they, each in their own way, confront exploitation and fight for liberation while living under the specter of environmental collapse.

Buy this Book

“Khan Wong brings past and future into intimate conversation with this thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful novel, weaving together three very different lives across time. Down in the Sea of Angels is a poignant exploration of the resilience of compassion, humanity’s (re)connection with the earth, and the bright beacon of community in dark times.”
– Ren Hutchings, author of Under Fortunate Stars

“These vivid worlds will make your mind expand and maybe burst; these flawed wonderful characters will make your heart ache and maybe break.”
– Sam J. Miller, Nebula-Award-winning author of Blackfish City

“A dazzling, time-bending thriller about three people living in San Francisco, separated by centuries but united by disaster. I was sucked in immediately, and delighted by the incredible worldbuilding and finely drawn characters. Every time I thought I had figured what was going to happen, it would get weirder and more fascinating.”
– Annalee Newitz, author of Autonomous and The Terraformers

“An absolute must read that strikes a multitude of chords in these turbulent times and leaves you feeling like you can still make a difference.”
– Dan Hanks, author of Captain Moxley and the Embers of the Empire and The Way Up is Death

“In this beautifully intricate story, Wong shows how our past, present, and future are all connected, and how we can build towards a brighter world.”
– Sunyi Dean, bestselling author of The Book Eaters

“With its visceral imagery and seamless blending of past and future, Down in the Sea of Angels is a treat to read.”
– Ciel Pierlot, Compton Crook award-nominated author of Bluebird, and The Hunter’s Gambit