Oceanus was Hanna Delaney’s debut sci fi mystery novel, self-published in 2024. Since then, it has been re-released by Tiny Worlds Publishing as a second edition.
One part Solaris, one part today’s headlines.
Oceanus
A starship drifts, its crew gone. The planet it orbits has no name. Survivors are separated on the surface. Exhausted. Hunted. Lost. The longer they stay, the less they can trust their own minds. Their captor is as patient as he is bent on revenge.
Some prisons have no walls.
Oceanus is a futuristic thriller inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Oceanus tells a classic story of betrayal, forgiveness, love and deception against a backdrop of first contact, artificial intelligence and colonisation. A must-read suspenseful adventure story set in the 24th century.
Oceanus is now available direct from the publisher.
Why not support something 100% independent? Did you know: you can send your Tiny Worlds ebooks direct to kindle easily?
Review of Oceanus by Rusalka Books
‘The storyline of The Tempest is completely thrown on its head with this futuristic setting and the existence of Atlantis in deep space (not a spoiler). It was completely unrecognisable, yet all the puzzle pieces were there for me to assemble. I must admit, I did not put the pieces together, so the ending was a HUGE twist for me. But when I re-read it, they were definitely all there. For me, this is a show of truly skilled writing, because the clues Delaney wrote into different scenes were memorable, but not quite stand-out-y enough to make you immediately draw a full picture in your mind. And I love being in the dark when reading. It makes the moment the author switches the lights on so much more delicious!’ 🠖 Continue reading.
Review of Oceanus by The Word Dump
For such a brisk read Oceanus somehow packs in the feel of a slow burn into less than 200 pages— Which is no easy feat! There is a lot of build up as the events of the past unfold to explain why exactly Derrien and Thea are on Oceanus, as well as the role his brother and company played in his exile years before the onset of the novel. It’s quite neat, tidy, and engaging without muddling the plot by detracting from the simultaneous exploration of the present and the mysteries it holds. Well done on all fronts. 🠖 Continue reading
Where to get your copy of Oceanus
‘Builds, then takes off like a rocket.’
More reviews for Oceanus
‘The characters are excellent, and I found myself sympathizing with and understanding all of them. When I finished Oceanus, I was immensely intrigued how Hanna had adapted or took inspiration from The Tempest, so I borrowed an audiobook and listened through it. I HIGHLY recommend reading Oceanus, and then the Tempest, because I found that Hanna’s book allowed me to better understand the play, and man, I am impressed with the creative way in which pieces are adapted.’
Keith Long, Loser’s Fiction.
Inspiration behind Oceanus: Hanna Delaney’s science fiction mystery debut.
Below you can read these articles about what inspired this book:
- It’s just The Tempest in space, isn’t it?
- Prospero: Still relatable 400 years on?
- Oceanus: Excerpt
- Taming your first feral cat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Oceanus suitable for?
Everybody, like the play.
Oceanus is described as a dark, measured sci-fi thriller for readers who savour brooding isolation and the slow unravelling of betrayal and forgiveness in a hostile world. Oceanus is suitable for young adult readers as well as adult readers, but it does contain some violence and threat as well as suicide.
Do you need to have read The Tempest to understand Oceanus?
No. Readers have mentioned in their reviews for Oceanus that they had no prior knowledge of The Tempest, and still enjoyed the story of Oceanus. Oceanus is ‘inspired’ by The Tempest rather than simply a retelling, but readers have said that after reading Oceanus, they’ve then read the Shakespeare play and appreciated it more as a result.
Can I buy the e-book anywhere other than Amazon?
Yes. It is available directly from the publisher and can easily be saved on your preferred reading device. You can still buy the other formats via bookshops or request them at your local library.
Are signed copies available?
I do do signed copies and giveaways from time to time via my substack newsletter. There are no signed copies available at the moment, but I recommend subscribing to the newsletter to be the first to know when they are available.
Hanna Delaney is an author from Liverpool, UK. She is the author of Oceanus, the Muldoon supernatural thriller series and several collections of short stories including The Shade In the Sands.
Oceanus is a science fiction mystery thriller novel by Hanna Delaney. readers have directly compared the premise and the story to The Tempest as well as science fiction classics such as Solaris and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Readers describe Oceanus as a ‘slow burn’ with a ‘fast pace’.
Though Oceanus is praised for its connection with the original Shakespeare play The Tempest, readers do praise the story’s originality.
Fans of mystery sci fi thriller books like Wayward Pines, Dark Matter, Altered Carbon and Neuromancer will enjoy this standalone science fiction mystery. Oceanus carries elements of the psychological thriller as well as a multi POV narrative and an underlying mystery.