Subcutanean

A horror novel of parallel realities
where no two copies are the same

Buy Yours Now

 


New Bulk Pricing for Book Clubs/Stores!

 

                   

“may be the most unique book of 2020—or perhaps ever” The Verge


“Lurking inside this generative horror novel is a deeply felt and strangely moving coming-of-age story.” —Isaac Schankler

I wish I could read it again for the first time, and it's so fucking cool that I actually could.Chelsea Tuttle


I tore through this book in 2 sittings. I literally can't remember the last time that happened.” Tim Chaplin

Compulsively readable, profound and pleasingly ambiguous. Absolutely recommended.” —Ginger Nuts of Horror


“I don't even know how to praise this book properly. Damn. DAMN. If you like suspense/horror, read it. If you like procedurally generated content, read it. If you like page-turners, read it. If you like queer rep and a touch of angst, read it. The world ceased to exist around the edges of the book and I just had. To keep. Going. —@paperdroid

4.5 / 5 stars and 97% positive score on Goodreads!




Even more quotes, reviews, and reactions!

Get Your Own Copy

Possible worlds, impossible desires

Insecure college senior Orion loves music, books, and his best friend Niko. When the two of them find a secret basement in their rambling old off-campus house, at first Orion’s thrilled. It’s another secret to share, another adventure to maybe, at last, bring them closer together.

But something's wrong: the basement doesn't end.

Read the full plot summary on Goodreads

A book that's different every time

Subcutanean is a book from award-winning interactive fiction author Aaron A. Reed. Not a book where you make choices: instead, each copy has its own unique pathway through the story. The master text contains hundreds of places where words, sentences, even entire scenes can play out in different ways. Some texts affect others, setting up foreshadowing in earlier chapters and payoffs later. There are countless ways each book can be rendered. No two copies are ever quite the same.

The book's text is procedurally assembled but human-authored. Nothing is written by AI. Read more about how it works.

Start reading online

Read Subcutanean #01893 online for free on Wattpad, Royal Road, or Tapas.

Or listen to it as an audio book podcast!

Two Twitter bots did live readings of alternate versions of the novel.

Three Ways to Get Your Own Subcutanean

1. Custom Book with a Unique Seed

Order direct from the author to get a custom Subcutanean generated from a seed that will never be re-used. Each is a unique version of the novel. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery of this custom item.

Custom Paperback: $27 + shipping

8.5" by 5.5" paperback book, between 209 and 232 pages.

Pair of Paperbacks: $49 + shipping

Two paperbacks with different seeds, generated with special code to increase their distinctiveness. Read with a friend & compare notes! (More)

Custom Ebook: $9.95
(PDF, epub, & mobi; generally delivered in 1-3 days)
Pair of Ebooks with Distinct Seeds: $16.95
Cover of Subcutanean

2. Pre-generated Books

Several static versions of the book are also available on Amazon. These aren't unique copies, but will ship more quickly and may be cheaper to ship to addresses outside the US.

 
Paperback
$19.95 + shipping
Ebook
$9.95
Seed #30287
Seed #36619

3. Buy in Bulk

Need a bunch of Subcutaneans for a book club, store, or class? You can buy 4 or more unique copies shipped to a single US address for $25 each with free shipping. Click the button below, click "Send" then enter an amount: please also "add a note" confirming the number of copies and your US shipping address. For bulk international orders, contact me for a quote.

Buy 4+ copies

Collector's Edition USB Keys [SOLD OUT!]

These custom-made metal and glass USB keys were created as a deluxe reward for the crowdfunding campaign. Each key contained the full master source text from which every version of Subcutanean was generated, all the project's custom source code, and ten thousand different versions of the novel. No kidding!

The materials on the USB will be released into the public domain five years after Subcutanean's original publication date, in February 2025.

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Why I Made Subcutanean

Oct 28, 2019

I've always loved underground places. My new procedural novel Subcutanean makes surviving underground a metaphor for living.

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