At Sea

De: Y.M. Abdel-Magied

A female driller takes charge of an isolated offshore oil rig with an entirely male crew in this propulsive novel about ambition, greed and the deadly consequences of ignoring Mother Nature.

When Zainab, an expert driller, is tasked with overseeing a high-stakes oil rig operation, she leaves behind her pregnant sister to embark on the most challenging assignment of her career. But there’s a catch. The rig is teetering on the edge of disaster—and Zainab is the only woman among a crew of hardened men who want absolutely nothing to do with her.

At the helm, but forced to prove herself at every turn, Zainab investigates the issues that have plagued the operation. When all her warnings are ignored, she quickly grasps that the real danger may lie in the cold calculations and base desires of the men determined to finish the operation as quickly and cheaply as possible. As tensions rise and secrets unravel, Zainab races to prevent the looming catastrophe that threatens the rig, the lives of the crew and the welfare of the sea before it’s too late.

Haunting, original, and as poetic as it is propulsive, At Sea is a gripping and distinctly feminist novel about principle, prejudice, and the capitalist endeavours that overlook the concerns of women—and of Mother Nature herself.

©2026 Y.M. Abdel-Magied (P)2026 Random House Canada