At Sea

Being one of the boys was one thing. Being the boss of the boys was something else altogether.

Expert driller Zainab is called to take charge of a high-stakes oil rig operation. Unable to resist the opportunity, she leaves behind her pregnant sister and heads offshore for the job of her life. But there’s a catch. The rig is teetering on the edge of disaster – and Zainab is the only woman amongst 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 labours to investigate the rig’s imminent collapse. She quickly grasps that the real danger lies in the cold calculations and base desires of the men she is forced to spend every waking moment with.

As tensions rise and secrets unravel, Zainab races to uncover the truth bubbling below and fend off the looming catastrophe. Explosive and thought-provoking, At Sea is an exhilarating story about the clash of ambition, principle and prejudice, and the unexpected consequences of our choices.

“Zesty, intense and thrilling - a wonderful achievement. This is a jarring exposé of the satisfactions and brutality of the workplace. The joys of career success, the power struggles with colleagues, the humiliations and bruised sense of worth. How ambition can become a trap, and how structure and mental absorption can be an escape from family difficulties” - Leila Aboulela

Born in Sudan, Y.M. Abdel-Magied’s first job as a teenager was in a coal mine in rural Australia. After graduating with first class honours in Mechanical Engineering, Abdel-Magied trained and worked as a MWD (Measurement While Drilling) contractor and drilling engineer across Europe, Australia, Asia and the US. At Sea is Abdel-Magied’s first adult novel.