Going Down

Amid the ocean of mediocre paperbacks devoured on claustrophobic Tube journeys, only about one in every ten is actually worth reading and about one in a hundred truly outstanding. But, very occasionally, a book comes along that is not only utter genius but simply begs to be turned into a movie. When Jeff Long's The Descent did the rounds of the Empire Online office a year or so ago, we all agreed that this was one such title. Thankfully, it would appear that DreamWorks agrees with us, as the studio has just optioned the title with Blade II scribe David Goyer on board to adapt the novel and direct. Claustrophobic and chest-clutchingly tense, The Descent is based on the premise that the Earth is actually a vast network of underground tunnels reaching miles beneath the surface. Upon discovering entrances to this subterranean world, humankind decides - in a typically peace-loving manner - to send in the army for a quick butchers. Only a few of the soldiers ever emerge alive. As entrances to the tunnels are discovered across the globe, it transpires that they are far from uninhabited, containing a variant branch of our evolutionary tree - the homo hadalis. These Hadals are stronger, faster and better suited to seeing in the dark than their topside relatives and, what's more, they're none too pleased to find their home invaded. Suffice it to say that the book is supremely good and we'll be counting off the days until this one makes it to the screen.