Lincolnshire landscape inspires dramatic new climate novel

Clive Simpson’s novel, Flood Waters Down, is already attracting attention as a gripping climate thriller rooted in the familiar landscapes of the Fens.

It is set mostly in a near-future Lincolnshire transformed by rising seas, failing infrastructure and rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI).

The novel visualises the fenlands as a flooded frontier where fractured communities cling to survival.

Although dystopian in tone, the story is firmly grounded in real places and local experience.

Clive, who lives in Little Hale with his wife Margaret, said Lincolnshire’s distinctive geography was central to the idea.

“The Fens have always fascinated me,” he says. “It’s a landscape that can feel both beautiful and fragile.”

“Living in low-lying parts of Lincolnshire, you’re always aware of how much daily life depends on the balance between land and water.”

The novel was partly inspired by the east coast storm surge of 2013, which brought serious flooding to parts of the county.

A visit to Surfleet Seas End in the aftermath of the surge proved a key moment.

“Standing by the lock gates there, it suddenly struck me how small the margin is between land and water in this part of the world,” said Clive.

“That stayed with me and gradually became the starting point for imagining what might happen if that balance tipped too far.”

The story follows Jack Craft, a man navigating a flooded and fractured fenland, who is joined by Sara Flynn, an operative from London.

They encounter Fen survivors, traders and powerful figures living inside Tulip Haven – a vast domed settlement built to shield the wealthy from environmental collapse.

“As well as being about the potential consequences of climate change, the book explores how technology shapes our lives – and who gets protected when systems begin to fail,” he added.

“It’s essentially a story about moral courage and endurance. About what people choose to hold on to when the water rises and the noise falls away.”

Clive, editor of the international magazine ROOM Space Journal, became a specialist writer on space and the environment after starting his career in local newspapers.

Support from Lincolnshire readers and local businesses has been hugely encouraging.

“It’s been fantastic to see such interest from local bookshops and readers,” he said.

“There’s something special about writing a story inspired by places you know so well and sharing it with people from the same area.”

Flood Waters Down is available online and through local bookshops, including The Travelling Bookshop in Sleaford, run by Kayleigh Panton.

“Scarily, it’s a very believable read,” said Kayleigh. “The familiar locations make it especially relatable for Lincolnshire readers.”