Cold as Ice

Cold as Ice is a very fine work, by one of the best science fiction writers of our time. I am sorry indeed to hear of Charles Sheffield's passing last year. I enjoyed the wit, humor and hands on realism of this book, and others of his. Of the works of his I have read, this is the best yet. The story line keeps one engaged, the background of the Great War that is now over, leaving humanity bruised and battered, and the space lanes strewn with lost hopes and ghost ships is a engaging and believable background indeed. And the characters are real, human and they invite us to follow their efforts in many ways. The issues of science in service to politics, war and social needs is raised in subtle ways, and the sacrifice and challenges faced in many ways in this story evoke and raise questions for contemporary contemplation. I would urge any who have encountered Sheffield's work to read this as one of his best, and congratulate those other readers who already know and appreciate the fine qualities of this superior work.

For years Charles Sheffield has been one of my favorite science fiction authors--right up there with current "wouldn't miss" authors like Greg Bear, Orson Scott Card, Ursula LeGuin, Robert Sawyer and Gene Wolfe--and this will be as much a eulogy as a review of COLD AS ICE. I looked forward to a Sheffield novel or novelette every year or so. Some say he wrote space opera--but if so, it was a superior kind. COLD AS ICE, set in the near-future solar system and something like a sequel to THE JUPITER PROJECT, is less of a space opera than, say, Sheffield's "Convergence" tales. I read it years ago and reread it last week before going on to its 2002 sequel, DARK AS DAY. Sheffield's last book is quite good after a somewhat frivolous start, grows better with each chapter, and I genuinely recommend it, but COLD AS ICE remains my personal favorite of all his longer fiction.Sheffield had the mind of a scientist, a waggish wit, and the soul of a poet--a rare combination in science-fiction, which has been able to attract writers of significance like Ted Sturgeon, humorists as prolific as Ron Goulart and Terry Pratchett, and scientists like Gregory Benford, but seldom has the genre had an author whose elements were so mix'd as in Charles Sheffield, enabling us to shout, "This was a writer!" Sheffield's poetic diction and irrepressible wit probably emerged from his own temperament. He seems to have been a glorious romantic who had next to no male supremacy hangups. "At the Eschaton," a novelette that whirls us, a la Olaf Stapledon, from our time to the far distant future, is the most genuinely romantic work ever to emerge out of science-fiction, a mind-blowing exploration of "eternal love." It remains the best sci-fi short novel I've ever read (although the novel-length expansion was one of Sheffield's lesser efforts).In a different way COLD AS ICE is also a superb romance, with realistic, sometimes imperfect, relationships of many kinds, from friendship to love (both mature and immature). While these interactions are building, the action never for a moment lets up, and the science, while cutting-edge, is extrapolated from current physical theories. The setting, mainly on Jupiter's ice-covered moon Europa, is deliciously described and the preservation of Europa from human contamination has resonance for our time. It's a slam-bang adventure tale, with (as usual in Sheffield) a mystery to be solved. But most of all I appreciate Sheffield's subtle, realistic, and warm humans in this fine book--something, alas, Arthur Clarke has never achieved. Humans like "Megachirops" the Great Bat, a fat and sometimes too-arrogant genius (whom we met in THE JUPITER PROJECT and who shows up for a third appearance in DARK AS DAY, I'm happy to report), the three young people of special talents whose mystery is the backbone of the book, and even the lesser characters. It's correct to call this a next-step-in-human evolution novel, but it takes evolution in small steps--don

"Cold As Ice" was my introduction to Charles Sheffield. I just picked it up by chance at a grocery store back in '95. It is a wonderful book! I have since bought the hardcover edition which is very hard to come by! The story develops very well and like others have noted, you don't have a real clear idea of who the principle character is until well into the story. Sheffield had a knack for developing very unique characters. You have a real sense of understanding and appreciation for each person's situation and philosophies. Unlike some hard science fiction novelists (who tend to focus soley on the their ability to wow us with their indepth knowledge of theoretical physics and remind the rest of us how ignorant we are) Sheffield exposes the reader to incredibly detailed settings, rich, believable characters, and wonderfully acurate scientific insight. Unfortunately, Mr. Sheffield died on November 2nd of this year. He will be missed. If you're looking for a novel that will satisfy the hard science fiction fan as well as the average reader, then "Cold As Ice" is a good entry into the creative mind of Charles Sheffield.

This was a very good book, with a great plot, no matter what that dude above me says. It twists and turns and involves several very interesting and unique characters, with a good satisfying end.

I loved this book from start to finish! The mystery and suspense kept my eyes glued to the pages. A real page turner!!!!