Deep Freeze

I don't know about the reviewers who were so upset by this book; I wasn't expecting Joan Didion. I got a solid thriller with a premise that seemed pretty ridiculous (well, that is intil this weekend when the lows in LA hit the low 30's). Is it slightly silly? Sure. But it's also a great big bon-bon of a book that I defy you to not consume in one sitting. Like one of the better disaster movies of the 70's, you may have a few minutes of "well that couldn't possibly happen!" moments afterward. Then again if we were having precipitation in Los Angeles this weekend it would be snow....

This was my first experience reading Thom Racina. I picked it up at Sam's because it looked interesting. I read Deep Freeze within about 3 days, and was happy with it. With the recent weather problems around the world, the story is somewhat believeable. I enjoyed reading this book, and may check out his other books. I know some others give him bad reviews, but I do not judge a book by reviews or by it's "movie potential". For me, if it is a good story and written well enough that I do not notice any errors or screwups, then I am happy with it. I would reccomend this book to anyone as it is a good story with decent characters.

Veteran soap & thriller writer Racina combines the best of both his worlds wth this juicy read, perfect for vacation or a long plane trip. He imagines the City of Angels undergoing a "deep freeze" and all the disasterous consequences that would follow---of course, complicated by various sublots with an assortment of colorful characters. He knows L.A. and he knows showbiz, so he is particularly good with his characterizations and dialogue. It also helps that he penned the famous "Ice Princess" storyline in GENERAL HOSPITAL's heyday, so he's more than familiar with what happens when a metropolis undergoes a meteorological snafu! Lots of fun to add to your beach bag or summer cottage library collection!

In an area that is known for its warm climate and sunshine, Southern California is undergoing horrible weather including unseasonably cold temperatures and weeks of heavy rain. The worst is yet to come as leading meteorologists predict ice storms and snow with a good chance of a blizzard. The people of Southern California are woefully unprepared for this horrific weather. The Kings, the people who worship Jeffrey the way Charles Manson was once revered by his followers, are waiting for the blizzard to come. The Kings know that the poor people in the valley who will feel the effects of the weather first will go to the hills and take over the homes of the rich people, killing the wealthy because the Kings will egg them on. The family of Robert Hanwell needs to get out their home and get their daughter to the hospital for an operation or she will die. Some other members of the Hanwell family reach out a helping hand while others react to the situation by drinking themselves into oblivion or looting, a microcosm of what is happening in all of Southern California. Readers who like disaster books or movies (this novel would make a fantastic one) like Earthquake, Volcano and Typhoon will want to read DEEP FREEZE. A crisis of this magnitude brings out the best in some and the worse in others as brilliantly portrayed by two brothers who react in diametrically opposite ways. Mr. Racina is a master of suspense who creates deep characterizations and this tale demonstrates the wide range of his considerably unique talent. Harriet Klausner