Terminal Freeze

There's something about a hostile, desolate environment that makes for great thrillers. In Child's last book it was the deep of the ocean, in Terminal Freeze it's nearly at the roof of the earth. A team of scientists funded by a media conglomerate who wants to shoot a documentary are researching the effects of global warming in the frozen tundra that is Mount Fear. They find what they think is a fantastic prehistoric discovery. And then bodies start to pile up! That more or less summarizes Terminal Freeze. There's plenty more that goes on between the front and back covers (suspicion, ambition). The fact that it's in the northern reaches of the planet at a location that's so far removed from any civilization just adds to the tense moments because no matter what happens, the characters are well and truly cut off from any sort of help. As with any book by Lincoln Child you're going to get great thriller moments, an interesting overall story subject and explanation that is just plausible enough but not to the point where it doesn't leave the reader asking questions at the end. I enjoyed this one alot. It read really quickly, was tightly plotted and while it did have some science speak, it didn't feel overburdened by it or slow the pace down at all. Fans of Lincoln Child or the duo of Preston and Child should definetly give this a read.

This is my first Lincoln Child book and I almost didn't read it because a lot of the other reviews said that it didn't have a lot of action and it wasn't his best work. I remember reading the same type of comments for `Blasphemy' by Douglas Preston. I'm glad I ignored the detractors both times! I really, really enjoyed this book! The premise was too good to pass up and, for me; this was the perfect book at the perfect time. I was looking for a quick, bloody, and exciting read. I found it. Mr. Child has blended science, adventure, suspense (tons of it actually), slight humor, horror, history, mystery, and machismo in a way that all of these genres work together in harmony. If this was one Lincoln Child's "slow" books I'm extremely interested to see what his "better" books are like.

Once again, Lincoln Child has crafted a chilling tale (in more ways than one, certainly)of an Arctic scientific expedition and documentary gone horribly and unpredictably wrong. He absolutely delivers on what I expect -- the wonderful prose that takes you there; great, dimensional characters with various motivations; a very creepy setting; a creature that will make you want to turn the lights on and pull the covers up! And then a twist to bend your mind for an ending that'll keep your brain spinning after the last page. As usual for me, some of the science touched on throughout the book inspires me to go find out more. Fans of Mr. Child as well as all thriller fans who have yet to try him will enjoy this one. Any naysayers are missing the point -- I return to Mr. Child's books for a reason! He's a fabulous writer and storyteller who doesn't disappoint! Definitely recommended!

So far, every novel written by Mr. Child has kept me up into the wee hours of the night, and this one was certainly no exception. The story delivered everything I've come to expect from one of his novels - well-drawn characters, riveting details, and descriptions that make it so enjoyable and effortless to walk into the worlds he creates. It's about the cheapest vacation there is, to curl up for a few hours with one of his books. There's as much action as you would expect from a Child novel, with the usual technical proficiency and skill in building up tension, and creating dark corners for things to lurk in. There were also some very funny moments in the book, deftly written, that added dimension and interest to the characters. And I'd love to see a couple of new people introduced here return in future books, though in one instance at least that might prove to be a bit messy... Intelligent mayhem, mystery, and humor...you really can't ask for more than that. If you have read his books before I don't think you'll be disappointed, and if you haven't, this one's a fine place to start.

Mr. Child's latest novel "Terminal Freeze" was a treat to read. After eagerly awaiting the book's release, I was pleased to take it home and disappear into a great story filled with Child's usual rich attention to detail and his ability to draw the reader into the situation(s) that his well fleshed-out characters must endure. While some elements of the storyline are pleasingly familiar (isolation, a mysterious "terror" mowing down victims), Child manages to give us a story that has a fresh feel to it. This book is a definite "must read".