Rating:  Summary: Excellent. . . till the ending. Review: Overall, I loved the book. It's my first Child/Preston novel and was quite pleased. The character development was superb and the pacing was perfect. I won't go into the plot because just about every other reviewer has done that already. The only disappointment for me was the ending. When I finished reading the last page I actually said aloud "Gimme a break". It was like the ending of an old 50's scifi thriller. I expected more. Please, don't let this stop you from reading the book. It's well worth the time.
Rating:  Summary: Great Story, Disappointing Ending Review: After reading other Preston-Child novels (Riptide and Thunderhead, both amazing novels), I was optimistic about their next book. I found The Ice Limit to be true to the author's track record up until the ending. It lets down the fast pace the book has set, and leaves many questions. Still a fine ending, just below average for these authors. Overall, I would recommend this book simply for the fantastic first 90% of the story.
Rating:  Summary: Best Thriller! Review: Having read other books by the authors, I knew it would be good but I was surprised at how good! A large cast of characters, an extremely interesting premise and expertly told, the story leaves you breathless. I turned each page in anticipation and was never disappointed. A large meteorite is found in the southern tip of South America and one of the world's richest men decides he must claim this trophy for this museum. An engineering firm is hired to retrieve the rock and the adventure starts. All of the characters were very well drawn with my favorite being the head of the engineering company, Eli Glinn. I can't recommend this book highly enough and eagerly await the sequel (there must be a sequel!). In addition, I agree with other reviewers that a movie would be fantastic.
Rating:  Summary: The Ice Limit Review: It's been a long time since I've read a book with such an unusual story line. Excellent writing technique. I found it easy to visualize the story. The plot was amazing and captured my interest. I've recommended this book to all my friends. If you're looking for a good story, good writing, and an enjoyable experience, read this book! Outstanding.
Rating:  Summary: THE ICE LIMIT WAS ICEY HOT FROM THE START Review: This story was outstanding and suspenseful. It was somewhat different than the other stories Preston and Child has written. But I am a true fan of all their books, so I may be bias. I will not give any details here and I will probably get a NO HELP vote from readers of reveiws, but I will tell you this...the story has great depth in terms of character development. The story may seem slow but it is methodical in its suspenseful writing style. The ending leaves you hanging for a possible sequel. These guys did a great job here. I loved the story and so will you. You should take this review on blind faith that it is good... very good. Tripp
Rating:  Summary: The Ice Limit left me cold Review: I was hooked on Child & Preston after "Relic", and have enjoyed everything they have ever written. "The Ice Limit" was the usual quick enjoyable read; however, I really couldn't get past the ending. It was a decent idea, but not thought out enough, and certainly leaves you hanging...I've never liked that feeling.
Rating:  Summary: Great start, OK finish Review: Lots of authors write great popular fiction, but what really sets Preston and Child apart is the meticulous research they bring to their books. Ice Limit does not disappoint in this regard. The authors introduce a host of technical information without bogging down the plot. The detail is serious, but not overwhelming. In particular, their description of an elite engineering firm and its projects and methods is outstanding. In fact, I would go so far to say that this is their best researched, most tightly plotted book. Ice limit gets of to a great start and doesn't let up until the end. That said, the end seems a little hurried, almost tacked on. It's not bad, but it's so different from the rest of the novel it seems out of place. Ultimately, though, that's a small complaint about an otherwise great novel.
Rating:  Summary: This icy novel takes you to the limit of adventure... Review: I have been a longtime fan of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child ever since I read their incredibly fun 'Relic' (which still ranks for me as their best release-to-date) I am always excited when I see their next book on the shelf...and after finishing up 'Thunderhead' I just couldn't WAIT to read 'The Ice Limit' although I had my doubts that they could exceed the fantastic adventure I had just finished. Well not only is 'The Ice Limit' better (in MY opinion), they have come up with probably the most surprising ending since the 'The Sixth Sense'. Preston & Child have come up with another winner of a plot, this time we're at the very bottom of the world trying to recover the largest meteorite ever discovered. In fact, it turns out to be MUCH bigger than anyone predicted, making it by far the most valuable item of its kind in history. The problem now is finding a way to transport something so large from the Southern Hemisphere to the East coast of America...Enter Effective Engineering Solutions (EES) a company so certain of their success they actually GUARANTEE they will be able to pull off this amazing stunt. Herein lies the seeds of an incredible adventure which captured me literally from page ONE. I like a book that can seize my interest this way, and Preston & Child seem to have a knack for being able to do it in each of their books. From the eccentric Billionaire who wants the meteorite (Palmer Lloyd) to the mastermind behind moving it (Eli Glinn) and then we have the mysterious Sam McFarlane, who is tapped to help find this massive rock and assist Eli in figuring out all the details of how to move the largest item in history so far. Now if this wasn't action enough (trust me, it is) factor into the situation the Argentinian Navy which has a ship with a renegade captain who is determined--at ANY cost--to see to it that the arrogant Americans NEVER retrieve whatever it is they are looking for (because he doesn't know for sure himself). Preston & Child have once again served up an incredible action/adventure/thriller that keeps the pages turning as well as gives you an amazing surprise at the end--but PLEASE do NOT read ahead and spoil the surprise, trust me, it'll ruin the end if you do, but WOW!! What a GREAT ending! If you are a fan of these two fantastic and creative authors, do NOT hesitate, run out and grab this book and FORGET waiting until it comes out in paperback--this is worth EVERY PENNY in hardback (for the ending alone). Highly recommended.
Rating:  Summary: Completely Enjoyable. Review: These boys did their homework. The Ice Limit is a complete work. The premise--an expedition to retrieve the world's largest meteorite from an inhospitable Chilean island near Tierra del Fuego for a billionaire's museum--is worthy. The plotting is above par. Plenty of twists and page-turning suspense. And the surprise ending, foreshadowed throughout but difficult to predict, is a special treat, ratcheting the tale up another notch on the Richter scale of excellence. But two things make The Ice Limit a best-seller and sure candidate for a movie. One is the characterizations. With nearly ten major characters, it must have been a daunting task to keep them well-defined, easily identifiable, and fresh. Readers want characters, not caricatures. Child and Preston make their efforts look easy and transparent. My favorite was Eli Glinn, head of the engineering firm hired to scoop up the heaviest object ever moved by Man. He was unique, sort of a mixture of Roddenberry's Spock and Verne's Captain Nemo. The other bonus was the science. I almost thought they had overdone it at times, but by book end I was simply left impressed. And it's not the depth of their understanding of one particular subject; it's all the subjects. They researched everything. Meteorites, Chile, Antarctica, navigation, oil tankers, periodic charts, meteorology, structural engineering, naval ordnance, electronics, and on and on. They don't necessarily beat you upside the head with it. But they do prove that they're two smart guys. Bravo! --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.
Rating:  Summary: High Tech High Adventure Review: This one moves at breakneck speed and keeps you on the edge of your seat with the suspense. It's a "What's going to happen next? and what else can go wrong?" type of read that cannot be put down. The drama, plot, action, high tech approach and excitement are all top notch. More than anything, what grabbed me was how quickly the authors defined the cast of characters. The book contains a pretty substantial number of important players. Usually with a cast of meaningful members this large it takes a while to know who's who, and where so and so fits in the group dynamic. But in "The Ice Limit" that's no problem. Almost immediately the roles were clearly defined and the action took off. I thought the final sixty pages could have been done in twenty and that's all that kept me from giving five stars. This was my initial Preston/Child read and I will read them all. I'm hooked.
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