Rating: 
Summary: Well-Written Teaser
Review: "Black Ice" begins with the discovery of a dead cop in a motel room that appears to be suicide, and ends with a revelation (uncovered by Harry Bosch) that the cop's death was murder. However, Harry is the only one to believe in the cop's murder until events unfold to prove him correct, and the suspects are hard to come by.This is typically well-written, fully-developed, and articulate Harry Bosch, only William Connelly's second novel (after "The Black Echo"). The plot is very well constructed, with revelations evenly paced throughout. The characters are more than placecards to hold their positions for the novel to unfold. Bosch proves himself the rebel of custom and protocol as he ventures through several states and countries. Readers familiar with the Bosch cycle of novels will not want to miss this one. Readers new to Bosch are advised to read "The Black Ice" first.
Rating: 
Summary: Better Than The First
Review: I really enjoyed the first in the series, The Black Echo; but this one is even better. The main character, Harry Bosch, is developing nicely. The mystery was intriguing. The only predictable thing is Harry seems to become attracted to all the women. Not very discriminating, but that might be a typical male trait. Overall, an excellent read!
Rating:
Summary: Better Than The First
Review: I really enjoyed the first in the series, The Black Echo; but this one is even better. The main character, Harry Bosch, is developing nicely. The mystery was intriguing. The only predictable thing is Harry seems to become attracted to all the women. Not very discriminating, but that might be a typical male trait. Overall, an excellent read!
Rating:
Summary: Stereotypical Set-up, but with Excellent Results
Review: I've been looking for this novel, you see. It's about a well adjusted and highly effective police detective, on the fast track, who is loved by all the brass and has a nice family waiting at home for him every night. This detective is given a lot of support by the investigative apparatus and has developed a nice working relationship with the press. He works cases methodically and practically, never making himself the target of some psycho. Well, I haven't found it yet, but one thing I can tell you is Harry Bosch is not that detective and The Black Ice is definitely not that book. Michael Connelly has developed the stereotypical me against the world cop book that comes off as anything but stereotypical. In this latest police procedural, the procedure are all thrown out the window as Bosch tries to solve the murder of a fellow policeman that no one seems to want solved. Tied in with the death of narcotic's officer Cal Moore's demise, is a few drug related killers and the recent sudden retirement of a fellow homicide detective. Connelly spins a web of corruption and lost youth, symbolically weaving together the tough childhood's of the slain detective and Bosch and takes the tale south of LA, to twin Mexican Border Towns and a ring of smugglers transporting the latest hip drug, Black Ice.
While this may not have been a great novel, Connelly does a great job with the subtle symbolism in this book. He doesn't need to hit you over the head with it and he gives the reader a lot of credit for intelligence. But then it all breaks down in the end after the obligatory action scenes, Bosch takes a turn as Hercule Poirot, and needs to explain everything down to the last detail to an ungrateful boss. For the most part this was a brisk paced and fun addition to the Harry Bosch series.
Rating:
Summary: Fast paced, character driven thriller!
Review: I've started reading the Harry Bosch novels in order (I'm funning that way). This of course is the second in the series. The characters were fresh and real. The mystery in the plot was there, however when all was revealed you could go, "ah ha". Hope you enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Great police thriller!
Review: It is my first book of Harry Bosh' series (but I've read other books by Michael Conelly that I liked) and I was impressed. There are many novels with the motif of 'lone wolf' but it is difficult to make the reader really like the main hero. This book is the one. The plot seems totally logical and realistic, and at the ame time intriguing until the end. Mexican background, including Harry' adventures there, seems real and interesting. The police work in LA is described with such details that you definetely get the atmosphere the writer tried to convey. Definitely recommended to all fans of mistery novels and police thrillers.
Rating: 
Summary: AUDIO TAPE WARNING - MULTI-TRACK STEREO
Review: Just a warning to all the audiobook listeners out there. The unabridged cassette tapes are multi-track stereo meaning that the cheap publisher uses the left and right channels to record separate chapters. So unless you have a headphone splitter the tape will not work correctly. I fail to understand why in this day and age, the publishers can't spend a few more pennies and put the 4 additional tapes in the box. If AOL can send out about a bizillion CD's a year for free, why can't this publibsher spring for some old fashon cassettes! I listened to about 5 minutes of it and couldn't stand it any longer. I would have returned it had it not been past the 30 days for Amazon's return policy.
Rating:
Summary: A stunning, exceptional crime novel!
Review: The Black Ice has been the fifth book of M.Connelly that I have read. So far, it is his best! The story is gripping, exciting, elaborate, suspensful, and absolutely well thought out.
The tensness is increasing permanently till the end with a finish that is quite surprising. In particular, I liked the way Connelly describes the character of Harry Bosch. You really 'learn' something about him and get some insights into his complex and 'different' personality.
If you like crime novels/police stories than this is for you! Although Connelly's way of writing is different from J.Ellroy or R.Chandler, his novels are absolutely comparable.
My recommendation is, buy the book 'The Harry Bosch Mysteries' where you've got the first three H.Bosch novels in a chronological order (The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Concrete Blonde). Although it is not essential it is better to start at the beginning due to the fact that some 'small stories' are much easier to understand.
I will continue to read the other books of M.Connelly because he is a great author in a time where you find loads of rubbish in the book shelves. BUY IT YOU WON'T REGRET IT!
Rating: 
Summary: A GATEWAY TO BETTER BOSCH...
Review: The Black Ice is book number two in the series of books by Michael Connelly that star detective Hieronymous Bosch. It is in ways more symbolic and experimental than both its predecessor and all of its successors. While this is interesting, and not entirely without merit, it all adds up to a sum that is less than its parts.
This is the weakest of the Bosch novels so far.
There is an overwrought, yet uncompleted feel to The Black Ice. Its conclusion in particular is more than a little far-fetched and all too convenient.
With that said, here is why The Black Ice is worth reading:
1. Michael Connelly is one of the most interesting and talented writers out there. The combination of his journalistic training and his ability to paint cinematic word pictures that still work as lengthy pieces of fiction is unmatched by other genre writers.
He links all of his books together in interesting ways. Once you step into his world, you begin to get inklings of just how vast it is. This is something rare in genre fiction--at least it is very rarely done this well.
2. Harry Bosch is one hell of a character. Rather than being the one-sided archetype so often found in genre fiction, Bosch is fully human. He is exceptional in that though he is quite humanized, he is completely dedicated to his "mission" as a detective--most ably summed up by Bosch himself:
"Everybody counts, or no one counts."
(An aside: I was recently discussing with my wife who her favorite character in Stephen King's Dark Tower Series is. We have read the books together. She went the emotional route and chose Oy--a sentimental, furry little creature.
When asked who mine is (outside of Cuthbert, who is a bit player in books 1 & 4) I answered Roland.
My wife does not like Roland. He is too mission-driven for her taste. I find, that like Bosch, Roland is more human for having to labor under the weight of a mission (I also feel that Oy gives his all for the mission as well, that he is not all cutesy and cuddly, but that is neither here nor there). The point being, that Bosch and Roland are two of the most fully fleshed out characters that I have come across in some time.
I feel that this is because, conciously or not, we all live by a "mission" of sorts; be they for ill or good.
an aside within an aside: my wife likes Bosch.)
3. The Black Ice is the gateway to the rest of the Bosch books. The books take a huge leap in quality from book three on. Its well worth paying the price of admission: reading the first two books.
I recommend the Bosch series of books very highly.
As part of that recommendation, I suggest you grin and bear The Black Ice.
Who knows, maybe you will find more here than I did.
Rating:
Summary: NOIR AND DULL
Review: The second harry Bosch novel, THE BLACK ICE, disappoints. Primarily because the character of Harry Bosch steps into the background. By that I mean the reader learns little new about loner, rebel cop Harry Bosch. That plus there is little action or conflict and thus little narrative tension. And the setting for the novel which is mainly in border Mexico is painted dull and drab and gray. Yawn. And I am a Harry Bosch fan. I plan on continuing in the Bosch series because I like the character and have hopes the author will do better. THE BLACK ICE does have a good bull fight scene and the mystery was logically, plausibly plotted. And one still gets the feeling we have a real working cop here in Harry Bosch. Not some fake fictional cop but the real thing. It is definitely noir but dull. Do better Connelly.
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