Rating: 
Summary: Dean Koontz--Cold Fire (1991)
Review: A truly compelling story from beginning to end, "Cold Fire" might win "Dean Koontz's most bizarre novel about plane-crashes, stigmatas, aliens, psychic visions, and God" award. Set in sunny California, Jim Ironheart plays the protagonist, a regular school teacher who mysteriously sees visions of people who are supposed to die and then miraculously comes to their rescue. When Ironheart flies to Portland, Oregon to save a young child from getting pummelled by a drunk driver in front of a school, reporter Holly Thorne witnesses the feat and automatically becomes intrigued by the hero.When fate brings the two together on a flight from California to Chicago, Holly realizes that her need for the nation's top story is getting her in over her head--Jim is on board to save a mother and her child on the flight because it is supposed to crash. The events after the plane crash are superior, with Jim and Holly diving into the extraordinary abilities that our hero possesses, but also the dark secrets about his past that he is keeping locked up inside. Koontz uses his endless imagination to twirl his characters around with superb dialogue, mixing regular human fears (such as plane crashes, murderers, being alone in the dark, and guilt) with miraculously enigmas (such as telekinesis, psychic powers, religion, and psychological terror) to create stories that do not only scratch the surface of his readers, but also explodes into the very fiber of their being. The novel does get simply too outlandish at points and does not tie up enough loose ends (mainly because they are so many intangible thoughts and questions expressed throughout the piece); however, "Cold Fire" is another haunting tale that is so outrageous that it hits extremely close to home with its audience--something that no other author has been able to do so brilliantly in the past quarer century.
Rating: 
Summary: Already forgotten
Review: Another forgotten and not-exciting item in Koontz range. I had read it when I still had the hope that Koontz would be a real writer but this was the last attempt and I left him in the prcoss. I don't remember it much except that as usual there was a man and there was a woman and they met somewhere and tried to save something against something which is not memorable in the least. The same summary is applicable to: Watchers, Srangers, Dark Rivers of the Heart, House of Thunder, By the Light of the Moon..pufff. I don't remember this meaty thing and is there anyone? It is forgotten long time ago though it was published recently. Pity for trees.
Rating: 
Summary: This one has it all!
Review: This was the first Dean Koontz novel I've ever read, I'm so glad it was. This book has it all! Romance, mystery, suspense, action, even a touch of sci-fi. You couldn't ask for better characters, and I wish I could meet a Jim Ironheart! Great read, page-turner, will keep you up all night!
Rating:
Summary: My favorite Koontz book
Review: This os one of the earlier books by Koontz that I read and it has remained a favorite with me. So many other posts explained the plot that I won't bother, I'll just say that I really enjoyed "Cold Fire". It's classic Koontz and a great book for people to get introduced to Koontz's writing style. I've recommended this book to many friends and do to you too!
Rating:
Summary: Hot novel!
Review: Wow - I have been blown away by this fast paced novel. Until now, Watchers and From the Corner of His Eye have been my very favorite Koontz works, but I actually think Cold Fire is better - certainly as good as - both.
Cold Fire begins when Jim Ironheart is sent by an unknown force on a mission to save the life of a chosen child. On this journey, he bumps into uninspired reporter, Holly Thorne. Holly develops a deep interest in Jim's activities as her reporting skills discover this is not the first life he has saved. Holly is drawn into Jim's tangled life, where Jim is forced to confront demons from his past which threaten to destroy both he and Holly's future.
An amazing story, which for some reason is utterly believable. This is the greatest skill an author can hope to achieve and one with which Koontz is renowned for - the ability to turn fiction into believable science fiction, despite how far fetched the idea. Koontz has created a novel which you won't be able to put down.
The plane scene section of Cold Fire is totally gripping, fast paced and so real you most certainly won't want to read this part while airborne. I was in fact reading this section while traveling in a plane across turbulent Alaska, and happened to convince myself that the small carrier was going to crash and I was going to die. Fortunately it did not so I am able to write this review and hopefully convince you to pick up a copy of Cold Fire for an incredible read.
If you love Koontz, you will love Cold Fire. It's definitely one of his best ever -In summary, the novel is fast paced, extremely difficult to put down, the characters are very well developed and extremely lovable - flaws and all, for the romantics it contains a love story, its blended with the perfect balance of humor and in its entirity Cold Fire is totally gripping all the way.
Recommended!
Rating:
Summary: DON'T LISTEN ALONE!
Review:
Ever notice that when you're getting ready to listen to an audiobook you often choose one to fit your mood? For instance, if you want to be a little cheered up you may choose a comedy or if you would like a bit of history you opt for one that tells exciting stories about the past. Further, you may even select a place or time of day to listen. At our house I do not listen to Dean Koontz when I'm alone at night. This master of the macabre dispenses chills and shivers faster than a surprise winter blizzard.
Cold Fire is a case in point with its frightening dose of the paranormal . It's read with authority and skill yet little of the "performing art." That's not needed - Koontz's story does it all.
Jim Ironhart is a man obsessed - compelled to save people's lives. He's saved a dozen from certain death in the past three months and reporter Holly Thorne knows there's a story here.. What's driving this man? He has strange, unexplainable visions. Holly and Jim look to the past in their effort to find answers.
However, that past is a dark, frightening place. Don't go there (or listen) alone!
- Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: Dean Koontz--Cold Fire (1991)
Review: A truly compelling story from beginning to end, "Cold Fire" might win "Dean Koontz's most bizarre novel about plane-crashes, stigmatas, aliens, psychic visions, and God" award. Set in sunny California, Jim Ironheart plays the protagonist, a regular school teacher who mysteriously sees visions of people who are supposed to die and then miraculously comes to their rescue. When Ironheart flies to Portland, Oregon to save a young child from getting pummelled by a drunk driver in front of a school, reporter Holly Thorne witnesses the feat and automatically becomes intrigued by the hero. When fate brings the two together on a flight from California to Chicago, Holly realizes that her need for the nation's top story is getting her in over her head--Jim is on board to save a mother and her child on the flight because it is supposed to crash. The events after the plane crash are superior, with Jim and Holly diving into the extraordinary abilities that our hero possesses, but also the dark secrets about his past that he is keeping locked up inside. Koontz uses his endless imagination to twirl his characters around with superb dialogue, mixing regular human fears (such as plane crashes, murderers, being alone in the dark, and guilt) with miraculously enigmas (such as telekinesis, psychic powers, religion, and psychological terror) to create stories that do not only scratch the surface of his readers, but also explodes into the very fiber of their being. The novel does get simply too outlandish at points and does not tie up enough loose ends (mainly because they are so many intangible thoughts and questions expressed throughout the piece); however, "Cold Fire" is another haunting tale that is so outrageous that it hits extremely close to home with its audience--something that no other author has been able to do so brilliantly in the past quarer century.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing but not bad
Review: This book had an interesting premise, with suggestions of a supernatural battle between good and evil, but around the midpoint of the novel it starts to stumble. The overly psycho-analytical therapeutic touchy-feely stuff at the end of the novel feels like it was written by a different author from the more action-oriented gung-ho beginning. The supernatural mystery aspect of this novel also suffered from this disjoint. A good mystery author misdirects the reader but still creates a logical chain of events. The "solution" to the mystery is a borderline deus ex machina that's totally unsatisfying. Many things that were suggested or built up at the beginning of the novel are rendered pointless by the end. Having said that, Koontz's prose is certainly readable, his characters are interesting, albeit implausible, and the book was such a quick read that I can't feel too bitter about the ending.
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