Ice Hunt

Rating:
Summary: Preposterous Plot, Convoluted Conspiracies - Disappointing!
Review: After finishing James Rollins' "Sandstorm," my first book by the author, I couldn't wait to read another of his novels. I was hoping for an equally intelligent, exciting, rollercoaster ride of an adventure. "Ice Hunt" was my choice and I am very disappointed. There is too much going on at once here. I am a believer in multi-tasking, but Mr. Rollins' various plots, and several subplots, along with too many protagonists and minor characters, are simply mind-boggling! All action and little depth is the best way to describe "Ice Hunt." Even the main plot, takes a backseat to movement. And, unfortunately, the storyline is preposterous. I enjoy fantasy fiction, and "Sandstorm" - a definite 5 Star novel - certainly stretched my imagination, in the best possible way. However," Ice Hunt's" exotic wildlife, the rationale and priorities of several characters, and the manner in which many problems are resolved, left me incredulous, and at times rolling my eyes!

The USS Polar Sentinel, a brand new sub and test model for future generations of attack vessels, is presently being utilized for scientific research. A startling discovery is made during a routine mission. The sub's equipment detects a vast inverted ice mountain containing a secret scientific laboratory. It is an abandoned polar station, originally built and utilized by the former Soviet Union during and after WWII. The base was actually constructed inside the ice. The Polar Sentinel's commanding officer decides to occupy the station to explore, conduct research, discover the reason for the station's highly confidential existence, and the reason why the Soviet scientists, who once worked here, had been left to die tragically - their fate unknown, even to their families.

Meanwhile, a Russian admiral, the son of the man who was once in charge of the polar station, is on another submarine - this one Russian, making its way toward the now US occupied polar station. He has dangerously original plans of his own for the future of the base, the iceberg and the Arctic polar ice cap.

Max Pike, a Fish and Game officer cataloging bear populations in the remote Brooks Range, who is also a former Green Beret, (convenient), finds a small plane, which has been shot out of the sky. Matt rescues the only survivor, who says he is a journalist traveling to the polar station. They barely have a chance to exchange names when they find themselves relentlessly pursued by black clad Russian special forces, who aim to kill. Somewhere along the way, Matt's Inuit ex-wife, her father, and their dog join the two men, and attempt to escape their pursuers in the ex-wife's airplane. Eventually everyone winds up at the polar base. And the action hasn't even begun.

There's yet another base on the polar ice cap, (the Arctic has become quite crowded!), the US Omega Drift Station, but I won't confuse you with the details. Too many convoluted conspiracies, an over abundance of conflict, and a pace that could win marathons. Threads dangle at the conclusion. Many characters are just too shallow, so their motivations appear irrational at times.

I did enjoy, immensely, Mr. Rollins' descriptions of life at the Arctic circle. His knowledge of the elements and the unbelievable landscape, above and below the ice, is impressive and fascinating. I also really enjoyed the first part of the novel, before I felt like the action and speed took over the narrative.
JANA

Rating:
Summary: Great book to cool off with in this Texas heat
Review: Another great ride with my favorite author, James Rollins. I picked up Ice Hunt to read at the pool this summer. Again, Mr. Rollins keeps us turning the pages so quickly from all the action and plot twists that I found myself struggling to put the book down. I love the "science mixed with adventure" theme in all of his books. I appreciate all the research that goes into each novel.

This book is a must read! Where will Mr. Rollins take us next?

Rating:
Summary: Ice Hunt
Review: Buckle your seat belts, folks! This is what I love about Rollins. His books are so much fun. From the first page to the last, you are on such a unique ride. I don't want to spoil any of the action or surprises, but 'WOW'! And his characters are so enjoyable. Let's just say Kowalski is my favorite, and I'm sure you'll figure out why once you read the book. If you like action, suspense, and some great humor, I can't imagine how you wouldn't love Ice Hunt.

Rating:
Summary: ICE HUNT WILL LEAVE YOU CHILLED WITH THRILLS!
Review: DEFINITELY HIS BEST BOOK TO DATE! ENOUGH ACTION FOR THREE BOOKS! REMINISCENT OF MATT REILLY'S ICE STATION, BUT WITH BETTER CHARACTERIZATION,JUST AS MUCH ACTION, AND A MORE COMPLEX PLOT!
JUST PICK IT UP, AND READ IT! YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED! A WHOLE LOT OF FUN TO READ!!!

Rating:
Summary: ICE ONE, HUNT ZERO
Review: For fans of Irwin Allen's VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, James Rollins ICE HUNT pays loving tribute to the style, tone and form of the film, mixed with similar types of action, pacing and storytelling. It's a throwback kind of thriller, pulpy, but fused with current technology and hard science...and if you like what you've read there, then stop reading here, because ICE HUNT is for you, but if you're looking for something more, something that bucks the standard cut and paste techno/adventure/science/submarine/thriller/monster hunt/spy vs. spy/cold war/science shocker/adventure, then ICE HUNT fails on all levels. To be blunt, the book is just plain boring. It has a rich idea, and Rollins does manage to mine some promise from the storyline at times (and if the book had been more geared towards the horror/thriller side of publishing, then ICE HUNT would have fared much better), but for the most part the book is dragged down by too much cardboard, mind numbing backstory (no one is happy in this book, at all, about anything, and it seems NO ONE had a happy childhood, marriage or career... and Rollins isn't content just to give his characters one or two problems, but EVERY problem he can imagine...the leads, Matt and Jenny, alone in the book suffer through a host of problems that most people don't suffer in two lifetimes, let alone one, and all in the space of 394 pages), "one thing after another" action and repeative exposition (Rollins often repeats action from the previous chapter to remind readers of what has happened early on in the book, and by the end he has it repeated sometimes from paragrpah to paragraph), dialouge, and overly clipped and metaphor heavy writing (although to give Rollins credit, there are only so many ways you can write about snow and ice, and Rollins uses them all here, by the close of the book we've moved from the hard science of ice and snow down into Middle Earth where everything looks like dragons bones, teeth and claws). This book really seems less written for the reader, and more written for the small screen. It's a treatment, nothing more. Fused with all the bells and whistles a television mini-series craves for sweeps, if sold, I'm sure will be a big hit. But as a book, ICE HUNT doesn't reward you for the effort put into it. A bigger book for Rollins, some better ideas found inside, but still not a breakthrough... be brave, James, fear not, the fans will follow you even if you break with tradition and blaze a new trail.

Rating:
Summary: Seriously, who are you people?
Review: I am amazed how many people have recommended this guy. I could stomach Amazonia, and I struggled my way through Excavation, but my patience is officially at an end.

James Rollins might be able to come up with vaguely (really vaguely) plausible scientific/archaeological/whatever plots, but the man can't write worth a damn. Clive Cussler I can understand, I don't think much of his writing either, but in the Amazon.com review they invoke the name of Michael Crichton! Bite your collective tongues. Preston/Child are closer to Crichton, and even they aren't that good. There's tiers at work here folks, and Rollins, while imaginative, is on the third, at best.

I don't understand the pention for publishing companies to sell novels that would make better movies than they make novels. An agent was quoted as saying we'd rather buy a great story by a good writer, than a good story by a great writer, and this book is a perfect example of why.

Thumbnail sketches of characters painted as shallow as puddles, from the submarine captain who is a rip off of Tom Clancy's Marko Ramius, to the park ranger who happened to have been trained as a freakin' Green Beret, the layers of preposterosity keep coming, and I keep losing interest.

Maybe good enough beach blanket reading if you can suspend your disbelief sufficiently. I found I could not.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of fun if you overlook the errors
Review: I bought this book while waiting for the next Matthew Reilly novel, in hopes Ice Hunt would be half as fun as Ice Station.

It was half as fun. Mr. Rollins develops good characters and achieves a fast paced adventure tale.

On the other hand, he doesn't have a grasp of U.S. military tactics and training, and it shows. Having an American Delta force command casually agree to slaughter innocent civilians isn't even outrageous -- it's laughable. Once I got to that point of the novel I wanted to see the ending so I finished it up, but the story was spoiled for me.

Tom Clancy isn't a military man, and neither is Matthew Reilly. Somehow they manage to get their facts put together -- bad guys can be American military personnel, but bad guys aren't the entire U.S. military force. I hope that James Collins does better research next time and gets his military strategy right.

Rating:
Summary: Highly Entertaining Action!
Review: I have been a Rollins fan for years, and this book just makes me an even bigger fan. Nonstop action, intriguing plots and subplots, fascinating mix of fact and fiction. I could not put this book down! Rollins' writing seems to be improving with each new novel, the pieces of the story pulling together more tightly, and Ice Hunt really grabbed me by the collar and took me for a wild, adventurous ride. Wow! I highly recommend this book!

Rating:
Summary: Another great book from James Rollins
Review: I have just finished reading Ice Hunt and it was as exciting as all his previous ones. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants a good action packed adventure. Now only if Hollywood would take an interest in this or any of his previous novels; it would be great to see them on TV as a mini series.

Rating:
Summary: A rollicking good adventure
Review: I have read all but one of Mr. Rollins' previous novels and I must say that this one tops them all. A perilous location and non-stop action keep the reader turning the pages to find out how the characters escape their current predicament. Don't look for a deep message here. Just enjoy the smoothly flowing plot, the great scenary and an adventure that sometimes stretches belief but is nonetheless a very enoyable read. I look forward to this author's next novel.