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Summary: New to Timothy
Review: This turned out to be a suprisingly good book. I have to admit that when I begun reading it I was put off by many melodramatic cliches reminding me of Humphrey Bogart but . . . as I persevered I decided that it was indeed worth my time. For everyone out there who is at first "put off", give it a couple of pages. I wound up enjoying it so much that I am here looking for other novels by Timothy Zahn.
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Summary: A Great Book
Review: The Incarus Hunt is one of those books you can't seem to be able to put down! It has great suspense and a great story line. Both sifi and mystery readers alike will enjoy this book. I would also incourage you to read his Star Wars books, also great works, but I still think this one is his best.
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Summary: An excellent adventure and space mystery
Review: I highly recommend The Icarus Hunt for a fun, fast-paced, space adventure and mystery. Although the main character is likely to remind you of one Han Solo, and some of the technology is borrowed from Star Wars (e.g. hyperdrives), the story line is distinct from the Star Wars universe. I must disagree with a previous reviewer who panned the reader of the audio book, Jonathan Marosz; I've listened to dozens of audio books, and felt Mr. Marosz ranks as one of the best readers.
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Summary: Most Underrated Sci-fi Novel Ever
Review: This is the quintescential overlooked and underrated sci-fi novel. Very solid. Zahn has grown as writer since the Star Wars days; he weaves the yarn with startling precision. Another very entertaining book of his is Conquerers' Legacy, the third, and standout best, of that less-than-brilliant series.
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Summary: Boring....
Review: Wow this book is bad. I made it 2/3rds through and gave up. Its one of the very few times I couldnt finish a book because it was so bad. Basically its Han Solo from star wars and a mysterious cargo. It was so slow and uninteresting and cliche to me. Steer clear.
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Summary: Sci-fi thriller a throwback to Alistair MacLean classics
Review: "The Icarus Hunt" was a recommendation to me by a friend whose advise I trust enough to take. This is important, as I confess to not being the biggest Timothy Zahn fan otherwise. His recommendation was well-given, though, and (as a Drill Sgt. might say) I was born again hard. The novel was a pleasant surprise, full of interesting characters in a fleshed-out science fiction universe. Most of all, Zahn has created a first-rate espionage thriller that brings to mind the best yarns of Alistair MacLean and John LeCarre. The main character, Jordan McKell, is a science-fiction version of the same world-weary protagonists we expect to see Richard Burton playing on the big screen. Surrounding him is a labyrinthine plot made all the more snake-like by a supporting cast whose loyalties are always in question and never what they seem. It's all a vintage turn on the genre, with the sci-fi twist and some well-crafted writing by veteran author Zahn. The thrust of the story concerns a crew of professionals, strangers to each other, hastily recruited to fly a ship from a far-flung planet back to Earth with a sealed, mysterious cargo and their employer disappearing when it is time to leave. To give away any more, as with all good thrillers, would be of no service to the reader. Suffice to say, if you are a science fiction fan and, what's more, if you are a fan of the espionage thriller, "The Icarus Hunt" is a supurb entry into both genres.
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Summary: 4 stars for Zahn, 2.5 for the audio narrator
Review: Just to get this out of the way first: Book plot: 4 stars Audio book narration: 2 1/2 stars I had this book on my "to read" stack for over a year, when I found the audiobook. Listened to the unabridged version (the only way to listen to audio books!!) of the book on my daily commute to and from work (9 cassettes). I was NOT impressed by Jonathan Marosz's reading. Marosz's patterns of speaking rarely changed during long sections of descriptive narration and the first person description. His voice was monotone in places and Marosz continued to use the same inflections and cadences throughout. It was occasionally painful to listen to until about the 3rd cassette tape when the author greatly increased his use of dialogue between the characters. There, Marosz began to alter his tone, voice, dialect, etc. in such a way to keep the listener's interest. Zahn, however, created a very interesting novel--more of a mystery novel set in space than a science fiction novel with mystery overtones. The characters are interesting and varied, although many of the minor characters are a bit too minor. Zahn doesn't show all of his cards until the final pages. You will definitely be kept guessing until the last minute. One of the most fascinating elements for me was the main character's ever changing theories. Many mystery novels present a detective who unerringly goes down the correct path. Zahn's Jordan McKell has to change his theories often as new facts come to light. One thing that I would like to have seen was a picture or diagram of the "Icarus", the spacecraft described through the book. I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the halls and rooms. One final remark on the audio book. The publisher provided several great features for those who enjoy audio books: (1) The narrator states which cassette and side you've reached and tells you when to insert the next tape. I hate when you are uncertain whether to turn over the tape or insert the next one. (2) The narrator repeats a sentence or two at the beginning of each new side or cassette. This helps get you back to the story more quickly. (3) The sides end cleanly. When you are asked to turn over the tape, the audio begins immediately--no rewinding or fast-forwarding is necessary. This audiobook includes an excerpt from Episode I of Star Wars at the end.
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Summary: The overlooked aspect
Review: I'm surprised to discover it, but there is a marvelous aspect to this book that everyone seems to have missed. There can be no question but that Timothy Zahn's set out to write the science-fiction novel that Alistair McLean would have written if he had ever turned his hand that genre. Zahn has done an impressive job of creating a novel that draws upon McLean characters, plots, and style. Jordan McKell is Philip Calvert and Johnny Harlow and John Deakin and more. Ixil is Hunslett and Jablonsky and Schaffer and more. The villains and their plots are woven into a tapestry drawn from Puppet On a Chain and The Satan Bug and Way to Dusty Death, to name three. The surprise and double-surprise at the end is classic McLean style--and the climax could not be closer to When Eight Bells Toll. Oh, and the Uncle Arthur of Icarus Hunt is, well, the Uncle Arthur of When Eight Bells Toll. But make no mistake--Zahn draws from McLean, but he gives us clever and well-crafted twists of his own. Excellent job all around, and quite a tribute to a masterful writer.
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Summary: Excellent Space Drama
Review: Timothy Zahn has a reputation for taking the reader completely by surprise, but- unlike many 'big climax' authors- making the whole journey a fun read. He has definitely outdone himself in "The Icarus Hunt," which is packed with intrigue and excitement. I was totally blown away by the startling conclusion, and the amazing thing is that in retrospect, it all fits together! This is truly the mark of a master storyteller.
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Summary: Very entertaining novel
Review: I had not read a novel in over 10 years and never was into sci-fi books, but this book was given to me and I had time to read it, and was very entertained! This book is very exciting and I kept on reading it, wanting to know what's going to happen. The book is not perfect, but it's still worth five stars. I guessed who the killer was from the begining, but that's ok; it was only one of the subplots of the novel. The trip Zahn took me(the reader) was exciting, adventureful, etc. In addition to, I enjoyed the suspense mystery feel, and the ending was great; I did not expect it. Even though it's a sci-fi novel, it had a realistic feel to it and related to the characters in the novel. This is the first time I read a Zahn book and now I'm very interested in checking out his other books. More writers should read his books to know how to write an entertaining novel.
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