Rating: 
Summary: Well worth reading.
Review: Billionaire, Palmer Lloyd wants to snatch a meteor that fell on an island owned by Chile without the government's knowledge. However, there are a number of problems. This super dense rock probably came from a collapsing star. Only about 25 feet across, it weighs 25,000 tons or almost 6 tons per cubic foot. Moving it would be a task compared to the making of the great pyramids. Touching the meteor is also fatal because it is a superconductor at room temperature. However, only some people are killed. Finding out why will be the key to everyone's survival. Naval Comandante Vallenar of Chile is not fooled by the phony mining claim that was the mask that hid the true mission. The meteor was placed on a modified oil tanker named the Rolvaag which ends up being chased by Vallenar's outdated but still lethal destroyer. The Rolvaag heads for rough water, the Ice Limit, where warmer ocean currents meet the freezing waters that surround Antarctica, an area oceanographers call the Antarctic Convergence. Vallenar has some tricks of his own, and the end of the story has an unexpected twist.
Rating:
Summary: A very Familiar Plot
Review: If you don't mind seeing the same plot by the same authors, as in Grisham's "southern lawyer" books, then you will LOVE this book. If you are a fan of this pair of authors and enjoyed all of their works so far....get ready to sit down with one of their best. The latest release from Preston and Childs is very much like their earlier work,"Riptide". They both had similar plots , searching for a mysterious treasure on a desolate island, and similar characters as well. The book was a bit more intriguing , however ,and moved along at a very fast clip. The characters were strangly similar to those in "Jurassic Park", (mathemetician,an old collecter, scientists and archeological experts). The main differences in this book is the main " character" is a metiorite, and there are alot of seabound scenes that got you downright seasick. It had a ton of action and suspence and provoked your interest in the lead characters beyond just what they were doing on the mission. I am amazed at how the authors always seem to "get you lost" in their books, and they never fail to disappoint. If it's a great suspence novel you seek...check this one out.
Rating:
Summary: Chiller of the Year
Review: "The Ice Limit" is an astounding book, one that leaves you haunted and mesmerized. The team of Preston and Child have written some great stories, and ironically, this one is the most "different" of their tales. The concept is typical Child/Preston: give us a huge cast of characters; a seemingly impossible challenge; a truly nasty villain; and some breathtaking moments of action and suspense. The story is fairly simple: a huge meteorite has been discovered on the Isla' Delacion, near the end of the world (Antarctica). Fanatical billionaire/trillionaire Palmer Lloyd wants the meteorite in his own private museum, and so hires a remarkable team of specialists to transport the humongous meteorite back to New York City. Wow, what a challenge! The pacing of this book is much more deliberate and methodical than previous Child/Preston books; and that's not negative in the least. We're given some complex characters, human and imperfect. The scenes in the little village of Puerto William are awesome in their descriptive power. Never has a book so enthralled me with its ability to transport me into a world I will probably never see, but find fascinating and spellbinding. The scenes depicted on the stormy and icy seas are truly nervewrecking and draining. What makes the book work, however, is its characters. First and foremost is the fascinating Eli Glinn; not a villaint/not a hero, just a perfectionist whose brilliance is unmatched. It is his inability to accept failure that makes him such a tragic character; Rachel is a beautifully drawn female character, with definite hangups and frailties, but she's marvelous; Sally Britton, the indomitable captain with her own history of failure, is likewise remarkably drawn. The Chilean Villain (nice rhyme?) is despicable and you can't wait for him to meet his just desserts. His manic drive to revenge the death of his first mate, so to speak (no plot giveaways here), is frustrating and unnerving, because you can't believe how close he comes to his goal. In reading the book, it was amazing. I wanted the team to succeed; sure we have our typical crazy wealthy man sacrificing human life for his own needs, but the characters are so committed to making it work, that I felt like I was right there with them. It's amazing: Preston/Child give away the novel's "secret ending" early on in the book, but you don't know it until you reach the end. And, oh what an ending. I should have known----it needs a sequel! They can't just leave us hanging, can they? Let's hope not. "The Ice Limit" is unique in its exploration of human drive, determination, and refusal to give up. Although tragedy certainly results and some memorable people are gone, the spirit of success and adventure far outweigh the greed and manipulation. Read this for an interesting change of pace.
Rating: 
Summary: Super Work from the Masters of Suspense, but...
Review: I read this book last month. Loved the thing--super pace, plot, and scientific information, but I was slightly disappointed with the end. I won't say why, but anyone who reads this book will see what I mean. The ending was also a bit rushed, as I feel it could have been some 100 pages more. But hey--maybe there will be a sequel, sort of like "Relic" did. Maybe not. Ah, well. Oh, important thing people: THE NEXT BOOK BY THESE GUYS WILL FEATURE SPECIAL AGENT PENDERGAST FROM RELIC AND RELIQUARY, AS WELL AS NORA KELLY FROM THUNDERHEAD AND BILL SMITHBACK FROM RELIC AND RELIQUARY! Don't ask me what it's about, though... Just go to www.prestonchild.com and see what I mean...
Rating:
Summary: The Ice Limit
Review: The Ice Limit is a true Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child masterpiece. It lives up to their unshakeable reputation as tremendous authors and leaves everyone on the edge of their seat for more. The plot continually twists and turns in everyway imaginable. You are inserted into the minds and motives of the various characters as they weave the threads together to form the fabric of an incredibly thrilling climax. This is a must read for any fan of these authors and is sure to leave you breathlessly awaiting their next collaboration.
Rating: 
Summary: Where have the creators of Relic gone?
Review: Ice Limit - 3 stars Typical plot, "hmmmm the Ice Limit, I wonder if they will end up there?" I wont even mention the ending for fear of upsetting the die hard fans who will read this book, and should read it if only to realize how far this duo has come since Relic. But could they have left it more open? When is Ice Limit 2 coming out? I hope Preston and Childs seriously look into getting a new editor, somebody who won't be pushing for them to pump out 8 hours of story a year. Lets face it, they write some of the shortest novels today, one could easily read this one in a couple of days. I think both authors are extremely talented but hit well short of their potential on this one.
Rating:
Summary: wow what a book
Review: Preston and Child have done it again. With superb writing they have succeded in keeping me up all night reading their book and loving every page of it this is a book that first builds a story then takes you on whirlwind ride of geat dialogue and suspense. I highly recomend this book it was great
Rating:
Summary: The Plot Is Thicker Than Ice
Review: I am 12 years old. I just finished one of the greatest books of all time! The Ice Limit is worth reading for the last four pages. It really gets good when Palmer Lloyd wants the largest metorite in the world in his grand new museum. He fuels the money for a expedition that consists of Eli Glinn, a brilliant engineer, and Sam McFarlane, the metorite hunter. They go to the end of the world to retreive the heaviest object known to man. It well keep you spellbound all the way to the shocking end. Interesting enough to keep even a twelve year old reading. A beautifully written book that is Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child at their very best.
Rating:
Summary: A damn good chilling Novel
Review: The Ice Limit is very much about limits and pushing them. The story, the characters and the ending are exceptionally well crafted and unexpected. I'm dyslexic and reading is difficult for me...but I tore through the book in two days...for me a record. I can't say much about it because I don't want to ruin it for you, but the bad guy is remarkable...I love that, and the good guys are complex. The story is about the discovery of the world's heaviest object -- a meteorite -- and trying to haul it from Chile, around the Horn to New York without anybody knowing. There are problems, and death. The engineering is fascinating and these two writers paint visual images like few others. I was there in the pounding far southern seas and I felt the character's emotions. Buy it. Enjoy. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting plot twists, but what about the METEORITE?
Review: The book is an enjoyable, light read characteristic of previous efforts of Preston and Child. But I must say that, unlike, "Reliquary," for example, I was given only scant information about the meteorite itself...as though its presence was alluded to in oversight. "Oh, yea, the book is really about a strange meteorite." The truth is, the book is really about the transportation efforts of a 25,000 ton meteorite. Yes, it conducts electrical charges when exposed to salt water, and, yes, it's heavier than originally thought, but it doesn't walk or talk or bite or cry. It just sits there throughout the book, killing a few people along the way in a kind of distant, unaffected way. Frankly, I grew tired of the dumb thing and wanted to dump it back in the ocean almost immediately. The violent sea scenes were, nonetheless, excellent and the plot twists move along quite well thanks, for the most part, to the character Glinn who was intriguing. Bottom line: Nothing new here, but an entertaining read if you like high adventure on the high seas with Hollywood waiting at the dock.
|
