Terminal Freeze

This novel is in the best tradition of the Mystery Horror Genre. If my review seems a bit vague, it is only because I don’t want to be a spoiler regarding any aspects of the book that would lessen the reader’s enjoyment.
The author’s prose creates an air of mystery, coupled with an almost palpable sense of psychological dread, primal fear, and abject repulsion that typify the best examples of such narratives. While it describes in no uncertain terms details of the murder, mayhem, and terror being inflicted on the novel’s characters, it mercifully refrains from the excesses of style that result in shockingly graphic and disgusting imagery. And although the character of Jeremy Logan remains largely secondary in the plot, except for a chapter near the beginning and the finale where he reveals his interpretation of events, it is a worthy addition to the series. Not since the novel “Relic” by Child and Preston have I read such a powerful horror narrative of this kind, set in relatively contemporary times. Although its plot appears to be somewhat inspired by the 1951 film version of “The Thing from Another World”, and to a lesser degree by H. P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness” and the still earlier Edgar Allan Poe novel “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket”, which started the genre of mystery-horror stories set in the antarctic or arctic ice fields, “Terminal Freeze” is nevertheless a compelling and original tale that I could not stop listening to!
BTW: Scott Brick’s masterful performance of the audio version lends a sense of reality to the narrative while riveting the listener’s attention throughout.

This is the second book in, supposedly, a Jeremy Logan Series. I couldn’t even remember that he was mentioned in the first one, that’s how little he had to do with that story. He’s in this book, but for no particular reason that I could see. His character had very little to do, little to say and the story would have been fine without him. I know nothing about him as a character in any other books but I’m used to getting to know a character who headlines a series. Not so in this series. Just a marketing ploy I guess. The book was an ok read but not one I’d bother to recommend.

Just the kind of “pleasure” reading I love – Child knows how to give readers interesting characters, realistic settings that make you feel you are there, and plot elements that ring true despite the hints of the paranormal existing in the margins. The descriptions of the creature are the stuff of nightmares, and I would have loved to see a visual of it, but maybe it’s better left to each reader’s imagination. The only thing I was left unsatisfied with was not being given an explanation of one effect the creature had on the humans: the sound they heard in their ears/brains. I think I can guess, but it’s one aspect that was not discussed by the scientists. I love the mixture here of what seems like wildly improbable events but, when coupled with some real scientific theories and facts, then out to be not as “out there” as originally thought. It makes for a truly satisfying thrill ride that did not I’ve read my suspension of disbelief. The best kind of thriller for me.

I bought the Kindle version with audible narration on July 20, 2017. It was very well put together and the audible narration was perfectly in sync. A previous reviewer said the Kindle version was atrociously edited, random words, misspelling, random hyphens, erratic breaks, and all kinds of other things. My Android version of Kindle, that I installed from the Android Play Store, worked perfect and had had none of the stuff the other reviewer encountered. This is true of my Galaxy Tab S2, Tab S3, and Axon 7 cell phone.

The book is good, an enjoyable read and I’m powering through it fast. Racks up the tension and then doesn’t let go, but has that wonderful slow start that establishes everything that this guy is known for.

Only problem I have so far is the Kindle version is atrociously edited. Names, and even random words, change spelling, are randomly hyphenated at one point and then spelled normally the next, dialogue gets bunched together awkwardly when it’s clear there should be breaks or indentations, random spacing occurs between words where it has no place, and entire sentences get seperated mid sentence into 2 seperate paragraphs.

The book is a great read, but get a paperback if you can. Don’t download the Kindle variant unless you can’t find a physical copy, like I had to.

I’ll rate the book 4 stars because it deserves it, but don’t buy the kindle variant. I almost feel like it detracted a little bit from my overall enjoyment.

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