Icebound (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: surface fathometer, snow mask, ice overhead, Roger Breskin, Pete Johnson, George Lin (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jammed with the tensions of imminent disaster. The whole thing unfolds with the timing of a quartz watch."
-- Chicago Tribune

"Viscerally exciting...An extended, tense tour de force...An expertly crafted, ornate suspenser...Koontz fans will love it."
-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Don't miss the latest thriller by Dean Koontz
False Memory

And his other bantam bestsellers
Seize The Night
Fear Nothing
Sole Survivor
Intensity
Ticktock
Dark Rivers Of The Heart
Winter Moon -- Review

Review

"Jammed with the tensions of imminent disaster. The whole thing unfolds with the timing of a quartz watch."—Chicago Tribune

"Viscerally exciting...An extended, tense tour de force...An expertly crafted, ornate suspenser...Koontz fans will love it."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (September 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553582909
• ISBN-13: 978-0553582901
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #133,640 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow--what a surprise!, June 17, 2003

By	Jackie Tortorella - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

First of all, I'm a great Koontz fan. He is a superlative writer, and this early book--updated by the author--is an example of his extraordinary talent. FEW writers can combine great adventure and plot WITH excellent characterization. Koontz is a master of doing just this.

Icebound is a departure from Koontz's horror genre. This is strictly a techno-thriller. The action is nonstop--never a dull moment, and all very, very well done. It is about a group of scientists who are carrying out an assignment in the arctic...very believable scenario, I might add. As a result of severe weather storm conditions and sub-oceanic quakes, a large chunk of ice breaks off and they find themselves stranded on an iceberg upon which they had implanted explosives scheduled to go off in 12 hours. There are no American ships that can rescue them because of their distance and the severe weather. Only a Russian sub on a clandestine mission is close enough and has the ability to possibly rescue the team of scientists.

The stories of the men, especially the submarine captain, make you really care about the outcome. Although Koontz, in his afterword, is humble enough to diminish his technological detail as compared with a Tom Clancy, I found the whole thing so real that I was there! I love submarine adventures and to me, this numbers with the best of them.

Noteworthy is the graphic detail of what it must be like to work in such an extreme environment. The descriptions of the arctic and the weather conditions are awesome. Even the death scene where one man dies through drowning is so realistic I could imagine vividly what it felt like to die this way.

On top of the natural perils they face, there is a one twisted mind with them who is obsessively determined to commit murder. This portion of the story is also very well executed.

In short (I should have said this some paragraphs back!), I can find nothing negative to say about this story or writing style. I read it at breakneck speed because it was so riveting. I heartily recommend this book to not only Koontz fans but to anyone who enjoys a techno-thriller.

If you're looking only for a supernatural horror story, this is not the ticket. But...if you love Koontz's immense talent and want to read an exciting thriller, have at it!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A different kind of Koontz book, March 31, 2004

By	Theresa W (mi, usa) - See all my reviews

While I noticed many reviews on this book were negative, I have to say, I enjoyed the book. I am a long-time Koontz fan and have read all but 5 of his books, so I'm a good judge, I think.

While Icebound is quite different than most Koontz books, I found this to be a refreshing change. I thoroughly enjoyed the action and suspense. The whole plot of being trapped on a huge iceberg in the middle of the Artic with bombs set to detinate in 12 hours and you're awaiting rescue...how much more thrilling can it get? The description of things around these 8 people, the cold, the ice, the water, the wind, really made me feel like I was there too.

I thought the book flowed smoothly- not too fast or too slow. While at times it was hard to keep the characters straight and their development was not the best, I still enjoyed some of the central characters. Koontz did fill us in on some of their pasts as well, which I enjoyed- almost as subplots, something to take us away from the story at hand and engage the reader.

I'd recommend this book to fans of suspenseful or action packed books. It's not an average horror/scary Koontz book, but I think if you know that going in, Koontz fans will also enjoy this book.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I will take my drink with out ice thank you, January 22, 2000

By	Roger D. Moore (Lansing, Ks) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Icebound (Mass Market Paperback)

As if being stuck on an iceberg isn't bad enough. You are stuck on an iceberg with 60 bombs and a homicidal maniac. Now that is danger. I liked this book alot. Far from my favorite Koontz book but well written all the same. I could have however lived without the killer. It was just one more danger that they didn't need and to me it was almost an afterthought in an otherwise exciting adventure. I really liked the variety of characters in this book all working together and didn't feel that one of them should have been a killer. Found it hard to beleive the killer could hide his true self for 8 other extremely intellegent people for 6 months. Furthermore While I did enjoy the swim down the tunnel I thought they could have come up with a better more exciting escape. I must however say though that the book is well worth reading. I found myself viewing it all through the submarine captains eyes. A loveable noble man who desires to make something in his life right. This book is fast paced and nonstop from about the 10th page on. Enjoy