Icebound

Title: Icebound

Author: Dean Koontz

Published in: 1976

Date read: 21st June 2005

Score: 4/5

Genre:

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Icebound" by Dean Koontz is a suspenseful thriller that plunges a group of scientists into a frozen nightmare in the Arctic. It was originally published in 1976 under the pseudonym David Axton with the title "Prison of Ice," and was later revised and re-released under Koontz's own name in 1995.

The premise of the novel involves a top-secret international scientific experiment in the remote Arctic icefield. The goal of this ambitious project is to move massive icebergs south to provide fresh water to drought-stricken regions of the world. A team of scientists, including husband and wife Harold and Rita Carpenter (Rita suffers from an intense phobia of ice and cold, which adds a layer of psychological tension), has planted numerous powerful explosive charges deep within the ice, set to detonate automatically at midnight.

However, before the team can evacuate to the safety of their base camp, a sudden and catastrophic event occurs – a shattering tidal wave (possibly caused by a sub-oceanic earthquake) breaks loose a gigantic piece of ice. The scientists find themselves hopelessly marooned on this newly formed iceberg, which is now drifting during the worst winter storm of the decade.

The immediate and terrifying problem is that the sixty explosive charges they planted are buried irretrievably deep within the ice beneath them, and they are still ticking, counting down to midnight. Their rescue seems impossible due to the raging blizzard, preventing any nearby ships or aircraft from reaching them in time. A Russian submarine commander, who has his own complex motivations, becomes their only, desperate hope.

As if the impending explosions and the harsh Arctic conditions weren't enough, the situation quickly devolves into a desperate struggle for survival when the team realizes a far more insidious threat is among them: a ruthless killer. One of the team members is not who they seem and has a hidden, deadly agenda. The scientists are abruptly thrown into a terrifying game of cat and mouse, where they must not only race against the ticking clock of the bombs but also unmask the assassin before they all perish from the cold, the explosions, or the killer's machinations.

"Icebound" is a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller that blends elements of survival horror, mystery, and psychological suspense, with Koontz's characteristic focus on atmospheric tension and the darker aspects of human nature under extreme duress.

Comments:
(Written as David Axton). I have been trying my best but I cannot remember reading this even though I still have the paperback at work. I scored it but I just cannot remember...it was 20 years and 2 months ago.

Books that we've read by Dean Koontz (27):
Demon Seed (1973), Icebound (1976), The Voice of the Night (1980), Phantoms (1983), Darkness Comes (1984), Watchers (1987), Dragon Tears (1993), Mr. Murder (1993), Tick Tock (1996), False Memory (1999), The Face (2003), Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas, #1) (2003), The Taking (2004), Forever Odd (Odd Thomas, #2) (2005), Velocity (2005), Life Expectancy (2005), Brother Odd (Odd Thomas, #3) (2006), The Husband (2006), Odd Hours (Odd Thomas, #4) (2008), Breathless (2009), Relentless (2009), The Silent Corner (Jane Hawk, #1) (2017), The Whispering Room (Jane Hawk, #2) (2017), The Crooked Staircase (Jane Hawk, #3) (2018), The Forbidden Door (Jane Hawk, #4) (2018), The Night Window (Jane Hawk #5) (2019), The Other Emily (2021)