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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
We got the band back together!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, War
Minor: Racism, Excrement, Kidnapping
This book takes the characters back to where it all began: beneath the dark ice. It's a fantastic adventure with high international stakes and unrivaled peril for the heroes of the series. I'm putting this down as my favorite book in the series so far. High praise given I'm a big fan of the series overall.
This one took me awhile to finish. Plot-wise, it was pretty interesting: I enjoyed Beneath the Dark Ice, so I was excited to return to Aztlan and the domain of the kraken.
Character-wise, this was disappointing. You had the two Chinese players: Shenjung, the good, yin character, and Yang, the voice of the Chinese communist party. (Also the "yang" to Shenjung's yin). Because of this, it was really predictable how these two characters were gonna act. Then there was the biologist Cate Canning, who started to develop as a character in the underground, right up until Alex found Aimee and the HAWC's. Then she was pretty much sidelined to excess baggage. She had so much potential- maybe as a perceived rival by Aimee over Alex- and got kicked out of the picture halfway.
Finally, there's the ending. Yeah, World War 3 is about to go down, the Chinese ships are ready to fire, and then BAM- here comes the kraken. Enough to kill a confrontation? Yeah. But from the way the Chinese act throughout the novel, it's kinda surprising that the kraken showing up was all it took for them to flee and end the fight. I honestly thought there'd have been more global tension after they were out of the Arctic. Guess not.
Character-wise, this was disappointing. You had the two Chinese players: Shenjung, the good, yin character, and Yang, the voice of the Chinese communist party. (Also the "yang" to Shenjung's yin). Because of this, it was really predictable how these two characters were gonna act. Then there was the biologist Cate Canning, who started to develop as a character in the underground, right up until Alex found Aimee and the HAWC's. Then she was pretty much sidelined to excess baggage. She had so much potential- maybe as a perceived rival by Aimee over Alex- and got kicked out of the picture halfway.
Finally, there's the ending. Yeah, World War 3 is about to go down, the Chinese ships are ready to fire, and then BAM- here comes the kraken. Enough to kill a confrontation? Yeah. But from the way the Chinese act throughout the novel, it's kinda surprising that the kraken showing up was all it took for them to flee and end the fight. I honestly thought there'd have been more global tension after they were out of the Arctic. Guess not.
3 star temporary place holder rating while I go to the front of the series and start over...
I am way more invested in Alex Hunter than I anticipated (Jack Reacher, with very low-key Harry Dresden vibes... Jason Bourne combined with John Taylor? Military demi-fiction baddie)
I also feel like I could pick out a few books that weaved inspiration into the work. But like I said, going to the beginning to work my way through.
UPDATE : jumped my stars up to 4.5
So thus far, in the series, we have direct mentions of Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, HP Lovecraft (specifically the Necronomicon) and Peter Pan. I can make inferences into Jurrasic Park, Jason Bourne (memory loss, surviving a lethal shot to the head and all).
Our hero returns to Beneth the Ice in search of a long lost submarine. While we explored some different areas in our prehistoric bubble, I was hoping to see the return of more monsters from last time (sand beasts) and while we met some creepy lampray spiders, I was wanting more of the world.
BUT honestly still phenomenal
I am way more invested in Alex Hunter than I anticipated (Jack Reacher, with very low-key Harry Dresden vibes... Jason Bourne combined with John Taylor? Military demi-fiction baddie)
I also feel like I could pick out a few books that weaved inspiration into the work. But like I said, going to the beginning to work my way through.
UPDATE : jumped my stars up to 4.5
So thus far, in the series, we have direct mentions of Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, HP Lovecraft (specifically the Necronomicon) and Peter Pan. I can make inferences into Jurrasic Park, Jason Bourne (memory loss, surviving a lethal shot to the head and all).
Our hero returns to Beneth the Ice in search of a long lost submarine. While we explored some different areas in our prehistoric bubble, I was hoping to see the return of more monsters from last time (sand beasts) and while we met some creepy lampray spiders, I was wanting more of the world.
BUT honestly still phenomenal
I've got a soft spot for books set in Antarctica, with all its icy allure, but "Kraken Rising" left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. The thing is, this book just seemed to drag on and on, with events piling up without much impact on the overall story.
To be honest, it felt like the book was rushed through the editing process. There were some glaring mistakes that made me do a double take. About halfway in, they introduced two new characters, Lee Pinying and Bo Xingmin, but just two paragraphs later, one of them magically turned into Bo Pinyin (with the wrong first name and a missing 'g' at the end of the surname). It was just one example, but there were a few other moments where the editing seemed a bit off.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the Alex Hunter series because it doesn't take itself too seriously and makes for a fun way to pass a few hours. But this one was my least favorite in the series so far. I'm holding out hope that the next book, "The Void," will be a step up. Fingers crossed!
To be honest, it felt like the book was rushed through the editing process. There were some glaring mistakes that made me do a double take. About halfway in, they introduced two new characters, Lee Pinying and Bo Xingmin, but just two paragraphs later, one of them magically turned into Bo Pinyin (with the wrong first name and a missing 'g' at the end of the surname). It was just one example, but there were a few other moments where the editing seemed a bit off.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the Alex Hunter series because it doesn't take itself too seriously and makes for a fun way to pass a few hours. But this one was my least favorite in the series so far. I'm holding out hope that the next book, "The Void," will be a step up. Fingers crossed!
I found this to be a very enjoyable semi-supernatural, horror and high tech thriller. Alex Hunter is back in his role as a super-hero style elite agent and he is thrown into a mission that brings him back to one of his old “hunting grounds”. There are a few threads in Alex Hunter’s history that are tied together in this book and, at least, one rather interesting new one that is begun.
Alex Hunter is sent back to the mysterious (Jurassic) caves below the ice sheets and is once again forced to confront the horrors that lie beyond the ice. Just to add to the suspense (and the mess) he also has to deal with a Chinese communist elite team who are doing their best to screw things up, often by shear stupidity. Actually these guys frustrated me enormously. I would say that they where a proper depiction of commie fanatics who never ever got a glimpse of the world outside of their little bubble of commie propaganda but their reluctance to take in the facts around them and their ludicrous fanaticism was making me squirm when reading it.
To me the enjoyment of this book came from the rest of the characters and the setting. A few of Alex friends are back, including of course Amiee Weir. A few new are introduced as well of which Cate is the one I quite liked. I also liked Sam dealing out some serious pain in his exoskeleton suit.
The book is going for the, not too original, World War 3 nuclear holocaust threat but that is pretty okay. The main parts of the book play themselves out down the Jurassic caves below the ice though and these are the good parts. The Chinese commie fanatics are, as I wrote above, really frustrating in their fanatic stupidity but at least they do get what the deserve in the end, after having screwed things up royally of course.
The last parts of the book, where our friends managed to escape from their imprisonment in the world below the ice was stretching it a wee bit though. It was not altogether bad but it felt a bit like some A-Team or other Hollywood TV-show in how they managed to “make due” with the hardware at hand.
Not surprisingly the ending left a few loose ends which I assume might be used in future books. One was more or less the usual oh by the way the monster is not truly dead kind of loose thread but the one I like was the one about Alex’s son. That one had been brewing all through the book and I am quite looking forward to know where the author will be going with that one.
Bottom line, for me, is that this is an above average techno / horror thriller and I am looking forward to the next instalment in the series.
Alex Hunter is sent back to the mysterious (Jurassic) caves below the ice sheets and is once again forced to confront the horrors that lie beyond the ice. Just to add to the suspense (and the mess) he also has to deal with a Chinese communist elite team who are doing their best to screw things up, often by shear stupidity. Actually these guys frustrated me enormously. I would say that they where a proper depiction of commie fanatics who never ever got a glimpse of the world outside of their little bubble of commie propaganda but their reluctance to take in the facts around them and their ludicrous fanaticism was making me squirm when reading it.
To me the enjoyment of this book came from the rest of the characters and the setting. A few of Alex friends are back, including of course Amiee Weir. A few new are introduced as well of which Cate is the one I quite liked. I also liked Sam dealing out some serious pain in his exoskeleton suit.
The book is going for the, not too original, World War 3 nuclear holocaust threat but that is pretty okay. The main parts of the book play themselves out down the Jurassic caves below the ice though and these are the good parts. The Chinese commie fanatics are, as I wrote above, really frustrating in their fanatic stupidity but at least they do get what the deserve in the end, after having screwed things up royally of course.
The last parts of the book, where our friends managed to escape from their imprisonment in the world below the ice was stretching it a wee bit though. It was not altogether bad but it felt a bit like some A-Team or other Hollywood TV-show in how they managed to “make due” with the hardware at hand.
Not surprisingly the ending left a few loose ends which I assume might be used in future books. One was more or less the usual oh by the way the monster is not truly dead kind of loose thread but the one I like was the one about Alex’s son. That one had been brewing all through the book and I am quite looking forward to know where the author will be going with that one.
Bottom line, for me, is that this is an above average techno / horror thriller and I am looking forward to the next instalment in the series.
Typical of this series for me, good but not great. Enjoyed it better once everyone down there converged, seemed to be more action then. Enjoyable.
Greig Beck back on top form after my slightly disappointing experience with Gorgon. Alex Hunter is back below the ice. My biggest concern going into this book knowing that it was a return to the world of the first brilliant entry into the Alex Hunter series was that it would be too repetitive. That perhaps Greig Beck was capitalising and just reusing his first great idea. Harsh indeed when I already know what a great writer Beck is but the concern was there nonetheless. Well. 18 hours of audiobook and a 5 star rating later I have been proved well and truly wrong. The action was hard hitting from moment one, and the tension was constant, yet without being overwhelming, in the tumultuous journeys of the different teams above and below the ice with nuclear war at risk if the teams’ missions failed!
Again the authors notes were brilliant and as always such an intriguing and exciting addition to the main storyline and definitely filled me in on and made me go away to do my own research on areas I know next to nothing about!
The Alex Hunter book storms ahead at full speed and continues to get entries onto my “favourites” bookshelf. 5 stars without question!
Again the authors notes were brilliant and as always such an intriguing and exciting addition to the main storyline and definitely filled me in on and made me go away to do my own research on areas I know next to nothing about!
The Alex Hunter book storms ahead at full speed and continues to get entries onto my “favourites” bookshelf. 5 stars without question!
Not the best Alex Hunter novel (that would be This Green Hell), but still a fast paced, engaging and fun adventure in a fascinating setting I’d like to see explored more.