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doomham's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
heabooknerd's review
5.0
FROSTBITE was so awesome! I love anything and everything post-apocalyptic and this was giving me great Mad Max vibes but in the snow instead of the desert. Keaton is one badass mercenary and she's by no means perfect. I was really surprised by some of the choices in the beginning but I loved the way Keaton was portrayed. This was nonstop action with an interesting and deadly virus, an idealistic doctor, and greedy villains. I would watch the crap out of this story if it were made into a TV show or movie. As a side note, I really liked the lettering in this one; some of the graphic novels I've read lately have had really tight and hard to read lettering, but Frostbite's lettering was nicely spaced and super easy to read.
patchworkbunny's review
3.0
I liked the concept of Frostbite but it seemed a bit rushed and didn’t go into too much character development. In the future climate change has thrown us into a new ice age. With that comes a plague which freezes people from the inside out, called frostbite, leaving victims little more than frosty zombies. I think it might just be a single volume comic (it’s called a miniseries on the blurb) and I would have been more forgiving if I knew there was definitely some more story to come.
blatanville's review
3.0
The world-building is very good; the artwork is great; but the plotting hits too many familiar beats to be better than average.
trike's review
1.0
Mad Max in the snow. The art by Jason Shawn Alexander is absolutely gorgeous, just spectacular throughout.
The story, on the other hand... ugh. First of all, the “science” is ludicrous. Research into cold fusion causes an ice age *and* a global pandemic called “frostbite” that turns you into ice. It is essentially Vonnegut’s “Ice Nine” from [b:Cat's Cradle|135479|Cat's Cradle|Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327867150l/135479._SY75_.jpg|1621115], so zero points due to lack of originality. Also, these weird “heat pulsars” that operate as engines and furnaces make no sense, especially since one can fiddle with them for a few seconds and turn them into “cold pulsars” which causes everything nearby to freeze within minutes. That is some ridiculous “reverse the polarity” level of nonsense right there. It doesn’t even work as metaphor, because the story is so focused on the action side of it and people with frostbite seem to be mostly fine as long as they stay out of the warmth. What’s the message there? That evolution and disease will allow us to survive climate change? Then why are they distributing a cure?
See, this kind of scientific illiteracy is why so many idiots around the world think that 5G causes COVID-19.
The story starts off fine, feeling like a straightforward Science Fiction tale, but the aforementioned nincompoopery (along with other nonsensical things I’m not going to bother with) just run it off the rails. Worse, the writing fails in its most basic task, which has nothing to do with terrible science ideas.
I’ll put this plot point behind the spoiler tag:
So, the story is that the last surviving scientist of the team who caused the Vonnegutting of the globe is trying to get his equally smart scientist doctor Victoria (aka Vic) to Alcatraz, where there’s a lab, so she can cure the world. Why Alcatraz? No idea. I’ve been there; it’s hardly big enough for what they’re doing. I suspect it was chosen because of the neat-o factor, the name recognition and the fact it’s an island.
They hire people in Mexico City to take them to Alcatraz, but bad guys are on their tails. When the leader of this mercenary group, a black woman named Keaton, finds out who the scientist is, she shoots and kills him. Because he wrecked the world, and Keaton’s family died from the cold. As he dies, he tells Keaton his daughter has the cure for frostbite. So Keaton now really wants to get Vic to San Francisco.
The race and chase is on. So far, so good. We get clumsy “as you know” info dumps where characters tell each other things they already know. Really clunky and inelegant. Turns out Keaton has frostbite. A nice twist undercut by Keaton talking to herself about her motivation in transporting Vic to SF. Eyeroll.
I mean, look at this. The art? Fab. The writing? Not.
She’s alone in that room. Come on. Just cut those lines and leave the pic with her frozen arm. 1000% better.
A bunch of Mad Max-type stuff happens and Keaton reluctantly gives Vic her handgun so the doc can defend herself from the Mad Max-type crazies (Snow Queens and Firemen; seriously) and then yadda-yadda, they get captured by the lead henchman, Fuego. (Which means “Fire” in Spanish. He’s working for Boss Burns. Another bad guy is named Pyre. Subtle as a hammer, this stuff.) Then, in a classic yet inevitable reversal, they get captured by Fuego, and he takes the gun from Vic. He then informs her that *his* goons use special cold-adapted guns and that her dad was killed by a Glock, just like this one! Dun-dun-dun!
Have a look:
You see the problem here, right?
Keaton is caught in a lie, implicated in the death of Vic’s dad. And then this tough-as-nails yet goodhearted mercenary, just goes, “Yep. I did it. But that was before I knew you had a cure.” Like WTF lady?
First of all, just point out that Fuego didn’t say it was a Glock until he had the gun in his hands. Yes, it’s another lie, but so what? Big picture here: woman can cure the pandemic! Keaton has bonded with Vic. Has saved Vic’s life several times. Vic will believe Keaton over Fuego.
As a writer, if you really want to sow distrust like this, have someone impart information there’s no way they could otherwise know. If he told Vic her dad had been shot by a Glock, that would’ve sown seeds of doubt. How would he know Vic was carrying Keaton’s Glock? Having him say that *after* he handles the gun is too easy for Keaton to call bullshit on. If Keaton points out Fuego only said it after seeing it, and we’re still Team Victon. Keatoria? Whichever.
But allow those doubts to linger. Have other things not add up. Have Vic slowly realize Keaton has been lying about other stuff. That’s how you write those scenes.
Plus, Vic never saw her dad’s body. The fact he was shot in the stomach doesn’t prove or disprove anything. It’s just a random factoid. Pointless. Yet Vic has only ever seen Keaton dispatch baddies with headshots. Literally 100% of the kills Vic witnesses are headshots. So even there Keaton could just say, “Stomach? Please. You know I go for the brains every time. Which in your case, Fuego, would mean I’d shoot you in the ass.”
That’s why I can only give this one star. So aggravating, and so easy to fix — or, rather, avoid in the first place.
The story, on the other hand... ugh. First of all, the “science” is ludicrous. Research into cold fusion causes an ice age *and* a global pandemic called “frostbite” that turns you into ice. It is essentially Vonnegut’s “Ice Nine” from [b:Cat's Cradle|135479|Cat's Cradle|Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327867150l/135479._SY75_.jpg|1621115], so zero points due to lack of originality. Also, these weird “heat pulsars” that operate as engines and furnaces make no sense, especially since one can fiddle with them for a few seconds and turn them into “cold pulsars” which causes everything nearby to freeze within minutes. That is some ridiculous “reverse the polarity” level of nonsense right there. It doesn’t even work as metaphor, because the story is so focused on the action side of it and people with frostbite seem to be mostly fine as long as they stay out of the warmth. What’s the message there? That evolution and disease will allow us to survive climate change? Then why are they distributing a cure?
See, this kind of scientific illiteracy is why so many idiots around the world think that 5G causes COVID-19.
The story starts off fine, feeling like a straightforward Science Fiction tale, but the aforementioned nincompoopery (along with other nonsensical things I’m not going to bother with) just run it off the rails. Worse, the writing fails in its most basic task, which has nothing to do with terrible science ideas.
I’ll put this plot point behind the spoiler tag:
Spoiler
So, the story is that the last surviving scientist of the team who caused the Vonnegutting of the globe is trying to get his equally smart scientist doctor Victoria (aka Vic) to Alcatraz, where there’s a lab, so she can cure the world. Why Alcatraz? No idea. I’ve been there; it’s hardly big enough for what they’re doing. I suspect it was chosen because of the neat-o factor, the name recognition and the fact it’s an island.
They hire people in Mexico City to take them to Alcatraz, but bad guys are on their tails. When the leader of this mercenary group, a black woman named Keaton, finds out who the scientist is, she shoots and kills him. Because he wrecked the world, and Keaton’s family died from the cold. As he dies, he tells Keaton his daughter has the cure for frostbite. So Keaton now really wants to get Vic to San Francisco.
The race and chase is on. So far, so good. We get clumsy “as you know” info dumps where characters tell each other things they already know. Really clunky and inelegant. Turns out Keaton has frostbite. A nice twist undercut by Keaton talking to herself about her motivation in transporting Vic to SF. Eyeroll.
I mean, look at this. The art? Fab. The writing? Not.
She’s alone in that room. Come on. Just cut those lines and leave the pic with her frozen arm. 1000% better.
A bunch of Mad Max-type stuff happens and Keaton reluctantly gives Vic her handgun so the doc can defend herself from the Mad Max-type crazies (Snow Queens and Firemen; seriously) and then yadda-yadda, they get captured by the lead henchman, Fuego. (Which means “Fire” in Spanish. He’s working for Boss Burns. Another bad guy is named Pyre. Subtle as a hammer, this stuff.) Then, in a classic yet inevitable reversal, they get captured by Fuego, and he takes the gun from Vic. He then informs her that *his* goons use special cold-adapted guns and that her dad was killed by a Glock, just like this one! Dun-dun-dun!
Have a look:
You see the problem here, right?
Keaton is caught in a lie, implicated in the death of Vic’s dad. And then this tough-as-nails yet goodhearted mercenary, just goes, “Yep. I did it. But that was before I knew you had a cure.” Like WTF lady?
First of all, just point out that Fuego didn’t say it was a Glock until he had the gun in his hands. Yes, it’s another lie, but so what? Big picture here: woman can cure the pandemic! Keaton has bonded with Vic. Has saved Vic’s life several times. Vic will believe Keaton over Fuego.
As a writer, if you really want to sow distrust like this, have someone impart information there’s no way they could otherwise know. If he told Vic her dad had been shot by a Glock, that would’ve sown seeds of doubt. How would he know Vic was carrying Keaton’s Glock? Having him say that *after* he handles the gun is too easy for Keaton to call bullshit on. If Keaton points out Fuego only said it after seeing it, and we’re still Team Victon. Keatoria? Whichever.
But allow those doubts to linger. Have other things not add up. Have Vic slowly realize Keaton has been lying about other stuff. That’s how you write those scenes.
Plus, Vic never saw her dad’s body. The fact he was shot in the stomach doesn’t prove or disprove anything. It’s just a random factoid. Pointless. Yet Vic has only ever seen Keaton dispatch baddies with headshots. Literally 100% of the kills Vic witnesses are headshots. So even there Keaton could just say, “Stomach? Please. You know I go for the brains every time. Which in your case, Fuego, would mean I’d shoot you in the ass.”
That’s why I can only give this one star. So aggravating, and so easy to fix — or, rather, avoid in the first place.
aprilmarie's review
4.0
3.5 - 4 stars.
A post-apocalyptic take about a world decimated by a second Ice Age. The survivors are now fighting to stay warm while trying to avoid a disease called Frostbite. If contracted you will basically freeze from the inside out. It’s painful, contagious and incurable. Well, there maybe a cure.
What I liked ... Keaton. She’s a transporter/smuggler who has been hired to take a couple of scientists from Mexico City to San Francisco. She is the main protagonist, maybe. She’s pretty much an anti-hero. Super messy, but you can’t help but root for her.
I like Williamson’s approach. Not a new idea but told well and with style. Downside, a few loose ends would like a vol. 2 to finish this off.
A post-apocalyptic take about a world decimated by a second Ice Age. The survivors are now fighting to stay warm while trying to avoid a disease called Frostbite. If contracted you will basically freeze from the inside out. It’s painful, contagious and incurable. Well, there maybe a cure.
What I liked ... Keaton. She’s a transporter/smuggler who has been hired to take a couple of scientists from Mexico City to San Francisco. She is the main protagonist, maybe. She’s pretty much an anti-hero. Super messy, but you can’t help but root for her.
I like Williamson’s approach. Not a new idea but told well and with style. Downside, a few loose ends would like a vol. 2 to finish this off.