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paracosm's review against another edition
2.0
I think the best way to describe this book is to say that it's like Tom Cruise was the protagonist in an adaptation of Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness.
The main character is this dude named Alex Hunter (of course he is) that basically became Captain America after being shot in the head. He has a bunch of superpowers that are never properly explained and seem be be able to do whatever the plot needs at that moment. The book NEVER shuts up about how badass he is and I bet he is an self-insert. Male power fantasy at its finest.
All the other characters are really two-dimensional and I couldn't have cared less if they all died. There isn't only one, but two unnecessary straight romance sub-plots. One is between two scientists and literally adds nothing to the story. The other one is between Hunter and the female lead, but they can't be together because he is just too letal.
There's this very stupid sub-plot about an ancient civilization and I need to tell you about it: About 24,000 years ago the first human civilization appeared in the Antarctic, which was fertile and warm at the time. Then, seemingly over night, the whole continent froze, the people that stayed either were eaten or became cannibals. The ones that survived moved to Mexico for some reason and became the Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs.
Then, 10,000 years before the events in the book took place, the people in Mexico sent an army to the Antarctic to fight the monsters, it never explained why. Only one dude survived and came back. Later on, they sent even more people only to carve the whole story in the walls.
This whole thing is hilarious, specially after you consider three facts. First, the Antarctic froze about 34 million years ago. Second, there are literally centuries in between the Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs. Third, agriculture is barely 12,000 years old. It doesn't make any sense and it's hilarious.
The saving grace of this book is how funny it is. Nothing about it make sense and the end result is so entertaining. The author took himself so seriously and still wrote stuff like "once the US takes control over this masive reservoir of oil it will divide it equally between nations" I just laughed out loud when I read this.
But truly, the best part about this book is the giant monster. We don't get enough of those and he is my favorite character. We also don't get enough media set in subterranean caves. Those are terrifying by themselves. Imagine being stuck in one without any light. I need more stories about giant monsters in my life and this book delivers it. Read it if you want a good laugh.
The main character is this dude named Alex Hunter (of course he is) that basically became Captain America after being shot in the head. He has a bunch of superpowers that are never properly explained and seem be be able to do whatever the plot needs at that moment. The book NEVER shuts up about how badass he is and I bet he is an self-insert. Male power fantasy at its finest.
All the other characters are really two-dimensional and I couldn't have cared less if they all died. There isn't only one, but two unnecessary straight romance sub-plots. One is between two scientists and literally adds nothing to the story. The other one is between Hunter and the female lead, but they can't be together because he is just too letal.
There's this very stupid sub-plot about an ancient civilization and I need to tell you about it: About 24,000 years ago the first human civilization appeared in the Antarctic, which was fertile and warm at the time. Then, seemingly over night, the whole continent froze, the people that stayed either were eaten or became cannibals. The ones that survived moved to Mexico for some reason and became the Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs.
Then, 10,000 years before the events in the book took place, the people in Mexico sent an army to the Antarctic to fight the monsters, it never explained why. Only one dude survived and came back. Later on, they sent even more people only to carve the whole story in the walls.
This whole thing is hilarious, specially after you consider three facts. First, the Antarctic froze about 34 million years ago. Second, there are literally centuries in between the Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs. Third, agriculture is barely 12,000 years old. It doesn't make any sense and it's hilarious.
The saving grace of this book is how funny it is. Nothing about it make sense and the end result is so entertaining. The author took himself so seriously and still wrote stuff like "once the US takes control over this masive reservoir of oil it will divide it equally between nations" I just laughed out loud when I read this.
But truly, the best part about this book is the giant monster. We don't get enough of those and he is my favorite character. We also don't get enough media set in subterranean caves. Those are terrifying by themselves. Imagine being stuck in one without any light. I need more stories about giant monsters in my life and this book delivers it. Read it if you want a good laugh.
the_weirdling's review against another edition
3.0
I have a friend who’s been recommending Greig Beck’s books to me for a while. They knew he has a tendency to bring together a lot of elements I like. So, based on their recommendation, I finally gave one of his earliest books a try. Beneath the Dark Ice is the first in a series of books featuring protagonist Alex Hunter. The plot, story, themes, and initial idea behind this book were pretty great. The execution, on the other hand, was a little wobbly and uneven.
A plane carrying a CEO and some of his executives crashes in Antarctica. On impact, it exposes a massive cave and slides down into the icy maw. A rescue team is dispatched, but shortly after they go down into the cave they also disappear. Enter Captain Alex Hunter, his team of commandos, petrobiologist Aimee Weir, and the usual assortment of other scientific experts who always seem to be dispatched when such things happen in a novel.
This book has a lot of things going on which I typically enjoy in a good beach read. There are strange disappearances, adventure to exotic places, a strange lost civilization, nods to a great historical mystery (in this case Roanoke Island), a terrifying primordial monster (in this case a giant cephalopod), blood and guts gore caused by said monster, tension (will they make it?), body horror (worms!), slimy impersonators, cool technology, an insane Russian or two, and reverential nods to Lovecraft (did I mention the giant cephalopod?). If there are any movie producers reading, this is basically my dream movie right here. It is exceptionally rare to find all these elements together in one place.
Beck’s writing style is solid enough. There are times when the prose is slightly choppy and uneven. But let's be honest, this isn't the sort of a book you pick up because you want to feel classy and refined. This is a testosterone-fueled romp through the great mysteries of the unknown. This is the paperback you bring to the beach, maybe hide the cover of from those around you, and enjoy the hell out of.
The biggest weakness in the novel, in my opinion, is the protagonist. I'm not going to lie, I found myself groaning and eye rolling a lot over our story’s hero, Alex Hunter. In his backstory, he was shot in the head by a Chechen operative and survived. The brain damage inexplicably “unlocked neural pathways” that resulted in fundamental systemic changes which are hard to justify and often a bit silly. He is now able to lift large boulders (neural changes affect bone density?), see in total darkness (think Riddick), observe heat fluctuations on people's skin (infrared vision?), and “just know” when danger is near (basically, spidey sense). And then there’s the name Alex Hunter. Really?! I guess names like Bo Savage, Jack Merck, and Dirk Lethal were already taken.
To some extent, Alex Hunter’s excesses can be excused. A saving grace for this book is that it is not pretending to be something it isn’t. This isn’t Proust. Some days you just want to read a tale where a heroically heroic hero does heroic things in the most heroic way possible while thinking heroic thoughts. But even so, there were still more than a few times I found Hunter just plain annoying.
My favorite part of this book is the way Beck manages to coherently bring in so many elements without having them trip over each other. On their own, they are each done better by others. Dan Brown is better for ancient mysteries. James Rollins does archaeological action better. Steve Alten is better at writing about primordial monsters from the deep. Nick Cutter’s body horror is more unsettling. Years after his death, no one has improved on Michael Crichton for penning a good techno-thriller. Even so, few authors manage to bring all those storytelling styles and elements together. Those who try, usually make a tangled mess or it or take up 800 pages. Like I said before, except for the protagonist maybe, this book is close to everything I’d ever want in a movie or beach read.
In the final analysis, this book is a thumbs up. It definitely isn’t a book for everyone. There is clearly a lot of testosterone flowing through the pages of this book. The women quiver and the rippling muscles of the men have ripples of their own. It drifts into the realm of the silly from time to time, but honestly it’s no worse than half of the big budget summer action films we flood the theaters to see each year. Ultimately, that’s probably the best metric to decide whether this one is for you. If you get a kick out of those big blockbuster flicks that always keep one eye on the 15 year old boy demographic, you’ll probably enjoy this one too. On that level, it’s fun page-candy.
A plane carrying a CEO and some of his executives crashes in Antarctica. On impact, it exposes a massive cave and slides down into the icy maw. A rescue team is dispatched, but shortly after they go down into the cave they also disappear. Enter Captain Alex Hunter, his team of commandos, petrobiologist Aimee Weir, and the usual assortment of other scientific experts who always seem to be dispatched when such things happen in a novel.
This book has a lot of things going on which I typically enjoy in a good beach read. There are strange disappearances, adventure to exotic places, a strange lost civilization, nods to a great historical mystery (in this case Roanoke Island), a terrifying primordial monster (in this case a giant cephalopod), blood and guts gore caused by said monster, tension (will they make it?), body horror (worms!), slimy impersonators, cool technology, an insane Russian or two, and reverential nods to Lovecraft (did I mention the giant cephalopod?). If there are any movie producers reading, this is basically my dream movie right here. It is exceptionally rare to find all these elements together in one place.
Beck’s writing style is solid enough. There are times when the prose is slightly choppy and uneven. But let's be honest, this isn't the sort of a book you pick up because you want to feel classy and refined. This is a testosterone-fueled romp through the great mysteries of the unknown. This is the paperback you bring to the beach, maybe hide the cover of from those around you, and enjoy the hell out of.
The biggest weakness in the novel, in my opinion, is the protagonist. I'm not going to lie, I found myself groaning and eye rolling a lot over our story’s hero, Alex Hunter. In his backstory, he was shot in the head by a Chechen operative and survived. The brain damage inexplicably “unlocked neural pathways” that resulted in fundamental systemic changes which are hard to justify and often a bit silly. He is now able to lift large boulders (neural changes affect bone density?), see in total darkness (think Riddick), observe heat fluctuations on people's skin (infrared vision?), and “just know” when danger is near (basically, spidey sense). And then there’s the name Alex Hunter. Really?! I guess names like Bo Savage, Jack Merck, and Dirk Lethal were already taken.
To some extent, Alex Hunter’s excesses can be excused. A saving grace for this book is that it is not pretending to be something it isn’t. This isn’t Proust. Some days you just want to read a tale where a heroically heroic hero does heroic things in the most heroic way possible while thinking heroic thoughts. But even so, there were still more than a few times I found Hunter just plain annoying.
My favorite part of this book is the way Beck manages to coherently bring in so many elements without having them trip over each other. On their own, they are each done better by others. Dan Brown is better for ancient mysteries. James Rollins does archaeological action better. Steve Alten is better at writing about primordial monsters from the deep. Nick Cutter’s body horror is more unsettling. Years after his death, no one has improved on Michael Crichton for penning a good techno-thriller. Even so, few authors manage to bring all those storytelling styles and elements together. Those who try, usually make a tangled mess or it or take up 800 pages. Like I said before, except for the protagonist maybe, this book is close to everything I’d ever want in a movie or beach read.
In the final analysis, this book is a thumbs up. It definitely isn’t a book for everyone. There is clearly a lot of testosterone flowing through the pages of this book. The women quiver and the rippling muscles of the men have ripples of their own. It drifts into the realm of the silly from time to time, but honestly it’s no worse than half of the big budget summer action films we flood the theaters to see each year. Ultimately, that’s probably the best metric to decide whether this one is for you. If you get a kick out of those big blockbuster flicks that always keep one eye on the 15 year old boy demographic, you’ll probably enjoy this one too. On that level, it’s fun page-candy.
sarah_bear's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
hasseltkoffie's review against another edition
3.0
If you're looking for pulpy action and badass shenanigans, with some eldritich horrors mixed in, this will deliver.
hucklebuck411's review against another edition
4.0
This story has all the makings of a big special effects Sci-Fi/Horror movie. Alex Hunter is more than just another special forces soldier after surviving being shot in the head by a Russian enemy. The inoperable bullet still lodged in his brain inexplicably has awakened formerly unused parts of his brain, heightening his strength, his senses and his recuperating abilities, but also leading to bouts of rage that he must learn to control. He's like Doc Savage on steroids (yes, he even ends up bare chested by the end).
When a small private jet crashes and punches a hole in the Antarctic ice a team of scientists and military is sent in to look for survivors and explore the opening, but soon disappears without a trace. Alex, along with a few of his hand picked men and another scientific team, equipped with specialized gear and weaponry, is sent in to see what has happened to the first team and as a side mission to look for oil under the Antarctic ice.
What they discover in labyrinthine caves under the ice is an ancient world of deadly creatures that may have wiped out one of the first post Atlantis civilizations. To make matters worse, a covert team of Russians has been sent in after them, led by the vicious assassin who put the bullet in Alex's brain. They are there to steal any uncovered oil secrets and murder all in Alex's group.
What follows is a race for survival in the deep caves under the Antarctic ice with assassins pursuing from behind and a large, intelligent, very hungry, Lovecraftian creature stalking everyone who entered the cave system. It's touch and go as members of Alex's team are picked off one by one in the frantic race to try and reach the surface and safety.
While typical of the genre, the story kept me turning pages to reach the big finish ending. With the creature, or one like it, now appearing to have been released from its Antarctic tomb, I'll have to check out the next adventure of super soldier Alex Hunter, and I'm sure his Russian nemesis will be dogging him along the way.
When a small private jet crashes and punches a hole in the Antarctic ice a team of scientists and military is sent in to look for survivors and explore the opening, but soon disappears without a trace. Alex, along with a few of his hand picked men and another scientific team, equipped with specialized gear and weaponry, is sent in to see what has happened to the first team and as a side mission to look for oil under the Antarctic ice.
What they discover in labyrinthine caves under the ice is an ancient world of deadly creatures that may have wiped out one of the first post Atlantis civilizations. To make matters worse, a covert team of Russians has been sent in after them, led by the vicious assassin who put the bullet in Alex's brain. They are there to steal any uncovered oil secrets and murder all in Alex's group.
What follows is a race for survival in the deep caves under the Antarctic ice with assassins pursuing from behind and a large, intelligent, very hungry, Lovecraftian creature stalking everyone who entered the cave system. It's touch and go as members of Alex's team are picked off one by one in the frantic race to try and reach the surface and safety.
While typical of the genre, the story kept me turning pages to reach the big finish ending. With the creature, or one like it, now appearing to have been released from its Antarctic tomb, I'll have to check out the next adventure of super soldier Alex Hunter, and I'm sure his Russian nemesis will be dogging him along the way.
jackcryan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Quick dumb book. Very fast paced, characters are not very drawn
oakes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
pjonsson's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad at all. Alex Hunter, badass marine (or HAWC’s as they are referred to in the book) with a interesting twist making him a bit more than a “ordinary” commando solder. This caught my interest fairly early on in the book.
They are sent on a rescue mission deep under the Antarctic ice where the discover…well you have to read the book to learn what they discovered but I found it quite a good read and not exactly what I had expected. The team consists not only of Alex’s fellow commandos but also of a bunch of researchers out of which one of them is the typical tiresome asshole that you just hoped would get “disposed of”. Preferably as painfully as possible.
Just to complicate things further the author throws in a competing Russian command team lead by a sadistic psychopath with a grudge against Alex. Actually I felt this was a bit over the top. The rest of the story was good enough to keep my interest.
The basic story is a fairly classical one of team-goes-into-confined-area-not-all-of-them-comes-out. As a matter of fact, quite a few of them doesn’t come out. The story is well written though and has enough interesting elements to not give you a yet-another-one-of-those feelings when reading it.
I am fairly sure that I will give, at least, the next one in the series a go as well.
They are sent on a rescue mission deep under the Antarctic ice where the discover…well you have to read the book to learn what they discovered but I found it quite a good read and not exactly what I had expected. The team consists not only of Alex’s fellow commandos but also of a bunch of researchers out of which one of them is the typical tiresome asshole that you just hoped would get “disposed of”. Preferably as painfully as possible.
Just to complicate things further the author throws in a competing Russian command team lead by a sadistic psychopath with a grudge against Alex. Actually I felt this was a bit over the top. The rest of the story was good enough to keep my interest.
The basic story is a fairly classical one of team-goes-into-confined-area-not-all-of-them-comes-out. As a matter of fact, quite a few of them doesn’t come out. The story is well written though and has enough interesting elements to not give you a yet-another-one-of-those feelings when reading it.
I am fairly sure that I will give, at least, the next one in the series a go as well.
mleetm's review against another edition
4.0
Well written thriller. Lovecraftian and whatnot. I liked it. A couple characters were over the top and the creature itself was at times laughably horrendous , but it works out. An intriguing concept and worth experiencing.
joedza's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75