What do you think?
Rate this book
Thaw
"Dunn delivers a brisk page-turner that chills and thrills."
--Scott Nicholson, Liquid Fear
"Thaw is an action-packed, heart-pumping thrill ride that keeps readers on the edge of their seats"
-- Will Plyler, Mania.com
Arctic bush pilot Harry McNills is minding his own business and dreaming of retiring to the Caribbean--when two scientists from Cryolabs Corporation charter his plane for a scientific expedition. The beautiful young biologist Amy Tyler and her boss, the avaricious Hayden Lockwood, want to explore for freeze-tolerant organisms. Harry gets more than he bargained for when he falls for Amy and discovers an ancient terror entombed in an iceberg. A Navy team is assembled to exhume the remarkable find. But before the job is completed, something goes horribly wrong...and Harry and Amy find themselves trapped in a desperate struggle for survival.
--Scott Nicholson, Liquid Fear
"Thaw is an action-packed, heart-pumping thrill ride that keeps readers on the edge of their seats"
-- Will Plyler, Mania.com
Arctic bush pilot Harry McNills is minding his own business and dreaming of retiring to the Caribbean--when two scientists from Cryolabs Corporation charter his plane for a scientific expedition. The beautiful young biologist Amy Tyler and her boss, the avaricious Hayden Lockwood, want to explore for freeze-tolerant organisms. Harry gets more than he bargained for when he falls for Amy and discovers an ancient terror entombed in an iceberg. A Navy team is assembled to exhume the remarkable find. But before the job is completed, something goes horribly wrong...and Harry and Amy find themselves trapped in a desperate struggle for survival.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2007
66 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Dunn
11 books16 followersBorn: Santa Barbara, California
Work: At various times I have: bussed tables, delivered mattresses, painted houses, worked in a machine shop, worked for an ad agency, worked at Santa Barbara Magazine,
Islands magazine, and Serbin Communications
Favorite sports: cycling, sailing
Favorite foods: tri-tip, cheeseburgers
Favorite hobby: curio & relic firearms
Favorite movie: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Favorite quote: “The simplification of anything is always sensational.” – GK Chesterson
My coffee: Black as the devil and hot as hell
Stranded on a desert island my three favorite books would be: Moby Dick, Two Years Before the Mast, Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Work: At various times I have: bussed tables, delivered mattresses, painted houses, worked in a machine shop, worked for an ad agency, worked at Santa Barbara Magazine,
Islands magazine, and Serbin Communications
Favorite sports: cycling, sailing
Favorite foods: tri-tip, cheeseburgers
Favorite hobby: curio & relic firearms
Favorite movie: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Favorite quote: “The simplification of anything is always sensational.” – GK Chesterson
My coffee: Black as the devil and hot as hell
Stranded on a desert island my three favorite books would be: Moby Dick, Two Years Before the Mast, Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 20, 2018
If you look at the cover there is a subtitle "Jaws on the Rocks" you will wish you had something on the rocks when you read this book, probably grain alcohol. If I am going to kill brain cells I might as well enjoy it.
This book is like one of those Eastern European movies that they show on the SYFY Channel, or they used to I haven't watched in several years. We meet our main character a tour pilot in the Caribbean who needs to make money so he heads for Newfoundland and becomes a bush pilot. He is amazing in that like a modern action hero he is apparently accomplished at everything he attempts. We meet him anew when he is piloting a plane out to drop a wreath on the Titanic. This is where we learn about the icebergs. This is where we get to see him make life and death decisions. This is where we meet his co-pilot who is a total caricature of a human being who eats junk food constantly. This guy ate so much name brand junk food I wondered if it was product placement.
Back on the ground they are drinking themselves into oblivion at the Frozen Coconut. When his next charter comes looking for him. It is misogynist, Hayden Lockwood, and is lovely #MeToo poster child Amy Tyler. Both of these characters are complete parodies of real scientists. Amy and Harry see something in an iceberg and convince a Coast Guard pilot to break all the rules and steal a Black Hawk and fly them out to the iceberg.
This is when everything begins to go horribly wrong. (Truth everything started to go horribly wrong the minute I started reading this book) Eventually there will be a giant expedition to the iceberg to excavate the objects. One of which is a strange monstrous creature who they of course decide to thaw out and which obviously goes on a killing spree. Because Science.
The unfolding action/ horror sequences make Sharknado look like Jaws. Good old Dr. Amy seems to have one response to everything. She screams. There are lots of trained soldiers with M16s who freeze when the monster appears. We have the windscreen of a Black Hawk penetrated by a harpoon with an ivory tip. We have people surviving a dip in the Atlantic ocean. We have a crew of a decommissioned ocean liner getting drunk. We have a prehistoric monster who is channeling it's own Michael Myers. And in the end... we have a cliff hanger.
Then we have geographic errors. The story is set in and around St. John's Newfoundland. Newfoundland is 49°N 56°W, it is farther south than London, England, UK. Yet the characters keep commenting about the Arctic. The Arctic is 66.5°, north of the Equator. Newfoundland is NOT the Arctic. It isn't close to the Arctic.
This book is like one of those Eastern European movies that they show on the SYFY Channel, or they used to I haven't watched in several years. We meet our main character a tour pilot in the Caribbean who needs to make money so he heads for Newfoundland and becomes a bush pilot. He is amazing in that like a modern action hero he is apparently accomplished at everything he attempts. We meet him anew when he is piloting a plane out to drop a wreath on the Titanic. This is where we learn about the icebergs. This is where we get to see him make life and death decisions. This is where we meet his co-pilot who is a total caricature of a human being who eats junk food constantly. This guy ate so much name brand junk food I wondered if it was product placement.
Back on the ground they are drinking themselves into oblivion at the Frozen Coconut. When his next charter comes looking for him. It is misogynist, Hayden Lockwood, and is lovely #MeToo poster child Amy Tyler. Both of these characters are complete parodies of real scientists. Amy and Harry see something in an iceberg and convince a Coast Guard pilot to break all the rules and steal a Black Hawk and fly them out to the iceberg.
This is when everything begins to go horribly wrong. (Truth everything started to go horribly wrong the minute I started reading this book) Eventually there will be a giant expedition to the iceberg to excavate the objects. One of which is a strange monstrous creature who they of course decide to thaw out and which obviously goes on a killing spree. Because Science.
The unfolding action/ horror sequences make Sharknado look like Jaws. Good old Dr. Amy seems to have one response to everything. She screams. There are lots of trained soldiers with M16s who freeze when the monster appears. We have the windscreen of a Black Hawk penetrated by a harpoon with an ivory tip. We have people surviving a dip in the Atlantic ocean. We have a crew of a decommissioned ocean liner getting drunk. We have a prehistoric monster who is channeling it's own Michael Myers. And in the end... we have a cliff hanger.
Then we have geographic errors. The story is set in and around St. John's Newfoundland. Newfoundland is 49°N 56°W, it is farther south than London, England, UK. Yet the characters keep commenting about the Arctic. The Arctic is 66.5°, north of the Equator. Newfoundland is NOT the Arctic. It isn't close to the Arctic.
January 26, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book; I liked many things about it but at the same time the pacing was working against the story line. I found most of the characters in it to be terrific and believable and I enjoyed reading about their struggles while watching their lives turn to hell on ice but the book took so long to get to the point that I lost interest about sixty percent in, with some intense editing this would have been a much stronger read, there was way too much writing, I know that authors work really hard at churning out those two thousand words a day but in reality they aren’t meant to keep them all, you have to cut and slash to make the story tight, the reader should be left wanting more and not left tired and ready for a big break.
An ancient frozen monster encased in ice is released into the modern world eating everything in its path. A handful of scientists and some local pilots are trying to discover the mystery behind his existence and his miraculous awakening after five thousand years. Now I know that even the biggest predator with the sharpest teeth can’t be a 24/7 killing machine, he was clearly not hungry, his only aim was to slash and kill.. yawn… did anyone check if he was a robot? Maybe a chip short circuited. Anyways, the writing style was pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised that there was no spelling or grammatical errors which can trip even the best self published works and there was a bit of a heart to the story, but overall it didn’t measure up to it’s own premise because it was way too lengthy and at times it felt tedious to keep going. I also felt the lack of cold when I read this, most of the action is either on an iceberg, in frozen water or under bad weather, but everyone was just hanging out as if it was a balmy 70 degrees.. if I didn’t know where the acting took place I don’t think I would have felt the environment at all through the storyline. There was some cool twists toward the end but getting there was more work then fun, this isn’t a bad book but it’s certainly not perfect, at least for me.
I have purchased another ebook from Dunn called Creepers because he can write and it looks good enough to be checked out so unless it bombs I will continue to read him. I think Dunn has tremendous talent and is good at adding witty comments that made me chuckle which was a refreshing break when one reads horror and I think that he should keep writing, no one has ever said that it’s was easy because it isn’t, you bleed into the pages and leave a bit of yourself in them, so I applaud everyone who takes on this tremendous task but as a reviewer I still feel that its my duty to be fair and honest.
- Kasia S.
An ancient frozen monster encased in ice is released into the modern world eating everything in its path. A handful of scientists and some local pilots are trying to discover the mystery behind his existence and his miraculous awakening after five thousand years. Now I know that even the biggest predator with the sharpest teeth can’t be a 24/7 killing machine, he was clearly not hungry, his only aim was to slash and kill.. yawn… did anyone check if he was a robot? Maybe a chip short circuited. Anyways, the writing style was pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised that there was no spelling or grammatical errors which can trip even the best self published works and there was a bit of a heart to the story, but overall it didn’t measure up to it’s own premise because it was way too lengthy and at times it felt tedious to keep going. I also felt the lack of cold when I read this, most of the action is either on an iceberg, in frozen water or under bad weather, but everyone was just hanging out as if it was a balmy 70 degrees.. if I didn’t know where the acting took place I don’t think I would have felt the environment at all through the storyline. There was some cool twists toward the end but getting there was more work then fun, this isn’t a bad book but it’s certainly not perfect, at least for me.
I have purchased another ebook from Dunn called Creepers because he can write and it looks good enough to be checked out so unless it bombs I will continue to read him. I think Dunn has tremendous talent and is good at adding witty comments that made me chuckle which was a refreshing break when one reads horror and I think that he should keep writing, no one has ever said that it’s was easy because it isn’t, you bleed into the pages and leave a bit of yourself in them, so I applaud everyone who takes on this tremendous task but as a reviewer I still feel that its my duty to be fair and honest.
- Kasia S.
March 1, 2013
I didn't read the comments on Amazon before I got the book. I usually do when I'm indecisive on whether to waste my time reading a book everyone says sucks. This one's description intrigued me enough that I just got it and tried it.
THANK GOODNESS!
When I decided to write a review, which I don't always do, I glanced at some of the other reviews and was shocked!
Ignore them. The dialogue was fine. Yes, I could semi-guess the ending. Big whoop.
I thought the dialogue was fine and never noticed a thing abnormal about it while I was reading. Sure I could kinda guess the outcome-Don't the good guys/main character usually conquer all?
What I could not guess was all the twists and turns and graphically described events that occurred during the story. Everything was so plausible, I had no doubt this situation could happen.
Did you know an Iceberg flipped? I didn't. (And I sure as heck wouldn't want to be on one when it did!)
Can you imagine finding an animal or human or even a fish flash frozen in an iceberg? You betcha-why not?
Can you imagine the total incompetence displayed by those supposedly "in charge" that could cause another Titanic-like wreck? You betcha-it's happened before and I deal with those that are "supposedly" professionals and display very unprofessional behavior all the time.
I felt the cold. I felt the paralyzing fear. I was literally on the edge of my seat as I read the last 50 pages. I could not do anything else until I finished it and found out what happened. And the "dun, dun, dun.." ending .... *shivers*.
Ignore the overly critical reviews and get the book-you won't regret it!
THANK GOODNESS!
When I decided to write a review, which I don't always do, I glanced at some of the other reviews and was shocked!
Ignore them. The dialogue was fine. Yes, I could semi-guess the ending. Big whoop.
I thought the dialogue was fine and never noticed a thing abnormal about it while I was reading. Sure I could kinda guess the outcome-Don't the good guys/main character usually conquer all?
What I could not guess was all the twists and turns and graphically described events that occurred during the story. Everything was so plausible, I had no doubt this situation could happen.
Did you know an Iceberg flipped? I didn't. (And I sure as heck wouldn't want to be on one when it did!)
Can you imagine finding an animal or human or even a fish flash frozen in an iceberg? You betcha-why not?
Can you imagine the total incompetence displayed by those supposedly "in charge" that could cause another Titanic-like wreck? You betcha-it's happened before and I deal with those that are "supposedly" professionals and display very unprofessional behavior all the time.
I felt the cold. I felt the paralyzing fear. I was literally on the edge of my seat as I read the last 50 pages. I could not do anything else until I finished it and found out what happened. And the "dun, dun, dun.." ending .... *shivers*.
Ignore the overly critical reviews and get the book-you won't regret it!
September 20, 2019
book synopsis
Arctic bush pilot Harry McNills is minding his own business and dreaming of retiring to the Caribbean—when two scientists from Cryolabs Corporation charter his plane for a scientific expedition. The beautiful young biologist Amy Tyler and her boss, the avaricious Hayden Lockwood, want to explore for freeze-tolerant organisms. Harry gets more than he bargained for when he falls for Amy and discovers an ancient terror entombed in an iceberg. A Navy team is assembled to exhume the remarkable find. But before the job is completed, something goes horribly wrong…and Harry and Amy find themselves trapped in a desperate struggle for survival
my rating: five stars
challenges that I used this for:
Around The Year In 52 Books
. A book by an author you discovered in 2015
2016 Chose Your Own Challenge
a book by an author you discovered in 2015
what did I think of the story:
OMG it had me hooked after 2 pages, and it wouldn't let go, it was like I was reading something that James Rollins would have writing ,it wouldn't let go after I started reading it, loved the characters, loved everything about the book, can't wait to pick up more by this author and see if there just as good, its a must read , so what are you waiting for go get a copy of it and see for yourself, can see this as a movie if they would do it right .
Arctic bush pilot Harry McNills is minding his own business and dreaming of retiring to the Caribbean—when two scientists from Cryolabs Corporation charter his plane for a scientific expedition. The beautiful young biologist Amy Tyler and her boss, the avaricious Hayden Lockwood, want to explore for freeze-tolerant organisms. Harry gets more than he bargained for when he falls for Amy and discovers an ancient terror entombed in an iceberg. A Navy team is assembled to exhume the remarkable find. But before the job is completed, something goes horribly wrong…and Harry and Amy find themselves trapped in a desperate struggle for survival
my rating: five stars
challenges that I used this for:
Around The Year In 52 Books
. A book by an author you discovered in 2015
2016 Chose Your Own Challenge
a book by an author you discovered in 2015
what did I think of the story:
OMG it had me hooked after 2 pages, and it wouldn't let go, it was like I was reading something that James Rollins would have writing ,it wouldn't let go after I started reading it, loved the characters, loved everything about the book, can't wait to pick up more by this author and see if there just as good, its a must read , so what are you waiting for go get a copy of it and see for yourself, can see this as a movie if they would do it right .
June 13, 2011
You know, I really don't know how much to say about this book. There is some things I liked about it, mainly the chase scenes and descriptions of the monster attacking. However, I really thought the plot was really disjointed and I hated the use of nicknames for main plot characters, Boots, Nowhere Man... There were some plot twists that just really had no real explanation and seemed like they were no researched enough. Good attempt by the author and worth the quick read I did.
October 14, 2011
Better than I had expected, and honestly reminded me of another book I've read dealing with a frozen monster. Bryan Dunn has also sprinkled a few words in here, that thankfully with my kindle I didn't have an issue understanding.
The plot and storyline were pretty interesting and the back story of why the main female character was there is incredibly plausible. Overall an incredibly fast, fun and action packed read. 4.5-5 stars. Highly recommended.
The plot and storyline were pretty interesting and the back story of why the main female character was there is incredibly plausible. Overall an incredibly fast, fun and action packed read. 4.5-5 stars. Highly recommended.
December 23, 2022
VERY silly but quite a bit of fun
December 21, 2015
A thoroughly enjoyable monster-stomper. Easy to read with an interesting plot.
November 4, 2017
Closer to 3.5 / 5
A well written and engaging book, the main characters are well developed too.
The story of prehistoric creature frozen, thawed and on the rampage.
But when the creature does appear, it's a little too much rampage for the sake of rampage, not survival.
A second creature is alluded to, which is only nodded to right at the end, leaving the story open for more.
A well written and engaging book, the main characters are well developed too.
The story of prehistoric creature frozen, thawed and on the rampage.
But when the creature does appear, it's a little too much rampage for the sake of rampage, not survival.
A second creature is alluded to, which is only nodded to right at the end, leaving the story open for more.
June 25, 2012
Harry McNills had moved from Florida to Newfoundland a year ago to run Arctic Air Adventures. His goal was to make enough money to start an air charter business in the Caribbean.
At Cryolab, Amy Tyler was working in the walk-in freezer when she was called up to her boss's office. Dr. Haydon Lockwood was needing her answer about the upcoming expedition. Even though she hesitated answering him, she knew she was going. The problem would be fending off his advances, but no way was she going to miss out on the trip.
The Ice Machine was an ore carrier converted to an iceberg eating machine. It carried tanks to store meltwater from the bergs to be bottled and sold. The water was also used for beer and vodka. While cutting into a fresh ridge of ice, there was a loud noise and the cutting head broke. When the iceberg rolled, it took the Ice Machine with it. They had been able to get a Mayday out and Harry had heard it. By the time they flew over, there was nothing left but an oil slick. When a rescue team went out to investigate, they found half a body with a 5,000 year-old hair on it.
The cover caught my eye first because of the rich, vibrant colors. When I saw the title I was pretty sure I knew I'd want to read it before I even read the description. I eat up these kinds of books because they have great characters, fun storylines and some laughs thrown in. Great story. Easy and fun to read. As I read along, the B movie was running through my mind. I could picture the monster rip tearing around. Of course, you have to have some romance in there. And that's all right.
ThawBryan Dunn
At Cryolab, Amy Tyler was working in the walk-in freezer when she was called up to her boss's office. Dr. Haydon Lockwood was needing her answer about the upcoming expedition. Even though she hesitated answering him, she knew she was going. The problem would be fending off his advances, but no way was she going to miss out on the trip.
The Ice Machine was an ore carrier converted to an iceberg eating machine. It carried tanks to store meltwater from the bergs to be bottled and sold. The water was also used for beer and vodka. While cutting into a fresh ridge of ice, there was a loud noise and the cutting head broke. When the iceberg rolled, it took the Ice Machine with it. They had been able to get a Mayday out and Harry had heard it. By the time they flew over, there was nothing left but an oil slick. When a rescue team went out to investigate, they found half a body with a 5,000 year-old hair on it.
The cover caught my eye first because of the rich, vibrant colors. When I saw the title I was pretty sure I knew I'd want to read it before I even read the description. I eat up these kinds of books because they have great characters, fun storylines and some laughs thrown in. Great story. Easy and fun to read. As I read along, the B movie was running through my mind. I could picture the monster rip tearing around. Of course, you have to have some romance in there. And that's all right.
ThawBryan Dunn
April 21, 2012
Thaw tries to take a very familiar premise and create an exciting, suspenseful, story - with mixed results. The idea of something dangerous and unknown being unwittingly freed from the ice has been done many times - from movies to television episodes to books (for example, Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child.) But unfortunately, Thaw never escapes the feeling of a B-movie.
The broad strokes are great. However, the details of the story continually break down the reader's ability to suspend disbelief and get lost in the book. And, anyone reading books like this wants to suspend disbelief. You want to take the author at face value and enjoy the ride. But, in Thaw, it's often hard to do.
In the interest of avoiding spoilers, and letting readers enjoy what's there, I'll skip over providing examples of the flaws that jumped out at me. If you're a critical reader, you're going to stumble over them easily enough. But, if you love watching made for TV movies on the sy-fy channel, and can ignore some cheesiness in your suspenseful thrillers, then you'll have a great time with this one.
The broad strokes are great. However, the details of the story continually break down the reader's ability to suspend disbelief and get lost in the book. And, anyone reading books like this wants to suspend disbelief. You want to take the author at face value and enjoy the ride. But, in Thaw, it's often hard to do.
In the interest of avoiding spoilers, and letting readers enjoy what's there, I'll skip over providing examples of the flaws that jumped out at me. If you're a critical reader, you're going to stumble over them easily enough. But, if you love watching made for TV movies on the sy-fy channel, and can ignore some cheesiness in your suspenseful thrillers, then you'll have a great time with this one.
December 28, 2012
Arctic bush pilot Harry McNills is minding his own business and dreaming of retiring to the Caribbean--when two scientists from Cryolabs Corporation charter his plane for a scientific expedition. The beautiful young biologist Amy Tyler and her boss, the avaricious Hayden Lockwood, want to explore for freeze-tolerant organisms. Harry gets more than he bargained for when he falls for Amy and discovers an ancient terror entombed in an iceberg. A Navy team is assembled to exhume the remarkable find. But before the job is completed, something goes horribly wrong...and Harry and Amy find themselves trapped in a desperate struggle for survival.
The blurb for this book does not come close to the action packed horror that you are about to read. It is a real page turner and you read on because you cannot help yourself.
I would recommend this book to all horror fans. Mr Dunn brings you up close and personal with a monster from nightmares. You feel the arctic cold and smell carrion smell of death and blood. Good descriptions and great imaginary.
The blurb for this book does not come close to the action packed horror that you are about to read. It is a real page turner and you read on because you cannot help yourself.
I would recommend this book to all horror fans. Mr Dunn brings you up close and personal with a monster from nightmares. You feel the arctic cold and smell carrion smell of death and blood. Good descriptions and great imaginary.
May 14, 2013
If you like 50s and 60s B sci-fi movies, you'll like "Thaw." While the novel takes place today, to me, it had a definite feel from that style of movie. Hideous creature, found somewhere it shouldn't exist, dangerous to man and the hero and heroine are fighting for their lives.
Don't get me wrong, I liked this book. It was a very enjoyable read. The characters are engaging and you find yourself rooting for Harry and Amy (even though they and their comrades make some dumb mistakes). I think that they would make a good team in a sequel.
Would read this book again, and would recommend it to others!
Don't get me wrong, I liked this book. It was a very enjoyable read. The characters are engaging and you find yourself rooting for Harry and Amy (even though they and their comrades make some dumb mistakes). I think that they would make a good team in a sequel.
Would read this book again, and would recommend it to others!
April 25, 2019
This was about what you'd expect, which isn't a bad thing. It's a Syfy type creature feature set in the Arctic. There were a few things I didn't like. The interaction between some of the characters didn't seem very realistic at times, and some of the characters seemed to have erratic mood swings and/or personality changes. (Then again, that could be looked at as pretty realistic as I'm sure we've all known people like that.) There were also a few moments that stretched believability, even within the confines of a monster story. Still, I enjoyed it and found it hard to put down. It reads well and has a nice flow. If you think you'll like this, then you probably will. Fun monster action.
September 24, 2013
The book was really interesting until they found the creature that you know is going to thaw.
Then the story just jumps the shark.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone, in case they want to risk their $3. The 1st 75% of the book is good reading and intriguing.
I just couldn't continue past the decision for the Thaw.... After that point it got too ridiculous.
Sorry I couldn't give a better review.
Then the story just jumps the shark.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone, in case they want to risk their $3. The 1st 75% of the book is good reading and intriguing.
I just couldn't continue past the decision for the Thaw.... After that point it got too ridiculous.
Sorry I couldn't give a better review.
April 2, 2012
An interesting premise and a good action/thriller. The arctic weather and landscape were vivid and the characterization was good. Entertaining read for the most part, would have rated it higher except for the inclination to edge from thriller to horror, a lower body count and not quite such graphic mayhem would have made it a little more readable for me personally.
January 27, 2013
Intense read! It was one of the best free Pixel downloads I've gotten for the kindle. I don't expect to ever find myself in any of their similar life-n-death situations, but I was amazed by the amount of skill they demonstrated under such dangerous circumstances. Very believable read and because of that it was SCAREY!
May 31, 2011
This is a great book for a weekend read. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. This one is fun, doesn't take itself too seriously and sometimes that's just the kind of thing you need to help relax and unwind.
July 12, 2011
This book is a fast paced, fun ride! Looking forward to reading his next book!
February 28, 2018
I thought this was a really good book. This was a very thrilling book mixed with horror and I enjoyed reading it.
The plot was written out well and it was a good adventure to follow. I thought that there were a few twists and turns and that made me want to keep reading the book.
The characters were great and I love how their adventure was written out. But what thrilled me, was the ending. I believe there should be another book to follow on from where it ended.
I would like to read this again someday.
The plot was written out well and it was a good adventure to follow. I thought that there were a few twists and turns and that made me want to keep reading the book.
The characters were great and I love how their adventure was written out. But what thrilled me, was the ending. I believe there should be another book to follow on from where it ended.
I would like to read this again someday.
February 5, 2017
I thought this book was pretty good. The characters were interesting and I really liked the plot. What can I say, I like Jaws and other horror stories. ;) :) There were a few editing issues, but nothing major. Also, there were some really dumb things some of the characters did. Although, if they hadn't done them, there wouldn't have been a story... I would definitely read other books by this author, though. :)
February 3, 2018
This was a good book. Some parts were slow but than picked up and had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I would recommend this book to those that like horror with a touch of sci/fi theme. Kind of makes me wonder if this could happen and the results would be the same. Cryogenics is something I have always wondered about and if a person can be frozen only to come back later and be sane to live like they are used to or if they would be altered by the freezing process.
April 15, 2019
I can always get behind a creature feature kind of book, except when the main characters have terrible dialogue or seem vapid and one-dimensional.
December 8, 2012
I had Thaw sitting there taking up space on my Kindle for several months before I got to read it back in August. August can you believe I'm only just getting around to writing my review now? Thankfully I was gifted with a superb memoir for books so I'm able to retain a lot of what I've read for a long time.
When I did sit down to read Thaw I had no idea what to expect I just wanted to read a story about a creature trapped in the ice thawing out and wreaking havoc on as many people as it possible could. What can I say I absolutely love horror novels like this and often the cheesier they are the better it is for me.
Anyways, I went into reading the book with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised. I loved the writing style and the characters even though it can be said that the book is pretty high up there on the cheese factor with the dialogue included in that I still had a lot of fun reading it.
The book was an action filled and a times a little spooky. But, mostly it was a fun read that held my interest because believe it or not there is talent required to pen these novels despite there being a lot of "cheese" in it. If a book can entertain me then I am more than willing to give it a fair rating.
I liked the way the author created his story line. Henry the Arctic Pilot was the usual rough and tumble character who teams up with Amy a biologist who is way out of his league and there are sexual overtures in the book but those were expected. Plus there was A LOT of killing and I loved it. What can I say with an older brother blood and gore was what I grew up on on so for me that added a lot to the story.
While the book may not win any awards for being the greatest piece of literature it was a well written and entertaining read and my only true complaints about the book was that I wish the book didn't jump back and forth so often from the POV's of Amy and Henry and that there had been a little more action with the creature. I would have loved to have had the creatures description elaborated on. I did like the cliffhanger ending an I wish the author would write a second novel with the creature just to round it all off.
Overall, it was an entertaining read that I would recommend to people looking for a quick action packed read with lots of blood and gore. If you're a fan of monster novels I highly suggest checking this one out. I have another of the authors books sitting unread on my kindle and I can't wait to finally get to it. For me Bryan Dunn is an author I think I'll be watching and he definitely has a fan over here at Turning the Pages.
When I did sit down to read Thaw I had no idea what to expect I just wanted to read a story about a creature trapped in the ice thawing out and wreaking havoc on as many people as it possible could. What can I say I absolutely love horror novels like this and often the cheesier they are the better it is for me.
Anyways, I went into reading the book with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised. I loved the writing style and the characters even though it can be said that the book is pretty high up there on the cheese factor with the dialogue included in that I still had a lot of fun reading it.
The book was an action filled and a times a little spooky. But, mostly it was a fun read that held my interest because believe it or not there is talent required to pen these novels despite there being a lot of "cheese" in it. If a book can entertain me then I am more than willing to give it a fair rating.
I liked the way the author created his story line. Henry the Arctic Pilot was the usual rough and tumble character who teams up with Amy a biologist who is way out of his league and there are sexual overtures in the book but those were expected. Plus there was A LOT of killing and I loved it. What can I say with an older brother blood and gore was what I grew up on on so for me that added a lot to the story.
While the book may not win any awards for being the greatest piece of literature it was a well written and entertaining read and my only true complaints about the book was that I wish the book didn't jump back and forth so often from the POV's of Amy and Henry and that there had been a little more action with the creature. I would have loved to have had the creatures description elaborated on. I did like the cliffhanger ending an I wish the author would write a second novel with the creature just to round it all off.
Overall, it was an entertaining read that I would recommend to people looking for a quick action packed read with lots of blood and gore. If you're a fan of monster novels I highly suggest checking this one out. I have another of the authors books sitting unread on my kindle and I can't wait to finally get to it. For me Bryan Dunn is an author I think I'll be watching and he definitely has a fan over here at Turning the Pages.
January 2, 2016
After reading Mr. Dunn's Moon Rocks, I came away with an appreciation for his ability to create a literary B-movie for the reader. The bookwas unpretentious, spare, and with just the right amount of improbable situations. It was a trip back to my youth when I spent hours and hours late at night watching VHS movies just like the story I read.
Thaw is no different, though not quite as polished as Mom Rocks was. It places a car of characters - a bush pilot, two biologists, and some other colorful locals - in the path of a powerful prehistoric creature who had been suspended in the ice of the North Atlantic for thousands if years. Naturally, attempts to free it for research do not go well and chaos ensued.
The writing and pacing are not bad. The writing felt like our needed one more go through. There were some repeated words, stylistic choices and other small things that made Thaw feel less polished than Moon Rocks was. The pushing it's a but show in the first two thirds of the book and a but day in the later third. Once the monster really shows up, there's little other than running, bliss, and narrow escapes.
The characters, particularly the sleazy head biologist, did not feel totally consistent in their actions and the back and forth nature of the love triangle that occurs is uneven before our stops cold suddenly about half way through. The uneven nature unbalanced the rest of their plot as a result.
Overall the book is a quick, entertaining read that could have been better with just a bit more time and review. Not bad by any means, but like many B movies, it is not quite memorable either.
Thaw is no different, though not quite as polished as Mom Rocks was. It places a car of characters - a bush pilot, two biologists, and some other colorful locals - in the path of a powerful prehistoric creature who had been suspended in the ice of the North Atlantic for thousands if years. Naturally, attempts to free it for research do not go well and chaos ensued.
The writing and pacing are not bad. The writing felt like our needed one more go through. There were some repeated words, stylistic choices and other small things that made Thaw feel less polished than Moon Rocks was. The pushing it's a but show in the first two thirds of the book and a but day in the later third. Once the monster really shows up, there's little other than running, bliss, and narrow escapes.
The characters, particularly the sleazy head biologist, did not feel totally consistent in their actions and the back and forth nature of the love triangle that occurs is uneven before our stops cold suddenly about half way through. The uneven nature unbalanced the rest of their plot as a result.
Overall the book is a quick, entertaining read that could have been better with just a bit more time and review. Not bad by any means, but like many B movies, it is not quite memorable either.
June 23, 2012
Let me clarify right off the bat: this is not sophisticated literature. It's a bit cheesy. The dialogue - as others have mentioned - lacks finesse. The characters lack depth. And truthfully, the one thing that occurred throughout the book that bothered me more than anything else was the POV-jumping. One paragraph you'd be right there with the male hero and in the next paragraph you'd be with the female and in the next paragraph you're with someone else. This can be quite jarring.
Those things aside, it's a good book. Because let me be honest: sometimes I'm not in the mood for sophisticated literature. Sometimes I have five minutes to read and I want something light-hearted and funny and just distracting enough. It took me about a month to read Thaw, while it was in a rotation of about five or six other books, and sometimes this was just what I needed... like when it was really late at night and I was exhausted and I should have just gone to sleep but I *have* to read first. I don't normally read paranormal novels - science fiction doesn't interest me when real life is so fascinating. But I did enjoy this one. The plot twists in the last quarter of the book make this story ripe for the screen.
I recommend this book *if* you can set your expectations for light-hearted entertainment that's slightly cheesy. At the root of this book is a really good plot and a story worth reading.
Those things aside, it's a good book. Because let me be honest: sometimes I'm not in the mood for sophisticated literature. Sometimes I have five minutes to read and I want something light-hearted and funny and just distracting enough. It took me about a month to read Thaw, while it was in a rotation of about five or six other books, and sometimes this was just what I needed... like when it was really late at night and I was exhausted and I should have just gone to sleep but I *have* to read first. I don't normally read paranormal novels - science fiction doesn't interest me when real life is so fascinating. But I did enjoy this one. The plot twists in the last quarter of the book make this story ripe for the screen.
I recommend this book *if* you can set your expectations for light-hearted entertainment that's slightly cheesy. At the root of this book is a really good plot and a story worth reading.
June 26, 2015
A good old-fashioned monster story! I really enjoyed reading Thaw by Bryan Dunn - a fun way to spend the day. I liked the beginning, a la Cussler, where readers are taken back in time for a glimpse of how things became the way they are today. The science of cryogenics is ready to hit the jackpot by discovering a creature frozen in an iceberg for over 5,000 yrs. It is fully intact and a sample biopsy of its blood supports science's theory that mammals can be frozen and reanimated - no worse for wear.
Unfortunately, it is abruptly awakened as a result of a shot of adrenaline into its heart and then goes on a killing rampage, destroying everything and everyone in its path. Doing this more for sport than for food.
The tome is reminiscent of the movie, The Thing. The creature is smart, hunts its prey and appears unstoppable. There's no place to hide on this iceberg and the ranks of good guys are quickly diminishing as they run for their lives. Readers will encounter times filled with terror, especially when the main characters are trapped and faced with uncertain death, and other times when the story gets a bit cheesy and some dialogue is strained and inappropriate. There are grammatical and formatting errors, however, not bad enough to distract readers - the story flows well and is easy to read. I'd recommend it!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
Unfortunately, it is abruptly awakened as a result of a shot of adrenaline into its heart and then goes on a killing rampage, destroying everything and everyone in its path. Doing this more for sport than for food.
The tome is reminiscent of the movie, The Thing. The creature is smart, hunts its prey and appears unstoppable. There's no place to hide on this iceberg and the ranks of good guys are quickly diminishing as they run for their lives. Readers will encounter times filled with terror, especially when the main characters are trapped and faced with uncertain death, and other times when the story gets a bit cheesy and some dialogue is strained and inappropriate. There are grammatical and formatting errors, however, not bad enough to distract readers - the story flows well and is easy to read. I'd recommend it!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
July 10, 2012
I've got mixed feelings about this book. Author Bryan Dunn reeled me in when his main character, bush pilot Harry McNills, had to decide whether two cases of good Scotch should be thrown overboard to lighten his load and preserve fuel, or his irritating passenger … and agonized over the decision. After that snigger, I sat back and happily read for hours. The characters were real and funny, the writing was decent, and the premise, although totally unbelievable, was acceptable for a science-based thriller.
Then I reached the two-thirds mark. The characters became less real, the writing more rushed and less thoughtfully edited, and the premise more outlandish the further it developed. This didn't happen quickly, but gradually. By the time the climactic "kill the monster" scene arrived, most of my enthusiasm had already dissipated. I did read on and finish, mainly to see if my hunch re how the monster would die was justified (it was), not because I still cared about the characters or the plot.
Nevertheless, this story kept me entertained for hours. I just wish the quality level in the final third matched that of the first two.
Three and a half stars.
Then I reached the two-thirds mark. The characters became less real, the writing more rushed and less thoughtfully edited, and the premise more outlandish the further it developed. This didn't happen quickly, but gradually. By the time the climactic "kill the monster" scene arrived, most of my enthusiasm had already dissipated. I did read on and finish, mainly to see if my hunch re how the monster would die was justified (it was), not because I still cared about the characters or the plot.
Nevertheless, this story kept me entertained for hours. I just wish the quality level in the final third matched that of the first two.
Three and a half stars.
February 9, 2014
This was actually a fun creature feature. Occasionally I like to go back to the classics, and this felt like an old school creature book. Jaws on ice is really an accurate description. It's got that same sense of creeping dread and the horrific strength and speed of the enemy. A decent amount of gore and a high body count are, of course, part of this sort of book. The author does a great job with it, too. I chewed through this one in an afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not to mention, it's got a good point...who knows what's frozen out there, just waiting to be thawed or mined out? If you dig too deep, you might not like what you find...
June 9, 2012
3 1/2 stars! This was a fast read. There is the intrepid Amy; butthole; resourceful hero, Harry; Harry's friend Nowwhere Man; a thawed out prehistoric primitive creature that refuses to die and lots of blood and gore. I do think the main reason of the scientists kinda got lost in the middle of the story and a few things that happened leave you wondering what happens with them later...a sequel, perhaps. I would definitely pick up another book by this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews