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Chasing Cold
On the tiny, frozen world of Frostbite, Rogan Tyso is the Mailmail, responsible for the communications array that keeps his home in contact with the other human Refuges scattered across known space. It has been a century since the Cluster--the great union of Earth-like colonies--fell to an alien race known only as the Flense, and human civilization has been reduced to an afterthought. Rogan's correspondence with Nathe Mylan, a man thousands of light years away, offers him both the possibility of a love he has never found, and a chance to work on a project that may help humanity escape the influence of the Flense for good.
270 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Graham King
11 books29 followersStephen Graham King (He/They) is a disabled survivor of metastatic synovial sarcoma, a story chronicled in the memoir, Just Breathe: My Journey Through Cancer and Back. Since then, he has concentrated on writing speculative fiction, in particular, queer-themed space opera, and his short fiction has appeared in the anthologies North of Infinity II, Desolate Places, Ruins Metropolis, and the forthcoming Nothing Without Us Too. His first novel, Chasing Cold, was released in 2012, followed by the books in the Maverick Heart Cycle: Soul’s Blood (2016), Gatecrasher (2017), A Congress of Ships (2019) and in 2022, Ghost Light Burn. He has been a frequent guest on podcasts and panels, passionately advocating for lived experience queer and disability narratives in stories of the future. They are also an avid black and white photographer, with two of their photos appearing in an installation at the Art Gallery of Ontario. They are also working on a book compiling their intimate and immediate photos captured on the streets of Toronto, where they currently reside.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 12, 2019
Two things:
I was entertained just fine by the actual SFnal elements and the adventure in the distant world, the inclusion of the aliens, and the adventure. Decent, not mind-blowing. The writing is perfectly fine, too.
But while I know there's a big market for sex, sex, sex, sex, sex in the smut-novel world, I've never been a huge fan. Most of the time it just feels out of place and/or a placeholder for SOMETHING ELSE to happen. Maybe it's a personal thing. I don't care for it when it's endless M/F F/F or M/M. If it's used like spice or the novel is fundamentally about a relationship, then fine... but this is mostly light and impersonal sex for just sex.
Again, there's a market for that... it's just not me. Alas.
But for all you M/M romance junkies in space, check this out! :) You won't be disappointed.
I was entertained just fine by the actual SFnal elements and the adventure in the distant world, the inclusion of the aliens, and the adventure. Decent, not mind-blowing. The writing is perfectly fine, too.
But while I know there's a big market for sex, sex, sex, sex, sex in the smut-novel world, I've never been a huge fan. Most of the time it just feels out of place and/or a placeholder for SOMETHING ELSE to happen. Maybe it's a personal thing. I don't care for it when it's endless M/F F/F or M/M. If it's used like spice or the novel is fundamentally about a relationship, then fine... but this is mostly light and impersonal sex for just sex.
Again, there's a market for that... it's just not me. Alas.
But for all you M/M romance junkies in space, check this out! :) You won't be disappointed.
July 24, 2014
It is odd reading a book where the dramatic tension is placed completely on protagonist's discovery of the unknown. Although, I'm not entirely certain that it's not just my own tension that comes as a consequence of the literary reveal of unknown.
As a reader, I was expecting the other shoe to drop and it never came. It's not to say that I wasn't satisfied by the book. It's an interesting exploration of a universe but I did find myself wanting more.
It's reading about the echo of events that I would have liked to have experienced. Perhaps in their conflict and horrificness.
In a harsh and violent universe, the author tells us how harsh and violent it is but shies away from showing us.
I suppose that's like "real life". We often hear of things worse than we experience them and how that impacts us. I imagine this story to be no different than picking up and leaving to move to a different country.
Still, I want to know what happens to the characters next. There still seems like more story to tell.
As a reader, I was expecting the other shoe to drop and it never came. It's not to say that I wasn't satisfied by the book. It's an interesting exploration of a universe but I did find myself wanting more.
It's reading about the echo of events that I would have liked to have experienced. Perhaps in their conflict and horrificness.
In a harsh and violent universe, the author tells us how harsh and violent it is but shies away from showing us.
I suppose that's like "real life". We often hear of things worse than we experience them and how that impacts us. I imagine this story to be no different than picking up and leaving to move to a different country.
Still, I want to know what happens to the characters next. There still seems like more story to tell.
June 2, 2012
Having known Stephen Graham King as a co-worker and friend for several years, I was excited to read his first book. I will admit that, because of this fact, my perspective may be a bit biased.
Contains some vague spoilers...
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. At 270 pages, it is a relatively quick read.
If you enjoy classic sci-fi that focuses more on humanity's struggles than on ships being destroyed or aliens attacking, you may enjoy Chasing Cold. It is a relaxed journey through space with moments of challenge, fear, uncertainty and of course a bit of action. For me, it was about interactions between new people, new worlds and facing the unknown.
August 23, 2016
Having known this author all his life and read everything he has had published, I never cease to be amazed by what happens when he 'puts pen to paper'. Chasing Cold' is much more introspective than his other works. For me the best part was Rogan's voyage and assimilation into the small, tight knit family/crew of the Brazen Strumpet and the new worlds they encountered on their voyage. At some point I would like to read more of Rogan's adventures on the Spearhead.
May 20, 2018
3.5
Above average. I liked very much the beginning, Rogan's coming to the big decision of leaving the only planet he has ever known, the description of the planet itself and of the colony on it. But then the long interlude on the starship looked like a travelogue, mainly apt for describing different planets, and the end felt very much rushed, with the last chapter just jumping to 5 years after Rogan and Nate met. I also kept thinking that the Flense, the race so powerful that almost destroyed human civilisation, must be quite stupid if they don't notice what humans are doing under their nose, that is preparing a ship able to leave behind the Flense and the known human space.
Above average. I liked very much the beginning, Rogan's coming to the big decision of leaving the only planet he has ever known, the description of the planet itself and of the colony on it. But then the long interlude on the starship looked like a travelogue, mainly apt for describing different planets, and the end felt very much rushed, with the last chapter just jumping to 5 years after Rogan and Nate met. I also kept thinking that the Flense, the race so powerful that almost destroyed human civilisation, must be quite stupid if they don't notice what humans are doing under their nose, that is preparing a ship able to leave behind the Flense and the known human space.
November 30, 2012
This was an enjoyable, light read. The characters were either likeable or loveable, the settings were imaginative and interesting, and the plot was engaging even despite the refreshing lack of interpersonal conflict.
I had three general criticisms. Firstly, the overall structure (or the pacing, if you want to look at it that way) seemed a little uneven. The story is ostensibly about Rogan’s journey towards a new starship and a possible love interest, but we spend a lot of time (about a quarter of the book, maybe?) on his home colony even after he’s made the decision to leave. We spend most of the rest of the book on his journey. It wrongfooted my initial assumptions about which characters i should be investing my attention in, as a reader: Rogan’s attraction towards Nathe is a crucial part of the plot, but we ultimately see hardly anything of him, and hardly ever even read about their messages to one another.
Secondly, there are some typographical errors, and occasional apostrophe abuse (it’s instead of its) and mis-spellings (confusing meters and metres, for example). The actual writing is otherwise of a very high, very readable standard, but there was one fairly glaring continuity glitch where Rogan gives two seemingly-contradictory accounts of how his discussions with Nathe began. It felt as if this book maybe just needs a touch more editing to make it perfect.
Thirdly… the author has a fantastic imagination, but seems to shy away from exploring its full potential, sometimes. The opening setting, Frostbite, is vividly portrayed as a small, isolated community. They need Rogan’s expertise, and his plans to leave clearly shock and upset many people, but ultimately almost everyone is fairly supportive. This seemed like a missed opportunity to explore the psychology, morality, and ethics of weighing up the needs of the community and the desires of the individual. Given Rogan’s preference for men, it’d also be interesting to read about what it would be like to be the ‘only gay on the planet’. That in itself would, in my view, have been a far more compelling reason for his desire to leave – echoing millions of real-life stories in a science-fictional setting – but the author sidesteps this by making Frostbite a freewheeling free-love future where most people seem fairly bisexual. It was an enjoyable exploration of a certain kind of utopianism, but i felt that there was another missed opportunity when the protagonist visits many other worlds and the culture shock is relatively minor – there was no evidence that any of the surviving human societies were less liberal.
All that said, i very much enjoyed reading it. It was pleasing to read something which relied more on the subtle wonders of exploration than the cheap ‘thrills’ of violence to keep the plot moving. I wanted to spend more time with the characters, and to learn a bit more about their world. The overall arc seemed to focus on the protagonist’s internal emotional life, the bittersweet feelings of homesickness and the fear and exhiliration of an uncertain future. ‘Angst’ would be far too strong a word, but having made a few changes in my life myself recently (albeit minor in comparison), the protagonist’s journey seemed very real to me.
I had three general criticisms. Firstly, the overall structure (or the pacing, if you want to look at it that way) seemed a little uneven. The story is ostensibly about Rogan’s journey towards a new starship and a possible love interest, but we spend a lot of time (about a quarter of the book, maybe?) on his home colony even after he’s made the decision to leave. We spend most of the rest of the book on his journey. It wrongfooted my initial assumptions about which characters i should be investing my attention in, as a reader: Rogan’s attraction towards Nathe is a crucial part of the plot, but we ultimately see hardly anything of him, and hardly ever even read about their messages to one another.
Secondly, there are some typographical errors, and occasional apostrophe abuse (it’s instead of its) and mis-spellings (confusing meters and metres, for example). The actual writing is otherwise of a very high, very readable standard, but there was one fairly glaring continuity glitch where Rogan gives two seemingly-contradictory accounts of how his discussions with Nathe began. It felt as if this book maybe just needs a touch more editing to make it perfect.
Thirdly… the author has a fantastic imagination, but seems to shy away from exploring its full potential, sometimes. The opening setting, Frostbite, is vividly portrayed as a small, isolated community. They need Rogan’s expertise, and his plans to leave clearly shock and upset many people, but ultimately almost everyone is fairly supportive. This seemed like a missed opportunity to explore the psychology, morality, and ethics of weighing up the needs of the community and the desires of the individual. Given Rogan’s preference for men, it’d also be interesting to read about what it would be like to be the ‘only gay on the planet’. That in itself would, in my view, have been a far more compelling reason for his desire to leave – echoing millions of real-life stories in a science-fictional setting – but the author sidesteps this by making Frostbite a freewheeling free-love future where most people seem fairly bisexual. It was an enjoyable exploration of a certain kind of utopianism, but i felt that there was another missed opportunity when the protagonist visits many other worlds and the culture shock is relatively minor – there was no evidence that any of the surviving human societies were less liberal.
All that said, i very much enjoyed reading it. It was pleasing to read something which relied more on the subtle wonders of exploration than the cheap ‘thrills’ of violence to keep the plot moving. I wanted to spend more time with the characters, and to learn a bit more about their world. The overall arc seemed to focus on the protagonist’s internal emotional life, the bittersweet feelings of homesickness and the fear and exhiliration of an uncertain future. ‘Angst’ would be far too strong a word, but having made a few changes in my life myself recently (albeit minor in comparison), the protagonist’s journey seemed very real to me.
September 15, 2015
Having read Stephen Graham King's wonderful short fiction before (in NORTH OF INFINITY II, where his "Pas de deux" was the gem of the collection), I knew when I opened CHASING COLD that I was about to delve into a story which delighted in characters both deep and intricately tangled - and I wasn't let down in the slightest.
At its heart, CHASING COLD's story is a journey. Humanity as been left with nothing but the worst worlds after the Flense arrived and forced humanity to leave the lush and fertile planets behind over a century ago. Rogan Tyso is one of the descendents of these survivors, living on a frozen planet (the aptly named Frostbite) and working to keep his colony connected to the others through messages received along their network. When an opportunity presents itself for him to leave - and potentially make a real, humanity-altering change - Rogan boards one of the few ships still flying and leaves his home, his family, and everything he has ever known for this possible future. That a handsome and intriguing man also awaits on the other end of the trip doesn't hurt, but even in this there is the tremble in Rogan's thoughts - "What if?" looms throughout the story; what if this is the wrong decision? What if Rogan himself isn't up to the challenge? What if the whole thing turns out to be a mistake?
The core (and strength) of the story is in this decision. Journeying with Rogan, the complexity of King's character unfolds as he struggles to keep up with whole worlds that are new to him, and his interactions with the ship's crew are a joy to read (one of the best cast of characters I've read in a space opera styled book in a long time). King also delivers a wonderful "after the fall" spread of cultures that we glimpse through Rogan's eyes, from Frostbite itself (where people think nothing of piling into bed together for communal warmth and comfort) to the harsher realities of too many people crammed into too small a space. There's a verisimilitude here that was carefully crafted.
Make no mistake, the journey is the destination - but I will say that the ultimate destination itself doesn't disappoint. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a piece of space opera science fiction this much.
At its heart, CHASING COLD's story is a journey. Humanity as been left with nothing but the worst worlds after the Flense arrived and forced humanity to leave the lush and fertile planets behind over a century ago. Rogan Tyso is one of the descendents of these survivors, living on a frozen planet (the aptly named Frostbite) and working to keep his colony connected to the others through messages received along their network. When an opportunity presents itself for him to leave - and potentially make a real, humanity-altering change - Rogan boards one of the few ships still flying and leaves his home, his family, and everything he has ever known for this possible future. That a handsome and intriguing man also awaits on the other end of the trip doesn't hurt, but even in this there is the tremble in Rogan's thoughts - "What if?" looms throughout the story; what if this is the wrong decision? What if Rogan himself isn't up to the challenge? What if the whole thing turns out to be a mistake?
The core (and strength) of the story is in this decision. Journeying with Rogan, the complexity of King's character unfolds as he struggles to keep up with whole worlds that are new to him, and his interactions with the ship's crew are a joy to read (one of the best cast of characters I've read in a space opera styled book in a long time). King also delivers a wonderful "after the fall" spread of cultures that we glimpse through Rogan's eyes, from Frostbite itself (where people think nothing of piling into bed together for communal warmth and comfort) to the harsher realities of too many people crammed into too small a space. There's a verisimilitude here that was carefully crafted.
Make no mistake, the journey is the destination - but I will say that the ultimate destination itself doesn't disappoint. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a piece of space opera science fiction this much.
September 16, 2012
Rogan is living on a frozen planet called Frostbite. He is part of the remaining descendants of humans forced to live in remote places in the universe after the alien race known as the Flense defeated the human colonies known as the Cluster during the last war. Rogan receives a message from someone out in space asking him to join him in an opportunity that may finally allow humans to get away from the Flense for good. Rogan has to make a choice to leave his close knit community on Frostbite and join up with another.
This book is not half bad, it's just that there was too much sex talk and orgies for my tastes. I cringed at the use of the word "sexed" or "sexing." It just took a step out of the plot for me, which I disliked. All in all, I would say this book is 90% about relationships and 10% about plot. I did feel for Rogan and his conflicted emotions about leaving his community behind. That was believable. The romance wasn't so much as believable for me, and it has nothing to do with homosexuality or bisexuality, it just came on too fast IMO. Perhaps Rogan was just sexually frustrated. Again this is just my personal preference, where the less sex there is in fiction, the better. So it took me by surprise with that first scene, especially after the breathtaking beginning of the novel. I really felt I was there on Frostbite.
I don't necessarily regret reading it, except for certain off-putting parts. I just thought the plot could have been so much more than it was and I was let down by that.
This book is not half bad, it's just that there was too much sex talk and orgies for my tastes. I cringed at the use of the word "sexed" or "sexing." It just took a step out of the plot for me, which I disliked. All in all, I would say this book is 90% about relationships and 10% about plot. I did feel for Rogan and his conflicted emotions about leaving his community behind. That was believable. The romance wasn't so much as believable for me, and it has nothing to do with homosexuality or bisexuality, it just came on too fast IMO. Perhaps Rogan was just sexually frustrated. Again this is just my personal preference, where the less sex there is in fiction, the better. So it took me by surprise with that first scene, especially after the breathtaking beginning of the novel. I really felt I was there on Frostbite.
I don't necessarily regret reading it, except for certain off-putting parts. I just thought the plot could have been so much more than it was and I was let down by that.
January 2, 2013
You can find my full review of Chasing Cold at my web site.
December 25, 2014
I read the book found the story good but found the sexual content and themes disturbing. I cannot recommend this book for younger readers and think many evangelicals will find the content offensive.
October 8, 2015
Good book. It started a little slow for me. After the first couple chapters it picked up and I really liked the story. The characters are well done. I hope there is a book two.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews