Icecore

Carl Hobbes #1

by Matt Whyman

He's a seventeen-year-old British computer hacker who penetrated the security systems at Fort Knox for a laugh. But the American government was less than amused. Since his prank, gold bars have been landing in the hands of terrorists across the globe.Now, Carl has found himself in a military prison deep in the Arctic and far off the grid. He's been caged alongside the world's most notorious terrorists, with no one to trust and no end in sight.Carl Hobbes may not be a criminal mastermind, but if he wants to escape this subzero prison with his life, he'll have to start thinking like one.

Genres: Young Adult, Thriller, Fiction, Teen, Action, Military Fiction, Adventure

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Matt Whyman is an award-winning novelist and non-fiction writer. He has co-written bestselling books with some of the world’s leading figures in sport, high performance and popular culture including Gareth Southgate, Matthew Syed, Billy Connolly and Sir David Attenborough as well as the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.

Reviews

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Grandma Bev for TeensReadToo.com

Fort Knox has been robbed. The American government is determined to track down the thieves, and the trail leads straight to Carl Hobbes. He is just an ordinary seventeen-year-old British computer whiz who is only guilty of being a little too curious, but the feds are sure that he is part of a conspiracy that has breached the security at Fort Knox, and they want to know just where the gold is that has been stolen.

Carl is taken into custody and whisked off to the Guantanamo Bay of the Arctic to be caged alongside the world's most notorious terrorists. There they try to wring the truth out of him with physical and mental torture. Carl is not sure who is the most dangerous...his captors, or his fellow inmates. What he does know is that he must make them believe him...he knows nothing about the stolen gold or the break-in. How could he? He's just a kid, right?

Clearing his name, escape, and survival are the top things on his mind, but the only thing less compatible with survival than his treatment is the landscape outside. They tell him that when the shivering stops, that's when you should start to worry. It's your body's way of signaling that it's lost the battle to keep your blood warm. But by then you'll be too weak to retrace your steps. Chances are you'll be so confused and disoriented that you won't even recall what it was you were fleeing in the first place. All you'll want to do is lie down in the snow and close your eyes.

ICECORE is filled with hair-raising action and the fear is real. You won't be able to forget the compelling characters in this story where the suspense builds relentlessly to a crashing, unexpected climax. I'll be looking for more from this exceptional author. Wow! I still have goosebumps.

[Nelline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slecht geschreven/vertaald... er missen veel details, er gebeuren dingen die niet beschreven zijn, maar waarvan je wel weet dat het gebeurt moet zijn. en op de achterkant staat ongeveer alles wat in het boek gebeurt, dus je ziet alles aankomen. Verder is het wel een goed verhaal en leuk om te lezen.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely a book geared toward teenage boys. But that is what I get for picking up a YA story.
In general the first part of the book was infinitely more interesting for me than the second. Setting up the scene, the inmates and the compound was very exciting and descriptive, but not too over the top. The mind games Carl plays with himself and the others is fascinating as well, and makes me wonder what I would have done in his situation. The plot twists and hidden secrets were quite unexpected to me as well, and I had no idea where this was going to go until the end. Then things became a little unrealistic.
On the down side the second half is simply one action after another, no more character development at all. It reminded me of car chases in movies, where there is a lot of action simply for the sake of wanting to make things crash and explode on screen.
I don't believe I will be reading any more of the Carl Hobbes adventures, but that doesn't mean I don't recommend it. Simply said I think if you are not a teenage boy or don't like action sequences then don't pick it up. Otherwise, enjoy.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was little to no action until I was around 85% into the book, the main character randomly cared about someone simply because she was young and female and in the cage across from him, the writing was simply lame, and the book was mostly unenjoyable.

[Annabelle P · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt like it was trying really, really hard to be a realistic, gritty, grown up Artemis Fowl - but lacks all the interest and charm that makes Artemis Fowl good. This book is boring and forgettable - don't bother.

[Sammy Fremstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished the novel Icecore, and I have nothing but praise for this book. It’s an intense and detailed story based on the survival, wit, and will of Carl Hobbes. The college student who hacked Fort Knox and is now one of the most wanted criminals in the world. But I won’t give too much away.

Summary: Icecore was nothing but interesting from start to finish. It was one of the first books in a while that kept my attention for a long period of time. Tense rising action and plot twists throughout the novel make it such a good read. The main character Carl Hobbes is a college student and is chronically online, which is his personal safe haven. He has found a community and his place in hacking and online connections but he gets bored, he wants a challenge. He hacks the security system of the world renowned Fort Knox gaining access to mountains of gold. He leaves without stealing anything but what he doesn't know is that he is now one of the most wanted men in the world. As days go by he goes about his life in a normal manner, but when he’s walking home from class he gets followed and kidnapped by special agents that give him two choices. No trial and certain jail time, or a trial in an undisclosed location. Given the seemingly obvious choice of earning a trial he chooses option 2 unaware it would bring him on a twisted and hell-like journey across the world to Icecore the top secret prison home to the most dangerous criminals on earth. The journey there is just as bad as the stay, with a near death experience on a plane filled with lunatics to the trek through a freezing Antarctica with no idea where he is in the world. A brutal story filled with emotion and close calls.

A major theme in this book is survival. The want and will to live and make it through no matter the struggle is a very prominent theme in this story
Another theme shown in Icecore is strategy. Through the planning and strategy of Carl Hobbes through gaining his agents trust and making alliances with guards and acquaintances
Lastly, the final theme I've noticed in this book is human rights and how it's disregarded when no one is watching. When under no surveillance people think there are no consequences for their actions. In the situation Carl is in, human rights are non-existent since there are no rules and morals leave since there is no accountability to be had.

Overall I love this book. The pacing, the characters, the development, the thought out planning, and the detailed style of the book. You can really tell how the characters feel page by page and understand why they act how they do. I think if you like an in depth detailed novel that opens the minds of the characters and is very explanatory this is for you and I think you would enjoy this book thoroughly, it’s not long enough to where its drought out but not short enough to lack detail. I think this book is very balanced and it does what it is trying to achieve very well. All of the personalities are unique and contradict each other very well too. Carl's dry sarcasm and wit, Agent Williams' stern yet warm demeanor, the cold dark feel of all the prisoners, and the fury filled guards all are so different yet simulate a truly interesting space that almost feels observable as your reading. In conclusion, I have nothing bad to say about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and all it had to offer. I'm glad this is the book I stumbled upon and chose. I totally recommend this novel to anyone interested.

[Dylan Woodward · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book Icecore by Matt Whyman is a fictional thriller. It is centered around Carl Hobbes, a British young adult, who is a bit too enthusiastic about hacking. His hacking hobby leads him to hacking into Fort Knox, causing a lot of gold to go missing, (though none of it stolen by him). This results in the US Government finding and detaining him; he is forced into a type of Arctic Guantanamo Bay. After being interrogated and not believed, he comes to the conclusion that he must plot and scheme with other criminals. Driven by survival, Carl begins to commit actions he didn’t know he was capable of.
I found this book to be a fun read, but not much else. At times the book felt a little cliche and forced, but all things considered, this wasn’t a bad book. Especially when considering that this book was for a school assignment. The characters are, as previously mentioned, a bit cliche, but not so much to the point where they ruin the book. I wouldn’t ever give this a second read, but I’m not unhappy I had to read the book. (If that makes any sense at all.) The climax is pretty intense, making up for the other faults I found with the book.
I wouldn’t really recommend this book. The writing wasn’t really that good, and the book had many other disappointments. I really can only think of one appropriate occasion to recommend this book. I would only recommend this book to a bored young reader who had already read all the other young adult novels I feel are better than Icecore. I would recommend Icecore in that situation, mainly because the book is just fun. If you’re looking for a cute book to read over a long weekend or vacation, then check out this book.

[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Young adult novel about a teenage hacker who successfully hacks into Fort Knox, landing him in a ultra-secure government facility in an unknown arctic location. Ultimately, he must break out to save himself and his country from a group of terrorists.

Overall, the book was mediocre. The plotline was lacking- it just wasn't well developed, so it wasn't believable. Worse, the main character just wasn't that inspiring or likeable. Sure, he hacks into Fort Knox- but not with any super cool computer skills. He breaks in by basically prank calling Fort Knox. Then after this feat, when he is breaking out of the government facility, he doesn't have any skills at all to make this happen- he sort of lucks in to the break out. The reader is left feeling like "Huh- I could have done that"- not a very compelling thought when one is reading what is supposed to be some combination of sci-fi, fantasy, and thriller. Pretty lackluster read, and no great addition to the YA genre.

[Riley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ice core is a semi-realistic fiction story written by Matt Whyman. After hacking into Fort Knox for fun, the U.S. government thinks that teenager Carl Hobbes is part of a terrorist organization, resulting in him being locked up in Antarctica next to the worlds most notorious criminals. I didn't like this book because it was very unrealistic.

[CharlotteThe1337 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ending was kind of hard to follow- that may be because I read it late at night. Will give it the benefit of the doubt- 5 star story, very very good. Recommend this to your friends, y'all

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was great. Matt Whyman developed the story in a unique and interesting way.
The only thing I wish this book had a more realistic antagonist.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Ryan Sp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Icecore by Matt Whyman is an action packed thriller that does not have a dull moment in it. Icecore is about a seventeen year old computer hacker named Carl Hobbes that hacked into Fort Knox for fun. Even though he did it for fun, the US government did not think he did it for fun and are taking this very seriously. He was taken along with the worlds most famous criminals to Icecore, a secret detention center deep in the arctic circle. They told him he was only their for questioning but after a couple of days, he knew that it was not going to be easy to get himself out of this one.

If you are a student that would love to read a action packed spy type book. This is the book you are going to want to read next. This book is much like The Sleeper Code series because of the action, hacking and mystery. At times, this book gets hard to follow, toward the middle, when Carl is being questioned, it was a struggle for me to know who was talking.

"Consulting the transcript now, Arty Dougal finds a section midway down the page. “On January nineteenth, at 0203 GTM, Chimera writes: ‘I've been looking into the Fort Knox job, and I've had a chance of heart. It’s too crazy for words. You might as well be stepping into a mouse trap. Even sniffing at that setup is going to bring them slamming down on you. I’m sorry, pal. I shouldn't have suggested it." I glare at Arty. "And Chimera was right to be so cautious," I suggest. "So why didn't you take the advice?" Stagger is the only one to remain quite calm, which serves to remind me that I really should do likewise."

This passage from page 128 in Icecore may not seem confusing to you but when you are reading the book and so much is happening at the same time, it gets very hard to follow. This book has constant action which most readers love, but in this book, the author goes to fast and gives out information you need to know constantly. He should slow things down and give the reader some time to think.
This was the first book I ever read that was by Matt Whyman. So far, I think he is an okay writer. There are things he needs to work on but there also also thinks that he is really good at like getting the author to understand the big picture, which is don’t get yourself into something you can’t get yourself out of. I feel that this is the big picture for many reasons. When Carl is getting questioned, they Brought up how another computer hacker looked into hacking Fort Knox and this computer hacker said, “I've been looking into the Fort Knox job, and I've had a change of heart. It’s too crazy for words. You might as well be stepping into a mouse trap. Even sniffing at that setup is gonna bring them slamming down on you. I’m sorry, pal I shouldn't have suggested it.” ( Pg. 128) Also, when he was on the plane flying for hours and hours flying farther into the middle of nowhere, he knew that it was not going to be easy to get himself out of this one.

One of the main things I liked about this book is that there was never a boring part. Besides that, there were a lot of things that I did not like. therefore I am rating this book a three. This is the lowest rating i have ever gave a book I read. this book just did not give me the excitement of other book I have read. Even though I did not like this book. I am going to continue the series and read Goldstrike, the next book in the series because it is supposed to be a lot better than Icecore.

[Matt F]

The book Icecore by Matt Whyman is a story about an innocent teenager Carl Hobbs who is a British college student, and who is thrown into a high security detention center with some of the worlds most maniacal and deadly criminals. What started out, as a harmless dare to infiltrate the advanced security system at Fort Knocks became the largest breach of security in the history of Fort Knox. As soon as Carl Hobbs hacked into the Fort Knox security system, gold bars began to go missing and ended up in the hands of some of the world’s worst terrorists. Carl Hobbes is picked up by police and given two options. Option one is to fly to the United States of America and teach the American authorities how he got through the security system. Option two is the police will wait until he turns 18 in a few months and then send him to a detention prison for a very long time. Like any person would, Carl ops for option one. As soon as he steps onto the plane to take him to America he realizes something is wrong. There are about 10 people on the plane that was meant to take him to America. He is then told that he will be taken to a mutual location for the information to be extracted out of him. Instead of this nice deal, Carl ends up in the Icecore prison, which is a frozen detention center in the Arctic Circle. However, after arriving in this place Carl quickly realizes that he may have been set up. The guards abuse the inmates, the inmates are kept in cages, and there are vicious dogs waiting to tear them apart if they make a false move. As Carl begins to realize his dire situation, an unexpected event occurs in which he begins to worry more about his survival more than his freedom. He is eventually forced to give up his life and his family so that he may survive.


This is a very well written spy novel. The beginning of the book is a lot about introductions and does not catch the reader. The middle and ending however are worth the boring beginning. After this book gets past introducing and setting up the background it instantly becomes a page-turner. The plot picks up and it then becomes a fantastic book. This book could be compared to The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer. In the millionaires a similar plot occurs. The main characters in The Millionaires, Oliver and Charlie Caruso, both commit a crime thinking that nothing will happen. They steal what they think is three million dollars but it ends up being 300 million dollars. After they steal the money the authorities and many other people come after them. One of their friends even gets murdered. They thought they were getting into one thing and then they got into a completely other thing. In Icecore Carl Hobbs thinks that his breaking into the security system at Fort Knox is nothing, that it will not affect anyone. However, after he breaks in, gold starts appearing in terrorist’s hands and he is in an unknown prison in the Arctic Circle with the world’s worst criminals. Even though the two themes are different the base plot is there. The two books both start with one outcome and end with a completely different and radical outcome. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery novels or spy novels.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl Hobbes knew what he was doing was risky, but he honestly didn't mean for anything untoward to happen when he opened the doors to the largest gold bullion repository for kicks. That's right, 17 year old computer hacker Hobbes got bored and infiltrated Fort Knox on an unprecedented scale. What he didn't do was work in cahoots with those who robbed it while he created the window.

His boredom project has landed him in so seriously deep water that he's treading fairly well, at first. That is until the "American government" decides to release him, after he takes a weekend trip to an undisclosed location where he will tell all. It sounds like the ray of sunshine that Hobbes was holding out for, but he is sorely mistaken.

Flown to Icecore, a detainment camp for some of the worst kinds of terrorists settled in the Arctic Circle, Hobbes must now wade his way through the other detainees, confusing special agents, demanding military higher-ups, and a girl with the most gorgeous eyes. Too soon does it come to Hobbes that they have intention of releasing him and the other detainees are just as determined to get out.

This was a great thriller! I think Publisher's Weekly did a spot-on job labeling this a "techno-thriller" with hints of Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne series. That's not to say that Hobbes is anything like Bourne, but there is definitely some cross-over. I was a little apprehensive to dive into this book because I was afraid that the techno-jargon would be too much for me. Fortunately Whyman has a deft hand when it comes to how much detail is needed to be authentic and convincing without overwhelming the reader.

Most of the events in the book took me by surprise. There is so much going on around Hobbes that, looking back now, I can see the small clues, but on the first read-through I completely missed them. What works best for this book and the plot is the short time frame. The majority of action takes place over approximately 3 days. That being said, there is very little down time and it only added to the awesomeness.

This is a great book for guys, but works just as well for gals. Another strength of Whyman's is challenging your preconceived notion of what kind of a person behaves a certain way. The reader doesn't end up caring about the gender of the character taking the action, but they can more fully appreciate the action itself. A hard task to master.

[Zach Hibbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel IceCore starts with the main character Carl Hobbes, being taken prisoner by two men claiming to be working for the US government. From here Carl is flown to a secret prison somewhere near the north pole. Here Carl comes into contact with some of the most dangerous people in the world, as well as a very out of place young woman. Carl is interrogated by officials from the American government who tell him why he as been taken to the prison, his crime was opening the door to the gold vault at Fort Knox, and some gold bars have gone missing. Carl claims he was just trying to see if Fort Knox was impossible to break into. After Carl is told that he may be able to return home sooner than expected, tragedy strikes. A group of prisoner and guards overpower the loyal guards and take total control of the prison. Carl must find a way to fight back, in order to prevent some of the world's most dangerous men from escaping.

Overall, I enjoyed reading IceCore. When I first started reading IceCore I thought that it would just be another young adult novel, like so many other books these days. However, as I started to read the novel more I started to very much enjoy it. One of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed was how the main character was not some super-human who could do whatever they wanted instead, Carl is just some college aged guy who is good with computers. Another reason that I enjoyed IceCore is how the book shows the guards. When the book starts to discuss the guards at the prison, it makes sure to show that the guards are just normal people, trying to support their families. The last reason that I enjoyed this book is how original it is, I have never read another book like it in my whole life.

I would most definitely recommend this book to another person. However, this book was not very hard to read, and as a result of this, I would recommend that this book be read by those in 7th-8th grade. I believe that those around the ages of 12-13 would enjoy this book as it is an action book with some small spy elements. I remember when I was in 7th grade, books similar to IceCore applied to me the most. The book is not a very hard read, but it is very engaging and you never lose track of what is happening in the book. Overall, I would very much recommend this book, to a younger audience.

[Yasmine Fairchild · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 3 parts to this book; the dull part, the cool part, and the totally messed up part (i would use the "f" word for that last part but I know one of my school teachers is going to be reading this so I'm gonna try to keep my language appropiate)! The first,the dull part, is the begining of the book and in my opinion it wasn't as...enertaining as the rest of the book. Maybe it's just my teenage hormones talking but I think the begining was just lacking something. Now the second part of ICECORE is where things start to heat up. All during the middle of this book, while I was reading, I would have reactions to the plot such as "oh man, they're not playing around. They really mean buisiness!" or "Dude I feel really sorry for you because that sounded like it really hurt." or "Darnit you stupid military man why don't you believe him, he's telling the truth!", because the plot was just that awsome. The totally messed up part was the ending of the book and it was just shocking. It was like a guy whose about to die (from a sickness), while running a marathon and being chased at gun piont by a serial killer. And you'rejust thinking or screaming to yourself "oh my gosh! oh my gosh! ohmy gosh! what's going to happen? is he going to make it? i dont know, oh my gosh!". And even when you finish ICECORE you still don't know what happens in the end because...this book has a seaqual (which I hope to eventually read)! I'm not kidding. All I want to do is run to the nearest library (which is about half a mile from my house) check out the book (or if the library is closed I am going to "barrow" the book" run back home and do nothing but read the book for the etire weekend. That's how good this book is! I am willing to run a mile for this book and I don't run miles for just any book. I only run miles for books if they give me immortality, made of frick'in silver and gold or just plain awsome! My piont is, if you haven't read this book I think you should give it a chance and read ICECORE by Matt Whyman because it's just that epicly awsome!

[Ally · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's a few words that can correctly describe this book. And some of them are negative words while others are more positive and neutral. These words: Yawn, groan, boring, okay, yay-it's-over, whatever, bah. If you noticed, some of these words aren't exactly the describing type (adjectives, remember them?). There more describe what was I doing while I was reading Icecore. (But they also describe the books, because they are hints. Get it? No. Alright, then.)

Icecore is very interesting at first. In the beginning, it is so intriguing and mystifying. I wanted to know more and see more of the plot. How will Carl Hobbes escape? How will Carl Hobbes find a way out of the Arctic prison? How did Carl Hobbes hack Fort Knox, the treasury that is considered the most secured and safest in the entire world? The one where they keep The Declaration of Independence? (I hope I got this right, because it would be embarrassing if I didn't)

The plot moves slowly in the beginning. I spend most of the time skimming through the pages. Ya, ya, ya. Carl's complaining about this. Carl's getting beat up. Carl acts like a scared girl. Carl is going to die. Blah, blah, blah. Not very entertaining, for one point. Boring, for the second point.

Then, there's the ending. *Sign* I'm definitely not reading the next book, whatever the second book is good or not. I don't care. Once screwed, always screwed. I don't always believe in second impressions. Books are like a job interview. We're the interviewers. And the books and authors, well, they are on the other side of the table. Anyway, I really hate the ending. Maybe because of what a certain character has done, but mostly at the ending. Mostly the ending.

Rating: One out of Five (yeah, I've been giving a lot of these.)

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[Homewood Public Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

17-year-old Carl Hobbes has just pulled off the impossible: He's hacked into Fort Knox and opened the vault doors from his home computer. Unfortunately, the government has tracked him down. They make him a deal: if he tells them how he did it, and swears to secrecy, he'll get off the hook. Otherwise, he's looking at a public trial and a very, very long prison sentence. Carl agrees to tell the United States government everything. For his debriefing, they fly him to an undisclosed, sub-zero facility known as the Guantanmo of the North. The freezing barren wasteland doesn't bode well, and Carl gets even more nervous when he's manhandled into a cage alongside some of the world's worst terrorists. Carl tries to keep calm, knowing that he's only there till he can be debriefed. By the end of the weekend he'll be back home and it will all over. That is, if he lives that long.

Despite the author's efforts, it's hard to feel much sympathy for Carl, despite his youth and relative innocence. The majority of the time he's either being arrogant, too naive, or downright whiney. It's only toward the middle of the book that the real story begins to come out - explaining the disdain the guards feel toward Carl and the reason he's been flown to the Arctic Circle containment camp. At that point, both Carl and the plot start to get more interesting. And once it gets going...it REALLY gets going. Gunfights, explosions, mercenary plots and double identites keep the adrenaline rushing till the fiery, freezing finale!
Ms. Heather, Teen Librarian 2008

[Basil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Icecore by Matt Whyman is about a teenage boy named Carl Hobbes who is really good with computers. This teenager hacked into the Fort Knox security system. It is one of the most secure places in America and he hacked into the system without any trouble. Carl is apprehended by the U.S Military and is being held in the Arctic. He is being held in Guantanamo Bay with some of the worlds most dangerous criminals and terrorist. Carl's hacking of Fort Knox, which had the largest supply of gold bars, led to them being robbed. The U.S military is now forcing Carl to help retrieve the missing gold bars in return for his freedom.

I liked this book a lot for a few reasons. The first reason is how good the story line is, the main character Carl is very dynamic and he is very interesting. He is a genius and doesn't know how he could use his skills for good as shown in helping retrieve the gold bars. Instead of hacking and other illegal activity. The other reason is because the book is fun to read. It also doesn't take long if you really sit down and read, instead of reading parts each day like I did.

I would definitely recommend this book because it is action packed. It has a great story line and characters. And it doesn't take long to read at all. I would recommend this book to anyone under 30. The reason for that because people over 15 don't always have a lot of free time so when the find time to read this will be a great choice. It's very entertaining and will leave the reader satisfied.

[Fia-Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is not the kind of book i would normally pick up and think, "oh my god, i have to read this", but i liked it nonetheless. i think that carl was not really thinking about the consequences he would face when he hacked into fort knox. i mean, did he really think he would get away with it and still remain unscathed? so, he doesn't really have much common sense. i liked that even after he witnessed the cruel things that happened at the prison, he was still optimistic about going home after answering some "friendly questions", but it was a little naive, even for a kid. i guess that's kind of his lawyer's fault though, because she's the one who said that it was his choice to go, and it would all be so simple and friendly. definitely a liar about that. the other character i liked was agent williams. he seemed to be the only one that remembered or cared that carl was still a young boy (and came voluntarily), that young people make idiotic mistakes and aren't used to some of the cruel parts of the world, so he gave the kid a break and was also pretty friendly. i think he acted this way because he had a kid who was carl's age and knew what was going on in his mind. beth was a good character too, although it was kind of her fault carl was landed in prison in the first place. she was certainly smart and sneaky, also friendly once she and carl got acquainted.

[Karen Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

British teen Carl Hobbes is a computer hacker who gets big kicks out of cracking into secure systems. An online acquaintance suggested he try Fort Knox -- and Carl breaks in successfully. And Fort Knox is robbed! The American government is extremely displeased with this. Though he never left Great Britain, Carl gets nabbed for the crime and charged with conspiracy. Federal agents arrive and take him to the Guantanamo Bay of the Arctic where he is held prisoner with some of the world's most notorious terrorists. Carl is tortured both physically and mentally in an effort to get him to give up the truth, and he knows they don't believe him -- that he was set up and had nothing to do with the robbery. All Carl wants to do is escape and clear his name, but that's going to be nearly impossible. The only thing more dangerous than the people around him is the Arctic environment outside, where the real danger is that you'll stop shivering... when your body has lost the fight to keep your blood warm and all you want to do is lie down and go to sleep in the snow. Action packed and quite a wild ride! 7th grade and up.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book. It was a great thriller too, but at parts it just felt lagged. It started becoming interesting around the middle part of the book. The end was so-so, with an odd cliff hanger at the end. I also have a warning for parents: this book contains inappropriate language, so be cautious.


-Spoiler Alert!-
Its about a 17 year old British hacker, named Carl Hobbes, hacked into the Fort Knox security system succesfully. He didn't do that for the gold bars in the vault, but just for the heck of hacking. Then, the American government sends him to a remote detention camp called Icecore, which is located in the Arctic Circle. He is later tortured for a conspiracy in which he had no cooperation in. Carl convinces them with all his might that he never did anything. He also trys to figure out how to survive, in jail cells next to some of the most wanted people in the world. All until things start to go wrong...

[Tyj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carl Hobbes is a brilliant English hacker with skills that get him into a lot of trouble. He doesn't think his plans out too far, judging that he hacked into the Fort Knox security system, which lost millions of dollars in gold for the United States government. Hobbes was whisked away to a secret arctic prison where no one knows where he is except for the evil terrorists and mercenaries he has to defend himself from now.

Icecore seems to have a very good plot but doesn't quite deliver on the potential it has. The story has potential to be action packed and exciting. I personally love prison break books but this one left the reader with no information until the very end of the book and left too much wonder. I loved the suspense created by this but other wise I did not like the book overall. I would recommend this for a younger audience with high attention spans. The wording is slightly childish and the main character knows nothing for a very long time.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me on edge the ENTIRE time! There are so many twists and turns and 'oh no! did he really just do that?!!??'s. HOWEVER. this is a BIG caution to all of you people out there who don't like bloodshed. Really, it is not a good plan to read this book. I mean, the evil guy made, okay, FORCED two men to become suicide bombers. Made them roll in oil, strap a can of oil on their back and walk away from him until he decided that it would be a good time to shoot and blow up the cans. That had me a bit freaked out. This novel also swears a bit, and not semi-bad swearing. Overall I enjoyed it, but I would reccommend it more for boys, I think. (Also it is told in a boy's perspective, which I know turns some girls off for some bizarre reason.)

[Ravwrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to think when starting this book. Not going to lie. This sort of book isn't my cup of tea. I'm definitely a fantasy, sci-fi sort of girl but this story drew me in.

The poor kid in the beginning getting whisked away by special agents because he hacked into Fort Knox. Thrown into a holding camp meant for mercenaries, terrorists, and high profile criminals. Carl Hobbs didn't know what hit him after that when a high level mercenary who was hired for a hit right there in the prison got out.

I never expected the events to happen at the end of the book. Actually took me by surprise. But I liked it. I did like this book. Well written, plenty of suspense and turns. I'm glad I read it!

[Chance Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually liked this book. Although I is quite violent and a some disturbingly graphic things at times. It has a high passed story filled with thrill and adrenaline. And you feel like you are inside The Cage. to this day I can still picture the layout of the area. It's fascinating and throws quite a bit of technological lingo at you and yet you won't feel lost. The end will really make your head spin. I thought the end was great and I find it so cool how everything fits together. The annoying characters are make well, the mysterious characters are made well. I liked a lot about this story but the gore is a little of extreme for my liking. The Characters are very likeable and even the annoying one make you want to roll your eyes at them wanting them to grow up. (In a good way)

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

17yd Carl Hobbes is a computer hacker who does the impossible, he breaks into Fort Knox. However, what Carl does not realize is that he has been manipulated into the break-in, when the US government takes him into a remote location to find out about his co-conspirators. What happens after that is his attempt to escape.
I never thought I would use the Alex Rider series as a bench mark, but IceCore falls short of providing the balance of humor and suspense. It feels forced, and it definitely leads into another book; whereas with the Rider series (or even the Bond series)every story is a stand alone. I did finish it, but I will picking up the next book.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventeen year old Carl Hobbes is a talented and smart guy. He studies drama and computer sciences at school in England. After a painful breakup with his girlfriend he retreats to hacker message boards where he is challenged to try to hack Fort Knox. When he succeeds in opening Fort Knox the unintended consequence is a huge heist at Fort Knox that Carl did not imagine possible. The gold finds its way to terrorist cells and Carl is taken for interrogation to an unknown prison in the Arctic Circle. In this grim and dangerous setting Carl must call upon all his skills to survive.
Interesting character studies and certainly a cautionary tale for young wanna be hackers.

[Kyle Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the coolest things that I have ever read, being something that I randomly picked from the shelves of my local library, not thinking that I would finish it like many other books of of Fiction genre that I have read.

Yet, I thought that this book was pretty brilliant. For one, the plot was not in any way predictable, for I thought that he was going to be detained there for like or something and blah di da di da. Well, that wasn't what happened.

That, and all the characters were unique, and all the characters were pretty awesome in their own way (cept McCoy, but I am not the one to ever like the bad guys).