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The Evil Is in the Ice
The bodies are curiously well preserved, even though they have been buried for centuries, and they are brought for study to a New York research facility under the authority of highly acclaimed Dr. Frederick Orville. But soon after the investigation begins, things go terribly wrong. The demonic souls of the beings are reanimated...and they are hell-bent on terror. Dr. Orville and his team work tirelessly in an underground bunker, under military guard, desperately trying to develop a serum to counteract the havoc the zombie-like terrorists wreak on their numerous victims. As a descendant of the Axosyz, only Doctor Orville's daughter has the spiritual insight necessary to direct the scientists and reveal the forces of good they'll need to overcome the evil that has been unleashed. The Evil in the Ice is a fast-paced science-fiction thriller that takes the reader to a place where disbelief is suspended, faith in God is questioned, and the mystery of immortality is tantalizingly close to being unraveled.
190 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2014
1 person is currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Danny Odato
9 books17 followersBorn in Italy in 1953, Danny Odato, a father of four, had to provide for his family at a young age instead of following his dream of writing. With The Witch’s Revenge, his debut novel, his dream has finally come true.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 3, 2024
This book started out ok, introducing the reader to a world-renowned scientist: Dr. Orville. (I must admit that this book made me crave popcorn.) So we get to know the doctor to describe himself as being humble but pretentious, which kind of defeats the purpose... He and his colleagues are studying 4 bodies that were discovered in the ice of Russia and then somehow brought to the US, in a shotty at best explanation of foreign affairs and the UN.
As a reader I am thinking, ok I can deal with this, moving on. The best thing I can say about this story is: Well that escalated quickly. We go from bodies being studies, to, they may be immortal. Then they are maybe aliens, but no wait they are actually zombies... And they can shoot lasers and bring down buildings and helicopters and can infect other people and destroy things with a single thought... Are they aliens? Are they zombies? They are zombliens! Ok, so they have a different name in the book... Tetra Force, or Zoxsyz.
So at this point we have a lot of elements and I'm reading on, thinking maybe I can handle this, but wait! There's more. All of a sudden on a Religious Channel, Dr. Orville, (extra butter please), sees his beloved estranged young daughter Suzy, who looks like she is falling apart with extreme weight-loss, limp hair and circles under her eyes and is possibly possessed and having visions of the devil..... (I have to admit that my first thought was that she was being sexually abused). Suzy can now sometimes predict the future of the Zomblien's actions with her visions and her mother lets her go and says, yes the world is ending and I can't do anything for her, so you take her... As a Mother, I find this HIGHLY unrealistic, but moving on.
So now the zombliens, I mean Tetra Force, have escaped the facility at this point, and Dr. Popcorn, Orville sneaks out and goes and drives 40 miles and picks up his daughter, who knows all about the zombliens and tells him that they were secured in the ice by GOOD magic and that they possess evil magic, and she gives their Z name... So we now have Zomblien Magicians....
But WAIT, there's more, AGAIN! Now we take a hugely religious spin on things and really this is all a religious play of good versus evil and the zomblien magicians are demons from hell bent to destroy our planet/world. Now all of a sudden, Dr. Orville who was an atheist believes in God again, all is right in the world.... Except for the fact that the Demon Zomblien Magicians are destroying the world... One location at a time in the US.
I'm really just going to leave this one here right now because there isn't much more to say. The book is short to begin with (less than 180 pages), and then we have all of this activity going on amidst other things, and there is just no time to develop the story to it's full potential. There are TOO many ideas going on in this book for me. Are they Zombies? Are they Wizard/Magicians? Are they Aliens? Are they Demons? No, they are ALL four. It's like someone brainstormed ideas and made it all into one creature. It was all too much for me.
Mr. Odato has a lot of ideas in his head, and this is the second book of his that I have read. He has immense potential to put out something great if he could refine these ideas. I feel as thought he is rushing releasing short novels that are not fully thought-out ideas. I hope he combines these ideas into a full-length, polished novel someday because it could be really good.
However, with what I have currently read, it was OK at best and hard to fathom in many places. 2.5 stars for me.
As a reader I am thinking, ok I can deal with this, moving on. The best thing I can say about this story is: Well that escalated quickly. We go from bodies being studies, to, they may be immortal. Then they are maybe aliens, but no wait they are actually zombies... And they can shoot lasers and bring down buildings and helicopters and can infect other people and destroy things with a single thought... Are they aliens? Are they zombies? They are zombliens! Ok, so they have a different name in the book... Tetra Force, or Zoxsyz.
So at this point we have a lot of elements and I'm reading on, thinking maybe I can handle this, but wait! There's more. All of a sudden on a Religious Channel, Dr. Orville, (extra butter please), sees his beloved estranged young daughter Suzy, who looks like she is falling apart with extreme weight-loss, limp hair and circles under her eyes and is possibly possessed and having visions of the devil..... (I have to admit that my first thought was that she was being sexually abused). Suzy can now sometimes predict the future of the Zomblien's actions with her visions and her mother lets her go and says, yes the world is ending and I can't do anything for her, so you take her... As a Mother, I find this HIGHLY unrealistic, but moving on.
So now the zombliens, I mean Tetra Force, have escaped the facility at this point, and Dr. Popcorn, Orville sneaks out and goes and drives 40 miles and picks up his daughter, who knows all about the zombliens and tells him that they were secured in the ice by GOOD magic and that they possess evil magic, and she gives their Z name... So we now have Zomblien Magicians....
But WAIT, there's more, AGAIN! Now we take a hugely religious spin on things and really this is all a religious play of good versus evil and the zomblien magicians are demons from hell bent to destroy our planet/world. Now all of a sudden, Dr. Orville who was an atheist believes in God again, all is right in the world.... Except for the fact that the Demon Zomblien Magicians are destroying the world... One location at a time in the US.
I'm really just going to leave this one here right now because there isn't much more to say. The book is short to begin with (less than 180 pages), and then we have all of this activity going on amidst other things, and there is just no time to develop the story to it's full potential. There are TOO many ideas going on in this book for me. Are they Zombies? Are they Wizard/Magicians? Are they Aliens? Are they Demons? No, they are ALL four. It's like someone brainstormed ideas and made it all into one creature. It was all too much for me.
Mr. Odato has a lot of ideas in his head, and this is the second book of his that I have read. He has immense potential to put out something great if he could refine these ideas. I feel as thought he is rushing releasing short novels that are not fully thought-out ideas. I hope he combines these ideas into a full-length, polished novel someday because it could be really good.
However, with what I have currently read, it was OK at best and hard to fathom in many places. 2.5 stars for me.
February 8, 2015
Science fiction readers should note that The Evil Is In the Ice is not truly a science fiction novel. Science fiction looks at science and technology and addresses the implications of humanity’s relationship with science. The “science” in this novel is inconsequential to the plot and barely addressed, and when science is discussed facts are thrown out the window. And that is fine for speculative fiction in general, but not for science fiction in particular.
The basic premise of the plot: a team of scientist uncover perfectly preserved bodies buried deep beneath the surface in Siberia. For some reason completely hand-waved over with two sentences, Russia allows this major find to be taken to the United States for study. The bodies are animated by demons hellbent on destruction and a zombie apocalypse begins.
But before we call this a survival horror, zombie lovers should know that almost all of the action takes place off-screen. When we do see the zombies attack someone, it is a rather bland, PG-rated presentation that barely registers with the reader. Most of the focus of the plot is on the scientists who are studying the zombies and trying to control the outbreak.
But we can’t call this a medical thriller, either. There is no palpable sense of urgency despite the nature of the plot. Almost all of the characters move through the story with a completely inappropriate level of…perkiness. Demonic zombies are spreading chaos around the world, and the scientists involved are all strangely disconnected from the horror this should be showing. And when they do show any emotion, it is incredibly sanitized to the point of absurdity. It is like an overzealous censor got hold of the story and struck out anything that might have possibly been construed by someone as potentially sort-of offensive.
I suppose this might be best categorized as Christian fiction, as there is a heavy Christian bias that factors heavily into the plot and the characters’ actions that at times comes across as preachy. The scientists learn how to fight the demon-tainted zombies not through science, but through the Divine Inspiration and the support of a mystical descendant of the Axosyz, a never-fully explained group with special powers to combat evil.
To be fair, this is a perfectly acceptable Christian fiction novel, and if I was a fan of that genre I would probably have enjoyed the book. And if I was going to rate it as a Christian fiction, I would probably give it a higher rating. But this book was presented to me as science fiction, which it is not. And I don’t like bait-and-switch tactics. And neither do a lot of readers.
The basic premise of the plot: a team of scientist uncover perfectly preserved bodies buried deep beneath the surface in Siberia. For some reason completely hand-waved over with two sentences, Russia allows this major find to be taken to the United States for study. The bodies are animated by demons hellbent on destruction and a zombie apocalypse begins.
But before we call this a survival horror, zombie lovers should know that almost all of the action takes place off-screen. When we do see the zombies attack someone, it is a rather bland, PG-rated presentation that barely registers with the reader. Most of the focus of the plot is on the scientists who are studying the zombies and trying to control the outbreak.
But we can’t call this a medical thriller, either. There is no palpable sense of urgency despite the nature of the plot. Almost all of the characters move through the story with a completely inappropriate level of…perkiness. Demonic zombies are spreading chaos around the world, and the scientists involved are all strangely disconnected from the horror this should be showing. And when they do show any emotion, it is incredibly sanitized to the point of absurdity. It is like an overzealous censor got hold of the story and struck out anything that might have possibly been construed by someone as potentially sort-of offensive.
I suppose this might be best categorized as Christian fiction, as there is a heavy Christian bias that factors heavily into the plot and the characters’ actions that at times comes across as preachy. The scientists learn how to fight the demon-tainted zombies not through science, but through the Divine Inspiration and the support of a mystical descendant of the Axosyz, a never-fully explained group with special powers to combat evil.
To be fair, this is a perfectly acceptable Christian fiction novel, and if I was a fan of that genre I would probably have enjoyed the book. And if I was going to rate it as a Christian fiction, I would probably give it a higher rating. But this book was presented to me as science fiction, which it is not. And I don’t like bait-and-switch tactics. And neither do a lot of readers.
October 11, 2016
I sat down to read this book and I found that I had to do it in bursts. I am sure since it is a short book that it might not be the case for some, for myself short reading sessions were in order. Usually I can sit down and devour a book but I think with the concept that slowly came to light in this book put me in a different mind set. I had to take each bit as it came, take the time to digest it and make my mind up about how it fit in the story. I appreciate when a female is the hero so to speak and the way that Odato went about bringing the hero to light was nicely done. The reconnection of the estranged father daughter relationship was a nice touch also. Especially when the affinity for science seems to bring them even closer at the end of the book. So the female character as the hero, the father and daughter reconnecting and finding they have a love for all things science worked. Also the way the daughter is described as a typical nerd really worked. I am and like nerds so for me that was outstanding. Now on to the things that didn’t work for me.The romantic relationship that develops between 2 of the characters is something that I feel was more due to the “end of the world” idea than an actual connection. Or I should say it would of been a little more practical or fit the story line better in my opinion. As to the other portions of this story a lot didn’t work for me. We have a force of evil that comes out of a find in Siberia, it leaves me asking what were the scientist doing there? Where is the back story to the “creatures” that were found there? Was it just some random group of folks frozen in ice? Then we have the zombies. Okay, it is a science fiction book so it could fit but I’m not a fan of zombies so that put me off a bit. The daughter having visions and her step father being one of those mega church folks did irk me. I am not really sure why but it did but it really did. And while on that train of thought, I was not too over the moon with a scientist finding God all of a sudden. Granted it goes with the whole “end of the world” thing but it just slowed the entire story down for me.Overall I wasn’t totally in love with this book, it was okay. Now it wasn’t horrible by any means, the actual writing, scientific information and character development were good and believable. I would actually suggest it to those that I know are into zombies and anything zombie. But there were too many different parts of the storyline that didn’t work for me unfortunately. So ultimately if you are into sci-fi and like zombies mixed in with your supernatural force of evil this book is for you.
June 12, 2014
REVIEW
We have an investigation about for bodies, strangely well preserved. Centuries of being underground and now they are uncovered and the examination begins after Dr. Frederick Orville authorizes the bodies be brought to a New York research facility. I found this so fascinating. All four bodies are perfectly preserved. How can that be? Years and years of being buried would have decayed the bodies terribly. To me this would have been extremely interesting and on the top of the line in this field of research.
It seems that as soon as the investigation begins, hell broke loose. It seems as though the souls have come to life and they are demonic and they want to instill terror every where.
The investigation is being undertaken in an underground bunker, highly guarded so the team of Dr. Orville's can try to develop a serum to get these zombie like terrorists under control. They could destroy thousands upon thousands.
I wondered as I read what exactly the zombie terrorists would do if they got loose? It would take them long to wreck havoc on the world. The only one in the research team that had spiritual insight was Cr. Orville's daughter. She felt the spiritual side of the research was needed to help the scientists and help to reveal the good that will be needed to overcome the evil.
The author wrote a wonder suspense, fast pace, sci-fi book that takes the reader to a level where faith is questionable and immortality in spine tingling. You, as the reader wonder what unleashed the zombies after years of being in their underground tombs? What was it, the air, the sense of being alive again.? This book was not your usual sci-fi, zombie eating, suspenseful mystery. It was way beyond. The zombie word makes think of the LIVING DEAD, but this was so different. These zombies wanted to unleash their terror on everyone. They were terrorist in all sense of the word. This was exploration of the unknown to its' peak.
Don't let this book go unread. It's a well written book with much for the reader to explore and think about. Grab it and take some times for yourself. Enter the world of zombie research and answer your own questions, if you can.
I received a complimentary copy of THE EVIL IS IN THE ICE from the author, Danny Odato and OutSkirtsPress for my view of the book. No other compensation took place.
We have an investigation about for bodies, strangely well preserved. Centuries of being underground and now they are uncovered and the examination begins after Dr. Frederick Orville authorizes the bodies be brought to a New York research facility. I found this so fascinating. All four bodies are perfectly preserved. How can that be? Years and years of being buried would have decayed the bodies terribly. To me this would have been extremely interesting and on the top of the line in this field of research.
It seems that as soon as the investigation begins, hell broke loose. It seems as though the souls have come to life and they are demonic and they want to instill terror every where.
The investigation is being undertaken in an underground bunker, highly guarded so the team of Dr. Orville's can try to develop a serum to get these zombie like terrorists under control. They could destroy thousands upon thousands.
I wondered as I read what exactly the zombie terrorists would do if they got loose? It would take them long to wreck havoc on the world. The only one in the research team that had spiritual insight was Cr. Orville's daughter. She felt the spiritual side of the research was needed to help the scientists and help to reveal the good that will be needed to overcome the evil.
The author wrote a wonder suspense, fast pace, sci-fi book that takes the reader to a level where faith is questionable and immortality in spine tingling. You, as the reader wonder what unleashed the zombies after years of being in their underground tombs? What was it, the air, the sense of being alive again.? This book was not your usual sci-fi, zombie eating, suspenseful mystery. It was way beyond. The zombie word makes think of the LIVING DEAD, but this was so different. These zombies wanted to unleash their terror on everyone. They were terrorist in all sense of the word. This was exploration of the unknown to its' peak.
Don't let this book go unread. It's a well written book with much for the reader to explore and think about. Grab it and take some times for yourself. Enter the world of zombie research and answer your own questions, if you can.
I received a complimentary copy of THE EVIL IS IN THE ICE from the author, Danny Odato and OutSkirtsPress for my view of the book. No other compensation took place.
July 3, 2014
Lets say this book has a lot going on. It is a sci fi thriller, with mystery and intrigue oh yeah did I mention the zombies. Yes I said zombies . I settled down to read this book and wasn't expecting the thrill ride it took me on. It starts out with four well preserved bodies, that have been buried for it seems like centuries . Are transported to a New York research facility where Dr. Fredrick Orville supervises the investigation. Once started that is where things start to go terribly wrong . In the under ground bunker the demonic creatures come alive and this is where The doctor has to make a serum to get the creatures under control before they could get out and basically destroy the world.
There is one person who might be able to get to the creatures and it is Dr. Orville's daughter . As a descendant of Axosyz. She is the only one that can help the team figure out the right course to be on.
This is the first book I have read from this author and boy I was not disappointed in the least. The story was fast paced and once you start reading you just can't put the book down. You are questioning your own beliefs and immortality as you read. The author keeps us on the edge of our seats. Why at this moment in time why were the zombies unleashed from their tombs after centuries of being buried. Are they the ultimate terrorists wreaking havoc over the world population. I felt like that when reading . The author wrote with such an intensity it made me really wonder what would happen. Would we actually survive the onslaught. Will there be people to actually find the serum to help us out in time.
This isn't your typical zombie eating, mystery, sci fi thriller. Like the Night of the Living Dead or even the Walking Dead. This the one book that will make you think and question everything about what could happen.
This is a book that everyone should read if you love sci fi thriller and zombies this is the book for you . So check it out. You know you want to enter the world of zombies and the research. Read if you dare .
February 29, 2016
From the cover: The bodies are curiously well preserved, even though they have been buried for centuries, and they are brought for study to a New York research facility under the authority of highly acclaimed Dr. Frederick Orville. But soon after the investigation begins, things go terribly wrong. The demonic souls of the beings are reanimated...and they are hell-bent on terror. Dr. Orville and his team work tirelessly in an underground bunker, under military guard, desperately trying to develop a serum to counteract the havoc the zombie-like terrorists wreak on their numerous victims. As a descendant of the Axosyz, only Doctor Orville's daughter has the spiritual insight necessary to direct the scientists and reveal the forces of good they'll need to overcome the evil that has been unleashed. The Evil in the Ice is a fast-paced science-fiction thriller that takes the reader to a place where disbelief is suspended, faith in God is questioned, and the mystery of immortality is tantalizingly close to being unraveled…..
This book is a quick read and has some good points. Frederick works hard in his field. Because of that he is distant where his family is concerned. Even with all the work Frederick does (research that includes zombies and demonic beings) he is still likable. During this story he needs help from his daughter-because of that he is able to get closer to her.
Overall the writing is good in this book. It is a combination of sci-fi, supernatural and suspense. This is not your usual sci-fi book.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
This book is a quick read and has some good points. Frederick works hard in his field. Because of that he is distant where his family is concerned. Even with all the work Frederick does (research that includes zombies and demonic beings) he is still likable. During this story he needs help from his daughter-because of that he is able to get closer to her.
Overall the writing is good in this book. It is a combination of sci-fi, supernatural and suspense. This is not your usual sci-fi book.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
June 13, 2014
The Evil Is In The Ice is short and it took me maybe three hours to read this enjoyable sci-fi thriller. I am fast becoming a fan of this author. The first book I read was The Witches Revenge - . I am almost finished with a third- And the Sun Always Sets - and will put up a review in a couple more days.
Why oh why can't humans leave well enough alone? Four very evil beings were trapped deep in the ice in the far reaches of Siberia--until they were discovered. Once it was ascertained where they would be defrosted and studied and they were shipped to their New York destination--that's where all the trouble begins. Will pure goodness and ancient bloodlines be able to harness this evil which is creating havoc and is slowly exterminating mankind?
Along with the book I received some Promo material with some sample interview questions and answers--This one caught my eye--
"Why did you decide to write it?
I have decided to write this to show and tell the world that Humans have limits in every discovery and that only God is the ultimate source who can tell us the real and final discover on this Earth"
Why oh why can't humans leave well enough alone? Four very evil beings were trapped deep in the ice in the far reaches of Siberia--until they were discovered. Once it was ascertained where they would be defrosted and studied and they were shipped to their New York destination--that's where all the trouble begins. Will pure goodness and ancient bloodlines be able to harness this evil which is creating havoc and is slowly exterminating mankind?
Along with the book I received some Promo material with some sample interview questions and answers--This one caught my eye--
"Why did you decide to write it?
I have decided to write this to show and tell the world that Humans have limits in every discovery and that only God is the ultimate source who can tell us the real and final discover on this Earth"
November 11, 2014
While the writing of this book is relatively good and I enjoyed the genre mix it contains as well as the action in it, there are several factors which wound up distracting my total enjoyment. Unless I missed it, given the four bodies had been discovered in Siberia, I don’t see how Dr. Orville got the Russians to allow his research to be moved to NY City instead of being done in a place like Moscow.
I found the author’s dating each chapter to be a nuisance as multiple consecutive chapters had the same date. After reading Chapters 20 – 27 with the date of November 18, 2015, I come to Chapter 28 with a date of November 18, 2013 without any rhyme or reason; after which we jump to the Epilogue with a date of spring 2018. In addition, I found the manner in which the author had decided to break the story into chapters to be somewhat distracting as well.
Unfortunately, while I’d love to have given this book a better rating the best I can do is only 3 STARS.
I received my copy of this book through a giveaway on GoodReads.com and this review has been my honest opinion for it.
Robin Leigh Morgan is the author of “I Kissed a Ghost,” a MG/YA Paranormal romance novel.
I found the author’s dating each chapter to be a nuisance as multiple consecutive chapters had the same date. After reading Chapters 20 – 27 with the date of November 18, 2015, I come to Chapter 28 with a date of November 18, 2013 without any rhyme or reason; after which we jump to the Epilogue with a date of spring 2018. In addition, I found the manner in which the author had decided to break the story into chapters to be somewhat distracting as well.
Unfortunately, while I’d love to have given this book a better rating the best I can do is only 3 STARS.
I received my copy of this book through a giveaway on GoodReads.com and this review has been my honest opinion for it.
Robin Leigh Morgan is the author of “I Kissed a Ghost,” a MG/YA Paranormal romance novel.
December 11, 2014
FTC disclosure: I received this book free from Goodreads hoping I would review it.
March 18, 2015
I was supposed to get this book for the giveaways, but I never gained one. The book wasn't the most interesting book in the world. Not very realistic at all.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews