Frozen Echoes

by Ed Downes

Under the Antarctic ice, the frozen echoes of a civilization wait to be reborn.

Dr. Flint Hill, an Antarctic researcher, has a centuries-old frozen ship burst through the ice near his base.

Dr. Eva Ward, a cultural anthropologist, journeys deep into the Amazon jungle to investigate a strange flute recovered at a dig site.

Hill is overwhelmed when a mysterious duo show up in a helicopter, followed by the United States Navy, both drawn by a strange signal emitting from the frozen ship.

Back in Sao Paulo, Eva fights off an attacker set on stealing the flute and ending her life, fleeing to a hacker friend to hide.

Aboard the ship, Hill and the Navy discover the remains of a strange creature before the ice closes around them, threatening to end their investigation prematurely.

Eva's friend takes her prisoner, forcing her to escape and make her way toward the one clue he Antarctica.

Joining forces, Flint and Eva use the Navy's resources to head under the ice, where they find the frozen echoes of a civilization waiting to be reborn. But is the cost one they’re willing to pay?

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2025

Reviews

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ed Downes’ debut novel “Frozen Echoes” is a gripping sci-fi horror tale of grand frozen vistas, super clever ideas, and characters very easy to vibe with! Though it leans more towards hard science fiction than horror, also employing to great effect several tech-mystery thriller tropes, it has some terrific body horror scenes, and it’s brimming with the kind of suspense and thrill you feel when you know something horrible is going to happen very soon – like, right in the next page!

The plot involves Dr. Flint Hill, an old geology professor suffering from arthritis, who’s stationed in Antarctica with his research team, and Dr. Eva Ward, a cultural anthropologist with deep knowledge of ancient artifacts, working solo on a mission to Brazil. Their stories start totally unrelated, but they quickly converge, as the discovery of an ancient ship on the Antarctic ice seems to resonate with an uncanny find in the Amazon jungle: a flute made of an unknown material which predates human civilization. The convergence of the dual plotlines rests on some unpredictable twists which took me completely by surprise, so not wanting to divulge too much, or spoil what's ahead for these characters, I’d say go in blind and enjoy how the riddle gets to be unraveled. There are many secrets on the way (even the US Navy gets involved), the most important being what’s waiting Flint and Eva down a dark rabbit hole underneath the ice (and which, incidentally, explains the book’s title itself). Uncovering the truth comes at great cost, but before you reach the ending, the author has curveball after curveball to throw, especially about the point of it all.

It’s also obvious the author has done the necessary research. I love books that can entertain me but also tell me something I didn’t know before reading. That said, the book is definitely not about the science; it’s easy to follow, it’s not a slow burn, it has no infodumps; it’s easy to share in the characters’ excitement of discovery and their thrill of exploring new places - in brief, adventure and entertainment are key to the story, which makes the book more like Michael Crichton’s “Sphere” and less like Carl Sagan’s “Contact”, for example.

In sum, if you’re into sci-fi thrillers with strong horror elements, you’ll certainly appreciate what Ed Downes has done in “Frozen Echoes”: you’ll love the action and the inventive plot, the large-scale implications of the reveal, and the weird but satisfying ending!

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick read for me, but one I enjoyed, I am sucker for any type of horror where you are basically trapped or isolated and what better place then the Antarctic ??
Plus I am not going to lie, anything to do with creepy mysterious ships? Sign me up, unless it means I have to be on said ship.

One of my favorite books is Sphere, and while this is not the same, it gave me that same thrill, that absolute cemented Sphere as a forever love in my book heart so big compliment from me on this one.

Dr. Flint Hill has a small research team and problems, one of the major being, what is below the ice. But then again, some of the things above the ice, the interpersonal relationships and corrupt government, really make you wonder, is what's below really so terrible ?

This book just isn't a frozen ship mystery there is so much more, including to my delighted heart, a bit of scifi, but its not too clunky, its entertaining, and also, I think I learned a few new things.

Oh and the twists? Get ready.

I would love more of this author, they are on my watch list.

[Kair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed Downes' debut novel Frozen Echoes is a sci-fi thriller that does not disappoint. Set in Antarctica, it is the story of Dr. Flint Hill, a geologist, and Dr. Eva Ward, an anthropologist, and their miraculous discovery under the ice shelf. The story is the classic race against time and corrupt government officials in order to save the world. The book is fast paced and keeps the reader engaged all the way to the end. If you are a fan of scientific thrillers I highly recommend this book.

[Caleb Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frozen Echoes inspires all the wide-eyed wonder and thrills of Michael Creighton at his best. This book has it all - cursed objects, political intrigue, haunted shipwrecks. An old school adventure with a dash of horror that’ll entertain any reader with a pulse.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for fans of polar horror and cosmic horror. This was a true page turner with an inescapable and irresistible sense of building dread.