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Robert Spire #3
Melt Zone
Melt Zone: A mysterious structure, possibly of German origin, is found buried beneath the Antarctic ice. Undiscovered for decades...It should have remained that way.
A team of climatologists make a startling discovery during a routine expedition to a melting glacier in Antarctica... In Europe, a secret Nazi document surfaces which points to a government conspiracy, and appears to be connected to events unfolding in the Antarctic... Robert Spire, tasked to recover the secret document, soon discovers that sinister forces are at work, and will do all they can to ensure that whatever lies buried beneath the Antarctic ice...remains there.
RAPID ANTARCTIC ICE MELT...
A HUNT ACROSS EUROPE...
A DECADES-OLD NAZI MYTH...
In 1938, the German New Swabia Expedition left Hamburg for Antarctica aboard the MS Schwabenland. The secret expedition arrived at the Princess Martha Coast, in an area which had been claimed by Norway as Dronning Maud Land, and began charting the region...75 years later, satellite photographs discover something very odd occurring in Eastern Antarctica...
Rapid Antarctic Ice Melt...
Just before Europe's Envisat satellite malfunctions, it photographs a mysterious melt zone during a fly-over of Eastern Antarctica. After analyzing the photographs, the UKs GLENCOM - Global Environmental Command - Unit, sends three of its climatologists to investigate, but as they search the site, a vast crevasse opens in the ice, swallowing them up. They survive the fall, but make a startling and lethal discovery.
A Hunt Across Europe...
GLENCOM agent and environmental lawyer, Robert Spire, is tasked to investigate a Cologne-based company whose origins appear linked to the events unfolding in Antarctica. As Spire suspects a possible government conspiracy, things take a sinister turn, as clues lead him to the discovery of a 70 year-old Nazi document and an Antarctic mystery that may have lasted for 70 years.
A Decades-old Nazi Myth...
With Spire now missing, and a second search and rescue operation to the melt zone going disastrously wrong, GLENCOM organise a third expedition to the region, this time with the assistance of cryoscientist and glaciologist, Irina Loptinova. If Spire makes it back to England alive, he will face his most daunting challenge yet, an expedition to the melt zone to discover the mystery that lies buried beneath the Antarctic ice.
A team of climatologists make a startling discovery during a routine expedition to a melting glacier in Antarctica... In Europe, a secret Nazi document surfaces which points to a government conspiracy, and appears to be connected to events unfolding in the Antarctic... Robert Spire, tasked to recover the secret document, soon discovers that sinister forces are at work, and will do all they can to ensure that whatever lies buried beneath the Antarctic ice...remains there.
RAPID ANTARCTIC ICE MELT...
A HUNT ACROSS EUROPE...
A DECADES-OLD NAZI MYTH...
In 1938, the German New Swabia Expedition left Hamburg for Antarctica aboard the MS Schwabenland. The secret expedition arrived at the Princess Martha Coast, in an area which had been claimed by Norway as Dronning Maud Land, and began charting the region...75 years later, satellite photographs discover something very odd occurring in Eastern Antarctica...
Rapid Antarctic Ice Melt...
Just before Europe's Envisat satellite malfunctions, it photographs a mysterious melt zone during a fly-over of Eastern Antarctica. After analyzing the photographs, the UKs GLENCOM - Global Environmental Command - Unit, sends three of its climatologists to investigate, but as they search the site, a vast crevasse opens in the ice, swallowing them up. They survive the fall, but make a startling and lethal discovery.
A Hunt Across Europe...
GLENCOM agent and environmental lawyer, Robert Spire, is tasked to investigate a Cologne-based company whose origins appear linked to the events unfolding in Antarctica. As Spire suspects a possible government conspiracy, things take a sinister turn, as clues lead him to the discovery of a 70 year-old Nazi document and an Antarctic mystery that may have lasted for 70 years.
A Decades-old Nazi Myth...
With Spire now missing, and a second search and rescue operation to the melt zone going disastrously wrong, GLENCOM organise a third expedition to the region, this time with the assistance of cryoscientist and glaciologist, Irina Loptinova. If Spire makes it back to England alive, he will face his most daunting challenge yet, an expedition to the melt zone to discover the mystery that lies buried beneath the Antarctic ice.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2013
60 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Simon Rosser
43 books69 followersAuthor of the Robert Spire Eco- Sci-Fi Thriller Action Adventure series -
CliFi thriller TIPPING POINT, SciFi action-technothriller, IMPACT POINT, mystery thriller MELT ZONE and CATACLYSM of the ANCIENTS, Mystery Thriller CRYPTO, UFO Thrillers, The GALILEO PROJECT / COUNTDOWN / DISCLOSURE and Spire 7, THE VANISHED.
Also sci-fi alien invasion thrillers VAPORISED I and II
Espionage thriller RED MIST
SciFi thrillers SALIENT and SALIENT 2
Coming Soon - FUTURE WARS - Time travel adventure thriller will be coming out in the Fall 2025 - pre-order on Amazon now!
CliFi thriller TIPPING POINT, SciFi action-technothriller, IMPACT POINT, mystery thriller MELT ZONE and CATACLYSM of the ANCIENTS, Mystery Thriller CRYPTO, UFO Thrillers, The GALILEO PROJECT / COUNTDOWN / DISCLOSURE and Spire 7, THE VANISHED.
Also sci-fi alien invasion thrillers VAPORISED I and II
Espionage thriller RED MIST
SciFi thrillers SALIENT and SALIENT 2
Coming Soon - FUTURE WARS - Time travel adventure thriller will be coming out in the Fall 2025 - pre-order on Amazon now!
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 10, 2019
Melt Zone
A Robert Spire Thriller, Book 3
By: Simon Rosser
Narrated by: David Loving
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. If you mixed Michael Crichton, Dan Brown, & Indiana ,Jones together you would get a similar adventure of Robert Spire! There is a bit of truth, a bit of myth, some science, lots of twists and turns, the possibility of a big disaster, great characters, at least one set of evil after the good guy, high tech toys, lots of action, exotic places, and the good guy is really is a great guy!
The narrator has the perfect voice for this style of book! Perfect! Really enjoyed it!
This is the second book I have listened to and loved both. Just bought the first one too! Can't wait to start it!
A Robert Spire Thriller, Book 3
By: Simon Rosser
Narrated by: David Loving
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. If you mixed Michael Crichton, Dan Brown, & Indiana ,Jones together you would get a similar adventure of Robert Spire! There is a bit of truth, a bit of myth, some science, lots of twists and turns, the possibility of a big disaster, great characters, at least one set of evil after the good guy, high tech toys, lots of action, exotic places, and the good guy is really is a great guy!
The narrator has the perfect voice for this style of book! Perfect! Really enjoyed it!
This is the second book I have listened to and loved both. Just bought the first one too! Can't wait to start it!
September 27, 2013
This is my first Robert Spire book. He is a combination of James Bond, Dirk Pitt. McGyver, Painter Crowe, Monk Kokkalis, and Gray Pierce! This book covers a lot of territory-- literally, from England to Antarctic. It also covers a lot of technology from space saucers to Six Millon Dollar Man bionics (inflation has hit the bionic dept and cost is much higher now) to a new species of dinosaur.
A fast moving book, but we spent too much time in a Hungarian sewer!!
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys novels by Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, or James Rollins.
A fast moving book, but we spent too much time in a Hungarian sewer!!
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys novels by Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, or James Rollins.
May 22, 2013
This was my third novel from the author, and I was extremely excited to start reading it. I was roughly 20% into the novel, and I was already bombarded by the following variety: Nazi secret, Antarctic research and exploration, bionic arms and limbs, pre-historic virus, frozen dinosaur, underground base, guns, poisoned darts, bombs, super-human capability assassins, Russian interest, environmental damage, evil business plan...phew! The list is just beginning to start. Every posible element of thrill that one may have gathered from various sub-genres of thrillers, have been put together into this cocktail, and the end result is this novel. In that sense, this is one mish-mashed tale of everything, making the reader pause to try grasping the narrative flow.
Incidentally, the previous two novels were similar in this basic approach- borrow various elements from different sub-genres (sc-fi, espionage, adventure, etc.) and twine them around a central theme (in this case- a possible myth about Nazis having built a secret base in Antartica). As with his earlier writings, the narrative is lucid, and while it may not be very ordinary, is not literary either.
The basic plot is that a huge area in Antartica starts to melt, raising concerns of environmental damage. A team of scientists exploring the incident stumble upon an underground man-made structure, which turns out to be diabolic, designed to kill anyone trying to access it unauthorisedly. The disappearance of these scientists, and then that of the rescue team subsequently, brings Robert Spire into the picture, who soon gets drawn into an inter-continental game of cat and mouse, with female assassins having bionic limbs chasing him with an intent to kill. It ultimately becomes Spire's responsibility to try and save the people around him, as well as a global catastrophe.
Despite sounding critical on some of the issues highlighted above, the novel manages to entertain, overall. I did lose the flow at times, but ended up being decently entertained with all the break-neck action and adventure. Only, my humble suggestion to the author is try and bring lesser number of individual items of thrill in his next novel, and rather develop the plot and narration with fewer but more nuanced elements. I read his novels attracted to them primarily as eco-thrillers, so avoidable elements (like bionics, for example, or the unnecessary bit on two escaped jailed convicts) create diversions. Three stars for this one. But, will I await the next Robert Spire? Oh yes!!
Incidentally, the previous two novels were similar in this basic approach- borrow various elements from different sub-genres (sc-fi, espionage, adventure, etc.) and twine them around a central theme (in this case- a possible myth about Nazis having built a secret base in Antartica). As with his earlier writings, the narrative is lucid, and while it may not be very ordinary, is not literary either.
The basic plot is that a huge area in Antartica starts to melt, raising concerns of environmental damage. A team of scientists exploring the incident stumble upon an underground man-made structure, which turns out to be diabolic, designed to kill anyone trying to access it unauthorisedly. The disappearance of these scientists, and then that of the rescue team subsequently, brings Robert Spire into the picture, who soon gets drawn into an inter-continental game of cat and mouse, with female assassins having bionic limbs chasing him with an intent to kill. It ultimately becomes Spire's responsibility to try and save the people around him, as well as a global catastrophe.
Despite sounding critical on some of the issues highlighted above, the novel manages to entertain, overall. I did lose the flow at times, but ended up being decently entertained with all the break-neck action and adventure. Only, my humble suggestion to the author is try and bring lesser number of individual items of thrill in his next novel, and rather develop the plot and narration with fewer but more nuanced elements. I read his novels attracted to them primarily as eco-thrillers, so avoidable elements (like bionics, for example, or the unnecessary bit on two escaped jailed convicts) create diversions. Three stars for this one. But, will I await the next Robert Spire? Oh yes!!
June 17, 2013
I really like the Robert Spire series. Hopefully there are more in the pipeline?
Spire who is part lawyer, part agent for Glencom is a James Bond type character with an ecological twist.
Melt Zone is the third in the series from Si Rosser and is as equally enjoyable as both Tipping Point and Impact Point.
Spire who is part lawyer, part agent for Glencom is a James Bond type character with an ecological twist.
Melt Zone is the third in the series from Si Rosser and is as equally enjoyable as both Tipping Point and Impact Point.
June 21, 2019
Heart pumping Action!
This book was action packed and very suspenseful! I have enjoyed all of Robert Spire's thrillers! They just keep getting better! I highly recommend this book.
This book was action packed and very suspenseful! I have enjoyed all of Robert Spire's thrillers! They just keep getting better! I highly recommend this book.
Read
June 24, 2013Wow!! Mr Rosser has written his best novel yet! I loved the fast paced, edge of your seat action. I can't wait for the next Robert Spire story.
September 13, 2013
Fast pace and thrilling. Even better than Tipping Point and Impact Point which is saying alot. Robert Spire is the new James Bond. Truly fabulous character. I can't wait for more!!!!!
February 15, 2014
Just finished reading this and enjoyed it. Great characters and plot. I look forward to the next book. This book is one I will read again. Makes you wonder what lies beneath the ice in Antarctica.
May 30, 2017
Sometimes a book gets you with a good tagline or a great cover and is a total letdown. Melt Zone wasn’t a total let down, but it wasn’t the book that I was expecting it to be. I was expecting it to be a lot more about the base and the myth around it instead of being a 250-page chase scene followed by 50 pages of what I expected the book to be about.
With that said, I didn’t hate the book at all. I ended up enjoying it even though most of it was chase scenes and not secret Nazi bases. I don’t know why (maybe since the tagline talks about Antarctic Ice Melt) I thought it was going to be more about the environment or the reasoning behind the melt –but it was much less science and much more obvious reasoning once the readers find out what is going on beneath the surface.
Rosser is able to write really long and drawn out action scenes without them feeling overdone. As I mentioned before the book is pretty much a chase scene, then a little bit or cool down, and then another chase scene. I felt like the car chase scenes in the Bourne movies for a little longer than we needed.
The main character Robert Spire was an interesting one who reminded me a little of a character that Tom Clancy would come up with. He was smart and able to do more than you expected. Upon finishing this book I’m not sure if I’ll go back and read the other books with him in it, but I won’t write them off.
The science and what I’ll call pseudo-science in the book felt realistic and well researched. A lot of the machinery and the enhancements that Rosser talked about in Melt Zone were things that made sense to me (or could make sense if some of the events in the book transpired the way that they were written).
The narration for Melt Zone was done by David Loving who does a pretty fair job with it. There were times that his voice bothered me slightly, but I feel like I was being picky for this entire book. I’ll have to listen to another book by Loving to know if I do or don’t like him as a narrator. The quality was great and I had no issues around that.
With that said, I didn’t hate the book at all. I ended up enjoying it even though most of it was chase scenes and not secret Nazi bases. I don’t know why (maybe since the tagline talks about Antarctic Ice Melt) I thought it was going to be more about the environment or the reasoning behind the melt –but it was much less science and much more obvious reasoning once the readers find out what is going on beneath the surface.
Rosser is able to write really long and drawn out action scenes without them feeling overdone. As I mentioned before the book is pretty much a chase scene, then a little bit or cool down, and then another chase scene. I felt like the car chase scenes in the Bourne movies for a little longer than we needed.
The main character Robert Spire was an interesting one who reminded me a little of a character that Tom Clancy would come up with. He was smart and able to do more than you expected. Upon finishing this book I’m not sure if I’ll go back and read the other books with him in it, but I won’t write them off.
The science and what I’ll call pseudo-science in the book felt realistic and well researched. A lot of the machinery and the enhancements that Rosser talked about in Melt Zone were things that made sense to me (or could make sense if some of the events in the book transpired the way that they were written).
The narration for Melt Zone was done by David Loving who does a pretty fair job with it. There were times that his voice bothered me slightly, but I feel like I was being picky for this entire book. I’ll have to listen to another book by Loving to know if I do or don’t like him as a narrator. The quality was great and I had no issues around that.
June 8, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
""Do you speak English?""
An excellent, classic style adventure thriller, combining good writing and characterization with mystery, murder, hostile environment, a race against time, several nationalities and a good old fashioned battle against evil, one which had remained hidden for many decades. It is intriguing, too, in the concept of something causing a melt zone in Antarctica where none should exist as well as pointing out some hard truths about what might happen if the whole area were to go, flooding the seas with so much extra water. It had a believability even if the ideas did stretch credibility at times, and the whole was a good balance of action and personality.
David Loving's narration, like the book itself, is fast paced, clear and an easy listen. More a reading than a dramatisation, he does still make clear who is speaking and his rendering of the German spoken sounded, to this inexperienced listener's ear, impeccable. He, and the story, held my attention throughout. My only puzzle was why the chosen narrator was an American rather than English.
For listeners looking for a good adventure story, I can definitely recommend this book. I was fortunate in being gifted my copy by the rights holder, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. Thank you. I very much enjoyed listening to it and look forward to reading further books in the series by this author
""Do you speak English?""
An excellent, classic style adventure thriller, combining good writing and characterization with mystery, murder, hostile environment, a race against time, several nationalities and a good old fashioned battle against evil, one which had remained hidden for many decades. It is intriguing, too, in the concept of something causing a melt zone in Antarctica where none should exist as well as pointing out some hard truths about what might happen if the whole area were to go, flooding the seas with so much extra water. It had a believability even if the ideas did stretch credibility at times, and the whole was a good balance of action and personality.
David Loving's narration, like the book itself, is fast paced, clear and an easy listen. More a reading than a dramatisation, he does still make clear who is speaking and his rendering of the German spoken sounded, to this inexperienced listener's ear, impeccable. He, and the story, held my attention throughout. My only puzzle was why the chosen narrator was an American rather than English.
For listeners looking for a good adventure story, I can definitely recommend this book. I was fortunate in being gifted my copy by the rights holder, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. Thank you. I very much enjoyed listening to it and look forward to reading further books in the series by this author
June 22, 2017
More of an mediocre action tale.
Little depth as far as the description serenading readers about a mysterious structure found buried in Antarctica and the premise of a historical Nazi Document and more about - everything else.
Kudos to the person who wrote a dynamic description.
The telling versus showing was agonizing as some parts were felt and seen and others were ... just words.
Melt Zone was either the second or third of David Loving's book I've listened to. I still enjoy his voice but think he still struggles with the pacing.
This was decent, but not one of the books I strongly loved nor disdained. On that same note, it's not one I'd recommend either.
Little depth as far as the description serenading readers about a mysterious structure found buried in Antarctica and the premise of a historical Nazi Document and more about - everything else.
Kudos to the person who wrote a dynamic description.
The telling versus showing was agonizing as some parts were felt and seen and others were ... just words.
Melt Zone was either the second or third of David Loving's book I've listened to. I still enjoy his voice but think he still struggles with the pacing.
This was decent, but not one of the books I strongly loved nor disdained. On that same note, it's not one I'd recommend either.
June 30, 2017
There was just WAY too much going on in this one to keep track of.People dying in the Antarctic Ice.Rescusers doing the same.Nazis?A frozen penguin.Specially enhanced twins.The narrator,David Loving,gave a fast paced read with very little feeling.I felt he rushed it.It just made me anxious...to get it over with.I was provided this book by the author, narrator or publisher.
June 7, 2020
This book kept you on the seat of your pants. Once again Robert Spire (the main character) was on a non stop roller coaster and it looked like he’d never get off. I like these books because not only do you get action, you also learn things about the environment. Keep writing these. I’ll be reading them all.
February 10, 2023
Melt Zone is terrific. 3rd in series, continues at heart pounding pace. The action is amazing. Who knew environmental matters could so engrossing. One hopes that more people will become aware and governmental entities will become far more active in turn things around before it is way too late. Rosser has created plenty of excitement to stimulate readers.
June 1, 2017
Melt Zone
First time reading Mr. Grosser...enjoyed this book very much...loved the character of Spire....This story has lots of action and adventure with a twist of science fiction thrown in...
First time reading Mr. Grosser...enjoyed this book very much...loved the character of Spire....This story has lots of action and adventure with a twist of science fiction thrown in...
December 13, 2017
Great read
Interesting kept my attention, this was the second book I read by author both were quite good. Great for a relaxing winter read
Interesting kept my attention, this was the second book I read by author both were quite good. Great for a relaxing winter read
January 7, 2021
It's always a pleasure to catch up with Robert Spiers. Non-stop action, great characters and a bit of Antarctica through in for good measure. Loved it! :)
July 24, 2023
Nazis in Antartica - interesting take on history. Enjoying history along with fiction.
September 1, 2016
Wow! This guy needs an editor!
November 17, 2016
It's a fun adventure based on saving the planet from ecological disaster rather than the usual bad guys fighting good guys over money. There is still plenty of action.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews