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Icefire #1
Icefire
Once lovers, now enemies, Navy SEAL Captain Mitch Webber and oceanographer Cory Rey must join forces to stop a cabal of Chinese officials from devasating the Pacific Rim nations using nuclear weapons to create gigantic tidal waves
736 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 31, 2019
A white-knuckled adventure with no less than utter global devastation at stake(!), prospective readers should be advised of two things before wading into Icefire's 700-page story:
1) This is an unapologetic military sci-fi suspense novel straight from the Michael Crichton/Tom Clancy school of techno-thrillers, meaning it's heavy on detail re: science and hardware. To their credit, everything the authors set up in the first half of the plot is paid off in the second, but there's a hell of a lot of crosscutting between command centers and Antarctic outposts and surveillance stations and military hangars (though I was never, I'll happily concede, disoriented by any of that), where copious and exhaustive techno-exposition is exchanged, so if that ain't your cup of tea, you've been warned. On that point...
2) This book was first published in 1998, and it's very much a product of that era's "disaster-porn" trend in popular entertainment -- Armageddon and Deep Impact, Dante's Peak and Volcano, to say nothing of Outbreak, Daylight, Twister, The Peacemaker, Chain Reaction, et al. -- in which Saving the World (on a noose-tight deadline, no less) leaves little room for, ya know, personal growth or catharsis. In place of genuine transformational arcs, most of those stories simply make their opposite-sex heroes former colleagues–turned–estranged lovers with (conveniently) complementary skill sets (Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo in Outbreak, Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in Twister, Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in The Abyss) who bicker their way through the adventure before surviving a brush or two with death and then -- cue orchestra -- finally hugging it out in the closing shot. FADE OUT.
Icefire follows that playbook to a T. It emphasizes high-stakes plotting over emotionally resonant characterization: Mitch Webber is a capable Navy SEAL captain (the muscle) and oceanographer-environmentalist Cory Rey (the brains) his spunky sidekick. The trajectory of their adorably acrimonious relationship, it's safe to say, won't surprise you in the least.
But the plot is thrilling, the stakes high, the globetrotting action breathless, and the spectacular conceptual scenario surprisingly credible (and I had no idea how the authors were going to resolve the catastrophic event they set in motion), so if techno-thrillers are your genre, this one's tough to beat. After having spent years reading their wonderful Star Trek novels, it was a pleasure to experience an original piece of fiction from Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens.
1) This is an unapologetic military sci-fi suspense novel straight from the Michael Crichton/Tom Clancy school of techno-thrillers, meaning it's heavy on detail re: science and hardware. To their credit, everything the authors set up in the first half of the plot is paid off in the second, but there's a hell of a lot of crosscutting between command centers and Antarctic outposts and surveillance stations and military hangars (though I was never, I'll happily concede, disoriented by any of that), where copious and exhaustive techno-exposition is exchanged, so if that ain't your cup of tea, you've been warned. On that point...
2) This book was first published in 1998, and it's very much a product of that era's "disaster-porn" trend in popular entertainment -- Armageddon and Deep Impact, Dante's Peak and Volcano, to say nothing of Outbreak, Daylight, Twister, The Peacemaker, Chain Reaction, et al. -- in which Saving the World (on a noose-tight deadline, no less) leaves little room for, ya know, personal growth or catharsis. In place of genuine transformational arcs, most of those stories simply make their opposite-sex heroes former colleagues–turned–estranged lovers with (conveniently) complementary skill sets (Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo in Outbreak, Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in Twister, Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in The Abyss) who bicker their way through the adventure before surviving a brush or two with death and then -- cue orchestra -- finally hugging it out in the closing shot. FADE OUT.
Icefire follows that playbook to a T. It emphasizes high-stakes plotting over emotionally resonant characterization: Mitch Webber is a capable Navy SEAL captain (the muscle) and oceanographer-environmentalist Cory Rey (the brains) his spunky sidekick. The trajectory of their adorably acrimonious relationship, it's safe to say, won't surprise you in the least.
But the plot is thrilling, the stakes high, the globetrotting action breathless, and the spectacular conceptual scenario surprisingly credible (and I had no idea how the authors were going to resolve the catastrophic event they set in motion), so if techno-thrillers are your genre, this one's tough to beat. After having spent years reading their wonderful Star Trek novels, it was a pleasure to experience an original piece of fiction from Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens.
November 14, 2014
This is one of my favorite reads. I picked it up years ago, possibly from a bookshop in the airport before boarding a plane. I can't remember for sure. All I know is that I loved it. It felt so immensely real to me, so entirely possible even back then. I have re-read it a couple of times through the years and am contemplating going through it again. The action takes off from the very start and never slows down. I loved it so much that I convinced my husband to read it, too. We've both read the sequel as well, though I, admittedly, didn't favor it quite as much.
With the CGI abilities available to the movie industry these days, I think this book could be made into a spectacular movie. I don't expect it to happen, of course, because the money involved would be significant. And one part of me is glad in a way, considering how rare it is for Hollywood to do justice to any book turned film.
I wish this writing pair would produce more books outside the Star Trek universe.
July 7, 2008
Icefire was, by far, one of the best books I've ever read along the lines of nuclear weaponry on a global scale. I can remember in highschool reading this book and never once paying any attention to what I was supposed to be learning.
May 4, 2011
EXCELLENT!!! Very fast paced, interesting, hi tech. Very believeable, terrorists cause a massive tsunami in the pacific ocean. When the tsunami hit Japan recently this story came right back to me, and its been over 10 years since I read it.
March 23, 2010
This was a great book! I really enjoyed it. The action was fast and exciting, the characters were intriguing and realistic, and the plot terrifying in its real world possibilities. I never wanted to put the book down because each chapter ended with me wanting to see what happen next. I also loved the technology in this book. The tech aspect of the novel was not too deep and futuristic but played along nicely with the real world background needed for a story of this kind. It makes me wonder just what was created for the story and what really exists in today’s military. If you like “The Hunt for Red October” I think you will love this book. I give it two thumbs up!
July 31, 2017
A supprisingly awesome novel, full of so many twists and turns I wouldn't have thought possible, along with with as much awe inspiring detail and facts as you could possibly want. Also even more interesting if you have military experience.
March 12, 2019
This book is way outside my comfort zone, and at the beginning, I had doubts I would not finish it. However, I have always loved disaster stories, so keeping up with it was well worth my time. Icefire describes the effects of the Ross Ice Shelf at Antarctica being destroyed and broken loose by nuclear bombs embedded in the ice. The resulting tsunami waves will decimate and destroy the entire coastal lands of the Pacific Ocean from east to west, including China, Japan, Hawaii, and the Mexican and California coast lines, killing millions of people and wreaking havoc on the countries economies and geographies. Racing against the clock of destruction, an oceanographer and a Navy SEAL work with the government and military to try and stop the massive wave. I won't say anything more, because spoilers will result. The interesting question remains, after you read this book, could it REALLY happen?
October 3, 2007
This is an action/adventure book... a guilty pleasure, page-turner, science fiction book that I couldn't put down. It is also one of my husband's favorites (and one of the few books we both like).
December 11, 2007
One of my husbands favorites...I thought it was pretty good too
March 5, 2010
Fascinating melange of Antarctica info, oceanography, high-tech weapons, military workings, and likable characters. I found this a ne plus ultra page-turner.
November 15, 2011
Good read. Enjoyed the setting, the military aspect and the thought that the story was believable.
August 2, 2012
Absolutely great.
September 10, 2016
Really good book.. will keep you on the edge of your seats..
December 29, 2020
A creative, imaginative and well-crafted story. I had read a "preview" chapter from another book before it was released, and then it took me several years to finally track it down. I guess it was not widely published. But my efforts paid off and I enjoyed reading it from beginning to end. The authors have several other books they have done together, including joint efforts with William Shatner on several Star Trek novels, and I have enjoyed every one that I have read.
To tell any of this story would be a risk of spoilers, as there is a wonderful plot development including some twists right from the start. They do a nice job with pacing, character development, building suspense, relationship and dialogue. There is a second to none love-hate relationship throughout the book like nothing I have ever read, and it almost upstages the main story and action by itself, with deep-seated emotion and a very cleaver unveiling and unraveling of feelings. And the tech of the novel (though clearly from the late 90's era) is spot on and remarkably believable in its uniqueness. I would recommend this book for anyone, but especially to fans of Tom Clancy or any other military or humanitarian-minded readers with a taste for international suspense, conspiracy and intrigue.
Also, this book is not easy to find, so I am happy to pass along my (hardbound) copy if asked as I am trying to keep a minimal collection.
To tell any of this story would be a risk of spoilers, as there is a wonderful plot development including some twists right from the start. They do a nice job with pacing, character development, building suspense, relationship and dialogue. There is a second to none love-hate relationship throughout the book like nothing I have ever read, and it almost upstages the main story and action by itself, with deep-seated emotion and a very cleaver unveiling and unraveling of feelings. And the tech of the novel (though clearly from the late 90's era) is spot on and remarkably believable in its uniqueness. I would recommend this book for anyone, but especially to fans of Tom Clancy or any other military or humanitarian-minded readers with a taste for international suspense, conspiracy and intrigue.
Also, this book is not easy to find, so I am happy to pass along my (hardbound) copy if asked as I am trying to keep a minimal collection.
October 23, 2017
Once I figured out that I had read this years back, I still found it entertaining. The friction between Mitch Webber and Cory Rey played throughout the book. Mitch is a pilot with SEAL training and is used for special assignments for the government. Working with two NEST teams, he lands in Antarctica looking for a possible nuclear bomb. He crosses paths with Cory, an environmental activist who is there to expose to the world the military use of nuclear devices there.
They find themselves in the middle of a plot to use nuclear bombs to cause the Ross Ice Shelf to plunge into the ocean creating a wave that has the potential of destroying much of the coastal portions of the Pacific Ocean and killing millions of people.
Rey's expertise combined with Webber's skills help to reduce the impact of a 300 mile wide tsunami that is hundreds of feet high.
They find themselves in the middle of a plot to use nuclear bombs to cause the Ross Ice Shelf to plunge into the ocean creating a wave that has the potential of destroying much of the coastal portions of the Pacific Ocean and killing millions of people.
Rey's expertise combined with Webber's skills help to reduce the impact of a 300 mile wide tsunami that is hundreds of feet high.
June 1, 2023
This is a true techno-thriller meets Roland Emmerich-esque disaster movie! I was attracted to this book due to the premise itself, and I’ve got to say that I was not too disappointed with the result!
While this book relies a little *too* much on military and technological descriptions of various vehicles, procedures, etc. it did paint a very compelling scenario that helped ground the outlandish premise.
My only other minor complaint is that we don’t get enough destruction and that the villains are so inconsequential it’s silly. I think if they shaved 60-80 pages this could’ve clipped along a lot faster to culminate in a more breathtaking read!
Overall, this was bonkers fun!
While this book relies a little *too* much on military and technological descriptions of various vehicles, procedures, etc. it did paint a very compelling scenario that helped ground the outlandish premise.
My only other minor complaint is that we don’t get enough destruction and that the villains are so inconsequential it’s silly. I think if they shaved 60-80 pages this could’ve clipped along a lot faster to culminate in a more breathtaking read!
Overall, this was bonkers fun!
September 28, 2019
This was a great book that I really enjoyed, Im glad I persevered with it. At the start there is a lot of US military and communications jargon and acronyms, it can be hard to know whats going on, however as the story unfolds it is pretty convincing, very frightening and a few nice twists and turns, it held my interest and was very well written, if you like a good disaster thriller I highly recommend this one. I'm no scientist but the scenarios playing out and the cumulative long term effects of the disaster to the food chain, global temperatures and economic collapse made it very real.
May 4, 2021
This is a pretty good book, in the realm of Tom Clancy and James Rollins. I was sitting on the edge of my seat for a good bit. I know that the protagonist was SUPPOSE to be a pain, but it was almost too much. Definitely recommend this to my thriller friends.
July 28, 2025
A gripping thriller that was hard to put down.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and read the book whenever I had a free moment
The science in the book seemed credible and that’s what good Sci-fi is all about.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and read the book whenever I had a free moment
The science in the book seemed credible and that’s what good Sci-fi is all about.
July 8, 2017
Very sad to say that it's a 700 page book and I just decided I didn't care at about page 550. The book was good in the beginning it just went on too long so I didn't bother.
January 7, 2018
It’s a good story. But it found it hard to suspend my disbelief because most the science is not how science works.
December 14, 2020
An enjoyable mission impossible feeling book.
January 15, 2025
This is scary the things we think to do to ourselves
October 4, 2025
A very good thriller with a fast-paced plot. The characters are well-developed and seem realistic.
November 27, 2016
I remember this book well, having read it in high school back in 2000. I was of the right age to be super into the techno-thriller genre (which this book is, and very unapologetically). I did and still consider it to be one of the best examples of the genre. The genre no longer holds the same appeal for me as I've aged and probably wouldn't enjoy this book if I were to read it for the first time now, but if this style is what you like, this is a book you'll devour.
June 23, 2014
Good book although I think it would have been much better just concentrating more of the antagonism between Webber and Cory and the people at Cheyenne Mountain. Abbott was a useless character and I really disliked that it seemed like his parts of the book intruded on the flow of the storyline and the build up. It would be a very scary scenario if Icefire actually happened.
January 15, 2009
The topic of Antarctica is fascinating. I would recommend this to reader who like Tom Clancy novels. If, and a really big if, terrorist could get a hold of nukes and blow up the Ross ice shelf, this is what could happen.
August 9, 2009
Very suspenseful book based on actual science. Too much description about weapons, ship, and airplanes for me. And the end sort of petered out leaving wave, deaths, politics, and romance just floating.
August 15, 2014
Interesting story, if somewhat cliched, about a tidal wave that gets generated by a nuclean explosion. You get the science, the suspense, the love interest, the bad guys and the good guys.
A summer read.
A summer read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews