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Cold Fusion
This is a FoxTales edition of the book Cold Fusion previously published by Samhain Publishing. Other than the cover, this edition is the same as the previous version.
Mallory is on the run from his whole life. He's been working for an environmental activism group, but he's out of control, trying to wipe out the memories of a tough childhood in his efforts to save the planet. When an accident at sea costs the lives of his colleagues, he crash-lands back in his hometown in the far north of Scotland, lonely and at rock-bottom.
It's the last place on earth he expects to find comfort or friendship. But a strange young man is hard at work in the abandoned craft village where Mallory used to take refuge. He's compellingly gorgeous. It takes Mallory a while to get him talking, and when he does, he thinks his new friend is delusional. Vivian believes he's mastered the technique of cold fusion in his makeshift lab: a semi-mythical source of free energy which could change the world.
To Mallory's astonishment, Vivian convinces him. And others have been convinced too - malevolent powers who wouldn't think twice about killing Viv to get at his discovery. He's brilliant, but completely unworldly. All Mal can do to protect him is take him on the run.
They're a wildly mismatched pair. Thrown together in the teeth of danger, they bond despite their differences. Soon Mal knows there's nothing he wouldn't do to save Viv, and attraction springs up between them like fire. But Mal is up against an enemy within, and Viv's time is running out...
Mallory is on the run from his whole life. He's been working for an environmental activism group, but he's out of control, trying to wipe out the memories of a tough childhood in his efforts to save the planet. When an accident at sea costs the lives of his colleagues, he crash-lands back in his hometown in the far north of Scotland, lonely and at rock-bottom.
It's the last place on earth he expects to find comfort or friendship. But a strange young man is hard at work in the abandoned craft village where Mallory used to take refuge. He's compellingly gorgeous. It takes Mallory a while to get him talking, and when he does, he thinks his new friend is delusional. Vivian believes he's mastered the technique of cold fusion in his makeshift lab: a semi-mythical source of free energy which could change the world.
To Mallory's astonishment, Vivian convinces him. And others have been convinced too - malevolent powers who wouldn't think twice about killing Viv to get at his discovery. He's brilliant, but completely unworldly. All Mal can do to protect him is take him on the run.
They're a wildly mismatched pair. Thrown together in the teeth of danger, they bond despite their differences. Soon Mal knows there's nothing he wouldn't do to save Viv, and attraction springs up between them like fire. But Mal is up against an enemy within, and Viv's time is running out...
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First published January 5, 2016
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About the author
Harper Fox
58 books1,176 followersHarper Fox is an M/M author with a mission. She’s produced six critically acclaimed novels in a year and is trying to dispel rumours that she has a clone/twin sister locked away in a study in her basement. In fact she simply continues working on what she loves best– creating worlds and stories for the huge cast of lovely gay men queuing up inside her head. She lives in rural Northumberland in northern England and does most of her writing at a pensioned-off kitchen table in her back garden, often with blanket and hot water bottle.
She lives with her SO Jane, who has somehow put up with her for a quarter of a century now, and three enigmatic cats, chief among whom is Lucy, who knows the secret of the universe but isn't letting on. When not writing, she either despairs or makes bread, specialities foccacia and her amazing seven-strand challah. If she has any other skills, she's yet to discover them.
She lives with her SO Jane, who has somehow put up with her for a quarter of a century now, and three enigmatic cats, chief among whom is Lucy, who knows the secret of the universe but isn't letting on. When not writing, she either despairs or makes bread, specialities foccacia and her amazing seven-strand challah. If she has any other skills, she's yet to discover them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
March 27, 2016
unbelievable.
it's been a long month, and my disappointment with this book is so keen i find i don't even have it in me to be anything but bleakly succinct where i should be expansive and helpful.
a friend put it this way:
all the lovely prose in the world can't elevate a crazypants plot and a distressingly poor representation of autism.
the story is completely bananas. with the
and then the autism stuff started out okay but then veered into the offensive and the bewildering.
but for me, the worst of it was the wildly unsympathetic narrator.
i lost my temper with him early, and our partnership never recovered. always saying and doing the wrong things, and being a dick to his supposed and astonishingly sudden love interest, and then outta nowhere he's a ride or die motherfucker here to stick it out to the end, and then he's fucking up like he's 15 and seriously angry about his ma ironing a crease into the front of his jeans or something.
selfish, impulsive, thoughtless, destructive, overbearing, and reckless.
and irritatingly credulous, too.
he's fuckin horrible.
so yeah.
...you'll note my exhaustion has mysteriously vanished long enough for me to articulate my antipathy for him.
it's been a long month, and my disappointment with this book is so keen i find i don't even have it in me to be anything but bleakly succinct where i should be expansive and helpful.
a friend put it this way:
all the lovely prose in the world can't elevate a crazypants plot and a distressingly poor representation of autism.
the story is completely bananas. with the
and then the autism stuff started out okay but then veered into the offensive and the bewildering.
but for me, the worst of it was the wildly unsympathetic narrator.
i lost my temper with him early, and our partnership never recovered. always saying and doing the wrong things, and being a dick to his supposed and astonishingly sudden love interest, and then outta nowhere he's a ride or die motherfucker here to stick it out to the end, and then he's fucking up like he's 15 and seriously angry about his ma ironing a crease into the front of his jeans or something.
selfish, impulsive, thoughtless, destructive, overbearing, and reckless.
and irritatingly credulous, too.
he's fuckin horrible.
so yeah.
...you'll note my exhaustion has mysteriously vanished long enough for me to articulate my antipathy for him.
November 10, 2015
Love at the end of Earth.
If you're here for the gorgeous lyricism and Romanticism of the awe-inspiring majesty of nature, then you are in the right place! Fox brings the sensory "A" game with this one. You see, feel, taste, smell, and hear the wild spaces of the sea and northern Scotland. Revel in it.
The story follows Kier Mallory, a wild one risking it for the big shot that ending up costing more than he was prepared for. As a frontline environmentalist, he's pushing at the boundaries of the law and safety. When the Sea Hawk's mission ends tragically he goes into a downspiral, but there's something Mallory didn't know. Something he's being judged for.
Separated from the one thing he believed in, Mallory heads home to set things right. But, the past still waits and with his recent actions, things are worse. Fleeing, he heads to the refuge he had as a youth.
It is in this liminal space on the edge of civilization that Mallory goes to lick his wounds and finds Vivian. Vivian Calder, the laird's heir apparent and enigmatic genius who can change world but will he be able to?
Vivian's different than anyone Mallory has ever met, and it takes time for him to figure it out. The issue of neurodiversity and Aspergers is handled with sensitivity. Mallory has ways of interacting with Vivian that he's never been able to have before. So, there are some sweet epiphanies, but even Mallory accepts--truly, not lip service--that there are fundamental issues with Vivian that will always be.
But, little does he expect the bombshell laid on him.
Honestly, I had a greater affinity for Vivian's character. While Mallory is understandable as an adult child of an alcoholic, it's still difficult to watch, and some of his acting out or first responses just made me want to reel him in. This is a me and a lack of patience issue, so other readers might be more sympathetic than I am. But when he disregarded Vivian's request, his betrayal, on a specific issue it made me irate. This same issue also brought a character from Mallory's past into play that I had negative judgments about, and it is Mallory's damn need for approval that set the whole thing in motion. The story takes a very dramatic turn into thriller territory as they're on the lam. Upside, new gorgeous landscape to explore.
The story had one other twist that pushed this to the edge of melodrama for me, but since I was so invested in Vivian and Mallory at this point, I wasn't disenfranchised, merely frowned at the manipulation. I would have liked the story more with a little less of that. In ways, it ties into an essential question the book is asking the reader to think about: A life worth living. This is brought up several times in slightly different ways.
I'm not going to address the "miracles of science" posed in this story. I took the first as a premise of the story and the second as part of the melodrama. Both pander to wish fulfillment in different ways, but if John Galt's work interested you then Vivian's will, too.
There are two strong secondary characters, Alan and Alfred. They anchor the MCs characters giving you a baseline of judgment about them. They aren't nuanced, but they are well-drawn and three dimensional. The journey comes to end, and the reader gets to smile.
Overall, tell me a tale in this wild space, free and untouched, and I'll follow you.
Favorite quote:
~Copy provided by Netgalley~
“Some sounds only emphasize silence.”
If you're here for the gorgeous lyricism and Romanticism of the awe-inspiring majesty of nature, then you are in the right place! Fox brings the sensory "A" game with this one. You see, feel, taste, smell, and hear the wild spaces of the sea and northern Scotland. Revel in it.
The story follows Kier Mallory, a wild one risking it for the big shot that ending up costing more than he was prepared for. As a frontline environmentalist, he's pushing at the boundaries of the law and safety. When the Sea Hawk's mission ends tragically he goes into a downspiral, but there's something Mallory didn't know. Something he's being judged for.
Separated from the one thing he believed in, Mallory heads home to set things right. But, the past still waits and with his recent actions, things are worse. Fleeing, he heads to the refuge he had as a youth.
It is in this liminal space on the edge of civilization that Mallory goes to lick his wounds and finds Vivian. Vivian Calder, the laird's heir apparent and enigmatic genius who can change world but will he be able to?
“We stood more chance of powering the nation with that smile than with his cables and couplings.”
Vivian's different than anyone Mallory has ever met, and it takes time for him to figure it out. The issue of neurodiversity and Aspergers is handled with sensitivity. Mallory has ways of interacting with Vivian that he's never been able to have before. So, there are some sweet epiphanies, but even Mallory accepts--truly, not lip service--that there are fundamental issues with Vivian that will always be.
“My patterns please me. I see beauty and order in them, and then when they’re finished I can rest. Not before.”
But, little does he expect the bombshell laid on him.
Honestly, I had a greater affinity for Vivian's character. While Mallory is understandable as an adult child of an alcoholic, it's still difficult to watch, and some of his acting out or first responses just made me want to reel him in. This is a me and a lack of patience issue, so other readers might be more sympathetic than I am. But when he disregarded Vivian's request, his betrayal, on a specific issue it made me irate. This same issue also brought a character from Mallory's past into play that I had negative judgments about, and it is Mallory's damn need for approval that set the whole thing in motion. The story takes a very dramatic turn into thriller territory as they're on the lam. Upside, new gorgeous landscape to explore.
The story had one other twist that pushed this to the edge of melodrama for me, but since I was so invested in Vivian and Mallory at this point, I wasn't disenfranchised, merely frowned at the manipulation. I would have liked the story more with a little less of that. In ways, it ties into an essential question the book is asking the reader to think about: A life worth living. This is brought up several times in slightly different ways.
I'm not going to address the "miracles of science" posed in this story. I took the first as a premise of the story and the second as part of the melodrama. Both pander to wish fulfillment in different ways, but if John Galt's work interested you then Vivian's will, too.
There are two strong secondary characters, Alan and Alfred. They anchor the MCs characters giving you a baseline of judgment about them. They aren't nuanced, but they are well-drawn and three dimensional. The journey comes to end, and the reader gets to smile.
Overall, tell me a tale in this wild space, free and untouched, and I'll follow you.
Favorite quote:
You could still find whole pieces, branching like little antlers, in the sheltered pools, but for the most part it had turned to sugar-fine grains, and it underlaid the waters close to shore and turned them to Mediterranean turquoise, jewel-like viridian and a purple like the flash of a starling’s wing.
~Copy provided by Netgalley~
Want to read
September 17, 2015Dat. Cover. Tho.
December 1, 2015
Intriguing. An autistic particle physicist meets a save-the-whales fisherman/activist. Love on the wild Scottish coast. Who else but Harper Fox to make this all meld together into reading deliciousness.
But there is, as usual, a difficult sell. This author doesn’t like to take the easy way out. I was so put off by Mal (Kier Mallory) at the start of this, and really, for much of it, that I wondered how I could believe in his story. He’s weak and impetuous and foolhardy. He’s so intent on making a name for himself in his quest to improve the planet, on finding his place in it, that he misses the whole point and endangers those around him.
But, he’s also a child of abuse and has a long way to crawl out of the hole an alcoholic father dug him into. You don’t want to make excuses for him, lots of people rise out of horrible situations to better themselves. And lots don’t. But you want to root for him, and the author has certainly given Mal many chances here.
At the beginning, we find Mal not following his gift for writing, but trying to make that stamp in the world by working for a wildlife activist group. A tragic incident leaves him jobless, aimless, and persona non grata not only at home but to the world at large. It’s not immediately clear why Mal has been following one path and not the other.
Mal’s meet-up with the brilliant particle physicist and ‘heir of the manor,’ Vivian Calder, is fortuitous and timely. The fact that Viv’s work on cold fusion and his other ‘issues’ could help drag Mal out of his personal mire makes this a sweetly romantic story the reader can crawl into.
However, dear reader has to overlook a few things… And this is where the story, which starts based in realism, goes into fairytale. In reality, to date, cold fusion is nothing more than scientific hocus-pocus. It’s the holy grail for making clean energy out of virtually nothing. And with no harmful fallout— according to this story, any radiation produced is negligible… Not feasible. Anything involving neutrons and gamma rays is going to produce some amount of radiation. And Viv’s kitchen/table-top chemistry doesn’t equate with the huge, exorbitantly expensive resources and equipment needed to safely do this type of science at a nuclear level.
Aside from the scientific stuff, the meltdown to Viv’s unraveling health becomes high drama. I would have more readily believed that he’d contracted radiation poisoning from his fusion experiments. But that would have made a much more difficult HEA.
So, you just have to look away from some of the more unrealistic plot aspects and the over-the-top romantic hook up.
It’s called romance for a reason.
There is so much to love here: high action, chase scenes, life and death threats, and family pulling together. Along with the usual gorgeous writing— the vibrant, you-are-there painting of the Scottish coast at the ends of the earth— Mal’s inner dialogue and his search for something more are so well done you feel immersed in it all. We come to see him as a sensitive soul seeking direction— we can make sense out of his earlier actions. We hope that he will find his way back to his real calling, his writing…
I no longer had whale song, fjords and the death of brave sailors wrestling for room in my head. Broken metal flowers carved their way out through my pen and ceased slicing up the inside of my skull.
The fact that the author can pull Mal and Viv’s story all together, and keep me reading (eye rolling aside), is amazing. I really didn’t want to like Mal, but I did. I had to trust the author’s depiction of a character with Asperger’s. It worked for me. And I am, once again, seduced. Recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. My getting it for free had no effect on my review.
October 7, 2016
I really loved the first half of this book - we're introduced to two interesting characters. Mallory left home and his father's fishing boat, and went to sea to be part of the ecological activist movement. Mal is a poet, a dreamer, and wanted make a difference in the world. But a bold publicity move on his part ended up costing two friends their lives. Mallory heads home to his remote village, unsure of what he will do other than go to the family of one of those close friends and admit his guilt.
The village is home to Mal's parents - his drunk and abusive father and ineffectual mother. Mal doesn't expect to fit right back in, but he's not sure where else to go. After a clash with his father, he tries to take refuge in a coastal artist's colony he once loved, only to find it abandoned by everyone but one odd, brilliant, eccentric and aloof scientist.
Vivian Calder is the son of the old Laird, and either insane, delusional or a genius like none before him. He's beautiful and touch-phobic and a bit OCD and odd and intriguing. But when Mallory decides that yes, Viv is also genuinely brilliant, and has made a great discovery, his actions set disaster in motion.
The second half of the book is action-filled and dramatic. The two young men come together in ways that are surprising, beautifully described, and sometimes a bit fast. Details of the sub-plot felt like extra icing on an amazing cake - a bit distracting, and unnecessary, and the whole thing was oddly resolved.
But there are very few writers whose use of language is as vivid and intense as Harper Fox's. Along with the lyrical descriptive passages, Fox also delivers very interesting and sympathetic characters. I always care about her men, and hold my breath for them. Vivian in particular was wonderfully conceived, and remained mostly true to himself. I read this book in one long gulp, and will probably reread it someday.
The village is home to Mal's parents - his drunk and abusive father and ineffectual mother. Mal doesn't expect to fit right back in, but he's not sure where else to go. After a clash with his father, he tries to take refuge in a coastal artist's colony he once loved, only to find it abandoned by everyone but one odd, brilliant, eccentric and aloof scientist.
Vivian Calder is the son of the old Laird, and either insane, delusional or a genius like none before him. He's beautiful and touch-phobic and a bit OCD and odd and intriguing. But when Mallory decides that yes, Viv is also genuinely brilliant, and has made a great discovery, his actions set disaster in motion.
The second half of the book is action-filled and dramatic. The two young men come together in ways that are surprising, beautifully described, and sometimes a bit fast. Details of the sub-plot felt like extra icing on an amazing cake - a bit distracting, and unnecessary, and the whole thing was oddly resolved.
But there are very few writers whose use of language is as vivid and intense as Harper Fox's. Along with the lyrical descriptive passages, Fox also delivers very interesting and sympathetic characters. I always care about her men, and hold my breath for them. Vivian in particular was wonderfully conceived, and remained mostly true to himself. I read this book in one long gulp, and will probably reread it someday.
September 9, 2017
I don't usually rate a book I didn't finish (I did read almost half of it) but I feel a responsibility to balance out the numerous glowing reviews. The autism rep in this book is simply ghastly. Vivian, the autistic character, gets no point of view, always seen through the eyes of the narrator who thinks he's abnormal -- but hot! -- and treats him like a child. I don't want to get to sex scenes between these two, it would just be gross.
January 21, 2016
If I told you that I was reading a new romance about cold fusion, you might look at me like I’m crazy. Is, um, cold fusion…sexy? Romantic? Interesting?
Well, it is if the mastermind behind the breaking of the code is Vivian Calder, a distant, loner living in an abandoned artist compound, with little to no human interaction whatsover. But the man can sport a pair of work overalls like nobody’s business.
Enter in Kier Mallory, a disgraced activist who returns to his childhood hometown to find…something. Redemption? Forgiveness?
The friendship forged between these two is awkward, tentative…partially because of the oddities and quirks of Viv’s ways. And partially because Kier himself is uncertain of what he wants. But as the two come together, there is a connection between them that breaks barriers and destroys their inner walls.
I found Viv to be utterly charming and his lack of filter in saying exactly what he’s thinking was both humorous and heartbreaking at times. Harper Fox managed to write a character with Aspergers that didn’t make you feel sorry for him. He was strong and capable and curious and brave. And I loved that.
Kier was a little harder for me to warm up to. Possibly because the story was told in his point of view, I sometimes found him to be selfish and frustrating to get to like. This eventually changed as his feelings towards Viv changed. His love and care for Viv made Kier become my hero.
The story is beautiful and written in that stunning, lyrical and atmospheric way of Harper Fox’s. I was mesmerized with the story’s build up.Tantalized by some really hot lovemaking between the two. And then traumatized by a plot twist that had me in knots. Agonized over what I feared would end badly. But by the end…so wholeheartedly satisfied by a lovely lovely book.
What's to like:
There’s something quirky about this book that’s unexpected. I think it comes from the intriguing and impossible-not-to-love character of Viv. It’s not just how the author writes a character with Aspergers, though she did so with care and thoughtfulness. I just so enjoyed taking this journey in getting to know him and watch him experience new things and come out of his protective shell a bit.
What's to love:
There’s instalove here…not gonna lie. But there’s such a “rightness” to this coupling of Mal and Viv that it’s almost unnoticeable. Mal and Viv just fit together, in a way that no one else would fit the other. And that destined-lovers angle makes every emotion in this book feel so DEEP, so significant. Harper Fox is PRO at writing can’t-live-without-you romances, of which Cold Fusion is one.
Beware of:
Holy cow this book had me in anxious stitches the home stretch. I wavered between hopeful and bleakness with each page of the last 25%. The entire story had a melancholic air to it. But, as the plot worked itself out, it turned into full-blown angst…and I was a sobbing mess. Get your tissues ready.
This book is for:
Well, if you’re a Harper Fox fan, you will not be disappointed. That’s for sure. What this books offers is gorgeous prose, imperfect characters who make an unlikely, but fierce coupling, a lot more on-page sex content than I’m used to from this author (not complaining! HOT!), and hit-you-in-the-gut emotional pull.
Well, it is if the mastermind behind the breaking of the code is Vivian Calder, a distant, loner living in an abandoned artist compound, with little to no human interaction whatsover. But the man can sport a pair of work overalls like nobody’s business.
Enter in Kier Mallory, a disgraced activist who returns to his childhood hometown to find…something. Redemption? Forgiveness?
The friendship forged between these two is awkward, tentative…partially because of the oddities and quirks of Viv’s ways. And partially because Kier himself is uncertain of what he wants. But as the two come together, there is a connection between them that breaks barriers and destroys their inner walls.
I found Viv to be utterly charming and his lack of filter in saying exactly what he’s thinking was both humorous and heartbreaking at times. Harper Fox managed to write a character with Aspergers that didn’t make you feel sorry for him. He was strong and capable and curious and brave. And I loved that.
Kier was a little harder for me to warm up to. Possibly because the story was told in his point of view, I sometimes found him to be selfish and frustrating to get to like. This eventually changed as his feelings towards Viv changed. His love and care for Viv made Kier become my hero.
The story is beautiful and written in that stunning, lyrical and atmospheric way of Harper Fox’s. I was mesmerized with the story’s build up.Tantalized by some really hot lovemaking between the two. And then traumatized by a plot twist that had me in knots. Agonized over what I feared would end badly. But by the end…so wholeheartedly satisfied by a lovely lovely book.
What's to like:
There’s something quirky about this book that’s unexpected. I think it comes from the intriguing and impossible-not-to-love character of Viv. It’s not just how the author writes a character with Aspergers, though she did so with care and thoughtfulness. I just so enjoyed taking this journey in getting to know him and watch him experience new things and come out of his protective shell a bit.
What's to love:
There’s instalove here…not gonna lie. But there’s such a “rightness” to this coupling of Mal and Viv that it’s almost unnoticeable. Mal and Viv just fit together, in a way that no one else would fit the other. And that destined-lovers angle makes every emotion in this book feel so DEEP, so significant. Harper Fox is PRO at writing can’t-live-without-you romances, of which Cold Fusion is one.
Beware of:
Holy cow this book had me in anxious stitches the home stretch. I wavered between hopeful and bleakness with each page of the last 25%. The entire story had a melancholic air to it. But, as the plot worked itself out, it turned into full-blown angst…and I was a sobbing mess. Get your tissues ready.
This book is for:
Well, if you’re a Harper Fox fan, you will not be disappointed. That’s for sure. What this books offers is gorgeous prose, imperfect characters who make an unlikely, but fierce coupling, a lot more on-page sex content than I’m used to from this author (not complaining! HOT!), and hit-you-in-the-gut emotional pull.
January 27, 2016
Ok, so the ex's actions toward the end of story were unbelievable. And the primary plot device was over the top. There was much to love about this book. The author did succeed in ripping my heart from my chest, putting me on life support, and then unceremoniously stuffing it back through my ribcage. But it was atmospheric, the language was beautiful, and the characters brilliantly drawn. I doubt I'll soon forget how this story made me feel. For me, that's a good romance.
January 16, 2016
4.5 stars
I love Harper Fox's writing. It's pretty much guaranteed I'll love just about anything she writes- even, yes shock horror some super fast, but also totally believable instalove. I read in a review somewhere that if this were a movie (I wish) Cumberbatch should play Vivian. God, I loved Vivian....and Mallory. So, as wild and improbable as the plot gets it's the gorgeous writing and wonderful characterisation that sucked me in.
I loved this book. What's not to love - with quirky, fallible .....endearing characters (including the secondary ones) and Fox's trademark lyrical prose. And ohhh, all the feelz in the world...
I love Harper Fox's writing. It's pretty much guaranteed I'll love just about anything she writes- even, yes shock horror some super fast, but also totally believable instalove. I read in a review somewhere that if this were a movie (I wish) Cumberbatch should play Vivian. God, I loved Vivian....and Mallory. So, as wild and improbable as the plot gets it's the gorgeous writing and wonderful characterisation that sucked me in.
I loved this book. What's not to love - with quirky, fallible .....endearing characters (including the secondary ones) and Fox's trademark lyrical prose. And ohhh, all the feelz in the world...
August 30, 2018
It took me forever to get around to reading this book. I think I might have bought it back when Samhain was going out of business. And boy am I kicking myself now. I ended up really liking it. Harper Fox is a very talented writer, and was able to bring this scifi(ish) story to life in a way that was completely plausible. I was a little worried that the author was going to kill off one of the main characters for a bit there, but all is well as it should be in romance novels. I left this book completely satisfied and glad I own it so I can go back and reread it again.
I do think that the ex should have been shot, though. Bastard.
I do think that the ex should have been shot, though. Bastard.
May 6, 2018
A bullheaded environmentalist and a reclusive scientist with Asperger's Syndrome and suffering from Drescher's Disease. The isolated and snowy Scottish highlands, a colony for wandering souls, the rugged coast of the North Sea and the clinical interiors of an Edinburgh hospital. And behind and above all this, the possibility of a scientific discovery that could change the face of the world.
Harper Fox's Cold Fusion is a surprising and compelling novel on a total par with some of her other books.
The narrating voice in the story is that of Kier Mallory a well-meaning and honest, if slightly bullish, environmental activist who finds himself disgraced and shunned after a stunt gone horribly wrong. Not quite knowing what to do with his life, he ends up seeking refuge in Spindrift, a crumbling colony for artists and hippies, where he meets Vivian Calder, an eccentric particle physicist who claims to have perfected the process of cold fusion.
Viv is different and complex but Mallory starts believing in him and his discoveries and from this point on, the plot starts going through a series of twists and turns that kept me completely glued to the page.
The bond between Mallory and Viv may be a clear case of insta-love but these two characters are so obviously written to belong to each other that I didn't find anything grating or fake about the progression in their relationship.
The scenes where they get to know each other - and take this in the widest possible sense of the expression - are beautifully crafted, tender, sensual, melancholic and romantic but also with unexpected and amusing touches
Although not focusing on Asperger's Syndrome and despite the fact that we almost exclusively look at Viv through Mallory's eyes, I never felt that the author misrepresented his condition. Viv's obsessions, his fears and overwhelming behaviours were treated with sensitivity and care. He's not defined by Asperger and Mallory learns this and starts acting accordingly pretty early on in the plot.
What I really loved about Cold Fusion , however, was its deceptiveness - about two-thirds of the way, its story takes a deeply emotional turn that I didn't really expect to see. Some elements that were bubbling underneath - Viv's moments of weakness, his subtle death-wish - suddenly crashed to the surface of the novel and my focus was completely shifted to a final dramatic and angst-filled section.
The novel often read for me like a Victorian page-turner with lovely touches such as Calder Castle lurking in the background and the mysterious hydro-chambers providing power to Viv's experiments. Cold fusion is used as the modern-day equivalent of mesmerism or alchemy - a process that straddles the line between science and mysticism and acts as the catalyst for the attraction between Mallory and Viv. Add to this the mysterious sibling, a benevolent gamekeeper, some obscure villains and you will obtain a fusion of elements that miraculously seem to work. I guess sometimes the power of narrative really works as an unpredictable reaction of atomic elements.
Is the novel scientifically or medically sound? No, it's not. But I didn’t really care because for 300 pages it dragged me into a beautiful story, populated with wonderfully compelling characters.
Harper Fox's writing style may not appeal to everyone - it's profoundly British, infused with the seasons and the changes of the Scottish landscape. It's lyrical, at times terribly so, but in her hands, it simply works and if you liked some of her other books, I'd really recommend reading this one.
Harper Fox's Cold Fusion is a surprising and compelling novel on a total par with some of her other books.
The narrating voice in the story is that of Kier Mallory a well-meaning and honest, if slightly bullish, environmental activist who finds himself disgraced and shunned after a stunt gone horribly wrong. Not quite knowing what to do with his life, he ends up seeking refuge in Spindrift, a crumbling colony for artists and hippies, where he meets Vivian Calder, an eccentric particle physicist who claims to have perfected the process of cold fusion.
Viv is different and complex but Mallory starts believing in him and his discoveries and from this point on, the plot starts going through a series of twists and turns that kept me completely glued to the page.
The bond between Mallory and Viv may be a clear case of insta-love but these two characters are so obviously written to belong to each other that I didn't find anything grating or fake about the progression in their relationship.
The scenes where they get to know each other - and take this in the widest possible sense of the expression - are beautifully crafted, tender, sensual, melancholic and romantic but also with unexpected and amusing touches
Although not focusing on Asperger's Syndrome and despite the fact that we almost exclusively look at Viv through Mallory's eyes, I never felt that the author misrepresented his condition. Viv's obsessions, his fears and overwhelming behaviours were treated with sensitivity and care. He's not defined by Asperger and Mallory learns this and starts acting accordingly pretty early on in the plot.
What I really loved about Cold Fusion , however, was its deceptiveness - about two-thirds of the way, its story takes a deeply emotional turn that I didn't really expect to see. Some elements that were bubbling underneath - Viv's moments of weakness, his subtle death-wish - suddenly crashed to the surface of the novel and my focus was completely shifted to a final dramatic and angst-filled section.
The novel often read for me like a Victorian page-turner with lovely touches such as Calder Castle lurking in the background and the mysterious hydro-chambers providing power to Viv's experiments. Cold fusion is used as the modern-day equivalent of mesmerism or alchemy - a process that straddles the line between science and mysticism and acts as the catalyst for the attraction between Mallory and Viv. Add to this the mysterious sibling, a benevolent gamekeeper, some obscure villains and you will obtain a fusion of elements that miraculously seem to work. I guess sometimes the power of narrative really works as an unpredictable reaction of atomic elements.
Is the novel scientifically or medically sound? No, it's not. But I didn’t really care because for 300 pages it dragged me into a beautiful story, populated with wonderfully compelling characters.
Harper Fox's writing style may not appeal to everyone - it's profoundly British, infused with the seasons and the changes of the Scottish landscape. It's lyrical, at times terribly so, but in her hands, it simply works and if you liked some of her other books, I'd really recommend reading this one.
January 10, 2016
The lovely writing goes a long way in making you forgive the liberties taken with science and medicine. There's also an unlikely last-minute assist to their cause which strained credulity, but the sweet romance made it all worth it.
February 8, 2024
I am schooled to be a chemical laboratory technician and have thus discussed cold fusion more than I like, when it was breaking news. It makes me unable to believe this plot, so I did not finish.
January 15, 2016
4.75*
Harper Fox’s latest novel is a beautiful sweeping story of love, dedication and betrayal. We start on a Peace Warrior ship in the Norwegian Fiords with Keir Mallory (aka Mallory or Mal) attempting a publicity stunt that goes terribly wrong and results in the loss of two of his ship-mates. Mallory returns home to his unwelcoming Scottish Highland home of Kerra. As expected, he is given no refuge from his drunken father, retiring mother or neighbours who all know what has happened and blame him for the death of one of their own.
He runs from this emotional rejection to a childhood retreat, a dilapidated artist colony called Spindrift, a few miles from his home on the coast. Here he encounters its only resident, Vivian (Viv) Calder. Vivian is a brilliant, but emotionally detached scientist who believes he has mastered the holy grail of environmentalists, and greatest fear of the oil companies – Cold Fusion. A bond begins to form between the two men both of whom have their secrets and fragilities. However, when betrayal and an explosion destroys Viv’s work and nearly kills them both, they go on the run, hiding out in a shack in the Highlands that belongs to Mallory’s deceased Aunt Lilian. Snowed in together, they have to make this remote, derelict, wooden house their temporary home.
The locations and settings for this story give Harper Fox the chance to do what she does best, and she lavishes this story with environmental descriptions and metaphors:
The wind had died, allowing the snow to fall direct from a sky whose belly you could touch with a stretch of your hand. The pines were muffled in swags of white, their sea music hushed.
As Mallory starts to see that the fragile soul he is protecting is also a very attractive man, it imbibes his every physical action, even cutting logs, with erotic appeal:
After the first few back-and-forth strokes of my blade…I began to hear the thump of my heart instead. One step, two. Systole and diastole, God’s own music, the bass beat for every song on Earth. Warmth spread across my back like sheltering wings. Viv would be gorgeous in that kind of action, wouldn’t he?
Full review on All About Romance(AAR) http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...
Harper Fox’s latest novel is a beautiful sweeping story of love, dedication and betrayal. We start on a Peace Warrior ship in the Norwegian Fiords with Keir Mallory (aka Mallory or Mal) attempting a publicity stunt that goes terribly wrong and results in the loss of two of his ship-mates. Mallory returns home to his unwelcoming Scottish Highland home of Kerra. As expected, he is given no refuge from his drunken father, retiring mother or neighbours who all know what has happened and blame him for the death of one of their own.
He runs from this emotional rejection to a childhood retreat, a dilapidated artist colony called Spindrift, a few miles from his home on the coast. Here he encounters its only resident, Vivian (Viv) Calder. Vivian is a brilliant, but emotionally detached scientist who believes he has mastered the holy grail of environmentalists, and greatest fear of the oil companies – Cold Fusion. A bond begins to form between the two men both of whom have their secrets and fragilities. However, when betrayal and an explosion destroys Viv’s work and nearly kills them both, they go on the run, hiding out in a shack in the Highlands that belongs to Mallory’s deceased Aunt Lilian. Snowed in together, they have to make this remote, derelict, wooden house their temporary home.
The locations and settings for this story give Harper Fox the chance to do what she does best, and she lavishes this story with environmental descriptions and metaphors:
The wind had died, allowing the snow to fall direct from a sky whose belly you could touch with a stretch of your hand. The pines were muffled in swags of white, their sea music hushed.
As Mallory starts to see that the fragile soul he is protecting is also a very attractive man, it imbibes his every physical action, even cutting logs, with erotic appeal:
After the first few back-and-forth strokes of my blade…I began to hear the thump of my heart instead. One step, two. Systole and diastole, God’s own music, the bass beat for every song on Earth. Warmth spread across my back like sheltering wings. Viv would be gorgeous in that kind of action, wouldn’t he?
Full review on All About Romance(AAR) http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...
January 1, 2016
Oh God, the science in this book was complete garbage. Forget strangers to lovers-for-life in thirteen days; the idea that ONE GUY working essentially by himself could successfully create cold fusion destroyed my suspension of disbelief completely and I couldn't get into the book at all. The romance was buried beneath my incredulity.
Successful cold fusion would be one of, if not the, single greatest scientific accomplishment in human history. People have been working on cold fusion for decades and pouring millions and millions of dollars and countless hours into it, and this guy in his kitchen manages what has until now been nothing more than a far-distant pipe dream for humanity? Give me a fucking break.
Successful cold fusion would be one of, if not the, single greatest scientific accomplishment in human history. People have been working on cold fusion for decades and pouring millions and millions of dollars and countless hours into it, and this guy in his kitchen manages what has until now been nothing more than a far-distant pipe dream for humanity? Give me a fucking break.
January 8, 2016
I really like Harper Fox's idea of romance. She takes me right to the brink. There's always breath-taking scenery described in lovely ways, and often one of the MCs is a poet or a writer, and this Vivian is especially extraordinary.
Keir Mallory meets physicist, Viv under desperate circumstances, and the attraction is immediate. But with their lives in danger, and a snow storm threatening, there's other stuff to worry about.
But gosh, I got caught up, and found their growing feelings very appealing.
And the ending is just so
Really loved it.
Keir Mallory meets physicist, Viv under desperate circumstances, and the attraction is immediate. But with their lives in danger, and a snow storm threatening, there's other stuff to worry about.
But gosh, I got caught up, and found their growing feelings very appealing.
And the ending is just so
Really loved it.
January 23, 2016
I do seriously love Harper Fox's writing. I adored Vivian! The way the Scottish backdrop was described was glorious and beautiful!
January 6, 2016
Here's my Review for Prism Book Alliance...of course I loved it:
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2016...
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2016...
January 31, 2016
Sally: I was absolutely delighted to pick up Cold Fusion by Harper Fox recently and even more delighted when Mark said he was reading it too and how about a ‘buddy read’. Of course I jumped at the chance and we spent a happy few days squeeing to each other. What did you think, Mark? Harper’s use of language is what makes me pick up her books, no matter the subject matter, but with this one - oh my the suspense!!
Mark: Well, I must admit Sally that Harper had me on the edge of my seat with this great book. As soon as I had read chapter one I knew this book was not going to be put aside easily. WOW! It starts off at a cracking pace and really doesn’t let up. We have everything here from intrigue, assassination attempts, science which would be nice if it wasn’t fiction even by today’s standards and above all two absolutely adorable characters that I fell in love with as soon as they appeared on the page.
Sally: Kier Mallory is a marvellous protagonist and a terrific POV character with a poet’s eye. This was great because Harper’s prose often reads like poetry but with Kier’s muse being allowed to peep out from time to time his point of view was so richly described. Seen through his eyes no wonder Vivian is such a compelling, and loveable, character. I really liked some of the others too.
Mark: Kier, oh yes! Harper’s narrative style does it for me all the time. Kier for me was such a study in contrast. Deep down in his heart he wants nothing more than to save the planet as if by doing this he can right all the wrongs and injustices of the world including his own. A fighter and yet insecure. After we read about his parents and family background especially his father it’s amazing how he ever rose above those things and became the man he is. But despite the odds he has turned out to be a wonderful person if maybe a little misguided in his intentions occasionally and enthusiasm to do good. I love how Harper seems to lift her characters off the page and brings them to alive. It's as though while I'm reading they really exist for me. Anyway, enough about Kier, what did you think about Vivian Sally? I think you’d better start because I could write a whole sonnet dedicated to this adorable character.
Sally: Vivian actually reminded me of a friend I had way back in the 70s. His mind set was very different to Vivian’s but it was equally gifted and almost as quirky. He was working on the early versions of computer code and it was clear he was always making the effort to slow his thought processes to the point that averagely intelligent people could follow. I remembered my friend and how when he was tired or had had a drink or two he used to lose control of his tongue and talk a mile a minute answering his own questions. Sherlock on speed. Vivian although quieter seemed to make so much effort to get onto Kier’s wavelength and his occasional slips were either adorable or heartbreaking, and sometimes both. I finished reading Cold Fusion a couple of weeks ago but I still think of Vivian, and his very specialised competencies, a lot.
Mark: When I first met Vivian I made the usual assumptions that anyone who is that brilliant has to be eccentric but oh my how wrong I was. When I learnt about his condition and what he is dealing with my heart just went out to him. It's as though for all the genius he possesses there is a price to pay for it too and despite all his intelligence he is so innocent and naive in a lot of ways. Harper has created a wonderful character that anyone can fall for instantly and will not let go of the reader for a long time after the book is finished. As with you Sally he still lingers on in my thoughts and I guess will for a while longer too. Here Harper has created two remarkable characters, although very different are also symbiotic. They are beautiful and compliment each other perfectly. With all this said she then drops them in situation and a run for their lives. I know you said to me you finished the book with your heart pounding and your pulse racing, what was it that made you feel that way?
Sally: There was this spiral of impending disaster. With the benefit of the clarity of vision afforded to readers we could look across to the next loop on the spiral and think “oh shit, I really don’t think that’s a good idea” but the poor, poor protagonists are set in their course. Luckily Harper always puts in moments of calm and grace, and humour too, so a reader can catch their breath before the next crisis. It just takes me a bit longer these days :D and I always fall for red herrings.
How about you? Did you have to put it down and go and have a walk around the house to calm down too?
Mark: Oh I know what you mean. I had more the problem of not wanting to put it aside! Any interruption was not taken lightly by me while immersed in this read. Even my hubby got the message – lol! As I said at the beginning the book starts off at a cracking pace and it’s not long before foul play is suspected. The red herrings were fun I don’t know if I fell for them like you did but I do know they kept me on my toes with the next twist in the story for sure. For me the story was sandwiched or nicely spread out after the action you get a nice sedate pace where you think everything is OK and then BAM, you’re knocked for six with the next surprise and you’re off and running with Vivian and Kier; pulse and heart racing with them all the way. I liked that at the beginning they both in their own way are trying to save the planet and all the excitement that it brings with it but by the end they have just found a niche for themselves where they can be happy and contented with each other even if the rest of the world goes to hell in a handbasket. But I’m sure it won’t be long before they are out there trying to make the world a better place again. A wonderful piece of story plotting to keep the reader places to breathe and calm down before switching up the adrenaline levels once again. I can recommend this book highly to anyone and I’m sure they’ll not be disappointed in what a treat Harper has delivered with this book. I loved it and even now still thinking off and on about Viv. I can’t see there could be a second book currently but I wouldn’t mind to read more from Kier and Viv anyway if the opportunity should ever present itself. Anyway, over to you now Sally for the final word.
Sally: We ought to let Harper have that don’t you think? Here’s a quote from when Keir has returned to a place where he was once happy:
A romping plot, characters to genuinely care for and wonderful lyrical prose - there’s nothing better than that.
Mark: Amen!
Joint Review with Sinfully Gay Romance reviewer, Sally.
Mark: Well, I must admit Sally that Harper had me on the edge of my seat with this great book. As soon as I had read chapter one I knew this book was not going to be put aside easily. WOW! It starts off at a cracking pace and really doesn’t let up. We have everything here from intrigue, assassination attempts, science which would be nice if it wasn’t fiction even by today’s standards and above all two absolutely adorable characters that I fell in love with as soon as they appeared on the page.
Sally: Kier Mallory is a marvellous protagonist and a terrific POV character with a poet’s eye. This was great because Harper’s prose often reads like poetry but with Kier’s muse being allowed to peep out from time to time his point of view was so richly described. Seen through his eyes no wonder Vivian is such a compelling, and loveable, character. I really liked some of the others too.
Mark: Kier, oh yes! Harper’s narrative style does it for me all the time. Kier for me was such a study in contrast. Deep down in his heart he wants nothing more than to save the planet as if by doing this he can right all the wrongs and injustices of the world including his own. A fighter and yet insecure. After we read about his parents and family background especially his father it’s amazing how he ever rose above those things and became the man he is. But despite the odds he has turned out to be a wonderful person if maybe a little misguided in his intentions occasionally and enthusiasm to do good. I love how Harper seems to lift her characters off the page and brings them to alive. It's as though while I'm reading they really exist for me. Anyway, enough about Kier, what did you think about Vivian Sally? I think you’d better start because I could write a whole sonnet dedicated to this adorable character.
Sally: Vivian actually reminded me of a friend I had way back in the 70s. His mind set was very different to Vivian’s but it was equally gifted and almost as quirky. He was working on the early versions of computer code and it was clear he was always making the effort to slow his thought processes to the point that averagely intelligent people could follow. I remembered my friend and how when he was tired or had had a drink or two he used to lose control of his tongue and talk a mile a minute answering his own questions. Sherlock on speed. Vivian although quieter seemed to make so much effort to get onto Kier’s wavelength and his occasional slips were either adorable or heartbreaking, and sometimes both. I finished reading Cold Fusion a couple of weeks ago but I still think of Vivian, and his very specialised competencies, a lot.
Mark: When I first met Vivian I made the usual assumptions that anyone who is that brilliant has to be eccentric but oh my how wrong I was. When I learnt about his condition and what he is dealing with my heart just went out to him. It's as though for all the genius he possesses there is a price to pay for it too and despite all his intelligence he is so innocent and naive in a lot of ways. Harper has created a wonderful character that anyone can fall for instantly and will not let go of the reader for a long time after the book is finished. As with you Sally he still lingers on in my thoughts and I guess will for a while longer too. Here Harper has created two remarkable characters, although very different are also symbiotic. They are beautiful and compliment each other perfectly. With all this said she then drops them in situation and a run for their lives. I know you said to me you finished the book with your heart pounding and your pulse racing, what was it that made you feel that way?
Sally: There was this spiral of impending disaster. With the benefit of the clarity of vision afforded to readers we could look across to the next loop on the spiral and think “oh shit, I really don’t think that’s a good idea” but the poor, poor protagonists are set in their course. Luckily Harper always puts in moments of calm and grace, and humour too, so a reader can catch their breath before the next crisis. It just takes me a bit longer these days :D and I always fall for red herrings.
How about you? Did you have to put it down and go and have a walk around the house to calm down too?
Mark: Oh I know what you mean. I had more the problem of not wanting to put it aside! Any interruption was not taken lightly by me while immersed in this read. Even my hubby got the message – lol! As I said at the beginning the book starts off at a cracking pace and it’s not long before foul play is suspected. The red herrings were fun I don’t know if I fell for them like you did but I do know they kept me on my toes with the next twist in the story for sure. For me the story was sandwiched or nicely spread out after the action you get a nice sedate pace where you think everything is OK and then BAM, you’re knocked for six with the next surprise and you’re off and running with Vivian and Kier; pulse and heart racing with them all the way. I liked that at the beginning they both in their own way are trying to save the planet and all the excitement that it brings with it but by the end they have just found a niche for themselves where they can be happy and contented with each other even if the rest of the world goes to hell in a handbasket. But I’m sure it won’t be long before they are out there trying to make the world a better place again. A wonderful piece of story plotting to keep the reader places to breathe and calm down before switching up the adrenaline levels once again. I can recommend this book highly to anyone and I’m sure they’ll not be disappointed in what a treat Harper has delivered with this book. I loved it and even now still thinking off and on about Viv. I can’t see there could be a second book currently but I wouldn’t mind to read more from Kier and Viv anyway if the opportunity should ever present itself. Anyway, over to you now Sally for the final word.
Sally: We ought to let Harper have that don’t you think? Here’s a quote from when Keir has returned to a place where he was once happy:
In summer the hut had sheltered a fringe of yellow poppies, and these were still here too after a fashion. A strange whisper-music was rippling over the turf. I listened, closing my eyes.
The dry brown poppy chambers lend
A temporary larynx to the wind.
Who had written that? I dug through my memories of poems and poets, but nothing came back, and out of habit I pulled a scrap of paper from my ruckie’s front pocket and scribbled the words down. Once I saw them in my own handwriting, it slowly sank in with me that they weren’t a memory at all. They were my words, new ones, forged here on the anvil of the sand
A romping plot, characters to genuinely care for and wonderful lyrical prose - there’s nothing better than that.
Mark: Amen!
Joint Review with Sinfully Gay Romance reviewer, Sally.
January 9, 2016
Kier Mallory is a tree-hugging poet who made a fatal decision on one of their anti-whaling missions that took the lives of his two crewmembers. Disgraced and with everybody turning him away, he found himself heading to Spindrift. The place that is once a lair for artists and such is now deserted and dilapidated save for its lone inhabitant.
Vivian Calder is the son of a local laird. With Asperger’s syndrome, it leaves the young scientist emotionally and socially awkward. His lonesome existence however led him to perfecting cold fusion – a clean, free, and limitless source of power.
With this groundbreaking discovery and their unlikely friendship blossoming into something unexpected, uncertain instances clouded above them that may threaten it and their lives.
At first, Mallory’s character was highly unlikable. I thought he was a real douchebag snapping on Viv all the time. It’s obvious that he’s got some anger management issue or perhaps it’s everything that has happened to him prior to meeting Viv but it doesn’t excuse his behavior towards Viv whose detachment over emotional things made him a clear target for such attitude – I didn’t like it at all. Then when things started to unravel between them, post-Allan’s betrayal – everything seemed perfect and they just easily complimented each other. I liked that despite the insta-love (10 days of knowing each other and love is in the air) in the story, the romance does not feel forced at all.
Viv is a real riot at times. His awkwardness is way too adorable and I loved his forgiving nature. I also loved how he felt comfortable with Mal disregarding all his inhibitions. Love is the ‘cure’ after all. *wink*
“Do you get erections?”
“Yes, at awkward times. Over some things you’d find strange.”
…
“Let me tell you something I never thought I’d share with anyone. When the discovery of the Higgs boson was confirmed in the LHC at CERN, I went upstairs, lock myself in my room, and I came so hard I thought my eardrums would burst. Does that answer you question?”
The science aspect of the story didn’t bother me at all. There was ample amount of explanation that didn’t go beyond info-dump-zone and I loved that the author eventually veered off from it at the latter part of the story.
I thought Alan deserves more than a bruiser.
The semi-twist that was conveniently laid out at the second half of the story was a bit surprising to me. I mean, the guy has Asperger’s syndrome (nothing wrong with this but he’s been alone all his life) and then he’s got to suffer that. Poor guy, really.
As usual, the story ended with a very solid conclusion. Harper Fox is one of those authors that does not know how not to write beautifully. Cold Fusion is another wonderful piece of literature! Highly recommended.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
***
more book reviews at paddylastinc
Vivian Calder is the son of a local laird. With Asperger’s syndrome, it leaves the young scientist emotionally and socially awkward. His lonesome existence however led him to perfecting cold fusion – a clean, free, and limitless source of power.
With this groundbreaking discovery and their unlikely friendship blossoming into something unexpected, uncertain instances clouded above them that may threaten it and their lives.
At first, Mallory’s character was highly unlikable. I thought he was a real douchebag snapping on Viv all the time. It’s obvious that he’s got some anger management issue or perhaps it’s everything that has happened to him prior to meeting Viv but it doesn’t excuse his behavior towards Viv whose detachment over emotional things made him a clear target for such attitude – I didn’t like it at all. Then when things started to unravel between them, post-Allan’s betrayal – everything seemed perfect and they just easily complimented each other. I liked that despite the insta-love (10 days of knowing each other and love is in the air) in the story, the romance does not feel forced at all.
Viv is a real riot at times. His awkwardness is way too adorable and I loved his forgiving nature. I also loved how he felt comfortable with Mal disregarding all his inhibitions. Love is the ‘cure’ after all. *wink*
“Do you get erections?”
“Yes, at awkward times. Over some things you’d find strange.”
…
“Let me tell you something I never thought I’d share with anyone. When the discovery of the Higgs boson was confirmed in the LHC at CERN, I went upstairs, lock myself in my room, and I came so hard I thought my eardrums would burst. Does that answer you question?”
The science aspect of the story didn’t bother me at all. There was ample amount of explanation that didn’t go beyond info-dump-zone and I loved that the author eventually veered off from it at the latter part of the story.
I thought Alan deserves more than a bruiser.
The semi-twist that was conveniently laid out at the second half of the story was a bit surprising to me. I mean, the guy has Asperger’s syndrome (nothing wrong with this but he’s been alone all his life) and then he’s got to suffer that. Poor guy, really.
As usual, the story ended with a very solid conclusion. Harper Fox is one of those authors that does not know how not to write beautifully. Cold Fusion is another wonderful piece of literature! Highly recommended.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
***
more book reviews at paddylastinc
November 21, 2017
4.0 Stars
Right, so 4 Stars for a HF book is like 2 Stars for anyone else...and I think it's because the book tried to do too much. Between Mal'sSea Shepherd Peace Warrior mission, the Evil Petroleum Industry saboteur/assassin, Viv's Aspberger's, success in perfecting Cold Fusion (which would solve the global energy crisis), going on the lam, all of that awesome sex & being hunted...well, to throw that last bit with .
But still, a really great read.
#Points for (obliquely) referencing my absolute favorite quantum physicist, Professor Brian Cox. He is indeed a really cute guy!
(Oh! Side Note: I couldn't help but play the theme song from The Saint when I was done with the book because, well, it's Orbital and I can listen to them all day...but mostly because the plot of that movie had to do with cold fusion; well, trying to steal the process and then protecting/falling in love with the scientist that perfected it so she could gift it to the world. It's Val Kilmer and Elizabeth Shue...and I am not ashamed to say that I also really liked that movie!)
Right, so 4 Stars for a HF book is like 2 Stars for anyone else...and I think it's because the book tried to do too much. Between Mal's
But still, a really great read.
#Points for (obliquely) referencing my absolute favorite quantum physicist, Professor Brian Cox. He is indeed a really cute guy!
(Oh! Side Note: I couldn't help but play the theme song from The Saint when I was done with the book because, well, it's Orbital and I can listen to them all day...but mostly because the plot of that movie had to do with cold fusion; well, trying to steal the process and then protecting/falling in love with the scientist that perfected it so she could gift it to the world. It's Val Kilmer and Elizabeth Shue...and I am not ashamed to say that I also really liked that movie!)
Read
March 26, 2016The first two-thirds was really good. Beautiful prose and it-hurts-so-much-that-it's-good storyline and THEN What. The. Fuck. Happened? Did I fall down a rabbit hole? Or maybe Harper Fox dropped some acid. Definitely not how I expected that to go.
December 4, 2015
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, gosh. I love this book. I just… I’m nuts about it.
I’ve been a Harper Fox fan for a while. She has a beautiful, deceptively simple‐seeming way of writing. I mean, her prose is never flowery and her characters tend to be pretty normal people who sometimes do really interesting things and sometimes just… tend sheep or something. But it never matters that that should all be a setup for something relatively dull, because there’s something magical about Harper Fox’s writing that makes it just, kind of… unbearably gorgeous. It doesn’t bowl you over all at once‐ it sneaks up on you until you’re all wrapped in how wonderful it is. And you’re in love with the characters and caught up in the story and it’s amazing.
And that’s how this book is.
I will say, ‘Cold Fusion’ felt a little different (just a little) than most of Harper Fox’s books. It’s exceptionally tense in places. Lots of places. It starts tense and ends just as tense, so even when it’s relatively calm and sweet and lovely in the middle, you’re kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop. There’s this sense of… apprehension, maybe. It’s very, very effective writing. But it’s also a bit stressful, more so than I’ve come to expect from Harper Fox.
The book starts with Mallory, a young man from a fishing village who’s seeking out adventure by working with an anti‐whaling venture. Right in the first few pages, Mallory’s recklessness causes a terrible accident that ends with two of his friends dead. He goes home in shame, but he doesn’t find any kind of welcome there‐ his father’s a violent alcoholic, his mother is afraid of what the neighbors will think, and the village is against Mallory because one of the people who died was a girl from there. He ends up going to Spindrift, which is kind of an artist’s camp. But it’s closed down, and the only inhabitant is Viv, a socially awkward but completely brilliant scientist who seems to have figured out cold fusion.
And then things get a bit crazy from there. It’s a very adventure driven plot, but it’s done so beautifully‐ it never feels predictable, it’s never boring, it’s never over the top. And, what I really loved‐ you can catch your breath. I’m not a massive action fan, and I loved that all of these beautiful, touching, quiet moments were deeply woven into the plot and the story. It’s action‐y, but more than that, ‘Cold Fusion’ is touching and sweet and, I thought, at its heart, a gorgeous, lush romance.
Aside from how incredibly, ridiculously stressful parts of this book are, I don’t think there’s a single thing I didn’t like about it. The descriptions of the settings are breathtaking. All of the writing is like that, really‐ taking simple things and ideas and scenes and turning them into something beautiful and wonderful, but never quite drifting into purple prose.
The characterization is amazing. Mallory and Viv were so real and alive, and so very unique. Mallory was almost, almost hard to get along with at first, because he’s so wrapped up in his own issues and his own wants, but he’s written in a way that makes you love him and hate him at the same time. And Viv experiences things and emotions differently than most people, and he’s wonderful and clever and sweet and I just loved him right off the bat. Even minor characters were incredibly well written. You could meet a character and, within a handful of pages, be completely in love with them, and I think that’s a real talent.
And I even quite enjoyed the stressful bits, so I can’t say I really had a problem with them. I mean, by the end of the book, I was a teary mess, and I kept putting it down, half because it was so tense, and half because I didn’t want it to end. The growth the characters experience is incredibly well portrayed, the plot is exciting and gripping and lovely… I felt kind of like the book had taken me apart and put me back together again. Sometimes you get a book and it’s sweet and fun and you love it, but it doesn’t, um, change you, I guess. But then sometimes you get something like this, that’s so good it rips into your heart and rummages around in your emotions and makes you cry‐ and on top of that, has writing so beautiful and effortless that it makes you, if you’re any kind of writer yourself, want to fling your laptop out the nearest window.
So… what that all adds up to, I suppose, is that I loved this, and I’d recommend it to anyone. And I can’t wait to see what Harper Fox does next.
Oh, gosh. I love this book. I just… I’m nuts about it.
I’ve been a Harper Fox fan for a while. She has a beautiful, deceptively simple‐seeming way of writing. I mean, her prose is never flowery and her characters tend to be pretty normal people who sometimes do really interesting things and sometimes just… tend sheep or something. But it never matters that that should all be a setup for something relatively dull, because there’s something magical about Harper Fox’s writing that makes it just, kind of… unbearably gorgeous. It doesn’t bowl you over all at once‐ it sneaks up on you until you’re all wrapped in how wonderful it is. And you’re in love with the characters and caught up in the story and it’s amazing.
And that’s how this book is.
I will say, ‘Cold Fusion’ felt a little different (just a little) than most of Harper Fox’s books. It’s exceptionally tense in places. Lots of places. It starts tense and ends just as tense, so even when it’s relatively calm and sweet and lovely in the middle, you’re kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop. There’s this sense of… apprehension, maybe. It’s very, very effective writing. But it’s also a bit stressful, more so than I’ve come to expect from Harper Fox.
The book starts with Mallory, a young man from a fishing village who’s seeking out adventure by working with an anti‐whaling venture. Right in the first few pages, Mallory’s recklessness causes a terrible accident that ends with two of his friends dead. He goes home in shame, but he doesn’t find any kind of welcome there‐ his father’s a violent alcoholic, his mother is afraid of what the neighbors will think, and the village is against Mallory because one of the people who died was a girl from there. He ends up going to Spindrift, which is kind of an artist’s camp. But it’s closed down, and the only inhabitant is Viv, a socially awkward but completely brilliant scientist who seems to have figured out cold fusion.
And then things get a bit crazy from there. It’s a very adventure driven plot, but it’s done so beautifully‐ it never feels predictable, it’s never boring, it’s never over the top. And, what I really loved‐ you can catch your breath. I’m not a massive action fan, and I loved that all of these beautiful, touching, quiet moments were deeply woven into the plot and the story. It’s action‐y, but more than that, ‘Cold Fusion’ is touching and sweet and, I thought, at its heart, a gorgeous, lush romance.
Aside from how incredibly, ridiculously stressful parts of this book are, I don’t think there’s a single thing I didn’t like about it. The descriptions of the settings are breathtaking. All of the writing is like that, really‐ taking simple things and ideas and scenes and turning them into something beautiful and wonderful, but never quite drifting into purple prose.
The characterization is amazing. Mallory and Viv were so real and alive, and so very unique. Mallory was almost, almost hard to get along with at first, because he’s so wrapped up in his own issues and his own wants, but he’s written in a way that makes you love him and hate him at the same time. And Viv experiences things and emotions differently than most people, and he’s wonderful and clever and sweet and I just loved him right off the bat. Even minor characters were incredibly well written. You could meet a character and, within a handful of pages, be completely in love with them, and I think that’s a real talent.
And I even quite enjoyed the stressful bits, so I can’t say I really had a problem with them. I mean, by the end of the book, I was a teary mess, and I kept putting it down, half because it was so tense, and half because I didn’t want it to end. The growth the characters experience is incredibly well portrayed, the plot is exciting and gripping and lovely… I felt kind of like the book had taken me apart and put me back together again. Sometimes you get a book and it’s sweet and fun and you love it, but it doesn’t, um, change you, I guess. But then sometimes you get something like this, that’s so good it rips into your heart and rummages around in your emotions and makes you cry‐ and on top of that, has writing so beautiful and effortless that it makes you, if you’re any kind of writer yourself, want to fling your laptop out the nearest window.
So… what that all adds up to, I suppose, is that I loved this, and I’d recommend it to anyone. And I can’t wait to see what Harper Fox does next.
January 13, 2016
2.5 stars rounded up
This is a well-written, well-edited book and Harper Fox has a beautiful style, no doubt about that. However, this particular book didn't really work for me.
Ah, I don't know. I have the feeling I should have liked this book more but, honestly, right from the beginning there was something off for me. I didn't really warm up to any of the characters but I can't really put my finger on why that didn't happen. Oky, so Mal is a bit high-strung and Vivian seems to have an on and off switch for his Asperger syndrom. I'm certainly no expert but I have a feeling that this is not how it works. In any case, it irritated me.
Then there was the super-iffy science... I know, I know, it's not really important, it's just a plot device but... There are so many incongruities...
And there were plot points that were rather soapy and I didn't get why the ex would suddenly help out and... If I go on I just might start ranting and that is no help to anybody.
So, my 2.5 stars on this one are another person's 5 stars because this is just a completely subjective thing. It just wasn't really my cuppa.
This is a well-written, well-edited book and Harper Fox has a beautiful style, no doubt about that. However, this particular book didn't really work for me.
Ah, I don't know. I have the feeling I should have liked this book more but, honestly, right from the beginning there was something off for me. I didn't really warm up to any of the characters but I can't really put my finger on why that didn't happen. Oky, so Mal is a bit high-strung and Vivian seems to have an on and off switch for his Asperger syndrom. I'm certainly no expert but I have a feeling that this is not how it works. In any case, it irritated me.
Then there was the super-iffy science... I know, I know, it's not really important, it's just a plot device but... There are so many incongruities...
And there were plot points that were rather soapy and I didn't get why the ex would suddenly help out and... If I go on I just might start ranting and that is no help to anybody.
So, my 2.5 stars on this one are another person's 5 stars because this is just a completely subjective thing. It just wasn't really my cuppa.
November 9, 2017
Like a breath of midnight air, like a lighthouse, like a prayer, like the flicker and the flare...Love heals. There are those who shield their hearts, who quit before they start, who've frozen up the part of them that feels...When you feel...you can't go on, hold onto love, it'll keep you strong...it'll bring you home...When the pain's too much to bear and when life's so unfair and you're drowning in regret, just don't forget, Love heals.” ~ RENT (Love Heals)
It may not be a cure as most people think of one, but no matter what happens in life, love has the ability to heal. This is a statement that Kier (Mal) Mallory of 'Cold Fusion' by Harper Fox never believed—until he fell in love with Vivian (Viv) Calder. Being in love with Viv opens his eyes and his soul more than he ever though possible. Mal may have been careless with his life before, but now he wants to live forever if he can have Viv, his beautiful prince, by his side.
After a fatal disaster on an anti-whaling boat, Mal heads to the last place he wants to go, home. Predictably, as with all his life, he is beaten by his alcoholic father while his doormat of a mother refuses to intervene. Mal escapes—knowing he has to find shelter or die. and heads to an abandoned community built for artists and craftsmen called Spindrift. There he meets Viv, who looks like a Greek god, albeit a skinny one. Mal tries to brush off the lack of good manners, thinking he's imposing; Mal's first hint that Viv isn't like most people happens when Viv becomes irate because Mal doesn't put the shower gel back in place after a shower. He is angry at first, thinking Viv is being condescending, but soon realizes that Viv is sort of a mad genius who is autistic with a wicked case of OCD. Mal does his best to accommodate Viv’s idiosyncrasies and becomes somewhat accustomed to Viv’s lack of emotion and reaction. Viv honestly does not know how to respond to certain situations. Since Mal has nothing else to do, he stays to help Viv with his experiments, grasping the idea that they have to do with creating cold fusion, which, if accomplished, would give the Earth an abundance of clean and safe energy. Viv knows how powerful it is and wants to keep it a secret, fearing others would either try to steal it or stop their work altogether. In his zeal to redeem himself, Mal calls their company and tells them about it.
When Alan, Mal's ex-lover and comember of the environmental group shows up, Mal is confused and angry to see him there, but, in spite of himself, he's still in love with Alan. Unfortunately Alan is not who he says he is and betrays Mal again by trying to blow up Viv and his discovery, sending Mal and Viv into hiding in an abandoned cottage belonging to Viv’s deceased aunt. Seemingly safe at the moment, Viv and Mal know that they are still in mortal danger. The house is in horrible need of repair, but at least it 's shelter. Viv tries to help Mal make the house more livable, but he takes everything so literally, it often hurts rather than helps. Since Viv is brilliant as well as autistic, he becomes adept at learning to do things in a way Mal considers proper, while, at the same time, preserving the actions that soothe him. Mal never expects to be anything but friends with this amazingly beautiful but sometimes clueless man; when Viv tells him he wants to have sex, Mal is flabbergasted but certainly isn't going to turn Viv down! Viv and Mal develop amazing level of intimacy, more than they ever though could happen. Whether it be attraction, desire, the closeness in a secluded place seemingly beyond the rest of the world's reach, Mal and Viv fall deeply in love. It seems that nothing can ever come between them, but Viv has a deep, dark secret that he has yet to share. When it becomes imperative, Viv tells Mal in his no-nonsense, direct way, not realizing it will devastate Mal turning all his dreams into ash. However, they have no time to dwell on it, because their hiding place has been discovered by those who are hell-bent on destroying them.
Harper has truly outdone herself with this marvelously crafted, dramatic love story. Besides her lyrical, precise writing, she's captured my heart with an unlikely pairing of two completely opposite men on a run for their lives. Vivian Calder may just be the most intriguing character Harper has ever given life to and definitely a favorite of mine! In the middle of chaos, Harper managed to create a safe haven for love to develop and grow while taunting me with the idea that, at any moment, their peace and solitude may come to an abrupt, possibly deadly end. Harper's supporting characters were amazing too, particularly Alfred Macready, Stewart of the Calder estate, and Viv's sister, Cressida, who was an absolute delight and completely stole the show. If you enjoy action, adventure, drama, intrigue, theoretical particle science, and undying devotion, you may like this book. Harper, thank you, very much, for the exhilarating, heart-rending, informative, lovers-for-life story that, in my humble opinion, would make an excellent adventure-drama movie.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
It may not be a cure as most people think of one, but no matter what happens in life, love has the ability to heal. This is a statement that Kier (Mal) Mallory of 'Cold Fusion' by Harper Fox never believed—until he fell in love with Vivian (Viv) Calder. Being in love with Viv opens his eyes and his soul more than he ever though possible. Mal may have been careless with his life before, but now he wants to live forever if he can have Viv, his beautiful prince, by his side.
After a fatal disaster on an anti-whaling boat, Mal heads to the last place he wants to go, home. Predictably, as with all his life, he is beaten by his alcoholic father while his doormat of a mother refuses to intervene. Mal escapes—knowing he has to find shelter or die. and heads to an abandoned community built for artists and craftsmen called Spindrift. There he meets Viv, who looks like a Greek god, albeit a skinny one. Mal tries to brush off the lack of good manners, thinking he's imposing; Mal's first hint that Viv isn't like most people happens when Viv becomes irate because Mal doesn't put the shower gel back in place after a shower. He is angry at first, thinking Viv is being condescending, but soon realizes that Viv is sort of a mad genius who is autistic with a wicked case of OCD. Mal does his best to accommodate Viv’s idiosyncrasies and becomes somewhat accustomed to Viv’s lack of emotion and reaction. Viv honestly does not know how to respond to certain situations. Since Mal has nothing else to do, he stays to help Viv with his experiments, grasping the idea that they have to do with creating cold fusion, which, if accomplished, would give the Earth an abundance of clean and safe energy. Viv knows how powerful it is and wants to keep it a secret, fearing others would either try to steal it or stop their work altogether. In his zeal to redeem himself, Mal calls their company and tells them about it.
When Alan, Mal's ex-lover and comember of the environmental group shows up, Mal is confused and angry to see him there, but, in spite of himself, he's still in love with Alan. Unfortunately Alan is not who he says he is and betrays Mal again by trying to blow up Viv and his discovery, sending Mal and Viv into hiding in an abandoned cottage belonging to Viv’s deceased aunt. Seemingly safe at the moment, Viv and Mal know that they are still in mortal danger. The house is in horrible need of repair, but at least it 's shelter. Viv tries to help Mal make the house more livable, but he takes everything so literally, it often hurts rather than helps. Since Viv is brilliant as well as autistic, he becomes adept at learning to do things in a way Mal considers proper, while, at the same time, preserving the actions that soothe him. Mal never expects to be anything but friends with this amazingly beautiful but sometimes clueless man; when Viv tells him he wants to have sex, Mal is flabbergasted but certainly isn't going to turn Viv down! Viv and Mal develop amazing level of intimacy, more than they ever though could happen. Whether it be attraction, desire, the closeness in a secluded place seemingly beyond the rest of the world's reach, Mal and Viv fall deeply in love. It seems that nothing can ever come between them, but Viv has a deep, dark secret that he has yet to share. When it becomes imperative, Viv tells Mal in his no-nonsense, direct way, not realizing it will devastate Mal turning all his dreams into ash. However, they have no time to dwell on it, because their hiding place has been discovered by those who are hell-bent on destroying them.
Harper has truly outdone herself with this marvelously crafted, dramatic love story. Besides her lyrical, precise writing, she's captured my heart with an unlikely pairing of two completely opposite men on a run for their lives. Vivian Calder may just be the most intriguing character Harper has ever given life to and definitely a favorite of mine! In the middle of chaos, Harper managed to create a safe haven for love to develop and grow while taunting me with the idea that, at any moment, their peace and solitude may come to an abrupt, possibly deadly end. Harper's supporting characters were amazing too, particularly Alfred Macready, Stewart of the Calder estate, and Viv's sister, Cressida, who was an absolute delight and completely stole the show. If you enjoy action, adventure, drama, intrigue, theoretical particle science, and undying devotion, you may like this book. Harper, thank you, very much, for the exhilarating, heart-rending, informative, lovers-for-life story that, in my humble opinion, would make an excellent adventure-drama movie.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
January 4, 2025
2.5 upgraded to 3 stars
I liked the atmosphere and the poetic writing. The poems were a nice touch, too. Reading transports you on a rough Scottish shore with wind in your hair and salt on your tongue/face wherever 😂
That's my attempt at an poetic review 😳
The plot is really....a lot. If you reduced half the things happening, there still would be too much going on.
I liked the atmosphere and the poetic writing. The poems were a nice touch, too. Reading transports you on a rough Scottish shore with wind in your hair and salt on your tongue/face wherever 😂
That's my attempt at an poetic review 😳
The plot is really....a lot. If you reduced half the things happening, there still would be too much going on.
January 15, 2016
Review also posted at From Top to Bottom Reviews.
The story starts with Kier Mallory aboard the Sea Hawk, on an anti-whaling mission for Peace Warrior. When something goes tragically wrong and two of his crew members loose their lives because of a desicion he made, everyone turns away from him; his crew, his boyfriend and his parents all want nothing to do with him. Because he has nowhere else to go he decides to visit Spindrift, a place where he used to take shelter when the situation with his alcoholic dad became unbearable.
After a night of drinking he meets Vivian Calder, the only person living in Spindrift. Vivian has Asperger and doesn’t like contact from other people. He is also a brilliant scientist who has mastered cold fusion.
I found Viv fascinating and endearing from the start. He’s a really interesting character and I wanted to know more about him. Viv is awkward at interacting with people, he needs a lot of structure in his life and environment. But he’s brilliant when it comes to science, especially everything to do with Cold Fusion.
Mal on the other hand I couldn’t decide whether I liked him or not.
There were moments when I just wanted to shake him and scream at him in frustration, (for example when he ignores something Viv asks him explicitely not to do. But Mal thinks he knows better and goes of and does exactly what he’s asked not to do which in the end leads to Mal and Viv having to leave Spindrift and try to find a save place so Viv won���t get killed.)
I understand that Mal was still struggling after the death of two of his friends and after everyone turned their backs on him. And the situation with his abusive dad wasn’t easy either. But that still left me at times annoyed with him.
Other times I wanted to hug him because I felt like I finally understood him, because in a way he was just trying to find his place in the world. He wants to be useful and do something, change something for the better.
I really enjoyed the story until we find out something about Viv. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, so excuse me for being so vague, but that completely threw me. It was definitely unexpected and from that moment on the story lost a bit of credibility. I could overlook that cold fusion right now is just a fairytale, who knows if anyone can ever make it happen, but it’s fiction, so I can pretend that it exists, but that new storyline seemed unbelievable and in the end really rushed. Suddenly there’s a sister we knew nothing of and hospitals and an undercover agent.. And it just was too much for me.
I’m really sorry, but it didn’t work for me.
I loved the writing though. Harper Fox really brought northern Scotland to life with her beautiful words and I felt like I really was there. So I’ll definitely give one of her other books a try and hope that they are more my thing.
Overall I enjoyed the book. There were some parts I really liked, others I didn’t but it was never boring. The story just wasn’t for me.
The story starts with Kier Mallory aboard the Sea Hawk, on an anti-whaling mission for Peace Warrior. When something goes tragically wrong and two of his crew members loose their lives because of a desicion he made, everyone turns away from him; his crew, his boyfriend and his parents all want nothing to do with him. Because he has nowhere else to go he decides to visit Spindrift, a place where he used to take shelter when the situation with his alcoholic dad became unbearable.
After a night of drinking he meets Vivian Calder, the only person living in Spindrift. Vivian has Asperger and doesn’t like contact from other people. He is also a brilliant scientist who has mastered cold fusion.
I found Viv fascinating and endearing from the start. He’s a really interesting character and I wanted to know more about him. Viv is awkward at interacting with people, he needs a lot of structure in his life and environment. But he’s brilliant when it comes to science, especially everything to do with Cold Fusion.
Mal on the other hand I couldn’t decide whether I liked him or not.
There were moments when I just wanted to shake him and scream at him in frustration, (for example when he ignores something Viv asks him explicitely not to do. But Mal thinks he knows better and goes of and does exactly what he’s asked not to do which in the end leads to Mal and Viv having to leave Spindrift and try to find a save place so Viv won���t get killed.)
I understand that Mal was still struggling after the death of two of his friends and after everyone turned their backs on him. And the situation with his abusive dad wasn’t easy either. But that still left me at times annoyed with him.
Other times I wanted to hug him because I felt like I finally understood him, because in a way he was just trying to find his place in the world. He wants to be useful and do something, change something for the better.
I really enjoyed the story until we find out something about Viv. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, so excuse me for being so vague, but that completely threw me. It was definitely unexpected and from that moment on the story lost a bit of credibility. I could overlook that cold fusion right now is just a fairytale, who knows if anyone can ever make it happen, but it’s fiction, so I can pretend that it exists, but that new storyline seemed unbelievable and in the end really rushed. Suddenly there’s a sister we knew nothing of and hospitals and an undercover agent.. And it just was too much for me.
I’m really sorry, but it didn’t work for me.
I loved the writing though. Harper Fox really brought northern Scotland to life with her beautiful words and I felt like I really was there. So I’ll definitely give one of her other books a try and hope that they are more my thing.
Overall I enjoyed the book. There were some parts I really liked, others I didn’t but it was never boring. The story just wasn’t for me.
January 5, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Oh, I just love Harper Fox’s writing you guys. It is so moving and beautiful and she can create a sense of place so strongly you feel like you are there. Fox just has a way with words that is so eloquent and totally captivating.
I think what I liked best here are these two characters. Mallory is a guy that can be a little hard to like, and I kind of love that. He starts off the book proud and a bit arrogant. He is dedicated to Peace Warriors and only looking to do good things, but his ego gets in the way a little bit and things take a devastating turn. And again, when he learns about Vivian’s discovery, part of him is thinking of himself, of how he can redeem himself by bringing this discovery to light. Twice his impulsiveness leads him into trouble. But what I love is that he is a guy who learns and grows from his mistakes. His remorse is real and he owns up to what he did. But on top of that, he is also just a good guy. When Viv needs him, Mallory is there no matter what. His dedication to Vivian, his willingness to do anything for the man he has grown to love, is a sign that there is much more to him that what we first see on the surface. I just love how Fox has made him a complex and really fascinating character.
Vivian is so well drawn as well. We can tell right away that he is a bit different. From the start he is awkward at interacting and has trouble totally engaging with Mallory. He needs a lot of control over his life and his environment. Vivian is brilliant, a genius who can change there world, but also has trouble with a lot of every day things. I loved the mix of intelligence and naiveté with Vivian. He has lived a very sheltered life and Mallory opens him up to so much more. I loved the way the relationship between the two men makes such an impact on both of them.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Oh, I just love Harper Fox’s writing you guys. It is so moving and beautiful and she can create a sense of place so strongly you feel like you are there. Fox just has a way with words that is so eloquent and totally captivating.
I think what I liked best here are these two characters. Mallory is a guy that can be a little hard to like, and I kind of love that. He starts off the book proud and a bit arrogant. He is dedicated to Peace Warriors and only looking to do good things, but his ego gets in the way a little bit and things take a devastating turn. And again, when he learns about Vivian’s discovery, part of him is thinking of himself, of how he can redeem himself by bringing this discovery to light. Twice his impulsiveness leads him into trouble. But what I love is that he is a guy who learns and grows from his mistakes. His remorse is real and he owns up to what he did. But on top of that, he is also just a good guy. When Viv needs him, Mallory is there no matter what. His dedication to Vivian, his willingness to do anything for the man he has grown to love, is a sign that there is much more to him that what we first see on the surface. I just love how Fox has made him a complex and really fascinating character.
Vivian is so well drawn as well. We can tell right away that he is a bit different. From the start he is awkward at interacting and has trouble totally engaging with Mallory. He needs a lot of control over his life and his environment. Vivian is brilliant, a genius who can change there world, but also has trouble with a lot of every day things. I loved the mix of intelligence and naiveté with Vivian. He has lived a very sheltered life and Mallory opens him up to so much more. I loved the way the relationship between the two men makes such an impact on both of them.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
January 6, 2016
I jumped up and down and put my life on hold when this arrived on my kindle. Harper Fox is one of my favourite authors, and Cold Fusion doesn't disappoint. Like many of her books (the best ones) it's narrated first person with expression and imagery and depth of emotion that take my breath away.
Kier Mallory (Mal) is flawed and broken and headstrong and passionate. At times he made me furious, at times he made me weep, at times I just wanted to hug him. He is at the lowest point in his relatively young life when he meets Vivian Calder, makes a bunch of mistakes, but ultimately comes to care deeply for the awkward young particle physicist with Asperger's. Viv is just adorable - hot, brilliant, loyal, struggling to make sense of his emotions, trying not to get killed, battling other health issues.
There's a lot going on in this book, and it definitely put me through the wringer. (It's up there with Scrap Metal and The Salisbury Key and Half Moon Chambers for combined grace and intensity.) It's part thriller, part snow-bound mountain idyll, part medical drama. But even if I did wonder at times whether the book knew which genre it was going for, in the end I felt it all worked because at the very heart is the gorgeous love story between Mallory and Viv. I noticed but didn't ultimately mind the changes in pace or a few convenient plot contrivances and conveniences. I just wanted a happy ending (and at times I couldn't see how I was going to get one...).
Overall, I loved the intensity of Cold Fusion, the wonderfully complex, flawed characters who transcend themselves by the end, Harper Fox's beautiful poetic language. And, as always with Harper Fox's books, the fabulous sense of place -- in this case the northern wilds of Scotland.
Kier Mallory (Mal) is flawed and broken and headstrong and passionate. At times he made me furious, at times he made me weep, at times I just wanted to hug him. He is at the lowest point in his relatively young life when he meets Vivian Calder, makes a bunch of mistakes, but ultimately comes to care deeply for the awkward young particle physicist with Asperger's. Viv is just adorable - hot, brilliant, loyal, struggling to make sense of his emotions, trying not to get killed, battling other health issues.
There's a lot going on in this book, and it definitely put me through the wringer. (It's up there with Scrap Metal and The Salisbury Key and Half Moon Chambers for combined grace and intensity.) It's part thriller, part snow-bound mountain idyll, part medical drama. But even if I did wonder at times whether the book knew which genre it was going for, in the end I felt it all worked because at the very heart is the gorgeous love story between Mallory and Viv. I noticed but didn't ultimately mind the changes in pace or a few convenient plot contrivances and conveniences. I just wanted a happy ending (and at times I couldn't see how I was going to get one...).
Overall, I loved the intensity of Cold Fusion, the wonderfully complex, flawed characters who transcend themselves by the end, Harper Fox's beautiful poetic language. And, as always with Harper Fox's books, the fabulous sense of place -- in this case the northern wilds of Scotland.
December 26, 2015
Cold Fusion is beautifully written but a bit wordy. Kier Mallory is a poet living as a tree hugging, world saving, conservationist, fisherman’s son. Readers see the world that Harper Fox has created from Mal’s point of view. His poet heart sees things differently and he expresses those thoughts and feeling in his beautiful poetic ways.
To the extreme opposite we have Viv. He has Asperger’s and sees thing quite differently than Mal. His contact with others has always been limited. Some of that is by choice and some is from circumstance of his station in life. Everything Viv has known in life changes rather quickly once Mal enters the picture.
Viv and Mal really were good for each other. They each open their eyes and hearts to see things differently from a new perspective for the benefit of the other. Mal makes Viv want to experience new things. See more than just his tiny hidden hideaway at Spindrift.
There’s just a little too much going on here in the end. Readers are given super secret agent who kills people, tries to kill even more people, yet in the end saves a life that he has tried to kill on more than one occasion. As if that life isn’t already doomed enough by murderous oil villains there is illness that has just days ago had a cure discovered for it. Yet even more doom and gloom comes with finding nonexistent family members that were previously believed dead by some and just hidden away by others. To see that things really do have a very tidy overly convenient ending certain bad elements just disappear while others are victim to a well timed drowning.
To the extreme opposite we have Viv. He has Asperger’s and sees thing quite differently than Mal. His contact with others has always been limited. Some of that is by choice and some is from circumstance of his station in life. Everything Viv has known in life changes rather quickly once Mal enters the picture.
Viv and Mal really were good for each other. They each open their eyes and hearts to see things differently from a new perspective for the benefit of the other. Mal makes Viv want to experience new things. See more than just his tiny hidden hideaway at Spindrift.
There’s just a little too much going on here in the end. Readers are given super secret agent who kills people, tries to kill even more people, yet in the end saves a life that he has tried to kill on more than one occasion. As if that life isn’t already doomed enough by murderous oil villains there is illness that has just days ago had a cure discovered for it. Yet even more doom and gloom comes with finding nonexistent family members that were previously believed dead by some and just hidden away by others. To see that things really do have a very tidy overly convenient ending certain bad elements just disappear while others are victim to a well timed drowning.
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