Cold at Heart

by Brian A. Hopkins, Donald W. Schank (Illustrator)

(A) delightful yarn ... very entertaining. -- BooklistGreat characters, taut pacing, and a brilliant portrayal of the Arctic setting make Cold at Heart a story not to be missed. Cold at Heart is a page-turner from the first paragraph. -- John Rosenman, Horror magazineHopkins' writing has the precision of well-researched history and the rich fullness of raw emotion. -- David Niall Wilson, author of This is My Blood and ChrysalisCold at Heart is creepy and inventive. From the opening lines, it's a page-turner, and I hope Hopkins gives us a sequel. -- Bruce Holland Rogers, Nebula Award-winning author of Lifeboat on a Burning SeaAn involving and satisfying story. A great deal of research clearly went into this and the effort was well worth it. -- Lawrence Watt-Evans, noted author and past president of Horror Writers Association (HWA)Cold at Heart is written with skill, precision, thrift, and beauty. If I had to name a new writer who I thought might be star material, I'd pick Brian Hopkins. -- Billie Sue Mosiman, author of Night Cruise and WidowCold at Heart is a fast-paced, tightly-written mix of history and horror, with chills enough for a book many times its length. Brian Hopkins has produced one brilliant piece of speculation. -- Edo van Belkom, author of Wyrm WolfCold at Heart is an expert chiller at every level. Poignant, haunting, and horrifying. Cold at Heart is an experience no reader will soon forget. -- Warren Newton Beath, author of Bloodletter

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[J. P. Wiske · Rating 4 out of 5]

"More than the sum of its parts." One of the implications of this compliment is that the parts are, individually, somehow not very valuable. So, let's be clear: If this book were only one of the many things that it is, it would still be a total delight. Dark Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Pulp, Adventure, Horror... these are just among the broadest of flavors that Brian Hopkins prepares for us in this novella. Hopkins takes what draws us to these varied genres—the wonder, the world-building, the propulsiveness, the thrills, and the shocks—and molds them into a coherent whole.

One of the things that I most appreciate in Hopkins's stories is that he frequently works with fairly common genre archetypes that seduce a reader into that cozy comfort of familiarity. But once he's got you on that well-trod path, he veers off into some darker and stranger woods... still in the same country, so you're not totally lost... but definitely in a different zipcode than you started in.

Cold At Heart is also a welcome reprieve from merciless emotional gaze of everything else I've read by the author. This is just pure fun, start to finish. The perfect palate cleanser before I dive back into the the depths from which Hopkins's El Dia De Los Muertos was spawned.

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story, and always enjoy the way Hopkin's writes. His stories always keep me entertained. Check out all of his work, there is such variety. Maybe one day we will get a full length novel from him!