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Rewilding Reports #1
The Ice Lion
This cli-fi novel from a notable archaeologist and anthropologist explores a frozen future where archaic species struggle to survive an apocalyptic Ice Age
One thousand years in the future, the zyme, a thick blanket of luminous green slime, covers the oceans. Glaciers three-miles-high rise over the continents. The old stories say that when the Jemen, godlike beings from the past, realized their efforts to halt global warming had gone terribly wrong, they made a desperate gamble to save life on earth and recreated species that had survived the worst of the earth's Ice Ages.
Sixteen-summers-old Lynx and his best friend Quiller are members of the Sealion People—archaic humans known as Denisovans. They live in a world growing colder, a world filled with monstrous predators that hunt them for food. When they flee to a new land, they meet a strange old man who impossibly seems to be the last of the Jemen. He tells Lynx the only way he can save his world is by sacrificing himself to the last true god, a quantum computer named Quancee.
One thousand years in the future, the zyme, a thick blanket of luminous green slime, covers the oceans. Glaciers three-miles-high rise over the continents. The old stories say that when the Jemen, godlike beings from the past, realized their efforts to halt global warming had gone terribly wrong, they made a desperate gamble to save life on earth and recreated species that had survived the worst of the earth's Ice Ages.
Sixteen-summers-old Lynx and his best friend Quiller are members of the Sealion People—archaic humans known as Denisovans. They live in a world growing colder, a world filled with monstrous predators that hunt them for food. When they flee to a new land, they meet a strange old man who impossibly seems to be the last of the Jemen. He tells Lynx the only way he can save his world is by sacrificing himself to the last true god, a quantum computer named Quancee.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2021
60 people are currently reading
982 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen O'Neal Gear
137 books711 followersMy professional life began in the dark basement of the Museum of Cultural History in Los Angeles, where I was cataloguing three-hundred-year-old Guatemalan saint carvings. I quit this fascinating job and moved to Wyoming to work for the U.S. Department of the Interior as a historian and archaeologist. When I finally understood the error of my ways I moved to Wyoming and started writing books. Since then, I've authored or co-authored 54 novels and around 200 non-fiction publications.
I love writing. And buffalo. And hiking the wilds of Wyoming's backcountry.
I'm married (until he comes to his senses) to W. Michael Gear, the novelist and my co-author, and we live at the edge of the Wind River Indian Reservation in the Owl Creek mountains of Wyoming. We're contented watching buffalo and writing books.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/kathle...
I love writing. And buffalo. And hiking the wilds of Wyoming's backcountry.
I'm married (until he comes to his senses) to W. Michael Gear, the novelist and my co-author, and we live at the edge of the Wind River Indian Reservation in the Owl Creek mountains of Wyoming. We're contented watching buffalo and writing books.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/kathle...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
June 13, 2023
A tale that is set in the far future where the earth is now in ice age. It is cold and growing colder. Humans have survived but they are not like the humans of today. They look different and are more adaptable to the freezing terrain. There are also animals that survived. Some are the prey of man and others, the man is the prey. It is a brutal world and you must keep watch for hungry beasts, severe weather and other savage clans.
In this book we meet the Sealion People. From the very beginning there is a tragic event that sets Lynx, a kind-hearted boy, off on a journey to find himself. Along the way he meets and elderly man that looks very different from any clan member that he has ever seen. He realizes later that the old man is the last of the Jemen. Stories tell of these transcendental beings that existed long ago and created the people that now exist so that mankind would not go extinct. Together, they set off only to get separated trying to help others.
Quiller, who is in love with Lynx and also a good friend, sets off with a group to try to find him. They come upon a massacre of a rival clan and find 3 children who survived. Quiller automatically takes them under her protection. Now burdened with the decision of taking care of the children or finding her friend, she goes on her own journey.
While I really enjoyed the story and found the characters charismatic, I did struggle with the backstory for this one. I didn’t feel that the Jemen, the climate change incident and the odd things they found were well developed. I got more of what happened in the past by reading the synopsis of the book than the book itself. Hoping that book 2 will go into more depth on that topic.
In this book we meet the Sealion People. From the very beginning there is a tragic event that sets Lynx, a kind-hearted boy, off on a journey to find himself. Along the way he meets and elderly man that looks very different from any clan member that he has ever seen. He realizes later that the old man is the last of the Jemen. Stories tell of these transcendental beings that existed long ago and created the people that now exist so that mankind would not go extinct. Together, they set off only to get separated trying to help others.
Quiller, who is in love with Lynx and also a good friend, sets off with a group to try to find him. They come upon a massacre of a rival clan and find 3 children who survived. Quiller automatically takes them under her protection. Now burdened with the decision of taking care of the children or finding her friend, she goes on her own journey.
While I really enjoyed the story and found the characters charismatic, I did struggle with the backstory for this one. I didn’t feel that the Jemen, the climate change incident and the odd things they found were well developed. I got more of what happened in the past by reading the synopsis of the book than the book itself. Hoping that book 2 will go into more depth on that topic.
November 7, 2022
2.5 stars
I love stories about regressed societies but this was rough. The narrative was way too rushed with zero character development. And the science fiction elements were so thin so could hardly see it. I was disappointed.
I love stories about regressed societies but this was rough. The narrative was way too rushed with zero character development. And the science fiction elements were so thin so could hardly see it. I was disappointed.
June 14, 2021
2 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/06/13/...
The term cli-fi has been used to describe any fictional work that deals with climate change and global warming, and although these stories don’t necessarily have to be speculative in nature or take place in a dystopian future, both of these apply to The Ice Lion. The book opens thousands of years from now, as Earth finds itself frozen in an Ice Age. Much of civilization’s history has not survived, though according to legend, powerful godlike beings in the past called the Jemen tried to the very last to preserve life on the planet even when it became clear that Earth was lost. To do this, they took what they knew about the last ice age and recreated humans and creatures to be able to withstand this harsh ecosystem.
Now, a young man named Lynx and the members of his clan the Sealion tribe are proof that their ancient gods’ desperate gambit might have paid off, as survivors like them eke out a brutal existence in this frigid landscape. As the story begins, Lynx is accused of being a coward following the massacre of his entire wedding party, in which his wife was included among the slain. Banished to the wilderness, he must now take on a series of trials in a spirit quest to become a shaman or face certain death. Refusing to let Lynx face this challenge alone, his friend Quiller decides to join him on his journey, using her warrior skills to help him reach a new land. Along the way, they meet a mysterious old man whom Lynx believes could be one of the Jemen, as impossible as that may be. Arakie, as the stranger is called, seems to know a lot about the world and its past, including a possible way to save it, a revelation that changes Lynx’s life forever.
I confess, I came to The Ice Lion expecting a lot more. This isn’t my first Kathleen O’Neal Gear novel; last year I read Cries from the Lost Island and had a great time. Now I realize this book is not the same at all, nor did I expect it to be. However, Cries from the Lost Island had great characters, an enormous amount of intrigue, fascinating archaeological and historical insights, and pretty much endless adventure and entertainment. Compared to all of that, The Ice Lion felt like all concept and no substance. The premise was just about the only element that was interesting and somewhat well developed.
Even then, I felt the world-building could have been more. To the author’s credit, the setting was very detailed, rendered as well as a frozen and forbidding environment could be. The world was richly described and completely believable. You can practically feel the frigid cold seeping into every aspect. I also liked the allusion to prehistoric cultures. Survival is difficult and precarious for the clans, but the peoples’ lives are no less filled with meaning and values. That said though, the sci-fi and dystopic elements can be quite confounding, as I feel they are relatively weaker and less developed, resulting in noise that takes away from the overall effect.
Ultimately though, I’m probably most disappointed by the characters. Granted, given their origins, our protagonists must have been a challenge to write convincingly. They are of a new line of humans created with their Stone Age ancestors as a blueprint, living in a distant future bestrewn with the remnants of strange and advanced technology in a world that nonetheless needs to feel prehistoric. I mean, I can’t really say I know what that would sound like, but what I do know is that the writing in The Ice Lion did not do it for me at all. The prose was stilted and hard to get used to, leading to characters I had zero connection with. What kills me is that I know the author is fully capable of writing lively characters with an engaging voice and dialogue from my experience with Cries from the Lost Island, but in contrast here, they are so stiff and dull.
All told, I really struggled with The Ice Lion, and to be honest, it probably would have been even more difficult had I not listened to the audiobook. At just under ten hours, it went by pretty quickly, and one thing I do like about Kathleen O’Neal Gear’s storytelling is that it is laser sharp and focused with no time for tangents or extraneous content. The audiobook narrators helped too, with Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Sisi Aisha Johnson delivering solid performances. If they happened to sound a little awkward and unnatural in a few places, I think it was due to the writing, but in spite of that they did a great job overall.
The term cli-fi has been used to describe any fictional work that deals with climate change and global warming, and although these stories don’t necessarily have to be speculative in nature or take place in a dystopian future, both of these apply to The Ice Lion. The book opens thousands of years from now, as Earth finds itself frozen in an Ice Age. Much of civilization’s history has not survived, though according to legend, powerful godlike beings in the past called the Jemen tried to the very last to preserve life on the planet even when it became clear that Earth was lost. To do this, they took what they knew about the last ice age and recreated humans and creatures to be able to withstand this harsh ecosystem.
Now, a young man named Lynx and the members of his clan the Sealion tribe are proof that their ancient gods’ desperate gambit might have paid off, as survivors like them eke out a brutal existence in this frigid landscape. As the story begins, Lynx is accused of being a coward following the massacre of his entire wedding party, in which his wife was included among the slain. Banished to the wilderness, he must now take on a series of trials in a spirit quest to become a shaman or face certain death. Refusing to let Lynx face this challenge alone, his friend Quiller decides to join him on his journey, using her warrior skills to help him reach a new land. Along the way, they meet a mysterious old man whom Lynx believes could be one of the Jemen, as impossible as that may be. Arakie, as the stranger is called, seems to know a lot about the world and its past, including a possible way to save it, a revelation that changes Lynx’s life forever.
I confess, I came to The Ice Lion expecting a lot more. This isn’t my first Kathleen O’Neal Gear novel; last year I read Cries from the Lost Island and had a great time. Now I realize this book is not the same at all, nor did I expect it to be. However, Cries from the Lost Island had great characters, an enormous amount of intrigue, fascinating archaeological and historical insights, and pretty much endless adventure and entertainment. Compared to all of that, The Ice Lion felt like all concept and no substance. The premise was just about the only element that was interesting and somewhat well developed.
Even then, I felt the world-building could have been more. To the author’s credit, the setting was very detailed, rendered as well as a frozen and forbidding environment could be. The world was richly described and completely believable. You can practically feel the frigid cold seeping into every aspect. I also liked the allusion to prehistoric cultures. Survival is difficult and precarious for the clans, but the peoples’ lives are no less filled with meaning and values. That said though, the sci-fi and dystopic elements can be quite confounding, as I feel they are relatively weaker and less developed, resulting in noise that takes away from the overall effect.
Ultimately though, I’m probably most disappointed by the characters. Granted, given their origins, our protagonists must have been a challenge to write convincingly. They are of a new line of humans created with their Stone Age ancestors as a blueprint, living in a distant future bestrewn with the remnants of strange and advanced technology in a world that nonetheless needs to feel prehistoric. I mean, I can’t really say I know what that would sound like, but what I do know is that the writing in The Ice Lion did not do it for me at all. The prose was stilted and hard to get used to, leading to characters I had zero connection with. What kills me is that I know the author is fully capable of writing lively characters with an engaging voice and dialogue from my experience with Cries from the Lost Island, but in contrast here, they are so stiff and dull.
All told, I really struggled with The Ice Lion, and to be honest, it probably would have been even more difficult had I not listened to the audiobook. At just under ten hours, it went by pretty quickly, and one thing I do like about Kathleen O’Neal Gear’s storytelling is that it is laser sharp and focused with no time for tangents or extraneous content. The audiobook narrators helped too, with Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Sisi Aisha Johnson delivering solid performances. If they happened to sound a little awkward and unnatural in a few places, I think it was due to the writing, but in spite of that they did a great job overall.
July 17, 2021
Starts out slow and I would have rated it a 2 or 3--debated finishing it or not. Glad I stuck with it as it progressed nicely to a solid 4 by the end of the book. Post-apocalyptic fare following the consequences of global warming. What happens to the earth as she proceeds to another ice age rebounding from man's attempts to reverse the warming. Foreseeing this state of affairs, scientists bioengineer the revival of long dead species (man and animals) that previously existed and thrived in the frozen wastelands.
did-not-finish
August 23, 2021DNF @ 30%. Ice Age was one of my favourite movies as a kid and I love weird animals and interesting takes on evolution, so I thought I'd enjoy this one despite cli-fi not being my favourite genre. The premise is admittedly fascinating - so much so in fact that this book feels like all concept and no substance. The characters are pretty flat and their motivations and relationships aren't making any sense to me, and the prose is very basic (the MCs are teens, but the writing style and dialogue make them seem more like children, despite them being married and having significant responsibilities to their clans). I wish I'd loved this one more, but alas.
July 6, 2021
This isn't quite what I expected, but I still enjoyed it. Full review to come!
June 10, 2021
If you don’t read the blurb (which is an iffy representation of the book, by the way), when you start reading this truly awesome book, you might think this is a story about some prehistoric people. You will read about tribes such as the Sea Lion people, living off the land, struggling against both nature and each other. Then stuff gets thrown in. Like the zyme (a slime that covers the ocean surface). Like the name Hoodwink, which stands out among names like Lynx, Ice Giant, Bluejay, and Mink. And talk of the Jemen, the more advanced beings from that past. There is also a mysterious watcher, observing members of one tribe help another and wondering if he can hope.
It will become obvious that the story takes place far into the future, after man has brought ruin to his environment and caused an ice age. But the tribes don’t know this, because the live only for today and tomorrow.
Lynx is a young member of the Sea Lion tribe. He has been accused of cowardice, because his wedding party, including his wife, was slaughtered by Lions. As punishment, he is abandoned in the wilderness to experience a spirit quest. Survival means he may become a gifted shaman. Otherwise, he faces death. During his quest, Lynx meets Arakie, and old man that Lynx believes to be one of the Jemen. The reader knows there is both more and less to the old man. He is wise, but not all-knowing. He seems to be part archeologist, part biologist, part futurist. He really is quite enigmatic and I really like his place in this story. The travels of Lynx and Arakie will put Lynx in the position of changing the life of an outsider.
Quiller is Lynx’s friend. Ex-lover really. Disappointed when he decided to marry someone else, she is still determined to help him make it back alive. But first she must join a scouting group looking for the Rust people, their tribe’s mortal enemy. In doing so, Quiller will connect with the Rust people in an unforeseen way.
The icy setting with its mountains and ocean, provide a cold backdrop to the warmth of the peoples, who’s lives are going to be inescapably altered when paths cross and the past is excavated.
I loved this book with it’s juxtaposition of primitive people against a technologically advanced past. The people are in for some big changes and I am eager to see where the story goes.
Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book so that I could bring you this review.
It will become obvious that the story takes place far into the future, after man has brought ruin to his environment and caused an ice age. But the tribes don’t know this, because the live only for today and tomorrow.
Lynx is a young member of the Sea Lion tribe. He has been accused of cowardice, because his wedding party, including his wife, was slaughtered by Lions. As punishment, he is abandoned in the wilderness to experience a spirit quest. Survival means he may become a gifted shaman. Otherwise, he faces death. During his quest, Lynx meets Arakie, and old man that Lynx believes to be one of the Jemen. The reader knows there is both more and less to the old man. He is wise, but not all-knowing. He seems to be part archeologist, part biologist, part futurist. He really is quite enigmatic and I really like his place in this story. The travels of Lynx and Arakie will put Lynx in the position of changing the life of an outsider.
Quiller is Lynx’s friend. Ex-lover really. Disappointed when he decided to marry someone else, she is still determined to help him make it back alive. But first she must join a scouting group looking for the Rust people, their tribe’s mortal enemy. In doing so, Quiller will connect with the Rust people in an unforeseen way.
The icy setting with its mountains and ocean, provide a cold backdrop to the warmth of the peoples, who’s lives are going to be inescapably altered when paths cross and the past is excavated.
I loved this book with it’s juxtaposition of primitive people against a technologically advanced past. The people are in for some big changes and I am eager to see where the story goes.
Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book so that I could bring you this review.
June 3, 2021
The Ice Lion (Rewilding Reports #1)
by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
After Maze Master, Lady you better not be right. I cheered when the Gears first introduced this book at the last People of the Earth days meeting. I have been waiting a long time to see this story. The remarkable aspect is that even after waiting for this for years, I am still excited. The book as a young adult book would be a great thought provoking lesson for students. I can't wait to share it with my students. The idea that climate change is inevitable has been haunting us for years in the news. That we can't fix what we broke is what they like to say. The concept of Ice Lion is when they fixed it, they did too good of a job. An attempt to combat their mistake causes them to fight an unending battle with the glaciation of the Earth. The remarkable story shows how people adapt to the Glacial Ice Ball Earth. The concepts of small groups, hunting and gathers, and oral traditions are all expanded on in this book. As you begin the story it could have been in the future or the very distant Ice age past. You immediately make a connection with Lynx, a young man who does not fit in as a warrior or a hunter, too gentle a spirit for his world. Quiller is the young girl that not only is a warrior, a leader in her own right at the ripe old age of 15. The book allows students to understand you don't have to fit in to be special, and being what everyone else claims is right is not always the best choice. I found the mystery of the adaptation of Ice Ball Earth and the specific characters in this book even more intriguing as you get into the story. It's perfect for younger readers, because the clues were always there, if you just knew what you were looking for. I can't wait for the next book to see where not only the characters land but how the science develops, to either solve the problem of their own creation or just show the tragedy in assuming the wrong solution.
by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
After Maze Master, Lady you better not be right. I cheered when the Gears first introduced this book at the last People of the Earth days meeting. I have been waiting a long time to see this story. The remarkable aspect is that even after waiting for this for years, I am still excited. The book as a young adult book would be a great thought provoking lesson for students. I can't wait to share it with my students. The idea that climate change is inevitable has been haunting us for years in the news. That we can't fix what we broke is what they like to say. The concept of Ice Lion is when they fixed it, they did too good of a job. An attempt to combat their mistake causes them to fight an unending battle with the glaciation of the Earth. The remarkable story shows how people adapt to the Glacial Ice Ball Earth. The concepts of small groups, hunting and gathers, and oral traditions are all expanded on in this book. As you begin the story it could have been in the future or the very distant Ice age past. You immediately make a connection with Lynx, a young man who does not fit in as a warrior or a hunter, too gentle a spirit for his world. Quiller is the young girl that not only is a warrior, a leader in her own right at the ripe old age of 15. The book allows students to understand you don't have to fit in to be special, and being what everyone else claims is right is not always the best choice. I found the mystery of the adaptation of Ice Ball Earth and the specific characters in this book even more intriguing as you get into the story. It's perfect for younger readers, because the clues were always there, if you just knew what you were looking for. I can't wait for the next book to see where not only the characters land but how the science develops, to either solve the problem of their own creation or just show the tragedy in assuming the wrong solution.
June 10, 2021
Having read many books by the author Kathleen O'Neal Gear (co-authored with her husband) in the North America's Forgotten Past series, I was curious and interested to read a book focused on the far future.
The world building had me guessing throughout the book. I cannot say my questions were completely answered, but some do resolve as the book goes on. There is a fantasy feel to the book with the belief system of the Sealion People, which is reminiscent of the Gear’s other series.
While there a few similar aspects between this book and the other series, this is a completely different world. Hints of our modern world now long past pop up. The icy world that now exists seems to have developed with an attempt at fixing the climate change problem in the past and failed. Now tribes are at war with each other, while constantly on watch for the large animals that hunt them, such as bears, lions and wolves. The biggest obstacle though, seems to be keeping warm in this icy world. I love how women are warriors too!
Good book for fans of the Gear’s books, as this book will have the same feel. While generally I don't read series, I do make exceptions and this will be another, as I'm looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to DAW Publishers and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
The world building had me guessing throughout the book. I cannot say my questions were completely answered, but some do resolve as the book goes on. There is a fantasy feel to the book with the belief system of the Sealion People, which is reminiscent of the Gear’s other series.
While there a few similar aspects between this book and the other series, this is a completely different world. Hints of our modern world now long past pop up. The icy world that now exists seems to have developed with an attempt at fixing the climate change problem in the past and failed. Now tribes are at war with each other, while constantly on watch for the large animals that hunt them, such as bears, lions and wolves. The biggest obstacle though, seems to be keeping warm in this icy world. I love how women are warriors too!
Good book for fans of the Gear’s books, as this book will have the same feel. While generally I don't read series, I do make exceptions and this will be another, as I'm looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to DAW Publishers and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
May 9, 2022
Loved this book!
I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't read it fast enough and am perplexed by some reviewers who claimed it moved slowly. There is so much more here than a run-of-the-mill post-apoc or dystopian novel. After all, the shite hit the proverbial fan centuries ago, so the apocalypse really isn't the issue. As for a dystopian world, the world in "The Ice Lion" is so far past TEOTWAWKI that it simply is what it is (sorry wife, know you hate that phrase!) - a very cold and icy place. Unlike some other reviewers I really liked the character development and world building. The book requires you to use your imagination about how Earth turned out in such a manner. And, to use your imagination about a couple of the main characters and and some of the creatures and what is going on with them. It's fine with me if everything isn't spelled out in detail as you read. It's obvious that the story is a mystery and will eventually be revealed (in later books). On the other hand, some things may never be known because it's centuries down the line and information has been lost. Just go with it, use your imagination and enjoy the mystery.
I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't read it fast enough and am perplexed by some reviewers who claimed it moved slowly. There is so much more here than a run-of-the-mill post-apoc or dystopian novel. After all, the shite hit the proverbial fan centuries ago, so the apocalypse really isn't the issue. As for a dystopian world, the world in "The Ice Lion" is so far past TEOTWAWKI that it simply is what it is (sorry wife, know you hate that phrase!) - a very cold and icy place. Unlike some other reviewers I really liked the character development and world building. The book requires you to use your imagination about how Earth turned out in such a manner. And, to use your imagination about a couple of the main characters and and some of the creatures and what is going on with them. It's fine with me if everything isn't spelled out in detail as you read. It's obvious that the story is a mystery and will eventually be revealed (in later books). On the other hand, some things may never be known because it's centuries down the line and information has been lost. Just go with it, use your imagination and enjoy the mystery.
May 25, 2022
Holy shit was this a good book. I enjoyed every page. I’ve never read anything like it before. It’s like pre-history meets the future meets dystopia and I am HERE FOR IT. If I weren’t going to a memorial tomorrow morning, I’d be scouring Amazon hoping the next book was available to buy. Thank you, dearest husband, for telling me about this terribly enjoyable book.
October 17, 2022
The jacket cover said something other than what happened in the book, so this was not what I expected. Also left too many unanswered questions (but wasn't a cliff hanger) so that was unsatisfying. The two narrators were ok, but some of the voices were so annoying.
April 8, 2021
The Ice Lion is a dystopian story about climate change in the worst case scenario. Written by an expert in the field of archeology, there is a ring of truth to this fictional story of the struggle to survive in a frozen world. I found it to be a fascinating and terrifying look at what the future might hold for life on Earth.
The story is set in a future a thousand years off. The Earth is now in the grips of an Ice Age. In a last ditch attempt to preserve some higher life on Earth, scientists have recreated humans from the last Ice Age along with the prey and predators that they hunted and where hunted by. Now these early humans struggle to survive in a world that is still growing colder and is extremely hostile.
The Sealion Clan struggles to eke out a living in this world and predators like the Saber-Tooth Tiger and Dire Wolves are not their only enemies. They complete for resources with other tribes of humans. It is a very dangerous time to be alive.
The star of the show here are the characters. The author made characters that I liked. I understood and identified with them, though it took me a bit to like Lynx. The trials they were put through and how both Lynx and Quiller characters grew as the story progressed was done nicely. At first, I was not a fan of Lynx. However, the author was able to build his character and I began to see that there was more to him than what was on the surface. Not an easy thing to do and I appreciate the subtlety that took.
The plot was fast paced and there was lots of action to keep me excited about what was going to happen next. Though there were not any large plot twists to make you gasp, there were a few surprises that worked nicely in keeping the story interesting.
My only grip is with the world building. I wanted more. I felt the story would have worked better if I understood more of the events leading up to the recreation of prehistoric life. There were a few hints but not enough to slack my thirst for more information. Just a bit more additional
information woven into Arakie’s story would gone a long way to making the story even better.
Despite that I didn’t get as much world building as I like, this is still a solid start to the series. I have no reservations in recommending it. Just note, this is not your typical Sci-Fi story and thus I feel it is best suited to those readers that like a mix of both the Fantasy and Sci-Fi genres within the same book. In addition, the book is a great pick for readers of Young Adult fiction. I am looking forward to the next installment and hoping I will learn more about Arakie’s past.
I received a free advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. For more of my reviews, and author interviews, see my blog at www.thespineview.com.
The story is set in a future a thousand years off. The Earth is now in the grips of an Ice Age. In a last ditch attempt to preserve some higher life on Earth, scientists have recreated humans from the last Ice Age along with the prey and predators that they hunted and where hunted by. Now these early humans struggle to survive in a world that is still growing colder and is extremely hostile.
The Sealion Clan struggles to eke out a living in this world and predators like the Saber-Tooth Tiger and Dire Wolves are not their only enemies. They complete for resources with other tribes of humans. It is a very dangerous time to be alive.
The star of the show here are the characters. The author made characters that I liked. I understood and identified with them, though it took me a bit to like Lynx. The trials they were put through and how both Lynx and Quiller characters grew as the story progressed was done nicely. At first, I was not a fan of Lynx. However, the author was able to build his character and I began to see that there was more to him than what was on the surface. Not an easy thing to do and I appreciate the subtlety that took.
The plot was fast paced and there was lots of action to keep me excited about what was going to happen next. Though there were not any large plot twists to make you gasp, there were a few surprises that worked nicely in keeping the story interesting.
My only grip is with the world building. I wanted more. I felt the story would have worked better if I understood more of the events leading up to the recreation of prehistoric life. There were a few hints but not enough to slack my thirst for more information. Just a bit more additional
information woven into Arakie’s story would gone a long way to making the story even better.
Despite that I didn’t get as much world building as I like, this is still a solid start to the series. I have no reservations in recommending it. Just note, this is not your typical Sci-Fi story and thus I feel it is best suited to those readers that like a mix of both the Fantasy and Sci-Fi genres within the same book. In addition, the book is a great pick for readers of Young Adult fiction. I am looking forward to the next installment and hoping I will learn more about Arakie’s past.
I received a free advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. For more of my reviews, and author interviews, see my blog at www.thespineview.com.
November 27, 2022
My reaction to this book: huh? I'm a little bit confused by what happened at all here.
Plot:
The blurb for this book was really interesting, but I feel like that wasn't really what the book was about? It talks of a post-apocalyptic world where humans heated up the Earth too much and started a new ice age by accident, and then how one of the characters, Lynx, is supposed to serve up as a sacrifice for a quantum computer. That last part especially... I don't think it ever mentioned Lynx being a sacrifice? He met Quancee for sure, but all these details about the world never came across to me very clearly from reading. Maybe I'm just not picking up on all the clues, but I feel like if meeting Quancee was the initiating event, then this would be a much more interesting book. Instead, we have meeting Quancee as a cliffhanger-style ending, while most of the book is Lynx and the other main character, Quiller, wandering aimlessly.
I didn't find the two plots very complementary to each other. Lynx's plot is definitely the more interesting one, though he spends most of it trying to save Sunbird and himself from being stuck in a giant ice crevasse. It felt like a distraction or a trial, until it spanned almost the whole book. Lynx at least has a goal to restore his honor of sorts. Quiller, on the other hand, didn't seem to really have a goal. She adopts some children, and eventually goes out to find Lynx near the end of the book, but she never finds him. This book might have been served better by just having Lynx's plotline be the main one.
The plot wasn't terrible, but it was just strangely nonconsequential and meandering. 2/5.
Characters:
I feel like these characters fall into gender stereotypes, which is strange considering Lynx is a cowardly man and Quiller is the brave warrior woman. Lynx is a coward, but he displays a typical masculine chivalry in trying to save Sunbird. Quiller is the strong woman who shows no hesitation, but she's raising kids like a typical mom.
Something notable about this book too is that all the characters are named after objects or animals. It has very Native American style inspiration to it, which when I saw that the author was an anthropologist, I wasn't surprised. I am a little bit disappointed that characters did fall into these gender stereotypical roles, but at the same time, it probably is more typical among more traditional societies, so I'll give it a slight pass.
Arakie felt like there was more to his character, but I feel like it never got fully, fully explored. All the other characters felt a bit flat. 2/5.
World-Building:
Clearly this book was written with the inspiration of a well-thought out world. My problem is that none of this seems to be very well-explained. What are Rust People? Why are they rusty? Why are they warring with the Sealion People? Why are Sealion People named as such? My guess was that it's because they live near the ocean to stay warm, but I initially thought that this was because all the humans in this world were animals or animal-human hybrids. It took me a while to realize that this book wasn't about Ice Lions who created a society, but just regular (or, archaic) humans. I kind of wish that this book was about intelligent non-human life (e.g., wolves that evolved to have a lot of intelligence).
I get that not everything should be explained to the reader, but I felt that nothing was really explained at all, or could even be properly derived, without reading the blurb that seemed to lay everything out very clearly. 2/5.
Conclusion:
What a strange book. The basic idea of the world is fine, if not great, but nothing really feels like it came together in a way that is comprehensible without the blurb. I feel like I've never had a blurb explain a book better to me than the book itself, but always a first for everything. How strange.
Plot:
The blurb for this book was really interesting, but I feel like that wasn't really what the book was about? It talks of a post-apocalyptic world where humans heated up the Earth too much and started a new ice age by accident, and then how one of the characters, Lynx, is supposed to serve up as a sacrifice for a quantum computer. That last part especially... I don't think it ever mentioned Lynx being a sacrifice? He met Quancee for sure, but all these details about the world never came across to me very clearly from reading. Maybe I'm just not picking up on all the clues, but I feel like if meeting Quancee was the initiating event, then this would be a much more interesting book. Instead, we have meeting Quancee as a cliffhanger-style ending, while most of the book is Lynx and the other main character, Quiller, wandering aimlessly.
I didn't find the two plots very complementary to each other. Lynx's plot is definitely the more interesting one, though he spends most of it trying to save Sunbird and himself from being stuck in a giant ice crevasse. It felt like a distraction or a trial, until it spanned almost the whole book. Lynx at least has a goal to restore his honor of sorts. Quiller, on the other hand, didn't seem to really have a goal. She adopts some children, and eventually goes out to find Lynx near the end of the book, but she never finds him. This book might have been served better by just having Lynx's plotline be the main one.
The plot wasn't terrible, but it was just strangely nonconsequential and meandering. 2/5.
Characters:
I feel like these characters fall into gender stereotypes, which is strange considering Lynx is a cowardly man and Quiller is the brave warrior woman. Lynx is a coward, but he displays a typical masculine chivalry in trying to save Sunbird. Quiller is the strong woman who shows no hesitation, but she's raising kids like a typical mom.
Something notable about this book too is that all the characters are named after objects or animals. It has very Native American style inspiration to it, which when I saw that the author was an anthropologist, I wasn't surprised. I am a little bit disappointed that characters did fall into these gender stereotypical roles, but at the same time, it probably is more typical among more traditional societies, so I'll give it a slight pass.
Arakie felt like there was more to his character, but I feel like it never got fully, fully explored. All the other characters felt a bit flat. 2/5.
World-Building:
Clearly this book was written with the inspiration of a well-thought out world. My problem is that none of this seems to be very well-explained. What are Rust People? Why are they rusty? Why are they warring with the Sealion People? Why are Sealion People named as such? My guess was that it's because they live near the ocean to stay warm, but I initially thought that this was because all the humans in this world were animals or animal-human hybrids. It took me a while to realize that this book wasn't about Ice Lions who created a society, but just regular (or, archaic) humans. I kind of wish that this book was about intelligent non-human life (e.g., wolves that evolved to have a lot of intelligence).
I get that not everything should be explained to the reader, but I felt that nothing was really explained at all, or could even be properly derived, without reading the blurb that seemed to lay everything out very clearly. 2/5.
Conclusion:
What a strange book. The basic idea of the world is fine, if not great, but nothing really feels like it came together in a way that is comprehensible without the blurb. I feel like I've never had a blurb explain a book better to me than the book itself, but always a first for everything. How strange.
June 15, 2021
A thousand years in Earth’s future, thick algae-like zyme coats the oceans, while glaciers three miles thick cover vast swathes of land. Before the ice took over the world, human scientists recreated certain species of Ice Age animals and hominids in the desperate hope that some kind of life would survive on Earth. Lynx and his best friend Quiller are members of the Sealion tribe, Denisovans descended from the recreated hominids of a thousand years earlier. Their world is full of ice and monstrous beasts constantly hunting them with something more than animal intelligence. At sixteen summers old and newly married, Lynx thinks his place in his village is assured, but after a disastrous night, he is forced to undergo a sacred rite that will likely end in his death. Quiller moves to follow Lynx into the unknown in an act of love and devotion. As the two proceed on their journeys to a new land, they come across a strange old man who seems to be the last of the Jemen– the ancient people who made the world as it is now. The man pushes both Lynx and Quiller to their emotional extremes for reasons neither can fathom, but which may change the world as they know it.
There are few American writers as accomplished in such incongruous fields as archaeology and creative writing as Kathleen O’Neal Gear, who has published dozens of novels and won numerous distinctions for her work in preserving the cultural history of the United States over the past few decades. Her fictional works blend these two fields, portraying the ancient peoples of North America as historical and archaeological research understand them, bringing the past to life in a way that few other writers can. In The Ice Lion, Gear imagines a possible future where twenty-first-century technology gene-editing technology, CRISPR, is used to recreate– and possibly blend– species that lived tens of thousands of years ago in order to prevent the total destruction of life on Earth after a last-ditch effort to reverse global warming due to climate change goes wrong and plunges the planet into a new Ice Age.
The story is told from the perspective of two young Denisovans who, understandably, have no knowledge of the science that created the Earth as they know it. The Jemen are remote legends, and the Sealion people have developed stories that explain their world. But they have understandably gotten things wrong because they know nothing about the ancient technology that made them. And so the voices of the Ice Giants are entirely mysterious, as are the fates of the Jemen. The reader can gather certain things from context clues (assuming they have a working knowledge of current scientific trends), but the clues don’t explain everything, and so important questions about this icy world go unanswered- presumably to be addressed in later books.
Perhaps the unanswered questions would be less frustrating if the story slowed down a little. The pacing is quick and tends to take great leaps forward, which leads to confusion as to how far Lynx and Quiller have traveled on their respective travels. That’s not to say that The Ice Lion isn’t thoughtful or introspective; it puts a good deal of emphasis on the characters’ interior journeys and less on the exterior ones, which makes it difficult to place them in space and time.
The most challenging aspect of The Ice Lion are the characters themselves. Lynx and Quiller do not have lovable personalities. They are radically different from modern humans, and their society is unlike anything a Western reader of the twenty-first-century would know, but the essentials– Quiller’s love for Lynx and willingness to care for those weaker than she is, and Lynx’s desire to prove that he is a brave man– are qualities we all share, even if the packaging is different from what we see every day. Lynx and Quiller’s stories make The Ice Lion a worthwhile story, but the unanswered questions make for an ambiguous ending.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion.
There are few American writers as accomplished in such incongruous fields as archaeology and creative writing as Kathleen O’Neal Gear, who has published dozens of novels and won numerous distinctions for her work in preserving the cultural history of the United States over the past few decades. Her fictional works blend these two fields, portraying the ancient peoples of North America as historical and archaeological research understand them, bringing the past to life in a way that few other writers can. In The Ice Lion, Gear imagines a possible future where twenty-first-century technology gene-editing technology, CRISPR, is used to recreate– and possibly blend– species that lived tens of thousands of years ago in order to prevent the total destruction of life on Earth after a last-ditch effort to reverse global warming due to climate change goes wrong and plunges the planet into a new Ice Age.
The story is told from the perspective of two young Denisovans who, understandably, have no knowledge of the science that created the Earth as they know it. The Jemen are remote legends, and the Sealion people have developed stories that explain their world. But they have understandably gotten things wrong because they know nothing about the ancient technology that made them. And so the voices of the Ice Giants are entirely mysterious, as are the fates of the Jemen. The reader can gather certain things from context clues (assuming they have a working knowledge of current scientific trends), but the clues don’t explain everything, and so important questions about this icy world go unanswered- presumably to be addressed in later books.
Perhaps the unanswered questions would be less frustrating if the story slowed down a little. The pacing is quick and tends to take great leaps forward, which leads to confusion as to how far Lynx and Quiller have traveled on their respective travels. That’s not to say that The Ice Lion isn’t thoughtful or introspective; it puts a good deal of emphasis on the characters’ interior journeys and less on the exterior ones, which makes it difficult to place them in space and time.
The most challenging aspect of The Ice Lion are the characters themselves. Lynx and Quiller do not have lovable personalities. They are radically different from modern humans, and their society is unlike anything a Western reader of the twenty-first-century would know, but the essentials– Quiller’s love for Lynx and willingness to care for those weaker than she is, and Lynx’s desire to prove that he is a brave man– are qualities we all share, even if the packaging is different from what we see every day. Lynx and Quiller’s stories make The Ice Lion a worthwhile story, but the unanswered questions make for an ambiguous ending.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion.
January 2, 2024
First book of 2024. As I write this novel I am happy that I finished. This is clearly YA Sci-Fi on which I will be reading another one this month and you can definitely understand why is YA. It's way to simple, the page read goes up effortlessly and I ended up reading a novel in one day if you count only hours. I also read 60 pages of Neal Asher's Departure. So, branding everything sci-fi is just idiotic. There's a reason this is YA and that's hard sci-fi. Here , although alien world, was really easy to get into. You get the meaning of some stuff as you go along and you never really feel lost. On the other hand, neal asher, if you don't understand a word (and you won't ) you feel confused and hoping for a more clear water.
This novel has been on my mind for some mind. With only 300 pages I knew it would be fairly easy read and something to begin the year with. I've been reading several of Gear's novels (both her's and her husband) and although this is the first YA it has their characteristics. If you've read the people of the north America in a post apocalyptic wasteland of ice and cold, then you got it. This tale is told in around 50 chapters, alternate between Lynx and Quiller. Both are 16 and childhood's friends. The problem? Quiller loves Lynx and Lynx chooses another girl to marry but on the wedding night she ends up killed by some lions (ice lions?). Branded as a coward , but not wanting him to be dead or outcast they send him on a mystical quest . There he finds a Doctor Arike which he thinks it's one of the lost Jemen. On the other hand we follow Quiller as she tries to survive this new world without him but being a SIMP. Yeah I know it's usually a male but in this case it's her. Even knowing that he would never choose her, she goes at great lengths to protect him like a mother protects his son. Some dialogues, and actions are pretty YA that makes my black hearth cry thinking that writers a) think people behave like this or b) they are right and people do act like this. Don't know which is more depressing...
Courage isn't the province of the brave Lynx. It's the virtue of the terrified. IT's what happens when you have no option left.
One of the most inters testing aspects is the worldbuilding. There are some interesting stuff here like who are these pseudo-indians (we already know who they , after all in the end they provide some spoilers) and what happened to the world. What is Zyme? What are the Ice Giants etc. There are so much to be found and I want to do it. I will read it. But my enthusiasm dwindle a little to be honest. The market is not me. The market is a 12/16 year olds.
Oh and before I forget, although it's a frozen landscape, rarely they talk about it and how it affects them. It sure as everyone living through it like it's a winter in Portugal. It bothers a little but very beareable. Another thing that upsets me was where the action took place. My god, they travel miles or days yet they always find someone they are looking at. For a frozen landscape with a thousand survivors they sure are all in the same 10 feet.
Another thing that upset me was the length.. This could easily be a duology of two 400 pages book. it ended awkwardly and the justification like they did for another novel "people nowadays want smaller books". Who said it? Probably the publishers and writers since they will sell more. People don't want to pay thrice for a book that could be one or two. I will give this book a 7 out of 10.
This novel has been on my mind for some mind. With only 300 pages I knew it would be fairly easy read and something to begin the year with. I've been reading several of Gear's novels (both her's and her husband) and although this is the first YA it has their characteristics. If you've read the people of the north America in a post apocalyptic wasteland of ice and cold, then you got it. This tale is told in around 50 chapters, alternate between Lynx and Quiller. Both are 16 and childhood's friends. The problem? Quiller loves Lynx and Lynx chooses another girl to marry but on the wedding night she ends up killed by some lions (ice lions?). Branded as a coward , but not wanting him to be dead or outcast they send him on a mystical quest . There he finds a Doctor Arike which he thinks it's one of the lost Jemen. On the other hand we follow Quiller as she tries to survive this new world without him but being a SIMP. Yeah I know it's usually a male but in this case it's her. Even knowing that he would never choose her, she goes at great lengths to protect him like a mother protects his son. Some dialogues, and actions are pretty YA that makes my black hearth cry thinking that writers a) think people behave like this or b) they are right and people do act like this. Don't know which is more depressing...
Courage isn't the province of the brave Lynx. It's the virtue of the terrified. IT's what happens when you have no option left.
One of the most inters testing aspects is the worldbuilding. There are some interesting stuff here like who are these pseudo-indians (we already know who they , after all in the end they provide some spoilers) and what happened to the world. What is Zyme? What are the Ice Giants etc. There are so much to be found and I want to do it. I will read it. But my enthusiasm dwindle a little to be honest. The market is not me. The market is a 12/16 year olds.
Oh and before I forget, although it's a frozen landscape, rarely they talk about it and how it affects them. It sure as everyone living through it like it's a winter in Portugal. It bothers a little but very beareable. Another thing that upsets me was where the action took place. My god, they travel miles or days yet they always find someone they are looking at. For a frozen landscape with a thousand survivors they sure are all in the same 10 feet.
Another thing that upset me was the length.. This could easily be a duology of two 400 pages book. it ended awkwardly and the justification like they did for another novel "people nowadays want smaller books". Who said it? Probably the publishers and writers since they will sell more. People don't want to pay thrice for a book that could be one or two. I will give this book a 7 out of 10.
July 18, 2021
It's always disappointing when a book with an excellent premise turns out to be bad -- especially when said book is by a well-known and respected author. I've never read anything by Kathleen O'Neal Gear before, so I'm not sure if this book was a fluke or typical of her writing... but despite its interesting premise, it turned out to be a dud. The story meandered all over the place, the characters were dull as ditchwater, and the great premise felt particularly wasted.
In a future where a plan to reverse global warming has resulted in a new Ice Age and the oceans covered in a carnivorous algae called zyme, the cowardly Lynx finds himself cast out from his tribe when he's found responsible for the death of his bride on their wedding night. As Lynx wanders the icy wilderness in search of a spirit guide to help him home, he runs into a mysterious old man who seems to have connections to the Jemen, the ancient beings who were said to have fought the Ice Giants who took over the world ages ago. Meanwhile, the spirited Quiller, who's harbored her own secret love for Lynx, must save her tribe from an attack by the barbaric Rust Tribe... and perhaps save Lynx in the process. And as these two young people's lives entwine, mysteries about the past are slowly brought to light...
There are times when the writing in "The Ice Lion" is quite lovely, especially when its describing the frozen wilderness and the zyme that coats the oceans. But it fails in a lot of other aspects. The story seems unable to focus, leaping from event to event without doing much to tie itself together. It seems to want to focus on primitive tribes while also incorporating dystopian themes and a Mad-Max vibe from the Rust Tribe, but it never fully manages to do either. And while there are glimmers of brilliance here and there, the worldbuilding is so haphazard and patchy that I still have no clear idea what's going on or what the backstory of the world is. Perhaps Gear was saving some of that for the sequel, but still, it would have been nice to have more explanation of certain elements.
The characters might have saved the story... but they're all pretty flat. Quiller is your typical "strong feisty heroine" without much else to define her, while Lynx is simply a coward whose cowardice comes and goes to suit the needs of the plot. Of the other characters, the only ones who have a glimmer of personality are those who are obviously the villains because they hate either Lynx or Quiller. The sole exception is Arakie, who honestly is a far more interesting character than either Lynx or Quiller and gives off strong "why isn't this book about him?" vibes.
I'm sure Gear must be a better writer than this... which makes me wonder if "The Ice Lion" is just a fluke or of she just didn't put much effort into what's supposed to be a YA book. Either way, this book is still a disappointment.
In a future where a plan to reverse global warming has resulted in a new Ice Age and the oceans covered in a carnivorous algae called zyme, the cowardly Lynx finds himself cast out from his tribe when he's found responsible for the death of his bride on their wedding night. As Lynx wanders the icy wilderness in search of a spirit guide to help him home, he runs into a mysterious old man who seems to have connections to the Jemen, the ancient beings who were said to have fought the Ice Giants who took over the world ages ago. Meanwhile, the spirited Quiller, who's harbored her own secret love for Lynx, must save her tribe from an attack by the barbaric Rust Tribe... and perhaps save Lynx in the process. And as these two young people's lives entwine, mysteries about the past are slowly brought to light...
There are times when the writing in "The Ice Lion" is quite lovely, especially when its describing the frozen wilderness and the zyme that coats the oceans. But it fails in a lot of other aspects. The story seems unable to focus, leaping from event to event without doing much to tie itself together. It seems to want to focus on primitive tribes while also incorporating dystopian themes and a Mad-Max vibe from the Rust Tribe, but it never fully manages to do either. And while there are glimmers of brilliance here and there, the worldbuilding is so haphazard and patchy that I still have no clear idea what's going on or what the backstory of the world is. Perhaps Gear was saving some of that for the sequel, but still, it would have been nice to have more explanation of certain elements.
The characters might have saved the story... but they're all pretty flat. Quiller is your typical "strong feisty heroine" without much else to define her, while Lynx is simply a coward whose cowardice comes and goes to suit the needs of the plot. Of the other characters, the only ones who have a glimmer of personality are those who are obviously the villains because they hate either Lynx or Quiller. The sole exception is Arakie, who honestly is a far more interesting character than either Lynx or Quiller and gives off strong "why isn't this book about him?" vibes.
I'm sure Gear must be a better writer than this... which makes me wonder if "The Ice Lion" is just a fluke or of she just didn't put much effort into what's supposed to be a YA book. Either way, this book is still a disappointment.
August 7, 2021
Ultimately, unlike the Ice Giants that swallowed up the old technology of Earth, there’s very little below the surface of The Ice Lion. What you see on the inside flap is what you get, and I mean that literally, because almost nothing is compounded upon or explored. I would’ve loved to see this done better. Or have a vaguer description. It’s definitely an interesting concept- honestly, this book is mostly concept -but the execution was shallow.
A word of warning: The description of the book ruins a good chunk of the mystery it has to offer. I usually love piecing together far-future mythology to figure out what happened to our contemporary past, but here there was nothing to figure out, because the description spells it all out, including Quancee- whom we are only introduced to in the last 20 pages of the entire book and in no ways plays a discernible role in the story.
Okay, so the background is all revealed already. Maybe that would be fine if the story itself didn’t alternate between trying to inform the reader of that history through inconsistent and ultimately meaningless (meaningless in the scale of this book, which despite being one of at least 2 should be able to stand on its own) worldbuilding, and the endeavors of characters who I really couldn’t care about that much. And then we reach the end. And please note that when I say “end,” I’m using that term loosely. The Ice Lion doesn’t really end so much as it stops. Almost none of the concepts mentioned in the description are explored in any depth, even though they are definitely the best thing The Ice Lion has going for it. Arakie was probably the most interesting character we get, and he’s tragically underused. There are no big reveals, no shocking revelations about the past. The story just kind of happens, and by the end of the book, it’s still happening- we just don’t get to see any more of it.
I found Quiller’s story to be boring, although at least hers has a beginning, middle, and end, contrasting sharply against Lynx’s. The characters felt underdeveloped and hard to connect with, just as shallow as the rest of the story, like inconsistent vehicles for a stagnant plot. This one feels like it needed more time in the oven, a little more substance. I’m fine with poor characters if at least I can engage with the history that’s supposed to be uncovered, but between very little of note being revealed that isn’t on the inside flap, and the almost absent lack of depth with worldbuilding, there wasn’t enough to make this hold together. I’ll probably check out the sequel out of hope something more interesting might happen.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.
A word of warning: The description of the book ruins a good chunk of the mystery it has to offer. I usually love piecing together far-future mythology to figure out what happened to our contemporary past, but here there was nothing to figure out, because the description spells it all out, including Quancee- whom we are only introduced to in the last 20 pages of the entire book and in no ways plays a discernible role in the story.
Okay, so the background is all revealed already. Maybe that would be fine if the story itself didn’t alternate between trying to inform the reader of that history through inconsistent and ultimately meaningless (meaningless in the scale of this book, which despite being one of at least 2 should be able to stand on its own) worldbuilding, and the endeavors of characters who I really couldn’t care about that much. And then we reach the end. And please note that when I say “end,” I’m using that term loosely. The Ice Lion doesn’t really end so much as it stops. Almost none of the concepts mentioned in the description are explored in any depth, even though they are definitely the best thing The Ice Lion has going for it. Arakie was probably the most interesting character we get, and he’s tragically underused. There are no big reveals, no shocking revelations about the past. The story just kind of happens, and by the end of the book, it’s still happening- we just don’t get to see any more of it.
I found Quiller’s story to be boring, although at least hers has a beginning, middle, and end, contrasting sharply against Lynx’s. The characters felt underdeveloped and hard to connect with, just as shallow as the rest of the story, like inconsistent vehicles for a stagnant plot. This one feels like it needed more time in the oven, a little more substance. I’m fine with poor characters if at least I can engage with the history that’s supposed to be uncovered, but between very little of note being revealed that isn’t on the inside flap, and the almost absent lack of depth with worldbuilding, there wasn’t enough to make this hold together. I’ll probably check out the sequel out of hope something more interesting might happen.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.
May 6, 2021
There are books that cost you a night sleep. Simply because you cannot stop reading them. This is such a book.
I benefited greatly from the fact that I had downloaded it on my phone to leave it dormant for a few weeks and thus forgetting the cover or the sales blurp. Because of that I discovered the world of glaciers one page at the time with the characters instead of having been clued in. I would strongly advice the publisher to alter that synopsis.
I started reading and thought at first I was reading a story set in pre-Columbus America with native Americans hunting bison who all had the name of an animal and where 46 is old and 16 is the age to marry. With Ice Giants being snow capped mountains. But then one of the guys was described as having a heavy brow ridge and a sloping forehead and the word Neanderthals flashed in my mind. So even further back in time? But hooo... enemies who sail rusting ships with motors?????? Green slime or something on the oceans? The Ide Giants glaciers? Fast forwarding centuries. . Gods called Jemen.-.G-men? Jemen who sail the sky.
All this forms a mystery for the readers but also for young dreamer Lynx who loses his wife at the beginning of the novel and his best friend Quiller a tall readhead who is as capable as the male hunters. When Lynx is forced to go on a dangerous trip Quiller who has been in love with him for ages follows him to save him. But who is that old man they meet?
After finishing the novel I was wide awake and trying to piece together the pieces of the puzzle.
The worldbuildings done very well and the personal development also.
---SPOILER ALERT -----
I think that modern men in the future became older than we do but the prehistoric recreations just 40 years or so. As Arakie was a seasoned mountaineer who conquered even Everest he was quite equipped for the new Ice Age world that was formed after a disastrous attempt to fight global warming. Others however just gave up or went mad when they lost hope they could reverse the Ice Age. He however thought that recreating prehistoric people and the animals of those days would give mankind a last chance to survive and start over again. Does Quiller have modern genes? Did people have a connection to certain animal before the end of the world and is that now the case with Lynx and the wolf and Arakie and the lion?
PS: When I was writing my review on my blog and went to Amazon for a link to the cover I realised the book I had in mind when I started reading was one of the prehistoric American tales this same author had written.
I benefited greatly from the fact that I had downloaded it on my phone to leave it dormant for a few weeks and thus forgetting the cover or the sales blurp. Because of that I discovered the world of glaciers one page at the time with the characters instead of having been clued in. I would strongly advice the publisher to alter that synopsis.
I started reading and thought at first I was reading a story set in pre-Columbus America with native Americans hunting bison who all had the name of an animal and where 46 is old and 16 is the age to marry. With Ice Giants being snow capped mountains. But then one of the guys was described as having a heavy brow ridge and a sloping forehead and the word Neanderthals flashed in my mind. So even further back in time? But hooo... enemies who sail rusting ships with motors?????? Green slime or something on the oceans? The Ide Giants glaciers? Fast forwarding centuries. . Gods called Jemen.-.G-men? Jemen who sail the sky.
All this forms a mystery for the readers but also for young dreamer Lynx who loses his wife at the beginning of the novel and his best friend Quiller a tall readhead who is as capable as the male hunters. When Lynx is forced to go on a dangerous trip Quiller who has been in love with him for ages follows him to save him. But who is that old man they meet?
After finishing the novel I was wide awake and trying to piece together the pieces of the puzzle.
The worldbuildings done very well and the personal development also.
---SPOILER ALERT -----
I think that modern men in the future became older than we do but the prehistoric recreations just 40 years or so. As Arakie was a seasoned mountaineer who conquered even Everest he was quite equipped for the new Ice Age world that was formed after a disastrous attempt to fight global warming. Others however just gave up or went mad when they lost hope they could reverse the Ice Age. He however thought that recreating prehistoric people and the animals of those days would give mankind a last chance to survive and start over again. Does Quiller have modern genes? Did people have a connection to certain animal before the end of the world and is that now the case with Lynx and the wolf and Arakie and the lion?
PS: When I was writing my review on my blog and went to Amazon for a link to the cover I realised the book I had in mind when I started reading was one of the prehistoric American tales this same author had written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2021
9+ I enjoyed this book very much, more than the last few books I read. I must say that as someone with an interest in prehistoric life the fact this was about ice age mammals (including extinct species of humans) made me seek it out. Also I read this is about climate change (an important subject) - imagining a world in which the oceans are covered by iron munching green algae and the land is covered in ice. Thus the resurrection of the ice age mammals. The people traversing the frozen waistland live like stone age people. To them the stories about our age are myths, even though some say that under the ice remains of previous people, the legendary Jemen, can still be found ...
The blurb on the dust jacket gave away too much of the story, I thought. It was more rewarding working everything out alongside the two main protagonists.
I read in reviews on this site that several people didn't like the protagonists or didn't think them believable. But I did. They are not perfect. Lynx is a sensitive boy, which is not a trait appreciated by his people. He loses his young wife to lions and is accused of cowardice ... a serious offence. Quiller was in love with Lynx, but he chose for someone else. Still, she cannot just let him go, so when Lynx is banished, she tries to follow him and save him. But before she gets the chance she finds a couple of children of the Rust people, their mortal enemies, and she's forced to make some tough choices ... I liked that these characters were fallible, forced to make hard decisions, and I for one could not predict how they would choose - which is a pre for me. I felt for them a lot. They struggled to be humane in an inhumane landscape.
I liked exploring the world described in this novel, and there were some exciting action scenes here, such as an attempted rescue of someone fallen into a crack in a gletcher and frozen in place ... I found the prose descriptive and felt the darkness and cold the characters had to deal with. It's a young adult novel, but it certainly does not talk down to its audience. It's a great read for adults interested in ice age adventures and survival stories as well. and was miffed that the second book in the series is not out yet and I have wait a bit to read that one, as reaching the end of this book I wanted nothing more than to read on.
The blurb on the dust jacket gave away too much of the story, I thought. It was more rewarding working everything out alongside the two main protagonists.
I read in reviews on this site that several people didn't like the protagonists or didn't think them believable. But I did. They are not perfect. Lynx is a sensitive boy, which is not a trait appreciated by his people. He loses his young wife to lions and is accused of cowardice ... a serious offence. Quiller was in love with Lynx, but he chose for someone else. Still, she cannot just let him go, so when Lynx is banished, she tries to follow him and save him. But before she gets the chance she finds a couple of children of the Rust people, their mortal enemies, and she's forced to make some tough choices ... I liked that these characters were fallible, forced to make hard decisions, and I for one could not predict how they would choose - which is a pre for me. I felt for them a lot. They struggled to be humane in an inhumane landscape.
I liked exploring the world described in this novel, and there were some exciting action scenes here, such as an attempted rescue of someone fallen into a crack in a gletcher and frozen in place ... I found the prose descriptive and felt the darkness and cold the characters had to deal with. It's a young adult novel, but it certainly does not talk down to its audience. It's a great read for adults interested in ice age adventures and survival stories as well. and was miffed that the second book in the series is not out yet and I have wait a bit to read that one, as reaching the end of this book I wanted nothing more than to read on.
January 25, 2022
What a topical book! In the far future, the grand attempt to halt the Earth’s runaway warming has met with equal disaster. The result was a new and apocalyptic Ice Age with glaciers three miles high and a poisonous slime, “zyme” covering the oceans. As the planet descended into this frigid nightmare, the last scientists recreated species that had survived earlier Ice Ages: dire wolves, helmeted musk oxen, cave lions, and extinct, archaic human species like the Denisovans (distant relatives of Neanderthals) and Homo erectus. As the planet grows even colder, tribes of these hominids vie for territory and food.
Against this background, two teenaged friends, hunter Quiller and visionary Lynx navigate an increasingly hostile terrain. The cold seasons are growing ever longer and the “Rust People” more dangerous. When Lynx goes off on his marriage honeymoon and the camp is attacked by lions, he freezes. As a result, his new bride is killed and he is sentenced to exile and a spiritual journey to confront the mythic giant ice lion. Instead, he encounters an aged shaman who just might be the last of the true humans. Quiller, who has secretly been in love with Lynx, must choose between following him to defend him against the dangers of the wilderness and joining the fight to preserve her tribe.
This book, the first of “The Rewilding Reports” has many strengths. Prose that melts away, leaving the reader immersed in the story; a wealth of sensory detail that bring the world to vivid life; compelling characters and relationships; skillful clues and escalating revelations. The end marks a partial resting place where the drama of this first adventure is resolved but the characters still face ongoing danger and mysteries yet unsolved. Despite the bleakness of this future, the all-too-human denizens move forward with hope, joy in one another, and awesome competence.
Against this background, two teenaged friends, hunter Quiller and visionary Lynx navigate an increasingly hostile terrain. The cold seasons are growing ever longer and the “Rust People” more dangerous. When Lynx goes off on his marriage honeymoon and the camp is attacked by lions, he freezes. As a result, his new bride is killed and he is sentenced to exile and a spiritual journey to confront the mythic giant ice lion. Instead, he encounters an aged shaman who just might be the last of the true humans. Quiller, who has secretly been in love with Lynx, must choose between following him to defend him against the dangers of the wilderness and joining the fight to preserve her tribe.
This book, the first of “The Rewilding Reports” has many strengths. Prose that melts away, leaving the reader immersed in the story; a wealth of sensory detail that bring the world to vivid life; compelling characters and relationships; skillful clues and escalating revelations. The end marks a partial resting place where the drama of this first adventure is resolved but the characters still face ongoing danger and mysteries yet unsolved. Despite the bleakness of this future, the all-too-human denizens move forward with hope, joy in one another, and awesome competence.
October 6, 2021
Far in earth’s future, people have gathered into tribes and live among regenerated species of prehistoric animals. It is another Ice Age in which the oceans are overwhelmed by a glowing, destructive sea plant. Survival is day to day where humans are hunted by giant lions, bears, and dire wolves.
The story begins with the destruction of the bridal camp of Siskin and Lynx by a pride of giant lions. Only Lynx, who has been accused of cowardice before, is left alive and unhurt, physically anyway. His tribe banishes him on a spirit quest in the Ice Giants, glaciers that have overcome the continent. Quiller, his childhood friend, vows to rescue him, but she is sent on a small scouting mission looking for the enemy Rust People.
This new ice age climate tale is beautifully developed. There are hints of the past civilization in artifacts in ice caves and in legends of the current tribes. Lynx has to fight his fear as well as his insufficient skills. Quiller who has always saved and defended him rescues and adopts 4 children from a ransacked enemy village and has to decide whether to go after Lynx or stay with the children to protect them. More to come in 2022 (The Ice Ghost). I’m looking forward to how the story progresses. Recommended.
Readalikes:
M.R. Carey – The Book of Koli; Kim Stanley Robinson – New York 2140; Rick Remender – Low; Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter – The Long Earth; James Patterson – Humans Bow Down; Jerr VanderMeer – The Strange Bird; Angus Wason – You Die When You Die; Kaz Lefave – Nemecene; Sue Burke – Semiosis.
Pace: Fast-paced
Characters: Young; Conflicted; Likable
Storyline: World-building
Writing style: Engaging
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: North America; 1,000 years in the future
Theme: Climate change apocalypse
The story begins with the destruction of the bridal camp of Siskin and Lynx by a pride of giant lions. Only Lynx, who has been accused of cowardice before, is left alive and unhurt, physically anyway. His tribe banishes him on a spirit quest in the Ice Giants, glaciers that have overcome the continent. Quiller, his childhood friend, vows to rescue him, but she is sent on a small scouting mission looking for the enemy Rust People.
This new ice age climate tale is beautifully developed. There are hints of the past civilization in artifacts in ice caves and in legends of the current tribes. Lynx has to fight his fear as well as his insufficient skills. Quiller who has always saved and defended him rescues and adopts 4 children from a ransacked enemy village and has to decide whether to go after Lynx or stay with the children to protect them. More to come in 2022 (The Ice Ghost). I’m looking forward to how the story progresses. Recommended.
Readalikes:
M.R. Carey – The Book of Koli; Kim Stanley Robinson – New York 2140; Rick Remender – Low; Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter – The Long Earth; James Patterson – Humans Bow Down; Jerr VanderMeer – The Strange Bird; Angus Wason – You Die When You Die; Kaz Lefave – Nemecene; Sue Burke – Semiosis.
Pace: Fast-paced
Characters: Young; Conflicted; Likable
Storyline: World-building
Writing style: Engaging
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: North America; 1,000 years in the future
Theme: Climate change apocalypse
March 17, 2023
Book: The Ice Lion
Author: Kathleen O’Neil Greer
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
This is just a case that this wasn’t the book for me. It had the bones of a great story, but it just didn’t mesh well with me. The writing and the world is amazing.
In this one, we follow a group of people living a thousand years from today. At first, it may seem like we are following a group of prehistoric people. It has the look and feel of a story set long ago. The climate is harsh and dangerous. There are these creatures that are capable of killing them and a magic in the air that we really don’t know what that is about.
The world is very well done. It is richly described and well thought out. The way that the author describes the world pulls you right into it. You are there with the characters in this dark and unforgiving place. While the author does give you so many details about the world, there is enough missing that you don’t know what is happening. You don’t know what dangers are out there that could and will kill you. I personally liked this touch. It adds to the aurora of the world and keeps your guard up. You don’t know what is coming next. It also reminds you that no one is safe and that everything can go wrong.
The characters, to me, felt a little flat. I would have liked to have a little bit more development to them. This is a pretty short book with a huge cast of characters. While I do like a big cast, I also like for my large cast to be well done. I want them to be developed and given the chance to have be their own person. I wish that we had been given more about them. I will say that the stakes are high when it comes to the characters and you never once feel like anyone is safe.
Overall, this was just a miss for me. I wanted to like this one.
Author: Kathleen O’Neil Greer
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
This is just a case that this wasn’t the book for me. It had the bones of a great story, but it just didn’t mesh well with me. The writing and the world is amazing.
In this one, we follow a group of people living a thousand years from today. At first, it may seem like we are following a group of prehistoric people. It has the look and feel of a story set long ago. The climate is harsh and dangerous. There are these creatures that are capable of killing them and a magic in the air that we really don’t know what that is about.
The world is very well done. It is richly described and well thought out. The way that the author describes the world pulls you right into it. You are there with the characters in this dark and unforgiving place. While the author does give you so many details about the world, there is enough missing that you don’t know what is happening. You don’t know what dangers are out there that could and will kill you. I personally liked this touch. It adds to the aurora of the world and keeps your guard up. You don’t know what is coming next. It also reminds you that no one is safe and that everything can go wrong.
The characters, to me, felt a little flat. I would have liked to have a little bit more development to them. This is a pretty short book with a huge cast of characters. While I do like a big cast, I also like for my large cast to be well done. I want them to be developed and given the chance to have be their own person. I wish that we had been given more about them. I will say that the stakes are high when it comes to the characters and you never once feel like anyone is safe.
Overall, this was just a miss for me. I wanted to like this one.
April 11, 2021
An Ice Age story of the future
This cli-fi novel depicts a dystopian future where a new Ice Age has hit the Earth. A science-fiction variation of Jean M. Auel’s “Earth’s Children” book series (1980-2011), or Roland Emmerich’s “10,000 BC” feature film (2008), with hints of Terry Brooks’ “The Sword of Shannara” trilogy (1977-1985), or even Guerrilla Games’ “Horizon Zero Dawn” action-RPG video game(2017). It has the perfect amount of science-fiction, mystery, and fantasy that I like to read.
Following the exploits of Lynx and Quiller, tribe members living in a post-apocalyptic Ice Age, this story covers the survival of their clan and others they encounter along the way, as well as the search for answers about the world, from the freezing climate and the Ice Giant formations to the mysterious slime-covered ocean, and the legends of ancient gods/humans called the Jemen.
The two parallel storylines were perfectly woven together to keep the reader’s attention throughout the novel, and I thought the character development was marvelously executed.
I really enjoyed the hints about the ancient civilization (or our modern society) spread throughout the novel, without it being forcibly explained either. There are still a lot of unanswered questions that I hope will get explored in future books in this series!
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the author, the publishers and the NetGalley team for providing me with an Advanced copy. I cherished this opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.
This cli-fi novel depicts a dystopian future where a new Ice Age has hit the Earth. A science-fiction variation of Jean M. Auel’s “Earth’s Children” book series (1980-2011), or Roland Emmerich’s “10,000 BC” feature film (2008), with hints of Terry Brooks’ “The Sword of Shannara” trilogy (1977-1985), or even Guerrilla Games’ “Horizon Zero Dawn” action-RPG video game(2017). It has the perfect amount of science-fiction, mystery, and fantasy that I like to read.
Following the exploits of Lynx and Quiller, tribe members living in a post-apocalyptic Ice Age, this story covers the survival of their clan and others they encounter along the way, as well as the search for answers about the world, from the freezing climate and the Ice Giant formations to the mysterious slime-covered ocean, and the legends of ancient gods/humans called the Jemen.
The two parallel storylines were perfectly woven together to keep the reader’s attention throughout the novel, and I thought the character development was marvelously executed.
I really enjoyed the hints about the ancient civilization (or our modern society) spread throughout the novel, without it being forcibly explained either. There are still a lot of unanswered questions that I hope will get explored in future books in this series!
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the author, the publishers and the NetGalley team for providing me with an Advanced copy. I cherished this opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2021
Enter a strange and frigid world populated by long extinct animals and humans. A world where people seem to be reliving earth's ancient history except it's far into the future. The world has been decimated by climate change—earth having become a hothouse—is now in the midst of another ice age. The cultural stories passed from generation to generation speak of gods no longer living.
Gear gives plenty of hints about what is going on, but nothing really comes into focus until late in the story. Until then, she easily could have been writing one of her dozens upon dozens of books about earth's early history and the people who lived during those time periods. The incongruity of history and ancient history, where our past is what we might know as now and what we know as ancient history is taking place as now, is like reading history in reverse order. It's a bit of a mind bender.
Except for this incongruity, Kathleen Gear has written a variation of this story countless times. Tribal disagreements. Warriors and healers. Strong women in control of their lives and often their tribe. Only this time she has inserted an element of science fiction that suggests a future for us the reader, and a past for her characters, that has gone very wrong.
Prehistoric humans wearing leather boots. Clothing from hides, but also from some unidentifiable material that suggests an advanced civilization. An old man who doesn't seem to belong in this world. A young man from this world who seems to know and understand more than most, who doesn't fit the mold of warrior, but may just hold the key to explaining the mysteries of this frozen world.
It's confusing and fun, and best of all, the story is not over.
Gear gives plenty of hints about what is going on, but nothing really comes into focus until late in the story. Until then, she easily could have been writing one of her dozens upon dozens of books about earth's early history and the people who lived during those time periods. The incongruity of history and ancient history, where our past is what we might know as now and what we know as ancient history is taking place as now, is like reading history in reverse order. It's a bit of a mind bender.
Except for this incongruity, Kathleen Gear has written a variation of this story countless times. Tribal disagreements. Warriors and healers. Strong women in control of their lives and often their tribe. Only this time she has inserted an element of science fiction that suggests a future for us the reader, and a past for her characters, that has gone very wrong.
Prehistoric humans wearing leather boots. Clothing from hides, but also from some unidentifiable material that suggests an advanced civilization. An old man who doesn't seem to belong in this world. A young man from this world who seems to know and understand more than most, who doesn't fit the mold of warrior, but may just hold the key to explaining the mysteries of this frozen world.
It's confusing and fun, and best of all, the story is not over.
January 20, 2024
From the blurb:
One thousand years in the future, the zyme, a thick blanket of luminous green slime, covers the oceans. Glaciers three-miles-high rise over the continents. The old stories say that when the Jemen, godlike beings from the past, realized their efforts to halt global warming had gone terribly wrong, they made a desperate gamble to save life on earth and recreated species that had survived the worst of the earth's Ice Ages.
Sixteen-summers-old Lynx and his best friend Quiller are members of the Sealion People—archaic humans known as Denisovans. They live in a world growing colder, a world filled with monstrous predators that hunt them for food. When they flee to a new land, they meet a strange old man who impossibly seems to be the last of the Jemen. He tells Lynx the only way he can save his world is by sacrificing himself to the last true god, a quantum computer named Quancee.
At first with the description of the people, the tribe, and their lifestyle, I thought I was reading about a prehistoric race, but this book is set a thousand years in the future. The writing style is familiar to me from the People of the Earth series and once I got into the story and started to understand more of what was happening, I was fascinated by the strange creatures and foreign landscape with hints of what the world used to be. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
One thousand years in the future, the zyme, a thick blanket of luminous green slime, covers the oceans. Glaciers three-miles-high rise over the continents. The old stories say that when the Jemen, godlike beings from the past, realized their efforts to halt global warming had gone terribly wrong, they made a desperate gamble to save life on earth and recreated species that had survived the worst of the earth's Ice Ages.
Sixteen-summers-old Lynx and his best friend Quiller are members of the Sealion People—archaic humans known as Denisovans. They live in a world growing colder, a world filled with monstrous predators that hunt them for food. When they flee to a new land, they meet a strange old man who impossibly seems to be the last of the Jemen. He tells Lynx the only way he can save his world is by sacrificing himself to the last true god, a quantum computer named Quancee.
At first with the description of the people, the tribe, and their lifestyle, I thought I was reading about a prehistoric race, but this book is set a thousand years in the future. The writing style is familiar to me from the People of the Earth series and once I got into the story and started to understand more of what was happening, I was fascinated by the strange creatures and foreign landscape with hints of what the world used to be. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 29, 2021
Something catastrophic has happened to the earth, the seas glow with green life that eats and destroys all it comes in contact with. The earth is covered with Ice and the people who are surviving live like early cavemen. The animals are prehistoric as well, mastodons, lions, saber-tooth tigers, wolves and Dire wolves. There is a constant threat from the animals , the freezing temperatures, the dangers of attacks from other tribes, starvation and extinction.
The author has created a beautiful world of snow and ice, mountains and oceans in which her characters live and thrive. The characterizations are vibrant and real and the reader becomes the cheering squad for the survival of each of them. There is an underlying hidden story of the people who were alive before and what they tried to do to save the earth from boiling climate change and reintroduce man and animals that would survive in what the earth had become. This is a beautifully scripted book and I enjoyed reading it. The author also left an opening for more of the story , so I hope this will be a series.
The author has created a beautiful world of snow and ice, mountains and oceans in which her characters live and thrive. The characterizations are vibrant and real and the reader becomes the cheering squad for the survival of each of them. There is an underlying hidden story of the people who were alive before and what they tried to do to save the earth from boiling climate change and reintroduce man and animals that would survive in what the earth had become. This is a beautifully scripted book and I enjoyed reading it. The author also left an opening for more of the story , so I hope this will be a series.
June 8, 2021
Legend says that Ice Giants plunged the world into another Ice Age, so in a desperate attempt to preserve life on Earth—the Jemen, a god-like race—resurrected once-extinct prehistoric species that would be able to survive the harsh conditions.
Now an antient human subspecies roams the earth in clans. Among them is 16-year-old Lynx who is sent on a spirit quest by his elder council. However, along his journey, he meets an enigmatic man who holds knowledge of the past along with earth-shattering truths.
The Ice Lion by Kathleen O'Neal Gear is haunting, genre-bending work of eco-fiction that weaves sci-fi with myth.
It’s important to note though that this is the first in a series, and it very much feels like a set up to a larger, over-arching story. We’re teased hints about how Earth got into the state it currently is and the shocking revelations at the end opened up a huge can of worms, so I’m curious to find out the rest of the answers.
Thank you, NetGalley and DAW, for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Now an antient human subspecies roams the earth in clans. Among them is 16-year-old Lynx who is sent on a spirit quest by his elder council. However, along his journey, he meets an enigmatic man who holds knowledge of the past along with earth-shattering truths.
The Ice Lion by Kathleen O'Neal Gear is haunting, genre-bending work of eco-fiction that weaves sci-fi with myth.
It’s important to note though that this is the first in a series, and it very much feels like a set up to a larger, over-arching story. We’re teased hints about how Earth got into the state it currently is and the shocking revelations at the end opened up a huge can of worms, so I’m curious to find out the rest of the answers.
Thank you, NetGalley and DAW, for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2023
This was a 4.5 stars book for me. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. This was a random library find for me. Once in a while I will come across a library book and get it based on the description and not having any idea about it. I usually prefer science fiction but I felt like this was more fantasy. I'm new to the science fiction genre so I may be wrong. If someone wants to explain this to me better, please leave me a comment. I love the science fiction genre in movies and looking to explore more into science fiction books. The beginning of this book was a little confusing with unique names and many characters. But I got into it. After the beginning the writing was easy to follow. I loved the two main protagonists taking turns in the two main characters perspective and in the first person. The chapters were short and that was an added plus. The ending was a typical ending for a sequel. I was not surprised. I'm not about spoilers so I will not tell you what happened. I am picking up the sequel today.
February 2, 2025
3 & 1/2 stars...
I enjoyed this story. The movement from two points of view, told by the two main characters in first person present (with one awkward chapter told by a third character), provides a steady stop-and-go from one storyline to the other, building some suspense. This book is the first I have read of what is known as cli-fi (climate fiction), a genre I'd never heard of, and as the story moves to books two and three, the cli-fi will undoubtedly be prevalent. Still, cli-fi was lacking herein except in some offhand remarks by Dr. Arakie, and in the final two chapters.
The story moves swiftly, and the book isn't too long, so it's a quick and enjoyable read. I enjoyed this story enough to head right into book two of this series, The Ice Ghost. Should the story hold together as it did in this first installment, I'm sure book two will not disappoint.
I enjoyed this story. The movement from two points of view, told by the two main characters in first person present (with one awkward chapter told by a third character), provides a steady stop-and-go from one storyline to the other, building some suspense. This book is the first I have read of what is known as cli-fi (climate fiction), a genre I'd never heard of, and as the story moves to books two and three, the cli-fi will undoubtedly be prevalent. Still, cli-fi was lacking herein except in some offhand remarks by Dr. Arakie, and in the final two chapters.
The story moves swiftly, and the book isn't too long, so it's a quick and enjoyable read. I enjoyed this story enough to head right into book two of this series, The Ice Ghost. Should the story hold together as it did in this first installment, I'm sure book two will not disappoint.
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