Ice by Shane Johnson from Books In Motion.com

by Shane Johnson

In the late 1960s, NASA proposed hardware and mission parameters for an extended Apollo program that never materialized. Decades later, the existence of ice beds at the lunar south pole was discovered by NASA’s space probe Clementine and confirmed by the lunar satellite Lunar Prospector. Now, author and Apollo missions historian Shane Johnson explores the fantastic possibilities of what might have transpired, had the more ambitious version of the Apollo program gone forward as originally planned. It is February, 1975. Apollo 19, the last of the manned lunar missions, has successfully landed. Exhilarated and confident, Commander Gary Lucas and Lunar Module pilot Charlie Shepherd set out to explore a vast, mysterious depression at the lunar south pole.There, in the icy darkness–where temperatures reach 334 degrees below zero–the astronauts search for the fragments of crystalline bedrock the scientists back home had hoped for. But when tragedy strikes, the men are driven deeper into the lethal realm, where they find much more than they bargained for, including a strange machine that seemingly transports Lucas back to a pre-flood Earth, and startling evidence that could transform mankind’s perspective on all creation and its Creator– if only the men could miraculously make their way back home to earth to reveal it.

Genres: Science Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Christianity, Mystery, Alternate History

1275 pages, Audio CD

First published July 16, 2002

About the author

Shane Johnson is an American author best known for the novel Ice.

He has written several critically acclaimed and award-winning books, as well as reference books for the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises.

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

I look to be entertained by fiction, not to be recruited. I had no idea this was a Christian propaganda novel, but will now be steering clear of Shane Johnson books.

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievably excessive Christian religiosity. heavy on interpersonal chit chat, and disgustingly weak on the technical troubleshooting.

Wasted sci-fi plot potential drowned in religion.

[Terri Wangard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if NASA hadn’t canceled the last two Apollo missions? Here’s a story of what might have happened if Apollo 19 had flown. Astronauts Gary Lucas and Charlie Shepherd can’t start their lunar module engine to leave the moon. With their remaining air, they embark on a long voyage to the lunar pole and make a stunning discovery.
This story is chockfull of familiar names from Apollo’s heyday. We know these men.
Their presence brings an air of realism.
The discovery of the ultra futuristic space station at the lunar pole opens the door to staggering speculation. Antediluvian society was very likely far more advanced than today’s. Earth’s inhabitants were just a few generations away from creation. They lived for hundreds of years, with intelligence not nearly as tainted by sin as today. They could have accomplished far more than we can imagine. Everything was lost in the flood. No wonder Noah became a drunkard!
Entertaining and thought-provoking.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

So, I picked this up somewhat randomly off the fiction shelves at the Seattle Public Library a few years back. What a weird book. It's like creationist/fundamentalist Christian science fiction meets alternate history. If you want to know what the people of the Good Book are reading for their science fiction, this is probably a good example. I dunno. Spoiler alert: The "moral of the story" is that ancient, evil human-like giants of the time of Noah were so wicked that God sent the Great Flood to smite them. Oh, and apparently, they built a special moon base, too. Not recommended.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked it. I found myself concerned about how Lucas's storyline was going to be explained, but I appreciate the resolution to that and to the overall book.

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Ice gets off to a slow start, it develops into a gripping story. It presents an alternative history for the final Apollo moon flights. Apollo 19 lands on the southern pole of the moon to investigate a dark depression which never sees the sun. The astronauts are hoping to collect evidence of the moon's origin, but they find more than they ever bargained for.

[Justine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like it. It did have a very interesting premise. Astronauts are stranded on the moon and discover an ancient, seemingly abandoned, alien base. It should have been a very interesting story. I wanted more mystery and technology and maybe even an introduction to a new species. But it was really all about converting people to Christianity.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Weirdly enough, I kinda liked this book. I've read it twice, and the weird time travel bit with bible connections was rather interesting in a 'Ha ha, what? Is this really happening?' way. However there was no way this book was going to 'bring me to the light', if that was the author's intent. If you take it at face value, it's a strange read, but in a good way.

[Fsmart Smart · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is an amateurish collection of painful cliches. It is a form of intellectual torture to try to read this book. As a member of a genre not known for brilliant writing, this book has reached a new low.

[Hrairoorah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Good compelling story. This was another that I couldn't put down.

[Dion · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10. Just when you think it can't get any better or more surprising...

[LaDawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was not overly preachy for being a Christian book, and I did not guess the ending.

[Sheila rood · Rating 1 out of 5]

when did science fiction get crossed with christian fiction?.......OMG

[Álvaro]

so far... very precise concerning space flight stuff, really impressive... but... the plot is kinda weird... I'll review it when I finish it:))))

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a favorite for me! Totally surprising and did not guess where the author was going. It's like nothing I have ever read.

[Allen Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was thoroughly disappointed by this novel. I was expecting a pretty science-based science fiction novel, not religious doctrine... Steer clear if you wanted something based in real NASA history and a what-if scenario (The beginning of this novel was great with it), but it took a turn for the worse about a quarter of the way in.

[Honesty · Rating 2 out of 5]

After having read Shane Johnson's vastly superior Christian fantasy The Last Guardian, I was sorely disappointed while slogging through this book. About all I can rememeber is the last third, and had the author simply fleshed out that revelation and skipped most of the first part, it would have been a lot better.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

moon mission goes wrong, and two astronauts are left to die. they discover Alien artifacts evidence of 8 foot tall aliens and survive. In the end they realize the alien ship was Noah's Ark and the aliens were pre - Noah's Flood humans.

[Sherry LaJaunie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story. It involved history as well as science fiction. It takes place in the 1970’s after the Apollo missions had been scrapped due to lack of public interest. It takes us through to Apollo 20. I never found the space program so interesting! 💙❤️💙❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Jape · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book 10-12 years ago and I remember it being a fantastic story. I decided to read it again in 2024 and the story still doesn't disappoint. What an awesome telling of a tale that is biblically based, even if the story itself is historical fiction, it makes you wonder..."what if?"

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good. But also okay? I think this would be a good YA book, but the MCs are grown, married men, with kids. So I wouldn’t recommend it for teens. Maybe college aged students?

Good theology though! And an ACTUAL Christian Fiction where it’s woven through the entire story.

[Ken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute theological garbage disguised as science fiction. Avoid at all costs.

[Anna]

DNF

[John Malm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been a much better book, without the Religious nonsense....

[Brigid · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audiobook: Slow going with not much to show for it. I endured the first 9 CDs quite patiently, even through the tedious listing of all of the author's early space flight knowledge; but, when I got to disc 10 and heard the device Johnson used for the more interesting parts of the story, I turned it off and turned it back in to the library.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

So strange

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating premise and some good action but really wish I'd realised that the author believes that the Bible tells the literal truth - the preaching got to be too much just as the story got good.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has a good plot, was ruined with religion.