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mistimacabre's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
_henrycrossley_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
“Frozen Hell” was the original draft of John W. Campbell’s masterpiece “Who Goes There?” He had to cut some chunks out for publishing purposes, but after his death, the original draft was found and published.
The alien Thing in the story is truly the perfect organism. It reproduces by absorbing the biomaterial of other organisms and converting it into itself. Furthermore, it is a complex organism comprised of individually autonomous cells just as effective on their own as they are together. The best part about it though, is its ability to change its cells to imitate the organisms it absorbs. This ability makes the Thing the perfect ambush predator. And the paranoia it incites in the Antarctic research base is over the top exciting for the reader.
Personally, I think “Who Goes There?” is better. It leaves a lot more to the mind of the reader than “Frozen Hell.” It makes for a better horror story I think. But I am also biased because “Who Goes There?” is my favorite book ever.
Still, I loved “Frozen Hell.” It is a great story, and it was cool to read Campbell’s original intent. The Thing is my second favorite movie of all time, and I think Campbell would’ve been pleased with that adaptation of his book. I think the movie ending is better than the book, though. Ambiguity is always better than a definitive answer.
The alien Thing in the story is truly the perfect organism. It reproduces by absorbing the biomaterial of other organisms and converting it into itself. Furthermore, it is a complex organism comprised of individually autonomous cells just as effective on their own as they are together. The best part about it though, is its ability to change its cells to imitate the organisms it absorbs. This ability makes the Thing the perfect ambush predator. And the paranoia it incites in the Antarctic research base is over the top exciting for the reader.
Personally, I think “Who Goes There?” is better. It leaves a lot more to the mind of the reader than “Frozen Hell.” It makes for a better horror story I think. But I am also biased because “Who Goes There?” is my favorite book ever.
Still, I loved “Frozen Hell.” It is a great story, and it was cool to read Campbell’s original intent. The Thing is my second favorite movie of all time, and I think Campbell would’ve been pleased with that adaptation of his book. I think the movie ending is better than the book, though. Ambiguity is always better than a definitive answer.
periwinklegeo's review against another edition
3.0
John Carpenter's The Thing is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I really wanted to read the book that inspired it.
It's definitely not the modern horror most are probably used to, and the style and content does feel a bit aged. Overall, there wasn't enough tension to immerse me in the story the way the movie does, but even so it was fun to see where it all started.
There are a few details in the novel that enhanced my understanding of the movie, and the characters are different enough to where I didn't feel like I was reading an identical narrative. It's a must-read in my opinion if you love the movie or enjoy iconic sci-fi monsters.
It's definitely not the modern horror most are probably used to, and the style and content does feel a bit aged. Overall, there wasn't enough tension to immerse me in the story the way the movie does, but even so it was fun to see where it all started.
There are a few details in the novel that enhanced my understanding of the movie, and the characters are different enough to where I didn't feel like I was reading an identical narrative. It's a must-read in my opinion if you love the movie or enjoy iconic sci-fi monsters.
johno's review against another edition
4.0
A different take on the classic The Thing short story, that adds more background and explores the story.
It feels slightly dated at times but definitely worth a read if you enjoyed The Thing.
It feels slightly dated at times but definitely worth a read if you enjoyed The Thing.
geeklet's review against another edition
4.0
This was a super interesting read but I have to admit, Campbell probably made the right call when he cut the chapters included in this when he original story printed. Either way, this book was a cool historical find and I enjoyed reading it. The Thing is probably my favorite horror movie and I’ll always be happy for more stories related to the idea.
zuly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The movie (The Thing- 1982) is so much better
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