michaeljpdx's review against another edition
4.0
You can find my full review of Chasing Cold at my web site.
majeric's review against another edition
3.0
It is odd reading a book where the dramatic tension is placed completely on protagonist's discovery of the unknown. Although, I'm not entirely certain that it's not just my own tension that comes as a consequence of the literary reveal of unknown.
As a reader, I was expecting the other shoe to drop and it never came. It's not to say that I wasn't satisfied by the book. It's an interesting exploration of a universe but I did find myself wanting more.
It's reading about the echo of events that I would have liked to have experienced. Perhaps in their conflict and horrificness.
In a harsh and violent universe, the author tells us how harsh and violent it is but shies away from showing us.
I suppose that's like "real life". We often hear of things worse than we experience them and how that impacts us. I imagine this story to be no different than picking up and leaving to move to a different country.
Still, I want to know what happens to the characters next. There still seems like more story to tell.
As a reader, I was expecting the other shoe to drop and it never came. It's not to say that I wasn't satisfied by the book. It's an interesting exploration of a universe but I did find myself wanting more.
It's reading about the echo of events that I would have liked to have experienced. Perhaps in their conflict and horrificness.
In a harsh and violent universe, the author tells us how harsh and violent it is but shies away from showing us.
I suppose that's like "real life". We often hear of things worse than we experience them and how that impacts us. I imagine this story to be no different than picking up and leaving to move to a different country.
Still, I want to know what happens to the characters next. There still seems like more story to tell.
coty9816's review against another edition
4.0
Good book. It started a little slow for me. After the first couple chapters it picked up and I really liked the story. The characters are well done. I hope there is a book two.
apostrophen's review
5.0
Having read Stephen Graham King's wonderful short fiction before (in NORTH OF INFINITY II, where his "Pas de deux" was the gem of the collection), I knew when I opened CHASING COLD that I was about to delve into a story which delighted in characters both deep and intricately tangled - and I wasn't let down in the slightest.
At its heart, CHASING COLD's story is a journey. Humanity as been left with nothing but the worst worlds after the Flense arrived and forced humanity to leave the lush and fertile planets behind over a century ago. Rogan Tyso is one of the descendents of these survivors, living on a frozen planet (the aptly named Frostbite) and working to keep his colony connected to the others through messages received along their network. When an opportunity presents itself for him to leave - and potentially make a real, humanity-altering change - Rogan boards one of the few ships still flying and leaves his home, his family, and everything he has ever known for this possible future. That a handsome and intriguing man also awaits on the other end of the trip doesn't hurt, but even in this there is the tremble in Rogan's thoughts - "What if?" looms throughout the story; what if this is the wrong decision? What if Rogan himself isn't up to the challenge? What if the whole thing turns out to be a mistake?
The core (and strength) of the story is in this decision. Journeying with Rogan, the complexity of King's character unfolds as he struggles to keep up with whole worlds that are new to him, and his interactions with the ship's crew are a joy to read (one of the best cast of characters I've read in a space opera styled book in a long time). King also delivers a wonderful "after the fall" spread of cultures that we glimpse through Rogan's eyes, from Frostbite itself (where people think nothing of piling into bed together for communal warmth and comfort) to the harsher realities of too many people crammed into too small a space. There's a verisimilitude here that was carefully crafted.
Make no mistake, the journey is the destination - but I will say that the ultimate destination itself doesn't disappoint. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a piece of space opera science fiction this much.
At its heart, CHASING COLD's story is a journey. Humanity as been left with nothing but the worst worlds after the Flense arrived and forced humanity to leave the lush and fertile planets behind over a century ago. Rogan Tyso is one of the descendents of these survivors, living on a frozen planet (the aptly named Frostbite) and working to keep his colony connected to the others through messages received along their network. When an opportunity presents itself for him to leave - and potentially make a real, humanity-altering change - Rogan boards one of the few ships still flying and leaves his home, his family, and everything he has ever known for this possible future. That a handsome and intriguing man also awaits on the other end of the trip doesn't hurt, but even in this there is the tremble in Rogan's thoughts - "What if?" looms throughout the story; what if this is the wrong decision? What if Rogan himself isn't up to the challenge? What if the whole thing turns out to be a mistake?
The core (and strength) of the story is in this decision. Journeying with Rogan, the complexity of King's character unfolds as he struggles to keep up with whole worlds that are new to him, and his interactions with the ship's crew are a joy to read (one of the best cast of characters I've read in a space opera styled book in a long time). King also delivers a wonderful "after the fall" spread of cultures that we glimpse through Rogan's eyes, from Frostbite itself (where people think nothing of piling into bed together for communal warmth and comfort) to the harsher realities of too many people crammed into too small a space. There's a verisimilitude here that was carefully crafted.
Make no mistake, the journey is the destination - but I will say that the ultimate destination itself doesn't disappoint. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a piece of space opera science fiction this much.
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