Unabridged Audiobook
Beyond the Ice Limit is a techno-thriller that is simultaneously a horror thriller, which is the trademark style of Preston & Child. In terms of depth in regards to character and story, you will find much more of that in The Ice Limit, which is the prequel to Beyond the Ice Limit, although that book does not involve Gideon Crew as it was written long before his series came into being. As far as Gideon Crew is concerned, this is the apex of his series and is everything that his prior novels have been building toward, as well as being the purpose of his existence. Given its premise, Beyond the Ice Limit is a very plot-heavy novel, and if you've read the prior Gideon Crew books, especially The Ice Limit, you will know that this book is under pressure to be the culmination of everything that was started. Thus, the expectations for it are a bit higher than what it can meet, especially considering that it has to meld together the Gideon Crew series and The Ice Limit standalone thriller, which it tries its hardest to do. It doesn't have an ace for everything up its sleeves, and in terms of character you will especially find that it's very restricted to the big three of Gideon, Garza, and Glinn. No one else in the story really gets fleshed out because the story does not have time, again, because of the premise. You can't go wrong, however, with the excellent research of Preston & Child and also their sheer imagination and creativity. From marine engineering to nuclear engineering, from surgery to submersibles, from chemistry to physics—they've got it all covered, so rest assured, you're reading a very smart book. I especially found the underwater episodes to be very entertaining and suspense filled, and what's probably the best are The Ice Limit easter eggs, the nature of which I won't spoil for you. If you really want to properly enjoy this, go read The Ice Limit first. I did not read any of the Gideon Crew novels prior to Beyond the Ice Limit, but I wouldn't dissuade you. The first time I read this, I had not read The Ice Limit, but the suspense all the same felt like it would give me a heart attack. I burned the midnight oil just to get it done. I found it a little shallow in the aftermath, but I will not say that it's poorly written in any sense of the word. The plot is all that matters. The narration by David W. Collins is good, but maybe a little dry. He speaks very crisply and clearly and does a good job giving each character their own voice. The audio quality is certainly to my standards.
The book was ok up until the end where it seemed rushed as if the book was due to the publisher. Very much a disappointment compared to his other novels.
Enjoyed it but not as compelling as previous Gideon Crew books. Too much description and too little plot advancement. Seemed to drag the story out.
I have been a fan of Preston & Child for many years and this is the first book of theirs that I "listened to" instead of "reading". It was just as terrific as usual. Their plots are always thought provoking and always on point. Thanks for the great entertainment.
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