Review/Giveaway - A Line in the Ice

Today, I’m a host on the Novel Publicity Blog Tour for A Line in the Ice, a Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romance novel published by Carina Press. See my review below. You may comment here  for a chance to win a copy of this intriguing book.

STORYLINE: Six soldiers are stationed in Antarctica in close proximity to a rift from which monsters are appearing. A man emerges from said rift claiming he’s from a place called Illyria.  His forefather fought in World War I and disappeared along with his squadron, after doing battle with Aquorian monsters. 

Captain Charlie Weller is attracted to the stranger, Lysander, who is determined to return to Illyria and defeat the enemy who has wiped out his countrymen. It’s hard for the soldiers to believe his story and harder still to make a decision to venture into Illyria and run the risk of leaving the world they know behind.

PLAYERS:  Lysander Davis - makes it through the rift, crawls on to the ice on the Antarctic side and collapses. Steady and determined, are words I’d use to describe this character. He’s single-minded in his quest to return to his homeland and save whoever might be left after the takeover by the Aquorians.

Capt. Charlie Weller - is a tough-as-nails soldier, no-nonsense on the job and very good at what she does. In terms of disposition, she contrasts with Lysander who is gentle by nature and likes Shakespeare.  Though she comes across as a hard-ass - and she has to be to survive harsh working conditions – her softer side shines through in the way she looks out for Lysander and how she operates within the ‘family’ structure of the team-of-six soldiers.

I LIKED: the fact that the book starts mid-action. I wanted to read this novel, having seen the excerpt from the first chapter. The pacing is good, along with the storyline, so that I finished reading this 96,000 word adventure in no time.  The novel is written in such a way that the rift doesn’t seem far-fetched. It is clear that times have changed and the rift between worlds is just another fact of life. The six soldiers represent different countries and are assembled to protect the world from marauding monsters.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT: the gore that came with getting up close and personal with the Aquorians. Lysander loses it in one segment and really does a job on a prisoner – a pulverized alien is not a pretty picture by any means. That said, I understand him taking out his fury on a member of the race that was in the process of destroying his world.

The attraction between the two develops quickly, which is okay, given the extreme situation and that fact that time is precious as Lysander is dead set on crossing the rift into Illyria.

The love scenes are steamy, but a tad bit jarring as they probably slip into erotica. I thought that yeah, Charlie would probably refer to her body parts in blunt language, being a both-foot-on-the-ground kinda girl, but somehow, I built an image of Lysander that didn’t allow me to see him using the same kind of earthy language. 

OVERALL COMMENTS: A Line in the Ice is an absorbing read, even for those like myself who don’t regularly read Paranormal and Sci-Fi books. The explanation of technologically advanced equipment is credible and easily understood.  There are no way-out names to confuse me, as sometimes happens with the Paranormal & Sci-Fi genre.  The world, both on this side and in Illyria, is familiar but diverse enough to still be interesting. The Aquorians and how they controlled the Leviathan is another cool angle. Clearly, this two-woman team of writers is big on imagination.

RATING: A Line in the Ice is a truly awesome read.

If you like the sound of A Line in the Ice, please leave a comment and/or question here for the authors in order to enter the contest to win a copy. You may tweet for extra entries and help spread the word. Just leave me the link. The draw will be done this Friday, August 19, 2011.