Monday, March 16, 2009

Monday's green books series: Freezing Point (and there's a giveaway!)

Did you read a good environmental thriller lately? I guess the answer would probably be 'no' as there aren't too many environmental thrillers around. But it would definitely be 'Yes' if you have read the book we're reviewing today.

Our book for today is:

Freezing Point

Author: Karen Dionne

After dropping out of the University of Michigan in the 1970s, Detroit native Karen Dionne moved to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula wilderness with her husband and infant daughter as part of the back-to-the-land movement. During the next thirty winters, her indoor pursuits included stained glass, weaving, and constructing N-scale model train layouts.

Eventually, her creative interests shifted to writing. Karen’s short stories have appeared in Bathtub Gin, The Adirondack Review, Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine and Thought Magazine, where her entry won first place in their spring 2003 writing competition. She worked as Senior Fiction Editor for NFG, a print literary journal out of Toronto, Canada, before founding Backspace, an Internet-based writers organization with over 700 members in a dozen countries.

Karen is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Mystery Writers of America, and the International Thriller Writers, where she serves on the membership committee and the website staff. She and her husband live in Detroit’s northern suburbs. Freezing Point is her first novel.


Publisher
: The Berkley Publishing Group

Published on: September 2008

What it is about (from the author's website):

As he faces the frozen behemoth of a giant iceberg, environmental activist Ben Maki sees Earth’s future. Clean drinking water for millions, waiting to be tapped from the polar ice. The Soldyne Corporation backs Ben’s grand philanthropic vision for a better today—while making its own plans for a very profitable tomorrow.

Rebecca Sweet lives for the cause—an eco-terrorist who will do whatever she must to protect the earth. And Ben Maki’s ideas have set her on the path to war…

All of them will be drawn into a battle between hope and helplessness, power and pride. But they are about to discover that deep within the ice waits an enemy more deadly than any could imagine—an apocalyptic horror mankind may not survive.

Why you should get it:
1. It's a great thriller! No matter if you're interested in global warming (and we hope you do..) or not, if you're looking for an exciting thriller with an original plot, this is your book right here. It's not a coincidence that Dionne was called "the new Michael Crichton".

2.
Though the author lacks scientific background, she did a lot of research and integrated really nicely science into the story. And it's not boring at all. On the contrary - it really adds to the novel and makes it much more interesting and real, even for readers who needs some time to digest scientific data.

3. This is also a tale of corporate greed, which looks more relevant than ever these days With Wall Street bailouts, Jim Cramer and AIG bonuses. So forget Kramer, AIG and all the rest and escape into the shenanigans of the Soldyne Corporation. At least these ones are fictitious..

4. The story is
fun and meant to entertain, but it is an environmental thriller that also carries strong messages about the world's water crisis and global warming, and hopefully it will help to raise the awareness of readers to these issues.

What others say about the book:
“Palpably exciting. A scientific thriller about a looming global crisis far more critical than oil. Karen Dionne is the new Michael Crichton.”
David Morrell

" Freezing Point combines a strong narrative voice, sympathetic characters, and some eally coll science into a compelling read!" John Lescroart

"... the scientific and ethical themes are fascinating and timely and the remoteness of the Antarctic makes an ideal thriller setting ... surprisingly complex characters" Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating and action-packed, Freezing Point by Karen Dionne is a riveting tale of cutting-edge science, board-room greed, and the triumph of those who respect nature. Dionne's voice is authentic and fresh. Watch out, Michael Crichton!" Gayle Lynds

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

We are giving away our review copy of the book, and of course a tree will be planted for the copy. It will also come with our sticker (made of recycled paper) saying "One tree planted for this book."

How you can win? please add a comment below with an answer the following question: what's the best thriller you have ever read? Submissions are accepted until Sunday, March 22, 12PM EST. The winner will be announced the following day.

Here's the book's trailer:


If you're looking for other interesting green-themed books, you are invited to check out our green books page on our website's green resources section.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Plant a tree for every book you read!

15 comments:

Kim Rossi Stagliano said...

I'd love to enter the contest! the best Thriller I've read recently was my bank statement - no wait, that's horror, wrong genre!

I will answer the question after I read Freezing Point - OK?

If I win my email is kim stagliano at gmail.

Thank you.

Lisa Romeo said...

I'm not sure these qualify as thrillers (and I'm not saying they are the most well-written books) but way back when I was a competitive equestrian, I completely devoured every single one of the Dick Francis books about crime, treachery, blackmail, financial dubiousness, and fraud in the world of British horse racing & breeding.

Freezing Point will expand my horizons, no doubt.

Geoffrey said...

To pick just one thriller as "the best" might be a challenge. But the first thriller I read, or at least the most memorable of those I read as a teen, was William Sleator's "House of Stairs". It concerns a group of teenagers in an unspecified future time, who are brought to a place of countless stairs, stairs as far as they can see in every direction. At the risk of giving a spoiler to anyone who is currently reading or who wants to read the book, the last line of the book is, “Without hesitation they began to dance.” In innocuous statement by itself, but after reading the book the first time, that line sent a chill down my spine that stuck with me for years and prompted me to re-read the novel a couple of years ago, when I remembered the basic plot and that line, and little in-between. It’s a compelling read, and that ending line, although expected the second time around, still gave me a chill.

Anonymous said...

The best thriller I have read would no doubt be Prey, by Michael Chrichton. Besides Crichton being one of my personal favorite authors, the pages of that book almost turned themselves! I love how he develops these crazy theories, but then throws in an overwhelming amount of science to add a certain level of realism.

I'm looking forward to reading Freezing Point, however. (My email is aaronshapland at yahoo.com)

KR said...

I've never been "into" thrillers but I'm trying to broaden my horizons!!

Mindy Tarquini said...

I really really REALLY liked The Electric Church by Jeff Somers. Is that a thriller? I'm Genre Challenged. Can I have extra points for that?

I really want to win because I every time I see the gas mileage on my Prius, I get an eco-thrill. Thank you very much.

mgtarquini at gmail

Alice H said...

I really love Ender's Game - I think that is a thriller. At least its very exciting! Thanks for the chance - this sounds like another great book. alicedemske at hotmail.com

Renee G said...

I would have to say that the Cabinet of Curiosities by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston is my favorite.

rsgrandinetti@yahoo(dot)com

Sandhi said...

As I am a graduate student of Ecology,Stockholm University,me to also concerned about what happened if the glaciers are melting!

Few years ago i saw a movie 'Day after tomorrow' (i think many of readers saw that).that movie gives us a warning.

I read the Ninth day of Creation by Leonard Crane where I saw the battle between science and politics.

I think 'Freezing Point' also give us a preview what will happen when drinking water crisis will be more severe.

Miss Spoken said...

Hmmm...best thrilling might be Child 44
gkstratos@yahoo.com

clenna said...

I loved Coma by Robin Cook.

Therese said...

I like all of Michael Crichton's books

Alexia said...

Robert Liparulo write awesome thrillers! His adult fiction is, by far, the best thrillers I've ever read!

bettycd said...

I love thrillers both in book and movie form. Loved Jaws and Jurassic Park but I think Coma would be my pick for favorite.

tetewa said...

Recently read Kiss by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy!