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Jan 03, 2010

Margery rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 22, 2011

Book Chick City rated it:

"Blood & Ice" is quite an original vampire story. It intertwines the past and the present day to give us two stories which run parallel to one another. The story of Sinclair and Eleanor in Victorian England and the other of Michael Wilde, present day photographer and journalist, who travels to a remote research station in Antarctica to write a story for a magazine.

I much preferred the present day and found the characters to be interesting. I liked the background to Michael, t More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 09, 2009

Megan rated it:

Fun twist on the paranormal genre. When two bodies are found in the antarctic ice, we find out how they got there, and fear for the folks that found them, especially journalist Michael Wilde who came to the South Pole to escape his own painful past.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 16, 2011

Diana rated it:

Ugh. Great, wonderful idea but BAD execution. This story suffered from some serious plot pacing and character problems which made this book a chore to read. When a book is still, on page 300, setting up atmosphere and introductory relationships... Really? I mean, come on. The book could have used some serious editing. I like lush prose as much as the next person (read: quite a bit), but not every single character action and thought needs to be described in meticulous detail. I don't need More...

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Jan 19, 2012

Themistokeles rated it:

Inhalt: Michael ist, nachdem sich bei einer Klettertour mit seiner Freundin Kathrin ein Unfall ereignete, in eine tiefe Depression gefallen. Denn Kathrin liegt im Koma und wird nie wieder aufwachen.
Nun bekommt Michael, der Fotograph und Journalist ist, die Möglichkeit einen Artikel über eine Forschungsstation in der Arktis zu schreiben. Das Angebot ist das erste, was Michael wieder reizt und er beschließt sich dem Abenteuer Arktis zu stellen. Auf dem Weg nach Point Adélie lernt er den Meer More...

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Sep 27, 2011

Sarah rated it:

“(Audiobook)
2.5 stars
If you're looking for some almost-tense, pseudo-horror escapism, look no farther than Blood and Ice by Robert Masello. This book certainly won't make you smarter, it won't change your life, but you'll be fairly well entertained and you might even be given a rudimentary history lesson on the Crimean War. For the history/wikipedia enthusiasts, you might even dig into a little more about "The Charge of the Light Brigade." Always fun to branch out into other More...

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Sep 25, 2011

Schnaucl rated it:

It was interesting for the most part but started to fall apart at the end.

I just started getting into photography so I was interested in the bits about that. I'm not entirely sure I understand the point of using a mono/tripod on a ship deck. If the ground is moving won't that blur your image anyway?

I also liked the parts with Ollie, although I'm not sure scientists would really have approved with interfering with the natural order.

<spoiler>I think th More...

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Aug 15, 2011

Sharon rated it:

Completely unputdownable! So this book has sat on its shelf for several months as I have become totally bored by the whole vampire/werewolf subject, I decided to give it a go yesterday and couldn't put it down...seriously, you know its a good read when you are cooking/cleaning/brushing teeth/driving whilst carrying this book pressed right up to your face (Ok so not driving) ...by 2.00am this morning and after telling myself 'ok, just one more chapter' about 3,678 times I finally gave in to sleep More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 25, 2011

Edafe rated it:

Blood and Ice struck me as two stories that might have been perfectly good on their own but were spliced with ill effect.

The modern day story is the more gripping. It follows Michael Wilde, a photo journalist languishing in depression and his journey to the inhospitable south pole. Masello describes the scenery and fleshes out the challenges well, giving us little details that make the story seem authentic.

The historical story follows the fortunes of upper class Sinclair and More...

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Apr 25, 2011

Evie rated it:

4 Stars Recommended

For most of the book, Blood and Ice, is two incredible stories, beginning 150 years ago with the harrowing events that transpired on the ship, Coventry, once it was blown far off course into the dangerous waters of the South Pole. Sinclair, an affable, idealistic young soldier, and his beloved, Eleanor, are chained together and thrown overboard into the freezing glacial waters. What crime did they commit that the crew thought they deserved such treatment?

Fast forward to pre More...

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Feb 07, 2011

Rebecca rated it:

This book may look, and even sound, like a Vampire novel, but don't be fooled. The blurb will tell you that this story centres around the discovery of 2 bodies in the Antarctic sea, but it really deals with the build up to it. The supernatural elements don't even really begin until 2/3 of the way through.

However, as much as I would like to be critical of the book I can't; it is very well written and hopelessly engaging. This seems to be the beginning of literary fiction reclaiming th More...

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Apr 05, 2010

Daniel rated it:

The conceit--vampires at the South Pole!--is ridiculous enough to be good trashy fun. John Carpenter's The Thing used a similar idea to make a kickass horror flick, after all. And the author's description of the Pole's scientific station is fun enough. But a central plot point is so stupid, so completely idiotic, that it ruins the whole book. Its presence in the book spoils it, so I don't feel bad about this spoiler.

Imagine a fish that contains some sort of antifreeze in its bl More...

5 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 29, 2010

Jeannie rated it:

Love Enchained Through Time-

In 1856 the HM Brig Coventry, tossing in a wild maelstrom is thought to be cursed by two unwanted passengers. When an unusual bottle of wine is found by one of the crew members, the captain is hailed and warned that Mr. and Mrs. Copley are of evil nature. To save the ship from plummeting down to Davy Jones Locker, Sinclair and Eleanor Copley are bound in iron chains and with their sea chest of strange wine bottles, are tossed overboard to drown in icy sea More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 12, 2009

Kelly rated it:

Vampires in Antarctica? What an original premise! I'm in one of my periodic "sick of vampires" phases, but Blood and Ice sounded different enough to be worth my while. I was especially curious to see what Masello would do with the polar seasons; a vampire might have to lay low all through the summer, but could wreak havoc 24/7 in winter!

Unfortunately, Blood and Ice never grabbed me. I knew I was in trouble when I encountered the prose in the present-day chapters (which are i More...

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May 13, 2009

Cheryl rated it:

Michael Wilde is a journalist for Eco-Travel magazine. His boss offers him the chance to travel to the ends of the earth or pretty much close to it. He tells Michael that he has set it up where one reporter is being allowed to go to Point Adelie in Antarctica, near the South Pole. This assignment would be to take pictures of the Adelie penguins and write a report on them. Michael knows he can't pass up an opportunity like this, so he agrees to go.

While out on a diving expedition, M More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 24, 2011

Zara rated it:

Ich fand es recht schwierig in die Geschichte hineinzufinden. Erschwert wurde es mir durch die parallel laufenden Handlungsstränge am Anfang. Ab der Hälfte "flutschte" die Story aber in einem durch.
Die Geschichte um Michael Wilde fand ich sofort interessant und mitreißend. Besonders den Schicksalsschlag, den er erleben musste und wie er damit umgeht, haben mich gefesselt.
Mit der Parallelgeschichte um Sinclair und Eleanor hatte ich anfangs zu kämpfen. Erst ab der Hälfte de More...

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Oct 06, 2010

Barbara rated it:

i was disappointed. The premise looked great but the book didn't deliver the read I'd expected. The detail on the antarctic seemed well researched and it was interesting but there was a bit too much of it for the thriller this book is supposed to be. The word vampire wasn't mentioned until about 2/3 through which I rather liked but after that I felt the book lacked something. The plot was a bit shaky in places. Why were some 'victims' so violent and yet the woman wasn't? The scientific 'solution More...

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Dec 23, 2009

Katherine rated it:

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Apr 20, 2009

Tripp rated it:

I have a love-hate relationship with horror novels. It is mostly hate, as it is a debased genre, but I keep trying. I saw a fair bit of notice about Robert Masello's Blood and Ice, and I somehow got it into my head that it was a bit of supernatural horror along the lines of the Relic, a book mostly and unfortunately known for the bad movie version. That is not the case.

Relic is all about creepy atmospherics, a terrible nasty beasty and then a bit of mystery as well. Blood and Ice has More...

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Oct 09, 2010

slayra rated it:

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4 comments like

Jul 05, 2010

Andy rated it:

A wonderful read. For a start this is an intensely well written book, with superbly drawn out characters. The research that went into writing this book is clear on every single page, sometimes painfully so when Masello goes into a little bit too much detail - especially when describing the clubbing of seals and then pulping them for oil. I don't generally get squemish, but that was a little bit too much. Plenty of moments where the author focusses on what appears to be random elements, which l More...

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Aug 01, 2011

Kimberly rated it:

I received a free ARC of this book when in Britain and decided to post a review. Though I don't normally like vampire books, this one was interesting. It's set in both 19th C England (Eleanor and Sinclair) and present day Antarctica (Michael). Michael, a photojournalist, finds a pair of bodies trapped in ice while on a scientific dive. The bodies are retrieved for study and once thawed unexpected things happen. Eventually the scientists come to the conclusion that the pair are not dead, and are More...

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Jun 22, 2011

Hope rated it:

This masculine (whatever that means) romantic adventure was a just-right treat for me! The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because I found the ending to be a teensy bit implausible. Or worrisome. Something. But I enjoyed the heck out of the rest of it. I loved the author's incorporation of the real Florence Nightingale as a supporting character in the historical story line. I loved the vivid descriptions of modern-day life at the South Pole, especially since I was reading them wh More...

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Nov 26, 2011

Katie rated it:

I quite enjoyed this book, I picked it up in the library because I like reading about Antarctica and I also was intrigued by the element of some vampires.

Robert Masello did a fabulous job of describing the bleak and derelict landscape of Antarctica and as Frozen Planet is currently being shown on UK TV I could really picture it in my mind. I liked the intertwining of the two separate times - Victorian England (and later the Crimean War) and the present day in Antarctica. After reading More...

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Jun 03, 2009

Richard rated it:

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Jan 19, 2012

Susan rated it:

I am really on the fence about this book. The premise is terrific and I really love the genre bending blend of science fiction, the supernatural and historical fiction. It's nice to see an original take on the overdone vampire story!

That being said, I felt the story lacked character development and the ending left a lot to be desired. The whole thing had an unfinished feel, particularly if the author is not planning a sequel. It almost read like the author created an outline and More...

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Nov 05, 2010

Jevron rated it:

I wanted to like this a lot more than I ended liking it. The whole story feels like it's building then never really seems to hit it's peak. If you are looking for a 'vampire' story, this isn't it. This novel is far more concerned with ice, fish and snow than exploring what it means to live forever. There are some beautiful moments and some truly delightful touches but they are all too few and far between. All you are left with is a VERY slow story about the South Pole and it's wildlife. It's wel More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 22, 2009

Hannah rated it:

I feel like I'm being a little harsh by giving Masello two stars, because I appreciate the difficulty of the writing process and two stars? Really? Well, I did lose interest by the middle of the book and I had to hang on to get to the end. Why? After you realize what is going on, the balloon is deflated...there is nothing spectacular to keep the story moving forward at the same speed to sustain curiousity. On a brighter note, I did appreciate the historical aspect of the book and for those who More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 31, 2009

Barbara rated it:

Michael Wilde has the chance of a lifetime to go to Antarctica as a photojournalist. He has many adventures and photo opportunities until he makes the biggest discovery of his career. While scuba diving in the ocean beneath Antarctica, he sees a woman frozen in the ice. A huge block of ice is cut around her and she is brought to the surface and put in a huge tank in order to melt the ice. The group of scientists leave her unattended while the ice melts. However when they return, the ice has More...

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Mar 15, 2009

edifanob rated it:

I won this book at a bookspotcentral giveaway.

Anyway I could resist to start reading the book immediately and I didn't regret.

About the book
The title makes good in his promise. There is a lot of ice because most of the story takes place in the present Antarctica. And there is blood. We find a lot but it is important.

There are two story lines which converge after a while.
One takes place in the middle of the 19th century. We follow cavalry officer S More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

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