ICEFALL

Alaska becomes a battleground when alien creatures threaten the entire world in Newman and Land’s SF thriller, the first in a series.

U.S. Army soldiers are mum on details while rushing married couple Kai and Jules Bevins to Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier. The Californian astrobiologists are there to investigate an alien ship that’s been uncovered inside a chasm in the ice. Kai and Jules, who had no choice but to bring along their 11-year-old daughter, Charlie, quickly realize that something has disembarked from the craft. In little time, they and the soldiers are facing off against strange, vicious beings. Elsewhere in Alaska, two state troopers find a seemingly deserted town and bodies that have been left in horrifying conditions. All hope is not lost—an otherworldly artificial intelligence has awakened nine towering warriors who’ve been in stasis for 1,000 years; their purpose is to defend Earth against such threats. But with the extraterrestrial creatures spawning at an alarming rate, it won’t be long before there are no earthlings left to save. Newman and Land waste no time in jump-starting this novel as troopers search for a “wayward delivery van” under Alaska’s heavy snowfall. The story masterfully builds to thrilling moments, such as the arrival of “the Nine.” Intense clashes showcase the Nine’s advanced weaponry (including nanotechnological kaelens that take on various forms) and take nerve-wracking turns (like creatures “slamming parts of themselves against the windows, spiderweb cracks appearing in the moments before the black metallic remnants of the ruined sentinels shattered the glass with violent thrusts”). Once the action decelerates, the authors add layers to the cast, such as the Nine’s gradually returning memories and a secret that Jules keeps from Charlie. It all culminates in a memorable climax that leaves several potential avenues for sequels to take.

Dynamic characters headline this exhilarating fusion of action and alien horror.