Cold Storage A Novel

Really enjoyed, 3 stars as a lot of "bulk and filler" that didn't add anything for me.

A thriller with distinct characters who face a very aggressive threat to humanity from a fast-adapting biological (and seemingly sentient) species of cordyceps (fungus/mushroom). Definitely written in “acts” like a screenplay with scenes that keep the action moving once the characters are introduced. Government bureaucracy is slightly lampooned with the real emphasis on the everyday people who are living their lives when they become caught up in something life-altering. Five stars for the pacing and page-turning (I mean, stopping and listening so I don’t miss anything) experience. It’s not like we ever doubted the ending, but sometimes one just needs a fun adventure.

The book was so much fun. Its typical in ending but nice drive towards the end of the book.

It started out really good. Similar to Hot Zone. But then it slowly fell into a story similar to the Blob. It took effort to finish.

Since Michael Crichton died back in 2008, I’ve been looking for other authors that could match his work in the bio/tech thriller genre. There’ve been a few books here or there that were close, but none have been able to combine character/plot development with humor with truly thrilling and believable stories the same way that Crichton could. Jurassic Park, Airframe, The Andromeda Strain . . . these are all-time greats in the category. I suppose it should come as no surprise then that perhaps the closest contender I’ve read thus far worked directly with Crichton in screenwriting the original Jurassic Park movies. David Koepp’s Cold Storage is the story I’ve long been waiting for. The novel starts in the 1980s: a fast-growing fungus with world-destroying potential (in simple terms, it makes people explode) is discovered in Australia. It’s successfully contained and put into cold storage deep underground by an entertaining duo from the Pentagon’s bioterrorism unit. The fungus is basically in a coma. Thirty-ish years later, the underground unit has a self-storage facility built on top of it, having long been forgotten by anyone who matters. But, in that time, the Earth’s temperature has risen, and things start to leak. Who gets called? Our same heroes from before, now verging on elderly, along with a couple of self-storage employees. It’s a slow build of a story, but that means Koepp gets to spend time building characters that the reader really cares about and roots for — even if they’re a little bumbling and a little less sexy than what you’d typically find in a thriller. Once it gets into the meat of the plot, Cold Storage is nearly impossible to put down. It’s funny, unpredictable, heart-pounding, and perhaps most importantly, really fun — which is a trait that a lot of thrillers unfortunately lack, too often taking themselves far too seriously. Like Crichton, however, Koepp wonderfully conveys both the possible reality of the situation, as well as the absurdity of it. A highly enjoyable read. Here’s to hoping he writes more books just like it.

I admit, when I got the email saying my request for Cold Storage had been approved, I didn't actually remember requesting it. Then, when I went to download it I remembered, Jurassic Park guy! I really enjoyed this, lots of action from the outset, well developed characters and a unique view from Cordyceps Novus! I work with a screenwriter occasionally and I did feel a little like I was reading a screenplay with extra padding, but this would not be apparent to a regular reader who would be happily carried along by the fast pace, well placed humour and a need to know what was going to happen next...this would make a great film! I would love to say more and delve a little deeper, but I really don't want to give anything away! A wonderful debut from a wonderful storyteller. Definitely recommended!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read. The pace was great, and the humour really shines through in the book. You can really hear the story, as if it's the author telling the story himself. The little quips inserted throughout the book fill it with whimsy. I found the story to be simple, yet engaging. The action kept me reading, and I enjoyed reading.