Title: Icebox
Author: Mary A. Lonergan
Publisher: LitFire Publishing
ISBN: 978-1643986944
Pages: 204
Genre: Science-Fiction
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
With the state of the world today, it’s easy to see how so many stories can reflect the harm and dangers facing our world and humanity itself. As Stanislav Grof once said, “In the kind of world we have today, transformation of humanity might well be our only real hope for survival.” In author Mary A. Lonergan’s book Icebox, humanity finds itself put to the test when Earth faces extinction.
A mysterious woman, not from Earth, named Zella appears to a collective group of people, with a stern warning that the planet and humanity is facing a catastrophic event like no other, and there is no stopping it. However as part of a collective council, she is authorized to take up a little over 200,000 people from Earth to restart on a new planet in a new solar system. The journey for a select few begins, and the mission to restart humanity on better terms takes many twists and turns as their understanding of the universe as a whole takes off.
This was a fascinating read. Although the genre in the sci-fi theme has explored the end of the world scenario many times, the author does so in this story with a unique mythology and lore that feels both established and new to the reader all at once. One of the more interesting things about the author’s writing was how the futuristic sci-fi setting and story was blended with what felt like a Victorian era style of writing, as shown in this passage, “Oh yes, you’re right, I forgot about your trip. Where are you going? Is it pertaining to your work?” The characters speak with a proper and structured tone rather than the more modern laid back and informal tone that readers are used to, making for an interesting and intriguing read.
This is a book for anyone who enjoys fictional sci-fi tales and possible dystopian futures. As a fan of the genre myself, it was interesting to explore the detailed approach to survival and journey into the unknown while also highlighting the personal interactions and relationships built amongst those of the chosen. This creates a unique blend of larger than life settings and personal and intimate storytelling that readers can get behind.
Overall this was a fantastic read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of Icebox by Mary a Lonergan today as the book is a complex study of how humanity treats the planet and themselves, as well as the true understanding of the universe, all within a quick and easy read. This is a book not to be missed, and really pushes the envelope on the sci-fi genre.