Cold Fire

A re-read for me. Cold Fire feels like an unfortunately overlooked book, rarely mentioned and possibly not as remembered as many of his other titles. Yet it’s definitely one of his most solidly plotted books. Sure, the novel insists we suspend disbelief, but this is a supernatural thriller, so no one should have a problem with that. Koontz gives us a hero who has a power working through him. Our hero calls this power God, but it may not be a benevolent one. May not be good at all. Part of this book works mainly owing to the portion of human nature, which knows some humans don’t deserve to be called animals, because animals behave better. Ultimately, it addresses many questions. The two most important being, how damaged can a person show more be by disaster and grief? And how strong is the healing power of love? show less

Review by Jeremy Taylor

Dean Koontz is without question one of the modern world’s most prolific fiction writers, and few outside the world of professional literary criticism would question his credentials as an entertainer. His books contain stories that sometimes horrify and often inspire; his characters prompt readers to examine their own lives and motivations; his plots keep his fans turning pages late into the night.

In recent years, Koontz has drifted away from the pure thriller, striking a more introspectively humorous tone. The Odd Thomas series, for example, along with standalone novels like Life Expectancy and The Husband, present philosophical explorations of things like relationships and fate. Cold Fire is not such a book. show more Though it certainly contains philosophical and even theological elements, it is first and foremost a thriller.

Jim Ironheart is grocery shopping when he feels a sudden, inexplicable—though not unfamiliar—call. “Life line,” he says to a woman standing next to him, and then his life changes.

Jim, for reasons he can’t begin to understand and by means he can’t even dream of, has become something of a superhero, feeling drawn to seemingly random places at seemingly random times, arriving often with only seconds to spare before he finds himself in a position to save a life. He attributes this strange ability to the call of God in his life, and though he doesn’t understand it and doesn’t even always appreciate it, he accepts it.

Holly Thorne is a reporter who witnesses one of Jim’s acts of unwitting heroism. Intrigued by his uncanny ability to always be in the right place at exactly the right time, she opens an investigation into his history. What she finds draws her and Jim together as they uncover secrets long buried and face a danger more sinister than anything either of them could have imagined.

The book’s action is nonstop from virtually the first page, as readers are drawn into Jim’s unique life and Holly’s determined quest. As the story progresses, Koontz takes very little time out for deep questions, but several interesting issues come up in dialog between Jim and Holly. The most compelling of these has to do with the nature and identity of God, whom Jim credits with having called him to his extraordinary life.

The book—the first two-thirds of it, anyway—is therefore profoundly religious, though not in the typical Protestant, Evangelical sense. God is undeniably present, but his nature is not always kind. The basic religious worldview of the characters can be summed up in this excerpt: “Adam disobeyed and ate the apple, gobbled up the fruit of knowledge, so God decided to let him know all sorts of things, both light and dark. Adam’s children learned to hunt, to farm, to thwart the winter and cook their food with fire, make tools, build shelters. And God . . . let them learn, oh, maybe a million ways to suffer and die. He encouraged them to learn language, reading and writing, biology, chemistry, physics, the secrets of the genetic code. And He taught them the exquisite horrors of brain tumors, muscular dystrophy, bubonic plague, cancer run amok in their bodies—and not least of all airplane crashes.”
Later, a character says, “I’ve met up with some people who’re such walking scum, it’d be an insult to animals to call them animals. If I thought God always dealt mercifully with their kind, I wouldn’t want anything to do with God.”

The story is certainly exciting—breathtakingly so at times. One of the highlights (though not the ultimate climax) is a plane-crash scene that typifies Koontz’s bare-knuckle writing style that puts the reader right in the middle of the kind of chair-grabbing suspense largely missing from his more recent works.

Cold Fire contains little foul language, though there are a few fairly tame sex scene and several passages containing violence. Some readers may object to Koontz’s depiction of God as a largely unknowable mystery, but for those who appreciate the idea that God works in mysterious ways and enjoy the fact that things aren’t always what they seem, this is Dean Koontz at his best. show less

Gripping paranormal thriller with x-files vibes that made me nostalgic for the 90s. This is the first book I've read by Koontz. I enjoyed the writing style, it is flowery in places but very descriptive. The characters are likeable; Holly in particular comes into her own as the story progresses. The book grabs you from the start, it's at times action-packed, at times dark and creepy, and at times romantic and amusing. I loved it!

Jim Ironheart seems to be the ultimate superhero. He's good-looking, super strong, kicks ass, and saves lives, but he's also humble. He keeps to himself, never sticks around to take credit for his actions, and lives a quiet secluded life. That changes when he crosses paths with Holly Thorne, a reporter that witnesses one of his miraculous interventions. Having reached a low point in her own life, Holly sees the discovery of this vigilante as a boost to her career but soon discovers there's something sinister lurking beneath Jim's good-guy act. The first half of this book moves quickly as it chronicles Jim's conquests, but the second half gets bogged down in the supernatural aspects of the story as Holly helps Jim come to grips with his show more power and his past. The end brings it all together, but this is still not one of Mr. Koontz's best efforts. show less

Typical of Dean Koontz, this was an engaging and well-written read that falls short of five stars only because the ending left me feeling deflated for a reason I have yet to put my finger on; perhaps because it felt as though the book was a gift package that had been finished with a polyester bow when I wanted silk.

As I finished the last line in this book I let out a sigh. Not for relief that it was the end but because it has taken me way too long to read it. It was my car book so I only read it in the car if we were running errands and I had a few minutes while waiting in the vehicle. So many times I wanted to take it in the house to devour in one sitting but I fought the urge. I was able to drag it out, which is always nice when it comes to a favorite author.

This is an older book then my most recent reads by Dean Koontz. I love his writing style and have yet to read one I haven't loved! The beginnings of the story with the ability of the main character to predict disaster in order to save a person reminded me of the great Odd Thomas. I love the show more paranormal/sci-fi twist in a lot of Koontz novels. I can't wait to choose my next Koontz read, maybe will go in search of another oldie! show less

Holly Thorne’s life and job as a reporter was at a stalemate until she meets a mysterious Good Samaritan named Jim Ironheart. Right before her eyes, he plucks a young boy from the street just minutes before a deadly truck comes sailing over the crest of a hill. Captivated by his blue eyes and humble manner she decides to use her skills as a reporter to track him down. What she finds was more bizarre then she could have imagined. The boy is not Jim’s only heroic act; stories all over the wire tell of a blue-eyed man who saves people just in time and then disappears into the shadows. When Holly finally catches up with Jim, she learns that he needs her. His gift of being lead to save people is tearing him apart, and without a little show more love to keep him together he may just go mad.
This book is about the power of literature to influence the mind of a boy to do extraordinary things with his gifts a force so influential that it last until his adult life, and the power of love to tame it all. I love this book and unlike Dean Koontz’s other books Cold Fire is not as filled with horror, just suspense and mystery that will keep you turning the pages. This was my second time through this book and it will not be the last. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Sci-Fi, mystery, suspense, love, romance, and books that change your life forever. show less