The Elder Ice by David Hambling
Stubbs a boxer turned enforcer is drawn into a nebulous plot involving Shackleton and a mysterious artefact. There is public disorder and a chaotic plot but one is left understandably frustrated by the lack of emotional authenticity, the hero’s dim-witted complacency and lurkers with strangely boring malevolent intentions. This was largely irrelevant and implodes at the end as Stubbs stops indulging in indirect action and fist fights a horrifyingly vacant Lovecraftian creature. Unruly behaviour is affirmed and this was inefficient and less than credible.
Best Lines:
“Maps older than Noah.”
“We’d be wanting a word with you.”
“I didn’t think anyone ever actually says ‘ill-fated’,”
“I didn’t know there were any Irish crown jewels.”
“There aren’t anymore.”
“You family goes back a long way, Mr Harcourt, and it has a particular reputation.”
“I’ll ask you to break the door down, if you please, Mr Stubbs.”
“Their empire has never fallen and never will.”
“Mad enough to try to wake Them.”
“Certain families still remember their loyalty to those that sleep in the hills, and they guard the old magic.”