The Icarus Hunt: A Novel

The Icarus Hunt is another good sci-fi read. I love Timothy Zahn’s story telling abilities. He is able to introduce complete new races with only a few lines bringing them to life with a true magician’s flare. The Icarus Hunt is by far one of the best reads. I dug in an enjoyed the whole mystery of what was going on. As a sci-fi action-thriller-soap-opera it flies high.

After all the fabulous character building, background filling, carefully plotted out movements, and intricate inter-weaving agendas the ending twists things sideways with an ending that is cliché and easy. The last critical bit of information is unpredictable based on anything leading up to it, which kills the book as a real mystery book because the reader has no chance of figuring it all out from the clues. This dropped the book from a five to four stars.

It is a fabulous read, lots of fun, lots of action, and many great mystery elements in a style that equals Roger Zelazny, Piers Anothony, and the other greats of fantasy/sci-fi writing. As cliché and easy as the ending is I still recommend reading it.

I am a big fan of Timothy Zahn. He is (deservedly) best known for his Star Wars novels, which are excellent and probably his greatest works.

However he has also written several phenomenal original works, of which Icarus Hunt is easily my favorite.

Jordan McKell is a down on his luck independent shipper who isn't "all that independent, actually, not anymore." A small fry smuggler for an organization that bailed him out of his debts, McKell gets in further over his head when he accepts a side job to pilot a ship carrying a secret cargo dug up from an archeological site back to Earth. Related in first person, Jordan's story carries the reader along a struggle keep a thrown together crew a step ahead of parties interested in his cargo and that epitomize "any means necessary."

A key element of Zahn's craft is his amazing intuition for how much detail to explain. This story is not about the specifics of the alien races encountered, or the mechanics of their method of space travel, etc. It's a suspense story of a group of characters we desperately want to know the fates of. But these things are necessary knowledge for understanding how events proceed. Zahn weaves just enough of the particulars that you feel like you're right there with them and know what they know. The fact that he does so seamlessly and without drawing attention to it or slowing the story down is a highlight of his writing, and this book in particular.

Icarus Hunt grabs you at word one and keeps you going until the last puzzle piece clicks into place. It also holds up beautifully to repeat readings, where all the little things overlooked the first time through lock into place and enhance your ride through Jordan's journey.

Highly recommended.

I don't know how many cross-over fans there are between the sci-fi and mystery genres, but the fewer there are, the fewer who will truly appreciate this book for what it is.

I am more solidly a mystery fan (Zahn is one of extremely few sci-fi authors I enjoy), and as such I was able to truly marvel at what Zahn has accomplished in this one extremely entertaining novel. It will not escape most people's notice that the plot of this novel is a whodunit, and that the sci-fi is only a backdrop. What most people won't realize is that there exists, or once existed, a small sub-genre of whodunits called the "cozy." In order to be properly classified as a cozy, a novel has to have a remote setting with a limited number of players, one of whom is murdered, all of whom are suspects, and a detective who calls them all together at the end for the revealing. Agatha Christie is of course the most famous author of cozies.

I was delighted to find that The Icarus Hunt, despite all improbability, fits very neatly into the catagory of a classic cozy.

Of course this type of book might not necessarily appeal to sci-fi fans who are unfamiliar with the genre of whodunits or the sub-genre of the cozy, but Zahn goes out of his way to make The Icarus Hunt appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Jordan's first-person narrative is often hilarious - to tell a complex story from a first-person perspective is challenging enough anyway, and Zahn triumphs.

Of course there's the typical Zahn - exotic places and bizarre aliens (and plenty of strange-sounding names thrown in just for fun), and the classic Zahn knock-your-socks-off surprises.

All of which makes for one of the most highly enjoyable books I've ever read. I seriously doubt there's another book like it in existence. Highly recommended to fans of any genre!

All I can say is that Timothy Zahn is perhaps among the best sci-fi authors out there, next to Isaac Asimov. His stories are all complex and detailed, the plot jampacked with twists, turns, surprises, and shockers. "The Icarus Hunt" is certainly no exception.

"The Icarus Hunt"'s main character is Jordan McKell, a star-freighter pilot who plays the role of a poor yet honest private contracter, considering that in reality he is a smuggler working for a huge crime organization. Things couldn't get worse he supposed. Or so he thought...

When he takes a job flying a strangely put-together antique ship called the 'Icarus' with a ragtag crew, little does he know that he has just landed himself in the middle of a huge conspiracy. Jordan is immediately thrust into events spiraling out of control: one of the crew is murdered, his employer seems to have disappeared, an unknown saboteur is on board, and the 'Icarus' is being wanted by the oppresive Patth who have monopolized all trade in the galaxy.

It's up to Jordan and his mechanic partner Ixil, a Kalixiri with his two ferret 'outhunters' Pix and Pax, to figure out what's going on while struggling to stay alive. The hunt for the 'Icarus' is on!

If you thought my summary was complicated, wait until you actually pick up the book! There are so many other subplots that are too numerous too count and besides, most of them are the twists and turns this book has to offer. But though seemingly 'complicated', Zahn's expertise is put to use as he deftly weaves a tale with numerous 'threads' yet makes up one intricately woven 'tapestry'. There is not one moment where the action and suspense slows down; instead, we are taken on a ride where you have no clue where it'll end!

Though written in first-person from Jordan McKell's point of view, Zahn carefully makes sure we don't know 'everything'. We do get to know most of Jordan's thoughts and theories, but there's still plenty of mystery for you to try to figure out on your own. There are lots of stories where there's such a huge build up but at the end falls flat on it's face; fortunately, "The Icarus Hunt" is not the case. The ending is just one big surprise though if you think about it, you could have seen it coming. That again is one of Zahn's talents; in that he give you so many clues, theories, details, and little surprises, you can't tell what to expect!

Unlike many of Zahn's other stories, "The Icarus Hunt" has a large dose of humor in the story. Jordan McKell's character is very sarcastic and is quite the cynic, and has a dry sense of humor which I enjoy a lot. One of my favorite part is:

"For a change, Lady Luck seemed to be smiling on me. Then again, maybe the fickle wench was just lulling me into a false sense of security while she reached for a rock."

Those two sentences sums up Jordan's character perfectly. ^_^

To sum up, "The Icarus Hunt" is something I can highly recommend to all readers who enjoys a good mix of sci-fi, mystery, suspense, action, and humor. Other good Timothy Zahn books include "The Cobra Trilogy", "The Thrawn Trilogy", and "The Conquerors Trilogy". Now, all I can say is, when are any of Zahn's books gonna be made into a movie? Now THAT is a film I'd enjoy watching if they stay true to his work!

I'm a big fan of Timothy Zahn, first up. But I'm not a really big book reader so Actually I haven't read all of his titles, just some of his most recent and all of his Star Wars titles. Angelmass, Manta's Gift are the only other two I've read.

With that said, I really did enjoy this book. It's in first person from the a highly endebted, "small time, honest" independent shipper, Jordan McKell. What I really liked was the unwinding of the plots and schemes but also I liked the speculation, the theories, the ideas that Jordan and his partner Ixil had about what really was going on. Several ideas were shot down, several were straight up wrong, more were way off and a handful were unfortunately dead on. There's a murderer aboard the ship, is it one of the crew? Who? Why? What motivation do they have? And then what is in the Icarus's sealed cargo hold that is so precious for the shipping monopoly giant Paath to launch a galactic wide campaign against them and a murderer/saboteur to remain hidden and pass up every good attempt at actually stopping them? There is someone that will pop up early on in the book and peek your suspicions... maybe... and that one character stuck out in my mind as the ONE, I had him pegged. I was so sure it was him. I kept following him more closely as I read the book, but there was enough mistery around all other characters that it was hard to completely stick to my first suspect except by faith.

It's Sci-Fi but isn't so Sci-Fi that it's overwhelming, like Angelmass had the potential to be. Neither did it have some huge moral issue, it was just a fun book. A game of Clue, it was Nicabar in the Engine room with the Rebreather! ... Doh! But the entire thing is set around some unknown technology dug up on some planet, and it is Sci-Fi enough to keep you in that "I'll take your word for it" as far as explanations of hyperspace cutters, aliens and such goes.

Though for being a First Person written novel, there were many times you didn't feel first person. I've read other first person where it is true first person, you are aware as the main character is aware, you know what they know, you see what they see as they see it. Their perceptions of things and their understandings of things is all up front for you, which really makes first person so interesting to me. But this was not anything like that. Maybe my experience with first person books are different, but this book had too many times where the main character, first person, would realize something and you would not know how, the thought process behind it, as they did. This added to the mistery, the suspense, the action and the thrill but it was definitely not what I consider to be first person. Though this type of mistery novel is best written following one person only, but you didn't feel as if you were privy to all of Jordan's thoughts. There was a time when an entire scene unfolded and you ended up thinking "How could you?" Then you come to learn why. But Jordan knew what was going on the entire time... and later you found out as well, but you found out later. That's not very first person to me, but that's just me. It could have been just as well written in third person focused on the main character only, though the style of writing did fit right into Jordan's personality, which I thought was nifty. Never have I read a first person book where the main character decieved me so many times, but again that's probably due to my small experience.

Being a Zahn book it has, what I've come to understand after reading only 3 non-Star Wars books of Zahn, the typical Zahn ending.

This novel is basically a chase through the stars. However, the construction of the aliens and some of the technology of the novel make it interesting. A race called the Patth has a near monopoly on all interstellar shipping because they managed to create a propulsion system that is significantly faster than anything anybody else has. All the other races have had to scramble for small or illegal contracts to survive. The novel opens with the main character, Jordan McKell, being hired to pilot a starship.
The novel is something of a mystery as well. The mystery concerns the fate of the employer of McKell and the rest of the crew and what exactly they have been hired to convey to Earth. Tension gradually builds as McKell is questioned by authorities on route to the Icarus and then he meets several other strangers who will be the crew of the ship. They all have different histories that McKell doesn't know anything about; trust and suspicion run throughout the story.
Some of the more interesting ideas in the story are that monopolies, trade and the like will continue in much the same form in the future as they do in the present. There are even several criminal organizations in the novel, which are involved, in typical Mafia like actions such as drug smuggling and extortion. So much of SF assumes a Star Trek like universe where there is no shortages of food or anything else and everybody has everything provided for them. This aspect of realism made the novel more believable. Usually, hard science fiction focuses on predicting future technology or science (and giving plausible explanations for them), whereas this novel simply had technology as part of the background with mystery and characters taking the spot light. The novel does a have a Star Wars (Zahn has written several Star Wars novels) feel to it and this may turn off some readers.
The different aliens in the story are somewhat inventive. McKell's partner Ixil has two "ferrets" (originally used as hunting aids in his race's ancient history) that can obey simple orders, plug into Ixil's nervous system and provide him with all the information they gather. One of the alien races finds zero gravity environments very comfortable and they are in high demand to be space walkers (i.e. go outside space ships and perform repairs).
I thought the ending was somewhat unexpected; there is a sudden revelation about McKell and his mechanic-business partner Ixil that seems too easy but I doubt there would be a better way to resolve the plot. I do not want to reveal the ending but it seemed so clichéd; that said it was no predictable, in my view.
I gave the novel three stars not for any major error; I am not inclined to regard a straight adventure story like this as literature. The exploration of any significant theme seemed to be lacking as well. Philip K. Dick once said, "Science fiction is a literature of ideas," and that is lacking in this novel. It is fun to read yet it is nowhere near as trashy as Harlequin romances or similar fiction.

Just to get this out of the way first: Book plot: 4 stars
Audio book narration: 2 1/2 stars
I had this book on my "to read" stack for over a year, when I found the audiobook. Listened to the unabridged version (the only way to listen to audio books!!) of the book on my daily commute to and from work (9 cassettes).
I was NOT impressed by Jonathan Marosz's reading. Marosz's patterns of speaking rarely changed during long sections of descriptive narration and the first person description. His voice was monotone in places and Marosz continued to use the same inflections and cadences throughout. It was occasionally painful to listen to until about the 3rd cassette tape when the author greatly increased his use of dialogue between the characters. There, Marosz began to alter his tone, voice, dialect, etc. in such a way to keep the listener's interest.
Zahn, however, created a very interesting novel--more of a mystery novel set in space than a science fiction novel with mystery overtones. The characters are interesting and varied, although many of the minor characters are a bit too minor.
Zahn doesn't show all of his cards until the final pages. You will definitely be kept guessing until the last minute. One of the most fascinating elements for me was the main character's ever changing theories. Many mystery novels present a detective who unerringly goes down the correct path. Zahn's Jordan McKell has to change his theories often as new facts come to light.
One thing that I would like to have seen was a picture or diagram of the "Icarus", the spacecraft described through the book. I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the halls and rooms.
One final remark on the audio book. The publisher provided several great features for those who enjoy audio books: (1) The narrator states which cassette and side you've reached and tells you when to insert the next tape. I hate when you are uncertain whether to turn over the tape or insert the next one.
(2) The narrator repeats a sentence or two at the beginning of each new side or cassette. This helps get you back to the story more quickly.
(3) The sides end cleanly. When you are asked to turn over the tape, the audio begins immediately--no rewinding or fast-forwarding is necessary.
This audiobook includes an excerpt from Episode I of Star Wars at the end.

Once again, Timothy Zahn has demonstrated his ability to stun any reader who reads his work.
Jordan McKell is a spacer in a galaxy that is as diverse as any Star Wars creation. He is a transport pilot in a galaxy where his trade is monopolized by the alien race Patth. They hold the trading world in their hands due to their technology, and therefore forcing everyone else out of business.
Jordan has racked up a huge debt and is working for a leading crime lord when he is offered a job by a well known business man: Deliver the starship Icarus to Earth. Short on money, Jordan agrees and sets off on an adventure that is of epic proportions. With a rag-tag crew, Jordan has to make it to earth in a ship that is as strange as it's unknown creators, and with technology that has everyone else in the galaxy out to grab it.
Going from world to world, running into everything from bounty hunters to drug addiction in his own crew to a killer on board the Icarus, Jordan and his friend Ixil have to get the Icarus to it's rightful owners.
(...)
The Icarus Hunt is a beautifully written work of Science Fiction, and written on the scale of any epic book or movie series. The book incorperates everything a sci-fi fan wants: Action, mystery and suspense. A must for anyone who calls themselves a Science Fiction Fan.

The trouble starts when a stranger in a tavern hires Jordan McKell to fly a spaceship to Earth. Jordan arrives at the spaceport to find a ragtag crew hired off the streets and a pile of money and a note from their employer asking them to fly off without him and deliver the ship's sealed cargo safely to Earth. Their employer is wanted by the authorities on a murder charge and is currently on the run.
Soon after takeoff, it's clear that there's a saboteur and murderer aboard as their equipment constantly malfunctions, a crew member dies and another nearly gets killed. Meanwhile, authorities across the galaxy are on their trail, eager to intercept their mysterious cargo.
Jordan, who has a secret agenda of his own for taking this job, has to find the murderer and figure out the secret of their cargo while keeping the ship out of enemy hands and keeping his own secrets hidden.

This sci-fi mystery was a good time. Great characters, cool premise, and I loved the continuous plot twists up to the end! It's fantastic when when books like these manage to tie up the plot lines in a neat little package. Very satisfying read.

It's obvious from the review comments that the vast majority of people reviewing this book (both those who liked it and those who didn't) have no idea what they are reading. This book is, plain and simple, an homage to Alistair MacLean.

Furthermore, it is right up there with the best of the MacLean thrillers (Circus, Breakheart Pass, Where Eagles Dare, Guns Of Navaronne). The plot twists and hidden identities follow the MacLean patterns exactly, as does the intentionally ambiguous first-person narration, in which the main character tells you he is hiding something from you but does not tell you what it is.

Zahn's later novel Night Train To Rigel is similar, but the MacLean influence is toned down a bit and elements of Hitchcock, Noir, and horror films are woven in as well.

However, taken as a whole, The Icarus Hunt works somewhat better than Night Train To Rigel.

This novel is cross between a mystery, sci-fi, spy and action adventure story. When Captain Jordan McKell is approached in a down-market bar in port to Captain the freighter Icarus to Earth. It looks like a fairly straight forward job but as soon as he gets on board things started to go wrong and one murder later he was sure that at least one of his new crew was not what they seemed.

This novel is set in a rather sleazy galaxy where all the interstellar shipping has gradually being bought under the control of a species who had developed an efficient and inexpensive stardrive putting people like McKell out of a job and onto the fringes of society.

If you don't like mystery novels you'll probably hate this book, but it is a well thought out chase and deception story which leaves its real revelations to the last chapters. As a stand alone novel this is great read in a well thought-out universe that is certainly different from most other Sci-Fi novels.

The Icaras Hunt is one of the most enjoyable novels I have read in a while. With so much subterfuge it looks like a cold war spy novel, and a fully developed univerese, it is one heck of a book. The politics of economics, with the iron monopoly of the Patth, is a subject that is not just glossed over. The power that the Patth possese is very real, and relevent to us in our modern world. Of course this book is not here to preach, but to entertain, and it does succeed in this. The plot is well crafted, and the suspense is maintained through to the last page. The ending is almost cliche, but not bad enough to cause the book to disapoint. The first person perspective that some readers dislike is to me a major plus. I love being able to see inside a characters soul, their thoughts and motivations are very important, especially in understanding the ending. What is revealed on the final pages colors the entire book. I am almost tempted to reread the whole thing to get the full impact. I often hesitate to give a book 5/5 stars, as that implies perfection, but not this one. This is a perfect book, fleshing out a strange new universe, populating it with character the reader cares about, and then taking us on the ride of our lives. Good job Zahn.

This book is one of the most enjoyable I have ever read. Zahn has outdone himself with this book - it is much more enjoyable than even his previous excellent work in the Star Wars universe and elsewhere.
Yes, the characters were rather flat and predictable, and the universe wasn't terribly scientifically accurate, and the book in general wasn't any piece of "great philosophical literature" that pushed your mind to its limits. Because it wasn't trying to be - it's just trying to be an entertaining story set in a universe that, albeit unrealistic, is pretty damn cool. And the main character, McKell - I mean, c'mon, how can you not like him? He's Sherlock Holmes rolled into Han Solo, with a dash of Indiana Jones. He's suave, clever, and seems to be thrust into a bad situation. You can't help but empathize with him.
And the plot was most enjoyable. The unending plot twists are well-developed: surprising enough to, well, surprise you, but logical and reasonable enough to maintain the plausability. I was kept guessing up till the very end. And yes, the very end did stretch it a *little* bit, but by the last page, it doesn't matter. You've grown so attached to the characters and universe that you don't care if the solution is a tad cliche, as long as it works. (Which it does.)
All in all, this is one of my new favorite books.

This book was awesome. It is one of a few books that I would classify as one that you CAN'T PUT DOWN. The reality Zahn creates for this novel is brilliant and exciting. The mystery and intrigue is amazing as you try to figure out what in the world is going on. Zahn keeps you guessing right up to the very end. And that's where the fun starts. I don't think I have ever read a more disappointing ending, in part because it was built up so well.

For a more detailed review of all three books, go to drembic.weebly website and check the Book Adventure Blog (posted 12-17-13)
Disclaimer: These reviews are not posted for any compensation. My only goal is to help others find books worth reading and avoid books that have issues.

I mean it when I say it, this book is one of my all time favorites. I have it on my shelf to this day and I have read it many times. I am not the type to usually get into a story with a first person narrator, they always seem to sound a bit stuck up, but this one truly amazed me.

Once again, Zahn has become bored with not just the world that he lives in, but the whole galaxy as well. The book is full of all the political intrigue, mystery, and scientific esotericism that makes a Zahn book as amazing as they are.

Even better, the story is one self contained novel. No need to read a whole series to get moving. No prelude to set the stage for the epic. Just one great, fast paced convoluted and mysterious storyline told from the perspective of a slacker with a rather entertaining outlook on life.

Definitely one of his best. Well done Timothy Zahn.
Also, if you liked this author go check out the Conqueors Trilogy. That was my first taste of a Zahn story and it is also a trilogy that I keep coming back to.

I had not read a novel in over 10 years and never was into sci-fi books, but this book was given to me and I had time to read it, and was very entertained! This book is very exciting and I kept on reading it, wanting to know what's going to happen. The book is not perfect, but it's still worth five stars. I guessed who the killer was from the begining, but that's ok; it was only one of the subplots of the novel. The trip Zahn took me(the reader) was exciting, adventureful, etc. In addition to, I enjoyed the suspense mystery feel, and the ending was great; I did not expect it. Even though it's a sci-fi novel, it had a realistic feel to it and related to the characters in the novel. This is the first time I read a Zahn book and now I'm very interested in checking out his other books. More writers should read his books to know how to write an entertaining novel.

This is an interesting mystery novel from Timothy Zahn set in outer space. The other reviews here give you plenty of details regarding the story so I thought I should only point out a few things I particularly enjoyed:

1) The novel is hard to describe according to type or genre. It is a sci-fi novel wrapped around a mystery story with buddy story elements thrown in. Overall, the novel is thoroughly satisfying on all counts when you realize what Zahn is doing.

2) Zahn packs a few interesting plot twists that will have you continuously guessing. Nothing will prepare you, however, for the surprises at the end. Sorry, you will be suckered and surprised no matter how smart you are.

This was a solid, readable book, the sort of novel that I put down feeling glad that I had read it but without feeling any urge to recommend it to my friends.

Timothy Zahn seems to enjoy tossing well-worn situations from other genres into a science fictional setting. The Green and the Gray is a story of gang warfare updated to include aliens and tossed into a post-9/11 New York City; Manta's Gift is a traditional coming-of-age story set in the clouds of Jupiter; and this book, The Icarus Hunt, is a familiar whodunnit tossed onto a spaceship.

The formula works well enough. By allowing details of the situation to emerge slowly and carefully, Zahn kept me guessing as to the culprit without ever making me feel like he was cheating by withholding information.

Still, the mystery just wasn't that intriguing, and the space opera universe was so familiar as to blend into the background. In the end, this is worth reading if you're a fan of Zahn's, but if you're drawn to his work by his Star Wars novels and want to read a similarly fast-paced action-oriented SF story, I'd check out The Green and the Gray or his Cobra Trilogy instead.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about a debt-laden smuggler who accepts what he believes is an unusual (for him) legitimate job flying a cargo to Earth. He quickly discovers that he is actually smuggling a universe shattering (politically speaking) alien device.

This novel is combination space opera/mystery/political thriller. If you're looking for hard Sci-Fi, this is probably not your cup of tea. There is no social commentary. Nor is there any navel-gazing or nerdy commentary on intricate future technology.

As far as offensive content the story has no offensive sexual content and not much profanity. Obviously there is violent content.

I would like to start out by saying kudos to Timothy Zahn for somehow managing to tell a first person mystery novel, where the exact idendinty of the narrorator is a large part of the mystery, and making this somehow work out in a belivable manner. The novel is about two smugglers who are trying to transport a mysterous ship back to earth aginst the wishes of the galaxies most powerfull race. Zahn agian shows his talent for writing very entertaining novels within rather thin worlds. He has written some of the only good star wars novels (Sorry but Star Wars is best left on the wide screen), and uses a similar type of universe for this book.

Often times Sci Fi books require reading several novels as part of a series. But what if you just want to enjoy a sci fi book without the long commitment? While Zahn's Star Wars trilogies are stuff of legend, his stand alone novel Icarus Hunt is a relatively quick read. But don't be mislead by the brevity. The characters are rich and multi facited, the plot has several unexpected twists and new worlds are described in brilliant creativity.

This is the first Timothy Zahn book I've read but it won't be the last. It started out as an adventuresome science fiction novel and then swung unexpectedly into a mystery equal to Sherlock Holmes(delightfully twisted). The ending was unpredictable but great. My older teen daughters also enjoyed it and they don't typically go for science fiction. They were a little disappointed that there wasn't more romance but there was sufficient male female involvement and they just got sucked in! One DD read it, then her sis and then of course I wasn't going to be left out.

I started reading as a Star Wars fan and found that Timothy Zahn wrote some of my favorite books. (Thrawn Tirlogy and Duology).

I quickly traversed to his other works and happened upon this book.

A quick and interesting note is that all of Zahn's works are loosely connected by a time line.

Books like Manta's Gift are set in the near future when Humans are first begining to explore out beyond the planet Earth. The conqueror's trilogy is set with some of the first contact with an Alien species, and the Icarus Hunt is set further in the future where man has explored farther into the reaches of space and has met all sorts of new races in far of galaxies.

However this book seems to reach beyond all the others as the most perfect all-rounded work that Zahn has put together.

The book reads exquisitely, putting the reader in the center of the action by writing in first person.

The story follows our hero through a thought random contract to move a mysterious ship across the galaxies to Earth, with a random crew who all have their own secrets.

If your a sci-fi, mystery, or Zahn fan, this one is for you. It has Aliens, action, mystery, and plenty of unexpected twists and turns, right up to the very end!

A wild ride, and I admit, the only book I have ever read more than once!

My husband and two of my sisters-in-law love science fiction. Me, not so much. "The Icarus Hunt" is the sci-fi book for people who don't like sci-fi, much as the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich is the mystery series for people who hate mysteries.

What Timothy Zahn has created is basically a gumshoe novel based in space. His characterization is wonderful, and the plot is more than satisfying. I've recommended this book to just about everyone I know.

And, you sci-fi fans, my husband -- a certified sci-fi geek -- loved this novel, too.

Timothy Zahn can really take you for a ride & drop you intosome impossible situations! As well as writing good science fiction,he does extremely well at mystery too. In a universe of iron-fisted control of all galactic shipping, renegade Jordan McKell survives by dabbling in interstellar smuggling for the last of the free traders. It was good to read a book again that made me feel like a kid again, with characters I really liked doing things I really liked, in a plot that let me forget about the details & just live in the adventure...

What a disappointing piece of tripe! Zahn provides a vague (and hugely improbable) framework, then tacks on disjointed chapters one after another. Each new chapter pulls rabitts out of the hat that have little or no foundation laid for them. The central mystery can be guessed by a nine year old before you are halfway through the book. When he finally tires of tacking on more unlikely escapades, the denouement is a cross between Agatha Christie style "Let's have everyone sit down to dinner with the murderer" and the US Cavalry riding over the hill in the nick of time.
Unless you have absolutely nothing better to do on an airplane flight, give this one a pass.

I thought the book was sufficiently interesting to read through to the end. A good, enjoyable read that kept me interested. I cannot say, however, I would include it on my list of books that I would recommend to someone.

This book is amazing! It has everything you could possibly desire: mystery, intrigue, action, comedy, and a surprise ending that leaves you speechless. It's well written; one of the best I've read in ages. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.I loved this book so much, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to finish it quickly and see how it ended, or read it slowly, drawing it out so that I never had to return it to the library.
Very descriptive when it comes to technology, but in an entertaining way; you'll never feel bored with the text. Storyline is a little confusing, but everything becomes clear in the end, I promise. From the first sentence to the last one, you feel as if you're right there beside the main character.
I'm recommending this to all my friends, and even my foes! No one should miss out on this!

If you've never read Zahn's first three Star Wars novels, by all means stop reading this review and add them to your shopping cart. But if you've read Zahn before, you already kind of know what you're getting into. He's not going to wow you with Gibson-esque prose, but Icarus Hunt is entertaining, fast-paced, and good-natured sci-fi. I found myself liking the main character, Jordan McKell, and his partner Ixil. The mystery twists enough to keep you going, and the end isn't a let down.

I must be a true Timothy Zahn fan now, because I found my self actually laughing at his goofy humor (whereas I groaned through most of the "comedy" in the Star Wars novels. Why is Luke going into a bar and ordering a hot chocolate?) If you're a fan of Zahn, you'll enjoy this book.

This was the first original Timothy Zahn novel I'd ever read. I say 'original,' because my only previous exposure to him was his Star Wars novels, which I fully believe should be made into movies. So, I gave it a shot.
This book blew the back of my head out, and I mean that in a good way. It's a science fiction book, pretending to be a mystery novel, acting like a road trip story, masquerading as a crime book. Zahn weaves all these different styles together into a brilliant tapestry, and his first-person narrative, through the eyes of Jordan McKell, is the perfect finishing touch. Add to that this little caveat -- that no one, but NO ONE here is exactly who they appear to be -- and you've got a rollicking story that will keep you hooked until the very last page.
Just try it. It's worth it.

The entire book could have been half the size if it wasn't in first person. This way we wouldn't have to listen to Jorden's babbling in his mind. I nearly put it down several times because of this. As far as the ending, It's ok to have twists and turns like in "The dark beyond the stars" but this ending had no hint of this through the entire book. It looked like Zahn ran out of steam and couldn't figure out how to end it. I did enjoy the friendship and slight humor between Jorden and Ixil.

An enjoyable journey with clues liberally sprinkled throughout. This book is Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in space. Zahn does a nice job here with character development and pacing. Of course every planet and every alien around exists on earth-like planets breathing earth-like atmospheres, but I guess that's why its called Science Fiction. I really enjoyed the concept of Jordan's partner Ixil and Ixil's "symbiotic" partners Pix and Pax. Nothing too deep in the story but an easy and enjoyable read.

Timothy Zahn has for a long time been one of my favorite Sci-Fi authors. Ever since his Conquerer's series and, of course, the Star Wars books (which, I would like to add, are the best Star Wars novels to date!) But The Icarus Hunt went as far as to exceed the extremely high expectations I had for any Zahn book. It is a unique twist of imaginative Sci-Fi and intriguing Mystery. And Zahn did a wonderful job delivering. I just could not put the book down until it was finished. I highly recommend it!

A very good yarn, with some twists you don't necessarily see coming.
Noir in space? Your standard down on his luck guy, struggling to get
along in space, comes across something. He has various entanglements
with local and not so local crime figures to try and sort out. However,
all is most definitely not what it seems as you get much further into
the book.

I really enjoyed Zahn's story. It was set in a believable universe with interesting characters. The best part of the book is that I thought I had it all figured out when he threw in a great twist near the end that took the story to a much better ending than I had guessed. I was really impressed with the book as a whole, but the ending was epic.

I'm not sure what edition this is, and why there isn't another review. It says that this edition is out of print and I wanted to make sure the reader understands that there are other editions in print. I have recommended this book to several people who read from a variety of different categories and all of them have been satisfied. I am somewhat new to SciFi (less than 2 dozen) and I have been reading mysteries and detective novels such as Patricia Cornwell, Mary Higgans Clark, Michael Connelly. Etc. The Icarus Hunt is a great mystery novel (that just happens to take place mainly on a space ship) even if you don't normally care for SciFi. Zahn has the ability to write cover to cover action and this is a great example. This book is a must read.
I have just finished reading Zahn's "Spinneret" and feel I must put in a plug for it as well (although it *is* out of print). I am a definite Zahn convert and will be spending more time in the SciFi section in the library.

This book is proof of why Timothy Zahn is the greatest writer of all time. The plot is full of twists and turns, combining mystery with science fiction. After all the adventure throughout the book, the ultimate twist is at the end. I was definitely surprised, and so will you be. It's a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it for the adventure loving reader.

The plot tists in this Zahn masterpiece are mind bending and the suspense is literally heartsopping. If you've never read a Zahn book this is a good place to start. In some ways this novel reminds me of Mission Impossible and Minority Report in the way that they make you think. Zahn is one of the best character writers in all of Sci-Fi. Keep it up Mr. Zahn and you'll no longer be the best kept secret of the industry (Aside from Star Wars book goers he's pretty much an unknown.)

Perhaps just people from Washington did not like this book or.........
I have to agree with Mr. Klausner's review of this book. I was very disappointed. I had the murderer pegged in this "mysterious" plot with the introduction of Jordan McKell's partner as the new ship mechanic. I found that the spaceport scenes were used over and over with slight variations. In addition to this there seemed to be a never ending contradiction with the main character....one moment he is sly as a fox and the next he is a bumbling idiot. Last but not least, th ending was pure cheesy "Here comes the cavalry all at once with 2 minutes planning" type of thing which made me want to throw this book across the room.
Mr. Zahn - do not get angry. I suggest you run your next mystery through an editor or a couple of friends and take suggestions regarding content or plausability before you publish the next one.
Regards,

Nice long novel self-contained in one book. Fairly deep science fiction novel. Throw a big dose of mystery into the mix. Keeps you guessing until the very end where it's all wrapped up very nicely.

(forgive bad spelling) Zahn has done it again. Icarus Hunt is immursive and intriguing. As in all of Zahn's books, he's created an atmosphere so real one feels as if they've lived in the world he's created all their life. Zahn takes this a step further, however, by adding a powerful level of intrigue. From the eerie decks of the Icarus to the busteling streets and cantina's, from the secritive, almost 2001-esque discovery of the Icarus to the very interior of McKell's quick thinking mind, everything feels real to the point where you can, for example, hear the creaking of the Icarus's structure. The book is top notch and leaves you asking for more. Kudos to Zahn for another excellent volume.

I've read all of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars novels and they are all excellent. In fact, I'd say he writes the best Star Wars novels of any other author in the genre. Having run out of Zahn Star Wars novels, so I picked up this book, The Icarus Hunt and found it very difficult to read. I stuck with it to the end, but I was getting confused over what actually happened and the page-after-page speculation of the characters discussing or thinking to themselves about what happened. That all seemed pretty pointless to me. For example, the door is open. "Who opened the door? Maybe it wasn't closed all the way and gravity pulled it open. Or perhaps a mysterious traitor aboard our ship went in there to do something devious. When we landed, there was ample time for someone to sneak in, but perhaps we came back earlier than the perpetrator expected and didn't close the door all the way to avoid making any distant noise of a door closing and alerting us to his presence."

This is NOT an actual quote from the book, but something I just made up as an example to how pointless it is to read a characters thoughts about what MIGHT be or COULD be. Ok, the door was left open. We get it. Move on.

I respect Mr. Zahn and the hard work and effort it takes to write and create a novel. But that doesn't mean I think everything he touches turns to gold. This is a stinker and I expected better. Mr. Zahn set his own bar with his previous books. I expect all of his books (fairly or not) to meet or exceed that bar he has set.

I'll try another non-Star Wars Zahn book next. I am hoping this was just some weird experiment gone wrong for him and his typical excellence.

one of my favorite books. if you're looking for an engaging science fiction novel with interesting characters and a story that you can't put down, read this. Zahn, as in all his novels, creates a realistic world with intense story-telling and a sense of adventure. this is my personal favorite zahn book so far. check out his two star wars series' and conqueror series. my only problem with the book and some of his others is that he seems to wrap up the ending in a nice, neat package all in one chapter. this is minor, however, because his character development and storytelling are among the best in scifi.

This is good science fiction in the classic sense. A rousing adventure of an alien economic empire using all their resources to capture a single ship trying to bring an alien artifact of great importance to earth. A very consistent and exciting story. Bravo!

This book is really awesome. I mean, there are so many secrets, and once you learn one of them, you want to read the whole book again and just say 'Duh!' to yourself, because now that you know that part of the truth, it seems so odvious that that was what it was in the first place. I know that seems complicated, but if you read the book, you'll see what I mean. And the very end REALLY turns the whole story upside down. Any fan of Sci-fi should read this book.

i was attracted to this books because of zahn's wonderful success on his starwars novels.
this book was no disappointment. the content was refreshing and the plot very well paced.
Jordan mckell(the hero) is one space pilot you would wanna meet!

As a fan of mysteries, science fiction, and Timothy Zahn, I was delighted to find this book. Sure, it was not a deep, thoughtful work, and the ending seemed a bit deja vu, but this book was entertainment at its best. The twists and turns kept me flipping pages all the way through the night. After the slightly cliche, but nevertheless suprising ending, I went and reread the book. It's amazing how Zahn had subtly worked all the clues to the killer's identity and Jordan's job description throughout the entire novel. Definitely worth the time!

This is the quintescential overlooked and underrated sci-fi novel. Very solid. Zahn has grown as writer since the Star Wars days; he weaves the yarn with startling precision. Another very entertaining book of his is Conquerers' Legacy, the third, and standout best, of that less-than-brilliant series.

I highly recommend The Icarus Hunt for a fun, fast-paced, space adventure and mystery. Although the main character is likely to remind you of one Han Solo, and some of the technology is borrowed from Star Wars (e.g. hyperdrives), the story line is distinct from the Star Wars universe. I must disagree with a previous reviewer who panned the reader of the audio book, Jonathan Marosz; I've listened to dozens of audio books, and felt Mr. Marosz ranks as one of the best readers.

Coming to this book after having read several of the author's Star Wars novels, I was surprised at his ability of creating a future with no reference to the SW universe at all, either in technique or creatures/races. The book is a solid build-up of tension, with a very unexpected twist in the end. The setting is solid, and clear, you can build up a very nice view of the galaxy at the time of the story. Best thing is, reading it again won't spoil it.

Zahn is an excellent Sci-Fi writer and this book doesn't disappoint. He creates an excellent universe and a great set of characters. The book could easily be the lead story in a fascinating series. However, this book isn't Sci-Fi in its purest form. It's more a murder mystery wearing Sci-Fi clothes. So if you enjoy both Sci-Fi and Mysteries, this is the book for you.

Coming to this book after having read several of the author's Star Wars novels, I was surprised at his ability of creating a future with no reference to the SW universe at all, either in technique or creatures/races. The book is a solid build-up of tension, with a very unexpected twist in the end. The setting is solid, and clear, you can build up a very nice view of the galaxy at the time of the story. Best thing is, reading it again won't spoil it.

Zahn is an excellent Sci-Fi writer and this book doesn't disappoint. He creates an excellent universe and a great set of characters. The book could easily be the lead story in a fascinating series. However, this book isn't Sci-Fi in its purest form. It's more a murder mystery wearing Sci-Fi clothes. So if you enjoy both Sci-Fi and Mysteries, this is the book for you.

I usually don't like books written in the first-person. For one thing, you generally can figure that the main character makes it (they usu. do anyway) through alive, if he/she is telling you the story in the first place. But this was a good story all around. I liked the setting, the characterization, the pace. Pretty much everything I was looking for in a space opera book without all the entanglements of an established universe to cope with. Give it a try.

Zahn ventures into merky waters with this one! Zahn taking a first person perspective keeps you flying, shooting, running, and dodging, all while trying to solve the mystery. This is an excellent read for anyone who loves mysteries, or science fiction, or well- both!
Thank you Mr. Zahn!

This turned out to be a suprisingly good book. I have to admit that when I begun reading it I was put off by many melodramatic cliches reminding me of Humphrey Bogart but . . . as I persevered I decided that it was indeed worth my time. For everyone out there who is at first "put off", give it a couple of pages. I wound up enjoying it so much that I am here looking for other novels by Timothy Zahn.

I have never been a big science fiction reader, until I picked up the Icaras Hunt. It was my first Timothy Zahn novel, and I loved it. The book flows in a way that drags you in, making you feel like it is more science than fiction. The plot is exciting and the characters well developed. I strongly reccomend this book to anybody who likes to avoid the unrealistic side of science fiction.

This was awesome. Zahn is the best writer ever in my opinion, and this book was amazing. I tried to figure it out throughout the book, but even when I thought I had it figured out, Zahn reveals more info, leaving me thinking "Wow, that's awesome" This is surprising and always changing, even at the very end you think you know what's happening, until another factor comes into play.

A powerful epic of non stop action, Thimoty Zahn manages to write a novel that you can't stop reading until the end. I won't tell how it ends, but it brings a big surprise and a redemption for two of the most unforgetable characters in the phanteon of heroes in Zahn's biblioraphy. Highly recomended!!!!

This book is written in a genre not used much. It is basically a Agatha Christie novel done in space, and done very well. I could not put the book down and finished it in 2 days. Very enjoyable. If you liked Simon R. Green's 'Fischer and Hawk' series you will love this. This is a must read. I only hope Zahn writes more novels in this series using the present characters.

Ixil, McKell's alien partner, alone is worth reading The Icarus Hunt for. McKell's sardonic devil-may-care narrative was a riot, even though I'm not fan of first person tales. Typical Zahn, ingenious, entertaining, hard sf. He never asks you to believe the improbable and always keeps you reading. Go for it.

This book is a mediocre mystery/detective novel cloaked in bad science fiction. The characters live in a futuristic world with very advanced star drives, but have no DNA sampling devices, no cameras on the ship, a computer that is comparable to what was commercially available in the 1990s. The word "science" is just an excuse for a book written to make money. Good English does not make a good book.

Timothy Zahn is the greatest sci-fi writer currently. I always anticipate his books knowing I will have a good read and a hard time putting it down. I was not disappointed. Zahn's character and plot building skills keep a person glued to the story. This book keeps the reader guessing as to what is going to happen next and what is actually happening until the very end.

It's very well-written and an excellent addition to any Science Fiction (or even a mystery) fan's library. I don't tend to like 1st person POV's in stories, so I was skeptical at first of the decision to write "Icarus Hunt" as a 1st person POV, but as the story progressed, I couldn't imagine it being written any other way.

Zahn did a good job reworking the cliche of hardboiled detective in the scifi milieu. Although springing surprises at the end is generally bad form and smacks of laziness on the author's part...it can be forgiven in this case. Not literature quality like Iain M. Banks...but definitely worth buying.

This book is yet another great zahn book. great characters, great plot, and enough twists to keep you guessing at the end, not to mention his last great twist. an amazing book i just couldn't put down. i highly recommend it.

I have rather eclectic taste so it's been a while since I ventured out into space and I am quite pleased with this book as my vessel. The story was good and solid with interesting aliens and many many twists and turns all fairly plotted until the mystery was finally solved. Totally an enjoyable read.