My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of David Koepp’s ‘Cold Storage’ in exchange for an honest review. It was originally published in various formats in September 2019 and is published on 11 June in paperback. From the outset I was drawn into this exciting science fiction thriller and so opted to buy its audiobook edition, narrated by Rupert Friend, to allow for an immersive read/listen. ‘Cold Storage’ has a classic 50s B movie plot. In the 1970s scientists send a sample of a fungus into space abroad Skylab as part of a research project. Then in 1979 Skylab’s orbit decayed and reentered Earth’s atmosphere. A piece of it landed in a remote part of Western Australia and was kept by a local as a souvenir. Then in 1987 there is a frantic call to NASA claiming ‘something has come out of the tank’. Major Roberto Diaz and Lt. Col. Trini Romano, who work for the Defence Nuclear Agency, are despatched to the site along with microbiologist Dr. Hero Martins to investigate. No spoilers but it’s quite an encounter. Afterward a sample of this clearly dangerous fungus, that Hero had speculated had been genetically altered while in space, is stored in a secret government safe site. Years pass and the facility is decommissioned, the secret bits sealed and it becomes a private storage facility. Move forward to March 2019 as one night security personnel, Travis (Teacake) and Naomi, become aware of a persistent beep from somewhere in the building. Again, no spoilers but this was brilliant! A mutated fungus from space with the potential to destroy all life on Earth versus a few plucky locals and a retired veteran - what’s not to love? It is terrifying, horrific in very visceral terms, yet also very funny. Koepp is known for his screenwriting on Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, and other blockbuster films, which indicates that he knows how to write heart-stopping action and relatable characters. This was pure entertainment and highly recommended. I hope that he will be writing more thrillers in the future. Given its combination of retro science fiction threat and modern elements linked to climate change I also hope that ‘Cold Storage’ will be adapted to film.

This was a frightening story of what if. An intelligent fungus is making a bid to take over the world but doesn't take into account the resistance of the human race. High tension story with a great conclusion.

A highly mutative organism capable of extinction-level destruction was discovered, contained and buried deep in an underground government facility. Decades later, the organism, cordyceps novus, has been forgotten and the government unit it was contained in has been sold to a storage company, with the sub-basements sealed off. With changing global temperatures and years to adapt and develop, the fungus has found its way out of its underground prison and is now free with only one goal: to advance and spread as far as possible. One of the original operatives responsible for the containment of the organism receives an alert of the breach and races across the country to assist the two unwitting security guards of the storage facility in figuring out how to regain control of this deadly fungus and prevent the potential extinction of the human race. Cold Storage is an excellent sci-fi novel, and so relevant today. The plot is manic but entirely plausible; I could absolutely believe in a government department responsible for the discovery and containment of bioweapons across the world. I could also believe in the lack of measures put in place for biohazards that have been contained in the past, and the effect of global warming in potentially releasing these organisms from their containment. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this novel. Despite the horrifying topic and disturbing descriptions of what happened to those infected by the fungus, Cold Storage is a highly entertaining, fast-paced and remarkably easy read. Sure, there might be some scientific plot holes in there, but probably only things that biologists or mycologists would really pick up on. It was also really refreshing to me to read a novel about a deadly virus/organism that was in no way related to the Covid-19 pandemic. It reminded me much more of mutating dinosaur genes in Jurassic World than of the pandemic which, for me, made it exceedingly more entertaining. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was fun. I love a good "creature feature" and this one is definitely one of the better ones. The "creature" is a fungus in this case which is a nice twist on the genre and an effective one. The writing is excellent, with a good plot, great characters and a lot of humour. The humour is on the dark side which I enjoyed. I'll happily read this again. It's an easy entertaining read. I would certainly read another book from koepp on the strength of this one. Great fun.

A fantastic read for fans of Crichton, this is a pacy, well-researched action-packed blast of a novel. The mixture of comedy and danger in an environmentally changing world is perfect for a book you can sit down and devour in an evening. Just don't let the fungus devour you!