Rating: 
Summary: Fast paced, character driven thriller!
Review: I've started reading the Harry Bosch novels in order (I'm funning that way). This of course is the second in the series. The characters were fresh and real. The mystery in the plot was there, however when all was revealed you could go, "ah ha". Hope you enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: A GATEWAY TO BETTER BOSCH...
Review: The Black Ice is book number two in the series of books by Michael Connelly that star detective Hieronymous Bosch. It is in ways more symbolic and experimental than both its predecessor and all of its successors. While this is interesting, and not entirely without merit, it all adds up to a sum that is less than its parts.
This is the weakest of the Bosch novels so far.
There is an overwrought, yet uncompleted feel to The Black Ice. Its conclusion in particular is more than a little far-fetched and all too convenient.
With that said, here is why The Black Ice is worth reading:
1. Michael Connelly is one of the most interesting and talented writers out there. The combination of his journalistic training and his ability to paint cinematic word pictures that still work as lengthy pieces of fiction is unmatched by other genre writers.
He links all of his books together in interesting ways. Once you step into his world, you begin to get inklings of just how vast it is. This is something rare in genre fiction--at least it is very rarely done this well.
2. Harry Bosch is one hell of a character. Rather than being the one-sided archetype so often found in genre fiction, Bosch is fully human. He is exceptional in that though he is quite humanized, he is completely dedicated to his "mission" as a detective--most ably summed up by Bosch himself:
"Everybody counts, or no one counts."
(An aside: I was recently discussing with my wife who her favorite character in Stephen King's Dark Tower Series is. We have read the books together. She went the emotional route and chose Oy--a sentimental, furry little creature.
When asked who mine is (outside of Cuthbert, who is a bit player in books 1 & 4) I answered Roland.
My wife does not like Roland. He is too mission-driven for her taste. I find, that like Bosch, Roland is more human for having to labor under the weight of a mission (I also feel that Oy gives his all for the mission as well, that he is not all cutesy and cuddly, but that is neither here nor there). The point being, that Bosch and Roland are two of the most fully fleshed out characters that I have come across in some time.
I feel that this is because, conciously or not, we all live by a "mission" of sorts; be they for ill or good.
an aside within an aside: my wife likes Bosch.)
3. The Black Ice is the gateway to the rest of the Bosch books. The books take a huge leap in quality from book three on. Its well worth paying the price of admission: reading the first two books.
I recommend the Bosch series of books very highly.
As part of that recommendation, I suggest you grin and bear The Black Ice.
Who knows, maybe you will find more here than I did.
Rating:
Summary: Another superior noir by connelly...
Review: This book was even tighter in it's execution than Black Echo. Bosch figures out a series of drug related murders and the puzzle fits nicely. Connelly jumps expertly from the FBI/Break in caper of the first novel to the DEA/drug murders of the second. Is Black Ice real? It certainly seemed to be. Bosch also continues to grow as character--as do Irving and others. A superior mystery.
Rating:
Summary: Better Than The First
Review: I really enjoyed the first in the series, The Black Echo; but this one is even better. The main character, Harry Bosch, is developing nicely. The mystery was intriguing. The only predictable thing is Harry seems to become attracted to all the women. Not very discriminating, but that might be a typical male trait. Overall, an excellent read!
Rating: 
Summary: Well-Written Teaser
Review: "Black Ice" begins with the discovery of a dead cop in a motel room that appears to be suicide, and ends with a revelation (uncovered by Harry Bosch) that the cop's death was murder. However, Harry is the only one to believe in the cop's murder until events unfold to prove him correct, and the suspects are hard to come by.This is typically well-written, fully-developed, and articulate Harry Bosch, only William Connelly's second novel (after "The Black Echo"). The plot is very well constructed, with revelations evenly paced throughout. The characters are more than placecards to hold their positions for the novel to unfold. Bosch proves himself the rebel of custom and protocol as he ventures through several states and countries. Readers familiar with the Bosch cycle of novels will not want to miss this one. Readers new to Bosch are advised to read "The Black Ice" first.
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