50 Books in 2026

The Soda Springs Library is hosting a 2026 reading challenge.  The challenge is to read 50 books this year (or 25 for younger readers), and have them signed off by library staff members.  There are prizes along the way for reading, and a grand prize of a library hoodie with the completion of 50 books.  There is a list of category prompts and signup information available at the library.  As often as possible, I will try to post my results from the week.  If you would like to submit a book review for your part of the challenge, you can email it to [email protected].

“Frozen Hell” by John W. Campbell

For my second week, I ended up reading “Frozen Hell,” a new edition of the classic John W Campbell, Jr.  book “Who Goes There?” edited by Alec Nevala-Lee.  The editor came across the manuscript tucked away in a collection of papers from the Campbell’s estate while working on a book about golden age (mid century) science fiction authors.  Campbell is most famous for editing the pivotal monthly magazine Astounding, which was later retitled Astounding Science Fiction.  The magazine was the launching point for dozens of the most important writers in the genre as it took on its modern characteristics—Asimov, Leiber, Silverberg, et al.  

Although Campbell spent the majority of his career as an editor, he began as a writer, and penned one of the most important and influential stories in the science fiction with “Who Goes There?” in 1938.  If you don’t know it by that title, chances are you know it by its film adaptations, 1951’s “The Thing from Another World” or, more likely, 1982’s “The Thing,” starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, and a pack of good-boy huskies who have a terrible day.  

The story introduced the concept of protoplasmic, shape-changing aliens into popular discourse, and probably paved the way for the related “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” themes.  For it’s part, it seems to be somewhat influenced by H.P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness” from 1931, but is a much more action-oriented tale.

The story takes place at a m Antarctic research station, where a group of scientists are busy conducting a range of experiments on the hostile, frozen environment.  Functionally, this allows for an isolated location, as well as collection of different experts to play off one another’s preconceptions and skills.  

During the course of their research, a magnetic anomaly is detected below the ice sheet, which the team investigates.  Eventually, they uncover a large crashed craft and a entity of some sort, frozen solid while apparently attempting to tunnel up from the space ship.  After inadvertently destroying the ship and extracting the alien, they return to the base to perform a more complete autopsy.  This is the point at which the more familiar version of the story starts, and the rest proceeds along the lines that most people are familiar with, including the blood serum test, husky kennel chaos, and paranoid and unresolved final act.

This new version adds an extra 30% or so the total length, which does change the pacing and impact a bit.  In the originally published version, the characters are largely two-dimensional character types, which works for a quick high-concept story.  In the expanded edition, the characters become much more human, and as a result the tension about who may or may not be the alien is much more emotional and effective.

The difference between the two versions is interesting in what it demonstrates about the importance of “where the story starts.”  The originally published version starts after the main antagonist is already on site.  It essentially begins “in medias res,” which literally means “in the middle of things.”  This allows the plot to kick in immediately, and the action to launch straight off the jump.  The longer version is much slower, and in many ways starts as a speculative science story until it abruptly shifts into the horror story it has come to be known as.  In my opinion, the effect of that shift is worth the wait.  Establishing a believable real world makes its potential destruction much more weighty.  

If you are a fan of the original story, either of the movies, or classic sci fi in general, this is a great read.  I read it for my “Book that involves an element of weather” selection.  For the upcoming week, I’m working on a selection for the “classic you’ve never read but always meant to” prompt.  At least I mean to.