Frozen Hell is the previously unpublished extended version of Campbell’s influential novella, Who Goes There?, best known for inspiring film adaptations such as Hawks’/Nyby’s The Thing from Another World and Carpenter’s The Thing. The latter is notable for more accurately representing the shapeshifting nature of the creature, whereas the original 1951 film merely has the creature as a vegetable-based monster (visually akin to Frankenstein’s creation).
The main difference between Frozen Hell and the originally published version is the addition of three chapters at the start of the story. These chapters do provide a bit more context for events, with some nice foreshadowing and dread for what’s to come, but they are also overlong and sometimes tedious. I have not read the story in its original form, but I do not doubt that it is more effective in its brisker state. As soon as the initial three chapters are over, the pace picks up significantly and the strength of the piece is Campbell’s selling of the feeling of paranoia, as well as some Lovecraftian descriptions of the indescribable “Thing” itself. Although the prose can be a bit clumsy and the characters all blur into one, I still found it to be an entertaining read, though I think my familiarity with the film adaptations aided my imagination somewhat.
This edition comes with two introductions, one from Robert Silverberg. It seems the consensus, even among those presenting the book, is that the newly discovered material makes for an inferior version, but I’m glad I got to read it in its entirety all the same. Either way, the story remains a relatively brisk and entertaining slice of sci-fi horror. Carpenter’s film without a doubt brought the concept to life in the best way possible, but it couldn’t exist without this little nugget. And I think that is probably the best compliment that can be paid.
Also included in my edition is a preview for an as-yet unpublished sequel, based specifically on Frozen Hell. The writing is cleaner than Campbell’s, but it seemed to me to be an overlong setup for what looks to be more or less the same story. Time will tell whether the complete version sees light, and whether or not it brings anything new to the table conceptually.
Rating: 3.5/5
The Scribbling Man 
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