What are the motifs in Ice Hunt by James Rollins?

Science and Science Fiction is a motif in this story.

Science vs Sciencefiction

In Ice Hunt, James Rollins writes about the species called Grendels. This species is actually a clever blend of fact and fiction. The 'Ambulocetus Natans' which is also known as the walking whale has been documented and is part of our planets' fossil record. Rollins compares this creature to the Arctic wood frog which freezes solid for several months and then is able to revive itself once it is thawed. These frogs are also part of reality. They have been studied and their adaptations have been researched, in order that we might better understand the mechanism that allows them to turn sugar into a form of suspended animation. One of the most surprising facts revealed in this book is that all of the vertebrate species on the planet have the genes capable of this.