The Winter Soldier: Cold Front by Mackenzi Lee offers an immersive and compelling dive into the tragic life of Bucky Barnes. Lee cleverly intertwines two timelines—Bucky as a young, eager recruit in WWII and the Winter Soldier, the ruthless Soviet assassin, in the 1950s. This dual narrative not only sheds light on the experiments and manipulation that transformed him but also raises thought-provoking questions about morality, war, and identity. As a reader, you’re drawn into the unraveling mystery, connecting dots alongside Bucky and grappling with the inevitability of his transformation. Even knowing his fate, you can’t help but hope for a different outcome. The result is an emotionally powerful story that deepens the tragic essence of one of Marvel’s most compelling characters.

The audiobook, narrated by Christian Coulson, elevates the experience even further. Coulson does a fantastic job, switching seamlessly between Russian and American accents and capturing each character’s voice with precision. His narration adds depth and immersion, making it feel like you’re right there alongside Bucky as he confronts his past and future. Fans of Bucky Barnes will find this exploration of his past both heartbreaking and gripping.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Mackenzi Lee’s marvel books and this was no exception. I really loved reading more bout Bucky and his story.

It seems weird to give something a 4 that I have not finished, but I will say the writing gripped me instantly and at the beginning I was intrigued. As I progressed I was confused where this fell in the timeline and thus paused to try to figure it out. I never got back to it and just don't have the time right now to try. For those who love Bucky this is a perfect book for angst and a lot of feelings.

This is novel is part Bucky's origin story and part the Winter Soldier's origin story. I liked that it was a mix of both worlds. This novel swirls around The Winter Soldier getting his memories back.

Bucky was a spunky and rebellious teen. He sold contraband on base to get some extra money for a motorcycle he was too young to drive. He would pick fights with bigger kids. He dropped out of school. He wants to enlist despite being too young. So when his adoptive dad says no for him joining an elite British special forces group, of course Bucky leaps at the opportunity. Bucky has a rocky start to being a spy and his first assignment winds up being a series of high stakes and unfortunate events. And soon, things spiral even more out of control.

The whole novel is a little confusing overall with the time jumps and memory fragments. It's intentional; however, I felt a little jumbled while reading it.

If you love Marvel and need a Bucky Barnes origin story in your life, this is the novel for you!

I was so excited to get this audiobook and LOVED the narrator. His switching between the american "Bucky" accent and the russion "Winter Soldier" accent was really well done.

The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is a thrilling journey that flips back and forth between 1941 and 1954. If you are expecting The Winter Soldier's story from the MCU think again. We find sixteen-year-old Bucky Barnes determined to enlist in the US army at the start of World War II, but a family friend keeps stopping his progress until he gets an offer to enroll in a training program with the British Special Operations Executive. In 1954, The Winter Soldier has one purpose: obey orders. He is sent on convert missions under the direction of his handler when things start to go wrong... The story is compelling and leaves the reader wanting more. Both storylines intertwine seamlessly while still having surprises for those unfamiliar with the origins of The Winter Soldier. The spy mystery with romantic twists had me in denial/wishing for a better outcome for the characters. A great addition to the Marvel universe.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am a sucker for Marvel and even more so for Bucky (and if you don't love him you're the problem sorry - kidding obviously) - I have read other works by Lee before and had an idea what to expect, but I still was pleasantly surprised by this one. Full of action and humor this is exactly what I expect of a story about Bucky. This audio narration made the story and character more interesting and compelling!

I usually don't like audio books, but I thought this one was pretty good. The narrator played such a good Bucky and I enjoyed how the voice changed slightly when he was The Winter Soldier.

This was a very cool take on Bucky’s time as the Winter Soldier. I also liked that it stuck to comic Bucky who was a kid when he met Steve. This was also faithful to his time with Russia, not Hydra which is the MCU backstory.

Bucky Barnes is sixteen and is determined to enlist in the US army as World War I begins. Bucky is soon enrolled in a training program with the British Special Operations Executive. This is the United Kingdom’s secret service. Bucky’s dream is to be a hero. Right after arriving in London, Bucky finds himself running from a mysterious assassin along with an English chess champion. She’s possess a secret every side is desperate to get their hands on.

Author, Mackenzi Lee writes a compelling novel of one of Marvel’s intriguing characters, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, and the enemy soldier he is forced to become.

This is a good one for middle grade readers who are Marvel fans.

The cover of this book is fantastic.

This novel was so enjoyable!! I have always loved Marvel Studios' take on Bucky's character and this story added a perfect amount of spice to his story. I defiantly recommend this to any marvel fan or just a Bucky Barns fan.

I am a HUGE Marvel Cinematic Universe fan (I've never tried the comics), but I have to be honest - Bucky Barnes is my least favorite character. I wanted to give this audiobook a try in hopes that listening to a deeper origin story than you get in the movies would help me understand him a little more!

I definitely do feel like I can empathize with Bucky after listening to this audiobook! The character has so much depth, and you can't help but really feel for him as he's trapped in a huge system from which there's seemingly no escape. I feel as if the character I read about is so far removed from the movie character I know, and this one is such much more likable and relatable. I also appreciated the little Easter eggs sprinkled here and there in the story!

The narration of this story is excellent. The narrator does an excellent job and helps the reader keep track of so many characters all with unfamiliar names. The story itself is action-packed and engrossing. I really did get emotionally invested in the story, which I did not expect! I was sad when the story ended and wanted more - again, a surprise to me. I guess after reading this book I can't say that I hate Bucky anymore... just the MCU character!

An amazing story! As someone who has gone through a *hardcore* Bucky phase, this book continued to feed that obsession! Very excited to share it with Middle Grade Marvel fans in the library.

I was super excited to read this book because. I am superhero fan, and I love origin stories. Audiobooks are my go to right now and I was delighted to listen to this one. The narrator did a very good job switching from a American to Russian accent, and I was truly impressed. Though I must admit that it threw me off guard first, but if you know Bucky Barnes story then it will start clicking for you.

I loved getting to know the more intimate side of this character and I thank the author for that. It felt like I was going along with Bucky in every step of the way. When I had to stop listening to the book my mind was already playing different senaros and I had to find tasks to do to let me listen to the book again.

This was such an incredible audiobook! Lee has such a way with Marvel voices and this book goes so incredibly well with the Loki book that she previously wrote.

Winter Soldier: Cold Front (Marvels Rebels and Renegades #3)
Written by Mackenzi Lee
Narrated by Christian Coulson
Length: 9 hours and 21 minutes
Release Date: February 7, 2023 by Marvel Press
5/5 Stars
*An ARC of this title was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Receiving a copy in no way influenced my review*
If you have not had the chance to read Loki: Where Mischief Lies or Nebula and Gamora: Sisters in Arms by Lee, well, why not? Obviously they are not necessary in order to read, listen, thoroughly enjoy her latest venture into the Marvel Universe, but they both rock, so maybe stop here and go read them....OK, welcome back. See, they are great!
But now, onto Bucky Barnes (AKA Winter Soldier). If you are familiar with the Winter Soldier either from the comics OR the infamous MCU, it is ok. Lee does not truly touch upon material covered in either of these universes (for truly, they are separate). She takes a little from here, a litttle from there and then that last little bit from way out there to make him familiar to readers, but delves into two separate time periods of his life to give the reader the tragic past, and then the even more tragic past (what Mackenzi Lee is so great at!).
The reader explores two times periods of Bucky's life: 1941 (prior to the true Bucky everyone knows as Captain America's sidekick/friend) and then 1954 (once he had been indoctrinated into the true Winter Soldier) on a mission. Our glimpses of Bucky in 1941 provide a look at what truly created Bucky. In the past we have always seen him as a shadow of Captain America and his influence, but James Barnes was someone before that time. This is what Lee gives us, the boy who was an orphan but raised by military, wanting to serve, desperate to get out there and ends up being recruited by the S.O.E. (since he was too young).
Mackenzi breaks up the origin story with what he experiences as the Winter Soldier, the missions and killing, but also the constant fight for who he is, where he came from, and the tragedy that inevitably comes to take it all away.
While Lee throws in a little romance (and it is cute!), this book is definitely the action and adventure story you might expect about something from the Winter Soldier, paying tribute to the feel that Brubaker brought to the character while crossing it with some of the classic novel styling of Cold War intrigue.
To add to Lee's wonderful and tragic writing was the amazing narration of Christian Coulson. His stylistic choice of using different versions of the voice for Bucky in 1941 versus Bucky in 1954 helped make the two time periods very distinct, and the voices for the other characters (even females) were done with an excellent flair to make the drama and action come alive.
Go out, listen to this, and hopefully Lee with come back and explore more of the world of James "Bucky" Barnes.

The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is a multiple POV feel story of a teenager, Bucky, who wants to follow in his deceased father's footsteps by becoming a soldier told in tandem with the story of a Russian military operative called the Winter Soldier, a nameless, obedient soldier without an identity.

This is part of the Marvel franchise, and I was unfamiliar with the Winter Soldier but am a Mackenzi Lee fan so opted to read this regardless. You do not need to be familiar with the Winter Soldier arc to enjoy this book, but I did find the ending unpleasantly sad which may be resolved within the graphic novels. Although I described the story as multiple POV ***Spoiler Alert*** it turns out that Bucky and the Winter Soldier are one and the same so the story is just alternating between two time periods in his life. The story starts with his teenage years as a high school dropout and mastermind of a contraband operation at the local outpost, and follows his recruitment into military espionage, while ping-ponging through his life as the Winter Soldier. This book was a little darker than I expected for Disney and I really don't like sad endings, but I enjoyed it and would read a sequel.

The audio narration was excellent.