No Way Down Life And Death On K2 | Desertcart Vanuatu
No Way Down: Life and Death on K2
4.4/5
Product ID: 23383626
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“Bowley relies on a copious study of the events and interviews with survivors and families to artfully and assiduously piece together an account of a fractious day in brutal real time. Fatality by fatality.” (Holly Morris, New York Times Book Review)“Unputdownable.... A portrait of extreme courage, folly and loss, leavened by a small dose of survival, as complete a version of the calamitous story as will probably ever emerge. . . . [A] step-by-faltering-step recreation of the thin-air fight to survive, bristling with cinematic immediacy.” (Justin Marozzi, Financial Times)“Harrowing.” (Jan Gardner, Boston Globe)“An astonishingly dramatic and sad tale of disaster on K2. Bowley expertly puts together the complex story of what happened as eleven people died high on the summit slopes of K2 in August 2008.” (Joe Simpson, author of Touching the Void)“Brisk and engrossing. . . . Mr. Bowley reveals a deep sympathy for his characters and their quest. . . . Entertaining.” (Michael J. Ybarra, Wall Street Journal)“[A] fascinating tour de force…. Bowley wove his tale together after hundreds of interviews with dozens of people, and the result is a triumph of storytelling.” (Malcolm Ritter, Associated Press)“A compelling narrative from interviews with most of the survivors. . . . The most complete report of the tragedy to date.” (Grayson Schaffer, Outside magazine)“Harrowing. . . . Bowley is an intrepid journalist and gifted storyteller. . . . Thrilling and wrenching. (Kirkus Reviews)“Bowley takes readers right onto the mountain…. As avalanches shear away ropes, darkness falls and rescue attempts succeed and fail, the book becomes impossible to put down….. The vivid story will captivate readers. No Way Down doesn’t just tell a harrowing adventure story-it will also make you think.” (BookPage)“Both a gripping read and a clear-eyed investigation, No Way Down provides a compelling education in the game of climbing on the world’s highest mountains to readers who have never tied into a rope, and is an essential addition to any mountaineer’s bookshelf.” (Michael Kodas, author of High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed)
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From the Back Cover
On August 1, 2008, no fewer than eight international teams of mountain climbers—some experienced, others less prepared—ascended K2, the world's second-highest mountain, with the last group reaching the summit at 8 p.m. Then disaster struck. A huge ice chunk came loose above a deadly three-hundred-foot avalanche-prone gully, destroying the fixed guide ropes. More than a dozen climbers—many without oxygen and some with no headlamps—faced the nearly impossible task of descending in the blackness with no guideline and no protection. Over the course of the chaotic night, some would miraculously make it back. Others would not.In this riveting work of narrative nonfiction, journalist Graham Bowley re-creates one of the most dramatic tales of death and survival in mountaineering history.
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About the Author
Graham Bowley is a reporter for the New York Times. He grew up in England and lives in New York with his wife and three children.
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Reviews
4.4
All from verified purchases
R**E
Great book - great story, great writing
I bought this when it was on sale because the author wrote for the NY Times and the reviews were positive. I am glad that I did as It ended up being one of the better books I have read this year. The author did an incredible amount of research including extensive interviews with the surviving principal characters. The author is a great story teller and does a great job of providing an historical backdrop of previous expeditions that help you to understand the challenges faced by the climbers. He makes no judgements and assigns no fault. He presents the facts and allows the reader to draw his own conclusions. I was amazed that the climbers were so driven to summit the mountain that they gave little thought to the time and the conditions they would face going down the mountain. Circumstances beyond their control made matters even worse. He does a great job of helping a non-climber such as myself to understand what compels these people to risk their lives to summit these incredible mountains. I also learned an appreciation of the beauty and unforgivable nature of K2. I am not a climber or an outdoorsman but found this to be a book so interesting that I took my Kindle to work and read it whenever I had a few minutes. It is part adventure, part tragedy and part a study of human behavior. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a great human story.
S**3
I had read the "Summit" by Pat Falvey and it much better explains the camaraderie and character of the climbers
This author compiled notes and slapped it together in a haphazard way. If an event happened on the mountain, we do not know to need about his past life. Introduce his character before that. I had read the "Summit" by Pat Falvey and it much better explains the camaraderie and character of the climbers. This book jumps all over the place and if I had not read the other book, I'd have been lost. Worse, the author spends about 20% of the book on himself in a lengthy epilogue interviewing the survivors. What this man needs to learn is we don't CARE about him, we care what happened on that mountain. His writing style is good and readable. But his ability to compile the events i chronological order is terrible.
S**E
A Good, Yet Western Approach
No Way Down by Graham Bowley is a good book concerning the 2008 K2 Tragedy. I have read every book and account concerning this incident and feel this one deserves 4 out of 5 stars. After a brief chapter of trekking to Base Camp, we jump right into Camp IV and summit day. I'm not sure the reader is able to comprehend all of the emotions that assisted in creating the `summit fever' without understanding just how long most of the teams had been waiting for the summit attempt. In addition to the 2008 summit, there are a good number of previous and more historical ascents documented as well, especially concerning Art Gilkey that lead to the Gilkey Memorial. I do commend Bowley on his research into avalanches and seracs and his explanation of these items right when they need to be mentioned. There is a great epilogue that details the author's adventures travelling to interview as many of the survivors and family of the deceased. Bowley's own opinion into the conflicting, if not controversial accounts concerning the final moments of Gerard McDonnell are well documented and almost convince me. The only thing that is missing is (all of) the Sherpa's stories. Reading One Mountain Thousand Summits or Buried in the Sky tells more of their story and doesn't have the Western approach only. I would recommend this book in addition to the previous mentioned to really grasp this tragedy.
R**E
If it was easy everybody would do it!
This is a well written account which gave me an "on the mountain being there " feeling and is a largely non-judgemental account of events as discerned by the author. It also makes it clear why when you go to such places and things go wrong you are "on your own" when it comes to rescue.This story was a compelling page turner for me.
S**P
A true event brought to life for you.
A good read. It can help us understand in our limited live at home capacity the things that drive some people to live on the extremes. This book will give you an insight into some decisions that must be made at the worst of times. You have an opportunity to ask yourself "What would I do?" Be honest at that point. Some decisions you don't want to face in the real world. It's easy to be critical sitting on your couch warm and safe.Read the book.
A**R
Tragedy in Detail
The author has thoroughly researched this enormous tragedy that lead to so many deaths. I finished the book feeling that I will never understand what makes people climb mountains that can easily kill you, but I was swept up in the adventure.
E**N
Fascinating Adventure/Disaster Tale
K2 is a mysterious, terrifying and yet magnetic place, and this account of the 2008 disaster kept me turning pages into the early morning hours. The backgrounds of the men and women who risked their lives to summit, and the description of the ensuing chaos as natural events caused men-made plans to go horribly awry, make this read both inspiring and cautionary.
C**K
Great story of survival.
I have read, "Into thin air" about Mt Everest, and I enjoyed this book just as much. Even though I have no desire to mountain climb, I found this book fascinating. What these climbers went through to reach the summit and the price many of them had to pay was amazing and disturbing at the same time. Couldn't put the book down!
N**I
Could have been brilliant as a set of memoirs from the survivors
I remember the story when it was in the news so you know the outcome. Could have been brilliant as a set of memoirs from the survivors, but despite the writer being a journalist, I felt it lacked the finesse of a good 'true story' book. The names of the explorers are difficult to remember and without pictures as you go along to help understand the various descriptions, it can be a struggle for non climbers to plough through. No doubt a Hollywood producer in the future will latch on to this and then you'll get a running commentary as it happened in realtime rather than complete renditions back to back. Disappointing.
N**L
Too late
This is a gripping and frightening read about death on K2. I read the book in a couple of days though I had to be careful to pick the spot for an overnight break. It is the story a 'group' of individuals; self-obsessed climbers who had a brief glimpse of their own mortality on K2. A lesson too late for those who died and a lesson too quickly forgotten by those who survived. It is an awesome and frightening thing to be at the mercy of a power beyond your control, and to realise that.The 'problem' with the book is that it was written by a journalist who hasn't been there and done that. He was not on K2 as a participator or eye-witness to the events he relates but that's not his fault. He leaves no stone unturned in his research to get the personal perspective of all those left alive to tell the tale. Perhaps the book suffers a little from the journalist's picture-painting of the back-story of the main characters, and they are those for whom there was no way down. Never-the-less this is a minor issue in a book which is a gripping read.I have never climbed a 26,000 foot peak let alone 28,000+ feet as K2 is. I have no personal experience of the death zone. But I have been up a few Himalayan hills over 20,000 feet and in my amateurish way been awakened to the dangers of high remote places. I have had the warm water treatment for frost bitten fingers and this story sent shivers down my spine. I've also stood in (breathless) awe on the glacier with the Northern face (Chinese side) of K2 towering over me.I don't know that any of those who lived to relate their much greater tale to the author of this book were truly humbled by the experience. Perhaps the author didn't get that across very well or maybe that is the essence of climbing - human frailty can only be briefly acknowledged.Read it and make up your own mind.
B**K
Fantastic book!
I'm at a loss to understand the whinging from reviewers on here about a mountain disaster book being written by...shock, horror... a non climbing journalist. Who'd have thought it eh. There are plenty of books out there written by self indulgent, suicide merchant climbers so it makes a nice change to read a book that gives a rounded and objective view of the tragic events. The fact that its been written by a journo does not detract from the story. There are plenty of brillaint 'true crime' books that have been written by investigative journo's. These journo's weren't at the scene of the crime, they have not had access to the perpetrator or victims and yet produce some great reading so why should a story about a climbing disaster be any different. So long as the author has been diligant in their research on the subject that should be all that matters. Forget the petty 1 and 2 star spoilers and read the book yourself. You won't be disappointed.
A**T
OK
Not much new climbing literature around.This is pretty good but possibly slightly inaccurate judging by some of the documentary film of the 2008 deaths on K2, despite the amount of research the author did. Contrary to the authors opinion I think the events would have been better portrayed by someone with ample experience of high altitude climbing. Possibly the books impact was lessened for me by having watched documentary film of the events. The author seems reluctant,possibly in view of the climbers' families to fully criticise the bad decisions taken by many of the climbers. The relatively little trouble experienced by the solo Basque climber, climbing up ahead of the fixed roping would support this.
D**.
The best read this year
The best read this year, both fascinating and terrifying,. The true story of the 2008 K2 climb, the utter horror and tragedy of it as well as thewonderful Sherpas and other brave,courageous souls. One look at K2 , especially the serac was enough for me. You won't be able to put this book down, it is such a compulsive read. K2 looks about as unwelcoming, inhospitable and dangerous as it proved to be. I plan on going no higher thanalpine flowers at the base of very small hills after reading this book. But do read it.
B**D
Ok read, but very poor grammar
Randomly pick any long paragraph - look at the use of commas and sentence structure. The author is not using commas, correctly to create, sentences, making the book very, that's without exaggeration, on my part, difficult, to read
H**B
A fantastic read
This is my favourite book that I've read in the last few years. I was fully enthralled from cover to cover and read it in record time. I don't know if the fact I started reading from the middle (accidentally, I picked it up to have a quick look at the page my boyfriend's bookmarked was placed and got fully enthralled that I couldn't put it down) played a part, as the mystery of previous events kept it interesting. The writing style is rather unconventional, as all the way through it jumps from part to part and back again because there is so many situations going on at the same time within the group of climbers, so it's not exactly straightforward but I think this adds to the excitement and makes you want to read on. The story is tragic and Bowley portrays this very well, in my opinion. I would definitely recommend it as this is the best book on the K2 disaster that I have read.
L**B
Great read
I am not a climber and will never really understand the passion which drives those to risk everything on a mountain like K2.This is an excellent book which gives an insight into the mindset and bravery of the men and women who risk all.
P**.
Fantastic book, well written and gripping
I love these mountaineering stories, whether it's Everest or K2 or even something less imposing in Peru, the stories of triumph despite tragedy in the high peaks always has me coming back for more and this book was a great read from cover to cover.
S**H
Great read
Brought this for my Son who not a big reader but interested in K2 and he found it really interesting and loved the book.
M**E
Could have been simply written
Struggled with the number of characters in this book. Felt like it wasn’t consistent- didn’t finish it as couldn’t remember who was who. Had to keep referring to front of the book.
K**R
Not written by a climber but ok
I've read a dozen Mountaineering books. This was ok but lacks the first hand knowledge of the experience one gets from being one of the climbers. Other book written by climbers describe the experience more fully and reveal the pain and day to day experience of the climbers much better.
D**C
Gripping read
Gripping read - a must for those interested in mountaineering
G**R
Five Stars
one of the best mountaineering books I have read, well written and easily read cannot recommend highly enough
S**H
Excellent
Excellent read, very flowing and informative of the facts.Extremely sad of the events Netherlands on K2 , this book shares those unfortunate last moments.
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I am glad that I did as It ended up being one of the better books I have read this year. The author did an incredible amount of research including extensive interviews with the surviving principal characters. The author is a great story teller and does a great job of providing an historical backdrop of previous expeditions that help you to understand the challenges faced by the climbers. He makes no judgements and assigns no fault. He presents the facts and allows the reader to draw his own conclusions. I was amazed that the climbers were so driven to summit the mountain that they gave little thought to the time and the conditions they would face going down the mountain. Circumstances beyond their control made matters even worse. He does a great job of helping a non-climber such as myself to understand what compels these people to risk their lives to summit these incredible mountains. I also learned an appreciation of the beauty and unforgivable nature of K2. I am not a climber or an outdoorsman but found this to be a book so interesting that I took my Kindle to work and read it whenever I had a few minutes. It is part adventure, part tragedy and part a study of human behavior. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a great human story."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***3"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2017","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n I had read the \"Summit\" by Pat Falvey and it much better explains the camaraderie and character of the climbers\n \n","reviewBody":"This author compiled notes and slapped it together in a haphazard way. If an event happened on the mountain, we do not know to need about his past life. Introduce his character before that. I had read the \"Summit\" by Pat Falvey and it much better explains the camaraderie and character of the climbers. This book jumps all over the place and if I had not read the other book, I'd have been lost. Worse, the author spends about 20% of the book on himself in a lengthy epilogue interviewing the survivors. What this man needs to learn is we don't CARE about him, we care what happened on that mountain. His writing style is good and readable. But his ability to compile the events i chronological order is terrible."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***E"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2012","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n A Good, Yet Western Approach\n \n","reviewBody":"No Way Down by Graham Bowley is a good book concerning the 2008 K2 Tragedy. I have read every book and account concerning this incident and feel this one deserves 4 out of 5 stars. After a brief chapter of trekking to Base Camp, we jump right into Camp IV and summit day. I'm not sure the reader is able to comprehend all of the emotions that assisted in creating the `summit fever' without understanding just how long most of the teams had been waiting for the summit attempt. In addition to the 2008 summit, there are a good number of previous and more historical ascents documented as well, especially concerning Art Gilkey that lead to the Gilkey Memorial. I do commend Bowley on his research into avalanches and seracs and his explanation of these items right when they need to be mentioned. There is a great epilogue that details the author's adventures travelling to interview as many of the survivors and family of the deceased. Bowley's own opinion into the conflicting, if not controversial accounts concerning the final moments of Gerard McDonnell are well documented and almost convince me. The only thing that is missing is (all of) the Sherpa's stories. Reading One Mountain Thousand Summits or Buried in the Sky tells more of their story and doesn't have the Western approach only. I would recommend this book in addition to the previous mentioned to really grasp this tragedy."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"R***E"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2017","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n If it was easy everybody would do it!\n \n","reviewBody":"This is a well written account which gave me an \"on the mountain being there \" feeling and is a largely non-judgemental account of events as discerned by the author. It also makes it clear why when you go to such places and things go wrong you are \"on your own\" when it comes to rescue.This story was a compelling page turner for me."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***P"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2017","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n A true event brought to life for you.\n \n","reviewBody":"A good read. It can help us understand in our limited live at home capacity the things that drive some people to live on the extremes. This book will give you an insight into some decisions that must be made at the worst of times. You have an opportunity to ask yourself \"What would I do?\" Be honest at that point. Some decisions you don't want to face in the real world. It's easy to be critical sitting on your couch warm and safe.Read the book."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"A***R"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2019","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Tragedy in Detail\n \n","reviewBody":"The author has thoroughly researched this enormous tragedy that lead to so many deaths. I finished the book feeling that I will never understand what makes people climb mountains that can easily kill you, but I was swept up in the adventure."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"E***N"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2017","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Fascinating Adventure/Disaster Tale\n \n","reviewBody":"K2 is a mysterious, terrifying and yet magnetic place, and this account of the 2008 disaster kept me turning pages into the early morning hours. The backgrounds of the men and women who risked their lives to summit, and the description of the ensuing chaos as natural events caused men-made plans to go horribly awry, make this read both inspiring and cautionary."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"C***K"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2017","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Great story of survival.\n \n","reviewBody":"I have read, \"Into thin air\" about Mt Everest, and I enjoyed this book just as much. Even though I have no desire to mountain climb, I found this book fascinating. What these climbers went through to reach the summit and the price many of them had to pay was amazing and disturbing at the same time. Couldn't put the book down!"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"N***I"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2017","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Could have been brilliant as a set of memoirs from the survivors\n \n","reviewBody":"I remember the story when it was in the news so you know the outcome. Could have been brilliant as a set of memoirs from the survivors, but despite the writer being a journalist, I felt it lacked the finesse of a good 'true story' book. The names of the explorers are difficult to remember and without pictures as you go along to help understand the various descriptions, it can be a struggle for non climbers to plough through. No doubt a Hollywood producer in the future will latch on to this and then you'll get a running commentary as it happened in realtime rather than complete renditions back to back. Disappointing."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"N***L"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 6, 2011","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Too late\n \n","reviewBody":"This is a gripping and frightening read about death on K2. I read the book in a couple of days though I had to be careful to pick the spot for an overnight break. It is the story a 'group' of individuals; self-obsessed climbers who had a brief glimpse of their own mortality on K2. A lesson too late for those who died and a lesson too quickly forgotten by those who survived. It is an awesome and frightening thing to be at the mercy of a power beyond your control, and to realise that.The 'problem' with the book is that it was written by a journalist who hasn't been there and done that. He was not on K2 as a participator or eye-witness to the events he relates but that's not his fault. He leaves no stone unturned in his research to get the personal perspective of all those left alive to tell the tale. Perhaps the book suffers a little from the journalist's picture-painting of the back-story of the main characters, and they are those for whom there was no way down. Never-the-less this is a minor issue in a book which is a gripping read.I have never climbed a 26,000 foot peak let alone 28,000+ feet as K2 is. I have no personal experience of the death zone. But I have been up a few Himalayan hills over 20,000 feet and in my amateurish way been awakened to the dangers of high remote places. I have had the warm water treatment for frost bitten fingers and this story sent shivers down my spine. I've also stood in (breathless) awe on the glacier with the Northern face (Chinese side) of K2 towering over me.I don't know that any of those who lived to relate their much greater tale to the author of this book were truly humbled by the experience. Perhaps the author didn't get that across very well or maybe that is the essence of climbing - human frailty can only be briefly acknowledged.Read it and make up your own mind."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"B***K"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2012","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Fantastic book!\n \n","reviewBody":"I'm at a loss to understand the whinging from reviewers on here about a mountain disaster book being written by...shock, horror... a non climbing journalist. Who'd have thought it eh. There are plenty of books out there written by self indulgent, suicide merchant climbers so it makes a nice change to read a book that gives a rounded and objective view of the tragic events. The fact that its been written by a journo does not detract from the story. There are plenty of brillaint 'true crime' books that have been written by investigative journo's. These journo's weren't at the scene of the crime, they have not had access to the perpetrator or victims and yet produce some great reading so why should a story about a climbing disaster be any different. So long as the author has been diligant in their research on the subject that should be all that matters. Forget the petty 1 and 2 star spoilers and read the book yourself. You won't be disappointed."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"A***T"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2014","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n OK\n \n","reviewBody":"Not much new climbing literature around.This is pretty good but possibly slightly inaccurate judging by some of the documentary film of the 2008 deaths on K2, despite the amount of research the author did. Contrary to the authors opinion I think the events would have been better portrayed by someone with ample experience of high altitude climbing. Possibly the books impact was lessened for me by having watched documentary film of the events. The author seems reluctant,possibly in view of the climbers' families to fully criticise the bad decisions taken by many of the climbers. The relatively little trouble experienced by the solo Basque climber, climbing up ahead of the fixed roping would support this."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"D***."},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2016","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n The best read this year\n \n","reviewBody":"The best read this year, both fascinating and terrifying,. The true story of the 2008 K2 climb, the utter horror and tragedy of it as well as thewonderful Sherpas and other brave,courageous souls. One look at K2 , especially the serac was enough for me. You won't be able to put this book down, it is such a compulsive read. K2 looks about as unwelcoming, inhospitable and dangerous as it proved to be. I plan on going no higher thanalpine flowers at the base of very small hills after reading this book. But do read it."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"2.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"B***D"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2018","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Ok read, but very poor grammar\n \n","reviewBody":"Randomly pick any long paragraph - look at the use of commas and sentence structure. The author is not using commas, correctly to create, sentences, making the book very, that's without exaggeration, on my part, difficult, to read"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"H***B"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2013","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n A fantastic read\n \n","reviewBody":"This is my favourite book that I've read in the last few years. I was fully enthralled from cover to cover and read it in record time. I don't know if the fact I started reading from the middle (accidentally, I picked it up to have a quick look at the page my boyfriend's bookmarked was placed and got fully enthralled that I couldn't put it down) played a part, as the mystery of previous events kept it interesting. The writing style is rather unconventional, as all the way through it jumps from part to part and back again because there is so many situations going on at the same time within the group of climbers, so it's not exactly straightforward but I think this adds to the excitement and makes you want to read on. The story is tragic and Bowley portrays this very well, in my opinion. I would definitely recommend it as this is the best book on the K2 disaster that I have read."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"L***B"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2020","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Great read\n \n","reviewBody":"I am not a climber and will never really understand the passion which drives those to risk everything on a mountain like K2.This is an excellent book which gives an insight into the mindset and bravery of the men and women who risk all."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"P***."},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2018","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Fantastic book, well written and gripping\n \n","reviewBody":"I love these mountaineering stories, whether it's Everest or K2 or even something less imposing in Peru, the stories of triumph despite tragedy in the high peaks always has me coming back for more and this book was a great read from cover to cover."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***H"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2019","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Great read\n \n","reviewBody":"Brought this for my Son who not a big reader but interested in K2 and he found it really interesting and loved the book."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"M***E"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 8, 2019","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Could have been simply written\n \n","reviewBody":"Struggled with the number of characters in this book. Felt like it wasn’t consistent- didn’t finish it as couldn’t remember who was who. Had to keep referring to front of the book."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"2.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"K***R"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 22, 2019","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Not written by a climber but ok\n \n","reviewBody":"I've read a dozen Mountaineering books. This was ok but lacks the first hand knowledge of the experience one gets from being one of the climbers. Other book written by climbers describe the experience more fully and reveal the pain and day to day experience of the climbers much better."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"D***C"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2018","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Gripping read\n \n","reviewBody":"Gripping read - a must for those interested in mountaineering"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"G***R"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 18, 2018","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Five Stars\n \n","reviewBody":"one of the best mountaineering books I have read, well written and easily read cannot recommend highly enough"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***H"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2019","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Excellent\n \n","reviewBody":"Excellent read, very flowing and informative of the facts.Extremely sad of the events Netherlands on K2 , this book shares those unfortunate last moments."}],"aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":4.217391304347826,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":23}}
