Why a Booktrail?
1935: A ghost story set on one of the highest mountains in the world – the greatest killer of them all.
Thin Air
What you need to know before your trail
The Himalayas, 1935.
Kangchenjunga is the third-highest peak on earth. And a mountain which has claimed the life of many who have tried to climb its rocky surface
It’s 1935 and five Englishmen set off from Darjeeling, determined to conquer the sacred summit. They know of those who have tried it before. Tried and sometimes died in the process. One of the climbers has read the book that a earlier explorer had written. A man who lost his toes to frostbite and his peace of mind to the mountain’s sprits.
This group of men however believe that their courage will see them good. They’re determined to reach the top but the snow has now covered the footprints of those who have gone before. Secrets of those who have gone before.
And the altitude sickness is making them feel disorientated and afraid. The higher they climb, the further they have to fall.
Locations
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Kangchenjunga
If you have ever wanted to climb a mountain or to have some sort of insight into the preparation both mentally and physically, of the extreme effort it takes to even attempt something like this, then this is the book for you.
From the very first moment, the mountain is the main character in the story and all the humans in its presence secondary beings. Every aspect of mountain climbing has been researched and woven seamlessly in the plot – from the feeling of the sharp cold to the sound of the zip on the tent freezing over, to the food they eat, to the harrowing taste of altitude sickness, it’s as if you are on the very mountain yourself in every way possible.
This is not just a mountain climb but a battle with the great stone beast and the ghosts which protect it and still live on it. Climbers have to offer gifts to the Gods so as not to offend them, and must respect the mountain at all times. There are shadows of this, folklore and faith, which mingle with the shadows of unknown figures, ghosts of the past and games your mind play on you when your lack of oxygen becomes acute.
This is also a battle of wills – this group are battling the mountain so that Kits can achieve his dream of beating Lyell’s previous attempt on the summit. Lyell is the man who lost his toes to frostbite and was the only survivor of his climb although the truth of what happened seems to have been covered by the snow now…These two expeditions haunt one another and there is a sense that personal demons emerge the more extreme the environment becomes.
This is the mountain which will haunt those who attempt to conquer it, a mountain where the wind whips your face and frosts over your eyelashes. Where the shadows of the past are looking over your shoulder. The landscape is harsh, unrelenting and eerie. You are not alone, there is always someone on the mountain even though you can’t see them.
The mountain is always in charge.
Booktrailer Review
Susan: @thebooktrailer
If you have ever wanted to climb a mountain or to have some sort of insight into the preparation both mentally and physically, of the extreme effort it takes to even attempt something like this, then this is the book for you.From the very first moment, the mountain is the main character in the story and all the humans in its presence secondary beings. Every aspect of mountain climbing has been researched and woven seamlessly in the plot – from the feeling of the sharp cold to the sound of the zip on the tent freezing over, to the food they eat, to the harrowing taste of altitude sickness, it’s as if you are on the very mountain yourself in every way possible.
This is not just a mountain climb but a battle with the great stone beast and the ghosts which protect it and still live on it. climbers have to offer gifts to the Gods so as not to offend them, and must respect the mountain at all times. There are shadows of this, folklore and faith, which mingle with the shadows of unknown figures, ghosts of the past and games your mind play on you when your lack of oxygen becomes acute.
This is also a battle of wills – this group are battling the mountain so that Kits can achieve his dream of beating Lyell’s previous attempt on the summit. Lyell is the man who lost his toes to frostbit and was the only survivor of his climb although the truth of what happened seems to have been covered by the snow now…These two expeditions haunt one another and there is a sense that personal demons emerge the more extreme the environment becomes.
This is the mountain which will haunt those who attempt to conquer it, a mountain where the wind whips your face and frosts over your eyelashes. Where the shadows of the past are looking over your shoulder. The landscape is harsh, unrelenting and eerie. You are not alone, there is always someone on the mountain even though you can’t see them.
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information: Thin Air
Destination: Kangchenjunga mountain Departure time: 1935
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