Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 Page turner, balanced review July 18, 2008
I just finished this book, which was interesting enough to finish in under a week. It seemed to be a balanced treatment of the subject, and I liked the contrast of the author just wanting to get back to his tent at base camp rather than continue to look for a drunk, compared to what it must be like in the death zone.
I do disagree with a couple of pages where he waxes for the good old days of gentlemen climbing with high ethics etc. The book about the Americans first successful climb of K2 paints a bit different picture of the good old days. In particular the author of that book relates how they feared they would be doing a body recovery rather than a summit. To their surprise, the "body" was walking down on their way up! He related how they could not help him since they did not bring a rope! Not sure how they intended to do a body recovery. Somehow he walked down, while the other two summited. The rest of that book is filled with intrigue as they jockey for position to be one of the few who might get a summit chance, probably similar to Brice's experience with the British team, which this book just hints at?
Not mentioned when talking about what effort, risk and expense should be made (or can be made) to save someone on Everest, is how some die nearby for lack of a few dollars of antibotics, or at least that is what one person who worked over there in a decompression chamber told us, though even he did not draw that comparison.
 Another interesting climbing book July 11, 2008
I was interested to learn of one of the more recent years on Everest where events ended tragically. I wasn't familiar with this particular story until I read the book. It's another good book for my collection.
Its the truth...I was there. July 10, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
First off, let me talk about my qualifications to write this review. My name is Brett Merrell and I was on Mt Everest in 2006 as part of the Himex expedition written about in this book. I am writting this review so that you people can buy a book knowing that it tells and accurate story.
Nick Heil has restored my faith in journalists. This book is accurate and 99% objective. Nick tells the true story of Everest and the people that live in its shadow. Not since "Into Thin Air" have I read a book that paints such a clear picture of the good, bad and ugly of Mt Everest. Although my personal opinion of Russ Brice and the Discovery Channel is completely negative, I can say that Nick's description of Russ Brice is mostly accurate.
Attention readers! If you want a book that tells the truth about an Everest expedition then buy this book! Nick spent countless hours of research. He asked all the tough questions and he actually became part of the 2007 Himex expedition and climbed to 23500 feet on Mt Everest. Most importantly, Nick Heil took all the facts and emotions and then documented them accurately with heartfelt words.
BUY THE BOOK. It is a real Everest story. I received nothing and will receive nothing for writing this review.
Brett Merrell
 good, not great July 9, 2008
very good book... i got caught up in this after reading kraukaer's (sp) book, and although this one is not to that level, i enjoyed it
Supplements the documentary May 13, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
If you watched the documentary, you will enjoy reading a more behind the scenes look at what was going on during the filming. That is the pro of this book. Unfortunately, it is filled with many more cons.
The writing is not fluid, becomes quite boring at times, needs copy editing (as many others have already pointed out with firm examples) and, most bothersome to me, doesn't really hold true to its book summary. The book itself jumps around tremendously from one Everest season to another rather than staying with the one it summarizes. While this is done for background on how the mountain became "controversial" it lends itself more to a dissertation on the seasons of Everest rather than the issue most people will buy the book for - namely the death of David Sharp.
In addition, it is written almost as propaganda in support of Brice (the guide in charge of expedition that was filmed). I am a fan of Brice, feel he has done amazing things on Everest for many many teams rather than just his own. His actions this particular season needed no justification and while this is said in the book, the author spends considerable time trying to convince his readers of the same. I found it irritating that he kept trying to defend Brice (who, again, needed no defending) rather than just telling the story.
Final verdict: if you enjoyed the television show, you will enjoy reading more about the season events on Everest. If you are a reader of adventure books or Everest chronicles, you'll likely find this book exactly what it is - a quick, thrown together analysis by someone grabbing on to the very commercialism of Everest he complains of.
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