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The Abominable

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The Abominable by Dan Simmons is a historical fiction novel that delves into the world of mountain climbing in the 1920s, specifically focusing on a team's secret mission to uncover the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a British citizen on Mt. Everest. The book intricately weaves elements of adventure, espionage, and historical events between post WWI Europe and WWII, creating a gripping narrative that blends fact and fiction seamlessly. Simmons' writing style is described as detailed and descriptive, offering vivid descriptions of the challenges faced by the protagonists during their mountain climbing expedition, making the readers feel like they are experiencing the climb themselves.

Characters:

The characters are varied and engaging, each with unique backgrounds, facing the extreme conditions of their climb and personal challenges.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is detailed and immersive, focusing heavily on mountaineering and historical accuracy, though it sometimes detracts from the pacing.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features an adventure expedition aiming to uncover the mystery of a missing climber on Mt Everest, blending historical events with fictional twists.

Setting:

The setting is vividly described, focusing on the imposing backdrop of Mt Everest and its treacherous landscapes, immersing the reader in the mountaineering experience.

Pacing:

The pacing is uneven, slow in the beginning due to excessive detail but picks up significantly during the climactic sequences.
It is a perfect day in late June of 1924, and the news lies folded in a three-day-old British newspaper that someone in the kitchen at the small inn at Breuil in Italy has wrapped around our cold beef...

Notes:

The Abominable is set in 1924 during the race to summit Mount Everest.
The story features a group of climbers who go on an expedition to find a missing man last seen on Everest.
Dan Simmons takes a metafictional approach by incorporating his own visit to a dying mountaineer who shares stories.
The book includes historical elements related to the 1924 British Mount Everest Expedition and George Mallory's disappearance.
Lady Elizabeth Marion Bromley funds the expedition to find her missing son who disappeared on Everest.
The novel combines themes of adventure, mystery, and historical fiction, focusing heavily on mountaineering details.
Readers have noted that the book contains excessive technical descriptions of climbing gear and techniques, which can detract from the story.
Some reviews point out that while the book teases supernatural elements, it ultimately focuses on human conflict and espionage instead of mythical creatures.
The narrative includes various historical figures and events to enhance the plot, although some found it hard to believe.
The ending reveals unexpected twists that relate to historical events leading up to World War II.
The book has received mixed reviews, with some praising its detail and others criticizing its pacing and divergence from traditional thriller conventions.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains depictions of perilous situations, potential harm to characters, and themes involving Nazis, which may be sensitive for some readers.

From The Publisher:

A thrilling tale of high-altitude death and survival set on the snowy summits of Mount Everest, from the bestselling author of The Terror.

It's 1924 and the race to summit the world's highest mountain has been brought to a terrified pause by the shocking disappearance of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine high on the shoulder of Mt. Everest. By the following year, three climbers - a British poet and veteran of the Great War, a young French Chamonix guide, and an idealistic young American - find a way to take their shot at the top. They arrange funding from the grieving Lady Bromley, whose son also disappeared on Mt. Everest in 1924. Young Bromley must be dead, but his mother refuses to believe it and pays the trio to bring him home.

Deep in Tibet and high on Everest, the three climbers - joined by the missing boy's female cousin - find themselves being pursued through the night by someone . . . or something. This nightmare becomes a matter of life and death at 28,000 feet - but what is pursuing them? And what is the truth behind the 1924 disappearances on Everest? As they fight their way to the top of the world, the friends uncover a secret far more abominable than any mythical creature could ever be. A pulse-pounding story of adventure and suspense, The Abominable is Dan Simmons at his spine-chilling best.

Ratings (4)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (1)
It Was OK (2)

Reader Stats (22):

Read It (4)
Want To Read (12)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (4)

1 comment(s)

It Was OK
2 months

Wow this book is long. I have to say I liked it for the descriptions of mountain climbing in the twenties, which was totally insane and I can't believe anyone ever did it. The characters are attempting to climb Mt. Everest in 1925, before it has ever been summitted, for two reasons: to find the body or personal effects of a missing man, and to try for the summit. Told from the perspective of a young American man, Jake,

The Abominable plays with ideas of the supernatural in this extreme landscape, while showing us that truly abominable things and actions don't have to take place at 28,000 feet.

This would have gotten four stars if the ending didn't drag on for so. Long. As a young, politically unconnected and unconcerned American, Jake doesn't know the significance of some of the people he meets along the way - traveling through the Weimar Republic, meeting Winston Churchill, blah blah blah these are FAMOUS FOLKS. The last hundred pages were just, look at who we can introduce now. I kind of just wanted to see someone get trepanned.

 
 
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