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Death on the Ice: A Novel Based on the Terra Nova Expedition
Death on the Ice: A Novel Based on the Terra Nova Expedition
Death on the Ice: A Novel Based on the Terra Nova Expedition
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Death on the Ice: A Novel Based on the Terra Nova Expedition

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The tragic story of Robert Falcon Scott’s quest for the South Pole is brought to sparkling new life in this adventure novel
It is one of the most famous quotes in the history of exploration: “I am just going outside. I may be some time.”
The story of how former cavalry officer Lawrence Oates came to deliver his brave last words, before walking bootless into a Antarctic blizzard so that Robert Falcon Scott and the other members of the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition might have a better chance of survival, is brilliantly reimagined in this epic novel based on fact. A hero of the Boer Wars, Oates joined Scott’s second journey to Antarctica with dreams of winning the race to the South Pole for England. But small mistakes and bad luck plagued the mission from the start, and when they finally reached the Pole on January 17, 1912, Oates and Scott were heartbroken to find that Norwegian Roald Amundsen had beaten them there—by more than a month. Little did they know, things were about to get much, much worse.  

Death on the Ice is the 2nd book in the Great British Heroes and Antiheroes Trilogy, which also includes Empire of Sand and Signal Red.  
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 25, 2014
ISBN9781480477667
Death on the Ice: A Novel Based on the Terra Nova Expedition
Author

Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan is an author, journalist and screenwriter who regularly contributes to GQ and the Sunday Times where he was Deputy Travel Editor for seven years. Ryan is currently working on his next novel and a variety of television projects. Find out more at RobTRyan.com and follow him on Twitter @robtryan.

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    “Fortune would be in a hard mood indeed if it allowed such a combination of knowledge, experience, ability, and enthusiasm to achieve nothing.” Robert Falcon ScottThis novel is based on Robert Falcon Scott's attempts be the first man to reach the South Pole. His initial attempt in 1901 on the 'Discovery' with Ernest Shackleton when he achieved the feat of 'furthest South' but was ultimately beaten back by appalling weather before he could reach the Pole and the 1911 expedition when he and four companions reached The Pole, but died on the return journey.Over the last century Scott has achieved immortality but whereas once he was regarded as a hero his reputation has taken something of a knock with people questioning his competence. It is pretty obvious that Scott's second expedition was desperately underfunded and in many respects it is only his drive and determination that it got as far as it did. Ryan is relatively even-handed in his portrayal of the man, sitting on the fence and taking neither side of the argument. Yes Scott is certainly flawed, made some wrong choices, some of his own making but also because some of his companions were less honest with him than they should have been, but he is also a victim of some very bad luck.Ryan tells the story chiefly from three points of view, Scott's, Ernest Shackleton's and Lawrence Oates who also died on the ill-fated second expedition thus he manages to avoid the trap of over lionising all those who travelled South. This IMHO means that the story, although obviously some thing of a boy's own adventure, appears that realistic and credible. It is also a largely compelling tale and the author's depiction of the terrible privations that the polar explorers are very atmospheric meaning that at times I struggled to put the book down. It's apparent that Ryan has done his research but it must be remembered that this is meant as a novel rather than a biography.Unfortunately what lets the book down is when it moves away from the central story to Scott's widow Kathleen. Whilst I understand that the author is trying to portray her as being as ambitious as her husband I feel that she comes out very flat and one dimensional. The author is obviously much better at writing about men than women. Overall a good read that may tempt the reader to learn more about Scott and his companions."Amundsen won the Pole. But,Scott, he achieved immortality."

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Death on the Ice - Robert Ryan

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