Empire of Ice and Stone- The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk by Buddy Levy
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Web ID: 1767461116 reviews
Another great one from Buddy Levy
Buddy Levy has gone and done it again. He took a story I already knew and wrote a book I couldn't put down. Empire of Ice and Stone is another great entry into the genre of Arctic exploration and adventure. The story revolves around the crew of the Karluk which is one of multiple ships put together for exploration by Vilhjalmur Stefansson. You will quickly learn not to like him. However, the captain of the Karluk, Bob Bartlett, will quickly become one of your favorite people. As with most Arctic exploration, things go horribly wrong. I won't spoil it any further. This book is another example of what makes Buddy Levy such a great author. The book is thorough, but tightly focused on the men (and women!) of the expedition. Levy's eye for what you need to know keeps all of the extraneous information out. What's left is an adventure that focuses on people which make it so engaging. And then what happens is you stay up too late on a weeknight because you don't want to stop reading. At least that is still better than being marooned on a giant ice floe. (This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Exciting Polar Exploration of Peril and Adventure
Two men: Vilhjalmur Stefansson and Robert Bartlett. Both have egos but much different moral compasses. Stefansson, a self-styled Arctic explored prioritized his personal success and claim to fame above the mission. Bartlett, an experienced captain of the Arctic, focused on the survival of the men onboard the ill-fated Karluk. The mission was sanctioned by the Canadian government after much lobbying and politicking by Stefansson. The Captain for the scientific mission was Bartlett. Even from the beginning there were hints that the two men did not share a similar world view, nor did they trust in each other’s competence. When the Karluk excursion becomes imperiled, the factual storytelling describes the strengths and weaknesses of the men onboard. The reader is invested in their fates. Who will make it? And how? Wrong decisions can have disastrous implications and sometimes sheer luck can shift someone’s future. Buddy Levy has no need to invent any detail to heighten what transpired. Adventure and danger lurked throughout. The author also updates the reader as to what happened after the voyage and the lives men led afterwards. This is a long and exciting journey and book. Readers will be rewarded. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fascinating tale of tragedy and heroism
I’m going to start my review with a thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for the arc, because when I discovered this had been sent to my old address (800 miles away), they sent me another copy! So kind. The book is now published, so I read some of it and mostly listened to it via library audiobook. This non-fiction recounting of the events of “the disastrous and heroic voyage of the Karluk,” an explorer ship in the arctic sea, made me never want to be in the snow again. I am not a fan of snow and cold already, and the descriptions of below freezing weather, frostbite, starvation, snow blindness, polar bears, and other discomforts cemented that opinion in my mind. I found this story fascinating, especially its examination of the people involved. The book takes the position that the ship’s scientific leader, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, is the villain and the reason everything went so wrong on the voyage, and that the ship’s captain, Bob Bartlett, is the hero, without whom many more lives would have been lost. And I agree. Fascinating, sad, and well-written, so if a non-fiction explorer recounting sounds interesting to you, I recommend this one. The thing I found most fascinating? Learning about explorers and their minds. I don’t have any desire to explore new terrain, and I love learning about people who are different from me. These were impressive men and women. There were a few Inuit people involved, and I would love to learn more about them. Living and even thriving in the arctic blows my mind.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Well Written history
This work is an examination of the 1913 Canadian Arctic Expedition that became trapped in the arctic after their ship became icebound then sank. The leader of the expedition left with a few companions and never came back, making his way back to civilization, abandoning the rest of the expedition. The ship’s captain soon realized he was now responsible for the lives of the remaining twenty-four people and was forced to make difficult and life-changing decisions to keep his team alive. What an excellently written history! Despite the density and scope of this work, it was highly engaging. The author did an excellent job at weaving historical documents and research together to create an immersive tale that made this feel like it was a work of fiction. It almost felt like reading a Jack London novel. The juxtaposition between Stefansson and Bartlett was highlighted well, and I enjoyed the in-depth discussions of the challenges and disasters that haunted this expedition from as early on as the planning stages. In fact, the author excelled at focusing on the humans of this story and their personalities/characteristics, which I think is part of why this was such an engaging read. I listened to the audiobook version of this work so I can’t comment on the presence of references/footnotes, but there were facts and asides included throughout the work that made me confident in the author’s knowledge and use of historical documentation. The narrator did a wonderful job, and I highly recommend this book. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
5 captivating epic stars
I had not heard of the Karluk, its crew, or the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913. Empire of Ice and Stone was a fascinating read/ listen. Non-stop adventure and problems, fighting for one’s life in the unforgiving arctic, hunger, travel, cold and pain: Buddy Levy’s extensively researched account captivated and entertained. Though details from diaries and first-person accounts abound, the narrative remains lively throughout. Like the best books, it made me want to learn more – and I looked for photos of the ill-fated voyage and survivors. (I wish a few had been included in the book.) I particularly appreciated the follow-up on what happened to the main protagonists. I appreciated the author’s list of resources, the index, NOTES, etc. Buddy Levy has outstanding writing and organizational skills. A huge amount of resourced material flows into a superb narrative. Highly recommended for men and women who enjoy well-told tales. I hope they make a documentary of this. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Harrowing and TRUE!!!
What would prompt grown men to want to sail into the Arctic poorly clothed! This book reminds me of the adventures of Ernest Shackleton! Captain Bartlett is a true hero. He led his crew to safety. Unfortunately some of the members wanted to have their own way and this resulted in their deaths. Bartlett’s journey across the ice saved the remainder of the crew. What A great read! and a must read... fascinating, harrowing, and truly one of the greatest adventures I had Never! heard of. It's an education, reading this story, for anyone who loves true life tales! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the arc. I LOVED THIS BOOK!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Wonderful telling of a horrible voyage!
This story, WOW! It transported me to the arctic in 1913, and its brutal conditions for survival after an ill-fated voyage aboard the KarLuk. This rickety ship barely lasted two months into The Canadien Arctic Expedition before it became stuck in the polar ices. The ship ultimately sank leaving its passengers to fend for themselves in temperatures at times that were -50 degrees. Its captain, Bob Bartlett, determination to save his passengers goes beyond his sense of duty. He travels more than 700 miles across the ice to Siberia to seek help. This story is nothing short of miracle that majority of the shipwrecked passengers survived months living on the ice with poor provisions. Never question what you'll do to survive after reading this novel. Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk is a page-turner. Thank you St. Martins Press for the complimentary copy.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Exciting true adventure
Empire of Ice and Stone by Buddy Levy This five star account of an expedition ship frozen in Arctic ice and the race against time for survival will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat. Robert Bartlett captained the Karluk, commissioned by explorer Vilhjalmur (Willie) Stefansson, to search the Arctic and map new lands for Canada. As it turns out, the Karluk and its crew were ill prepared for such a voyage. Disaster strikes and the Karluk cannot escape the firm grip of the ice. Stefansson heads out with two crewmen to hunt caribou leaving Bartlett in charge of the ship and many lives. After a time, the Karluk sinks leaving the men and one Eskimo family alone on the ice. Boredom and hunger set in. The bravery of all the stranded and their many hardships is astounding.You will cheer for their survival and rescue, as well as a proper punishment for Stefansson’s negligence. The last chapter will tie up all the loose ends, and is a good finale to an exciting adventure. Many thanks to #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for this ARC.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com