The Only Genuine Jones

by Alex Roddie

Two climbers. One victor.

O.G. Jones and Aleister Crowley are rival mountaineers, both brilliant and ambitious, but with a very different concept of honour.

It's 1896, but not as you know it. Mountaineers use new and revolutionary equipment, risking death for intangible rewards. Nobody has ever climbed a major Alpine north face before. Only an extraordinary man would want to.

Crowley seeks revenge; Jones seeks redemption. Together their journey will take them to the most lethal mountain wall in the Alps, where Jones will face a terrible choice: risk death and dishonour, or allow Crowley to triumph and destroy everything he believes in.

Adventure and deception, the Victorian spirit of progress, and the savage beauty of the wild combine to make this a tale of the mountains unlike any other.

PRAISE FOR "THE ONLY GENUINE JONES"

"This is extraordinarily accomplished storytelling - tense, taut and deeply atmospheric... The thrill of climbing is tangible, as is the sense of human frailty. This is an adventure story, a love story, a historical fantasy - but above all, this is a book in praise of the awesomeness of Nature and the men who risked their lives to be amongst it. Their astonishing feats are worthy of such a novel as The Only Genuine Jones. I am not a climber, yet the writing is such that I felt like I was with Jones, as he climbed into the snowy heights... A must-read for anyone who for whom the great outdoors - and great writing - has a strong allure." -- Susan Fletcher, award-winning author of "Corrag", "The Silver Dark Sea", and others

"It was all enormous fun. Add to that Aleister Crowley, the north face of the Eiger, murder and mayhem; really, what's not to love? It's a fine winter read. I cannot recommend this book enough."
-- Mike Hogan, author of "Sherlock Holmes and Young Winston" and others

"The book has a number of strengths and I particularly enjoyed the brisk plot, the cast of historical characters and the fascinating, flawed hero, O.G. Jones. Anyone with even a passing interest in the history of British mountaineering will recognise the names Collie, Raeburn and Crowley to name but three. The settings too will be familiar to anyone with a love of the mountains: the Clachaig in Glencoe and Wastdale Head in the Lake District being popular places in mountain lore then and now."
-- Nick Bramhall, outdoor blogger

"... very well crafted with a plot that hung together well and strong characters that pulled things along nicely ... The whole alternative reality idea worked well for me." -- Chris Highcock, author of "Hillfit: Fitness training for hiking, backpacking and hillwalking"

WHAT FANS ARE SAYING

"Once started I didn't want to put this book down - an excellent read, interesting characters, places I've been (and others I've not been) and a real ability to feel like you are there yourself."

"The story got me gripped on the first page, the characters in the first chapter!"

"What I've read so far is superb. You've obviously got the knack!"

"A well written romp with gripping characters."

"Damn you Alex Roddie. Stayed up so late reading your absolutely brilliant book last night I'm shattered before 11 hours of work."

"This book had me captivated from the first page to the last, superbly researched, brilliantly imagined and fantastically written. The authors passion for the subject shines through without making it too technical for someone with little mountaineering knowledge."

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mountaineering

227 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2012

About the author

Alex Roddie is a writer of historical fiction set in the mountains. He’s spent a great deal of his life up various hills, and his time living in Scotland from 2008 to 2011 has proved an endless source of inspiration. His novels The Only Genuine Jones and The Atholl Expedition are tales of adventure based on the emerging mountaineering culture of Britain in the 19th century.

His author website is www.alexroddie.com.

Alex is also a freelance editor providing affordable services for indie authors. When wearing his editing hat he hangs out at www.pinnacleeditorial.co.uk.

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex's novel is a creative and tightly-plotted thriller which whisks the reader from the sooty streets of Cambridge to the glistening great north faces of the Alps. It brings together interesting characters, iconic settings and deft descriptions of climbers and their motivations as they challenge the mountains for the sake of love and glory.

The book has a number of strengths and I particularly enjoyed the brisk plot, the cast of historical characters and the fascinating, flawed hero, O.G. Jones and his arch-rival Aleister Crowley. Alex succeeds in bringing to life the Victorian climbing establishment, filling the corners of mountain hostelries with pipe smoke and banter, and his descriptions of climbing convey an affinity with the high, wild places. The technical writing never gets bogged down in excessive detail, but rather dangles the reader in amongst the rock and ice of some iconic routes.

I had some initial concerns with the female characters, who came across as rather inconsistent in their words and actions. However, as the story developed and the characters matured these concerns were largely allayed. The strongest characterisations came towards the end of the book and the denouement was genuinely emotional. Whilst one or two of the early dramatic set pieces suffered slightly from excessive artistic license, I thought that the climax had a feel of true mountain mythos.

This is a confident piece of work that provides a thoroughly entertaining read from start to finish. With clear nods towards the likes of Harrer this is a book that will appeal to climbers and mountaineers but one that will also sit well with those interested in historical fiction and the quirks of Victorian society. I look forward to reading more from Alex.

[Michael Brookes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm ashamed to say that I almost let this gem pass me by and I'm pleased to report that I did not. Based on the cover and the blurb I'd pidgeon-holed this as a mountaineering book and passed it by. Well it is a story about mountaineering and a fascinating one at that.

I'm not a mountaineering fan (I'm far too lazy for that sort of endeavour!) but I have always enjoyed the sight of mountains and this book takes you on a stunning tour of the best in Britain and then to the Alps.

The story takes place at the start of a revolution in mountain climbing, new techniques and equipment is opening up new routes and challenges. At the centre of this is the only genuine Jones a champion of this progressive movement in mountain climbing. His rival Aleister Crowley is of a similar ilk, but of a much darker disposition. The story unfolds in a thriller that is both well constructed and finely written.

More than a story thought this book is an adventure, it takes you to beautiful places that you know existed, but then you see them with new eyes. The author does a remarkable job of guiding you both through the mountains and the act of climbing. He does so with confidence and while not afraid to include the more technical aspects he does so that it comprehensible to the layman.

The author also invokes the period (the late 1890's) with a subtle understated style, using the characters and their interactions to show the attitudes of the period. Overall this is an excellent read, don't let the mountain scare you off, instead face the ice wall and the author guide you to the exciting conclusion. Great stuff!

[David Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s very clear, when you read this book, that the author has got a huge amount of love and respect for the mountains themselves and for the men and women who climb them.

There are a number of characters in the book and I gather most of them are based on real characters who were climbing at the time. They were all so well drawn that I could almost smell their steaming socks in the highland inn and hear them squabbling over a tot of whisky.

The plot is very accomplished, and given that the story stretches across Europe and involves some very strong characters, this is no mean feat. I was particularly impressed by the way the author effortlessly switched from writing about a filthy Victorian London street to a spectacular ice wall on the Eiger.

I was a little concerned that I might struggle with the technical aspects of the climbing scenes, but not at all. For me there was enough technical detail to draw me in (and encourage me to look at a few things outside of the book!) but the suspense and overall atmosphere were the only overwhelming things about the story.
I know and understand that this book is a tale in which mountains and mountaineering are the centrepiece and when you read it you understand why, but for me it is just a bloody good book.
Regardless of what genre you think you enjoy, read this.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel from Alex Roddie is a brave effort. It is clearly an ambitious task to marry a fairly technical and potentially mundane subject matter of Victorian mountaineering, containing such non-mainstream topics as Tricouni Nails, Ice Axes and Crampons with a rip roaring yarn of romance, subterfuge and drama. In the main Roddie has pulled this off. The early sections of the book got me hooked, however, in the middle sections of the book I found the plot becoming slightly lost, as well as slightly surreal. This instilled within me a concern that the book would fail to recover. Thankfully, I found the book grew with strength after this section, as the story became more focused and the characters developed (as did the author's confidence I suspect), climaxing with the outstanding last third of the book acting out on the grand stage of the European Alps.

I have followed the author's progression with this book with great interest, and admire his determination to research, complete, self publish and market this book, no mean feat! Clear inspiration for any budding authors out there. Alex Roddie clearly has significant writing talent and has a strong future as an author. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

[Kath Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an imaginary account which is based around a number of real people. The main character, Owen Glynne Jones (the Only Genuine Jones) was a real person but much of the action of the story is fictional. It has a number of themes, including a rivalry between Jones and Aleister Crowley, the disputes between the traditionalists of mountain climbing (we do it this way because we’ve always done it this way) and the progressives. The latter were prepared to use shorter-handled, curved ice axes and crampons with forward facing points, which made previously impossible mountains climbable.

The story isn’t all blow-by-blow accounts of accents, however. There is a good deal of the social history of the times as the book deals with the fact that wealthy gentleman climbers and talented, poorer people were able to climb together in friendship. The mountains are great levellers. There are dodgy business dealings here, patent-stealing, double-crossing, potential polygamy, murder – and all this, with added mountains! Alex Roddie’s writing is elegant and accessible and the story reaches a gripping climax. I found this book enthralling.

[Mike Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was as unaware of climbing fiction as I was of Sherlock Holmes pastiches when I started to write my books. Maybe both genre descriptions beg some questions.
I read The Only Genuine Jones as a novel, and it stood up well to that classification.
We are transported to Victorian London (and Wales. the Lake District, Scotland and the Alps) by a writer who knows his period, his characters, his settings (above all) and his idiom. I learned of climbing techniques not accepted by the conservatives and used by the young Turks of the climbing establishment; I joined the protagonist, OJ Jones in inns frequented by climbing man (and women) with rows of ice axes in the lobby and roaring log fires and stories of ice faces and rock chimneys.
The writer is confident enough to describe lochs, hills, mountains and highland villages with a delicacy that made me want to up sticks and do a John Buchan.
It was all enormous fun. Add to that Aleister Crowley, the north face of the Eiger, murder and mayhem; really, what's not to love? It's a fine winter read. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[Louise Warman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale of rivalry, fear, courage and love, of doing the right thing, set against the backdrop of the Eiger and culminating on the terrifying wall of the North Face.
The climbing sequences are atmospheric and absorbing, often frightening but always plausible. While technicalities are subtly explained for the non climber, the elegant language perfectly gives the reader a sense of the Victorian period. All of the central characters are beautifully drawn; a cast of real, passionate yet flawed individuals. But for me the presence of two strong female protagonists in such a masculine environment makes this a five star read. 

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was out of social contact for a few days i got so absorbed in this book! I'm not a climber, but this fact doesn't matter as the storyline and characters are so engaging. I loved this piece of historical fiction, i wanted to step back in time with them & join them all on their journeys! The only problem with discovering such a talented new author is that they haven't written much & I want to move onto the next book; so hurry up Alex and get writing :-)

[Martyn Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping tale from the very first page to the last. The authors love of his subject shines through without leaving you lost in mountaineering slang or over description. This book has you feeling you shared O.G Jones' story and were on the mountainsides and inns alongside him.

[Martyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about climbing and mountaineering - not for me I thought but I was wrong. This book held right the way through to the point I wanted much more as I got to the end.