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On Thin Ice: An Explorer's Memoir of Siberia, Surveillance and Survival
Not yet published
Expected 15 Sep 26'This almost insanely intrepid and dangerous trek in remotest Siberia is astonishing in itself. But it also brings invaluable experience of Russian reactions to the war against Ukraine. Altogether extraordinary' Colin Thubron, author of The Amur River
A BBC RADIO 4 'BOOK OF THE WEEK'
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In early 2022, Charlie Walker set out to hike 600 miles along the frozen rivers of Siberia. He hoped to cut through the myth of the gulag and the permafrost to understand who its people are and how they reckon with their haunted past, as well as what the future might hold for this remote corner of our world. But on 24 February, Russia invaded Ukraine, with devastating consequences. What had begun as an adventure swiftly descended into a paranoid nightmare, as Walker began to suspect he was being monitored by the Russian authorities. Shortly afterwards he was arrested and imprisoned.
On Thin Ice juxtaposes the harsh beauty of a Siberian winter with a thriller-like series of events that exposes the dark heart of Putin's propaganda machine. It is both the extraordinary record of one man’s walk through the most inhospitable place on earth and a powerful insight into a deeply troubled – and troubling – nation.
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PRAISE FOR ON THIN ICE
'The emotional heart of On Thin Ice lies in people’s reaction to the unfolding catastrophe of war... The book reads like a thriller. What a gripping film it would make.' The Spectator
'I was hooked from the very first, chilling words. On Thin Ice reads more like a Soviet-era spy thriller than travelogue, full of derring-do, panache, but also – importantly – insight. Imagine John Le Carré mixed with James Bond, add a dash of that master of travel writing, Colin Thubron, and you’ll have some idea of what’s in store' Benedict Allen, author of Explorer
'A powerful and haunting report from one of the world's most inaccessible places. Part quest, part fugitive drama, Walker navigates the ice roads and shattered towns of northeast Siberia to reveal the complex - and dangerous - politics of travel in Putin's Russia. On Thin Ice is a captivating book' Clare Hammond, author of On the Shadow Tracks
'A remarkable book... Walker is the best of guides: curious, honest, humble. I was gripped by the hardships of his journey, and his growing paranoia as the walls close in around him. It does what the best travel books should do, providing a unique and captivating insight into an utterly unknown world' Adam Weymouth, author of Lone Wolf
'This is a rare kind of expedition – a vast solo journey through one of the coldest inhabited places on Earth, undertaken just as history shifts beneath his feet. Charlie Walker’s travels capture the deeper uncertainty of moving through a landscape where danger is shaped as much by geopolitics as by ice' Alastair Humphreys, author of Microadventures
'Walker captures the Arctic’s unforgiving nature and exposes the importance of storytelling in places where truth is fragile. An absolutely gripping read' Levison Wood, author of The Great Tree Story
'His brilliantly told story reads like a thriller, but is far from fictional, and the taut, pacey writing is admirably lacking in the self-introspection that so often blights autobiographical ‘journeys’ nowadays' Country Life
'A gripping first-person account in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments' Business Traveller
A BBC RADIO 4 'BOOK OF THE WEEK'
------------
In early 2022, Charlie Walker set out to hike 600 miles along the frozen rivers of Siberia. He hoped to cut through the myth of the gulag and the permafrost to understand who its people are and how they reckon with their haunted past, as well as what the future might hold for this remote corner of our world. But on 24 February, Russia invaded Ukraine, with devastating consequences. What had begun as an adventure swiftly descended into a paranoid nightmare, as Walker began to suspect he was being monitored by the Russian authorities. Shortly afterwards he was arrested and imprisoned.
On Thin Ice juxtaposes the harsh beauty of a Siberian winter with a thriller-like series of events that exposes the dark heart of Putin's propaganda machine. It is both the extraordinary record of one man’s walk through the most inhospitable place on earth and a powerful insight into a deeply troubled – and troubling – nation.
------------
PRAISE FOR ON THIN ICE
'The emotional heart of On Thin Ice lies in people’s reaction to the unfolding catastrophe of war... The book reads like a thriller. What a gripping film it would make.' The Spectator
'I was hooked from the very first, chilling words. On Thin Ice reads more like a Soviet-era spy thriller than travelogue, full of derring-do, panache, but also – importantly – insight. Imagine John Le Carré mixed with James Bond, add a dash of that master of travel writing, Colin Thubron, and you’ll have some idea of what’s in store' Benedict Allen, author of Explorer
'A powerful and haunting report from one of the world's most inaccessible places. Part quest, part fugitive drama, Walker navigates the ice roads and shattered towns of northeast Siberia to reveal the complex - and dangerous - politics of travel in Putin's Russia. On Thin Ice is a captivating book' Clare Hammond, author of On the Shadow Tracks
'A remarkable book... Walker is the best of guides: curious, honest, humble. I was gripped by the hardships of his journey, and his growing paranoia as the walls close in around him. It does what the best travel books should do, providing a unique and captivating insight into an utterly unknown world' Adam Weymouth, author of Lone Wolf
'This is a rare kind of expedition – a vast solo journey through one of the coldest inhabited places on Earth, undertaken just as history shifts beneath his feet. Charlie Walker’s travels capture the deeper uncertainty of moving through a landscape where danger is shaped as much by geopolitics as by ice' Alastair Humphreys, author of Microadventures
'Walker captures the Arctic’s unforgiving nature and exposes the importance of storytelling in places where truth is fragile. An absolutely gripping read' Levison Wood, author of The Great Tree Story
'His brilliantly told story reads like a thriller, but is far from fictional, and the taut, pacey writing is admirably lacking in the self-introspection that so often blights autobiographical ‘journeys’ nowadays' Country Life
'A gripping first-person account in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments' Business Traveller
304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 15, 2026
About the author
Charlie Walker
3 books56 followersCharlie Walker is an award-winning British explorer, author and keynote speaker. He specialises in long distance, human-powered expeditions and has travelled over 60,000 miles (100,000 km) by foot, horse, bicycle, ski, kayak and dugout canoe. He has completed challenging expeditions both solo and as a team leader.
Charlie is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a four-time recipient of the Transglobe Expedition Trust's 'Mad but Marvellous' award. His writing has featured in a range of publications including The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, Wanderlust, Geographical and Sidetracked magazine as well as BBC Radio 4 and the World Service. Charlie has also appeared on numerous podcasts including The Joe Rogan Experience.
Charlie is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a four-time recipient of the Transglobe Expedition Trust's 'Mad but Marvellous' award. His writing has featured in a range of publications including The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, Wanderlust, Geographical and Sidetracked magazine as well as BBC Radio 4 and the World Service. Charlie has also appeared on numerous podcasts including The Joe Rogan Experience.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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July 6, 2026I’ve been waiting 4 years to read Charlie’s latest book. When I heard his long-planned expedition to hike 600 miles along the frozen rivers of Siberia ended in being locked up in a Russian jail I knew he would turn the experience into a page turning account.
Charlie obviously survived the experience but the build up to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment form a tense part of the book.
The book is thoroughly researched. Apart from giving a depressing insight into the political situation in Russia and the state propaganda the people are subjected to it also describes the lives of the Yakuti and Eveni people who live in this harsh environment.
A thoroughly good read.
Charlie obviously survived the experience but the build up to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment form a tense part of the book.
The book is thoroughly researched. Apart from giving a depressing insight into the political situation in Russia and the state propaganda the people are subjected to it also describes the lives of the Yakuti and Eveni people who live in this harsh environment.
A thoroughly good read.
July 21, 2026
I listened to the abridged version on BBC Sounds narrated by the author. The title On Thin Ice doesn’t so much refer to the terrain on which the author was walking, one of the zimniki - temporary roads cleared of snow for traffic such as truckers - as to the thin ice on which he skated most of the time with the security police. Russia had just invaded Ukraine and even though Walker quickly learned to claim no knowledge of the situation, the security police were suspicious of him and kept track of him, often harassing him until eventually arresting him on suspicion of ‘journalism’.
The abridged version is short but it’s an intriguing account of his journey, the lives of the inhabitants of this vast area, and of the lengths to which the security police will go to ensure no one says or writes anything in the country or outside that might not tow the party line. It was repetitive occasionally, though in fairness it’s because incidents were repetitive, but I really enjoyed hearing his account.
The abridged version is short but it’s an intriguing account of his journey, the lives of the inhabitants of this vast area, and of the lengths to which the security police will go to ensure no one says or writes anything in the country or outside that might not tow the party line. It was repetitive occasionally, though in fairness it’s because incidents were repetitive, but I really enjoyed hearing his account.
Review of advance copy
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was one of those books that I genuinely struggled to put down (or pause, in the case of the audiobook). Charlie Walker does a fantastic job of capturing both the excitement and the fear of travelling through some of the most remote and inhospitable places on Earth. It’s not just a story about adventure… it’s also about resilience, adapting to the unexpected, and the kindness of strangers.
I especially enjoyed how honest the book felt. Walker doesn’t try to portray himself as fearless or invincible, which makes the journey all the more compelling and relatable. His writing is vivid enough that I often felt like I was travelling alongside him, sharing the highs, the lows, and the moments of uncertainty.
If you enjoy travel writing, exploration, or true stories that take you far outside your comfort zone, I’d thoroughly recommend On Thin Ice.
This was one of those books that I genuinely struggled to put down (or pause, in the case of the audiobook). Charlie Walker does a fantastic job of capturing both the excitement and the fear of travelling through some of the most remote and inhospitable places on Earth. It’s not just a story about adventure… it’s also about resilience, adapting to the unexpected, and the kindness of strangers.
I especially enjoyed how honest the book felt. Walker doesn’t try to portray himself as fearless or invincible, which makes the journey all the more compelling and relatable. His writing is vivid enough that I often felt like I was travelling alongside him, sharing the highs, the lows, and the moments of uncertainty.
If you enjoy travel writing, exploration, or true stories that take you far outside your comfort zone, I’d thoroughly recommend On Thin Ice.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Best non fiction book I have read all year. Not only is the writing exceptional and the descriptions of Siberia brilliant, the observations and analysis of Russia and its people are invaluable - this should be read by anyone trying to understand Russia in the modern era.
July 26, 2026
Tense and unnerving, you really feel for his inquisitive mind and exploratory ambition but palpably experience his helplessness against a country so mired in propaganda that the truth is never near at hand.
A great adventure story for our times and thoroughly enjoyable read.
A great adventure story for our times and thoroughly enjoyable read.
Review of advance copy
This was a really gripping and interesting book of the week adaptation on Radio 4. As always very heavily abridged so i didn't get the full experience. What i did hear was excellent.
July 25, 2026
Third book of Charlie’s that I have read - best one yet!!!
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August 2, 20264*
Review of advance copy
Excellent book of the week of BBC Radio 4. I have read another book by Charlie Walker and this new one did not disappoint, he has a thrilling story to tell.
June 30, 2026
Explorer Charlie Walker travels to Siberia. A few days later, Russia invades Ukraine. While many foreigners left, Charlie chose to stay.
I wanted to read this book because it promised to be a window into Siberia, a place I didn’t know much about and am unlikely to ever visit. The author starts in Yakutsk and walks northwards to Tiksi, coming across underpopulated towns and villages on the way. We indeed get an insight into what life is like in the remote North, the ancient traditions that are vanishing, as well as the consequences of climate change. However, this all becomes overshadowed by the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The memoir is beautifully written and feels very personal. I felt like I was there every step of the way. You really get a sense of the emotional difficulty of making connections in a place where politics, paranoia, and propaganda are always beneath the surface.
I wanted to read this book because it promised to be a window into Siberia, a place I didn’t know much about and am unlikely to ever visit. The author starts in Yakutsk and walks northwards to Tiksi, coming across underpopulated towns and villages on the way. We indeed get an insight into what life is like in the remote North, the ancient traditions that are vanishing, as well as the consequences of climate change. However, this all becomes overshadowed by the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The memoir is beautifully written and feels very personal. I felt like I was there every step of the way. You really get a sense of the emotional difficulty of making connections in a place where politics, paranoia, and propaganda are always beneath the surface.
June 22, 2026
I have been excitedly waiting for Charlie’s next book since he announced it. Whilst I have only been able to access the audiobook where I am, I love it when an author reads their own work. Charlie’s writing takes you on his journey, as if you are with him side-by-side, and this journey is one I’m glad to have experienced as I worry that I’ll never be able to travel there any time soon. I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but if you enjoy journeys on roads less travelled, meeting interesting characters and learning about other cultures, climates and countries, this is may just be the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews