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The Icarus Ascent: Ghosts of the Matterhorn
July 14, 1865: Seven men stand atop the Matterhorn, Switzerland's most famous peak. Led by Englishman Edward Whymper, they have beaten a rival Italian party to attain the summit of 'The Impossible Mountain'.
Triumph turns to disaster on the descent when young Douglas Hadow, the novice of the party, slips and drags the Rev Charles Hudson, Lord Francis Douglas and guide Michel Croz 4,000 feet to their deaths.
At least that is the conclusion of the official inquiry...
Whymper and the father-and-son guiding team of old Peter and young Peter Taugwalder, only survive because the rope breaks in mid-air between old Peter and Lord Douglas.
The fall on the Matterhorn remains the most notorious mountaineering tragedy of all; grisly speculation as to why the rope broke – or even whether it was cut – persists to this day.
'The Icarus Ascent uniquely allows those seven men, including the four who were lost, the opportunity to relate their stories in the first person – effectively putting the reader on the rope alongside them.
Based on true events in the countdown to tragedy, Mike Lewis’s latest novel tells of a tarnished prize; how safety, diligence and prudence were sacrificed in the pursuit of glory and how one moment of ill-luck ruined lives and reputations.
Triumph turns to disaster on the descent when young Douglas Hadow, the novice of the party, slips and drags the Rev Charles Hudson, Lord Francis Douglas and guide Michel Croz 4,000 feet to their deaths.
At least that is the conclusion of the official inquiry...
Whymper and the father-and-son guiding team of old Peter and young Peter Taugwalder, only survive because the rope breaks in mid-air between old Peter and Lord Douglas.
The fall on the Matterhorn remains the most notorious mountaineering tragedy of all; grisly speculation as to why the rope broke – or even whether it was cut – persists to this day.
'The Icarus Ascent uniquely allows those seven men, including the four who were lost, the opportunity to relate their stories in the first person – effectively putting the reader on the rope alongside them.
Based on true events in the countdown to tragedy, Mike Lewis’s latest novel tells of a tarnished prize; how safety, diligence and prudence were sacrificed in the pursuit of glory and how one moment of ill-luck ruined lives and reputations.
Paperback
Published November 27, 2025
About the author
Mike Lewis
2 books5 followersMike Lewis hails from the former fishing village of Aberporth, west Wales, where his family farmed for generations.
Having joined a local newspaper straight from school, he proceeded to work as a writer and sub-editor on a number of national titles in London, including The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.
Having returned to his native west Wales to raise a family, he stumbled across the story of William James, the west Wales farmer's son who fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, which inspired his first historical fiction novel 'If God Will Spare My Life...'
His second historical fiction novel - The Icarus Ascent: Ghosts of the Matterhorn - relates the story of the notorious fall on the mountain in 1865...as seen through the eyes of the doomed climbers themselves.
Having joined a local newspaper straight from school, he proceeded to work as a writer and sub-editor on a number of national titles in London, including The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.
Having returned to his native west Wales to raise a family, he stumbled across the story of William James, the west Wales farmer's son who fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, which inspired his first historical fiction novel 'If God Will Spare My Life...'
His second historical fiction novel - The Icarus Ascent: Ghosts of the Matterhorn - relates the story of the notorious fall on the mountain in 1865...as seen through the eyes of the doomed climbers themselves.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 23, 2026
I looked at my old hiking boots while reading Icarus Ascent. They are covered in dust. The book covers the first climb of the Matterhorn. Seven men go up but only three come back. The different points of view are the best part. It makes the history feel very real. The tension on the way up is solid. You know what is coming but it still hurts. The part about the weak rope is very frustrating. I felt bad for the younger guys. Some chapters feel a bit long. The men repeat their reasons for the accident. It gets a little slow in the middle. The author really knows how to describe a mountain. Read this if you like history or survival stories. It is a good pick for hikers too. It feels very honest about how mistakes happen.
May 8, 2026
Reviewed for the Historical Novel Society
Lewis uses lyrical attention to detail to reflect the protagonist’s mindset and to balance the technical aspects of the climb. Readers of realistic historical adventures or of tales of personal growth under harsh situations, as well as anyone intrigued by the psychological and physical demands of mountaineering will find this novel appealing.
Read the full review at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
The rating reflects the reader's personal opinion.
Lewis uses lyrical attention to detail to reflect the protagonist’s mindset and to balance the technical aspects of the climb. Readers of realistic historical adventures or of tales of personal growth under harsh situations, as well as anyone intrigued by the psychological and physical demands of mountaineering will find this novel appealing.
Read the full review at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
The rating reflects the reader's personal opinion.
May 19, 2026
An absolutely compelling read based on true events & told in such a way, from several viewpoints, that the reader is able to draw their own conclusions into what really happened during this historical climb of the Matterhorn. The author sends us on a whirlwind of emotions, fear, adventure, thrills, and does a brilliant job of describing the harsh cold and terrifying conditions that faced the climbers as they tried for their goal.
The paperback version would make a super gift for armchair adventurers or sports enthusiasts worldwide.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews