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High Citadel
A group of adventurers set sail to track down the treasure and smuggle it out, encountering many enemies along the route, including murderous ex-partisans, ruthless beauties and menacing smugglers, all of whom will stop at nothing for a chance to hijack the fortune.
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
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427 people want to read
About the author
Desmond Bagley
131 books165 followersDesmond Bagley was a British journalist and novelist principally known for a series of best-selling thrillers. Along with fellow British writers such as Hammond Innes and Alistair MacLean, Bagley established the basic conventions of the genre: a tough, resourceful, but essentially ordinary hero pitted against villains determined to sow destruction and chaos in order to advance their agenda.
Bagley was born at Kendal, Cumbria (then Westmorland), England, the son of John and Hannah Bagley. His family moved to the resort town of Blackpool in the summer of 1935, when Bagley was twelve. Leaving school not long after the relocation, Bagley worked as a printer's assistant and factory worker, and during World War II he worked in the aircraft industry. Bagley suffered from a speech impediment (stuttering) all of his life, which initially exempted him from military conscription.
He left England in 1947 for Africa and worked his way overland, crossing the Sahara Desert and briefly settling in Kampala, Uganda, where he contracted malaria. By 1951, he had settled in South Africa, working in the gold mining industry and asbestos industry in Durban, Natal, before becoming a freelance writer for local newspapers and magazines.
His first published short story appeared in the English magazine Argosy in 1957, and his first novel, The Golden Keel in 1962. In the interval, he was a film critic for Rand Daily Mail in Johannesburg from 1958–1962. Also during this period, he met local bookstore owner Joan Margaret Brown and they were married in 1960.
The success of The Golden Keel led Bagley to turn full time to novel writing by the mid-1960s. He published a total of sixteen thrillers, all craftsmanlike and nearly all best-sellers. Typical of British thriller writers of the era, he rarely used recurring characters whose adventures unfolded over multiple books. Max Stafford, the security consultant featured in Flyaway and Windfall, is a notable exception. Also typically, his work has received little attention from filmmakers, yielding only a few, unremarkable adaptations. Exceptions were The Freedom Trap (1971), released in 1973 as The Mackintosh Man by Warner Brothers, starring Paul Newman and Dominique Sanda; and Running Blind which was adapted for television by the BBC in 1979.
Bagley and his wife left South Africa for Italy in 1960, and then England in 1965. They settled in Totnes, Devon from 1965–1976, then lived in Guernsey in the Channel Islands from 1976-1983.
Bagley also published short stories. When not traveling to research the exotic backgrounds for his novels, Bagley spent his time sailing and motor-boating. He loved classical music and films, military history, and played war games.
Desmond Bagley died of complications resulting from a stroke at a hospital in Southampton. He was fifty-nine. His last two novels Night of Error and Juggernaut were published posthumously after completion by his wife. His works have been translated into over 20 languages.
Bagley was born at Kendal, Cumbria (then Westmorland), England, the son of John and Hannah Bagley. His family moved to the resort town of Blackpool in the summer of 1935, when Bagley was twelve. Leaving school not long after the relocation, Bagley worked as a printer's assistant and factory worker, and during World War II he worked in the aircraft industry. Bagley suffered from a speech impediment (stuttering) all of his life, which initially exempted him from military conscription.
He left England in 1947 for Africa and worked his way overland, crossing the Sahara Desert and briefly settling in Kampala, Uganda, where he contracted malaria. By 1951, he had settled in South Africa, working in the gold mining industry and asbestos industry in Durban, Natal, before becoming a freelance writer for local newspapers and magazines.
His first published short story appeared in the English magazine Argosy in 1957, and his first novel, The Golden Keel in 1962. In the interval, he was a film critic for Rand Daily Mail in Johannesburg from 1958–1962. Also during this period, he met local bookstore owner Joan Margaret Brown and they were married in 1960.
The success of The Golden Keel led Bagley to turn full time to novel writing by the mid-1960s. He published a total of sixteen thrillers, all craftsmanlike and nearly all best-sellers. Typical of British thriller writers of the era, he rarely used recurring characters whose adventures unfolded over multiple books. Max Stafford, the security consultant featured in Flyaway and Windfall, is a notable exception. Also typically, his work has received little attention from filmmakers, yielding only a few, unremarkable adaptations. Exceptions were The Freedom Trap (1971), released in 1973 as The Mackintosh Man by Warner Brothers, starring Paul Newman and Dominique Sanda; and Running Blind which was adapted for television by the BBC in 1979.
Bagley and his wife left South Africa for Italy in 1960, and then England in 1965. They settled in Totnes, Devon from 1965–1976, then lived in Guernsey in the Channel Islands from 1976-1983.
Bagley also published short stories. When not traveling to research the exotic backgrounds for his novels, Bagley spent his time sailing and motor-boating. He loved classical music and films, military history, and played war games.
Desmond Bagley died of complications resulting from a stroke at a hospital in Southampton. He was fifty-nine. His last two novels Night of Error and Juggernaut were published posthumously after completion by his wife. His works have been translated into over 20 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 25, 2020
Like discovering a secret everybody is already in on and when realising that, you didn't care and carried on anyway with your clapping. Another on the edge of your seat action thriller Desmond masterfully delivers tense action sequences engaging characters all with universal common sense or significantly lacking. Written in the 60s but still being reprinted and bought brand new at the warehouse. Me driving around looking for all the rest of his books. Anyway I digress this is about a broken down ex Korean war jet fighter pilot now far more interesting because he's broken, anyway he's unfortunately out in South America flying for a less reputable airline, apparently his tardiness isn't appreciated. Last minute job to fly across the mountains with passengers. Fairly routine but quickly changes for the worse his co-pilot hijacked and force landed the plane in the mountains. What follows is terrorists are after one of the passengers what our hero does is successfully organises the passengers to resist as they realise no one was meant to survive and the group of terrorists small army actually move in for the kill. We have here blow shit up , body parts blown to smitherenes, bombs dropped from jet fighters and medieval catapults, yes we do and crossbows, mountaineering, freezing to death nearly, and say it again, blow shit up. All in all good honest action fun.
January 27, 2020
The politics date the novel more effectively than carbon testing, but damned if ‘High Citadel’ isn’t one of the best action/adventure thrillers ever written. If not *the* best. The tension and pace are unremitting, the descriptive writing fiercely evocative, the action set-pieces bold and imaginative.
February 20, 2025
It was a great read and a much greater Re-read. It was one of the books that I found as a translation in an old man's collection so it was like a treasure to me and the story proved its worth to be like a treasure.
Let’s start with the premise, because wow, what a setup! A ragtag group of passengers crash-landed in the Andes, fighting for survival against not just the brutal elements but also a small army of communist soldiers hell-bent on wiping them out. It’s like Lost meets Die Hard meets MacGyver, with a dash of medieval warfare thrown in for good measure. Yes, you read that right—medieval warfare. Crossbows, catapults, and all. Because why not?
Our hero, Tom O’Hara, is the kind of guy you want on your side when things go south. A broken-down ex-Korean War jet fighter pilot with a drinking problem and a chip on his shoulder, O’Hara is the epitome of the flawed but resourceful everyman. He’s not your typical invincible action hero, and that’s what makes him so compelling. He’s just a guy trying to keep himself and his passengers alive, and boy, does he deliver.
But let’s not forget the supporting cast, because they’re the real MVPs here. You’ve got Dr. Armstrong, the academic who’s basically a medieval weapons expert (because of course he is); Jennifer Ponsky, the schoolteacher who’s shockingly handy with a longbow; and a whole host of other characters who bring their own unique skills to the table. It’s like Ocean’s Eleven, but instead of pulling off a heist, they’re trying to survive a communist ambush in the freezing Andes.
The action is relentless, the tension is palpable, and the stakes are sky-high. Bagley throws everything at his characters—mountain climbing, aerial dogfights, improvised weaponry, and even a glacier crossing. And yet, somehow, it all works. The pacing is impeccable, the plot twists are deliciously unpredictable, and the ending? My only real gripe? The ending comes at breakneck speed. After such a carefully built-up plot, it feels like Bagley hit the climax and decided, ‘Alright, that’s enough, let’s wrap this up.’ A little more breathing room in the conclusion would have made it even more satisfying. But even with that, it’s still an incredibly rewarding read.
Now, I’ll admit, the book is very much a product of its time. The Cold War-era politics and the occasional dated dialogue might make you raise an eyebrow, but honestly, it just adds to the charm. It’s like stepping into a time capsule and experiencing the thrill of a 1960s adventure thriller in all its unapologetic glory.
Also, fun fact—this book played a part in shaping Phoenix Legion & the deciphering limbo, so you already know it has some serious storytelling power.
High Citadel isn’t just a book; it’s an experience. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page. It’s inspired me in my own writing, and I can honestly say it’s one of my all-time favorites. If you’re looking for a book that’s equal parts action, suspense, and ingenuity, look no further.
Desmond Bagley, you’ve left us with a masterpiece. High Citadel is a treasure, and I’ll be revisiting it again and again.
Let’s start with the premise, because wow, what a setup! A ragtag group of passengers crash-landed in the Andes, fighting for survival against not just the brutal elements but also a small army of communist soldiers hell-bent on wiping them out. It’s like Lost meets Die Hard meets MacGyver, with a dash of medieval warfare thrown in for good measure. Yes, you read that right—medieval warfare. Crossbows, catapults, and all. Because why not?
Our hero, Tom O’Hara, is the kind of guy you want on your side when things go south. A broken-down ex-Korean War jet fighter pilot with a drinking problem and a chip on his shoulder, O’Hara is the epitome of the flawed but resourceful everyman. He’s not your typical invincible action hero, and that’s what makes him so compelling. He’s just a guy trying to keep himself and his passengers alive, and boy, does he deliver.
But let’s not forget the supporting cast, because they’re the real MVPs here. You’ve got Dr. Armstrong, the academic who’s basically a medieval weapons expert (because of course he is); Jennifer Ponsky, the schoolteacher who’s shockingly handy with a longbow; and a whole host of other characters who bring their own unique skills to the table. It’s like Ocean’s Eleven, but instead of pulling off a heist, they’re trying to survive a communist ambush in the freezing Andes.
The action is relentless, the tension is palpable, and the stakes are sky-high. Bagley throws everything at his characters—mountain climbing, aerial dogfights, improvised weaponry, and even a glacier crossing. And yet, somehow, it all works. The pacing is impeccable, the plot twists are deliciously unpredictable, and the ending? My only real gripe? The ending comes at breakneck speed. After such a carefully built-up plot, it feels like Bagley hit the climax and decided, ‘Alright, that’s enough, let’s wrap this up.’ A little more breathing room in the conclusion would have made it even more satisfying. But even with that, it’s still an incredibly rewarding read.
Now, I’ll admit, the book is very much a product of its time. The Cold War-era politics and the occasional dated dialogue might make you raise an eyebrow, but honestly, it just adds to the charm. It’s like stepping into a time capsule and experiencing the thrill of a 1960s adventure thriller in all its unapologetic glory.
Also, fun fact—this book played a part in shaping Phoenix Legion & the deciphering limbo, so you already know it has some serious storytelling power.
High Citadel isn’t just a book; it’s an experience. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page. It’s inspired me in my own writing, and I can honestly say it’s one of my all-time favorites. If you’re looking for a book that’s equal parts action, suspense, and ingenuity, look no further.
Desmond Bagley, you’ve left us with a masterpiece. High Citadel is a treasure, and I’ll be revisiting it again and again.
January 24, 2021
Written in the mid-60s, ‘High Citadel’ is about as solid a traditional adventure thriller as you could hope to read. It has a simple but effective premise, a square-jawed hero, a decent supporting cast, and as much of the peril coming from nature as it does bad guys. I wrote recently in my review of Bagley’s recently published novel ‘Domino Island’ that I thought this was one of he first “grown up” books I read. Reading it I’m not sure it was, as none of it rung a bell for me. I definitely remember a paperback copy of the edition I’ve used for the cover image being in the house when I was a kid though. And indeed when I mailed my Dad to give him my thoughts on ‘Domino Island’, he mentioned ‘High Citadel’ as his favourite of Bagley’s books.
Like a lot of these kind of novels, the hero is a white man abroad. If that feels like a dated set up nowadays, then the fact that a great deal of the dialogue is about how terrible communists are probably won’t seem any more current. The book is certainly very much of its time. In this case the white man is Irish pilot Tom O’Hara, who flies a battered old Dakota for a shoestring airline operating in the Andes. He’s given the task of flying ten passengers across the mountains, but then the flight is hijacked and he has to make a crash landing. O’Hara and the surviving passengers end up in a fight for survival against a vicious group of soldiers (communist ones, naturally).
Politics aside, it’s an immediately appealing set up. The battle against both the hostile environment and the troops is genuinely gripping, with the passengers using their ingenuity to survive. Bagley throws everything at them. The books features mountain climbing, aerial dogfights, medieval weapons and more. It’s a classic adventure and thrilling from first page to last. O’Hara is an enjoyable everyman hero, but it’s the ragtag supporting characters that really make the book fun. They have the variety of a disaster movie cast and are just as enjoyable. The book is over 50 years old now, but I’d still take this kind of thriller over the carbon copy ex-special forces operatives getting revenge style books that seem to make up the genre nowadays.
Like a lot of these kind of novels, the hero is a white man abroad. If that feels like a dated set up nowadays, then the fact that a great deal of the dialogue is about how terrible communists are probably won’t seem any more current. The book is certainly very much of its time. In this case the white man is Irish pilot Tom O’Hara, who flies a battered old Dakota for a shoestring airline operating in the Andes. He’s given the task of flying ten passengers across the mountains, but then the flight is hijacked and he has to make a crash landing. O’Hara and the surviving passengers end up in a fight for survival against a vicious group of soldiers (communist ones, naturally).
Politics aside, it’s an immediately appealing set up. The battle against both the hostile environment and the troops is genuinely gripping, with the passengers using their ingenuity to survive. Bagley throws everything at them. The books features mountain climbing, aerial dogfights, medieval weapons and more. It’s a classic adventure and thrilling from first page to last. O’Hara is an enjoyable everyman hero, but it’s the ragtag supporting characters that really make the book fun. They have the variety of a disaster movie cast and are just as enjoyable. The book is over 50 years old now, but I’d still take this kind of thriller over the carbon copy ex-special forces operatives getting revenge style books that seem to make up the genre nowadays.
December 24, 2020
*3.5 stars
Pure pleasure read. A short, fun, action-adventure in which a plane is forcibly crashed in the mountains and the survivors need to face both the harsh climate and the squad of gunmen trying to kill them.
As this is a book from the 60s, it has some period specific issues. For example, racism - which other characters are quick to condemn but really isn't necessary plot-wise. Another quirk is that the main villains are "communists". Just, collectively, as a group of people of different nationalities who are all devoted to communism.
Pushing that aside, the book is a neat match up of "survival story" and "action story." The pilot, O'Hara, is forced to make a rough landing (more of a crash) in the mountains as a group of communists want to kill one of the passengers, an ex-president of a fictional south American country who is returning to try and bring democracy back to his country. The survivors are an odd collection: a profesor of medieval weaponry whose designs for crossbows and such help the group fend off the soldiers, none of which could be built if not for the help of a very handy fellow who seems able to make anything from old mining equipment, a professor who happens to be a crack shot with a bow, a CIA agent pretending to be a business man, the ex-president along with his niece and bodyguard, a drunkard, and the pilot.
If you think this is the setup for hilarity, you are correct! Only with 100% more death as at least half the cast dies by the time the book is over. Overall, very entertaining cottage read.
Pure pleasure read. A short, fun, action-adventure in which a plane is forcibly crashed in the mountains and the survivors need to face both the harsh climate and the squad of gunmen trying to kill them.
As this is a book from the 60s, it has some period specific issues. For example, racism - which other characters are quick to condemn but really isn't necessary plot-wise. Another quirk is that the main villains are "communists". Just, collectively, as a group of people of different nationalities who are all devoted to communism.
Pushing that aside, the book is a neat match up of "survival story" and "action story." The pilot, O'Hara, is forced to make a rough landing (more of a crash) in the mountains as a group of communists want to kill one of the passengers, an ex-president of a fictional south American country who is returning to try and bring democracy back to his country. The survivors are an odd collection: a profesor of medieval weaponry whose designs for crossbows and such help the group fend off the soldiers, none of which could be built if not for the help of a very handy fellow who seems able to make anything from old mining equipment, a professor who happens to be a crack shot with a bow, a CIA agent pretending to be a business man, the ex-president along with his niece and bodyguard, a drunkard, and the pilot.
If you think this is the setup for hilarity, you are correct! Only with 100% more death as at least half the cast dies by the time the book is over. Overall, very entertaining cottage read.
December 31, 2021
This is one of the most ridiculous books I've ever read, simply because of the premise: Passengers of a plane find themselves stranded in mountains after a crash and are chased ferociously by bloodthirsty, barely-human communists. They try to fight them and hold their ground by making medieval weapons, namely crossbows and trebuchets, against fighter planes, rifles and handguns.
If you tried to sell that idea to any publisher today, you'd be lucky to have them laugh at your face.
But, funnily enough, with Bagley's book, it works!
Of course it's shallow, hasn't aged well, cliche-ridden, filled to the brim with anti-communism and Cold War western propaganda and it even takes itself a bit too seriously, but it's not too bad. It's fun to read if you know what to expect and the action is written in a surprisingly modern manner, which is important for me. So yeah, three stars seems very fair.
If you tried to sell that idea to any publisher today, you'd be lucky to have them laugh at your face.
But, funnily enough, with Bagley's book, it works!
Of course it's shallow, hasn't aged well, cliche-ridden, filled to the brim with anti-communism and Cold War western propaganda and it even takes itself a bit too seriously, but it's not too bad. It's fun to read if you know what to expect and the action is written in a surprisingly modern manner, which is important for me. So yeah, three stars seems very fair.
February 3, 2018
I came across way back when, and still it remains the best for me. The epitome of the adventure thriller, complete with gritty, tormented hero, sinister villain and a gallimaufry of supporting cast members who all serve to enrich this super-tense high altitude classic.Outnumbered and outgunned, worn-out pilot Tim O'Hara must defend himself and the lives of his passengers when his plane crashes high in the Andes, and bring together an eclectic bunch of characters to outwit the communist forces determined to put a stop, permanently, to the political aspirations of the democratic candidate who was on board.Ingenious, engaging, non-stop thrills.
Want to read
September 18, 2018Synopsis: O'Hara's plane has crashed in the high Andes; he and his passengers are fighting for their lives.
December 4, 2023
Classic Bagley
October 2, 2025
Very reminiscent of MacLean’s thrillers but with actual character development. Fun thriller!
May 8, 2018
I'd never heard of Bagley before picking this up, but I gather he was a British action-thriller writer contemporary of Hammond Ines and Alistair Maclean. This was his second book, originally published in 1965 and displaying all the cliches of the Cold War-era thriller. The story is set in a fictional South American country adjacent to the Andes, where a decrepit American pilot flies for a tiny two-bit airline. A former jet-fighter pilot in Korea, he was shot down there and endured unimaginable horrors in a Chinese prison camp, leaving him scarred and unable to hold onto a decent job. Now flying for Andes Air, he's at the end of the line when he gets the call to come in and shuttle a load of passengers across the the mountains since their jumbo-jet was forced to land due to mechanical problems.
Without giving too much away, he's forced to crash land in the mountains and soon he and the surviving passengers are in a life-or-death struggle against the elements and a force of communist-sympathizing military who are about to launch a coup. There's one thread which follows some passengers who try and climb out to raise the alarm, and their trials and tribulations in mountain-climbing without proper gear. The other thread follows the passengers who try and MacGyver weapons to hold off the soldiers who are on the other side of a rickety rope bridge. Fortunately, in addition to the pilot, there's an academic with a more than passing knowledge of medieval weaponry, another academic who is awfully handy at building things, a schoolteacher who's handy with bows, and a young woman who isn't afraid of doing her part.
A basic premise of the story is that all these folks would be keen to fight to the death rather than surrender to dastardly Communists -- with lots of references to how Communists are basically all sadistic torturers. And naturally, the villains are led by a Cuban officer and a Russian handler, and one of the heroes is secretly a CIA agent. There's even another American who fulfills the cliche of the blowhard American whose cowardice puts everyone at risk. If you don't mind such gratingly dated characters, some major coincidences (two characters who happen to have flown the same Sabrejets used by the bad guys?) and some shockingly poor tactical choices by the soldiers (For example, at one point most of the heroes are cornered in a cave, but the soldiers are apparently too afraid to rush them because they have a submachine gun and so instead call for jets to attack the cave with rockets. One of many alternative approaches would have been to simply approach the cave from the side and pitch a grenade or two in, instantly solving the issue.), it's a reasonably fun adventure tale.
Without giving too much away, he's forced to crash land in the mountains and soon he and the surviving passengers are in a life-or-death struggle against the elements and a force of communist-sympathizing military who are about to launch a coup. There's one thread which follows some passengers who try and climb out to raise the alarm, and their trials and tribulations in mountain-climbing without proper gear. The other thread follows the passengers who try and MacGyver weapons to hold off the soldiers who are on the other side of a rickety rope bridge. Fortunately, in addition to the pilot, there's an academic with a more than passing knowledge of medieval weaponry, another academic who is awfully handy at building things, a schoolteacher who's handy with bows, and a young woman who isn't afraid of doing her part.
A basic premise of the story is that all these folks would be keen to fight to the death rather than surrender to dastardly Communists -- with lots of references to how Communists are basically all sadistic torturers. And naturally, the villains are led by a Cuban officer and a Russian handler, and one of the heroes is secretly a CIA agent. There's even another American who fulfills the cliche of the blowhard American whose cowardice puts everyone at risk. If you don't mind such gratingly dated characters, some major coincidences (two characters who happen to have flown the same Sabrejets used by the bad guys?) and some shockingly poor tactical choices by the soldiers (For example, at one point most of the heroes are cornered in a cave, but the soldiers are apparently too afraid to rush them because they have a submachine gun and so instead call for jets to attack the cave with rockets. One of many alternative approaches would have been to simply approach the cave from the side and pitch a grenade or two in, instantly solving the issue.), it's a reasonably fun adventure tale.
July 29, 2019
I picked this up by chance in a charity shop, thinking it would be a fast-moving thriller in the Alastair MacLean mould, with unconvincing villains talking tough out of the side of their mouths. Which it kind of is, but it's slightly more than that because like Night Without End, one of my favourites of the MacLeans, it leans heavy on the 'adventure in a wild landscape' trope I am particularly fond of.
In fact, it's practically a disaster movie, a rarity indeed in book form. A passenger plane crash-lands in the Andes, miles from civilisation, and the heroic young pilot and oddly-assorted passengers have to figure out how to survive in a hostile landscape. So far, so very Night Without End, which has exactly the same beginning, only in a deadly Arctic landscape. But here, the hero is the pilot - whose 'bad war' backstory and drinking problem could not help but remind me comically of the satirical, genre-puncturing tour de force of Airplane!
In fact, Tim O'Hara is a rather irritating hero by modern standards. Curt, moody, alcoholic and sexist. However, his passengers fill out the cast satisfyingly - although I could have done with a little more character delineation here and there. My favourites were Jennifer Ponsky and Dr Armstrong and to say why would spoil the plot.
Yes, the plot. I would have been happy just with the drama of how the passengers extricate themselves from their deadly crash site, too far up in the mountains to be able to breathe properly. But this is a thriller so we must have a rather unconvincing South American Communist plot.
The book isn't perfect - it ends rather abruptly and could do with a little more humour. But having had very little expectation of it, it was an unexpected pleasure.
In fact, it's practically a disaster movie, a rarity indeed in book form. A passenger plane crash-lands in the Andes, miles from civilisation, and the heroic young pilot and oddly-assorted passengers have to figure out how to survive in a hostile landscape. So far, so very Night Without End, which has exactly the same beginning, only in a deadly Arctic landscape. But here, the hero is the pilot - whose 'bad war' backstory and drinking problem could not help but remind me comically of the satirical, genre-puncturing tour de force of Airplane!
In fact, Tim O'Hara is a rather irritating hero by modern standards. Curt, moody, alcoholic and sexist. However, his passengers fill out the cast satisfyingly - although I could have done with a little more character delineation here and there. My favourites were Jennifer Ponsky and Dr Armstrong and to say why would spoil the plot.
Yes, the plot. I would have been happy just with the drama of how the passengers extricate themselves from their deadly crash site, too far up in the mountains to be able to breathe properly. But this is a thriller so we must have a rather unconvincing South American Communist plot.
The book isn't perfect - it ends rather abruptly and could do with a little more humour. But having had very little expectation of it, it was an unexpected pleasure.
April 23, 2009
Review from Amazon:
Book Description
Isolated in the biting cold of the Andes, after their plane has been hijacked and forced to crash-land, Tim O'Hara's passengers are fighting for their lives. While one group of survivors, lead by O'Hara, attempt to cross the peaks along a deadly, snow-covered pass, the other is working to stall the armed group of soldiers who plan to kill them all once they have managed to cross a torrential river. Ingenious ideas are put into action in a dramatic attempt to prolong their survival until help arrives.
About the Author
Celebrated for his fast-paced stories and attention to detail, thriller writer Desmond Bagley was born in the Lake District and spent his early working life in the aircraft industry, before his adventurous spirit took him on an exciting road trip to South Africa, where he settled as a freelance journalist and film critic. His first novel, The Golden Keel was an instant success, and he went on to write a further fifteen gripping stories, which have been translated into more than 20 languages.
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Book Description
Isolated in the biting cold of the Andes, after their plane has been hijacked and forced to crash-land, Tim O'Hara's passengers are fighting for their lives. While one group of survivors, lead by O'Hara, attempt to cross the peaks along a deadly, snow-covered pass, the other is working to stall the armed group of soldiers who plan to kill them all once they have managed to cross a torrential river. Ingenious ideas are put into action in a dramatic attempt to prolong their survival until help arrives.
About the Author
Celebrated for his fast-paced stories and attention to detail, thriller writer Desmond Bagley was born in the Lake District and spent his early working life in the aircraft industry, before his adventurous spirit took him on an exciting road trip to South Africa, where he settled as a freelance journalist and film critic. His first novel, The Golden Keel was an instant success, and he went on to write a further fifteen gripping stories, which have been translated into more than 20 languages.
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January 28, 2016
Really shows its age and it's clearly from the same stable as Alistair MacLean with paper thin characterisation and stereotyping ('banana' republics, communist revolutions, fat and lazy Americans, heroic Americans haunted by the war etc) . The plot was ok tho and I'm surprised that this has not been given a Hollywood 'treatment' as it's got the ingredients to keep people entertained for a couple of hours. I did have a chuckle at one point when I recognised a scene that had been stolen completely and incorporated into the 1982 movie Firefox - I hope the Bagley estate got some corn for this!
July 8, 2016
A fairly straightforward story, by Bagley's standards, about good guys fighting bad guys with lots of action and adventure and just a touch of romance. This was his 2nd novel and it is much more predictable and less interesting than his later novels (such as Running Blind, The Freedom Trap or The Tightrope Men). It seems to be written very much in the Alistair MacLean style, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I must say that I very much prefer Bagley's later novels which had a bit less action and adventure but far more plot twists and turns.
February 18, 2020
Andien vangit oli Desmond Bagleyn toinen julkaistu jännitysromaani, itse asiassa kolmas hänen kirjoittamansa. Kirjaa lukiessa kuvittelee lähes koko ajan henkilöt nykyaikaan, vaikka tapahtumien ajankohta on ollut jo 1950-luvulla. Draamankaari kulkee tuttuja polkuja, päähenkilöt joutuvat ylitsepääsemättömältä vaikuttavaan tilanteeseen, käyttävät kaikki keinot selvitäkseen, menevät läpi turhankin hankalista esteistä kaikista ongelmista huolimatta, rakastuvat hieman ja lopussa kaikki päättyy tietenkin hyvin. Ainakin osalle hahmoista.
January 5, 2017
The politics may be somewhat dated and the villains no more than caricature, but ignore those and you are left with a taut thriller about how ordinary people can rise to the occasion and fight for themselves and others. The characters are surprisingly modern too, with the women being treated equally to the men when it comes to whatever contribution they can make rather than being relegated to cooking duties. Fabulous story.
September 6, 2019
A typical Desmond Bagley thriller. Set in the Andes Mountains, where a small aircraft crashes, with a rebel leader on board and the ruling junta which caused the crash trying to liquidate him. And the pilot who crash-lands the plane on a remote mining air-strip on a hill-top and a few passengers who find themselves accidentally caught in the plot. A test of endurance for the characters and a treat for the readers.
January 21, 2014
It's been many years since I first read this. On this latest reading, it's aged in terms of its political relevance... But in many ways, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Stranded in the Andes after a plane crash, broken down pilot Tim O Hara must somehow hold the little band together against a group of communist revolutionaries waiting on the other side of the bridge.
October 26, 2019
Piloten Tim Ó´Hara blir tvungen att utföra en flight till sydamerika på kort varsel. Hans co-pilot visar sig dock vara beväpnad och har arrangerat en kapning. De kraschlandar i Anderna, men faran finns fortfarande. Bitvis en ganska spännande bok som dock lider av ett lite överlastat språk. Det flyter inte helt hundra plus att den är lite för lång.
January 10, 2021
Good yarn. A perfect book for an airplane ride. Pulls you in and keeps your interest. Another author that I am glad that I found out about. This edition had 298 pages, if anyone knows how to add that to this edition of the book, please let me know.
April 26, 2010
eventually you'll feel cold.
August 12, 2011
great book, very exciting, you're not in there with the action but you understand how every character feels
January 13, 2013
One of the best books I have ever read, medieval weapons against a modern day communist army, what could be better?
October 5, 2013
Excellent and a different kind of story which made a change.
I will certainly read more from Mr. Bagley :)
I will certainly read more from Mr. Bagley :)
July 27, 2014
Bagley really can tell thrilling stories. I enjoyed this one about O'Hara's fight high up in the Andes with a couple of men and almost no weapons against a communist army.
September 18, 2015
I already stated how much i love the books written by Desmond Bagley; from all i've read High Citadel is without a doubt my favourite.
March 4, 2018
very talented team lol
August 6, 2018
(audiobook)
4.5
4.5
March 10, 2019
Another Desmond Bagley novel dipped in Barbeque sauce. Would say so much more about it but then I wouldn't want to spoil it for you. All I will say is, have a go at it and see if you can put it down.
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